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

Chapter 497 Of the dozen or so sons, only one was truly useful.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Emperor Qianxi made the decision: I will personally lead the expedition!
But here's the problem—when the emperor goes on a campaign, who should stay in the capital to manage the government?

Normally, this job is handled by the prince, but lately the two of them have been competing with each other, each more stubborn than the other.

Should the crown prince continue to oversee the country? First, we need to solve the technical problem of whether the crown prince himself is willing to do so.

If the prince is unwilling and you force him to drink water, given his temper, he'll overturn the water trough and make a mess of the place.

Besides, Emperor Qianxi couldn't bring himself to apologize first.

The emperor's stubbornness was genuine.

So when the ministers cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, you've gone out. Who's in charge of things at home?" Emperor Qianxi began to pace around with his hands behind his back.

After circling around three and a half times, he suddenly looked at Tong Guowei with a smile: "Prime Minister Tong, I have more than ten sons, and seven or eight of them are capable of doing the work."

"If I were to personally lead the army, who would be the best person to oversee the country?"

Tong Guowei's mind immediately started spinning like a top.

In the past, this would have been a piece of cake; he would have immediately chosen the Eighth Prince.

After all, being a regent is not only an important prestigious qualification, but it can also bring some benefits to oneself.

For important matters, we'll consult the Emperor; for minor matters, we'll handle them ourselves...

Hehe, with his cooperation as the chief scholar, even big things can quietly turn into small things.

But things are different now!

The imperial court was dirt poor, and when the emperor went out to fight, it was a bottomless pit of money!
If supplies run out and the front lines collapse, it will be a complete disaster!
This position of regent is not a pleasant one; it's like sitting on a volcano and being roasted!

Who would take on this job without getting a lot of trouble? Not only would it be thankless work, but they might also be condemned in history and remembered for their infamy.

After a brief hesitation, Tong Guowei uttered the following words:

"Your Majesty, all the princes are exceptionally talented and possess the qualities of dragons and phoenixes. If any one of them were to oversee the country, along with a few capable ministers, the daily operation of the court would certainly be no problem!"

He paused, his expression suddenly turning serious:
"But—Your Majesty, with 300,000 troops currently stationed abroad, their daily food, drink, and sanitation expenses are no small sum; it's like mountains of gold and seas of silver flowing away!"

"We need a prince who is particularly good at managing money, especially at making money, to oversee things in the rear!"

He didn't name names, but the moment he uttered the words "skilled in financial management," the entire court knew without a doubt who he was referring to.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi felt that the words were mature and prudent.

After all, war is all about money; if the rear can't supply enough food and supplies, the front lines will collapse.

Emperor Qianxi nodded silently: "You are right, my dear minister. To wage war, you must have money..."

But his smile suddenly froze halfway through his sentence.

He suddenly remembered that he had just had a falling out with the Crown Prince and had even excluded the Crown Prince from the New Year's greetings.

Will the Crown Prince obediently manage his accounts now?

The scene was awkward for a while.

The Emperor stroked his chin, glanced at Li Guangdi, and suddenly called out the name of Ma Qi, the Minister of Revenue:
"Ma Qi, you stay in the capital and manage the grain and salaries!"

"What do you think about bringing the third, fourth, fifth, and eighth princes into the Imperial Study to jointly preside over state affairs?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Qi almost broke out in a cold sweat.

Four princes ruling together? This is clearly a way to keep an eye on each other, ensuring that the emperor firmly holds the reins of power.

He understands this arrangement and has no objections.

To put him in charge of provisions and pay—isn't that like asking a skilled cook to cook a Manchu-Han Imperial Feast when there's no rice?!

The imperial court wouldn't allow any tax increases, so the national treasury was cleaner than his washed face.

Last time we fought Galdan, we burned through tens of millions of taels of silver. That was the wealth we had saved up for four or five years!
Now, if you ask him to conjure silver, will he perform magic tricks?
He knew that the emperor was usually quite lenient with him, but this leniency was like a balloon; it looked full and plump, but if you poked it, it would burst!
If he delays military operations, the first one to be sent to the execution ground to be sunbathed will most likely be his brilliant mind.

So, Ma Qi replied with a bitter face, as if he had swallowed a pound of bitter herbs: "Your Majesty, I have no objection to the four princes overseeing the country."

"But if we don't raise taxes, we still have to guarantee food and wages. Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I really can't conjure up any silver! It's not that I'm making excuses, but even if I pawned myself, I couldn't get more than a few taels of silver. We really have no rice to cook!"

These words were like a needle, instantly shattering Emperor Qianxi's last remaining illusions.

Even Ma Qi, a financial whiz, said he couldn't do anything about it. Who else in the court could?
Do we really have to go back to the Crown Prince? But if the Crown Prince can't get the money either, where will I put my face?
The more Emperor Qianxi thought about it, the more troubled he became, so he simply waved his hand and said, "We'll discuss this later!"

"Let's talk about the war for now—Liang Jiugong, go and call Chen Tingjing and the others who are waiting outside in!"

As Chen Tingjing and his entourage filed in, the Qianqing Palace instantly felt like an impromptu morning court session.

When Chen Tingjing and other ministers, including Minister of Justice Fu Lun, heard that the Northern Route Army had been ambushed and wiped out, and that the allied forces of Arabtan and Russia were heading straight for Shaanxi and Gansu, their expressions changed drastically.

However, they did not approve of Emperor Qianxi's decision to personally lead the expedition.

Chen Tingjing was the first to step forward, his face showing an expression that said, "Your Majesty, please don't act impulsively!" He continued, "Your Majesty! Since the Han Dynasty, we have always managed the Western Regions as much as we could, and left them alone if we couldn't manage them!"

