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

Chapter 399 We Speak Out for the World
Since the Crown Prince began to oversee the country, the princes have been like wild horses and birds released from their cages, running wild and having a great time!
Want to leave the palace? That's hard to say, just report it to the authorities!

No longer do we need to go through layers of approval like when Emperor Qianxi was in charge.

Not only do you have to run yourself ragged, but you also have to pretend you're doing something important. It's really a headache.

Qingping Tower!
This teahouse isn't very big in the inner city, but it's incredibly popular.

Why? Because not only is the tea here exceptional, but the storytelling performances are also absolutely amazing!
The storyteller slammed his gavel, and the entire audience fell silent.
After hearing it, everyone immediately went wild, it was so addictive!
The Third Prince was a frequent visitor here.

As usual, the Third Prince Yunzhi strolled over to Qingping Tower that day, looking completely relaxed and carefree.

As a prince, this man is quite remarkable. He not only holds the highest rank among all the princes, but he is also highly favored by the emperor.

Although he's not as popular as Lao Ba now, he's still considered one of the top brothers.

The Third Prince, Yunzhi, sat in his reserved seat in the teahouse, listening intently as the storyteller outside passionately recounted the "Legend of Yue Fei," a look of pure enjoyment on his face.

Just as the applause and cheers were deafening and nearly lifted the roof off, he lowered his voice and said to a middle-aged man next to him, "This strike was brilliantly executed!"

"I think it won't be long before Father Emperor can't sit still anymore!"

The middle-aged man whispered, "Third Master, when you think about it, we chose the right time!"

"It's because that guy went too far. He just dealt with the Duke of Yansheng, then killed Lü Baizhou, and now he's forcing officials and gentry to pay taxes as well."

"Everyone's anger was building up like boiling water, bubbling and simmering!"

"We were holding our breath, but there was nothing we could do. If we just suggested canceling the court session, wouldn't we get an immediate response and a huge following?"

The Third Prince Yunzhi's expression turned serious, and he gave him a cold glance, his tone freezing instantly:

“Brother Shen, remember this well—the boycott of court was a spontaneous act organized by some passionate young scholars. It was entirely voluntary and no one instructed them.”

"It has absolutely nothing to do with us!"

"Otherwise, I can barely manage, but what about you..."

The Third Prince paused meaningfully.

Shen Xingshi's face turned pale, and he quickly corrected himself: "Yes, yes, Third Master is right. I misspoke just now."

"This has nothing to do with you, and nothing to do with me!"

"I'm here today to keep you company while you drink tea and listen to stories."

Yunzhi looked at the somewhat fearful Brother Shen, chuckled inwardly, but smiled gently on his face:

“Brother Shen, the book says, ‘If it is done in secrecy, it will succeed.’ I am doing this for our own good, so how could I blame you?”

At this point, Yunzhi chuckled smugly, "My second brother, the Crown Prince, only thinks about doing things with great ambition, but he forgets that he himself is not yet the Emperor!"

"Furthermore, they have forgotten the principle that 'those who act justly gain much support, while those who act unjustly find little support'!"

Shen Xingshi nodded outwardly, but inwardly he thought: This Third Master is not a good choice.

Although he chose a good time, if he had actually become emperor, he probably wouldn't have had the guts to implement reforms.

From this point of view alone, he is not as good as the current troublesome crown prince!
Unfortunately, I'm already on a pirate ship, so I can't just jump off, can I?
In the struggle for the crown prince position, the most taboo thing is to be indecisive.

Especially for someone like him who has no background or ability.

"Next, we need to get more people involved in this strike,"

The third prince lowered his voice and said, "When everyone stops attending court, Father will have to come out and clean up the mess."

"Only if Father Emperor intervenes can your demands be met, and only then will the Crown Prince..."

Yunzhi didn't continue, but Shen Xingshi understood—

When the emperor steps in to restore order, that will be the day the crown prince ceases his actions.

Once the crown prince falls out of favor, the third son will be the eldest son with the best chance of succeeding to the throne.

After all, the boss is already useless!

Shen Xingshi immediately clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "Third Master, rest assured, the number of people boycotting court will only increase!"

"This incident involves too many people. Anyone who dares to secretly go on duty will be drowned in the spittle of the others!"

Yunzhi patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction: "Brother Shen, we are friends."

"I don't want to say anything unnecessary."

"We have a long good life ahead of us!"

This promise warmed Shen Xingshi's heart: becoming a marquis and prime minister is not a dream!
He replied emphatically, "Please rest assured, Third Master, I will absolutely not let you down at crucial moments."

After leaving Qingpinglou, Shen Xingshi made a quick dash and slipped into a lively little tavern.

The tavern wasn't big, but the aroma of the hot pot was incredibly strong; you could smell it from across the street.

At this moment, in the largest private room of the restaurant, people were enjoying a hearty meal around a copper pot, their faces glowing with health and happiness.

"Brother Shen, you've finally arrived!"

Upon seeing Shen Xingshi, the crowd began to cheer.

Shen Xingshi waved his hand dismissively: "I had some minor matters to attend to today, so I'm late!"

"This meal is on me! Everyone, eat as much as you like!"

You know, he used to be very stingy, but recently he's suddenly become extravagant.

There was no other way; with the Third Prince continuously providing financial support, they naturally gained confidence.

