The stupid son of Chongba

Chapter 167 Old Zhu fell ill! He ordered Zhu Ju to supervise the country, take charge of the imperial power, and govern the country from behind the gate!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ju immediately put the medicine bowl on the table.

"Hey, you still have the energy to fight me. It looks like you can get better without taking medicine."

He smiled and said,
"Then you should just lie down and wait for your recovery. You are as strong as an ox anyway, so a little cold is nothing, right?"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

If he wasn't so weak at the moment, he really wanted to lift the quilt and punch Zhu Ju twice!

This traitor!

"Little Orange, stop teasing your dad."

Ma Xiuying's voice came from behind.

"Your father is really sick this time. He is more seriously ill than me... I have never seen him unable to get up after lying down before."

"During the three days of praying for rain, he was the most exhausted of all. He overexerted himself... And that rain was so cold. The imperial physician also said that if the cold invaded his body, he would not be able to get out of bed for at least ten days or half a month."

"Don't be angry with him...feed him the medicine quickly."

Illness comes like a mountain.

If someone like Lao Zhu, who has always been in good health and never gets sick, suddenly falls ill, the condition will definitely be more serious than that of an ordinary person!

Zhu Ju naturally knew this truth.

Ding.

Zhu Ju picked up the medicine bowl again, stirred it slightly with a spoon, blew on it twice, and then handed it over, saying:

"Dad, I didn't mean to piss you off. It was just that when I tried to persuade you like that, you all went crazy and none of you listened."

"Now that you've fallen into this state, it's hard for me to resist scolding you..."

"Come on, open your mouth, be good."

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes slightly, but opened his mouth obediently.

Swallowing the bitter medicine caused him to cough violently.

"Cough, cough, cough!"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Zhu Ju hurriedly helped his father up and patted his back.

"Why is it still choking?"

"Ahem... it's too bitter..."

Zhu Yuanzhang mumbled something in a hoarse voice.

Zhu Ju couldn't help but grin when he heard this.

"So you are also afraid of hardship? Haha."

He said,

"Okay, okay, drink slowly, I'll peel the orange for you."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, took the medicine bowl in his hand, and looked at it for a long time with a frown. When Zhu Ju peeled the oranges, he held his breath and drank the medicine soup in one gulp!

The next second, he quickly took the orange from Zhu Ju's hand and swallowed the whole thing into his mouth.

He bit his teeth and the sweet juice burst out, which made his face look a little better.

"Uh--"

Zhu Yuanzhang lay back down, and Zhu Ju had already placed a pillow on his back to make him more comfortable.

"You little brat... you're quite caring."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Ju and whispered,
"You are better than those slaves and eunuchs."

Zhu Ju couldn't help but laugh when he heard that.

"When it comes to taking care of people, they are professionals. How can I compare to them? It's just that I am your biological son, so you think I can take better care of you."

He said,

"Dad, take a nap after taking the medicine. Medicine is just an aid. A good sleep is the most important thing."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he refused to close his eyes.

"I...can't sleep."

He counted on his fingers,

"It took three days to pray for rain, and I got sick after returning, which delayed me for another two days. We... haven't held a grand court meeting for five days."

"There are also various government affairs... that have not been decided yet, and I don't know whether Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong from the Secretariat have properly handled them."

"Ugh……"

As a model worker, he would feel guilty and uncomfortable if he didn't work for a day!
It is hard not to suspect that Mr. Zhu has used up all of the Zhu family's hardworking genes, resulting in his descendants becoming lazier than each other.

"Don't even think about it. I went to inquire yesterday. Except for some military commanders who were in very good health, most people who prayed for rain caught a cold. Especially the civil officials, all of them had fevers!"

Zhu Ju sighed,
"Several old officials, such as Master Song, are still unconscious in bed. Their conditions are more serious than yours."

"I'm too old to endure such an ordeal. In the future, let's not do this kind of rain-praying activity. It's too much effort."

After praying for rain, everyone had to lie in bed. No one else can do this!

