Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Pei Yuan smiled slightly, a shrewd and calculating look flashing in his eyes.

"How could I possibly plead for such a treacherous person? However, if Your Majesty were to act now, it would be a disservice to you. They are waving the banner of upholding the foundation of the nation. If Your Majesty were to forcibly dismiss the Grand Secretary and expel the great Confucian scholars, the scholars of the land would surely be outraged."

"By then, the emperor would be branded a tyrant, while they would be praised as loyal ministers who died for their principles. How could the emperor possibly engage in such a losing proposition?"

Zhu Jianji calmed down a bit, sat back down on the kang (a heated brick bed), and asked with a frown.

"Then, in your opinion, how should we handle this? Are we just going to stand by and watch them force us to abdicate?"

Pei Yuan stepped forward, picked up the teapot, and personally poured the emperor a cup of hot tea.

"Your Majesty. The way Yu the Great controlled the floods was by dredging, not blocking. Since all the officials and ministers are hoping that Your Majesty will establish a crown prince, why not go with the flow and grant their wish?"

"Going with the flow?"

Zhu Jianji was taken aback.

Pei Yuan's lips curled into a mocking smile, his voice soft yet carrying a ruthless edge that could kill without drawing blood.

"The eldest prince is exceptionally intelligent, and it is only natural that he be made crown prince. Your Majesty should simply issue the decree to formally appoint him. Aren't they demanding that the crown prince leave the palace to teach and invite renowned scholars to serve as his tutors?"

Pei Yuan gently tapped his chest with the folding fan in his hand.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? This humble subject now holds the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jianji's pupils contracted sharply, and he then burst into uncontrollable maniacal laughter.

"Hahaha! Brilliant!"

Zhu Jianji pointed at Pei Yuan, laughing so hard that tears were almost streaming down his face.

How could he have forgotten about that!

Pei Yuan had already been granted the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince for his meritorious service in overseeing the construction of the navy.

This is a legitimate choice for the position of Grand Tutor, the highest-ranking official in the Eastern Palace!

Those civil officials went to great lengths to educate the crown prince into a wooden puppet who only knew benevolence and morality, so that he could be manipulated by them.

If the crown prince were entrusted to Pei Yuan, a great and loyal minister, for education...

Zhu Jianji felt a hundred times more pleased than if he had won a gold mine in Southeast Asia, just thinking about the expressions on Li Xian and the others' faces when they learned of this!

"My dear subject, your mind truly surpasses that of a million soldiers!"

Zhu Jianji exclaimed with delight.

Pei Yuan bowed deeply, a humble yet sly smile on his face.

"Your Majesty, I am but a common man and cannot teach you the Four Books and Five Classics or profound meanings. But I can teach you how to read account books, how to build warships, and how to use cannons to teach unruly foreign tribes to behave."

"The Ming Dynasty cannot be preserved by simply chanting scriptures. The Crown Prince must know where this money came from and where to stab him."

"What a convenient way to stab someone when they find out where the money comes from!"

Zhu Jianji immediately devised a plan.

"As you say, my dear minister! I'll be waiting to see these old pedantic scholars put on their show at the morning court session next month. After they've finished, I'll personally present them with a grand gift!"

Time flies, winter goes and spring comes.

In the early spring of the seventh year of the Chenghua reign, the ice and snow melted, and the capital city welcomed a rare warm sun.

Outside Fengtian Gate, the atmosphere at the morning court session was unusually heavy today.

Among the civil officials, Grand Secretary Li Xian stood solemnly, holding his official tablet, resembling a clay or wooden sculpture.

Behind him stood dozens of officials from the Six Ministries and censors from the Censorate, all with resolute gazes and an air of fearlessness in the face of death.

For the past two weeks, they have been secretly colluding and creating a great deal of momentum.

Today is the crucial moment for them to reveal their true colors and "set things right" for the Ming Dynasty.

Pei Yuan was still dressed in a bright red python robe, with a jade belt around his waist, sitting imposingly on the brocade stool bestowed by the emperor.

His eyes were slightly closed, as if he were dozing off, completely unaware of the fierce, menacing gazes around him.

With a long shout from the Master of Ceremonies of the Court of State Ceremonies, Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianji, ascended the throne.

"My beloved ministers, what do you have to report today?"

Zhu Jianji suppressed his excitement and asked in a dignified manner.

The voice just fell.

