After traveling through time, I became Han Zhang’s grandson?

Chapter 368: Zhezong ascends the throne

“It’s snowing! The first snow of spring has fallen!!!”

Outside the Funing Palace, bursts of exclamations could be heard faintly, causing everyone in the palace to frown.

"Haruyuki..."

Han Ming was slightly startled, then took the cloak handed to him by the eunuch beside him and put it on himself.

Then he took a child's cloak, squatted down, put it on the young Emperor Zhezong, and tied it tightly.

"Your Majesty, hold my hand tightly and don't fall."

Han Ming took Zhezong's hand and walked into the heavy snow.

"The teacher is the one, don't fall down!"

The young Emperor Cheoljong showed a bright and lovely smile.

Behind them, Empress Dowager Shen and others watched Han Ming and his apprentice, or rather, Emperor Zhezong and his ministers, step into the falling snow.

Snowflakes fluttered down and soon covered their shoulders.

Han Ming took Zhezong to the open space in front of the palace, surrounded by a silver-white world.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed that only the figures of the master and disciple and bursts of laughter remained.

"Your Majesty, although the spring snow is beautiful, it is also cold. Does Your Majesty know the meaning of this?" Han Ming asked softly.

Zhezong raised his little face, his eyes sparkling, frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly: "I don't know, please teach me."

Han Ming took a deep breath, inhaled the cold air in the air into his lungs, and boosted his spirits.

Then, pointing to the snow-covered palace in the distance and the mountains and rivers beyond, he said softly, "This spring snow is like Your Majesty's path in governing the world. At first glance, it appears beautiful and pure, but in reality, it is full of challenges and obstacles."

"Your Majesty must always be enthusiastic and fearless of the cold, so that you can overcome thousands of difficulties and finally reap the rewards!"

Han Ming's words were not difficult to understand, but to the young Emperor Zhezong, they seemed a bit ambiguous. After pondering for a moment, he nodded as if he understood.

At this moment, a jackdaw flew over my head, making a lonely cry.

Han Ming's heart moved, and he spoke again: "Your Majesty, do not worry. As long as you always maintain a fair and just heart and remember the word 'benevolence', just like the warm sun will eventually melt the snow, the Song Dynasty will prosper."

The young Emperor Zhezong understood what he said. He couldn't help but hold Han Ming's hand tightly and said firmly: "I remember it, teacher."

Then, the two of them walked in silence again in the wind and snow, as if they had become one with the world.

The servants behind him could only watch from afar, not daring to disturb this quiet and meaningful moment.

. . . . . .

"In compliance with the will of Emperor Shenzong:"

"Crown Prince Zhao Xu is courageous, resolute, intelligent, clever, calm and respectful..."

"I am able to inherit the great throne, maintain the business and ensure the safety of the people, and support the country..."

As Wang Gui read out the will of Emperor Shenzong in the court, Han Ming personally helped the young Emperor Zhezong onto the throne.

Then all the civil and military officials in the court immediately knelt down and sang in unison.

"Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the emperor!"

"Long live the emperor!"

"..."

In March of the eighth year of Yuanfeng in 1085 AD, Zhao Xu inherited the throne and became Emperor Zhezong of Song.

A new chapter in the history of the Song Dynasty was opened, and everyone stepped into the first grand court meeting of the first year of Yuanyou with great anticipation.

At this court meeting, Song Zhezong exercised the emperor's power for the first time and issued the first imperial edict of the first year of Yuanyou.

"Since ancient times, sage kings have relied on virtuous predecessors to govern their countries. Since the Zhou and Zhao dynasties, there have been Yan Ying, Baili Xi, and Sun Shuao; the Han Dynasty had Xiao He and Cao Shen to continue their legacy."

"When the ministers are upright, the world will be governed. When the ruler and ministers are in harmony, the state will be governed!"

"Han Ming, the Minister of the Left, concurrently the Minister of the Secretariat, Minister of War, the Prince's Guardian, and the Founding Duke of Wei, is a man of pure and loyal character, steadfast and resolute, loyal to his country, renowned for his discerning eye for talent, and a truly loyal minister and capable general."

"This special decree grants Han Ming the titles of Special Advancement, General of the Auxiliary State, and Senior Pillar of the State, and further confers him the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. He may enter and leave the palace freely without prior notification..."

With the issuance of the first imperial edict in the first year of Yuanyou, Han Ming's position as the core of the prime minister was officially established.

Even judging from age and qualifications, there are still six great ministers ahead of Han Ming, including Wen Kuanfu and Wang Gui, but everyone knows that among these seven people, only Han Ming can sit firmly to the end.

Even Han Shipu was able to join the Gang of Seven Prime Ministers thanks to the help of Old Man Han Zhang and Han Ming.

For all subsequent state affairs, as long as they were not particularly problematic, the six of them basically stood on Han Ming's side.

Seeing Han Ming finally becoming the first prime minister, the civil and military officials all sighed. They had been watching this road to becoming a prime minister for nearly twenty years.

