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

Chapter 568 His Majesty can lose, but cannot die.
Zhang Ying and Tong Guowei's trip to Shen Ye's place was like hitting a wall of cotton:

Not only did he fail to gain the support of the crown prince, he also suffered a setback.

Zhang Ying, in particular, had barely uttered the word "pause" when the Crown Prince casually retorted:
"If Zhang Xiang hadn't taken the imperial examinations, he might still be fishing in Jiangnan right now!"

This made Zhang Ying blush and feel very embarrassed.

The two men walked out of Yuqing Palace, seething with anger. Tong Guowei then said in a deep voice:
"Prime Minister Zhang, the Crown Prince's words are far too much!"

"I must report this to the Emperor, so that I can at least get justice for Prime Minister Zhang."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ying's expression calmed down considerably.

He even managed a forced smile:
"Prime Minister Tong is too kind! The Crown Prince is right."

"If it weren't for my lucky streak in the imperial examinations back then, I might really be fishing in Jiangnan right now."

"Never mind, it's all a small matter, let's just let it go."

"The most pressing issue right now is that the Listening Wind Group does indeed have flaws. If the Crown Prince insists on pushing it forward, I'm afraid something terrible will happen!"

When Tong Guowei saw Zhang Ying bring up the topic of the Listening Wind Group again, he cursed inwardly as an old fox.

He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Then... how about we join forces with the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers to submit a memorial to His Majesty?"

"If the momentum gets too strong, the Emperor will have to think it over and might just call a halt."

Upon hearing the words "joint petition," Zhang Ying's brows furrowed even more deeply.
"No, no, what if we join forces to submit a petition and it backfires?"

"Prime Minister Tong, if you ask me, it would be more appropriate for us to submit our reports separately."

"Someone should go and check on the Third Prince and the Eighth Prince as well."

"I am not very familiar with these two princes, so I'm afraid I'll have to trouble Prime Minister Tong to personally make the trip."

Tong Guowei cursed inwardly, "You son of a bitch Zhang Ying, you're such a cunning old fox!"
Whenever something bad happens, they just push it all onto me.

But after hesitating for a moment, he nodded.

Just as the two were talking, a person slowly strolled over from a distance.

Upon seeing that it was the two of them, he smiled and said:
"Oh, you two Grand Secretaries, what important military and national affairs or good ways to govern the country are you pondering here again?"

This was said in a roundabout way, with a hint of mockery.

If anyone else had spoken like that, Zhang Ying would have definitely given them a hard time, and Tong Guowei would have already shouted an insolent rebuke!
But upon seeing the visitor, the two, though unwilling, quickly forced out respectful smiles and bowed in unison.

Because the person who came was none other than Yuan Chonghui, a veteran of three reigns, who had served as a Grand Secretary even earlier than Tong Guowei.

This man is already eighty years old, and his main daily routine consists of tending to his flowers and plants, drinking tea, and playing with his birds at home.

This time, the Crown Prince invited him out of seclusion and gave him the title of leader of the Listening Wind Group, in charge of the Dali Temple.

Many people think that he's just using the name.

However, Tong Guowei and Zhang Ying did not dare to underestimate this old-fashioned man.

After all, when they were serving Emperor Qianxi with great influence, they were still far from being worthy of their attention.

"Greetings, Lord Yuan. What brings you here? Is there anything I can do for you?" Tong Guowei quickly asked with a beaming smile.

Yuan Chonghui waved his hand, looking helpless: "Sigh, it's all because of that little mess at the Dali Temple."

"Someone down here has been sued. I'm an old man with the title of team leader, so I have to come and explain, right?"

He suddenly smiled, narrowing his eyes, and leaned closer:
"But on another note, Prime Minister Tong, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Zhen Mingwu, whom you chose, is truly a 'talented person'!"

"They're masters of embezzling money and breaking the law; they're incredibly skilled at it, and their ability to turn the tables on others is even more remarkable!"

"Although our Listening Team isn't responsible for investigating cases, we're bound to have some clues."

"Zhen Mingwu knew that his secret was about to be exposed, so he panicked and tried to bribe Qian Jinhui."

"It's a pity that this Xiao Qian has been staying in the Hanlin Academy all this time. He's just a greenhorn and doesn't understand the 'rules' of officialdom at all."

"Not only did they confiscate the hot money, but they also patiently advised Zhen Mingwu to confess his crimes to the Crown Prince, hoping for a lighter sentence."

"Look at this honest child! And what happened? His good intentions were misunderstood, and he was even bitten in the back!"

At this point, Yuan Chonghui shook her head, then added with a smile:
"However, the truth cannot be hidden, and falsehood cannot be made true. Some people, despite their cunning, are just too clever for their own good."

"I happen to have a few trinkets here, all of which are genuine evidence. Perhaps they can help the Crown Prince distinguish right from wrong."

"You all go about your business. I will send it to the Crown Prince now and let him decide."

After saying that, he walked away unsteadily.

Tong Guowei stood there dumbfounded, his lips twitching, and the anger inside him surged up:

Zhen Mingwu, you're a complete idiot who's good for nothing and good for nothing!

You have shit under your butt and you still dare to jump up and bite randomly?
Now things are really messed up. Not only did he get himself involved, but he also dragged himself and Zhang Ying into it.

The suggestion I made earlier didn't work on the Crown Prince in the first place, so it will be even more difficult to make it happen in the future!
Zhang Ying sighed softly, "How foolish!"

He didn't even need to investigate Yuan Chonghui's words; he knew that the old man's words were 100% true.

