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

Chapter 338 Burning incense year after year brings divine protection.

Zhang Ying jogged over, beads of sweat on her forehead.

Despite the biting wind howling outside, he was filled with anxiety and felt feverish all over.

He was really anxious—anyone would panic in this situation!
Why? A sixth-rank official from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices actually committed suicide by crashing his head into a stone lion at the entrance of the Ministry of Personnel!

This kind of thing will definitely be recorded in history and be infamous for eternity.

Zhang Ying knew perfectly well that what Emperor Qianxi cared about most in his life was his reputation: he wholeheartedly wanted to be a sage ruler!
He wanted to be remembered in history and have his name passed down through the ages!
If this happens, where will the emperor's face be?
Even worse, the civil and military officials would not let it go.

He had inquired and learned that this doctor named Shen Zhumo was doing a good job, but suddenly he was inexplicably rated as "unqualified" and was to be demoted, purely to make way for the two disciples of the Crown Prince!

This is going to cause a huge uproar among the lower-level officials; they're bound to be united in their hatred of the enemy and it'll be an uproar.

If things go wrong, it could lead to a major upheaval, such as a joint petition.

After all, the inspection process in Beijing had already made a considerable number of people very angry.

When Zhang Ying strode into the Sizhi Study, he immediately saw the Crown Prince there and was momentarily stunned.

In his opinion, the best course of action this time was to report to Emperor Qianxi alone.

However, experience counts. As a veteran official, although the situation caught him somewhat off guard, he quickly regained his composure.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"

Zhang Ying respectfully bowed to Emperor Qianxi.

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand and said, "Grand Secretary Zhang, you are getting on in years. You don't need to insist on these formalities anymore."

"Liang Jiugong, take a seat!"

To be granted a seat during a memorial service is an immense favor.

After Zhang Ying expressed his gratitude and sat down, just as he was pondering how to begin, Emperor Qianxi asked, "Grand Secretary Zhang, you seem to be in a hurry. What happened?"

Zhang Ying took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, the Infantry Commander's Office and the Ministry of Personnel just reported that Shen Zhumo, the former Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, committed suicide by crashing into the gate of the Ministry of Personnel because he was dissatisfied with the results of the capital inspection."

"This is a memorial to the throne!"

Shen Ye, who was standing to the side, listened to the exchange between the emperor and his ministers with an expression of complete indifference.

During this inspection in Beijing, he only spoke to a few close confidants, such as Nian Dongliang, and completely ignored the lists given by Suo'etu.

In his view, those people were of mixed quality, and it remained to be tested to determine who was suitable and who was not.

It just so happens that this inspection in Beijing is happening, so let's do a screening.

If someone can't even pass the capital inspection, then they're not worthy of serving under him at all.

After all, he wasn't someone who collected scrap metal and accepted just anyone.

Emperor Qianxi's face instantly darkened.

He always considered himself a sage ruler, believing that few emperors throughout history could surpass him. He never expected that the capital inspection would cause such a scandal.

A sixth-rank official's suicide to prove his innocence—was it truly a problem with the capital's performance evaluation, or...?

He grabbed the memorial and began to read it quickly.

The memorial submitted by Zou Yunjin of the Ministry of Personnel did not conceal the details of the incident. However, the memorial from the Infantry Commander's Office was accompanied by Shen Zhumo's last will and testament.

In the eyes of the Qianxi Emperor, Shen Zhumo's last letter was full of resentment.

This resentment was not only directed at the Ministry of Personnel, but also at his superiors and colleagues in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, especially those with powerful backers who just collected salaries without doing any work.

Emperor Qianxi reigned for many years and was well aware of the ins and outs of the palace.

He certainly knew that within the Six Ministries, it wasn't simply a matter of how much work you did that led to a quick promotion.

In fact, this situation also applies to the court under his control.

Emperor Qianxi never hesitated to promote his trusted confidants.

However, for those who worked diligently, Emperor Qianxi, while not promoting them quickly, would at least give them a place to stand.

I never expected that some people would behave so disgracefully during this inspection in Beijing!

This greatly angered Emperor Qianxi!
His gaze swept over two familiar names on the list, and he roughly knew the answer in his mind.

Although Emperor Qianxi could not say he knew all of the Crown Prince's followers, he did know quite a bit.

After all, some people made no attempt to conceal their true intentions when they followed Suo'etu into the Crown Prince's faction.

Some people even actively publicize such things to enhance their own reputation.

These two men are the ones who follow the Crown Prince.

Could it be that the Crown Prince has given instructions on this matter?

Emperor Qianxi's gaze instantly fell on Shen Ye.

Shen Ye was considering whether he should avoid the situation, since it didn't really concern him.

But at that moment, Emperor Qianxi looked at him with a sharp gaze.

A sudden chill ran down her spine. Could this be related to her? But she hadn't asked anyone for help!
Just as Shen Ye was wondering, Emperor Qianxi asked in a deep voice, "Crown Prince, do you know Li Yunshen and Zhang Zhiming?"

Upon hearing this question, Shen Ye immediately recalled the letter of loyalty that Suo'etu had given him.

The names of Li Yunshen and Zhang Zhiming were indeed on it.