Although everyone knew that Han Ming would make it to the end since he debuted in Jiayou High School in the third year, they just didn't expect it to be under such circumstances.

This young man, who was once famous in the city of Bianjing and attracted thousands of people to follow him, is now a veteran minister who has served in four dynasties.

His qualifications and connections also reached their peak in the past twenty years. Many people in the court and the public regarded Han Ming as their teacher, and this was largely due to the fact that Emperor Shenzong had appointed him to work in the Imperial College.

So much so that it is not an exaggeration for Han Ming, who is now in his forties, to say that he has "students all over the world."

. . . . . .

After several months of busy work, a group of court officials led by Wang Gui, the envoy of the mausoleum, finally completed the burial of Emperor Shenzong and began the subsequent finishing work.

The group headed by Wang Jiefu was immersed in the formulation of the "Third Five-Year Plan".

The "Second Five-Year Plan" that started in the third year of Yuanfeng came to an end in September of the year before Emperor Shenzong's death.

This national planned economic reform completely enabled the Song Dynasty to take off, far surpassing all neighboring countries.

Since the fifth year of Yuanfeng, the trend of all nations coming to the Song Dynasty to pay tribute has become increasingly obvious.

As the country's strength grew and its military became more powerful, the surrounding countries welcomed another "suzerain" after enjoying less than two hundred years of peace.

The last Tang Dynasty had only been dead for about a hundred years, and the next Song Dynasty could no longer hold back and was ready to get friendly with neighboring countries.

For example, in the Western Regions, the Western Region Uighurs were repeatedly defeated and weakened by the Song army and had retreated to the area around Qiuci, relying on the Kingdom of Khotan and the Karakhanid Khanate to resist the Song army's westward expedition.

The coalition forces of the Three Kingdoms once ambushed the Song army in the Yanqi area, but were defeated by the complete form of Wang Shao and fled in panic, never daring to challenge the Song Dynasty again.

The Song army, which wanted to continue its westward advance, was harassed by the Liao army in the north and Emperor Shenzong was critically ill and bedridden, so it had no choice but to shrink its defense line to the Gaochang area and consolidate the territory gained from the westward expedition.

In the Beiting area north of the Tianshan Mountains, the Liao army was advancing frantically, encroaching on the territory of the Western Region Uighurs.

Under the tight pressure from the two major powers of Song and Liao, the Western Region Uighurs had no choice but to abandon the vast territory east of Luntai and retreat to the city of Kucha to wait for help.

Such terrifying power also made the surrounding countries panic, and they sent envoys to pay tribute, hoping that the Song Dynasty’s heavenly army would show mercy.

However, this was a difficult problem for the newly enthroned young emperor, as he was a little unsure of the core of the matter.

"Teacher, according to the 'Way of Kings', Song is strong and other countries are weak, so we should not resort to force and swallow up other countries."

"But 'hegemony' requires 'bullying the weak with the help of the strong', demonstrating the country's strength by annexing the world."

"Can these two paths really coexist?!"

Zhezong's question made Han Ming, who was reviewing the memorials, look up and smile. He stood up and walked closer, looking at the "Way of Kingship and Hegemony" compiled by Lu Huishu and others.

"Which one does Your Majesty prefer?"

Little Zhezong tilted his head and thought for a moment, then spoke slowly, "The kingly way, because my father and mother both said: The way of an emperor is to be upright and do the things of a king!"

Han Ming smiled and nodded, then turned his head to ask Han Duanyang, who was accompanying Emperor Zhezong in reading and writing.

"What do you think?"

This guy has now passed the imperial examination and become a Hanlin scholar. His daily task is to talk to Emperor Zhezong about administrative and military issues.

He is a secretary-like figure close to the young emperor and the most important among his close ministers.

After all, Han Duanyang, who is in his twenties, understands children's psychology better than Han Ming, who is in his forties.

"I believe that the way of an emperor is to combine the qualities of a king and a tyrant. One should possess both the spirit of a benevolent person and the aura of a tyrant!"

In the palace, Han Duanyang was well aware of the difference in status, but he could not call his father "dad" as he pleased. He still had to follow the rules.

"You kid..."

Han Ming smiled knowingly and nodded at the other person.

"Your Majesty may not be old, but there are some principles you should understand clearly: the kingly way is for the people, and the hegemonic way is for the enemies. Only in this way can you accomplish things."

Han Ming didn't want Emperor Zhezong to be too depressed since childhood. He should resist as much as he could. As for the reason, it was enough for him to understand it.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I'm here for you."

Han Ming didn't stop his hand and gently patted the little emperor's head, which scared Li Xian and Han Duanyang who were standing in the distance.

But the young Emperor Zhezong didn't care much and nodded with a smile: "With the teacher here, I'm not afraid of anything."

As she spoke, she put her little hand into Han Ming's big hand and held it, feeling unusual warmth.