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

Chapter 509 I absolutely cannot make things difficult for my father.
The phrase "three refusals and three concessions" simply means declining twice, but giving in on the third time.

According to the rules set by our ancestors, a new emperor must be polite three times upon ascending the throne in order to appear humble.

But he only feigned modesty for a couple of moments. The third time, he immediately adopted a tragic stance of "for the sake of all living beings, I have no choice but to sacrifice my own interests" and quickly agreed.

But Crown Prince Shen Ye has already declined the title of Crown Prince three times—

This is no longer just "resigning three times and declining three times," this is an endless stream of resignations!
Anyone with eyes can see that the Crown Prince really doesn't want this "Eastern Palace" bestowed by the Emperor!

The sincerity of the refusal was almost overflowing from his face.

Wei Zhu, who was standing next to him, turned pale.

He had long figured out what Emperor Qianxi meant by giving the Crown Prince the title, and he understood that the Crown Prince's words were not out of modesty.
This is clearly a way of spiteing the Emperor!
At that moment, he silently prayed:

When you two, father and son, are fighting, can you please not drag an innocent nobody like me into it?!
Thinking he wouldn't be able to explain himself when he got back, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward to persuade him:
“Your Highness, as the saying goes, ‘One should not refuse a gift from an elder,’ especially since His Majesty has bestowed this gift three times already. Please accept it.”

He spoke softly when he said "I cannot refuse the gift from my elders," but the words "the third time" were practically squeezed out between his teeth.

The implication was clear: Your Highness, you shouldn't speak too definitively or go too far. You should know when to stop and not push things too far!

Shen Ye patted his shoulder with a smile: "Wei Zhu, I understand your intentions. You're doing this for my own good."

"But my elders were too soft-hearted and gave me something too expensive. If I accept it, wouldn't that put them in a difficult position later?"

"Besides, as my brother just said, I'm two-faced and I'll definitely accept the offer in the end. I have to prove to my brother that I'm a person of my word, a simple and genuine person, right?"

"You should report back as I instructed."

Wei Zhu's lips twitched, and the words caught in her throat.

The eldest prince, who was standing nearby, spat out a mouthful of tea and couldn't help but angrily interrupt:
"Your Highness! I was just saying that casually, why are you still holding a grudge? If you don't want to answer, then don't answer, why do you always drag me into it?!"

The more he listened, the more he felt something was wrong. Seeing that Shen Ye was about to dismiss Wei Zhu so easily, he quickly retorted loudly.

Shen Ye spread his hands, looking innocent, and said, "Big brother, you're getting angry! I didn't say anything wrong. Didn't you just say that I'm 'two-faced and will definitely accept it in the end'?"

"Then I have to prove that I'm the most honest person, that I keep my word, and that I'm consistent in my words and deeds, right?"

"There's nothing wrong with that!"

The eldest prince was rendered speechless by this "frank statement".

Watching the two brothers engage in a fierce verbal battle, Wei Zhu could only sigh inwardly.

Forget it, the Crown Prince's attitude is so clear, there's no point in me staying any longer.

"Your Highness, this servant will take his leave now."

After saying that, he quickly led his men away.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a group of princes looked at each other, none daring to utter a sound.

The Crown Prince is even giving up the title of "Eastern Palace"—

It wasn't some kind of three-fold refusal or offer of office with the Emperor; it was a direct confrontation with him!
You want me to call my residence "Prince Qingqiu's Residence"? Okay, that's a good name, then I'll keep calling it that.

The Eastern Palace? Whoever wants it can have it!

Just don't delay my trip back to the Prince's Mansion to fish and feed the birds!
Thinking of his father, Emperor Qianxi's, increasingly cold face, the thirteenth prince and others who were close to the crown prince silently clenched their hands in their sleeves, sweating profusely for Shen Ye.

The thirteenth prince sidled up to Shen Ye and whispered, "Your Highness, what if Father really gets angry and blames us?"

Shen Ye calmly replied, "What's there to be afraid of? If you're angry, just lock me up for a few days. I've been wanting to take a break lately anyway."

Seeing his elder brother, the Crown Prince, with his "whatever, do whatever you want" attitude, the Thirteenth Prince felt uneasy.

The Crown Prince's demeanor seemed to indicate that he was certain his father could not do anything to him.

But Father is a man who is used to being strong. Can he really bow down and admit defeat on this matter?
Just when the atmosphere was at its most bizarre, Wei Zhu returned to Emperor Qianxi's presence with trepidation.

This time his legs went even weaker—he was terrified that the Emperor, having been rebuffed by the Crown Prince, would turn around and vent his anger on him.

For the emperor, it was easy to take his anger out on a eunuch and punish him; a single word could condemn him to eternal damnation!

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince said... that he is a man of his word and a man of his word. Since he said he doesn't want the Eastern Palace, he really doesn't want it."

After saying that, he quickly pulled his neck back, preparing to face Emperor Qianxi's thunderous wrath.

Emperor Qianxi's face immediately darkened.

You unfilial son, you're putting on airs with me now, aren't you?

You don't want the Crown Prince's Palace? Fine, then I'll bestow it upon someone else!

...What's infuriating is that, despite his fierce determination, he really can't give the reward to any of his other sons right now.

What the court needs right now is stability.

The Northwest Military Report and the Jiangnan region are not peaceful. If the central government were to depose the crown prince, it would truly be like putting oneself on the fire to be roasted.

With a gloomy face, he said, "Repeat to me every single word that wretched child said from beginning to end." Wei Zhu had already gone through every word the Crown Prince said many times in her mind, and immediately repeated it word for word.

The more Emperor Qianxi listened, the darker his face became.

