Emperor Huizong sat on his throne, looking at Crown Prince Zhao Qin, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes.
Everyone says that this son is my greatest comfort as a father.
But this crown prince is nothing like him, neither in appearance nor in mannerisms.
Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) was romantic and kind, and loved calligraphy, painting, and art. Zhao Qin, on the other hand, was deep and gloomy, and had no talent in any art form.
He devoted his life to Taoist practices, while Zhao Qin was extremely devout in Buddhism.
He built a Taoist temple in the palace to worship the Primordial Celestial Venerable, while Zhao Qin built a Buddhist temple in the East Palace.
If it weren't for his other sons' ambitions, and the fact that he needed to use Zhao Qin as a scapegoat in front of the other princes, he would have deposed this son from his position as crown prince long ago...
After a noisy court assembly, Zhao Ji returned to the inner palace somewhat wearily. Without even reviewing any memorials, he first took a golden pill to invigorate his spirits, and then summoned beauties to drink and make merry.
However, while enjoying the songs, dances, fine wine, and delicacies, he recalled how the ministers had been attacking each other at every court assembly lately, which annoyed him greatly.
He knew that behind those ministers stood certain princes.
Now, most of these princes have grown powerful and, driven by ambition, have begun to challenge the imperial power.
He knew very well that if he couldn't resolve this issue, he wouldn't be able to have any peace and quiet in the future.
But so what? We can't just kill all the princes, can we?
Although he wasn't a good father, he wasn't that heartless...
So, the next day, he issued several decrees.
These decrees were all issued to the adult princes.
The message in the decree was simple: all princes who had been granted the title of king were to leave the capital and return to their fiefdoms.
Yes, in order to enjoy peace and quiet, he directly banished all the princes who could challenge the imperial power to their fiefdoms, thinking that he would be able to enjoy peace and quiet thereafter. Little did he know that this move would have endless consequences.
The reason is that the Song Dynasty princes wielded far too much power in their fiefdoms.
They can not only levy taxes, but also form their own guard.
They have no shortage of wealth, power, or military strength; if they wanted to rebel, it would be an easy thing for them.
However, if he didn't grant them these things, Zhao Ji would really be worried about letting his princes leave the capital.
After all, there are refugees and bandits everywhere now. If the princes do not have these rights, Zhao Ji is really afraid that the princes will not be able to establish themselves in their fiefdoms.
Moreover, after these princes left the capital, they scattered to various places. With their own troops, they could suppress local forces and maintain stability in each region.
And so it ended.
The second prince, Prince Qin, the third prince, Prince Chu, and the fifth prince, Prince Zhao, all left the capital, leading their retainers and guests to their respective fiefdoms.
Just as the King of Qin had left the capital and traveled less than a hundred li, his entourage was suddenly stopped by an old Taoist priest riding a donkey.
The guards were about to drive him away, but before they could even get close, they all fainted.
The soldiers behind shouted "evil Taoist!" and fired arrows, but the old Taoist simply raised his sleeve and caught the rain of arrows into it.
The old Taoist priest urged the donkey to slowly walk towards the King of Qin's oxcart. Along the way, the guards tried to stop him, but before they could get close, they were all repelled by an invisible force.
Just as he was about to reach the oxcart, the curtain was suddenly lifted from the inside, and a handsome man in fine clothes stepped out.
He jumped off the carriage and looked at the Taoist priest.
At that moment, two cultivators flew in from behind and stood on either side of the man.
The man was none other than the leader of the group, King Qin, and the two cultivators were Qi Refiners he had recruited. They were usually supported by the royal palace and protected the palace from evil magic.
The two Qi Refining cultivators weren't working for nothing; if the Prince's Mansion had any rare and precious materials, they would be given priority. Moreover, they could also cultivate by utilizing the Prince's Mansion's fortune...
The King of Qin remained quite calm, bowed to the Taoist priest, and asked, "May I ask your name, Taoist priest? And what brings you to block my path?"
"This humble Taoist priest has met the King of Qin in a duel," the Taoist priest said with a smile and bowed.
"You...you're Dou Nengsheng from Taoism?!"
One of the Qi Refiners was somewhat surprised, and the other's expression changed as well.
Although they were practitioners of the Taiyi Sanshu school, they had still heard of the name Dou Nengsheng.
This person is a direct descendant of a Taoist saint and the eldest disciple of the acting head of the sect, Guankong Niangniang. In terms of status and position, how many people in the vast prehistoric cultivation world can compare with him?
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin was greatly alarmed, and his expression became extremely respectful.
In the past, he was born with a strange illness that left all the imperial physicians helpless. His life was hanging by a thread. It was his mother who, relying on her status as a disciple of a branch of Taoism, personally went to ask Fairy Jiaoyue for help.
The Fairy of the Moon bestowed a bottle of celestial dew upon the King of Qin, who then drank it and recovered from his critical condition.
Therefore, he can be said to have a great affinity with Taoism.
"You have some connection with my sect. I have come here on my master's orders to check on the prince's fate," Dou Nengsheng said, stating his purpose directly.
"I never expected that the immortal master came on the orders of the Empress. I, Zhao Xi, am but a mortal, how could I be qualified to attract the Empress's favor?" King Qin said in surprise.
"Ha ha……"
Dou Nengsheng laughed loudly, then looked him up and down and said with a smile, "King Qin has outstanding talent and hidden potential. He has the aura of a dragon surrounding him and is the appearance of an emperor. Why are you so humble?"
Zhao Xi was both surprised and delighted upon hearing this.
This Taoist master actually said he has the countenance of an emperor, doesn't that prove he will definitely have a chance to ascend the throne in the future?
If these words were to get out, not only would his brothers be spared, but even his father, Emperor Huizong, might not let him off the hook.
He humbly replied, "Immortal Master, please do not joke. My Great Song Dynasty is currently under the reign of Emperor Ming, and below him is the Crown Prince. How could I, a mere prince who has been demoted and banished from the capital, be qualified to covet the throne?"
Upon hearing this, Dou Nengsheng glanced at Zhao Xi with a half-smile, "Is that really what Your Highness is thinking? If so, then this humble Taoist has come in vain. Farewell."
As he spoke, he made a gesture as if to turn and leave.
However, before he could take two steps, Zhao Xi hurriedly called out to him.
"Immortal, please wait!"
"Oh? Does Your Highness have anything else to say?" Dou Nengsheng asked with a smile.
Zhao Xi gritted his teeth secretly, made up his mind, and said, "May I ask, Immortal Master, does Her Majesty send you here to instruct me on something?"
"Hahaha……"
Dou Nengsheng burst into laughter again, "My master, Lady Guankong, is a direct descendant of Pangu, a sage ancestor, one of the six emperors of the Heavenly Court, in charge of the Eastern Pure Land, and has saved countless souls. She is truly powerful and has immeasurable merits. What need is there for Your Highness to use her skills?"
The other two Qi cultivators beside him also found Zhao Xi's words somewhat laughable, but since he was their patron, they couldn't show it on their faces even if they found it amusing...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com