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

Chapter 456 The Emperor and the Crown Prince: The Most Difficult Father and Son in the World

Emperor Qianxi was extremely envious of Yuqing Bank!
The imperial court was in dire need of funds, and the Taicang and Imperial Household Departments struggled to raise enough despite their best efforts. However, the Yuqing Bank readily provided the funds.

Because Yuqing Bank holds a large amount of depositors' money!

Although Emperor Qianxi didn't understand exactly how the "Ten Thousand Blessings Silver" that Ma Qi was referring to worked out, he firmly believed that with the tax supervisor of Zhengyangmen and his capable son, they could easily amass a huge amount of silver!

Not to mention, Yuqing Bank's influence is growing stronger every day.

Qianxi Tongbao!

Yuqing Silver Dollar!

These two currencies were extremely popular in the capital and Zhili region, they were incredibly sought after!

Especially with Yuqing silver dollars, when people need to use silver, their first reaction is no longer to take out those ingots of official silver, but to directly take out Yuqing silver dollars - it's both convenient and prestigious!

This silver dollar contains 10% copper in addition to silver, which adds up to one tael.

According to Emperor Qianxi's estimate, Yuqing Bank would have made a fortune just by exchanging that one-tenth of the silver for copper!

In the eyes of many, the emperor was "richest in the world," while the crown prince, the big boss of Yuqing Bank, was simply "richest in the world"!

Money can move mountains
Money equals power!

Although the Crown Prince is well-behaved, with a powerful tool like Yuqing Bank at his disposal, what can't he do?

But if we just take it by force... what about the father-son relationship?
Besides, the crown prince will eventually succeed to the throne. If we take his things now, won't we have to give them back in the end? This move... is a bit baffling.

Emperor Qianxi cleared his throat and said, "Yuqing Bank is of great importance, and it is normal for it to operate under the Crown Prince's control."

"If the Ministry of Revenue wants to take over Yuqing Bank, how should it compensate the Crown Prince?"

"After all, this bank was founded by the Crown Prince."

The very word "Crown Prince" carries a power.

Even the emperor couldn't just take away the crown prince's property without a reason, could he?
If that were to happen, not only would the civil and military officials of the court be filled with fear, but the common people of the country would also be in a state of panic.

Upon hearing Emperor Qianxi's opening remarks, Ma Qi assumed that the emperor did not have much concern about the Crown Prince's control of Yuqing Bank.

Only after hearing the rest did I realize—His Majesty was worried about the Crown Prince having such a "money bag" in his hands!

He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively suggested, "Your Majesty, perhaps... we could discuss with the Crown Prince about merging Yuqing Bank into the Ministry of Revenue?"

"The Ministry of Revenue belongs to the imperial court, while Yuqing Bank belongs to the crown prince."

"The Crown Prince happens to be the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Revenue!"

"So, it seems quite logical that Yuqing Bank would be placed under the Ministry of Revenue, doesn't it?"

After hearing Ma Qi's righteous and awe-inspiring words, Emperor Qianxi couldn't help but smirk.

Does the Ministry of Revenue belong to the Emperor? Are they even the same thing?

I am still the emperor. The Imperial Household Department claims to be mine, but isn't it clearly separate from the court?

Ma Qi's reasoning sounds reasonable on the surface, as if the bank is still owned by the prince, but in reality... isn't this just a disguised form of robbery?
If they really did that and took away the Crown Prince's Yuqing Bank, the father and son would almost certainly turn against each other.

Moreover, Emperor Qianxi had some doubts about the Ministry of Revenue's capabilities. The Crown Prince could manage Yuqing Bank, but the guys in the Ministry of Revenue might not be so sure!

He asked calmly, "Ma Qi, if I were to take away Yuqing Bank like this, how would the Crown Prince view me?"

Ma Qi knew the answer to the question perfectly well, but he still forced himself to say, "Your Majesty, you are not taking it away, but rather allowing the bank to play a more important role!"

"Furthermore, as the heir apparent, the empire will ultimately belong to him..."

Upon hearing Ma Qi's words, Emperor Qianxi snorted.

He clearly didn't buy into Ma Qi's suggestion.

However, with such a powerful tool as Yuqing Bank in the hands of the Crown Prince, he couldn't sleep soundly.

After pacing back and forth a few times, he suddenly asked, "Ma Qi, what do you think about us setting up our own Ministry of Revenue Bank, with the Ministry of Revenue taking the lead?"

To establish the Ministry of Revenue Bank?

Ma Qi had considered it, after all, he knew all too well the benefits of working for a bank.

But when he thought of the empty foundation of Taicang, Ma Qi's expression changed, and he finally said honestly, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue Bank... I'm afraid the Ministry of Revenue Bank won't be able to play a very good role."

"Because banks mainly rely on deposits and loans."

“But the Ministry of Revenue represents the imperial court, and I’m afraid many people will be unwilling to deposit their money in the Ministry of Revenue’s bank.”

"Without deposits, the Ministry of Revenue Bank will slowly become an empty shell..."

Emperor Qianxi considered the current state of the court, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "This matter... let's discuss it later."

Ma Qi nodded, not disappointed.

For him, as long as he could get Emperor Qianxi to take a liking to Yuqing Bank, his goal would be achieved.

You have to take things one step at a time!

Just as he was about to take his leave, Emperor Qianxi suddenly called out to him: "Ma Qi, go back and think carefully about what you can use to exchange Yuqing Bank for the Crown Prince's assets."

"Think boldly, don't hold back!"

After Ma Qi left with his mission, Emperor Qianxi leaned back in his chair and began to ponder.

He had already tasted the benefits of Yuqing Bank, but he couldn't bring himself to directly ask his son for more.

