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

Chapter 525 has some pitfalls that you can't simply avoid.

Emperor Qianxi was in the middle of a conversation when he was most annoyed by someone interrupting him!

Liang Jiugong knew about his temper, and so did Wei Zhu.

Therefore, unless it was something extremely serious, these two people would absolutely not dare to approach Emperor Qianxi when he was discussing serious matters.

If they manage to gather enough, then something big is definitely going to happen.

"What is it?" Emperor Qianxi was very displeased, but he suppressed his anger and glanced coldly at Wei Zhu.

"Your Majesty, it's Granny Feng...!"

"She brought along several old friends who had left the palace with her years ago, and insisted on going to the palace to see the Empress Dowager, saying that she wanted to plead for Feng Heshun and the others."

"This servant had someone stop them outside the palace gates, preventing them from going to Cining Palace."

"I have come specifically to seek Your Majesty's instructions. How should this matter be handled?"

"Granny Feng?" Emperor Qianxi felt nothing upon hearing this.

That was an old palace maid who served the Empress Dowager; she wasn't close to him at all.

But Feng Heshun was different; he was the one who instigated the trouble at the Imperial Household Department this time!
Moreover, they've become incredibly audacious!
Originally, out of respect for the Empress Dowager, Emperor Qianxi was willing to turn a blind eye and pretend to be confused.

But didn't the Crown Prince say that?

They're not just greedy for money; they're clearly treating him, the emperor, like a fool!
They're using Emperor Qianxi's imperial power and intelligence as a rag!

How can this be tolerated?!

Besides, what he needs most right now is money!

Those old men in the Imperial Household Department are still not satisfied even though the Crown Prince has given them a way out!
Do they really think the Imperial Household Department is their own private domain?
Did they treat Emperor Qianxi like a puppet made of clay?
Those who can't distinguish between primary and secondary matters, and can't figure out who's the boss or the subordinate, deserve to die!
Emperor Qianxi pondered for a moment, then coldly snorted:

"Have the people from the Shenxing Division 'invite' these old ladies to find a quiet courtyard near Shufangzhai for them to stay in for now."

"Old ladies should stay away from such lively events as ransacking homes and beheadings, lest they be frightened."

Having said that, his gaze sharpened like a knife, and he abruptly turned to Longkodo:

"Longkodo, the Crown Prince's order has just been issued, and your troops haven't even been mobilized yet. How did Feng Heshun's family get wind of it and know that their property is going to be confiscated?"

Upon hearing this, Longkodo's heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

Oh, my Emperor!

He knew that the emperor was not only questioning him, but also suspecting him as well!
If the emperor suspects him of his position, he could be dismissed at best, or even lose his head at worst!
In such a critical situation, you can't afford to utter a single wrong word!
"Your Majesty, this servant...this servant truly does not know!"

Longkodo knelt down with a thud, his attitude incredibly sincere:
"As soon as I received the order from the three princes to mobilize troops, I immediately told the messenger to stay put and rushed off to personally muster the troops."

"Taking advantage of this break, this servant will hurry to the palace to see you!"

"I was so anxious that I really didn't pay attention to other things!"

Longkodo said a lot, but the core meaning was just one thing: Your Majesty, I am absolutely loyal to you!

As for who leaked the information, this servant truly has no idea!

But think about it, how could such a large-scale mobilization of troops by several princes be kept secret?
Who knows... maybe one of the princes "accidentally" let it slip?
Your Majesty, you should really think about it and decide which of your eldest sons is more suspicious.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi found it reasonable, his expression softened slightly, and he even smiled.
"Alright, I understand. This is none of your business. Go about your business."

Longkodo had just breathed a sigh of relief when Emperor Qianxi suddenly seemed to remember something and slowly said:
"By the way, Longkodo, that Su Mahu... seems to be on the list of properties to be confiscated as well?"

"Should I issue you an imperial decree to... ask the Crown Prince to show leniency?"

