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

Chapter 488 Father, Your Majesty, My Face Is Also Face
Shen Ye didn't just roll in.

He swaggered in with an air of utter disregard for family and friends.

Approaching Emperor Qianxi, Shen Ye bowed respectfully: "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"

"I heard you told me to 'get in here,' and I was going to do as you said, but then I thought about it—"

"If we really put on this act, we'll both be on the list of 'Most Bizarre Emperor Father and Son in History' tomorrow! How embarrassing would that be!"

"So I've thought about it and decided that it's safer to just walk in honestly."

"Father, please... spare your son this time?"

Emperor Qianxi's lips twitched involuntarily, but he managed to restrain himself from throwing the teacup away.

He cursed inwardly: This little brat, his tongue is so smooth, he can spout nonsense even better than a storyteller...

But you know what? This twisted logic actually makes a lot of sense!
He didn't know how history would judge the crown prince if he were to roll in in public.

One thing is certain:

This legendary anecdote about his effective parenting will likely add a significant chapter to his reputation as a "sage ruler"!

Moreover, he only meant to curse verbally; he didn't genuinely want his son to come rolling to see him.

Emperor Qianxi snorted and tried his best to put on a serious face:

"I'm busy right now. I didn't call you here to listen to your empty talk."

"Speak, what brings you here in such a hurry?"

They know perfectly well what's going on, but they insist on pretending to be stupid.

Emperor Qianxi played this move very skillfully, ensuring that he firmly grasped the initiative in royal dialogues.

Shen Ye was well aware of his father's "tricks" and, without beating around the bush, laid his cards on the table:
"Father, today Erengtai came to bid me farewell, saying that he has been transferred to the Xining General's office as deputy commander."

“I am happy for him that he can go out and gain experience. After reading so many military books, he needs a place to put his knowledge to real combat.”

"But there's one thing I don't understand—why is he the deputy commander, and not the deputy general?"

"According to the court's rules, a first-class imperial guard like him, if he were to be sent out to a post, should at least be promoted to the rank of deputy general, right?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi felt slightly more at ease:
Fortunately, this kid is somewhat sensible; he didn't come here to throw a tantrum and demand that I take him away.

The fact that the Crown Prince did not insist on keeping Erlengtai shows that he was sensible and that he still had some respect for his father.

He picked up his teacup and said slowly:
"Although Erlengtai is a first-class bodyguard, which sounds impressive, he has never actually led troops in real combat."

"Talking about war on paper and commanding troops on the battlefield are two different things; he still lacks experience."

"Letting him be the deputy commander first is to train him and lay a solid foundation for his career."

"Everyone's situation is different, so how can we generalize?"

"This arrangement for Erlengtai is cultivation and care, not suppression."

He spoke with such earnestness and righteous indignation.

Shen Ye appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she was rolling her eyes:

You old fox, are you getting into acting again? You're actually quite good at it, just like the real thing!
"If Erlengtai knew of his father's painstaking cultivation, he would be moved to tears and unable to sleep at night."

"But he has worked diligently for so many years, and even if he hasn't made any great contributions, he has certainly put in a lot of hard work."

"With your 'cultivation' like this, my official rank has been demoted instead of promoted... Doesn't that sound a little unpleasant to outsiders?"

"Your subject thinks that at least he should be given the title of deputy general, and then become the deputy commander. That would give him both face and substance, wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

—A deputy commander with the rank of deputy general is no ordinary deputy commander.

Although nominally a subordinate, in reality, even his superiors would probably have to treat him with respect.

After all, who knows if this "high-profile" guy will just come down here to get some experience and then go back to get a promotion?
How could the Qianxi Emperor not understand the Crown Prince's implied meaning?

He immediately straightened his face, waved his hand, and said in a deep voice:
"Nonsense! The imperial decree has already been issued, how can it be changed so easily? That would be like changing orders in the morning and evening!"

"Shouldn't you be spending these last few days reading and reflecting on your mistakes? Go back and really examine yourself!"

"Think more about the audacious things you've done. You don't need to worry about Elengthai's affairs anymore!"

Seeing that Emperor Qianxi was about to close the door and see his guests out, Shen Ye remained calm and slowly replied:
"After I returned, I did reflect on my actions seriously. But after thinking it over, I really can't recall doing anything outrageous except for sharing the burden of the country."

"If Father Emperor thinks that I am too proactive and make too much noise in raising funds for the army... then I will definitely be more low-key next time. I will change it immediately!"

Upon hearing the mention of "military pay," Emperor Qianxi suddenly smiled:
"I remember your contribution to the military pay. Once the salt tax from Lianghuai arrives in the capital smoothly, you will be rewarded handsomely."

Shen Ye understood immediately: Oh, the money's in, so you don't need me for now. You're trying to get rid of me after I've served my purpose, aren't you?
His smile was even brighter than the emperor's:
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness. If you could also redeem the lease agreement for Zhengyang Gate, I would be even more grateful!"

The smile on Emperor Qianxi's face froze for a moment.

Although the Crown Prince's renting of Zhengyang Gate initially raised enough funds for the military and solved the immediate crisis, the more I thought about it afterward, the more I felt I had lost face.

A dignified monarch has to rely on his son for help in an emergency?
If this is recorded in the history books, where will he put his face as a "sage ruler"?
He quickly cleared his throat, forced a smile, and changed the subject:

"Now the two armies are advancing side by side, with unstoppable momentum. The army that entered the Tianshan Mountains is even more invincible."

