Chapter 10, also known as the two great treacherous ministers of the Zhongzong era...
The sky is still chattering:
Xiao Yichun first lost her composure when she was angered by Emperor Zhongzong. The two clashed over the position of crown prince, and in the ensuing years-long dispute, Emperor Zhongzong refused to back down an inch.
Emperor Renzong, who was good at accepting advice, had been with Xiao Yichun for over thirty years. Suddenly encountering Emperor Zhongzong, a complete blockhead, he was so infuriated he nearly vomited blood. He ultimately requested retirement, but Emperor Zhongzong completely ignored his memorial, leaving him stranded as if he didn't exist.
The nickname "club" really made everyone laugh.
From Tianmu's description, they could gradually piece together the image of Emperor Zhongzong—a stubborn, headstrong, and unyielding man who was perhaps also skilled at leading troops.
Rigid.
This was the first word that popped into Emperor Hong'an's mind.
In a corner where no one could see, Xiao Yichun's expression grew increasingly sorrowful: he really didn't want to continue getting involved in royal affairs, and if he could, he would run as far away as possible.
Since this has caused discord between the ruler and his ministers, this matter must be very serious.
Many years later, when Prime Minister Xiao looked back, he wondered if he regretted helping Emperor Zhongzong. But at the time, his thinking was still very clear.
In the thirty-first year of the Hong'an era, Emperor Zhongzong was placed under house arrest. Looking across the Ning Dynasty, the Northern Di were eyeing the land covetously, and several princes were not behaving themselves. After the Crown Prince of Huai ascended the throne, he remained secluded, never venturing beyond his palace gates, clearly indicating he would not side with anyone.
If the fifth prince were to ascend the throne, would he be able to keep his several ruthless uncles in check?
The answer is no.
Therefore, at this time, Emperor Jungjong was almost equivalent to a regent. In Xiao Yichun's opinion, Emperor Jungjong, who could lead troops, could guard the country's borders externally and intimidate princes internally, making him an essential remedy for both domestic and international affairs.
As for breaking the Fourth Prince's leg... does that matter? He brought it on himself.
The Fifth Prince was suffering in his heart.
Am I really that useless that Tianmu would slander me like this?
He did a quick calculation and realized that in the thirty-first year of Hong'an, he would be almost twenty-eight years old.
Does that mean I'm only getting older, but not gaining more experience?
The fourth prince, standing shoulder to shoulder beside him, felt even more bitter.
You, Xiao Yichun, what do you mean my broken leg doesn't matter? If I get the chance, I'll make you pay!
To later generations, it's hard to imagine that Emperor Renzong would so easily let Emperor Zhongzong off the hook. But just like his temple name, Emperor Renzong, who was already indecisive, only punished Emperor Zhongzong with a three-year salary reduction after being advised by Xiao Yichun, and then quickly sent Emperor Zhongzong back to the northern frontier.
Some people might ask, why wasn't Emperor Renzong worried about Emperor Zhongzong plotting to usurp the throne? It's obvious. Someone as petty as him would be so audacious as to cripple a prince. He really would do anything!
Historians explain this as follows:
The sky gradually darkened, and after a moment, a faint light shone again; it was a dim candle flame.
Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that the scene was a closed room. The flickering candlelight illuminated only a small area in front of them, where a figure knelt with his back to Emperor Hong'an.
[This is an excerpt from the TV series "Emperor Jinghua." While it has been artistically adapted, it's generally historically accurate. Let's take a look.]
In the scene, Emperor Hong'an took two steps forward, his voice sounding somewhat tired.
"Xingyuan, I know you did it on purpose."
The figure trembled slightly, and after a moment, he turned around. The young Emperor Zhongzong appeared very quiet; perhaps the long period of confinement had finally worn away his impetuous nature.
He was kowtowing to Emperor Hong'an and only said one sentence: "Your subject is guilty."
Emperor Hong'an ignored his reply. He walked slowly to the prayer mat, saw the memorial tablet in front of him, and suddenly smiled: "You certainly know how to put on an act."
