Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 17 The Crown Prince is about to be crowned
After learning the outcome of this matter, Zhao Xing no longer paid attention to it.

As for the negotiations between Song and Liao, Zhao Xing was not interested in knowing about it.

Although he felt aggrieved about giving money to the Liao Kingdom, he couldn't change anything now.

Killing a Liao citizen would not cause the Liao Kingdom to send troops to attack the Song Dynasty, but if the annual tribute was cut off, the Liao Kingdom would definitely send troops.

Not to mention persuading his father, even most of the civil and military officials in the court would oppose it.

After his father's advice, Zhao Xing made some changes and began to get close to the children of officials whom he had looked down upon before.

These people were very happy to see that Zhao Xing, who had been very cold and ignored them before, suddenly became approachable.

In order to please Zhao Xing, he introduced Zhao Xing to various delicious and fun places in Bianjing, and also brought Zhao Xing some priceless rare treasures.

Zhao Xing accepted all the gifts.

No wonder there were so many incompetent emperors in ancient times. As the saying goes, honest advice hurts the ear.

Those loyal ministers hope that the emperor can be diligent, but the emperor is also a human being. He owns the world, and if he has poor self-control, who wouldn’t want to enjoy himself?

However, Zhao Xing also secretly reminded himself not to get lost in the sugar-coated bullets of these people.

Perhaps because the Song Dynasty took a tough stance in capturing the Liao murderer and executed him directly, the Liao envoy felt that the Song Dynasty was not as weak as he had imagined.

Or perhaps the situation in Liao was very serious and the subsequent negotiations went very smoothly, and the Song Dynasty used three times the current grain price to offset this year's annual tribute.

However, this amount of food was not enough for the Liao Kingdom, so it proposed to exchange war horses for food.

The Song Dynasty still traded grain for war horses with the Liao Kingdom at three times the current price of grain.

Don’t think that the Liao Dynasty suffered a loss, because due to the blockade by the Liao Dynasty and Western Xia, the price for the Song Dynasty to purchase war horses was very high.

Even if the Song Dynasty tripled the price of grain in exchange for war horses from the Liao Kingdom, the Liao Kingdom would not lose out.

This would make everyone happy. Although giving food to the Liao Kingdom would be considered aiding the enemy, if the Song Dynasty was unwilling to trade, the Liao Kingdom would have no food and would have to send troops.

Since ancient times, the struggles between the Han people and nomadic peoples, apart from ambition, were more due to survival issues.

Nomadic people make their living by grazing. Once a natural disaster occurs on the grassland and food is scarce, the vast and rich Central Plains court becomes their target of looting.

Moreover, grain is a consumable, and selling some to the Liao Kingdom could avoid war. The Song Dynasty also obtained a batch of war horses. Overall, the Song Dynasty made a profit.

Zhao Xing realized from this news that there must be some serious problems within the Liao Kingdom.

Otherwise, given the nature of the nomadic peoples, how could they possibly trade honestly with the Han people? I'm afraid they would have sent troops to invade the border and plunder long ago.

This also made Zhao Xing more confident about recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun in the future.

……

That day, Gu Tingye was distracted several times during class and was scolded by Hai Wenyu. He was also punished to copy books.

After class, Zhao Xing asked, "Zhong Huai, what's wrong with you? You were absent-minded in class?"

"Your Highness, I would like to take some time off to visit my grandfather in Yangzhou. Please allow me to do so!" Gu Tingye stood up and saluted.

Zhao Xing stood up and said, "Come with me, let's talk outside."

He led Gu Tingye to a pavilion outside, sat down, looked at Gu Tingye and said, "This is human ethics and filial piety. I have no reason to disapprove. Has Lord Gu agreed?"

Gu Tingye said with a sad look: "Your Highness, my father has not agreed, but I still want to go to Yangzhou."

After Zhao Xing mentioned it last time, he became more determined to go to Yangzhou to visit his grandfather.

After Gu Tingye talked to Xiao Qinshi, Xiao Qinshi agreed to talk to Gu Yankai.

However, Gu Yankai did not agree. Xiao Qinshi comforted Gu Tingye and told him not to worry and that she would continue to persuade him.

As a result, after so much time had passed, Gu Yankai still didn't give in, and Gu Tingye didn't have the patience to wait any longer.

If it weren't for his identity as a study companion, Gu Tingye would have run away from home.

