Diqin Designer

Chapter 487 Discussing the Northern Song Dynasty with the First Emperor (History of the Northern Song Dynasty)
The events in the Peacock Kingdom had not yet affected the Qin Dynasty. Time moved steadily forward, and Meng Tian completed his mission on Liuqiu Island, returning to Xianyang with a group of former nobles from the six kingdoms.

As the highest-ranking general in the Qin navy, Meng Tian had many matters to handle and it was not advisable for him to stay in Liuqiu for too long.

Outside Zhangtai Palace, with a shout of "Summon Zhaoyue and Jingwu of Chu to an audience!", Zhaoyue and his entourage entered the main hall.

The group dared not raise their heads and cautiously followed a guard into the hall. They were no longer nobles of the six states, but a group of fallen people whose lives and futures were in the hands of the Qin people.

Upon entering the hall, the men bowed and said, "Zhaoyue and Jingwu of Chu pay their respects to Your Majesty!"

The Emperor Qin's voice came from above: "Rise! I have always been fair in rewarding and punishing. Although you were once enemies of Qin, you have rendered meritorious service to Qin this time. What do you ask for?"

Zhao Yue said, "We have no other requests, we only hope that Your Majesty will grant us permission to return to our hometown."

Zhao Yue and the others were prepared to be rejected by the Qin Emperor. They were nobles from the six states, and the Qin Emperor would most likely not agree to their request and would then send them to a remote place.

Unexpectedly, the Emperor Qin said, "You wish to return to your homeland, which I can grant. However, your current merits are not enough. You must continue to perform meritorious service for the Great Qin!"

The fact that the Emperor Qin did not directly refuse delighted Zhao Yue and the others, who quickly replied, "We are willing to serve the Great Qin!"

The task that the Qin Emperor wanted them to accomplish was certainly extraordinary, but regardless of whether it was extraordinary or not, it was already good enough that the Qin Emperor was willing to give them the opportunity; once this opportunity was missed, it would be gone forever.

Moreover, the Emperor Qin was no longer negotiating with them, leaving them no room for bargaining.

The First Emperor said, "The Imperial Household Agency will inform you of the tasks you are to undertake. When you succeed, that will be the day you return to your homeland. You may all leave!"

What Zhaoyue and others were asked to do was to cooperate with the propaganda machine.

Their surrender to the Qin Dynasty and their acceptance of it is a good example of propaganda.

By setting an example, they could send a signal to the nobles of the six states who had hidden their identities: as long as they obediently became subjects of Qin, Qin would be tolerant and forgiving and would not hold them accountable. This would put their minds at ease.

At the same time, Zhao Yue and others can also appear to testify to the corruption and decadence of the six states, thereby demonstrating that Qin's conquest of the six states and unification of the world is reasonable and legitimate.

The six states and their nobles were given a definitive conclusion and consigned to history.

After Zhao Yue and the others bowed again, they left the main hall of Zhangtai Palace.

As the group left, no one spoke in the hall; only pairs of eyes remained fixed on them.

Watching the departing figures of the group, both the First Emperor and the assembled officials in the hall shared the same feeling: the six states that had once competed with the Qin Dynasty on this land had now completely faded away.

In this generation, the Qin Dynasty will no longer have the problem of the nobles of the six states. Even if someone claims to be a descendant of the nobles of the six states in the future and brings the six states out of history, it will no longer be the same thing.

After the court session ended, all the ministers left, except for Wang Wan, Wang Jian, Meng Tian, ​​and other members of the "listening to future history group," who were left behind by the First Emperor.

Li Nian was also present today. Seeing that the First Emperor had kept these people behind, he knew that the First Emperor probably wanted him to talk about the history of the future because everyone was here.

In fact, he has spent much less time talking about later history these days, because it is difficult for the members of the "Listening to Later History Group" to get together.

While the First Emperor was busy with daily affairs, Li Nian was busy translating various contents from later generations, Wang Wan, Wang Jian, Wang Ben and others also had their own affairs to handle, and Meng Tian was busy learning and training the Qin Navy.

