The prince is more stable

Chapter 883 The Heavy Responsibility of Supervision
When the emperor's wives and concubines returned to the capital, the emperor immediately bestowed titles upon the empress and his concubines the next day, and also granted a noble title to his only prince. This matter was known to everyone in the court and among the people.

What's amazing is that in the past, no matter how the emperor handled matters concerning the imperial family, whether it was right or wrong, there were always officials and censors who would jump out and interfere. In short, whatever the emperor did was wrong and had to be opposed.

But this time, when Zhao Xiaoqian conferred titles upon the empress and concubines, and bestowed titles upon the princes, the court was surprisingly calm. Most of the civil and military officials accepted the appointments without objection.

Di Ying and Zhao Xiaoqian had been married for many years, which was common knowledge. Now that her husband had become the emperor, she couldn't possibly replace him with someone else as empress, could she?
Therefore, there is no controversy that Di Ying was made empress. As for the other concubines, they had been married to Zhao Xiaoqian for many years, so it was only natural that they were made concubines.

Besides this reason, Zhao Xiaoqian's recent rectification of the Council of State and the civil and military officials has made the officials in the court more respectful of this newly enthroned emperor.

This is also why they dare not interfere casually. How dare you, a monster, object to the affairs of an emperor?

Therefore, it is still very necessary for a new emperor to establish his authority over his ministers after ascending the throne.

A tree that isn't pruned won't grow straight.

The investiture of empresses and concubines was a major event, not something that could be accomplished simply by issuing an imperial edict.

After the Ministry of Rites drafted the decree, Zhao Xiaoqian, along with Di Ying and several concubines, dressed in formal court attire, worshipped at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. In front of the ancestral tablets and portraits, Zhang Yi, the Minister of Rites, composed a beautifully written parallel prose. After reading it aloud before the ancestors, the manuscript was thrown into a bronze tripod to offer sacrifices to Heaven.

After the grand ceremony, Di Ying, the Empress of the Song Dynasty, was finally recognized as legitimate and accepted by her subjects.

After the investiture, Zhao Xiaoqian's life finally became more comfortable in the following days.

Since ascending the throne, Zhao Xiaoqian has been unaware of the backgrounds of the women in the harem and dares not favor any women casually. As a result, the dignified emperor of the Song Dynasty has been living a life of abstinence and celibacy.

Now that his wives and concubines have returned to the capital, Brother Zhao is no longer feeling aggrieved and has begun to get busy.

Of course, the wives and concubines were not to be trifled with either. After Niao Niao gave birth to a son, they, including Di Ying, were extremely envious. Now that the couple had finally reunited, they were naturally unwilling to let Zhao Xiaoqian go.

As a result, Zhao Xiaoqian lived like a debauched and tyrannical emperor for the past few days, spending every night either in one of his sleeping quarters or another.

The wives and concubines also turned into juicers, demanding endlessly every night. Whether they were happy or not was no longer important; what mattered was to get pregnant quickly and give the master a big, fat son.

Several days later, Zhao Xiaoqian finally couldn't hold on any longer.

There are only oxen that die from exhaustion, not land that is ruined by plowing, let alone a large tract of land that relies entirely on this old ox for plowing. You can't use livestock to the point of exhaustion.

Therefore, Zhao Xiaoqian decisively raised the white flag of truce. He had a young body full of energy and wanted to contribute to the country. He couldn't die suddenly on his wife's belly, or he would be infamous for eternity, and no one would know how to write his epitaph.

…………

Autumn has arrived, and Zhao Xiaoqian changed the reign title in the second month after ascending the throne. It is now September of the first year of Jingkang.

After changing into the casual clothes of a wealthy young master, Zhao Xiaoqian made a rare incognito trip out of the palace.

Not far from Xuande Gate, on a large open space next to the Imperial Street, officials and craftsmen from the Ministry of Works were busily tamping the foundation, while laborers were carrying building materials, their brows slick with sweat.

This is an open space that was personally approved by Emperor Zhao Xiaoqian.

The original owner of this vacant lot was an old acquaintance; it was originally the site of the Prince Duan's residence.

After Zhao Ji was unfortunately eaten by a wild beast on his way to exile, the Duan Prince's Mansion naturally became unnecessary.

The Imperial Street in Bianjing was incredibly valuable, comparable to the Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty. This land could not be wasted, and since the court was planning to build a supervisory office, Zhao Xiaoqian decisively made use of it.

All the buildings in the former Prince Duan's Mansion were demolished and rebuilt to the standards of an official residence.

Like all government offices, it consisted of a front hall, a second hall, and left and right wing rooms for office work.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaoqian strolled leisurely on the construction site of the Supervisory Office, stepping on the uneven mud with uneven feet. Looking at the bustling scene on the construction site, he looked quite satisfied.

Besides Chen Shou and Zheng Chunhe, who always followed him closely, there were also Han Zhongyan, the Supervising Doctor, and Lü Huiqing, the Left Supervising Minister, behind him.

The two followed closely behind Zhao Xiaoqian, explaining the layout of the future Censorate offices as they walked.

Zhao Xiaoqian listened with great interest, occasionally asking questions or giving instructions. "The basic framework of the Censorate has been established. Now, what you need to do is to fill it with flesh and blood, making it like a living person, with thoughts, personality, wisdom, and sharpness," Zhao Xiaoqian said.

