Building a Harmonious Song Dynasty

Chapter 22

Zhao Gou's voice, still sharp and clear, shattered the silence of the hall like the crack of a silver bottle. The people standing on either side looked at him with complex expressions; some of them were people Zhao Gou knew, and some were people he didn't.

Emperor Huizong, seated on the dragon throne, looked Zhao Gou up and down again, while Crown Prince Zhao Huan was extremely anxious and almost wanted to rush out of the ranks to drag Zhao Gou away.

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Today is the birthday of my friend "Ye Jiumei". Happy birthday to her! May she always be the most invincible and radiant young beauty in the universe!

Volume One: Fate Determined 044 The Resolution in the Great Hall

I've been so confused lately... it's all from reading history books...

It's not that I'm complaining, but I've been really struggling with writing lately...

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Zhao Gou's still-developing body appeared extremely small in the vast hall. Perhaps it was only then that Emperor Huizong realized that the envoy he was about to send into the heart of war was just a child. At that moment, he hesitated.

The ministers of the Crown Prince's faction looked at Zhao Huan with worry, fearing that he might do something that would anger the Emperor in a moment of excitement. As far as they were concerned, as long as the Crown Prince himself did not have to take action, the problem was not very serious.

At this moment, the only people in the main hall who truly cared about Zhao Gou were probably Zhao Huan and Liang Shicheng.

Liang Shicheng was quite dissatisfied with Zhao Kai today. Without consulting him, Zhao Kai suddenly changed the person he recommended from Qin Hui to Zhao Gou. Did this action indicate suspicion?

"cough."

A clear cough broke the silence. Zhao Kai stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Father, now that the selection has been decided, you should tell Ninth Brother as soon as possible."

"Hmph!" Zhao Huan snorted coldly and walked to the middle to confront Zhao Kai, saying, "When did Father Emperor ever say that he would definitely send Ninth Brother? Everyone heard Father Emperor say that if Ninth Brother really did not want to go, he would choose someone else to replace him!"

As Zhao Huan spoke, he winked at Zhao Gou, hinting that if he firmly disagreed, he could avoid this perilous journey.

"Enough, stop arguing. Gou'er has arrived, and I will ask him."

Their incessant arguing finally annoyed Emperor Huizong, and they had no choice but to quickly retreat to their respective positions.

Zhao Ji looked down at Zhao Gou and asked, "I still remember what you said a few days ago, that it is your duty as a prince to serve the court. Do you remember that?"

"Your Majesty, I certainly remember."

"Alright, if Father were to send you to do something dangerous right now, would you be afraid?"

Zhao Gou replied confidently, "Even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, I, your son, will not back down an inch!"

His answer surprised Emperor Huizong, made Zhao Kai smile, but made Zhao Huan look miserable.

Zhao Ji then asked, "Is what you said true, my son? The Liao Kingdom is currently in turmoil and fraught with danger. If you were sent there, wouldn't you be afraid?"

"Although I am young, I am of royal blood, and my word is my bond!"

Seeing that the matter was about to be settled, Zhao Huan hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Ninth Brother is still young and I'm afraid he cannot shoulder such a heavy responsibility. This mission to Liao is of great importance. Father, please reconsider!"

Emperor Huizong hesitated again. Just as Zhao Kai was about to add some further information, he heard Zhao Gou speak up: "Yan Shu passed the imperial examination at the age of seven, Gan Luo became prime minister at the age of twelve, and Zhou Gongjin became the naval commander at the age of thirteen, holding military power over six prefectures and eighty-one counties, and wielding great power to strike the Cao invaders! (Note) Although I am not talented enough to compare with them, I also have a heart full of enthusiasm to serve the country and the people. I beg Your Majesty not to obstruct me any further and give me such an opportunity!"

Zhao Huan was speechless after Zhao Gou's boastful words, and could only stare at him with wide eyes.

Emperor Huizong paused, deeply moved, and said with a touch of excitement, "Very well, since that's the case, I will issue an imperial edict ordering you to go on a mission to the Liao Kingdom in the spring of the new year to negotiate the return of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun on the border of our Great Song Dynasty."

Zhao Gou calmly knelt down to receive the imperial edict, leaving the assembled ministers in awe.

