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

Chapter 511 How was your experience leading the troops into battle?

Emperor Qianxi listened to Shen Ye's analysis, which was so logical and reasonable that he couldn't help but marvel at it.

The Crown Prince is indeed worthy of being raised by me personally; he is quick-witted and has a unique perspective, just like me!
But before I could even feel relieved for two seconds, my heart suddenly skipped a beat again.

Wait a minute, if this kid sits on my dragon throne, wouldn't he do a better job than me?
The moment this thought crossed his mind, Emperor Qianxi immediately nipped it in the bud:

What am I thinking? I haven't had enough of sitting on the dragon throne yet, how could it be this rebellious son's turn to shine?

He quickly cleared his throat and said with a serious expression:

“The Crown Prince is right. Once we give up on the Northwest and the snowy region, it will be difficult to take them back.”

"But with 300,000 Green Standard Army soldiers on the expedition, involving dozens of locations, the logistical support alone could drive people crazy."

"Not to mention those veteran generals of the Green Standard Army, they are all a bunch of old hooligans, and we have to find someone who can keep them in check to lead them."

"After careful consideration, I've concluded that, apart from myself, only you can keep them in check!"

At this point, Emperor Qianxi narrowed his eyes and stared intently at Shen Ye:

"Well? Do you dare to take on the role of Grand General and go to the Snow Region on my behalf, as the Crown Prince?"

Shen Ye was stunned when he heard this.

Good heavens, before he came, he thought his father was going to keep bringing up the matter of the "Crown Prince's title".

As a result, they simply brushed it off with a few words, skipping the whole "three refusals and three concessions" act.

This was followed by a lengthy analysis of the situation in the south and northwest of China, and finally, a "single-choice question" was thrown at us.

If you were to become a great general and lead 300,000 troops, would you go or not?
Shen Ye was heartbroken.

Leading troops into battle? Shen Ye had absolutely no interest in that.

Although the former crown prince learned a lot of literary and military strategies from Emperor Qianxi and could be considered both literate and skilled in martial arts, he had never trained troops and had zero practical experience.

Therefore, the former crown prince was just a theorist.
As for himself? He might be good at handling interpersonal relationships and manipulating public opinion, but leading troops into battle is practically a death sentence.

But... on second thought, with the Crown Prince holding the power of 300,000 troops, how could Father sleep at night?
After much thought, Shen Ye suddenly had a flash of inspiration and instantly understood:

This must have been a trap set by Emperor Qianxi for himself!
If I say I won't go, you'll definitely say, "Fine, then I'll lead the expedition in your stead!"

Once this old, frail emperor is going to war for you, shouldn't you help me with the logistics?

Shouldn't we handle the affairs of the court properly?

Shouldn't we take better care of things in Jiangnan?
In short, you will have to take care of logistics, assist in government affairs, and govern Jiangnan.
In this way, the initiative was immediately returned to the hands of Emperor Qianxi.

Good heavens, it's all a trick, a complete scheme!
So that's what you were waiting for me all along!

Shen Ye remained outwardly calm and respectfully said:

"Father, I am willing to share your burdens!"

"Although I have never led troops before, I believe I can give it a try as the commander of the central army and the liaison of all directions."

"Please, Father, grant your son this opportunity!"

Emperor Qianxi's expression froze instantly.

He had calculated everything perfectly:
When he met the crown prince, he gradually led him into the trap he had set.

If the crown prince refuses to go to war, then I can take the opportunity to reprimand him and then naturally put the burden of overseeing the country on the crown prince's shoulders.

If you don't comply, then you'll be guilty of both crimes.

But now, the Crown Prince is willing to share the burden and take on the role of Grand General, a result that caught him somewhat off guard.

So much so that he didn't know how to continue what he was saying!
As the crown prince, he should be able to keep the arrogant and fierce soldiers in check.

But if we hand over this army of 300,000 to the Crown Prince, in a year or two, will those scoundrels still regard me, this old man,?

The phrase "merit for the emperor" has been the subject of countless calculations in people's minds.

Moreover, the Crown Prince is the recognized heir and the rightful crown prince.

Upon realizing this, Emperor Qianxi nearly broke out in a cold sweat.

He quickly coughed lightly, picked up his teacup to hide his expression, and said, "I am very pleased that you have this thought in mind."

"However, sending troops is no small matter and requires careful consideration and deliberation."

"It's getting late, the family dinner will be starting soon."

"Let's go, don't keep everyone waiting."

Hearing Emperor Qianxi say this, Shen Ye became even more certain.

Emperor Qianxi, this old man, said that he would let me lead troops into battle and become a great general, but in reality, he dared not relinquish power at all.

He felt a sense of disdain in his heart, but on the surface he obediently followed: "Father, your considerations are thorough, I will listen to you."

Stepping out of the Qianqing Palace, a gust of cold wind hit his face, instantly sobering Emperor Qianxi up.

He suddenly realized: Wait a minute. Just now, I asked the Crown Prince to go on such a big mission, and the Crown Prince was clearly surprised.

But he agreed way too readily, didn't he? That speed of reaction, that calm demeanor.
Could it be that they saw through my plan a long time ago?
He pretended to be casual, but secretly glanced at Shen Ye behind him out of the corner of his eye.

The crown prince calmly followed half a step behind him, his face serene and his pace neither hurried nor slow.

His calm and composed demeanor showed neither the excitement of about to take command of troops nor any sign of stage fright or nervousness.

