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

Chapter 466 Eighth Brother Wants to Hide, You Must Dare to Be the First
A strange expression appeared on Emperor Qianxi's face!

He just couldn't understand why his uncle, Tong Guowei, who was always smiling and always appeared to be a good guy, would actually roll up his sleeves and go against Zhang Ying's wishes this time!

Zhang Ying's idea was simple: that's enough, don't take it too seriously, just let it go.

Actually, it wasn't entirely unacceptable for Emperor Qianxi; he could simply turn a blind eye.

But Tong Guowei just had to stand up for himself!
Moreover, he spoke with righteous indignation and made perfect sense. If Kong Yujin were to die and be let off so easily, then in the future, if anyone encountered such a situation, they would follow suit and do the same thing. Would the court still care?

Tong Guowei's probing questions were truly thought-provoking!

Emperor Qianxi's eyes shifted, and his gaze drifted to Shen Ye.

Shen Ye remained calm, looking as if it had nothing to do with me.

Regarding Kong Yujin's death, he instructed the Fourth Prince to investigate the Kong family, as he had no complicated relationship with them privately.

He supported the Fourth Prince purely out of fear that his subordinates would become disheartened and desert.

After stroking his chin and pondering for a few minutes, Emperor Qianxi cleared his throat and said, "Since the Grand Secretaries do not agree, let the Three Judicial Offices give a conclusion on Kong Yujin's death within fifteen days."

"I will see the Duke Yansheng again once the conclusion is reached!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Tingjing's face immediately darkened.

He wanted to argue, but seeing that Tong Guowei and the others had already returned to their positions, he had no choice but to swallow his words. He felt like beating his chest and stamping his feet, realizing that he was ultimately no match for Zhang Ying.

The three scholars had different attitudes, so there was no point in him arguing any further.

It seems I underestimated Zhang Ying.

Fortunately, he also made arrangements with the Three Judicial Offices, so Kong Shangde shouldn't suffer a major loss.

Just as the matter concerning the Kong family came to an end, Shen Ye walked out with a grin: "Father, I have a memorial to present."

Emperor Qianxi looked at Shen Ye as he walked out, and his heart skipped a beat: Hmm? Doesn't the Crown Prince usually inform me beforehand before making a report? Why is he making a report so inexplicably today?
Although I was full of doubts, I still had to save face.

He feigned composure: "Speak, what do you want?"

Shen Ye did not hesitate and said with a smile, "Father, today I went through the memorials of the Ministry of Justice and found that many ministers have submitted memorials supporting the principle of officials and gentry paying taxes together—this was all started by my eighth brother!"

"Such a great achievement, I think we should not fail to reward my eighth brother just because he is a prince."

"Therefore, I request that Your Majesty reward my eighth brother handsomely!"

The Eighth Prince, Yunsi, stood in the prince's position, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

He had been tricked by the crown prince once and had no choice but to write a petition supporting the idea of ​​officials and gentry paying taxes together!
Later, Mr. Liu Tao gave him an idea: since he couldn't avoid it, he should drag more people down with him and blend into the crowd so that he wouldn't be so conspicuous!
Go with the flow and become just another face in the crowd!

This tactic has indeed worked; recently, when people discuss taxation for officials and gentry together, they rarely mention it separately!
But now, the Crown Prince actually publicly requested credit for him during the morning court session!
Good heavens, by doing this, isn't it the same as picking him out of the crowd and labeling him as a "vanguard" who supports taxation by both officials and gentry?

Those gentry and officials who originally supported him have probably developed resentment towards him and are keeping a low profile about him...

How can someone who disregards the interests of others and is solely focused on currying favor with the emperor win people's hearts?

For a moment, the Eighth Prince's face turned ashen.

But when Emperor Qianxi's gaze swept over him, his expression changed instantly, and he forced a humble yet touched smile onto his face.

Even if your heart is bleeding, you still have to put on a good show!

He quickly stepped forward: "Father, Your Highness is too kind!"

"Your Excellencies support the principle of officials and gentry paying taxes together because you are concerned about the difficulties of the court. Your son is simply following the example of the virtuous and learning from them."

"If anyone is to be rewarded, it should be the ministers, not your son!"

He desperately wanted to promote this "honor," because if he were to actually be recognized, the consequences of such a thing becoming known to the whole world were unimaginable.

Looking at the anxious Eighth Prince, Shen Ye smiled and replied, "Eighth Brother's humility is quite gentlemanly."

"There are some things we should be humble about, but there are others we can't be humble about! We have to be the first in the world to do so!"

"We princes should take the lead!"

At this point, he clasped his hands in a fist salute to Emperor Qianxi and said, “Father, when I was studying, I read that the sages of the past said that the power of role models is boundless.”

"As a prince, Eighth Brother is a role model for all the officials for taking the initiative to share the burdens of the nation and the court!"

"Your Majesty, I request that you reward my eighth brother. This is also to better promote the policy of taxation by officials and gentry as a whole, and to help more officials and gentry understand the difficulties faced by the court."

"So, Eighth Brother, please stop refusing!"

"This reward is entirely for the sake of the imperial court."

The Eighth Prince's lips twitched, and he had no choice but to swallow his firm refusal.

As Emperor Qianxi looked at the two brothers who were so affectionate and respectful, a smile appeared on his lips.

