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

Chapter 578 A Sword Unsheathed in the Imperial Court, A Rainbow Piercing the Sun

The morning court session continues as usual!

However, when Crown Prince Shen Ye led the court officials to pay their respects to Emperor Qianxi's dragon throne, many ministers' hearts were pounding like drums—thump, thump, thump, they could hear it themselves.

Why? Because we're in for a good show today!

Next, they are about to witness a historic moment!
The court officials joined forces to remove the crown prince from his position as regent!

This operation would be considered novel in any dynasty.

If this is accomplished, everyone present here today may go down in history, and may even rewrite the future course of the Qianxi era.

Being deposed by the court officials in court is essentially a devastating blow to a crown prince's prestige.

Once this blow is dealt, the world will change color, and the entire course of the Great Zhou Dynasty will have to take a turn.

However, Shen Ye himself... is still in the dark.

After all, this was a big move that only a few people had been holding back, and even some of the Eighth Prince's confidants had not been informed.

The reason for this is to maintain secrecy.

Of course, this was also because Tong Guowei and his gang of bigwigs were very confident:
Once they take the lead in the charge, their underlings will surely respond enthusiastically and follow suit.

At this moment, Shen Ye felt very relaxed, because just before the morning court session, he finally received a military report sent by the thirteenth prince via express courier.

After the naval rebels were defeated, the grain ships were safely transported to Yangzhou.

His plan has been completed!
The reports from Yangzhou Prefecture and the Governor-General's Office of Liangjiang are probably on their way.

Now he can relax a lot.

Shen Ye thought to himself that today's court assembly would probably be just another empty formality, so he might as well go back early and catch up on some sleep.

He was leisurely observing the group of seemingly honest ministers, waiting for the familiar phrase, "If you have something to report, speak now; if not, leave the court," before quickly leaving the court, when suddenly he heard someone shout:
"Your subject, Yu Changyuan, Censor of the Censorate, has a memorial to submit!"

This shout stunned the ministers both inside and outside the palace.

The courtiers waiting outside the palace almost started cursing:
On this bright spring morning, the cold wind was chilly, making the tip of one's nose turn red.

Wouldn't it be better if everyone just went through the motions quietly? What the hell is it for you to jump out and make a scene at this point!
Do you think you're the only loyal minister in the entire court?

Why are you trying to get attention here?!

But no matter what, rules are rules, and if someone makes a request, everyone has to listen obediently.

Shen Ye could only respond, "What is it? Just tell me!"

"Your Highness, I wish to impeach one person!"

Yu Changyuan's voice was so loud that it seemed to shake the dust off the beams of the main hall.

He took a deep breath and said, word by word, "This man is disloyal to his country, plunging his sovereign into danger; he is unfilial to his father, placing him in peril!"

"The navy controlling the Yangtze River has no ships available. The Yangtze River is blocked, and the canal transport is not working. The hundreds of thousands of troops at the front are running out of food and supplies. Your Majesty is in a critical situation."

"But this person, for his own selfish gain, not only failed to actively procure grain, but also deliberately delayed, making His Majesty's situation even worse!"

Hearing this, Shen Ye frowned: Hey, wait a minute, this guy's cannon is obviously aimed at me.

Before he could react, Yu Changyuan continued, "This man, harboring ulterior motives, is attempting to take advantage of His Majesty's expedition and the shortage of supplies to achieve his personal desires!"

Although Yu Changyuan did not name names, everyone in the vast Hall of Supreme Harmony knew who he was referring to.
For a moment, the air fell silent.

The phrase "ulterior motives" was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand layers of imagination.

"Yu Changyuan, you're talking nonsense!"

As a loyal subordinate of the Crown Prince, Zhen Yan rushed out in one swift motion.

Right now, his life and fortune are all tied to the Crown Prince.

If the Crown Prince falls, then Zhen Yan will also be finished.

Upon hearing the impeachment of the crown prince, he was so enraged that he immediately jumped out.

He shouted angrily:
"Since the Crown Prince assumed regency, he has worked tirelessly, neglecting sleep and meals, devoting himself entirely to the safety of the court and His Majesty!"

"You...you are ignorant of the overall situation of the court, recklessly speak ill of the government, and attack the Crown Prince who is in charge of the state. Your crimes are unforgivable!"

"Your Highness, I implore you to execute Yu Changyuan immediately to restore order to the court!"

Since following Shen Ye, Zhen Yan has always taken a pragmatic approach.

But this time, he was really flustered by this unexpected situation!
I thought today's court assembly would be another day of slacking off, but who knew it would turn out to be such a lively scene!
This shocked him, and he immediately made his most instinctive reaction.

We must show no mercy to this person who attacked the Crown Prince. If we can kill him, we must not let him go. We must completely shut this troublemaker up!
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Changyuan snorted coldly and said, "Zhen Yan, everything I have impeached is true, not a single lie."

"You...you want to distort the truth and cover up everything? No way!"

"Although His Majesty is not in court, there are many officials who will absolutely not allow anyone to act recklessly, let alone wantonly kill loyal and virtuous people."

"My loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon!"

"Gentlemen, His Majesty has treated the people with favor for thirty years. At this critical juncture, can't any of you speak up for His Majesty and think about His Majesty's safety?"

Seeing Yu Changyuan's menacing demeanor, Zhen Yan was about to speak when Shen Ye waved her hand to stop him.

Shen Ye had already sensed a crisis approaching when Yu Changyuan made his report.

He knew very well that the first person to jump out was often a pawn driven by the big shots.