This feeling... is so suffocating!
How exactly can banks be brought under the "legitimate" control of the imperial court?

Emperor Qianxi's mind worked quickly, and he gradually came up with an idea.

With the distribution of provisions and the army's departure, everyone in the court breathed a sigh of relief. The festive atmosphere of the New Year was also growing stronger.

During Chinese New Year, giving and receiving gifts is always an essential part of the celebration!

For Shen Ye, the only people he could give gifts to were the Empress Dowager and Emperor Qianxi!
So his New Year was relatively easy, and he wasn't too upset.

With the year-end approaching, the Empress Dowager and her entourage, who had spent the winter at the Hot Spring Palace, were preparing to return to the Forbidden City.

After all, the New Year's celebrations can't be held at the Onsen Palace, can they?

"Prince!"

On this day, Shen Ye was leisurely flipping through a book when Liang Jiugong walked in with a big smile.

Upon seeing Liang Jiugong, Shen Ye put down his book, stood up, and said, "Chief Steward Liang, does my father have any instructions?"

"The tribute from the General of Shengjing has arrived today, and there are several flying dragons among them."

"His Majesty knows that the Crown Prince loves this dish, so he ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a dragon soup for the Crown Prince to enjoy."

Was Emperor Qianxi hosting a banquet?
Upon hearing this, Shen Ye's heart skipped a beat.

If my cheap old man invites me to dinner, it's definitely going to be a bad meal, probably nothing good!
But when the emperor invites guests, even the crown prince has to accept with a smile.

Shen Ye immediately feigned emotion: "Your Majesty's great favor has moved me to tears."

"Looks like we're in for a good meal this time!"

Liang Jiugong couldn't figure out what Emperor Qianxi was thinking either, so he suddenly invited the Crown Prince to dinner.

I just felt that this meal was probably not simple.

However, as a confidant of Emperor Qianxi, it was best not to speculate before knowing Emperor Qianxi's true intentions.

So he smiled and said, "Please follow me, Your Highness."

"The Flying Dragon Soup is incredibly delicious, Your Highness, please... savor it slowly!"

Liang Jiugong's words sounded like he was talking about soup, but Shen Ye felt that Liang Gonggong was implying to her: the soup may be delicious, but the soup might be too hot to handle!
He smiled knowingly and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Steward Liang. I will definitely savor it carefully!"

When Shen Ye arrived at Yuqing Palace, the Flying Dragon Soup was already on the table.

Although it was just a bowl of soup, its delicious aroma filled the entire Yuqing Palace.

Emperor Qianxi smiled and pointed to the soup: "Your Highness, this is a tribute sent by the General of Shengjing. Please have a taste."

Shen Ye bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you for remembering your son, Father Emperor."

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand, his face full of affection: "We are father and son, why be so polite?"

"I still remember the first time you ate dragon soup when you were a child. At that time, the general of Shengjing did not send many dragons. Seeing how much you wanted them, I had the imperial kitchen make all the dragon soup for you."

"In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much..."

Hearing the tender words, alarm bells went off in Shen Ye's mind.

Emperor Qianxi is not usually one to express his feelings, so his sudden emotional appeal might be... a trap!
Shen Ye immediately took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes, which instantly became teary:

"I lost my mother at birth, and it was you, Father, who raised me little by little."

"Your subject remembers it very clearly. That year, I fell seriously ill with a high fever. It was Father Emperor who took care of me without taking off his clothes for half a month, which brought me back to life."

"Whenever I think of these things, I feel that my filial piety towards you is not enough, I, I..."

As she spoke, she almost broke down in tears.

As Emperor Qianxi looked at the tearful Crown Prince, a trace of reminiscence flashed across his face.

He patted Shen Ye on the shoulder and said, "Alright, alright, it's all in the past. Father Emperor believes that as long as we, father and son, are of one mind, the Great Zhou Dynasty will surely prosper and become better and better."

"Your subject will always remember your teachings, Father, and will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the court and to you, even unto death!" Shen Ye said solemnly, leaving no room for doubt.

Emperor Qianxi said sternly, "What do you mean by 'to die for one's cause'? That's utter nonsense!"

"This empire belongs to Father Emperor, and it will be yours in the future. Ultimately, this empire will be yours sooner or later."

"I am getting older every day, and many things are becoming beyond my capabilities."

"Only you, Crown Prince, can share the Emperor's burdens!"

Wow, that's a really big promise!

As Shen Ye continued to wipe away her tears of emotion, her mind raced.

He only believed one-third of what Emperor Qianxi said.

Emperor Qianxi declared that the empire belonged to him, and Shen Yexin believed it!
Emperor Qianxi said that the future of the empire would be given to the crown prince, and Shen Ye now believes it!

But if Emperor Qianxi said that father and son would share the throne, tsk, Shen Ye only believed a little bit of that. After all, Emperor Qianxi would never really relinquish power before he passed away.

Not to mention father and son sharing the throne!

As for Emperor Qianxi saying that he was old, Shen Ye absolutely did not believe a word of it.

“Father, you are as vigorous as a dragon and horse, and in terms of physique, you are even stronger than us young people.”

"The Great Zhou needs you, Father, to steer it. I am willing to follow you and do my best for the Great Zhou."

Shen Ye's words pleased Emperor Qianxi greatly. He pointed to the serving of Flying Dragon Soup and said with a smile, "Let's not talk about these things, father and son."

"Drink the soup! Drink the soup first!"

The dragon soup was delicious. After taking two sips, Shen Ye felt as if his tongue was about to be swallowed whole by its freshness. Just as he was enjoying it, Emperor Qianxi suddenly said, "Crown Prince, someone told me today that Yuqing Bank... is related to the rise and fall of the nation. What do you think?"

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(End of this chapter)