After parting ways in Luling, Chen Ke never saw that little prince Zhao Zongji again. However... they exchanged letters quite frequently.

  Although Chen Ke and his friends were always traveling, whenever they arrived at a place, they would receive his letter in the post house, asking in detail about their journey, the local customs and conditions along the way, and interesting stories. For them to be able to travel all around, Zhao Zongji was physically unable to go there, but his spirit yearned for it.

  Seeing how pitiful this young man was, Chen Ke and the others also had to believe that he would definitely return. They described what they saw, heard, felt, and thought in vivid detail to him, often exaggerating and adding various myths and legends that were both true and false, making Zhao Zongji so envious that he was itching all over, even thinking of running away from home to join them. Unfortunately, he was being watched too closely and could only think about it without taking action.

  "Our last communication was before I left the river," seeing Ouyang Xiu's serious face, Chen Ke didn't dare to hide it and told him: "We even made an appointment to meet in the capital."

  "Don't see him again." Ouyang Xiu said resolutely: "You, from now on, are not allowed to have any contact with him, including secret dealings."

  "Why?" Chen Ke naturally had to ask for a reason.

  "For no reason...", Ouyang Xiu rarely spoke sternly: "If you want to bring disaster to yourself, your father and friends, then don't listen!"

  "What's wrong with him?" Chen Ke also became tense: "What crime did he commit?"

  "What crime can he commit?" Ouyang Xiu sighed and said: "But his identity is a sin in itself..."

  "Teacher, can't you stop being so stingy?" Chen Ke cried out in exasperation: "Do you want to suffocate me to death?"

  "Alas...", Ouyang Xiu knew that if he didn't make the severity of the matter clear, Chen Ke would definitely not listen: "Do you know that in those years, the imperial family had taken in two sons of the royal clan to be raised by the emperor and empress themselves?"

  Chen Ke shook his head, this kind of palace secret how would a country bumpkin like him know.

  "The royal family and the common people are not much different, this move has the meaning of adoption. In those years, Emperor Zhenzong also had a similar move, later the crown prince... that is, the current official's birth, was sent out of the palace again." Ouyang Xiu lowered his voice: "At that time, the official was already 30 years old, and he had been married for 16 years but only gave birth to one premature emperor. He imitated Emperor Zhenzong, selecting two children from among the close relatives of the imperial family to raise them. Later, when the second son of the emperor was born, these two children were sent back."

  "It was originally thought that this adoption would be just a small episode in the succession of the throne, like the case of Emperor Zhenzong. However, the second son also died at the age of three. Later, in the first year of the Qingli era, the third son was born, but he too did not live past the age of three... Now, the emperor is already 47 years old and has no more sons. Ou Yang Xi sighed: "The emperor is benevolent and filial, but it's unknown why he has such difficulty with his descendants."

  "So it seems," Chen Ke naturally didn't have Ouyang Xiu's kind of emotions, he just suddenly said: "Someone is bringing up old matters again?"

  "Hmm", Ouyang Xiu nodded and said: "In fact, two years ago, when the emperor ascended to the throne for thirty years, Taichang Doctor Zhang Shu secretly submitted a memorial, advising the emperor to select a more promising prince from the royal family, give him different treatment and courtesy than others, use some key positions to temper and sharpen him, so that everyone in the world knows who you plan to make as your successor. This is what a responsible monarch should do!"

  "When the emperor showed no reaction, he again petitioned: If a successor is not determined early on, and something unexpected happens to your sacred body, the Song dynasty will face the danger of collapse. Don't believe me? Let's open up history books, when an emperor suddenly dies without having designated a successor, or when an empress dowager or grand empress dowager issues orders, or eunuchs or treacherous officials take control, they establish some infant as emperor, so that they can hold onto power for a long time, even directly usurp the throne! Such examples are numerous, you are a wise and enlightened ruler, praised by all, how can you know of this danger and not care?"

  "Zhang Shu had petitioned seven times within a year, each time speaking more strongly than the last, until finally he directly accused the officials of being corrupt and clinging to power! The officials were tolerant and did not blame him, but also did not respond at all." Ouyang Xiu said: "Last year, when Pang Shangong was still in the Imperial Secretariat, he secretly submitted a memorial requesting that a wise and talented member of the imperial clan be chosen as crown prince. His words were very sincere, but they sank like a stone in the ocean."

  "But the attitude of the imperial court was still very clear, because shortly after the memorial was submitted, Zhang Shu and Pang Xianggong were both demoted and sent away from the capital. For a time, no one in the imperial court dared to mention this matter again." Ouyang Xiu sighed: "However, last month, the emperor suddenly fell seriously ill, and at the most critical moment, he completely lost consciousness... During that period of time, both inside and outside the palace, the officials were in a state of confusion. Taking advantage of the emperor's brief moments of lucidity, several high-ranking officials urged him to appoint a successor, and the emperor, realizing his own mortality, finally relented... and allowed them to recommend suitable candidates."

