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

Chapter 493 New Year's Day Court Ceremony: How Did the Officials Pay Homage to the Crown Prince?
The matter of the Crown Prince moving house caused a great deal of discussion throughout the court, with heated debates raging like popping beans.

But ordinary people don't care about all that!

All they care about right now is the Chinese New Year!
With only three or four days left until the Lunar New Year, the entire capital city is filled with a strong festive atmosphere.

The air was filled with the aroma of meat and firecrackers; who had time to wonder whether the Crown Prince lived in the Eastern Palace or the Prince's Mansion?

The counter at Yuqing Bank was bustling with activity!
The queue stretched from inside to the main street outside, almost like a temple fair.

There were officials who came to collect their salaries, and ordinary people who came to collect their money.

Some wealthy people even lined up in long queues, hoping to exchange their money for Yuqing gold coins.

These gold banknotes are extraordinary; the craftsmanship is exquisite, they are made of special paper, and they have more than a dozen anti-counterfeiting features!
Ever since Emperor Qianxi started using it, this thing has become incredibly popular.

In particular, Prince Yu's heir got drunk during a tea party.

He casually tossed a gold coin at each of the girls serving him, a flick of his wrist—

Wow, the scene was incredibly grand, and the girls were smiling sweeter than flowers.

The crowd of onlookers were so envious their eyes almost popped out!

From then on, any official or wealthy merchant who came to the capital to establish connections would be embarrassed to knock on the door unless they had a few gold coins in their pocket.

This thing is so thin and discreet that you can slip it into a red envelope without anyone noticing.

More importantly, you can exchange it for silver dollars at Yuqing Bank. Who wouldn't like that?

Major shops in the capital also followed suit and announced:

We accept gold coins! One hundred taels is one hundred taels, no cheating!
But here's the problem:
The Crown Prince issued a total of one million taels of gold notes, which sounds like a lot, but there were only 10,000 notes in total.

And the result? It became incredibly popular, with more and more people coming to the bank to exchange it, and the supply simply couldn't keep up with the demand!
As the head manager of Yuqing Bank, Nian Jinfu was extremely anxious. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he rushed to find Shen Ye:
"Your Highness, could we print more gold coins? We can't hold on any longer!"

Shen Ye remained calm, slowly sipping his tea as he spoke:

"Jinfu, ten thousand is not a small amount."

"Just spread the word that the gold notes are too complicated to make, and that the paper is also in short supply, so that's all we have for now."

"When will the next batch be available—who knows!"

"Anyone who wants one should register and get in line. We'll notify them when it's printed and they can pick it up."

Nian Jinfu was stunned, thinking to himself, "Isn't this just playing hard to get?"

Although somewhat disappointed, Shen Ye was still considered a "god-like figure" in the bank.

His decision is the golden rule; who dares to question it?
So, the shopkeeper had no choice but to reluctantly comply.

And what happened? As soon as the news got out, not only did no one cause trouble, but the gold coins became even more sought after!
Originally worth one hundred taels of gold notes, someone was actually willing to spend one hundred and ten taels to buy them!

These people weren't actually going to the bank to exchange money; they were just using it to give gifts and make a good impression. They felt it made them look incredibly prestigious!
This matter naturally reached the ears of Emperor Qianxi.

The emperor was casually flipping through a book with his legs crossed.

Upon hearing his personal eunuch Liang Jiugong vividly describe how "someone spent 110 taels of gold to rob him," his eyes lit up.

—Isn't this a way to make money while lying down?

He immediately sat up straight, stroked his chin, and asked Liang Jiugong with bright eyes:
"Hey, Liang Jiugong, how much of that Yuqing gold coin is left in my private treasury?"

Liang Jiugong shrank back, and answered with an embarrassed smile:
"Your Majesty, when you received the prince of the Eastern Mongolia a few days ago, didn't you give him all away in a moment of joy?"

"Right now, there isn't a single one left..."

Emperor Qianxi's smile froze, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily drooped.

What?! I'm gone?!
Now, if I want to use this thing, I have to go find that rebellious son?

