Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Zhan Zhao stood in front of the gate of Nanqing Palace with the emperor's letter in his hand.

The Eighth Prince is a well-known virtuous king, most favored by Emperor Taizong and the first emperor, and also the biological father of the current emperor. The luxury and majesty of the Nanqing Palace far exceeds that of other clan palaces.

In the first month, due to the floods in the whole country last year, the emperor avoided the main hall and reduced the regular meals. The imperial family officials forbade all feasts and pleasures, and even the Lantern Festival of the Lantern Festival was cancelled.The Eight Sage Kings were no exception. They closed their doors to thank guests throughout the winter, so now the main gate of Nanqing Palace is closed, and the gates are empty.

He went around to the corner door at the bottom of the back wall. This place was much more lively than the main entrance. There were people coming and going. Ship it in the door.

Zhan Zhao saw that the melons and vegetables on the cart were fresh and juicy, as if they had just been plucked from the ground, and wondered in his heart, where can these things be eaten in the cold winter?

But now is not the time to care about what the Eighth Prince eats.Zhan Zhao walked up to those people in fine clothes, and clasped his fists at them: "You are being polite, how many do you dare to ask, this is the residence of the Eight Sage Kings?"

A person with a clear head turned around and glanced at him: "Come on, this is not the residence of the Baxian Prince of Nanqing Palace, where is it? What are you doing here? The prince is not seeing any guests right now, and all the stewards are very busy. If you are looking for someone, go back as soon as possible, and come back after the first month."

Another man with two beards said hurriedly: "Old Wang, what are you doing with him for fun? Seeing that he looks good, he doesn't look like a bastard who makes a fuss, maybe there is something important."

The man surnamed Wang laughed: "Brother Li, you are used to being a good person."

Brother Li ignored him, and asked Zhan Zhao again: "Are you here to find someone? Who are you looking for? If I can pass it on for you, I will help you go in and tell me. If I can't pass it on, I will Let me help you find someone to ask."

Zhan Zhao hurriedly said, "Thank you very much. I'm here to find..."

He remembered what the emperor said when he gave him the handbook.

The emperor said, take my handbook and go to Nanqing Palace, but don't go directly to the Eight Sage Kings.Since I succeeded to the throne, in order to avoid suspicion, the Eight Sage Kings generally do not see strangers, and only walk around with a few close relatives.You only told the person at the door that you delivered a letter to Princess Di on behalf of the Second Master Zhen——

Speaking of this, the emperor suddenly stopped, looked him from head to toe, pondered for a long time, and said, it's better to say goodbye, you look like this, it's not good to see Princess Di.You only said that you sent a letter to Zhao Yunxi, the eldest son of the Nanqing Palace.

So Zhan Zhao said: "My surname is Zhan Zhao, and I am here to deliver a letter to the eldest son of the Nanqing Palace on behalf of the Second Young Master Zhen."

Brother Li clapped his palms and smiled: "You have found the right person. My son is driving a chariot and leading a horse for the prince. It is difficult for you to see others, but it is a trivial matter if you want to see the prince. Wait, I will go and give it to you." Tong Chuan, see if your son is willing to see you."

He turned around and entered the corner gate, and the half-bald man surnamed Wang followed. After passing through a courtyard gate, he asked in a low voice: "Are you crazy? Such a person of unknown origin, you should drive him to the presence of the crown prince." bring?"

Brother Li shook his head: "Brother, you really don't understand. You only see his unknown origin, but you don't see his heroic spirit. He is not an idle person. If you do something convenient with him, you will also form a good relationship for yourself."

"What kind of good fate, it's worth your rush to curry favor." The man surnamed Wang shook his head: "I don't care about you anymore, the prince's flower garden is probably going to be handed down, and those eunuchs can't do ground-breaking work. I Go first, and you will come later."

Brother Li nodded: "Forget it."

Zhan Zhao waited outside the corner gate for less than half an hour, and saw that old brother Li coming out of it with a happy face: "Brother Zhan, the prince wants to see you!"

Zhan Zhao had originally planned to wait until the dead of night to use lightness kung fu to sneak into the palace if the prince did not see him, but now he heard that he was able to see the prince in an open and aboveboard manner, so he was naturally happy: "Thank you, Brother Li."

Brother Li waved at him: "Follow me."

