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

Chapter 574 As long as His Majesty is alive, the empire is alive; as long as His Majesty is at peace, the empire is at peace.

In the capital, all the important officials left behind by Emperor Qianxi were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

The memorials were flying in stacks to the emperor's camp.

We have no choice but to play!
Such a momentous matter! Before leaving, His Majesty repeatedly instructed: "Report immediately if anything happens!"

Do you dare to cover it up? Do you dare to play dumb?
If you truly pretend to be deaf and dumb, can you live up to His Majesty's trust?
Besides, it's not like I'm asking you to make the decisions; I'm just acting as a messenger, passing on the information as quickly as possible.

Is this not easy?
So, nine out of ten of these ministers inadvertently included a sentence in their memorials:

"The Crown Prince is being a bit headstrong!"

Most of them have become seasoned veterans in officialdom; they can see through anything.

Everyone thought the Crown Prince's adventure was simply out of the ordinary!

At this critical juncture, what the Crown Prince should do is not take risks, but increase taxes!

Why take the risk when a simple tax increase would have been a safe and straightforward solution?

Is he trying to gain a reputation for being a benevolent and compassionate ruler?

With this kind of speculation, some people began to guess, using ambiguous and suggestive language:
The Crown Prince isn't ignorant; he's probably doing it on purpose, isn't he?

Besides gaining a good reputation, there might be other ulterior motives at play...

But what exactly that "abacus" was, no one dared to write it down in black and white.

Wouldn't that expose the Crown Prince's true intentions?
The only recourse was to subtly and indirectly remind the Emperor:
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. If things seem hopeless and the signs are not right, then retreat is the best course of action!"

He wrote one set of lines after another, such as "Your Majesty is the foundation of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and you must not put yourself in danger."

The memorials sent to Emperor Qianxi were all delivered by express courier, traveling 600 li (approximately 300 kilometers).

After all, with the army far away, news cannot be delayed.

Therefore, five days after Shen Ye and his group learned of the news that the Jiangnan rebels had burned the warships of the naval forces controlling the river and cut off the north and south, it was placed on Emperor Qianxi's desk.

Along with this bad news came memorials from the Crown Prince and the officials who remained behind.

At this time, a battle had just ended at the front.

Relying on its superior strength with a large army and many generals, Emperor Qianxi defeated the army that had besieged Lanzhou in one fell swoop.

Although Alabtan had not yet collapsed, this victory greatly boosted the morale of the entire army, and their momentum surged.

Emperor Qianxi himself became arrogant, wishing he could directly march into the desert, wipe out the enemy army in one fell swoop, and destroy Arabtan's stronghold!
With his victory, the advance of the troops into the snowy region also proceeded smoothly.

Just as Emperor Qianxi was in high spirits and exclaiming, "I am indeed the greatest emperor of all time," the urgent message arrived.

After reading the memorial, Emperor Qianxi immediately overturned the table!

Having been emperor for so many years, how could he not know how fatal it would be if the Yangtze River were cut off and the north and south were separated?

If the canal transport stops, the four million shi of grain cannot be transported. Not only will the people of the capital starve, but the food supply for his hundreds of thousands of troops will also be in danger!
What's most important in war? Food and supplies! Emperor Qianxi knew this perfectly well.

If the supply lines really break down, not only will the army be routed, but even the emperor himself will probably have to flee overnight and run for his life!
"Cen Youguang, you good-for-nothing, you deserve to die!" Emperor Qianxi cursed, grabbing a pen and writing on the memorial:
"Immediately impose additional taxes on Jiangbei! Four million shi of grain, not a single grain less!"

He knew that imposing additional taxes would cause chaos, but as an emperor, when faced with two evils, he would definitely choose the lesser one!
After putting this one down, he took out a small key and opened the box labeled "Crown Prince".

This is the Crown Prince's secret report. He is the only one with the key. Anyone who dares to peek at it will be immediately executed along with their entire family!
Having a secret memorial directly sent to the emperor was an immense privilege.

Upon opening the Crown Prince's memorial, Emperor Qianxi's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

The first news wasn't about the grain transport, but rather: Shi Jingrong has given birth! It's a big, healthy grandson of the emperor!
Emperor Qianxi was initially delighted, then suddenly felt a pang of emotion: "The Crown Prince has become a father too..."

So, I'm going to become a grandfather?

This emotion came out of nowhere, yet it lingered in his mind for a long time.

If nothing unexpected happens, this newborn baby will be the next emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty!

He glanced at the Crown Prince's secret memorial, then at the urgent letter he had just received, and his feelings were incredibly complex.

With supply lines cut off and the army in grave danger, what's the big deal about holding the good news of a newborn imperial grandson?
Could this be what people call "a mixture of sorrow and joy"?
Furthermore, does the current situation qualify as "three emperors ruling at the same time"?
I need to think carefully about what a good name to give this grandson...

Just as he was thinking this, his gaze swept downwards, and the Crown Prince then began writing about the troubling affairs of the navy:

"The rebels in Jiangnan were deeply involved with the gentry; otherwise, how could their warships have been burned so easily?"

"Although Cen Youguang bears some responsibility, the main cause lies with the gentry of Jiangnan."

Emperor Qianxi certainly knew what kind of people the gentry in Jiangnan were!
The governors-general he sent to Liangjiang were either relatives and nobles like Ge Li, or officials like Cen Youguang who had no connection with Jiangnan and were completely unrelated to it.

This was to prevent the Jiangnan gentry from banding together for mutual support and becoming too powerful to control!
But knowing is one thing, but having no proof is another!
Without evidence, even if he were the emperor, he couldn't just rush over and arbitrarily behead all the gentry in Jiangnan.

The prince continued, “Right now, it is the spring famine, and the people are barely surviving on bran and wild vegetables.”

"If we impose additional taxes now, it could easily force Chen Sheng and Wu Guang to rebel!"

"If someone were to raise their voice and cry out, 'Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?' then war would rage everywhere..."

Although Emperor Qianxi was very confident in the peaceful and prosperous era under his rule, he was also aware that:

A person driven to desperation by hunger is capable of anything.

Additional tariffs? That might just add fuel to the fire and make things even more chaotic!

However, if no tax is levied...

He continued reading and saw that the Crown Prince's "brilliant plan" had finally arrived—

Before that, the Crown Prince reported the results of the Thirteenth Prince's recruitment of the Fubo Navy: "The number of capable warriors is as high as 100,000." "How many...how many?" This 100,000 made Emperor Qianxi's eyelids twitch!

He knew that the Cheng family, the former naval family, could command tens of thousands of pirates in the South Seas.

But he never expected that when the Crown Prince personally took on the role of "pirate leader," he would suddenly be able to gather a force of 100,000 naval troops!
Although most of these 100,000 people are opportunists who "follow orders but not pronouncements," and could turn against you at any moment...

But this is a real army of 100,000 online trolls!
If the Crown Prince really gains control of this power, could he actually go to that so-called "New World" and carve out a territory for himself?
If he's really determined to go... should I stop him, or pretend I didn't see it?
Emperor Qianxi's mind was in turmoil, and his gaze fell on the next line—

The Crown Prince's plan was then revealed:

They used the promise of shipping grain to Yangzhou as bait to lure the rebellious navy into seizing the grain.

Then let the Thirteenth Prince lead the Fubo Navy, which he can mobilize, to annihilate them all in one fell swoop!
In this way, the problem in the south of the Yangtze River was solved, and the transport of grain to the north was ensured.

Finally, he thoughtfully added: "I have already asked the Thirteenth Prince to contact the Cheng family and purchase a batch of grain from a place that yields three harvests a year for future use."

"Please rest assured, Father, there will be absolutely no mishap."

After reading the memorial, Emperor Qianxi felt that the Crown Prince was taking a risk, but the risk was... worth taking!
Those rebel trolls are like a fishbone stuck in your throat!

