Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 33 The Crown Prince

"The Crown Prince has arrived? I've been waiting for you for so long..."

Upon hearing these light words, Zhao Dezhao, who had just arrived at the entrance of the Chuigong Hall, suddenly stopped in his tracks. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up instantly, and his scalp tingled!

Did Dad find out about bribing Zhang Dejun?

Or was it because the matter of discussing writing a book and making money with Ludoson that was exposed?

Any one of these things would be an extremely serious mistake for the prince.

Zhao Dezhao's mind raced as he pondered what excuse he could use to smooth things over, when he suddenly heard the sound of someone kneeling again coming from inside the Chuigong Hall.

"thump--!"

"Your Majesty is wise! My father and I have never harbored any disloyal intentions!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Dezhao was taken aback, and his heart, which had been in his throat, instantly settled back into his stomach.

So, this "Crown Prince" wasn't addressed to him.

Relieved, Zhao Dezhao immediately composed himself, adopted a docile and obedient demeanor, and gently pushed open the palace door.

The palace was solemnly furnished. Zhao Kuangyin sat on the throne, with Zhao Pu and Zhao Guangyi on his left and right sides respectively. In the center of the hall, a young man in official robes knelt on the ground in fear.

Zhao Kuangyin raised his dark eyebrows, his expression cold and stern, and leaned forward slightly, looking at the young man with great interest.

"Zhao'er has arrived. Come and meet this 'Crown Prince' from Luzhou."

Upon seeing Zhao Dezhao enter, Zhao Kuangyin waved his hand and gestured to Li Shoujie, who was kneeling on the ground.

Li Shoujie was the son of Li Jun, the military governor of Zhaoyi in Luzhou.

Under the watchful gaze of Zhao Kuangyin, Li Shoujie trembled like a leaf, kneeling on the ground, not daring to move an inch.

Instantly understanding his adoptive father's thoughts, Zhao Dezhao immediately stepped forward, making a gesture to help Li Shoujie up, and said in a serious and polite tone:

"The Crown Prince is of such high status, how can he kneel so easily? This is against etiquette, against etiquette..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Shoujie trembled, his face showing a look of impending despair. He hurriedly broke free from Zhao Dezhao's grasp, knelt heavily on the ground again, and cried out:

"Your Highness, please stop teasing me! You are the Crown Prince! How dare I overstep my bounds!"

"Your subject and my father have absolutely no intention of rebelling against Your Majesty or the Song Dynasty. We beg Your Highness to see this clearly!"

The two calls of "Your Highness the Crown Prince" made Zhao Dezhao almost unable to suppress the smile on his face.

He lost interest in teasing them any further and sat down next to Zhao Pu, secretly glancing at the expressions of his cheap father and ruthless uncle.

Zhao Guangyi's eyes remained gentle, but he only glanced at himself almost imperceptibly before looking away.

Zhao Kuangyin's face was stern, his fingers tapping lightly on the imperial desk, revealing neither joy nor anger. After a moment, he slowly spoke to Li Shoujie:

"Yesterday I received intelligence from Luzhou that your father publicly offered sacrifices to Emperor Taizu of Zhou during a banquet for the imperial envoy, declaring his determination to restore the Great Zhou. What is your explanation for this?"

"This matter is a frame-up by a villain! My father has always been loyal and devoted; how could he dare to harbor any disloyal thoughts!"

Li Shoujie vehemently denied the matter. He raised his head, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Your Majesty, if my father truly harbored disloyal intentions, why would he send me to Kaifeng to clarify this matter in person?"

"We beg Your Majesty to make a wise judgment!"

It must be said that Li Shoujie did have some brains; his use of his personal trip to Kaifeng as evidence was quite convincing.

But Zhao Kuangyin didn't buy it at all, instead jokingly saying, "Oh? Is that so?"

"I thought this was a delaying tactic by your father, but it seems I misunderstood him?"

