Chapter 596: Duke of Yi

Latest URL: A round red sun slowly rose from the edge of the sea in Leting County.

Amidst the rosy clouds, Zhao Xu and Zhao Heng's party headed toward Yancheng.

After more than two days, they arrived at Yancheng.

Zhao Xu arranged for Zhao Heng and Mi Fei to stay in a detached residence in Yancheng.

Building an Imperial Palace for Zhao Heng was impossible; it would be too taxing on the people and drain the treasury, a burden he could not afford.

Historically, many emperors of various dynasties had exhausted their national treasuries by building palaces.

Therefore, he simply selected an exquisite and timeless residence, roughly the same size as the Prince's Mansion, to give to Zhao Heng as a detached residence for his life in Yanzhou.

Zhao Heng was quite satisfied with this.

Compared to the dilapidated residence in Leting County, this one was not inferior to the mansions of some officials in Jinling.

Besides this, he also allocated some maidservants to the detached residence.

Among these maidservants were eyes from the Four Courts, who would monitor Zhao Heng's words and actions.

In addition to Zhao Heng, he also arranged a courtyard for the Prince of Chun and the Princess of Chun.

For those two, he had Xu Ke send more people to monitor them closely.

With everything arranged properly, Zhao Xu recalled one matter and requested an Imperial Edict from Zhao Heng.

"Father Emperor, this son knows that Father Emperor was forced by the powerful clans and had no choice but to exile Old General Yang to Yanzhou, all to preserve his life. Now, it is time to restore Old General Yang's reputation."

In the main hall of the detached residence, Zhao Heng was changing his clothes under the service of Liang Cheng.

Upon hearing this, he said, "Yes, yes, Liang Cheng, fetch the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and issue an edict for the Yan Wang to take."

Responding with an acknowledgement, Liang Cheng went out for a while, and before long, returned carrying the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Zhao Heng wrote for a while on the silk cloth, stamped it with the seal he had brought out of the Imperial Palace, and handed it to Liang Cheng.

Holding the Imperial Edict, Liang Cheng arrived at Zhao Xu's side, flashed a fawning smile at Zhao Xu, and said, "Your Highness, please accept the Imperial Edict."

"Many thanks, Liang Chief Steward."

Zhao Xu said.

Although in his eyes, Zhao Heng was now just a mascot.

He still had to perform the superficial courtesies.

Like every ancient dynasty, the Great Song also placed great importance on filial piety.

Since he was the Yan Wang, he was the role model for Yanzhou.

If news of him treating Zhao Heng poorly reached the common people, it would cause a very bad influence.

It would also make people question his character.

After all, the common people did not know how damaging this Great Song Emperor had been to himself back then.

"Your Highness is too polite. In the future in Yanzhou, I will have to rely on Your Highness for much care." Liang Cheng bowed slightly.

Zhao Xu nodded, "Easy to say, easy to say."

Having said that, he took the Imperial Edict and went out the door, heading straight to find Yang Feng.

After Zhao Xu left, Zhao Heng and Liang Cheng both breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Heng said, "I really bet correctly this time. In the entire Great Song, only Yanzhou is safe for me. Compared to the other Imperial Princes, the Yan Wang is truly a man of upright character."

"Indeed, but Your Majesty must remember what you said when you arrived: just eating, drinking, and having fun in Yanzhou is enough; definitely do not think of anything else," Liang Cheng said. "Although the Yan Wang is a man of upright character, judging by his consistent style of doing things, he is also someone who cannot tolerate sand in his eyes."

Zhao Heng sighed, "I still know my own weight. The Yan Wang has managed Yanzhou into such a state and has even taken Ningjin Dusi. Not to mention that I am now a lone man, even if I were in Jinling and the powerful clans were respectful to me, I fear I still could not afford to provoke the Yan Wang."

Liang Cheng nodded lightly and smiled, "That's right."

On this side, Zhao Xu left the detached residence and headed toward the courtyard where Yang Feng lived.

Halfway there, he was caught up by Xu Ke.

Panting heavily, Xu Ke said, "Your Highness, the Dou Family has established a state in Xiangcheng. Dou Wei supported the Third Prince in ascending the throne as Emperor and even established a national title called Southern Liang."

"Southern Liang?" Zhao Xu frowned.

The Liang Dynasty was a dynasty before the Great Song; the founding emperor of the Liang Dynasty had raised his army from Xiangcheng to seize the world.

