Zhao Gou led the army back to Beijing in a mighty way, escorted to the thief leader Fang La, and walked all the way to Bianjing. A year has passed, and he doesn't know what the hell is going on in the court, preoccupied with exterminating Fang La, and even Zhao seems to have never given him any news, let alone know.

At this time, it was the third year of Xuanhe, that is, in 1121 AD.

"Your Majesty, did Lao Jiu really capture the thief Fang La?"

Cai Wang Zhao seemed to hear that Zhao Gou had returned from a great victory, and he couldn't help but be a little stunned. Although he knew Zhao Gou's ability, he didn't want to be really so powerful, which was unexpected by him. It wasn't until the spies of Amber Villa reported that Zhao Gou had led the army back to Beijing that he believed it was true and immediately entered the palace.

Song Huizong Zhao Ji smiled with relief: "Lao Jiu is worthy of being the prince I rely on, and I never thought that he would really do it." Calculating the time, he should be back in the next few days. I have already received a battle report from Lao Jiu, saying that more than a dozen generals were killed in the battle, and even the surviving generals were wounded. ”

Zhao Ru asked, "Your Majesty, what should you do with it in your opinion?" ”

Song Huizong replied: "Since they have done it according to their will, then they should also be officially rewarded, and they have also been rewarded before, but they are all in name only." Now, they have proved with their own strength that they absolutely have the right to hold important posts in the DPRK and China. ”

"Your Majesty, what about Lao Jiu?" The person Zhao seems to really want to ask is none other than Zhao Gou.

Song Huizong was silent for a moment and said, "The time has not yet come, and we are not in a hurry!" I have to observe carefully, if there is no accident, I should be able to determine it at the crowning ceremony of Lao Jiu. The next three years will be his real test. ”

Zhao seemed to be silent, nodded, and said, "Your Majesty, are you really sure to do this?" ”

Song Huizong replied: "What has happened in the DPRK and China in the past year, you must also be clear. I thought he was just imitating me all the time, but he didn't want to show such a method. Now, most of the strength of the DPRK is already standing behind him, even if I have the heart to pass on the position of Lao Jiu, I have to consider the reaction of the ministers of the DPRK and China. ”

Zhao seemed to say again; "Your Majesty, you have never been crowned the crown prince, aren't you the one who gives the greatest hope? Why did you announce that Huan'er would become the crown prince a few days ago, you must know that if you do this, you are afraid that it will cause disputes within the court. ”

Song Huizong smiled bitterly: "The position of the crown prince is only Lao Jiu in my mind, but he has been a year away from the imperial court, and the forces that originally followed him in the court have also begun to change their positions. You should also know the attitude of many ministers at that court meeting! ”

Zhao seemed to nodded, he also knew what happened in the early dynasty. Zhao Gou led a large army to attack Fangla, acting in accordance with the will of Song Huizong. It's a pity that he didn't know that the court had undergone great changes at that time, and Zhao Huan, who was originally unpopular, became His Royal Highness the Prince.

At the beginning, both Song Huizong and Zhao seemed to ignore Zhao Huan's ambitions and despise his methods. Unexpectedly, in just one year, Zhao Huan used his own means and the strength of his mother to stir up the situation in the court, and even Gao Yu stood with him, as if he controlled most of the strength of the court, and only a few forces disagreed.

It's just that the strength of these people is very small, and they are not enough to threaten the forces united by Gao Yu and Zhao Huan, and they are sandwiched between Song Huizong and them, and they don't even dare to express their opinions on some important meetings and decisions, so as not to get into trouble.

The original Privy Council was in the hands of Zhao Gou, but unfortunately the owner changed again, but this time the owner was the crown prince Zhao Huan, who arranged for his cronies to enter the Privy Council through his own means, and slowly gathered people's hearts through that person, and gradually those people before became his people.

Previously, Song Huizong had been monitoring Gao Yu and others, but he ignored his eldest son Zhao Huan. Zhao Huan, who used to be submissive and unassertive, has changed in just one year, not only has his mind grown, but he is also proficient in strategy, and he can put forward insightful opinions on some major events in the court, which makes people have to pay attention to it.

