abdicate
In October of the 25th year of Shaoxing, Qin Hui had not attended court for several days since the incident of the top scholar. His son Qin Hui reported to Zhao Gou that his father was ill in bed.
One day, Zhao Gou was reading memorials in the Wende Hall. They all recommended Qin Hui for prime minister. Zhao Gou felt his blood boiling. Qin Hui's influence was indeed the sole ruler of the court. In a rage, he threw all the memorials to the ground. Suddenly, he saw several secret letters hidden inside one of the fallen memorials.
Zhao Gou picked up the secret letters on the ground, all of which were correspondence between Qin Hui and Wanyan Zongbing. He had long known that Qin Hui had a close relationship with the rulers of the Jin Dynasty, but he had never imagined that their relationship was so close.
A cold light flashed across Zhao Gou's eyes, and he murmured, "It's time."
Over the years, he turned a blind eye to Qin Hui's actions. He thought Qin Hui was just a good dog he raised, and never thought that his good dog would show its fangs to him.
The eunuch suddenly stepped forward and said, "Prince Pu'an requests an audience."
"Hurry up and announce it."
Zhao Yuan walked to the main hall, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, your son greets you."
At the time, under the strong persuasion of Queen Mother Zhao and Concubine Pan, Zhao Gou selected two members of the royal family to run for the future crown prince. These two were Zhao Yuan and Zhao Qu.
One day, Zhao Gou summoned Zhao Yuan and Zhao Qu to his palace and gave them ten maids each. Shortly after, he recalled the maids and ordered an inspection. The maids given to Zhao Qu were no longer virgins, while the maids in Zhao Yuan's palace were all virgins. Zhao Gou made no comment at the time, but his mind was already formed. Afterward, Zhao Yuan often served by his side, assisting him in handling court affairs, and Zhao Gou's appreciation for her grew even greater.
Seeing Zhao Yuan coming today, he knew something must be wrong. Zhao Gou dismissed his attendants and said, "All of you, leave. No one is allowed to come in."
Seeing everyone leave, Zhao Yuan hurriedly asked, "Father, Qin Hui has been ill for several days. Is there anything unusual happening in the court?"
Zhao Gou asked in confusion, "What did Yuan'er hear?"
"I've noticed something's been amiss with the Qin Mansion lately, with many ministers coming and going frequently. Qin Hui is currently the sole Prime Minister, and his son, Qin Hui, has been promoted to Junior Tutor, a position second only to Qin Hui. With Qin Hui's death, the position of Prime Minister will undoubtedly be passed to Qin Hui. Furthermore, there are currently numerous cases involving Qin Mansion retainers, so please be careful, Father."
Zhao Gou handed the memorials to Zhao Yuan and said, "Yuan'er, take a look at these memorials."
After reading the memorials one by one, Zhao Yuan wondered, "How could there be a memorial impeaching Qin Hui when the government is now controlled by him?"
Zhao Gou frowned and said, "It seems that other forces have infiltrated my side."
"Wouldn't Father be in danger?" Zhao Yuan said worriedly.
"That's fine. We can discuss this later. Our current plan is to overthrow Qin Hui."
"The Qin family has been working hard for over a decade, and their power is immense and difficult to shake. What does the emperor intend to do?"
Zhao Gou smiled and said, "There's no rush for this matter. I need to see how seriously Qin Hui is ill before making any decisions. Don't be rash. My son, you can get closer to Shen Xuzhong these days. Although he was promoted by Qin Hui, he is an upright man and holds military power. He will definitely be useful in the future."
"I'll do it right away."
After Zhao Yuan left, Zhao Gou immediately went to Qin's house to visit Qin Hui.
After returning, he asked everyone in the hall to leave, leaving only Zhao Yuan.
Zhao Yuan stepped forward and asked, "Father, how is Qin Hui's condition?"
"I summoned you here today to discuss this matter. In my opinion, Qin Hui will not survive more than three days." Zhao Gou glanced at Zhao Yuan and asked, "Has Chen Xu been found?"
"Replying to the Emperor, Shen Xuzhong is willing to serve the Emperor."
"Okay, quickly call him, along with Yang Yizhong and Zhao Qu."
Soon, several people arrived in the hall.
