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

Chapter 491 The Curtain Rises
Moving is a big deal, no matter when it happens!
For many people, moving is also a great opportunity to "recharge"—

When relatives and friends come over for a meal, the money and gifts they give are naturally received!
Logically speaking, when the crown prince moves, there should be a huge number of followers, with the queue stretching from the south to the north of the city.

This procession must have circled Beijing at least twice.

But this time, things turned out differently. The Crown Prince moved, and the entire court was quiet.

The princes and ministers all pretended to be deaf and dumb, as if they knew nothing about it.

But in reality, countless eyes throughout the capital were secretly watching!
Everyone was thinking to themselves:
"The Crown Prince is moving to a Prince's residence? What does this signify? Is the political landscape about to change?"

Although no one dared to discuss it publicly, they had been chatting about it with great interest in private.

In a private room of the teahouse, a customer was eating melon seeds while analyzing the situation:
"If you ask me, this is His Majesty's test for the Crown Prince!"

"No, no, I think it's because the Crown Prince himself finds the palace too rule-bound and wants to go out for some peace and quiet!"

"What do you know? This is called strategic retreat, brilliant!"

Regardless of how others perceive it, Crown Prince Shen Ye remains remarkably calm.

Why would he need to do such physically demanding work as moving?
Apart from a few boxes of precious books, all other belongings were thrown into Yuqing Palace.

The personal eunuch, Xiao Shunzi, muttered to himself as he packed the food:
"Your Highness, aren't you taking this Jingdezhen blue and white porcelain vase? And this brocade hand-woven by Jiangnan embroiderers..."

Shen Ye waved his hand: "No, no, we're not bringing any of it! We're going to enjoy life, not open a general store."

She lightly boarded the carriage and headed straight for her new home, leaving the little eunuch heartbroken and sobbing as he looked at the room full of treasures.

The new garden has always been well-maintained, so you can move in with just your bags and without any stress.

As she boarded the bus, Shi Jingrong cautiously suggested:

"Your Highness, shall we go and bid farewell to His Majesty?"

Her intention was good; she hoped the Crown Prince wouldn't go against the Emperor.

But Shen Ye knew perfectly well that the conflict between him and his father was not as simple as just talking back.
The root cause is—

He made Emperor Qianxi feel threatened, and the father felt that his son was too capable!
"It's just moving out of the Forbidden City, not being forbidden from entering the palace anymore, so why are you saying goodbye?"

Shen Ye waved his hand, looking indifferent and unconcerned.

Shi Jingrong swallowed her words, thinking to herself, "Fine, you're so carefree, you're in charge."

While the Crown Prince moved out with ease, the Fourth Prince spent the entire night agonizing in his study before finally gritting his teeth and leaving at dawn.

His feelings about the Crown Prince moving to the Prince's residence were incredibly complex, like drinking a cup of hot and sour soup—both satisfying and unpleasant.

The good news is that the Crown Prince's position has finally begun to waver!
So it turns out that the Crown Prince is not invincible after all. Look, he has fallen out with the Emperor in the blink of an eye.

What's frustrating is that he actually sided with the crown prince on this matter!
He wholeheartedly supported the Crown Prince's handling of the Kong family.

As a result, the crown prince was "driven" out of the palace, which made him feel extremely cold, as if he had been dragged out of his bed in the dead of winter and doused with a bucket of ice water.

Should he go and see the Crown Prince off? He couldn't sleep all night.

Go, for fear of offending the Emperor;
If I don't go, I'm afraid people will call me "ungrateful."

After all, in many people's eyes, the Crown Prince's actions against the Kong family were closely related to him.

He paced back and forth in the study, almost wearing the floor tiles down to the floor.

The bodyguards outside the door listened with trepidation.

Finally, the fourth prince stamped his foot and said: Go!

I had just stepped outside when I ran into my neighbor, the Eighth Prince.

The two used to have a good relationship, but at some point, they started to drift apart and became estranged.

"Fourth Brother!" The Eighth Prince greeted him with a beaming smile, as if bathed in a spring breeze.

