Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 79 Cao Bin

After returning from Feng Jisheng's place, Zhao Dezhao was frowning for several days.

He found himself in a somewhat awkward situation.

—No one is available!

Although Shi Shouxin and other generals were close to him, it was mostly out of respect for Zhao Kuangyin. With his current prestige, he was not enough to make these veteran generals willingly submit.

While Li Chuyun and his son could be trusted confidants, Li Chuyun was, after all, a military general. He was good at leading troops in battle, but other things were another matter.

As for Li Jilong, he is still young, so let's not talk about him.

Lu Duoxun is a capable man, but he is located in Yangzhou, which is too far away for him to reach.

Therefore, he was embarrassed to find that although his shogunate had been established, key positions such as chief secretary, military advisor, advisor, and secretary were all vacant.

He didn't even have anyone he could sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with to discuss important matters. He had to do many trivial things himself, which kept him busy.

"Where can I find you, my chief clerk...?"

Zhao Dezhao sighed softly. In fact, he did have a suitable candidate in mind, but given the current situation, it would be too abrupt to visit him directly.

After all, he doesn't seem to be popular among civil servants.

Just as he was deep in thought, a servant's voice came from outside the door:

"Your Highness, someone outside the residence requests an audience."

Zhao Dezhao let out a slightly surprised "Oh? At this time, someone actually comes to our door?"

As the eldest son of the emperor, he should have been surrounded by visitors after establishing his own residence.

But in fact, since the civil and military dispute that day, this is the first time anyone has come to pay their respects.

"Who goes there?"

"Your Highness, the man identifies himself as Cao Bin."

"Cao Bin?"

Upon hearing the name, Zhao Dezhao's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up impatiently: "Quickly, please... no, I'll go greet you myself!"

In front of the Marquis of Wugong's residence.

A tall and upright figure stood quietly. The person had a square face and refined features. Although his casual clothes were simple, they were neat. Even standing in front of a royal residence, his expression remained calm and composed.

"This humble servant pays respects to the Marquis of Wugong."

Even when Zhao Dezhao came to greet him personally, Cao Bin's eyes showed no change; he simply bowed respectfully.

"Uncle Guohua has come at the perfect time!"

Zhao Dezhao, however, was unusually enthusiastic. He strode forward, grabbed Cao Bin's hand, and led him into the mansion without a word, while instructing the servants beside him as they walked:

"Quickly fetch the tribute tea bestowed by my father; I must entertain our distinguished guests!"

Cao Bin immediately felt uncomfortable and subconsciously tried to quietly withdraw his hand.

Although Zhao Dezhao's hands were small, they were quite strong. He tried several times but failed to break free. After several attempts, he had no choice but to give up.

Only after entering the study and Zhao Dezhao released his grip did Cao Bin secretly breathe a sigh of relief, subtly straightening his sleeves as his emotions gradually calmed down.

"Uncle Guohua, is there something you want to teach me?"

Zhao Dezhao stared intently at Cao Bin, his gaze as if he had discovered a rare treasure. This blatant gaze made Cao Bin instinctively turn his face away, unable to meet his eyes directly.

"I dare not presume to teach you, but His Majesty has decreed that I accompany Your Highness on the expedition to Yangzhou. I have come here to inquire about the date of Your Highness's departure so that I may make preparations in advance."

Cao Bin's attitude was very respectful, with a touch of solemnity and composure, as if he were handling business in a very official manner.

After considering the timeline in his mind, Zhao Dezhao smiled and said, "We'll set off in seven days. What do you think, Uncle Guohua?"

"In that case, I will return to prepare and take my leave now."

Upon receiving the reply, Cao Bin immediately stood up and made as if to leave.

He didn't want to get too involved with the prince, and Zhao Dezhao's enthusiasm was terrifying, so he wanted to get away as soon as he finished his business.

"Uncle Guohua, why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhao Dezhao smiled and reached out, gently pressing Cao Bin's clasped hands back into his seat.

Cao Bin plopped back into his chair, looking at Zhao Dezhao with some surprise.

