[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty":3,"chapter-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-49":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Literary Genius in the Song Dynasty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2336432,4568,"Chapter 49: Was Taizu Not a Loyal Minister to Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou?","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-49",49,"\u003Cp>The Mohe Pond in summer lay steeped in sultry heat, yet a cool mist floated upon its surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The willow branches hung so low that their tips occasionally brushed the water, stirring faint ripples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, lotus blooms were in full glory, stretching endlessly across the horizon, making the lake water appear even greener; occasionally, a fish leapt, its scales flashing once before vanishing beneath the surface, leaving only a few delicate bubbles rising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping and Zhao Bian sat on the lakeside rock ledge, fishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rock was baked hot; sitting on it initially felt unbearable, but after a while it became quite comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their fishing rods were made of purple bamboo, their tips slightly bent, lines dangling into the water, the floats utterly still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half-drowsy, Zhang Fangping squinted toward the distance, where several white herons stood atop the remaining Taihu stones, the stones entwined with algae like wrapped in filthy green felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The fish have all hidden under the lotus leaves,” he muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Zhao Bian’s forehead glistened with sweat, his robe’s back soaked through, yet he sat perfectly upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a whirlpool formed on the water’s surface; the float plunged sharply. Zhang Fangping jerked his rod—but caught nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, you—how can you catch a big fish with such impatience?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Bian laughed, pulling a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fishing line still hung quietly, its reflection in the water tangled with the willow shadows; a dragonfly skimmed past, playfully tapping the line, its wings shaking loose tiny droplets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can I not be impatient?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping stood and stepped into the shade: “Forget it—I’m not fishing anymore. I’ll watch you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can I catch anything myself?” Zhao Bian said helplessly. “Zhang Xianggong! You’re the one who must do it. How long can you hide in the shade?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping let out a long sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since there was no one around—and indeed, no one on the entire Huxindao—he simply disregarded propriety and squatted on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I truly wish I could hide in Chengdu forever and never return. Since the Son of Heaven fell suddenly ill in January, he’s been bedridden; even Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi, temporarily holding power, can’t stabilize things—the court remains in chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not chaos because the Son of Heaven is bedridden,” Zhao Bian said bluntly. “His old ailment has kept him bedridden for years—what difference does it make now? The storm is coming because the heir has not been named, and the foundation of the state is unstable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Zhang Fangping troubled and silent, Zhao Bian asked: “What do the two men in the Political Affairs Council think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else could they think? Obviously, they want to name Zhao Zongshi as heir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Zongshi was the son of Prince Pu, Zhao Yunrang; because Emperor Renzong had no sons, Zhao Zongshi was adopted as a child and raised in the palace, later becoming Emperor Yingzong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But an adopted son is not one’s own flesh and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Emperor Renzong was now old and frequently ill, he still could not bring himself to name his adopted son heir—he still clung to the hope of fathering a biological son. This was natural: even common families, if they had any hope, would not let an adopted child inherit their estate, let alone Emperor Renzong, who must pass on the vast Song empire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Emperor Renzong’s concerns were reasonable: after his death, whether he would even be honored as “Imperial Father” would depend on others’ favor—Han Qi had already advised Yingzong to posthumously honor his biological father, Prince Pu, as “Imperial Father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This became the famous “Pu Debate” of Song history, raging for a full year and a half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Yingzong’s move had its reasons: in Baoyuan Second Year, after Emperor Renzong’s biological son, Prince Yu, was born, Zhao Zongshi—who had been raised as a son since childhood—was expelled from the palace and returned to his biological father, Zhao Yunrang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in Qingli Third Year, Prince Yu died young—four full years had passed in between.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this, how could Zhao Zongshi possibly feel like a true son to Emperor Renzong? Naturally, Emperor Renzong also grew distant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Emperor Renzong’s lack of a biological son had indeed caused many troubles over the years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, several years ago, the “Fake Prince Case”: a young man named Leng Qing openly proclaimed in Kaifeng that he was Emperor Renzong’s lost prince, producing a dragon-and-phoenix baby bodysuit as proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The incident stirred uproar in the capital; upon hearing of it, Emperor Renzong ordered the Prefect of Kaifeng, Qian Mingyi, to investigate—but Qian dared not touch it. Eventually, Bao Zheng took over the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bao Zheng, through repeated investigation of Leng Qing’s background and evidence, proved that Leng Qing’s mother’s time of leaving the palace conflicted with the timing of her pregnancy—Leng Qing could not be the prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the case was closed, it still sparked rampant rumors among the common people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Added to this, Emperor Renzong himself had endured the “Fox Replaces Prince” case, and now faced such turmoil in his old age—it was truly tragic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But back to the present: the scholar-officials cared nothing for these matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the scholar-officials, whether the heir was Emperor Renzong’s biological son mattered little; what mattered was naming one quickly, lest the Son of Heaven fall gravely ill and another Chenqiao Incident unfold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And speaking of the Chenqiao Incident—the scholar-officials could not help but recall the mighty Song war god, now at the pinnacle of military power: the Grand Secretary of the Bureau of Military Affairs, Di Qing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What of the man in the Bureau of Military Affairs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He has no stance. How could he have one? How could he dare?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping smiled: “Di Qing isn’t a fool. He’s already at the center of the storm—how many years has it been since Song produced such a glorious military figure? If he dares to suggest naming an heir now, what will the Son of Heaven, who raised him to this position, think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“True.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Bian nodded. Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi, when they suggested naming an heir—whether secretly or openly—were speaking as seasoned statesmen; even if the Son of Heaven disliked it, he could understand—or rather, he must pretend to understand, because this was not their personal view, but the consensus of the scholar-officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the worst case, Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi were already chancellors; even if a new emperor ascended, their positions would hardly change—the Song empire would never fall into their hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when they hint at anything, the court and realm will only believe the chancellors act with pure loyalty, free of self-interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Di Qing is different: to the world, if Emperor Renzong dies, the Song empire might truly fall into his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Wen Yanbo had already uttered the damning remark—“If we speak of loyal ministers, was Taizu not a loyal minister to Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the ailing Emperor Renzong, as his health first declined, his view of Di Qing—deeply beloved by the army—grew complex: emotionally, he did not wish to lose this beloved general; yet for the sake of the Song empire, he could not ignore Di Qing’s potential threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think?” Zhao Bian asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I dare not think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping gave a self-deprecating smile: “Didn’t I suffer enough from the Zhang Guifei affair?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Bian grew solemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the “Fake Prince Case,” in Qingli Eighth Year, Kaifeng had witnessed another major scandal: the famous “Qingli Palace Incident.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fangping had actually lost his post as Commissioner of the Three Departments because of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1275,"2026-06-20T21:44:14.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3d97725139a2e9b28e28e492c5ec5758a53e174692128a0da69bd26527aa81b0","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-50","a-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-chapter-48",56,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-literary-genius-in-the-song-dynasty-cover.jpg"]