Hearing Huang Shang's words, Zhao Gou's expression changed several times before he finally recalled some old events.
Back when Taizu Guo Wei of Great Zhou was founding the nation, several of his biological sons were killed by Emperor Yin of Later Han, Liu Chengyou. Chai Rong, his adopted son, became his only possible heir. Guo Wei regarded Chai Rong as his own son, and Chai Rong regarded Guo Wei as his own father.
Modern people might not understand this very well, but in ancient times, once you had been adopted into another family, you had no legal connection to your former family whatsoever. You inherited the ancestral line of your adoptive family. Before the Chenqiao Mutiny, all official documents referred to Chai Rong as Guo Rong. Even he himself believed his name was Guo Rong.
Unfortunately, Heaven envied talent. Guo Rong died of illness in his prime, and Zhao Kuangyin seized the realm from an orphan and a widow. Knowing his accession was illegitimate, he restored Guo Rong's original surname in order to divert public attention, turning Guo Rong back into Chai Rong. He did this so that the people of the realm would think: You, Chai Rong, were not even the biological son of the Later Zhou emperor. The legitimacy of your throne was questionable, so Zhao Kuangyin's donning of the yellow robe could not be considered treason.
Some people secretly mocked Zhao Kuangyin for deceiving himself at the time, but nearly a century had passed, proving just how farsighted he had been. The people had already forgotten that Chai Rong was not the Chai Rong of the Chai family, but Guo Rong of the Guo family, the imperial clan of Later Zhou!
"His intentions deserve condemnation. They truly deserve condemnation!" Zhao Gou said bitterly. Even he had forgotten