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

Chapter 431 The Imperial Edict Has Been Issued and Snow Is Falling Throughout the Land
I don't know if it was because Emperor Qianxi wanted to reduce the tax burden on officials and gentry throughout the land, which moved even the heavens to tears—good heavens, a heavy snow fell down without warning.

In the blink of an eye, the entire Forbidden City was covered in white.

The palace has been transformed into a snow palace, and walking is now only possible by ice skating, making it extremely difficult to move around!
On such a cold day, the benevolent Emperor Qianxi issued a very touching order:

The imperial court hearing on that day is cancelled!
Upon hearing this, the court officials rubbed their hands together with delight: "His Majesty is truly benevolent; he actually granted a holiday in the face of snow and wind!"

That's right. In this snowy weather, young people can just dust themselves off and get up after a fall; but if those old ministers accidentally fall when they enter the palace, they'll probably break a bone with a "crack" and spend the New Year lying in bed.

Even the young eunuchs on duty were huddled in the room with the stove, shivering. But at this very moment, a figure in a bright red robe braved the wind and snow and stubbornly marched toward the Forbidden City.

That figure, a single red dot against the white backdrop, stood out conspicuously amidst the swirling snow.

So much so that Liang Jiugong, who was handling affairs outside the Qianqing Palace, was stunned the moment he saw this figure:
Good heavens, with such heavy snow, is this guy playing the "lone ranger" here?
When the man approached, Liang Jiugong recognized him as Lord Jin Fu.

He quickly nudged the two eunuchs beside him and ordered urgently, "What are you all standing there for? Go and help him up! If Lord Jin falls, you'll be in for a beating!"

Although the eunuchs were unwilling to brave the wind and snow, they dared not disobey Liang Jiugong's orders.

Who is Liang Jiugong? He is their leader and their ancestor.

If they disobey, they'll at least get a beating.

Moreover, their future promotions will depend on Liang Jiugong.

If they didn't act cleverly at this moment, they could be kicked out of the Qianqing Palace and sent to clean toilets with just a few words.

With that thought in mind, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and rush into the snowstorm, supporting myself while silently praying, "Lord Jin, please walk carefully, my future depends on your fall..."

Liang Jiugong always treated Jin Fu, a senior minister highly regarded by Emperor Qianxi, with great courtesy.

Jin Fu, who was helped to Liang Jiugong's side, had hands that were stiff from the cold, but he still insisted on bowing. Liang Jiugong hurriedly returned the greeting, his words as sweet as honey: "Oh dear, Lord Jin, what brings you here in this freezing weather?"

"What if you fall and get hurt? That's no small matter."

"These guards are really lazy. They didn't even offer to help you up. I'll deal with them later!"

After saying a few words of concern, Liang Jiugong suddenly paused, "Wait a minute, Lord Jin, didn't you bid farewell to His Majesty the day before yesterday and leave the capital to return to the Canal Commissioner's Office?"

Jin Fu said tremblingly, "I am deeply grateful for Eunuch Liang's kindness."

"I've been traveling all day, and I suddenly remembered that there are some things I forgot to report to His Majesty."

"We quickly turned back, but who would have thought we'd run into this blizzard on the way?"

While having hot tea and a stove brought to Jin Fu, Liang Jiugong said, "Lord Jin, please warm yourself by the fire first. I will go and report to His Majesty now."

After saying that, he ran off to Emperor Qianxi's study.

At this time, Emperor Qianxi was engrossed in reviewing memorials.

Being an emperor meant that every day was spent either reviewing memorials or on the way to review them.

Liang Jiugong reported cautiously:
"Your Majesty, Lord Jin Fu requests an audience."

Emperor Qianxi was stunned for a moment, then glared at Liang Jiugong sternly.

If it weren't for Liang Jiugong serving him for many years, and if he didn't think Liang Jiugong would dare to joke with him for no reason, he would have already told him to "drag him out"!

Jin Fu has already left the capital, so how could he possibly come to request an audience?
Just as he was wondering, Liang Jiugong quickly realized the emperor's doubts and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, after leaving the capital for a day, Lord Jin Fu remembered that there were some things he hadn't reported to you, so he specially came back!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi sighed.

He thought to himself, "Has Jin Fu gone mad from the cold? Is he getting senile? How can he be so straightforward as to give people such a reason that gives them ammunition against him?"
Isn't this utterly foolish?

If someone were to impeach him, he could lose his official position!
Although he felt that Jin Fu was a bit unreliable, he was, after all, his confidant and beloved minister.

He waved his hand and instructed, "Let him in."

Under the swirling snow, Jin Fu's official robes were covered in mud, as if he had rolled around in the snow.

He bowed solemnly and said, "Your subject Jin Fu greets Your Majesty."

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand and said, "Minister Jin, there's no need for such formalities."

"Liang Jiugong, offer Jin Aiqing a seat, and also have the kitchen prepare some ginger tea."

Liang Jiugong agreed and quickly carried over an embroidered stool.

After expressing his gratitude to Emperor Qianxi for his kindness, Jin Fu sat down.

"Minister Jin, you've had a long and arduous journey. Was the snow heavy along your way?" Emperor Qianxi asked in a deep voice.

Jin Fu said, "Your Majesty, the snow was very deep in many places on my way back to the capital. If I hadn't been traveling on the expressway, I probably wouldn't have made it back to the capital by now."

Upon hearing Jin Fu mention the "fast track," Emperor Qianxi raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "Is this about to get to the point?"