Just as the two were having a headache, they saw the Third Prince, holding up his robes, rush out of the South Study in a panic.

Upon seeing the two of them, they reacted as if they had seen saviors:
"Prime Minister Tong, Prime Minister Zhang, something terrible has happened!"

The Third Prince was considerably older than the Eighth Prince and was always composed.

In Zhang Ying's view, the Third Prince was both literate and martial, and his demeanor and cultivation were even more impressive than the current Crown Prince.

For him to be in such a panic, it must be something incredibly serious. Zhang Ying's heart skipped a beat, and a series of guesses flashed through her mind:

"Could it be that His Majesty has been defeated in battle, or that His Majesty's health has deteriorated significantly?"

If that's the case, then the Crown Prince might just ascend the throne!
Before the two could recover from their chaotic thoughts, the Third Prince was already panting heavily:
"A major incident has occurred in Jiangnan! The warships of the Controlling River Navy were all burned to the ground by an insider the night before last!"

"Although the soldiers were stationed on the shore, this fire left the river-controlling navy without any warships available."

"The messenger said that the rebels have now blockaded the Yangtze River, intending to sever the connection between Jiangnan and the imperial court."

"What are we going to do about the provisions for Father's expedition?!"

Tong Guowei felt his head buzzing.

He knew very well that the burning of the ship was a minor matter, but the severing of communication between the North and the South was a major one!
If the water transport between the north and south is cut off, then the grain transport will be paralyzed.

Now that Emperor Qianxi is on a military expedition, grain and fodder are being transported from various regions.

Therefore, not only the capital, but also the Central Plains are on the verge of food shortages.

The grain transported by the Grand Canal was not only related to the peace and tranquility of the capital, but also to the supply of provisions for the expeditionary army.

Emperor Qianxi's army of hundreds of thousands consumed an immense amount of food along the way, with people and horses eating and being fed.

If the food supply were to run out, there would be a risk of total annihilation.

In that instant, he disregarded everything else and grabbed the Third Prince, saying:
"Where is Cen Youguang? What is he good for? He managed to burn our warships to the ground right under our noses!"

"Is he a pig?!"

Since becoming a Grand Secretary, Tong Guowei has rarely cursed anyone.

I always thought that cursing and swearing was the behavior of a brute. He was already the prime minister, how could he still curse?
But at this moment, he simply couldn't hold back anymore.

Forget about manners, this is a death sentence!
Zhang Ying also asked urgently, "Is there any news from the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner?"

"Doesn't he have a grain transport garrison? Ask him if he can continue transporting grain first?"

The Third Prince wiped the sweat from his forehead and said:
"Minister Tong, Minister Zhang, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner's report hasn't arrived yet, but it's probably on its way at full speed!"

"But the situation is critical right now. We need to come up with a plan quickly, otherwise, if our supplies run out, Father will be in danger!"

Tong Guowei forced himself to calm down: "Prime Minister Zhang, let's draft a plan first before reporting to the Crown Prince."

"One thing cannot change, and that is that we must ensure the supply of food and provisions to the front lines no matter what."

"Otherwise, if His Majesty punishes us, our heads will probably have to be hung up somewhere else!"

Compared to Tong Guowei's composure, Zhang Ying was still in shock.

At this moment, his mind was in turmoil:

Zhang Yushu, Zhang Yushu, with this fire, will it burn the ships or half of the Great Zhou Dynasty?
You've made such a big fuss, do you really think the imperial court is a pushover and can't deal with you?

Now that things have come to this, how are we going to clean up this mess?
Meanwhile, in a secluded house in the capital, Liu Shixun was quietly watching a middle-aged man in his thirties.

Although this man was dressed as a merchant, his brows revealed the shrewdness of a scholar.

His smile was polite, and his demeanor was composed; he didn't seem like an ordinary businessman at all.

The other party smiled and said, "Lord Liu, my master asked me to pass on a message: please persuade Prime Minister Zhang."

"Now the imperial court is waging war in the northwest, and chaos is breaking out in the south. This is not good for the court, nor for the country."

"To pacify Jiangnan, we must first appease the hearts of the gentry in Jiangnan."

"Only in this way can the court be stable and the world be at peace."

Hearing this, Liu Shixun sneered inwardly.

At a time like this, what's the point of talking about the stability of the court?
When you burned your warships, blockaded the Yangtze River, and separated the north and south, why didn't you think about the stability of the court and the peace of the world?
None of you are qualified to say such things!
But on the surface, he calmly countered, "What if Prime Minister Zhang doesn't listen to advice?"

“If Prime Minister Zhang doesn’t listen, then Jiangnan will be plunged into prolonged turmoil,” the visitor said with a smile.

"Now the naval forces controlling the river have no ships available, just like a general who has lost his warhorse."

“If the canal transport becomes unsustainable, then His Majesty’s expedition will be ruined.”

"This is no small responsibility!"

The visitor's voice turned cold as he spoke:

"Even if Prime Minister Zhang enjoys great favor from the emperor, he still can't bear this sin, can he?"

Liu Shixun sneered:

"If Your Majesty is defeated in the Northwest and unable to return, the Crown Prince will ascend the throne."

"You should know what kind of person the Crown Prince is."

"Do you really think your plan will succeed with just those few ships?"

"Don't think that your small navy can block the Yangtze River for long. Compared with the imperial court, your strength is not enough to contend with it!"

Hearing this, the middle-aged man smiled calmly:

"So this time, we only want His Majesty to 'defeat,' not to die!"

"Zhang Xiang should understand the nuances of this better than anyone else."

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(End of this chapter)