Zhao Kai and Zhu Lian have known each other since they were very young, and they are still familiar with each other!
The protection between men and women in the Song Dynasty was not as strict as in the later Ming and Qing dynasties. Even girls like Zhu Lian who were born into aristocratic families have many opportunities to go out and have fun, and there is no need to deliberately avoid men. Although free love is rare, opportunities do exist. Didn’t Li Qingzhao hook up with Zhao Mingcheng himself?
And Zhao Kai has been that kind of "other people's child" since he was a child. He is very good and very popular with girls.
In fact, Zhu Lian and Zhao Kai were somewhat related. Song Qinzong's biological mother, Empress Qincheng Zhu, was Zhu Lian's aunt.
With this relationship, even if Zhu Lian and Zhao Kai are in the same circle, they will naturally have more opportunities to meet.
Moreover, Zhu Lian was also a talented woman, good at playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and she had a lot in common with the "talented version" Zhao Kai. So the two met often when they were young, talking about things like calligraphy, painting, and literature, and they were very interesting to each other.
And Zhao Huan has been a bit bored since he was a child. He is dull and will not be liked by girls. He blushes when he sees Zhu Lian. However, when Zhao Ji asked him which girl he liked, he still seized the opportunity to get Zhu Lian.
I just didn’t expect that after so many years, the relationship between Zhao Kai and Zhu Lian is still so good... so good that even Zhao Qi can tell that something is wrong!
What does "knowing each other since childhood" mean? We've known each other since we were kids, so we can't force it? Then Zhao Kai and Zhu Lian are basically childhood sweethearts, sweethearts, lovers and concubines... Do they need to be "fortunate"?
The more Zhao Huan thought about it, the angrier he became, and he felt that the long-legged futou on his head was a little green!
"Guan family, it's better for me to go there as a concubine!"
At this time, Zhu Lian suddenly spoke. Zhao Huan was a little annoyed when he heard this, and turned around and asked, "Are you going to see Zhao Kai?"
Zhu Lian was stunned, "What did the officials say? Third uncle has disappeared from Yingtian Mansion again, how can I go to see him? I want to go to Longjiang Pass to see my twelfth uncle!"
Zhao Qi nodded repeatedly and said: "Yes, yes, my eldest sister-in-law is like my mother. If my eldest sister-in-law comes forward, my twelfth brother will definitely not embarrass the King of Jinling again."
Although Zhao Huan was very dissatisfied with Zhao Zhi's attitude, he didn't have the guts to drive Zhao Zhi away... He was still thinking about continuing to spend money to buy Ping An's deal with Zhao Kai!
So he had to take a deep breath, suppress his anger, and said to Zhu Lian: "Queen, tell the twelfth brother that I can make the third brother the crown prince, and the annual salary will be..."
Is giving 6 million too much? Zhao Huan was thinking about whether to cut Zhao Kai's salary, but Zhu Lian had already answered his words, "Just give him 10 million yuan... If the court's money is not enough, it will be taken from the sealing treasury.
In addition, he drove away the gold thieves and avenged the late emperor. He worked hard and deserved to be rewarded with money. Also, the water from the Yellow River pouring into the Huaihe River is very bad for the two Huaihe Rivers. If it can be controlled, it will also be good for us, so I suggest that I give another 20 million yuan at a time. "
"You..." Zhao Huan almost exploded with anger again.
Zhao Qi on the side quickly said to Zhao Huan: "Brother, it would be great if you can spend money to avoid disasters now. Third brother's Lu division has 600,000, and we only have 150,000. Four will fight one! And third brother Our artillery and cavalry are stronger than ours, and we have no way of fighting with them in the field. If Third Brother wants to invade the south, the land of Lianghuai will change hands in the blink of an eye. Once Third Brother reaches the north of the Yangtze River..."
"Give me money, give me money..." Zhao Huan immediately figured it out, "As long as the third brother does not invade the south, I will give him 20 million at a time and another 10 million a year!"
...
"Third brother said that what he wants is money and the status of unity in the world, and he will never harm his eldest brother and sister-in-law..."
When Zhao Qi and Zhu Lian were heading to Longjiangguan Wharf, Zhao Zhi was already explaining Zhao Kai's policy to a group of brothers.
Jinling King Zhao Chen came to Longjiang Pass with a group of ministers and uncles. Zhao Zhi was too pretentious to get off the ship, and Zhao Chen also maintained the dignity of the prince and could not get on the ship to pay Zhao Zhi's greetings.
And those ministers who followed Zhao Chen had to adhere to their principles and could not board the ship to meet Zhao Zhi, Zhao Kai's representative.
But those princes of the Zhao family who came with Zhao Chen, such as Zhao Mo, Zhao Di, Zhao Yu, Zhao Shi, Zhao Xi, Zhao Xi, Zhao Zhen, Zhao Yue, Zhao Yi, Zhao Lu and others did not have so many scruples. Their position was originally pro-Zhao Kai... Some of these princes had heard Zhao Ji's edict with their own ears.
Moreover, they also knew that Zhao Huan had resigned from the throne before Zhao Kai went on the expedition, and Zhao Ji said at that time, "The prince is weak and sick. Sanlang should encourage him when he goes to Hebei."
The meaning is very obvious... Zhao Ji is going to pass the throne to Zhao Kai! I just want Zhao Kai to make meritorious service in Hebei first, and then replace Zhao Huan as the crown prince when he comes back.
And now Zhao Kai has driven away the gold thief and has exceeded Zhao Ji's requirements!
In addition, everyone knows that the relationship between Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan was very tense when Kaifeng Mansion was besieged. The reason why Zhao Huan was not deposed was because he had the support of civilian military leaders such as Li Gang, Yu Wenxuzhong, and Wu Min.
