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

Chapter 286 The eighth brother wants to take over, but he still has to ask his older brothers for their consent.
You asked me how I should reward the Eighth Prince?

To be honest, what I really want to do with this guy who's such a show-off is to "reward" him with a severe beating.

But can you agree to that?

Shen Ye muttered to himself while glancing at the Eighth Prince.

The Eighth Prince was already handsome and imposing, and now, dressed in silver armor, he looked even more dashing.

Upon hearing Emperor Qianxi ask the Crown Prince how he should be rewarded, he immediately replied, "Your life was given to me by Your Majesty, and saving Your Majesty is my duty."

"If Father insists on rewarding them, why not give those guards a chance to redeem themselves through meritorious service?"

"After all, wild animals are inherently difficult to guard against, and mistakes are inevitable."

The Eighth Prince spoke with utmost sincerity.

In just a few words, the image of a loyal, brave, and benevolent prince was firmly established!

Shen Ye had put a lot of effort into studying the Eighth Prince.

After all, it was he who brought down the former crown prince.

Previously, it was always the eldest prince who was openly and covertly competing with the crown prince.

The Eighth Prince is at most a nobody who follows behind, cheering and shouting.

But now, his "killing two birds with one stone" plan has not only brought down the eldest prince, but also allowed him to emerge in the limelight. It's a seamless transition, and the timing is really good.

Looking at the Eighth Prince's benevolent face, Shen Ye felt a little uneasy.

What he said wasn't entirely unreasonable, but with so many guards around Emperor Qianxi, how come they couldn't stop that tiger?
Was this an accident, or was it deliberately orchestrated?
Shen Ye didn't rush to speak, but just watched silently.

Anyway, Emperor Qianxi is still alive!

Moreover, since Emperor Qianxi has just asked me that question, he will probably ask me that question again next.

In this situation, why should I be in a hurry?
As Shen Ye had predicted, after hearing the Eighth Prince's plea, Emperor Qianxi frowned slightly, then looked at Shen Ye and said, "Crown Prince, I just asked for your opinion on how to reward him?"

“Father, I believe that the greatest merit is to save you. My eighth brother dared to step forward and save you when a tiger appeared. I believe he should be rewarded with the title of king.”

In any case, Emperor Qianxi had already intended to reward him in this way. He was eager to create a rival for himself, and he would not change his mind.

In such a situation, speaking against the grain and trying to stop it would not only be futile, but would also earn one a bad reputation for being "unfilial" and "jealous of one's younger brother."

A reward should be given, so why make yourself unhappy?
When Emperor Qianxi heard that the Crown Prince shared the same opinion as him, a smile flashed in his eyes.

"Your Highness, this way of thinking is very much to my liking."

"So, should Yun Si plead for them? Do you think it should be approved?"

Shen Ye clasped his hands and said, "Father, as the saying goes, 'A tiger or rhinoceros escapes from its cage, or a tortoise or jade is destroyed in its box.' Such behavior must be punished."

“It’s a good thing that my eighth brother is kind-hearted, but kindness is often taken advantage of.”

“If we grant the eighth brother’s request, it will not only condone those who have neglected their duties, but also set an example for others to follow.”

"It might be fine once or twice, but if it goes on for too long, it will definitely cause a big mess."

"I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

In Shen Ye's view, regardless of whether these people had colluded with the Eighth Prince, they could no longer be used.

Neglecting one's duties and putting the emperor in danger deserves punishment.

If they really conspired with the Eighth Prince to stage this "rescue" act, then it's even more unacceptable.

Therefore, Shen Ye directly suggested: punishment.

The Eighth Prince's expression changed. If the Crown Prince's suggestion was followed, then these people would be severely punished.

This goes against his ideas.

He felt a little guilty that the whole thing had started because of his planning and ended up like this.

So, after a moment's hesitation, he solemnly said, "Father, as the sage said, 'People always make mistakes, but to correct them is the greatest virtue!'"

"Please, Father Emperor and Crown Prince, give them a chance."

"Your subject wishes to share the Emperor's favor equally among these people."

As they were speaking, the Eighth Prince dismounted and knelt on the ground.

His kneeling instantly elevated the image of a benevolent and loving king.

Many of those who accompanied Emperor Qianxi on his hunting trip looked at the Eighth Prince with admiration.

For them, no one could guarantee that they wouldn't make a mistake while accompanying Emperor Qianxi.

If everyone could meet a kind and virtuous prince like the Eighth Prince, that would be wonderful!

Emperor Qianxi already had a plan in mind for how to handle the situation.

However, looking at the Eighth Prince kneeling on the ground, she hesitated.

The eldest prince is a hopeless case; he's a piece of trash who can't be helped no matter what.

Under these circumstances, Emperor Qianxi wanted to find someone else to support.

The Eighth Prince is undoubtedly a very suitable candidate.

What's more, he risked his life to save the emperor during this hunt.

If I reject his opinion this time, it will inevitably damage and weaken his reputation.

However, if we listen to the Eighth Prince's opinion, then the Crown Prince is right. If the Imperial Guards really become complacent and lazy, who will guarantee their safety?

