In the seventeenth year of Jiading, late autumn, Lin'an City.
An autumn rain and a cold, especially the autumn rain mixed with the cold wind, made the whole palace feel chilly.
In the Dongbian Gate and the Prince's East Palace, the sounds of wind, rain, and reading complement each other and complement each other.
"Those who love their relatives do not dare to do evil to others; those who respect their relatives do not dare to be arrogant to others. Love and respect are fulfilled in serving relatives, and moral education is imposed on the people and punishments are imposed on the world. This is the filial piety of the emperor..."
After stopping reading, Zhen Dexiu nodded with satisfaction when he saw Zhao Hong listening intently.
Compared with before, this kid is in heaven and earth, his mind is really twisted.
Hope all this is not too late.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Zhen!"
Zhao Hong said sincerely.
The mission to the Kingdom of Jin was not in danger. Although he left without saying goodbye and was unable to pay homage to the imperial mausoleum, there was no objection from the court. After all, the Kingdom of Jin is a land of tigers and wolves. The fire at Duting Station meant that there was no silver in this place.
The Kingdom of Jin also sent envoys to apologize, saying that the fire at Dutingyi was an accident and that the original intention of the Song-Jin peace talks remained unchanged.
"Your Highness, do you understand what the veteran said just now?"
Zhen Dexiu looked at his disciple and asked with concern.
Sometimes he felt that Zhao Hong knew everything and could understand everything by analogy. Sometimes I feel that he is empty-handed, proficient in everything but sparse in everything.
"Zhen Gong, every day I read "The Analects of Confucius", "The Book of Filial Piety", "Book of Rites", "Shang Shu", "Spring and Autumn", "Laozi", playing chess, calligraphy and painting. You want to train me to become a literary and artistic master."
Zhao Hong put down the book and laughed softly without comment.
The attendants, lecturers, Yishan and other officials in the Prince's East Palace were all Confucian scholar-bureaucrats who had read the Four Books and Five Classics. Naturally, the artists they educated were artists who grew up in the palace.
Unfortunately, he didn't want this. Letting him cultivate into an artistic young man would be more uncomfortable than killing him.
People just need to do what they like, there is no need to cover everything, and there is no need to deal with anyone.
"Your Highness, cultivate yourself and your family, and achieve good things to benefit the world. Your Highness must not give up studying for a day. Please note that the book contains principles for behaving and doing things with a clear mind and morality."
Zhen Dexiu put on a straight face and taught his unscrupulous disciples seriously.
This guy, relying on himself as the prince, is sometimes too arrogant and too presumptuous.
What he didn't know was that Zhao Hong came from a later generation and had no concept of high and low. Although he had always been influenced by it, his true nature was easy to change and his true nature was still revealed from time to time.
"So what if you have a belly full of poems and books, no matter how splendid the articles are, when the 100,000-strong Tatar cavalry march south, they won't talk to you about benevolence, morality, psychology, and philosophy!"
Zhao Hong shook his head and said seriously.
He knows nothing about military affairs, economics and people's livelihood. It is unrealistic to expect them to master civil and martial arts. At best, they will only be sworn monarchs, and they will hardly have the courage to fight.
If the emperor is like this, let alone the soldiers and the people.
This is a time of great strife, where the jungle law of the jungle prevails, and those who do this can only be dead ends.
Empty talk will harm the country, but hard work will rejuvenate the country. This is the right way.
"Your Highness, when a powerful enemy invades, only by being sensible can you protect your family and the country. Those who are familiar with utilitarianism will open the door to thieves and care about people's hearts. Let you read the "Book of Filial Piety" carefully to improve your relationship with Queen Yang. You have to understand, Without Empress Yang's approval, even if you are crowned prince, there will still be many obstacles."
Zhen Dexiu said dissatisfiedly, feeling very dissatisfied.
He is a master of Neo-Confucianism. When Zhao Hong said this, was he not giving face to himself as a teacher, or was he saying that he was embroidering pillows?
