[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn":3,"chapter-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Thirteen Years as King of the Great Song, I Learned I Was the Dragon",{"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},2271715,4437,"Chapter 20","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>“At Great Empress Dowager’s place?” Zhao Ti sighed in relief—he had searched every corner of the palace since childhood, read nearly every book in the imperial archives, yet never found it; it had been here in Cining Palace all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Emperor Zhenzong revered the Dao, Emperor Renzong respected it but kept his distance, and Emperor Yingzong became obsessed, moving this entire collection of Tiangong treasures into his private chambers to study—four thousand five hundred and sixty-five scrolls in all. How could anyone finish reading them, let alone add annotations? The supplementary volumes were never even reached.” Gao Taotao sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then Great Empress Dowager…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew of this, but not as deeply as you imagine. I once curiosity-flipped through them, but only read the prefaces, postscripts, and table of contents. A single glance at the supplementary volumes was enough—I’ve forgotten their titles entirely.” Gao Taotao shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Empress Dowager, I humbly beg permission to view them.” Zhao Ti said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re so obsessed, just take them away. No need to read them here. I kept them only as a memory of Emperor Yingzong. Now my eyes are dim—I can barely make out Sima Guang’s Zizhi Tongjian in large script, let alone the tiny fly-head characters on these Daoist texts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti was overjoyed. Taking them back to his mansion was far better than reading them in Cining Palace. Though Gao Taotao only mentioned that the original copy of the Tiangong treasures had one extra supplementary volume compared to the external editions, he didn’t believe that was all—being the original, it might contain countless differences from the editions, and how many alterations or deletions had been made in those?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to speak when the arms depot flashed into his mind—he blurted out: “Great Empress Dowager, what of the Western Hills Flying Cannon Camp…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The weapons from the arms depot were moved to the Western Hills, stored in a separate vault, sealed and forbidden to all—no one has touched them since. Two years ago, when His Majesty inspected the Imperial Guards, he discovered that storage.” Gao Taotao spoke calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow—had Zhao Xu found it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Xu was a man whose moods never showed on his face, whose words never betrayed him, whose movements always followed strict propriety—he always appeared refined and composed, leaving others utterly unable to fathom his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhao Ti knew this sixth brother harbored grand ambitions, plotted far ahead, endured with deep patience, and possessed heavy scheming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many of those weapons had been used by famous generals of the Five Dynasties, each with a recorded list. When His Majesty saw them, he came straight to ask me about their origins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did Great Empress Dowager say?” Zhao Ti rubbed his chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao smiled: “What could I say? I couldn’t hide it from someone who knew the history of the three depots. I merely said perhaps they were left by Emperor Taizu. Since they’ve sat idle all these years, let His Majesty decide what to do with them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti thought it over—Zhao Xu had come to ask Gao Taotao directly, clearly meaning to take notice; otherwise, given his nature, he wouldn’t have bothered even with state affairs, especially since he still harbored resentment toward Gao Taotao for abolishing the New Policies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, Zhao Xu would surely register and catalog them, then lock them away tightly—Zhao Ti would have no chance of retrieving them for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he was close to this Great Empress Dowager, he stood on the opposite side of Zhao Xu—trying to obtain those weapons would be nearly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But…” Gao Taotao noticed Zhao Ti’s thoughtful expression and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Empress Dowager?” Zhao Ti’s heart stirred—was there still a chance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But when the weapons from the arms depot were sent to the Western Hills, two swords were kept back by Emperor Yingzong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti frowned: “I heard Emperor Yingzong never practiced martial arts nor had any fondness for weapons—why would he retain two swords?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those two swords were items Emperor Taizong had worn and cherished. When Yingzong considered destroying them all, he thought it would be even more unfilial. He dared not ask Renzong whether he knew of Taizong’s possessions, so he sent me to retrieve them directly and bring them back to his private chambers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Empress Dowager, those two swords…” Zhao Ti drew a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since Yingzong kept them, they’re old relics—I’ve kept them by my side ever since. Now they rest in this very hall, stored in a wooden box atop the bookshelf. Go and take them down.” With that, Gao Taotao’s gaze drifted to a spot on the bookshelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti followed her gaze and saw the corner of a sandalwood box barely visible at the very top of the shelf. He stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to leap up, but noticed the wooden book ladder beside him; he climbed slowly, finding two sandalwood boxes stacked together, lightly dusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached out and took both boxes—one long, one short—clearly one contained a short sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying them back, he placed them gently on the table and looked at Gao Taotao: “Great Empress Dowager, are these the two items?