The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 269 The Emperor's Scheme Leads to Prince Su's Fall
After leaving the retired emperor, Tu Chengyu did not leave the palace. Instead, he turned around and ran to the imperial study to request an audience with the emperor.

The emperor was quite surprised to hear that Tu Chengyu had come to see him again, but he still let him in immediately.

After entering, the emperor asked, "Why have you come here again?"

Tu Chengyu chuckled and said, "Father, I have another request to make of you."

"What's the matter?"

"Your subject wishes to request a few minor official positions."

"What do you need an official position for? Who are you asking for it for?"

"It's like this," Tu Chengyu explained, "Your Majesty, I lack people who can write and do arithmetic. I wanted to select some from the students of the Imperial Academy, but I was afraid that they would not want to go. That's why I wanted to ask Your Majesty to give them a few official positions as a reward."

After listening to Tu Chengyu, the emperor put down what he was holding and thought about it seriously for a long time.

Then he looked up and asked, "How many students do you plan to take with you, and how many official positions do you want?"

Tu Chengyu had already thought this through, so he said without hesitation:

"Father, I want to take one or two hundred people with me. I only need four or five officials, those of the seventh rank will do."

Tu Chengyu thought that asking for so many official positions at once was an outrageous demand, but he didn't expect the emperor to say:

"Four or five is too few; I'm afraid they won't want to go with you."

"Ah!" Tu Chengyu thought he had misheard, and pretended to be busy confirming: "Father, how many do you think are appropriate?"

"Twenty, please!" The emperor said, flipping through the list several times: "Two vacancies for sixth-rank officials, five for junior sixth-rank officials, and the rest are all seventh-rank officials."

"So many!" Tu Chengyu exclaimed in surprise. Not only had the number of people increased, but their ranks had also risen by two levels.

"What? You think I've given you too much?" the emperor said with a half-smile. "If you think it's too much, I'll give you a few less."

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu quickly said:
"Not much, not much, Father gave just the right amount. Hehehe!"

The emperor ignored Tu Chengyu's silly grin and spoke again:
"I have given you so many official positions in the hope that you will perform your duties well and select useful talents from among the students of the Imperial Academy. If you take my official positions but do not perform your duties properly, or if you practice nepotism and use my official positions to benefit your people, I will take them back if I find out. Do you understand?"

"Your Majesty, I have heard you," Tu Chengyu quickly assured him, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely bestow official positions upon capable scholars and will never show favoritism."

The emperor nodded in satisfaction and said:

"That's a good idea of ​​yours, but you can't mistreat the people around you. If you have any useful people around you, tell me about them, and I'll grant them official positions."

The emperor has truly considered everything for Tu Chengyu, taking care of him in every aspect.

Upon hearing this, Tu Chengyu was so happy he almost jumped for joy. He quickly said:

"Your son is very grateful for your grace, Father. You are truly the best father in history."

"Alright, enough with the flattery. I'm very busy and don't have time to listen to your nonsense. You can leave now."

The emperor issued an order to expel him, so Tu Chengyu quickly slipped away, intending to take advantage of the early hour to go to the Imperial Academy to recruit people.

As soon as Tu Chengyu left, the emperor summoned Xia Shouzhong.

"Immediately send someone to the Imperial Academy and tell those people you have selected to work under Xiao Wu. Tell them to do their jobs well, and once they have done well, I will grant them official positions through Xiao Wu."

It turns out that the reason the emperor granted Tu Chengyu so many official positions was not only for Tu Chengyu's benefit, but also to pave the way for his people.

Upon hearing this, Xia Shouzhong asked, "Your Majesty, should we arrange for them all to go?" The emperor replied, "Those who can pass the imperial examination should not go; let them focus on their studies. The rest should be arranged to go."

"This servant obeys the order," Xia Shouzhong said, then asked, "Once the arrangements are made, should this servant arrange for someone to secretly help them?"

The emperor shook his head and said, "The people I want to use are those with real talent and ability. Let them compete under Xiao Wu based on their own abilities. If they succeed, they will be useful; if they fail, they will be useless even if I bring them here."

"My slave understands."

After hearing what the emperor said, Xia Shouzhong fully understood the emperor's meaning, asked no more questions, and turned to go out to carry out his duties.

After Xia Shouzhong left, the emperor looked at the empty imperial study and muttered to himself:
"You think that by controlling the Ministry of Personnel you can stop me from appointing people? You probably don't expect that my fifth son has found another way for me."

Tu Chengyu never imagined that his unintentional act would eventually involve so many things.

At this moment, he was in the Imperial Academy, excitedly relaying the emperor's orders to the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

After hearing Tu Chengyu recount the whole story, even the Imperial Academy Chancellor, Lord Yang, was moved.

Twenty official positions, including those of the sixth rank—what an attraction this was for the students of the Imperial Academy!

It should be noted that among the thousands of students at the Imperial Academy, only a very few were able to become officials through the imperial examinations.

Most of them were hoping to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) and then, through the connections they made at the Imperial Academy, wait to become a candidate official in a remote prefecture.

Or they might obtain an official position through connections with elders in their family.

There weren't many of these two official positions in total, and not every student at the Imperial Academy could obtain one.

So, when Yang Jijiu heard that there were twenty official positions available all at once, how could he not be excited?

Even if these official positions are unlikely to be promoted in the future, and even if you want to get these positions, you have to deal with disaster victims.

Yang Jijiu still believes that many students will be interested.

So, as soon as Tu Chengyu finished speaking, he immediately said:
"Your Highness, please wait a moment. I will inform them immediately."

Without waiting for Tu Chengyu to speak, she turned and ran out.

Tu Chengyu watched as the chubby Yang Jijiu disappeared in a few steps with a speed that was not his own, leaving him dumbfounded.

Tu Chengyu waited for a short while, about fifteen minutes, and then he heard voices coming from the courtyard outside.

He turned his head and looked out the window, and saw that many students had already gathered in the courtyard, and more students were still coming in.

Tu Chengyu thought to himself that it seemed his recruitment conditions this time were quite attractive.

As time went on, more and more students came.

Gradually, the courtyard outside filled with students, and some newcomers had to stand outside the courtyard.

Tu Chengyu stood up and looked out the window. There were already at least one or two hundred students in the room.

It seems the recruitment work is quite challenging.

Just as Tu Chengyu was thinking about how to choose people, Yang Jijiu finally returned, panting heavily.

The emperor said, "

(End of this chapter)