Zhao Hong was angry, and several ruling ministers were solemn, and no one dared to speak again.
"Immediately issue an order to beat the Zhao brothers to the end and return to their hometown to reflect. Doesn't Zhao Kui have four white tigers at home? Let him go back and play with his tigers."
Zhao Hong looked at Xuan Zhen with burning eyes.
"Xuan Qing, kill whoever needs to be killed, and pass what needs to be locked up. Five thousand Tianxiong troops are dispersed and organized into the two armies in the south of the Yangtze River. Is that okay?"
"I obey the order! I will do my best!"
Xuan Zhen was sweating on his forehead and dared not speak anymore.
Zhao Hong's move to kill chickens and scare monkeys was to revive the imperial power. The Zhao brothers thought that it was in the past that they were on the edge of a knife.
Many ministers in the court have the same thoughts as the Zhao brothers. If they still want to restrain the king, they may be in big trouble.
Seeing that Zhao Hong's face looked better, Zhen Dexiu continued to report.
"Your Majesty, King Ji Zhao Guicheng has judged Ningguo County, and Prince Yi's Mansion has no heir. Your Majesty, do you want to choose another son from the clan and adopt him to Prince Yi's Mansion?"
The new emperor acted vigorously and resolutely, but he seemed a little too domineering.
"I'll ask the old princess first to see what she means."
Zhao Hong nodded. The lineage of King Yi was the direct heir of the late Emperor Zhao Kuo and King Yi Zhao Shen. This lineage must be passed on and cannot be cut off.
"Your Majesty has ascended the throne, and there is only one person in the harem, the Zhou family. Your Majesty should ennoble the Zhou family and choose another beautiful woman to enrich the harem."
Zhen Dexiu's proposal to participate in political affairs touched Zhao Hong's heart.
Yang Guizhi, who was the Queen Mother, almost disappeared and hid in the Cining Palace in the harem, living in seclusion and simplicity. Kunning Palace, the harem where Yang Guizhi originally lived, has been occupied by newcomer Zhou Xiuniang.
As the biological mother of the prince, Zhou Xiuniang couldn't enter the palace without even having a rank, and it was difficult to address the palace people.
"Have you made a decision, sir?"
Zhao Hong asked softly.
When Zhen Dexiu said this, the four ministers must have had an idea.
"Your Majesty, if the Zhou family gives birth to a prince, he can be named Zhaoyi. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Sure enough, Prime Minister Xue Ji spoke.
Among the concubines of the Song Dynasty, the first one was the head wife, also known as the queen. She was the head of the harem and was extremely noble.
The second level is the four concubines, namely the noble concubine, the Shu concubine, the virtuous concubine, and the virtuous concubine. Sometimes the concubine Chen was appointed, whose status was above that of the imperial concubine. Sometimes the emperor does not have a queen, and the four concubines have a transcendent status and are highly respected.
The third rank is the Nine Concubines, which is actually the Seventeenth Concubine, such as Guiyi, Shuyi, Shurong, Shunyi, Shunrong, Wanyi, Wanrong, Zhaoyi, etc. Zhou Xiuniang will be canonized as Zhaoyi Right there.
As soon as Zhou Xiuniang entered the palace, she was promoted to the third rank, which was already quite high.
When Empress Dowager Yang Yang Guizhi entered the palace, she was only named Jieyu of the fourth rank. In contrast, Zhou Xiu's mother-in-law was ranked third class as soon as she came in because of her noble son, and the ministers gave her enough face.
"I have worked hard on the canonization of Zhou Zhaoyi. As for enriching the harem, it is still a period of national mourning. It is not appropriate to talk about it in a big way. Let's discuss it later."
To have three thousand beauties in the harem is not to enjoy the blessings of others, but to risk one's life.
He suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen Yang Yi for a long time.
He used to feel like he was taking advantage of Yang Yi, but Yang Guizhi chose to go against him during the palace incident. He suddenly felt much better.
"Your Majesty has ascended the throne. Princess Yi and Mrs. Anguo are your Majesty's heirs and should be promoted to the throne."
Zhen Dexiu continued to solve Zhao Hong's problems.
Mrs. Anguo is Princess Yu of Yi and the heir of Zhao Guicheng. Zhao Hong was adopted by Princess Yi at the age of three and grew up in Prince Yi's Mansion for thirteen or four years. Princess Yi's wife, Yu Shi, naturally had a deep relationship with Zhao Hong.
"That's what the real minister says."
The Yu family was lonely, and as an heir, Zhao Hong was also pleased.
"Your Majesty, Mrs. Anguo can be named Mrs. Rongguo, reward money and materials, and tell the world. I wonder what your majesty wants?"
Zhen Dexiu looked at Zhao Hong and hesitated to speak.
