"Your Highness, something significant happened at the early court today."
"Significant?" Zhao Yao asked with some curiosity, "What significant event?"
Tong Xi did not answer directly but instead asked Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, do you know of Grand Commandant Zheng Xilin?"
"What, has Grand Commandant Zheng returned?" Zhao Yao certainly knew of Grand Commandant Zheng. Although he had left the capital for over ten years, his name and legends have remained in the city, echoing to this day.
"No, it’s his son who has arrived." Tong Xi stopped being cryptic and reported directly to Zhao Yao, "Grand Commandant Zheng’s eldest son has entered the court to serve, and he is now the Chancellor’s Assistant."
"The Grand Commandant did not return, but his son came to serve in the capital; today’s court session must have been very lively." With the Grand Commandant not back, but his son serving in the capital, the Crown Prince and Prince Dai will surely try their best to win over the Grand Commandant’s son.
The Grand Commandant has been gone for over a decade, yet Father has always kept the position of Grand Commandant vacant for him, showing how much Father values him.
For the Crown Prince and Prince Dai, if they can gain Grand Commandant Zheng’s support, then the throne would surely be theirs. Unfortunately, Grand Commandant Zheng has not returned, so they can only set their sights on his son.
To win over Grand Commandant Zheng’s son is to win over Grand Commandant Zheng himself.
"It was very lively, and the ministers were very pleased that Grand Commandant Zheng’s son came to the capital," Tong Xi said, "The Emperor even praised him during the court session and reminisced about the days with Grand Commandant Zheng."
"From this, it’s clear that Grand Commandant Zheng holds great importance not only to Father but also to the ministers." This Grand Commandant Zheng is also quite mysterious, and Zhao Yao is very curious about him.
"Your Highness, Grand Commandant Zheng was the great hero who helped the late emperor establish the Great Zhou. He was also the Emperor’s military advisor, having assisted in winning many battles," Tong Xi recounted several stories about Grand Commandant Zheng, "He had outstanding strategies, not only able to plan behind the scenes but also achieving victory from afar, something very few in this world can achieve."
"Back when the Great Zhou was established, Grand Commandant Zheng drafted many national policies for the late emperor, which are still in use today," Tong Xi said with relish, "Most of the laws of the Great Zhou were also formulated by Grand Commandant Zheng, as well as some military regulations and the like."
Tong Xi chattered on about all the things Grand Commandant Zheng did before leaving the capital. Each thing he mentioned was incredibly impressive.
Before Grand Commandant Zheng left the capital, he truly accomplished many great things for the benefit of the country and its people. Every major achievement made the ministers deeply convinced and earned the people’s praise.
Among the populace, Grand Commandant Zheng’s reputation is very high, higher than any other minister. Even though he left the capital for over ten years, most of the city’s residents still remember him. Besides the Emperor wishing for his return, the citizens also hope he will come back and resume being the Grand Commandant.
Grand Commandant Zheng’s departure was not abrupt. Before he left, he was not in good health, and the entire city was aware of this. Many citizens even went to temples specifically to pray for him, hoping the Buddha and Bodhisattva would bless him with a long life. Later, when Grand Commandant Zheng claimed illness and returned to his hometown, the citizens were very reluctant to see him go, escorting him thirty miles out of the city.
Both the Emperor and the citizens thought that Zheng Xilin would return to the capital after recuperating for a few years back home, but unexpectedly, he never returned once he left.
Twenty or thirty years ago, there was a rumor among the people that whoever got Zheng Xilin’s assistance could become the Emperor. Back then, it was because the Emperor received his aid that he became the emperor, showcasing his talent.
In fact, over the years, besides the Emperor occasionally sending people to invite Zheng Xilin back to the capital, Duke Zhen, the Crown Prince, Marquis Xuanping, and Prince Dai, even the Third Prince have secretly sent people to invite Zheng Xilin, but he has always refused.
Although Zheng Xilin refused, Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping did not give up. They would send gifts to Zheng Xilin during important festivals every year. Knowing that he disliked valuables, they catered to his preferences by sending books or calligraphy and paintings.
Zheng Xilin would return these gifts unopened. If Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping continued to send gifts, he would report them to the Emperor. After that, Duke Zhen and the others dared not try to send gifts to Zheng Xilin anymore or approach him again.