Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Zhao Yiyi looked at Bao Zheng's sleeve in shock: "Well, Bao Qing, let me go first, and we have something to talk about?"

He has been emperor for several years, and he was also a prince before becoming emperor.With his status and status, there are only a few people who are qualified to touch him.

After Song Zhenzong met him, he spent most of his time on the sick bed, and he was powerless to discipline him.Kou Zhun and Liu E have always focused on attacking the mind first, and they have never touched him with a single finger.It is even more impossible for the Eighth Sage King and Princess Di.

Therefore, this is also the first time in the past ten years that he has been grabbed by the sleeves to prevent him from moving.

I have to say, this feeling is really strange.

Bao Zheng let go of his sleeve, and said seriously: "When will the officials plan to depose Empress Liu and welcome Empress Li back to court?"

Zhao Yiyi smoothed the folds on the sleeves that had been pulled out, and said in a gentle voice: "I said, there is no need to rush this matter. Bao Qing also saw it. Now that there are ups and downs in the court, I am so busy that I canonize the crown prince's heart." It's all gone, how can I have the time to welcome the Queen Mother and return to court. Wait until the few things in front of me are settled, and it's not too late to discuss the Queen Mother's affairs when you are free."

Bao Zheng said: "The official family is rich all over the world, and there are many opportunities to deal with. How can they have time to relax? The few things in front of us are settled, and new things will naturally appear. As long as the official family is willing, they can always delay it."

Zhao Yiyi sighed, "Bao Qing..."

Bao Zheng really hit the mark, he really had such an idea.

When this wave of things is over, there will naturally be another wave of things.The emperor is never idle.

As for Li Niangniang, she can naturally live in Fengchen Palace without knowing her identity indefinitely.

Bao Zheng said: "Why are the officials unwilling to recognize Li Niangniang?"

Zhao Yiyi smiled wryly: "It's not that I don't want to recognize Li Niangniang. Li Niangniang is my biological mother, mother and son. Why don't I want to recognize her back? It's just that the timing is really wrong. Right now the treasury is tight and the situation in the north is uncertain. We should be quiet. Punctuality is the most important thing, and we can't make any big moves in the near future. I can't even confer the crown prince, let alone welcome back the queen mother?"

Bao Zheng looked at him firmly: "It depends on man's actions. Officials have never succumbed to the current situation. At that time, the tea disaster in Yangzhou was so dangerous and the situation was so dangerous. The officials resolutely destroyed the Buddha, went to Yangzhou personally, persuaded the pirates, and solved Dangerous situation. Years ago, the Yellow River burst, half of the country was destroyed, and when the war in the Northwest was undecided, the officials used labor as relief, and built cement dams that were not broken for a hundred years. The officials said that the situation in the north is now uncertain, but the situation in the north is now compared to the How was it during the war before? Officials say that the treasury is tight now, but how is the treasury now compared to when tea was hard?"

Zhao Yiyi remained silent.

Bao Zheng continued: "Under such a dangerous situation back then, the official family was able to survive from desperation and figured out a way to break the situation. Why is it just a small difficulty now, so scared that the official family dare not even recognize their biological mother?" Is it because the officials judge the situation and think that now is not a good time to admit their mother, or are the officials simply unwilling to recognize Li Niangniang?"

Zhao Yiyi looked around and saw that there was no third person here except him and Bao Zheng and Liu En, so he couldn't help laughing: "No wonder Bao Qing is unwilling to report this matter in the Chongzheng Palace."

It's really not good for others to hear this.

Bao Zheng meant to accuse him of refusing to do his best to recognize Concubine Li.

You have been emperor for several years, and I have followed you for several years.Why haven't we seen such a big storm?

Don't tell me that times are tough and I'm powerless.

Didn't you do well when the situation was more difficult before, why now that the weather is calm, you have become a shrinking turtle instead, and you dare not even recognize your own mother?

Zhao Yiyi sighed secretly.

Bao Zheng is straightforward, and he can't tolerate a grain of sand in his eyes.Concubine Li was indeed his own mother, and she was indeed framed to the point of losing her status as queen mother.The person who framed her did indeed step on her blood and tears to become a queen, a queen mother, and was admired by all people.

