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

Chapter 562 Silent Nourishment, Listening to the Wind Across the World
Just as Tong Guowei and his group were privately plotting how to trip up the "Listening to the Wind Group," Zhen Yan had already run all the way to Yuqing Palace.

Right now, he was respectfully asking Crown Prince Shen Ye for advice on how the Listening Wind Group should operate next.

For Zhen Yan, his mood was really up and down today, and he couldn't calm down for a while.

The censors and imperial relatives joined forces to prevent the crown prince from continuing his efforts to improve public order. Good heavens, their united stance was almost like a coup!
Of course, our young master is no pushover either!
He went all out and single-handedly took on the entire field.

Not only did they deal with Ma Qi with a clear conscience, but they also made Zhang Ying feel excruciating pain.

That single slash almost severed the path to immortality for Zhang Ying's most promising son.

However, compared to all of these, what really made Zhen Yan's scalp tingle was the "Listening to the Wind" group proposed by the Crown Prince.

Listen to the wind!

He would leave no trace after the wind passed by, caring about nothing else, but he had to hand over everything he heard, no matter how small, to the imperial court.

How can the court's underhanded tactics be hidden from now on?
Therefore, he, the head of the upright and honest department, suddenly became a hot commodity in everyone's eyes.

Everyone who saw him wanted to come up to him and find out what he had to say.

Because his words and actions may affect the lives and fortunes of many people.

But what should the Listening Wind Group do? Zhen Yan really had no idea.

So as soon as the court session ended, he went straight to Yuqing Palace without saying a word.

However, the Crown Prince was busy, so by the time he met the person, it was already lunchtime.

He was also very honored to have lunch with the Crown Prince.

When it comes to food, Shen Ye is an expert, and he adheres to one principle: never compromise, always strive for perfection.

He was not short of money, and what's more, the things Emperor Qianxi gave to the Crown Prince were already top-notch luxuries, so his small kitchen had many good cooks.

In addition, with the fast passage to Tianjin, all kinds of fresh seafood were delivered to his table every day, and he ate with great care.

Although Zhen Yan's family wasn't poor, compared to this place, their wealth seemed meager.

For example, there was the tender and plump yellow croaker, the large lobster with its claws outstretched, and many other exotic seafood that I couldn't name...

Although he was dazzled by all these things, he really had no appetite to swallow them.

He was preoccupied with his own thoughts, and even the rarest things were not in his mind to appreciate them!

"Your Highness, I...I have absolutely no idea how the Listening Wind Group should proceed!"

Zhen Yan forced down a mouthful of tender lobster meat, then put down his chopsticks, looking miserable.

He really couldn't eat.

He knew that the Listening Wind Group was crucial; to the Crown Prince, it was like a powerful weapon.

But for him, it was like a mountain weighing on his heart; if he messed it up, all the Crown Prince's efforts would be in vain.

Seeing his restless state, Shen Ye couldn't help but laugh:

"So many good things can't shut you up? Looks like you've really lost your appetite. Alright, let's eat and talk!"

He slowly sipped his tea: "Tell me first, how do you think the Listening Wind Group should operate?"

Zhen Yan had already thought about it once and immediately replied:

"According to the Crown Prince's wishes, I think we should select some young officials who are not well-known but are honest and upright from places like the Censorate and the Hanlin Academy."

"Once the right person is chosen, the matter of listening to the wind can proceed smoothly."

"Then we need to select the government office to listen to the news and make preparations in advance. As for the rest... I haven't thought about it in detail yet."

Shen Ye nodded, then shook his head: "Lord Zhen, it's already quite impressive that you can think of so many things."

"But that's far from enough. If the Listening Team is all young people, what if they encounter some senior officials who rely on their age and act arrogantly and refuse to cooperate, while the young people, with their lower rank and less influence, have little say?"

"You can't just rely on your ears to listen to rumors. You need to be able to read some accounts, right? Shouldn't we hire a few experts in accounting?"

"Also, if you really want to find out the inside story of a government office, it would be best to ask someone inside."

"What should we do next?"

This series of questions made Zhen Yan sweat profusely.

He had always known this matter would be difficult, but after the Crown Prince's explanation, he realized he had been oversimplifying it.

The fact that "old ministers are not obedient" is enough to give him a headache.

He himself is not a high-ranking official, and his subordinates are all young people. Does he expect to have to ask the Crown Prince to intervene in everything?

But if those bigwigs in the court were to be invited to listen to the news, how could Zhen Yan possibly command them?

After a few moments of thought, he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Your subject is foolish and ignorant; please enlighten me, Your Highness!"

Shen Ye smiled and picked up a grape that had been sent from Xiaotangshan; it was plump and juicy.

"The first point is easy to solve. The current ministers are naturally not going to come out and listen to your side, and you can't command them either."

"But you can bring back those retired senior officials."

"I think many of them are still very healthy."

"Mingzhu can even accompany Father Emperor on his expedition to Arabtan!"

“Find four or five retired senior officials and have them take the lead in the listening groups of various government departments.”

“Then, you should assign him a capable deputy.” He paused, spitting out a grape seed: “By the way, I suggest you also transfer Lord Zhang Yushu here.”

Transferring Zhang Yushu? Zhen Yan was taken aback. Wasn't this guy just "sent" to the Ministry of Rites by the Crown Prince?

