[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [12] [Author: Xu Muxi]

Chapter Twelve: Soft Jade, Warm Fragrance, Debauchery, Exotic Flowers and Herbs Surround the Pavilion.
It is said that Kuangyin captured the man wounded by an arrow and ordered his soldiers to light a fire to identify him; it was Chen Chengzhao.
He was in the rear tent, awakened from his sleep by the sight of enemy troops attacking the camp. He hurriedly
mounted his horse and fled, but Kuangyin caught up with him, shooting an arrow into his left shoulder, causing him to fall from his horse and be captured. Kuangyin captured Chen Chengzhao and, with his men, pursued him to Chuzhou. He presented Chen Chengzhao to Emperor Shizong, explaining the raid on the camp. Emperor Shizong greatly admired Chen Chengzhao's wisdom and courage, and immediately executed him. He then ordered Kuangyin to assist in attacking Chuzhou. Chuzhou, however, was without food or reinforcements; how could it possibly hold out? Within two days, it was breached by the Zhou army. Zhang Yanqing, exhausted of arrows and strength, still held up a rope bed to resist the Zhou army, but was killed in the chaos; Zheng Zhaoye also committed suicide. The remaining thousand-plus soldiers fought to the death, not a single one surrendering. Emperor Shizong deeply admired their loyalty and praised them greatly! He ordered that Zhang Yanqing and Zheng Zhaoye be given a grand funeral and a public notice to reassure the people.
After the fall of Chuzhou, the Zhou army marched south again. Upon hearing the news, the Tang emperor was panicked and at a loss. He hastily summoned his ministers for a consultation, but they all looked at each other blankly, without any idea. The Tang emperor knew that the civil and military officials in the court were all incompetent and no one could resist the Zhou army. He had no choice but to send Chen Jue with a memorial, willing to abdicate in favor of his crown prince Hongji, submit to the emperor's will, and offer the four prefectures of Shu, Lu, Qi, and Huang, drawing the Yangtze River as the boundary, pleading for an end to the war. Emperor Shizong said, "My original intention was only to take the land north of the Yangtze River. Now that the Tang emperor is willing to submit to the whole country, what more could I ask for? Even the matter of abdicating in favor of the crown prince is unnecessary." He then sent a letter to the Tang emperor, establishing peace and ending the war. Upon receiving the letter, the Tang emperor immediately relinquished his imperial title and adopted the Zhou calendar. When Emperor Shizong returned to the capital in triumph, the sound of whips cracking and golden stirrups echoed, and soldiers and officers alike cheered with boundless joy!
Upon arriving in Bianjing (Kaifeng), Emperor Shizong rewarded his generals for their merits, bestowing gifts upon all, but Kuangyin received exceptional favor. From then on, the army ceased operations, and the people were allowed to recuperate.
Not long after, the Tang emperor sent an envoy to Bianjing, secretly delivering a letter to Kuangyin and presenting him with three thousand taels of silver. Kuangyin laughed and said, "This is clearly a counter-espionage plot, intended to sow discord between us. They are merely trying to gain advantage." He then concealed the letter and presented the silver, along with the gift, to Emperor Shizong. Emperor Shizong praised his loyalty and wisdom, offering gentle encouragement and subsequently appointing him as the Military Governor of Zhongwu Army, while retaining his command of the imperial guards. At that time, Hongyin suddenly suffered a relapse of his old illness and soon passed away. Emperor Shizong again bestowed upon him a generous funeral gift and posthumously granted him the title of Grand Commandant and Military Governor of Wuqing. Kuangyin's mother, Lady Du, was granted the title of Grand Lady of Nanyang Commandery. Kuangyin then stayed home to observe mourning and did not participate in political affairs.
