Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Zhao Yiyi squatted in front of a crabapple, and stretched out his hands to the pair of golden and blue cat eyes behind the flowers: "Meow, come here, meow~"

Zhao Yunxi squatted beside him, and whispered: "Yes, bark softer, meow is timid, only when you call it softly will it come out."

Zhao Yiyi softened his voice more and more: "Meow, come out quickly, there are fish to eat here, come quickly~"

The kitten behind the flowers cautiously popped half of its head, and Zhao Yiyi hurriedly took a small dried fish from Liu En's hand: "Look, small dried fish!"

The kitten jumped out from behind the flowers, squatted in front of Zhao Yiyi, rubbed its head on his hand, took the small dried fish in his hand, put it on the ground and ate it.

Zhao Yunxi said: "Second brother, Mimi likes you."

Zhao Yiyi gently stroked the kitten's white fur: "I like it too."

He held the kitten in his arms, and the kitten didn't struggle, and gave a meow obediently.

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Can I take it away?"

It has been a few days since he returned to Tokyo, the emperor's smallpox is recovering, and the imperial physicians who came to visit all said that the emperor will be able to return to the palace in a few days.

Miaomiao is the newborn kitten of a white cat raised by Niang Niang. This is the most beautiful kitten in the litter. Zhao Yiyi and Zhao Yunxi like it very much.

Zhao Yunxi said: "Your Majesty likes it, so naturally you can take it away."

Zhao Yiyi stroked the kitten's head: "Meow, Meow, I always call you Meow, it seems a little too dignified. What name should I give you?"

He pinched the kitten's paw pad: "How about calling you Snowball?"

The kitten said "Mi", and Zhao Yiyi took it as a promise.

"Snowball, Snowball, who is the most beautiful Snowball~"

I don't know how Liu E will react when he sees this cat?

Zhao Yiyi thought casually.

I should be surprised.

On the second day after changing Xueqiu's name, Zhao Yiyi boarded the chariot back to the palace.

Back in the palace, Liu E didn't see him immediately.

Zhao Yiyi is a bit strange. Logically speaking, according to Liu E's temperament that is so strong that he wants to control, he hasn't seen the little emperor for more than a month. Shouldn't he be called to his side to take a good look at it, and confirm that the little emperor is still the one by her? The little emperor in the palm of your hand?

He stroked the cat, thinking uncertainly, could it be that he wanted to deliberately leave him alone and let himself cry to find her, so as to prove the empress dowager's position in the emperor's heart?

It's not impossible, it's just that he is fourteen now, not when he was six or seven years old. It might feel a little strange to do this kind of thing...

Zhao Yiyi was about to abandon his shame and go to Liu E to perform a long-awaited reunion, crying bitterly. Liu En came back after inquiring about the news: "The Queen Mother is receiving the female relatives."

Oh, there are guests.

What guest is more important than him, the little emperor who has finally returned to the palace?

Liu Endao: "Lai Guogong's wife has entered the palace."

Zhao Yiyi raised his eyebrows.

Kou Zhun his wife?

It turned out to be this one.

"Then it's no wonder the Queen Mother doesn't have time to see me."

Zhao Yiyi rubbed Xueqiu'er again, and let it run wild by itself.

"I wanted to show her my new cat."

When Kou allowed his wife to enter the palace, Liu E really needed to meet him as if facing a big enemy, and even the little emperor didn't even care about returning to the palace.

Not only because Kou Zhun is now in power, but also because the Song family, the wife of Duke Lai, is very noble.

Lai Guogong's wife, Song Shi, is the younger sister of Emperor Taizu's third wife, Empress Xiaozhang.His father, Song Xun, was the grandson of Emperor Zhuangzong of the Later Tang Dynasty, and his mother was Princess Yongning of the Later Han Dynasty.The Song family has three generations of relatives, and they are so prominent in modern times that they cannot be surpassed.

Even Liu E's status should not be underestimated.

However, this noble woman had never actively participated in the struggle between Kou Zhun and Liu E. It was the first time for a big girl to enter the palace to meet Liu E like today.

This is strange.

What are you doing in the palace if you don't have festivals?

Begging Liu E to appoint her relatives as officials?

Her relatives are officials and don't need to ask for help, so why go all the way to the palace to find her husband's political opponents?

Zhao Yiyi asked, "What are they talking about?"

Liu En's face was very strange: "It's talking about the marriage of a Miss Kou."

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Is it the Miss Kou we met?"

