Song Xiu

Chapter 1 First Arrival at Chenqiao
The seventh year of the Xiande era of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the third day of the first month.

A large army of tens of thousands of elite soldiers is marching in an orderly fashion outside Kaifeng.

This large army set off from the magnificent city of Kaifeng, with their destination being the northern lands thousands of miles away.

Even the occasional howling wind was enough to make every soldier holding a sharp blade feel the biting cold.

But under the command of officers and soldiers at all levels, tens of thousands of soldiers never changed their resolute faces. They gripped their weapons tightly, lined up like a forest, and marched forward like wolves.

Just by looking at the military bearing of this army on the march, one can tell that this army of tens of thousands of people must be one of the most formidable and fierce forces in the world!
The same is true.

This well-disciplined elite force had a resounding title in the world—the Imperial Guards of the Great Zhou!
During the reign of Emperor Shizong of Zhou, in order to fulfill his great ambitions, he carried out sweeping reforms on the imperial guards of the Great Zhou.

On the one hand, Emperor Shizong of Zhou vigorously promoted young generals and eliminated the old, weak, sick and disabled in the Imperial Guard. On the other hand, he recruited heroes from all over the country, selected the brave and skilled soldiers from the local warlord armies, and selected them all to join the Imperial Guard.

"All soldiers were highly skilled, resulting in a military force of unparalleled excellence in modern times."

This sentence in the historical records is the most apt evaluation of Emperor Shizong of Zhou's reforms.

It can be said that if anyone in this world could completely control this Imperial Guard, I dare not say anything else, but at least within the Great Zhou Dynasty, that person would have the ability to turn the world upside down.

Watching the elite troops slowly advancing around him, Zhao Dexiu, who was riding north on horseback, withdrew his thoughtful gaze.

Seeing is believing.

No matter how many evaluations of the Five Dynasties Imperial Guards one hears from later generations, the sense of awe one feels when witnessing it firsthand is still indescribable.

This profound shock, which cannot be described to outsiders, stirred up another unusual emotion in Zhao Dexiu's heart—excitement!
The reason why a fifteen-year-old boy could have such emotions is quite simple.

The one who currently commands this formidable and powerful army is none other than Zhao Kuangyin, the Commander of the Palace Guards of the Great Zhou Dynasty, who is also the father of Zhao Dexiu!
With a father like this, what more could a man ask for?
Moreover, Zhao Dexiu, being a time traveler, knew why this elite force was on its way.

As Zhao Dexiu watched a post station draw ever closer in the distance, he learned from the messenger that their army would be temporarily stationed there today.

The closer they got to that post station, the more excited Zhao Dexiu became.

That post station was called Chenqiao Post Station!
A few snowflakes drifted down onto Zhao Dexiu's shoulder. As he brushed them away, he looked up at the dark, overcast sky and murmured softly:
"The weather is getting colder, it's time to add more clothes!"

The tens of thousands of imperial guards marched at a considerable pace, and by evening, this elite force had reached Chenqiao Post Station.

Upon arrival at their destination, the large number of laborers who had followed the army spontaneously and systematically set up simple fortifications.

Tens of thousands of elite troops did not relax. Even not far outside Kaifeng, they were arrayed under the command of their officers, guarding against even the slightest danger.

This expedition was launched after hearing that the northern border had been invaded by the Khitan army.

Everyone knows that the Khitan army is skilled in cavalry warfare, and it is currently the dead of winter with the possibility of the Yellow River freezing over. If the Khitan were to take advantage of this favorable weather and launch a long-distance raid to the outskirts of Kaifeng, the infantry, which are not in formation, would be unable to resist them at all.

With the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun still unrecovered, the Central Plains remained in a passive position.

Zhao Dexiu led his family through numerous enemy lines and successfully entered the core area guarded by tens of thousands of imperial guards.

As the eldest son of the army's commander-in-chief, it is not surprising that Zhao Dexiu had this privilege.

Zhao Kuangyin, who always valued his family, had long ago designated a special area for his family to rest.

When Zhao Dexiu led his family to the outside of the erected tent, after carefully inspecting it, he turned around and softly called out to a carriage behind him:

"Grandmother, the sleeping tent has arrived. You can get off the carriage and rest now."

The woman whom Zhao Dexiu called his grandmother was none other than Empress Dowager Du, who later became famous in the early Song Dynasty.

Some historical records indicate that during this period, the Du family was still in Kaifeng, which should be attributed to the intentional actions of later historians.

Zhao Dexiu was well aware of the major event that was about to happen, while Zhao Kuangyin, being a time traveler, certainly wasn't entirely confident about the dangerous undertaking he was about to undertake.

