The prince is more stable

Chapter 853: Great shelter for poor people
The emperor's invitation to a banquet was unexpected for Zhang Dun.

Too crude.

On the low table in front of them, there was only a simple meal of three meat dishes and one vegetable dish, a bowl of rice, and no wine.

Looking at what was in front of Zhao Xiaoqian, it was the same standard, the same dishes.

Zhang Dun narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of inquiry in his gaze.

Before becoming emperor, Zhang Dun naturally knew about Zhao Xiaoqian, and what impressed him most was that Zhao Xiaoqian was very particular about food.

It was precisely for this reason that the delicacies of the Chu Prince's Mansion became highly praised by the nobles of Bianjing. Zhang Dun had the honor of attending a banquet at the Chu Prince's Mansion before, and the food was indeed wonderful and lived up to its reputation.

Even more so, it is said that Zhao Xiaoqian and Su Shi were close friends despite their age difference, and what initially brought them together was not poetry and literature, but food.

Su Shi's reputation as a gourmand was as widespread as his talent. It is said that Zhao Xiaoqian and Su Shi often got together, but they never talked about poetry or literature. Instead, they discussed cooking.

So, in Zhang Dun's imagination, Zhao Xiaoqian should have become more picky about food after becoming emperor, but the three meat dishes and one vegetable dish in front of him really surprised him.

Now that you've conquered the world, why are your meals even simpler than when you were in the Chu King's residence?

Was it to show the emperor, the prime minister, that he was frugal, or was the pressure of state affairs so great that the emperor had no mood to enjoy fine food?

Filled with confusion and questions, Zhang Dun ate his meal absentmindedly.

After a long silence, Zhang Dun finally couldn't help but sigh, "Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but although the Song Dynasty's treasury is somewhat strained, it can only barely support a single national war. It can barely cope with other matters. As the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, Your Majesty doesn't need to be so frugal..."

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback, then looked down at the three meat dishes and one vegetable dish in front of him and couldn't help but smile.

"Do you think I deliberately cut palace expenses to save money for the Northern Expedition?"

Looking at the simple dishes in front of him, Zhang Dun sighed, "Isn't that so? When Emperor Zhezong was alive, although he wasn't too extravagant, the emperor still had to maintain a certain pomp and circumstance. Each of his meals consisted of at least a dozen dishes. I have never seen an emperor's meals so frugal."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "The emperor only has one mouth and one stomach, no different from anyone else. Two or three dishes can fill his stomach, so why bother with all the pomp and circumstance? With a dozen dishes in front of him, how many can the emperor eat? What he can't finish can only be thrown away. Wasting food is too shameful."

These were indeed his honest thoughts. There was really no need to make a big fuss about eating. In his previous life, Zhao Xiaoqian wasted food when he was a child and was severely disciplined by his parents. He remembered the beating he received for the rest of his life.

From then on, even after Zhao Xiaoqian grew up, started working, and was able to support himself, he never dared to waste food. He would even clean out every last grain of rice left in his bowl, which led to him developing obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Even though he was born into wealth, Zhao Xiaoqian still dared not waste food in this second life.

The delicacies in the Chu King's palace were once praised throughout the city, but Zhao Xiaoqian ate exquisite food, not extravagant displays.

Hearing Zhao Xiaoqian speak so simply, Zhang Dun sighed again: "Your Majesty is so different from emperors of all dynasties. I admire you from the bottom of my heart..."

Zhao Xiaoqian said seriously, "What kind of pomp should the emperor's meal be like? Probably with two slices of meat in a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), just two slices!"

"Even the emperor's dung rake was made of pure gold; otherwise, it wouldn't be worthy of his status!"

Zhang Dun burst out laughing: "Your Majesty's statement... haha!"

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't laugh, but said seriously, "Whether I eat a lot or a little is a small matter. I don't care, and you don't need to feel sorry for me."