"Perhaps after we win this battle, the spoils alone will be enough to redeem Zhengyangmen!"

"You should go back and study hard. Don't run around without my permission." Shen Ye wasn't very knowledgeable about military affairs, but fragments of hazy memories from his past life suddenly flashed back...

He vaguely remembered that this army, which seemed to have made great strides into the Tianshan Mountains, later seemed to have suffered some losses.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but frown and remind him:

"Father, Arabtan dared to send troops to provoke us, so he must have made preparations. Our army's advance is going too smoothly; could it be a trap? I have a feeling something is amiss!"

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand, exuding domineering power:

"Arabtan's forces are far inferior to his uncle Galdan's! I was able to defeat Galdan in the past, so why can't I deal with him? There's no need to worry!"

"Let's leave Erlengtai's matter here, don't mention it again!"

Shen Ye looked at Emperor Qianxi's confident expression, as if everything was under control, and suddenly his smile vanished, his tone turning serious:
"Since we've come this far, I also have a few words to say, which I must lay bare."

"During the joint trial by the three judicial departments, Kong Shangde used that lousy poem, whose handwriting I don't know who imitated, to frame me. Father Emperor, without being able to prove that it was written by me, actually acquitted him?"

"Shouldn't Father give me an explanation for this matter?"

In the end, Shen Ye's eyes turned cold, making Emperor Qianxi feel a little uneasy.

Emperor Qianxi's face hardened, and his imperial aura instantly emanated:

"Your Highness, are you questioning me?"

"Your subject wouldn't dare." Shen Ye bowed slightly, his tone respectful, but his words were still barbed. "I just want a clear explanation."

"After all, I am the biggest victim in this 'poetry case,' so surely I can't even be denied the right to cry out for justice and ask for the reason?"

Emperor Qianxi was speechless for a moment after being choked by his words.

He couldn't very well slam his fist on the dragon throne and roar:

Was I deliberately letting you all restrain and tear each other apart, to highlight the central importance of me as the referee?

Can the underlying logic of this imperial strategy be explicitly stated?
He took a deep breath and forced an explanation:
"That poem certainly can't prove you wrote it, but it also can't prove you didn't write it!"

"Although I believe you would not be so foolish as to directly try to win over Kong Yujin, the Kong family should not be convicted because of this."

"Let alone convicting Kong Shangde!"

Listening to Emperor Qianxi's explanation, Shen Ye calmly nodded: "Father is right. A few lines of quack poetry are indeed not enough to convict Kong Shangde."

Just as Emperor Qianxi was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Shen Ye's words were sharp and incisive, hitting the nail on the head:

"However, the case file of the Kong family's crimes provided by my fourth brother is written in black and white and the evidence is conclusive. There is more than one reason that can implicate Kong Shangde."

"These incriminating facts were thoroughly investigated by my fourth brother and me in just half a day of interrogation."

Shen Ye took half a step forward, his gaze becoming even sharper:
“The three chief officials of the three judicial departments are all seasoned veterans who are well-versed in criminal law. This case should have been a piece of cake for them.”

"But why didn't they interrogate or question him, and instead hurriedly released Kong Shangde?"

Shen Ye pressed on, word by word, step by step:
"Was it a case of collective corruption, favoritism, and cover-up? Or did they receive some unspoken 'instructions' that led to this absurd verdict?"

Emperor Qianxi wanted to shift the blame to the Three Judicial Offices, saying it was their own decision.

But he knew perfectly well that once he said that, given the Crown Prince's relentless nature, he would definitely investigate to the end.

At that point, you'll be caught in the middle, losing all authority.

After hesitating for a moment, Emperor Qianxi had no choice but to invoke the "big picture" to pressure others:
"The Kong family is no ordinary family after all; they are descendants of a sage and the source of all the world's literary tradition."

"The reason why the imperial court treated the Confucius family so well was to win over the hearts of scholars throughout the country."

"Scholars value face above all else, and the Confucian family is their greatest source of pride."

"Therefore, I think that now that Kong Yujin is dead, it is better to stop this matter here. Continuing to investigate further will not be of much benefit to the stability of the court."

Seeing Emperor Qianxi's expression that said, "I'm doing all this for the sake of the country," Shen Ye suddenly laughed, a laugh that contained three parts understanding and seven parts mockery:

“Father is right. Continuing to pursue this matter is indeed of little use. The face of the Kong family is very important.”

His tone suddenly changed, his eyes shining brightly:

"But Father, is my dignity as the Crown Prince unimportant?"

"If someone who falsely accused the crown prince is allowed to go unpunished, how will I establish my authority and command respect in the future?"

Emperor Qianxi was rendered speechless by the question, his face turning pale and then red, and finally he became furious with embarrassment:
"Good! Good! I'll give you that face!"

"I approve of Erlengtai's deputy general! The decree may be issued immediately!"

"But you shouldn't live in Yuqing Palace anymore. Didn't you build your own courtyard? Move there—from now on, that will be your Prince Qingqiu's residence!"

They moved out of Yuqing Palace and into the Prince Qingqiu's Mansion.

Shen Ye had always wanted to move out, but Emperor Qianxi had consistently refused.

Now, in order to suppress the matter of the Kong family and the matter of Erlengtai, they actually agreed in such a way that was almost "exile," and even gave him the meaningful title of "Prince of Qingqiu."

The warning, the alienation, and even the cold shoulder implied in this message are so strong they're practically overflowing.

Looking at his father's cold face, Shen Ye respectfully performed a deep bow:
"Your subject...accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"

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(End of this chapter)