Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 52 Confession

In the blink of an eye, ten days have passed since the battle south of Zezhou City.

In the past few days, Li Jun has been holding firm in Zezhou, ignoring the clamor of the Song army. He is determined to stay indoors and refuse to fight.

Zhao Kuangyin, naturally impatient to waste time with him, immediately ordered a full-scale attack on Zezhou at all costs. The Song army launched simultaneous attacks from the four gates of the east, west, south, and north, relentlessly assaulting the city day and night, with battle cries almost never ceasing.

However, the walls of Zezhou were high, thick, and sturdy, and Li Jun was most skilled in defending cities. After a bloody battle, ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and Zezhou remained as solid as a rock, without being breached in the slightest.

At this moment, in the central camp of the Song army, all the generals gathered to discuss strategies for capturing Zezhou City.

"Your Majesty, we have been unable to capture Zezhou for a long time. Why not slow down the offensive for now, cut off their supply lines, and trap the rebels in the city until they run out of food and reinforcements? Then we can send someone to the city to persuade them to surrender and shake their morale."

Gao Huaide stepped forward first and spoke in a deep voice: "When the city's defenders are starving and freezing, and their morale is collapsing, our army will launch a fierce attack. We will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort and take the city in one battle!"

These words were pertinent and pragmatic, and many officers in the tent nodded in agreement. Even Zhao Dezhao felt that this method was extremely safe and there was not a single fault in it.

However, Zhao Kuangyin slowly shook his head, his tone grave: "While this method is prudent, it is far too time-consuming. The battle of Zezhou cannot be delayed!"

Zezhou had been under siege for a long time without success, and military governors of all sizes across the country, especially Li Chongjin of Yangzhou in the south, were eyeing Zezhou and were eager to make a move.

In the battle of Zezhou, he committed almost half of the Song Dynasty's army.

He knew what Li Jun was thinking: he wanted to use defense to wear himself down under the walls of Zezhou!

The longer it drags on, the more dangerous it becomes for the Song Dynasty!

At that moment, Ma Quanyi, the Left Commander of the Palace Guard's Crane Control Division, stepped forward, bowed to Zhao Kuangyin, and said in a booming voice, "Your Majesty, I have a plan that may be able to break through the city!"

"Speak," Zhao Kuangyin said in a deep voice.

He was certainly familiar with Ma Quanyi; during the Battle of Gaoping, this man was one of the 50 cavalrymen who followed Guo Rong!

"Your Majesty, Li Jun is now besieged in an isolated city and his situation is dire. If this drags on, the Northern Han may take advantage of the situation to come to his aid, and the various military governors will surely rebel."

Ma Quanyi's words resonated with Zhao Kuangyin, who nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

"The southern city of Zezhou is situated in a low-lying area, and although its moat is shallow, it can still be taken advantage of. We should launch a swift and forceful attack to disrupt their morale and demoralize them. I am willing to select a daredevil to lead the night assault, making him the vanguard of the army, and we will surely breach this city!"

These words were spoken with such conviction that they drew frequent glances from the soldiers.

Zhao Dezhao couldn't help but secretly admire him; this man truly had guts!

He was willing to risk his life to lead a suicide squad to be the first to scale the city walls. His courage and boldness were far beyond what ordinary generals could match.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin pondered for a moment and immediately made up his mind:

"I will give you three days to select one hundred elite warriors, train them rigorously, and then attack Zezhou!"

"Here you go!"

"Alright, go and do it."

The generals bowed and left the tent in turn, and Zhao Dezhao also bowed and took his leave.

Once the tent was empty, Zhao Kuangyin's brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again. He walked back to his desk, sat down, sighed deeply, and picked up a letter from the desk:

My son, Yuen Long:

The son works hard on the front lines to quell the rebellion, and his mother worries about him day and night.

I have recently observed unusual developments in the court in the capital, and I am deeply concerned. Therefore, I am writing this down for you.

The current government's policies are sluggish, and officials are restless, either observing or implementing them, showing signs of disarray.

The reason for this was that the officials, seeing that Dezhao had once worn the crown prince's robes and was now accompanying the emperor on a military expedition, privately speculated about the succession and were preoccupied with this matter, thus neglecting their duties.

You should know that the safety of the nation depends on the peace between its internal and external forces.

Today, the emperor is leading his son on a campaign. The stability of the rear is the foundation for victory. If the court is in turmoil and the people's hearts are not at peace, not only will the government's orders be ineffective, but it may also disturb the morale of the troops at the front and shake the very foundation of the nation. This is absolutely unacceptable!

Mother knows that my son intends to make Dezhao the heir apparent, but Dezhao is too young and lacks experience. How can he be entrusted with the heavy responsibility of the family and the state?

Have you forgotten the lessons of the Zhou dynasty? The Guo family was young, yet the dynasty was unstable. Making a young son the heir apparent easily leads to chaos. This is a lesson from the past.