—The thought had barely crossed his mind when he slapped it back down.

No, no, this wretched child didn't even come to kowtow and apologize when he moved house, how can I take the initiative to go to him?

Wouldn't that make me lose face?!

I absolutely cannot indulge him!
What words!

He cleared his throat, feigning composure as he changed the subject:
"Hey, do you think these gold notes... can be used as a substitute for silver in the future?"

Liang Jiugong blinked:

"Your Majesty, this servant is in dismay. There are only ten thousand in total. Even the wealthy people in the capital won't have enough to go around. How can they possibly spend them like money?"

Emperor Qianxi thought about it and agreed, so he had no choice but to put aside his own plans for the time being.

Since it was Chinese New Year and he had nothing else to do, Emperor Qianxi stretched and strolled over to Cining Palace to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager.

Upon entering, wow, the Empress Dowager was playing mahjong with several princesses, a lively and bustling scene.

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand: "You all do your thing, I've come to take a look."

But upon seeing it, my eyes widened immediately—

On the Empress Dowager's table, there were actually large slices of red-fleshed watermelon!
Where did this watermelon come from in the dead of winter?!

The Empress Dowager smiled and pushed a plate towards the Emperor: "Your Majesty, please have a taste!"

"The Crown Prince specially presented these to me from the hot spring resort in Xiaotangshan. They were grown in a greenhouse and they're incredibly sweet!"

Emperor Qianxi accepted the watermelon with a smile on his face, but his heart skipped a beat. He turned his head and shot Liang Jiugong a sharp look.

Liang Jiugong shook his head violently in fright, silently shouting, "It wasn't sent to our Qianqing Palace, Your Majesty!"

Good heavens, this wretched child! Instead of offering the good stuff to his father first, he comes to curry favor with his grandmother? How despicable!

Am I... his father whom he picked up from the roadside?!
Emperor Qianxi felt incredibly sour inside, so sour he could dip dumplings in it.

But his hands betrayed him—he picked up a watermelon and took a big bite.

Mmm...so sweet!
Juicy and refreshingly cool, it's truly comforting to eat this in winter. After finishing the melon, Emperor Qianxi emerged from the Cining Palace with a somewhat somber expression.

Liang Jiugong followed closely behind, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear of incurring bad luck.

Just as Emperor Qianxi was pondering whether to teach the Crown Prince another lesson, Li Guangdi, the Minister of Rites, arrived.

While everyone else is on holiday for the Lunar New Year, the Ministry of Rites is extremely busy – after all, there are a lot of things to do regarding sacrificial rites.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, the palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and even Emperor Qianxi changed into a casual robe embroidered with the character "福" (fortune).

Only Li Guangdi remained dressed in his official robes, his expression solemn.

He performed the salute properly, his back ramrod straight, as if a door panel was tied to his back.

Emperor Qianxi felt his cheeks getting tired just looking at him, and waved his hand, saying:
"My dear minister, it's the New Year, don't be so serious. Relax a bit. Come, come, bring some tea."

Li Guangdi thanked him and carefully sat down on the edge of the stool.

After exchanging a few words, Emperor Qianxi asked, "You've come to see me at this hour, is there something you need?"

Li Guangdi hesitated for a moment, then forced himself to speak: "Your Majesty, it concerns the New Year's Day court ceremony..."

“In previous years, after the officials paid their respects to you, they also had to go to Yuqing Palace to pay their respects to the Crown Prince.”

"But the Crown Prince has moved to the Prince of Qingqiu's residence for a 'short stay' this year, so where should we go to present this gift?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Emperor Qianxi's face froze as if it had been frozen, and then cracked with a snap.

He certainly knew why that rebellious son was "staying briefly" at the Prince's mansion—

Wasn't it just that he angered me a while ago, and I banished him from the palace?
That brat is really something; he turned around, packed his bags, and left!
Now, here's the problem!
During the Lunar New Year, we can't expect all the officials to kowtow to an empty Yuqing Palace, can we?

But if we let them all rush to the Prince's mansion to pay their respects to that rebellious son, wouldn't that make me, the emperor, look bad...?

