Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 603: Chapter 305: The Biggest Difference Between Prince Chu and Zhao Yao_3

He Lianfang saw Zhao Yao’s lackluster expression and curiously asked, "Aren’t you a money-grubber? Why aren’t you interested in Southern Wei’s gold and silver jewelry?"

"I am a money-grubber, but I don’t want something as hot as Southern Wei’s gold and silver jewelry." Besides, if the Yuan Family really had the treasures of Southern Wei, they would belong to my eighth brother. He would never snatch them from his brother.

He Lianfang suddenly asked, "By the way, did your second uncle and the others try to seize the Yuan Family’s business?"

"No, I told my second uncle not to compete with other noble families for the Yuan Family’s business." He told his second uncle not to compete not out of kindness but to avoid clashes with those noble families. Those families are red-eyed for the Yuan Family’s business; who knows what they might do if they come head-to-head.

He Lianfang was relieved: "That’s good." He had forgotten to mention this before. "Right now, it’s the time when the nobility is dividing up the meaty piece that is the Yuan Family; there’s no need to compete with them." Besides, even if they compete, they can’t seize much.

Zhao Yao nodded, saying, "I think the same. Besides, my second uncle and the others don’t lack the Yuan Family’s business." His second uncle is currently busy selling things from Lingnan, and they’re so busy they have no time or energy to seize the Yuan Family’s business. "By the way, should we help my fourth brother secretly?"

"Don’t you trust your fourth brother to reclaim the lands of Shu?"

Zhao Yao admitted, "A little, after all, my fourth brother has no experience in leading troops in battle; this is his first time leading troops, and it’s in Shu."

He Lianfang chuckled, "Do you underestimate Zhang Gong?"

"Ah, no, I didn’t." When did he ever underestimate General Zhang?

"With him there, your fourth brother won’t fail to reclaim Shu," He Lianfang said with amusement, "Otherwise, why do you think your father sent Zhang Gong to assist your fourth brother?"

Zhao Yao smiled awkwardly, "I was just worried and overlooked General Zhang."

"Your father is feeding your fourth brother with military achievements."

"As expected, the one my father favors is my fourth brother," Zhao Yao said, smiling proudly, "I guessed long ago that in my father’s heart, the favored choice was my fourth brother."

He Lianfang watched Zhao Yao chuckle foolishly, thinking this kid really is a fool.

"Just because of this, you believe your father favors Prince Chu?"

"Yes, otherwise, why would my father feed my fourth brother with military achievements?" Zhao Yao said cheerfully, "Besides, my fourth brother’s territory is Liangzhou..." Then, he listed out reason after reason to He Lianfang, proving that the emperor favored Prince Chu.

He Lianfang listened to his reasoning, almost believing him. Of course, what the emperor did could easily lead one to misunderstand that he favored Prince Chu. However, this was also the emperor’s scheme.

"You seem to really hope your fourth brother ascends to that position?"

"Of course, if my fourth brother becomes emperor, he would be a good one." Zhao Yao then went on to tell He Lianfang about Prince Chu’s virtues.

After hearing Zhao Yao out about Prince Chu, He Lianfang sighed internally: If Zhao Yao were as naive and foolish as he appeared, then Prince Chu was indeed the most suitable choice. Unfortunately, Zhao Yao isn’t as he appears.

Prince Chu is indeed outstanding and excellent, but compared to Zhao Yao, he falls short. Not only in intelligence but also in cunning and methods.

If Prince Chu could see one step ahead, then Zhao Yao could see ten steps ahead. Though it’s only five steps, each of those steps is worlds apart.

Prince Chu’s cunning and methods are deeper than those of the Crown Prince and Prince Dai, even outshining many others, but compared to Zhao Yao, it’s like a small witch confronted with a great one.

Besides these two aspects, Prince Chu is also inferior to Zhao Yao in one very crucial aspect. That is, Prince Chu is deeply influenced by the Li Family and has been nurtured in Confucian virtues since childhood. Although he doesn’t regard Confucianism as the be-all and end-all like the Crown Prince, his ideas and actions are still constrained by it. Zhao Yao, however, is not bound in this way; he sees Confucianism as a tool and is not influenced by its doctrines at all.

Prince Chu wouldn’t dare defy Confucianism too much, but Zhao Yao dares. Like the emperor, Zhao Yao doesn’t care about the rules and rituals established by Confucianism; they do what they believe is right. If what they believe is right contradicts Confucian values, they would push Confucianism aside not to interfere. But, if it were Prince Chu, he wouldn’t dare be so "lawless."

He Lianfang smiled with a hint of ambiguity, "Whether your fourth brother will end up on that throne is still uncertain."

"True, the struggle for succession is full of uncertainties," Zhao Yao said, sighing heavily, "But I hope it’s my fourth brother." The eighth brother indeed treats him well, but the eighth brother’s temperament... doesn’t suit that position.

He Lianfang glanced at Zhao Yao, a hint of a wry smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Second Uncle, don’t you think highly of my fourth brother?"

He Lianfang said, "Whether I think highly of your fourth brother doesn’t matter. Besides, why should I think highly of him?"

Zhao Yao was stumped and couldn’t find a rebuttal for a moment.

"Who knows what father will find out about sixth brother’s death after sending people to investigate?"

"It’s impossible to find evidence pointing to the Southern Wei people, so the final conclusion will only be rebels." The emperor surely knows it was done by Southern Wei people, but now is not the time to implicate them. Besides, all evidence points to the rebels, with no trace left of the Southern Wei people.

Zhao Yao really wanted to ask: Does father really know about the Southern Wei people’s plot against the sixth brother?