"Yang Yizhong, I order you to take all the troops and guard the Imperial Palace and the nine gates of Lin'an. No one is allowed to enter or leave without my order. Go now."
Yang Yizhong received the order and left quickly.
"Zhao Qu, I order you to take five hundred soldiers and quickly go to the Jiangdong cavalry and infantry camp and convey my order to Ding Si. Instruct all his soldiers not to leave the camp. If he disobeys, he will be executed without mercy."
Zhao Qu took the order and left.
"Chen Xuzhong, I order you to immediately draft a speech to dismiss Qin Hui and his son from office, and read it in court tomorrow morning.
"I obey the order."
"Yuan'er, go to Zhang Quwei and station all the palace guards at the four gates to prevent anyone from trespassing. Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed without mercy."
The entire Qin family, three generations of ancestors, was dismissed. When the news came, Qin Hui was so angry that he vomited blood and died. Three days later, the entrance to the Qin family was deserted, with few visitors. The bustling scene of the past was no longer seen.
When the news reached Han's residence, Han Shizhong ordered all the secret guards in the palace to be withdrawn. This was also what Liang Hongyu had instructed him long ago: "After Qin Hui's death, the secret guards in the palace must be withdrawn."
After Qin Hui's death, Zhao Gou sent people to investigate the insider planted in the palace for several days, but to no avail, and the matter was left unresolved.
At that time, Zhao Gou was 54 years old. Since the death of Liang Hongyu, he felt increasingly sad and uneasy. As the people around him left one by one, he became more and more afraid of death. He felt that life was so short. He was also tired of the throne and wanted to abdicate.
In May of the 32nd year of Shaoxing, Zhao Gou appointed Zhao Yuan as the crown prince and changed his name to Zhao Shen. In June, he ordered Crown Prince Zhao Shen to ascend the throne and become Emperor Xiaozong. Zhao Gou retired to De Shou Palace.
De Shou Palace was originally the residence of Qin Hui. Zhao Shen expanded and renovated it and named it De Shou Palace so that Zhao Gou could spend his remaining years there.
One winter, plum blossoms began to bloom in the Deokshou Palace Garden, exuding a subtle fragrance and blooming more luxuriantly than in previous years.
Zhao Shen was invited to go to De Shou Palace after dinner. From a distance, he saw Zhao Gou half-lying under the eaves in front of the hall, taking a nap on the fur coat and quilt on the couch. Zhao Shen walked in quietly, stood silently beside him, waiting for him to wake up.
After a while, Zhao Gou slowly opened his eyes, turned his head and saw Zhao Shen, then smiled and said, "You're here."
Zhao Gou pointed to a cluster of plum trees on the slope and said, "The plum blossoms here are in full bloom this year. Your Majesty, please take a look."
Zhao Shen looked up and saw plum blossoms on the slope blooming like jade, with moss hanging between the branches. When the wind blew, the green silk swayed in the wind, which was indeed beautiful.
Zhao Shen followed Zhao Gou's gaze and saw that he was staring at the flower trees in front of him. Those flower trees were originally placed in the plum garden of the inner palace. Zhao Gou specially ordered people to transplant these flower trees late at night on the eve of his move to De Shou Palace.
At this moment, there was a rare sense of desolation in Zhao Gou's eyes, and that lost look made him feel unfamiliar.
After Zhao Shen left, the sound of a flute rang out from the plum garden, blending with the singing of the palace concubines. The figure in my heart gradually became clear, as if it drifted in with the subtle fragrance of wintersweet, and silently blended into the artistic conception of this new poem.
A beautiful woman sat in the hall. Seeing Zhao Gou and Zhao Shen already seated, she approached quietly. She was dressed in a vibrant, tight-fitting outfit, clutching a sharp sword. She danced gracefully to the sound of music in the wind, plum blossom petals falling in unison with the rustling of the sword, several petals landing on her high bun. The woman's posture and expression were exceptionally charming. Zhao Shen? Yet, he could discern a hint of heroism in her, like the legendary red-clad female general Liang Hongyu. Zhao Shen had entered the palace late and had never met Liang Hongyu. He had only heard rumors circulating in the palace today that Zhao Gou's new concubine bore a striking resemblance to the former Consort Xuan, and Zhao Shen couldn't help but take a few more glances.
