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

Chapter 520 His Majesty is like begging for food while holding a golden bowl.

Tong Guowei looked down on his cousin Su Mahu from the bottom of his heart.

But when he heard "five or six hundred thousand taels of silver a year," his eyes lit up immediately, after all, he had nothing to do with money.

Despite being Emperor Qianxi's maternal uncle, holding a high position and wielding considerable influence, he was still a powerful figure.

But he also has a large family to support.

Moreover, there are many who talk the talk but few who actually do the work!

Eight sons, plus a long string of grandsons like candied hawthorns, like branches spreading out.

Those who are capable have made something of themselves, like Longkodo, so he doesn't need to worry about them.

But doesn't someone like Ye Keshu, who's good for nothing and a complete coward, still have to rely on his father for support and assistance?

They're all his own children, how could he just abandon them? Of course not!

Therefore, Master Tong often felt that he was short of money, and that his money seemed to have legs and was disappearing very quickly.

At this moment, his cousin's words were like a small mountain of gold, and this was only once a year. Tong Guowei felt extremely comfortable.

Su Mahu was secretly pleased to see that he had become interested.

Although he came from a family with a long history in the Imperial Household Department and had previously managed the ginseng business, there were as many people eyeing this lucrative business as flies in summer.

Without Tong Guowei as a powerful backer, how could he possibly compete with those powerful and wealthy big shots on his own?
So he lowered his voice and leaned closer to say:
"Uncle, ginseng harvesting is difficult, but as long as you harvest at the right time, the yield can be increased."

"Once we get the franchise rights, we won't have to worry about selling them even if the price doubles!"

"Those wealthy folks in Jiangnan now believe that ginseng is a great tonic!"

"If I could get a few more century-old ginseng roots... hehe, making a fortune would be a piece of cake."

Tong Guowei listened and pondered, then suddenly raised an eyebrow: "Wait, according to you, why doesn't the Imperial Household Department earn that much?"

Su Mahu's face stiffened, and he secretly groaned inwardly, "I didn't want to fall into this trap!"

He originally had no intention of explaining the intricacies of the situation.

But when he looked up and saw his uncle's face gradually darkening, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and confess honestly:

"Uncle, royal business... involves many people."

"For example, if you pick ten ginseng roots, you report five; if you pick fifty-year-old ginseng, you report thirty-year-old; besides, there is loss during drying... In short, there are many deductions and layers of deductions."

He listed six or seven "opportunities" in one breath, which made Tong Guowei shake his head.

Good heavens, these people from the Imperial Household Department are really stealing from the Emperor's bowl!
No wonder Emperor Qianxi, surrounded by mountains of gold and silver, always complained of being poor—he was practically begging for food while holding a golden bowl!
Tong Guowei waved his hand, too lazy to listen anymore: "Alright, the Tong family can partner with you in this business."

“I don’t interfere with the management; I just receive 300,000 taels of silver as dividends every year.”

"I don't care about anything else."

"If it works, great; if not, we'll just pretend it never happened!"

Su Mahu had been worried that he would interfere with the business, but upon hearing how readily he agreed, he almost burst out laughing and quickly bowed:
"Thank you so much, Uncle! I will definitely work hard and never let you down!"

No sooner had Su Mahu left than his grandson Shun'an Yan approached him:

“Grandfather, I suspect that Su Mahu has not told you the whole truth about some things.”

"Given the current market price of wild ginseng, the profit is far more than what he said. He probably didn't even make up the difference!"

Tong Guowei squinted and slowly sipped his tea:

"Do you think I'm senile? Do you think I don't know he set up an ambush?"

"But who in our family has the time to keep an eye on him every day?"

"The Crown Prince's method of bidding has reminded me—professional matters should be left to professionals."

"It's so much more peaceful to just sit back and collect the money after contracting it out!"

"They earn a lot of money through their own abilities, so we're not envious."

He paused here, then suddenly muttered to himself:
"The Crown Prince is truly capable. However... however, he is a bit too old."

Shun'an Yan was taken aback:
This isn't about arranging a marriage for the crown prince, so why are you concerned about people's ages?
After sending his grandson away, Tong Guowei called over his youngest son, Qingfu.

The youngest son was only in his early twenties. Although he was young, he was very clever and quick-witted, which won Tong Guowei's favor.

Tong Guowei looked him up and down and asked:

"How have you been doing as a guard lately?"

Upon hearing this, the suppressed flame within Qingfu suddenly ignited:
He found his job as a third-class bodyguard incredibly boring!
All day long, they either stand there like idiots on guard duty or patrol around in circles.

Hearing his all-knowing father ask this question, he secretly wondered if he wanted to move to a different place for him.

The thought popped into my head, and I immediately started complaining:

"Father, this job is so boring. Could you talk to my cousin the Emperor and ask him to transfer me to a better place?"

Tong Guowei glared at him:
"Keep calm! Being a guard may be tough, but it's the easiest way to make the Emperor remember you."

"If you hone your skills here for a few years, becoming a high-ranking official or minister in the future is not a dream."

He then changed the subject: "The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace is short of a second-class guard leader, and I plan to recommend you for the position."

Qingfu's face turned pale instantly.

Everyone knows that the father has never been optimistic about the crown prince, believing that he is unlikely to inherit the throne, so his relationship with the crown prince has always been lukewarm.

Now that Father is secretly supporting the Eighth Prince, he's trying to push himself into the Eastern Palace...

Could this be a scheme to make me a spy?
This isn't fun!
The crown prince used to have a violent temper and would whip his child at the slightest provocation;

This young master has indeed made great progress!

But they have even more ideas and are ruthless in their methods.