"Teacher, don't worry, I understand, I understand!"
Zhao Hong said apologetically and seriously.
Because he was so close to Yang Yi, inexplicably, his relationship with Queen Yang Guizhi became more harmonious.
Yes, it's just a little bit more harmonious.
In order to avoid the early establishment of a prince in the Tang Dynasty and the fighting among the princes, the Song Dynasty established the prince before the emperor was about to die, which became a rule. This is no wonder why Zhao Honggui was a prince in history but was never established as a prince.
But Zhao Kuo suddenly died of illness, and Zhao Hongcai had no chance to become the prince.
"Prince, it's good that you know. You must be careful in your words and deeds. It's not too late to show off your talents until the overall situation is decided!"
Zhen Dexiu looked around and lowered his voice.
Compared with the situation in the Tang Dynasty where the emperor often assigned the prince to "supervise the country", the prince in the Song Dynasty had no power. His daily routine was to "visit the meal and ask for peace". In addition to reading and studying, I would greet the emperor three times a day.
The overall situation has been decided?
Zhao Hong shook his head gently.
Even if he shows kindness, who knows if Shi Miyuan will give up his madness? Will Yang Guizhi put aside his prejudices?
Hope cannot be pinned on others. Only what you can control can you rest assured.
Now I just don't know how long his father can survive?
"There is a saying that the people have no two masters, and the country has no two kings. The prince's duty is only to pay attention to the food and drink. The kings and princes only focus on preaching scriptures and reading history. He has no foreknowledge. If they discuss current affairs, then The ancients called it rude to talk to a son about his father. Moreover, the appointment of the prime minister should be based on the principle of being polite and courteous to all officials. Moreover, the order of the prince to the prime minister was custom-made by the Song Dynasty. Prince, please bear with it. "
Sure enough, Zhen Dexiu, a part-time teacher, slowly spoke out.
He wanted Zhao Hong to understand his responsibilities and situation.
In the Song Dynasty, the officials of the East Palace were sometimes combined with other officials, or they were provincial or local, which was very unstable. At first, there were guests including the prime minister who was also the master, and the political advisor who was also the prince. At the beginning, there were attendants and lecturers. Zishantang, where the prince was studying, also had officials such as Yishan.
Fortunately, Shi Miyuan was not allowed to become his teacher, otherwise the joke would have been too big.
"Zhen Gong, you have to know that this country belongs to Zhao and Song Dynasties, not to the prime ministers and scholar-bureaucrats. Confucius said: Only the emperor is ordered by heaven, and the scholars are ordered by the king. Now that the emperor is controlled by the scholar-officials, is this putting the cart before the horse? Some Ridiculous!?"
Zhao Hong's words made Zhen Dexiu stunned for a moment, and then he said:
"The ancestors of the Song Dynasty said that the king and the scholar-bureaucrats rule the world together. How can the ancestral family law be changed?"
"It's the ancestral family law again! Can kings and scholar-bureaucrats be the same? In that case, why don't the scholar-bureaucrats be kings and everyone should be equal? Wouldn't it be a happy place where the country is peaceful and the people are safe? Why do we need kings?"
The king is weak and the other is strong, and the scholar-officials cover the sky with only one hand. Whose world belongs to this world, the scholar-officials or the king?
Zhen Dexiu was stunned, and Zhao Hong continued to preach.
"Shi Miyuan can appoint such high-ranking officials as the envoys, whose power is higher than that of the emperor of the Song Dynasty. The emperor is like a puppet. Who is the emperor? Who are the ministers? The emperor was imprisoned within the high walls of the palace by his ministers. Eat and wait to die. If a minister is so domineering, is he still a minister?"
Just like his "father" Zhao Kuo, he rarely left the palace, and state affairs were basically decided by Shi Miyuan. Can such an official of the Song Dynasty be considered an emperor? Where do you feel the emperor's authority?