Zhao Xing was not surprised to hear this. If Gu Yan had agreed at the meeting, Gu Tingye in the original drama would not have followed the Yuan family's betrothal ship to Yangzhou.

Zhao Xing tapped the stone table unconsciously with his fingers. He pondered for a while and said, "It is said that the scenery in Jiangnan is beautiful. I also yearn for it and want to go and see it. Don't worry, I will go and ask my father. If my father allows, you can go with me to Jiangnan, and Marquis Gu will not say anything."

He originally wanted to ask Gu Tingye to ask Old Master Bai about the illegal salt issue, but after thinking it over carefully, he gave up.

If the Bai family was really involved in selling illegal salt, Old Master Bai might not tell anyone since he knew that the prince wanted to ask about it.

After all, this is a capital crime. Although Old Master Bai has only one daughter, there are more than just his branch of the Bai family. Only if he personally sees Old Master Bai to give a guarantee, will Old Master Bai be able to say it.

However, his father might not agree to let him go to Yangzhou.

"Your Highness!"

Gu Tingye knelt down on one knee with a look of emotion and said, "How could I be so worthy of Your Highness to make a special trip to Yangzhou for me!"

Zhao Xing was thinking about how to persuade his father to agree to let him go to Yangzhou when he was confused by Gu Tingye's sudden action.

It took him a while to realize that Gu Tingye had misunderstood and thought he went to Yangzhou to help him.

"Zhong Huai, I want to go to Yangzhou. I have had this idea for a long time. It has nothing to do with you. If I wanted to help you, I could just go to Lord Gu to plead for you. Why bother going to Yangzhou?" Zhao Xing said as he helped Gu Tingye up.

After hearing this, Gu Tingye thought about it carefully and it seemed to be true, so he smiled awkwardly.

"Don't worry. Even if my father doesn't allow me to go, I will ask Marquis Gu for mercy on your behalf," said Zhao Xing.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Gu Tingye said gratefully.

"Class is about to start, let's go back to the classroom first." Zhao Xing said.

……

After two classes in the morning, Zhao Xing went directly to Longtu Pavilion.

After the notification, he was allowed to enter the Longtu Pavilion.

"Your son greets you, father!" Zhao Xing bowed.

"Fu'er came to see me, what's the matter?" the emperor said with a smile.

"Father, you sound like I came to you because I have something to ask."

Seeing that his father looked tired, Zhao Xing came behind him and put his hands on his shoulders.

"Father, you should take more rest and don't get too tired."

Although he could become emperor after his father's death, at his current age, even if he became emperor, he would only be a puppet and would not be able to hold power.

Moreover, over the years, his father has poured so much affection into him, which makes him recognize this father from the bottom of his heart.

Anyway, he is the only son of his father, and no one can threaten his position.

Zhao Xing hoped that his father could live a long life so that he could give him advice and enjoy life. How wonderful that would be.

Being an emperor is good, but being a wise ruler is too tiring.

Take his father for example, no matter how history evaluates him, it is true that he was diligent in his work.

He got up before dawn every day to review memorials and was busy until very late every day.

Officials have one-third of their year off, but his father rarely rests.

Zhao Xingdu once thought, if he became emperor in the future, would he be able to hold on?

Guan Jia squinted his eyes and enjoyed it for a while, then said with a smile: "Since you said you have nothing else to say, if you tell me later, don't blame me for not agreeing."

"Father, I did come to see you, but I still have something small to tell you." Zhao Xing said with a smug look.

"Tell me, what's the matter?" The official looked as if he had known this would happen.

"I want to go to the south of the Yangtze River," said Zhao Xing.

"Ok?"

The official was startled, sat up straight, turned around and looked at Zhao Xing and said, "Nonsense, what are you doing in Jiangnan?"

"Father, didn't I suggest to you before that we conduct a thorough investigation of the salt business? The grandfather of Marquis Gu's second son was a famous salt merchant in Jiangnan. He should know a lot about private salt business," said Zhao Xing.

"The salt administration has been corrupt for many years, and it is difficult to investigate it. Your idea is good, but there is no need to make a special trip to Jiangnan, right?" The official frowned.

"Your Majesty, Zhonghuai's grandfather is very old and I'm afraid he can't withstand the fatigue of the journey, so I wanted to go there in person," said Zhao Xing.

"No, I plan to enthrone you as the crown prince after the new year, so you cannot leave Beijing now." The emperor shook his head.

(End of this chapter)