The following year was the sixth year of Xiande. Emperor Shizong, seeing that the army was strong and well-equipped, was filled with ambition and wanted to recover Yan and Yun and unify the Central Plains. However, because the ruler of Northern Han had once led Liao troops to invade, he decided to first attack Liao and personally lead the campaign. He summoned Kuangyin to court and appointed him as the commander-in-chief of the naval forces, and appointed Han Tong, the commander of the imperial guards, as the commander-in-chief of the land forces. On an auspicious day, he ordered the two generals to set off first, advancing by both land and water. Emperor Shizong congratulated them in his carriage and also boarded a dragon boat as backup. Kuangyin led the warships and set off first, raising the sails and sailing with the wind past Ying and Mo prefectures. The soldiers and civilians of Liao were not prepared for the sudden arrival of the Zhou army. Seeing the fierce approach of the Zhou army, they were all panicked and fled at the first sign of the wind. The Zhou army sailed their warships straight to Ningzhou, which belonged to Liao. Wang Hong, the prefect of Ningzhou, had just received news of the Zhou army's invasion and rushed to the capital to request troops to defend the city. However, before the Liao troops arrived, the Zhou army had already swiftly arrived, their warships directly besieging the city. Wang Hong
, guarding an empty city, had no chance to resist and surrendered. After Wang Hong's surrender, Kuangyin appointed him as a guide to advance on Yijin Pass. The commander guarding the pass was Zhong Tinghui. Hearing that Ningzhou had surrendered and the Zhou army was approaching, he went to the pass to investigate. He saw that the enemy used large warships, lined up in a row before the pass, banners fluttering, swords and spears densely packed, and the soldiers on board were all strong and brave, displaying the imposing presence of tigers and dragons.
Tinghui shuddered at the sight, thinking to himself, "What a mighty Southern army! My forces inside the pass are few and far between; how can we resist?" Just as he was hesitating in the shadows, he suddenly heard someone below shouting to open the gates. When Tinghui looked down, he saw it was Wang Hong, the governor of Ningzhou. He immediately asked, "I heard you have surrendered to Zhou. What brings you here?" Wang Hong replied, "For the sake of the people within the pass, I have come alone on horseback to discuss matters with you. Please open the gate quickly and let me in; I have something to say." Tinghui then went down from the pass and ordered his soldiers to open the gate and let Wang Hong in. Upon seeing each other, Wang Hong said, "The Zhou army is coming with great force and will not be easy to defeat. I advise you, General, to surrender to the Zhou army and protect the people within the pass." Tinghui pondered for a long time, unable to come up with a plan to retreat, and had no choice but to follow Wang Hong's advice and surrender with him. When Kuangyin saw Tinghui surrender, he comforted him with kind words before asking him about the route ahead. Tinghui said, "After passing this pass, it's less than a few dozen li to Waqiao Pass. The waterway is very narrow and large ships cannot sail there. If the Marshal wants to advance, he must abandon the boats and go ashore." Kuangyin then sent a subordinate general with Wang Hong to garrison Ningzhou, and added troops to guard Yijin Pass with Tinghui. He secretly thought, "Han Tong's troops have not yet arrived. If we wait here, we might miss the opportunity. It would be better to advance directly while we are victorious." After thinking this, he ordered the three armies to abandon the boats and advance by land.
