The stupid son of Chongba

Chapter 168 Zhu Ju exercises imperial power and is the emperor!
Inside Kunning Palace.

Zhu Ju threw his hat on the table with a bang.

"Cuizhu, Cuizhu, bring me the fruit plate!"

he yelled.

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please wait a moment."

Cuizhu saw that Zhuju didn't look well, so she turned around and prepared a fruit plate.

"what happened?"

Ma Xiuying, who was half lying on the bed, straightened up slightly and said with a smile,

"Who provoked you? Why are you so angry?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was still snoring beside him. He had been sleeping since last night after taking the medicine.

This was probably the best sleep he had ever had in all these years.

"Mom, I really can't handle this job."

Zhu Ju leaned against the table and said with an unhappy look on his face,
"After finishing the court meeting, I was already exhausted both physically and mentally. I thought I could take a break, but I didn't expect... this is just the beginning!"

"This one wants to see the emperor, that one wants to submit a memorial, and there are a lot of retained memorials that need to be dealt with. I really... I am overwhelmed!"

"I don't know how to handle government affairs! How can I issue orders if I don't know the situation? What if the information they report is false? Exaggerated? Or, they deliberately conceal the facts?"

"Thinking about this, my brain is really going to explode, burst!"

This acting emperor can't even last a day.

too bitter!
The person who invented the cabinet system was a genius! But... then again, having someone to help with the work also means taking away power.

Once the system is formed, it will be difficult for the emperor to take back power.

You can't enjoy the rights of being an emperor while refusing to fulfill your obligations, right? There is no such good job in the world.

"Little Orange, don't be impatient."

Ma Xiuying smiled and said,
"Government affairs are actually endless. Even your father can't handle all of them. You should learn to classify government affairs and prioritize them."

"Deal with the important and urgent matters first. Generally, major matters need to be discussed in a small meeting. You can call together the ministers to discuss. Otherwise, what's the point of having them receive salaries? For example, you can find Liu Bowen, Li Shanchang and others, let them give their own suggestions, and then you can consider them."

"As for some daily minor matters, if you don't have a clue, just put them aside for now. It's not a big deal. If you have a clue, give general instructions and ask your subordinates to understand your intention and do the work. There is no need to be meticulous and cover everything. That will tire you to death."

"In general, when handling government affairs, we should focus on the big things and let go of the small things. As long as the big picture is not messed up, it doesn't matter whether the small things are right or wrong."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ju's brows relaxed slightly.

"Your Highness, here."

“They are all the best fruits of the season.”

Cuizhu stepped forward and peeled the orange.

"Oh - so this is possible."

Zhu Ju touched his chin and said,
"After hearing what mom said, it seems like we can still do it."

Ma Xiuying coughed twice and said:

"Also, your father has his own way of doing things. If you have no idea, just look through the memorials he approved in the past and reply to similar questions in the same way. You won't make any big mistakes."

"You have to know that no one is born with the ability, and no one can do it perfectly. It's like sailing on a river. The emperor is the one at the helm. If he makes sure the general direction is right, then the water will naturally take the boat to its destination."

"Mother, do you understand what I mean?"

Zhu Ju nodded repeatedly.

"When mom says that, I understand!"

He smiled and said,
"I'm really a little panicked to have to deal with so many things at once!"

“It turns out there is a trick to it!”

I am worthy of being called the wise queen of all ages, and I am very skilled in political tactics.

In other words, she didn't have the chance. Otherwise, she would have been more than qualified to be a female emperor like Wu Zetian! Maybe, she would even be better than Wu Zetian!
"Well, also, you don't read much on weekdays, which is also a weak point."

Ma Xiuying added,
"Your elder brother was taught by Li Shanchang and Song Lian since he was young, and he was willing to study, so naturally he has a solid foundation."

"You have a wild nature, so it's okay if you don't want to study, but since you feel that you are lacking something, you must draw wisdom from books."

"Didn't Emperor Taizong of Tang say that history is a mirror that can help us understand the rise and fall of things? In fact, history is the same old story over and over again. If you read history books thoroughly, you will naturally know that there is nothing new in the world. The ancients have long since summed up various ways to deal with things. After you learn from them, you can just copy them."

Zhu Ju gave a thumbs up.

How does the saying go? There is nothing new under the sun - what I said is similar to what I said!
"When you have time later, read "Strategies of the Warring States", "Zizhi Tongjian" and "Records of the Grand Historian". After you finish reading them, I will give you a few more books for you to study carefully."

