Chapter 135 Gaoliang River defied fate.
"Wild fox Zen" refers to some crooked and unorthodox practices that seem plausible but are actually wrong.
Judging from this statement, Zhao Kuangyin did not believe Wei Zhongxian's words.
Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor who ended the chaos of the Five Dynasties and established a three-hundred-year dynasty, was a man of unwavering will. How could he doubt his own younger brother Guangyi, whom he had raised and cultivated and who had helped him conquer the country, just because of a few sarcastic remarks from a eunuch?
Is that how Guangyi was? That younger brother who diligently served him medicine at his bedside? That younger brother whom he entrusted with important responsibilities? Absurd!
Wei Zhongxian was enraged by Zhao Kuangyin's label of "wild fox Zen," and seeing the other's unwavering and steadfast demeanor, the resentment from being scorned that morning and the shame and anger of being belittled now intertwined, completely overwhelming his reason. He laughed shrilly, his voice growing increasingly shrill and piercing:
"Wild fox Zen? Rumors? Oh my! You are the true Son of Heaven, revered by all people, naturally you don't believe in such underhanded dealings. You think Zhao Guangyi is your closest brother and a pillar of the state, he would never do such a thing against human ethics, right?"
He drew out the words in a sarcastic tone, then his face darkened, like a viper flicking its tongue. He took a half-step closer, his voice low but each word piercing:
"But why don't you think about what will happen to your princes and princesses after you pass away?"
"Your most beloved second son, Prince Defang, whom you bestowed the title of Prince Qi! In the prime of his life, how could he suddenly pass away? The history books simply state that he died of illness at the young age of twenty-three! Twenty-three! Do you believe it?"
"And your eldest son, Prince Teng Dexiu! Though he died young, his early death was all too timely!"
"And then there's your Empress! Empress Xiaozhang Song! The Empress you entrusted with the empire, the mother of the nation! How did Emperor Taizong treat her? He forced her to move to the West Palace, where she endured more than a decade of cold palaces and desolate walls, suffering in the bitter wind and rain! She never received the honor she deserved until her death! Is this what you call treating your brother and sister-in-law well? Is this what you call showing consideration for family ties?"
Every word Wei Zhongxian spoke was like a cold chisel striking Zhao Kuangyin's heart.
Zhao Kuangyin's face gradually turned ashen from its initial composure. His fingers gripping the large bowl so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and he almost crushed the rim of the bowl.
He now almost believes Wei Zhongxian's words.
However, Wei Zhongxian's venomous tongue did not stop. He seemed to have found the most fatal point of attack, and became even more unrestrained and scathing:
"Let's talk about your good younger brother's civil and military achievements after he inherited your empire! I won't go into other details, let's just talk about the Battle of Gaoliang River!"
He suddenly raised his voice, as if he were telling a story, with extreme sarcasm:
"Your younger brother, Emperor Taizong, personally led the expedition! He thought he could recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in one fell swoop, fulfill your unfinished great cause, and glorify your Song Dynasty! What was the result?"
"Heh heh! Hundreds of thousands of troops were routed by the Liao general Yelü Xiuge! Our Emperor Taizong was hit by two arrows and fled in panic! He was truly desperate and didn't know where to run!"
Wei Zhongxian even gestured wildly, going to great lengths to mock him:
"Guess what? Our Emperor Taizong couldn't find his own imperial horse! In desperation, he stole a grain transport cart! He lay on the cart, his backside sticking out, enduring the arrow wound, cracking the whip, and drove the cart south! He ran incredibly fast! He completely outmaneuvered the pursuers!"
"From then on, later generations bestowed upon His Majesty Emperor Taizong a resounding title—the God of the Donkey Cart at Gaoliang River! Just listen to that! The God of the Donkey Cart! Hahahaha!"
Wei Zhongxian let out a sharp, piercing laugh, laughing so hard he was doubled over, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Oh my, our founding emperor! Listen to this! This is your good younger brother! This is the heir you entrusted with the empire! Not only did he squander all the elite troops and wealth you accumulated, but he also earned the Zhao family the eternal title of 'God of the Donkey Cart'! Tell me, isn't this a legendary tale? Huh? Hahahaha!"
Zhao Kuangyin's expression finally changed slightly. Defang's early death? The Empress's tragic later years? These palace secrets could perhaps be dismissed as mere rumors, but the disastrous defeat at Gaoliang River! This was a matter of national importance! A national disgrace! If it were truly so…
Wei Zhongxian stepped forward, his fake smile vanishing, replaced by a seemingly sincere but utterly malicious expression. He lowered his voice, making sure everyone around could hear him:
"If you don't like hearing about this, how about we chat about what happened later? Just consider it casual gossip about the past, to liven things up for you all?"
Zhao Kuangyin wanted to listen but dared not listen any longer, his expression wavering.
Seeing his wavering expression, Wei Zhongxian became even more smug and intensified his actions:
"That's not all! The Song Dynasty you founded was later known for its literary talent and refined taste, but unfortunately, it lacked backbone! The Liao, Jin, and Western Xia kingdoms to the north all dared to trample on it! Paying tribute, sending women, becoming vassals and nephews... Oh, right, the Jin army later marched all the way to Bianjing, capturing Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong, along with thousands of concubines, princes, and princesses, and taking them all to the icy north to live a life of ignorance! History calls this the Jingkang Incident! A great humiliation!"