In less than a day, they arrived at Waqiao Pass. The general guarding the pass was named Yao Neibin, who led several thousand cavalrymen to resist. How could they possibly defeat Kuangyin? After fighting for a while, they were all routed by Kuangyin, their horses and men falling to the ground, and they fled back into the pass, not daring to come out again. Kuangyin led his troops to attack the pass, but after a whole day, he could not break through. The next day, Han Tong's troops arrived and met with Kuangyin. Han Tong explained that Gao Yanhui, the governor of Yingzhou, and Liu Chuxin, the governor of Mozhou, surrendered upon seeing the army's arrival, thus allowing the army to reach this place without bloodshed. They explained that the rugged mountain roads had made their journey difficult, delaying their arrival by several days. Kuangyin also told Han Tong about his own military campaign. He then led his troops straight to the pass and summoned Yao Neibin to speak. Neibin reached the pass, and Kuangyin said, "General, listen! When the Heavenly Army arrives, Ying and Mo prefectures, as well as Ning prefecture and Yijin Pass, will all surrender without a fight. Only you are guarding this mere Waqiao Pass. If you wish to resist the Heavenly Army, I could easily enter the pass in one fell swoop. However, out of compassion for the people of the North and South, who are all of the same mind, I cannot bear to see them perish together. If you understand the situation and cherish your homeland, surrender quickly to avoid being slaughtered." Neibin listened, lowered his head, thought for a while, and then said, "I will report back tomorrow." Kuangyin said, "A true man's word is his bond. If you do not surrender tomorrow, do not blame me for being merciless!" Having said this, he led his troops back to camp. Just then, Commander Li Chongjin and others arrived with the Imperial Guards. Kuangyin, knowing that Emperor Shizong had arrived, hurriedly led Han Tong and the other generals out of the camp to greet him. Emperor Shizong entered the camp, offered words of comfort, and inquired about the military situation. Kuangyin and Han Tong reported back in detail. Emperor Shizong stayed in the camp that night. The next day, Yao Neibin indeed surrendered, and Kuangyin led him to see Emperor Shizong. After exchanging greetings, Emperor Shizong spoke to him gently and comforted him, and Neibin kowtowed in gratitude. He then led Emperor Shizong into the pass.
Emperor Shizong was overjoyed to see that various passes had been surrendered in succession, and he ordered a banquet to celebrate the victory, inviting all civil and military officials to take their seats. During the banquet, the strategy for advancing into Youzhou was discussed. The generals all said in unison: "Your Majesty has only been away from Bianjing for more than forty days, and has already gained the lands south of Yan without bloodshed. This is the time when your prestige is spreading far and wide, and the enemy should naturally lose their courage. However, the Liao emperor is also very knowledgeable about military affairs. Hearing that the lands south of Yan have been lost, he will surely use a large force to guard Youzhou. If Your Majesty wishes to advance, you should proceed with caution." Emperor Shizong was very displeased upon hearing this and remained silent. Seeing Emperor Shizong's displeasure, the generals dared not speak further. After the banquet, Emperor Shizong returned to his camp and secretly summoned Li Chongjin, the vanguard commander, into his tent. He instructed him: "My ambition is to unify the world and pacify the north and south. Now that I have sent troops here and have gained control of various places in Yan and Nan, I will not give up so easily. Tomorrow, you may lead 10,000 troops to set off first, and I will personally receive you." Li Chongjin obeyed and withdrew. He then summoned Sun Xingyou, the commander of the Imperial Guards, ordering him to lead 5,000 cavalry to attack Yizhou immediately. Sun Xingyou also obeyed and went.
The next day, Li Chongjin led his troops ahead and arrived at Gu'an. The officials in the city had already fled, the city gates were wide open, and Zhou troops poured in. After capturing Gu'an, Chongjin ordered his soldiers to rest temporarily before continuing their advance. In the blink of an eye, Emperor Shizong arrived. Upon reaching Gu'an, he saw a long river blocking his path; its waters were deep and unfathomable. Therefore, he summoned the local people and asked them what the river was called and whether there were any boats to cross it. The local people replied, "This river is called Anyang River. There used to be rafts that could be used to cross it, but because the army arrived, the Liao people took the rafts to the other side, so there are no boats to cross." Upon hearing this, Emperor Shizong ordered all his troops to cut down trees and build a bridge, with a deadline set for completion. He then led his personal guards back to Waqiao Pass for the night. Unexpectedly, he caught a cold that night and suddenly fell ill. He was bedridden for two days but still could not recover. Just then, Sun Xingyou captured Li Zaiqin, the prefect of Yizhou, and sent someone to report the victory. Emperor Shizong, despite his illness, went to his tent and asked if Li Zaiqin was willing to surrender. Li Zaiqin glared and said, "Kill me if you want, why ask so many questions!" Emperor Shizong then ordered his men to take him out and behead him. By this time, he felt dizzy and could not stand up, so he quickly retreated to the back tent to rest. From then on, his illness became more severe.