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

"The government affairs of the Secretariat are probably piled up to the point where I can't even read them all. Sigh..."

Old Zhu said with a melancholy look on his face,
"It's my fault. I didn't think it through..."

"By the way, where's your brother? How's he doing?
Zhu Ju sighed softly.

"What else can I do? I was already a sickly person, and after these heavy blows, it's a blessing from God that I didn't faint."

He said,

"He is in the same situation as you right now, with a high fever. The people from the Imperial Hospital are taking turns to look after him. My master gave them some training last time, and their medical skills seem to have improved a bit. It shouldn't be a problem to treat a severe cold."

Think about my eldest brother's physique. On the night of praying for rain, he was also making a baby with Sister Chang. There's no way his body could hold up!
"……Fine."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent.

He slowly closed his eyes, as if he was about to give up.

"You little brat... you said three days and it really is three days. Now can you tell me what your basis is?"

Old Zhu closed his eyes and asked,

"It seems you didn't do anything at all! Oh no, it seems you did something. You peed on Purple Mountain. Wasn't that you?"

"Uh..." Zhu Ju scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.

He did urinate at that time, but he was urinating towards the south. Who knew that the people from the Imperial Observatory would ask everyone to change directions at that time!

I will never admit this even if you kill me!

“Actually, my basis is one person.”

Zhu Ju hurriedly diverted Lao Zhu's attention and said mysteriously,
"One of my slaves has the ability to predict the wind and rain."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately opened his eyes.

"Oh?"

He said with some surprise,
"is it?"

"Which maid? Your personal maid, the one who sat and greeted us the last time we came?"

Zhu Ju nodded.

You know what, dad has a really good memory!

"Yes, it's her. Her name is Jianqi."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly realized.

"I see... No wonder he's so arrogant. He refuses to kneel when he sees me. Are all capable people like this?"

"Tell me, how does she predict the wind and rain? Does she have magical powers?"

He wasn't annoyed.

Old Zhu has always been more tolerant towards people with abilities and abilities.

For example, if Peng Xuan refused to kneel, he would not force him.

"In fact, it wasn't that she didn't want to kneel, but she couldn't kneel down because her legs and feet were not convenient."

Zhu Ju said,
"She had a hard life in the past. She didn't have enough warmth in the winter. When it was cold and damp, the cold air invaded her knees and legs, causing her to suffer from chronic cold legs, also known as rheumatoid arthritis."

"This disease has a characteristic that it often predicts rain earlier than others, because before it rains, the air is very humid, which can cause unbearable pain in the joints."

"She happened to have severe bone pain during those days, so I guessed that it would rain soon! And in the end, it really rained... So, this is not a magical power, but a disease."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "???"

"Ah? Is that so?!"

Ma Xiuying behind him couldn't help but say,
"The thing that makes you so sure to pray for rain is actually a disease?"

This answer is definitely something the couple could never think of!

"Yeah, so I was very secretive at first and made it more mysterious."

Zhu Ju said helplessly,

"If I tell the truth, you will definitely think it's nonsense."

“But in fact, this is the reality.”

When Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying heard this, their faces looked a little unhappy.

Seeing this, Zhu Ju quickly added:
"However, I do not deny the merit of your sincere prayer for rain."

"Because by the second day, Jianqi's legs weren't hurting as much anymore, and I felt a little weak at that time."

"But later, on the third day, when even I was in despair, heavy rain fell without any warning."

"This makes me feel like... Could it be that our sincerity really moved the gods, so it rained?"

Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying's expressions improved a little.

If they were told that they had been kneeling there for three days and were now sick, but that they were just deceiving themselves and it was all useless...they couldn't accept that!

"I think... sincerity is still useful."

Ma Xiuying whispered,

"Otherwise, how could it be possible for a sudden rain to come when the sky was filled with yellow sand?"

"Perhaps the conditions for rain have already formed between heaven and earth, but God has been slow to act. He wants to see our sincerity. In the end, if our sincerity is strong enough, it will naturally pour down."

