Song Chu: Dad, if you don't work hard, how can I just lie down and relax?

Chapter 58 Three Strategies for Pacifying the World

Inside the Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Kuangyin continued to review imperial edicts late into the night, occasionally picking up a leg of lamb from the table and taking a bite.

"Your Majesty, the Third Prince requests an audience," said Wang Ji'en, Zhao Kuangyin's personal eunuch.

Zhao Kuangyin looked up, his eyes crinkling with laughter: "Third brother? Let him in quickly, he brought me some good food again, didn't he?"

"Your Majesty, you are truly a prophet."

"hehe."

Amidst laughter and conversation, Zhao Guangmei entered without being announced, carrying a food box in her hand.

"Brother, are you still busy? I made you some soup."

As she spoke, Zhao Guangmei noticed that the lamb leg on the table had clearly cooled down, the oil had solidified, and only half of it remained. She frowned and said, "My second brother has told me many times not to eat so much meat all the time, it's not good for your health."

As she spoke, Zhao Guangmei grabbed a leg of lamb and started gnawing on it.

"Ugh, mutton really tastes bad when it's cold, and this lamb leg doesn't have enough spices, which makes it even worse. I really don't understand why you like to eat this."

Zhao Kuangyin was scolded, but he wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled and opened the food box, saying, "Let me see what you've made for me."

In fact, Zhao Kuangyin knew that when Zhao Guangmei cooked, the palace cooks helped her start the fire and chop the vegetables. If it was stir-frying, they would stir it a bit, but if it was stewing soup, she could only give instructions and add seasonings to taste.

But it wasn't important anyway; it was just a token of my brother's affection.

Meatball hot and sour soup.

"Wow, where did you learn so many new things? This is soup? It looks pretty thick. You made soup for me so late at night, is something wrong?"

"What could possibly happen to me? I'm moving out of the palace tomorrow, so it won't be easy for us to meet again."

"You've been granted a residence, not died. Why do you make it sound like we won't be able to meet again? Are you going to move into Han Tong's residence first?"

"Hmm, that mansion isn't Second Brother's anymore, is it? It's quite big. I'll stay there for a while, and Third Brother will stay there too. Oh, right, Eldest Brother, speaking of Second Brother, I almost forgot. There's something he asked me to tell you for him."

Zhao Kuangyin pursed his lips and said warily, "You only sent me soup because of this, didn't you?"

"No, it was just a coincidence."

"What is it?"

"He ran into Li Jun's son, Li Shouzhen. He arrived in the capital a few days early. The one who's still on his way is a stand-in. He'll come to see you in a couple of days. I told him to keep it a secret."

Zhao Kuangyin was taken aback, then laughed and cried at the same time: "Now that I know about this, is there any need to keep it a secret anymore?"

He said, "Don't expose him. Li Jun is a veteran military governor, and he's not even familiar with Emperor Shizong. You, elder brother, only rose through the ranks after Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, achieving numerous military exploits."

To be honest, we're not really acquainted. I can only say we know each other. They're coming to Beijing as hostages, and wanting to come beforehand to do some research is perfectly understandable. I'm sure you can understand that, brother.

"Hmm...wouldn't that allow him to spy on the true strength of our court?"

"What my second brother means is that my eldest brother is wise and powerful. In just three months since the founding of the country, the people have already submitted to him and the army is in high spirits. I am not afraid of him seeing things clearly. I am afraid that he will misjudge and act, bringing war and disaster to the people of Hedong and causing unnecessary suffering. This should also be considered a meritorious deed."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin remained noncommittal, simply smiling and saying, "I donned the yellow robe and established a new dynasty. Most of the border generals in the land have more seniority than me and are of the same generation as my father."

Take Wang Yanchao for example. When I was young, my father recommended me, and I even tried to join him as a personal guard, but he refused. These people don't respect your brother and me. I have to fight a battle for them to submit. Li Jun would be a good fit.

Zhao Guangmei frowned: "But we can't fight a war just for the sake of fighting, can we? Didn't you tell me, brother, that the Zhao family is good at killing, but doesn't like killing?"