Is it embarrassing?
It's as if this wretched child has thrown a tantrum and run away from home, and I have to lead the entire court of civil and military officials to coax him!

Emperor Qianxi was in turmoil, but he tried his best to maintain a calm demeanor.

He didn't really want to express his opinion, but paying homage during the Lunar New Year was a big deal and he couldn't afford to make a mistake.

He was displeased to let that rebellious son continue to receive the gifts.

Not allowing it? That sounds a bit like wanting to depose the crown prince.

After pondering for a while, Emperor Qianxi passed the buck back to the Ministry of Rites: "This is a matter of great importance. What is your opinion?"

As for the emperor, he possessed special privileges.

Can't make up your mind?
It's okay, let your subordinates come up with a few proposals first, and then you can choose the one that suits your taste.

Alternatively, rejecting them all would also be normal.

Li Guangdi was clearly prepared; upon hearing this, he immediately straightened his back and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, we believe that the New Year's Day court ceremony is a major national event, concerning the principles of etiquette and social order, and must not be disrupted in the slightest."

"Although the Crown Prince is temporarily residing in the Prince's Mansion, it is ultimately just a separate residence. The Crown Prince's true home is still in the Eastern Palace, in the Yuqing Palace."

"Therefore, we believe that the ceremony of the court officials paying homage to the Crown Prince should still be held at Yuqing Palace."

"Only in this way can we conform to the orthodox tradition and put the hearts of the people at ease."

After saying this, he bowed deeply:
"This is the result of the joint discussion within the Ministry of Rites. We request Your Majesty's wise decision."

The reasoning was something even Emperor Qianxi understood.

Li Guangdi's words were impeccable and perfectly justified; no one could find fault with them.

But when he thought of that rebellious son, he realized that at this very moment he might be sitting comfortably in the Prince's mansion, enjoying a hot pot while listening to music.

Meanwhile, she was still helping him maintain his "crown prince dignity," and a slight unease began to surface in her heart.

That brat, he talked back to me, refused to admit he was wrong, and even when his older brother tried to "mediate," he was met with sarcastic rebukes...

Am I beating the drum too gently, like a father?
“What you say is in accordance with propriety.”

Emperor Qianxi first affirmed, and seeing Li Guangdi about to breathe a sigh of relief, he then slowly uttered another sentence:
"However... the Crown Prince is already an adult and has always been opinionated. This matter involves him personally, so I cannot make a decision on my own."

"This matter... let the Crown Prince decide for himself."

Go on, you brat.

You're so full of ideas, aren't you? I'll leave this hot potato to you.

Are you going to return to Yuqing Palace to receive the gifts with an air of superiority, or are you going to "show consideration" to the officials by making them travel a long way to the Prince's residence?

Figure it out yourself!
Just imagining the possible utter disbelief on the Crown Prince's face when he received this "multiple-choice question," Emperor Qianxi felt that the tea in his cup today tasted exceptionally sweet and mellow.

Li Guangdi was taken aback, not expecting the emperor to pull this stunt.

This is clearly forcing the Crown Prince to make a choice: either return to Yuqing Palace, which is tantamount to bowing down to the Emperor;
They could receive the ceremony at the Prince's residence, but that wasn't the proper Crown Prince's residence.

Li Guangdi knew exactly what was going on. He bowed and took his leave, then headed straight for the Crown Prince's residence in Qingqiu.

To be honest, he hadn't given any gifts to the Crown Prince before—after all, the Emperor hadn't made his stance clear, and he didn't dare to take sides recklessly.

Upon entering the Prince's Mansion, wow, this place is truly comfortable!

The scenery is beautiful and it's very relaxing, much better than Yuqing Palace.

It's a pity, the Crown Prince's official position is still in Yuqing Palace...

Upon meeting Shen Ye, Li Guangdi exchanged a few polite words before raising the difficult issue of the location for the morning audience:

"Your Highness, where do you think would be a suitable place to hold the New Year's Day court ceremony? Please advise, Your Highness!"

　The second update for today is here! There will be an extra chapter at 10 PM tonight, everyone. Please support me!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)