I urge my son to think deeply, quickly devise a good plan, stabilize the court, win over the hearts of the people, and secure the rear.

My mother is old and has no other wish but for good news from my son, and also for the stability of the court.

The character for "mother".

……

After reading the letter, Zhao Kuangyin sighed heavily, feeling a heavy weight in his heart.

It must be said that although Zhao Guangyi's method was somewhat shameless, it was indeed extremely useful to the filial son Zhao Kuangyin. Moreover, Empress Dowager Du's letter was written with exceptional skill.

"While you are away fighting, your mother misses you very much."

These few simple words dealt a devastating blow to the filial son Zhao Kuangyin's family relationships.

Then, he changed the subject, saying that the court was unstable and the officials were restless.

The reason for this is that all the ministers believe that Zhao Dezhao is the crown prince, but now the emperor and the crown prince are both fighting on the front lines, so how can the rear be secure?

He then brought up the old story of the Zhou dynasty's young ruler's downfall as a cautionary tale, every word of which was reasonable and poignant.

The final line, "My mother is old and has no other desires but to hear good news from my son and to ensure the stability of the court," is truly a killer line!

The entire text makes no mention of Zhao Guangyi; every word and sentence reveals the deep love and concern of a mother. The image of a mother who worries about her son and her country leaps off the page, moving anyone who reads it.

When Zhao Kuangyin first read this letter, tears almost welled up in his eyes on his dark, flushed face.

He had spent half his life fighting and constantly on the move, and this was the first time his mother had ever written him a letter in her own handwriting!

A man doesn't easily shed tears, unless he's truly moved.

It has to be said that the tactic devised by the racing god really hit Zhao Kuangyin's weak spot!

At this moment, Zhao Kuangyin felt his mind was in complete turmoil, caught in a dilemma.

On one hand, there was his own mother; on the other hand, there was his son on whom he had placed high hopes.

It was obvious that his mother did not approve of Dezhao as heir apparent, and her words were reasonable. The lessons of the Zhou dynasty were still fresh in his mind, so he had to be extremely cautious.

But as a father, who wouldn't want to pass on their vast family business to their son?

Although his son was still young, after observing him for some time, Zhao Kuangyin knew that his son was not the kind of incompetent ruler who couldn't be helped. Moreover, he was only thirty-three years old this year, in the prime of his life, and had plenty of time to nurture Dezhao.

This is why he agreed to let his son go to war with the army.

"Could it be that we're going to send Dezhao back?"

Zhao Kuangyin frowned, deep in thought.

His father naturally agreed that his son wanted to join the army to study military strategy, and besides, this was also an opportunity to build his son's reputation in the army.

However, if he were sent back rashly, it would inevitably cause the soldiers to speculate and give them something to talk about.

"The crown prince, fearing the dangers of the battlefield, was thus sent back to the capital by the emperor."

If these rumors were to fester even slightly, the path he had painstakingly paved for his son in the past few days would collapse overnight!

However, if the situation in the rear is as dire as Mother described in her letter, the unrest in the court and the neglect of government affairs are also serious matters that cannot be ignored.

After all, the emperor and the crown prince they regarded were both away on campaigns, and it was understandable that the officials would neglect state affairs because their minds were focused on the campaigns.

"well……"

With a long sigh, Zhao Kuangyin stood up and paced slowly in the tent, his brows furrowed in a deep frown as he racked his brains, but could not come up with a perfect solution.

Just then, a report came from outside the door:

"Your Majesty, His Highness requests an audience."

"Announce."

Zhao Kuangyin raised his hand, picked up the letter on the table, and placed it under a pile of military reports.

The tent flap was lifted, and Zhao Dezhao walked in carrying a food box. He placed a steaming bowl of pigeon soup on the table, a smile on his face.

"Father, these are wild pigeons that I shot down outside the camp. I specially ordered someone to make soup for you to nourish your body."

Seeing the concern in his son's eyes, Zhao Kuangyin felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his gaze towards Zhao Dezhao held a rare tenderness: "Zhao'er, you are so thoughtful."

He picked up the soup bowl, took a small sip, put down the spoon, and suddenly asked out of the blue:

"Zhao'er, what is your ambition in this life?"

what?

Zhao Kuangyin's sudden question startled Zhao Dezhao.

He stared blankly at his father, remaining silent for a long time before finally raising his eyes and asking solemnly, "Father, do you want to hear the truth, or falsehoods?"

"That's the truth, of course." Zhao Kuangyin frowned slightly.

"If my words have offended Your Majesty, will Your Majesty forgive me?"

"I grant your permission."

After receiving a response, Zhao Dezhao looked at his father again. He knew that his father's sudden question must have been due to some change that he was unaware of.

And this matter is most likely related to Zhao Guangyi or Empress Dowager Du!

Therefore, at this moment, there are some things he no longer intends to hide.