Zhan Zhao followed him, entered the corner door, walked around a screen wall, walked along the hand corridor into the inner courtyard, and after a quarter of an hour, he finally arrived at a quiet and quiet courtyard.

Brother Li said: "This is the study room of the prince. Look at the plaque on it, it is the treasure of imperial calligraphy. Remember, under the imperial calligraphy, no loud words are allowed."

Zhan Zhao looked up, and saw a small plaque on the gate of the courtyard, with the words "Yongxi Erlei" written on it, which was very similar to the handwriting in his sleeve, but looked more immature, it should be written by the emperor several years ago .

"I can't enter this yard, Brother Zhan, let's go. I should work elsewhere."

Zhan Zhao hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Brother Li."

After Brother Li left, Zhan Zhao straightened his clothes, walked through the courtyard gate, and walked into the small study room at the end of the courtyard.

There was a young man in green clothes and a jade crown sitting in the study room, when he saw him coming in, he hurriedly got up to greet him: "Is it Zhan Yishi?"

Zhan Zhao looked at him secretly, saw that he was fifteen or sixteen years old, and had a dignified bearing. He was expected to be the elder brother of the official family, Zhao Yunxi, the son of the eight sage kings, so he bowed deeply and said, "Cao Min Zhan Zhao, I have seen the son .”

Zhao Yunxi said: "You don't need to be polite, the officials often mention you to me, saying that you are a heroic and courageous man."

Zhan Zhao said: "The officials are absurd."

But I was a little puzzled in my heart - this son is His Majesty's twin brother, and twin brothers always have [-]-[-]% alike in face, how come this son and His Majesty only have two parts of similarity in eyebrows and eyes, even ordinary brothers can't compare?

Zhao Yunxi said: "What is the government's order for you to send it?"

He is the emperor's elder brother, and he usually takes secret orders to do some private affairs for the emperor that cannot be disclosed to the public. Of course he knows who the "Second Master Zhen" Zhan Zhao is talking about.

Zhen Jizhen is his second brother, who is today's son.

Zhan Zhao took out the emperor's handwriting from his sleeve: "Here is the decree."

Zhao Yunxi took it respectfully, opened it, but frowned.

Zhan Zhao hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

He took the decree and came to Nanqing Palace. He didn't peek at the handbook on the way. He didn't know what was written on it. He frowned if he could make the prince read it.

Zhao Yunxi raised his head, slightly surprised and said: "The official asked you to borrow your father's golden mace and bring it to Yingtian for Yushi Baozheng to use?"

Zhan Zhao nodded: "Exactly."

Zhao Yunxi said: "Absurd! The golden mace is a token given to my father by Emperor Taizong, and he ordered my father to keep it properly. My father regards it as a treasure. Even last year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the officials wanted to invite the golden mace. He was rejected by his father. It is a heavy tool and cannot be easily shown to others. What's more, this mace is so precious that it can be used to stun the emperor and punish the courtiers. How can it be lent to a courtier? Not to mention a hand letter, even if the second government issued an imperial decree Come down, the golden mace will never leave the gate of Nanqing Palace!"

Zhan Zhao was originally from the Jianghu, so he didn't know the rules of the imperial court.He thought that the golden mace was just a weapon, it was nothing more than a weapon, no matter how cherished it was, why couldn't it be borrowed?He also cherishes his giant que, but if Bao Zheng wants to use it, he will lend it to him.

Thinking of Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce being trapped in Yingtian at this time, not knowing what the situation is, and this son is still pushing back and forth and refusing to lend the golden mace, Zhan Zhao suddenly became angry, relying on the sacred decree, he said angrily: "This is The government's decree, does the son want to resist the decree?"

Zhao Yunxi said: "It's not that I want to resist the edict, it's really..."

Zhan Zhao said: "Then please lend me your golden mace!"

Zhao Yunxi was also angry: "You are so bold! I am the emperor's elder brother, and you are just a grassroots person, yet..."

"shut up!"

Zhao Yunxi and Zhan Zhao were taken aback at the same time, only to see a graceful and luxurious woman coming in from the door.Seeing Zhao Yunxi, he hurriedly saluted: "I have seen the concubine mother."

His mother and concubine are naturally the emperor's biological mother, the eighth princess Di Niangniang.Zhan Zhao also saluted: "Cao Min Zhan Zhao, I have met your empress."

Concubine Di nodded slightly to him: "Scholar Zhan, please come up."

