The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

The two sat side by side on the steps, with a mere two fists' width between them. The morning light slanted in from the east, casting their shadows side by side onto the blue brick ground behind them.

With no one else around, and the feeling of sitting on the ground instead of going to class, Zhu Zaiji, who had been tense lately, gradually relaxed.

The warm sunlight, the breeze carrying the scent of flowers, grass, and earth, the satisfaction of a good night's sleep and a full stomach, the magnificent palaces all around, and the flying eaves and brackets before my eyes.

"Brother, if I told you I didn't want to be the crown prince at all, would you believe me?"

After a moment of silence, Zhu Zaiji turned his head and stared at his profile: "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything." Zhu Zaizhen didn't look at him, but continued to stare blankly ahead.

"I'm just telling the truth."

"Hmph." Zhu Zaiji finally revealed his dissatisfaction to his younger brother: "If you don't want to, why are you arguing with me!"

"It's not that I want to fight for it, it's that Father doesn't want to give it to you."

Zhu Zaiji's face paled for a moment. These words were too direct, leaving him no room for rebuttal.

"You're right." He was silent for a moment, then his voice suddenly lowered.

Zhu Zaizhen didn't let him off the hook. He leaned towards his elder brother and bumped the other's shoulder with his own.

He lowered his voice, his tone almost incited, as if they were about to conspire to do something naughty: "If you became the crown prince, or even the emperor someday, what would you want to do?"

"Are you crazy? How can you say such a thing!" Zhu Zaiji looked around in fear.

"Haha." Zhu Zaizhen laughed, "Just say it, and what are you afraid of? It's just you and me here, and if you take what I said to tell Father Emperor, Father Emperor will only severely suppress you and me."

They won't spare me, nor will they let you go; isn't this the so-called imperial system of checks and balances?

And others dared not do so, lest they relay our words to the Emperor; that would be an attempt to disrupt the court and sow discord within the imperial family, a crime punishable at the very least by death.

Zhu Zaiji thought about it and realized it was true. His tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his tone somewhat bewildered.

"I...I don't have anything I want to do."

After saying this, Zhu Zaiji's face flushed slightly. For some reason, he actually said what was on his mind.

Zhu Zaizhen nodded: "Actually, it's quite good. If we don't do anything, we won't make a mistake, and the people can breathe a little easier. There's a saying: 'When a country prospers, the people suffer; when a country falls, the people suffer.'"

Having received recognition and not being scorned, Zhu Zaiji felt comforted. He was afraid that if he spoke his mind, he would be looked down upon, so he never said these words to his mother or his teachers.

"And what about you?"

Zhu Zaizhen looked up at the vast sky: "There are many things I want to do, but I'm not so sure I can do them. But if I don't do them, I'll feel ashamed."

Zhu Zaiji frowned slightly, feeling that the words were too grand and abstract, yet they didn't seem like a lie.

He couldn't help but press further: "Nobody forced you to do anything."

Zhu Zaizhen did not lower his head, but continued to look up at the sky, as if it were a mirror that could reflect his past life and the people around him at that time.

"When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven."

"What exactly do you want to do?"

"How many years has it been since the founding of the dynasty by Emperor Taizu?"

"One hundred and eighty-one years..."

Zhu Zaiji wasn't that stupid. The reason he couldn't keep up with the Hanlin Academy's readers and lecturers was because they were the smartest among the Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). Every one of them had a reputation as a child prodigy or genius in their hometown when they were young.

ZTE?

The gentlemen would also tell him privately that the world today appears peaceful on the outside, but is actually in chaos on the inside. The people are poor but have not rebelled, and the country is in danger but has not collapsed, all because of the foundation laid by their ancestors.

In the capital, official conduct was lax and corruption was rampant. Greed was considered a virtue and flattery a sign of loyalty. Officials did not care about right or wrong, but only cared about the chief minister's mood. Bribery was commonplace, and officials exploited the people to pay tribute.

In some areas, the rich own vast tracts of land yet pay no taxes, while the poor have nowhere to stand yet are burdened with heavy taxes. Frequent floods and droughts, coupled with relentless pressure from the government, have led to widespread displacement, the rise of thieves, and the common practice of selling children.

On the frontier, both southern Japanese pirates and northern barbarians invaded at the same time, and the border troubles became increasingly urgent. The military expenditure was enormous, but the soldiers did not fight and the funds were not used, and most of them were embezzled.

The gentlemen told him these things in the hope that he could solve them in the future and become the restorer of the Ming Dynasty, but he never dared to agree.

If these things were easy, dynasties would not have perished; if they were easy, with my father's talent, he would have solved them long ago.

It is clear that it is difficult, extremely difficult. He lacked the confidence and courage; he only wanted to live a wealthy and comfortable life.

If only... my elder brother hadn't died...

At this moment, Ma Dezhao and Li Quan, the chief attendant of Prince Yu, came over together. The two stood up and straightened their robes, indicating that something important had happened.

"Your Highness." The two attendants exchanged a glance and spoke in unison.

"What is it?" the two princes asked in unison.

Li Quan spoke first, his voice brimming with barely concealed joy: "Your Highness, Xu Jie, the Minister of Rites, has been transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel, with the added title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. He will continue to concurrently manage the Hanlin Academy and will be assigned to the Wuyi Hall in the Western Garden. His Majesty has bestowed upon him meals and a flying fish robe!"

Prince Yu was stunned, while Zhu Zaizhen showed no expression on his face, but he breathed a huge sigh of relief in his heart. The knife had finally come down, and thankfully it hadn't cut the part that hurt him the most.

Historically, Xu Jie never served as Minister of Personnel. The Ministry of Personnel had always been under the influence of the Yan family. But now, a change has occurred, and the Qingliu faction is beginning to gradually take control of the selection process.

Those of the fifth rank or lower in the capital and those of the fourth rank or lower outside the capital directly drafted appointments, dismissals, assessments, promotions, and demotions, which were then approved by the emperor.

The nine ministers of the third rank and above, governors-general, ministers and vice ministers, are appointed by the emperor after deliberation by the nine ministers, with the Ministry of Personnel taking the lead and two or three others present.

He was also in charge of granting official titles and honors, and presided over the imperial examinations in the capital and the provinces, so he wielded considerable power.

In the short term, Prince Yu suddenly became powerful, and Yan Song's power was significantly reduced. However, in the long run, this was a good thing, because with Prince Yu's power, the Emperor could no longer suppress him too much.

Zhu Zaizhen turned to Zhu Zaiji and smiled, "This is the price."

Prince Yu's eyes widened and his pupils suddenly contracted as he recalled what Zhu Zaizhen had just said: leaving the palace would come at a price.

For some reason, Zhu Zaiji reached out and pulled Zhu Zaizhen aside, whispering, "Are you crazy? Just to go out and see?"

After saying this, Zhu Zaiji was somewhat stunned. This was clearly a good thing for him. He should have been hoping that Zhu Zaizhen would act like this every day. Why did he have to drag him over to teach him a lesson?

Perhaps…perhaps he himself couldn't do it, yet he hoped his brother could? ZTE…ZTE's ancestral legacy…

Zhu Zaizhen reached out and patted his arm, saying, "This is a good thing; Your Majesty should be happy."

Zhu Zaiji stared into his eyes for a long time. There was no mockery or feigned magnanimity in those eyes, only calmness. His tone was not angry or sharp, but even somewhat relaxed.

…………