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

Chapter 435 This rebellious son is trying to force me to bow my head
Wang Yan was initially pleased with himself, thinking: This trip to the hot spring palace was definitely worthwhile! As long as he told the Crown Prince about it, the Crown Prince, who had already realized that he had gone astray, would surely be all smiles and readily agree.

In this way, one doesn't have to travel all the way to the capital, and can still be entrusted with important responsibilities by the emperor. It's a win-win situation!

But to his utter surprise, the Crown Prince refused!
The way he refused was so nonchalant and detached from worldly affairs!
The reasons given were even more irrefutable:

Make bricks without straw!

If others can't do it, I can't do it either.

Forget it, I'll just go to the capital and help Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong repair their imperial tombs.

Wang Yan was speechless on the spot.

After struggling for a while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Your Highness, as long as you don't lose your mind, there are always more solutions than problems!"

"Why don't you take on this task first, so that you can at least resolve the crisis of going to the capital?"

"As for what happens next, we'll figure it out together."

"Moreover, His Majesty has high hopes for you. If you act this way... how heartbroken he will be!"

"You know perfectly well that His Majesty hates it when people disagree with him!"

Because of his close relationship with the Crown Prince, Wang Yan decided to speak frankly.

Little did anyone know that Shen Ye, who had transmigrated from another era, already knew the future. He smiled and said, "Teacher Wang, I know that everything you've done is for my own good."

"But some things can't be forced."

"To be honest, staying in the capital is boring. I really want to go to the capital for a vacation and enjoy life more."

"Even if my father is angry with me, at most he will put me under house arrest."

"He wouldn't stoop to the level of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and kill three of his sons in one day, would he?"

"Please don't worry!"

Looking at Shen Ye's nonchalant expression, Wang Yan suddenly realized, "Oh no! I might have done something wrong this time!"
The Crown Prince had absolutely no desire to take on this hot potato that was the Ministry of Revenue!
My recommendation has ironically put the Crown Prince in the eye of the storm!

“Your Highness, even if you can’t do that, you should at least go to the Forbidden City in person and explain to His Majesty.”

"Only in this way can you show your respect for His Majesty."

"If you send an old man like me to deliver a message... isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

At this point, Wang Yan lowered his voice slightly: "Although His Majesty is wise and powerful, and has boundless love for you, like a father's love as firm as a mountain, this world is not only full of good people!"

"There are quite a few people who are eyeing you covetously!"

Shen Ye smiled and said, "Teacher Wang, I know who you're talking about."

"Don't worry, it's okay."

"The reason I stayed here is because my father asked me to accompany my grandmother and fulfill my filial duties."

"Without orders, I dare not run around."

"Just reply with exactly what I said."

Wang Yan tried to persuade Shen Ye for a long time, but Shen Ye remained unmoved. Helpless, Wang Yan could only return to the imperial palace inn dejectedly.

After seeing Wang Yan off, Shen Ye immediately put the matter out of his mind.

He secretly thought to himself: "Emperor Qianxi, you old fool! You only remember me when you need me?"

When they don't need me, they just use me as a rag and throw me aside!
You want me to go to the capital to repair the imperial tombs? This kind of behavior of discarding someone after they've served their purpose is truly disheartening.

Now you want something from me? No way!

Although imperial power is supreme, what can you do to me when I don't even care about being the crown prince?

After all, although we are ruler and subject, we are also father and son.

Even the cold-hearted fourth son could only sigh when faced with his spendthrift son.

Surely you can't be older than the fourth brother?
Since she had nothing better to do, Shen Ye decided to soak in the hot spring for a while.

Just as he was enjoying a refreshing soak, Zhou Baolai reported: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."

Shen Ye's heart skipped a beat: I just paid my respects not long ago, and now the Empress Dowager is looking for me... Could it be that Wang Yan went to complain about me?

Although she felt that Wang Yan was being troublesome, Shen Ye quickly put on her clothes and headed to the Empress Dowager's palace.

The Qianxi Emperor has already been offended, but the relationship with the Empress Dowager cannot be severed.

"Grandson greets Imperial Grandmother." Shen Ye bowed respectfully.

The usually amiable Empress Dowager had a stern face this time: "Crown Prince, Master Wang Yan came to see me and told me about His Majesty's summons."

“You have already displeased your father.”

"Do you know the consequences if you anger him again this time?"

Shen Ye said with a grin, "Grandmother, it's not that I'm disobeying orders, it's just that I can't do it!"

"If so many capable people in the imperial court can't handle this, how could my grandson possibly have the ability?"

"This major battle will cost at least ten million taels of silver!"

"There might be more."

"The imperial court is now dirt poor, and your grandson can't conjure up money out of thin air."

The Empress Dowager looked at her grandson, who was acting like a rogue, and said helplessly, "Even if you can't do it, you should at least go and explain it to your father in person."

“I know your father’s temper. You can’t go against him like this.”

"If you go head-to-head, you'll be the one who suffers in the end!"

Shen Ye suddenly said in a serious tone, "Grandmother, I really don't want to be the Crown Prince anymore."

"Father, take it if you want."

"At worst, I'll just be a powerless prince with no official position, living a life of idleness and waiting to die." Seeing that Shen Ye didn't seem to be joking, the Empress Dowager was speechless for a moment.