Seeing that Emperor Shizong was seriously ill, the generals wanted to request his return to the capital, but fearing to anger him, they dared not enter to report. Kuangyin resolutely said, "If His Majesty remains here due to illness, and the Liao people find out, they will launch a large-scale attack, which would be disastrous. Let me go in and request that His Majesty return to the capital." He then went directly to the inner tent and requested an audience with Emperor Shizong, who immediately ordered him to be brought in. Kuangyin arrived before the imperial bed, first inquired about the emperor's health, and then discussed military matters. Emperor Shizong said, "I wished to pacify Liaodong in one fell swoop and unify the north and south, but illness has struck, preventing me from achieving my goal!" Kuangyin calmly replied, "I believe Heaven's will has not yet severed Liaodong, hence my illness. I urge Your Majesty to obey Heaven's will, temporarily withdraw the troops to Bianjing, and release them without further questioning. Heaven will surely bestow blessings, and Your Majesty's health will naturally improve." Emperor Shizong pondered for a while and said, "Your words are reasonable. I will temporarily return to the capital. You may dispatch the various armies, and we will depart tomorrow." Kuangyin obeyed the order and withdrew, issuing an edict to recall Li Chongjin, Sun Xingyou, and others' troops to prepare for the return journey. The next day, Emperor Shizong held court and ordered that Waqiao Pass be renamed Xiongzhou, and Han Lingkun be stationed there; Yijin Pass be renamed Bazhou, and Chen Sirang be stationed there. He instructed all generals to command their troops and to be cautious in defense, lest they be outmaneuvered by the Liaodong people. The two generals accepted the order in unison and respectfully saw Emperor Shizong off.
The journey was swift and uneventful. Upon returning to Bianjing, his illness had slightly subsided. After several days of quiet recuperation in the palace, he was completely recovered. Emperor Shizong, a wise ruler, was unwilling to waste time. At this time, he had not yet attended court to handle state affairs. Sitting idly in the palace, he chatted with his concubines and other women for a while, but finding it uninteresting, he took out various documents and memorials from his brocade pouch to read. Reaching out, he suddenly found a straight piece of wood, about three feet long, with five large characters written on it: "The Inspector Becomes the Emperor." Emperor Shizong was quite surprised! He played with it for a while, then put it back in his pouch. The next day, at court, he issued an edict dismissing Zhang Yongde from his post as Inspector-General and replacing him with Zhao Kuangyin as Inspector-General of the Palace Guard and concurrently Grand Commandant. After Kuangyin finished expressing his gratitude, Chancellor Fan Zhi stepped forward and said: "The Southern Tang has sent an envoy with a memorial to pay tribute. They have been at the inn for several days, but because Your Majesty is not yet fully recovered, we dare not report this." Emperor Shizong then ordered the Tang envoy to come to court. Upon hearing the imperial edict, Wang Chongzhi, the Minister of Rites of the Tang Dynasty, hurriedly brought the memorial to court. After performing a dance before the emperor, he presented the memorial. Emperor Shizong, upon reading it, noticed that the tribute consisted of two beautiful women; he then ordered Wang Chongzhi to lead them into the court.
Why did the Tang emperor present only two beautiful women instead of precious jewels? It turns out that the Tang emperor had lost the lands north of the Yangtze River and had been stripped of his title, submitting to the Zhou dynasty. Forced by military limitations, he was powerless to resist, and thus suffered this humiliation, which he deeply resented. Not long after, news arrived that the Zhou emperor had personally led an expedition against the Liao Dynasty, conquering the southern Yan region without bloodshed. The Tang emperor exclaimed in surprise, "The Zhou emperor is so powerful; in a few years, he will unify the entire country. I fear my meager territory south of the Yangtze will be difficult to protect! What should we do?" He immediately consulted with his prime minister, Song Qiqiu. Song Qiqiu reported, “Does Your Majesty still remember when the Southern Han ruler ascended the throne, he presented the Lei women, which saved him from several years of invasion? Why not now seek out exceptionally beautiful women and present them to the Zhou ruler? Fortunately, we have not yet paid tribute since our submission, so we can use this as a pretext to avoid arousing suspicion.