"Zhongba, what do you think?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in agreement.

"I think... that's the case too."

He said,

"The situation at that time was truly like a miracle! Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so crazy."

"In general, this prayer for rain was extremely successful! Whether it was prayed for or it was an accident, the final result was good! That's enough. It was worth kneeling there for three days!"

Lao Zhu is a result-oriented person.

As long as the result is good, he doesn't care about the process in between, he won't pursue it, and he won't ask too many questions!

"Well, the rain clouds are moving toward the northeast."

Zhu Ju nodded and said,
"The surrounding areas suffering from drought will be blessed with rain this time."

"This rain is quite strong and should be able to greatly alleviate the drought. This year, it will definitely be a bumper harvest!"

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang finally smiled.

After years of hard work, we finally have a good harvest!

It's not easy!

With the taxes collected in the good years, he could finally let go and recruit labor service to build the Ming Dynasty!

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Just when he was feeling ambitious, he suddenly had a violent coughing fit. He was shaking all over and almost vomited out his lungs!

"Hey, you should just take a good rest and get some sleep!"

Zhu Ju patted Zhu Yuanzhang's back again and advised him repeatedly,

"Don't worry about it! I'm really worried to death!"

Zhu Yuanzhang spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm and his expression recovered a little.

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Although my body may be lying down, my heart cannot rest."

He sighed softly,

"Stinky boy, I have a task for you."

"If you complete this task well... I won't waste my words on you. You can pick whatever you like in the treasury!"

This time it’s not just empty promises, it’s really delivered!

But when Zhu Ju heard this, he showed some vigilance.

"What do you want to do?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed in the direction of the Huagai Palace and said softly:

"We fell, and your elder brother fell too."

"But the court still has to function, and government affairs need someone to make decisions."

"You follow me in running the government, even though you only stamp the imperial seal, but you have been exposed to a lot of things through what you see and hear, so you should understand it."

"At this moment, we need you to stand up, take the lead, and make decisions!"

"Are you willing?"

Zhu Ju: “!!!”

Whoops!

I knew it was no good, they wanted him to be the acting emperor!
"Dad...it's not that I don't want to help, it's just that I know my own limitations and my own worth!"

Zhu Ju smiled bitterly.
"It's fine for me to help you guys, but if you want me to take charge of the government, I'm afraid I'll mess it up!"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head.

"It is precisely because you know yourself that we can let you go. People who know themselves will not mess things up. Only arrogant people will."

Old Zhu said in a deep voice,
"In the current situation, if no one steps up, that would be terrible."

"When power is shelved, there will inevitably be many people who covet it and will try every possible means to divide it up."

"Ever since Yang Xian was exposed, we no longer trust those people. We must not let power fall into their hands, not even for a day."

"This power can only be in the hands of our own people!"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Zhu Ju rubbed Zhu Yuanzhang's back again.

He couldn't help but sigh in his heart - power! Is it really so fascinating?

Even when Old Zhu fell ill, he refused to let go.

However, thinking about the character of those ministers, it seems that we really cannot let them go. Once we let them go, it will not be so easy to take them back!
"...Let me be honest with you today. Even among my sons, I don't trust all of them."

Zhu Yuanzhang whispered,

"After the boss, it's you."

"Maybe it's because you are lazy and playful, and you only want to practice Taoism and live forever. Although you make me angry all the time, after thinking about it, if I really trust you, you are the one. You are not vague at the critical moment."

"Like the third and fourth sons... although they are also our sons, we can give them the power of vassal kings, but we absolutely cannot give them higher powers... We have our own considerations and plans."

Zhu Ju: “…”

He really didn't expect that he held such a high position in his father's heart!

I feel a little touched.

"Little Orange, your father actually loves you very much. Just like mother, he favors you."

Ma Xiuying added, her eyes full of tenderness.

At this moment, the three of them were together, chatting with each other... Although they were sick in bed, the atmosphere was surprisingly good and quite enjoyable.

"Let's not talk about love or not, that's what women say."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and said,
"Let's just say one thing. Now your father wants you to take on something. Can you take it on?"