Last year, Emperor Shizong launched a campaign against Liaodong, and the people of Hedong had already suffered greatly. They had only just begun to recover. If another battle were to break out, not only would there be casualties among the soldiers, but if the farming season was disrupted, countless more people would die. It would be best to avoid this war if possible.

"Yes, you have a point. It's best to avoid fighting if possible, because those who get hurt or killed are all citizens of our Great Song Dynasty."

However, this isn't something we can decide. Ultimately, it depends on whether Li Jun truly understands the times. But judging from the feedback from our spies so far... it's difficult."

"Third brother, I am not a murderer. Although I come from a military background, I actually dislike fighting at all."

But whether it's Li Jun, Li Chongjin, or even the likes of Guo Chong and Yuan Yan, as long as they don't openly raise the banner of rebellion or act arrogantly, I can tolerate them for the time being and try to appease them through dialogue."

"But if any of them really rebel, then I'll have to fight them. It's better to have a short, sharp pain than a long, drawn-out one. You've always been kind-hearted, so if there's really a bloodbath, don't blame me."

"I understand, elder brother. My second brother told me the same thing. He said that the founding of the Song Dynasty was based on winning people over with virtue. We should avoid fighting if possible, and fight to the death if we have to. Only by first striking with overwhelming force can we then bring blessings to the people."

"Thunder first, rain later? That's a very good saying. Hehe, third brother, you've been greatly influenced by him lately."

Zhao Guangmei also frankly admitted: "Yes, I feel like I've learned a lot from him lately. He seems to know everything."

But his perspective on things... always seems different from ordinary people. I heard his father used to be a reclusive master, a Taoist priest; perhaps that's why?

Zhao Kuangyin nodded upon hearing this: "This father and son are indeed different from ordinary people, and so is Wang Jun; he has some extraordinary methods."

Have you spoken to him yet, Third Brother? Now that you've been granted a mansion, your eldest brother doesn't treat you like a child anymore. You handled the Wang Yansheng matter very well. What do you want to do in the future? Pursue a literary career or a military one?

Zhao Guangmei seemed to have thought about this issue beforehand, and almost blurted out, "I want to reward the three armies on behalf of my elder brother."

"Hmm? Rewarding the troops? What kind of thing is this that you want to do?"

"It's about making money, making money through business, not increasing taxes on the people, and then using all the money earned to reward the army."

Zhao Kuangyin was greatly surprised and couldn't help but say, "What kind of ideal is this? How could you have such a strange idea?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guangmei suddenly became serious and bowed to Zhao Kuangyin, saying, "This is a decision made after my second brother and I discussed it."

"Was this also influenced by Wang Lu?"

"Yes, we've talked a lot lately. I asked him, since the An Lushan Rebellion, why has it always been a case of arrogant soldiers driving out their commanders and fierce generals overthrowing their emperors, leading to centuries of chaos and disorder, the loss of propriety and law, the collapse of social order, and widespread suffering? Is there any solution?"

Zhao Kuangyin immediately became serious and asked, "What did he say? Is there a solution?"

"My second brother said that arrogant soldiers drive out their commanders and fierce generals chase away their kings because the interests of the nation have fallen into the hands of nobles and have little to do with the soldiers."

The best way for soldiers to live a good life is to rob civilians, deceive their commanders, and every now and then buy and sell goods from the emperor to get rewards.

"To solve this problem, the worst approach is to strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches, so that our Great Song can control the central government."

"Is this a poor choice?!"

"Yes, he said the middle strategy is... the army engaging in business, not the generals engaging in business."

Zhao Kuangyin was taken aback, then lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

"So there's a better strategy after all?"

"The best strategy is to bypass the generals and build a community of shared interests with every soldier, so that when the Song Dynasty prospers, the soldiers prosper, and when the Song Dynasty declines, the soldiers decline. We should share their glory and their loss, and the emperor and the soldiers of the Song Dynasty should share the world together."

Zhao Kuangyin pondered this even more, but only felt he understood it vaguely. He couldn't help but ask again, "To be more specific, what does this have to do with you making money?"