If the Zhou ruler indulges in wine and women, his heroic spirit will naturally be eroded, and he will lose his ambition. We can then slowly recuperate and rebuild our strength, and one day we will have the opportunity to avenge ourselves. This is exactly the same plan Fan Li devised when he presented Xi Shi!” Upon hearing this, the Tang ruler said… "Your words are quite reasonable," said Song Qiqiu. "But the Zhou ruler is not comparable to the Southern Han ruler. He is very wise. If we offer him beautiful women and he refuses, wouldn't we be making a fool of ourselves?" Song Qiqiu replied, "No one is a saint. How can one not love beauty? It's just that a wise ruler cherishes his reputation and is unwilling to choose beautiful women himself, lest he give his ministers cause for gossip. If someone offers him these ready-made beauties, I believe the Zhou ruler will certainly accept them without worry." The Tang ruler immediately agreed to his suggestion and ordered people to search far and wide for exceptionally beautiful women.
The mountains and rivers of Jiangnan are beautiful and naturally produce beauties. How could they not find them?
Within a few days, two beauties had been found: Qin Ruolan and Du Wenji. Both were graceful and slender, possessing the beauty of Xi Shi and Tai Zhen, and were skilled in literature and poetry. The Tang emperor was overjoyed. He dressed the two beauties in light silk robes, adorned them with pearls, jade, and gold, and placed them in the rear garden to teach them singing, dancing, and the art of playing stringed instruments. The two beauties, quick-witted and clever, mastered the skills after just one instruction. In less than a month, they had become proficient in both singing and playing instruments. The emperor then personally went to the rear garden and ordered the two beauties to demonstrate their skills. Their singing was melodious, like the sweet song of a nightingale, capable of moving the heart and pleasing the soul. He then ordered the two to dance, and their flowing robes were as graceful as those of Zhao Feiyan in the Han Dynasty, their movements light and nimble, dazzling the eyes and the soul. When he watched them play instruments, he found that they possessed all the instruments—the zither, the pipa, the sheng, the drum, and the flute—as if the emperor himself had ascended to the moon palace and was listening to the "Rainbow Feather Garment Dance." The Tang emperor was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Such beauties, such skills! I pity them; I have no doubt the Zhou emperor will love them too!" He immediately ordered the Hanlin Academy to draft a memorial and dispatched Huang Chongzhi, the Minister of Rites, to transport the two beauties to Bianjing (Kaifeng) in a light carriage adorned with embroidered curtains as tribute. When Huang Chongzhi arrived in Bianjing, Emperor Shizong was ill and had returned to the capital to recuperate in the palace, so Huang Chongzhi had to stay at the
official guesthouse. That day, Emperor Shizong summoned him. After the formalities, Huang Chongzhi read the memorial and, as Song Qiqiu had predicted, Emperor Shizong had originally intended to select several beauties for his inner court for his pleasure; however, he feared the objections of his ministers and had not yet done so. Now that the Southern Tang was offering tribute, he assumed they must be exceptionally beautiful and was happy to accept them for his own enjoyment. This also saved him the trouble of personally selecting them and being looked down upon by his ministers for being lustful—a win-win situation. Therefore, without hesitation, he ordered Huang Chongzhi to lead the two beauties to the court.