With this in mind, how could Zhao Kuangyin, a man who valued his family, possibly leave them in Kaifeng?
As for why later historians deliberately recorded it incorrectly, the reason is quite simple—having family members in the city better reflects the major event that was about to happen, and it was not a pre-planned scheme by Zhao Kuangyin.

Upon hearing Zhao Dexiu's soft call, an old woman in the carriage responded and then slowly stepped down from the carriage with the help of her maid.

Zhao Kuangyin's mother, Lady Du, was granted the title of Grand Lady of Nanyang by Emperor Shizong of Zhou two years ago due to Zhao Kuangyin's merits, enjoying a prestigious position. Despite her fading beauty, Lady Du possessed an air of nobility and dignity, a testament to her status as a mother who had raised a son.

As the solemn-faced Madam Du passed in front of Zhao Dexiu, she looked at her eldest grandson and nodded slightly.
"Since Erlang and Sanlang are not here, thank you for keeping the young master here today."

The second son and the third son mentioned by Du were Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi, respectively. Many people in later generations are unaware that Zhao Kuangyin was not Du's eldest son.

However, Du's eldest son, Zhao Kuangji, died young, which is why Zhao Kuangyin became the current head of the Zhao family.

"Grandmother, you flatter me. Father and Uncle are busy with official duties. As Father's eldest son, I should take on the responsibility of serving my elders and dare not complain."

Zhao Dexiu's grandfather, Zhao Hongyin, had not only two sons, Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Kuangyi, but also a fourth son, Zhao Kuangmei.

However, Zhao Kuangmei was younger than Zhao Dexiu at the time, so the responsibility of taking care of his relatives naturally fell on Zhao Dexiu, who was the de facto eldest son and grandson.

Du always valued family traditions and ethics, so even though Zhao Dexiu and she were close, Zhao Dexiu still maintained a very polite and respectful demeanor in front of outsiders.

"You've just recovered from a serious illness, so don't stand in the cold wind for too long. Get some rest."

Zhao Dexiu's politeness pleased Madam Du. After saying the above words, she entered the bedchamber with the help of her maid.

After Du entered the tent, several more people disembarked from the carriages behind.

Seeing those people walk up to him, Zhao Dexiu's face showed a relaxed smile, a relaxed smile he hadn't shown when facing the Du family.

Besides Zhao Dexiu's uncle Zhao Kuangmei, the group included Zhao Dexiu's stepmother Wang and his two younger brothers, Dezhao and Defang.

Although Wang was Zhao Dexiu's stepmother, she was kind-hearted and treated Zhao Dexiu as her own daughter after marrying into the Zhao family.

Having received all of his predecessor's memories, Zhao Dexiu knew very well who was truly good to him.

When Wang approached Zhao Dexiu, she saw Zhao Dexiu's face, which was red from the cold, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of pity. She quickly handed the baby Defang in her arms to the wet nurse beside her, and then took off her fur coat and covered Zhao Dexiu with it.

"Your health has just started to improve, so don't catch a cold again."

Wang was tall and slender, and since Zhao Dexiu's body had not yet fully developed, her fur coat was just the right size to cover Zhao Dexiu's body.

After saying this, Wang then whispered to Zhao Dexiu to comfort him:
"Don't be angry with your father anymore. You know that he has loved you the most since you were a child."

Wang's actions and words warmed Zhao Dexiu's heart.

Looking at the kind-hearted Wang Shi before him, and then at his two young brothers in front of him, Zhao Dexiu's resolve grew stronger.

"Mother, don't worry, I still have something to do. I will rest well after I finish it."

"Elder brother, elder brother, what is it?"

Little Dezhao, who was not yet ten years old, looked at his respected elder brother with curiosity.

Xiao Dezhao's childish words prompted Zhao Dexiu to pat his head, and then Zhao Dexiu pinched the pink cheeks of the toddler Zhao Defang.

Zhao Dexiu did not answer. After bowing to Wang, he strode forward.

Zhao Dexiu's destination was the central command tent guarded by tens of thousands of elite troops. As he walked towards it, the accounts of his closest relatives that he had read in later generations came to mind:

"Emperor Taizu Zhao Kuangyin has died suddenly!"

"Empress Wang passed away in her prime!"

"Prince Zhao Dezhao of Wugong County committed suicide out of fear!"

"Zhao Defang has passed away at a young age!"

Ah.

What brings you here?

As the eldest son, he should strive for a peaceful future for himself and his entire lineage!
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(End of this chapter)