He sensed that Jin Fu's mention of the fast track at this moment was definitely not just a casual remark; he had a purpose in doing so!

But Jin Fu didn't say anything, so Emperor Qianxi pretended to be confused, saying, "I'm not going to take your bait!"

Instead, he remarked on the plight of the people: "In this freezing weather, this heavy snowfall is actually a good thing for next year's harvest!"

"However, while the heavy snow is welcome, I'm worried that the people's houses might not be able to withstand it."

Upon hearing Emperor Qianxi's words, Jin Fu immediately stood up and said, "Your Majesty's concern for the people's livelihood is truly a blessing for the nation and a great fortune for the world!"

"Speak, Jin Fu, what brings you back all this way?" Emperor Qianxi was pleased by Jin Fu's flattery, and his tone softened considerably.

Jin Fu took a deep breath and finally got to the point: "Your Majesty, I have returned this time for matters concerning the waterways." "Over the years, in the course of repairing the waterways, I have found that although I am quite capable, I have to deal with all sorts of disturbances."

"As a result, during the repair of the river channel, I wasted a lot of energy on coordinating relationships with various parties."

At this point, Jin Fu said with a heavy heart, "Therefore, I believe that if there were a person of high status in the Waterway Administration who could mobilize forces from all directions, my waterway construction project would definitely be completed much faster."

Emperor Qianxi was naturally very clear about the relationship between waterways and local areas.

He knew that Jin Fu was telling the truth.

Moreover, this is a fact known to everyone, both in and out of government.

Although these relationships are difficult to communicate, they are not impossible to communicate.

Jin Fu had already left, but then suddenly returned and asked for someone who could intimidate everyone. He must have had a purpose.

In the entire imperial court, the only person who could truly intimidate the local people was the Qianxi Emperor.

Besides the Qianxi Emperor, the Crown Prince is now also beginning to be able to keep order.

After all, the Crown Prince had established considerable prestige during his time overseeing the country.

and also……

Thinking of the Crown Prince and seeing Jin Fu's disheveled appearance, Emperor Qianxi immediately understood most of the situation.

"Who do you want to put in charge?" Emperor Qianxi knew the answer, but deliberately didn't say it.

Jin Fu forced himself to say, "If Your Majesty is willing to let the Crown Prince leave the capital... then please have the Crown Prince oversee the Water Conservancy Office for a period of time."

"The current water management department is facing far too many water-related problems; it's like trying to plug one gourd only to have another pop up."

At this point, he added a bunch of reasons: "The waterways are related to the stability of the court, so it is only right that the Crown Prince learns more about the waterways."

"Moreover, the construction of the river involves many matters concerning the areas along the river. If the Crown Prince learns more about this, it will be beneficial in the future; he can gain knowledge, accumulate experience, and save money..."

Looking at Jin Fu's dark face, Emperor Qianxi shook his head and said, "Jin Fu, I understand your thoughts."

"However, it's impossible for the Crown Prince to go with you to repair the river."

"I have already issued an edict that after the New Year, the Crown Prince must go to the capital to oversee the repair and sacrificial rites at the mausoleums of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong. He will be unavailable during this period."

"However, I can provide you with the manpower you requested."

"The Fourth Prince, Yunzhen, is a diligent official. Having him accompany you to the River Conservancy Office will surely save you a lot of trouble!"

Jin Fu felt a chill in his heart: It's over, is this the way to send the Crown Prince to "guard the tomb"?

For a moment, Jin Fu didn't know how to describe his feelings.

When he heard that Emperor Qianxi was going to reduce the taxes of officials and gentry by half despite the Crown Prince's objections, he knew that this was a major crisis facing the Crown Prince.

So he wanted to help the crown prince escape from this vortex.

The best solution he could think of was to have the crown prince leave the capital for a while.

With cement and funding from the river management department, Jin Fu was confident about the construction of the river embankment.

If the crown prince is put in charge of supervising the river embankment, then the main credit for the embankment repair will fall on the crown prince.

After all, he held the highest official position in the river management department.

Furthermore, by building river embankments, the crown prince could gain a thorough understanding of the situation in all directions along the river, which would also be beneficial for his future ascension to the throne.

It can be said that this was a brilliant idea devised by Jin Fu, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

However, to his utter surprise, Emperor Qianxi actually wanted the crown prince to go to the capital to repair the mausoleums of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong.

This perfectly confirms what the Crown Prince said earlier:

Once this decision is made, the position of crown prince will be shaken!

However, to say that repairing the mausoleums of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong is not important... who would dare to say that!

Jin Fu was a capable minister, and he was often stubborn, but he was not stupid.

Undeterred, he tried to plead one more time: "Your Majesty, could you... perhaps allow the two princes to switch duties? While I greatly admire the Fourth Prince's abilities, the Crown Prince is even more adept at turning lead into gold."

"He went to the river management office, which will save him a lot of money!"

Jin Fu went to great lengths to secure this opportunity for the Crown Prince.

Emperor Qianxi glanced at him and said quietly, "Jin Fu, the imperial edict has been issued and cannot be changed."

As he said this, he looked out the window and saw that the snow was falling harder and harder.

"Like this snow, once it falls from the sky, it can never go back."

These words chilled Jin Fu to the bone!

Just then, outside the gates of the capital, a white horse carrying a snowman galloped in. Before the guards could even ask what was happening, the rider shouted, "Report! Urgent military intelligence—!"

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(End of this chapter)