Dou Wei setting the national title as Southern Liang, it seems he wants to emulate the Liang Dynasty emperor in vying for the world.

"The current Zhao Mu is no longer called Zhao Mu, but Dou Mu. He is also not the Third Prince of the Great Song, but the biological son of Dou Wei." Zhao Xu corrected Xu Ke's way of addressing him, then continued, "Do the other families have any movements?"

"After Xiao Cheng led his troops to withdraw from Jinling, Xie Duan led the Xie Family's troops to occupy Jinling City and is currently pacifying the people of Jinling," Xu Ke continued. "After Han Zheng returned to Lu City, he went to the Dongying Huiguan in Qingcheng. Wang Zi'an returned to Yecheng, but there has been no movement."

Finally, he said, "Fan Xinglun and Liang Kai went to Lincheng together; I wonder what their intentions are?"

"Fan Xinglun went to Lincheng?" Zhao Xu's brows knit together.

This Fan Family has always been very low-key in the imperial court.

Now that the Great Song is in chaos, he has gone to Lincheng; he must have some scheme.

However, Jiangnan is too far from Yanzhou, and he is currently somewhat unable to reach it.

Regarding this, he could only let Xu Ke continue to keep watch.

After hearing Xu Ke's report, he headed toward Yang Feng's courtyard again.

Currently, the Xie Family, Liang Cheng, and others have not made any moves; this is not because he and Mi Zhuang miscalculated, but because everything needs a period of time to ferment.

The Xie Family's troops have now entered Jinling.

He does not believe that Xie Duan can resist when facing the Dragon Throne in the Imperial Palace.

For now, just as he, Liu Fu, and Chang Wei discussed, he still has to observe the situation for the time being.

Thinking along the way, he arrived at Yang Feng's residence.

At this time, Yang Feng was drawing water by the well in the courtyard.

Seeing this, Zhao Xu couldn't help but call out, "Duke of Yi."

This sound gave Yang Feng a start, and the bucket in Yang Feng's hand couldn't help but fall to the bottom of the well, making a *plop* sound.

"Your Highness, why have you come?" Yang Feng wiped his hands, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Since the Ningjin Battle, he had held Yan Wang in the highest esteem.

In his heart, he admired Zhao Xu with the utmost reverence.

For the Yang Family, the significance of Ningjin Dusi was different from that for others.

Because Ningjin Dusi had been lost in the hands of the Yang Family.

Now that Yan Wang had personally taken back Ningjin Dusi, he harbored a sense of gratitude in his heart.

"Haha, this King has come to congratulate the Duke of Yi." Zhao Xu laughed and took out the Imperial Edict, "Yang Feng, receive the edict."

Yang Feng was startled, but upon catching sight of the seal on the Imperial Edict, he immediately knelt down.

Zhao Xu smiled slightly and read the Imperial Edict aloud once.

In the Imperial Edict, Zhao Heng frankly admitted that he had been coerced by the powerful clans, and now that he had arrived in Yanzhou, he would repent and restore Yang Feng to the title of Duke of Yi.

"Yang Feng accepts the order, long live our Emperor." Yang Feng took the Imperial Edict, his eyes slightly red.

Realizing something, he asked, "The Emperor has come to Yanzhou?"

Zhao Xu nodded and then recounted the events of the Jinling upheaval.

After listening, Yang Feng remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh and said, "This day has finally come."

Looking toward Zhao Xu, he said, "However, I must thank Your Highness this time for still thinking of this old man."

Zhao Xu shrugged, "Actually, this King was also entrusted by someone who did not want him to be distracted, so he could focus on dealing with the Northern Di."

"Who?" Yang Feng was puzzled; he could not think of anyone else who could make Yan Wang grant such a favor.

"Yang Zhen." Zhao Xu did not keep him in suspense any longer.

Yang Feng became even more confused, "This old man does know there is someone named Yang Zhen in Your Highness's army, but he has no relation to me, we just share the same surname, so why go to such lengths?"

Zhao Xu's lips curled upward, "Could it be that this Yang Zhen is not the old general's son who has been missing for over ten years?"

"Clack!" A sudden crisp sound rang out.

Zhao Xu turned his head to look outside the courtyard gate and saw Yang Susu standing there, looking delicate and pretty.

The pottery jar on the ground had shattered into several pieces.