Chapter 10: The Son of Heaven

Funing Hall.

The Son of Heaven, Zhao Xu, who was bedridden, had already woken up.

He was extremely weak, his face as pale as paper.

Fortunately, the retired old imperial physician Sun Qi, who had served three generations of the Song dynasty, had been specially summoned.

He had a thorough understanding of Zhao Xu's physical condition.

Therefore, after the medicine was served by the imperial pharmacist and the decoction prescribed by Sun Qi was fed to him, his complexion improved somewhat, and he regained a bit of vitality.

Feeling a bit better, Zhao Xu tried hard to speak, but the brain tissue responsible for language, which had been damaged by a stroke, was already dead.

So, his lips moved, but he could only utter indistinct sounds.

Zhao Xu wanted to reach out and ask for paper and ink to write, but his hands were so weak that he couldn't even lift his wrists.

He could no longer write with his hand dipped in ink to convey his orders to those around him as he did at the beginning of the month.

But he refused to give up.

He was even unwilling to admit this fact.

He still tried hard to exert himself.

After nineteen years on the throne, he had never once wanted to give up the power in his hands.

As long as he still had a breath left, he would desperately cling to his power!

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang, seeing the Son of Heaven in this state, shed large tears.

"Son of Heaven..." Empress Xiang walked to the Son of Heaven's bedside, opened the Buddhist scripture she was holding, and had someone help her support the Son of Heaven, gently hugging her husband and showing him the scripture: "Look, this is the prayer scripture that Sixth Brother copied for you..."

Upon seeing the words in the scripture, the severely ill Zhao Xu finally managed to use a bit of strength. His eyelids lifted, and he strained to open his eyes, looking at the scripture.

He saw the neatly written characters.

Then, Zhao Xu gave Empress Xiang a deep look.

In his view, this scripture must have been copied by someone on Empress Xiang's behalf, using Sixth Brother's name.

A father knows his son best. Although Sixth Brother's handwriting was good among his peers, it was far from being so neat and well-written.

Why did Empress Xiang do this?

Doubts immediately arose in Zhao Xu's mind.

Does she think I can no longer recover?

So, is the Empress eager to hint and urge me to establish a successor?

Just like my father nineteen years ago?

Zhao Xu recalled the events of nineteen years ago.

The bedridden former emperor, like him, could not speak or walk, but he was better off, at least he could still write and use writing to command the government.

Zhao Xu remembered clearly that when he went to visit.

The former emperor did not show him a good face, and even showed obvious distance.

The reason was...

At that time, there were already ministers requesting the establishment of a successor!

So, when Zhao Xu left Funing Hall, his expression was very grim.

This was seen by the then Prime Minister Han Qi.

Han Qi then pulled Zhao Xu to a private place and said to him: "May the Son of Heaven never leave the Son of Heaven's side!"

Zhao Xu remembered clearly, and he nodded and said: "This is the duty of a son!"

But Han Qi shook his head and told him: "Not so!" Then Han Qi looked at him with deep meaning.

At that moment, Zhao Xu immediately understood the deep meaning in Han Qi's eyes.

From then on, he stayed in Funing Hall, never leaving day or night.

Even so, when the former emperor was on his deathbed, and Han Qi and Wen Yanbo repeatedly requested the establishment of a successor, problems still arose.

At that time, Wen Yanbo held a pen and paper, asking the former emperor to write to confirm his will.

The first time, the former emperor wrote: "Establish the Great Prince as the Crown Prince."

But the former emperor had three sons, all of whom were princes and could be respectfully called "Great Prince."

Han Qi, who was watching, had to request a clear imperial command.

The former emperor then reluctantly wrote: "Ying Prince Xu."

Zhao Xu thought that the matter would end there, but when Han Qi and Wen Yanbo, following the system, summoned the scholar Zhang Fangping to draft the edict for the establishment of the successor, another problem arose.

When the former emperor wrote to confirm, he only wrote: "Tomorrow, establish someone as the Crown Prince."

But the name of the Crown Prince was not clearly written, and Zhang Fangping could not identify it.

With no choice, Han Qi had to harden his resolve and continue, finally obtaining a clear imperial command: "Establish Ying Prince, the Great Prince, as the Crown Prince."

Only then was the establishment of the successor finally determined!

Zhao Xu was present at the time and witnessed everything.

He saw the former emperor's unwillingness and struggle clearly.

He also heard Han Qi and Wen Yanbo's whispered conversation as they left the hall.

"Did you see the Son of Heaven's appearance just now? At this stage of life, even father and son are like this?!"

"This is how state affairs are, there's nothing that can be done!"

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu inwardly mocked himself.

"I am no different from the former emperor!"

But in the face of power, where is there any father and son?

Thinking this, the dissatisfaction in Zhao Xu's heart finally dissipated.

Of course, he was still uncomfortable.

As the Son of Heaven who had ruled for nineteen years, he would never voluntarily give up his power until his last breath, until his last moment.