Ma Xiuying said,

"With more knowledge, my head is equipped with various coping strategies, so I won't feel insecure or guilty, and I won't be anxious or worried."

“All anxiety and worry come from the lack of one’s own abilities.”

Zhu Ju nodded.

I am such a careless person, it's okay for me to come up with some crooked ideas.

When it comes to dealing with serious matters, it's really a bit stretched and not enough.

"Mom, if you were a man, I would definitely support you to become the emperor."

Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was still sleeping, Zhu Ju suddenly laughed and said,
"I think you're better than Dad!"

"If it were him, he definitely wouldn't have taught me so much in detail and with so much wisdom!"

"I guess he just wants me to work hard, and then scold me if I don't achieve results. That's his character!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuying couldn't help but burst out laughing, and turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang twice.

"Huh-huh-"

Zhu Yuanzhang was still snoring and looked like he was sleeping soundly.

"Your father is a good teacher, but he has an impatient temper and is not a good teacher."

Ma Xiuying said,

"At first, your eldest brother was scolded by him and cried many times. He came to me crying and said that he didn't want to be the crown prince anymore and wanted to give it to other brothers. I comforted him many times."

"Luckily, he had the encouragement of a mother like me, otherwise, he would have been ruined by your father."

Zhu Ju raised his eyebrows slightly.

It turns out that such an outstanding elder brother was often driven crazy by his father in the past!

You said this is a father!
"But you definitely won't be like your big brother. If you were scolded, you would probably roll up your sleeves and fight with your father."

Ma Xiuying smiled and said,
"Actually, I still like people like you, you're tough, it's okay to make a fuss for a while, your father loves you guys after all, he won't do anything to you."

"Your eldest brother often sets too high standards for himself, and he is also extremely filial... Over the years, I've seen him become more and more resolute, and he hasn't come to me to complain or cry for a long time, so I feel a little uneasy."

"I'm always afraid that he'll keep things to himself, and eventually get hurt."

Zhu Ju nodded slightly.

My brother's health is so poor, probably because of the internal friction between him and himself.

"Now that mom said that, I have to go check on my eldest brother. I haven't visited him in the past two days."

Zhu Ju stood up and sighed,

"This time, I have become the mainstay of our Zhu family, running around everywhere."

"You take a rest first, I'm going to go."

Ma Xiuying smiled slightly.

"Times of trouble show one's ability. Go ahead."

Seeing Zhu Ju turn and leave, she restrained her smile and snorted.

"Why, you haven't eavesdropped enough after eavesdropping for so long?"

"Huh-huh-"

"Okay, stop pretending to be asleep. After all these years, I still don't know you. When you're really asleep, you won't just be snoring softly like this."

"Hmm-uh, ahem."

After being exposed by Ma Xiuying, Zhu Yuanzhang coughed twice and opened his eyes.

"What do you think of closing your eyes and eavesdropping?"

Ma Xiuying leaned against the pillow and asked.

"Hey... sister, why did you teach him so much?"

Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his eyes and complained a little,
"We originally wanted to test his ability and see how he would solve problems when they arise."

"If you teach him everything at once, it won't be difficult for him at all."

Ma Xiuying rolled her eyes.

"What? It's not enough to mess with Biaoer, you also want to mess with Xiaojuzi?"

She said unhappily,

"Why do you have to figure out something on your own, until your hair falls out and your body breaks down, when you can ask your elders for clarification?"

"Biao'er's health is so poor now because you have tortured him all these years!"

"I will never allow Little Orange to make the same mistake again! He is willing to learn, can listen and apply, that's already good enough! If you want to make it more difficult for the child for no reason, I think you are just bored!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "￥%……&*@#"

After being scolded right away, Lao Zhu's head was buzzing.

"Why are you so excited..."

He said with a little embarrassment,
"You can also put the blame for Biao'er's poor health on me..."

Ma Xiuying's eyes narrowed.

"Is not it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped talking.

After a while, he lowered his voice and said:

"Okay, okay... Don't be angry. You're sick."

"Didn't we not stop you this time? This kid is pretty smart. He even came to you to complain. Biaoer wouldn't do that. The crying child gets the milk!"

"However, your teachings have given him the political thinking of an emperor..."

Ma Xiuying glared.

"What do you mean by that?"

she said,

"You were the one who asked Xiaojuzi to take over, and now you are afraid that he has the ideas and methods of an emperor?"

