My father Zhao Kuangyin

Zhao Dezhao stopped in front of the gate, feeling pity and a little self-reproach, and even the moral education he received in his previous life. He did feel guilty, which was what his father had scolded him for as being too kind-hearted.

To be fair, even if he hadn't taken Ma Shi out, he would still have been convicted and sentenced to death in the end. The outcome would have remained the same. What had changed was the increasingly murky court and the bitter rivalry between Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi.

Hearing the mournful cries of the old woman and her children inside, Zhao Dezhao stroked the coffin, returned Ma Shi intact to Zhao, and then ordered the newly appointed guard Wei Liang to stuff some filth into it before leaving by carriage.

Back home, Zhao Dezhao had little appetite and quickly finished his meal before turning to worry about himself.

Zhao Dezhao would never dare to gamble that his third uncle would never harm him.

As the saying goes, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall; therefore, we must take security seriously.

At this moment, he, the head guard of the Prime Minister's residence, was dismissed and replaced by Wei Liang, who had reacted quickly and rushed to the side of the carriage that day.

I've reviewed his resume. He's unmarried, and his parents are farmers and fishermen; he comes from a respectable family.

Besides him, there was another person, his childhood friend and neighbor from the same village, named Xu Jiebao, who was also burly and strong.

However, compared to the dark-skinned Wei Liang, his face was much fairer, and he was not intimidated by his prospective husband, displaying the demeanor of a rough and unruly man.

This was one of his subordinates whom he had promoted without his permission, and another was Mi Jifeng, the official sent by his father.

The surname Mi is obvious; he is the son of Mi Xin, who has just reached the age of twenty and is a graduate of the Imperial Academy.

The so-called Inner Palace, which later became the Inner Attendant Province, was not yet divided into East and West sections, nor was it a complete separation between military officers and eunuchs. It was not so particular about the division.

Those who could serve as court officials were mostly sons of meritorious officials who entered the academy through the influence of their fathers and grandfathers. For example, Li Shenyou was one such person.

It was somewhat similar to the Imperial Academy of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, where all students were from high-ranking and noble families.

Of course, Mi Jifeng was still in a "waiting list" state at the age of twenty without an official position. This was partly because his father's merits were not high enough, and partly because he himself was mediocre and not particularly outstanding.

He could certainly afford to study, but he wasn't cut out for it and couldn't climb the ladder of advancement through the imperial examinations.

The ancient imperial examination system truly flourished and reached its peak during the Song and Ming dynasties, when civil and military officials were clearly separated and had no connection with each other.

The Song Dynasty was the first to advocate for literature and suppress military affairs, and the scholar-official class gradually shifted from aristocratic families and humble backgrounds to members of respectable families and even local gentry.

The difference between wealthy gentry and powerful clans is not about money or temporary power, but about 'family tradition and cultural heritage'.

To put it bluntly, it refers to academic resources, such as the annotations on Confucian classics by adults in the family. This was the hard currency for the imperial examinations, and it was basically only possible to pass it down through bloodlines.

Previously, Mi Xin had protected the emperor, which caught the emperor's attention. Now, he has promoted Mi Xin's son to be a member of the guard of honor, protecting the prime minister's residence, which shows his goodwill.

In other words, the goal was to firmly bind the father and son to Zhao Dezhao, forcing them to take a stand.

Currently, the number of guards on the Prime Minister's roster is eighty, plus a squad that Mi Jifeng brought from the Crane Control Army, making a total of ninety men, which is quite a lot.

This change shows that Zhao Dezhao did not come away empty-handed, which alerted his father and made him aware that troops were being mobilized to protect him.

The army and its troops are beyond control, but the Prime Minister's office should be able to control them.

After taking a look at the young ceremonial guard and their military bearing, Zhao Dezhao's gloom dissipated considerably.

"With Jifeng by my side, it's like adding wings to a tiger."

Although Mi Jifeng knew it was a compliment, he still said embarrassedly, "Ah Lang, you are really exaggerating. In terms of archery skills, I am afraid I am not as good as you."

Mi Jifeng was quite different from his father in temperament, being much more respectful and lacking the fierceness that Mi Xin had developed after years of military service.

It is said that Mi Xin was a member of the Xi ethnic group, which shared the same origin as the Khitan but belonged to a different tribe. He first came from the Tuoba Wei dynasty and was influenced by the Gaoche culture at that time. He was once famous for his chariot-making skills.

Knowing the origin of the problem, Zhao Dezhao was puzzled: the donkey cart that sped like a somersault cloud was actually made by Mi Xin using the ancestral method by his third uncle...

"When you gentlemen travel, are you accompanied by warriors as part of your retinue?"

"Of course not, but Ah Lang is different. As a prince, it is only right that he be assigned to a guard. The same applies to Prefect Zhao."

Do you know how many men he has?

