May of the early Kaiyuan period.

Nanyang King Liu Xie wrote to the emperor and asked, "When will Your Majesty appoint a crown prince?"

Jin Mao calculated the time and found that his eldest son Jin Lin had been away from home for nearly ten years. According to earlier statements, he had to be recalled to the central government for training.

However, the fourth son Jin Zhe in the northeast did a good job and was very popular among the people. He was more likely to be a wise ruler than the eldest son Jin Lin.

As for the second son, Jin Bing, he has already been assigned to serve in the army. He has no political acumen, but he would be a good military general.

Not to mention the third son, Jin Dou, whose talents are more suitable for scientific research.

However, appointing a crown prince is not just Jin Mao's business, it is also a national matter.

For this reason, Jin Mao specifically brought this matter up for discussion at the grand court meeting.

"The eldest prince Jin Lin has been training outside for ten years and has achieved considerable results. Now Nanyang King Liu Xie has requested to establish a crown prince. What do you think?"

When the ministers heard this, they were filled with awe.

Because they are not supporters of any prince, but loyal supporters of imperial power. They have no vested interests and no one needs to take risks.

Seeing this, Jin Mao called out, "What's your opinion, Commander?"

Taiwei Zhou Yu stepped out and replied, "Your Majesty, the matter of appointing a crown prince is related to the foundation of the country, so we must proceed with caution. The eldest prince Jin Lin has been training abroad for many years. It is said that he has good governance and is deeply loved by the people. He has also made achievements in military affairs. He is indeed a pillar of the country. However, the appointment of a crown prince also requires consideration of his character, knowledge, and understanding of imperial power. I suggest that the eldest prince be summoned back to the capital to be tested with the other princes to see his ability and then make a decision. In this way, we can ensure that the selected crown prince can not only inherit the throne, but also win the support of the people and stabilize the government."

Jin Mao nodded and asked the next person: "What does Situ think?"

Si Tu Xi Zhicai said: "Your Majesty, the words of the Grand Commandant are very true. However, the matter of establishing a crown prince is not only related to personal talent and morality, but also needs to consider his maintenance of the family and the balance of power in the court. Although the eldest prince is famous outside, the other three princes are not ordinary people. He assists Your Majesty in handling government affairs, is quite familiar with government affairs, and can properly handle the relationship between all parties, and is deeply supported by the court officials. In addition, the princes have their own strengths and may have untapped potential. I think that in addition to recalling the eldest prince, you should also give the other princes the same opportunity to show their talents. Through fair competition, let Your Majesty and the court and the public witness it together, so that the most suitable person to inherit the throne can be selected. At the same time, this move can also demonstrate Your Majesty's fairness and selflessness, enhance the cohesion within the royal family, and greatly benefit the long-term development of the country."

Jin Mao nodded again and looked at the third person: "What do you think, Si Kong?"

Sikong Xunyou said, "I think what the two ministers said is very true. Throughout the ages, the succession to the throne is related to the rise and fall of the country and needs to be handled with caution. Although the eldest prince is outstanding in talent, there are also many promising talents in other princes. If the princes can compete fairly on the same starting line, not only can their true potential be discovered, but also internal disputes caused by the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children can be avoided. This move can not only ensure the fairness of the succession to the throne, but also enhance the unity among the royal family members, and lay a solid foundation for the stability and development of the country. I suggest that Your Majesty set up a series of tests and trials to allow the princes to demonstrate their talents and virtues in practice, and finally Your Majesty and the court officials will jointly judge and select the most suitable person to inherit the throne."

"In addition, in order to ensure the comprehensiveness and fairness of the test, these trials should not be limited to martial arts and government administration, but should also cover multiple dimensions such as literary accomplishment, popular sentiment, and diplomatic wisdom. For example, the princes can be responsible for handling local disasters to test their emergency response and people's livelihood care capabilities; they can be sent to neighboring countries for friendly visits to evaluate their diplomatic skills and international vision; and even academic debates can be set up to test their critical thinking and breadth of knowledge. Through these diversified trials, not only can the comprehensive abilities of each prince be fully understood, but the public can also have the opportunity to observe closely and form a broader public opinion base.

At the same time, to ensure safety during the trial, loyal and experienced guards and advisory teams should be sent to accompany the prince, not only to protect his safety, but also to serve as fair witnesses to ensure the fairness of the trial results. During the trial, anonymous reporting channels can also be set up to encourage the government and the public to report unfair behavior, so as to maintain the transparency and purity of the entire selection process.