"As the son of a military family, I have witnessed my father's constant battles on the battlefield. Although I have never personally gone to the battlefield, I am always worried about my father's safety. Therefore, I have also inquired about the state of the world outside the capital from the mouths of refugees."

"I remember in the fourth year of Xiande, a group of refugees fled from the north. They said that the Khitan cavalry had trampled the border and destroyed their homes. They had nowhere to go and could only beg along the way until they finally arrived in Kaifeng."

"I noticed that most of the refugees were elderly people with white hair, so I went up to them and asked, 'Where are your children and grandchildren?'"

"Who knew that after asking that question, the white-haired old people burst into tears. They told their son that they also had children and grandchildren, but..."

"It was eaten."

"The reason those old people were able to make it to Kyoto alive was not because of the kindness of others, but because..."

"As people get old, their flesh becomes dry and tough."

At this point, Zhao Dezhao's expression remained calm, but his eyes were filled with an unspeakable sorrow.

He paused, his voice becoming somewhat hoarse, and continued, "That was the first time I realized that the world had descended into such chaos. I had never seen people eat each other."

"Later, those elderly refugees told their son in trembling voices that the world was like this, and wherever there was war, the fields were covered with white bones like frost, and the cries of the dead were like ghosts among the ruins of the desolate villages."

"Your Majesty asked them how they made their way from that hell on earth to the Central Plains. They trembled with pale lips and uttered eight words, one by one."

"They eat bones and cook by breaking up bones!"

"Your Majesty, I remember that since ancient times, the Central Plains has been known as the most fertile land in the world. But I would like to ask, how is the Central Plains, the world today, any different from hell?"

At this point, Zhao Dezhao could no longer suppress the anger and grief surging in his chest; his face flushed red and his whole body trembled.

As someone who lived in a peaceful era, the shock of suddenly encountering such a chaotic world was unimaginable!

The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was the darkest era in China's thousands of years of history!

none of them!

This statement is absolutely true!

Zhao Dezhao's heart-wrenching words left Zhao Kuangyin speechless for a long time before he finally let out a long sigh.

Zhao Dezhao had only heard about it, but he had personally walked every inch of this chaotic world.

He had witnessed the tragic scene of starving people everywhere, heard the cries of people exchanging children to eat, and personally buried countless people who died in the war!

Just as Zhao Kuangyin was lost in his own thoughts, Zhao Dezhao's eyes revealed a light that showed he would not regret even if he died nine times.

"From that moment on, I understood that all the people under heaven are constantly living in a chilling cold that gnaws at their very souls."

"Our great nation of China is sinking into a dark and turbulent era!"

"But the world shouldn't be like this!"

"The great nation of China should never be like this!"

"Father asked me today what my ambitions are, and today I will tell you frankly and openly!"

"I am Zhao Dezhao!"

He abruptly raised his eyes, his gaze piercing, staring directly at Zhao Kuangyin, and spoke each word with firm conviction:

"May the sun and moon bring forth a new heaven!"

……

"I wish to bring about a new world..."

The seven words "Zhao Dezhao" carried immense weight, striking Zhao Kuangyin's ears like a thunderclap, shaking him to his core.

Every word he spoke brought Zhao Kuangyin wave after wave of indescribable emotions.

In a daze, he recalled a distant past event.

It was the sixth year of Xiande. Emperor Shizong of Zhou, Guo Rong, led his army north to conquer Yan and Yun. On the eve of the army's departure, he stood with Emperor Shizong on the city wall of Kaifeng, gazing at the vast landscape from the railing.

That day, dusk was falling and a long wind was blowing.

That day, Emperor Shizong of Zhou said something to him:

"The world has been in turmoil for too long; a person will surely be born to dispel all darkness!"

At that time, he believed that the hero who would end the chaos was the ambitious and enterprising Emperor Shizong of Zhou standing before him.

Since Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, the power of the Great Zhou Dynasty has been growing stronger day by day. He conquered Huainan, forced Bashu, and attacked the Khitan. Every single thing Emperor Shizong did amazed the people of the world!

A hero has emerged!

At that time, everyone believed that the chaotic world would be ended by Emperor Shizong of Zhou himself!

But who would have thought that on the sick dragon platform, with his lofty ambitions unfulfilled, the hero would suddenly fall, leaving behind only endless regrets.

Then came Zhao Kuangyin, who rose to prominence, donned the yellow robe, established the Song Dynasty, and surveyed the vast land.

Even after ascending to the throne, he still harbored a lingering worry in his heart.

Will I become the next Zhou Shizong who never achieved his ambitions?

Only now, after hearing his son's words, has his lingering worries completely vanished.

Again.

What one generation cannot accomplish, the next generation will follow!

"I take back what I said in the army camp."

Zhao Kuangyin stared intently at Zhao Dezhao, then suddenly smiled, a smile full of joy and delight:

"There's no such thing as a son not resembling his father. You and I are connected by blood, sharing the same lineage!"

"The eldest prince should be like this!"