To send me to spy on him? That's practically suicide!
Qingfu quickly waved his hand: "Dad, I'm your own son!"

"You're sending me to keep an eye on the Crown Prince? Isn't that like pushing me into a fire pit?"

He lowered his voice: "The Emperor is about to embark on a distant expedition, and the Crown Prince is overseeing the country. If we become spies at this critical juncture, what if we are discovered..."

Tong Guowei calmly shook his head:

"Who said you were allowed to spy on the Crown Prince?"

"I want you to serve the Crown Prince wholeheartedly, just like Erlengtai who was sent out before."

“From now on, even if I ask you to do something, you don’t have to listen.” Qingfu was stunned, but slowly calmed down. Looking at his father’s serious face, he suddenly understood—

Dad's trying to bet on both sides!

He hesitated before speaking:
"Don't you often say that the Crown Prince is too old and his chances of succeeding to the throne are slim?"

"Why are you still letting me follow him?"

Tong Guowei paced back and forth a couple of times with his hands behind his back, then sighed and said:

"The Crown Prince's abilities are undeniable, everyone can see that. What if... what if one day he really does make it big?"

“I may not be around by then, but you’ll still have to live your lives.”

"The honor of our Tong family must not be lost."

He turned and placed his hand on his son's shoulder:
"Sending you there is like adding an extra layer of insurance for our family."

"Don't worry, even if something happens to the Crown Prince in the future, your family will ensure your safety."

Qingfu didn't reply immediately, but sat down and drank a cup of cold tea to calm his nerves.

Tong Guowei waited quietly.

After a long while, Qingfu finally looked up:

"Then what will you do with the Crown Prince in the future..."

"My attitude toward the Crown Prince remains the same."

Tong Guowei's tone was resolute: "As long as there is even the slightest possibility, I will still support the Eighth Prince."

Qingfu finally understood—

I am like an "accident insurance" my father bought for the whole family after the crown prince ascends the throne.

If it's not needed, everyone's happy;

If we use it, the whole family will have a way out.

It seems that, in my father's opinion, one should never rely on just one side when it comes to the political intrigue of the court.

Dividing the eggs in different baskets is what the old man believes is the secret to ensuring the Tong family's survival.

He took a deep breath:

“Father, then when I go, I will wholeheartedly follow the Crown Prince and do my best to help him ascend the throne.”

Tong Guowei patted him on the shoulder:

"now it's right."

"But how do we explain this to the Emperor?" Qingfu asked the most pressing question.

Tong Guowei smiled slightly:
"I will speak to the Emperor myself."

"Don't worry, I heard you went to help the Crown Prince, I believe he should... be very happy."

Qingfu smiled bitterly:

"I'm afraid I'll disappoint His Majesty in the future."

Tong Guowei didn't reply, but his eyes said it all:
With Dad here, there's nothing to be afraid of.

At this moment, Emperor Qianxi was reviewing the contract details sent by Shen Ye.

The paper was covered with so many entries that it made one's eyes dizzy.

But the more Emperor Qianxi read, the brighter his eyes became, and towards the end he couldn't help but slap the table in admiration:
"Wonderful!"

He was actually fully aware of the corruption within the Imperial Household Department:
He had long heard of these tricks: reporting five out of ten ginseng roots picked, reporting thirty out of fifty-year-old ginseng, and even reporting losses during drying...

However, he had always been kind to those around him.

After all, these people are a matter of life and death for them.

But the Crown Prince's method made him suddenly realize that he might have been too lenient in the past.

If this is done, the people below will make money, and the imperial court will also receive a large sum of contract fees.

It's a win-win situation – it doesn't take away people's jobs and it replenishes the national treasury!

He couldn't help but stroke his chin and think:
If they had thought of this earlier, why would they have had to swallow their pride and beg the Crown Prince for money?
"Your Majesty, it's time for dinner," Liang Jiugong reminded softly.

Emperor Qianxi put down the memorial, then suddenly turned his head and asked with a half-smile:

"Liang Jiugong, don't you think the Imperial Household Department should take this opportunity to thoroughly reorganize itself?"

Liang Jiugong's heart tightened, and he bowed even lower, replying respectfully:
"This servant is devoted to serving Your Majesty. As for the affairs of the Imperial Household Department... this servant has little contact with them and dares not speak presumptuously."

Emperor Qianxi couldn't help but chuckle at his cautious demeanor.

"Alright, alright, I didn't really ask you to make the decision."

"However, this rectification is an opportunity."

"Why don't you pick a business to do? If you don't have time to do it, find someone to partner with. It's not difficult to earn tens of thousands of taels of pocket money a year."

Liang Jiugong knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling:

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your compassion! I will serve you with my life!"

As the two were talking, Wei Zhu quietly walked in, looking hesitant and unsure of what to say.

"Your Majesty, in the latter half of the afternoon... several old nannies who served the Empress Dowager have entered the palace!"

"They cried and complained to the Empress Dowager, saying all sorts of bad things like, 'The Crown Prince's actions are cutting off the livelihood of these old folks in the Imperial Household Department and causing panic in the palace...'"

"The Empress Dowager was furious when she heard this—but not at the Crown Prince, she was furious at these old nannies!"

"The Empress Dowager immediately dismissed them and instructed me to inform you."

The smile on Emperor Qianxi's face instantly froze.

These parasites have already amassed a fortune, and they're still not satisfied!

The Crown Prince only asked them to spit out a small portion of what they had greedily swallowed and confiscate it, and they couldn't stand it?
They even had the audacity to go to the Empress Dowager to complain and spread rumors.

These guys are really... courting death!
　The first update of the day is here! Please support me, everyone, and vote!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)