Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1009 - 90: Prince Han’s Ambition (Part 3)

Yang Ling remained oblivious to these developments; this was his initial exposure to such information.

"Is there really such a thing?"

"Sir, it was our tenth brother who first suggested to our father that we should export the Great Zhou's tea, porcelain, silk, and various other products to foreign nations," Prince Chu explained with a grin. "Through the years, the revenue from trading tea, porcelain, and silk alone has brought substantial wealth to the court. The Minister of Revenue has come to view our tenth brother as the God of Wealth."

Yang Ling appeared astonished, "I never imagined it was Prince Han's proposal."

"Our tenth brother once shared with me that lifting the maritime ban would generate immense profits for the Great Zhou, and events have confirmed his insight." When it came to the maritime ban's lifting, Prince Chu conceded he lacked Zhao Yao's vision. "Our tenth brother pointed out that Swamp Prefecture holds a prime location; situated by the sea and near realms like Annan, transforming it into the Great Zhou's inaugural trade hub would flood our country with boundless riches. During the mere days of the trade conference, Swamp Prefecture amassed more funds than the entire national treasury's yearly taxes."

"This doesn't indicate Prince Han lacks selfish intentions."

"To you and the rest, our tenth brother might appear to harbor hidden agendas, but from my perspective, he simply desires prosperity for Lingnan's inhabitants and seeks to draw riches from abroad for the Great Zhou."

Yang Ling found Prince Chu's statements overly simplistic, staring at him in astonishment.

Noticing Yang Ling's doubtful look, Prince Chu laughed lightly, "Sir, do you doubt that our tenth brother possesses a genuine concern for the nation and its citizens?"

Yang Ling stayed silent.

"Sir, you must be aware that prior to his journey to Lingnan, our tenth brother invented numerous beneficial items that served the country and its people."

Yang Ling answered, "I am aware of that."

"If our tenth brother harbored intentions to vie for the throne, he could have leveraged those inventions to gather support, yet he refrained entirely," Prince Chu went on, "Sir, you should realize that our tenth brother enjoys immense popularity among the common folk."

"I know."

"Have you observed our tenth brother exploiting the people's affection for his own advantage?"

This query rendered Yang Ling mute, as he acknowledged that Prince Han truly hadn't capitalized on public favor for personal gain.

"Sir, our tenth brother's mother's clan consists of renowned merchants in Yangzhou. Though their fortune may not rival the realm's, the Liang family's assets are considerable. Have you witnessed our tenth brother employing the Liang family's riches to corrupt officials?"

"Last year, our tenth brother invented glass. Beyond presenting it to our father and a few elder brothers, he offered it to no ministers," Prince Chu pressed on, "You should be aware that numerous officials approached our tenth brother discreetly to purchase glass as a sign of favor, but he feigned ignorance."

"If our tenth brother actually aimed for the throne, he could have employed glass to cultivate alliances. But have you seen any such efforts?"

"Beyond glass, consider the soap from a few years back. Once our tenth brother produced it, he promptly handed it over to our father. With throne ambitions, he might have used soap to influence many officials, but he chose not to."

"There's also the new salt. Upon reaching Swamp Prefecture last year, he developed it right away. If he schemed for the throne, he wouldn't have yielded the formula to the court. He provided it to steady salt prices, ensuring quality salt for all."

"He developed fertilizer to enrich the soil, yielding bountiful crops for the people. He produced paper and advanced printing methods, allowing scholars to access affordable books."

As Prince Chu elaborated, a sense of pride surfaced on his face: "All these achievements by our tenth brother were selfless, entirely dedicated to the welfare of the people. Sir, can you still claim our tenth brother lacks a true heart for the country and its subjects?"

Prince Chu's arguments left Yang Ling at a loss for words.

"Sir, you and the ministers presume that every action by us princes carries ulterior motives, aimed solely at seizing the throne rather than genuine care for the people, isn't that so?"

Yang Ling: "Your Highness, as a prince, it's inevitable to nurture ambitions for the throne."

"Our tenth brother lacks such ambitions; all his efforts serve the people, not his self-interest." Prince Chu harbored no resentment toward Yang Ling's view of Zhao Yao; his goal was to convince Yang Ling that Zhao Yao genuinely held no aspirations for the throne. "Our tenth brother once declared that as a prince, one must contribute to the people—that's a prince's duty. I share that conviction. At first, I held no throne ambitions myself; I focused on governing Liangzhou effectively, guaranteeing the residents there ample food and clothing."

Yang Ling recalled that during Prince Chu's tenure in Liangzhou, he truly showed no desire for the throne, a fact that had caused him regret for a considerable period.

"Sir, you once trusted that I lacked throne aspirations—why can't you extend that faith to our tenth brother now?" Prince Chu's later pursuit of the throne stemmed from the deposed Crown Prince's actions, which filled him with profound disillusionment; he believed entrusting the Great Zhou to the deposed Crown Prince would fail to uplift the populace. "You were fully cognizant of our tenth brother's prior contributions, so why dismiss them like the other ministers?"

Prince Chu's pointed questions filled Yang Ling with shame. He rose and offered a deep bow to Prince Chu.

"Your Highness, I was mistaken." He truly understood Prince Han's array of beneficial deeds for the ordinary folk, yet he had overlooked them. "I assessed a noble soul through the lens of a base character."

"Sir, our tenth brother has always been upright since childhood."

"Your Highness is correct," Yang Ling admitted, his shame deepening, "I wrongly misinterpreted Prince Han." He vowed inwardly to never again doubt Prince Han's potential interest in the throne.

"Your Highness, figures like Prince Dai and Prince Jing, along with court officials, won't accept that Prince Han harbors no throne ambitions."

"Their views hold no weight."

"Your Highness, with Prince Han's trade conference generating such vast revenues, do you believe those individuals will remain passive?" Yang Ling cautioned Prince Chu, "Last year, the glass innovation by Prince Han already unsettled Prince Dai and Prince Jing. The trade conference surpassed glass in earnings and secured alliances with foreign powers; Prince Dai and his allies won't stay idle."

Upon hearing this, Prince Chu's expression hardened, and he declared, "I am aware of their upcoming schemes, and I will thwart them." He was determined to shield his tenth brother from harm and prevent any meddling in his own affairs.