As for the princes, apart from that rascal Mo Liancheng, the rest were said to be evenly matched in strength and influence. Whichever one became the Crown Prince would undoubtedly become the target of public criticism, placing himself at the forefront of the struggle for the throne. It's said to be just one step away from the Emperor's seat, but if you think deeper, it is also just a hair's breadth away from death itself.
Therefore, choosing to avoid the struggle for the Crown Prince's position at the moment is a very wise decision.
Moreover, according to Mo Liancheng's strategy, being wounded by an arrow was bound to enrage the Emperor and win the favor of certain upstanding officials at court as well as the sympathy of the common people towards the weak. It may seem like a loss at first, but in reality, it was the most clever way to win people's hearts. As the common saying goes, 'He who wins the hearts, wins the world.' Isn't it just so?
He really is calculating every move...