After adjusting the position of the wood, Han Mo swung his axe again. This time, it landed precisely in the middle of the log.
"Brother Han, aren't you angry?"
"What's the use of being angry?"
Listening to Han Mo's calm tone, even on such a snowy day, Zhao Zhen felt his body heat up.
"In fact, Han Mo's heart has never changed. Your Highness really doesn't need to go to such trouble!"
After picking up the broken firewood on the ground, Han Mo said in a calm tone.
"Being in officialdom, there are always times when one is unable to act freely. I have made Brother Han see jokes!"
As Zhao Zhen spoke, he also unfastened his outer robe, removed his upper garment, and revealed his snow-white skin.
"I heard that Your Highness intends to use bandits to strengthen your position?"
Seeing Zhao Zhen remove his outer robe, Han Mo suddenly said with a smile.
"There is such a thing. Zhang Bangchang has defected to me, and this idea also came from him. I think it has some merit..."
Everything in this world is difficult at the beginning. Zhao Zhen knew in his heart that if he wanted to restore the trust between him and Han Mo, he could not hide anything tonight. Therefore, he simply spilled everything.
"Then, Your Highness, have you ever thought about the consequences of what you are doing?"
Han Mo asked again as he chopped wood.
"It's nothing more than consuming more money and food, and making the war in Hebei a little more difficult! However, as long as I can ascend to that position, it's all worth it, isn't it?"
Although saying this made Zhao Zhen's face flush, fortunately, it was nighttime. Even though there were a few lanterns hanging in the corners, the courtyard was still very dark, which saved him some embarrassment.
"Does Your Highness really think it's only these things?"
Han Mo turned to look at Zhao Zhen and asked with a smile.
"Isn't it?"
"Your Highness, do you know why I spared Zhong Shidao at all costs back then and spent so much effort to push Your Highness to this position?"
Having been reborn, Han Mo naturally understood that there was no absolute right or wrong in this world.
The so-called right and wrong were merely two sides of a coin. Different positions led to different choices, which was actually quite normal.
Zhao Zhen being able to say this to his face today made Han Mo feel much more comfortable.
"Didn't Brother Han do it to push me to that position?"
Zhao Zhen turned to look at Han Mo again.
"It's both right and wrong."
"Where is it wrong?"
As Zhao Zhen spoke, he stopped chopping wood.
"Your Highness, have you ever considered what would happen if the Liao Empire were completely destroyed and the Jin Empire continued to march south? Who would be able to control this world then?"
Seeing Zhao Zhen stop, Han Mo also put down his axe.
"You say the Jin people will continue to march south? They have just swallowed a large amount of territory from the Liao. Aren't they afraid of choking themselves to death?"
Although Han Mo's hypothesis indeed made him shiver, Zhao Zhen subconsciously replied.
"They don't need land. What if they only plunder people and wealth? Your Highness, have you ever seen bandits who speak of righteousness? Between countries, can a mere treaty really restrain them? Even with the Covenant of Chanyuan back then, which emperor of the Song Dynasty did not want to reclaim Yan Yun?"
After Han Mo finished speaking, Zhao Zhen suddenly fell silent.
"So, I am the emergency measure you left for the Great Song?"
After a long silence, Zhao Zhen looked at Han Mo again.
"No, not an emergency measure, but to rescue the kingdom from peril and support the collapsing mansion!"
Looking at Han Mo's eyes, which were still shining in the night, Zhao Zhen really didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Your Highness, a ruler should act openly and honestly, winning through overt strategy! To be honest, Your Highness's recent actions are something Han Mo cannot agree with!"
With things having reached this point, Han Mo no longer gave Zhao Zhen any face and directly poured out everything he had in his heart.
"Overt strategy? Brother Han, do you not know how my father views me?"
When Zhao Zhen said this, he gave a wry smile. Why had he become like this?
Half of it was his own guilt, and the other half was the meticulously planned scheme of his father, wasn't it?
"Your Highness, do you really think this is important? If it were at any other time, the emperor of the Great Song only needed to be a ruler who maintained the status quo, enjoying his food and drink, and everyone could do it. However, now that the Great Song is about to sleep with wolves and tigers, can a ruler who merely maintains the status quo protect this world? Why has Prince Yun plotted for so many years but still not succeeded? Isn't it because he himself is no better than the Crown Prince?"
Han Mo said with another disdainful smile.
"Your Highness only needs to pacify the southeast as soon as possible. You will be the only prince among all the princes who has military merits. If there is a change in the world, Your Highness will naturally bear the expectations of the world. If you have the people's support, will the position of the Son of Heaven forever elude you?"
After Han Mo finished speaking, Zhao Zhen was completely stunned on the spot. For a moment, he even really wanted to hit himself on the head.
If one were to speak of it, he had truly played a good hand poorly.
"Brother Han, are you so sure that a great change is coming to this world?"
After his chest heaved violently a few times, Zhao Zhen gritted his teeth and said again.
Seeing his stubbornness, Han Mo understood that this should be his last lingering obsession.
Seeing this scene, the stone that Han Mo had been holding in his heart fell by more than half.
Fortunately, Zhao Zhen was not yet beyond redemption.
"Your Highness, have you ever seen tigers and wolves change their diet to vegetarian? What is the situation in Hebei recently? Your Highness should know better than I do. Are Tong Guan, Cai You, and the like worthy of entrusting the world to?"
After Han Mo finished speaking, Zhao Zhen fell silent again.
"One incompetent general exhausts thousands of soldiers, let alone the commander of hundreds of thousands of troops. How did Liu Fa die? How did the Western Xia lose? How was Yan Jing City lost? Has Your Highness not seen clearly? At this time, Tong Guan, for his own selfish desires, secretly asked the Jin people to send troops to help the Great Song recover lost territory. Don't you find it absurd? Once those Jin people discover our vulnerabilities, the Great Song will no longer be a tiger..."
Zhao Zhen himself had been paying close attention to the situation of the Hebei forbidden army recently.
However, even though he had thought of the situation as seriously as possible, he had still not dared to think in this direction. After listening to Han Mo's words, he really felt a fine layer of cold sweat seeping through his back...