Chapter 4: Kangxi and Ao Bai

Thanks to Zhao Kuangyin's saying "to govern the world together with the scholars and officials," the emperors of the Song dynasty had, in comparison to those of previous dynasties, the least amount of power.

As for the guards and eunuchs serving nearby, they have long since distanced themselves from this area

"Father (the term used by the princes and princesses of the Song Dynasty to address their father is 'Father' rather than 'Imperial Father' as is common among ordinary people), in fact, removing Shi Miyuan is a very simple matter, as long as Father can make up his mind," Zhao Hao said.

This father of mine is truly quite ordinary, lacking even a trace of imperial grandeur.

Zhao Yun and Shi Miyuan are like two grasshoppers tied to the same rope, sharing both glory and misfortune; to deny Shi Miyuan is to deny the legitimacy of his own succession. Therefore, he can only let things be.

However, Zhao Hao scoffed at this

This is their sorrow, and it is also the sorrow of the Han people

Sometimes, Zhao Yun himself feels that he is not as good as this son

Although Zhao Yun has ascended to the throne, he has no means to deal with Shi Miyuan

In other words, Zhao Yun's claim to the throne is, in fact, not legitimate

Zhao Hao is ten years old this year. Although he is still young, he has already won widespread acclaim throughout the court.

At this moment, Zhao Yun was having lunch with Empress Xie Daoqing and their pair of children, but halfway through the meal, Zhao Yun lost all appetite.

However, Zhao Yun is ultimately an emperor, and no emperor is willing to have a subject above him acting as the retired emperor

Father, let me tell you a story. In the distant West, there was a dynasty called the Qing Dynasty, and its royal family was the Aisin Gioro clan. After the Qing Dynasty established its rule, the emperor went missing, and the young emperor ascended the throne. Due to his tender age, a man named Ao Bai seized all the power in the court. Even after the young emperor began to govern, Ao Bai was still able to stand in opposition to him. Conflicts inevitably arose between the ruler and his ministers, and the young emperor began to devise a plan to subdue Ao Bai.

In the palace, the most important thing is to have discernment

Zhao Hao is not merely a prodigy; in Zhao Yun's eyes, he is simply a genius beyond compare

She has always believed that in this lifetime, the pair of children, Zhao Hao and Zhao Ling'er, bestowed upon her by heaven, is the greatest reward for her.

This is a prime minister of a generation; Zhao Yun's ascension to the throne was greatly aided by the strong support of Shi Miyuan

In the seventeenth year of the Jiading era, Emperor Ningzong of the Song dynasty passed away. Shi Miyuan, in collusion with Empress Yang, falsely transmitted Emperor Ningzong's edict, deposing the Crown Prince Zhao Hong and elevating Prince Yi, Zhao Yun, as the new emperor, known as Emperor Lizong of the Song dynasty

Therefore, Zhao Yun also did not dare to underestimate Zhao Hao because of his age

In ancient times, especially in the imperial palace, it was exceedingly common for a mother to gain favor through her son

Originally, Xie Daoqing was not as favored as Concubine Jia, but Xie Daoqing proved her worth by giving birth to a pair of twins, Zhao Hao and Zhao Ling'er, for Zhao Yun.

Father, this is a different time from before. The current Song Dynasty is no longer what it used to be. Now we face internal strife and external threats; the Mongols are eyeing us covetously and will soon march south. Corrupt officials in the court are causing chaos, and the people are suffering. If we do not change soon, we will all become the sinners of history.

Upon hearing the name Shi Miyuan, Zhao Hao frowned slightly

However, he could only privately vent his frustrations in the inner palace, lacking the courage to approve the memorials from the officials impeaching Shi Miyuan in the court.

