Chapter 30 From the masses, to the masses…
For more details, please check out the official live stream; I won't go into too much detail here. Anyway, Huai Leju has a knack for changing his tune; it's common for him to write things like "His Majesty's heroic and divine bearing" in his essays.
By now, you've probably guessed it. Who is King Jungjong's spy? It's none other than the handsome, thick-browed, and large-eyed Hwai Rak-gyu himself!
The ministers looked at each other, feeling that Tianmu's words were becoming increasingly outrageous.
Huai Leju? Why are you saying all this?
Was there something wrong with the canopy, or with their ears?
"I can't believe it..." someone exclaimed in surprise.
That guy who always looks like a deadpan has this side to him, you know.
[Oops, I've digressed. Let's get back to the present. Emperor Hong'an had just recovered from his serious illness, and the first thing he wanted to do was see Emperor Zhongzong. When the grandfather and grandson met, Emperor Zhongzong saw that the emperor hadn't spoken yet, so he said considerately, "Your Highness the Crown Prince has a lot of filial piety in mind, but he didn't verify anything and was a little impulsive."]
He relayed the emperor's words and was so considerate that the emperor could only agree, saying, "Yes, yes." The two sat awkwardly for a while. As compensation, he also gave the patrolling army some extra money and provisions, along with an imperial edict stamped with the emperor's seal, which he personally handed to Emperor Zhongzong.
Emperor Hong'an: "You..."
Zhou She innocently raised his face: "Your Majesty?"
Emperor Hong'an felt a sudden toothache and looked at Zhou She, feeling that he was putting on an act again.
Although all the civil and military officials love to perform, isn't this frequency a bit too high?
"Come here." Finally, he gave up, told Zhou She to stand up, and walked to him. "The imperial examination this year will begin in a month. The defense of the capital should be prepared in advance. I hereby appoint you as the deputy commander. No mistakes are allowed."
Zhou She was caught off guard and immediately realized: this was the emperor's first task, and also a test.
If you do well, your future will be bright; if you don't do well...
That depends on the emperor's mood.
"Yes," Zhou She replied, then asked, "May I ask what instructions Your Majesty may offer?"
"If you need anything, ask Huai Ziyou," Emperor Hong'an said calmly. "Aren't you on good terms with him?"
Zhou She choked, momentarily unsure whether to retort.
Emperor Jungjong stayed in the capital for more than half a month, waiting until Liang Xiao had prescribed medicine for him. Before leaving, he went to see his birth mother one last time.
As expected, the strained mother-son relationship was difficult to maintain, but after seven years, the two at least met again.
The bamboo grove swayed, and sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow. Beneath the bamboo pavilion, a middle-aged woman sat quietly.
Emperor Zhongzong climbed the steps and stood before the woman, asking, "Where is Zhou Lao Er?"
"Is that how you address your brother?"
"He is not my brother," Emperor Zhongzong replied calmly. "Has Mother ever witnessed brothers killing each other? Do you know what he did? If you do, why do you think I would still consider him a brother?"
After a long silence, the woman finally said, "I have nothing to say to you. You may leave."
"Indeed, I have come to bid farewell to my mother." Emperor Zhongzong did not sit down, but paced slowly outside the pavilion. "It has been many years since we last met, and I did not know that my mother had grown old. If my father had listened to my advice back then, the Zhou family would probably still be prosperous today."
As soon as she finished speaking, the woman stood up angrily, her chest heaving uncontrollably, staring intently at Emperor Zhongzong.
"Zhou Xingyuan, did you come here on purpose to make me angry?" She was almost furious, unable to maintain her usual good manners. "If so, you can leave now!"
"I only wish to advise Mother," Emperor Zhongzong replied calmly. "Father died fighting for the throne. If Mother does not wish to follow in his footsteps, it would be best for her to protect herself wisely."
Zhou Xuyan: Why is this involving me?
Zhong Zhun was speechless: Power blinds the eye? She shouldn't be that stupid, right?
And what happened to her relationship with her eldest son that made them look completely unlike mother and son?
One of Tianmu's great hobbies is contradicting itself; the next second it will say:
[Add a little background information. In the thirtieth year of Hong'an, the second prince staged a coup, which had nothing to do with the Zhou family. However, Zhou Xuyan was deeply involved in the struggle for the throne, and in the thirty-first year of Hong'an, he was executed for multiple crimes.]