"Later on, they could only hide in Jiangnan and eke out a living, calling it the Southern Song Dynasty. What happened in the end? They were chased and beaten by the Mongols all the way, and then they jumped off Yai Shan. Tsk tsk, more than 100,000 people followed that little emperor into the sea—completely finished! Your Great Song Dynasty, for three hundred years, was never truly tough from beginning to end! Apart from the foundation you laid yourself, your descendants were worse than the last generation!"
Wei Zhongxian, hands on his hips, finished speaking in one breath, let out a long sigh, and a morbid, vengeful smile appeared on his face as he looked at Zhao Kuangyin: "Well, Your Majesty? Is what I've said just some wild rumor or hearsay?"
silence!
A deathly silence!
Everyone was utterly shocked by Wei Zhongxian's rapid-fire and extremely vicious historical accounts!
Although it's a tradition in Songyang County to educate newcomers about history, this is the first time I've seen such a harsh tone. At the very least, they should have used a belt dipped in iodine to disinfect it while hitting them.
Zhao Kuangyin stood still, his posture still upright, but his face had turned deathly pale.
He didn't look at Wei Zhongxian; his gaze seemed to penetrate the walls of the canteen, seeing the incomparably humiliating and tragic future that the dynasties he had personally created would experience!
The premature death of Defang, the tragic fate of the Empress, the disastrous defeat at Gaoliang River, the humiliation of Jingkang, the destruction at Yaishan... these words were like red-hot irons, branding his heart with intense pain!
He abruptly raised his hand, as if trying to grasp something, but his fingers trembled slightly. He had spent his life fighting, ending a chaotic era, seeking only the eternal prosperity of the Song dynasty, the flourishing of his descendants, and the stability of his empire. But what a path of humiliation, decline, and destruction Wei Zhongxian had depicted! This was a thousand times, ten thousand times, more unbearable than hearing that he might die a violent death!
"Pfft—" A mouthful of blood suddenly spurted from Zhao Kuangyin's mouth, staining the front of his indigo yamen uniform red! His imposing body swayed twice, and he would have almost fallen to the ground if he hadn't braced himself against the dining table next to him in time!
This scene stunned everyone!
Zhuge Liang's feather fan fell to the ground with a "thud," and he suddenly stood up! Zhou Yu rushed forward to help him, while Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao were so shocked that they knocked their chairs away. Even Bai Qi's pupils shrank suddenly, and he subconsciously took half a step forward.
Can't I just die of anger?
Django was also startled and stood up, at a loss for what to do.
Wei Zhongxian was terrified. He only wanted to retaliate against Zhao Kuangyin, never expecting to anger the founding emperor to the point of vomiting blood! His face turned deathly pale, and he staggered back, shrieking, "No...it has nothing to do with me! It's his own fault...it's his own temper! That's what the history books say! That's what they say!"
Zhao Kuangyin abruptly waved his hand, stopping Zhou Yu and Huo Qubing from helping him up. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, raised his head, and his once sharp and deep eyes were now bloodshot, churning with a storm of pain, disbelief, and an almost desperate rage!
He stared intently at Wei Zhongxian, his voice hoarse and low from extreme excitement and surging blood, like that of a wounded lion:
"What you... said... is... the truth?!"
Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with doubt and anger.
He still has a sliver of hope, but he refuses to believe it.
Wei Zhongxian said carefully, "The History of Song and the Continuation of the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government both record it this way... folk storytelling also... it is also passed down this way... my family... my family has seen it!"
Zhao Kuangyin stopped looking at him and looked around, his gaze sweeping over the faces of heroes from different eras, who had witnessed countless rises and falls, including Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, Bai Qi, Huo Qubing, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Shubao.
He gleaned the cruel answer from their shocked, solemn, and even slightly pitying gazes.
What Wei Zhongxian said is very likely true.
At least, in one "history," it is true.
"Hahahaha..." Zhao Kuangyin suddenly chuckled, his laughter desolate and sorrowful, filled with endless self-mockery and anger.
"Well...well, well done! The Shadow of the Candle and the Sound of the Axe...well done! The Battle of Gaoliang River...the humiliation of Jingkang...the Battle of Yamen...well...well done!!"
He straightened his back abruptly. Although his face was still pale and there was blood at the corner of his mouth, the majestic aura of the founding monarch returned, even more fierce, with a resolute determination to destroy everything!
He asked, "Magistrate Jiang, can history be changed?"
All eyes—Zhuge Liang's deep gaze, Zhou Yu's astonishment, Bai Qi's coldness, Huo Qubing's curiosity, Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao's worry, and even Wei Zhongxian's fearful and lingering malice—were instantly focused on Jiang Ge.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil within her, and without flinching, met Zhao Kuangyin's almost burning gaze, nodding firmly and resolutely:
"able!"
Her voice was clear and unwavering.
Upon receiving this resolute reply, Zhao Kuangyin's chest heaved violently, as if he were expelling all his pent-up anger and the last vestiges of his bloodlust. The mad flames in his eyes gradually subsided, transforming into a deeper, more terrifying resolve.
His gaze, sharp as a torch, swept across the entire room, finally settling on Django. His voice was resolute and resounding:
"Magistrate Jiang! Master Zhuge! Gentlemen!"
"This immortal trial ground... I, Zhao Kuangyin, am determined to keep it here!"
"I want to see how such a humiliating future can happen with me here and all of you heroes here!"
"I will rewrite the fate of the Song Dynasty with my own hands!"
"If this is fate..." A terrifying glint flashed in his eyes.
"I will defy this destiny!"
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Author's Note: Zhao Kuangyin, who starts beating his younger brother as soon as he gets off work [angry]
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