"Give me a definite answer!"

Zhu Ju's expression was stern.

"You can ask me to take the blame, but I'll be frank with you. If I mess up, you can't beat me up!"

No matter what, let’s get a vaccination first!

"Haha... It's only a few days, what can we possibly mess up? Even though I look sick now, I'll be full of energy in a few days!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and ordered,
"Come here, deliver the message!"

……

The next day, early morning.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

"Ahem... Hehehe!"

Outside the Forbidden City, officials came to the grand court meeting in the drizzle. Most of them were not in a good mental state, like sick chickens, coughing from time to time and speaking with a heavy nasal tone.

"Didn't you say that His Majesty is ill? Why is there a court meeting today?"

"Who knows... ahem, with your majesty's physique, maybe he has already recovered. But it's hard for me, I still have a fever..."

"Who isn't? I'm still shivering now. I'm really afraid that it will get worse after getting caught in the rain..."

"Ugh……"

Except for those officials who were seriously ill and took leave, other officials who were able to come despite gritting their teeth insisted on attending the grand court meeting.

The reason is simple. The emperor once had a strict rule that anyone who missed the grand court meeting without reason would be fined and demoted!

Either the emperor adjourns the court, or he must arrive on time!

Da da da.

In the drizzle, the civil and military officials walked across the Jinshui Bridge and arrived outside the Qianqing Gate.

However, there was no one sitting on the dragon throne.

Everyone was wondering when they heard a voice:
"The supervisor is here!"

After the loud voice fell, Zhu Ju, surrounded by his followers, walked to the Qianqing Gate and glanced at the civil and military officials in front of him.

Although this was not the first time he attended the imperial court hearing, he had only been a bystander before.

This time, it was the first time that he looked down upon his ministers and officials as a superior!
This feeling is still very unusual!

"Supervise the country?"

"Your Majesty appointed His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu as regent? This..."

"I just found out about this this morning. I heard that both His Majesty and the Crown Prince were seriously ill, and there was no one to govern, so His Majesty issued an order to order His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu to be regent."

"Oh my God! His Majesty is seriously ill?! What if His Majesty passes away... wouldn't it be?"

When one word is passed to three people, the situation changes.

The meaning of the sentence "Your Majesty is seriously ill" has completely changed! Many people have already started to imagine the scene of His Majesty's death, the Crown Prince's critical illness, and finally His Royal Highness the King of Wu ascending the throne as emperor!
The scene was so shocking that I dared not think too much about it!

"quiet!"

The inspector gave an order, and the whole place fell silent.

At this moment, everyone's eyes fell on Zhu Ju, with different expressions.

Obviously, everyone has their own ideas.

Zhu Ju took in the expressions of all the ministers and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

No wonder my dad established the secret intelligence organization, the Imperial Guard. These guys are all shrewd people, and each of them has a lot of thoughts in his mind. Who knows, one of them might be harboring evil intentions!

I am the emperor, but I am not at ease either!
In addition, so many eyes, especially those of the generals, were all cast upon him.

To be honest, it's quite stressful.

Snapped!
Fortunately, Zhu Ju had seen big scenes before and had a big heart, so he was not afraid at all. He sat down on the dragon throne, and this one action scared all the officials!
Even if he is the regent, he can only listen to government affairs while standing, right?
The King of Wu actually sat on the dragon throne? What did he want to do?
"Your Highness, you..."

Mao Xiang on the side reminded quietly,
"That's the Dragon Throne..."

Zhu Ju's heart skipped a beat and he moved his butt slightly, trying to get up. But then he felt it was too embarrassing, so he just sat down again.

It’s just a dragon throne, you just sit on it, what’s the big deal?
It’s not like I haven’t sat on the dragon throne in the Huagai Palace in front of my father before. I’ll just get a beating anyway!

He waved at Mao Xiang and turned to look at the ministers.

Such a calm look made the court officials below even more shocked.

Undercurrent is surging among the ministers!
What did I say, what did I say!

