The Zhao Dynasty (Transmigrating to the Song Dynasty)

Emperor Taizu of Song had his instructions carved in stone and kept locked in the palace hall. Whenever a new ruler took the throne, he was to enter and kneel to read them. There were three rules: First, protect the descendants of the Chai clan. Second, do not kill scholar-officials. Third, do not increase taxes on farmland. Zhou Pingyi is neither a descendant of the Later Zhou imperial family nor a pedantic scholar. His turbulent background also leaves him no chance of a quiet life in the countryside. Not only does the radiance of Emperor Taizu's virtue fail to shine on him, he is instead forced to serve the emperor's descendants, pouring tea and fetching water by day and acting as a human shield when they are attacked. Risking his life is part of a bodyguard's duty, but why is he ultimately expected to sell his body and warm someone's bed as well? To keep his job and his chastity, he can only fight against the feudal ruling forces represented by the young prince. From the southern barbarians to the northern invaders, he helps the Zhao family suppress bandits and guard the borders. After pretending to be a loyal subject all his life, can he finally escape the storms of court politics and the upheavals of imperial power... Author's note: The phrase "Weak Song" seems the best way to sum up a dynasty that ruled the Central Plains for 300 years. It lacked the grand ambition of "All under Heaven belongs to the emperor," and the resolve of "Those who dare offend the mighty Han, no matter how far away, will be destroyed." It never marched deep into the northern deserts or struck straight for Huanglong. Instead, it clung to a corner of the realm, indulged in luxury, and suffered humiliation at the hands of the northern tribes. Yet this frail dynasty generated 80 percent of the world's tax revenue at the time and achieved a level of prosperity where "even street porters dressed like scholars, and farmers wore silk shoes." The Han Dynasty's expansion of its borders cannot conceal the fact that it lost nearly half its population. Looking across Chinese history, the Song Dynasty was the one farthest removed from the truth of the saying, "When a dynasty rises, the people suffer; when it falls, the people suffer." This is a transmigration story set during the reigns of Emperor Zhenzong and Emperor Renzong of Song. I studied science, so my classical Chinese is limited. Historical references will be annotated; anything without a note is made up. A new project An older completed novel Theme: