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

Chapter 536 Emperor Qianxi: Wanting Too Much, So Always Afraid of Losing

This highly publicized lawsuit ultimately ended in a happy ending for everyone:

Ma Qi's mistake was unintentional; the Crown Prince was concerned about the long-term contracting of the Imperial Household Department. Everyone became a loyal subject wholeheartedly serving the court...

It seems that this fierce complaint has been turned into a good thing.

Ma Qi didn't lose a single piece of flesh, but when he walked out of the Qianqing Palace, his heart was filled with a heavy feeling!
His own family was clearly sabotaged by the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince turned around and accused him of "negligence"!

He spoke with such sincerity: "Lord Ma, I still believe in you!"

But what about him?

He became the one who secretly complained to Emperor Qianxi!
No matter how he looked at it, he felt like a clown, a villain who often appeared in plays!
And what about the crown prince?

The Crown Prince was insightful and discerning, and he immediately saw his own problem.

But the crown prince was magnanimous and believed in himself, thinking that it was just an unintentional mistake.

What's even more infuriating is that the Crown Prince then conveniently accepted the gold mining deal worth 500,000 taels of silver...

Ma Qi felt increasingly frustrated. Seeing that he had already reached the palace gate, he paused, gritted his teeth, and turned back to the Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Qianxi was reading memorials when he saw Ma Qi turn back, and said indifferently:
“Ma Qi, it’s all in the past now, so don’t dwell on it.”

"Just focus on doing your job well."

"You have been my subject for so many years, I know exactly what kind of person you are."

Emperor Qianxi's words sound heartwarming, but they don't hold up to close scrutiny.

Ma Qi had served the emperor for many years; how could he not know the emperor's temperament?
He knew that this person was inherently suspicious.

The more he says "I trust you," the more likely he is already thinking about how to protect himself from you!

Ma Qi felt helpless, but still forced a grateful smile and said:
"Your Majesty's trust is my greatest reliance."

"Without Your Majesty, I would not be where I am today!"

Emperor Qianxi listened with pleasure, waved his hand and laughed, "Alright, it's the New Year, let's not talk about these things, let's talk about something happy."

"I heard that your third son is doing well in his studies, and you are planning to have him take the imperial examination this time."

Ma Qi quickly said, "My son is a bit arrogant and ignorant."

“He doesn’t take my usual teachings to heart. I’m letting him participate in this imperial examination so that he can learn from his mistakes and broaden his horizons.”

At this point, Ma Qi glanced again at the imperial bow hanging in the corner of the study, and suddenly said seriously:

"Your Majesty, I have come here today with another matter to ask of you."

"Oh? Speak then," Emperor Qianxi said with a smile.
"If you want to grant the third prince an official title, then there is no need to ask. I have already decided to grant him one."

"It is my own business."

Ma Qi knelt down with a thud:

"His Majesty's personal expedition to Arabtan this time requires a senior minister to be stationed in the rear to coordinate the supply of provisions."

"Your humble servant is unworthy, but is willing to serve Your Majesty and share your burdens."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi's expression gradually darkened.

Under his arrangement, Ma Qi's task was always very clear: to stay in the capital and take charge of the Ministry of Revenue, thereby securing the Ministry of Revenue as his core position.

Keep a close eye on the lifeline of money and food supplies.

Now that Ma Qi suddenly wants to join him on the expedition, wouldn't that disrupt his plans?

His expression unconsciously became serious:
“Ma Qi, it is important to mobilize grain and fodder, but many ministers can do this kind of job.”

"But as the Minister of Revenue, your greatest role is to oversee the Ministry of Revenue, thereby ensuring a continuous supply of provisions and funds to the army. The Ministry of Revenue is the foundation!"

"Can't you even distinguish between what's important and what's urgent?"

Ma Qi can easily tell the difference!
He lowered his head, his words carrying a hidden meaning:

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's talent surpasses mine tenfold. With the Crown Prince in charge in the capital, it makes no difference whether the Ministry of Revenue has Ma Qi or not."

"Your Majesty's expedition is a matter of great importance, and I feel that by your side, I may be able to do my part."

How could the Qianxi Emperor not understand?

The Crown Prince is far too powerful; I am no match for him. Therefore, I should stay away and follow you.

How can that work!
Ma Qi was a key piece he kept in the capital to maintain a balance of power with the crown prince.

He then said calmly, "The Crown Prince is in charge of the country and has many affairs to attend to, so he cannot take care of the Ministry of Revenue."

"You will still be in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. If there are any problems that you cannot solve, you can discuss them with Tong Guowei, or you can write a memorial to me directly."

The Qianxi Emperor softened his tone and added meaningfully:
“Ma Qi, with a veteran like you in charge, I can feel at ease when I am away from home.”

Emperor Qianxi's last words were like a reassuring pill, allowing Ma Qi to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

Emperor Qianxi still needed to restrain the Crown Prince himself, so that he would not completely fall out of favor.

He quickly kowtowed: "Your Majesty values ​​me so highly, I would gladly sacrifice myself for you!"

"Your subject will do his utmost to live up to Your Majesty's grace."

"However... I dare to suggest that before Your Majesty leaves the capital, could you arrange for a few princes who will not be accompanying Your Majesty on the expedition to serve in the Southern Study?"

"In this way, all matters, large and small, of the court can be discussed together, and there will be no biased or arbitrary decisions."

