Chapter 19

…

"Are we really going to teach Zhao Yu that kind of thing?!!!"

Yuan Qingcheng stared at Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao, eyes wide, as if saying: "You've gone mad wanting to leave this place—even willing to do something like this?!!!"

Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao froze for a moment!

Realizing Yuan Qingcheng had misunderstood, Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao's face instantly flushed crimson, then the red surged down her neck, raced downward, and finally stained all the way to her heels!

Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao punched Yuan Qingcheng hard with a tiny fist: "What are you thinking?!?! I meant—Pure Sister already made contact with Zhao Yu, so can't we use that as an excuse to get out of here? Who said anything about teaching Zhao Yu that kind of thing? Oh my goodness! ~"

Yuan Qingcheng suddenly realized she'd made a huge mistake and grew utterly embarrassed; she hurried to salvage it: "If… if you put it that way, this really is a good opportunity. Fine, you keep watching for me a bit longer—I'll go find Pure Sister. She might meet Zhao Yu again soon; let's see if we can seize this chance."

Saying this, Yuan Qingcheng fled as if escaping a fire.

Soon, Yuan Qingcheng found Zhang Chun again and told her Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao's idea.

Zhang Chun's eyes lit up: "This is even better than my perfect script! If I'm chosen, with my beauty and talent, I'll surely bewitch Zhao Yu, make him bow at my feet, and become the first woman to bear his child. Then, what's left of Empress Zheng Xiansu? What of Consort Yi Su? All of them can wait behind me. With just a little trick, who knows whose Wang Fei seat this will end up being?"

Though ecstatic inside, Zhang Chun spoke calmly: "This idea is good—I'll discuss it with Zhao Yu later…"

…

Zhao Yu first briefly settled with Empress Dowager the specific details and timing of his marriage to Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu.

For the former, Zhao Yu merely stated he wished to make Zheng Xiansu his Wang Fei and Wang Yisu his concubine; everything else was left entirely to Empress Dowager's discretion.

For the latter, Zhao Yu also said it was entirely up to Empress Dowager.

In this era, betrothal was called the "Six Rites," including Na Cai, Wen Ming, Na Ji, Na Zheng, Qing Qi, and Qin Ying—steps that typically took months, even a year, to complete.

That meant, for now, Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu could not yet marry into the Wang Fu; they would remain under Empress Dowager's care.

Moreover, during this period, Zhao Mao, Yangguo Princess, and Zhao Xu had all passed away, which might further delay Zhao Yu's wedding.

Thus, for Zhao Yu, time was sufficient—he didn't need to fight for more.

Notably, Empress Dowager suggested Zhao Yu also marry Guo Ting, making her a concubine like Wang Yisu.

This was a reward for Guo Cheng's great victory over the Xia army—a promise long agreed upon by Empress Dowager and Zhao Xu; the Guo family had already heard rumors, and they couldn't afford to deceive them, lest Guo Cheng defect to Xia and give Zhao Xu and Liu Qingjing grounds to attack Empress Dowager and Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu guessed Guo Ting was likely the original host's Wang Fei, Lady Guo; since he had inherited the original host's everything, one more woman didn't matter.

Besides, though the Guo family wasn't as powerful as the Zhong, Yao, Zhe, Yang, or Liu clans, it was still a mid-to-large military family of the Western Army.

Also, Guo Ting had a younger brother named Guo Hao, one of the "Three Great Generals of Shu" in early Southern Song, who historically aided Wu Jie win the Great Victory at Shangyuan.

Seen this way, the Guo family had some value.

Crucially, whether Zhao Yu married Guo Ting wasn't his decision—it was Empress Dowager's. Her asking his opinion was merely giving him face, not because she needed it.

How could Zhao Yu be ungrateful?

So Zhao Yu immediately agreed.

Then, Zhao Yu and Empress Dowager discussed how to deal with Liu Qingjing and how to respond to possible retaliation from Liu Qingjing and the New Party.

Both agreed that, because Zhao Yu had threatened to overturn Meng Xiang's case, neither Zhao Xu nor Liu Qingjing would dare act rashly in the short term; but with Zhao Mao still alive, Zhao Xu would eventually make Liu Qingjing Empress—this could not be stopped.

Fortunately, because Zhao Yu had shown the boldness of "I'll risk my life to drag the Emperor down," even if Liu Qingjing became Empress, she would likely dare not touch Empress Dowager for a long time.

In truth, Empress Dowager's worry had never been the present—it was always the future.

On this point, Zhao Yu kept silent, saying nothing about how the future was truly no concern; instead, he went along with Empress Dowager—they could only wait and see, then respond as events unfolded.

After finishing official matters, Zhao Yu did not leave immediately but stayed to have a meal with Empress Dowager.

