"Third Brother, Fourth Brother, if you have time to argue, you should read more books instead."
"Have you memorized today's books yet?"
In the study hall, Cheng Qian frowned as he admonished the Third Prince and Fourth Prince equally.
He normally didn't like to meddle in others' affairs, but when he thought of his sister's words, he couldn't ignore it.
The princes had the best teachers - the Grand Preceptor, the Hanlin Academy, the top scorers, the second scorers - they had the finest teachers in the entire country.
If that was the case, and they still couldn't study diligently and learn something, how would the national strength of Jing Country ever catch up to others in the future?
Whoever became the new emperor, as his sister had said, they would ruin the country within a few years!
Thinking about this, Fifth Prince Cheng Qian looked at Third Prince Cheng Qing with a complex gaze, picking up the books that had been thrown on the floor.
He walked over and slammed them down on his desk, "Read!"
His sister had said the new emperor would be the one born to Imperial Concubine Fu Cha.
Cheng Qian clearly remembered his sister saying that the new emperor would be jealous of him for being both literary and martial, so he would have Cheng Qian killed.
So when Cheng Qian saw Third Brother in this idle state, he felt very displeased. "You read the books well and stand up for yourself, then no one will be able to surpass you or bully you and your mother!"
Only the weak would be jealous and intolerant of others!
Cheng Qian thought, and so he despised this Third Brother.
His tone became even more stern, "Stop thinking all kinds of nonsense and just staring at others all the time."
"You need to strengthen yourself."
Cheng Qian said this and returned to his seat huffily.
Even if what his sister said hadn't happened yet, just thinking about it made him angry.
His speech had made the entire study hall completely silent.
Everyone was astonished.
"Fifth Brother, what did you eat today? Have you gone mad?" The Fourth Prince couldn't believe it, "You're even lecturing your own brother!"
Cheng Qian continued reading his book, not even acknowledging him.
He had said what he needed to say.
Sixth Prince Cheng Shan admiringly gave him a thumbs up, "Fifth Brother, you sure are bold."
Cheng Qian glanced at him irritably, "I only talk like this to my brothers."
The Fourth Prince glared, his face reddening with anger.
But the Third Prince Cheng Qing, who had been slapped on the desk with books and scolded by Cheng Qian, had a complex expression.
In the past, he had often looked down on his low-born Fifth Brother, constantly trying to make him his underling.
His mother Concubine Fu Cha had also said that among these brothers, only the eldest born to the Empress would compete with him for the position of Crown Prince. The others were not to be feared, as they were of low birth, but he had to be wary of them if they were good at studying and archery, otherwise they would be too capable for him to control when he inherited the throne.
Cheng Qing had been hearing this from his mother Concubine Fu Cha since he was old enough to understand.
His mother often said it would be best if all these brothers were raised to be useless.
So before, when Fifth Brother's studies were good, his mother Fu Cha had also made him secretly wary of Fifth Brother.
But now...
Third Prince Cheng Qing heard someone say something different from what his mother Concubine Fu Cha had told him for the first time.
Cheng Qing hesitated, then hoarsely spoke up, "Fifth Brother, do you think... I should also study hard? What if I end up better than you?"
Fifth Prince Cheng Qian, almost without hesitation, nodded.
"Yes, of course. If all my brothers and I are strong, that would be the best."
That way, after their father the Emperor passed away, no matter who became the new emperor, they would be extremely powerful.
The emperor himself being strong meant he wouldn't be constantly watching them brothers, watching the Liu Family.
Fifth Prince Cheng Qian's thinking was very clear.
He felt like the fragrance of his sister just now had helped elevate his wisdom.
For the first time, he felt he could see the problem so clearly. "It would be best if we were all as learned and skilled as our father the Emperor, both in literature and martial arts."
Although Xiao Yunzhou loved cultivation and was gentle, it caused many ministers to dare to trample on him.
But Xiao Yunzhou himself was the most outstanding among the previous generation of brothers, so he never really feared his brothers.
After inheriting the throne, he also didn't drive out and kill all his brothers and their families!
Cheng Qian felt he had suddenly found the solution to avoid disaster.
That was to urge these brothers, to make them strengthen themselves!
"Fledglings fighting each other will only harm their own nest and cannot resist the attacks of snakes."
Cheng Qian said this and then closed his mouth, resuming his reading.
Third Prince Cheng Qing was stunned.
Fifth Brother actually thought this way, completely opposite to what his mother Concubine Fu Cha had told him - not to let the other brothers become too capable.
For a moment, his thoughts were in chaos.
"Fifth Brother, then... are you still willing to talk to me now that my mother has been demoted?" Cheng Qing asked, holding his breath.