  The masters hastily consulted with each other, but there was actually nothing to discuss. The two children adopted by the official's family more than a decade ago had now grown up and become adults.

  Under the auspices of the official and the empress, they had already married and had children. So everyone felt that it was better to be familiar than unfamiliar, so they jointly petitioned for the official to choose one of them. The memorial was written, but before it could be submitted... unfortunately, the official's illness had recovered.

  Chen Ke stared with wide eyes, unable to understand why Ouyang Xiu knew all about the memorial and Peng Ji's secret petition, as well as the confidential conversations between the chancellors and the emperor. Was it because he was too gossipy or did the Song Dynasty not have any confidentiality measures?

  Those who vowed to be loyal, all disappeared without a word. When the emperor was critically ill and requested to establish a crown prince, it was Yu Gong's duty as prime minister to protect the country, and privately, he would gain a place in the new ruler's heart."... Haven't you seen Chen Zhong, that mediocre talent, who rose to prominence just because he first proposed the previous emperor to establish an heir, and became illustrious with one word, enjoying lifelong honor and prosperity?

  However, the emperor was as good as before, and if he didn't open his eyes to the memorial, asking him to establish a son of the imperial clan as the crown prince would only add trouble for the officials and even more so for himself. Moreover, with long nights come many dreams, and who knows, maybe in the end the emperor would have another son, then this petition to establish a son as heir would be a calamity for himself and his family.

  Although Li Tai's appointment as crown prince was aborted.

  But this time, the emperor's illness was severe and he could not attend to state affairs for a whole month, making the matter of establishing an heir a top priority for the Song Dynasty. Ouyang Xiu said: "Now, the high-ranking officials have openly discussed this matter, and even the gambling dens in the capital city have set up betting pools on who will be the first to break through this layer of window paper."

  "Really has an entertaining spirit." Chen Ketai took a deep breath and said.

  "For the common people, this is indeed a topic for discussion after dinner. But for each person involved, it's about honor and shame, fortune and misfortune, life and death. The waters of the capital are too murky, with too many hidden undercurrents. You're just a small player, if you're not careful, you'll end up in pieces. So you must stay far, far away, do you understand?"

  "I see." Chen Ke nodded, but after a while, he asked again: "In your opinion, Teacher, if that day really comes, does Zong Ji have any chance of winning?"

  "How is that possible?" Ouyang Xiu shook his head resolutely: "Firstly, there is an order between the old and the young, Zhao Zongshi is two years older than him; secondly, Zhao Zongshi is the famous 'first virtuous of the imperial clan' in the capital. Although Zhao Zongshi's reputation was not bad either, but these two years... Alas." He sighed and said: "It really disappoints people."

  "What's there to worry about?" Chen Ke waved his hand and said: "He can't possibly become the crown prince..."

  "But Zhao Zongshi doesn't see it that way. Without an imperial son, Zongji is his only competitor. Moreover, if either of you two gets in touch with him, the officials will definitely not be happy." Ouyang Xiu said calmly: "You are already favored by the emperor, don't let the officials think you have a second heart."

  "Oh……" Chen Ke responded casually, but in his heart he didn't think much of it. What's the point of trying to please the Emperor? Is it edible? I'm not planning on becoming a prime minister, why should I try to cater to the Emperor's emotions like some kind of servant girl?

  "Don't be sad, the official's family is flourishing, who knows, maybe in two years, a dragon son will be born." Ouyang Xiu was a kind and considerate person, he thought to himself: "When the time comes, you can come and go as you please, it won't matter anymore."

  "Oh..." Chen Ke responded absent-mindedly, only to remember the real purpose of his visit, and changed the subject: "Teacher, I've seen the imperial edict."

  "Huh?"

  "Regarding the dispute over Liuta River."

  "Hmm..." Ouyang Xiu's expression suddenly turned gloomy, and he smiled self-deprecatingly: "Your teacher has become a joke again." He let out a long sigh and said: "But it doesn't matter if I become a joke. What's most painful is watching disaster unfold and being unable to avoid it."

  Ouyang Xiu returned to the capital and immediately demonstrated his skills, dismissing Chen Zhong, the prime minister who was standing still without making any progress, and once again verified the extraordinary strength of the number one warrior in the Song Dynasty. However, in the next battle, he suffered a setback - that is, the Battle of Liutiao River.

  The so-called "Six Towers River" is a water conservancy project aimed at solving the Yellow River flood disaster that had plagued the Song Dynasty for nearly eight years.

  Although the Yellow River floods every year, eight years ago was a once-in-a-thousand-year change in the course of the Yellow River. The torrential flood almost submerged Bianjing City, and millions of displaced people suffered astronomical losses, forcing the rulers of the Song Dynasty to make controlling the Yellow River a top priority for the country.

  But even if ordinary people build a house, they must have a plan before starting work. What about water conservancy projects that affect the national economy and people's livelihood? So all sorts of plans were drawn up...

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