xymnovel Chapter 26 Loyalty! Sincerity!
Chapter 26 Loyalty! Sincerity!
While Zhao Guangyi was examining the names on the list, Shi Zaixi explained from the side:
"The day before yesterday, the new dynasty was established, and His Majesty dismissed almost all of the high-ranking eunuchs in the palace."
"These eunuchs on the list are all honest eunuchs personally selected and promoted by Secretary Zhao. It should be only a few days before they are serving His Majesty."
The fact that Shi Zaixi was valued and trusted by Zhao Guangyi shows that he was indeed quite capable.
Every name on that list was a palace eunuch whom Shi Zaixi had carefully selected and deemed worthy of his favor.
"Good. In the next few days, select some valuables from my residence and give them to those eunuchs when the time is right."
Zhao Guangyi nodded in satisfaction and handed the list back to Shi Zaixi: "Since ancient times, eunuchs have loved money more than life itself. Don't be stingy with money. Send them some expensive gifts so that these eunuchs can be used by us."
Throughout history, almost all high-ranking officials in the court have cultivated relationships with palace eunuchs to act as spies and spy on those within the palace walls.
Zhao Guangyi was no exception.
It's not necessarily that they have any rebellious intentions, but if there's any trouble in the palace, they can get the news immediately thanks to the palace's spies, and then make various arrangements accordingly.
Moreover, it allows one to understand the emperor's preferences and daily routine, thus enabling them to target their attacks and win the emperor's favor.
Shi Zaixi responded, took the list and put it back in his sleeve. After hesitating for a moment, he whispered his advice:
"Your Majesty, I heard from a palace eunuch that His Majesty specially invited Zhao Pu to be the tutor of the eldest prince. Previously, His Majesty also specially arranged for the eldest prince to wear the crown prince's robe on the day of the coup."
"His Majesty clearly intends to groom the eldest son; Your Majesty should take this seriously."
As one of Zhao Guangyi's most trusted confidants, Shi Zaixi was certainly aware of Zhao Guangyi's ambitions.
When the topic of donning the crown prince's robes came up, Zhao Guangyi's expression turned slightly somber.
He recalled that day at Qingshou Palace, when even when Empress Dowager Du wanted to take back the crown prince's robe, Zhao Kuangyin made up an excuse to avoid it.
"It's only natural for Your Majesty to want to groom your own son; after all, as the Son of Heaven, who wouldn't want their son to inherit the throne..."
Zhao Guangyi took a deep breath, turned around, looked at the plum blossoms outside the pavilion, and said softly:
"But I also understand my elder brother. Although he values the bond between father and son, he will not be more lenient with the eldest prince because of it. If the eldest prince does not have the talent to govern the country after he grows up, my elder brother will not feel at ease handing over the country to him!"
"In these chaotic times, my brother naturally understands what is most important."
"As for the eldest prince, I have watched him grow up since he was a child. I know his character and abilities very well. Although he has some of his elder brother's benevolence, he is too timid and cautious. He is acceptable as a subject, but as a ruler..."
"He's not cut out for it."
"Your Majesty will understand this in the future."
"As for Zhao Pu?"
"Even if he were Zhuge Liang resurrected, so what? Did Zhuge Liang actually guide Liu Shan to become a virtuous and capable ruler?"
Therefore, Ningji need not worry too much.
Upon hearing this, Shi Zaixi frowned: "Your Majesty, I think..."
Seeing that Shi Zaixi wanted to persuade him further, Zhao Guangyi waved his hand to interrupt him: "Ningji, do you know why my imperial brother has always treated me with such extreme favor?"
Shi Zaixi was slightly taken aback, but still bowed and replied, "In order to consolidate the new dynasty, Your Majesty should naturally make good use of the imperial relatives to strengthen the foundation. Among the imperial relatives, only Your Highness has unparalleled talent."
"That's one point, but it's not the most important one."
Zhao Guangyi smiled slightly and shook his head. Then, before Shi Zaixi could speak, he said to himself, "My imperial brother has the ambition to conquer all. He seized power from the Zhou and established the Song in order to quell the chaos and turmoil in this world!"
"However, the world has been in chaos for decades. Even my elder brother may not be confident that he can restore this broken land in his lifetime."
"Therefore, Your Majesty will be extremely cautious in choosing the heir apparent!"
"That is precisely why my elder brother feels so honored by me, because he knows that I am just like him..."
As he spoke, Zhao Guangyi turned around, a smile on his face, and raised his head slightly with pride, saying:
"He harbors a resolute ambition to conquer the world!"
"Your Majesty is wise and virtuous, and no one can compare to you..." Shi Zaixi sincerely flattered.
Zhao Guangyi raised his hand in a gesture of restraint, stopping Shi Zaixi from saying anything more. Then he slowly paced back and forth, shaking his head as he continued:
"Therefore, we should not focus our attention on the eldest prince."