"Are you saying that the Crown Prince's firm refusal of the position of Eastern Palace was related to the eldest son stirring things up from the sidelines?"

Wei Zhu lowered his head and said, "This servant dares not make any wild guesses... However, when the Crown Prince refused, the First Prince did say, 'The Crown Prince says no, but he actually wants it very much.'"

Emperor Qianxi snorted coldly in anger:
"This good-for-nothing is more likely to ruin everything! He shouldn't have been let out!"

"Go, bring the eldest prince to me."

Upon hearing that the Emperor wanted to see the First Prince, and that the anger was about to spread to the First Prince, Wei Zhu felt a weight lifted from her heart.

As long as you don't take your anger out on me!
The father and son's repeated refusals and concessions were not just for show, which made him extremely uncomfortable.

Not long after, the eldest prince knelt before Emperor Qianxi, his face pale.

Emperor Qianxi had a gloomy face and showed no intention of telling him to get up. The eldest prince's heart skipped a beat: It's over, this is going to be tough for him today!
"I heard you say that the Crown Prince is 'two-faced,' outwardly declining but actually wanting it very much?" Emperor Qianxi's voice was as cold as ice.

The eldest prince was startled and quickly admitted defeat:
"Father, please calm down! Your son... Your son only spoke in anger!"

"Seeing that the Crown Prince was clearly pleased but pretending to decline, my temper flared up... It was my fault for being so sharp-tongued!"

"Your subject knows he was wrong!"

He grew up in the presence of the Qianxi Emperor and knew all too well that it was better to admit his mistake immediately than to make excuses.

Surely a biological father wouldn't just drag him out and execute him without warning, would he?
Emperor Qianxi stared at him for a few seconds, then snorted coldly:
"Stop using 'thinking of me' as a pretext. You just don't get along with the Crown Prince, you dislike him, and you take every opportunity to put him down. Isn't that the truth?"

The eldest prince's face twitched, and he could only lower his head even further.
"Your Majesty is wise... It was your son who failed to control his tongue. Your son will never dare to do it again!"

Emperor Qianxi rose and paced back and forth a couple of steps:
"It's good that you admit your mistake. I'll entrust you with the task of getting the Crown Prince to receive the imperial decree."

"If you can't get it done, then you might as well skip the New Year celebrations this year and go back to your residence to study behind closed doors."

The phrase "studying behind closed doors" struck the eldest prince like a bolt of lightning, leaving him utterly stunned.

The thing he hated most in his life was studying!

I'm so sick of reading, I absolutely can't go back to being locked up!
Although this assignment was practically humiliating for him, he didn't have the confidence of the Crown Prince who had declined the offer three times.

If he dared to say "no," his father would definitely have the audacity to make him "study until the end of time."

"Your subject... obeys the decree, Your subject will go and do it immediately."

The eldest prince accepted the imperial edict with a wronged expression, inwardly roaring with rage:
They're all my sons, so why is it that the crown prince can act recklessly and throw tantrums without restraint, while I have to be the one to take the blame?!
When he returned to the Hall of Supreme Harmony with the imperial edict in his hand, the hall fell silent instantly.

The princes who were just whispering about how their eldest son would be dealt with by their father immediately lowered their heads and pretended to be nonchalant.

The eldest prince steeled himself and walked up to Shen Ye, his face flushed red.

“Your Highness, the Emperor’s bestowal of the Eastern Palace is a testament to his deep love for his son. You…you should reluctantly accept it.”

He felt his face burning as he said those words.

They used to fight tooth and nail for the crown prince position, but now they have to beg their rivals to accept the imperial decree...

Just now they were mocking others for being hypocritical and sanctimonious, but what are they now? They turn around and act as persuaders!
This turn of events is just too outrageous!
Shen Ye glanced at the imperial edict and then at his eldest brother's aggrieved expression, and instantly understood what was going on.

He chuckled inwardly to himself, thinking how clever his father was at causing trouble; he was quite adept at shifting the blame.

On the surface, however, he adopted a righteous and understanding demeanor, firmly grasped the eldest prince's hand, and said sincerely:
"Brother, how could I not know Father's good intentions?"

"But it is precisely because I care about my father that I cannot accept it!"

He sighed with deep sorrow:

"Think about it, the Emperor just named my residence 'Qingqiu Prince's Residence,' and the ink on the golden plaque is still wet. He changes it again. What will the court officials think?"

"Doesn't this confirm that Father Emperor changes his orders every day?"

"They'll think Father spoils the children too much!"

Shen Ye became more and more engrossed in her speech, her eyes sparkling with a sensible light:
"How can I, as the Crown Prince, bring my father into this unjust situation for the sake of my own empty title? I absolutely cannot accept this Eastern Palace!"

"Brother, you don't need to try to persuade me anymore. My mind is made up."

The eldest prince was stunned, his whole body trembled, and only one thought remained in his mind:
Wait! Am I out of my mind...?

Why did he speak so sincerely? I almost believed him!
How come this logic sounds so reasonable?!
For a fleeting second, I actually thought the Crown Prince was a truly filial son who wanted to share his father's burdens!
He opened his mouth, only to find that all the prepared words were stuck in his throat, and in the end he could only manage a weak, feeble sentence:

"But...but Father Emperor made me..."

Before he could finish speaking, Shen Ye patted his shoulder affectionately and said earnestly, "Don't worry, elder brother, I'll explain to Father. I won't make things difficult for you."

Seeing the Crown Prince's sincere gaze, the First Prince was completely stunned—

He now seriously doubts who it was that was kneeling and being scolded in the Imperial Study just now.
Why do I feel like I'm the one who's being unreasonable and disobedient?!
(End of this chapter)