This is the signal! A political signal! His Royal Highness the King of Wu is going to sit on the throne! He wants to ascend the throne and become the emperor!
Something must have happened in the palace!
At this moment, all the ministers were screaming in their hearts. They couldn't wait to leave the court to discuss this explosive event!
Of course Zhu Ju never expected that just sitting on a chair could give the ministers a brain orgasm.

He nodded to the eunuch beside him.

"All the ministers pay homage!"

The eunuch who delivered the message said loudly.

The civil officials, headed by Li Shanchang, and the military generals, headed by Xu Da, all bowed their heads in worship.

"Your subjects are here to see the Regent!"

The sound whistled and shook the palace walls.

No wonder shouting "Long live the emperor" is called "Long live the emperor with a mountain shout", it really sounds like the roar of a mountain and a tsunami!
"No gift."

Zhu Ju raised his hand and said in a deep voice,

"My father is ill, and he has ordered me to govern the country and attend government affairs from behind the gates."

"Government affairs cannot be stopped for a day. Who among the ministers has a memorial to make? Please submit it to the king."

He changed his usual playful expression, and now his every move and gesture showed a kingly demeanor.

Xu Da, who was standing below, looked at his future son-in-law and couldn't help but grin. He winked at Tang He and the others around him, as if to say -

Look, this is my son-in-law, Xu Da!
Awesome, right?

At this moment, Yang Enyi, the Minister of Personnel, stepped out and reported:

"Please report to the regent."

"There are thirteen people who will return to Beijing to report on their work within three days, and twenty people who will leave Beijing to take up their new posts."

"These thirty-three people have come to pay their respects to you."

Zhu Ju nodded.

This was a reserved item of the grand court meeting. Almost every day, there were people returning to and from Beijing. Whether leaving or returning, they had to pay homage to the emperor. This was also an opportunity for many officials from other places to see the emperor in person.

It’s a pity that this time they couldn’t see Zhu Yuanzhang, but only saw a young man.

Da da da.

Thirty-three people came forward to meet the emperor. Those who had left the capital were fine, but those who had returned to the capital to report on their work all gave impassioned speeches. Each of them wanted to clearly describe how many plots of land and how many cows they had in the area they governed. Zhu Ju's eyelids began to droop as he listened to them.

In the past, my father always listened carefully and asked a few key questions from time to time, which often made the local officials sweat profusely.

This is the main channel for the emperor to understand local politics. A wise and intelligent monarch is often like a judge, who can accurately distinguish whether the officials are telling the truth or a lie and question them.

But Zhu Ju was obviously of the same generation as Jiajing and Wanli, and he became impatient after listening to a few of them.

It's all a long story! It's like the winding Yellow River, it's endless!

The duration of the grand court meeting was prolonged because of this incident!
"Tell the important point!"

Seeing the person in front of him talking eloquently, Zhu Ju shouted an order.

The official was startled, stammered, and sweat began to form on his forehead.

"I find you guys pretty funny."

Zhu Ju said bluntly,

"Why are you going around in circles with me?"

"You didn't get to the point, but started by praising the emperor for how wise and powerful he was, and how prosperous the Ming Dynasty was. Do I need you to tell me this? Don't I know this myself?"

"The key point! What is the key point? What achievements have you made in the local government? How many cases have you solved? How many bridges and roads have you built? How much tax have you collected? What is the crime rate? Do the people have enough food to eat? These are the key points. Do you understand?"

"I don't have time to listen to you talking about the eight scenic spots and ten unique sights. Are you a tour guide and you're introducing these to me?"

After hearing these words, all the ministers laughed.

His Royal Highness Prince Wu’s words… are even more straightforward than His Majesty’s!
This is simply a continuation of the same tradition, but the disciple is better than the master!
"Weichen, Weichen..."

The local official's face was flushed and his tongue was tied.

He could only kneel on the ground with a thud and kowtow continuously.

"Alright, alright, get up. I don't want to kowtow to the worm."