Their collusion with the gentry of Jiangnan made Emperor Qianxi feel that Jiangnan was about to get out of control.

Normally, to wipe them out, you have to mobilize a large army.

If the Crown Prince's plan succeeds, it will save so much trouble!
"A hundred thousand naval troops who obey orders but not proclamations..."

Emperor Qianxi's gaze passed over the continuous lights outside the tent, and he silently calculated in his mind:

I have 400,000 Green Standard Army soldiers and over a million elite troops under my command, ready to fight wherever I point.

The Crown Prince and his associates... were merely "partners."

They were willing to listen to the Crown Prince, this "General Who Subdues the Waves," simply because they wanted to find a powerful patron in the imperial court; no one wanted to spend their entire life adrift at sea.

Let's leave it at that for now.

After putting down the Crown Prince's memorial, Emperor Qianxi picked up his brush, intending to write comments such as "Very good" or "Approved," but after hesitating for a long time, he only drew a circle.

This means that I have read it.

Then, he took out a key and opened a memorial to the throne—that of Tong Guowei.

Tong Guowei also reported that the warships had been burned, and even gave an analysis:
He believed that the gentry in Jiangnan were unruly and that the imperial court should take strong measures to teach them a lesson.

Let these gentry know that the imperial court is not to be trifled with!

Finally, he reported that the Crown Prince had rejected the grain requisition.

He didn't speak ill of the Crown Prince, only saying that the Crown Prince insisted on using maritime transport, and reminded Emperor Qianxi:

In war, pay close attention to the supply lines. If supplies cannot be delivered, turn back!
"As long as Your Majesty is alive, the country is safe; as long as Your Majesty is at peace, the country is at peace."

The last sentence is written with such utmost loyalty and devotion!
After reading it, Emperor Qianxi wrote three words: "Understood."

Let's look at the next one—it's for the Eighth Prince.

The conversation began with pleasantries and inquiries, then abruptly shifted to the burning of the warships:

"Your subject insists on collecting grain ahead of schedule, but the Crown Prince firmly disagrees."

"Although I think what the Crown Prince said makes sense, my heart... is only concerned about the safety of Father Emperor."

The entire piece is filled with concern for the emperor.

Emperor Qianxi was very satisfied. Although the flattery was quite good, the work still had to be done.

I casually wrote a comment: "Work harder."

After reading all the memorials, Emperor Qianxi sighed.

Although those who remained in Beijing were all his trusted confidants, when it came to their grasp of the situation and their bold and decisive spirit…

He's still far inferior to the Crown Prince!
They all thought the Crown Prince had made a foolish move, little did they know that the Crown Prince had already laid a trap.

If someone barges in, it's the perfect opportunity to close the net; if no one does, the grain shipment can still safely travel north.

This isn't a desperate gamble; it's clearly a well-thought-out plan, a sure thing.

The Crown Prince now commands an army of 100,000! And that includes 100,000 naval troops!

Just then, Liang Jiugong tiptoed in and reported, "Your Majesty, Lord Mingzhu requests an audience."

Emperor Qianxi had always been somewhat wary of this old friend, but right now his mind was in turmoil, and he was actually quite eager to have a chat with him.

"Xuan."

After Mingzhu bowed, Emperor Qianxi casually asked, "What brings you here at this hour, my dear minister?"

Mingzhu looked serious:
"Your Majesty, I have come regarding the supply lines. The battle lines are stretching further and further, and the transport of provisions is becoming increasingly difficult and is starting to fall behind schedule."

"If Your Majesty wishes to continue the western expedition, you must urge the capital to expedite the transport of grain; there is no time to lose!"

Emperor Qianxi glanced at Mingzhu silently and sighed inwardly, "That old fellow is certainly well-informed."

He had just finished reading the memorial about what was going on in Jiangnan when someone else started stirring up trouble.

He picked up his teacup and said slowly:
"I have already made arrangements regarding the grain transport."

He paused, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled:
"By the way, Mingzhu, do you think—a crown prince who commands an army of 100,000, is he still a crown prince?"

(End of this chapter)