Concubine Li is indeed an innocent victim, for Bao Zheng, this is enough.

This is enough to make him not hesitate to offend the emperor in order to clear the grievances of Concubine Li, just to seek justice.

Zhao Yiyi thought to himself, no one can blame this, but blame his useless and useless father.

Why did you promise to the two concubines that whoever becomes the prince will be the queen?

It's not that you don't know what kind of person Liu E is, aren't you encouraging her to engage in unfair competition?

If you don't say anything, just quietly wait for the two concubines to give birth.When Concubine Li gave birth to a son and Liu E also gave birth to a son, you can choose the son you like to be the prince, and the woman you like to be the queen.

In this way, you can still have two sons at the same time, double insurance, so that you will not be reduced to the son of the brother's family after the death of one son.

As for the current situation?

But... this is indeed embarrassing for his father who is not sure about the door.

Zhao Yiyi shook his head: "Bao Qing, you are really..."

It really left him speechless.

If it was according to what he thought in his heart, he really didn't want to recognize Concubine Li back.

Well, who would want to recognize a mother for himself for nothing?

He is not the native Song Renzong, who naturally has feelings for his biological mother.

He is a time traveler!

Birth is not as good as raising him. Concubine Li has not raised him for a day. Before he was seven years old, his mother was Princess Di, and after seven years old, his mother was...

Well, it's Liu E...

... It doesn't matter if you don't mention it.

For ordinary people, recognizing a new mother is just a matter of multiple people and multiple chopsticks.If he had a legitimate reason to drive his old mother out of the house like he does now, he wouldn't even need a pair of chopsticks.There are still so many people, and there are still so many chopsticks.

At most, I found out when the neighbors were visiting, hey, why did Lingtang change? I remember that the previous Lingtang had a long face, why does this Lingtang have a round face now?

You can explain to others again why my previous Ling Tang was not a good person and almost threw me into the river and drowned. I have driven her away to fend for myself.The current Lingtang is my pro-lingtang, in the future when you drop by, just look for her.

Neighbors walked away with a half-understanding, walked to the back door as usual, and lived as usual.At most, there are some rumors among the neighbors, but it will not delay your life after all.

Unfortunately, Zhao Yiyi is an emperor, and it is not so easy for an emperor to recognize a real mother.

At least Liu E's identity is not just as simple as "the emperor's mother". She is also the former regent queen mother, who has the power to exchange credentials with the Khitan king, and has the power to issue orders in her own name and spread them to the world.

No matter how bad it is, she is still the wife of the late emperor, the empress who was proclaimed by the late emperor.

To put it bluntly, the first emperor might not be able to remember who Concubine Li was before he died, but he must know that his tomb is half the size of Liu E.

Liu E will be buried in the imperial tomb with Song Zhenzong in the future.

But now an emperor's biological mother popped up out of nowhere, saying that Liu E should not be the queen mother, she is the queen mother.Liu E is the guilty concubine, and she is the legitimate wife of the first emperor.

This involves too many things.At the very least, Khitan and Liu E have passed the letter of credence, and they know that the Empress Dowager Regent of Song State in the south is surnamed Liu.

Khitan is still in the midst of internal strife, and has no time to care about Song's internal affairs.

But seeing that the fight is about to end, when the time comes, I will find time to talk to Song Guoyi again, and find out why your queen mother changed her surname to Li?

Oh, the previous empress dowager committed a crime and resigned... What, actually murdered the crown prince, actually framed the concubine... Tsk tsk, tsk tsk...

Isn't your country of Song known as the country of clothes and ceremonies? Why is it so chaotic...

It's a real shame to go to Lake Baikal.

Therefore, although I really felt sorry for Concubine Li, Zhao Yiyi had no intention of revealing Concubine Li's identity to the public from the beginning to the end.

He originally planned to pretend that Concubine Li was the emperor's wet nurse and make her the wife of the county.

But it seems that Concubine Li will not be reconciled to this status, so forget it, and let her be placed in Fengchen Palace to be with Liu E.

