Chapter 482
Zhao Ji's Ambition
...
A grand banquet was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with tables laden with delicacies and fine wines. High-ranking officials of the Song Dynasty, emperors, kings, khans, chieftains, powerful figures from the territories conquered by Zhao Yu, as well as members of the royal family, royal clan, and nobles were all seated at the table. Amidst the sounds of drums and music, the emperor and his ministers drank together, and the hall was filled with laughter and lively conversation.
The clinking of cups mingled with the music, the aroma of wine and food filled the hall, and people at the banquet chatted and laughed, exchanging toasts. Below the steps, musicians played hymns of peace and prosperity, and dancers twirled and danced to the rhythm. Even the glow of the palace lanterns in the corners of the hall was tinged with a warm and harmonious feeling, creating a scene of universal joy and celebration.
Zhao Ji was not only the chief painter of this banquet, but also the chief designer of this banquet.
It can be said that Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) deserves great credit for the success of this banquet for all emperors.
It must be said that you can call Zhao Ji a foolish ruler, but you can't call him incompetent.
When they get into art or pursue their hobbies, they become completely obsessed.
When the Genyue Wansui Mountain was being built, for the sake of a Taihu stone that was particular about being "leaky, transparent, wrinkled, and slender," the emperor ordered the demolition of 30,000 houses belonging to ordinary people in Jiangnan.
The canal was filled with the corpses of those who had been escorting the prisoners.
In order to recreate the color of a clear sky after rain, the imperial kilns forced 100,000 kiln workers to fire day and night. As a result, when the kilns were opened, the shattered porcelain shards covered 30 acres of fertile land.
That's how the famous Ru porcelain came to be.
To store his favorite tea, he directly misappropriated funds from the national treasury to build several tea storage pavilions in the palace, giving them a prestigious name: "Pavilion for Tea Storage".
He didn't just keep the tea for drinking; he also enjoyed tea competitions.
A single tea competition can cost tens of thousands of strings of cash in Kunshan.
What does tens of thousands of strings of cash mean?
That's money that ordinary people couldn't earn in several lifetimes.
Tea competitions require fine teacups, and he went to extreme lengths to torment the kiln workers.
Just one tea competition he conducted ruined enough clay and firewood to feed thousands of households for a year.
Moreover, he would play with these good things once and then throw them away.
While the palace was filled with elegant tea-tasting competitions, the common people were so hungry that their eyes were practically glowing green as they gnawed on tree bark or even ate human bones.
How could he not become a ruler who brought about the downfall of his kingdom?
Even more outrageous, because he liked a certain type of tea, he bestowed his reign title upon it and named the place where the tea was produced as the county name.
A city was bestowed upon us because of a cup of tea.
This kind of willfulness is absolutely unique throughout history.
But life is unpredictable.
Emperor Huizong's obsessive passion for tea inadvertently propelled Chinese tea culture into its golden age, with even Japan to the east eagerly acknowledging him as its patriarch.
Tea powder is heated with hot water and whisked vigorously with a bamboo whisk until snow-white foam floats in the teacup, which is beautifully named "sparse stars and pale moon".
This unique skill was passed down to Japan, where it was renamed Matcha Tea Ceremony and became their national treasure.
It can be said that Zhao Ji was adept at whatever he did and excelled at everything he did.
This echoes the assessment of Emperor Huizong of Song by Tuotuo, a Yuan dynasty official: "Emperor Huizong of Song was capable in all things, except being a good ruler!"
In this life, after Zhao Yu seized the throne from Zhao Ji, he did not imprison Zhao Ji, but instead fully developed his talents, allowing him to display his brilliance in the field of art.
It must be said that thanks to Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) and his tolerance and support for culture, the Song Dynasty under Zhao Yu's rule was incredibly successful in its cultural development.
