Chapter 37: Shattering Illusions

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From Zhao Kuangyin’s words, Li Cheng knew that Zhao Kuangyin had not fully believed what he had said about the candlelight and axe-shadow affair. He was still hesitant.

It also revealed just how confident Zhao Kuangyin was.

“Your Majesty, you are overthinking it. Everything proceeded very smoothly.

“Even more smoothly than the coup at Chenqiao Station that brought you to power. It was practically inevitable, with not the slightest disturbance.

“Your Majesty died smoothly, and he entered the palace just as smoothly, without meeting the slightest obstruction.

“The succession to the throne proceeded even more easily. Not a single minister opposed it.

“Everything was so natural, so perfectly reasonable.

“It was as though Your Majesty had simply died a normal death. As though the moment you closed your eyes, everything had already come to an end, and an entire era had passed away.

“A civil war? It never happened.”

Looking at Zhao Kuangyin, Li Cheng gave him an unequivocal answer.

He shattered the fantasies Zhao Kuangyin had allowed himself to entertain.

“That cannot be,” Zhao Kuangyin said, clearly unconvinced. “However one puts it, I am the founding emperor. I ruled for more than a decade. I won this realm with my own hands, and I was the one who promoted the court officials.

“According to what you say, I died under mysterious circumstances, and the whole affair was riddled with improprieties. Even if that did not lead to civil war, how could it be that not a single person opposed him?”

“Your Majesty seized a realm that still belonged to the Guo family. Those men were all ministers of the Later Zhou, and so were you.

“Yet when you put on the imperial robe and became emperor, how many people opposed you?”

Li Cheng’s words made the corner of Zhao Kuangyin’s eye twitch violently.

He had finally realized that Li Cheng was absolutely mule-headed, with a tongue sharp enough to draw blood.

He had frightened the young man and tested him, then apologized and promised not to do such a thing again.

Yet the fellow still had not swallowed his anger.

He truly dared to say anything at all!

“It was different,” Zhao Kuangyin said, shaking his head.

“How was it different?”

“Chai Zongxun was only seven years old. A seven-year-old emperor could not hold on to an empire, while I controlled the military and had spent years building my influence. Many people were willing to obey me.

“The authority of the realm was in my hands.

“I was a founding emperor, not some seven-year-old sovereign like Chai Zongxun. How could the same thing have happened?”

Zhao Kuangyin still could not accept that a founding emperor such as himself had died so silently, had his throne taken from him without causing the slightest stir.

“There is no difference,” Li Cheng said, his words as cutting as ever. “There is a saying: once a man dies, he no longer concerns himself with what comes after. One dynasty has one generation of ministers.

“It is true that Your Majesty is a founding emperor. But once you are dead, you are dead.

“On that point, there is nothing special about you.

“Besides, how can Your Majesty be certain that Zhao Guangyi had no civil and military officials of his own?”

“He did have some influence of his own, but that is irrelevant. He was under my watchful eye. How much could he possibly accomplish, and how large a following could he possibly build?”

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“Then how did Your Majesty, back in the day, manage to gather so many civil and military officials under the very eyes of Emperor Shizong of Later Zhou, Guo Rong, and have them help you plot to seize the empire?

“And after taking the empire, how did you stabilize it so quickly?

“Did Emperor Shizong look at you then the same way Your Majesty now looks at the current Prince of Jin?”

Zhao Kuangyin was immediately left speechless.

“Your Majesty, the Prince of Jin’s influence is truly considerable. I remember the histories recording that Your Majesty later planned to move the capital to Luoyang. In the end, the Prince of Jin and his faction forcibly blocked the proposal and prevented Your Majesty from carrying it out.”

Zhao Kuangyin’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

He had indeed considered moving the capital to Luoyang before this.

So far, he had not mentioned it to anyone.

Yet Li Cheng had actually brought it up now.

He nodded, saying nothing further on the matter.

Once again, silence descended upon the Flowering Retreat.

“How much do you know about my daughter?”

When Zhao Kuangyin spoke again, his question caught Li Cheng off guard.

The subject had leaped a considerable distance.

“Which daughter?”

“The Princess of Chu.”