The mention of Sumahu made Longkodo even more nervous.

Here we go again? Another test!
Longkodo was well aware of the Emperor's opportunistic probing and testing.

Who told him to hold the military power of the Infantry Commander's Office?

If he so desires, he can summon 30,000 to 40,000 troops with a single command.

Although there were guards and warrior battalions in the palace, he was still the controller of the largest armed force in the capital.

To put it bluntly, if he really joined forces with the Crown Prince, the Emperor would probably have to find a place to "retire in peace" much earlier.

The emperor was testing him, not because he didn't trust him, but purely out of the emperor's instinct.

"Your Majesty!" Longkodo stood up straight, his expression one of righteous indignation.

"Although I am related to Su Mahu, I am first and foremost His Majesty's subject!"

"If Su Mahu, this scoundrel who lives off His Majesty's favors but doesn't know how to serve the court, isn't severely punished, he'll surely cause even bigger trouble in the future!"

"This servant believes that this matter must be dealt with severely to serve as a warning to others!"

At this point, his eyes darted around, and his tone softened, becoming more "human":
"However... he is, after all, my relative. If I really do nothing about it, I won't feel right about it."

"Once the case is over, if we can find a way to save the lives of his entire family, then I will have done right by my deceased uncle."

Emperor Qianxi felt very pleased after hearing Longkodo's statement.

See how thoughtful that answer is!

It showed loyalty without appearing cold-hearted, and still retained some familial affection.

In Emperor Qianxi's view, those who disregard family ties and only care about upholding righteousness are rather inhuman.

The best ministers are like Longkodo, who are impartial in official matters and considerate in personal relationships.

"Yes, I understand. You may go." Emperor Qianxi waved his hand.

Longkodo, as if granted a pardon, obediently withdrew from the Qianqing Palace.

It wasn't until I stepped out of the palace gates that I felt a chill run down my spine—it was covered in cold sweat from the fright I had just broken out in.

The Emperor seems more suspicious than last year…

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Longkodo shuddered.

He wasn't very well-read, but plays often say that the older an emperor gets, the more suspicious he becomes, and the tighter he holds onto power.

Isn't the current Qianxi Emperor in this situation?
From then on... the Emperor's suspicions will likely grow stronger, and I'll have to be even more careful.

Another person we need to be extra careful about is probably the one living in the Prince of Qingqiu's mansion...

Longkodo quickly shook his head, banishing the dangerous thought from his mind. In the palace, such thoughts were absolutely forbidden!

The most important thing now is to do a good job of the task assigned by the Crown Prince.

We'll talk about the rest later.

As for the life or death of Suma's cousin, Longkodo didn't care at all.

Anyway, if the Tong family really has to step in to bail him out, that's something his father, Tong Guowei, should worry about.

Unbeknownst to Longkodo, the person Su Mahu had called for help had already stumbled and crawled into Tong Guowei's residence.

Su Ma dared not run around recklessly.

The princes will arrive in no time; if he runs away, his crime will be compounded.

He sent his nephew, Su Machong.

Su Machong finished recounting the story with tears streaming down his face, kowtowing repeatedly and begging Tong Guowei to save his life.

Upon hearing this, Tong Guowei's face turned ashen, as if covered in frost.

He comforted Sumachong with kind words and then had him taken away to "rest".

Only he and his son Qingfu remained in the house.

Tong Guowei sighed, a hint of indescribable emotion in his voice:

"Did you see that? The Crown Prince's move was ruthless and precise; he even used someone else to do his dirty work!"

"The most ingenious thing is that he uses others to do his dirty work in a perfectly legitimate way, leaving you with no grounds for complaint."

"Those princes knew perfectly well that the Crown Prince was sending them to confiscate property to make them scapegoats, but who dared to say 'no'?"

"This is serving the imperial court and relieving the emperor's burdens! Anyone who refuses is showing dissent to the court and the emperor!"