Zhao Shen stood up and poured wine for Zhao Gou with a jade cup. After Zhao Gou drank a few glasses of wine, he seemed to see Liang Hongyu dancing with a sword in the plum forest again. She smiled sweetly and said to him, "Is the emperor drunk?"
The beauty finished her sword dance and walked towards Zhao Gou. Zhao Gou said to her, "Hongyu, come and sit beside me."
The woman seemed to be used to it. She sat beside Zhao Gou with a smile on her face and poured him wine. After a few glasses of wine, Zhao Gou was completely drunk and fell into a deep sleep on the couch.
Zhao Shen then ordered the eunuchs to carry Zhao Gou to the inner room.
Then he turned to the woman and said, "Why did the Emperor call you Hongyu?"
The woman raised her eyes and looked into the house, saying, "Maybe he thinks I'm the one he misses."
That day, the Zui Xiang Lou in Lin'an City was bustling with activity. A storyteller slapped a wooden board, making a loud "snap" sound. "It's said that Liang Hongyu was betrayed by Liu Rumei and trapped in the enemy camp..."
The conversation ended abruptly, leaving a lingering silence. In the corner, Asen clenched his wine glass, his knuckles whitening. He'd bought Zui Xiang Lou because it was the last place she'd laughed in Lin'an. Every day at this time, he seemed to see that vibrant red again, just like that Lantern Festival that year, when she danced with a sword amidst the crowds, her clothes fluttering and radiant, illuminating all the dark years that followed.
The storyteller's wake-up stick fell again, his voice heavy with sorrow: "The Jin thieves wished to break the pride of our Great Song, but they knew that General Liang's unyielding spirit could not be restrained by shackles or cages! In the enemy camp, she cursed endlessly, brandishing her two swords, wounding countless enemies, until she finally gave out..."
"...Though she fought to the point of exhaustion, General Liang ultimately refused to be humiliated by her enemies. Facing south, she committed suicide and died for her country. Her heroic spirit lives on!"
Inside the building, there were sighs and groans, some wiping tears with their sleeves. Asen rose silently and walked into the back hall, where her spirit tablet was enshrined. It bore no official title or official title, only the single name he addressed her as: "My wife, Hongyu."
Later, the imperial court's honors arrived, and the people's umbrellas were raised. Outside Lin'an City, on a hillside facing north, a "Shrine of the Heroic Lady" quietly rose. On the day the shrine was completed, a throng of people streamed in. Asen watched from afar, he saw the wisps of incense rising, as if she had returned, astride her warhorse, riding the wind and clouds, to visit the land she had protected.
After Zhao Gou's death, Zhao Shen rehabilitated Yue Fei and restored his official positions such as "Shao Bao, Jiedushi of Wusheng Dingguo Army, and Founding Duke of Wuchang County", and posthumously awarded Yue Fei the title of "Wu Mu".
Han Shizhong's reputation grew, and he commanded a vast army of men, with his palace filled with heroes. Many people offered him matchmaking services, suggesting gentle and virtuous ladies from prominent families who might be suitable to continue his family line. He always shook his head and refused.
Han Shizhong was the only one left in the huge Han Mansion. From then on, there was no more red makeup besides blue clothes.
In the dead of night, he often sat alone in the courtyard, his shadow a pair. On the stone table, two wine glasses always sat. He filled his own glass, then slowly poured the wine onto the floor for her.
"Hongyu," he whispered into the empty night, his voice hoarse from years of battle, yet tinged with an indelible tenderness, "The pomegranate tree in front of the courtyard is in bloom beautifully this year, red as fire, just like you..."
No one answered, only the wind rustled through the trees in the yard, like her distant sigh.
He spent the rest of his life guarding this memory and never remarried.
And the storytelling sounds in Zuixiang Tower continued day after day, year after year.
"It is said that after Liang Hongyu was abducted by the Jin people..."
As the wake-up call was struck, a heroic legend was told over and over again, a love that lasted until death, becoming an immortal legend in these recitations. People shed tears for the loyal hero, and also sighed deeply for the general who never married.
The full text is over.
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