Especially after the Qin Dynasty came into contact with other states and began its march toward becoming an international superpower, its affairs became even more numerous.

The First Emperor said, "Li Nian, last time you talked about the Chenqiao Mutiny, how Zhao Kuangyin bullied an orphan and a widow, donned the yellow robe and founded the Song Dynasty. What happened after that? Did Zhao Kuangyin ever recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and destroy the Liao Dynasty?"

Although Li Nian has always looked down on the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, the Song Emperor, is someone who can be mentioned alongside Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang in poetry.

Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Taizu of Song!
Moreover, according to this young man's account, Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, was indeed a remarkable figure. He said that the "Chenqiao Mutiny" bullied the orphans and widows of the Later Zhou dynasty, but it would have taken considerable ability and prestige to do so.

Without Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou (Chai Rong), Zhao Kuangyin was the most capable person to ascend the throne in that era.

Furthermore, Zhao Kuangyin was not cowardly at all; he was quite brave and skilled in battle. How could the Song Dynasty, with such a founding emperor, be considered a "cowardly dynasty" or a "dynasty that was abandoned" as Li Nian described it?
Li Nian said, "No, Zhao Kuangyin did not reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, nor did he destroy the Liao Kingdom."

Zhao Kuangyin did not reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, nor did he destroy the Liao Dynasty. This was foreseeable, and the key lies in the reasons behind it.

Feng Quji asked, "Could it be that Zhao Kuangyin was defeated by the Liao Kingdom?"

That shouldn't be the case. Zhao Kuangyin was not only brave and skilled in military affairs, but also a formidable commander.

Li Nian smiled and said, "It's not a matter of defeat, but that Zhao Kuangyin died in the ninth year of the Kaibao era, when he was fifty years old."

The First Emperor silently calculated in his mind that Zhao Kuangyin had seized the throne in a coup at the age of thirty-four, which meant that Zhao Kuangyin had reigned for sixteen years.

At fifty years old, you're certainly not young, but you're not old either.

Zhao Kuangyin was a military general who led troops in battle for many years. He may have suffered from hidden injuries, which led to his death at the age of fifty.

However, the First Emperor immediately thought of how he had died at the age of forty-nine in history, not even as long as this Song Emperor.

That's just history. Now, he not only wants to live past forty-nine, but also to surpass Emperor Taizu of Song.

Wang Jian and he clearly had the same thought, and Wang Jian said, "Could it be that he has a hidden ailment from leading troops for many years?"

Wang Wan said, "Actually, the fact that Emperor Taizu of Song died at the age of fifty is not the important matter. What matters is whether he made proper arrangements for his affairs before his death. The fact that you mentioned Emperor Taizu dying at the age of fifty suggests that his death had a significant impact on the Song Dynasty."

Upon hearing Wang Wan's words, the others immediately realized that Li Nian wouldn't have mentioned Emperor Taizu of Song's death at the age of fifty for no reason; there must be a reason.

Could there be something fishy about the cause of Song Zu's death? The Song dynasty changed after Song Zu's death, and it's highly likely that Song Zu didn't make proper arrangements for his affairs after his death.

Of course, it's also possible that it was all planned out, but someone sabotaged it.

Li Nian smiled and said, "Although Zhao Kuangyin was a military general who often led troops into battle, historical records do not clearly state that he had any hidden illness, nor are there any records of it before his death." "On the contrary, there are records that the night before his death, Zhao Kuangyin drank with his brother Zhao Jiong and spent the night together in the palace. The next morning, Zhao Kuangyin was found dead in the Wansui Hall."

Meng Tian said, "He was drinking the night before and died the next morning? No, perhaps he died even earlier, the night before."

"If Emperor Taizu of Song died suddenly from an acute illness, that would be one thing. But if it was caused by someone, Zhao Jiong, who was drinking with him, is the most suspicious."

"Who was the successor to the Zhao Song dynasty?" Meng Tian asked with great interest.

Li Nian said, "It is Zhao Jiong!"

