Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 75 Military Order

When Zhao Dezhao clearly expressed his idea of ​​"going to war in place of his father," the entire court was taken aback.

No one expected that this eldest son of the emperor, who had just entered the cabinet to participate in politics, would be so eager to show his talent in the court.

The fierce roar of this young tiger drew cheers from most of the generals present, and Li Chuyun stepped forward first, loudly requesting command:

"Your Majesty, I am willing to accompany you on your campaign!"

"Me too!"

Shi Shouxin immediately realized what was happening and followed suit, responding in a gruff voice.

Next, Murong Yanzhao, Gao Huaide, and other generals stepped forward one by one, stood behind Zhao Dezhao, and clearly stated their positions.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Kuangyin looked at his son with surprise, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

He hadn't expected that Zhao Dezhao would rise so high among the military officers in such a short time; it far exceeded his expectations.

At the same time, Zhao Guangyi, the head of the civil officials, quietly gave Chu Zhaofu a look.

Chu Zhaofu understood immediately, stepped forward, and said loudly:

"In my opinion, the Marquis of Wugong's statement is inappropriate!"

"When our Great Song Dynasty first established itself in the Central Plains, all the surrounding states and regional warlords were eyeing it covetously, and every move we made affected the hearts of the entire nation!"

"Therefore, I believe that Li Chongjin's rebellion should be swiftly and decisively suppressed in order to deter such villains and stabilize the foundation of the nation!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping lightly over Zhao Dezhao, before his tone suddenly turned serious:

"But if we send our ten-year-old eldest son to lead the army into battle, how will the people of the world view our Great Song Dynasty?"

"The world will only think that our Great Song Dynasty has no one else to rely on, which is why we need to put a child in command!"

"If we win, all will be well, but if we lose, the surrounding nations will think that our Great Song is easy to bully, and those lurking traitors will surely stir up trouble. When war breaks out again, who will bear the responsibility?"

"I urge Your Majesty to consider this carefully!"

For Zhao Guangyi, anyone could lead the expedition to quell the rebellion, but Zhao Kuangyin would be the best choice; however, Zhao Dezhao was the one who absolutely could not be chosen!

Zhao Dezhao wanted to take control of the military, and he was well aware of this, so he naturally wouldn't let him have his way so easily.

As soon as Chu Zhaofu finished speaking, Fan Zhi and Wang Pu exchanged a glance, as if they had made a decision. They immediately stepped forward, cupped their hands, and said in unison:

"I second that proposal!"

Fan Zhi and Wang Pu were former prime ministers and heads of all officials, enjoying great prestige. Even Zhao Kuangyin treated them with courtesy when he first ascended the throne. Therefore, when they stepped forward, many former officials of the previous dynasty only hesitated for a moment before echoing their sentiments.

"Your Majesty, I second that suggestion; I urge you to consider it carefully!"

These words, which we all agree with, have stirred up a hornet's nest.

"Bullshit! With us generals accompanying His Highness on this campaign, victory is assured. How can there be any talk of defeat!"

Upon hearing the words "if we lose this battle" from those pedantic scholars, Shi Shouxin and the others couldn't hold back any longer.

The once solemn Chongyuan Hall was instantly transformed into a chaotic marketplace.

The civil and military officers were clearly separated, their words flying as they exchanged barbs. The moment a civil official uttered a sarcastic remark like, "A crude warrior, all he knows is fists and kicks," the military officers would immediately retort, not to be outdone:

"Straight mother thief, mother broken talent, thief kill talent..." Various phrases with extremely high levels of effeminate connotations kept flying out.

They even rolled up their sleeves, ready to have a big fight in the Chongyuan Hall, to teach these scholars what it means for a warrior to be enraged!

Amid the chaos, only Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Guangyi remained calm, as if the dispute inside the hall had nothing to do with them.

"That's enough!"

A furious roar from the emperor resounded like a thunderclap, instantly silencing the noisy hall.

Zhao Kuangyin's face darkened as he looked at the civil and military officials glaring at each other like enemies in the hall: "You are all important officials of the court, yet your behavior today is no different from that of a shrewish woman cursing in the street! What kind of decorum is this!"