After his mother was demoted to Concubine Yu, she had been crying all day, throwing tantrums and objects in her palace. And when he came to the study hall, the once underling Fourth Brother yelled at him; the elder brother he had seen as a rival also avoided him... The Second Brother and Sixth Brother still kept their distance from him as well.
Only Fifth Brother Cheng Qian... had just now spoken up to defend him, even slamming the books down in front of him and telling him to read.
Fifth Brother was still willing to interact with him?
Cheng Qing's expression was quite strange. "I wasn't exactly good to you before, and you didn't really talk to me either. Now that my mother has been demoted... you're actually paying attention to me."
"Why?"
In the past, when the Second Brother's mother was punished by the Empress Dowager, his mother had told him to stay away from the Second Brother, so he wouldn't get implicated.
Didn't Concubine Liu teach Fifth Brother these things?
"I'm not talking just to you," Fifth Prince Cheng Qian was a bit impatient. "I say the same thing to all my elder and younger brothers."
Whoever became the new emperor, he would urge them to strive hard!
Cheng Qing was stunned.
Fifth Brother didn't differentiate between them.
These past few days, he had experienced so much cold treatment in the palace, with so many people being obsequious and distant. Only Fifth Brother, instead of becoming worse, had actually improved in his attitude towards him.
Fifth Brother wasn't afraid of being implicated.
"We are princes, if we don't strive, then how can we expect the children of commoners to do so? Only when we stand up will Jing Country be able to stand up!"
And not be ruined.
Fifth Prince Cheng Qian silently added this in his heart.
"Wow, Fifth Brother, you're really eloquent now," The Fourth Prince said in a mocking tone, "Have you grown wings because your mother was made Concubine Liu?"
"Shut up!"
Before the Fourth Prince could finish, Third Prince Cheng Qing suddenly stood up, harshly rebuking the Fourth Prince.
"I am the elder brother, I am talking to Fifth Brother, what right do you as a younger brother have to butt in!"
The Fourth Prince was stunned.
"That's right, shut up Fourth Brother," Sixth Prince Cheng Shan also echoed in agreement.
The Fourth Prince was so angry he was panting.
"Alright, alright, just wait and see!"
Outside the study hall,
The editors of the Hanlin Academy who had come to teach, stood nervously, not daring to make a sound.
Standing with his hands behind his back outside the room was Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, his expression inscrutable.
"Don't tell them I was here," the Emperor turned and left.
But he soon stopped, "Oh, and punish the Fourth Prince by having him copy the 14th chapter of the Analects of Confucius a hundred times."
The 14th chapter of the Analects is about how the elder should love the younger, and the younger should respect the elder.
The Hanlin Academy editor's gaze flickered.
The Emperor must think the Fourth Prince's behavior was despicable, lacking both the fraternal love of an elder brother towards the younger, and the respectful deference of a younger brother towards the elder.
The Fourth Prince was likely no longer a contender for the position of Crown Prince.
The Hanlin Academy editor quickly composed himself and entered the study hall.
*
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, slowly made his way back to the Chonghua Palace from the garden.
Along the way, Wei Zheng smiled cheerfully, "Your Majesty, it seems Fifth Prince really reveres you, and even hopes his brothers will all be as capable as you."
The inscrutable expression on Xiao Yunzhou's face finally broke into a smile.
He pointed a finger at Wei Zheng, "You're the one who knows how to talk."
He was extremely pleased, first being shaken by Fifth Prince Cheng Qian's remarks about strengthening Jing Country through diligent study, then being delighted by Fifth Prince's filial piety and admiration for him as the father Emperor.
Now he truly felt at ease in both body and mind.
"I really do have good vision."
Fifth Prince was now the top candidate for the position of Crown Prince!
"Wei Zheng, the basic renovations of the Qianqing Palace have been completed. Now you must go and hide my imperial edict on the selection of the crown prince beneath the placard. Post guards to watch over it day and night, and allow no one to approach and read it privately!"
Wei Zheng was startled.
The Fifth Prince and Concubine Liu's family were about to soar up to the heavens!
"This servant will go at once!" he replied.
*
[Congratulations, host. Your legitimate elder brother has obtained the position of crown prince.]
Xiao Chuchuan stared in shock at the system's live broadcast of Xiao Yunzhou returning to rest in the Chonghua Palace.
Soon, Concubine Liu returned from the Empress Dowager's palace, preparing to continue her work on improving sericulture techniques, when she heard her daughter's thoughts.
[My brother has actually become the crown prince.]
[As long as he doesn't make any mistakes, then I will become the Empress Dowager right away!]
Concubine Liu nearly stumbled at the doorway of the bedchamber.
What?