The candlelight instantly illuminated not only Emperor Hong'an's gray face, but also the large characters on the memorial tablet.
"The Spirit Tablet of Empress Wen, the Empress Dowager Ningxiaozhen'an"
The sharpness in Emperor Hong'an's eyes softened as if touched by water. He raised his hand and gently stroked the memorial tablet, seemingly deep in thought.
After a long silence, he said, "I can spare your life."
The words were clearly not finished, and the young man did not rush to express his gratitude, but waited quietly for what was to come.
"I have long known that you are stubborn and inflexible. You have been in the northern frontier for five years, and you are so poor, yet you still refuse to beg for my mercy." The emperor took a deep breath, as if he had spoken for too long, and looked at the young man's simple clothes and cuffs before continuing, "With your temper, if it were me, who could tolerate you?"
This was not a question. After a long silence, the young man bowed and said, "Your Majesty is very lenient. I can never repay Your Majesty's kindness, even if I die ten thousand times."
Emperor Hong'an ignored his nonsense, and after thinking for a moment, continued, "I will make my fifth son, Zhong Qin, the crown prince. You have been working in the northern frontier for many years, so you must have some experience."
The young man paused for a moment, then readily admitted, "The Northern Frontier Patrol Army was established under my personal guidance."
"I decree that you shall guard the northern frontier for generations and protect the people of this region. Without the imperial decree, you shall never be allowed to enter the capital."
The last four words were spoken sharply, as if carved by a knife, nailing themselves to the young man.
It also seems to have been nailed to the sky, to certain restless people.
The image remained fixed in Emperor Hong'an's eyes, then gradually faded. The voice from the heavens sounded again.
The "Lament for the Fallen Emperor" handwritten by Emperor Hong'an in his later years clearly records his state of mind at that time.
He was essentially an emperor who respected marital relationships and had a strong capacity for empathy, so he could understand part of Jungjong's anger.
However, as a ruler in a feudal era, this understanding cannot be the fundamental reason why he spared Emperor Zhongzong. There are two essential reasons: First, Emperor Hong'an had done Emperor Zhongzong a favor.
As mentioned earlier, for a long time, Emperor Hong'an and Emperor Zhongzong had a good relationship. Although he banished Emperor Zhongzong to the northern frontier, Emperor Zhongzong recognized that this was inevitable and necessary, and had nothing to do with Emperor Hong'an's own needs.
Upon arriving in the northern frontier, Emperor Zhongzong initially became despondent and let himself go. It was only through his wife's encouragement and a provocation from Hong'an that he began to change.
In the years that followed, Hong'an shielded him from both open and covert attacks from the capital. As Emperor Zhongzong's power grew, impeachment memorials were also capable of crushing him. But to demonstrate his loyalty, Hong'an wrote only one letter with eight large characters: "Go ahead and do as you please; no further questions are needed."
This is a rare privilege for military generals serving in the field throughout history.
Emperor Hong'an was somewhat surprised. He looked intently at the sky, but the sky then transformed into a white image with black characters, bearing only the words "Bestow Grace".
He himself couldn't understand what had happened in the future.
Is it truly a case of a loyal minister turning against his country?
In the Minister's residence, Ren Heng said fiercely, "His Majesty's grace extends to all under Heaven, and I am equally capable of assisting His Majesty. What use is a traitorous minister like him?"
After transitioning from a military officer to a civil official, one of the phrases he heard most often was the Emperor scolding him: "Do you have a dog's brain?!"
I have never been so kind before.
Ren Heng felt a pang of jealousy, and in his heart, he tore Emperor Zhongzong, who had tainted His Majesty's true feelings, into eight pieces.
Xiao Yichun, with a touch of emotion, lowered his voice so that almost only he could hear, saying, "Your Majesty's kindness and benevolence are such that if one is a person of deep feeling, then one can only remain loyal and faithful to the end."
He is devoted to the Ning Dynasty and His Majesty because of His Majesty's virtuous rule.