At least Zhao Yu was very satisfied with this and recognized Zhao Ji's contributions, especially his contributions to porcelain and glass products. If it weren't for the many excellent porcelain and glass products that he supervised the production of and exported overseas, earning a lot of money for the Song Dynasty, Zhao Yu might not have had the capital to conquer such a large Song Dynasty.
Based on this mutual recognition, Zhao Yu and Zhao Ji maintained a good relationship, at least on the surface, which allowed Zhao Ji to fully utilize his talents.
Logically speaking, Zhao Ji could not be said to have wasted his life.
The problem is, Emperor Huizong of Song did not think so.
Emperor Huizong of Song (Zhao Ji) always harbored resentment over not being able to compete with Zhao Yu back then.
In Zhao Ji's mind, if he had been the emperor, even if he hadn't done as well as Zhao Yu, he wouldn't have been too far behind.
In that case, he would be the one enjoying the admiration of thousands.
A plot to usurp the throne?
Emperor Huizong of Song was not stupid. How could he not know that Zhao Yu had expanded the territory of the Song Dynasty countless times, and had done an excellent job in politics, economy, culture, education and medical care, and had more than three thousand sons? How could he possibly shake Zhao Yu's throne?
The key point is that even if Zhao Ji was arrogant, he knew that even if he had been the emperor, he could not have done a better job than Zhao Yu.
This made Zhao Ji dare not even think about competing with Zhao Yu.
Not competing with Zhao Yu does not mean that Zhao Ji has given up his ambition to become a monarch.
Emperor Huizong even thought that one day when he became the monarch, he wouldn't be as petty as Emperor Zhao Yu, who wanted artistry but didn't want to spend money, and even wanted to get things for free. He wouldn't be like Emperor Zhao Yu. When he built his palace, he insisted on using Taihu stones to build a garden, unlike Emperor Zhao Yu who used cheap reinforced concrete. He also wanted to build ten teahouses to serve his favorite tea, and he wanted to build Taoist temples all over the country...
Of course, Zhao Ji did not forget Zhao Yu's successful model. Domestically, he wanted to implement reforms, and externally, he wanted to wage wars to expand his territory...
In short, Zhao Ji longed to be a monarch and make a difference.
In any other dynasty, given that Zhao Yu had already become such a successful emperor, Zhao Ji certainly wouldn't have had the opportunity to become a monarch.
Fortunately, this is the Song Dynasty, specifically the Song Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Zhao Yu.
Now, it's clear to everyone that Zhao Yu intends to bestow titles upon his sons.
In fact, Zhao Yu had already "granted fiefs" to many of his sons in the royal continent, a number of island nations in Southeast Asia, and Kunjiao (Australia).
In this situation, as Zhao Yu's elder brother, especially one who had served Zhao Yu wholeheartedly for two or three decades, it shouldn't be a problem for him to ask for a small fiefdom and experience being a monarch, right?
Especially now that Zhao Yu is preparing to publicly bestow titles upon his sons.
Therefore, Zhao Ji has been actively trying to prove himself recently, and has volunteered to go to the battlefield with his son Zhao Huan to fight for the country.
Zhao Yu's stance has softened.
—It doesn't make sense. Zhao Yu only enfeoffed his sons and not his brothers. After all, even if Zhao Yu was just putting on a show, he had to be careful. If he only enfeoffed his sons and ignored his brothers, it would inevitably cause criticism in the court and among the people that he was "favoring his sons over his brothers and treating the imperial family poorly".
To put it bluntly, even though Zhao Yu was extremely powerful, he still had to consider the reputation of the imperial clan and public opinion at court. Zhao Ji grasped this point and wanted to realize his own dream.
Zhao Yu glanced at Zhao Ji, who was diligently painting and had put together a good banquet for all the emperors, and thought to himself, "Since you want to try, I'll find an opportunity to show you just how incompetent you are."
At this moment, Zhao Yu beckoned to Zhao Shou, who was sitting to his left.
Zhao Shou quickly approached: "I wonder why Father has summoned me here?"