They were meant to be sacrificed.

However, Yu Changyuan must have been prepared to step forward at this time; otherwise, he wouldn't have been so ruthless.

He said calmly, "Yu Changyuan, who did you impeach?" Although Zhen Yan had just stepped forward, the Crown Prince's serious question still made Yu Changyuan feel a bit of pressure.

At this point, he was gambling with his life.

He was gambling not only with his own life, but also with the lives of his family.

But he had no other choice. Half of it was the temptation of promotion and wealth, and the other half was the scheming others had carried out against him for years. All of this made it impossible for him to turn back.

He's already a suicide squad member!
To say he wasn't afraid would be a lie; in fact, he barely slept at all last night.

But the immense pressure also made him incredibly excited today.

Upon hearing Shen Ye's question, he replied directly, "Your Highness, it is you I am impeaching."

"Your Majesty is facing the risk of running out of food, and if the supply lines for the army's expedition are cut off, it will basically be a dead end."

"But these past few days, you've made all sorts of excuses."

"They say they're afraid the increased taxes will cause a popular uprising, but in the eyes of us loyal and virtuous officials, it's just to achieve their own ulterior motives."

"You want...you want to take advantage of His Majesty's defeat and ascend the throne for yourself!"

"With such ambition, how can we, your loyal subjects, tolerate your reckless behavior?"

Shen Ye looked down at the assembled officials and saw that most of them were listening quietly with utterly calm expressions.

But beneath this calm, Shen Ye sensed an undercurrent.

A seemingly calm undercurrent, but which, when unleashed, can transform the world.

Just as he was about to speak again, Yu Changyuan knelt on the ground and loudly addressed Tong Guowei and the others: "Prime Minister Tong, Prime Minister Zhang, and all the ministers of the Southern Study."

"His Majesty kept you in the capital because of the trust he placed in you!"

"His Majesty is on the verge of death, how can you sit idly by and do nothing?"

"Your Majesty, I implore you all to unite and remove the Crown Prince from his position as regent, thus rescuing Your Majesty from this dire situation!"

The Crown Prince was appointed regent, but the Crown Prince was impeached, and the power of the Crown Prince to serve as regent was to be abolished.

This is truly the first time in history that such a thing has ever happened!
Immediately, a buzz of discussion arose both inside and outside the main hall.

The main point of discussion among everyone was the same: what should the Crown Prince do at this time?
Should we just kill Yu Changyuan?
Does that mean the Crown Prince is guilty of something he did wrong?
Could it be that the Crown Prince... is really plotting something?

Otherwise, why didn't he hurry up and collect grain? Ten days have already passed.

Your Majesty and the expeditionary army are both short of food; we really can't afford to wait any longer!
Does he really want His Majesty to perish so he can easily ascend the throne?

At this critical moment, Yu Chenglong stepped forward and bowed to Shen Ye, saying:
“Your Highness, Yu Changyuan, based on mere speculation, has made unwarranted remarks about the Emperor and sowed discord between the Emperor and his son. His crimes are truly heinous.”

"Your Majesty, I implore you to take immediate action to prevent rumors from damaging the reputations of Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

As soon as he spoke, Yu Changyuan not only remained calm, but also shouted back at the top of his lungs:
"Yu Chenglong! You're supposed to be the third-ranked scholar appointed by His Majesty!"

"How painstakingly His Majesty has cultivated you over the years?"

"If it weren't for His Majesty, how could you have reached your current position?"

"But now, you clearly see His Majesty in danger, yet instead of speaking up for him, you're trying to curry favor with your new master by confusing the public and blocking channels of communication."

"In my opinion, you are the biggest traitor in the court!"

"My lords, I, Yu Changyuan, risk my life to offer this advice today, all to repay His Majesty's kindness in recognizing my talent!"

"The heavens and the sun shine brightly, and my loyalty is evident! When His Majesty returns, he will surely give me justice."

Hearing Yu Changyuan's hoarse and desperate words, Yu Chenglong was speechless for a moment.

After all, what the Crown Prince did this time was indeed suspicious.

However, Shen Ye remained completely calm at this moment.

He spoke slowly: "Yu Changyuan, you're saying that by not increasing the grain supply, you're trying to cut off His Majesty's and the expeditionary army's supply lines so that you can ascend the throne ahead of schedule?"

"Then let me ask you, why did I send people to transport grain from Jiangnan by sea?"

Yu Changyuan sneered: "Your Highness, you know best what your intentions are, and I believe all the civil and military officials in the court know them too."

"You're just trying to stall for time."

"Everyone knows that sea transport is dangerous, and those rebels have many informants in Jiangnan. It's impossible for them not to stop them after receiving the news."

"In the end, all the time was wasted."

"Moreover, the ten-day grain transport period has already passed, and you still do not allow additional taxes to be levied."

"Your Highness, you say you care about the people!"

"But what exactly is your purpose? It cannot be hidden from Heaven and Earth, nor from the eyes of the officials in court."

At this point, Yu Changyuan looked at Tong Guowei, his tone filled with sorrow:

"Prime Minister Tong, His Majesty has entrusted the country to you. You are the Grand Secretary and the chief minister of the court, His Majesty's maternal uncle, and the person His Majesty trusts most."

"At this moment, can't you say a word for the court and for His Majesty?"

Tong Guowei's face was tense, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he finally slowly stepped out of the ranks.

“Your Highness,” he said slowly, “Yu Changyuan’s words, though all speculation, are not without reason.”

　The first update of the day is here! Please support, recommend, and vote, everyone!

(End of this chapter)