Turning to Zhao Yunxi again, he said, "You said he was so bold, but I think you are even bolder than him! I am the emperor's elder brother - how dare you say such a thing?"

Zhao Yunxi said: "Mother Concubine, I..."

Niangniang Di waved her hand: "You are the emperor's elder brother, I am not worthy to be your concubine mother!"

Zhao Yunxi knelt on the ground silently: "Concubine mother, my son has made a slip of the tongue, please punish concubine mother."

Niangniang Di sighed, and helped him up: "It's not about me punishing you or not. You have to be clear, the emperor is the emperor, and you are the minister. You actually want to be brothers with the emperor. If you don't accept this idea, I will The whole family will be killed by you!"

Zhao Yunxi said: "Son, I don't dare anymore."

Di Niangniang turned her head to Zhan Zhao and said, "I told Zhan Yishi to watch a joke."

Zhan Zhao hurriedly said, "Don't dare."

Di Niangniang said with a smile: "I have also heard the story of Zhan Yishi and Bao Yushi solving the tea crisis in Yangzhou together. Zhan Yishi's righteousness is so righteous, arousing admiration. Come, sit and serve tea."

Zhan Zhao said: "Don't bother the princess, Zhan Zhao is here to deliver the decree, and when the decree is delivered, Zhan Zhao should leave."

Concubine Di said: "It's not too late, Zhan Yishi is full of travel and dust, please sit down and rest for a while."

Zhan Zhao refused again and again before sitting down, drank two sips of tea, and immediately said, "Princess..."

Concubine Di had already received the emperor's letter from Zhao Yunxi and read it again.After reading the manuscript, she sighed and said to Zhan Zhao, "You don't need to be busy. The golden mace will definitely be lent to Zhan Yi. Please wait patiently for a while."

Zhao Yunxi said anxiously: "Mother Concubine, how can the golden mace..."

Princess Di said: "Why not?"

"The golden mace was bestowed by Emperor Taizong!"

Princess Di said: "Could it be that what you saw just now is not the imperial decree written by the current Holy Majesty?"

Zhao Yunxi said: "How can this compare...Emperor Taizong..."

Princess Di said: "Then tell me, how many emperors did we have in the Great Song Dynasty?"

Zhao Yunxi said: "Of course there is only one."

Princess Di nodded: "Since there is only one emperor, should you obey his will?"

Zhao Yunxi said: "Of course we should obey."

Princess Di said: "As long as you remember this thing, my family will be safe and sound for generations to come."

Zhao Yunxi bowed his head and remained silent.

Concubine Di said to Zhan Zhao: "Righteous Zhan, please stay calm and wait until we get the golden mace."

Zhao Yunxi said sullenly: "Father will not agree."

The Eight Sage Kings regard the golden mace more than their own lives, and will never agree to lend the golden mace to outsiders.

Princess Di said: "Then don't let him know."

Zhao Yunxi's eyes widened: "The golden mace is enshrined in the main hall, and my father lives in a side room next to the main hall every day. How could my father not know that the golden mace was taken away?"

Princess Di sighed: "The golden mace is indeed enshrined in the main hall, but it has been kept in a box. Your father and king never let people touch that box, and only take it out to wipe it on festivals. After a while, put it back again. The last time he opened the box was during the Shangyuan Festival, and it will probably be the Dragon Boat Festival when he opened it again. During the four or five months, he will never find it."

She turned her head and asked Zhan Zhao: "Master Bao, can you finish the matter of Ying Tianfu before the Dragon Boat Festival?"

Zhan Zhao said, "It's definitely possible."

Princess Di nodded and sighed deeply: "Our wealth and life are all entrusted to Lord Bao."

She said to Zhao Yunxi: "Go and dismiss the people near the main hall, and give the golden mace to Zhan's guards."

Zhao Yunxi said: "Obey."

Concubine Di said to Zhan Zhao: "Please Zhan Yishi and I wait here for a while."

Zhan Zhao said: "Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

Zhao Yunxi left, and came back fifteen minutes later with a wooden box for collecting paintings and calligraphy.

He handed the box to Zhan Zhao with both hands: "It's here."

Zhan Zhao took the box, and it was quite heavy.Open it and see that it is a golden mace with shining precious light.

He carried the box behind his back: "Zhan Zhao, on behalf of Lord Bao and the hundreds of thousands of people in Yingtian Mansion, thank you, the princess and your son, for your kindness!"