Good heavens! The Crown Prince doesn't even want the title anymore!

There's not much that can be done about him.

This truly shows that being free from desires makes one invincible!
She hesitated and said, "Do you know what kind of fate awaits the crown princes who have lost their positions throughout history?"

Shen Ye laughed heartlessly: "I've also looked into this grandson; there are good and bad aspects to him."

"Your Majesty, I believe that Your Majesty is still young and vigorous, and I have a long time ahead of me to enjoy a carefree life."

"When Father Emperor gets old, I will sail out to sea and see the world."

"I don't think my brother who inherited the throne would go so far as to chase me down from thousands of miles away, would he?"

"Maybe they'll even consider our brotherhood and send me some travel expenses so I can settle down overseas with peace of mind!"

After hearing Shen Ye's outrageous words, the Empress Dowager almost burst out laughing.

She shook her head helplessly and said, "Your Highness, I have said everything I needed to say."

"Think it over again, and take care of yourself."

"You must remember the consequences of offending your father in the court."

Shen Ye put away his joke and said solemnly, "Grandmother, I have already thought it through."

"I don't want to be someone else's rag anymore, used and then thrown away."

Looking at her determined grandson, the Empress Dowager sighed and said nothing more.

After Shen Ye left, the Empress Dowager instructed her personal eunuch, "Go and tell Wang Yan that I was unable to persuade the Crown Prince."

"Tell him to go back and report to His Majesty immediately."

"Also, tell him that it's cold and the roads are slippery, and I'm afraid the Crown Prince might fall, so he shouldn't wander around. Let him stay in the palace."

The trusted eunuch hesitated for a moment, but ultimately remained silent.

He knew perfectly well that the Empress Dowager's reason could not be hidden from Emperor Qianxi, but after all, the Empress Dowager was Emperor Qianxi's legal mother, and faced with the Empress Dowager protecting her grandson, Emperor Qianxi could only grit his teeth and accept it.

Wang Yan was pacing anxiously, but when he heard the Empress Dowager's message, although he was very disappointed, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

With the Empress Dowager's words, at the very least, the Crown Prince's offense of not going to meet the Emperor was somewhat forgiven.

His hard work was worthwhile.

He quickly thanked the eunuch who had delivered the message: "Your Majesty's kindness will be forever remembered by this humble subject."

The eunuch sighed and said, "I will certainly report Lord Wang's words to the Empress Dowager."

"The Empress Dowager said that it is freezing cold, so Lord Wang should rest for a day before going back."

Wang Yan waved his hand and said, "I will remember the Empress Dowager's kindness, but the matter is urgent. I should report to His Majesty as soon as possible."

Just as Wang Yan was rushing back, weary from his journey, Emperor Qianxi was hosting a banquet for the general with whom he had spent half a day discussing the marching route.

As a military emperor who personally led troops into battle, Emperor Qianxi was no stranger to fighting against the Dzungars.

The more they discussed it, the more excited he became, and he even felt an urge to personally lead an expedition once again.

However, he knew that it was not appropriate for him to personally lead the army at this time.

Firstly, the cost was too high; secondly, the timing was wrong.

"Your Majesty, as long as the logistical support can keep up, I dare not guarantee anything else, but I can still manage to keep the Dzungar army that has entered the snowy region."

General Fuerduo, while toasting Emperor Qianxi, spoke with great confidence.

He was a confidant of Emperor Qianxi and fought many battles alongside him, earning the emperor's deep trust.

Looking at Fu Erduo's appearance, Emperor Qianxi smiled and said, "Then I will wait for your good news."

"Don't worry, there will be absolutely no problem with logistics."

"I am in the capital and I am keeping a close eye on this."

Just as the two were getting along well, Fuldor suddenly said, "Your Majesty, could we use silver dollars from the Yuqing Bank to pay the wages for this expedition?"

"That thing is not only easy to carry, but also easy to use."

"It's too inconvenient to carry a small scale when you're spending money."

Emperor Qianxi knew that the Yuqing silver coins in the capital were indeed useful.

He was thinking that the Crown Prince should be heading towards the capital with Wang Yan by now.

With the Crown Prince around, Yuqing Bank doesn't have many silver dollars, does it?
In a flash, he waved his hand and said, "Approved! This is a small matter. We'll issue Yuqing silver dollars when the time comes."

After drinking a few cups of wine, Emperor Qianxi's head began to throb. Just as he returned to his palace to rest, Liang Jiugong respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Lord Wang Yan has returned."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi was overjoyed.

After a brief discussion today, the troop deployment has been finalized.

Now we just need to gather the silver and supplies, and then we can march west.

The fact that the Crown Prince rushed over so hastily shows that he takes the task assigned to him very seriously.

"Let the Crown Prince and Wang Yan come over together," Emperor Qianxi said, waving his hand. "Also, prepare some ginger soup; they must be freezing coming in this cold weather."

Hearing Emperor Qianxi's words of concern, Liang Jiugong felt helpless and could only whisper, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince... the Crown Prince has not come."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi's face immediately darkened.

This rebellious son hasn't come back. What is he planning to do?
Does he expect me, his father, to have to bow down to him again?

　The second update for today is here! Please support, recommend, and vote, everyone!
　　

(End of this chapter)