Is that the magic stick who gave Bao Zheng a Youxian pillow?

Liu En nodded: "This is Miss Kou Yaoniang."

"For her marriage, why do you find the queen mother?"

Could it be that Kou Zhun himself can't find a son-in-law?

Liu Endao: "Madam Laiguo wants this Miss Kou to enter the palace and become His Majesty's queen."

Zhao Yiyi pointed to himself: "Be my queen?"

Liu En nodded.

"Is this... inferior?"

Kou Zhun is brother-in-law to Emperor Taizu, and his daughter is the same generation as Song Zhenzong. Logically speaking, Zhao Yiyi has to call Miss Kou a cousin.

"Or, this Miss Kou is actually the granddaughter of Duke Lai?"

Liu En shook his head: "It is indeed the daughter of Duke Lai, it is absolutely true."

Zhao Yiyi also shook his head: "The queen mother has something to say."

Even if Liu E asked him to marry a Liao princess as queen, he would not let him marry Kou Zhun's daughter as queen.

If Kou Zhun really becomes the head of the state, what will happen to Liu E?

But the Song family's status is too high, it's really not easy for Liu E to refuse directly.Fortunately, this Ms. Kou and Zhao Yiyi are inferior, giving Liu E room to manipulate.

But... Kou Zhun tried to marry his daughter to the emperor, but when Liu E proposed her favorite candidate for queen, Kou Dang would have more motivation to sing against Liu E, right?

Zhao Yiyi was looking forward to it.

Anyway, his choice of empress is not up to him. Zhao Yiyi shifted his attention to other places for the time being: "How is Yan Shu?"

When he was in Yangzhou before, he asked Yan Shu to spread the news in Beijing that the tea farmers were forced to pour tea by Yangzhou's buying method. If Yan Shu was up to date, children's rhymes should be sung by now.

Liu Endao: "Master Yushi Canbao's letter arrived at the Empress Dowager's desk yesterday. The Empress Dowager has read it and is gearing up to wait for the big court to break out tomorrow."

Zhao Yiyi raised his eyebrows.

Yan Shu was more aggressive than he had imagined, and he did it right away, even making arrangements for the censor.

"Has he resigned by now?"

Liu En nodded: "Master Yan had already resigned when we arrived in Yangzhou, and now he is staying at home behind closed doors. In fact, he is secretly choosing a location for the school."

Qingbei University was to be built in the city of Tokyo, but the city of Tokyo was very expensive, so it was really difficult to find a suitable address for the school.

The main reason is that the royalist party's funds are relatively tight now, and Di Niangniang's last private house money was given to Zhao Yiyi to build a match factory.In a short time, Zhao Yiyi really couldn't think of where else to squeeze out a sum of money to approve Yan Shu's construction of the school.

So during this period of time, he has been hinting that Yan Shu will advance this part of the funds first, and then make up for him when the emperor has more money.

And Yan Shu also received this hint, and really planned to fund the school himself.

It has to be said that as a senior official of the Song Dynasty, Yan Shu lived a much more luxurious life than Fan Zhongyan.

In the Song Dynasty, the economy was developed and the status of civil servants was high. Even if the court was short of money, it tried to give the official salaries as much as possible.

Or rather, it is precisely because officials are given too much salary that the court is so short of money.

Fan Zhongyan's current official status is quite big. Like Yan Shu, he is not short of money, but Yan Shu's money is basically used for his own squandering and enjoyment. Fan Zhongyan's money is basically used to help relatives and friends, so he looks better than Yan Shu. much poorer.

Since Yan Shu is willing to pay for the school out of his own pocket, Zhao Yiyi is also happy to see the success.The establishment of Tsingbei University has been a boost to his various undertakings.

Zhao Yiyi was looking forward to the next day, the battle above the court.

Every five days there is a grand court meeting. The emperor sits upright on the Chongzheng Hall to receive the ministers, and the Empress Dowager sits in the side hall with a curtain hanging down.However, the queen mother who listened to the government from behind the curtain was the one who made the decisions about state affairs, and the emperor had never been able to get in the way.

Zhao Yiyi has long been used to this kind of play of pretending to be deaf and dumb, but this time, it is different from any previous time.

He quietly clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

It was Liu E's party members who launched the attack at the beginning.

Liu E's party has a censor named Wang Jiayan, who is quite outspoken and dares to advise.Every time he crusade against the bandits, he rushed to the forefront, and this time was no exception.