After speaking, before Li Shoujie could reply, Zhao Kuangyin picked up another letter from the imperial desk and threw it in front of Li Shoujie, his tone suddenly turning cold:

"Then what explanation does His Highness the Crown Prince have for this matter?"

The letter clearly bore the eight characters: "Unite to attack the Song Dynasty and divide the world together!"

Upon seeing the secret letter, Li Shoujie felt an urge to curse his father.

He recognized it at a glance; it was the secret letter that Liu Jun, the self-proclaimed ruler of the Han state, had forwarded to his father, Li Jun.

That's why he couldn't help but want to curse his father.

You've already publicly offered sacrifices to Emperor Taizu of Zhou and declared your intention to overthrow the Song Dynasty and restore the Zhou Dynasty. The whole world knows you're planning a rebellion. Now, not only have you handed this secret letter accusing you of "treason" to the court, but you've also sent your own son to the court to delay things.

What do you mean?

Do you think you have too many sons?

Large beads of sweat formed on Li Shoujie's forehead. In his panic, he could only pretend to be unaware and hurriedly said in a flustered manner:

"Your Majesty! This matter must be the work of someone sowing discord! We beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured! Upon returning, I will do my utmost to persuade my father to completely abandon those inappropriate thoughts, to serve Your Majesty loyally, and to submit to the Great Song!"

Li Shoujie bowed his head to the ground, barely daring to breathe, anxiously awaiting his fate.

The Chuigong Hall fell silent, with only the rhythmic tapping of Zhao Kuangyin's imperial desk occasionally breaking the silence.

"Tap tap tap..."

Each blow struck Li Shoujie's heart like the death knell, and before he knew it, his back was soaked in cold sweat.

Zhao Dezhao also looked at his father curiously, wanting to know what Zhao Kuangyin would choose.

"Alright, I'll trust you this once."

Just as Li Shoujie was about to collapse, Zhao Kuangyin suddenly smiled calmly, waved his hand magnanimously, and said:

"Go back and tell your father that when I was not the emperor, he could do whatever he wanted, but now that I am the emperor, can't your father belittle me?"

What he meant was, before I became emperor, I could do whatever your father wanted, but now that I am emperor, your father can't give in to me?

It sounded a bit like he was giving in, which surprised Zhao Dezhao, who glanced at his father thoughtfully.

This doesn't quite fit the image of Zhao Kuangyin, who famously said, "How can I allow others to snore beside my bed?"

Li Shoujie, however, disregarded all that. Upon hearing the news, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon and kept kowtowing in gratitude. Then, at Zhao Kuangyin's signal, he scrambled away from the Chuigong Hall.

"Your Majesty, Li Jun already harbors rebellious intentions. Are we really going to let his son go back?"

Zhao Guangyi watched Li Shoujie's departing figure, a chill creeping into his eyes.

Zhao Kuangyin smiled but didn't answer. Instead, he turned his probing gaze to Zhao Dezhao: "What do you think, Zhao'er? Should Li Jun's son be released or kept?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhao Dezhao's head instantly spun.

Of course he knew that letting Li Shoujie go back was the wise thing to do, but the key was that his ruthless uncle was watching from the side. If he exposed himself too early, how could he develop in a sneaky way in the early stages?

However, if the answer displeases Zhao Da and lowers his impression of you, it would be a loss.

So Zhao Dezhao thought about it and could only use Zhao Pu as a shield:

"Your Majesty, a few days ago Uncle Zeping taught me a phrase that I have never forgotten."

Zhao Dezhao glanced at Zhao Pu, then slowly spoke, enunciating each word clearly:

"In warfare, righteousness is paramount; if it is unrighteous, do not act even if it brings profit. For only righteousness can rouse the soldiers, and when soldiers are roused by righteousness, they can fight a hundred battles."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Pu's lips twitched, but he remained silent. Zhao Kuangyin, however, brightened up and immediately clapped his hands and laughed.

"My son understands my intentions perfectly!"