"Then I also have the means of an emperor, so why am I not an emperor?"

"I don't know what's going on in your mind. Your intentions are extremely sinister!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "???"

"No, why are you so grumpy today? If I say one thing, you have to say three things to counter it!"

Old Zhu said with an unhappy look on his face,
"I don't have any other intentions! I just thought that this kid has some skills, and he could help Biaoer in the future. After all, Biaoer's health is not very good. If he really becomes ill in the future, with Laoliu's help, at least he can cure the disease."

"That's what I mean! What are you thinking about?"

After hearing these words, Ma Xiuying's expression eased a little.

"Do you really think so?"

She was a little suspicious.

"Of course! What else do you think we mean?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily,

"Tell me, what do you think we mean? Explain it clearly!"

"Really!"

Ma Xiuying turned her neck.

"That's fine, just think I've read too many history books."

She changed to a comfortable position, lay down again, raised her hand and said,
"Okay, keep talking."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

He was so angry that he wanted to roll his eyes.

There is really no way to deal with Ma Xiuying!
"In fact, if we insist on pushing him up now, it may even be a bit of a hasty move, and it is actually a bad plan."

After a long pause, Zhu Yuanzhang whispered,
"Biao'er's health is always a concern for us."

"If the emperor is weak, it will often lead to instability in the court. Some ministers with ulterior motives may take advantage of the situation. You don't need to look at other things, just look at the Eastern Han Dynasty, where relatives, eunuchs, and powerful officials took turns to control the emperor."

"We will never allow that kind of thing to happen in Ming! The ruler of Ming can only be our son!"

"so……"

Ma Xiuying closed her eyes.

"Okay, stop talking, I don't want to hear it."

she said,

"I believe that Biao'er will get better."

"Your worries are unnecessary. Even if something goes wrong in the future, you can wait until it happens. You are young and strong now. Don't think about these things. The more you think, the more upset you will be. Why bother?"

This interruption made Zhu Yuanzhang fall into silence.

"hope so."

He said,

"But don't you love the sixth one the most? How come..."

Ma Xiuying opened her eyes and stared at Zhu Yuanzhang opposite her.

"Just because I pamper Xiaojuzi doesn't mean I don't pamper Biaoer. In fact, I love Biaoer the most."

She said in a deep voice,

"In addition, my favorite child does not necessarily need him to achieve great success. On the contrary, I hope he will live a happy and carefree life. If he wants to practice Taoism and become an immortal, then I will support him."

"I don't expect my children to be successful. I just want them to smile happily."

Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent again.

The couple fell silent.

Ma Xiuying knew what Zhu Yuanzhang was worried about and what he wanted to say, but she didn't want to listen more, nor did she want to explore the so-called "alternative plan".

Everything will be fine, and children can choose the life they want instead of living under the control of their parents.

"Your Majesty, Mao Xiang requests to see you."

A voice broke the silence in the room.

Ma Xiuying closed her eyes and turned away.

Cuizhu quickly stepped forward and pulled up a screen.

"Cough, cough..."

"Tell him to come in."

Zhu Yuanzhang spat.

I have to say that Lao Zhu's physical condition is indeed incredibly strong. He was seriously ill yesterday, but as long as he had a good night's sleep, he would be much more energetic the next day.

Now, everyone can meet Mao Xiang.

No doubt at all, give him another three days, oh no, two days.

He can definitely recover to his prime!
"See Your Majesty."

"See the Queen."

Seeing the emperor lying on the bed, Mao Xiang was a little at a loss. He could only kneel on the ground and lower his head.

"Ah."

Zhu Yuanzhang responded,

"Tell us about today's court meeting."

Mao Xiang nodded and said seriously:

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Today, His Royal Highness the King of Wu attended the court as the regent. He behaved with dignity and grace!"

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows.

"According to the order."

Mao Xiang said respectfully,
"At the court meeting today, His Highness first met with a group of officials who left Beijing for their new posts or returned to Beijing to report on their work. His Highness criticized and instructed the officials' complicated and lengthy reports, ordering them to pick out the key points and submit them in the form of a report, requiring them to seek truth from facts and not to falsify information."

"Afterwards, the Minister of Revenue, Lu Chang, requested that 20% of taxes in the disaster-stricken areas be exempted. His Highness ordered that 30% could be exempted after verification."

"And then……"

As an intelligence chief, Mao Xiang has always had a good memory and can fully recount everything he has experienced.