After listening to his eloquent discussion, Zhao Yiyi basically said that Bao Zheng, the censor, knew that the tea farmers in the south of the Yangtze River had gone bankrupt, so how could such incompetent ministers be reused. Please punish the tea farmers in the south of the Yangtze River severely, and give justice to the tea farmers in the south of the Yangtze River.

These are indeed things that happened in Yangzhou. Zhao Yiyi nodded and asked Liu E: "What does the mother think?"

Liu E behind the curtain: "Yes."

It means that Zhao Yiyi agrees to deal with Bao Zheng.

Zhao Yiyi said: "The queen mother can control it."

He glanced around for a week: "What else are you talking about?"

He could rest assured that Yan Shu was doing business. Since Liu E had already received the news and even wrote the letter, it made no sense that Kou Zhun hadn't heard anything about it.

Sure enough, a minister who could tell from his attire that he belonged to Kou Zhun's party came out: "Your Majesty, I think this matter is strange."

Kou Zhun is born with a love of luxury, and members of the Kou party also love luxury.Liu E's sense of ownership of the Great Song Dynasty is stronger than that of Kou Zhun, and he is not willing to squander national property, and he will follow the example.

From head to toe, the minister who came out was clamoring "I have money". Zhao Yiyi didn't need to know who this person was, but he knew that he was a hardcore bandit.

With a slight movement of his fingers, Liu En understood, and said softly, "Xia Song."

No one could hear this whisper except the two of them.

It turned out that this was Xia Song.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Xia Qing, please tell me."

Xia Song said: "Wang Yushi just said that Yushi Baozheng acted recklessly in the south of the Yangtze River. The tea farmers in Yangzhou suffered greatly, and some of them went bankrupt. But as far as I know, Bao Yushi has a good official reputation in Jiangnan, and he takes care of the tea administration. It's in good order. The soldiers and civilians all praise Bao Yushi for being fair and honest. He is clearly the same person, so why is the Bao Yushi that I know and the Bao Yushi that Wang Yushi speaks of like two different people?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "Wang Qing, what's going on?"

Wang Jiayan held the wat board in his hand and said: "As a censor, everything you say is what you know. As for why Privy Xia's knowledge is different from yours, this minister has to ask for advice."

After Yan Shu resigned, Xia Song took over his post as the deputy privy envoy, so Wang Jiayan called him Xia privy.

Xia Song said: "Could it be that Wang Yushi suspects that the lower officials have ulterior motives?"

Wang Jiayan said: "I dare not, I just heard that Bao Yushi is very favored by Lai Guogong, and Xia Shumi is also a servant of Lai Guogong, I am afraid that Xia Shumi has some scruples."

This is clearly referring to Xia Song and Bao Zheng's official protection.

Xia Song was about to say something more when Liu E spoke behind the curtain.

"Okay," Liu E said, "Wang Jiayan is in charge of the censor. It is his job to supervise the officials and make rumors. Xia Qing is the deputy envoy of the Privy Council. I'm afraid he doesn't know much about Bao Zheng and the situation in Yangzhou. In this matter, according to Wang Yushi's words, Bao Zheng will be dismissed and escorted back to Beijing to wait for his punishment."

Kou Zhun said: "Whether it is the censor or the privy envoy, they are all officials of the Song Dynasty. If only the censor's words are credible, then there will be no need for hundreds of officials in the future court meeting, and only two hundred censors will be placed in the Chongzheng Hall. They run on each other, and they can solve the world's affairs."

Liu E said: "Private Xia has lived in Bianliang for a long time and has never even been to Yangzhou. Isn't it ridiculous to talk about tea politics?"

Kou Zhun said: "Could it be that Wang Yushi just came back from Yangzhou?"

Zhao Yiyi secretly thought, I just came back from Yangzhou.

He took a deep breath and raised his voice: "Okay! Stop!"

Everyone in the dispute kept silent, looking at the little emperor who suddenly spoke with a little surprise.

It has been two years since the little emperor succeeded to the throne, and this is the first time he has expressed his opinion at the Great Court Assembly.

Zhao Yiyi said: "Whether it is Wang Yushi or Xia Shumi, they don't know the details of Yangzhou's tea policy. If you want to investigate the matter, why don't you send people to Yangzhou to bring the people related to this matter back to the capital, interrogate them in detail, and confess the truth." .”

Kou Zhun took the lead and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

The minister behind him also followed suit: "Your Majesty is wise."