Zhao Yu glanced at the people in Wan Guo City and smiled at them.
Yelü Yanxi and the others, who had been watching Zhao Yu's expression closely, seized the opportunity to toast Zhao Yu again, wishing him a successful western expedition and an early triumphant return.
Zhao Yu drank a cup with the people in Wan Guo City, then, with an unchanged smile, said to Zhao Shou, "If the situation changes, leave none of them alive." Hearing Zhao Yu's order, Zhao Shou's heart skipped a beat! He thought to himself, 'My father is ruthless!'
However, Zhao Shou thought again that if the people in Wanguo City were to escape, the consequences would indeed be unimaginable.
Therefore, if the Song Dynasty were to experience turmoil, these future troubles could not be left unresolved.
Having understood all this, Zhao Shou nodded heavily to Zhao Yu and said, "Your subject will remember Your Majesty's decree!"
After drinking with everyone for a while, Zhao Yu left.
—This was Zhao Yu's habit; he never allowed himself to be drunk.
Upon returning to the inner palace, Zhao Yu went straight to Empress Zheng's quarters to rest.
That evening, Zhao Yu refused the woman that Empress Zheng had arranged for him, and instead sent someone to summon Consort Wang Yisu. The three of them chatted about when they first met.
Over the years, Empress Zheng gave birth to seven children for Zhao Yu, and Consort Wang gave birth to eight children. No matter how many women Zhao Yu had, he never mistreated them.
Not only them, but their families also received numerous rewards.
Like Zheng Shen, the father of Empress Zheng, who was neither good at literature nor martial arts, but because he had such a good daughter as Empress Zheng, Zhao Yu not only gave him the high-ranking position of Jiedushi (military governor) but also granted him the title of Duke of Zheng. Empress Zheng's two brothers and several nephews also received generous promotions and rewards.
The saying "When one attains enlightenment, even one's chickens and dogs ascend to heaven" is entirely fitting for Empress Zheng.
Although Consort Wang's family was not as illustrious as Empress Zheng's family, they still benefited greatly from Consort Wang's influence.
Anyone would have to admit that Zhao Yu did justice to Empress Zheng and Consort Wang, and absolutely fulfilled the promise he made to them back then.
Zhao Yu even suggested that he could take Consort Wang, who was over forty years old, with him on the western expedition.
However, Consort Wang declined Zhao Yu's offer, saying that she wanted to stay and keep her sister company.
Zhao Yu knew that Empress Zheng and Consort Wang were very close sisters, so he did not force them.
That night, Zhao Yu shared a bed with Empress Zheng and Consort Wang, and the three of them talked a lot.
In a daze, the three of them seemed to have returned to the time when they first met twenty-eight years ago.
The following day, Empress Zheng organized a farewell party for Zhao Yu, attended by his concubines who had remained in Beijing.
Although Zhao Yu wanted to address the matter in a lighthearted manner, many of his concubines couldn't help but shed tears. They feared that after parting from Zhao Yu this time, they would never see him again in their lives.
To Zhao Yu's surprise, the empress Xiao Duoli Lan, whom he had taken back from Yelü Yanxi, the empress Qin Xian Heshilie of Wanyan Aguda, and the empress Wenzhen of Wang Yu, were all among those who shed tears.
'Looking at it this way, even women who are stolen aren't necessarily devoid of affection.'
Zhao Yu spent the entire day eating, drinking, and having fun with his concubines.
Zhao Yu played Werewolf with them, played cards with them, played Cuju (ancient Chinese football) with them, and talked to them.
Even late into the night, Zhao Yu did not take the initiative to part ways with them.
Later, it was Empress Zheng who spoke up, saying that the Emperor was about to go on a campaign and needed to rest well, which allowed everyone to disperse.
Before they left, Zhao Yu instructed the female officials to distribute the gold and paper money he had prepared to the concubines, so that each of them could receive a generous sum of money for their old age, ensuring that they would not suffer a miserable old age even without their own care.