However, who can deny that he is my father? One must still offer help where it is due. Before I have fully developed my own capabilities, in many areas, I still need to rely on Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun understands his genius son even better than outsiders do

Even ordinary citizens are aware that a treacherous minister, Shi Miyuan, has emerged in the court

What further solidified her position was that, within the palace, there were no other concubines who had given birth to offspring besides her

Zhao Yun certainly would not be unaware, yet he found himself utterly powerless against Shi Miyuan

"Hao'er, during the Song Dynasty, there has never been an emperor who harmed the lives of civil officials. Everyone adheres to a fundamental principle; whether it is court struggles or factional disputes, they will not endanger life safety," Zhao Yun said

Zhao Yun was almost at the brink of his patience

Or rather, this is the style of governance by literati

Even if he is unlearned, he would still be able to discern the hidden meaning in Zhao Hao's words

Shi Miyuan wielded power for twenty-six years across two dynasties, enjoying the highest level of trust and favor. He was referred to as "Four Woods and Three Evils".

Zhao Hao recounted the events between Kangxi and Ao Bai to Zhao Yun without any alterations. After listening, Zhao Yun's expression fluctuated between dark and light.

Speaking of which, Xie Daoqing's experiences can also be described as legendary

Zhao Hao is not a historian, but he is not so obscure that one has never heard of this name.

"Your Excellency, what is the matter?" Xie Daoqing inquired with concern

It is well known that the current Crown Prince is a prodigy, having been exceptionally well-behaved and intelligent since childhood

Her most beloved is, of course, Zhao Ling'er. However, what she values the most is still Zhao Hao

Or rather, throughout the entire Song Dynasty, there were very few emperors who possessed the charisma of a true sovereign

Zhao Hao has always had strong opinions since childhood, and the final outcome has proven that the choices made by Zhao Hao are always the correct ones

Shi Miyuan has become increasingly excessive Zhao Yun said angrily

Zhao Hao glanced at Zhao Yun and silently shook his head in his heart

"The oppression is truly excessive, it is indeed too much to bear," Zhao Yun exclaimed angrily

Shi Miyuan and others adopted a policy of yielding and compromising towards the Jin dynasty, while they engaged in rampant plundering of the Southern Song people. They solicited power and accepted bribes, conducting public business through monetary corruption. They also printed a large quantity of new currency, the Xinhui coin, no longer exchanging it for gold, silver, or copper coins, but only converting the old Xinhui coins into the new ones, devaluing the old coins by half. This led to an oversupply of currency, a decline in its value, soaring prices, and a dire situation for the people.

Because he was working with his own people, Zhao Yun did not conceal his true thoughts

The current court, rather than being under the rule of Zhao Yun, is more about living according to the whims of Shi Miyuan.

As of now, Zhao Yun has been on the throne for eight years, yet he has still not intervened in state affairs; the power of governance is entirely in the hands of Shi Miyuan.

Xie Daoqing is the current Empress, and she has given birth to a pair of offspring, Zhao Hao and Zhao Ling'er, for Zhao Yun, securing her position as stable as Mount Tai

"Hao'er, do you have any solutions?" Zhao Yun asked

Xie Daoqing was born with a dark complexion and had a black mole beside her eye. After suffering a serious illness upon entering the palace, her skin became as white as jade, and the black mole disappeared. Originally, Zhao Yun intended to establish Jia as the empress, but Empress Dowager Yang believed that the Xie family was dignified and fortunate. Those around her also whispered, "If we do not establish the true empress, how can we establish a false (Jia) empress?" Thus, Xie Daoqing became the empress.

In this way, no matter how favored Jia Fei becomes, it cannot shake Xie Daoqing's position

Xie Daoqing also looked at Zhao Hao, and he was extremely satisfied with this son

It is precisely for this reason that Shi Miyuan acted with impunity, monopolizing the administration and making unilateral decisions, with his faction nearly controlling all important positions from the central to the local levels

This statement is indeed accurate; whether during the Southern Song or Northern Song, it is rare for officials to be executed due to political struggles, which is quite different from other dynasties