The decision, which had dragged on for a whole day, finally came to a conclusion. Emperor Huizong left first, and then everyone else walked out one by one. Zhao Kai approached Zhao Huan and Zhao Gou, and said with a smile, "Everyone can understand the Crown Prince's love for his younger brother, but Ninth Brother thinks you are blocking his future!"

Zhao Huan was burning with anger. He glared at Zhao Kai, then turned and strode out. Zhao Gou gave Zhao Kai a cold look before following closely behind Zhao Huan.

"Brother Crown Prince!"

Zhao Gou called out anxiously from behind Zhao Huan, but Zhao Huan ignored him and walked straight ahead. Only when Zhao Gou ran up and grabbed his sleeve did he stop angrily and say, "I've blocked your future, so why did you come to me? He's always thinking of you; you should go with him!"

"Why do you say that, Your Highness? I had no choice but to contradict you in court just now. How could I not know that you were genuinely thinking of me?"

After calming himself down, Zhao Huan asked him, "Knowing that it's a tiger's den, why did you insist on going there?"

"Brother Crown Prince, please listen to my explanation. Today's events happened so suddenly that neither of us was prepared. If I were to tell Father that I am afraid to go to Liao, he would surely think of me as a cowardly coward, and I would only be able to live a mediocre life from now on. How could I then help you ascend the throne?"

Zhao Huan still didn't understand and asked in return, "If you lose your life, how can you help me?"

"No, I will definitely live to see everyone and fulfill my mission. If I am powerless to overcome this difficulty, then I might as well die."

"No, we must come back alive no matter what!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gou knew that Zhao Huan no longer blamed him, and his face immediately lit up with a smile. He quickly stepped forward and asked, "Whom did Father Emperor send to the Jin Kingdom?"

Zhao Huan said dejectedly, "He'll naturally rush to take such a sure thing."

"What? Third Brother is going in person?"

With the Jin Kingdom's rear secure and free from disasters and calamities, and the Jin people having sent envoys to seek an alliance first, the mission to the Jin Kingdom would surely proceed smoothly. If an agreement more favorable to the Song Dynasty could be reached with the Jin Kingdom, it would be a considerable achievement. Zhao Kai had indeed set his sights on this lucrative opportunity!

However… you have to be able to swallow this fat meat! Zhao Gou thought fiercely.

The Song court's decision was actually quite simple: both the Liao and Jin dynasties wanted the Song dynasty's help, so the Song court sent envoys to each country to reach the most favorable agreement, and then formed an alliance with that country.

This plan was unanimously agreed upon by the entire court, and most officials were optimistic about the Jin Dynasty. Like a gamble, the game had officially begun...

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Note: I found Zhao Gou's description of a "young hero" online. After being reminded by netizens, I checked historical records and it seems inaccurate. However, if we consider the ancient practice of recording one year as two years, it might explain the events involving Yan Shu and Zhou Yu. I still need to investigate further to find out the truth. I'll leave this statement here for now and revise it after further investigation.

Volume One: Destiny's Fate 045 A Small Gathering of Masters at Fanlou

Winter has arrived, and preparations for the New Year are underway both inside and outside the court. Zhao Huan finally saw off the envoys from various countries out of Bianjing a few days ago, and could finally relax and rest a bit.

Li Gang assisted the Crown Prince in receiving the envoys with great efficiency and meticulous planning, which won Zhao Huan's favor. What was even more remarkable was that Zhao Ji also recognized his abilities and promoted him to the position of Deputy Chief of the Privy Council, holding the official rank of sixth grade.

Seeing that talented people were being given important positions, Zhao Huan was very pleased... If it weren't for his worries about Zhao Gou's mission after the New Year, Zhao Huan should have had a very comfortable New Year.

Just as he thought of Zhao Gou, Zhao Gou appeared before him, running in with a beaming smile and saying, "Brother, I have nothing to do today, why don't you take me to the Armory?"

"The Arsenal? Why are you interested in that place?" Zhao Huan asked, puzzled.

Zhao Gou replied, "I was reading a military book a few days ago and came across a record of using 'fire blasts' to attack cities. I was curious, so please take me to see it!"

"I can take you to see it, but don't touch anything you shouldn't. Everything in the Armory is very dangerous."

"I promise I'll behave and only look; I absolutely won't touch anything!"

After ordering some preparations, the two of them were about to leave the palace. Before getting into the carriage, Zhao Gou said, "Is Lord Qin still on duty today? I sent Qin Zhen home early this morning. Your Majesty, please let Lord Qin rest for a day and give his family a chance to get together."