Official, the title really disgusted him. One day, he must abolish this title of coward and selfishness.
"Your Highness, Shi Miyuan's monopoly on power and his role as Prime Minister and Privy Council has violated the rules of our dynasty. But not all scholar-bureaucrats are his party members. The king and the scholar-bureaucrats share weal and woe. This is the foundation of governing the country."
Zhen Dexiu was surprised by his disciple's "extraordinary behavior", but still insisted on his own point of view.
He vaguely felt that Zhao Hong's ideas were too unique and his personality was too strong, and he might be difficult to influence and control by others.
"Zhen Gong, let's not talk about this today, we will only talk about filial piety. You can continue to talk and read, I am all ears."
Not enough words to speculate. What kind of king is a king if he cannot make arbitrary decisions?
Zhen Dexiu finished his lecture and left with a lot of worries. Zhao Hong looked at his back and shook his head gently.
The scholar-bureaucrats of the Song Dynasty were seriously deficient in blood. During the Three Kingdoms period, Dong Zhuo was domineering, and there were still ministers who continued to assassinate him with swords, including Cao Mengde.
On the other hand, now, among the scholar-bureaucrats in the entire dynasty, not a single warrior dares to assassinate Prime Minister Quan Miyuan, and their blood and energy are gone. This is clear proof.
The kings of the Song Dynasty were born within high walls and grew up with women's hands. They were trained in moral articles, music, chess, calligraphy and painting since childhood. They were all literary and artistic young people full of poems and books. Struggle for power, full of selfish thoughts, short-sighted.
Let’s look at the Mongolian army in the north. They don’t have the exclusive authority of the harem ministers. The soldiers have been warriors on horseback since they were young. The generals are all warriors who have experienced hundreds of battles. How can they not be invincible if they work together as one?
My Song Dynasty has many shortcomings, which is really worrying.
"Your Highness, Chen Qi, the shopkeeper of Chen's Bookstore in Muqinfang, has sent over a selection of Tang poems that the bookstore has just published. Please take a look."
The new eunuch from the East Palace came up, holding a thin book of poems in his hand.
Zhao Hong took the collection of poems, which turned out to be a twelve-page "Collection of Poems of Tang Girl Yu Xuanji".
Yu Xuanji was a female poet in the late Tang Dynasty. She was the concubine of official Li Yi at first, but Li's wife could not tolerate her, so she became a female Taoist priest in Xianyiguan, Chang'an. He has been friends with the writer Wen Tingyun for many years and sang many songs with him. Later, he was executed for beating his maid Lu Qiao to death.
Yu Xuanji is talented and thoughtful, especially in poetry. Together with Li Ye, Xue Tao, and Liu Caichun, they are known as the four great female poets of the Tang Dynasty, and they were also popular in the Song Dynasty.
It is easy to find priceless treasures, but it is rare to find a lover.
Remembering you, my heart is like the water of the West River, flowing eastward day and night without rest.
There is no doubt about the talent of this poetess.
The printing of this "Collected Poems" is also of high quality and can be considered a good copy.
Zhao Hong looked out the window. The rain had stopped, the wind had calmed down, and the birds were chirping on the branches again.
"Your Highness, this "Collection of Poems by Yu Xuanji" is much worse than your collection of poems! Every one of your poems is a masterpiece that will last forever. I have a copy and read it every day. Many of them are familiar to me."
Seeing Zhao Hong reading page by page, the young eunuch complimented Zhao Hong.
"Really? Then recite one and let me listen!"
Zhao Hong laughed, nodded and said.
I don’t know if later generations of authors would complain that their ideas were plagiarized when they wrote lyrics and poems.
"Withered vines, old trees and dim crows, small bridges and flowing water, people's homes, west wind and thin horses on the ancient roads..."
The young eunuch was not ambiguous. He opened his mouth and read "Tianjingsha. Autumn Thoughts", word for word, full of emotion, and he had some talent for oratory.