Fearing that these women, accustomed to extravagance, would squander the money he had given them not long after he left, Zhao Yu specially left a large sum of money for Empress Zheng, asking her to take care of them for him.
In addition, each of them receives a considerable monthly salary.
Zhao Yu believed that even though he hadn't been by their side all these years, they were still able to have a fairly good life in their later years.
……
On the 16th day of the third month of the 27th year of the Hongwu reign, the sky was clear and blue.
Zhao Yu, accompanied by his more than 10,000 concubines and over 1,000 princes, boarded a train bound for Chang'an, the western capital, under the protection of the Shenji Army.
That's right.
We'll go to Shaanxi first.
Some people may wonder, wasn't Zhao Yu supposed to be leading a western expedition? Why didn't he just take a train to the border between the Western Regions and the Western Karakhanid Dynasty?
What a joke.
Given Zhao Yu's current status, how could he possibly take such a risk?
In fact, Zhao Yu's personal campaign was simply a matter of getting a little closer to the front lines.
The plan devised by Zhao Yu's entourage was for him to stay in Xijing for a period of time. Only after the Song army had destroyed the Western Karakhanid Dynasty would Zhao Yu be able to leave Yumen Pass. Even so, Zhao Yu only stayed in Yemili's temporary palace. Only when the Western Karakhanid Dynasty was completely out of danger would Zhao Yu truly leave the Song Dynasty.
To put it simply, despite all the preparations Zhao Yu made before his expedition, making it seem like he was in great danger, in reality, even if the front lines suffered a defeat, it certainly wouldn't affect Zhao Yu.
—Assuming a major defeat was suffered at the front and a full retreat ensued, Zhao Yu could return to Beijing by train in three days at most.
Someone might ask, "What if there are no trains?"
nonsense!
Zhao Yu wouldn't go to places without trains.
Take the Western Karakhanid Dynasty as an example. Even if the Song army had conquered it, all the resistance forces would have had to be eliminated. Without laying a railway there, Zhao Yu would not have gone there.
This is not only about a wise man not standing under a crumbling wall, but also about Zhao Yu's dislike of taking risks, and more importantly, his lack of need to take risks.
Furthermore, if a force of ten thousand men sees that they cannot defeat the Song army, and then tries to detour and behead them, wouldn't Zhao Yu be simply causing trouble for his own army?
Zhao Yu had no desire to become like Zhu Qizhen. Instead of leading a proper imperial expedition, he caused the Tumu Crisis, becoming a laughingstock nailed to the shelf of historical shame.
To put it simply, for Zhao Yu, this imperial expedition to the west was more like he had been living in Beijing for too long and was getting bored, so he wanted to change his residence and take the opportunity to appreciate the magnificent landscape of the Song Dynasty.
Hmm... this has a bit of the connotation of a modern-day sojourn lifestyle.
That's right, Zhao Yu's actions this time were a bit more significant.
Not counting the trains used by other armies, Zhao Yu's entourage alone used more than 200 trains, along with 100,000 fine horses, 100,000 soldiers, and tens of thousands of accompanying personnel.
Would doing this be like Emperor Qianlong's southern tours, which wasted resources and caused hardship for the people?
how come?
All of Zhao Yu's expenses on this trip, including the military pay for the expeditionary force, were actually paid by Zhao Yu himself. He did not use a single penny of the Song Dynasty's treasury.
Moreover, wherever Zhao Yu and his entourage went, including the soldiers of the expeditionary force, they had to pay money to buy even a needle or thread.
Furthermore, the soldiers' pay (including the salaries of their accompanying personnel) was extremely high. They also received expeditionary allowances and extra rewards after winning battles, which were paid immediately. Therefore, they were not short of money at all.
This meant that wherever Zhao Yu and his entourage went, they could stimulate local economic development.
This is similar to tourist cities in later generations. If no one goes there, who will they make money from?
...(End of chapter)