Tang Ke had made up his mind.
The emperor currently has only two sons, the younger of whom, Zhao Chun, is just over a year old.
The emperor is already in his thirties; it's time to appoint a crown prince.
Otherwise, if the political situation continues to be so turbulent, it will never end.
For the next few days, Tang Ke stayed in the Yue Kingdom, and Zhao Zisong sent people to receive him.
Not only that, Zhao Chen even found people to serve the servants brought by Tang Ke, and served them all very well.
Tang Ke spent a month in Yue Kingdom living a carefree life. After leaving the capital city of Tokyo, he felt his burdens suddenly lighten, so he enjoyed himself to the fullest.
His servants also enjoyed the pleasure with him.
In the last few days, Tang Ke carefully inspected the situation in Yue Kingdom before reluctantly returning home with his servants.
On the way back, Zhao Chen escorted Tang Ke to the border of Yue, and only turned back reluctantly when he saw the Song army.
These days, Zhao Chen comes to see Tang Ke whenever he has free time.
Of course, this wasn't just casual conversation; I was asking him many questions.
This made Tang Ke look at Zhao Chen with even greater respect.
Tang Ke's servants also felt that this Duke of Chong was approachable and polite, without any airs of a prince, and served them all very well.
On their way back north, these people spoke highly of Zhao Chen's character to Tang Ke.
Tang Ke naturally had a higher opinion of Zhao Chen.
On his way back to Beijing, Tang Ke saw many migrant workers carrying cement by the roadside, and a cement road was being paved ahead.
With cement roads, everything in the Song Dynasty became much more efficient.
Seeing the cement road, Tang Ke thought of the railway again.
Unable to contain himself, he complained, "Yu Yunwen is a scourge to the country and its people, a truly despicable person, all for the sake of climbing the ranks!"
This further strengthened Tang Ke's resolve to support Zhao Chen as the crown prince.
When Tang Ke returned to Tokyo, it was already winter, and snow was falling in the city.
He returned to his residence, changed into his official robes, and then went to the palace to report the situation in the south truthfully.
When Zhao Huan heard Tang Ke praising Zhao Chen so highly, he nodded outwardly, but inwardly he became suspicious.
Tang Ke had never praised Zhao Chen before.
Shortly after Tang Ke took his leave, intelligence from the emperor's spies in Yue Kingdom reached the capital, Tokyo.
After reading the intelligence report, Zhao Huan felt a chill run down his spine.
Something unusual must be going on.
How did Yang Guang manage to seize the position of crown prince from Yang Yong?
Before ascending the throne, Yang Guang was an actor, and a professional actor of the caliber of an award-winning actor.
Yang Guang was a romantic and idealistic type, and was by no means a suitable candidate to be emperor.
Romantic people generally like to pursue style, and Yang Guang was definitely the kind of showy person who loved to pursue style the most.
But this show-off was incredibly smart. He was a master of acting in Jiangdu, and the people sent by the emperor were not only completely subservient to him.
His wife, Lady Xiao, even ate, drank, and slept with the maids of the emperor's envoy.
Furthermore, when the emperor's envoy arrived in Jiangdu, Yang Guang replaced all his daily necessities with the old ones. After the emperor's envoy left, he resumed his high-class lifestyle.
Zhao Huan would absolutely not allow anyone to deceive him in the way Yang Guang had deceived Yang Jian!
Being an emperor isn't just about being a good actor.
It was precisely because he was such a good actor that Zhao Huan's initial goodwill towards Zhao Chen vanished instantly.
From a certain perspective, the entire court is putting on an act every day, and the emperor is also putting on an act every day. When the emperor is evaluating his successor, he absolutely will not allow the successor to put on an act with him at every turn.
Yang Guang is a typical example.
Yang Guang was not as incompetent as portrayed in official history; he was simply too romantic, concerned with saving face, and dominated by emotions.
Zhao Huan didn't need the next generation to take any bigger steps; he said he had already taken the biggest steps possible.
The next generation needs to be meticulous and steadfast in implementing his policies.
Zhao Chen was unaware that his performance not only failed to achieve good results, but also alienated Zhao Huan.
Before we knew it, it was the end of the year again, and the Song Dynasty was thriving.
But on the day before the Lunar New Year, Zhao Huan frowned.
According to Sima Junru's report, unrest has broken out within the Jin state.
Wanyan Zongpan had only been on the throne for a little over a year when internal strife broke out within the Jin Dynasty again.
Wanyan Zongpan used ruthless methods to kill Wanyan Gao and force Wanyan Sheng to abdicate.
Although the situation in the Jin Kingdom was initially stabilized, the follow-up work was far from adequate.
For example, he did not kill Wanyan Dan.
This is the biggest mistake.
The person who poses the greatest threat to him today is Wanyan Dan.
Wanyan Wushu was Wanyan Dan's lackey.
Since the resumption of trade with the Song Dynasty, some nobles in the Jin Dynasty have noticed a problem: their lives are indeed getting better and better, but their money is flowing out of the country.
Even the money earned from the Song Dynasty ended up in the hands of Han Chinese aristocratic families.
For example, the Han and Shi families, which were Han Chinese ministerial families.
Not all the nobles within the Jin state were just pigs who only knew how to eat, drink, and defecate.
Military geniuses like Wanyan Zongwang, Wanyan Zonghan, and Wanyan Wushu also had their own views on governance, and they were increasingly dissatisfied with the current situation.
Especially in the year or so since Wanyan Zongpan ascended the throne, the Jurchen nobles of the Jin Dynasty have been clearly on the decline, but Wanyan Zongpan was completely unaware of it.
Even if he realized it, he might not be willing to change the situation.
In the depths of Wanyan Zongpan's heart, he already had another father.
What is he afraid of, as long as Zhao Huan supports him?
At least that's what he thinks.
Sima Junru's report contained a very important piece of intelligence: the situation in the Jin Kingdom had reached a point where it was on the verge of exploding.
It was only a matter of time before a rebellion broke out.
Since ascending the throne, Wanyan Zongpan has been indulging in wine and women all day long, and the affairs of state have been basically handled by Han ministers such as Han Qixian and Shi Lingai.
His preference for Han Chinese officials was also a way of currying favor with Zhao Huan, indicating that trade with the Song Dynasty would never cease.
What angered the Jurchen nobles even more was that during the Spring Festival this year, when the Jin Dynasty paid tribute to the Song Dynasty, Wanyan Zongpan actually referred to himself as his nephew.
I almost didn't call him "Dad".
It should be noted that eight years ago, their army tore through the northern defenses of the Song Dynasty, marched straight into the capital city of Bianjing (Kaifeng), and almost brought the Song Dynasty to its knees.
Only eight years have passed, and the situation has changed so much!
The Jurchen nobles, of course, could not accept this at all.
At this point, Wanyan Zongpan could no longer represent their interests.
No sooner had Zhao Huan received this intelligence than, right around the New Year, he received another: a coup had occurred in the Jin Dynasty!
Wow!
Zhao Huan was almost caught off guard. What was the Jin Kingdom up to now?
Should we learn from the Eastern Luo (Eastern Luo) of the West?
(In the Eastern Luo Dynasty, 88 emperors were murdered; coups were as frequent as eating.)
P.S.: I'm really sorry everyone, I haven't been able to update lately. I've been quite busy, but I'll be back to normal in a couple of days.
There will be another update tonight, but it will be a little late. Those who go to bed early shouldn't wait.
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