Emperor Qianxi was filled with mixed emotions, which ultimately turned into a sigh of disappointment and frustration that drifted gently through his mind.
"Alas... this wretched child who keeps me constantly on my toes!"

When Emperor Qianxi led Shen Ye into the main hall of Qianqing Palace, it was already bustling with people and brightly lit. Princes, princesses, and concubines from the harem were almost all present.

Although there were many people, the vast main hall of the Qianqing Palace appeared very peaceful.

Even those who did speak did so in hushed tones, and many of the young princes and princesses sat upright, appearing quite well-behaved.

With the arrival of Emperor Qianxi and the Crown Prince, almost everyone respectfully bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Greetings, Crown Prince."

Emperor Qianxi has not yet appointed an empress, so the concubines in the harem are still considered inferior to the crown prince.

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities."

At that moment, the Empress Dowager, who had been waiting in the side hall, came out accompanied by the Ninth Princess.

Emperor Qianxi, along with Shen Ye and others, paid their respects to the Empress Dowager, and then the family banquet officially began.

Compared to clan banquets, family dinners have far fewer attendees and the rules are much more casual.

However, none of the required procedures can be omitted:
For example, princes would offer wine to Emperor Qianxi and Empress Dowager to congratulate them on the New Year!

For example, the concubines in the imperial harem would offer wine to Emperor Qianxi and the Empress Dowager, wishing them good fortune, longevity, and health in the coming year!

For example, the Crown Prince offered wine to Emperor Qianxi and the Empress Dowager separately...

After going through this process, the banquet is already more than halfway through.

After Shen Ye finished serving the wine to the Empress Dowager, Emperor Qianxi looked at the eldest prince with a smile:
"Yun-shi, you're the eldest brother, have you forgotten something today?"

The eldest prince was on tenterhooks the whole time he drank, fearing that Emperor Qianxi would investigate his accusation that the crown prince was two-faced.

After all, this matter could be a big deal or a small deal; if Emperor Qianxi didn't pursue it, nothing would happen.

If he takes it too seriously, he'll be in trouble.

He might even have to shut himself in and study.

He kept a very low profile all night, as if he wanted to disappear and not let his father see him.

As a result, he was still singled out by the Qianxi Emperor!
He was uneasy, and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
"Father, I... I had a few too many drinks and can't remember for a moment. Please remind me, Father."

Yun had attended these family banquets dozens of times, and he knew the situation perfectly well each time.

He knew that, according to the rules, the required rituals had already been performed.

However, since Emperor Qianxi specifically brought it up, he couldn't say it didn't exist.

Otherwise, if his father said to him, "What use are you?", where would he put his face?
Emperor Qianxi was somewhat satisfied with the eldest prince's performance.

He then said slowly, "It's alright to have a couple more drinks during the New Year."

"But you mustn't drink too much on ordinary days, or you might make a mistake."

The eldest prince lowered his head helplessly:
I just had a drink, and my dad still scolded me.

"Although this is a family banquet today, you must keep the distinction between ruler and subject firmly in mind."

"As the eldest brother, why don't you lead your younger brothers to offer wine to the Crown Prince?"

Upon hearing this, the eldest prince felt a surge of humiliation, but he instantly felt relieved.

It turns out I was to serve wine to the Crown Prince; that's an easy job.

At least it wasn't a punishment.

But Father, they are also your sons. Isn't your behavior too biased?
We're supposed to serve him wine, but we'll wait until he ascends the throne!

Despite his resentment, the eldest prince still obeyed and did as he was told: "Your subject obeys."

Shen Ye was lost in thought when he heard this and realized, "Oh, so it's aimed at me."

He declined the Crown Prince's reward; is he trying to make up for it for me?
Shen Ye smiled and stood up: "Thank you for your kindness, Father."

"However, your son and all your brothers are all your father's flesh and blood."

"In my humble opinion, it would be better if we brothers drank a cup together to congratulate our father and empress dowager on their long life and good health, which would show our harmony."

Emperor Qianxi glanced at the Crown Prince, who had risen from his seat, and then at the First Prince and the others below, whose expressions varied. His smile was subtle.
"I will not interfere in your brothers' affairs."

"Yun Si, what do you think?"

The Eighth Prince had long anticipated that Emperor Qianxi would suddenly treat the Crown Prince so well.

The father needs the Crown Prince's help with some matters, so naturally he has to treat the Crown Prince well.

He was horrified by Ge Li's death, so he followed the crowd in many things.

I was just hanging out with the crowd when I was suddenly called out, and my heart skipped a beat.

What is this going to do?
Should I use my own dignity to curry favor with the Crown Prince?

Although he was furious, remembering the mess he had made earlier, he quickly forced a smile and said against his will:
“Father, I believe that you are considering the principles of the court, while the Crown Prince is considering the bond of brotherhood.”

"In my humble opinion, we might as well compromise: my brothers and I will first offer wine to the Crown Prince to celebrate the passing of the old year and the welcoming of the new, and then drink with the Crown Prince to wish His Majesty and the Empress Dowager a long and healthy life."

The Eighth Prince's words were so succinct that Emperor Qianxi burst into laughter:

“Yun Si is thorough in his work, indeed very good. Let’s do it this way.”

Emperor Qianxi's words sealed the deal.

Shen Ye held up his wine glass, a smile on his face, but inwardly he chuckled:
This cheapskate father is really good at balancing things, making it impossible to defend against!
　Here's an extra chapter to thank everyone for their support. Let's keep the votes coming!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)