Huang Chongzhi received the decree and led the two women to the front of the hall. He lightly lifted his green sleeves, slowly parted his red lips, and after calling out their names, prostrated himself on the steps. Emperor Shizong ordered them to raise their heads, and the two beauties obeyed, kneeling with their heads raised. Emperor Shizong saw that the two women indeed possessed beauty that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, and beauty that could shame the moon and flowers. He was greatly pleased! He then asked, "What are your names?" The one on the left replied, "Your Majesty, I am Qin Ruolan." The one on the right also replied, "Your Majesty, I am Du Wenji." Emperor Shizong smiled and said, "Your names are quite elegant; you must possess the talent of Ruolan and the skill of Wenji." Huang Chongzhi replied, "These two beauties are not only beautiful, but they are also skilled in composing poetry, playing musical instruments, and performing other arts." Upon hearing this, Emperor Shizong was even more delighted! He ordered that the two women be taken into the Imperial Music Hall. Fan Zhi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, with your divine and martial prowess, governs the world with integrity and is about to pacify the north and south and unify the realm. Why then do you accept the beauties of the Southern Tang?" Wang Pu also held his tablet and remonstrated, "The Tang ruler does not offer Your Majesty useful gifts, but instead tries to seduce you with beautiful women. This is exactly how King Goujian of Yue repaid Wu. I urge Your Majesty to instruct their envoys to refuse them. Then they will feel ashamed and dare not harbor any further rebellious intentions. Moreover, if the world hears this, they will all know that Your Majesty is not indulging in sensual pleasures. Then the Liao Kingdom will be won over, and the North..." "The Han dynasty fears our might, and the world can be pacified without much effort." Emperor Shizong comforted them gently, saying, "What you two ministers say is reasonable, but the Tang emperor has sent envoys from afar to present beautiful women, and his intentions are commendable. If we refuse them, we will disappoint the hopes of our distant envoys. Moreover, why would the Tang emperor stoop to the level of Goujian, trying to lure me with beauty? Even if he intended to, I am not like Fuchai; how could he possibly employ such tricks? You two ministers may leave now; I have a plan to deal with this." Seeing that Emperor Shizong would not heed their advice, Fan Zhi and Wang Pu could only remain silent.
They then prepared a banquet for the Tang envoys. During the banquet, Emperor Shizong asked Wang Chongzhi, "Does the Prince of Tang also maintain his military equipment and fortifications?" Chongzhi replied, "Since serving a powerful state, I have not dared to maintain my military equipment and fortifications." Emperor Shizong said, "In the past, when I waged war, we were enemies. Now that we have established friendly relations and submitted to the Tang, we are one family. The relationship between the Tang ruler and me is settled, and there is no further discussion. However, human affairs are unpredictable. While I am on the throne, I will not send troops to Jiangnan, but who knows what will happen in the future? Go back and tell the Tang ruler that the military equipment and city walls should be repaired in time to prevent external threats and to plan for the long term." Chongzhi bowed and accepted the order, took his leave of Emperor Shizong, and returned to Jiangnan to meet the Tang ruler. He relayed the imperial decree and Emperor Shizong's order to repair the military equipment and city walls.
The Tang ruler was deeply moved and ordered officials to inspect the city walls, repairing any that were not intact and to replace any damaged or incomplete equipment. Emperor Shizong, following the decree of the Tang emperor, repaired the city walls and strengthened the military, handling the situation meticulously.
However, after taking two concubines, Emperor Shizong spent his days drinking and reveling in the palace, surrounded by them. By day, he would compose poems to test his wit; by night, the deafening music and excessive feasting led him to neglect state affairs and governance, completely extinguishing his former ambition to conquer the world. Furthermore, finding the palace too humble and lacking in scenic spots and ponds, Emperor Shizong ordered the construction of a pavilion in the inner garden, named the "Flower Appreciation and Scenic View Pavilion," so that he and Qin Ruolan and Du Wenji could enjoy the view day and night. He appointed the instructor Feng Yi to oversee the construction, setting a deadline for completion. Feng Yi, receiving the imperial decree, dared not delay! He recruited craftsmen, transported bricks and materials, and began construction on an auspicious day, working tirelessly day and night, the sounds of his labor echoing outside the palace.