When King Jungjong learned of the news, he shed a few tears in private. But it was too late to undo the damage; he even said to himself, "This is retribution."
Zhou Xuyan & Zhong Zhun: "..."
Zhou She smiled awkwardly: "Haha, is that so?"
Emperor Hong'an stared at him with a deathly gaze.
Zhou She: "..." Poor thing, he was the one who was trying to persuade people, so what does this have to do with him?
This is very similar to his later style of governance. Many people say that King Jungjong was not a very sentimental person; he could even directly say the word "retribution" to his father...
Of course, I'm not saying he's cruel. Rather, he doesn't care about your status or position, and there's no such thing as making amends.
Unlike his maternal grandfather, Emperor Hong'an, when he discovered someone engaging in minor corruption, would only issue a small punishment as a warning, and the matter wouldn't escalate too much. But Emperor Zhongzong was different. He naturally had his own standards; the severity of the offense meant the full extent of the punishment, with no room for negotiation.
Emperor Hong'an pursed his lips at Tian Mu's attitude, sensing that it was neither praise nor criticism.
Then, he began to recall what Zhou Xuyan had done. There was still a long time before the time Tianmu mentioned, and if it was truly a big mistake, then he must make preparations as soon as possible.
Of course, some people do not agree with this attitude.
How can you be so rude to your father? This is not the attitude of a filial son. As a son, even if your parents have truly committed a grave mistake, shouldn't you, as their son, bear the consequences for your father?
Faced with this question, they quickly found the answer: no father, no mother, no ancestors... that's normal.
[To give a simple example. Gu Jingshan, the father of Empress Renzhao, made great contributions during Emperor Zhongzong's rebellion.]
In the seventh year of the Jinghua era, Emperor Cheng (Zhong Cong) was twenty-two years old, and her younger brother, Prince Xuan (Zhong Huang), was eighteen. It happened to be a time of fierce struggle for the position of crown prince, and Emperor Zhongzong repeatedly emphasized to Gu Jingshan that he preferred his daughter to ascend the throne.
Gu Jingshan publicly declared his unwavering loyalty, but behind the scenes, he conspired with several ministers to promote Zhong Huang as heir apparent. To this end, Gu Jingshan even extended his reach to the military.
With irrefutable evidence, and amidst the chaos of the event, the emperor turned ruthlessly. Despite Gu Jingshan's repeated pleas, Emperor Zhongzong showed no hesitation; almost half a month later, Gu Jingshan was dismissed from his post and exiled to Lingnan. Three months later, Gu Jingshan's body was found by the roadside in Lingnan.
Gu Jingshan: "???"
He just died like that?!
He thought about it, but couldn't figure it out.
They're all his daughter's children, so why insist on putting his grandson in the position? Everyone's done things that are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. But why would he do something that only brings harm and no benefit?
Emperor Hong'an, after hearing only half of it, was still a bit confused: "You have a son? Then why did you pass the throne to your daughter?"
He initially thought they were both daughters.
Zhou She was also confused. He wasn't even officially married yet, so who knew what he was thinking?
He thought for a moment and replied seriously, "Perhaps Zhong Cong would be more suitable."
In his eyes, gender was completely unimportant. An emperor was already a different kind of political being; why should gender matter?
Of course, this theory seems too advanced, and it's estimated that even the emperor in front of him wouldn't be able to accept it.
As expected, Emperor Hong'an was slightly taken aback, and said without hesitation, "That's not appropriate either."
Zhou She: "..." I knew it, feudal mindset, then you asked me.
Some of the court officials changed their expressions upon hearing this: Aren't they all your children anyway? Why let your daughter ascend the throne when you have a son? Wouldn't it be better if everyone got along well?
Still making a fuss!
After saying his last words to his elderly mother, Emperor Jungjong turned around and beat his younger brother half to death before preparing to leave. On the day he left the capital, Huai Leju came to see him off.
He specifically thanked Emperor Zhongzong, knowing full well that the capital was a dangerous place, yet he still personally went there to bring Liang Xiao over.
