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

Chapter 83 The First Meeting with Suo'etu

Suo'etu was very familiar with Yuqing Palace.

After all, he used to come here often, whether he had received something good or came to visit the Crown Prince.

For him, meeting the Crown Prince had always been a very easy thing.

See you whenever you want.

But now, it seems that it is more difficult for him to see the Crown Prince than to see the Qianxi Emperor.

He could almost always get an audience with the Qianxi Emperor if he requested it.

After all, he was a Grand Secretary, and Emperor Qianxi would always give him face whenever he had something to report.

However, the crown prince has already refused to see him twice!

Just as Suo'etu was sitting in a side hall of Yuqing Palace, feeling somewhat uneasy, Zhou Bao walked in.

This young eunuch, Suo'etu, was not familiar with him before, because the one he knew had already been beaten to death by the Qianxi Emperor.

It seems I should try to get closer to this little eunuch in the future.

Only in this way can we obtain more information about the Crown Prince.

"Lord Suo, the Crown Prince requests your presence."

Zhou Bao also felt a sense of awe towards Suo'etu.

When he was a eunuch in Yuqing Palace, he knew how powerful this maternal great-uncle of the Crown Prince was.

Moreover, he was a Grand Secretary of the current dynasty and a First-Class Duke!

Any one of these positions, if taken out, would be enough to shake the world.

Songgotu nodded and said, "Thank you, sir."

As he spoke, Suo'etu produced a purse and said, "I recently acquired some pearls; please take them and play with them, Father-in-law!"

Faced with the pearls handed to him by Suo'etu, Zhou Bao felt a struggle in his heart.

He didn't want it, but it was Suo'etu!

If I don't accept it, will I offend him?

if that is the case……

He hesitated for only a moment before making his decision:

Take it first, then report it to the Crown Prince.

Anyway, as a eunuch, it would seem abnormal for him not to accept money.

"Then thank you very much, Prime Minister Suo!" Zhou Bao accepted the purse with a smile.

Songgotu nodded and said nothing more.

Although he gave Zhou Bao money, he didn't really care about Zhou Bao, a eunuch.

The only person he could be wary of was a powerful eunuch like Zhao Chang, who held secret spies in his hands.

Zhou Bao doesn't deserve it!

In just two minutes, Suo'etu arrived at the West Study of Yuqing Palace.

He comes here often; he once had a dialogue with the Crown Prince here, so he is quite familiar with the place.

However, when he returned to the West Study, he felt a different kind of unfamiliarity.

This sense of unfamiliarity did not come from the furnishings of the West Study, nor from the people in the West Study, but from the fact that he had not been here for some days!
The young crown prince stood at the door of the West Study with a broad smile on his face.

It seems like they are welcoming themselves.

The fact that the Crown Prince greeted him upon his arrival suggests that the Crown Prince actually needed him very much.
That's why he had to present himself as respectful and courteous to scholars.

The reason Shen Ye greeted Suo'etu at the door was not only because the former crown prince liked to do this, but also because he had something to say to Suo'etu.

He wanted to lie down, but Suo'etu was still fighting under his banner.

This is simply trying to sabotage him!
So when he met with Suo'etu this time, he planned to talk to Suo'etu more.

"This servant, Suo'etu, greets Your Highness!" Suo'etu hesitated for a moment before bowing respectfully.

Shen Ye said in a deep voice, "Prime Minister Suo, there's no need for such formalities."

"Zhou Bao, why don't you help Suo'etu up!" Zhou Bao was standing next to Suo'etu when he heard Shen Ye's order, so he quickly helped Suo'etu up.

Suo'etu felt somewhat dissatisfied with Zhou Bao's help.

He felt that, given his rank, he should at least be supported by the Crown Prince.

But now, no matter how dissatisfied he was, he dared not show it, since he was preparing to apologize to the Crown Prince.

Although the Crown Prince received him and seemed quite friendly, things could change if the Crown Prince didn't personally forgive him.

"Prime Minister Suo, I remember you're already sixty-five, right? From now on, let's not go through so much formality when we meet." Shen Ye's voice rang in Suo'etu's ears.

Upon hearing this, the slight dissatisfaction that had just arisen in Suo'etu's heart vanished without a trace.

He served two emperors and the Qianxi Emperor for over thirty years, so he had an exceptional ability to understand what was being said.

In the past, the Crown Prince never revealed his age.

But now, she says she's 65 years old and tells herself not to bow. What does that mean?

Could it be that you feel you are not worthy of being commanded?
Soetu guessed what was going on in his mind, but on the surface he still said respectfully, "Your Highness has a good memory. This old minister is exactly sixty-five years old this year."

"However, this old minister is still in good health, able to ride a horse and draw a bow, so this ceremony is not difficult for him."

Shen Ye met with Suo'etu this time hoping that Suo'etu would back down.

With Songgotu stepping down, the possibility of him being imprisoned and starved to death by Emperor Qianxi is highly unlikely to occur.

As long as it doesn't happen, the impact on him as the crown prince can be reduced.

He immediately mentioned Songgotu's age, intending to give him a chance to back down.

But they didn't appreciate it and insisted that they were in good health!
This left Shen Ye feeling quite helpless.

He immediately said, "Please sit down, Prime Minister Suo. I have some good tea here. Let's drink and chat."

As he spoke, he looked around and said, "Why haven't you served tea to Prime Minister Suo yet?"

Upon hearing this order, Suo'etu suddenly noticed that there were as many as seven or eight palace maids and eunuchs serving in the West Study.

While it couldn't be said that the entire West Study was packed to the brim, it was certainly crowded with people and distractions.

In the past, when I met with the Crown Prince, at most only one personal eunuch would accompany me.

With so many people around, it's hard to say everything!

Could it be that the Crown Prince is...?

The good mood she had just been in because of the Crown Prince's welcome vanished completely at this moment.

Soetu's expression tightened for a moment.

After inquiring about Suo'etu's health, Shen Ye smiled and asked, "What brings you here today, Prime Minister Suo?"

"Your Highness, I have come to apologize."

"Some time ago, a large number of disaster victims gathered outside Shuntian Prefecture, which disturbed the Crown Prince. This was all due to my negligence, and I beg the Crown Prince to punish me."

When Songgotu arrived, he originally intended to say that he was old and had not noticed.

However, the Crown Prince brought up his age during this meeting, which made him extremely wary.

He voluntarily removed the word "old".

Looking at the solemn-looking Suo'etu, Shen Ye sighed inwardly.

If the former crown prince had encountered such a situation, he would definitely have forgiven him.

Because he needs Suo'etu.

He needs wings to give him peace of mind.

But I don't have that thought!
Since I already know how things will turn out, I don't want to waste my time on this hopeless path.

Instead of exhausting yourself only to end up with nothing, why not enjoy your youth to the fullest?
The Crown Princess has said that Nian Xinyue and the eldest daughter of the Cao family are about to enter the palace!
Suddenly not wanting to beat around the bush any longer, Shen Ye said calmly, "Prime Minister Suo, you've been doing this job for almost forty years, and you've always been diligent."

"This kind of oversight can be forgiven no matter what."

"However, I think you should go home and enjoy your retirement."

　The first update of the day is here! Please support me, everyone!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)