I Absolutely Won't Be Crown Prince Again (Reborn)

Xie Changning lost his mother when he was young and grew up under the loving care of his father, the king, and his older siblings. When he was five, his father became emperor, his elder brother inherited the throne, and his elder sister became the empire's only princess with her own fief and private troops. He, too, was made Prince Yong'an, becoming the most doted-on person in all of Dasheng. Xie Changning thought his life would continue happily and uneventfully. He never expected his elder brother, the Prince of Chu, to die of an illness, or his sister to suffer a minor injury while fighting the barbarians that worsened into a fatal one. As the sole child left behind by his late mother, the beloved empress, he was thrust into the position of crown prince. Life as crown prince was no fun: endless lessons, memorials to review, and constant advice that was hard to hear. At long last, just as he had grown into a wise and virtuous heir, his father “went mad.” As his health declined with age, his father's hunger for power surged. He became suspicious and volatile, berating Xie Changning eight times a day. Nothing he did was ever right. Even giving up and dutifully serving tea and water to his old father was seen as a devious plot, his eyes supposedly betraying his ambition. Xie Changning couldn't take it anymore. Taking a page from his predecessors, he faced off against his ambitious brothers in a coup reminiscent of the Xuanwu Gate Incident. He was outnumbered seven to one and lost. He died. Then he closed his eyes, opened them again, and found himself back at the age of five, just after being made Prince Yong'an. Looking at his gentle, refined elder brother, his lively elder sister, and his perfectly sane father, Xie Changning clenched his fist. Good. This time, I will absolutely not become crown prince! Theme: As long as life goes on, so does the struggle.