Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 556: Chapter 292: Mr. Meng Wants to Meet the Tenth Prince_4

"Thank you, Mr. Sun."

"Mr. Meng, you are too kind." Sun Kui respectfully asked, "Do you have any other instructions?"

"No, that’s all."

"Then I won’t disturb you any longer, I take my leave."

Sun Kui returned to the palace and relayed Mr. Meng’s words to the Emperor verbatim.

After hearing it, the Emperor laughed and said, "Mr. Meng is indeed Mr. Meng, his perspective is excellent."

Sun Kui thought to himself: Your Majesty, are you praising Mr. Meng, or the Tenth Highness?

"Mr. Meng has a unique insight." The Emperor said proudly, "He recognized the talents of little Ten."

"Mr. Meng mentioned that the Tenth Highness created many things beneficial to the common people and scholars," Sun Kui said, "Your Majesty, you wouldn’t believe the sincerity in Mr. Meng’s expression and tone when he spoke; he truly wants to thank the Tenth Highness."

"Besides everything else, the printing technology, new paper, and the dictionary compiled by Mr. Xiao and others that little Ten came up with are all very useful to scholars." The Emperor said earnestly, "Printing technology and new paper have made books cheaper, allowing many students to afford and read them, and preserving many books for posterity."

"The Tenth Highness is truly remarkable," Sun Kui sincerely lamented.

"Everything little Ten has made over the years has been beneficial to the country and its people, and each can go down in history," said the Emperor, his expression shifting slightly as if he had thought of something. "It’s a pity that many fools in the court don’t see it that way."

"Your Majesty, isn’t it a good thing that those ministers in the court are unaware of the Tenth Highness’s talent?"

"The most disappointing isn’t them, but the Crown Prince." When mentioning the Crown Prince, the Emperor’s face was full of disappointment, "As the Crown Prince, he doesn’t care about the value of little Ten’s creations."

Sun Kui found it hard to respond to this statement.

"Only the fourth son recognizes the value of little Ten’s work." The Emperor was satisfied with his fourth son. Before hearing the Taoist’s prophecy, the Emperor’s satisfactory choice had been Prince Chu. "The Crown Prince is truly beyond salvation."

"Do you think if I hadn’t let the Crown Prince get close to Duke Zhen, he wouldn’t be like this now?" The Crown Prince was the Emperor’s first child. When he was very young, the Emperor was very fond of and valued him. He once had great expectations for the Crown Prince, but unfortunately, the Crown Prince gradually wore away those expectations.

The Emperor felt some regret and self-blame seeing the Crown Prince turn into what he is now.

"Your Majesty, it is not your fault that the Crown Prince has become like this, but rather, because Duke Zhen misled him," Sun Kui comforted the Emperor upon seeing his self-blame, "Your Majesty, if I may speak boldly, even without Duke Zhen, the Crown Prince would still end up this way. Because the Crown Prince is too kind-hearted and too soft-hearted."

"Neither I nor the late Empress have this disposition, nor does Duke Zhen; I can’t tell whom the Crown Prince takes after." Although the late Empress was gentle and kind, she was not as soft-hearted as the Crown Prince. In major matters, the late Empress was very decisive and clear-headed.

"The Crown Prince is actually a good person." He’s just not suitable to be Crown Prince. Sun Kui dared not voice this thought.

"A good person cannot be an Emperor." The Emperor spoke with deep meaning.

"Enough, he is like this already, saying more won’t change anything. Let him make what use of himself he can."

This statement was indeed very cruel.

Upon hearing it, Sun Kui felt a shiver in his heart. Just a moment ago, the Emperor was lamenting not teaching the Crown Prince well enough, but now, he cruelly resolved to make use of the Crown Prince’s remaining value.

In reality, it’s not just the Crown Prince, but also Prince Dai. To the Emperor, they are both pawns. The only one who truly receives the Emperor’s favor is the Tenth Highness.