After a pause, Zhao Kuangyin added, “The one you have already met twice here at the Flowering Retreat.”

As he said this, there was a strange look in Zhao Kuangyin’s eyes as he gazed at Li Cheng.

But the moment he thought of his daughter’s condition, that strangeness vanished without a trace.

“I know nothing about her.”

Zhao Kuangyin’s brows drew tightly together.

“How can that be?!”

His anxious voice betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

He had hesitated for a long time before deciding to ask Li Cheng, and had prepared himself to hear that his daughter Runniang had died young.

But instead, he had received this answer from Li Cheng.

It was neither good news nor bad news.

It was as if she had never existed at all.

“The histories I know record that Your Majesty had six daughters.

“The first three—the Princesses of Shen, Cheng, and Yong—all died young. Among the others, there is likewise no Princess of Chu.”

“This… how can that be?”

“I do not know either.” Li Cheng shook his head. “My personal guess is, first, that the histories were always exceedingly sparing with words. Princesses who had made no particular contribution or undergone any notable experiences were recorded only briefly.

“Second, some unusual circumstance may have caused the historians to omit her. That is not impossible.”

“Then… can you treat illness? My daughter Run—Princess Chu’s illness?”

Li Cheng shook his head again. “No. I never studied medicine. I only know a few basic things, such as sterilization, reducing inflammation, and drinking plenty of hot water.”

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Looking at Zhao Kuangyin’s desolate face, Li Cheng could not help recalling the young girl whose beauty resembled that of Lin Daiyu.

It seemed that this daughter of Zhao Kuangyin’s, who had never appeared in the histories, was also unlikely to live long.

Since ancient times, beauties had so often been doomed to misfortune. It truly was a pity.

If only he had studied medicine. Perhaps… he might have been able to save a living, breathing life.

“…Young Master Li, if you remember any fine poems or lyrics, I ask that you recite them for Princess Chu without hesitation.

“The child has had a hard life. These days, it is about the only pleasure she has.

“I was wrong to frighten you earlier. I apologize to you once again here. I hope you will not hold it against me.

“I will remember everything you have told me today.

“Regardless of whether my third brother is truly as you say, I will give you an explanation in the future for the humiliation inflicted upon you by his men.”

Zhao Kuangyin’s attitude was utterly different from before.

It was, one might say, the gentlest—and most sincere—Li Cheng had ever seen him since their first meeting.

Family affection had always been the most powerful force in the world.

At that moment, it seemed this was indeed true. Even a founding emperor could not escape it.

The instant an emperor became a father, no matter how exalted his status, he would still lower his head.

“I have already promised Her Highness the Princess that I would do this. I will keep my word. Your Majesty need not go so far.”

“Thank you, Young Master Li.”

As he spoke, Zhao Kuangyin unexpectedly clasped his hands and bowed to Li Cheng in a formal salute.

Watching Zhao Kuangyin’s retreating figure, Li Cheng was filled with emotion.

Ah, the hearts of parents beneath heaven were all alike.

Recalling Zhao Kuangyin’s request, as well as the promise he had made to the Princess of Chu—a princess absent from the histories—Li Cheng began wondering which poem or lyric he should copy for her next.

As for Zhao Guangyi, Li Cheng was no longer worried.

Even if Zhao Kuangyin had not fully believed everything Li Cheng had said that day, it would be enough if he believed two or three tenths of it.

Given Zhao Kuangyin’s character, even if he did not return and kill Zhao Guangyi at once, he would certainly investigate through one means or another.

And so long as he investigated, everything would be fine.

Because that so-called Donkey-Cart God of War could not withstand scrutiny.

Underneath the clothes, there was nothing but filth.

From Zhao Kuangyin’s reaction alone, it was clear that the man would not come out of this looking well.

Most importantly, Zhao Kuangyin had not yet asked what the Donkey-Cart God of War had done after becoming emperor.

Once he learned all that, if the Donkey-Cart God of War could still come out of it looking respectable, then Old Zhao might as well stop being emperor of Great Song.

After Zhao Kuangyin left the Flowering Retreat and stepped out into the Imperial Garden, Prince Jin Zhao Guangyi arrived at the palace gates.

He was eagerly anticipating his upcoming meeting with his elder brother.

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