"The important thing is that now that I'm sitting on this throne, I only hope that the people of the world can have more dishes at every meal, preferably meat at every meal, that the elderly and children won't go hungry, that they won't lack clothing in winter, and that they won't freeze to death..."

"This is a long-term goal that requires the joint efforts of you, me, and your subjects."

"Of course, I'm not pretending to be noble or great. The purpose of doing this is mostly to hope that the Song Dynasty can continue for a long time, so that it won't be overthrown by poor people who can't even get enough to eat hundreds of years later."

Zhang Dun's expression turned solemn. He stood up, bowed deeply, and said sternly, "As a subject in this position, I am determined to share the Emperor's burdens and seek happiness for the people. If I fail to do so, I am not worthy to continue sitting in this position."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed and said, "That sounds inspiring. As long as Mr. Zihou and I are of one mind, there is nothing in this world that we cannot accomplish. In the history books thousands of years from now, you and I will both be sage rulers and virtuous ministers, for future generations to admire. Wouldn't that be a wonderful story?"

…………

Youzhou City.

"Youzhou" was the official name of the city in the Song Dynasty, but it also had another name: "Beijing".

This Beijing is not the Beijing of later times. Both the Song and Liao dynasties had a five-capital system, with four other capitals supporting the national capital.

Beijing was once known as Daming Prefecture during the Song Dynasty. Later, the imperial court recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, increasing the territory and extending the borders northward by hundreds of miles.

At this time, Daming Prefecture was no longer worthy of being called Beijing. So, when Zhao Xu was alive, he changed the name of Xijin Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty to "Youzhou" and named it Beijing of the Song Dynasty.

This was actually something that made the people of the Song Dynasty proud.

For the first time in a century since the founding of the Song Dynasty, due to the expansion and extension of its territory, newly conquered cities were renamed. During the Qingming Festival, this was enough to boast about for two hours in front of the ancestors' tombstones.

The atmosphere in the backyard of the Youzhou City government office was particularly somber today.

Xu Jiang and Chen Songling had been imprisoned in the backyard. Guo Cheng, the garrison commander of Youzhou City, acting on Zhao Xiaoqian's secret orders, specially dispatched a thousand soldiers to surround the backyard, with strict security, and no one was allowed to enter or leave. Xu Jiang and Chen Songling had been living in this small courtyard for more than three months.

During these three months, no news came from the outside world, and the two of them had no idea how nervous Zhao Xiaoqian was about his return to the capital to seize the throne.

Every day, filled with trepidation, I would sit in the courtyard, calmly watching the sun rise in the east and set in the west, day after day.

Initially, the two were able to talk to each other and speculate on the current situation in Bianjing.

But later, Xu Jiang and Chen Songling gradually had nothing to say to each other.

It wasn't that they had nothing to talk about, but rather that their values ​​were completely at odds.

Xu Jiang held a relatively open and tolerant attitude towards Zhao Xiaoqian's usurpation of the throne. In his view, the Song Dynasty needed a wise and virtuous monarch to lead the country to a golden age, rather than rigidly adhering to ancestral rules and selecting a foolish or even tyrannical person, thus turning back the clock of history.

It may be reasonable and legal according to ancestral rules, but who will pity the poor people? Who will take up a three-foot-long sword, lead the royal army to the north to conquer the Liao Kingdom, and complete the unification of China?
In this day and age, no one but Zhao Xiaoqian can do it.

Xu Jiang understood this very well. So when Zhao Xiaoqian led the Yanyun border army to start an uprising, which was technically suspected of being a rebellion, Xu Jiang simply did not participate. However, he did not actually oppose it. Therefore, Xu Jiang took the initiative to ask Zhong Jianzhong to imprison him.

Chen Songling's thoughts were completely opposite to Xu Jiang's. Even now, when Chen Songling talks about Zhao Xiaoqian, he still uses insulting words such as "traitor" and "wolf in sheep's clothing".

