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

Chapter 498 I don't care who it is, I'm not serving you anymore.
Because Emperor Qianxi was watching over him, Liang Jiugong quickly arrived at the Prince Qingqiu's residence carrying a large pile of gifts.

Liang Jiugong had strolled around this place a couple of times before.

To be honest, living here is much more comfortable than that luxurious cage in the palace!

The air is fresh, the place is spacious, and it's much more comfortable than the palace where you have to run into a clerk every three steps!
However, in the mind of Chief Steward Liang, Yuqing Palace was the only officially recognized residence of the Crown Prince.

Not living there feels a bit illegitimate.

After the announcement, Zhou Bao led Liang Jiugong to the backyard. Looking up, they saw the Crown Prince sitting in a leather tent, leisurely ice fishing.

The leather tent was pitched next to the ice hole, with stoves placed at the four corners.

While it's not warm enough to wear just a single layer, you don't feel cold at all when you're nestled inside.

Shen Ye, who was fishing, didn't even look at the float tied to the fishing line in the ice hole.

At this moment, he held a fishing rod in his hand, looking carefree and relaxed.

"This servant greets Your Highness!" Liang Jiugong said respectfully.

Shen Ye waved his hand: "Steward Liang, stop with the formalities, you're not an outsider."

"Come, come, have some hot tea to warm yourself up. Just say what's on your mind, let's not beat around the bush."

Liang Jiugong accepted the hot tea Zhou Bao handed him, thanked him, and then chuckled:

"Your Highness, the Empress Dowager misses the Crown Princess and sent me to deliver some tonics."

Shen Ye hadn't heard the news of the Northern Route Army's crushing defeat yet, and wondered to himself: Is the Empress Dowager short of people around her?
Why would it be your turn, the Grand Eunuch, to deliver something?

This is clearly Emperor Qianxi's intention, yet he insists on using the guise of "the Empress Dowager missing him."

Okay, I'll see through it but not say it outright, we can still be good friends.

Shen Ye didn't expose her, and said with a grateful expression, "Grandmother is so kind, your grandson is deeply grateful!"

"Tomorrow I will write a letter of thanks and have it sent to the Empress Dowager."

Liang Jiugong quickly replied:
"The Empress Dowager truly cares about the Crown Princess. She specifically asked His Majesty to intercede for you and the Crown Princess to return to the palace for the New Year!"

"His Majesty has also relented, saying that as long as you submit a memorial saying you want to return to the palace, you can immediately move back to Yuqing Palace, and even the New Year's Day court ceremony will proceed as usual."

At this point, he lowered his voice and leaned closer: "Your Highness, His Majesty has relented. This is a rare opportunity, you must seize it!"

Can you return to the palace simply by writing a memorial?

Even the New Year's Day court ceremony that had been exempted was reinstated?

When did Emperor Qianxi become so "easy to talk to"?

Why is this so strange?
Could it really be because of the Empress Dowager's influence?

Shen Ye knew perfectly well:
This royal mother and son are performers who embody the ideal of maternal love and filial piety, ensuring that neither of them crosses the line at crucial moments.

Because the Empress Dowager was not the biological mother, she treated Emperor Qianxi with both closeness and great respect.

She rarely refuted Emperor Qianxi's opinions.

Especially when faced with matters of principle.

Emperor Qianxi, who liked to portray himself as a filial son, also showed the Empress Dowager the same utmost respect.

He was always very enthusiastic about whatever the Empress Dowager asked of him.

However, this has its limits; on matters of principle, he will absolutely not compromise.

Of course, the Empress Dowager understood this, so she never put Emperor Qianxi in a difficult position on key issues.

As a result, the relationship between the mother and son became more and more harmonious.

Given that Emperor Qianxi had already stated that he would not need to offer New Year's Day greetings to the Crown Prince, the Empress Dowager would absolutely not risk a break with Emperor Qianxi by speaking up for herself.

Therefore, this whole drama was clearly directed and acted by Emperor Qianxi himself!
Having confirmed this, Shen Ye chuckled and said, "Steward Liang, I appreciate the Empress Dowager's concern."

"However, the Crown Princess is nearing her due date, and her body is heavy, making it inconvenient for her to move around."

"Let's stay here."

"When I write the memorial of gratitude later, I will explain it to the Empress Dowager and will never let her kindness go to waste!"

When Liang Jiugong was conveying Emperor Qianxi's message, he guessed that the Crown Prince might refuse. Now, hearing Shen Ye's seemingly respectable reason, he was so anxious that he wrung his hands in frustration.
"Your Highness, the road back to the palace isn't far. We servants will be careful and carry it steadily. We will not disturb the Crown Princess."

"If you take this opportunity to return to the palace, all those rumors in the capital will fall apart on their own!"

Shen Ye waved his hand, his smile becoming even more relaxed:

“Steward Liang, I’m more comfortable here than at Yuqing Palace. To be honest, I really don’t want to go back.”

Seeing that Shen Ye was unmoved by reason and completely unfazed, Liang Jiugong finally gritted his teeth and said:
“Your Highness, this stalemate between you and His Majesty is not a good thing.”

"If you just lower your head a little, wouldn't it be like taking a step back opens up a whole new world, and the clouds disperse to reveal a clear sky?"

Why do you insist on this?

After saying that, he quietly added:
"Besides, I heard that Consort Wang is about to give birth. What if she gives His Majesty another eighteenth prince..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Ye almost burst out laughing: Oh my, is this implying that I have a large group of brothers and that being the crown prince is difficult?
Shen Ye glanced at Liang Jiugong and thought to himself, "You're right, there really are a bunch of brothers eyeing me covetously."