They could see that the little emperor was going to stand by their side.

Liu E was silent for a while, and then said: "As the emperor said, recall Bao Zheng and question him carefully about how he manages the tea administration!"

Zhao Yiyi tilted his head slightly: "Mother, I don't mean that."

Liu E said: "What does the emperor say?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "I heard that there is not only Bao Zheng, a supervisor, but also an eunuch who was dispatched to Yangzhou during the reign of Tianxi. You must be very familiar with the situation. If you want to know the inside story of Yangzhou's tea policy, you must also recall this person to the capital."

Liu E said slowly: "This statement makes sense."

Zhao Yiyi continued: "Just now what Wang Qing said, the tea farmers in Yangzhou pour tea because Bao Zheng practiced the tie-buying method in Yangzhou, ordering the tea merchants to buy tea in a tie-up when buying good tea?"

Wang Jiayan said: "Return to Your Majesty, that's exactly the case."

Zhao Yiyi said: "This is obviously a good thing for the tea farmers. Why are the tea farmers forced to pour tea? I can't figure it out. I'm afraid Zhuqing can't figure it out either. Just ask those two officials to come back. If they don't understand , didn’t you make this trip for nothing?”

Liu E said: "What does the emperor want?"

Zhao Yiyi smiled: "I want to summon 12 Yangzhou tea farmers and tea merchants at the same time, and the imperial court will answer. Be sure to ask the truth about the tea pouring in Yangzhou."

Liu E said: "Absurd! How can a vulgar person go to the imperial court to answer?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "No matter how vulgar they are, they are my people after all. Since I am their father, I must find out the truth for them and give them justice."

After a while, Liu E sighed, "Just as the emperor said."

After speaking, he stood up and drove back to the palace.

Zhao Yiyi asked the officials of His Royal Highness: "What else do you want to announce?"

The empress dowager was angered by the emperor and left, so what would the civil and military officials dare to do.

Zhao Yiyi enjoyed the pleasure of not having Liu E sitting behind him for a while, and got up and went back to the inner palace.

He first went back to his bedroom, took off the court clothes he wore during the court meeting, changed into loose clothes, and went to see Liu E with the snowball in his arms.

He had already decided that he would hug Snowball when meeting Liu E privately in the future.

If you can't kill you, you will be disgusted to death.

Sure enough, when Liu E saw Xueqiu, her fingers trembled slightly: "What is this?"

Zhao Yiyi made a gesture to hand the snowball out: "This is a kitten born by the lion cat of Empress Di in the Nanqing Palace. This is the only kitten in the litter that is snow-white. Look, Ma'am, how cute it is."

Liu E took a step back: "I don't like cats and dogs."

Ever since she exchanged a skinned civet cat for the prince born to Concubine Li more than ten years ago, she has been particularly afraid of this light-footed animal.

She always felt that the civet cat's cold vertical pupils concealed a murderous intent for revenge.

Like this white cat—

"Ouch-"

Liu E was shocked and waved his sleeves: "Take it away!"

Zhao Yiyi moved forward on purpose, and was hit by a sleeve.Snowball was frightened, jumped out of his arms, and ran away quickly.

"My lady, what's wrong, my lady?"

"My palace is fine, it's fine."

Liu E was still in shock, remembering that Zhao Yiyi had been slapped by her, and hurriedly asked, "Is the emperor alright?"

Zhao Yiyi shook his head: "My son is fine. Why does Aunt hate civet cats so much?"

He didn't use the word "fear", so he was already saving face for Liu E.

Liu E smiled with difficulty: "Aniang was caught by a cat when she was a child, so she doesn't like civet cats."

Zhao Yiyi said, "But Xueqiu never arrests people."

He called Snowball again: "Snowball, come back..."

Liu E hurriedly said, "Okay."

Zhao Yiyi turned to look at Liu E with an innocent look on his face.

Liu E said: "The emperor is also tired, so go back to the bedroom and rest."

Zhao Yiyi said: "My son is not tired, and he can still accompany Auntie."

Liu E smiled: "The emperor has grown up."

He said again: "The emperor is fifteen this year, and he has also reached the age of marriage."

Zhao Yiyi suppressed two blushes on his face at the right time.

Liu E said: "I don't know what kind of empress Yi Yi wants to choose?"

Zhao Yiyi glanced at her carefully: "Master Kou said that the candidate for the queen must be a virtuous and virtuous lady."

