Chapter 489: Great King Zhang Becomes a Foster Father Again

A beauty seen on television or in a video, and a beauty seen in real life, are two completely different experiences.

Zhang Zhao had actually felt this difference before he transmigrated.

When you saw some Dilraba, Gulinazha, Marza... er, that kind of beauty on TV, although you found them pleasing to the eye, you felt it was nothing all that special.

But in real life, the feeling is utterly different.

Before transmigrating, because he shot ancient-style videos and needed to find models, Zhang Zhao had come into contact with a few top-tier little beauties, and the feeling was completely unlike seeing them on screen.

When a beauty of that level stands before you, the impact is enormous.

A flawless face, every frown and smile, a faint delicate fragrance and a soft, lovely voice — they could truly steal a man's soul away.

At least back then, Zhang Zhao could never resist sneaking a glance at them from time to time.

In this era, Zhang Zhao felt this even more strongly. However, among his consorts, apart from Lady Cao Sanniang, Yannai, and his young aunt Li Ruoliu, none of the rest could really be counted as peerless beauties.

To be precise, the only one who could be counted as a peerless beauty was Lady Cao Sanniang.

But after all, Sanniang was so much older than Zhang Zhao. After risking her life to bear him a daughter, her looks and figure gradually began to change, and now she existed as the capable helpmate and female advisor at Zhang Zhao's side.

Therefore, when Zhang Zhao first met this woman known as the foremost beauty of the Five Dynasties, the Royal Consort Wang who was called "Flowers Hide for Shame," there really were a few seconds when he could not quite pull his eyes back.

The woman before him had extremely fair skin, and her features were exquisitely refined. Even though she had deliberately worn a somewhat bulky padded jacket and skirt, it still could not conceal her full, curving figure, alluring front and back.

More importantly, this woman possessed a quiet, elegant, intellectual beauty. She was not the "little beauty" type, but rather gave one the feeling of a warm, understanding older sister.

In later ages, she would have been the absolute top configuration of a highly educated, mature beauty.

By contrast, Li Congyi was far less remarkable. The young man was not bad-looking, but his whole bearing gave off a frail, weak feeling, like a pika warily foraging on the grassland.

He Ning, meanwhile, was roughly as Zhang Zhao had imagined: a typical Central Plains scholar's attire, slightly graying hair kept very neat, giving one a sense of great rigor and steadiness.

Flowers Hide for Shame was also secretly observing Zhang Zhao. This Great King Zhang, whose fame spread far and wide, was nothing at all like the savage, burly man she had imagined. Instead, he had sword-like brows and bright eyes, thick brows and large eyes. Though he could not be called especially handsome, he was very pleasant to look at over time.

Looking at Zhang Zhao, Flowers Hide for Shame suddenly thought of someone — the Emperor of the Zhuang Temple, who was then in Jinyang.

Back then, that hero of the realm, Li Yazi, had actually been extremely similar to Great King Zhang in bearing.

Could it be that every accomplished, ambitious lord was supposed to look like this?

The scene fell silent for a second or two, and then Zhang Zhao beckoned to Li Congyi, signaling for him to come over.

Li Congyi first glanced at his adoptive mother, Royal Consort Wang, and only after she nodded did he cautiously walk toward Zhang Zhao.

Guo Tiance, at Zhang Zhao's side, personally brought over a small brocade stool and placed it almost level with Zhang Zhao.

Only, this brocade stool was much smaller, and combined with Li Congyi's terrified appearance, he did not look like a scion of the Great Dynasty's bloodline, but rather somewhat resembled Zhang Zhao's second son, Zhang Xianyu.

With a somewhat emotional tone, Zhang Zhao said to Li Congyi: "In years past, in Shazhou, we descendants of the Guiyi Army, we sons of Tang of Hexi, Longyou, and Anxi, longed day and night to reconnect with our motherland and return to the Great Dynasty.

But fate plays cruel tricks. By the time we could return east, the Central Plains had already become the realm of the Jin.

To offer a heart of pure loyalty to those who sold out the nation for their own gain — all of us in Great Liang, high and low, truly could not accept it willingly.

Therefore, after returning to the nation, we established ourselves independently again. It was truly a measure of last resort. Although I style myself Great King of Great Liang, my heart of returning to the Great Dynasty has never changed."