But is staying in Yuqing Palace the best course of action for me?
His greatest rival as the crown prince was never his brothers, but Emperor Qianxi, who worried constantly that his son would follow in Li Shimin's footsteps.

He smiled and said, "Steward Liang, you've been trying so hard to persuade me today... has something happened?"

"You're acting a bit strange today!" Liang Jiugong's expression changed: "Your Highness, nothing... nothing's happened! Everything's normal in the palace, all is well!"

Liang Jiugong said this very skillfully; his rhetoric was impeccable.

As things stand, things are normal in the palace, but not in the Northern Route Army.

After Shen Ye transmigrated here, she figured out the intricacies of the palace's rhetoric.

Although Liang Jiugong concealed it perfectly, he still sensed something unusual in Liang Jiugong's eagerness.

Since Liang Jiugong was unwilling to say more, he was too lazy to ask any further and waved his hand, saying:
"I'm so lazy living here, moving is too much trouble, I'll just stay here."

"Steward Liang, you're a very busy person, so I won't stay any longer."

He turned to Zhou Bao and gestured with his chin: "Go and get some Yuqing gold coins!"

Liang Jiugong failed in his mission, and tears welled up in his eyes.
When I go back, I'll be blamed for "incompetence" again...

Just then, Zhou Bao walked over with a stack of gleaming Yuqing gold notes.

Shen Ye pulled out ten bills and handed them to Liang Jiugong: "These are Yuqing gold notes, each worth ten taels of silver. You can take them and play with them."

"Giving you too much might hurt you."

Liang Jiugong bowed deeply in gratitude, holding the gold coins in both hands, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"Your Highness, you'll understand soon enough about this matter."

After saying that, he slipped away without stopping.

No sooner had Liang Jiugong left than Shen Ye sent Zhou Bao to find out what had happened in the palace.

Sure enough, within half a day, news came back that the Northern Route Army had been ambushed and completely annihilated.

The truth will eventually come out!
Although Emperor Qianxi's decree for personally leading the expedition had not yet been issued, Shen Ye could guess with his toes:
Given this emperor's temperament, he will definitely fight back.

No wonder they were suddenly so enthusiastic towards me; they're trying all sorts of ways to win me over.

Shen Ye chuckled.

So it turns out they lost the war and are short of money and food, so they want me to be their fundraising tool.

Use people when you need them, discard them when you don't. Let whoever wants to indulge this habit do so; I'm not going to serve them!
Just as Liang Jiugong returned from the Prince of Qingqiu's residence in defeat and disgrace, the Eighth Prince and others, who had already received the news, gathered at Tong Guowei's residence.

Although the Eighth Prince was a prince, he was extremely humble here and showed great respect to Tong Guowei.

At this moment, besides Tong Guowei, several important figures, including Ma Qi, were also speaking to the Eighth Prince.

"Lord Tong, Lord Ma, I believe this is a golden opportunity!"

The Eighth Prince's eyes gleamed with a hint of fanaticism.

"If I can obtain the position of regent and handle the matter of provisions and pay properly, then my father will personally lead this expedition."

"Not only will it enhance my standing in His Majesty's eyes, but it will also dismantle the Crown Prince's reliance on me."

"Father Emperor will think that the court can still function well even without the Crown Prince!"

He got more and more excited as he spoke, and his spittle almost flew out of his mouth:
"Jiangnan has abundant money and grain. The newly appointed Governor-General of Liangjiang, Ge Li, wrote that Jiangnan is rich and money shops are everywhere."

“As long as I ask, he can help me transfer a batch of silver from Jiangnan to the capital at any time.”

"In this way, it won't be so difficult to raise food and pay."

"With your abilities, I am confident that you can handle this matter properly!"

Upon hearing that the money was secured, Ma Qi immediately perked up.

He believed his abilities were no less than others; the only problem he had faced before was that even the most skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients.

If we can gather enough grain and provisions from Jiangnan to support the army's expedition, then it won't be so difficult to collect silver from various places.

Once His Majesty demonstrates his abilities in this area, he will not only be able to disregard the Crown Prince, but he will also be able to put the Crown Prince, the Minister in charge of the Ministry of Works, aside.

He pondered for a moment and said, "If Ge Li can transfer eight million taels of silver from Jiangnan, no, as long as he can transfer six million taels, I can raise all the money and grain needed for this battle."

"When the Eighth Prince takes over the reins of the country, it will be a great achievement, killing two birds with one stone."

Tong Guowei frowned when he heard Ma Qi say that.

He pondered for a moment and said, "Ge Li has always been ambitious and eager for quick success."

"Although Jiangnan is wealthy, it is no small matter to mobilize six million taels of silver for provisions and wages at once."

"Moreover, once you take on the role of regent, you won't be able to get out of it."

"Eighth Master, you should really think this over!"

Upon hearing Tong Guowei's objection, the Eighth Prince hesitated for a moment, then quickly defended himself:
"Prime Minister Tong, although Ge Li may sometimes exaggerate, given the wealth of Jiangnan, it is definitely not a big problem to transfer six million units of grain and provisions from there."

"If we don't seize this opportunity to show His Majesty what we can do and make a difference, then the position of Crown Prince will probably be even less likely to be shaken."

Tong Guowei closed his eyes and pondered for a long time before finally slowly opening them and reluctantly agreeing:

"Since Eighth Master has so much confidence in Ge Li, then... let's give it a try first."

"However, Eighth Master repeatedly instructed Ge Li: Remember to act within your capabilities in this matter, and never be overly ambitious!"

"If we accidentally cause any more trouble, it'll be hard to clean up!"

　The second update for today is here! Please support me at the end of the month, everyone!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)