Zhao Huan laughed and said, "So that's how it is. I was wondering why Qin Qing suddenly felt unwell today. It turns out he went home to be with his wife and daughters. When he comes tomorrow, I'll definitely punish him!"

Zhao Gou pursed his lips, not expecting to inadvertently expose Qin Hui's lie. However, Zhao Huan certainly wouldn't take it seriously and punish Qin Hui for this. They left the palace laughing and joking.

The market outside the palace was bustling and lively. A young servant in blue robes weaved through the crowd and finally stopped in front of the Qin mansion gate.

Knocking on the door knocker, the door creaked open, and the servant in blue said to the doorman who peeked out, "Please deliver this invitation to your young lady." He then presented her with a bronze invitation.

After accepting the invitation, the gatekeeper handed it to a maid in the mansion and couldn't help but be surprised. Whose servant was this? He knew about the young lady's rare return so quickly; his information network was impressive.

When Qin Zhen received the invitation, she grasped at it like a lifeline, for the atmosphere in the hall was almost suffocating. Madam Wang, worried about her daughter's impending departure, had remained silent, and had even secretly wiped her eyes with a handkerchief during lunch.

Seeing her so worried, Qin Zhen wanted to comfort her but didn't know where to begin. Fortunately, a maid brought a letter, breaking the somber atmosphere. After reading the letter, Qin Zhen said to her parents, "Father, Mother, I'll be returning to the palace today. I still have many things to do. I'll come back to visit you another day."

Qin Hui nodded, knowing that her early departure must be due to the matter in the post, and it wouldn't be good to delay her. Madam Wang forced a smile, still saying nothing, and saw Qin Zhen off.

Before leaving, Qin Zhen pulled Qingmei aside and carefully instructed her: "Try to persuade my mother more often. Going to Liao Kingdom is not an extremely dangerous thing. Tell her not to worry so much. Her health is the most important thing."

Qingmei readily agreed, and Qin Zhen finally left with peace of mind. However, she wasn't heading back to the palace; instead, she was heading towards Fanlou.

Fanlou was still the bustling gathering place for those who had gained power. Qin Zhen weaved through the crowd and arrived at a room according to the address on the post. He knocked on the door and was greeted by the gentle face of Master Fan.

"Junior sister is here." He said this to the people inside the room.

Qin Zhen slipped into the room, where Liang Shicheng and Wu Nian were also present.

"Fourth Senior Brother, Sixth Senior Brother," Qin Zhen called out to them one by one, and the four siblings sat down around the table.

Master Fan spoke first: "My sixth junior brother and I learned from my fourth junior brother that you are going to the Liao Kingdom, so we took this opportunity to call you out today to give you some instructions."

Qin Zhen nodded and said, "I originally planned to tell you after the New Year, but I didn't expect you to find out first. Don't worry, fellow senior brothers, I will finish my business as soon as possible and come back."

Liang Shicheng frowned slightly and said, "The Prince of Yun changed his plans without consulting me this time, which caught me off guard. It's tough on you, Junior Sister, as you have to go out and suffer a bit."

"Fourth Senior Brother, don't worry. I'm just treating this as a trip for fun; I won't suffer any hardships. However... I'll need you to keep an eye on the Crown Prince's affairs in court!"

This was the first time Qin Zhen had spoken to Liang Shicheng. Before, they had either passed each other by or exchanged letters, and had never had a face-to-face conversation.

Liang Shicheng nodded: "After the Prince of Yun goes to the Jin Kingdom, all the officials in the Prince of Yun's faction will follow my lead, which will make things easier."

Nearly fifty years old, Liang Shicheng spoke of court politics with a face full of confidence, an expression completely different from his usual demeanor in officialdom. No one could imagine that he was the treacherous eunuch Liang Shicheng, known as the "Hidden Prime Minister."

Liang Shicheng was the oldest among Qin Zhen's six senior brothers, but he joined the sect later and ranked fourth. When he met Master Fan, who was nearly twenty years younger than him, he had to call him the eldest senior brother.

Qin Zhen had always been curious about how Liang Shicheng and his master became master and disciple. For the previous decades, Liang Shicheng had been serving in the palace. Could it be that his master had even lived in the palace? It was truly unbelievable...

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