Had he been a normal prince, upon hearing Zhang Zhao say this, he should have immediately responded.

"The lord of Jin has lost his virtue, and the realm has been overturned. Why does the Great King not march east, drive out the barbarians, and revive the Great Dynasty?"

Or said something like: "How can the Khitan barbarians be worthy of occupying the Central Plains? The Great King, descendant of loyal ministers, should raise a righteous army and march east to punish tyranny and comfort the people."

However, Li Congyi had been only a few years old when his father Li Siyuan died, and he had never received this kind of education.

Moreover, he was not a particularly clever sort, so he simply did not grasp Zhang Zhao's meaning at all.

He could only look at Zhang Zhao somewhat fearfully, nod his head forcefully twice, and put on an expression as if he very much sympathized with and approved of Zhang Zhao's words.

He Ning could not bear to watch any longer. He coughed once, stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said.

"The Great King has righteously returned to the nation, and his loyal heart is known to all under heaven. Now that the barbarians have invaded the Central Plains, this is a moment of life and death for us sons of Tang. For the sake of the common people of the realm, this outer minister earnestly begs the Great King to send troops at once and drive out the northern barbarians."

Now that was the standard of a proper politician. Zhang Zhao nodded, then shook his head.

"The loyalty of the men of my Great Liang toward the Great Dynasty can be witnessed by the sun and sky. It is only a pity that we are, after all, ministers guarding the frontier for the nation, and it is not proper for us to rashly send troops into the Central Plains.

Although I myself know that entering the Central Plains would truly be to save the common people of the realm, if there were one or two ill-intentioned sorts who slandered me, saying that my punishing tyranny and comforting the people was actually a seizure of the Central Plains, we would have no way to prove ourselves, and I fear we would bear that undeserved infamy!"

In He Ning's heart, it was as if ten thousand grass-mud horses galloped past.

The military governors and army bosses of this age were far too unrestrained, but this Great King of Great Liang was truly far too proper and rule-abiding!

No! Suddenly, a flash of lightning went through He Ning's mind. This was not rule-abiding. Great King Zhang wanted it all!

He wanted the thousand-li rivers and mountains, he wanted the name of benevolence and righteousness, and he still wanted to be a loyal minister and filial son!

This was truly... somewhat formidable (shameless).

Sure enough, before He Ning could speak, Zhang Zhao looked at Li Congyi with delight.

"But Heaven has taken pity. The heavens above have not, after all, forgotten our hearts of returning to the nation. Now that His Highness the Prince of Xu has come here, he is truly a sovereign bestowed by Heaven. I, Zhang Zhao, am willing to lead the hundred thousand mighty troops of Liang and honor the Prince of Xu as my lord."

Thud!

Li Congyi, who was being gazed at with delight by Zhang Zhao, was so frightened that he knocked over the brocade stool. He suddenly knelt before Zhang Zhao, tears already falling.

Although Li Congyi was not particularly clever, he did understand what power meant.

Never mind that his family's Later Tang no longer existed — even if it still did, he was merely the youngest brother, ranked last, and obtaining the title of Prince of Xu was already the ceiling of his noble rank.

With a status like his, how would he dare accept Zhang Zhao's offer to honor him as lord?

Was he tired of living, looking for a living Cao Cao to amuse himself with?

Just as Li Congyi knelt down, Flowers Hide for Shame also slid to the ground with a whoosh, kneeling there. She looked at Zhang Zhao with tear-streaked loveliness and pleaded.

"Great King, spare our lives! The Great Tang has long been gone. Even if it still existed, Yi-ge'er would not be the Son of Heaven. Mother and son only wish to cling to life in obscurity; we have no other intentions."

Still weeping, Flowers Hide for Shame turned her head back toward He Ning. "Minister He can bear witness. Since mother and son began tending the incense of the emperors in Luoyang, we have not even left the temple on ordinary days!"

He Ning's cheek twitched involuntarily, but he did not take up the thread, because he felt that Zhang Zhao's reason for doing this was certainly not to take the lives of Flowers Hide for Shame and her son.

Because Zhang Zhao had no old grudge against them, and there was no need to harm such an orphan and widow.