"Okay, okay!"
Zhao Hong nodded and asked kindly.
"You are sent by the government, what is your name?"
This little eunuch has delicate features and smart eyes, which makes people feel inexplicably fond of him.
"Your Highness, your servant Dong Songchen is seventeen years old this year. There are five other parents and brothers in the family. I am the eldest son and entered the palace three years ago."
The little eunuch lowered his head and bowed, extremely submissive.
Zhao Hong nodded. In my impression, in the late Southern Song Dynasty, the valet of Zhao Yun, Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty, was named Dong Songchen. He was good at flattering people and was very popular with Emperor Lizong of the Song Dynasty. I don’t know if he is this person.
Song Chen, this name is clever enough.
"Dong Songchen, do your job well and I won't treat you badly."
Those who are close to vermilion are red, those who are close to ink are black. Bad people and good people are not created by the times.
"Your Highness, Eunuch Li asked me to tell you that the Guan family has been taking elixirs frequently recently, and their health and bones are getting worse and worse. No one can persuade them. The imperial doctor said that the Guan family may not be able to hold on for another month or two."
Dong Songchen whispered, not forgetting to look around.
Zhao Hong nodded, feeling helpless.
Since he became the crown prince, the rooster has risen every day to pay his respects to his meal. Zhao Kuo's health was indeed getting worse.
Composed of various toxic metals, this and that are elixirs and simply poisons.
While Zhao Hong was pondering, Dong Songchen spoke.
"Shopkeeper Chen said that the "Jianghu Poetry Collection" will be published, so His Highness can come and sit down when you have time."
A collection of Jianghu poetry?
Zhao Hong nodded and became interested.
He really wanted to go over and chat with people like Liu Kezhuang, Dai Fuxu, and Zeng Ji to forget his own troubles.
"How is the emperor's grandson?"
"Your Highness, the emperor's grandson is already asleep."
Zhao Hong nodded and laughed awkwardly.
Emperor grandson Zhao Quan, this chubby little guy, belongs to his predecessor in this body, and he is just a "stepfather" with a green head.
"Your Highness, the emperor's grandson is handsome and looks very much like your highness. With Li and the others guarding him, the emperor's grandson will have no problems!"
Dong Songchen continued.
Zhao Hong laughed sarcastically. If his son didn't look like him, wouldn't it be obvious to others if he had a green patch of hair?
After entering the palace, it was not easy for Zhou Ping to come in. But he is more comfortable on the outside and more effective.
"Your Highness, please be careful. Your Highness is now the Crown Prince. He is one step away from you. Beware of anyone harming the Emperor's grandson, which would be detrimental to the Crown Prince."
Dong Songchen observed the words and expressions and whispered in a low voice.
"Dong Songchen, you are very smart. You should pay more attention to what is going on in the palace in the future."
Zhao Hong nodded and looked at Dong Songchen with appreciation.
It seems that his situation is still worrying, and even this little eunuch knows it clearly.
The current bodyguards in the crown prince's palace, in addition to his old people when he was the Duke of Ji, there are also some servants from the Zhou family who have joined as servants. They are all carefully selected by Zhou Ping, and there are more than 20 people in total.
With more people, the guards in the Prince's East Palace have been strengthened a lot, and he feels relieved.
But even so, as the number of guards increased and he became the crown prince, his sense of crisis became stronger and the urgency increased day by day.
Zhao Hong glanced at the collection of poems and picked it up. He looked out the window. The rain had stopped and the sun had climbed out.
"Dong Songchen, you and Li Tang take good care of the crown prince's palace. I have something to go out for!"
"Emperor Father" is seriously ill, will Shi Miyuan appoint Zhao Guicheng as he did in history? Will Yang Guizhi and Shi Miyuan cooperate with each other to depose him?
The pressure on Zhao Hong's heart was overwhelming.