"The alliance between Arabtan and the Russian Empire is gaining momentum right now, why should we fight them in the dead of winter?"

"I think it would be better to send a capable general to guard Shaanxi and Gansu, and then make a long-term plan and proceed slowly... That's right, this matter can be done gradually!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi curled his lip and inwardly scoffed:
What "taking things slowly"? It sounds nice, but isn't it just a euphemism for giving up on the snowy region and admitting defeat?
He said coldly, "Chen Tingjing, do you think the other side will obediently go home and sleep just because we don't want to fight?"

Chen Tingjing still had a confident look on his face, as if he knew how to negotiate.

"Your Majesty, everything is negotiable! No matter how arrogant Alabtan is, considering the fate of his uncle Galdan, he certainly won't dare to be too arrogant!"

Emperor Qianxi grew increasingly angry as he listened: "Peace talks? I'm afraid the moment we open our mouths, the other side will dare to make exorbitant demands!"

"If we lose the snowy plateau, not only Shaanxi and Gansu, but also Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan will have to live under the threat of their swords—can you tolerate that?"

"My mind is made up. I will personally lead the expedition. This matter is not open to discussion and there is no room for negotiation!"

Chen Tingjing, however, was still unwilling to give up, and with a bitter face, he pulled out a "poor government account book":
"Your Majesty, I am aware of your ambition."

"But we've been fighting so hard lately, where are we going to get supplies and pay? Does our court have another Zhengyang Gate to mortgage?"

"Furthermore, if the 300,000 Green Standard Army troops were mobilized, the cost of feeding the men and horses would be substantial every day. The imperial court really couldn't afford it!"

Good heavens, these words are like rubbing salt into Emperor Qianxi's wounds, and then adding insult to injury by giving him a couple of whacks with a hammer—how could the matter of mortgaging Zhengyang Gate be mentioned?!

Emperor Qianxi glared at him fiercely: "I've already made up my mind on this matter! If you keep arguing, you can forget about being the Left Censor-in-Chief!"

Chen Tingjing shrank back, immediately swallowing his words. He knew firsthand the emperor's stubborn temper.

In fact, deciding how to deploy troops was not difficult for Emperor Qianxi.

He had just dealt with Galdan before the New Year, so he was quite familiar with the process and could simply follow the instructions.

But anyone with a discerning eye can see that this plan has a fatal flaw: Where's the money? Where's the food? Where's the pay? They lack confidence!

While it's certainly impressive for the emperor to personally lead an expedition, surely someone needs to be in charge from the rear?

After the ministers left, Emperor Qianxi paced back and forth in the Qianqing Palace, spinning like a top that had been whipped too hard, almost making a buzzing sound.

The personal eunuch Liang Jiugong crouched behind a pillar, noticing that his master was agitated and didn't dare to utter a sound.

Seeing that it was well past mealtime, he reluctantly braced himself and shuffled forward like a crab.
"Your Majesty, it's almost noon...noon is almost over, please don't let your health suffer from hunger..."

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand, his sleeves whistling through the air: "I'm so angry I'm full, I'm not hungry!"

Liang Jiugong, shrinking his neck, was about to retreat silently when the Emperor suddenly exclaimed, as if remembering something, and asked, "What has the Crown Prince been busy with lately?"

Liang Jiugong had long anticipated this would happen!
Sure enough, Emperor Qianxi couldn't hold back any longer and asked.

Fortunately, Liang Jiugong was very well-informed and had already inquired about the matter, so he answered fluently and smoothly:
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been cultivating his character at the Prince of Qingqiu's residence, reading books, fishing, and occasionally playing mahjong with the concubines."

Emperor Qianxi snorted: "He lives a more carefree life than I do."

Liang Jiugong lowered his head and remained silent, secretly thinking to himself: Wasn't this all arranged by you personally for the Crown Prince, so he doesn't have to do any work...?

Just as he was muttering to himself, Emperor Qianxi suddenly turned his head and instructed, "You... take some tonics to visit the Crown Princess, and say it's a gift from the Empress Dowager."

"When you see the Crown Prince, tell him that the Empress Dowager misses the Crown Princess and hopes she will return to the palace for the New Year."

"As long as he submits a memorial requesting..."

After saying this, Emperor Qianxi paused, waved his hand irritably, and said, "Forget it, why apologize? We don't talk like this among family."

"Let him submit a memorial requesting to return to the palace for the New Year, and I will grant him permission to return to Yuqing Palace. He can still pay his respects at court on New Year's Day as usual!"

Liang Jiugong instantly understood—the emperor needed the crown prince to come back to work, but he was too embarrassed to ask him to offer a way out!

As a confidant of Emperor Qianxi, he was born to do this kind of thing.

He immediately bowed and replied, "This servant will take care of it right away."

Emperor Qianxi nodded, adding, "Go ahead, you rarely disappoint me."

Upon hearing this, Liang Jiugong suddenly felt an immense pressure on his back:

The Crown Prince's temper has recently worsened; if he doesn't want to do something, nothing can change his mind, and no one can persuade him otherwise.

Right now, the Emperor has sidelined the person, and now he wants to reconcile... But this is not so easy.
Whether the Crown Prince is willing to take this step is still uncertain!
Although he was secretly groaning in his heart, he could only force out utmost loyalty on his face: "This servant will...do his utmost."

After Liang Jiugong stepped down, Emperor Qianxi breathed a long sigh of relief.

Since I've already made concessions and offered a way out, if that rebellious son is sensible, he should take the opportunity to back down.

The Crown Prince is so smart, he should... understand, right?
Despite thinking this way, Emperor Qianxi still felt a sense of emptiness and unease.

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(End of this chapter)