These words drew cheers from the crowd.

"Brother Shen is so generous, let me first toast to you!" After a few drinks, the atmosphere became even more lively.

“Brother Shen, you’ve come at the right time. We were just talking about the situation at the Ministry of Justice. Although the three officials in the Ministry of Justice tried their best to persuade us to go on duty, I don’t think they were sincere at all.”

"They would even prefer that we continue to boycott court."

Shen Xingshi took a glass of wine and drank it down, then said with a smile, "The attitude of the three officials from the Ministry of Justice is actually quite normal."

"Their location is sensitive, so it's not convenient for them to comment."

"But Brother Lü died such a tragic death, how could they not have some complaints?"

"Those who act justly will find many supporters, while those who act unjustly will find few."

"We speak out for justice for the people, so naturally they should support us!"

"As long as we uphold justice and act on behalf of Heaven, what can the Crown Prince do to us?"

Shen Xingshi's words ignited the entire room, making the atmosphere at the dinner table even more lively.

Someone shouted, "Brother Shen is right! We are acting on behalf of Heaven, and we have nothing to fear!"

"Let's drink to Brother Shen's words!"

“Brother Shen’s words are truly comforting. Let’s raise a toast to Brother Shen.”

Shen Xingshi put down his wine glass, picked up a few bites of food, and then asked the person next to him, "Why didn't Brother Boshi come over?"

The person being asked replied, "Brother Bosch was also summoned by the official."

“He is related to Minister Zou of the Ministry of Personnel, but I can’t go there directly; I have to at least make an appearance.”

"But Brother Bosch said he would never let us down."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xingshi smiled.

Just then, the door opened, and a young man with a solemn expression walked in.

Seeing him come in, Shen Xingshi said with a smile, "Brother Boshi, come and have a drink, otherwise, this good wine will be drunk up by a pack of hungry wolves."

Chen Boshi said with concern, "Brother Shen, brothers, I came from the Ministry of Personnel and heard that the court is preparing to establish the 'Correcting the Roots and Clearing the Sources' Office."

"I heard they're going to come up with some kind of solution to get to the root of the problem!"

"They specifically target people like us who don't attend court."

Upon hearing Chen Boshi's words, everyone immediately fell silent.

Shen Xingshi smiled and said, "Brother Boshi, don't worry, everything will be alright."

“If we don’t attend court, the imperial court will naturally get anxious.”

"If we don't take some action, how can we explain this to His Majesty? How can we demonstrate that the officials are addressing the problem?"

"So you don't need to worry, let them perform their play, we'll just continue our own dynasty!"

"As long as we work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish."

Seeing Shen Xing's confident expression, Chen Boshi smiled.

He said in a deep voice, "Brother Xingshi is right. When people are united, they can move mountains. As long as we work together, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome!"

"What's more, we have so many people supporting us!"

There are many gatherings like Shen Xingshi's, some are from the same hometown, some are from the same year, and some are friends with similar interests!
They gathered together, their morale high and their blood boiling, feeling that they would soon be able to correct the corrupt practices of the court.

Meanwhile, at the Zhang residence!

Exhausted, Zhang Ying returned home and the first thing she saw was her cheerful son, Zhang Tinglu.

He was very dissatisfied with Zhang Tinglu's involvement in the boycott of court, so he didn't give his son a very kind look.

"Greetings, Father!" Zhang Tinglu bowed respectfully, his eyes shining.

"How's your packing going?" Zhang Ying asked coldly.

Zhang Tinglu mustered her courage and leaned forward, saying:
"Father, does this mean I don't have to go to that remote place with its high mountains and long roads?"

"Many friends came today, and they all said that this strike against the court was so powerful that it would surely force His Majesty to step forward and set things right."

“If that’s the case, your son can stay in the Hanlin Academy and stay by your side to fulfill his filial duties.”

Looking at Zhang Tinglu's eager face, Zhang Ying sneered, "You won't make much progress if you stay in the Hanlin Academy. You might as well go to the countryside to hone your skills and get rid of your problem of being all talk and no action."

At this point, he said solemnly, "Besides, who told you you don't need to go to remote places?"

"Let me tell you, we don't know how this matter will end yet."

“You’d better stay home quietly these days. If you dare to cause any more trouble, I’ll punish you according to family rules.”

Seeing Zhang Ying's gloomy face, Zhang Tinglu immediately dared not utter a sound.

But deep down he was incredibly resentful: Humph, Dad is just too conservative!
This strike was clearly a demonstration of unity among the people; how could the court not back down?
However, he didn't dare to talk back to his father and could only retreat cautiously.

"Pack your bags, you're leaving the capital tomorrow to take up your post!" Zhang Ying said coldly, looking at her son's somewhat lewd expression.

Zhang Tinglu hadn't expected his father to say that. He wanted to explain, but seeing his father's somewhat gloomy face, he could only nod and say, "Yes, Father."

Zhang Ying's expression improved slightly after Zhang Tinglu left.

Back in his study, he picked up a folded document and began to read it.

The contents of this memorial clearly state the method for getting to the root of the problem and resolving the issue.

Looking at the contents, Zhang Ying pondered silently. He understood the Crown Prince's intention. But could this method truly control those guys?
　The second update for today is here! Please, everyone, give me your guaranteed votes!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)