The officials were already quite anxious because Emperor Shizong had taken in beauties from the Southern Tang and had neglected court affairs for days, leaving the administration in disarray. Now, they heard of the construction of pavilions and towers, with construction projects underway. The entire court looked at each other, at a loss for what to do. They wanted to offer advice, but due to the separation between the inside and outside, they could not meet with him. Moreover, they feared that Emperor Shizong was indulging in pleasure and that they might offend him and incur punishment. Therefore, they did not pursue the matter. Fan Zhi then said to Wang Pu, "The emperor is currently indulging in sensual pleasures. Even if we offer advice, he may not listen. The most important thing now is to establish an heir apparent to solidify the foundation of the state. If anything unexpected happens, we can still rely on him." Wang Pu replied, "What you say is true, sir! Tomorrow, we will go directly to the palace gates to request an audience with the emperor and propose the establishment of a crown prince. I think we will not offend His Majesty." Fan Zhi then said to the officials, "Tomorrow, all of you must gather in the court and come with me to present our proposal." Everyone agreed and went their separate ways.
The next day, civil officials led by Fan Zhi and military officials led by Kuang Yin, knocked directly on the palace gates, requesting an audience with Emperor Shizong to present important matters. Emperor Shizong was drinking with the two beauties, Du and Qin, all night long, continuing their drinking games until the next morning, unwilling to rest. The music and singing below continued unabated, and the attendants bustled about. Emperor Shizong, because Qin had lost a drinking game, ordered a large cup of wine to be poured as punishment. Suddenly, a report came from the palace gate: "Civil and military officials have matters to report to Your Majesty and are awaiting your orders at the palace gate." Emperor Shizong then ordered the remaining wine to be cleared away, but fearing that the officials would remonstrate upon seeing his behavior, he ordered the two beauties to temporarily withdraw, to resume their entertainment after meeting the officials. Qin and Du obeyed the order and, along with the palace maids who had been singing and dancing before the steps, retreated to a side palace. Emperor Shizong then summoned the officials to an audience. Fan Zhi and Kuang Yin led the officials in paying their respects and then stood in their respective ranks. Emperor Shizong asked, "What matters concerning state affairs do you ministers wish to present to me?" Fan Zhi and Kuang Yin replied in unison, "Your Majesty is already of advanced age and has not yet established an heir. We urge you to quickly devise a grand plan to solidify the foundation of the nation and fulfill the expectations of both the court and the people. This would be a great blessing for the country!" Emperor Shizong said, "The sons of meritorious officials have not yet been enfeoffed. How can you bestow favors upon my heir first?" Kuang Yin then said, "We have already received Your Majesty's great favor, which is already beyond our means. How dare we hope to extend that favor to our descendants? We beg Your Majesty to quickly establish an heir without hesitation." Emperor Shizong then granted their request and issued an edict enfeoffing his son Zongxun as the Prince of Liang. At that time, Zongxun was only seven years old. The ministers bowed their heads in gratitude and took their leave from the palace. Emperor Shizong was about to summon the two beauties, Qin and Du, to enjoy himself again
when Feng Yi entered the palace and reported that the Flower Viewing Pavilion had been completed on schedule and requested His Majesty's presence.
Emperor Shizong immediately ordered his entourage to the rear garden to see the newly built pavilions. Indeed, the winding railings reflected the sunlight, the painted beams soared like clouds, magnificent and resplendent, as evidenced by the poem "Xi Jiang Yue": "The painted beams are bright and majestic, the pavilions are magnificent and wondrous; the surrounding colors depict mountains and rivers, even Penglai Island could not compare. Rare treasures are displayed, accompanied by music and instruments; from now on, the emperor can lean on the railings and enjoy the scenery with his beauties every day."
