The struggle for the throne among nine princes—I really don't want to be the crown prince.

Chapter 160 The Emperor's people are from our Imperial Household Department

Tuoheqi was Emperor Qianxi's brother-in-law and also the maternal uncle of the twelfth prince. He was not only skilled in leading troops but also proficient in administrative affairs, making him Emperor Qianxi's confidant.

Those who could work in the Imperial Household Department generally had some kind of background, but after Tohchi became the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, no matter how powerful their connections were, they all treated Tohchi with great respect.

However, no one is perfect. This Tuoheqi also has two flaws, one of which is that he is too proud.

Normally, this guy only has eyes for Emperor Qianxi, and he doesn't really care about anyone else.

And then there's greed!

The Imperial Household Department was essentially a place where the emperor managed his private property, and the officials there were used to taking advantage of every opportunity to profit.

Emperor Qianxi was always generous to the people of the Imperial Household Department, so Tuo Heqi lived a very comfortable life.

Upon seeing Tuoheqi, Yu Chenglong was displeased, but on the surface he still smiled and said, "Lord Tuoheqi, I have something to report to the Emperor. Whatever it is, let's talk about it later."

As he spoke, he turned and was about to leave.

It wasn't a coincidence that Tuoheqi ran into Yu Chenglong; he was waiting for Yu Chenglong there on purpose.

In this situation, how could he let Yu Chenglong, the fish that was already in his mouth, get away? He smiled and said, "Lord Yu, I am also going to see His Majesty. Otherwise, let's talk as we walk."

As they were talking, Tuoheqi stood next to Yu Chenglong.

In terms of official rank, Yu Chenglong was inferior to Tuo Heqi; in terms of social status, he was even further behind!
At this moment, Tuoheqi stuck to him like a leech, and although Yu Chenglong was extremely uncomfortable, he could only say in a deep voice, "Then let's go together."

"Lord Yu, the stone-paved road leading to Tongzhou has been completed. Most of the shares in this road are in the hands of His Majesty the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Therefore, I think that the operation of this road should be handed over to our Imperial Household Department."

Tuoheqi asked casually, "Lord Yu, you have no objections, do you?"

Yu Chenglong's first reaction upon seeing Tuoheqi was that this guy was a night owl who only came to the house when there was nothing wrong with him.

Unexpectedly, he had such a big appetite that he wanted to bring this stone-paved road under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department.

Although he didn't manage the Imperial Household Department, he was well aware of their practice of skimming profits off others.

If the Imperial Household Department were to manage the stone-paved roads, who knows what kind of mess they would become!
Therefore, he said in a deep voice, "When the Crown Prince was building this stone road, he already said that the operation of this road would be discussed by all shareholders and supervised by my Shuntian Prefecture."

"I just consulted the Crown Prince about this matter, but he did not change his mind."

"When did the Crown Prince say that he would hand over his shares to your Imperial Household Department for management?"

Tuoheqi disliked Yu Chenglong very much. In the imperial court, everyone with a higher position had the final say. There was no reasoning to be reasonable.

However, Yu Chenglong's emotional intelligence was practically zero. Tuoheqi was somewhat wary of this stubborn and inflexible man, and generally didn't like to provoke him.

But things are different now.

If the stone-paved road is run properly, it can earn hundreds of thousands of taels of silver a year. Of this silver, a small portion will be given to His Majesty, and the rest will be theirs.

He Tuoheqi represented not only himself, but also the entire Imperial Household Department's bondservants. He absolutely could not miss out on such benefits, nor could he back down in the slightest.

So he said in a deep voice, "Yu Chenglong, don't push your luck!"

“Our Imperial Household Department is the Emperor’s Imperial Household Department, and this stone-paved road is the Emperor’s stone-paved road.”

"Now that the stone-paved road is in operation, it is only right that His Majesty should put it under the management of our Imperial Household Department."

"If Shuntian Prefecture can help with this matter, our Imperial Household Department will definitely not let Lord Yu work in vain. Otherwise, then..."

Tohchi didn't say what he was going to say next, but the meaning was very clear.

If they're not friends, then they're enemies.

When friends come, we welcome them with good wine; when enemies come, they are like jackals. Tuoheqi will not hesitate and will make sure the enemy suffers the consequences they deserve! If an ordinary official were to face Tuoheqi's threat, he would think twice before acting.

But Yu Chenglong was not afraid at all. He coldly said, "Tuoheqi, others may be afraid of you, but I am not."

"Let's settle this matter before the Emperor."

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeves and walked towards the Qianqing Palace.

Shen Ye was unaware of the dispute between Yu Chenglong and Tuoheqi.

He actually had no interest in the rights and wrongs of the imperial court.

Since arguing will only lead to the same result, why waste his time?

It's better to live your life freely and unrestrained!
On ordinary days, he would greet others as he pleased and have a good chat about life. Before long, he would have another person to talk to, which was indeed a delightful thing.

"Your Highness, Tuo Heqi requests an audience." Zhou Baolai reported this just as he was playing mahjong with the Crown Princess and Nian Xinyue.

Tohti!
Hearing this name gave Shen Ye a headache.

This guy is the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, but that's not the most important thing.

Most importantly, in a few years, he will become the commander of the Infantry Department.

Those who were able to sit in this position were basically Emperor Qianxi's confidants.

However, this Tohchi was not satisfied with this position that everyone looked up to. His desire for power and status was always positive and ambitious, and once a seed was planted, it would flourish and expand rapidly with lightning speed.

Next, he did something that surprised many people: he invited a number of powerful figures to drink with him.

Then, while drinking, he even helped the crown prince recruit soldiers and horses.

As a result, these people all met terrible ends, and the crown prince was deposed.

The former crown prince had always wanted to win over Tuoheqi, but he had never succeeded.

However, Shen Ye had no time to pay attention to Tuoheqi. He simply ordered, "I won't see him."

Although Shi Jingrong wasn't very pregnant yet, she had gained a considerable amount of weight. Her every move exuded a more graceful and dignified air.

She used to think that the Crown Prince was doing a good job, but now that she has a child, she has more to think about.

After hesitating for a moment, she softly advised, "Your Highness, Tuoheqi is the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department. If you do not see him, His Majesty may be displeased."

Shen Ye wanted to say, "What does it matter to me whether he's happy or not!" But he also knew that whether his father, Emperor Qianxi, was happy or not really had an immeasurable impact on him.

Left with no other choice, he said to Xiao Rou, who was serving Shi Jingrong, "Xiao Rou, you play this hand for me. I'll come back and continue playing in a bit."

Xiao Rou has recently become quite familiar with Shen Ye and knows that the Crown Prince is not as tyrannical as before, so she smiled and agreed.

After arranging his card game, Shen Ye went to the study in Yuqing Palace. A short while later, Tuoheqi respectfully approached Shen Ye.

"This servant, Tuoheqi, greets Your Highness," Tuoheqi said respectfully, bowing deeply.

Shen Ye no longer had any intention of winning over Tuoheqi, so he casually asked, "Rise, Tuoheqi, what brings you here?"

With a broad smile, Tuoheqi said, "Your Highness, you have turned decay into magic and built the stone-paved road from the capital to Tongzhou. Your merits are truly immeasurable."

"Now that the road is completed, His Majesty has ordered the Imperial Household Department to take charge of it."

"This servant has come here because he wishes to hear the Crown Prince's teachings!"

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(End of this chapter)