Concubine Di said: "It's a serious word. Since this palace eats the king's salary, it should be loyal to the king."

Zhan Zhao bowed deeply again, and left Nanqing Palace by the same path.

A few people at the corner door watched him come out and joked, "Have you seen the son?"

Zhan Zhao smiled: "I see, the prince also rewarded me with a painting and calligraphy."

Those people stretched their necks over: "What kind of calligraphy and painting? Show us."

Zhan Zhao made a gesture to take down the box: "Why don't I show it to you?"

Those people hurriedly waved their hands: "Take it away, take it away, whoever wants to see you, it's not that they haven't seen the world."

Zhan Zhao smiled, went out of the city with the box on his back, and went straight to Yingtian Mansion.

In the study room of Nanqing Palace, Zhao Yunxi poured a cup of tea for Di Niangniang: "I just lent it out. It is a treasure bestowed by Emperor Taizong. Even when I went back to the official house to see it, my father didn't bring it out."

Princess Di took a sip of her tea and said with a sneer, "Are you still proud of it?"

"what?"

Princess Di said: "The emperor wants to see the golden mace, and your father didn't take out the golden mace, so you still feel very proud?"

Zhao Yunxi was silent.

Di Niangniang said: "Do you think that if your father doesn't even care about the face of the emperor, you are also honored as a son of man?"

"I don't blame you." Seeing his face, Di Niangniang sighed: "You are still young, you don't know anything, but your father..."

Zhao Yunxi didn't know the inside story of the civet cat's exchange for the prince, but the Baxian King knew it clearly.He clearly knows that he is not the emperor's biological father, if one day the truth comes out...

Di Niangniang always had a premonition that the day when the truth would be revealed was not far away.

She shook her head: "Your father, these years, has really regarded himself as the emperor's father!"

Zhao Yunxi said: "He was the emperor's father."

"Don't say such things again!"

"I want to say it!" Zhao Yunxi said loudly: "Yieyi is my second younger brother, the son of the father, the father is the emperor's father, and I am the emperor's elder brother..."

Snapped--

Di Niangniang had tears in her eyes: "One more thing, don't be my son!"

She strode out of the study, leaving Zhao Yunxi alone in the study, caressing her face, in a daze.

In Yuchen Palace, Zhao Yiyi was approving today's memorial and asked Liu En: "Zhan Zhao left the city with the golden mace?"

"Leaving half an hour ago."

"Just go."

Zhao Yiyi laughed and said, "Tell me, if I appoint Di Qing as a privy envoy, can the Eighth Wise King go up to the hall with a golden mace and beat me?"

Liu En said, "It's very possible."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said, "Then he can't fight now."

Since the golden mace has been borrowed, there is no possibility of returning it.

To be honest, Zhao Yiyi hated this kind of magic weapon that "beats the emperor unconsciously and punishes the courtiers".

I'm doing my best to be the emperor, but you don't like me, so you want to beat me?

There is no clear standard for the so-called faint king.

In the end, is the wine pond and meat forest considered a foolish emperor, or is it a foolish emperor who is resorting to military affairs?

Is it considered a fool to let a warrior be a privy envoy?Is checking redundant officials a fool?Is reforming the imperial examination system a fool?

Is it considered a foolish king to use the princess as the queen?

Zhao Yiyi thought about it for a while, and felt that in the eyes of the Eight Sage Kings, such an emperor was worth a dozen.

But Zhao Yiyi didn't want to suffer this beating.

After being the emperor for several years, he also had some thoughts of supremacy.

Only I beat others, how can others beat me?

This is wrong!It is disobedience!

It has not been a day or two since he has been eyeing the golden mace of the Eight Sage Kings.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, he planned to ask the Eight Sage Kings to take out the golden mace for everyone to see and observe.

The golden mace is an imperial treasure that can be used to stun the emperor, and it needs a strong mystery to maintain its deterrence.

If you put it on the shelf, never use it easily, and don't even mention it much, then people will only know, ah, you have a treasure, and it is said that it can beat the emperor unconscious, it is very powerful.

Once something important happens, such as Hunjun intends to make his cousin a privy envoy, and you take it out and slap Hunjun violently, everyone will think, um, it is worthy of the imperial mace, but it is different.