Zhu Ju waved his hand and said,

"Follow the key points I mentioned, go back and write a report, tell about your achievements, don't exaggerate, and don't be modest, just four words - seek truth from facts!"

"If you don't have it, then just say no! Of course, if you've done anything bad, it's best to confess as soon as possible. If I check you out, you'll be in trouble."

"Go back!"

When the official heard this, he felt as if he had been pardoned and quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude.

"Thank you, Regent. Thank you, Regent!"

Zhu Ju waved his hand and said:

"Listen up, everyone else. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense! If you have achievements to show for yourself, please come forward and share them. If you don't have any, please step down and write me a report later!"

"I'm also picking out the key points. If anyone talks nonsense, I'll send someone to investigate his background! People who like to talk nonsense usually have no ability. This is my stereotype."

All the local officials were submissive at this moment. They looked at each other, and no one dared to step forward.

No one has the confidence to say that their political achievements are impressive...

"No? If not, move on to the next show."

Zhu Ju raised his hand and said,
"Who else wants to start?"

This swift and decisive approach made the ministers a little uncomfortable... Even His Majesty is not so straightforward!

But at the same time, the ministers no longer dared to underestimate Zhu Ju… Zhu Ju had caused so many troubles before, and they thought he was an unreliable prince, but they didn’t expect that he would have such a style once he came to power!
"Please report to the regent."

Minister of Revenue Lü Chang stepped out and said respectfully,

"This time, your majesty led the empress, concubines, princes, civil and military officials to pray for rain, which moved heaven and sent down a sweet rain. The people of Yingtian Prefecture all praised your majesty's merits. Now it has been raining continuously for several days, and this is all due to your majesty's efforts."

"In addition, the rain clouds have moved eastward, nourishing southern Zhili, Zhejiang and other places. The drought has been greatly alleviated. The Ministry of Revenue predicts that this year will be the first bumper year for our Ming Dynasty!"

After hearing these words, all the ministers smiled.

They also have a share of the credit here!

Now the rain is continuous, nourishing several provinces. Listening to Lu Chang's words, the ministers also felt honored.

"Yeah, very good."

Zhu Ju nodded and said,

“Many hands make light work.”

"This is not the achievement of your Majesty alone, but also relies on the efforts of all your ministers."

"I will inform my father later and hold a banquet for you all. In addition, I will also send imperial doctors to check on the ministers who are sick in bed due to the rain and cold."

All the ministers felt comfortable hearing this.

"Thank you, Regent."

This thank you is sincere.

"Thank you, Regent. Besides this, I have something else to report."

Lu Chang said again,

"Although the drought has been alleviated, there are still a few places that have not received any rain. I would like to ask for a 20% tax reduction for the places that are still suffering from drought."

"In this way, the local people affected by the disaster will surely be grateful to Your Majesty for your grace."

Zhu Ju nodded slightly.

"Submit a detailed report of the areas still affected by the disaster. Once verified, reduce this year's taxes by 30%."

He responded.

A heavy rain cannot alleviate all the drought, but it can only be said to have boosted morale and recovered most of the losses.

This is enough.

In a few unfortunate places, not a drop of rain fell, and the people were suffering, so it would not be a big deal if the emperor showed some grace.

"Thank you, Regent!"

Lu Chang said excitedly,

"Your Highness is kind and benevolent, and the people will be grateful!"

He suddenly felt that the young man in front of him... was extremely mature!
As if he is not inferior to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? !
Imagine if His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu ascends the throne to become emperor in the future...it seems not impossible!

"Haha, it's not my kindness."

Zhu Ju smiled and said,

"I am just expressing my generosity to my father."

"Minister Lu, do you have anything else to say? If so, please continue."

Lu Chang shook his head and respectfully returned to the queue.

Seeing that Zhu Ju was experienced in governing the country, the ministers felt relieved and came forward to make their requests.

"I have this memorial."

"I, your humble servant, also have a memorial to report..."

"To supervise the country..."

All of a sudden, ministers flocked to the scene.

The smile on Zhu Ju's face froze.