Li Xian strode out of the queue, knelt down on the cold gold bricks with a thud, and raised the memorial in his hand.

The sound was mournful and echoed throughout the hall.

"Your humble servant Li Xian, at the risk of his life, submits this memorial! His Majesty has been on the throne for over a year, and the realm is at peace. However, the eldest son is growing older, and the heir apparent remains undecided. The hearts of the people are like a tree without roots, filled with constant anxiety!"

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you follow the will of Heaven and establish the eldest son as the Crown Prince, so as to solidify the foundation of the nation and bring peace to the hearts of the people!"

"We, your humble servants, second that request! We earnestly implore Your Majesty to establish a firm foundation for the nation as soon as possible!"

In a flash, more than half of the civil officials knelt down in the main hall.

That perfectly synchronized formation clearly indicated a premeditated coup attempt.

Although Minister of War Bai Gui had accepted Pei Yuan's money, he had no choice but to kneel down in the face of the great cause of establishing an heir.

Zhu Jianji sat on the dragon throne, looking at the group of menacing ministers, and sneered inwardly.

In the past, he would have felt that the imperial power had been challenged and would have been furious.

But today, he only felt sorry for and ridiculous about this group of people.

"Grand Secretary Li, my beloved ministers. You are all pillars of the nation, always thinking of the Ming Dynasty. I am very pleased."

Zhu Jianji's voice was not angry at all; on the contrary, it was surprisingly gentle.

Li Xian and the others kneeling on the ground were all stunned.

Why is Your Majesty being so agreeable today?

Could it be that the Empress Dowager's pressure worked?

"The eldest prince is intelligent, and I have long desired to establish him as my heir. Since all the officials share this view, let us choose an auspicious day to hold the investiture ceremony and formally establish him as the Crown Prince!"

Zhu Jianji waved his hand and readily agreed.

The civil officials were overjoyed and kowtowed and shouted in unison.

"Your Majesty is wise! Long live the Emperor!"

Suppressing his elation, Li Xianqiang pressed his advantage and offered another suggestion.

"Your Majesty! Now that the Crown Prince has been established, he should be allowed to leave the palace as soon as possible to study and learn the ways of the sages, so that he can become a wise ruler. This old minister recommends the former Minister of Rites, Wang Hua. The old minister is learned and highly respected, and is worthy of being the Crown Prince's tutor."

"We humbly request His Majesty to grant the Elder Prince permission to enter the palace and instruct the Crown Prince!"

This is their real killer move.

Placing Wang Hua next to the Crown Prince was tantamount to driving a spies of the Qingliu faction into the future center of imperial power.

Zhu Jianji stroked his chin, nodded slightly, and made a thoughtful gesture.

"What Grand Secretary Li said is absolutely right. The Crown Prince is young and certainly needs a good teacher to guide him. Elder Wang Hua's learning is naturally excellent, and he would be suitable to lecture on the Four Books and Five Classics."

Li Xian felt a great weight lifted from his heart and was about to express his gratitude.

But then Zhu Jianji abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly rising.

"but!"

Zhu Jianji stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire room.

"The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, destined to rule the vast empire of the Ming Dynasty! If he merely remains confined to the palace, studying books without understanding the hardships of the people, the abundance or scarcity of the national treasury, or the strength or weakness of military force..."

"How will we govern the country in the future? How will we subdue the surrounding barbarians?"

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat, and an extremely ominous premonition surged up.

"Your Majesty... what do you mean?"

Zhu Jianji reached out and pointed directly at Pei Yuan, who was sitting on a brocade stool, slowly fanning himself with a folding fan.

"I have made my decision! The Crown Prince shall begin his studies outside the palace, in two parts. In the Wenhua Hall, Wang Hua shall teach the classics, history, philosophy, and literature, cultivating his character and temperament."

"And these practical matters, military affairs, and financial matters will be personally instructed by Pei Yuan, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince and Right Commander-in-Chief!"

Quiet.

A deathly silence fell over the main hall of Fengtian Gate.

All the civil officials, including Li Xian who was kneeling on the ground, were as if they had been struck by lightning.

His eyes were practically bulging out, and his face was filled with disbelief.

Let Pei Yuan teach the Crown Prince?!

To appoint the biggest corrupt official in the world, the most unruly and treacherous minister, the living devil with blood on his hands, as the teacher of the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty?!

This is absolutely ridiculous!