Novel Full Chapter 916 - 44: Cat and Mouse (Part 2)
Chapter 916: Chapter 44: Cat and Mouse (Part 2)
"Then I’ll get ahead of the Fourth tomorrow and express my support for the new policy to Father." He absolutely couldn’t let the Fourth get ahead of him. He had to be in front of the Fourth.
Marquis Xuanping waved his hand and said, "Your Highness, you cannot express your support for the Emperor’s new policy."
Prince Dai, upon hearing this, asked in shock and confusion, "Uncle, you just said that this is the best opportunity to show myself in front of Father, why can’t I express support?"
"Your Highness, you’ve forgotten that the ministers supporting you mostly come from noble or powerful families. Once you express support for the Emperor’s new policy, you will offend the noble families and powers. How will they continue to support you in the future?" Marquis Xuanping said with a solemn face, "Your Highness, the Emperor can offend and even disregard the nobility and powerful families, but you cannot. So you shouldn’t support the Emperor like Prince Chu."
Prince Dai frowned and asked, "Then what should I do?"
"Your Highness, you should do nothing and say nothing."
Prince Dai asked, "Uncle, if the Fourth, the Seventh, and the Eighth all support Father, what should I do then?"
"Prince Wei would likely support as well, but not Prince Jing. The Duke Zhen Country Mansion behind him won’t let him agree."
"The Seventh might, in order to gain Father’s favor, disregard the survival of the Duke Zhen Country Mansion and stand out to support Father." Prince Dai thought of Prince Jing’s usual ways of pleasing the Emperor and gritted his teeth, "The Seventh has always been good at pleasing Father."
"If Prince Jing also supports the Emperor, Your Highness, you will have no choice but to agree." If only Prince Chu supported it, it wouldn’t be a problem for Prince Dai not to support it. But if even Prince Jing agreed, then Prince Dai couldn’t disagree. "With Prince Jing’s character, if he supports the new policy, at tomorrow’s court session, he’ll definitely speak before Prince Chu. Once he speaks, Your Highness, you immediately follow, also getting ahead of Prince Chu."
Prince Dai nodded, "Alright."
"Alas... I’m worried that this will stir up a bloody storm." Marquis Xuanping thought of the Emperor’s harsh measures and felt increasingly uneasy.
Meanwhile, at the Prince Chu Mansion, ministers were also discussing the Emperor’s implementation of the three new policies with Prince Chu. Unlike the situation at the Prince Dai Mansion, most ministers supporting Prince Chu were in favor of the Emperor implementing the new policies.
These ministers were mostly civil officials, with few from aristocratic and powerful backgrounds. They understood that the three new policies the Emperor was implementing were beneficial to the country and its people.
The noble and powerful only cared about their own interests, indifferent to the lives of the common people or the nation’s stability, which is why they fiercely opposed it. Whereas, civil officials from families of scholars cared about the people’s welfare and the country’s stability, so they supported the three new policies.
Prince Chu didn’t need persuasion from the ministers; he would support the three new policies regardless. The biggest difference between Prince Chu and Prince Dai was that Prince Chu cared about the country and its people, while Prince Dai only cared about his power and interests.
The majority of ministers supporting Prince Chu were people who had the nation in their hearts. They supported Prince Chu because he was one of them.
After sending off the ministers, Prince Chu returned to his study. Yang Ling was already waiting for him there.
"Your Highness, let me guess, the ministers came to ask you to support the Emperor’s new policy, right?"
Prince Chu nodded slightly, "That’s right."
"Your Highness, do you plan to support the Emperor at tomorrow’s court session?"
Prince Chu nodded again, "That’s right."
Yang Ling was not surprised to hear this from Prince Chu.
"Your Highness, I fear this new policy might lead to major turmoil." Yang Ling said with a worried look, "The noble and powerful will not easily give up."
"Are you worried that Father will eventually compromise with the noble and powerful?"
Yang Ling nodded lightly, "The noble and powerful, united, have considerable influence."
"You underestimate Father," Prince Chu smiled slightly, "Father will never bow to the noble and powerful. Only they will bow to him."
"Your Highness, this new policy directly affects the interests of the noble and powerful. Do you think they will easily bow to the Emperor?"
"Sir, regarding the implementation of the new policy, Father will not allow anyone to obstruct it. If the noble and powerful are determined to oppose, there will only be one outcome for them."
Yang Ling asked, "What outcome?"
Prince Chu’s eyes showed a hint of killing intent, and he said coldly, "Rivers of blood!"
Hearing this from Prince Chu, Yang Ling then recalled the Emperor’s iron-fisted methods, and his previous worries dissipated instantly.
"I forgot about the Emperor’s tactics."
"Usually, as long as the noble and powerful don’t touch the Father’s bottom line, Father turns a blind eye to them. But this time, the new policy is a major affair beneficial to the nation and its people, and Father will not allow them to interfere." Prince Chu said expressionlessly, "If they unite to resist, only Father’s harsher punishment awaits them."