Shen Ye summoned Zhang Yushu, not the Minister of Rites whom he had dismissed.

He thought of Zhang Yushu because he had received a secret memorial from Cen Youguang, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, yesterday, describing the difficulties he was facing in Jiangnan.

According to Cen Youguang, although he was willing to suppress the bandits, he was hampered by officials at all levels in Jiangnan.

The leader of these people was Zhang Yushu.

Shen Ye didn't know Cen Youguang, but one thing was certain:

The fact that the Governor-General of Liangjiang was forced to submit a secret memorial to him is enough to show that the situation was extremely serious.

Before leaving, Emperor Qianxi instructed Shen Ye to keep a close eye on Jiangnan.

After all, Jiangnan is the imperial court's purse. Now that the court is waging war in the northwest, it would be troublesome if the purse were unstable.

Shen Ye had been paying close attention to the rebellion in Jiangnan, and now he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to bring Zhang Yushu, this stumbling block, over.

Shen Ye noticed Zhen Yan's confusion but didn't explain. Instead, he continued:
“Using retired senior officials as team leaders ensures they are high-ranking and have authority, so no one dares to neglect them.”

After listening to Shen Ye's advice, Zhen Yan initially thought it could solve the problem, but upon further reflection, she still had many concerns.

If retired senior officials are made group leaders, not only will he be unable to command them effectively, but many of these senior officials are also from the same hometown or were classmates with him. Would they go easy on him if they heard rumors about it?

For example, what would happen if Zhang Yushu, whom the crown prince specifically mentioned, were allowed to listen to the winds of Jiangnan?

Since this matter was specifically sought from the Crown Prince, there was no need to hide anything; it was best to simply express all concerns.

Shen Ye waved his hand and said:
"The purpose of the Listening Wind Group is not only to find out some corrupt officials who deserve to be punished, but more importantly, to instill a sense of awe in all government departments."

"Let them know what they can do and what they can't do."

"As long as we cultivate a sense of awe, we will have achieved our goal."

"As for the concerns you mentioned, they are not unsolvable."

"You're worried they won't obey orders or will go easy on you because of past relationships? That's easy to handle. We'll definitely appoint someone we trust as the deputy team leader!"

“Different government departments send different veteran officials, which can check and balance each other.”

As Zhen Yan listened and pondered, his mind gradually became clearer.

The Crown Prince's arrangement was indeed thoughtful, as it both leveraged the remaining influence of the elders and left room for contingencies.

He was secretly admiring her when a bold idea suddenly popped into his head:
The fact that the Crown Prince could devise such a brilliant and meticulous plan in such a short time, demonstrating such skill and resourcefulness, is something that ordinary people cannot do.

If the crown prince ascends the throne in the future, will the world be even more peaceful and prosperous?

Furthermore, if His Majesty fails in this campaign, or repeats the mistakes of Emperor Yingzong of Ming, wouldn't that also be considered...?

Oh dear! What have I been thinking about!
Zhen Yan quickly suppressed this "rebellious" thought.

Although he has pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, Zhen Yan is still a loyal subject. How could he possibly speculate about the Emperor's intentions like this!
"Your Highness, which government office should we begin this investigation of the situation with?"

Zhen Yan steadied herself and asked the question that concerned her most.

Shen Ye instead threw the question back at him: "You're in charge of the Listening Wind Group, where do you think we should start?"

Zhen Yan pondered for a moment and said:
"The Ministry of Revenue is of paramount importance to the nation, concerning the very foundation of the country. Minister Ma Qi is currently not in office, so starting with the Ministry of Revenue might be appropriate."

Shen Ye shook his head:
"The Ministry of Revenue is too far-reaching, and it is currently about to be separated from the Ministry of Taxation. Making any changes would only create more chaos."

"In my opinion, the Shuntian Prefecture and the Infantry Commander's Office are of paramount importance in ensuring the safety of the capital."

“Your first stop in listening to the winds will be these.”

"Of course, these two places alone are not enough; they seem too thin. Let's add the Hanlin Academy and the Court of Judicial Review as well."

Upon hearing that the Shuntian Prefecture and the Infantry Commander's Office were to be targeted, Zhen Yan's heart skipped a beat—

These two places are crucial to the capital. Could it be that the Crown Prince intends to... replace them with his own people?

Once the emperor returns to the capital, it will no longer be his capital...

Before he could finish pondering, Shen Ye seemed to read his mind and smiled:

"Don't overthink it, it's just a routine investigation. Investigating four government departments at once will create a stir, but it won't seem like we're targeting anyone."

"If we don't have enough manpower, we'll transfer people from other government offices. If all else fails, students from the Imperial Academy can also come and help."

Having said that, Zhen Yan knew he couldn't refuse, so he immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I understand and will do my best!"

Shen Ye walked to his side and gently patted his shoulder:

"If the Fengqingqizheng Division handles the matter of listening to the wind well, your future will naturally soar and be bright."

"Remember, you must be attentive, but also know how to do things subtly and quietly."

When Zhen Yan walked out of Yuqing Palace, the afternoon sun was dazzlingly bright.

He looked back at Yuqing Palace, and the unease in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a surge of eagerness.

A path that would allow him to fully display his talents was slowly unfolding before him.

　The first update of the day is here! Please vote for me at the end of the month, everyone!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)