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

Chapter 361 When the patriarchal clan system is disrupted, the position of the crown prince becomes unstable.

Getting the Duke of Yansheng to cooperate on this matter is probably not that simple.

However, Shen Ye also knew that his father's thinking was correct.

Who was the Duke Yansheng? He was one of the top landowners in the country and a descendant of a sage. In the eyes of officials and gentry, he was a true trendsetter.

If he's willing to take the lead in supporting it, things will be much easier afterwards.

The problem is, how can he persuade the Duke Yansheng? Shen Ye considered it and realized he didn't have that much influence.

He hesitated for a moment, then replied, "I just ran into the Duke Yansheng. He said he'd like to visit me later, and I'll have a good chat with him then."

Emperor Qianxi nodded, then said, "Zhang Ying and the others aren't very enthusiastic about this matter either!"

“That’s normal,” Shen Ye smiled. “Most of Grand Secretary Zhang’s relatives and friends are officials and gentry, so he’s naturally not very willing to push this matter forward.”

"However, as long as Father Emperor makes up his mind, I believe he will not openly oppose it."

The father and son chatted for a while about the tax reform, and Shen Ye took the opportunity to say, "Father, Xinyue is pregnant, and I would like to promote her to the rank of concubine."

"Please grant me permission, Father Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi smiled faintly and said, "You should make your own decision about this matter."

Back then, Nian Xinyue and Cao Min entered the palace together. In order to show his regard for the Cao family, Emperor Qianxi deliberately demoted Nian Xinyue by one rank.

Now that she is pregnant, it is only natural for her to be promoted to a concubine.

After Shen Ye expressed his gratitude, he added, "Father, Zhen Yan has already written the memorial. If he stays in the palace any longer, it will easily cause gossip. Why don't we let him go home first?"

The mere mention of Zhen Yan would infuriate Emperor Qianxi.

He glanced at the pile of memorials on the table and said irritably, "Send him back."

"However, before he leaves, his memorial must be sent to the Office of Transmission and then circulated through the Southern Study before being discussed."

Shen Ye understood what Emperor Qianxi meant immediately.

Father Emperor wants Zhen Yan to get scolded.

This old man is so petty, even saying he's narrow-minded is an understatement!

After finishing his business, Shen Ye prepared to take his leave. Just as he was about to go out, Emperor Qianxi suddenly called him back: "Yunye, did Zhen Yan say who instructed him to submit the memorial?"

Shen Ye's heart tightened, but he still answered respectfully, "Father, he didn't say."

"However, I believe that this matter was definitely not something that Zhen Yan came up with on his own."

"Even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to write this himself!"

Emperor Qianxi pondered Shen Ye's words for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and then waved his hand, signaling Shen Ye to step down.

As Shen Ye stepped out of the room, he vaguely heard a sigh behind him.

Having reigned for so many years, what kind of human scheming hadn't he witnessed? He knew all too well the weight of the saying, "The human heart is like a demon's den."

He was all too familiar with this roundabout method.

If you investigate something and can't find a clue no matter how hard you try, then you have to see who benefits in the end—that person is probably the mastermind behind it all.

Although he was the one being selected to participate in the memorial this time, most of the criticism was directed at the Crown Prince.

Therefore, there is a high probability that one of his trusted sons is behind this, pulling strings and causing trouble in various ways.

The thought of his son, who was hiding behind the scenes, having someone insult his father filled Emperor Qianxi with both hatred and anger.

I fear that this beloved son of mine will try every means to see the Emperor and the Crown Prince become suspicious of each other, so that he can reap the benefits.

He was both furious at his son's filial impiety and helpless that, under the power of the emperor, the bond between father and son could not ultimately prevail over the struggle for the throne.

Alas, the longer one sits on this dragon throne, the more one feels that there are no fathers and sons in the imperial family.

Shen Ye returned to her residence and went to see Nian Xinyue.

Nian Xinyue was bored out of her mind when she heard that she was going to be promoted to a concubine. She was overjoyed and her heart was full of happiness.

Becoming a concubine of the Crown Prince not only means an increase in status, but also means that her future children will be second only to the legitimate sons born to the Crown Prince's wife.

Just as Nian Xinyue was about to express her gratitude while holding Shen Ye's hand, Zhou Bao came in to report: "Your Highness, the steward of the Duke of Yansheng sent some gifts today. This is the gift list."

Shen Ye took the gift list and saw that, apart from some local specialties, most of the items were gold and silver objects.

Shen Ye roughly estimated the value of this gift list to be at least three thousand taels of silver.

The Duke Yansheng is truly generous; what a grand gesture!
Shen Ye instructed Zhou Baodao, "Give the items to the Crown Princess and store them in the storeroom."

"Also, tell the steward of the Duke of Yansheng that I am free these two days."

Zhou Bao was already very experienced in handling this matter, and he withdrew in response.

As Nian Xinyue took the gift list from Shen Ye's hand, she couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder everyone says that the Duke of Yansheng's mansion is extremely wealthy. This is something that ordinary people can't compare to."

Shen Ye smiled and said, "The Duke of Yansheng's mansion has a million acres of fertile land, not to mention other industries all over the country. This little bit is just a drop in the ocean."

Kong Yujin was very well-mannered. After hearing Zhou Bao's message, she came to pay her respects early the next morning.

"Your Highness, this humble subject pays respects!" Kong Yujin bowed deeply upon seeing Shen Ye.

Shen Ye reached out to help him up, saying, "Duke Yansheng, this isn't the imperial court, there's no need for such formalities."

He then smiled and said, "It must have been a long and arduous journey for you, Duke Yansheng."

