Chapter 10 Section ten

Time: At the beginning of the unitary hour, the second quarter (according to today's time, it should be 5:30 pm). Location: Inside the imperial palace, above Suhu Lake. The setting sun is setting, and the sunset is gorgeous.Under the Phoenix Mountain, the majestic and solemn palace is bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.To the northeast of the imperial palace, there is a small lake with a width of more than ten mu, which is formed by hoarding water from the Zhonghe River that flows through the imperial city. Its name is Xiaoxi Lake, also known as Suhu Lake, which means a drop in the ocean.Although Suhu Lake is far less expansive than West Lake, but because of its small size, it has a special atmosphere.

There are many pavilions around the lake.There is the Cuihan Hall, built with pine wood that was tributed by Fusang Island, as white as ivory teeth, surrounded by ancient pines; there is the Chengbi Hall, built with hundred-year-old bamboo from Tianmu Mountain, which is green and as bright as emeralds; there is the Chuanfang Pavilion for viewing peonies; Guanfang Pavilion; Hedan Pavilion for camellia appreciation; Tianque Pavilion for osmanthus appreciation; Yunjin Hall, where the emperor burns incense and prays to heaven, where cigarettes linger all day long, hovering around the top of the hall like dense clouds; The realm of water and sky above.Five dragon boats of different shapes are scattered on the shore of the lake.

At this time, there is a small dragon boat in the center of Suhu Lake, which is painted with gold lacquer, carved beams and flowers, and a small four-corner pavilion is built on the dragon boat.Under the pavilion sat two people facing each other.Looking around, for several miles around, there is only the lake light, and there is no one else. The one sitting facing south has a thin face, calm eyes, a thin gray beard, protruding cheeks, and thick ears. He is Gaozong Zhao Gou, who has abdicated. Sitting opposite Zhao Gou and paddling is Xiaozong Zhao, who was forty-one years old.He has a square face, a bushy beard, broad and strong shoulders, and piercing eyes.He is at the peak of his life, both physically and mentally.The paddling movement that lifts the weight as lightly shows that he has extraordinary strength, and the resolute expression shows that he has a firm will.

Today, Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou has abdicated for seven years, and nominally no longer interferes with the government, but his influence is still reflected in many government orders and policies of the court, either explicitly or implicitly.And when encountering major decisions about the fate of the family and the country, Zhao would also seek the opinion of the old lady, the emperor. Throughout the history of China, the situation of two emperors in one dynasty is rare, and the two emperors often fight openly and covertly and hinder each other.But Gaozong and Xiaozong got along very well, and it can be said that they are the most harmonious two saints in one dynasty in history.

Xiaozong can finally become the emperor, there are still some twists and turns.He was originally Gaozong's adopted son, and in terms of blood relationship, the two were far apart.Gaozong Zhao Gou escaped from death several times on his way to the south. He was overly frightened and lost his fertility.Xiaozong, who was five years old at the time, was brought into the palace by Zhao Gou and adopted as an adopted son. At the same time, another child, Zhao Chu, was adopted as an adopted son.Zhao Gou has yet to establish who will be the crown prince.One is that he has never given up his fantasy of being able to have a son, and the other is that he is still vacillating between Zhao and Zhao Chu, and he is still undecided.Later, Zhao Gou came up with a way to give ten maids to each of them. A few days later, the ten maids were called back for examination. body.Only then did Zhao Gou establish Zhao as the crown prince, and he ascended the throne in the same year.After all these twists and turns, Zhao Neng finally became the supreme ruler of the Southern Song Empire, and he was naturally grateful to Emperor Gaozong Zhao Gou.

A thin mist gradually rises from the surface of the lake, like a pervasive sorrow.Zhao Gou's eyes flicked slowly around Suhu Lake, and he saw Qiongtai Yuyu, mountains and emerald green, far better than the imperial palace in Kaifeng, the old capital.He remembered that thirty years ago, when the imperial edict was issued to establish the capital here, there were only a few scattered palaces at the foot of Phoenix Mountain.And he, at the age of twenty, ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. He wanted to lead a panic-stricken and demoralized empire forward. Thirty years later, he also changed from a precocious youth to an old man with gray temples.Most of the generals and courtiers who worked with him to revive the Song Dynasty in the south of the Yangtze River have passed away.

