The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 092 The Imperial Faction
At the Prince Jing's residence, Princess Jing was in tears all day, and the Carefree Prince, Zhao Ao, frowned constantly, sighing deeply.
The heir, Zhao Qiong, was so anxious that he couldn’t sit still. Just then, a servant came to report that Tang Shen had sent a letter. Princess Jing wondered, “Could it be that Tang Shen is interested in our Wan’er and wishes to marry her?”
Zhao Qiong opened the letter, gave a surprised "Oh?", and then handed it to Prince Zhao Ao, saying, “Father, take a look.”
After reading the letter, Zhao Ao was equally astonished.
Prince Jing summoned his son to the study, and the two discussed it for an hour. Afterward, Prince Jing went to the palace.
By nightfall, a eunuch arrived from the palace, saying the emperor had asked Prince Jing to stay overnight.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiong breathed a sigh of relief and said to Princess Jing, “It seems my sister won’t have to marry into the Liao State.”
The next day, Prince Jing returned. He called Zhao Qiong to the study, pulled out a book from the shelf, and retrieved a letter hidden between its pages. Zhao Ao looked at the letter with a complex expression and sighed, “I’ve known my imperial brother since childhood, and we grew up together. Yet, after more than fifty years, I still can’t fathom his thoughts. Qiong’er, those officials in the court, though unrelated by blood, are far better than us at understanding His Majesty’s intentions.”
Looking at the letter, Zhao Qiong was filled with emotion as well.
For days, the Prince Jing residence had been shrouded in gloom over the peace marriage. Zhao Qiong never expected Tang Shen to send such a letter. In it, Tang Shen outlined three possible strategies.
“The Song-Liao peace marriage is inevitable, like an arrow ready to release. Yet, the heir’s love for his sister moves heaven and earth. I, Jing Ze, cannot alleviate your worry, and I have been restless day and night. Humbly, I propose three possible solutions to the heir.”
“First, feigning illness to avoid the marriage.”
“Misfortune strikes without warning, and people are subject to sudden illness. A peace marriage between nations is a significant matter, not to be taken lightly. If the lady falls ill, she naturally cannot marry. However, this approach risks His Majesty's suspicion and may tarnish the lady’s reputation.”
“Second, claiming a preexisting marriage arrangement.”
“Should this strategy be used, finding a suitable groom is the first challenge, and convincing His Majesty without arousing suspicion is the second. Moreover, this might delay the lady’s prospects for a good match.”
“Third, advancing through retreat, defending through attack.”
“As a close sibling of His Majesty, Prince Jing has a deep bond with His Majesty. During cold winters, Prince Jing often accompanies His Majesty, sharing worries and solving problems. If Prince Jing requests an audience with His Majesty and voluntarily offers his youngest daughter for marriage, while showing reluctance, there might be room for negotiation.”
The first and second strategies had already been considered by the Prince Jing household. However, as Tang Shen pointed out, these could arouse the emperor’s suspicion and harm the young lady’s future. The third option, on the other hand, was a bold gamble. If Zhao Ao voluntarily offered his daughter and the emperor accepted, it would be a complete loss for him.
Yet, the most suitable noblewoman in the capital for the marriage was none other than the young lady of Prince Jing’s residence. Zhao Ao had even received news the previous day that the emperor intended for his youngest daughter to marry into the Liao State. At this point, it was a desperate situation—success or failure would decide everything.
Thus, Zhao Ao entered the palace, seeking an audience with the emperor and proposing his daughter for the peace marriage.
In Chuigong Hall, Emperor Zhao Fu was astonished by Prince Jing’s words.
Holding a vermilion brush in his hand, the emperor looked at Zhao Ao with surprise and asked with concern, “Why would you suddenly say such a thing, my imperial brother?”
Zhao Ao replied earnestly, “As a prince of the Song Dynasty, I have never contributed much to our nation. Without my imperial brother saying it, I already know that Wan’er is the best candidate. The people of the capital call me the ‘carefree prince,’ but that title only highlights my incompetence! Now, the Liao emperor seeks to marry a Song princess—how can I turn a blind eye?”
