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

Chapter 395 We won't attend court, Crown Prince, go play by yourself.
When everyone else in the room was shouting "agree," you insisted on being different and raised your hand to say "I disagree!"
The scene was like suddenly letting out a loud and long fart in a public place where you could hear a pin drop—it was extremely abrupt!

It can shatter the silence in an instant.

All eyes in the room are like searchlights, focused solely on you!
That kind of awkwardness is so bad that even if you turned into Tu Xingsun (a legendary figure known for his earth-moving spirit), you couldn't crawl into a crack in the ground. There's no such thing as a ready-made crack in the ground.

It would be more like meekly crawling between someone's legs!

So, under normal circumstances, who would willingly put themselves in such a situation if they weren't out of their mind?

Not to mention the current situation!
Even bigwigs like Zhang Ying and Chen Tingjing have given their approval. Now that you're jumping out to disagree, what's the point?

Haha, that's not just commendable courage, it's practically like carving "Target me, don't let me go" on your shiny bald head!
Therefore, those who were originally eager to oppose it have now changed their tune:
"I second the proposal!"

"I also think there's no problem!"

This situation was entirely within Shen Ye's expectations.

After all, he had spoken with many people beforehand and done ideological work with them.

He coerced and bribed these people, using both soft and hard tactics, and manipulated them completely, forcing them to support the proposal that "officials, gentry, and commoners should pay taxes together."

Now that they've made that promise, they can't back out at the last minute!

After all, this was the imperial court, and they were speaking to the crown prince.

Going back on your word is tantamount to sowing the seeds of future trouble.

At best, you'll lose your job and have to go home to grow sweet potatoes; at worst, you'll be wiped out in a game of Candy Crush, with everything wiped out in one click!
When Zhen Yan heard the unanimous agreement from all the officials, he almost thought he was hallucinating.

He secretly pinched his thigh, wincing in pain—this wasn't a dream!
At this moment, my admiration for the Crown Prince overflowed like a flood: Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!

The young master's move was absolutely brilliant!

Just as Zhen Yan was secretly praising the Crown Prince, he heard Shen Ye turn to He Changjing and say, "Lord He, didn't you have a lot to say just now?"

"Now that everyone has finished speaking, it's your turn!"

At this moment, He Changjing's heart was in turmoil, filled with mixed feelings.

His respected senior, Zhang Ying, actually took the lead in casting the vote in favor!
Although Chen Tingjing did not openly support him, he also kept quiet and did not object.

Looking at the others, they all unanimously said "no objection".

He is straightforward, but not stupid.

Now, if he's the only one left on the opposition, that's not bravery, that's just hanging himself from a tree, clearly courting death!
After a fierce internal struggle, Lord He finally stammered out a sentence:

"Your Highness, regarding Lord Zhen Yan's report, I think the other officials have already said everything they wanted to say."

"I will not repeat myself here."

"I...I don't object!"

After saying that, he let out a long sigh of relief.

He secretly comforted himself, thinking, "It's just paying more taxes, consider it a loss to avoid a bigger disaster!"
Seeing his relieved expression, Shen Ye chuckled inwardly and immediately made the decision:

"Since no one objects, the Ministry of Revenue will discuss the details, formulate an implementation plan, and report it to the Southern Study in ten days."

Then he changed the subject and began to skillfully paint a rosy picture:

"With the new year just around the corner, I hope that, especially at times like these, all of you will not let your guard down."

"We must act with a sense of urgency and push this matter forward."

"Although this is a bit difficult, I believe that as long as we don't give up, there are always more solutions than problems!"

At this point, Shen Ye's gaze fell precisely on Zhen Yan.

He said in a deep voice, "Minister Zhen disregards personal gains and losses and dares to speak frankly and offer advice. He truly has the demeanor of Hai Gangfeng from the previous dynasty."

"The court is in dire need of talent right now, so we must make the best use of everyone's abilities."

"Minister Zhen, it's a waste of your talents to have been staying in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. I feel you're not being able to fully utilize your abilities."

He then waved his hand and made arrangements:
"Here's what we'll do: you'll temporarily go to the Ministry of Revenue to assist Lord Ma Qi in drafting a plan for officials and gentry to pay taxes together."

"If anything happens, just report to me directly."

At this point, his gaze fell on Zou Yunjin again, and he said, "Lord Zou, your Ministry of Personnel should also begin to consider the job arrangement for Lord Zhen."

"Draft several proposed solutions and make a decision after Father Emperor emerges from seclusion."

"Also, Lord Zou, let's leave the memorial regarding personnel appointments that the Ministry of Personnel submitted earlier in the Southern Study for the time being."

"It's not too late to discuss this after His Majesty finishes his fast."

These words made Zou Yunjin's heart skip a beat!
He had, of course, read the memorial submitted by the Ministry of Personnel.

The job adjustments involved included the promotions of many of the Crown Prince's former subordinates.

He raised no objections, turned a blind eye, and readily handed it over to the Crown Prince.

To everyone's surprise, the Crown Prince pointed it out on the spot.

He even emphasized that "the decision will be made after His Majesty finishes his fast," making his attitude all the clearer.

Zou Yunjin deeply sensed a hint of being warned.

