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

Chapter 80 Hurry up and thank your third brother!
The Ninth Prince is the prince with the strongest business talent.

Although he later developed a taste for bullying and monopolizing the market, these traits could not overshadow his exceptional intelligence and keen business acumen.

Therefore, when Shen Ye mentioned this path, he keenly realized that it was a unique business opportunity with huge potential.

Building such a road and charging for it would be an extremely profitable venture.

You could say that once this road was built, you could make money without even lying down.

What's more, it won't be confiscated.

For royalty and nobility, this was priceless.

After all, no one can guarantee that they will never make a mistake in their entire life.

Take these princes for example. During the time their father, Emperor Qianxi, was emperor, they basically didn't have to worry about making a living.

After all, Dad would help consider these kinds of things.

No father would stand by and watch his son go hungry.

But what if one day in the future, when the crown prince ascends the throne?
Or what if, after they go on their journey to the Western Paradise, the children take charge of the household?

It is said that even a great man cannot guarantee a virtuous wife and filial children. If any of his descendants offends the emperor and his family is raided, although he may survive, he will become a fallen member of the imperial family once he loses all his money.

Although they didn't starve, they were still struggling to make ends meet and were very unhappy.

These future ancestors would probably feel uneasy.

And by then, the benefits of this road will become apparent.

It's all about making a living!

"My second brother, the Crown Prince, has really gone to great lengths to help with disaster relief!"

"Now that my second brother, the Crown Prince, has come up with such a brilliant idea, I am truly filled with admiration!"

"Second brother, the ninth and tenth brothers don't have money. It's alright, your younger brother can buy it for them."

"We brothers absolutely cannot let you, the Crown Prince, lose face."

The speaker was the Third Prince, Yunzhi. He quickly stepped forward, his face full of admiration, and he seemed determined to share the Crown Prince's burdens even at the cost of his life.

Shen Ye looked at the Third Prince who had stepped forward, smiled, and remained silent.

That third brother is really shrewd.

Feeling there's money to be made here, they immediately jump in, and with a perfectly respectable air, they swallow the money of the ninth and tenth rank officials.

This guy is just irresistible when he sees a bargain!

However, Shen Ye did not object to the Third Prince's choice.

For him, the discounts didn't matter much, since he wouldn't get much money anyway.

Moreover, the Third Prince's actions also disgusted the Ninth and Tenth Princes.

This is what Shen Ye values ​​most.

You two caused me so much trouble, if I don't teach you a lesson, who will I teach a lesson to!

So he said with a smile, "Since you're so willing, Third Brother, let's do as you say."

"I'll sell you the shares meant for the ninth and tenth sons."

When Yunzhi brought it up, he looked at Shen Ye expectantly.

He knew perfectly well that as long as he acquired these shares, he could make half of his money by selling them immediately.

Moreover, these shares might be worth even more if left untouched.

Now, seeing that the Crown Prince readily agreed, he was even more delighted. He quickly bowed to Shen Ye and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Shen Ye waved his hand and said, "We're all brothers, no need to thank me."

"But Ninth and Tenth Brothers, you two should thank your Third Brother."

"Knowing that you had no money, he helped you buy your share to ease the burden on Father Emperor. This fully demonstrates his love and care for you."

"You must remember the kindness of your third brother."

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were already glaring angrily at the Third Prince, feeling utterly disgusted.

Did we invite you? Do you need to pretend to be a good guy here?

Besides, even if we can't make a name for ourselves, we have our own good mynah birds. Why do you need to pretend to be a big shot here?

Now that Shen Ye had asked the two to thank the Third Prince, they felt even more uncomfortable. The Tenth Prince, Yun'e, turned pale.

Given the Tenth Prince's temperament, he would never be able to say thank you, no matter what.

But now, the problem is right in front of us.

The Crown Prince's words are reasonable and well-founded. If they start making trouble, they will definitely suffer the consequences.

However, he really couldn't accept such gratitude!

Just as he was feeling down, he heard the Eighth Prince say, "Ninth Brother, Tenth Brother, are you two overjoyed?"

"You should thank Third Brother for his kindness."

The Eighth Prince's voice was pleasant, but it carried a hint of warning.

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were smart men; they knew that if they remained stubborn at this point, they would only be asking for trouble.

So the two of them quickly exchanged a glance, and although somewhat reluctant, they still clasped their hands in thanks to the Third Prince and said, "Thank you for your help, Third Brother!"

"We will always remember Third Brother's kindness and never forget it."

The Third Prince paid no attention to the implicit gratitude expressed by the two men.

They were just two young brothers studying in the palace, and their benefits were far less than those brought by money.

He is not afraid!

So he smiled and said, "We're all brothers, we should help each other out."

"Haha, you don't need to be so polite!"

The fourth prince, Yunzhen, was still pondering the disaster relief plan proposed by the crown prince. The more he thought about it, the more ingenious he found it.

Not only will it not cost a penny, but you can also make a fortune.

During his time observing government affairs at the Ministry of Revenue, he gained some understanding of things like prices.

The forty-mile-long stone-paved road, built with the help of disaster victims, even with food provided, would have cost less than a million taels of silver.

About half is enough.

The prince is inside...

No, if the Crown Prince was able to obtain an imperial edict that exempts traitors from punishment, then Father must know about this matter.

Given the Emperor's shrewdness, the two of them might even split some of the money inside.

It seems that I should try to align myself with the Crown Prince from now on.

If there's an opportunity in the future, I'll seize it. If the Crown Prince remains so stable, then I'll be his good brother for life.

Having made up his mind, he smiled and said, "The Crown Prince is wholeheartedly devoted to disaster relief, how can I, your humble servant, lag behind?"

"If any of you brothers are short of money, feel free to come and borrow from me."

Led by the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, the princes who came to eat quickly purchased their own shares and said they would come to deliver the money first thing the next morning.

With the important matters settled, the next step is naturally to maintain brotherly harmony and respect.

Although the Ninth and Tenth Princes were unhappy, under the somewhat stern gaze of the Eighth Prince, they could only persevere to the end.

However, to Shen Ye's dismay, perhaps out of pride, Emperor Qianxi did not appear after their meal.

As soon as the gathering ended, the news about the stone-paved road spread throughout the entire court the next morning.

A road where tolls are used to cover construction costs!

Moreover, it's a stone-paved road from Tongzhou to Chaoyangmen!

Furthermore, the shares in this road will not be revoked unless it is a serious crime of treason.

It can be described as a truly loyal and reliable source of income!

……

As these rumors spread, some nobles who were not short of money began to take action.

They weren't too concerned about how much profit each share would generate; what they cared about was ensuring the shares weren't confiscated.

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(End of this chapter)