Zhao Ao’s words were sincere, though his trembling hands and quivering beard betrayed his reluctance and pain. He tried to hide his emotions, but how could Zhao Fu not see through him? The emperor gazed at his younger brother quietly for a long moment before finally saying, “Are you speaking truthfully?”
Zhao Ao shuddered. “Yes.”
The emperor sighed. “Since when did we brothers begin speaking with such pretense?”
That evening, Emperor Zhao Fu kept Zhao Ao in the palace, and the two brothers reminisced about their childhood. The emperor, pleased and nostalgic, recalled the simpler days of their youth. After thirty years as an emotionless ruler, he felt a twinge of compassion for his aging brother.
Clasping Zhao Ao’s hand, he said, “Don’t worry. I have my own plan.”
Zhao Ao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
A few days later, the emperor announced that the chosen bride for the Liao State would be the daughter of the late Ninth Prince’s household. The Ninth Prince’s family, long neglected and without influence, had already fallen into decline. The emperor restored the young lady’s royal status, titled her as a princess, and sent her to the Liao State.
While the Ninth Prince’s household was filled with wailing and lamentation, the rest of the capital celebrated with relief.
As the New Year approached, the Liao envoys prepared to return home.
On the twenty-first day of the twelfth month, Tang Shen donned his court robes and a fox-fur cloak. He extended his hand to catch a snowflake.
The sky was a gray haze, and gentle snow blanketed the ground in silence. Pulling his cloak tighter, Tang Shen walked toward the palace. After attending morning court, he reviewed official documents and submitted reports. An hour later, the emperor summoned him to Chuigong Hall.
Adjusting his official robes, Tang Shen braved the heavy snow to answer the summons.
Meeting the emperor required removing his cloak, and the journey left Tang Shen’s lips purple from the cold. Fortunately, upon entering the hall, he was met with a wave of warmth as eunuchs pulled back the heavy curtains.
The emperor, cradling a hand-warmer, sat on a couch, leisurely eating walnuts. A eunuch carefully cracked the shells with a small hammer and picked out the nutmeats for him.
Seeing Tang Shen, the emperor glanced him over and said to Ji Fu, “Look how frozen Jing Ze is—the weather is growing colder by the day.”
Ji Fu, ever perceptive, replied, “Your Majesty, you wouldn’t know, but the snowfall earlier was so heavy it numbed my ears when this slave went outside earlier. Shall I prepare a hand-warmer for Tang daren?”
The emperor didn’t respond, instead waving his hand. “Give him a seat.”
Two eunuchs brought a chair closer to the brazier. After bowing, Tang Shen sat down, saying, “Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.”
Zhao Fu remained silent, continuing to crack walnuts one by one. After a while, he said, "Jing Ze, what brings you to see me today? Do you have something to say? What you wrote in your memorial is rather interesting, but you are still too young."
Tang Shen's alarm bells went off in his head. Not daring to remain seated, he immediately stood and bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, ever since I received the Liao envoys a month ago, I have had extensive contact with them. As an official and a citizen of the Song dynasty, I have been restless and unable to sleep this past month. The more I interact with the Liao envoys, the more deeply troubled I become."
The sharp crack of a walnut shell breaking echoed through Chuigong Hall as a young eunuch worked diligently.
Zhao Fu raised his head and asked, "By the way, has Li Jingde been with you since his return to the capital?"
Tang Shen thought for a moment before replying, "General Li is deeply concerned about the northwest and suspicious of whether the Liao envoys have ulterior motives for visiting the capital. Therefore, he has been assisting me in receiving them."
Zhao Fu chuckled and scolded, "What could possibly be amiss? To have a brute like him handle the Liao envoys—what an idea!"
Tang Shen bowed his head. "I am guilty of a mistake."
"Do not repeat it," Zhao Fu said, dismissing it lightly. "The Song and Liao dynasties are on good terms, and the princess will soon marry into the Liao imperial family. Jing Ze, you don't need to overthink things."