Since Kou Zhun had to send his daughter to the palace for some reason, then he didn't use it for nothing.

Did you see, Master Kou said that the queen must be a lady of everyone, do you still have the nerve to let me marry the daughter of a poor family?

Liu E smiled and said, "Master Kou said so."

Zhao Yiyi said: "This matter is up to Master and A Niang."

Liu E nodded: "Understood, the emperor should go back."

Zhao Yiyi saluted Liu E again, greeted Xueqiu who ran out of the palace gate, and returned to his bedroom under Liu E's thoughtful gaze.

After returning to the bedroom, he weighed the snowball in his arms, and smiled at Liu En: "It seems that the Empress Dowager is really afraid of cats."

Liu Endao: "If you do too many bad things, you will always be afraid of something."

Zhao Yiyi said: "I am not afraid of anything."

Although he has done a few bad things...

Liu Endao: "Your Majesty has not been in charge of the government yet, and the empress dowager and Mr. Kou have done all the bad things for your Majesty in the past few years. Of course, Your Majesty has no fear now."

Zhao Yiyi let Xueqiu go: "If you say I'm afraid, I'm also afraid of them."

"By the way," he raised his head: "Go outside the palace and see what's going on with Jiang Ping."

It has been several days since I returned to Beijing, and 10 taels of gold has already been put in place. I don’t know how Jiang Ping’s match factory is doing.

Liu En led the order to leave the palace, and Zhao Yiyi hugged Xueqiu back into his arms: "He has gone out to work, and we are the only ones left to depend on each other."

Xueqiu meowed, and Zhao Yiyi stretched out his fingers to tease it, and was hugged and chewed by it.

Zhao Yiyi quickly pulled his finger back: "You can't bite, you can't bite, if you bite, we are both finished."

The emperor's body belongs to the state property. If a cat were to bite him open, the cat would definitely be culled, and the emperor himself would have to bear the title of stupidity.

In history, Song Renzong was slapped on the neck by Queen Guo when his wives and concubines were fighting. .

This was still beaten by the queen. If it was bitten by a cat, it would be even more ridiculous.

You, an emperor, actually let a cat injure the body of a dragon, you are incompetent, you are useless.

Zhao Yiyi waited for Liu En with the cat in his arms for several hours, and finally when the sun was setting, Liu En came back.

Zhao Yiyi asked him, "Why did you come back?"

Liu En said: "This subordinate stopped by to see Di Qing."

Zhao Yiyi raised his eyebrows: "Di Qing?"

What are you doing to see him?

"Isn't he training the new army with Kou Zhun in the camp?"

Since Di Qing voted for Kou Zhun, within a month, Kou Zhun saw his outstanding military talent.Kou Zhun had always demoted talents eclecticly, so he was immediately appointed a mid-level officer.Up to now, Di Qing has become the second in command of the barracks, and the entire Forbidden Army camp, except Kou Zhun, only serves Di Qing.

Sometimes Zhao Yiyi sighed that he deserved to be the star king of Wuqu, but he regained 30 troops without even going to the battlefield in his teens.

Liu En nodded: "That's right. Coincidentally, Jiang Ping set the address of the factory near the barracks. His subordinates thought it was on the way anyway, so they went to check on Di Qing's recent situation."

Zhao Yiyi asked: "Then how is he recently?"

Liu Endao: "Di Qing is doing well recently, but he asked me to bring back a message."

"what news?"

Liu En said in a low voice: "Dangxiang is struggling with the army, and I'm afraid there will be some changes."

"what?"

Zhao Yiyi sat up in shock: "Is there any change in the party item?"

Isn't that the future Xixia?

At this time, Li Yuanhao had not yet established Xixia. Could it be that he wanted to proclaim himself emperor after this change?

No, the establishment of Xixia should not have happened so early?

"Why didn't Kou Zhun mention such a big matter at the court meeting?"

Even if the matter is confidential, shouldn't it be discussed with Liu E in private?

Or is it that the two of them are so incompatible with each other that military and national affairs are temporarily put aside?

Liu En shook his head: "No. Duke Lai didn't take this matter to heart. It was Di Qing who noticed something different and reminded us."

Zhao Yiyi murmured: "I just finished a battle two years ago, if we use troops again, the treasury..."

He raised his head: "You send a letter to Bao Zheng, telling them to come to Beijing as soon as possible, the sooner the better."

time is life.

He had to sort out the mess in the court before Li Yuanhao called.

The first one is Liu E.