Since he abdicated, affairs have gradually become thinner, and in the dead of night, when he sat alone in the Shangzhai, reading the historical records of the Spring and Autumn Period, reminiscing about the past and the present, and reviewing the merits and demerits of his life, he was often filled with emotion.No one has ever truly understood his heart deeply. The common people only saw his dignity as an emperor, the soldiers only saw his repeated concessions to the Kingdom of Jin, and the courtiers only saw his first-class favor and preference for Qin Hui. letter.As the emperor, he should be expected to carry the expectations of his subjects and the people.He has nowhere to escape, the world is his, where can he escape?Why didn't he want to restore the Central Plains and revive the glory of the Northern Song Dynasty, but worried that once the Central Plains were restored and the Huiqin Emperors captured by the Jin soldiers were brought back, he would have to give up the throne again.If he is lucky, he will become his King Kang again. In a worse case, he may not even have the life of being King Kang, and he may be falsely accused of plotting to codify the throne and beheaded for public display.To whom can he tell his secret thoughts?Now, the Second Emperor Huiqin has been dead for many years, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He no longer has to bear the tremendous pressure of having to fight against Jin.With the many battles between the Song Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty, with each other winning and losing, the people of the Song Dynasty have also realized that there is a long way to go to restore their homeland, so they also showed Xu Tuzhi's patience.

He looked at Xiaozong's smug look, and thought to himself: He still wants to cross the Huaihe River and restore the territory of the Song Dynasty, but I have already missed the best time.Zhao wants to fulfill his dream. He is a justifiable and beyond reproach emperor. He doesn't have to worry about his throne being snatched away by others day and night. Unlike me, he has an unspeakable self-preservation mentality, and he is burdened with sin and infamy. Although I failed to become a promising emperor praised by everyone in the world, what I can comfort my ancestors is that I chose a diligent and promising monarch for the Zhao family dynasty, and I handed over the reins of the empire to a correct descendant. I hope to atone for my past sins.If I really give birth to a son who inherits my throne, in my opinion, it may not be as good as Zhao.I, Zhao Gou, have no descendants, maybe it was the punishment from the heavens, or the spirit of my ancestors in the sky used such a method to promote Zhao to sit on the throne.

Seeing that Zhao Gou's expression was changing, Zhao asked, "Father, what's on your mind?" Zhao Gou was pulled out of meditation by Zhao's question, and returned to reality. He smiled and said, "You are also tired after paddling for so long. Put down the oars first and take a rest." Zhao Dao: "Thank you for your love and care, my son is not tired. No matter how busy he is with political affairs, he will take time out every day to ride horses, shoot arrows, and practice boxing to strengthen his body. His body is very strong." Zhao Gou said: "That's good, you still don't forget the shame of Jingkang at all times, and you are going to fight against the Kingdom of Jin."

Zhao Dao: "My boy is also doing his best." He knew that Gaozong Zhao Gou had always advocated peaceful coexistence with Jin, so he was also very cautious in his words, for fear of angering Gaozong on this sensitive topic.He knows very well that Zhao Gou is most jealous of others saying that he has forgotten his ancestors, endured humiliation, is not enterprising, and lives in peace. When two acquaintances have a conversation, they both know which topics are taboo for each other, so they will intentionally avoid those potential minefields.Not to mention the conversation between the two emperors, it is natural to be more careful in every step and every sentence.What the Supreme Emperor left to the current emperor is not only the vast country and the highest authority, but also the political structure and program ideas he has managed for many years in office. In order to get rid of the shadow of the previous emperor and show his own characteristics, he must change or even overthrow the decision of the previous emperor, remove the old officials appointed by the previous emperor, and replace them with a group of new faces who he trusts and is loyal to him.Often at this time, there will be some subtle contradictions between the two emperors.Xiaozong kept a low profile for many years. He entered the heir palace at the age of five and waited for thirty years before he was established as the crown prince and ascended the throne in the same year.During these thirty years, he restrained his sharpness and kept quiet. Thirty years of long waiting cultivated his character of patience.Therefore, since he came to the throne, he did not rush to implement new policies immediately, but slowly but firmly branded himself different from Gaozong in the ruling and opposition parties.