Tang Shen thought to himself: Good terms with Liao? Who was it that, during the feast at Shengping Tower, plastered on a smile, acting as though they were utterly incompetent to curry favor with the Liao envoys, only to summon Li Jingde to Immortal Ascension Platform afterward and give him a thorough scolding for not dealing with the Liao people properly, which caused him to have to embarrass himself in front of the Liao envoys?
The reality was that the Song dynasty couldn't defeat the Liao, and the Liao weren't willing to expend resources to annex Song for the time being.
Such was the current state of affairs.
And now Zhao Fu had the nerve to claim "good terms with Liao"?
Truly, preserving appearances while suffering inwardly.
Still, Tang Shen couldn't point this out and had to follow the emperor's narrative. "Your Majesty is correct, and I am aware. However, one cannot allow others to snore beside one's bed. Your Majesty, vigilance is essential. Forgive me for speaking boldly, but the Liao people must not be underestimated."
Zhao Fu appeared deep in thought and sighed. "Well, Jing Ze's concerns are not entirely baseless."
In the silent hall, Ji Fu stood dutifully nearby, holding a whisk. Imperial chamberlains diligently recorded Tang Shen's audience with the emperor.
Tang Shen bowed again and said respectfully, "I believe that in dealing with the Liao, the Song dynasty cannot afford to be passive. Before returning to Youzhou, General Li mentioned to me that if given ten years, he could train a force as strong as the Liao cavalry."
Zhao Fu froze mid-motion, his hand gripping the walnut meat. His eyes gleamed as he looked up at Tang Shen and asked eagerly, "Li Jingde said that?"
Tang Shen nodded firmly. "Yes, he said so."
Thousands of miles away, in Youzhou, General Li Jingde, Marshal of the Western Expedition, sneezed violently. "Which damn Liao bastard is plotting against me now?"
Back in Chuigong Hall, Tang Shen continued, "However, training troops takes time and cannot be accomplished overnight. It requires not only time but also funding. The Northwest Silver Pull Division plays a crucial role in this. I believe that if the division collaborates with the Feilong Army, their combined efforts could indeed produce an army as formidable as the Liao cavalry."
Hearing this, Zhao Fu's expression relaxed, and he seemed quite pleased. Yet, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, the joy in his eyes dimmed slightly. Looking at Tang Shen, he asked in a low voice, "Did Zi Feng tell you this?"
Tang Shen's heart skipped a beat. After a brief pause, he said, "Wang daren did mention it to me."
The hall fell silent for a moment before Zhao Fu sighed, "You and your senior brother seem to work together seamlessly for my benefit."
Tang Shen lowered his head and said nothing.
Zhao Fu added, "I've read your memorial about the Silver Pull Division. These matters are Wang Zifeng's responsibility and have little to do with you. However, Jing Ze, the additional points you mentioned at the end had me confused—what exactly are you proposing?"
Tang Shen raised his head and replied, "Your Majesty, I believe the Silver Pull Division should not be limited to managing military finances. To use it solely for such purposes would be to underutilize it." Without mentioning Zhao Fu's long-term plan to use the division for nationwide monetary reform—a matter Tang Shen wasn't supposed to know—he instead said, "The division can also penetrate deep into Liao territory to gather intelligence."
Zhao Fu stared intently at Tang Shen, making him feel uneasy.
As an attendant secretary, Tang Shen's position lacked a clear set of responsibilities, unlike ministers of the six ministries or military commanders like Li Jingde. Officials from the Secretariat like him were expected to serve as problem-solvers for the emperor.
By bypassing Xu Bi to seek an audience directly with Zhao Fu, Tang Shen had not overstepped his authority. However, it clearly showed that he did not see himself as a member of Xu Bi's faction.
Tang Shen was loyal solely to the emperor.
Over the past two years, Xu Bi had never fully trusted Tang Shen or drawn him into his inner circle. Similarly, Tang Shen had not aligned himself with Xu Bi.
Suddenly, Zhao Fu burst into laughter. "I did not expect you and Fei Ran to think so alike in this matter!"
Tang Shen was startled.
Fei Ran?
Su Wenyun?!