Seeing that the Crown Prince was so easygoing and friendly, Kong Yujin thanked him repeatedly.

The two chatted casually, and the atmosphere gradually became harmonious. Kong Yujin then said solemnly, "After I arrived in the capital yesterday, I heard that someone was imitating Hai Rui by submitting what he called the 'Number One Memorial Under Heaven,' seeking fame and reputation, and slandering His Majesty's ears. This is truly a heinous crime!"

"This man harbors treacherous intentions and has tarnished Your Majesty's reputation. I believe that if he is not executed, it will not be enough to appease the people and quell public anger!" Shen Ye looked at Kong Yujin with a smile, knowing in his heart that persuading this man would not be easy.

He immediately said slowly, "I am well aware of Lord Kong's loyalty."

“However, killing Zhen Yan is a small matter, but blocking the channels of communication is not what Father Emperor wants to see.”

He then changed the subject, saying, "However, Zhen Yan is not without merit. Yesterday, he submitted a memorial to His Majesty requesting a reform of the tax system."

"Let officials, gentry, and commoners all pay taxes together!"

In his memorial, he wrote: "Officials and gentry occupy more land and have wider connections; they should therefore serve the court more!"

"If one reaps great profits but does not share the burdens of the ruler, nor serve the court, how can one speak of loyalty?"

At this point, Shen Ye looked up at Kong Yujin and asked, "Duke Yansheng, do you think what he said makes sense?"

Kong Yujin's expression changed slightly.

He came here this time hoping to persuade Shen Ye to kill Zhen Yan, thereby ruining the "officials, gentry and commoners paying taxes together" scheme.

Unexpectedly, before he had even finished scolding Zhen Yan, the Crown Prince turned the tables on him.

Was this memorial truly written by Zhen Yan?
This is clearly the Crown Prince's intention!
He knew in his heart that he absolutely could not back down at this critical juncture.

Although this time he also had the intention of currying favor with the crown prince.

But given the current situation, he felt he couldn't back down, because if he did, his losses would be enormous.

So he said seriously, "Your Highness, what Zhen Yan said makes sense at first glance."

"But upon closer examination, it turns out to be harboring malicious intentions."

"Since ancient times, the imperial family has treated officials and gentry well, and the officials and gentry have done their best to repay the favor."

"It is precisely because of this that we now enjoy peace and prosperity, a truly glorious era!"

"If we were to change the ancestral system of treating officials and gentry well for the sake of a little bit of profit, I'm afraid the consequences would be unimaginable."

"I urge Your Highness to reconsider."

When Kong Yujin arrived at Shenye Palace, she always behaved very respectfully.

But at this moment, his tone was full of determination, giving off a sense of unyielding integrity.

Shen Ye looked at Kong Yujin's sanctimonious appearance and sneered inwardly.

If you, Kong Yujin, are truly of unyielding integrity, then that integrity is far too cheap!
He glanced at Kong Yujin, then asked indifferently, "Lord Kong, the imperial family should treat officials and gentry well, but can the officials and gentry just stand by and watch the court become increasingly difficult?"

"Does Lord Kong know how much more land officials and gentry have occupied compared to ten years ago?"

"And how much have the imperial court's taxes been reduced?"

Upon hearing Shen Ye's question, Kong Yujin hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "This humble subject... does not know."

"However, I believe that as long as the court works diligently to govern, things will improve."

Shen Ye looked at Kong Yujin's smile, his gaze gradually turning cold.

This Kong Yujin is actually pretending to be confused.

He pressed on, "Since the Duke of Yansheng doesn't know the total amount of land owned by officials and gentry throughout the land, surely he knows how much land he has acquired in his own household?"

"You must know how many ordinary farmers who used to pay taxes have lost their livelihoods because of your land consolidation, right?"

Upon hearing this question, Kong Yujin's face turned pale, and her fingertips trembled slightly inside her sleeve.

He certainly knew how much his family's land had increased.

After all, this is one of the most important things for the Duke of Yansheng's mansion.

However, even though he knew it, he absolutely could not admit it in the face of the Crown Prince's sharp gaze.

He immediately took a deep breath, forced himself to remain calm, bowed and replied, "Your Highness, at home I only know how to study and devoutly worship my ancestors, and rarely concern myself with family affairs."

He paused slightly, then straightened his back and said solemnly, "However, I often admonish my clansmen at home that no matter when or where, they must follow the ancestral way of forgiveness."

"Absolutely no one shall bully others by abusing their power. If such behavior is discovered, it will be severely punished!"

At the end, his tone suddenly became serious, and he said almost word by word, "Your Highness, officials and gentry are the foundation of the nation."

"If the patriarchal system remains unchanged, the world will be at peace!"

Shen Ye's eyes narrowed subconsciously.

Kong Yujin's last sentence, while sounding like advice, actually contained a hidden barb, but upon closer examination, it revealed a threat!

If the patriarchal system remains unchanged, the world will be at peace, and your position as crown prince will also be secure.

If the patriarchal system is unstable, the world will surely descend into chaos, and your position as crown prince will be in jeopardy!

Thinking about the meaning behind Kong Yujin's words, a cold glint flashed in Shen Ye's eyes.

This is a blatant threat against me!

Shen Ye took a deep breath and replied without changing his expression, "I will carefully consider what the Duke Yansheng has to say."

He then raised the corners of his lips slightly and asked, "Duke Yansheng, I've been reading these past few days and there's a sentence I don't quite understand. I would appreciate your guidance."

"The blessings of a virtuous person will last only five generations!"

What does this sentence mean?

　The second update for today is here! Please vote and support me, everyone!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)