Zhao Gou was silent for a while, then suddenly said: "Crown Prince Zhao passed away in July last year. I have always loved this grandson, but it's a pity that there is no holiday. It's useless. Qing Wang Zhao Kai and Gong Wang Zhao have all been recalled to Beijing. I don't know which one of them you plan to make crown prince?" Zhao Dao: "My son thinks that it is not appropriate to act hastily to establish the crown prince." Zhao Gou said: "In my opinion, the elders and the younger are in order. Since the son unfortunately died young, according to the practice of our court, the second son, King Qing Zhao Kai, should be appointed as the crown prince. What do you think?" "I still think it is appropriate to postpone this matter. But I am afraid that since the position is upright, human nature is prone to pride, that is, self-indulgence, not diligent in learning, and immoral. The reason why I hesitate to make a decision is because I want my brother The two have practiced common affairs, understood the past and learned about the present, and then choose the sages to establish them, so as not to pass on the country to others, and regret it too late." "Could it be that you think there's something wrong with Zhao Kai being the crown prince?" "Zhao Kai is narrow-minded, arrogant and conceited. Judging from his appearance, his luck is poor." "Kai'er beat up Tang Mian's family, the only son of Tang Situi, the prime minister at the time, at the invitation of Rilou. Didn't the emperor know about it?" Gaozong looked surprised and said: "There is such a thing? When did it happen?" "A month ago, it was the second day after Kai'er returned to the capital to attend the funeral for his brother." "What's the matter?" "It's really absurd and shameful to say. It all started with the snatching of a prostitute from the invitation to the sun. It is said that the invitation to the sun is the most famous brothel in the capital. The next day Kai'er returned to Beijing, she couldn't wait to go there because of her name." , and called out to invite Tang An'an, the number one in Rilou, to accompany him. Unexpectedly, Tang An'an was serving another guest in the room at the time. Kaier was so jealous that she rushed into Tang An'an's room regardless of everyone's obstruction, and grabbed the prostitute from the bed. It was a severe beating. The prostitute was Tang Mian, the only son of Tang Situi, the prime minister at the time. He recognized Kai'er's identity, but he didn't dare to fight back. Kai'er was relentless, and also practiced martial arts. The Tang Mian family was seriously injured and was bedridden, and has not woken up to this day." Regarding Tang Mian's injuries, Xiaozong concealed the most important part.Zhao Kai's intentional continuous kicking of more than ten feet in the crotch of the Tang Mian family has already determined that the Tang Mian family will no longer be humane in this life, so it is no wonder that Tang Situi will be furious.As the saying goes, don't talk about crutches when you meet a lame man, but don't talk about ladle when you meet a monk on the road.He was worried that mentioning this part would touch Gaozong's hidden disease.From the emperor to the common people, as long as they are men, they all hold one-sided opinions on their own sexual ability: it should only be exaggerated, not belittled. Gao Zong said loudly: "Kai'er goes to Deoksugung Palace to greet me every day, why don't you see him mentioning this matter?" "This matter is disgraceful, how dare he mention it to his father?" Emperor Gaozong sighed and said: "This mess is not small, if it hurts the son of an ordinary family, it's fine. Tang Situi has been a courtier for many years, and he is highly respected. Now he is the prime minister and the privy envoy. He has made a lot of contributions in the country and the community, and even I respect him three points. The Tang Mian family is his only son, and he values ​​it more precious than his own eyeballs. Kaier is so nonsense, so what about Tang Situ? Kenye? Did he sue you for justice?" Xiaozong took two scrolls and slowly unfolded them on the table, "Father, let's take a look at these two paintings first." The first painting, judging from the color of the ink stains, is believed to be three or four years ago.The painting shows a young man playing the piano. He looks quite handsome, with a long and thin face, sunken cheeks, and frivolous eyes. He is dressed in rich and brocade robes. It is obvious at a glance that he is a prominent nobleman. Gao Zongdao: "I know this man. This is Tang Situi's son, Tang Mian." Xiaozong then unfolded another painting, the pen and ink are still fresh, apparently just finished painting.The painting is huge. There is a bed in the painting. On the bed lies a man who is almost naked. The size is the same as that of a real person. Only a piece of sackcloth is wrapped around his lower body.The bridge of the nose collapsed, and the front teeth could not be seen through the crooked lips, and only half of the three lower teeth remained.The whole face was swollen high, like steamed buns after fermenting, but