The Eighth Prince's smile was so genuine and harmless, as if he had just attended a smile training course and graduated with excellent grades.

The fourth prince felt a little envious:
This old man smiles at everyone he sees, like a smiling deliveryman.

Unlike me, who always has a long face, as if everyone owes him money.

As a result, whether in the imperial court or the palace, people's evaluation of him has never been high.

Even his father said he was "too strict".

The Eighth Prince, on the other hand, gained many supporters thanks to his approachable demeanor.

Some people even shamelessly praised him and cheered him on enthusiastically:
If the Eighth Prince ascends to the throne, he will surely be the next wise ruler!
Although I didn't really like it, I still had to put on a show.

The fourth prince calmly replied, "Is the eighth brother going out?"

"Yes, the Ministry of Justice is about to be sealed off. I'll go take a look."

As the Eighth Prince spoke, he glanced at the Fourth Prince, who was dressed in a fox fur coat, and asked, "Fourth Brother, are you going out too?"

"The Crown Prince's second brother has moved to a new house, so we should go and offer our congratulations."

Upon hearing this, the Eighth Prince's expression became subtle, and he waved for the people around him to leave.

Although the fourth prince disliked this behavior, he still ordered his entourage to step back.

He thought to himself: "Do I have to clear the room just to say something? People who don't know better will think I'm putting on airs."

"Fourth Brother," the Eighth Prince said in a low voice, "I heard that the Crown Prince's move this time was a punishment from Father."

"If you go to offer your congratulations now, won't that clearly displease Father?"

"Brother, let me give you a piece of advice: don't let a small thing cause you to lose a big one!"

The fourth prince's expression was grave—

This was precisely what troubled him last night. But once he made up his mind, he wouldn't change it.

"Thank you for your kindness, Eighth Brother. However, I was unaware that the Crown Prince was being punished for moving house,"

"As the saying goes, rumors stop with the wise. If you don't have any evidence, Eighth Brother, don't spread rumors to avoid trouble." After saying that, he cupped his hands in farewell and said, "You go ahead with your work, I'm leaving."

Watching the Fourth Prince's departing figure, the Eighth Prince shook his head:
I've given you all the advice you needed to, but you're determined to go and hit a brick wall, so don't blame me.

Those who understand the times are wise; you, Fourth Prince, are clearly setting yourself up as a negative example.

Inside the carriage, the Fourth Prince pondered the Eighth Prince's words.

He knew there was some truth to it, but he also sensed the Eighth Prince's growing ambition for the position of Crown Prince.

The eighth prince imitated Emperor Qianxi in everything he did, and his reputation for benevolence and kindness grew rapidly...

It's hard to say what will happen next.

"No matter how well you imitate, you are still not Father."

The fourth prince muttered to himself, "But there are always people who fall for this."

He recalled overhearing two minor officials discussing something a few days ago:

"The Eighth Prince's demeanor and smile are just like the Emperor in his youth!"

Hmph, you talk like you've actually seen it.

Lost in thought, the carriage arrived at the "Prince Qingqiu's Mansion".

Watching the gilded characters gleam in the winter sun, the Fourth Prince muttered to himself:
Living in Yuqing Palace is equivalent to sitting in the Eastern Palace, something many princes dream of.

The Crown Prince secretly built such a large garden this year. Is he really looking to enjoy it, or... does he have another motive?
Just then, Zhou Bao came running up to greet him.

"No need for formalities. Where is the Crown Prince?"

"The Crown Prince is having tea with Ninth Prince, Tenth Prince, and Thirteenth Prince in the waterside pavilion. Fourth Prince, this way please."

It's not surprising that the thirteenth prince came; he's a staunch supporter of the crown prince.

But did the ninth and tenth brothers also arrive?
It seems that these two have made enough money following the Crown Prince and have already voluntarily tied themselves firmly to the Crown Prince's side.

With the Crown Prince, these three, and his own image in the eyes of outsiders, he's definitely part of the Crown Prince's faction.