"Now that the new dynasty has just been established, many undercurrents will emerge from the abyss, impacting the newly established Song Dynasty. Our most urgent task is to help my elder brother overcome this crisis and let him see my abilities!"
"We must let my imperial brother know that I possess the talent to govern the world, and that the Song dynasty can only prosper under my leadership!"
"When the time comes, comparing the eldest prince's incompetence with that of the crown prince, my elder brother will naturally know how to choose!"
"Other matters should be considered after the Song Dynasty is stable; otherwise, when the nest is overturned, all talk is just empty words!"
Finally, Zhao Guangyi walked to Shi Zaixi's side, gently patted his shoulder, and indicated that he should rest assured for now.
Seeing that his master had said so, Shi Zaixi could only temporarily dispel his concerns and respectfully withdrew.
……
The sun was setting in the west, inside the imperial palace.
After a day of training, Zhao Dezhao sat exhausted in his sedan chair, preparing to return to Kunning Palace to have dinner with Empress Wang.
"This can't go on; we need to find a way to get married as soon as possible..."
A worried look appeared on Zhao Dezhao's slightly chubby face.
As an unmarried prince, his daily schedule was tightly arranged, with everything clearly planned down to the hour, including what he should and should not do.
Even private meetings with foreign officials were not permitted.
This makes it impossible to build your own core team and cultivate your own power base.
"The problem is, my father won't let me get married so early..."
Zhao Dezhao sighed bitterly.
Zhao Kuangyin was a typical Chinese father who was strict and progressive in raising his son. In the original history, Zhao Dezhao was not allowed to leave the family until he was thirteen years old.
Thirteen years old, which is three years later, so much has happened in that time.
Confined to the inner palace, he was like a caged bird, forced to watch helplessly as many things unfolded, unable to intervene at all.
This has led to a dead end.
Just as Zhao Dezhao was at his wit's end, the sedan chair stopped.
"Your Highness, we have arrived at Kunning Palace."
Outside the sedan curtain, Zhang Dejun's slightly high-pitched voice rang out.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao put aside his many thoughts, stepped out of the sedan chair, dismissed many eunuchs and palace maids, and left only Zhang Dejun behind.
"Have you heard anything about the person I asked you to find yesterday?"
Zhao Dezhao's eyes were filled with anticipation. If he could find Wang Ji'en in advance, it would undoubtedly play a crucial role.
However, to his disappointment, upon hearing these words, Zhang Dejun immediately knelt on the ground in fear and said bitterly:
"I'm sorry to disappoint Your Highness, but I've asked many elders in the palace, and none of them have ever heard of Wang Ji'en..."
When he said these words, Zhang Dejun was already prepared to be punished.
In his view, it was perfectly normal for servants to be punished by their masters for failing to perform their duties.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao's small face showed some disappointment, and he immediately fell silent.
Seeing that Zhao Dezhao did not react at all, Zhang Dejun became more and more uneasy. Sweat dripped from his forehead to the ground, but he did not dare to lift his head and became more and more frightened.
"Your Highness, I have failed in my duty..."
Just as he was about to ask for punishment because he couldn't bear it anymore, a pair of small, chubby hands firmly supported his arms.
"Get up, and stop kneeling so easily!"
Upon hearing Zhao Dezhao's slightly disgruntled voice, Zhang Dejun felt as if he had been granted a pardon.
But when he saw those tender little hands resting on his arm, he froze as if struck by lightning.
"A petty person, a petty person is a filthy person..."
"Your Highness is of noble birth, I cannot, I absolutely cannot..."
Although he said that, a warm current flowed through Zhang Dejun's heart, making him tremble slightly involuntarily as if he had been electrocuted.
"Get up and answer." Zhao Dezhao frowned again, tightening his grip slightly.
"Yes……"
With Zhao Dezhao's help, Zhang Dejun obediently got up and stood with his head down.
Then, Zhao Dezhao took out a gold-inlaid jade pendant from his pocket, and without saying a word, took Zhang Dejun's hand and slapped it into his palm:
"This pendant was a gift I specifically asked my mother to give me; please take it!"
"I promised to reward you; how could I go back on my word?"
"Then Wang Ji'en, you can continue to inquire for me. As long as you work hard for me, I will give you everything you deserve!"
He was still unmarried at this time, and he finally had a eunuch at his disposal. In addition, Wang Ji'en was a person of great importance, so he naturally had to offer him a great deal of benefits.
This move completely stunned Zhang Dejun.
"Your Highness...this humble servant..."
Staring incredulously at the gold-inlaid jade pendant in his palm, Zhang Dejun's pupils trembled slightly, and even his speech was not as fluent as usual.
Despite my poor performance, His Highness not only did not blame me, but also bestowed upon me such a generous gift...