"Please stay a moment, Uncle Guohua. I have some questions I'd like to ask you," Zhao Dezhao said with a smile.

When Zhao Dezhao brought up official business, Cao Bin, no matter how unwilling he was, had no choice but to sit down as instructed.

"Uncle Guohua, in your opinion, how should we break through Yangzhou in this campaign to quell the rebellion?" Zhao Dezhao asked, adopting a humble and earnest tone.

Cao Bin was naturally cautious and reserved, and he felt very uncomfortable being called "Uncle Guohua" by Zhao Dezhao.

To be honest, he had never encountered such a "enthusiastic and proactive" superior before.

"Your Highness may address me by my humble title or position."

Cao Bin spoke in a distant tone, then pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "If we want to take Yangzhou in a day, we must cut off external reinforcements, prioritize winning hearts and minds, and fight to the death. Only then will there be a sliver of hope."

Upon hearing Cao Bin's insight, Zhao Dezhao's smile deepened.

My father was a skilled warrior and also adept at recognizing talented generals.

Several years ago, when Zhao Kuangyin was still serving as the Commander of the Palace Guards, he had already noticed that Cao Bin was quite talented.

Therefore, at that time, Zhao Kuangyin had the intention of promoting one or two people.

However, Cao Bin's attitude was quite clear. Every time Zhao Kuangyin came to visit, Cao Bin always maintained a distant attitude, only discussing official business and showing no intimacy whatsoever.

His behavior stemmed not only from his personality but also from his unique identity.

The nephew of Guo Rong's favorite concubine.

Zhao Kuangyin naturally understood this, so in the long run, he had no choice but to give up.

The old man was too thin-skinned to admit it, but Zhao Dezhao was different.

He is currently eager to find talented individuals.

His father had finally provided another assist, so how could he let the "Sima" who had reached the goal retreat again?

"Uncle Guohua is truly talented! His words have awakened me from my dream!"

Zhao Dezhao deliberately ignored Cao Bin's earlier correction of his address and continued to call him "Uncle Guohua." He then stood up and bowed solemnly to Cao Bin, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle Guohua."

This enthusiasm made Cao Bin even more flustered, and he quickly returned the greeting, saying, "This humble servant was merely speaking offhand and does not deserve such praise from Your Highness."

"If Your Highness has no further business, I will take my leave now."

With that, he stood up again, determined to leave.

He was not unaware that Zhao Dezhao was currently enjoying the emperor's favor, but since ancient times, being near the imperial family had always been extremely dangerous. Before the situation became completely clear, Cao Bin still did not want to get involved in the power struggle at the center of power.

Realizing Cao Bin's intentions, Zhao Dezhao was not angry at all; instead, his smile deepened. He stepped forward, took Cao Bin's hand again, and led him out of the mansion.

"Uncle Guohua, don't you want to know why I dared to make a military pledge to 'conquer Yangzhou in one day'?"

These words were like a pebble, instantly disrupting Cao Bin's concentration.

Reason told him that he shouldn't get too involved in Zhao Dezhao's affairs, but he had been obsessed with military strategy since childhood and was full of curiosity about the source of Zhao Dezhao's confidence.

It's no wonder that a ten-year-old prince dared to make such a pledge; it couldn't have been just a matter of passion.

"Uncle Guohua, why don't you come with me to the Imperial Guard camp? I'll show you what a true weapon of war is!" Zhao Dezhao coaxed patiently.

"this……"

Cao Bin looked hesitant and conflicted.

Although he was very interested in military strategy, he had never led troops alone. He was already full of longing for the battlefield, and with Zhao Dezhao's temptation, Cao Bin felt tormented.

To go... or not to go?

Go see it once... it shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Before he could fully comprehend it, Zhao Dezhao had already made the decision for him, pointing to the carriage parked outside the mansion and smiling:

"Uncle Guohua, please get in the car!"

Cao Bin looked at the carriage, shook his head helplessly, and bent down to get on.

The carriage wheels turned, carrying the two of them at breakneck speed towards the Imperial Guard camp outside the city.