By appointing the Crown Prince to oversee the state and several other princes to serve in the Southern Study, the vast court would become more interconnected. This would not only prevent the Crown Prince from becoming too powerful, but also prevent him from colluding with Tong Guowei to seize power and control everything.

What a brilliant move in separating powers and checking each other!
Although he did not believe that Tong Guowei would betray him, as the emperor, Emperor Qianxi was very clear about one thing: he could not place his trust in one person.

Ma Qi's suggestion was ill-intentioned!
He feared the Crown Prince would hold him accountable, so he appointed several princes to the Southern Study, where they would share power.

Whatever their reasons, most of them did not want the crown prince to ascend the throne.

As long as their father is in power, they will all be princes.

He still has a chance to ascend to the throne!

However, once the crown prince ascends the throne, they will become members of a collateral branch of the imperial family. Even if they manage to eventually become a prince, it will not be as good as serving under their father.

Emperor Qianxi paced back and forth a few steps, but did not immediately give Ma Qi a reply.

As emperor, he needed to delay certain matters.

"Ma Qi, I am very pleased that you are so devoted to the court."

"I will consider this matter further. You may now take your leave."

Finally, as if to reassure him, Emperor Qianxi instructed the eunuch:
"Liang Jiugong, give Ma Qi half a jin of the Da Hong Pao tea that was recently sent from Fujian. He loves to drink this."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Ma Qi bowed gratefully and withdrew respectfully.

Although the tea offered as tribute was of high quality, the emperor's "remembering" was the most precious thing.

As long as the Holy Heart remains, nothing is a problem, and there is still a chance for things to turn around.

After Ma Qi left, Emperor Qianxi began to consider Ma Qi's proposal.

He didn't need to take all his sons with him when he led the troops.

The eldest prince was actually a good candidate to stay in the capital, but I had already promised the crown prince that he would continue to be confined after the New Year.

Although the military pay is now sufficient, a ruler's word is law, and he cannot go back on his word.

As for the third prince, this son who is both a scholar and a warrior, he is quite good at leading troops into battle.

But now, he feels that the third brother should stay!

The third prince also wants the throne. It is unlikely that he will join forces with the crown prince. It would be more appropriate to have him serve in the Southern Study while I am away from the capital and help me keep an eye on the crown prince.

As for the fourth son, should he stay or take him with him?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I became, and an inexplicable sense of irritability welled up inside me.

It seemed as if something was quietly slipping out of his control.

This feeling is awful, yet I can't shake it off!

Shen Ye was unaware that Ma Qi had returned midway. Back at the Prince of Qingqiu's residence, he didn't take the matter of tricking Ma Qi too seriously.

However, he felt that the job of mining gold was not bad.

If managed well, earning over a million taels of silver a year is more than enough.

Emperor Qianxi gave himself a sweet treat, but didn't punish Ma Qi, which fully demonstrates that his father still hoped someone would restrain him when he was gone.

Maqi was an important pawn for his father, so he couldn't bear to get rid of him!

"Your Highness, when Nian Gengyao came to deliver food to the Empress just now, he brought a message saying that Tong Guowei punished Shun An Yan with family discipline because of Shun An Yan's slip of the tongue."

"Shun'an Yan was given fifty strokes of the cane, so badly that he couldn't get out of bed."

Shen Ye laughed as soon as he heard that!

This isn't disciplining a grandson; it's clearly a show for me, and even more so, a show for the Emperor.
Draw a clear line to prevent Shun'an Yan from having any deep connection with the Crown Prince's residence.

Thinking about the intricacies involved, Shen Ye smiled and said, "Zhou Bao, take the medicinal herbs and go visit Shun An Yan. After all, he's now considered one of our household members."

"Since they've been beaten, it's only natural to visit them."

Zhou Bao couldn't help but purse his lips when he heard Shen Ye's arrangement, thinking to himself that Shun An Yan might not admit that he was a member of the Crown Prince's household.

But how could he disagree with the Crown Prince's order? He immediately replied respectfully, "Then I will do it right away."

"By the way, tell Tong Guowei that I will definitely help him to the end with disciplining his grandson."

Compared to Emperor Qianxi's expedition, Ma Qi's complaint was like a small ripple that quickly disappeared without a trace.

As the contractors quickly transported the silver into the Imperial Household Department, the vast imperial court began to operate rapidly in preparation for Emperor Qianxi's expedition after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

The nobles and soldiers who had already received orders to go to war had no time to celebrate the New Year. They were all busy repairing their armor and making the greatest possible preparations to ensure their survival in this campaign.

Meanwhile, the court's key officials focused their attention on the arrangements made for the court after Emperor Qianxi's departure.

With Emperor Qianxi personally leading the expedition, the vast imperial court will usher in a new era.

The prince supervises the country!

The Grand Secretary shall remain in command!
Another Grand Secretary led a group of court officials to accompany Emperor Qianxi on his expedition. Under the Grand Secretary's leadership, these officials were also able to quickly establish a new court!
Who will accompany the emperor, and who will remain in Beijing?
This all relates to the future direction of the imperial court!

All of this will be decided at the grand court assembly on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

In the past, this grand court assembly was just a formality, since the court basically didn't handle any important matters outside of the first month of the lunar calendar.

But this year is different; after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the emperor will personally lead an expedition.

A storm is brewing, and undercurrents are surging.

And the Lantern Festival will arrive in the blink of an eye.

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(End of this chapter)