SWDnovel Chapter 67 The Dispute Over Marriage
Chapter 67 The Dispute Over Marriage
Li Chuyun was a former official of Zhao Kuangyin when he was still a prince. When he stood up to speak for Zhao Dezhao, many former officials of the Later Zhou Dynasty dared not refute him.
Only Chu Zhaofu, who was also a former official of the Prince's residence, had this confidence.
After stepping out of his seat, he immediately addressed the emperor, holding his scepter, saying, "Your Majesty, the eldest prince is still young, only ten years old, not yet of age. How can he bear the heavy responsibility of participating in government affairs?"
"According to ancient etiquette, princes had to wait until they came of age to be allowed to enter the court. They would tie their hair up, receive instruction in etiquette and governance, and then they could begin to discuss state affairs."
"Although His Highness has distinguished himself in battle, he is still immature. If he were to suddenly step down from his post, I fear he would be ill-suited for such a heavy responsibility and would instead face criticism, which would damage the dignity of the royal family!"
As soon as Chu Zhaofu finished speaking, many court officials in the hall nodded secretly.
A child marrying at the age of ten is extremely rare throughout history, and it is undeniably inappropriate in terms of etiquette.
Li Chuyun, however, was not afraid at all. He stepped forward and said loudly, "Wang, the censor, is mistaken! Although etiquette is important, it is also necessary to adapt to the times."
"In the past, when King Cheng of Zhou was young, he was able to govern with the assistance of the Duke of Zhou, and the world was at peace."
"Gan Luo was sent as an envoy to the State of Zhao at the age of twelve. He won more than ten cities by virtue of his eloquence and was appointed as a high-ranking minister."
"It is clear that success depends on people, not on age! The eldest prince went on the expedition with the army, remained calm in the face of battle, devised a plan to attack the reinforcements, and recovered Shangdang. Such strategy and courage are not something that ordinary adult men can match."
"With his outstanding military achievements and the support of the people, his appointment at this time is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the will of the people. How can there be any talk of him being unable to shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"
His words flowed so smoothly that it surprised Shi Shouxin and other generals who knew Li Chuyun well. They even doubted that Li Chuyun could have said such things.
Regardless of the circumstances, his words pointed out that "merit" was more important than "age," and he brought up Zhao Dezhao's real achievements this time. It seems that it is not unreasonable for such an eldest son of the emperor to marry a few years early.
Moreover, the ceremonial system for princes' marriages throughout history has not been so strict, and the main consideration has been the prince's abilities.
Li Chuyun's words drew frequent nods from Zhao Kuangyin, who clearly agreed with the reasoning.
Seeing this, Chu Zhaofu could only let out a heavy snort and fling his sleeves as he retreated back to his rank.
Just as Li Chuyun was about to press the matter further, another person stepped forward from the hall.
This man was already in his fifties. When he stepped forward, all the officials were taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to be involved in this matter.
He is none other than Shen Yilun!
Shen Yilun, like Zhao Kuangyin, was a former official in Zhao Kuangyin's former residence. However, unlike Chu Zhaofu and others, Shen Yilun held great prestige among Zhao Kuangyin's staff and was deeply trusted and relied upon by Zhao Kuangyin.
He and Zhao Pu were known as Zhao Kuangyin's right and left arms, and such an evaluation speaks volumes.
Historically, after Zhao Pu served as prime minister for ten years, the second prime minister was also this person!
So when he stepped forward, everyone realized that things had become more complicated.
Shen Yilun, with a solemn expression, raised his tablet and said, "Your Majesty, although what Commander Li said makes sense, I believe that this matter still needs to be considered at a longer time."
"Now that the Great Song Dynasty has just been established and the rebellion of Li Jun has just been quelled, the various vassal states have not yet been eliminated, the Liao Kingdom is eyeing us covetously, the world is not yet settled, and everything needs to be rebuilt. What is needed most at this time is a stable court and unity between the people inside and outside the court."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials, and said in a deep voice, "The matter of the eldest prince's marriage is crucial to the succession."
"Your Majesty's sudden order for him to leave the palace, while commensurate with his achievements, is likely to arouse speculation in the court and among the public."
"The ministers may try to curry favor, and the imperial family may become suspicious of each other. Your Highness is still young. How can you distinguish between loyalty and treachery? If you associate with petty people, it will only shake the foundation of the country."
"As the saying goes, 'Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish,' we cannot be too hasty. It would be better to wait until the country is more stable before discussing the matter of her marriage. This would be in accordance with etiquette and would also reassure the people, making it the most foolproof plan!"
It can only be said that Shen Yilun is indeed a level above Chu Zhaofu.
His words were practically walking a tightrope, directly tearing away the fig leaf and putting the word "heir apparent" on the table, all while standing at the height of the overall situation, with every sentence revolving around the word "stability".