Yes, before returning to the capital, Emperor Zhongzong received a letter from Huai Leju, in which he learned that Liang Xiao was stationed in the northern frontier and hoped that Emperor Zhongzong would invite Liang Xiao to come out of retirement to treat Emperor Hong'an.
Emperor Hong'an's brows, which had been slightly furrowed, finally relaxed a little.
Given the circumstances, even though Huai Ziyou defected, he was still a loyal subject of his.
Looking at his grandson beside him, he remembered to bring him a doctor before the rebellion, which was a testament to the effort he had put into raising him.
The autumn leaves are turning slightly yellow. Huai Leju stands beside the carriage, leading his horse. The two stand side by side.
"No need to thank me." Emperor Zhongzong preferred close-fitting clothes, and it was rare for him to wear a light robe with wide sleeves, which made him look quite dashing.
He said to Huai Leju, “Your Majesty has been kind to me and virtuous to the world. As long as Your Majesty is clear-headed, the court will be stable. I have public-spirited intentions, but I also have private intentions. If I raise an army today, not everyone will necessarily submit to me. The direction of the army may not necessarily reflect the will of the people.”
Huai Leju remained silent for a long time, a gentle breeze blowing past his temples, his clothes fluttering in the wind.
“At first, I thought you really came back…” He didn’t finish his sentence, his tone tinged with emotion.
Emperor Jungjong understood his meaning and couldn't help but laugh.
"A power grab and rebellion?" Emperor Zhongzong laughed heartily, patting Huai Leju on the shoulder and teasing, "We didn't bring enough men this time, we'll come again next time."
Emperor Hong'an remained silent.
He listened to Tianmu's voice, then looked at the person in front of him: Tianmu was quite careful in choosing people. At first glance, the person looked eight-tenths similar to him, with the same handsome features. One moment he was talking about rebellion, and the next he was standing in front of him... The impact was too strong, and he couldn't hold back.
However, he agreed with some of the theories, except that his grandson seemed to kill people a little too quickly; he found most of the arguments quite reasonable.
Could it be that the power of the Northern Frontier is that strong? We should really send them there to train them as soon as possible.
Zhou She remained silent, still calculating: If they really marched from the northern border, that would be a long journey of eight thousand miles. He feared that once the patrol army moved, the loyalist troops would immediately follow, and in the ensuing battle, how many more lives would be lost?
Unless absolutely necessary, it's best to avoid taking this step.
Then he immediately remembered that Tianmu's future self was the one who started a rebellion.
It seems that the final battle is unavoidable.
The opinions of the civil and military officials differed:
Some people think he's hypocritical; if you can't beat someone, you can't beat them, so why pretend?
Some people thought he was sentimental, remembering the kindness of the late emperor... no, the current emperor, and therefore assumed that the people he killed in the future wouldn't have been intentional. Although these people didn't know the truth, they had already begun to exonerate Zhou She.
Some, however, were wondering, "Is he really that generous? If he is... well, it's not entirely impossible for him to do it for money..."
In the thirty-third year of the Hong'an era, Emperor Zhongzong returned to the northern frontier once more. He was stunned the moment he stepped off the carriage; was this still his Mingyuan Pass?
Mingyuan Pass has been completely transformed, and the once dusty and weary city has become beautiful and thriving.
It must be acknowledged that Emperor Zhongzong was very serious about the people's livelihood. Many people's impression of him is limited to his military genius, but during his six years in the northern frontier, even if he didn't personally take charge, he definitely went down to the grassroots level to understand the people's conditions.
Besides countering the Northern Di, the second thing the Imperial Patrol Army did during its expansion was to crack down on local powerful clans. He utterly defeated several major families, rendering them helpless and deterring them from further trouble. The people of the northern frontier were thus protected. Otherwise, why would those people in the capital have nothing better to do than impeach him every day?
Of course, scolding him wouldn't do any good. King Jungjong's personality was such that he didn't care if people scolded him all they wanted.
The three northern border states are located on the frontier, with deeply entrenched power structures, making them an insurmountable link for local strongmen.
Mingyuan Pass belongs to Yongzhou. The current prefect of Yongzhou is Xiang Mingzhou, a member of a prominent family who was transferred a few years ago.
He thought of himself: upon arriving in Yongzhou, he was hampered by powerful local figures. He had a heart full of patriotism, but in the end, it all vanished under the weight of reality.