"Come one by one, come one by one..."

"…The so-called auspicious signs are all just bluffs. Local officials should govern the people properly and stop treating auspicious signs as strange. They should refute them and should not give them good marks in evaluations."

"...Bandits and thieves often use the mountains and forests as their roads and are difficult to eradicate. I know about this and will discuss it with my father."

"...Ah? The Household Law of the Ming Dynasty? Let's use the Tang Dynasty Law as a basis. You guys draft it first, and then I'll revise it with my father later."

"..."

a long time.

Zhu Ju left Qianqing Gate with his head buzzing.

This court session at the imperial gate went from being calm and relaxed at the beginning to being sweaty and overwhelmed later. The inner journey behind this is something that cannot be told to outsiders!
"hiss--"

Zhu Ju rubbed his waist and felt a wave of soreness and numbness inside.

That dragon throne... is so damn hard to sit on!
After sitting for a long time, my lumbar spine is about to explode! My neck is also uncomfortable!
His only thought now was to find a club to do a full body SPA, but Daming didn't have any skilled technicians...

"Your Highness's performance today really impressed me greatly!"

Mao Xiang followed Zhu Ju and couldn't help but exclaimed in admiration,

"Although it is somewhat different from your majesty's style, it does have a certain demeanor!"

"Quite like a young emperor... well, anyway, he is amazing!"

He wanted to say "young emperor", but before he finished he realized that this was taboo, so he quickly shut his mouth and dared not say anything nonsense.

"What a great achievement! The people behind me are going to be stunned."

Zhu Ju rubbed his old waist and said with a grin,
"Didn't you notice that I kept talking about consulting Father? I have no other options!"

"On the surface, I seem calm and composed, but in fact, I am panicking inside!"

Mao Xiang couldn't help but grin when he heard this.

What he admired most about King Wu was his honesty and sincerity!

"Is there anywhere I can have some fun? I'm so tired."

Zhu Ju took off the crown on his head and said with a tired look on his face.

Mao Xiang squinted his eyes.

"Your Highness wants to have fun? Why not go to the brothel again?"

He smiled and said,
"As far as I know, Miss Yanran has been waiting for you."

"Since the last time, she has never seen any guests, and she hasn't even played a song on the qin. It seems that she is keeping her chastity for you, Your Highness. The madam of the brothel doesn't dare to force her, and she has always been provided with good food and drink."

"I heard that she has become whiter and fatter, and even more lovely."

Zhu Ju raised his eyebrows.

"If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten there was such a person... How do you know so much?"

he asked.

Mao Xiang smiled.

"What do I do? All the news about Yingtian is here with me. If it's about His Highness, I'll naturally pay attention to it."

Zhu Ju snorted.

"Forget it. I'm getting married soon. It's not good to go to that kind of place again."

He said,

"Don't give me such bad advice. We are elegant people. We shouldn't spend all day in brothels!"

As a Taoist who was about to get married, he would never go to a brothel again, even though that place was a good place for pleasure.

It was my first time going there, so I could say I was curious and had never seen it before so I went to take a look. That’s understandable.

If I go again, the nature of the matter will be different.

Besides, he really had no interest in that courtesan. Although he was as strong as an ox and had no pressure to marry several wives, he could only drink from one of the three thousand rivers!

"Yes, yes, your highness is right. It was I who was rude."

Mao Xiang responded repeatedly without saying anything more.

……

Outside Qianqing Gate.

Following Zhu Ju's departure, the ministers also left one after another.

However, today's court meeting undoubtedly gave them some shock, so many people gathered together and chatted slowly.

"It seems that His Royal Highness the King of Wu will be more than just a vassal king in the future..."

"Yes... Hearing government affairs from behind the imperial gates is something that even the crown prince is not qualified to lead. I didn't expect His Majesty to hand it over to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu. Although the situation is special, we can still see some clues."

"Yes, you all know that His Majesty has given the power to select the top scholar to the King of Wu... This is an extremely sacred power! Since the establishment of the imperial examination, this power has been exclusively owned by the emperor and has never been given to anyone else!"

