Chapter 500 is fine like this...

As Prince An entered the imperial bedchamber, he saw the emperor, dressed in a bright yellow sleeping robe, sitting upright on the edge of the bed, his expression solemn as if he were attending court. Prince An paused slightly, then lifted his robe and knelt before the emperor, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

The Emperor hummed in acknowledgment, but did not allow him to rise. He stared sharply at him, "I have decided to place you under the Empress's name. What do you think?"

"Your subject obeys the decree." Prince An was prepared for this and naturally showed no surprise.

The emperor nodded in satisfaction, but his stern expression remained unchanged. "Just now, I told your uncle that if he broke off his relationship with Jiang Yu, I would give him the throne. Guess what his reply was?"

Prince An clenched his fist, his head bowed so that no one could see the expression in his eyes. He replied, "Your subject does not know."

"I'll let you guess!"

Prince An clenched his fist again, then looked up and said, "My uncle has been engrossed in research since childhood and has no interest in politics. He should... refuse Father's request."

The emperor stared at him sharply for a moment, then his expression softened. "I won't talk about your relationship with him. Just remember what I said today."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember this." The Emperor looked tired, but he still forced himself to sit there and continued, "I don't care whether you resent me or not. The great empire has been entrusted to you, and you must protect it well."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Prince An's hand trembled slightly, but his face remained serious and composed. The emperor nodded in satisfaction and said, "Go and call your uncle and Jiang Yu in."

"Yes." Prince An got up and walked out. After leaving the bedroom, he let out a long sigh of relief, but quickly regained his composure.

Approaching Jiang Yu and Prince Rui, the emperor's words were relayed, and the three entered the bedchamber together. The emperor remained seated on the edge of the bed. Jiang Yu respectfully knelt and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"Hmm, get up." The emperor looked increasingly tired, and then said to Jiang Yu, "Jiang Aiqing, I called you in to hear your evaluation of me. Tell me the truth."

Jiang Yu stood up, lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "The Book of Documents records that Emperor Shun 'inquired of the Four Mountains and opened the Four Gates to reach the Four Wise Men.' Wise rulers of the past all took it as an important task to actively seek advice. Your Majesty today does not seek praise but seeks heartfelt words. An emperor is willing to set aside his dignity to seek the truth. This action is worthy of the title of 'wise ruler.'"

"Hehe..." The emperor couldn't help but laugh, and Prince Rui, standing to the side, couldn't help but raise the corners of his lips as well. The flattery was perfectly timed.

"Go on," the emperor said, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Yes." Jiang Yu cupped his hands again and said, "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have been working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, without a single day of slackness in more than a decade. Under your rule, the people live in peace, the court is stable, there is no war on the border, and Lingnan has returned to royal rule under your guidance. Your achievements are evident to all the officials and people."

The emperor's face held an air of arrogance; Jiang Yu's words were quite apt. He then said, "Go on."

"Yes." Jiang Yu pursed his lips, then cupped his hands and said, "However... no one is perfect. Your Majesty, you are a wise ruler as an emperor, but as a father, you have many shortcomings."

The emperor's expression gradually turned serious, but Jiang Yu did not stop and continued, "A father has the responsibility to raise and educate his children. He must teach them propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame, how to set their mind on things, and how to conduct themselves. He must ensure that his children have good intentions, great love, wisdom, and a broad mind, so that they can stand proudly between heaven and earth."

"Your Majesty, as a father, you provide your children with fine clothes and sumptuous food, yet you offer no guidance. You raise your princes like poisonous insects, letting them fight and struggle, ultimately choosing the victor. But are you sure an emperor chosen in this way will be wise?"

"Cough cough cough..." The emperor coughed violently, and Prince Rui immediately went over to pat his back and gestured for Jiang Yu to stop talking. But the emperor said, "Minister Jiang, please continue."

“Yes.” Jiang Yu glanced at the solemn Prince An and continued, “I believe that people are born different. His Highness Prince Rui has always been fond of research, while His Highness Prince An is meticulous and decisive, making him a worthy leader. I have been good at unraveling complexities and reasoning since childhood.”