Upon hearing Li Nian's answer, everyone's expressions turned strange. The elder brother, Zhao Kuangyin, and the younger brother, Zhao Jiong, drank and slept together. The elder brother died that very night, but the younger brother became the next emperor after his brother's death, instead of letting his brother's son ascend the throne.

How could this not lead to all sorts of speculation?

"The historical records do not clearly state the cause of Zhao Kuangyin's death, and there are two different views in later generations."

One theory suggests that Zhao Kuangyin was murdered by his younger brother Zhao Kuangyin, also known as the "Candle Shadow and Axe Sound" incident. This refers to a banquet where Zhao Kuangyin invited Zhao Kuangyin to drink; someone saw flickering candlelight in the palace, as if Zhao Kuangyin were leaving his seat, and a moment later, heard the sound of an axe striking the ground. That night, Zhao Kuangyin died. This theory holds that Zhao Kuangyin murdered his brother!

"Another possibility is that Zhao Kuangyin was not killed by Zhao Jiong, but died suddenly."

Feng Jie asked, "Even if Emperor Taizu of Song died suddenly, he had a son. After his death, his brother Zhao Jiong should not have succeeded him. Emperor Taizu's son should have ascended the throne."

Li Nian said: "Zhao Kuangyin had four sons, but his eldest and third sons died young. Only his second son Zhao Dezhao and fourth son Zhao Defang survived. Although he had two sons, Zhao Kuangyin did not formally appoint a crown prince."

Upon hearing this, Meng Tian and the others in the hall all showed expressions of "I understand, I get it," realizing that this was yet another case where no crown prince had been appointed.

Even if a crown prince is established, problems often arise, let alone if no crown prince is established, which would give those with ulterior motives an even greater opportunity to take advantage.

"It was understandable that Zhao Kuangyin did not establish a crown prince at first. When he ascended the throne, Zhao Dezhao was nine years old and Zhao Defang was only one year old. At that time, he had just forced the seven-year-old Emperor Gong of Later Zhou, Chai Zongxun, to abdicate. He had some concerns and chose to postpone the establishment of an heir. This is understandable."

"But by the Kaibao era, Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Defang had grown up, and Zhao Kuangyin still did not make his son the crown prince. Either he did not want to make his son the crown prince, but wanted to pass the throne to his younger brother Zhao Jiong, so that the throne would be passed down from brother to brother."

"It is said that Zhao Kuangyin and his younger brother Zhao Jiong had an agreement that the throne would be passed down from brother to brother, known as the 'Golden Box Covenant'. When Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Jiong's mother, Empress Dowager Du, were seriously ill, Zhao Kuangyin was by her side to take care of her. When Empress Dowager Du was on her deathbed, she summoned Zhao Pu to the palace to record her last words, explaining the issue of future succession to the throne and persuading Zhao Kuangyin to pass the throne to his younger brother after his death."

"This will was hidden in the Golden Cabinet, and thus it was called the 'Golden Cabinet Covenant'."

"If this alliance exists, then Zhao Kuangyin's succession to the throne after his death would indeed be legitimate and reasonable."

Wang Ben laughed and said, "However, this alliance is as uncertain as the death of Emperor Taizu of Song. It is possible that Zhao Jiong forged it to legitimize his succession."

Li Nian nodded and continued, "Zhao Kuangyin didn't make his son his heir, perhaps because he believed he was healthy and could live a long time, so there was no need to rush. At that time, his brother Zhao Jiong was much more powerful than his son. If he wanted to make his son the heir, he had to deal with Zhao Jiong first."

Historically, the First Emperor did not establish an heir, probably thinking that he was not yet fifty years old and still had a long life ahead of him, so there would be time to establish one later. Unexpectedly, he died during his eastern tour.

After hearing Li Nian's words, the First Emperor and others were inclined to believe that Zhao Jiong had murdered Zhao Kuangyin.

Because these two people have points of conflict and contradiction.

