Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 766: Chapter 373: Prince Wei Returns to the Capital to Participate in the Succession Struggle_2

"Alright, I understand." He knew that his eighth brother wouldn’t let him help with anything. "Eighth brother, if you go back and fight for the throne, won’t you have to compete with the fourth brother?"

Prince Wei purposely asked, "Yes, when I return, I’ll be competing with the fourth brother for the position of Crown Prince. Do you want me to win, or do you want the fourth brother to win?"

This question stumped Zhao Yao for a moment. He didn’t answer immediately.

Prince Wei didn’t rush Zhao Yao to answer but waited quietly for him.

After thinking for a while, Zhao Yao said frustratedly, "I hope both you and the fourth brother can win, but there is only one position for Crown Prince, and only one of you can secure it."

"That’s right. So, who do you hope can secure the position of Crown Prince, me or the fourth brother?"

"Eighth brother, both the palm and the back of the hand are flesh. I can’t answer that question," Zhao Yao admitted frankly, "But I hope either you or the fourth brother becomes the Crown Prince. That way, I can act as I please under your influence."

What Zhao Yao said in the last sentence wasn’t wrong. Whether it’s Prince Chu or Prince Wei, as long as one of them becomes the emperor, Zhao Yao’s life would be very comfortable.

Prince Wei chuckled, "You sure know how to make plans."

Zhao Yao retorted, "Don’t I?"

"Yes, yes, yes, and then you can rely on others to act arrogant."

"Of course, I’ll..." Zhao Yao stopped midway, realizing he’d been insulted, and immediately glared at Prince Wei, "Eighth brother, you called me a dog."

"Aren’t you a dog?"

Zhao Yao huffed angrily, "Eighth brother, you’re my brother. If I’m a dog, then you’re a dog too." After saying this, he barked twice at Prince Wei, full of anger.

Prince Wei was amused by Zhao Yao and laughed heartily, "Hahahahaha..."

"Eighth brother, have you laughed enough?" What’s so funny about this?

"I’ve laughed enough." Prince Wei laughed so much his stomach hurt a bit.

"Eighth brother, will it be dangerous for you to fight for the throne when you return? Won’t the eldest brother’s people hate you since you used to work by his side?"

"The eldest brother won’t hate me." Prince Wei planned to seize the throne under the guise of avenging Zhao Xuan and against Prince Chu, so Zhao Xuan would only be grateful to him, not resent him. "If I am in danger, will you help me or the fourth brother?"

Zhao Yao answered without any hesitation, "If the fourth brother is the reason you’re in danger, then I’ll definitely help you. I’ll plead with the fourth brother to show you mercy."

"What if the fourth brother is in danger?"

"If you’re the reason the fourth brother is in danger, then I’ll definitely help him and plead with you to show mercy to the fourth brother."

Prince Wei thought to himself, indeed.

"You really are fair and just."

"Eighth brother, you and the fourth brother are both my brothers, so of course, I don’t want anything to happen to either of you." Zhao Yao was about to ask Prince Wei, "When the time comes, will you spare the fourth brother?" But he didn’t voice it in the end. "If it’s Prince Dai who harms you, then I’ll definitely kill Prince Dai."

Prince Wei noticed Zhao Yao’s fierce expression when he said the last sentence and was momentarily stunned before he laughed, "Neither I nor the fourth brother are so incapable as to be bullied by Prince Dai."

Zhao Yao nodded in agreement, "That’s true." Prince Dai is no match for either the eighth brother or the fourth brother. When the eighth brother returns to the capital, on the surface, it will appear as a struggle among the four princes, but in reality, it’s a showdown between the fourth brother and the eighth brother.

"Alright, let’s continue playing chess." Prince Wei didn’t want to discuss these matters much with Zhao Yao; he didn’t want Zhao Yao to worry about them.

"Eighth brother, just wait for me to defeat you completely."

"You have some nerve."

The brothers fought fiercely over the chessboard, showing no mercy, completely absent of their earlier brotherly affection.