Upon hearing this, all the court officials fell into deep thought, and even veteran officials from the previous dynasty, such as Fan Zhi and Wang Pu, nodded slightly.
In times of chaos, stability is the most precious thing, and Shen Yilun's words reflected their deepest concerns.
Moreover, His Highness is only ten years old. Although he has made military achievements, it cannot be said that his mind is mature. If he were to be used by someone with ulterior motives, wouldn't that be a disaster for the Song Dynasty?
"Damn it..."
Upon hearing this, Li Chuyun was immediately brought back to reality. His face flushed red as he wanted to curse, but realizing that this was the imperial court, he could only open his mouth and look to Zhao Kuangyin for help.
Zhao Kuangyin ignored him and instead looked at Shen Yilun with a look of inquiry and deep meaning in his eyes.
Shen Yilun straightened his back, looked Zhao Kuangyin in the eye, and showed no sign of guilt.
Seeing this, Zhao Kuangyin suppressed his doubts, pondered for a moment, and was about to speak when he saw a figure slowly walk out of the ranks.
When Zhao Pu walked out, all the civil and military officials were startled.
This has blown up big time today!
Even Zhao Pu and Shen Yilun have gotten involved. So how many of the civil and military officials in the court have already secretly taken sides, and how many are wavering between the two?
Zhao Pu ignored their thoughts, bowed deeply to the throne, then turned to Shen Yilun and said in a deep, expressionless voice:
"Shen Shizhong's statement is completely wrong!"
Their words were sharp and confrontational, startling many court officials.
For so many years, this stoic strategist has never spoken sternly; this seems to be the first time!
Shen Yilun was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "Secretary Zhao, what makes you say that?"
Seeing that Shen Yilun still didn't realize his mistake, Zhao Pu sighed in disappointment.
Zhao Pu's sigh caused Shen Yilun's face to flush red and his blood pressure to spike.
Whom does he look down on?
"Shen Shizhong, do you know where the foundation of peace and stability in the world lies?"
Zhao Pu's voice, though not loud, resounded like thunder in the hall: "The foundation of the nation lies with the Crown Prince!"
"His Majesty has now appointed Zhao, the Commander of the Capital Garrison, as the Prefect of Kaifeng. Discussions about the succession are already underway, causing widespread suspicion and uncertainty among officials. This is the greatest instability at present!"
Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Zhao Pu.
If Shen Yilun's previous words were like tearing away a fig leaf, then Zhao Pu's words completely stripped away the underwear as well, nakedly revealing the thoughts of everyone in the court.
Zhao Guangyi's expression changed slightly, but he dared not interrupt.
"However, His Majesty's intention was originally to favor the eldest son of the emperor." Zhao Pu continued with his startling statement: "Now that the eldest son of the emperor has rendered meritorious service in defeating the enemy and recapturing the city, it is the best time to make this clear to the court and the public."
"Summoning him from the cabinet is not to hastily put His Highness in charge of governance, but to determine the successor and reassure the court and the public!"
"Now that the ministers understand Your Majesty's intentions, they will no longer speculate or curry favor, and the imperial clan will have no grudges. This is true stability!"
Finally, Zhao Pu waved his sleeve and, with his ever-present expression, coldly looked at Zhao Guangyi:
"I wonder if Prefect Zhao agrees?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Guangyi's expression stiffened at first, but when he realized that Zhao Kuangyin was also watching him, he instantly put on a gentle smile and stepped forward to bow:
"Your Majesty, I believe that although Prince Dezhao is young, he is exceptionally intelligent and has made significant contributions in battle. With the careful guidance of Secretary Zhao, he will surely achieve great things in the future."
"Furthermore, the marriage of the eldest son demonstrates His Majesty's emphasis on the eldest son's position, which effectively unites the people's hearts."
"Therefore, I believe that Secretary Zhao's words are reasonable. I second that opinion!"
After these words were spoken, Zhao Guangyi was left speechless, unable to express his bitterness.
Given the current situation, he cannot openly have any conflict with Zhao Kuangyin.
It's all Zhao Pu's fault, he has no martial ethics at all!
"We believe that Secretary Zhao's words are reasonable."
Seeing that Zhao Pu had gained a clear advantage, many officials close to him stepped forward to voice their support:
"We, your humble servants, add our own message!"
Following these officials were Zhao Kuangyin's trusted generals, such as Shi Shouxin, Li Chuyun, and Gao Huaide, who also stepped forward, raising their tablets in agreement.
"We, your humble servants, add our own message!"
Once the situation became completely clear, many neutral civil officials also clearly expressed their stance:
"We, your humble servants, add our own message!"
The repeated pronouncements from our ministers had created an irreversible trend, leaving many dissenting officials in the court with no choice but to submit to their fate.