Different personalities naturally lead to different ideals. Large families have many children, each with their own unique traits. Why not guide them to pursue their own interests instead of having everyone fixated on the position of heir?

The Emperor, supported by Prince Rui, stood up, walked to Jiang Yu, stared at her, and asked, "Then how shall we choose the crown prince?"

Jiang Yu cupped his hands and said, “People say that you can see a person’s character at the age of three. When princes begin their education at the age of four or five, you can observe their character and identify their strengths. If they are as studious as His Highness Prince Rui, then let them cultivate their skills and take charge of the relevant positions in the Heavenly Crafts Department. There is no need to force them to compete for the throne. Only those who are truly willing to inherit the throne will be considered.”

"Hmm." The Emperor nodded. "Continue."

“Yes.” Jiang Yu continued, “The princes who wish to inherit the throne should not be determined by fighting. They should be sent to local areas to handle affairs, such as disaster relief, river repair, and people’s livelihood, and to participate in court discussions.”

The princes' actions were used to assess their benevolence, decisiveness, and magnanimity. Finally, the prince whose character and abilities were deemed suitable for shouldering the responsibilities of the throne was chosen as the crown prince. Only a crown prince selected in this way could understand how to govern the country, care for the people, and live up to the expectations of the nation.

The emperor looked deep in thought, then turned and sat back on the bed, muttering, "I was wrong."

The old man, aged and forlorn, moved Jiang Yu to tears. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have something else to say."

The emperor seemed to have been completely drained of life, his eyes somewhat glazed. But he still said, "Speak."

Jiang Yu: "A person has many identities: a father, a husband, and a son. Your Majesty also bears the great responsibility of a monarch. Among these many identities, you should prioritize the monarch. As a monarch, you have protected the people's peaceful life and the stability of the court and the borders. You have also used swift and decisive means to eliminate the rebels in Lingnan. This achievement should be recorded for all time."

As for other matters, no one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. But in the hearts of the people and your ministers, your achievements as emperor far outweigh those shortcomings.

Jiang Yu respectfully cupped his hands again and said, "Your Majesty is still a wise ruler."

The emperor smiled with relief, pointed at Jiang Yu with his finger, but looked at Prince An and said, "Duke of Chu, Jiang Yu, is worthy of being an important minister."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey." Prince An immediately replied respectfully.

The emperor nodded and said, "I hereby appoint you as the crown prince."

Prince An was taken aback, then immediately knelt down: "Your subject obeys the decree."

"Rise." The emperor then looked at Jiang Yu, "Duke of Chu, Jiang Yu, receive my decree."

Jiang Yu immediately knelt down, and then heard the emperor say: "I hereby appoint Duke of Chu, Jiang Yu, as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, to instruct the Crown Prince in character, governance, and the well-being of the people. The Crown Prince will also bear this responsibility after he ascends the throne."

Jiang Yu was taken aback, then quickly kowtowed: "Your subject obeys the decree, Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's command!"

"Get up," the emperor said again. "Besides being the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, you may also hold other positions."

He turned and took out a roll of plain silk, his aged hand gently stroking it inch by inch with reluctance. Afterwards, he handed the silk to Prince An and said, word by word, "This is the grand plan for a prosperous era entrusted to me by the King of Chu. I do not have time to implement it, so I entrust it to you. I have only this one expectation for you—to complete the grand prosperity era."

Prince An, his hands trembling, accepted the plain silk, knelt down, and solemnly kowtowed, saying, "Your subject obeys the decree."

"I am tired. Yan-ge'er, you two may leave." The emperor could no longer support himself and was helped to lie down by Prince Rui.

Jiang Yu and Prince An left the bedchamber. After a moment of silence, Prince An bowed to Jiang Yu and said, "Grand Tutor."

Jiang Yu also cupped her hands in greeting, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

After they learned their new identities, Jiang Yu took her leave first. Prince An watched his retreating figure, a bitter smile curving his lips. Perhaps his father had also sensed his feelings for her, which was why he had appointed her as the Crown Prince's tutor.

That's fine too.

Stepping out of the palace gates, Jiang Yu felt much lighter. Looking back at the high palace walls, she murmured, "This is for the best."