After playing chess for a while, Zhao Yao and Prince Wei went to rest. Since Prince Wei was leaving the next day, Zhao Yao shamelessly insisted on sleeping with him that night.

In summer, Zhao Yao loved sleeping next to Prince Wei the most because Prince Wei’s body was cool, making it very comfortable to sleep while hugging him.

Prince Wei had just lain down when Zhao Yao hugged him.

Zhao Yao, like a little furnace, didn’t bother Prince Wei, who let him be.

"Eighth brother, remember to eat on time after you go back, sleep early, take nutritional supplements..." Zhao Yao rambled about many things to Prince Wei.

Prince Wei listened, not only not annoyed but also very happy.

"Tenth brother, you said before you wanted to stay in Yangzhou until after you’re grown up, right?"

"Yeah, but Father wouldn’t allow it."

"I’ll help you," Prince Wei thought it was safer for Zhao Yao to stay in Yangzhou for now.

Zhao Yao’s eyes lit up and he asked, "Really?"

"I’ll try," Prince Wei hoped that by the time Zhao Yao returned to the capital as an adult, he himself would already be Crown Prince, so he could help his tenth brother secure a good fief. Zhao Yao liked Yangzhou, so why not let Yangzhou be his fiefdom?

Zhao Yao beamed with joy, "Eighth brother, you’re the best."

"While you’re in Yangzhou, you mustn’t just indulge in pleasure; you need to study." Prince Wei said, "Baoying Academy in Yangzhou is quite good, famous throughout Jiangnan. You can go there to study."

Zhao Yao pouted and said, "Eighth brother, can’t you avoid saying such discouraging things?"

"I’ve already informed Governor Liang. After I leave, he’ll send you to Baoying Academy to study," Prince Wei said gently, "I’ve also contacted the academy to have the scholars supervise your studies."

Zhao Yao turned his back to Prince Wei, saying, "I’m tired, I want to sleep."

Prince Wei reached out, turned Zhao Yao around, and pinched his nose.

"Study well, or I’ll have someone bring you back to the capital."

Zhao Yao looked at Prince Wei with a resentful gaze and grumbled, "Eighth brother, you’re so ruthless."

"Study well."

Zhao Yao puffed his cheeks and replied, "Got it."

"Sleep."

Zhao Yao turned around again, moving away from Prince Wei.

Seeing Zhao Yao’s angry look, Prince Wei’s eyes were filled with helplessness and affection. After Zhao Yao fell asleep, Prince Wei pulled him back into his arms.

The next day, amidst Zhao Yao’s reluctance, Prince Wei boarded the boat and left Yangzhou.

Zhao Yao stood on the dock, seeing off Prince Wei.

Governor Liang noticed his beloved grandson’s serious expression and asked with concern, "Yao Yao, what’s wrong?"

Zhao Yao replied gravely, "Once the eighth brother returns to the capital, he and the fourth brother will be at each other’s throats."

Governor Liang said, "It’s an unavoidable matter."

"I hope the eighth brother took to heart what I said last night." He couldn’t interfere in the matters between the fourth brother and the eighth brother, he could only hope they would show some restraint for his sake.

Prince Wei stood on the deck, the wind on the river blowing his robes. He gazed towards the capital with a determined look, the expression of someone resolved to win.

This time returning to the capital, he was no longer the unnoticed, underestimated Prince Wei, but the Prince Wei aiming to seize the position of Crown Prince.

About ten days later, Prince Wei returned to the capital. Upon arrival, he went to Zongzheng Temple to visit Prince Jin.

He spoke for most of the day with Prince Jin at Zongzheng Temple. No one knew what they talked about, but after meeting Prince Jin, he had ministers supporting him in court.

Prince Dai, Prince Jing, and many other ministers still didn’t take Prince Wei seriously, as usual. Only Prince Chu knew that Prince Wei had come back well-prepared. Prince Wei no longer hid his ambitions and decided to participate in the struggle for the throne.