Finally, when all trials are over, Your Majesty can summon important officials, local representatives, and respected civilians to participate in the judging meeting. Combined with the actual performance of the princes, public feedback, and the opinions of the officials, a comprehensive consideration will be made to select a successor who is both virtuous and talented and deeply loved by the people. This move will not only demonstrate Your Majesty's wisdom in selecting talented people, but also win the support of the people of the world, ensure a smooth transition of the imperial power, and open a new chapter for the long-term stability of the country."

Jin Mao thought it made sense, and finally set his eyes on Jia Xu: "Mr. Jia, what do you think?"

Jia Xu hunched over and apologized, "Your Majesty, I am an old and stupid minister."

Jin Mao waved his hand and said, "I know. Just go ahead and say it. You have nothing to do anyway."

Jia Xu said helplessly: "In this case, I dare to say something. Your Majesty is right. The selection of an heir is related to the foundation of the country and needs to be done with caution. It is important to have both moral integrity and talent, but we also need to consider whether he has the ability to control the ministers and appease the people, as well as his adaptability and decision-making in the face of crises. In addition, the heir's understanding and practice of the concept of governing the country cannot be ignored. Perhaps we can set up a test and let the princes handle some practical matters outside the court, observe their effectiveness, and then make a decision. In this way, we can fully understand the true abilities of the princes and avoid missing out on good talents due to temporary prejudice. Furthermore, the will of the people is important, but we must also be wary of the deliberate guidance of those with ulterior motives, and we need to verify from multiple sources to ensure the authenticity of the information. In this way, we can select a truly suitable heir to ensure the eternal stability of our Great Jin Dynasty."

"What you all said makes sense." Jin Mao nodded and said, "But going out for training is only suitable for young princes. The eldest prince is older, so it's time for him to be transferred back to Luoyang to serve."

"The eldest prince has shown extraordinary ability to govern the country since he was young, and his years of experience abroad have accumulated rich experience and prestige. Letting him take up an important position in Luoyang will not only allow him to apply what he has learned to actual government affairs, but also give him the opportunity to further hone his leadership and decision-making abilities. At the same time, as the capital, Luoyang has busy and complex government affairs, which can test the eldest prince's ability to respond and his overall situation in complex situations. In addition, I have decided to set up an advisory group composed of court elders and capable ministers in Luoyang to supervise and guide the eldest prince's work and ensure that every decision can be made. Take into account the interests of the country and the well-being of the people. This will not only allow the eldest prince to grow in practice, but also ensure that the government is not in chaos and the state machinery runs smoothly. As for the other princes, I will also arrange suitable positions one by one according to their specialties and experience, so that they can shine in their respective fields and contribute to the prosperity and stability of Dajin. In short, only by selecting talents and not sticking to one pattern can we ensure that our new Han will prosper for generations and the people will live and work in peace and contentment. " "As for the fourth prince Jin Zhe. "Jin Mao pondered, "Let him stop tossing around in the northeast and go to the northwest to take over the current position of the eldest prince. "

All the ministers were stunned, knowing that His Majesty the Emperor wanted to compare the merits of the two men.

If Jin Zhe performs better than Jin Lin after taking office, then the position of crown prince will fall to Jin Zhe, otherwise Jin Lin will be the crown prince.

This is not fair!

Nanyang King Liu Xie stepped out and spoke up for Jin Lin, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare to say that His Highness Jin Lin has shown extraordinary ability to govern the country since he was young. He has worked hard to govern the northwest border, making that desolate land full of vitality and the people's lives increasingly prosperous. This is an achievement that is obvious to all. Although the fourth prince Jin Zhe is also talented, he has never had such remarkable political achievements to support his achievements. Directly transferring Jin Zhe to the northwest to replace Jin Lin may not be convincing, and may even hurt the hearts of His Highness Jin Lin and his soldiers. I think that the selection of the crown prince should be more cautious. It is necessary to consider the abilities and contributions of the princes, and also take into account the opinions of the people in the court and the people, so as to ensure that the selection of the future monarch is both in line with the will of heaven and in line with the will of the people."

"Furthermore, His Highness Jin Lin has not only made remarkable achievements in government, but also established a high prestige among the military and civilians. He sets an example by being close to the people and loving the people. He has been to the front line many times, fighting side by side with the soldiers to overcome difficulties. His heroic deeds have long been spread all over the world and have become the cornerstone for inspiring morale and stabilizing the people's hearts. If the general is changed rashly, it will not only shake the stability of the northwest border, but may also cause dissatisfaction and suspicion among the soldiers, which is undoubtedly a major hidden danger to the long-term stability of the country.

On the other hand, although Prince Jin Zhe has considerable attainments in literature and poetry, and has participated in the handling of some court affairs, showing certain administrative capabilities, he still lacks practical experience in governing local areas and commanding the army. The selection of a crown prince is related to the foundation of the country and is not a trivial matter. Candidates should be placed in a more complex and changing environment to test their adaptability, governance philosophy, and whether they can win broad support and trust.