For a moment, Emperor Qianxi was caught in a dilemma.

Shen Ye looked at Emperor Qianxi, whose expression was unpredictable, and his thoughts raced through his mind.

He could roughly guess the decision Emperor Qianxi was about to make, but he wasn't going to let Emperor Qianxi make that decision. He had already said what needed to be said; now, if anyone wanted to change Emperor Qianxi's decision, they would have to get someone else to speak up.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Ye said to Emperor Qianxi, "Father, although my eighth brother means well, it may backfire."

"Father, why don't you let him hear the opinions of his brothers?"

Emperor Qianxi was hesitating when Shen Ye's words stirred something within him.

He also wanted to hear what his carefully nurtured sons thought about this matter.

After all, this matter is no ordinary one.

He immediately turned to the eldest prince and asked, "Elder brother, do you think these people should be pardoned?"

The eldest prince was quite disappointed at this moment, as he had already lost face in front of Emperor Qianxi because of the fake white deer incident.

This time, Emperor Qianxi encountered a tiger while hunting, and he was not by his side again. You know, in the past, such good opportunities were always his.

Although he was quite close to the Eighth Prince, this kind of thing made him very uncomfortable.

Upon hearing Emperor Qianxi's words, he said in a deep voice, "Father, what you have always advocated is that merit should be rewarded and mistakes should be punished!"

"These people dared to be careless about the Emperor's safety; they deserve to die!"

At this point, he glanced at the Eighth Prince and said, "The Eighth Prince is young and doesn't quite understand some things, which is understandable."

Upon hearing the First Prince's words, the Eighth Prince's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant.

The Crown Prince said that others are bullied because they are kind, but the First Prince directly used his status as the eldest prince to accuse him of being ignorant.

The combination of these two factors is not good for him.

He was furious, yet helpless.

Before the eldest prince could finish speaking, the fourth prince coldly said, "The matter of rewards and punishments has its own rules!"

"Eighth Brother, you must remember this: a merciful general cannot command an army!"

"Your choice to use your own achievements to offset their crimes may seem merciful, but it is actually extremely irresponsible towards the Emperor's safety!"

"You really should ask your master to teach you for another two years."

The fourth prince's words were even harsher, but they were spoken with an air of righteousness.

Seeing that his two older brothers had already spoken, the Fifth Prince hesitated for a moment before turning to the Eighth Prince and saying, "Eighth Brother, you cannot lead troops on your own."

"They can't even handle government affairs well."

The Eighth Prince's face darkened completely. If it was just the Crown Prince speaking, then it could be said that he was arguing.

So now, that is criticism of himself.

These older brothers, once they open their mouths, suddenly turn him into an ignorant little child!

However, he couldn't completely refute them, because these people were all his brothers.

His face flushed slightly.

As Emperor Qianxi watched his sons express their opinions one after another, he felt both gratified and somewhat suspicious.

What pleased him was that these children were able to distinguish between what was important and what was urgent, and that his efforts in raising them had not been in vain.

What raises suspicion is that these older princes all spoke with one voice...

With that thought in mind, he said to the Eighth Prince, "Yun Si, when you study in the future, you should pay more attention to Legalist classics."

"Your intentions are good, but sometimes good intentions don't necessarily lead to good results."

"You have rendered meritorious service in killing the tiger this time, and you are hereby awarded the title of Prince Lian."

"As for these guards, considering you pleaded for them, they will all be exiled to Ningguta to guard the border for five years!"

Emperor Qianxi's decision was beyond question. He not only gave Yunsi face but also directly exiled these unreliable soldiers to Ningguta.

Whether these people will be alive five years from now depends on their own fate!
Amidst a chorus of thanks, Emperor Qianxi waved his hand and said, "The hunt continues."

Emperor Qianxi was a skilled hunter, and although there was an unexpected incident this time, he still had a very fruitful harvest.

Putting aside other things, Emperor Qianxi hunted more than a dozen Guanglu deer.

However, Emperor Qianxi was not very happy after the hunt.

The reason is simple: the double-dragon jade belt that he had taken out as a reward was stolen by a warrior from a grassland tribe.

This is actually quite normal, after all, warriors on the grasslands are better at hunting.

However, what made Emperor Qianxi feel somewhat embarrassed was that the top twenty hunters who had the most prey in this hunt were all from the grasslands.

The best result achieved by the people he brought was in the twenties.

Although none of the grassland leaders dared to say anything, Emperor Qianxi felt very aggrieved seeing these people's joyful smiles.

He couldn't lash out on the spot.

After the leaders of the grassland tribes had all left, Emperor Qianxi coldly glanced at the important officials who had come with him, and then said with a sarcastic tone, "It's a hunting competition. I won't let you win first place, but you should at least be in the top ten!"

"Hmph, they participated more than others, but they couldn't even get into the top twenty."

"You have all disgraced me!"

"Your Highness, discuss with them and find a good way to make these grassland leaders not underestimate our horsemanship and archery skills."

Shen Ye was standing to one side, silently listening to Emperor Qianxi vent his anger on his ministers, but unexpectedly, the blame fell on his own head.

What did I do to deserve this?!

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(End of this chapter)