"Your Majesty, we will keep this in mind," Han Zhongyan and Lü Huiqing bowed and said.

Zhao Xiaoqian turned to look at the two men and said in a deep voice, "Do you two know the importance of the Censorate? It is the beginning of my establishment of a new order in the Song Dynasty."

"Whether the court implements new policies, examines local officials, or investigates the hardships of the common people, the Censorate must ensure that the communication channels between the people, the government, the court, and me are unobstructed. The current situation where local officials act as local tyrants will no longer exist."

"We understand, Your Majesty, and we will certainly not disappoint you," Han Zhongyan said.

Lu Huiqing continued, "Your Majesty, Doctor Han and I have recently completed the appointment of internal officials within the Censorate."

"The Censorate has appointed several officials from the Censorate, from the rank of Grand Master and Left and Right Vice Ministers down. These officials have been carefully evaluated by us and are found to be of very upright character."

"In addition, at the next level of officials, we have boldly appointed a number of officials who were retired in the capital and were granted official positions, as well as those who passed the imperial examinations and were granted the title of Jinshi in previous years."

"These young scholars have not yet been corrupted by the atmosphere of officialdom. After careful selection, we will appoint them based on their character and conduct, and exclude those who are scheming and opportunistic."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded. The way Han Zhongyan and Lü Huiqing appointed officials was quite to his liking.

In Zhao Xiaoqian's vision, the Censorate of the Great Song Dynasty was actually similar to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong in his previous life. It was an independent entity that was responsible only to him, the emperor, and no one else had the right to interfere.

In the 1960s, Hong Kong Island was a chaotic place with police and criminals colluding. It wasn't until the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that a new order was established, giving Hong Kong Island a completely new look.

Zhao Xiaoqian also wants to do this, although seeing real changes may be a very long process.

But no matter how long it takes, if we first legitimize its existence and growth, a new order will eventually be achieved, and the various chaotic phenomena and bad habits in the Song Dynasty court and officialdom, such as factional strife, corruption, and negligence, will gradually change.

"The offices of the Censorate are still under construction, but your work can begin. With the Censorate in Bianjing as the headquarters, you will continue to examine officials and establish Censorate branches in various prefectures and counties to try to handle some specific local affairs. I don't need to teach you these things, do I?"

Han Zhongyan hurriedly replied, "If Your Majesty needs to teach us everything, it would make us seem too incompetent. I naturally know what to do."

After a pause, Han Zhongyan said, "In fact, since the Emperor announced the establishment of the Supervisory Office, I have received a lot of news and rumors from the local areas."

"Some local officials are very vehemently opposed to the establishment of the supervisory office, and even openly declare that they are not subject to the supervision of the imperial court. The decision of the government to establish the supervisory office is very... muddleheaded. The imperial court should not interfere in the specific governance of local governments, which has led to the bad result of multiple orders and confusion."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled coldly: "Some people only respond to force, not persuasion. I will grant their request. How can a mantis stop a chariot? They think too highly of themselves."

Han Zhongyan added, "Furthermore, I have also received many petitions from local people who have bypassed their superiors. Most of them are accusations against local officials for misinterpreting the new policies and forcing local people to lose their homes and lives in the name of the new policies."

"I have already sent people to the localities to secretly investigate and verify these people's complaints one by one. If they are true, I will report to Your Majesty and ask Your Majesty to make a decision on how to handle them."

The chill in Zhao Xiaoqian's eyes deepened, and he said coldly, "Every one of these complaints must be thoroughly investigated. If the Censorate does not have enough manpower, I can transfer the Imperial City Guard to help you investigate. You can discuss this matter with Zhen Qing of the Imperial City Guard."

"The minister obeys the order."

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at Han Zhongyan and said slowly, "Perfect. The Censorate can use these people and events to make a great start and establish its authority in the court. It will also let the officials of the country see clearly what the Censorate does and what constraints it imposes on them."

"Once the investigation is completed, I will severely punish whoever is involved. The punishment will be very severe, and even bloodshed will be a good start," Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Han Zhongyan and Lü Huiqing felt the killing intent emanating from him and immediately shuddered, bowing respectfully in response.

Zhao Xiaoqian patted Han Zhongyan on the shoulder and said, "You should also be mentally prepared. The Censorate has a lot of power, but it's a job that offends people."

"My eyes are always on you. If I find that even you have to consider the complex relationships in the court, and you can't bring yourself to be ruthless in the face of evil people and evil deeds, then your official career is probably over."

"The court is not short of talent. There are plenty of people who would be eager to do what you dare not do. Mr. Shipu, I put you in this position because I trust you. Don't let me down."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhongyan immediately felt an immense pressure and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, I would never dare to be biased or deceive the Emperor. I will never compromise with personal relationships or power in the court. I swear that I will not protect any official who has committed a crime. I will handle all official matters impartially and will never disappoint Your Majesty."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "Very good, Mr. Shipu. Let me make this clear from the outset: the Censorate is only responsible to me and no one has the right to interfere. However, the Censorate is also under the secret surveillance of the Imperial City Guard. I am fully aware of your every move."

(End of this chapter)