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

Chapter 573 The Crown Prince Has Disloyal Intentions

The atmosphere in the main hall of Yuqing Palace was very solemn.

Everyone was eagerly waiting for Crown Prince Shen Ye to make a decision.

However, there are probably a tiny bit more people waiting to see him make a mistake than those who genuinely want to solve the problem.

Those who know, know. For emperors, judging their ministers has always been about "heart, not deeds"—attitude outweighs action.

If the Crown Prince insists on using his risky method of transporting grain at this critical juncture, then he doesn't care enough about His Majesty's safety.

What will Emperor Qianxi think then?
Just as everyone was lost in thought, Shen Ye spoke:

"The sea is dangerous, but it's also a place of concealment!"

"If those bandits want to accurately rob grain ships on the vast ocean, they'll probably need to rely on fortune telling, right?"

"Even if only half of the four million shi of grain can be transported to Yangzhou, it will be enough to sustain the soldiers at the front for a while!"

"This plan, from preparation to execution, will take at most half a month."

"We can give it a try first."

"If the goods can't be transported, it's not too late to impose additional taxes."

Tong Guowei and Zhang Ying exchanged a glance, and Tong Guowei stepped forward first, earnestly advising:
"Your Highness, this attempt is still too dangerous."

"Although half a month is short, military intelligence often differs by just a few days."

"Your Highness, I humbly request that you exercise caution and prioritize the overall situation!"

With him taking the lead, Zhang Ying and the others immediately followed suit, kneeling down in unison.
"We second that proposal!"

"This sea transport is too dangerous. If it is used, there is a high possibility that the ship will be destroyed and people will die!"

"Four million bushels of grain will ultimately go down the drain and become fish feed!"

Shen Ye sneered inwardly:

How many of you are truly worried about the imperial court?

Some were just afraid they wouldn't be able to explain themselves when the emperor returned.
On the surface, he calmly waved his hand and said, "Alright, my mind is made up, let's do it this way!"

"If anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility!"

After saying that, he specifically called out Tong Guowei: "Prime Minister Tong, quickly issue an imperial decree to Cen Youguang, ordering him to take immediate action!"

"Transporting grain to Yangzhou within half a month will be a major achievement!"

Tong Guowei secretly glanced at the Eighth Prince, a sly smile flashing in his eyes.

Transporting grain by sea? The prince is still too young!
He actually naively thought that this could be done secretly.

Hmph, do you think those well-informed local bullies in Jiangnan are pushovers?

With such a huge commotion, how could they possibly keep it a secret?
Moreover, all the civil and military officials in the court are utterly loyal to the imperial court.
Wake up! What are you thinking about?!

That's too simplistic!
This time, the Crown Prince will not only have to bear the blame for "disregarding His Majesty's safety," but he will also have to pay the price for his unrealistic ideas!

When Emperor Qianxi returns, it might be the day the Crown Prince is deposed.

"Your Majesty, we obey your decree. But if the grain cannot be transported to Yangzhou within half a month, please levy additional taxes immediately!"

"Otherwise, it might really be too late."

"Although you are the regent, His Majesty has entrusted you with the power of the court."

"But this old minister has received great favor from the Emperor and must be responsible to the court and His Majesty."

"Even if you are unhappy, this old minister still has to say these words!"

His words were incredibly moving, and Shen Ye understood them.

Tong Guowei did try to persuade him, and he was also willing to sacrifice himself for His Majesty.

It's all because the Crown Prince acts arbitrarily!

It was the crown prince who used his power as regent, so he had no choice but to accept these things.

It was the Crown Prince who forced him!
Upon hearing Tong Guowei's words, Zhang Ying and the others also bowed to Shen Ye and said:

"Your Highness, we, like Prime Minister Tong, implore you not to refuse again after half a month."

Shen Ye felt a chill run down her spine, but her face remained calm.
"Since I have made a promise to you all, I will certainly not go back on my word."

"That concludes today's meeting. Everyone, please get back to your work!"

As he spoke, Shen Ye flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.

As soon as Shen Ye left, Chen Tingjing immediately approached Tong Guowei, looking heartbroken, and said:
"Prime Minister Tong, you are the Grand Secretary, how can you just stand by and watch the Crown Prince act so recklessly?!"

Tong Guowei's lips twitched:
Who doesn't know that you, Chen Tingjing, are most hoping for the Crown Prince's downfall? What kind of loyal minister and patriot are you playing now!
Tong Guowei was both amused and exasperated. "Chen Tingjing, Chen Tingjing, your acting is way too exaggerated!"
He said slowly, "Lord Chen, please be careful with your words. The Crown Prince's plan is not entirely unfeasible."

"Moreover, the Crown Prince is the heir apparent and also the regent. He has already made his decision. What can we, as his subjects, do now but offer advice?"

"Lord Chen, you are not without the authority to submit secret memorials. If you are dissatisfied with the Crown Prince's decision, you can report it directly to His Majesty."

"What's the point of nagging me here?"

After being rebuffed with a few words that were neither too harsh nor too mild, Chen Tingjing's expression turned somewhat unpleasant, and he immediately turned and left.
"You're absolutely right, I'll write the report right away!"

"Farewell!"

After the officials left, Tong Guowei returned to his duty room.

He whispered to the Eighth Prince who followed him in, "Eighth Prince, congratulations in advance!"