Zhao Yiyi said: "To tell you the truth, Bao Qing, if you want me to reveal the identity of Concubine Li to the public, and tell the world that she is my mother, and the current Empress Dowager Liu is the sinner who framed the crown prince and killed the concubine, I really do It's hard to do."

He picked a clean-looking step, brushed it with his sleeve, sat down, patted the seat next to him and called Bao Zheng: "Baoqing, come here."

The summer is hot, and the steps in front of the Zhengshitang are not cold at all, but still warm.

Bao Zheng sat beside him.

Zhao Yiyi hugged his knees, squinted his eyes slightly, and looked at the palace wall in the distance: "Actually, I have vaguely known since I was a child that the Baxian King and Niang Niangniang are not my biological parents."

Bao Zheng asked in surprise, "Why?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "Whose parents will have awe of their own son? I have never knelt down to the Baxian King and Di Niangniang since I was a child, not even during the festivals. The Baxian King hardly talks to me. When we meet, even when it is unavoidable, we are cautious, and we have to think about a word for a long time, as if we are afraid of offending me. What kind of parents are these?"

He had just traveled through time at that time, and he didn't know who his parents were.Seeing that they would not let me kneel, I thought I had met the once-in-a-lifetime enlightened parents, and secretly rejoiced for a long time.

As a result, I found out later that this is not because the parents are enlightened, but because the parents dare not treat him as a son at all.

Bao Zheng said: "The eight sage kings are holy and respectful."

Zhao Yiyi continued: "It is said that fathers and sons are by nature, and I think it is true. The first time I entered the palace, when I saw the first emperor, I felt that he seemed very kind. Later, the first emperor also said that he liked me more than meeting the first prince. Later, the first emperor collapsed, and I succeeded. Once I entered the cold palace by mistake and met Li Niangniang, and I also felt the same way. According to Liu En, at that time, I went back to the queen mother crying and begged her to release Li Niangniang. Maybe it was God. It just so happened that the cold palace caught fire that night, and Li Niangniang was buried in the sea of ​​flames. I have been sad for a long time."

He smiled wryly and said: "Bao Qing! You said that Li Niangniang was wronged, and you want me to clear up her grievances, why don't I want to? That is my biological mother! I lived for 17 years before I knew my own life experience. But... …well……"

"You say it's difficult for Empress Li, so why isn't it difficult for me? Empress Li has been in the cold palace alone for more than ten years. I did live comfortably in Nanqing Palace for a few years, but after entering the palace, I begged for help under the Empress Dowager as an adopted son. There was never a moment when he was not frightened. After succeeding to the throne, the Empress Dowager came to the court, and Mr. Kou was in charge of the government. I, the emperor, was nothing. First, there was a war in Xiazhou, and then there was a flood in the north. Then the king of Xiangyang actually..."

Zhao Yiyi sighed: "Natural disasters and disasters all happened in the past few years. Sometimes I don't understand, is it because even the heavens think that I have no virtue and no merit, and I am not worthy of being the emperor, so they repeatedly bring disasters to me. The common people and the people force me to reflect on myself."

Bao Zheng hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, why should you underestimate yourself? With the virtues of Yao and Shun, there will still be a nine-year disaster. Heaven has permanence, and it does not survive with Yao, nor perish with Jie. Please be at ease, Your Majesty."

Zhao Yiyi murmured: "I also have to be relieved. If I were not relieved, I would have found a rope and hanged myself in the Chongzheng Palace."

Bao Zheng was shocked: "Officials! Why are you lying!"

Zhao Yiyi waved his hand: "Just don't say it out. I can only talk to Bao Qing about this kind of innermost feelings."

Bao Zheng stood up awkwardly: "The officials..."

Zhao Yiyi tugged at his sleeve and asked him to sit down: "Sit down, sit down and talk. My cervical spine is not good, and I am tired looking up at people."

Bao Zheng didn't have time to worry about what the cervical spine was. After sitting down, he tried every means to comfort Zhao Yiyi: "Officials, people live a lifetime, there are always some difficulties and ups and downs... Tai Shigong once said that Yao and Shun in the past were embarrassed by the well..."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said: "Stop, stop. The words of Tai Shigong, Lai Guogong forced me to recite them by heart."