This is human nature!

Human nature that has been distorted by power!

At this moment, the voice of the inner chamber supervisor Zhang Maoze came from outside the curtain.

"Empress Dowager, Holy One, the chancellors have submitted a petition at the Inner East Gate, requesting to inquire about the Son of Heaven's health!"

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang exchanged a glance.

Then, Empress Xiang and the female official in charge of the medicine helped the Son of Heaven lie down again.

Empress Dowager Gao then said to Zhao Xu: "Son of Heaven, I and the Empress will temporarily leave the hall. After the ministers have inquired, we will come to see you again!"

Zhao Xu nodded.

Empress Xiang then bowed to her husband and followed Empress Dowager Gao to the side hall behind the east wing of Funing Hall.

The Song dynasty governed the world together with the literati.

As the other half of the rulers of the world, the literati always kept a close watch, vigilantly preventing any interference in state affairs by relatives, eunuchs, or military officers.

They would strike down any who dared to interfere!

No leniency!

On this point, the old and new parties were in agreement!

During the Zhiping era, the emperor and empress were not on good terms, and the Empress Dowager once ruled behind the curtain. What was the result?

Prime Minister Han Qi and Wen Yanbo, with unprecedented firmness, forced the Empress Dowager to withdraw from power.

Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Xiang were both witnesses to this.

Especially Empress Dowager Gao, who clearly saw how the prime ministers led the officials to force the Empress Dowager back to Baoci Palace.

The Empress Dowager and Empress wanted to rule behind the curtain? Fine!

But only according to precedent!

What precedent?

The precedent of Empress Zhangxian ruling behind the curtain and raising Emperor Renzong!

Otherwise, the whole world would oppose it!

Therefore, since the founding of the Song dynasty, there has never been a situation where relatives, eunuchs, or military officers held too much power.

The literati had tamed these overbearing forces that had once dominated the Han and Tang dynasties.

Even with the great military achievements of the eunuch Qin Han, the literati would not agree to give him the title of a regular military governor.

Even with the great achievements of the general Di Qing, he could not protect his beloved general in front of the literati.

Except for Empress Zhangxian Mingzhu, who was a special case, no one in the Song dynasty had ever been able to take power from the Son of Heaven.

And Empress Zhangxian Mingzhu could hold power only because the young Son of Heaven could not rule, so she ruled behind the curtain as the Empress Mother, exercising the power of the Son of Heaven on his behalf.

So, as Emperor Renzong grew, the calls for Empress Zhangxian to withdraw from power became irresistible.

When Empress Dowager Gao reached the door of the side hall, she suddenly turned around and asked Empress Xiang: "I heard that the Fifth Princess fell ill with a high fever last night. Thanks to the Empress's order to the Imperial City Office, which had the eunuch Liu Weijian stand by outside the De Fei Pavilion, the physician Qian Yi was able to enter the palace quickly and treat the princess?"

"This is what I did at Sixth Brother's request, out of necessity!" Empress Xiang hurriedly bowed to Empress Dowager Gao and confessed: "I was negligent and did not seek your permission, which is my fault!"

Negligent?

Empress Dowager Gao did not quite believe it!

But the Xiang family, to which Empress Xiang belonged, and the Gao family, to which Empress Dowager Gao belonged, as well as the Cao family of the late Empress Dowager Cishi Guangxian, had been close and intermarried since the reign of Emperor Zhenzong.

Otherwise, Empress Dowager Cishi would not have chosen Empress Xiang.

So, Empress Dowager Gao did not hold this against her.

She only wanted Empress Xiang's attitude.

Empress Dowager Gao then helped Empress Xiang up and said: "What the Empress did was right!"

"Now that the Son of Heaven is ill, and I am old, all other matters, including the affairs of the princes and princesses, can only rely on the Empress's care!"

"In the future, if similar matters arise, the Empress may take charge of the Six Palaces and handle them without seeking my permission!"

Empress Xiang's alarm bells immediately rang.

As the Empress, she knew very well that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Now, Empress Dowager Gao was giving her the authority to manage the Six Palaces.

Was she using the power of the Six Palaces to exchange for her non-interference in the outer court?

If it were in the past, Empress Xiang would not even want the nominal authority to manage the Six Palaces.

But now...

Thinking of how Sixth Brother held her yesterday.

Empress Xiang, like a protective mother leopard, lifted her head and faced her aunt.

"Your Majesty..." Empress Xiang replied neither too soft nor too hard: "How can a wife take charge of the inner affairs while the aunt is still present?"

"Right now, I only wish to pray to the gods and Buddhas for the Son of Heaven's quick recovery and for Sixth Brother to grow up healthy..."

"Beyond this, I have no other thoughts!"

Empress Dowager Gao looked at Empress Xiang, at the daughter of the Xiang family, and finally sighed: "If so, then the Empress should take good care of Sixth Brother!"

"I will follow Your Majesty's command!"

(End of Chapter)