Until that moment, Song Huizong and Cai Wang knew that Zhao Huan had been hiding all along, hiding his true self, and he didn't want people to find out. At the beginning, because of the incident of King Xiaoliang, Song Huizong severely reprimanded Zhao Huan and made him think about it behind closed doors.

Since then, Zhao Huan has changed, becoming more decisive and no longer indecisive; More shrewd and capable, no longer strong in the middle, able to take on heavy responsibilities. Song Huizong has always doted on Zhao Gou, but ignored the growth of his eldest son Zhao Huan, in comparison, Zhao Gou's experience in officialdom is far inferior to Zhao Huan.

Every time Zhao Gou won a victory or captured a city, he would convey a battle report, and he had never received any will, nor had he seen any messenger, he was led by Zhao Gou to discuss with everyone and then decided to attack, and he never had the slightest reward will, he was also a little strange, but he didn't care about these.

All the battle reports delivered by Zhao Gou were intercepted by the Privy Council controlled by the crown prince Zhao Huan, and they were not reported at all, and sometimes Song Huizong would only take them out when he asked, and he was not willing to present them to Song Huizong's imperial review without asking. Song Huizong's battle situation against Zhao Gou was all collected by the spies sent by King Cai and directly transmitted to Song Huizong, but he could not directly convey the will, so as not to dislike some ministers in the court.

"Your Majesty, the crown prince Zhao Heng has some talents, and he is really talented and learned, but in terms of his younger brothers, he is far inferior to Lao Jiu. If the emperor allows him to act recklessly, I am afraid that it will be difficult to clean up in the future. Today's situation, you must already know that if it really causes disputes within the imperial court, I am afraid that it will be unfavorable to the Great Song Dynasty. ”

Cai Wang Zhao seemed to persuade bitterly, he was worried that Zhao Gou would return victoriously, with Zhao Heng's character, he must think that Zhao Gou endangered his position as the crown prince, and he returned triumphantly, with outstanding achievements, after recruiting An Shui Po Liangshan, and pacifying the rebellion of Fangla, this military exploit even the famous generals in the court had to admire.

Moreover, Zhao Gou only has an army of 100,000, Fang La has an army of one million, and there is a lot of difference in strength, which is really one of the few feats in the dynasty to win more and win completely, this talent is unmatched among the princes of the court, even the crown prince Zhao Huan himself knows that he is not as good as Zhao Gou in leading troops to fight.

Even if he is the crown prince, it is clear that some generals are not convinced by him. Zhao seems to be worried that the crown prince Zhao Huan will stumble on Zhao Gou above the court, and completely remove the thorn in Zhao Gou's eyes. If that's really the case, it's fratricidal, or it's a struggle for the throne, just like he and Song Huizong.

Song Huizong said: "I naturally know in my heart that some things can only be handed over to him to deal with by himself. If he still can't make real achievements after three years, I'm afraid that he will have no place in the DPRK and China at that time. Even if I and you secretly help each other, I am not an enemy of a group of them. ”

If Zhao Gou enters the main court, then he is the only one in the court as a military general, Song Jiang, Lu Junyi and others will be conferred, and they will also be transferred out of the capital and go to various prefectures, that is to say, the only thing that the forces in the court really rely on is Zhao Gou himself, Song Huizong and King Cai have the heart to help, and they can't be open, they can only secretly, so they are even more auspicious for Zhao Gou.

At the beginning, Song Huizong wanted to keep Zhao Gou away from the disputes above the court, and it was also Zhao Gou's wish to lead the troops to fight, so he agreed. Unexpectedly, so many things happened in just one year, Song Huizong couldn't help but regret his decision a little, if he didn't agree to Zhao Gou's going at that time, things would not be as complicated as they are now.

Song Huizong sighed: "I really didn't expect the prince to have such a ability, since this is the case, let the two of them fight!" In this way, it is also clear who wins and who loses, survival of the fittest, unless there is an unexpected situation, otherwise whoever wins is the monarch of the Great Song Dynasty! ”