"To be honest, I don't quite understand His Majesty's intentions. Does he really want to use the King of Wu as a backup candidate for the Crown Prince? Judging from the situation today, the King of Wu has already overshadowed the Crown Prince!"

"..."

The ministers were chatting and exchanging opinions, and the discussion was very lively.

Hu Weiyong followed Li Shanchang, and several people from Huaixi also followed, forming a small circle.

"Teacher...what do you think?"

Hu Weiyong whispered,

"The power of the King of Wu is growing. Why is Your Majesty giving up so much power?"

"Is there something wrong within the royal family? The crown prince..."

He had a lot of questions to ask, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

King Zhu Ju of Wu is his mortal enemy!

Although Zhu Ju might not take him seriously, Hu Weiyong regarded Zhu Ju as his mortal enemy in his heart. If he had the chance in the future, he would definitely launch a reckoning and avenge his son!
On this point, he and Li Shanchang have the same goal!
And Li Shanchang must be the one who hated it more! Because Li Qi was destroyed more thoroughly.

Li Shanchang looked calm at this moment.

"I think this is nothing."

He said,

"The King of Wu is just a brat, reckless and immature."

"Didn't you notice that he was fine at the beginning of handling the petition today, but he was obviously overwhelmed at the end? He has no experience in governing. He seems to be resolute and decisive, but in fact he has no ability to solve problems."

"Your Majesty is ill in bed now, so he certainly doesn't have the energy to handle government affairs, let alone the Crown Prince. Therefore, his so-called consultation with the Emperor is just an excuse."

Hu Weiyong raised his eyebrows when he heard this.

"Even so, King Wu's performance today was already very good."

An official at the side could not help but speak up.

"At such a young age, he already has the aura of a ruler. What he lacks is experience. If Your Majesty allows him to supervise the country and gives him guidance, he will surely grow up and be able to take charge of the country in time."

These words won everyone's approval.

This is the truth.

The potential of King Wu is terrifyingly great!

"Hehe, I don't deny this, but... isn't he still not grown up?"

Li Shanchang stroked his beard and said,

"Weiyong, come here."

Hu Weiyong nodded and followed Li Shanchang's steps.

The other officials naturally left tactfully.

"Mentor?"

When they reached a place where there was no one around, Hu Weiyong looked at Li Shanchang.

"Weiyong, are your previous ambitions still there?"

Li Shanchang suddenly asked.

Hu Weiyong's eyes fixed and he nodded decisively.

"Of course!"

“Don’t forget it for even a moment!”

Li Shanchang nodded.

"Now, this is an opportunity, an opportunity to erode power."

He whispered,

"Your Majesty is full of energy and has always held on to power tightly, refusing to give it up, to the point where he has not even appointed a prime minister."

"Originally, I thought that there would be a chance only after the great honors were bestowed on the meritorious officials. But now, a heavy rain has drenched His Majesty, and the opportunity has come."

"Now, your majesty has delegated power to the King of Wu. If the King of Wu cannot hold on, and government affairs cannot be stagnant, then the power must be delegated! Once it is delegated, we can fight for it!"

Hu Weiyong was shocked.

"Yeah! This is an opportunity!"

After being reminded by Li Shanchang, his mind instantly became active.

"Teacher, what should we do?"

"The first step is to drown Zhu Ju."

Li Shanchang laughed and said,
"He can barely handle today's political affairs. If we create a huge amount of political affairs, how can he cope with it?"

"By then, I will be drowned in the ocean of government affairs and will be overwhelmed!"

"Notify everyone that starting from tomorrow, everyone should submit their accumulated political reports, especially those that are difficult to deal with, to put some pressure on our regent!"

"Be careful not to report too frequently, so as not to be discovered. Just report more than normal, and the stories must be true, without any falsehood!"

"Try him first and see how he responds!"

Hu Weiyong's eyes showed excitement.

"Okay, I'll do it right away!"

(End of this chapter)