Sure enough, after seeing Flowers Hide for Shame and Li Congyi kneeling on the ground, Zhang Zhao gave a long sigh, walked over, and helped Li Congyi up.

"I never thought that the bloodline of the Great Dynasty would be bullied to this extent, frightened to this degree. Shi Jingtang sold out the nation for his own gain, usurped the throne and set himself up as ruler — truly a sinner for all eternity!"

"Do not be alarmed, Prince Xu. I am not testing you, and I mean you no harm."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhao strolled over unhurriedly and, without the slightest hesitation, took hold of Hua Jianxiu's arm and helped her up from the ground.

Truly a woman of the highest quality — she did not look plump, but to the touch she was wonderfully soft and yielding. At once two blushes of red flew across Hua Jianxiu's face, and she was both ashamed and flustered.

But she understood that Zhang Zhao's disregard for propriety — this "do not move unless it is improper" gesture — was hinting at something.

"We, the hundred thousand stout warriors of Hexi, Longyou, Anxi, and Beiting, have come solely to revive the Great Dynasty. Now the Great Dynasty is no more, and only the line of Prince Xu remains, yet our loyal hearts have never wavered, even with blades and axes upon us.

If we could gain Prince Xu as our lord, we could summon the stout warriors of the four garrisons, return to our homeland, and drive the northern barbarians away."

Although Zhang Zhao had helped Hua Jianxiu to her feet, these words were spoken while looking at He Ning.

He Ning suddenly recalled what Feng Dao had told him before he set out: to anyone else, Prince Xu Li Congyi was a burden, but to Great King Zhang alone, he was a treasure that could unite men's hearts.

He understood now. The the the Shatuo Tang — that too was Tang, a Tang acknowledged by all. Great King Zhang meant to borrow the corpse to revive the soul!

Borrow the shell of the Great Tang, use its righteous cause to cut away the separatist warlords on all sides, restore the Great Tang until the golden vessel was whole and unbroken once more — and then establish a Zhang dynasty.

This was to cut the very roots of every Military Governor, Acting Military Governor, and even the yabing guards and yabing officers under Heaven!

That was why this Great King, this "Your Majesty," had arranged everything so elaborately, so cautiously — clutching even the tiniest shred of righteous cause in his hand.

To change the ways of the military men, and forge anew the bold spirit of the Great Dynasty.

He Ning did not know why, but those two lines came to mind. Would the age of chaos truly be brought to an end at Great King Zhang's hands?

At that thought, he strode forward and clasped his hands in salute.

"This outer minister, weeping blood, reports to the Great King: the Shi clan's usurpation is treason most heinous. The Khitan are barbarians — how can they invest a Son of Heaven over the Central Plains? The Jin state is a false dynasty!

Let Prince Xu be elevated to King of Tang, to repay the longing of the officials and people of the four garrisons of Hexi, Longyou, Anxi, and Beiting to return to the nation. Then establish a foothold in Chang'an, gather the righteous soldiers of the realm, and march east to chastise the invaders."

Hearing He Ning speak thus, Hua Jianxiu let out a cry of despair. "Does Minister He wish to kill this slave and her son?"

Once Li Congyi was pushed onto the throne of King of Tang, could he ever step down again?

Throughout history, puppet lords of this kind had always ended up used up and then done away with.

The tragedy of Emperor Yi of Chu, Xiong Xin, at the end of the Qin — the histories record it with perfect clarity.

"Am I the sort of petty-minded man the Hegemon-King of Chu was? Set your doubts aside."

Zhang Zhao waved his hand grandly — still holding Hua Jianxiu's soft little hand, as if to comfort her — but his gaze remained fixed on He Ning.

Clearly, He Ning had only given half of his proposal, because pushing Li Congyi up was simple enough; the crucial part was how to let Li Congyi come down safely, without damaging Zhang Zhao's great cause of benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and good faith.

But this did not stump He Ning. Having received Feng Dao's guidance, he had thought the matter through quite clearly on the road.

Now, seeing Zhang Zhao's manner, he knew at once what to do. He clasped his hands toward Zhang Zhao and spoke.