However, since their official positions were not very important, Shen Ye did not pay much attention to them.

Is there something wrong with these two people?

When the emperor suddenly asked the question, Shen Ye was puzzled and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

Could these two be involved with me?
In a flash, he calmly replied, "Father, I have some recollection of these two people."

"However, I haven't had any contact with the two of them recently."

Regardless of why Emperor Qianxi suddenly asked these two people, Shen Ye had only one principle: never lie unless there was a reason to.

After all, as the crown prince, his every word and action would be recorded.

Emperor Qianxi's gaze flickered slightly as he listened to Shen Ye's reply.

The Crown Prince has indeed had little contact with officials recently, and overall, he has been quite well-behaved. This is why he has been relatively at ease with the Crown Prince lately.

Moreover, the Crown Prince seems to treat him very well.

Putting everything else aside, not only did he repair this Xiaotangshan (a traditional Chinese medicine clinic) for him, but he also paid his respects to him every day without fail, and even when he made money, he would share some with his old father...

Thinking of these things, Emperor Qianxi felt a softening in his heart.

Although the crown prince is a considerable threat to the emperor, it is quite remarkable that he has reached this level of success.

A prince who can share your burdens, make money for you, and know when to advance and retreat is not easy to find!

While pondering, a thought suddenly popped into Emperor Qianxi's mind: Could it be that someone is deliberately targeting the Crown Prince?
After all, even if a sixth-rank official is dismissed and sent back to his hometown, he can still live a carefree life based on his imperial examination degree.

Is it worth resorting to such extreme violence just to save face?
During the imperial examinations, it was common knowledge that the powerful figures would speak to their disciples and students. So why was it that when Shen Zhumo died, no one else was mentioned, but only the Crown Prince's people were singled out?

Various doubts surged in Emperor Qianxi's mind, and his thoughts expanded rapidly.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked Shen Ye, "Your Highness, did you speak to the Ministry of Personnel during this imperial examination?"

“If Father Emperor wants to ask, I dare not hide it. I did indeed make arrangements during this imperial examination.”

After a moment's hesitation, Shen Ye honestly replied, "I made two requests. One was to Nian Dongliang; the other was to speak with the Minister of Personnel on behalf of the Court of Colonial Affairs regarding the Capital Examination."

"Nothing more than that."

Zhang Ying stood with her head bowed, listening silently to the father and son's exchange, not daring to utter a sound.

When he saw that Shen Zhumo's will specifically mentioned the Crown Prince's followers, he realized that this matter was aimed at the Crown Prince and was clearly intended to shift the blame.

Because the two people mentioned above were indeed disciples of the Crown Prince.

During inspections in Beijing, it was common practice for officials to speak on behalf of their close associates.

If you can't protect the people under your command, how can you be a big shot?

Zhang Ying has done this kind of thing quite a few times too!

Emperor Qianxi pondered for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and then asked, "Crown Prince, what do you think should be done about this matter?"

Although Shen Ye didn't want to get involved, this matter had already dragged him into it, so he had no choice but to speak out.

It could even be said that this incident made him, in the eyes of many, the mastermind behind the control of the capital inspection, and the mastermind behind forcing Shen Zhumo to commit suicide.

After a moment's thought, Shen Ye said solemnly, "Father, although this matter happened suddenly, I think we should look beyond the surface to see the essence of things."

Zhang Ying could understand why Emperor Qianxi asked the Crown Prince what to do. Besides putting some pressure on his son, it was also a test of the Crown Prince's ability to govern the country.

In his view, the best way to deal with such a thorny issue, besides appeasing the family of the deceased, was to conduct an in-depth investigation into the capital inspection to divert everyone's attention. Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince took a different approach.

The Crown Prince's words didn't quite match his feeling!
“Father, I believe that the capital inspection is a continuation of the previous dynasty’s system. Although it cannot be said that there have been no changes at all, the changes are very small and can be ignored.”

Shen Ye solemnly said, "Therefore, the problems in the capital inspection are actually deeply rooted. These issues are also causing the officials to harbor resentment."

"Your subject believes that we should reform the system to give ordinary officials a voice, increase their right to comment, and make them feel involved in the capital inspection. Only in this way can we prevent tragedies like Shen Zhumo from happening again."

Emperor Qianxi's original intention was to test the Crown Prince's ability to handle emergencies, but he did not expect that the Crown Prince would directly point to the root of the system and give him a radical approach.

No, it seems that the Crown Prince's words are the fundamental solution to the problem.

As a series of thoughts flashed through his mind, Emperor Qianxi raised an eyebrow and said, "You make it sound so simple to reform the Beijing Examination system. The Beijing Examination has been in place for so many years, and there must be a reason for it."

"Change is easier said than done."

"Since you're talking about change, then tell me specifically where the Beijing-Chahar Inspection System should be changed, and how?"

Zhang Ying nodded secretly in agreement with Emperor Qianxi's words.

He felt that the Crown Prince had presented him with a difficult problem, or rather, dug a pit for him. After all, this reform of the capital examination system was no child's play.

　The first update of the day is here! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone! Don't forget to vote while you're enjoying your mooncakes!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)