The crown prince is too capable and needs to be checked and balanced.

Previously, he was the eldest, but unfortunately, he made a mistake some time ago, so this task had to be done by the eighth brother.

The crown prince is still his ideal successor, so he should support him when necessary. He needs to put pressure on the crown prince, but not to actually break him.

This is the imperial strategy of Emperor Qianxi.

Now the Crown Prince is clearly setting a trap for the Eighth Prince, and he's happy to see it happen.

Moreover, the Crown Prince's proposal was indeed conducive to the implementation of the policy of taxation by officials and gentry as a whole.

So he said in a deep voice, "Yun Si, what the Crown Prince said makes sense. If a prince dares to be the first in the world, he should take the lead."

"Your understanding of the imperial court is truly exemplary."

"The Southern Study has drafted an imperial edict to bestow upon the Eighth Prince the title of Prince Dorolian, and to grant the Imperial Household Department an estate!"

Upon hearing the title "Prince Dorolian," Shen Ye secretly clicked his tongue, feeling a slight toothache.

He hoped that the Eighth Prince could receive some honors or something, but he did not expect that Emperor Qianxi would be so generous.

It seems that this old man saw through his thoughts. By bestowing the title of Prince Dorolian, he not only put the eighth prince in a difficult position but also promoted him to a higher rank, killing two birds with one stone.

However, upon further reflection, Shen Ye quickly put aside this slight displeasure, after all, in the years to come, Emperor Qianxi would promote his first few sons.

The third and fourth sons are also about to be enfeoffed as princes, so this Prince Dorolian doesn't have much of an impact.

As for the Eighth Prince, he outwardly expressed his gratitude with tears in his eyes, but inwardly he was already weeping: Who wants this kind of "honor"!

He didn't feel much joy at being promoted one rank from prince.

What troubled him even more was how he would explain to the outside world that he was not a supporter, or even a leader, of the policy of taxing officials and gentry together.
The grand court assembly ended in a joyous atmosphere as the Eighth Prince received his reward.

But everyone knows this isn't over!
Kong Yujin's death still requires a trial by the Three Judicial Offices, and whether the Three Judicial Offices will side with the Kong family or give the Fourth Prince leniency is also a matter of power struggle.

If the Eighth Prince was a disappointed person at this court meeting, then there was someone even more disappointed than him, namely Kong Shangde.

Kong Shangde originally intended to use this court assembly as an opportunity to solidify his status as the Duke of Yansheng, taking advantage of the atmosphere he created upon entering the capital.

Only by confirming this identity can the family's dirty secrets be kept secret and concealed, such as the Duke Yansheng's mansion reselling disaster relief grain at high prices during the disaster relief period.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Qianxi refused to see him!

This chilled him to the bone.

Although many officials followed him when he left the court, those he valued and wanted to cling to, such as Zhang Ying, deliberately kept their distance from him and deliberately avoided him.

The fact that the three judicial departments would conclude the trial of Kong Yujin's suicide within fifteen days was like a dark cloud hanging over Kong Shangde's mind.

The lineage of the Duke Yansheng must not be broken...

Returning to the Duke Yansheng's residence with a gloomy face, Kong Shangde hadn't even had time to change his clothes when his third uncle, Kong Yushen, brought a man in his fifties with an unremarkable appearance to his room.

Kong Shangde was taken aback when he saw the stranger his uncle had brought: Who is this? Why did he just bring him into my room?
This person didn't seem like anyone important, so my uncle brought him over...

However, he is not yet the Duke Yansheng, and he still has to rely on his third uncle for help with many things at home, so even if he is unhappy, he can only keep quiet.

Kong Yushen closed the door and then lowered his voice to say, "Shangde, this is Mr. Zhong."

"Mr. Zhong used to work at the Tong family's Duke's mansion."

Upon hearing this introduction, Kong Shangde's eyes lit up, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Shangde greets Mr. Zhong. My apologies for not being acquainted with you!"

Mr. Zhong smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Kong, you didn't get to see His Majesty today. Do you feel there's a lot of danger ahead?"

Kong Shangde didn't know the man's purpose, but he still tried to remain calm: "My Kong family is protected by our ancestors and valued by the Emperor. What crisis could we possibly face?"

"Sir, you jest!"

"His Majesty naturally respects the Sage," Mr. Zhong said with a slow and steady smile. "Moreover, His Majesty would not allow the world to be without the Duke Yansheng during his reign."

Hearing this, Kong Shangde felt much relieved.

But what Mr. Zhong said next made his heart, which had just calmed down, jump into his throat again.

“There are many descendants of the sage, which does not mean that the position of Duke Yansheng can only fall to your branch.”

"Speaking of which, shouldn't Nan Kong be the direct descendant of the sage?"

"His Majesty recently promoted the head of the Nan Kong family, and I believe Young Master Kong is aware of that."

These words hit the nail on the head, striking Kong Shangde's weak spot. He felt a chill run down his back and almost broke out in a cold sweat.

He looked at Mr. Zhong, who seemed to have everything under control, and after a moment of silence, he cupped his hands and said, "Sir, you have come here not just to see the Kong family make a fool of themselves."

"What advice do you have for me? Please enlighten me, sir."

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(End of this chapter)