Tong Guowei shook his head, his tone becoming even more complicated:

"In this world, there are some pitfalls that you know are pitfalls, but you still have to close your eyes and jump in. Trying to avoid them? No way!"

"Now you know why your father insisted that you serve the Crown Prince, right?"

"Well, given His Majesty's health, the Crown Prince has the least chance of succeeding to the throne."

"But looking at his current skills... it's not impossible. Of course, the possibility is still a bit small."

Qingfu listened respectfully with his hands at his sides: "Since you say so, your son will follow your arrangements."

"However... if my son really follows the Crown Prince in the future, he might have to be a bit ruthless towards you, Father."

"When the time comes, please don't blame your son, Father."

Upon hearing this, Tong Guowei was not angry at all. Instead, he patted his son on the shoulder and said with satisfaction:

"Good! That's exactly what I wanted to hear! If you're going to serve the Crown Prince, you have to show him absolute loyalty!"

"Remember this from now on: you are the Crown Prince's retainer, and your eyes should only be on the Crown Prince!"

"Just think of the Crown Prince when you do things, don't worry about this old man."

"Only in this way can you gain the Crown Prince's trust. Otherwise, it will all be a waste of effort!"

Qingfu nodded solemnly, then lowered his voice and asked:

"Father, are we really going to just abandon Su Mahu and his family?"

“They’re all relatives. They’ve come to our door asking for help. It wouldn’t be right to ignore them completely.”

Tong Guowei stroked his beard and said calmly:
“For the sake of his dead father, I will beg the Emperor to spare his life.”

"Find a village in Tongzhou so that his family can have food to eat and won't starve."

He paused and changed the subject:
"By the way, go back and rummage through our poor relatives in the Imperial Household Department, see who's the smartest, and get them ready to 'take over' the contract."

"With Su Mahu gone, the ginseng business can't be left idle. We need to find someone to take over so our family's income can't be cut off."

Qingfu was stunned. He didn't expect that at this critical moment, his father would still be thinking about making money!

He readily agreed verbally, but inwardly he was already thinking:
Could it be... that Father already disliked Su Ma Hu, and is now using the Crown Prince to kick him out of the game?

Then, they'll support an even more obedient relative to take the fall.
If that's really the case... Dad's actions are a bit ruthless.

However, at this moment, Qingfu had no time to sympathize with Su Mahu.

His mind raced:

Within the Imperial Household Department, which poor relative was closer to him and easier to control?

If you get your hands on such a lucrative job, you'll always have to squeeze some money out of yourself.

Otherwise, wouldn't we be letting down our father's "kind intentions"?
Su Mahu never expected that the raiders would arrive so quickly!

When the soldiers from the Infantry Commander's Office surrounded his house, his legs went weak, and he barely managed to come out to greet them.

The Eighth Prince looked at Su Mahu kneeling on the ground, his feelings complicated.

This guy is a relative of Tong Guowei, and the Crown Prince insisted on putting him in charge, which clearly presents a difficult problem.

If he doesn't handle this well, the Crown Prince will definitely hold him accountable later.

Despite his reluctance, the Eighth Prince kept a straight face and recited the script:
"Su Mahu, according to the Crown Prince's decree: During your tenure in the Imperial Household Department, you deceived your superiors and subordinates, disgraced the Emperor's grace, and your crimes are heinous!"

"All the male members of your family are hereby imprisoned and await interrogation."

"The female relatives shall remain in the outer courtyard of the mansion for the time being and shall not move around at will."

"Someone, prepare a side courtyard so that Protector Su can settle her family there."

Hearing this arrangement, which at least left some room for maneuver, Su Mahu breathed a sigh of relief.

But that bit of resentment still welled up inside, and he couldn't help but mutter under his breath:

"Eighth Master...this servant...this servant was just following the crowd...why are you singled out and won't let this servant go?"

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(End of this chapter)