the color was not as white as the steamed buns.The two eye sockets are like two deep black caves.One eye is tightly closed and cannot be opened due to the swelling of the upper and lower eyelids, while the other eye that is still open emits a resentful and murderous light, as if it can penetrate the silk paper and shoot directly into the hearts of the viewers, making people People shudder.The painters are extremely skilled in brushwork, and every scar is depicted delicately and realistically.Even prisoners who have been tortured will look a little more decent than the man in this painting. Gaozong couldn't bear to look at it any more, so he ordered Xiaozong to put away the painting, and asked, "Who is painted in this painting? It's simply out of shape." Xiaozong said: "This painting is not someone else, but Tang Situi's only son, Tang Mian clan." Gaozong let out a long sigh and said quietly: "If the Tang Mian family is really injured as badly as depicted in the painting, then Kaier's attack is really too vicious." Xiaozong said: "This painting was painted by Su Hanchen, the master of painting in the current dynasty. Tang Situi invited Su Hanchen to the prime minister's mansion with a lot of money, and ordered him to sit in front of the sickbed of Tang Mian's family and paint everything he saw. Su Hanchen It took five full days and five nights to paint, it can be said to be exhausting. Although my son has never visited the prime minister's mansion, but if I think about it, even if there is a slight deviation from the truth, the difference is limited." Gao Zongdao: "How did this painting get into your hands?" Emperor Xiaozong said: "Ten days ago, in an early court, Tang Situi presented these two paintings to my son-in-law in front of the civil and military officials of the Manchu dynasty, and then he stayed away from the court because of his illness. Tang Mian's family has been promoted to rank, but it seems that Tang Situi is still resentful and still refuses to go to court. He is trying to command my army. How does he want me to calm down? Is it possible that Kaier also Was he willing to beat him like Tang Mian clan?" Gao Zongdao: "You don't have to get too excited. Of course you shouldn't come to the prime minister's mansion and apologize to him face to face, but I, this old bone, don't mind. I took Kai'er overnight, went to the door in person, and apologized to Tang Situi face to face. , I think it will always make him feel better. Even if you understand the righteousness, the state affairs are complicated now, and when you are employing people, you should not miss the state affairs because of a momentary dispute." Xiaozong said: "It's so hard for the father. The father came forward, and he was a hundred times better than the sons and ministers. It can be said that Tang Si lost face enough. If he doesn't go down this step, he will be too ignorant." Xiaozong said again: "Since the envoy Jin was killed, the relationship between our dynasty and the Kingdom of Jin has taken a turn for the worse. The Kingdom of Jin used the envoy Jin as an excuse to station heavy troops on the border, threatened to launch a war, and raised an unprecedented huge amount of money." Compensation, and we have to cut off the four states of Tang, Deng, Hai, and Si. The murderer who killed the Jin envoy has not been found so far. Therefore, there are only two ways in front of him, to fight head-on or to cede the land for compensation. The Jin man died My heart is not dead, there must be a battle between Song and Jin." Gao Zongdao: "It is easy to start a war between the two countries, but it is difficult to make peace. The matter of starting a war must be discussed in a long-term way. You don't have to be fast, you have to be patient, and you will finally succeed." "I would like to follow my father's teachings. The time for a direct confrontation with the Kingdom of Jin is indeed immature. If it is not a last resort, patience is the most important thing. I think that I can find someone who can speak well and negotiate with the people of the Kingdom of Jin. Let's see if the compensation can be reduced to a reasonable and acceptable range. The minister originally preferred Tang Situi, but if Tang Situi still said that he would not be sick, the minister might have to entrust the heavy responsibility of negotiating with Jin Guo to Yu Yunwen .” Gao Zongdao: "Yu Yunwen is a famous official who fought against the Jin Dynasty. He made great achievements in quarrying in the world. The Jin people hated him deeply. Moreover, he has a strong character and would rather break than bend. I am afraid that it is not appropriate to use him to negotiate with the Jin Kingdom. He may arouse resentment from the Jin people." Tang Situi has a lot of experience, is tactful and thoughtful, and has been sent to the Kingdom of Jin several times. He knows the Jin people well, so he is the best candidate to negotiate with the Kingdom of Jin. It seems that it is more necessary for me to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion tonight. Convince Tang Situ to take up this important task."