Chapter 334: Chapter 213: The Presumptuous Seventh Prince_2
Tong Xi listened to Zhao Yao’s words and remained silent for a moment: "Your Highness, you didn’t say it like this before?"
"What do you know, it’s called a precaution."
"A precaution?" Tong Xi didn’t understand and asked with a puzzled look, "Your Highness, I don’t understand what you mean."
Zhao Yao first raised his index finger and said: "First, the fourth brother secretly cultivates his own influence, so that when he comes of age and goes to his fiefdom, he will be fully prepared."
"Oh, I see." Tong Xi asked, "What’s the second reason?"
Zhao Yao raised two fingers and continued: "The second is for precaution. If at that time, the Crown Prince loses to Prince Dai, then the fourth brother must formally strive for that position. By then, once he has a certain strength, he will have the confidence to compete with Prince Dai and the third brother."
Hearing this, Tong Xi finally understood, and with a look of realization, said, "So that’s how it is."
Zhao Yao raised a third finger: "The third reason is for self-preservation. I have no intention of competing for that position, yet I am also secretly building my own influence."
"Seems like it." Tong Xi hadn’t thought of that.
"Regardless of whether one wants to compete for that position, one must have the ability to protect themselves; otherwise, they might get implicated or even be killed directly." Zhao Yao crossed his hands behind his head and spoke nonchalantly, "Being a Prince is a high-risk profession, a careless mistake could cost your life! Without some self-preserving abilities, you wouldn’t even know how you died."
"What Your Highness says is true," Tong Xi said, still not quite understanding the previous question, "Your Highness, why doesn’t the fourth prince fight for the position when the Crown Prince is still here? The third prince and others don’t care about this."
"It’s simple, the fourth brother is not the legitimate son but a son of a concubine."
"But Prince Dai and the third prince are also sons of concubines, and they’ve been fighting for that position." Tong Xi sharply retorted, "Does the fight for that position care about whether one is a legitimate son or a son of a concubine?"
"Others may not care, but the fourth brother does because he has been educated with orthodox Confucian principles, which emphasize the distinction between legitimate and concubine-born children." Zhao Yao said earnestly, "The Li Family is indeed a scholarly family, always following the set of beliefs of Confucianism. They are just like the Kong Family, understand?"
Tong Xi nodded and said: "I understand, but I still can’t comprehend the fourth prince’s thinking."
"Everyone has their own principles, and this is the fourth brother’s principle." Zhao Yao said, "In fact, the Crown Prince is very good, he is gentle, well-read, and most importantly, he has a benevolent heart. If he ultimately triumphs over Prince Dai and secures the position of Crown Prince, the fourth brother will put away his ambitions and behave honestly as a subject and brother, managing his fiefdom well."
"But didn’t you say before that the Crown Prince’s temperament is too gentle, lacking..." Tong Xi recalled, "Yes, lacking his own opinions. And another important reason is that the Crown Prince relies too much on Duke Zhen."
"That’s right, I did say that, so ultimately the Crown Prince will not succeed." Zhao Yao scratched his head and said, "Even if the Crown Prince defeats Prince Dai, in the end, he will still lose to the eighth brother."
"Your Highness, are you so sure the Crown Prince will lose to the eighth prince?" Tong Xi said, "Duke Zhen is a smart man, he hasn’t noticed the eighth prince’s actions yet, but he will eventually find out."
"Duke Zhen is indeed clever and cunning, but he cannot compare to the eighth brother." Zhao Yao pointed to his own head, "The eighth brother is extraordinarily intelligent, and most importantly, he can endure what others cannot. Also, one important reason is that the Crown Prince trusts the eighth brother, and don’t forget that the eighth brother once almost died to save the Crown Prince."
"The most important reason is that the Crown Prince is soft-hearted. Even if he later discovers the eighth brother’s true nature, he will not take the eighth brother’s life. As long as the eighth brother is alive, he can always make a comeback." Zhao Yao continued, "Being gentle and soft-hearted is the Crown Prince’s greatest flaw. If in the future, the Crown Prince really ascends to that position, it wouldn’t be good for Great Zhou and the people."
Tong Xi said: "I understand, benevolence doesn’t command an army."
Zhao Yao chuckled and said: "That’s almost the idea, but a ruler of a country must be even more decisive than a military leader."
"The Crown Prince is a good man." The Crown Prince would never arbitrarily hit or scold these eunuchs and palace maids. He remembered once when he went to see the Crown Prince, accidentally bumping into him. The Crown Prince not only didn’t get angry but also concernedly asked him what happened.