He simply couldn't do it; he couldn't deceive himself.
The words spoken to Tianmu did not elicit much reaction from the officials in the court. On the contrary, it was the lower-level officials who felt the impact of these words more deeply.
Most people who enter the court for the first time are full of ambition and high aspirations, but these ambitions are hard to maintain for long after being suppressed time and time again.
How many newly appointed officials, ordinary people from humble backgrounds, can stand upright and honest in the struggle against local forces?
The common people also thought of the local powerful clans.
Some people, moved by the story, could barely hold their hoes and cried out, "My daughter was also killed by that Zhao family! She was only thirteen years old! The Zhao family forcibly took a girl from the people; may they be struck by lightning!!"
Why not just give her a quick death?! Why is no one doing anything about them?!
Her legs went limp, and someone supported her waist. The couple knelt on the vast yellow earth, hugged each other's shoulders, and wept bitterly.
After wiping away her tears, she gritted her teeth and said, "How can such an emperor be a tyrant! Even tyrants are worse than some—"
They don't care whether a ruler is a tyrant or a wise ruler. As long as someone does good deeds, that's a good emperor in their eyes!
A hand covered her mouth. Her husband, his eyes bloodshot and his hands rough, whispered, "His Majesty is a good emperor; he will surely allow Emperor Zhongzong to ascend the throne!"
What if they can't? They hadn't thought about what to do if they couldn't.
To be responsible, Emperor Zhongzong was indeed a good person. Junior high school textbooks only say he achieved a prosperous era and propelled the Ning Dynasty to a period of revival. However, due to certain well-known issues, his reputation has remained that of a tyrant—who gave you the right to kill meritorious officials, civil servants, and aristocratic families?
The scholar-officials and the emperor jointly governed the country. Although imperial power grew stronger and stronger, how could someone who loved killing his ministers be a wise ruler? The stubborn civil service group had its own interpretation of history.
It wasn't until the Qing dynasty re-edited the *New Ning Shu* that they finally dared to write in their history books, "The Emperor's might shook the four seas, all directions followed him, and all nations submitted to him." How to put it... the Qing dynasty historians were far more honest in praising King Jungjong than the Ning dynasty historians.
The words fell as if a strong slap had landed on the historian's face, leaving a burning sensation.
The historian's pen is forever bound by the constraints of the civil service. If just a few days ago, when Tianmu accused them of bias and engaging in euphemisms, they could have confidently declared: "It's not my fault."
Now, the sky has given them a hard slap in the face!
What later generations consider a wise ruler is described as a tyrant by officials of this dynasty.
How absurd!
Zhou She stood quietly, seemingly unfazed by praise or criticism, but in reality, he was somewhat surprised.
He didn't mind Tianmu scolding him, but he felt a little embarrassed when Tianmu praised him.
This must be what a masochist is like...
Emperor Hong'an scrutinized him closely, and this time his expression changed completely: there was both inquiry and appreciation.
The eternal stability of the Ning Dynasty was always his top priority.
Having reigned for many years, the country was stable. He believed he had done a great deal, including developing water conservancy, appointing capable officials, and reducing taxes and levies. He was by no means a foolish or mediocre ruler.
At this moment, does Zhou She, who is standing in front of him, know the importance of Tian Mu's words, and whether it is worth it for him to go against the opinions of others and make his grandson the heir of the Zhong family?
Xiao Yichun, after finishing his court duties, strolled slowly at home. He had taught Zhou She for a few months and knew that he was a bright and gentle child, but he did not know that he would achieve such great things later in life.
Your Majesty, Your Majesty.
He couldn't help but think, if His Majesty could let go and not be so fixated on those few hopeless cases...
The world was at peace.
Not long ago, CCTV aired the drama "Jinghua Dynasty". I remember it very clearly. Everyone said that his exile was really tragic. Of course, I think that the northern frontier was not really an exile.
But it must be said that sometimes, hardship can be a powerful tool for making a person successful. If he had not experienced the hardships of ordinary people in the northern frontier, and had not worked tirelessly day and night, perhaps there would have been no Emperor Zhongzong, and naturally no prosperous Jinghua era.
From the masses, to the masses. This understanding remains relevant to Emperor Zhongzong today.
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