"You can just do whatever you want. Filial piety is more important than understanding, and it doesn't matter how much money, power or reward you get."
Zhao Hong is a bachelor. These false titles are harmless and can be used as favors.
"Your Majesty, that prince..."
"The late Emperor has already given a baby that is over half a year old. If you need more favors, just let him grow up happily."
Zhao Hong interrupted Xue Ji's words.
"Gentlemen, do you have anything else to do?"
A dignified and important minister of the imperial court talks about trivial matters all day long. Although it is his duty, isn't it annoying?
"Your Majesty, Emperor Gaozong still served the Empress Dowager Cining at the difficult beginning of the Chinese Renaissance and was always extremely filial; I hope your Majesty will follow Gaozong's rule."
Xue Ji spoke carefully.
Jiao Zhao deposed the crown prince and pushed Zhao Guicheng, the heir of King Yi, to succeed him. It would be strange for Empress Dowager Yang and Zhao Hong not to have a knot in their hearts.
The Song Dynasty governed the country with filial piety. If the relationship between the two became tense, Zhao Hong and Yang Guizhi would be ridiculed by the world.
"I understand. Xue Qing, Xuan Qing, you can go to Cining Palace to see the Queen Mother first. I will go there later. After the New Year's Day, it will be the Queen Mother's birthday. Then you can all go and congratulate her."
Zhao Hong smiled coldly, understanding what Xue Ji meant.
In any case, Yang Guizhi is his "Queen Mother", and it's time for him to visit the nominal Queen Mother Yang.
Yang Guizhi, she was so tough on the day of the palace change. If she changed her tune in the palace, everything would be fine. Isn’t it good to enjoy your old age in peace? Do you really hate him that much if you have to depose yourself?
Whenever Yang Guizhi could be tougher and withstand Shi Miyuan's pressure, he would treat the Queen Mother respectfully and pretend not to care about her grandson.
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
Several ministers were relieved. Only when the emperor and the queen mother get along well can the court be stable.
"Let's stop the matter of usurping the throne and treason, so as not to shock the world and make the government and the public uneasy. In terms of its essence, whether it is the matter of usurping the throne or the Zhao brothers' intercession for Zheng Qing, they regard the Emperor of the Song Dynasty as nothing and the imperial power is weak. That’s all.”
Zhao Hong smiled with a smile on his lips as he talked. Zhen Dexiu and others were frightened and sweated on their foreheads.
"The imperial court discussed that Peng Yibin returned to Shandong, and Shi Miyuan went against it, but nothing was written about it. In the second year of Kaixi, the late emperor issued an edict to seize the title of King Qin Hui, and changed his posthumous title to Meichou. In the first year of Jiading, Shi Miyuan restored the title of King Shen of Qin Hui. The title and the posthumous title of Zhongxian. In the eyes of the ministers, is there still a king of the Song Dynasty?"
"I am terrified, but I know I am guilty!"
Xue Ji, Zhen Dexiu and others stood up, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed.
The imperial power was weakened, the power of the prime minister was dominated, and the scholar-bureaucrats controlled the government. The emperor was trapped in the palace and became a true loner.
"Everyone, get up."
Zhao Hong stood up and stepped forward, helping several people up one by one.
"Zhen Gong, you reported earlier that the newly appointed Sichuan system made Zheng Sun useless. Is that really the case?"
Zheng Sun, the Dinghai Incident in history, the Mongol army massacred at Shukou, and Sichuan soldiers and civilians suffered hundreds of thousands of casualties, it was thanks to this king.
He didn't know yet that Chuzhou was in turmoil and Xu's lesson had already happened. If he had known about this, he would have replaced Zheng Sheng long ago.
"this……"
Zhen Dexiu and Xue Ji looked embarrassed and hesitated.
"Xue Xiang, this is a state matter, related to the safety of the imperial court and the life and death of the people. Don't be perfunctory!"
Zhao Hong looked at Prime Minister Xue Ji and took a heavy breath.
Zheng Sun was appointed as the envoy of Sichuan, an important military and political official. He had not yet ascended the throne at that time. Shi Miyuan had to be careful about the choices he made.
Historically, both Jin and Mongolia invaded from Shukou. Such an important place must not fall to a nerd who can only talk empty words.
"Your Majesty, all matters in the court, big and small, are decided by the prime minister. Zheng Sun is decided by the prime minister. The ministers can only act according to orders."
Xue Ji smiled bitterly, but Zhao Hong knew it well.
Even if the ministers don't mention it, he will take down Zheng Sun.
"Miki" is indeed just a puppet, doing things respectfully.
"Your Majesty, Zheng Sun is mostly a local civil servant and is not familiar with side affairs. The Sichuan system appoints an envoy, and the relationship is irreversible. Your Majesty, please be careful!"