It is evident how pedantic and stubborn Chen Songling was. In his eyes, he only recognized the ancestral system, and only the heirs recognized by the ancestral system were the legitimate successors to the throne. Anyone else would be accused of usurping the throne and would be punished by everyone.

Xu Jiang and Chen Songling's principles and stances were fundamentally opposed, just like the political factions in Bianjing, where one side advocated for the eldest son to be chosen and the other for the most virtuous to be chosen.

The conflict and antagonism between the two camps are now being reflected in the two individuals themselves.

Since neither of us can convince the other, it's better to remain silent and forget each other in the vast world.

During their imprisonment, Xu Jiang and Chen Songling's friendship had long since capsized, and not only capsized, but also, like the Titanic, it broke cleanly in the middle.

Today was another uneventful day.

Xu Jiang seemed to have gotten used to this kind of life, but he was not worried about his future fate at all. He knew that the court would reinstate him sooner or later because he had full confidence in Zhao Xiaoqian.

After the coup in Bianjing, 100,000 border troops marched south. With Zhao Xiaoqian's abilities, the outcome against those incompetent princes was a foregone conclusion.

Xu Jiang was convinced that Zhao Xiaoqian would succeed and that he would surely ascend the throne and hold supreme power over the world.

Xu Jiang was more confident in himself, believing that once Zhao Xiaoqian ascended the throne, he would surely reinstate him.

Confidence is not blind, because Xu Jiang, like Zhao Xiaoqian, has a very clear and rational understanding of himself.

Xu Jiang was once the top scholar in the imperial examinations and had experience fighting the Liao army on the front lines. As expected, after Zhao Xiaoqian ascended the throne, he would definitely plan a northern expedition.

When the imperial court formulates strategies and deploys troops, how could it be without General Xu?

When Zhong Jianzhong decided to support Zhao Xiaoqian and lead 100,000 border troops south, General Xu did not participate and had no merit in supporting Zhao Xiaoqian. However, he did not cause trouble for Zhao Xiaoqian or create obstacles for him. Instead, he honestly and voluntarily requested to be imprisoned, aiming to stay out of trouble and avoid getting involved.

For this reason alone, Zhao Xiaoqian should remember his kindness.

When the sun was high in the sky, the door to the east wing opened, and Chen Songling walked out looking sleepy. When he saw Xu Jiang sitting blankly in the courtyard, Chen Songling's face darkened, he snorted angrily, then turned around and walked to the other side, keeping a great distance from Xu Jiang, with his back to him.

Xu smiled faintly and didn't bother to argue with him.

Time may not be able to prove right and wrong, good and evil, but it will certainly prove victory and defeat.

“It’s a beautiful day today…” Xu Jiang looked up at the bright sunshine, his eyes slightly narrowed.

“Yangshuo is in its prime, and all the evil spirits and monsters in the world have nowhere to hide!” Chen Songling replied coldly.

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; who are the demons and monsters? The victor decides." Xu Jiang said with a smile, his words carrying a double meaning.

Chen Songling was taken aback, then flew into a rage. Just as he was about to retort, he heard hurried footsteps coming from outside the archway in the backyard. The sound was mixed with the clanging of armor plates, indicating that the person coming was in a hurry and was a military officer.

Soon, Guo Cheng, the garrison commander of Youzhou City, hurriedly walked to the backyard, clasped his hands in greeting to the two men upon meeting them.

"This humble general, Guo Cheng, pays his respects to Commander Chen and Vice Envoy Xu."

Guo Cheng still used their original official titles, since the imperial court had not yet officially issued a document to promote or dismiss the two men; they remained the Hebei West Circuit Pacification Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner.

Seeing Guo Cheng come over, Xu Jiang's heart suddenly raced, pounding wildly, as if he had seen his childhood sweetheart.

"Bian...Bianjing, is there any result?" Xu asked Guo Cheng with bloodshot eyes, his expression and tone extremely excited.

Guo Cheng smiled and said, "Yes, there's a result in Bianjing. On May 28th, His Highness Prince Cheng officially ascended the throne as Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)