The fourth prince casually asked, "Zhou Bao, you must have been very busy today."

"It's all a servant's duty."

"You've come to greet me, but who will receive those people from the Prince's mansion?"

Zhou Bao's smile froze, and his lips twitched: "Don't worry, Fourth Master, we've arranged people, they can handle it."

The fourth prince understood immediately from that expression: there probably wouldn't be many people coming to offer their congratulations.

Zhou Bao's expression clearly showed his displeasure.

The fact that their master's move was so quiet and deserted made even a servant feel ashamed.

And what about the Crown Prince himself? Could he be forcing a smile?

Just then, a loud laugh came from ahead.

The crown prince chuckled and said:

"Ice fishing is so much fun! I put a lot of fish in the pond when I was repairing it this year. We can fish and grill at the same time, with some wine, it's wonderful!"

The Ninth Prince echoed:
"I'm no slouch when it comes to fishing, but this is my first time ice fishing. I'm really lucky to have gotten in thanks to my brother, the Crown Prince!"

The tenth prince was even more direct:

"Whether it's fish or not doesn't matter, I mainly want to try the cooking skills of the Crown Prince's chef!"

"I heard that a new roasted mutton vendor has come from Yangzhou, and his aroma is said to travel for miles!"
Upon hearing this, the fourth prince wondered to himself: Was the crown prince truly indifferent to this situation, or was he just putting on a great show?
He strode forward and said with a smile, "I can't miss out on such a good thing!"

The crown prince turned around and smiled, his eyes crinkling.
"Fourth brother's here? Come in, have a seat, we've been waiting for you!"

"My thirteenth brother just said that if you don't come soon, he'll go to your house and kidnap you!"

The thirteenth prince chuckled and handed over a fishing rod:
"Fourth Brother, want to give it a try? If he can't catch any fish, he'll be punished by roasting sweet potatoes for everyone later!"

He pointed to several round sweet potatoes piled up next to the charcoal brazier.

The Ninth Prince teased, "If Fourth Brother can't catch it, he'll have to peel the sweet potato himself!"

Everyone burst into laughter, the atmosphere so relaxed that it felt like this wasn't a neglected housewarming party, but a carefree gathering of brothers.

The fourth prince took the fishing rod, and the chill from the ice seeped through his fingertips, yet he felt a strange warmth in his heart.

Whether it's staged or not, at least the excitement at this moment is real.

While the Crown Prince was enjoying himself at his residence, fishing and grilling, Emperor Qianxi was reviewing memorials in his study.

Without looking up, he asked Liang Jiugong, "Were there many people going to the Crown Prince's residence to offer their congratulations today?"

Liang Jiugong was very careful:
"Your Majesty, apart from a few close ministers such as Yu Chenglong and Wang Yan, only the fourth, ninth, tenth, and thirteenth princes went."

Emperor Qianxi put down the memorial, his tone ambiguous: "The Crown Prince moved, and it's this quiet?"

He paused, then suddenly ordered: "Issue a decree to release the eldest prince from confinement and allow him to go to the Crown Prince's residence to offer his congratulations."

Liang Jiugong's mind went blank for a moment: Was this a congratulatory message or a warning?
Sending the newly released eldest prince... The Emperor must be thinking the waters aren't muddy enough!
But he could only respectfully accept the decree: "Yes, Your Majesty."

But in his heart, he had already begun to rehearse silently:
When I go to deliver the imperial decree later, how should I explain it to the eldest prince so that it doesn't seem like I'm going to cause trouble...?

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, the Shaanxi-Gansu Governor's Office was in complete chaos.

Governor Su Nu roared, "Quickly! Send an urgent message over 800 li!"

"Arabtan and the Russian Empire have joined forces! Our northern army was ambushed in the Hebo Valley and wiped out! Report to the capital immediately—Shaanxi and Gansu are in grave danger!"

A quarter of an hour later, more than a dozen fast horses shot off like arrows, galloping towards the capital.

(End of this chapter)