Zhen Dexiu gritted his teeth and spoke loudly.
He is now the ruling minister, and his butt determines his head. If he was vague, something would happen in the future and the emperor would hold him accountable, but he would not be able to get involved.
The defense of Shukou is related to the foundation of the country and should not be taken lightly.
"Your Majesty, although Zheng Sun has not commanded the military and is lacking in external affairs, he has just taken office less than a year ago and has not made any big mistakes. If your Majesty replaces him rashly, I am afraid that the world will criticize him."
Hu Ju stepped forward and said, with a smile on his face and caution.
"People in the world? They are just a few selfish scholar-bureaucrats! No big mistake? If something really went wrong, it would be too late to cry! There is no good thing to do to fix a problem after it has been lost. I am never afraid of those rumors!"
None of the three ministers were optimistic about Zheng Sun, so Zhao Hong quickly made a decision.
"My lords, who can take up the post of envoy to Sichuan?"
"Your Majesty, Zhao Yanna has a good reputation as a prisoner in Sichuan and is loved by Sichuan people. I wonder what your Majesty thinks?"
Xue Ji and others murmured in low voices, and Hu Ju hesitated to play.
"Zhao Yanna can't do it!"
Xuan Zhen said decisively:
"Your Majesty, Cui Yu, the former envoy of Sichuan, once said that Zhao Yanna's words are untrue and of no use. Please ask the court not to pay for side affairs. Your Majesty should choose another wise man."
Another scholar-bureaucrat who only talks empty talk, Zhao Hong snorted coldly in his nostrils.
"Your Majesty, Cui Yuyu served as the commander of Sichuan for five years. He was honest and self-sufficient and achieved outstanding political achievements. The imperial court summoned Cui Yuyu to Beijing to serve as the Minister of Rites, but he resigned three times and decided to return to Guangdong. When leaving Shu, officials from all walks of life sent him off. Producing beautiful brocade and rare jade, the gifts were even more impressive, but Cui Yuzhi declined without taking any of them. After returning to Guangzhou, he lived in seclusion and no longer interfered with political affairs."
Zhen Dexiu praised Cui Yu very much, but he seemed to remind Zhao Hong that it might not be that easy to activate Cui Yu.
"So, is Cui Yu worthy of the important task?"
Zhao Hong's eyes turned to several ministers.
Cui Yu, a poet in the history of the Southern Song Dynasty, was somewhat famous, but he was unexpectedly an official.
"Your Majesty, Cui Yu is good at managing money, prospering all kinds of industries, calming the people, and buying a large number of war horses from Jinxia, so that Sichuan's military and political affairs are harmonious, the soldiers are well-prepared, and the people are prosperous. Shi Mi saw that the situation in Shu was stable, so he sent Zheng Sun to replace him. , is to damage the Great Wall."
Xue Ji's words made Zhao Hong shake his head and groan bitterly.
"It's the old thief again!"
It's Shi Miyuan again, the old thief who abandoned his official career for personal reasons!
"Draw up an imperial edict and ask Cui to go north with him and take up the post of envoy to Sichuan. Tell him that if he does not come and take office, the taxes of Guangzhou Prefecture will be tripled, and the city's shipping department and treaty ports will be closed."
Zhao Hong's words made several ministers widen their eyes.
The emperor's methods were not only despicable, but also shameless.
If Cui Yu does not go to Sichuan to take office, he will be the enemy of the entire Guangzhou elders. Can he not come? Does he dare not to come?
"Huaidong established an envoy to the state of Xu. Is there any report?"
Zhao Hong's brows wrinkled again unconsciously.
"Your Majesty, it's the New Year's Day now. The New Year's Eve has not yet passed, and local officials are on holiday. I'm afraid Huaidong's report will have to wait until after the New Year's Eve."
Xue Ji's words made Zhao Hong feel slightly relieved.
It is best that the past events in history do not repeat themselves. It seems that Xu Guo is not so unbearable.
What he didn't know was that Xu State was as useless as in history, but time had passed a little.
"The next order is for Xu Guo, asking him to appease Li Quan and not to deduct money and food from the Zhongyi Army, let alone ruin the imperial plan."
The Song Dynasty was in ruins and waiting to be revitalized, so it could only find room for development from time.
"My dear friends, our country is lacking in power, the royal family is weak, our officers and men are slack, and foreign enemies are in full swing and are eyeing us. Our Song Dynasty is at a critical moment of life and death. You, your ministers, must work with me to revitalize the Song Dynasty and set an example for the future of wise kings and good ministers."
"I will do my best to share your Majesty's worries."
Zhao Hong's words caused several people to bow and salute together.
Appointing good officials and eliminating bad ones will make the emperor act vigorously and resolutely, and he will be a wise king.