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao said: “Why not open them and look?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti shook his head: “I dare not handle metal weapons before Great Empress Dowager.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao showed a hint of approval, then said: “When Yingzong was alive, I often saw these two treasures. Open them and look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti bowed and examined the two boxes. First, he pulled the white jade tag from the short box, then gently opened it—a flash of white and red light burst forth. He instinctively dodged aside; the light shot out, casting two colors dancing across the wall behind him before vanishing instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?” Zhao Ti sucked in a breath—what kind of sword was this? To burst open with such brilliance? Was this what they meant by “cold light gleaming, auspicious radiance a thousandfold”?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to look inside the box—inside lay a short sword, no scabbard, slender and fine, white tinged with red, its edge peerless, its chill biting the skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword’s radiance had now dimmed. Its shape was ancient and simple, faintly engraved with patterns—not of today’s style, but resembling those of the Spring and Autumn or Warring States periods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This short sword was presented to Emperor Taizong in the third year of Taiping Xingguo, when King Qian Hongchu of Wuyue surrendered his territory to our dynasty. Taizong treasured it as if he’d found a divine treasure, kept it close, and never let anyone see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Empress Dowager, did this sword bear a name?” Zhao Ti’s mind raced—this sword clearly wasn’t ordinary, and since it was offered by the King of Wuyue, perhaps it was a famed blade. But among famed swords, which one was short and narrow?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the same time, the King of Wuyue presented other treasures, compiled into a catalog—but I never saw that catalog, so I don’t know the sword’s name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti said: “It seems an exceptional blade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao smiled faintly: “I don’t understand such things. But when Yingzong was alive, he once mused aloud—‘Could this not be Moye?’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moye! Zhao Ti’s eyes never left the short sword—his heart stirred. Could it truly be Moye?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In ancient times, only Moye was a short sword; Yuchang was a dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if this was Moye, then where was Ganjiang? Had the paired swords been separated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the long box—it contained a sword with a scabbard. The scabbard seemed a later addition, but from the pommel and guard, it too appeared ancient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This sword was a daily carry of Emperor Taizong’s, acquired early—likely carried since youth, never parted from him for decades. I too don’t know its name; no inscription is carved on it. Any guess would be baseless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti did not draw the blade, but closed the box and looked at Gao Taotao: “Great Empress Dowager, may I take these items away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao snorted: “Didn’t you already want to leave? You came to see me, danced around the subject—only for these things!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti hurriedly said: “I dare not! How could I ever harbor such treasonous thoughts?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Taotao said: “There are many volumes of the Tiangong treasures. Send a few eunuchs, hitch two carts, and have them accompany you back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti said: “That would be perfect. I thank you, Grandmother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, Gao Taotao stared at the bookshelf now one-third empty, listening to the fading footsteps, frowned, then burst into violent coughing. The faint bluish tint on her face, once fleeting, suddenly deepened…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ti’s heart raced home—he ordered his servants to move all the Tiangong treasures into his study, then began searching for the supplementary volume outside the “Palace” section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This should have been the final volume of the Tiangong treasures, but the books were too numerous; the eunuchs had mixed up the order. It took hours before he found them—two thick volumes and one thin one, totaling three books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ordered the door shut, then picked up the first volume and gently opened its cover.\u003C\u002Fp>",1522,"2026-06-19T22:30:31.989Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a4d42866b1aad7763a778e5da641ffad739c6942bdfcfae3ae1ea87d580c6ab3","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-21","thirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-chapter-19",270,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthirteen-years-as-king-of-the-great-song-i-learn-cover.jpg"]