Kou Zhun's teaching style is one word, memorize.Memorize the article first, and then talk about understanding and other things.

Zhao Yiyi has been his student for seven or eight years, and he hasn't made much progress in other things, but he has memorized a lot of ancient prose, which is barely a lot of ink.

Bao Zheng said: "...officials, please relax."

Originally, according to his temperament, after hearing that the emperor had the idea of ​​committing suicide, he should argue with reason and yell at him, so as to dispel this thought of being ashamed of the country, the ancestors, and the world.

How could the emperor commit suicide!How could he commit suicide!

Still... still hanged in Chongzheng Palace!

Who are the kings who died in ancient times? Only the kings who perish commit suicide!

A slightly stronger king of subjugation would not have the idea of ​​committing suicide. If you don’t talk about it, let’s talk about Li Yu, the empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty. She was crying to Gong’e. Didn’t she follow the army to Bianliang generously? .Every day, some sad words about the motherland, and I haven't seen anyone looking for death or life.

But looking at the emperor in front of him, Bao Zheng suddenly couldn't swear.

The emperor sat on the steps in front of the Political Affairs Hall with his knees crossed, facing him sideways, looking leisurely into the distance.

The emperor was born fair, but the bluish black under his eyes was even more conspicuous.I guess it's been a long time since I haven't had a good night's sleep.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Bao Qing said why I survived the difficult times before, but now I am timid and refuse to recognize Li Niangniang. I will tell you."

He twisted his fingers: "Mistress Li is my mother, there is nothing to deny. I am indeed her and the late emperor's son, and it is indeed the Empress Dowager who caused her mother and child to be separated and live among the people, suffering so much. I sent Li Niangniang to Fengchen Palace yesterday to confront the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager also admitted her past crimes and allowed her to be punished. I punished her to live with Li Niangniang in Fengchen Palace and serve Li Niangniang as a concubine for the rest of the year. This It can be regarded as bad news."

Of course, this is all made up.Liu E should have confronted Concubine Li, and then lost her anger.As for whether she pleaded guilty, repented, and allowed herself to be punished...

Based on Zhao Yiyi's understanding of Liu E, there is a high probability that he does not.

As for serving Empress Li as a concubine...

Zhao Yiyi imagined the scene of Liu E serving others, and felt a chill.

But for Bao Zheng, this kind of good and evil will be rewarded in the end, and the plot of the domineering villain willingly serving the victim from then on should be quite comforting.

Anyway, Bao Zheng was a foreign minister, so he couldn't go to Fengchen Palace to inquire about the situation.

Sure enough, Bao Zheng's tone softened a bit: "Mistress Li should be able to comfort you."

Zhao Yiyi sighed again: "I know, this is wronged Li Niangniang after all. She is my mother. She should have been worshiped by all officials and admired by all people like the Queen Mother, but she was never allowed to leave the harem again. I could have directly sent her away. It’s just an excuse to tell the world about the tightness of the national treasury and the tense situation. After all, I can’t bear to take over the world with one person’s selfishness.”

Bao Zheng asked: "What do the officials say?"

Zhao Yiyi played with his sleeve that was pulled by Bao Zheng: "I am the emperor, and I am also an individual. The emperor is the emperor of all the people in the world. Every word and deed, rewards and punishments likes and dislikes must be planned for the whole world. Now the national treasury is tight , I will be the first to reduce my own expenses. First reduce three meals a day, then reduce clothes for four seasons. Then release palace people and close useless palaces. Now I have no more than twenty pieces of clothes all year round, and no more than two pieces per meal. The dish is a soup. My princess, raised by my side, plus the nanny, there are only four people serving in front of me. This is a princess of a country! My only daughter! From ancient times to the present, has there ever been a princess like her in a big country in the Central Plains? Is it shabby?"

Bao Zheng said: "The officials cherish the power of the people, and all the people respect them."