"The Great King's son married the daughter of the Bright Temple, and therefore the Great King and the Bright Temple are in truth brothers. Have you not heard of the old story of entrusting one's wife and offering up one's son?"

He Ning smugly stroked his beard and, without keeping him in suspense, went on: "When this outer minister passed through Luoyang, I brought along the spirit tablets of the Luoyang ancestral temple. I have heard that in Chang'an there is also a surviving elder of the Great Dynasty, one Li Shouling, who has set up a family temple of the Great Dynasty.

These two temples may be merged into one as the ancestral temple, and the three spirit tablets of the later dynasty — Zhuangzong, Mingzong, and Emperor Min — may be moved into the ancestral temple of the Great Dynasty.

Then Prince Xu shall first acknowledge the Great King as his adoptive father, and thereafter, before the spirit tablets of the twenty-four emperors of the Great Dynasty, entrust his adoptive father, Prince of Liang, to raise righteous troops, console the people and punish the guilty, recover the Central Plains, and avenge the nation's wrongs.

Saying: 'The virtue of Tang has waned. Whichever hero under Heaven can drive out the Khitan shall inherit the Earth Virtue of the Great Tang and become lord of all under Heaven.'"

It had to be you! It had to be the roundabout schemes of you Confucian scholars that could get things done! Zhang Zhao could hardly keep himself from applauding.

He Ning's whole theory was to have Li Congyi first bow to Zhang Zhao as adoptive father, but without changing his surname — creating the situation of entrusting one's wife and offering up one's son.

This held together, because Murong Xinzhang had married Mingzong's fifteenth daughter, Princess Yongle, making Zhang Zhao and Li Siyuan in-laws by marriage — so calling them brothers was not far off.

Then, refusing to recognize the Jin state, they would brand the Shi family as traitors who sold out the nation for their own glory, and add the three emperors of the Later Tang — Zhuangzong, Mingzong, and Emperor Min — into the imperial line of the Tang dynasty.

This too held together, because in the Later Tang's altars and ancestral temple, sacrifices had always been offered to Tang Gaozu Li Yuan and Tang Taizong Li Shimin.

They were not a new dynasty, but the continuation of the Tang — Li Keyong had very much wanted to be a Tang Guangwu Emperor.

Once this whole operation was complete, Prince Xu Li Congyi would have the standing to avenge the nation's wrongs. Yet he had no state, only an ancestral temple — and so he could be made, in the name of King of Tang, to entrust Zhang Zhao with avenging those wrongs.

And before the spirit tablets of the ancestors, he would declare: the virtue of Tang has waned; whoever can avenge Tang shall be lord of all under Heaven.

Thus, when Zhang Zhao drove out the Khitan, he would become lord of all under Heaven with full legitimacy.

Mm. Zhang Zhao nodded in satisfaction. This had quite the flavor of Zhu Hongwu.

Had it not also been passed down that in Zhu Hongwu's day, the last Song emperor Zhao Bing, before leaping into the sea, had said that whoever could drive out the Tartars and recover the Central Plains should be lord of all under Heaven?

And so Zhu Hongwu, under the banner of reopening the great Song's Heaven, had been able to establish the Great Ming with full legitimacy.

Then he, Zhang Zhao, could likewise, under the banner of driving out the northern barbarians and reviving the Great Tang, establish a new dynasty inheriting the virtue of Tang.

Zhang Zhao at once took He Ning by the hand and said: "One matter should not trouble two masters. Elder He, foremost literary authority of the age, this should be handled by you."

He Ning was overjoyed. This was no small matter — this was the great merit of founding a new dynasty!

Henceforth, even if He Ning did nothing at all, on the roll of founding meritorious officials, his name would have to rank among the very first.

By now Hua Jianxiu had also more or less worked out the theory. For the sake of staying alive, this woman was ready to stake everything. She at once grasped Zhang Zhao's arm in return and called to Li Congyi in the distance.

"Congyi, my son, come and pay respects to your adoptive father, His Majesty the Great King!"

Li Congyi naturally had no objection. For him, to have his life secured and to enjoy wealth and honor for the rest of his days — what more could he possibly ask for?

He walked up before Zhang Zhao and performed the grand rite of three kneelings and nine kowtows due to a sovereign father, crying out: "Your child comes to see his father!"

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