If Zhao Kuangyin wanted to make his son the heir apparent, he would have to deal with his brother Zhao Jiong first. Even if he didn't kill him, he would have to take away his power and reduce his prestige. If Zhao Jiong didn't want to be deprived of power by Zhao Kuangyin and wait to die, he had to act before Zhao Kuangyin could do anything about him.

As for Emperor Zhao Kuangyin, there was only one way for Zhao Jiong to deal with him: get rid of his elder brother Zhao Kuangyin!
Humans are the creators of problems; once the human element is eliminated, the problems will naturally disappear.

As Zhao Kuangyin's brother from the same mother, Zhao Jiong had a close relationship with him and had a good chance of getting close to Zhao Kuangyin so that he could catch him off guard and suddenly kill him.

Once Zhao Kuangyin was dealt with, the remaining problems were quite easy for Zhao Jiong to handle. Crimes like killing his brother and murdering the emperor were not a big deal as long as no one witnessed them; someone would defend him.

What's most ingenious is that Zhao Kuangyin had not yet designated an heir, giving Zhao Jiong a great deal of room to maneuver.

The fact that the elder brother did not formally designate an heir means that his succession to the throne is also legal and reasonable, even more so than that of his two nephews.

It also makes people think that the elder brother did not make his son the heir before his death in order to pass the throne to him, thus completing this beautiful story of succession from brother to brother.

Wang Jian said, "In his early years, Emperor Taizu of Song may have indeed had the idea of ​​succession by his brother, but once his throne was secure and his son gradually grew up, Emperor Taizu's thoughts changed."

"However, Zhao Jiong has been treated as the de facto crown prince for many years, and he has already gained considerable influence. It is not easy to resolve this situation. Zhao Jiong has also realized Song Zu's intentions, and the conflict arises from this. Zhao Jiong's only way to break the deadlock is to kill Song Zu!"

As long as Zhao Kuangyin dies, everything will be fine for Zhao Jiong, and things will proceed according to his wishes.

Wang Jian laughed and said, "If what I say is true, then Zhao Jiong has made a good move, not only changing the unfavorable situation for him in one fell swoop, but also giving him the upper hand."

At that time, the only person who could restrain Zhao Jiong was Zhao Kuangyin. After Zhao Kuangyin died, Zhao Jiong had no one left to control him.

"This man killed his brother and murdered the emperor; he was ruthless and a remarkable figure. However, he has a guilty conscience, and once he ascends the throne, he will surely make things difficult for the descendants of Emperor Taizu of Song."

Li Nian said: "After Zhao Jiong ascended the throne, he changed the era name to 'Taiping Xingguo'. In the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo, Zhao Dezhao committed suicide after being reprimanded by Zhao Jiong. Zhao Defang died of illness in the sixth year of Taiping Xingguo at the age of twenty-three!"

"Although Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Defang died, the lineage of Zhao Kuangyin was not cut off. There were still descendants who continued the lineage. In fact, during the Southern Song Dynasty, because Zhao Jiumei had no children, the Song Dynasty throne was passed back to Zhao Kuangyin's lineage."

The Song Dynasty was divided into the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties. Was it like the Eastern and Western Han Dynasties, which were destroyed for a period of time?
But what intrigued the First Emperor and others even more was the title "Zhao Jiu Mei"—was this another female emperor?
No, that shouldn't be possible. Li Nian said that Wu Zetian was the only female emperor in Chinese history, so Zhao Jiumei definitely wasn't.

It should be a man, but he was called "sister". For a man to be addressed as a woman is obviously a mockery and humiliation.

But Zhao Jiu Mei had no children...

Could an emperor have no offspring?
No, no, this is no longer a question of whether the emperor has any offspring, but rather that all the male descendants of Zhao Kuangyin have died out, which is why it is necessary to find a descendant of Zhao Kuangyin to succeed him.
What exactly happened? Was it related to the Jingkang Incident that Li Nian mentioned?
Li Nian continued, "Zhao Jiong, also known as Zhao Guangyi or Zhao Kuangyi, was the second emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Song. He was also known as the 'God of War of the Donkey Cart' or the 'God of the Sorghum River Cart'!"

(End of this chapter)