On the train bound for Sichuan, Lin Feng opened his laptop and looked through the uploaded files. The text in these scanned PDFs came from documents exchanged between the emperor and his ministers, local county gazetteers, scattered traces, and information that could corroborate itself after careful examination.
Information about Lin Youzhi appeared in many exchanges between ministers and Emperor Renzong of Song. He had appeared in Xia Song's Hongzhou case, and traces of him could also be found in Wen Yanbo's memorials to the emperor, not to mention passing remarks by other powerful ministers of the time.
They all appeared in the form of "Youzhi said."
In other words, Youzhi had said such things. Some had even risked their lives to pass down the emperor's "mad ravings" from the final period, when Emperor Renzong of Song had lost his mind.
This was what had happened.
During the Northern Song, most of Emperor Renzong of Song's sons died young.
Left with no alternative, Emperor Renzong of Song could only bring Zhao Yunrang's son into the palace to receive an emperor's education, ensuring the dynasty's continuation.
But Emperor Renzong of Song refused to accept this.
And so an absurd situation arose. Whenever Emperor Renzong of Song had another child, he sent Zhao Yunrang's son away. When his own son died, he brought Zhao Yunrang's son back.
As a result, both men developed psychological afflictions.
One was Emperor Renzong of Song.
The other was Zhao Shu, who later became Emperor Yingzong of Song.
Later, when there was no longer any chance that one of his own children could inherit the throne, Emperor Renzong of Song began descending into madness.
The Song Dynasty's scholar-officials did not care what happened to Emperor Renzong of Song. They cared only that an emperor occupied the Song throne.