This question was truly perplexing. After a moment's conjecture, Mi Jifeng said, "It's hard to say in private, but the Prefect of Kaifeng is responsible for the defense of both the inner and outer city. He probably has twenty or thirty armored warriors, but there are many more officials and soldiers, more than several hundred."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao's thoughts drifted, imagining what it would be like if he led these hundred people to meet his third uncle at Chenqiao Gate.

In reality, they're all just basic, unimpressive moves, neither good to look at nor useful.

The Song Dynasty's elite troops were mostly in the Imperial Guard, which belonged to the inner palace. Even if a thousand soldiers mutinied, or even if ten thousand soldiers came from the outside in, they would be nothing more than a bunch of weak soldiers who would collapse at the slightest touch.

Perhaps guessing what Zhao Dezhao was thinking, Mi Jifeng subtly warned him that he must never do anything foolish.

Seeing this, Zhao Dezhao smiled and said.

"The Dali Temple has not yet made a judgment, yet you have been summoned here. Father must know that I have no ill intentions."

That was all he said; it was all bark and no bite. Don't be fooled by the old father's furious outbursts and outbursts. He dared to say anything, but in the end, although he intimidated the two Zhaos, he had no intention of dismissing them or pursuing the matter to the end.

The saying "things will eventually come to an end" may not be true, but Zhao Pu dared not gamble on it.

What does it mean to be afraid to gamble? It means becoming more honest and passive.

This is not a good sign. If Zhao Pu really falls from power, who in the court can restrain Zhao Guangyi?

Shen Yilun? Xue Juzheng?

The attitude was unclear, and the timing was far from right.

Now Liu Xigu has retired as Minister of Revenue and is enjoying his retirement, no longer concerned with court affairs. Xue Juzheng, on the other hand, is a scholar of history and devotes his mind to compiling the history of the Five Dynasties.

As for Shen Yilun, he is fair and neutral, unlike Zhao Pu who would deliberately favor him or even unite against Zhao Guangyi.

Thinking of this, Zhao Dezhao returned to the bamboo pavilion where he had paced back and forth when he first arrived, muttering to himself in melancholy.

How can this be good?

Now, the old father had long been unwilling to let Zhao Pu go, and his intention to dismiss him as prime minister was obvious. Zhao Guangyi seized the opportunity and carried out a series of assassinations without leaving any room for error, so his position was definitely secure.

Unfortunately, Zhao Kuangyin had kindly reminded him not to associate with Zhao Pu and to "earn his own living," which blocked another path.

Of course, Zhao Dezhao could disregard the warnings and completely side with Zhao Pu, but what would be the point of doing so?

He possesses extremely little political capital, not even enough to be considered a legitimate political asset; all he has to rely on is the promise of becoming the future Crown Prince.

This pancake is freshly baked and still has a steaming aroma, which is why it attracts some customers.

In contrast, Zhao Guangyi's pancake, though lacking aroma, was from a well-established brand, making it a safer choice to eat.

Completely baffled, Zhao Dezhao, not wanting to put up with the pressure, went to bed early.

Because of their disrupted biological clocks, the night was anything but quiet.

As Zhao Dezhao tossed and turned in his dream, he found himself in the Great Celebration Hall. Looking around, he saw a figure in the center of the hall wearing a red-collared round robe, a stiff-winged turban, and a white jade sash with a black ribbon. The figure shone brightly.

It was just a glance, yet it felt as if a thousand years had passed, leaving his eyes unable to look away.

Just as Zhao Dezhao's breathing became increasingly rapid, and he slowly stepped forward, about to reach out and touch the red robe, a sharp arrow suddenly whistled through the air behind him.

"Rixin, my uncle's good nephew..."

"call!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Dezhao sat up abruptly, turned his head to look out the window, and saw the bright moon in the sky. Inside the room, there were only the sounds of cicadas chirping and panting.

Zhao Dezhao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, and soon after, he lay down again.

………………

At the same time, Lady Fu of Chu watched her husband sit up in shock, her thoughts in disarray.

Zhao Guangyi took a deep breath, one hand on his forehead and the other holding his soft hand, gradually calming his mind.

"Is my husband having a nightmare?"

Zhao Guangyi nodded, feigning indifference.

"Madam, do not be alarmed; it was just a dream."

Fu grasped the large hand that was offered to him, feeling the slight trembling and tingling sensation, and couldn't help but ask with concern.

"My husband has been having many dreams these past few days... could it be related to the Li Ma case?"

"no."

"What is that?"

"Yes... it's my elder brother."

After a moment's thought, Madam Fu exclaimed in astonishment, "His Majesty? What happened to His Majesty?"

"In the hall...on the steps...that's enough, there's nothing more to say. I've bothered you, Madam. Go to sleep."

"Um."

Seeing that Zhao Guangyi couldn't bear to recall the past, Madam Fu didn't dare to urge him. She picked up the silk quilt, gently stroked his forehead, and went back to sleep.