Moreover, His Highness specifically requested this from the Empress…
Thinking of this, and recalling all the humiliations he had suffered in the palace, a warm current surged in Zhang Dejun's heart, turning into a flood that rushed to his eyes with unstoppable force!
In an instant, tears gushed out.
thump--!
He prostrated himself five times, bowing deeply:
"This humble servant will obey Your Highness's orders for the rest of my life, even unto death!"
At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind.
I, Zhang Dejun, have only—
loyalty!
……
After Zhang Dejun withdrew, Zhao Dezhao composed himself and stepped into Kunning Palace.
The candlelight flickered inside the hall. Empress Wang was holding and teasing Zhao Defang. A sumptuous feast had already been laid out on the table, but it was clearly untouched.
Zhao Dezhao felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that his mother was waiting for him on purpose.
"Zhao'er is back. Go wash your hands quickly."
Upon seeing Zhao Dezhao enter, Empress Wang smiled gently, and two palace maids who had been waiting for a long time hurriedly came forward with copper basins and cloths.
"Your Highness, let me wash your hands."
One palace maid carried a copper basin, while another palace maid rolled up her sleeves, gently pulled Zhao Dezhao's hand into the basin, and splashed water to wash his hands.
"No need, no need, I can do it myself."
Being served like this, Zhao Dezhao, a modern man, was clearly not used to it and felt a little embarrassed. He quickly washed his chubby little hands and then haphazardly dried them with a cloth.
Empress Wang frowned slightly, glanced at the palace maids and eunuchs around her, and said:
"You may all step back for now."
"Here you are."
The palace maids and eunuchs bowed and withdrew one by one, leaving only Zhao Dezhao, Empress Wang, and the infant in her arms in the hall.
Empress Wang smiled gently and pointed to the wooden chair beside her: "Zhao'er, come and sit down."
Zhao Dezhao's heart stirred, realizing that his mother seemed to have something to say to him.
Could it be that the old woman has done something strange again?
Empress Wang had previously told him about Empress Dowager Du's intention to take back the Crown Prince's robes, which made Zhao Dezhao even more disgusted with this biased Empress Dowager Du.
I need to find an opportunity to give my father a good scolding in front of the hall. What if he makes another "Golden Box Alliance"? I'd be devastated.
Thinking this to himself, Zhao Dezhao still obediently sat down next to Empress Wang.
"Zhao'er, there is something your mother doesn't understand."
Empress Wang said gently, "When Zhao'er returned to the palace just now, why didn't you have the palace maids wash your hands?"
Zhao Dezhao was taken aback upon hearing this, not understanding why his mother would ask about this matter, and asked in surprise, "Mother?"
"Your mother knows that Zhao'er is kind-hearted and considerate of others. This would have been fine before, but now that your status is different, you must learn to order around servants."
A rare seriousness flashed across Empress Wang's face, clearly indicating that she considered this matter extremely important.
She paused, gently grasped Zhao Dezhao's hand, and said in an increasingly serious tone, "Zhao'er, do you know that your previous 'kindness' towards the servants was actually a very dangerous thing!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao was taken aback again, his mind filled with confusion.
Before his transmigration, he wrote historical web novels. In his understanding, the protagonists who transmigrate and show compassion to their servants and promote equality for all are always deeply appreciated by everyone. No one has ever said that such behavior is inappropriate.
Wasn't it precisely because of this that the eunuch Zhang Dejun was able to win him over and recruit him for his own use?
Why did the Empress Dowager view this matter as a monstrous flood?
Before he could speak, Empress Wang met his gaze and continued:
"In the past, the Duke of Zhou established the patriarchal clan system, using blood ties to divide the major and minor lineages and determine the hierarchy of seniority and age. Later, Confucianism used this to establish 'rites and laws,' which became the foundation of the world's order."
"Now that you are the son of the emperor, those palace maids and eunuchs are born to serve you."
"If you disrupt this distinction between superior and inferior, others will inevitably have thoughts of overstepping their bounds. You should know that in this world, the more you retreat and the more benevolent you are, the easier it is for others to bully you."
"Those in positions of authority may be benevolent, but they cannot be benevolent in their own way. Superior is superior, and inferior is inferior; there is a distinction between them, and they should not be confused!"
At this point, Empress Wang's tone became slightly more forceful: "Your father is now the emperor, and the reason he can control the world is also because of this order of rank!"
"Otherwise, why would the people of this world listen to your father, the emperor, and not the words of others?"
"But if even you, the eldest son of the emperor, don't acknowledge this sense of hierarchy, how can the servants possibly accept it? If this continues, the servants will surely harbor rebellious thoughts!"
"In the future, such acts of consideration for servants are permissible, but they must not be done without a purpose. My son, you should understand this!"
Empress Wang's tone was more serious than ever before.
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Dezhao was stunned.