Zhao Yiyi said: "I am also a person. As long as I am a person, who doesn't love fancy clothes and gourmet food? Who doesn't love gold slaves and maidservants? I only have one daughter. Don't I want her to grow up rich and well-fed? I also want to Ah! When I was in Nanqing Palace, there were more than 30 people waiting on me when I went in and out, and I never saved money on food and clothing. How come I became the emperor, but I was not as comfortable as when I was the young prince of Nanqing Palace?"

He said: "Because I have an extra responsibility on my shoulders. This responsibility is too heavy, heavier than Mount Tai. The common people in the world are counting on me as the emperor, and they all look at me as the emperor. How dare I squander it? I am now You have to think twice before making a new garment, but how long will this royal robe be worth the food and clothing of the common people?"

Bao Zheng was speechless.

Zhao Yiyi said: "That's why I can't recognize Li Niangniang even more. It's not that I don't want my mother to enjoy the honor so that I can repay the kindness of October's pregnancy? But I never give birth. If you want to recognize the Empress Dowager, you must first issue an imperial decree and announce it to the world. Then you must get the Taimiao to offer sacrifices to your ancestors. Finally, you have to open up a palace for the Empress Dowager and build a ceremonial vehicle. All of these things require money. Supporting a queen mother is not a joke, Bao Qing, if you go to Zongzheng Sizheng to ask for the palace's current bills over the years, you will find out, but maintaining a face-worthy empress dowager will cost you Nearly a million coins."

"A million guan! This is just the expenses of ordinary years, not to mention that everything has to be rebuilt now that the queen mother is going to return to power? What Bao Qing said is that I really didn't do my best to plan for Li Niangniang. If I If you really think of a way with your heart, you can actually get this amount of money. But Bao Qing, is it worth it?"

Zhao Yiyi looked at Bao Zheng seriously: "In order for me to recognize Li Niangniang, and for Li Niangniang to enjoy the glory of the queen mother, it is worth spending so much people's fat and people's anointing? So much money is used for disaster relief and repairs. Isn’t the embankment used for laboring the army, and even for rewarding meritorious officials, better than welcoming back a queen mother?”

Bao Zheng frowned and said, "But it's human nature, mother and child should recognize each other."

Zhao Yiyi smiled wryly: "If I become the emperor, how can I still expect to enjoy the family life like ordinary people?"

Bao Zheng said: "This..."

Zhao Yiyi said: "I have no way to make Li Niangniang the Queen Mother. It's not that I dare not, but I don't want to. I know that this is wronged Li Niangniang. But who is not wronged? Who can live a lifetime of happiness? I can only make some sacrifices. From the time I succeeded to the throne, perhaps I was doomed to have weak kinship."

Bao Zheng finally said: "I ask the officials to treat Li Niangniang kindly."

Zhao Yiyi patted him on the shoulder: "I know. The empress is my mother, how can I not treat her kindly."

"That minister, take your leave."

Zhao Yiyi said: "Don't be too busy."

Bao Zheng was puzzled: "Officials?"

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said, "I want to ask you, are you afraid of death?"

Bao Zheng was taken aback: "Where do you start with this?"

Zhao Yiyi raised his sleeves and said, "How dare you pull my sleeves, you are so brave! Don't die!"

Bao Zheng got up and bowed his head and said: "I deserve ten thousand deaths for my crimes, please be punished by the officials."

Zhao Yiyi crossed his legs and looked at his drooping face. After a while, he laughed out loud: "Okay, get up, I won't really kill you."

Bao Zheng said: "Thank you, the official family."

Zhao Yiyi rubbed his chin and said, "Bao Qing, you are so brave and fearless of death. Is it true that you are not afraid of death, or do you think I won't do anything to you anyway?"

Bao Zheng said: "It's both."

Zhao Yiyi shook his head: "This answer is not good. If you are smarter, you should say that you, Bao Zheng, are full of courage and are not afraid of death at all."

Bao Zheng said: "The officials are benevolent, and the ministers dare not deceive the emperor."

Zhao Yiyi said: "Although I am kind, not everyone in this world is as kind as I am."

He asked: "Bao Qing, are you willing to do the most dangerous thing in the world, risking your life, just to make Taipingyu a bright and blue sky?"

Bao Zheng said firmly: "I am willing."