The emperor was enraged, and all the civil and military officials bowed their heads in fear, pleading in unison, "We have acted inappropriately; we beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

"Your Excellencies are concerned about the Great Song Dynasty and may have spoken inappropriately. We hope Your Majesty will forgive you."

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhao Guangyi stepped forward and continued, following Chu Zhaofu's lead: "The Marquis is young and his mind is not yet stable. The capital is the foundation of the nation, and you gentlemen have some concerns..."

"One day."

He was interrupted by Zhao Dezhao halfway through his sentence.

The two words are brief, yet they carry an undeniable air of dominance.

All the officials looked over, not understanding what he meant by "a day".

Only Li Chuyun's expression changed drastically. He was first taken aback, and then his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

One day... Your Highness, the one day you mentioned, could it be that you mean that?

"Give me a day, and I can conquer Yangzhou!"

Zhao Dezhao strode out from the ranks, not even glancing at Zhao Guangyi, but instead bowing to his father on the throne:

"Your subject is willing to sign a military pledge to capture Yangzhou and annihilate Li Chongjin within a single day! If I fail to do so, I am willing to accept military punishment without uttering a single complaint!"

Yangzhou captured in a single day?

These words struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, plunging the hall into deathly silence once more.

All the court officials looked at Zhao Dezhao as if he were a brazen child spouting nonsense.

Li Chongjin was a seasoned warrior and not someone to be trifled with. In addition, with the puppet Tang dynasty secretly supporting him, even veteran generals like Shi Shouxin and Murong Yanzhao dared not guarantee that they could capture the city in a single day.

How dare a ten-year-old child utter such outrageous words?

"Your words, Marquis, are far too frivolous!"

Zhao Guangyi's words expressed the sentiments of most of the court officials.

Chongyuan Hall was a place for discussing state affairs, not a place where one could speak recklessly.

Zhao Dezhao's statement, "We will conquer Yangzhou in one day," sounded far too boastful and self-aggrandizing to everyone, treating matters of national importance as child's play!

Just then, Shen Yilun, who had been silent all along, suddenly said, "Your Excellency should know that military orders are not child's play. Once they are signed, there is no reason to change them."

"This is Chongyuan Hall. Every word and action here is related to the national system, and we must keep our word."

"But considering the young age of the Marquis, it is understandable that he may have spoken out of turn. Let us pretend that today's matter was never mentioned. The Marquis should not act rashly again."

Zhao Dezhao glanced at him sideways and said disdainfully, "Enough with the nonsense! A man's word is his bond! I've made this pledge today, and there's no reason for me to take it back!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yilun silently retreated and stopped trying to persuade him.

Privately, Zhao Guangyi had already given Shen Yilun a big thumbs up in his heart!

What a brilliant provocation!

Initially, he was unwilling to let Zhao Dezhao go on the expedition because he feared that Zhao Dezhao would use the merit of suppressing the rebellion to firmly establish himself in the Imperial Guard.

With Shi Shouxin and others protecting them, even if Zhao Dezhao is an incompetent playboy, they are likely to win this battle.

But ever since Zhao Dezhao uttered the arrogant statement that he could "conquer Yangzhou in a single day," he changed his mind.

To capture Yangzhou in a single day is something that even Shi Shouxin and his men might not be able to accomplish!

Once Zhao Dezhao made a pledge, success would be fine, but failure would inevitably earn him the reputation of an "arrogant brat," completely ruining his prestige in the army.

Zhao Kuangyin must have understood this principle as well. He was unwilling to let Zhao Dezhao lead the expedition in person, so he would definitely give his son a way out.

But Shen Yilun's words completely blocked Zhao Dezhao's way out!

Even if Zhao Kuangyin ultimately did not send Zhao Dezhao on the expedition, with just a little manipulation today, Zhao Dezhao would certainly be branded as "arrogant and conceited".

As expected, upon hearing these words, Zhao Kuangyin frowned deeply:

"There's no joking in the military. Have you thought this through?"

"Your subject understands."

Zhao Kuangyin gazed at his son, seeing the unwavering light in his eyes and the deep pleading in them, and Zhao Kuangyin fell silent.

for a long time,

Zhao Kuangyin slowly said:

"Since that's the case, I... will give you a chance."