And if you show it off at every turn, show it to the guests in turn when you treat them to dinner, take a look, this is the golden mace bestowed by the emperor, and you will be stunned.Then others will think that the golden mace is very attractive, but you are too frivolous, and you are also worthy of beating the king?

Zhao Yiyi originally planned to carry out a peaceful evolution of the Eight Sage Kings, slowly weakening the deterrence of the golden mace in his hand.

However, the Eight Sage Kings didn't cooperate, so they directly turned him back at the family banquet, and didn't even let him take a look.

Don't let him see it, just keep it and beat him?

Zhao Yiyi wrote down the account silently, and finally waited for such an opportunity.

Bao Zheng lost the imperial decree and needed an artifact to deal with King Xiangyang.

Isn't this just right, the golden mace is more than enough to deal with the King of Xiangyang.First let Zhan Zhao and the others borrow the golden mace and dispose of King Xiangyang.After dealing with King Xiangyang...

As Bao Zheng's boss and the nominal son of the Eight Sage Kings, it is reasonable for him to keep the golden mace for him, right?

Without the golden mace, he will see how the Eight Wise Kings can beat him.

"By the way," Zhao Yiyi said to Liu En: "Remember to tell Zongzheng Temple that all clans in the capital are not allowed to see guests or go out to visit friends this year."

Although the Eight Sage Kings have now lived in seclusion, Zhao Yiyi is still worried that he will hear that Bao Zheng used his golden mace to deal with the King of Xiangyang in Yingtian. The Lord knows well.

Even if you know it, it's best not to know it too early.

Liu En asked, "In what name?"

Although the clan's family is usually restricted from going out, it has to be approved by the Zongzheng Temple, but it is too strict not to see outsiders for a year.

Zhao Yiyi said: "It's still because of the flood last year. Tell them that they are not allowed to go out for a day until the emperor resumes regular meals."

In the face of disasters, one of the most common methods used by the emperors of the Song Dynasty was to avoid the main hall and reduce the regular meals, that is, to live in a good house and not to eat well, so as to show their benevolence and compassion for the people.

Generally, ten days and a half months are enough for acting, and the prime ministers will write letters to persuade the emperor to eat well.After two or three times of persuasion, the emperor finally listened, and everything went on as before.

But anyway, Zhao Yiyi has already lived in Yuchen Palace, so if he avoids the main hall, he should avoid the main hall, as long as he has a bed to sleep in.If you reduce the regular meal, you can reduce the regular meal. He can still be full without eating eight dishes in one meal.

Zhao Yiyi believes that he can persist in these routine operations for a long time.

During the time when he insisted not to eat well, the clans at all levels should stay at home, especially the Eight Worthy Kings, it is good to eat fast and chant Buddha with the princess at home, but don't come out to inquire about what happened in the court.

"Now I just hope that Bao Zheng can move faster."

Zhao Yiyi showed Liu En the military newspaper that came back from the northwest: "Great victory, Li Yuanhao was captured alive, Kou Zhun and the others are coming back."

Liu En took the military newspaper and glanced twice: "It's too fast."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said: "This is already considered slow. Wuqu Xingjun will play forward in person. If we spend another two years with Xixia, we will really lose our face."

Liu Endao: "I'm afraid that Kou Zhun will come back before Bao Zheng finishes dealing with King Xiangyang."

Zhao Yiyi shook his head: "No. With an army of 20, they can't go fast. And now they have just captured Li Yuanhao and captured the capital of Xixia. It will take some time to clean up the small group of stragglers, clean up the battlefield, and settle in the rear. Before September this year Even if you come back soon, by then, King Xiangyang's head will have fallen to the ground."

Liu En said: "That's good."

He asked again: "At that time, Queen Mother..."

He winked, meaning whether the Empress Dowager's illness will be cured at that time.

Zhao Yiyi smiled and nodded: "Of course it will be good. Not only good, but also very good. I want the queen mother to go outside the city to meet Lai Guogong in person."

"Must Lai Guogong must be very surprised."

"Of course, this is one of the surprises I prepared for Duke Lai."

It is not a surprise but a thrill to see the old opponent who has already been eliminated standing at the top of the city alive and well.

"The second surprise is my good cousin."

"Look here, Di Qing personally commanded two hundred soldiers to break into the Western Xia Palace and capture the false emperor Li Yuanhao alive. This merit deserves to be rewarded as a privy envoy."