As expected, Tianmu also said:
Emperor Renzong knew him too well. He knew Jungjong's character and that he would never forget his leniency towards him, so he also knew that Jungjong would listen to him.
Of course, this was slightly modified and smeared by the Qing Dynasty, evolving into one of the "Eight Great Crimes of Hong'an" known to later generations: that Emperor Hong'an was a treacherous villain who, while bestowing favors, had actually been waiting for this moment all along—a clever tactic of moral blackmail!
Upon hearing this, Emperor Hong'an's expression remained unchanged, but the corners of his mouth stiffened slightly.
History's distortions, it seems, spare no one. First came the unfortunate Sheng Dynasty, then Zhuang Shi, and now it's his turn.
Thinking of this, Emperor Hong'an relaxed a little. At least his posthumous reputation was still that of benevolence, which proved that most people still recognized his virtue.
In contrast, Ren Heng jumped even higher, as if he himself had been slandered. His face flushed red, and he gritted his teeth: "His Majesty trusts him implicitly, yet these rude people dare to make wild guesses and wild speculations!!"
The Vice Minister of War dared not speak, and could only watch as his superior became completely absorbed in the moment.
Whether Emperor Zhongzong was successfully kidnapped is a hotly debated issue. Let's first discuss the second reason, which is the help from Xiao Yichun mentioned earlier.
At Xiao Yichun's urging, Emperor Renzong, who was already indecisive, completely sided with the side of letting the matter go leniently. The general consensus was that, in this wavering process, Emperor Renzong had actually always leaned towards letting the matter go, but he was still somewhat conflicted internally.
But while Xiao Yichun helped Emperor Zhongzong, there was another person pulling the strings behind the scenes. Let us solemnly invite—Xiao Yichun's good grandson, Xiao Jianhe, who, along with Zhuang Shi, was known as one of the two great treacherous ministers of Emperor Zhongzong's reign, Lord Xiao!
Before he could even get comfortable in his seat, Xiao Yichun felt as if there were nails stuck in his body.
The gazes of everyone in the flower hall swept over him, seemingly casually. Xiao Yichun was already used to being watched, but this slightly probing gaze, especially the emperor's, made him feel uneasy.
Xiao Jianhe, the grandson who was called out, stood up even faster than him. His handsome face turned pale instantly, and he could only barely maintain his composure as he took a few steps forward.
Zhou She openly ate sunflower seeds in the crowd, leaning against the shoulder of the person in front of him to shrink himself in the back: "So that grandson who got his head beaten bloody..."
The case is solved! It really was you, you with thick eyebrows and big eyes!
Tan Zhao was greatly surprised: "This shouldn't be the case."
Unlike Zhou She, who was an idle playboy, Tan Zhao had some dealings with Xiao Jianhe and intuitively felt that this kid didn't seem like a treacherous official.
Although their voices were low, they were still caught by Emperor Hong'an in the silent air.
Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw two people with their shoulders hunched low and their heads close together, whispering to each other.
Zhou She was still engrossed in watching the drama unfold, completely oblivious to the fact that he had been caught red-handed. Just as he was about to add fuel to the fire and continue his story, he suddenly heard a soft rebuke: "What are you saying?! Let me hear it too?"
Zhou She: "..."
Tan Zhao: "..."
The two men stood up hesitantly. After a moment of silence, Tan Zhao, being slightly older, spoke first: "I told my cousin... I told him that Tianmu has ulterior motives..."
Zhou She: "?" Did I say that?!
He glared at Tan Zhao out of the corner of his eye, gave an awkward smile, and tried to make amends: "I was telling the Crown Prince that although the Heavenly Curtain is a miracle, it seems to only have a superficial understanding of many things... Uh... We can't completely disbelieve it, but we can't believe it entirely either."
Poor Xiao Jianping, who was usually so upright and dignified, was now standing in the middle, unable to even utter a word.
Alas, I, Zhou She, am truly a born kind-hearted person.
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