During the meal, Zhao Yu did not remain silent while eating; instead, he used the opportunity to discuss with Empress Dowager the many problems facing the Zhao Song dynasty, the errors of the New Party's reforms, solutions to these issues, and Zhao Song's neighboring states—Liao, Western Xia, Qingtang Tubo, Goryeo, Japan, Dali, Li, Champa, and Angkor.

When speaking of Zhao Song's problems and the New Party's reform errors, Zhao Yu dissected each issue with piercing insight; every word was like a sharp blade, precisely slicing open Zhao Song's outwardly glorious yet rotten body, striking straight to the core.

And unlike Zhao Ji's flowery rhetoric, literary flair, and empty idealism.

Wherever Zhao Yu spoke, he cited classics and historical facts, tightly linking theory with reality; every solution he proposed was both forward-looking and feasible, as if each were a Jin Yuliangyan born of deep deliberation.

When discussing whether reform was necessary, Zhao Yu was nothing like Zhao Ji's evasiveness. Zhao Ji wanted reform too, yet always echoed Empress Dowager's words. Zhao Yu, however, clearly stated that Zhao Song, plagued by internal turmoil and external threats, could not endure long without innovation and change.

Yet Zhao Yu also said reform must be carried out with proper methods—absolutely not like the New Party's chaotic meddling.

Most importantly, Zhao Yu wasn't just shouting slogans—he presented practical, compelling solutions that moved Empress Dowager, and crucially, he explained the reasons behind them clearly.

Why reform?

Not because the people couldn't survive—but because the court had no money.

Why did the court have no money?

Because taxes were too heavy, crushing the people; in good years they barely scraped by, but in famine years or during war, their lives became unbearable—so they preferred fleeing to mountain valleys, becoming tenant farmers for local magnates, or becoming refugees, rather than remain registered households paying taxes, for they simply couldn't afford it.

Meanwhile, wealthy families, scholar-official clans, and powerful landlords paid no taxes—or evaded them through countless means.

Zhao Yu quoted Zhu Xi: "The rich own more land but pay less tax, further fueling land consolidation… suffering and ease are unequal; both public and private suffer harm, undermining the state's ability to govern with benevolence—day by day, worsening without end."

Added to this, ancestral policy refused to curb land consolidation.

Result: the court grew poorer, while high officials, scholar-official clans, and powerful families grew richer.

This had severely undermined Zhao Song's rule.

Therefore, reform was essential—and to reform, one must address the root cause…

When speaking of Zhao Song's greatest enemy, Liao, Zhao Yu analyzed not only its formidable military strength and nomadic resilience, but also its internal contradictions and power struggles, predicting its long-term risk of civil unrest;

Regarding Western Xia, Zhao Yu frankly summarized the clear, thorough reasons for Zhao Song's repeated failures in campaigns against it, while also highlighting Western Xia's narrow territory and impoverished population, and stressing the importance of Hengshan;

As for Qingtang Tubo, Zhao Yu approached from the angle of religious influence, analyzing its potential impact on political stability and foreign policy, offering unique insights;

On Goryeo and Japan, Zhao Yu used maritime trade as a starting point, emphasizing the importance of opening the Maritime Silk Road to strengthen national power and promote cultural exchange;

For distant states like Dali, Li, Champa, and Angkor, he could effortlessly analyze their geopolitical significance and potential direct or indirect effects on Zhao Song.

Zhao Yu's words combined profound historical insight with sharp foresight for the future, and crucially, genuine, incisive understanding of current conditions across all sectors.

Empress Dowager's face remained calm, but inside, a storm raged! She never imagined this cheap son she had long ignored possessed such profound insight and exceptional talent.

Empress Dowager had assumed Zhao Yu was like many other Imperial Princes—spending his days drinking and reveling, indifferent to state affairs.

Even when Zhao Yu fiercely rebuked Liu Qingjing and openly defied Zhao Xu, she had merely thought he was more filial than other princes.

Only at this moment, watching Zhao Yu command the realm, did Empress Dowager Xiang truly feel a bit dazed: "Is this the child I raised? When did he become so outstanding?!!!"

Empress Dowager Xiang instinctively compared Zhao Ji—the most capable fighter among the princes—against Zhao Yu, and discovered: Zhao Ji could only surpass Zhao Yu in qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song; in every other respect, Zhao Yu could utterly crush Zhao Ji.

This was exactly the effect Zhao Yu wanted. He meant to tell Empress Dowager Xiang, who cared so deeply about the future of the Zhao Song Dynasty: I'm no good at art, but when it comes to being Emperor and governing a country, Zhao Ji is no good…

……

(End of this chapter)