(They are irrelevant anyway, so I won't bother to search their names.)
A few days ago, the First Prince got the news that his father has died. His informant in the palace wasn't able to find out whether Jahangir was just sick like regular or deathly sick. And the only got to know about it when the preparations for Shryar, the son-in-law of Nur Jahan began.
By now, the youngest prince, and the son-in-law of Noor Jahan was already crowned as the Emperor.
"Damn that bitch!"
He didn't like the previous Empress from the beginning. Not only she remarried the Emperor after her first husband died, but snatched all the power that his mother held.
She made him an opium addict, and he became more or less a puppet ruler. He even gave her the Royal Seal.
And her daughter, Mihr is even worse.
Not only she schemed to make sure that her Uncle, his daughter and son-in-law, got executed despite Noor Jahan's protests at the beginning, she also made many nobles addicts who would do anything to get their hands on the special product called 'Luv Potion'. And she has kept it a secret on how to make it. Or even what it is. He can tell that it is opium, but nobles are not ready to abandon it for a 'low grade trash'.
And the fifth prince is very dependent on Mihr since birth. He was practically groomed to be her puppet, by a girl just 4 years older than him.
He shuddered thinking about what her thought process was even as a child.
It took him a month to prepare his army in Bihar to head to Agra, but Mihr's newspaper reached here just before start of the expedition.
She plans to destroy Babri Masjid, established by the founder of Mughal Empire!
"HOW DARE SHE!?"
He has been following Akbar's footsteps that he developed in the later stages of his life as a ruler, to tolerate Hindus. But, this didn't mean that he, or any Mughal for that matter, will demolish a mosque, even if it is built upon one of the most holiest site for Hindus, and India as a whole.
Sikhs, his supporters, have also been wanting to get Ram Mandir back, but now that the new Empress issued the order...
This news must not reach his troops. They will loose all their motivation to fight. Afterall, 80% of his army comprises of Hindus and Sikhs. Mostly motivated by money, with very few soldiers being loyal.
"Let's head-"
"Prince! Emergency!"
A soldier entered the camp in panic, and the prince and his close aides prepared for a battle. This means that the new Empress has already sent her army to deal with him.
"Thousands of troops are arriving-"
The soldier shouted in panic, and suddenly, dropped something from his clothes.
It was a weird ball like thing.
"What's that-"
*BOOM!*
The thing exploded, taking out the First Prince.
A similar incident happened with the second prince, who was preparing to come from Deccan.
Both princes were dead, by a new weapon.
Grenade.
Thousands of troops in weird clothing arrived at the same time in both places, carrying the flag of the Mughal Empire.
"Both princes have been defeated! Surrender, and you all will receive enough money to be able to live your whole life with your family without having to risk yourselves in battle!"
Both princes' private armies surrendered, seeing that not only their employer was dead, but they were also offered money.
The main competitors to the throne were no more.
The Third prince, Khurram was long executed by Jahangir.
Only the Fourth prince remained now.
"Well, what would you like to do, Fourth Prince?"
Mihr stared down at the kneeling Fourth Prince and his wife.
The whole court was silent, as they realised that the new Empress is on a whole another level than her mother. She didn't even spend much effort in getting rid of the main competitors.
Fourth prince knew his position well, that going against her will mean death.
So, he chose the best option available for him.
"It would be kind of the new Emperor and Empress to grant me a residence with a garden for my mother and a pool that my wife loves. I will leave the choice of location in your capable hands, your Majesty."
Meaning, he will choose a safe life of luxurious retirement. He never really have much ambition to begin with. Because he knew his position well.
As long as he could lead a luxurious life with his mother, wife and concubines, and kids,it was enough for him. He didn't really know how to rule.
Mihr smiled at him, as if she expected him to say that.
"Then... I appoint you as the Manager of the construction of Taj Mahal.
The Mughal Empire is entering a new era. One not of intolerance, or even mere tolerance. But love and understanding.
While we may not be able to achieve Ramrajya, we will aim to atleast compete with the Golden Age of India during the Gupta Empire.
I appoint your daughter, my niece, as the new Chief of Ministry of Women and Children, and I will personally oversee her education.
You will be given a mansion in Agra itself, along with pocket money to sustain your life along with your mother, wife and concubines. But your children must look for themselves and learn from the gurukuls. They are not to be called Royals, and will have no involvement in the court.
If they are capable, as their Aunt, I will personally provide them scholarships from my funds for entering University."
"We are grateful to you, your Majesty."
This made things clear. The Fourth prince's kids, who are very young right now, must not have any ambition for power.
Only his 10 year old eldest daughter, will be given a new ministry of Women and Children, which obviously won't be a powerful position. And since the Empress herself will educate her, she will most likely become her puppet.
But, this will atleast make his daughter highly valuable in the marriage market. The Empress will probably take care of her marriage to someone powerful as well.
This means that weirdly enough, he is being given power, yet kept away from power.
And being the manager of construction of Taj Mahal? He thinks that this is probably a palace that will be constructed for the Empress, and if things are not perfect, or there is even a sign of embezzlement, he might die mysteriously of some disease.
Uggh... he didn't want any responsibility, but as he glanced at the smiling Empress, he knew that his stepsister and sister-in-law did this just to mess with him.
Afterall, she didn't have any problem with him unlike his brothers. Precisely because of his lack of ambition.
Well... it seems that his kids wouldn't be getting a life of luxury. He knows that she doesn't like wasting money on anything useless, aside from her own luxuries. And even then, she is disciplined on how much she spends on herself.
Expecting such a miser to provide comfortable life to her nieces and nephews isn't something he expected to begin with.
His head being on his shoulders is something that is enough for him. Alongside a luxurious life that he is used to, of course.
This brought an end to the War of Succession in the most peaceful and fastest way.
Mihr was prepared for her husband to fight a bloody battle, but didn't expect the grenade plan actually working. She thought that it will just eliminate a large part of their armies.
They must be stupid enough to allow a soldier near them just because armies were approaching them and they were shouting Emergency.
She even felt that this was anti-climatic.
Now, it was the turn of the nobles who were supporting her opponents.
The reforms will be a big deal, and will need careful planning.
Afterall, it is a crucial time when extreme changes are possible, but enemy kingdoms and empires also eye her Empire.