Therefore, this group of clan kings in the Southern Song Dynasty all recognized Zhao Kai's orthodox status... and Zhao Huan himself could not completely deny this, because too many people heard Zhao Ji's edict.
Moreover, Zhao Kai now has the Central Plains and restored Yanyun. The former Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Capitals of the Song Dynasty, plus the Jingzhao Mansion, are all in the hands of Zhao Kai. The ancestral tombs of the Song Dynasty are also in the hands of Zhao Kai. .
Therefore, there is no doubt about Zhao Kai’s legitimacy!
If Zhao Kai had not confiscated too much land from scholar-bureaucrats and offended scholars all over the world, Zhao Huan would have been finished long ago...
The real purpose of Zhao Zhi's trip south this time was not to persuade Zhao Huan to surrender, but to promote Zhao Kai's policies to the Southern Song Dynasty emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats below.
As long as this group of people all fall to Zhao Kai, then Zhao Kai can pacify the Southern Song Dynasty and dominate the world at the minimum cost.
So Zhao Zhi took advantage of this moment to reason with a group of brothers.
"Brother is going to imitate the Western Han Dynasty and implement the parallel system of prefectures and states!" Zhao Zhi started to fool him. He smiled and said, "Do you know what the so-called parallel prefectures and states mean? During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty, there were twenty-five kingdoms and four prefectures in the world. Thirteen. Do you know the surnames of the kings of these twenty-five kingdoms?"
When the Zhao brothers heard about this, they were naturally very excited.
"I know! They all have the surname Liu!"
"If you don't have Liu, you can't be crowned king!"
"The Han Dynasty was not ruled by Liu, so should our Song Dynasty be ruled by Zhao?"
"Twelve brothers, third brother really wants to divide the kingdom in the southeast?"
Zhao Zhi said with a smile: "What the third brother means is to first make the eldest brother the king of Wuyue and take over the land of Zhejiang and Zhejiang. Then we brothers will become vassal kings and military governors, and we will be divided into two provinces: Liangjiang, Lianghuai, Guangdong, Fujian and other places. . My eldest brother and I just have to make offerings to the court every year, and we can take care of local affairs."
"Is such a good thing really possible?"
"Brother Twelve, there was the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion in the Western Han Dynasty..."
When Zhao Zhi heard someone ask this, he smiled and said: "The third brother has thought of it a long time ago...so the third brother will extend his favor to the Wuyue Kingdom. Once the eldest brother dies, the Wuyue Kingdom will become more than a dozen small kingdoms." It’s almost one country and one state, so what’s the fuss about?
As for us vassal kings and Jiedushi envoys, we will rotate our leadership regularly, but we will lead one party for life. "
"This is great! With brothers like us taking care of the place for Third Brother, the southeast will be stable."
"Haha, this is good... we won't have to worry about anything in this life!"
"Not only do we not have to worry about it in this life, but our descendants don't have to worry about it either!"
Of course these princes are happy - even if they become emperor!
Although they have to pay tribute to Zhao Kai every year, they can also put a lot of money in their pockets at the same time!
Of course, this matter is not only good for the princes of the Zhao family, but also for the scholar-bureaucrats and profiteers in the southeast, as well as the new amphibious and land armies of the Southern Song Dynasty.
The scholar-bureaucrats have a place to become officials, profiteers can protect their industries by clinging to the laps of princes, and the new army of land and sea have a place to continue to make money to live their lives...
As for the working people in the southeast...of course they continue to be oppressed! However, the people who oppressed them have not changed. It is actually acceptable to continue to oppress them after this oppression without encountering military disasters.
It can be said that the "parallel system of prefectures and states" proposed by Zhao Kai can still satisfy everyone in the Southern Song Dynasty.
For Zhao Kai, there is actually not much difference between letting a group of brothers exploit the people of the southeast for him and letting a group of corrupt officials do it... Maybe these brothers can get some snacks!
Moreover, Zhao Kai will not always let them hold real power. After they have worked for a few years, the Southeast will recognize the Northern Song Dynasty, and then they will be ignored.
The only troublesome thing is Zhao Huan's Wu Yue Kingdom... But as long as Zhao Huan dies, the problem will be solved. It's nothing more than a dozen more "Governor Zhaos", which won't change the world.
"The Queen of Wu has arrived, the King of Jinling has arrived..."
While a group of princes were discussing happily, suddenly the sound of roll call came from outside.
Zhu Lian and Zhao Chen actually got on the boat!
Zhao Zhi doesn't dare to neglect - a sister-in-law is like a mother! And he also knew that Zhao Kai and Zhu Lian had a very good relationship, and Zhu Lian was Zhao Kai's sister-in-law!
They are sister-in-law, aunt-in-law, childhood sweethearts...the relationship is close!
So he quickly stood up with his brothers to greet Zhu Lian, but when he stood up, he heard the jingle of the ring and smelled the fragrance coming to his face.
Zhu Lian has entered the small cabin.
"I've met my sister-in-law!"
"I've met the emperor's sister-in-law!"
Zhu Lian smiled and nodded to a group of Zhao family kings, but his son Zhao Chen's face was ashen... The person who was called out just now was the personal soldiers brought by Zhao Zhi, and he actually called his mother "Queen of the King of Wu" ".
Now the emperor's uncles in the cabin all call Zhu Lian "sister-in-law" and "emperor's sister-in-law", and no one calls her "empress". What does it mean? You princes of the Southern Song Dynasty are now ready to rebel?
Zhao Chen was almost crying with anger. He and Zhao Huan treated these Zhao family princes well. Why would they rebel now? What benefit did Zhao Kai give them? Don’t their consciences hurt like this?