"This time, the Crown Prince is likely to fall, but perhaps your grand plan will succeed!"

Upon hearing Tong Guowei's words, the Eighth Prince couldn't help but smile.

"It's all thanks to Prime Minister Tong's brilliant planning and strategic thinking!"

"What should we do next?"

"Simple, just inform His Majesty."

"Remember, in your memorials, only state the facts, don't speculate on the Crown Prince's thoughts." "The more honest the better, only then will it be most damaging."

The Eighth Prince smiled and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Prime Minister Tong. I understand."

"I wonder what Third Brother will write?"

Tong Guowei chuckled: "How the Third Prince writes it is his own business."

"However, if the Crown Prince really loses the Emperor's favor this time, then the person you should be most wary of, Eighth Prince, is the Third Prince."

"The Third Prince is ruthless and his actions are steady, accurate, and vicious. The Eighth Prince must not be careless and should not underestimate his opponent."

"But for now, let's unite our forces!"

The Eighth Prince nodded, then suddenly asked, "Prime Minister Tong, is there really no chance that the Crown Prince's plan will succeed?"

Tong Guowei burst out laughing: "Success? There's absolutely no way that's possible!"

"Not to mention the rough seas, even in the vast Jiangnan region, the air is so thick it's like a sieve; a fart can travel the whole city."

"Not to mention, even the slightest disturbance will surely be noticed by those who are interested."

"And then there are these 'own people' in the court, humph!"

"Whether it's Chen Tingjing or Zhang Ying, they might send someone to leak this information."

"At that time, not only will the four million shi of grain fail to reach Yangzhou, but it will also become supplies for those bandits."

Upon hearing this, the Eighth Prince's expression changed.

Those traitors who defected from the river-controlling navy were themselves skilled in killing.

If they were given a large amount of food, their manpower would certainly expand significantly.

Wouldn't that make things even more chaotic in Jiangnan?
The once peaceful Jiangnan region might soon be plunged into war and chaos.

He said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister Tong, shouldn't we stop this situation? I'm afraid things will get out of hand."

Tong Guowei waved his hand, saying calmly:

"Eighth Master, there's no need to worry too much. These traitors who came from the river-controlling navy are not short of food."

"Giving them these four million shi of grain would only be icing on the cake."

"With powerful families in Jiangnan behind them, how could they possibly lack food?"

"Therefore, after you ascend the throne in the future, you must be especially wary of Zhang Ying and his gang."

"They and the imperial court have never been of one mind."

Tong Guowei was guarding against Zhang Ying, and Zhang Ying was also guarding against Tong Guowei.

The air in Zhang Ying's duty room was filled with the aroma of tea.

Having already received the news, Liu Shixun was all smiles, practically unable to stay seated.

"Prime Minister Zhang, the Crown Prince's plan is like a pie falling from the sky, landing right in our pot."

"This is truly an unexpected delight!"

He scooted forward slightly:

"I originally thought the Crown Prince was just a stubborn mule, refusing to pay additional taxes, but who knew he would actually think he was so clever!"

"We absolutely have to figure out how to smuggle grain out of the sea!"

"Hmph, does he think his move is brilliant?" Liu Shixun almost burst out laughing.

"Does he think he can hide this from our eyes and ears? Every official in the court has a few ears and eyes."

Zhang Ying took a sip of tea, without even lifting her eyelids, and said slowly and deliberately, "No matter what, the Crown Prince is still too kind!"

"Benevolence? Hmph, what use is benevolence in the struggle for the throne? It's a dead end!"

Liu Shixun was somewhat dismissive of Zhang Ying's assessment of the Crown Prince.

He leaned closer and said, "But Prime Minister Zhang, let's get back to the point."

“Cen Youguang is a smart man. Do you think he might chicken out at the last minute and refuse to carry out the Crown Prince’s orders?”

Zhang Ying's face was full of disdain, and she said with a half-smile:
"Hmph, Cen Youguang, that old fox, has been an official for decades. What he thinks about most is probably preserving his own wealth and status."

"In this situation, he'd rather disobey orders than dare to do so!"

"Besides, this plan was made by the Crown Prince and the court; he was just an executor."

"Even if things go wrong in the future, the crown prince will take the blame, and the responsibility will not fall on him."

Liu Shixun nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Zhang Ying's analysis. He then poured Zhang Ying another cup of tea and said:
"Prime Minister Zhang, shall we send a message to Jiangnan?"

"No need. If Jiangnan can't even find out this information, does he deserve to cooperate with us?"

"There's no need to stick with them anymore! Let them fend for themselves!"

Zhang Ying waved his hand and said, "Besides, there are people who are even more anxious than us. They may have already sent messengers on their way!"

At this point, he slowly took a few steps and said:
"If things go smoothly this time, His Majesty will be furious when he returns, and the Crown Prince may be defeated and killed because of this regentship."

"We also need to be prepared."

"We still have too few of our own people around the Eighth Prince. You should make good preparations."

"While sending gifts to the Eighth Prince, we also placed some people around him who could speak on our behalf."

Liu Shixun cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, sir, I will make preparations as soon as I get back."

"I really look forward to seeing what the Crown Prince's expression will be when he learns that the grain shipment has been hijacked."

"Hahaha!"

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with unspoken smugness; everything was understood without a word.

(End of this chapter)