Therefore, I suggest that we first let Prince Jinzhe take up some important local official positions, such as the prefect of an important place in the capital or an important economic town, so that he can accumulate more experience in governing the country in practice, and at the same time observe whether he can quickly integrate into the local area, solve practical problems, and what his reputation is among the people and officials. When the time is right, we can then comprehensively consider whether he is suitable as a candidate for the crown prince based on his actual performance and achievements. In this way, we can be responsible for the future of the country and treat every prince fairly and justly, so as to ensure that the selection of the crown prince is in line with the order of royal inheritance and truly conforms to the wishes of the people of the world. "

"Well, what Prince Nanyang said makes sense." Jin Mao said, "Your words have only strengthened my belief!"

"Since the eldest prince is so outstanding, it is a good opportunity to test the fourth prince's quality and find a suitable reason for him as soon as possible, so as to avoid wasting his life."

"They are all my children. How can I favor one over the other?"

Nanyang King Liu Xie looked up in shock. He did not expect the emperor to be so resolute. He could not help but secretly admire the emperor's foresight and fatherly heart. He bowed and saluted, speaking earnestly: "Your Majesty is wise and considers the overall interests of the country and the personal future of the prince. This is a blessing for all people in the world. I am willing to assist Your Majesty with all my strength to ensure that this selection is fair and selfless, so that the talents of the eldest prince can be demonstrated, and the fourth prince can grow through experience and find his own world."

"As for how to arrange it, I suggest setting up a series of tests, including a competition of civil and military skills, a discussion of the philosophy of governing the country, and an observation of the people's sentiments and opinions. Only by comprehensively and deeply evaluating the two princes can we select the crown prince who can truly lead our Great Xia to prosperity."

Emperor Jinmao nodded in approval, his eyes sparkling with wisdom. "Okay! Let's follow the plan of Prince Nanyang. I will immediately issue an order to set up an assessment committee headed by you to take full responsibility for this matter. It must be open, fair, and just, so that the people of the world can witness this battle for the crown prince, and also let my children understand that the throne is not easily obtained, and one must convince others with virtue and talent."

"In addition," the emperor pondered for a moment and continued, "I will also secretly order the Censorate to supervise the entire process to ensure that there is no fraud, so that this selection will become a grand event for our dynasty, motivating the children of the royal family to be diligent and make progress, and reserve more pillars of talent for the future of our Great Xia."

After hearing this, Nanyang King Liu Xie felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and felt the emperor's immense trust and expectations for him. He bowed deeply again and vowed: "I will live up to your majesty's high expectations and complete this matter successfully, and select a crown prince with both moral integrity and talent for Daxia to ensure the safety of the country and comfort the people."

On the surface, the emperor and his subjects were friendly, but in reality, undercurrents were surging.

King Liu Xie of Nanyang clearly wanted to help Jin Lin, but Jin Mao refused to fulfill his wish.

Since it is a state affair, personal emotions should not be mixed in, and the successor should be chosen fairly.

Jin Mao knew that in this selection of the crown prince, which was related to the future of Daxia, every step had to be taken with caution and no mistakes could be made. In the dead of night, Jin Mao paced alone in his study, the flickering candlelight reflecting his furrowed brows. He was thinking about how to ensure the fairness of the selection without violating the emperor's order, and how to cleverly balance the forces of all parties to avoid turmoil in the court.

Jin Mao decided that the first thing to do was to collect extensive information on the talents and virtues of the royal family's children, not just limited to superficial knowledge and martial arts, but also to deeply examine their moral character, ideas on governing the country, and their love for the people. He secretly sent his confidants to secretly visit various places to collect real and reliable intelligence, striving to fully understand the true face of each candidate.

At the same time, Jin Mao also realized that in order to make this selection truly convincing, he had to introduce more knowledgeable people to participate in the judging, including those respected old ministers, outstanding scholars and experienced military commanders, to ensure the diversity and comprehensiveness of the evaluation system. He began to prepare a detailed plan and prepared to formally present it at the court meeting, striving to obtain the emperor's approval and support.

On the other hand, Nanyang King Liu Xie was not to be outdone. He began to secretly contact the forces in the court that supported Jin Lin, trying to enhance Jin Lin's image in the public's mind through a series of carefully designed strategies, especially to highlight his military talents and loyalty to the country. Liu Xie knew that in this silent contest, winning the support of the people was crucial.

The two of them have their own thoughts, but they all focus on the same goal - to select the most suitable successor for Xin Han. (End of this chapter)