Emperor Tuzong, seeing the pavilions' beauty, was greatly pleased and richly rewarded Feng Yi, ordering him to leave. Feng Yi thanked the emperor for his favor and happily withdrew. Emperor Shizong, seeing that the pavilions were complete, felt a sense of incompleteness as the inner garden lacked ornamental flowers. Therefore, he ordered his ministers to present rare and exotic flowers to be planted in the inner garden so that he could enjoy them from the railings. Upon receiving the edict, all the civil and military officials sighed, saying that the emperor had drastically changed his temperament and was now indulging in unrestrained debauchery. However, they dared not disobey the decree and could only find some flowers to present. Then there were those who, seeking advancement and driven by greed, wanted to curry favor with the emperor and gain his favor. They spared no expense in purchasing rare and exotic flowers to present to the palace. Emperor Shizong ordered his attendants to select the rarest flowers and plant them near the palace, while the more common ones were planted throughout the garden, watered and nurtured day and night to ensure their rapid growth. Indeed, with so many people, things were done easily. Within a few days, the inner garden was already lush and verdant, a tapestry of blossoms. Those who strolled through it were enveloped in fragrance, as if in a flower kingdom, truly delightful and pleasing to the eye. Emperor Shizong, accompanied by his two concubines, Qin and Du, spent his days and nights drinking, admiring the flowers, singing, and dancing in the palace, lingering there. None of the civil or military officials dared to offer any advice.
At that time, Zheng En was returning to the capital on a mission, and along the way, he had already heard much gossip about it.
It was said that Emperor Shizong, having accepted the beauties presented by the Southern Tang, had lost all his ambition and become licentious and indulged in wine and women. It was a pity that such a wise ruler had fallen for the Southern Tang's honey trap and ended up in this state. If he continued like this without repentance, internal and external troubles would surely arise, and he, who had once conquered others, would now be conquered himself. Throughout his journey, he heard nothing but these kinds of discussions. He was quite surprised, thinking to himself, "Has the court deteriorated to this extent in just a few months of being an envoy? With Zhao Kuangyin, Fan Zhi, and Wang Pu in court, how could the emperor not have remonstrated against such debauchery? These rumors are probably not true." Thinking this, he rushed back to Bianjing day and night to inquire whether what he had heard was true.
He arrived in Bianjing in less than a day, just as Emperor Shizong was building a tall building and ordering his officials to present flowers. Those who flattered the emperor and craved wealth offered exorbitant rewards to acquire exotic plants; profiteers, undeterred by hardship, searched far and wide for rare flowers, loading them by cart or boat, and flocked to Bianjing in an endless stream, fearing to fall behind and miss their chance to make a fortune. The streets of Bianjing were nearly congested with their throngs of people.
Zheng En, riding his horse with his entourage, was about to enter the capital when he was blocked by flower sellers carrying loads on shoulder poles, baskets, and hampers, and several people even carrying large flowering trees on shoulder poles. They blocked Zheng En's horse, preventing him from moving forward. Seeing this, Zheng En guessed that the rumors on the road were somewhat credible. He patiently and softly asked a man carrying a flowering tree, "What kind of flower are you carrying?
Where are you going?" The man, seeing Zheng En's bright clothes, imposing appearance, and the many followers behind him on his tall horse, guessed he was an official and suspected he was also seeking rare flowers to present to the court. He thought it would be a good opportunity to sell to him for a large profit. So he smiled obsequiously and said, "This flower is called cherry blossom. It comes from a country in the Eastern Ocean. This flower is a rare and precious species, found only in that country. When it blooms, it is exceptionally beautiful.
I braved the dangers of wind and waves to cross the Eastern Ocean, and it took much effort to obtain this one flower. If you, sir, buy it and present it to the court, I guarantee it will outshine all other flowers. However, the price is a thousand taels of gold; I will not sell it for less." Hearing that a single flower cost a thousand taels of gold, Zheng En was even more astonished! He deliberately asked, "With such a high price, I'm afraid no one will buy it, right?" The man sneered, "Sir, you must have come from afar and don't understand the situation here. The court has accepted the beauties from the Southern Tang as tribute, built the Flower Appreciation Pavilion, and ordered all civil and military officials to present rare and exotic flowers to be planted in the inner garden for enjoyment. If my cherry blossoms were to meet a discerning sir, I would buy them for more than a thousand taels of gold and present them to the court, hoping to gain promotion and wealth. Why do you think my price is too high?" How Zheng En will respond to this remains to be seen.

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[History of the Song Dynasty Palace] [12] [Author: Xu Muxi]

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