Is the Crown Prince doing this to send a warning to others?
Was it meant to warn everyone, including myself, not to set traps for me? Or was it something else entirely? Sigh, knowing full well that the Crown Prince is as astute and not easily fooled, it would have been better to have given him a heads-up from the beginning!
Without time to think too much, he quickly composed himself and respectfully replied, "Your humble servant obeys!"

Shen Ye stretched his legs, which were numb from the cold, and said with a smile, "It's about time. If everyone has nothing to discuss, let's call it a day."

In fact, several ministers still had memorials in their hands, but the matter of officials and gentry paying taxes together was so shocking that they all unanimously decided to discuss it again tomorrow.

This is a huge matter today; I need to process it properly when I get back.

Just as Shen Ye announced the end of the court session, a figure rushed in, stumbling and crawling.

Upon seeing that it was one of his subordinates, Zhang Ying quickly preemptively said, "Liu Shixun, what kind of behavior is this, rushing here in such a hurry!"

On the surface, it's a reprimand; in reality, it's protectiveness.

Liu Shixun was not only a member of the Southern Study, but also Zhang Ying's direct disciple.

Liu Shixun was fully aware of this.

He immediately put on a dramatic act, knelt down with a thud, and cried out in a fearful voice, "Your Highness, please forgive me! Something terrible has happened! I was flustered and that's why I behaved so improperly."

This action startled Tong Guowei. Could it be that the Emperor had passed away?
He immediately asked impatiently, "What happened?"

As the Grand Secretary of the Southern Study, he was naturally familiar with Liu Shixun's situation.

Although Liu Shixun was extremely respectful to him, Tong Guowei knew that Liu Shixun was following Zhang Ying.

The Liu family has an extraordinary background; they were important officials in the court since the time when Emperor Taizu established the dynasty.

Besides being family friends, Liu Shixun passed the provincial examination under Zhang Ying's supervision.

Therefore, he always addressed Zhang Ying as "teacher".

Normally, Liu Shixun is an extremely steady person.

His current behavior gave Tong Guowei a bad feeling.

It seems this winter is going to be anything but easy!
Little did anyone know, the news Liu Shixun brought was even more shocking than the Emperor's death—

A large number of Hanlin Academy members, many officials from the Six Ministries, and more than half of the Censors from the Censorate are not on duty today; they have gone on strike!
The reason is that the imperial court must punish the Infantry Commander's Office and clear Lü Baizhou's name until the court does!
Furthermore, we earnestly request the court to execute the treacherous villain Zhen Yan, who has no loyalty to the emperor, father, or teacher!
According to incomplete statistics, 30% of officials have already quit their jobs, and the number is still rising.

As soon as Liu Shixun finished his report, the once bustling area outside Qianqing Gate fell silent.

Only the howling north wind gives one the feeling that the wind and snow are like knives.

Shen Ye appeared calm and composed on the surface, but inwardly he was somewhat annoyed:

Goodness, this strike has caught me a bit off guard!

It seems I don't have enough informants; no one tipped me off beforehand.

Knocking on the palace gates, a chaotic fistfight, and the court session is over!
As Shen Ye thought about these things, the image of Emperor Qianxi hiding in the hot spring palace came to mind.

No wonder Emperor Qianxi avoided it; it seems he had anticipated the hardships involved.

However, after a moment of shock, Shen Ye quickly calmed down. The more troublesome the situation, the less he should lose his composure!

He glanced at Tong Guowei and said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister Tong, what do you think of this matter that is not even worth threatening the court?"

The cunning old fox Tong Guowei was overjoyed.

He knew in his heart that the reason why the incident had escalated so much was because officials and gentry paid taxes together.

These people were actually targeting the crown prince.

If the Crown Prince cannot come up with a solution, whether it leads to a standstill in the court or the Crown Prince ultimately yields, his reputation will suffer a significant blow.

For Tong Guowei, who has always supported the Eighth Prince, this opportunity has finally arrived!
He felt a surge of schadenfreude in his heart, but outwardly he appeared heartbroken and said:

"Your Highness, these people are utterly lawless and outrageous!"

"They thought that the law would not punish the masses, so they dared to threaten the imperial court like this."

"If they succeed this time, what will become of the imperial court's authority?"

At this point, he clasped his hands in a fist salute and said:
"However, these young people did this out of righteous indignation for the sake of the court, which is why they did such extreme things."

"Therefore, the court should give them a chance. I think it would be better to let the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers return to their own offices first."

"Let them try to persuade them first, and get them back to their posts as soon as possible."

"As long as you heed the advice, let bygones be bygones and pretend nothing happened!"

Tong Guowei's words were essentially meaningless.

Since these people have made up their minds to boycott the court, how could they be persuaded to change their minds with just a few words?
Shen Ye was well aware of this.

But Shen Ye still went along with it, saying, "Prime Minister Tong's words are those of a seasoned strategist."

"If you gentlemen have nothing to add, then proceed as Prime Minister Tong has instructed."

"Dismiss the dynasty!"

The ministers left the court with their own thoughts, all muttering to themselves: This time, the Crown Prince is probably doomed!
I wonder if the emperor, who is soaking in the hot spring, will end his "fasting" early and come back to save the day?

　Hey everyone, I'm asking for your support and votes at the beginning of the month!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)