He repeated the entire process of today's court meeting, even what Zhu Ju said to the ministers, word for word. Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and nodded repeatedly.

"Okay, okay!"

"Hahaha……"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said,
"This kid is really capable after all! He can do this in his first court meeting. It's great!"

"Even if Biaoer comes, it may not be so good!"

"Girl, don't you think so?"

Ma Xiuying also nodded.

"After hearing what Mao Xiang said, I actually underestimated Xiao Juzi."

She replied,
"I didn't expect that he could host this court meeting so beautifully, with clear logic and grace."

"It does have some style."

Listening to Mao Xiang's description, she felt that Zhu Ju was a young emperor, and a refined and wise one at that.

"Well, we were right. He is indeed worth our time and effort to cultivate!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied and asked again,

"What is the mood of the ministers? Let's let Zhu Ju supervise the government. What do they think?"

Mao Xiang's expression was slightly stern.

"This……"

"I dare not speak nonsense."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

"Why don't you dare to talk nonsense? We made you the commander of the Imperial Guards, so that you can gather information and be our eyes and ears!"

He ordered,

"Say it, but you can say it!"

Mao Xiang nodded, and after a brief consideration, he said:

"According to the decree..."

"The ministers were very surprised that the King of Wu was acting as regent. Some speculated that something had happened within the royal family. Some speculated that His Majesty wanted to train the King of Wu because the Crown Prince was ill. Some also speculated that... the Queen was interfering in politics and wanted to support the King of Wu."

"There are all kinds of speculations..."

Hearing this, Ma Xiuying's face suddenly changed.

"Who is talking nonsense?"

She said angrily,

"When have I ever interfered in politics?!"

So irritating!

Someone actually threw dirty water on himself!
“Hahaha… cough cough cough, sister, don’t be angry, these ministers are just like this!”

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't take it seriously, but laughed happily and said,
"Look, as soon as something happens, rumors start to spread. These people just want to create chaos in the world!"

"Just wait and see. Someone will try to get close to Lao Liu and try to climb up the social ladder! Maybe someone will take advantage of Zhu Ju's young age and try to bully his master! Tell me, can we trust this bunch of people?"

Ma Xiuying snorted coldly, her face looking a little ugly.

"Okay, okay."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and ordered,
"You can step down and continue to do your job. If there is any situation, you must report to us."

"We want to continue to see what happens next."

Mao Xiang retreated in response.

"Zhongba, did I interfere in politics?" "Yes, I did."

"Ok?"

"Oh no, I'm wrong, I didn't do it! You are a virtuous queen, how could you possibly interfere in politics!"

"Humph!"

……

East Palace.

"Sister Chang, is my brother okay?"

Zhu Ju walked smoothly all the way to the inner courtyard of the Eastern Palace. He bowed slightly to Chang Meirong who was wiping Zhu Biao's face and said with concern.

"It's the Sixth Prince."

Chang Meirong stood up to return the greeting, then turned to Zhu Biao and said,
"Your Highness, the Sixth Prince has come to see you."

Zhu Biao, who was lying on the bed, squinted his eyes. When he heard that it was Zhu Ju who came, he opened his eyes and turned his face.

"Little Orange, sit down."

"Mei Rong, go make some tea and get some of his favorite fruits."

He waved his hand, his tone sounding a little weak.

Chang Meirong responded, left the room, and went to make tea for Zhu Ju herself.

"Brother, you are weak again after the rain."

Zhu Ju went forward to check on Zhu Biao's condition and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"You are such a cracker."

"I see that dad has recovered a lot, mom is also better, but you seem to be worse than them."

"I think you really need to take a good rest."

The most fragile person in the Ming Dynasty is none other than Zhu Biao!

No wonder there are so many people who died young in history, there were always signs of this!
"I'm taking a break, right?"

Zhu Biao smiled and said,
"Actually, it's okay for me to rest for a while. If you carry my burden, won't I feel relieved?"

"I heard that Dad asked you to supervise the country. Today is the first court meeting. How is it going? Is it difficult?"

Zhu Ju waved his hand.

"It's not difficult, it's just annoying."

"I did encounter some problems, but fortunately, my mother helped me sort out my thoughts. There shouldn't be any problems later. At most, I'll be a little tired."

"However, Dad should be getting better soon. Judging from his condition, I estimate that he will be able to get up in two or three days."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly.

"I knew you could do it."

He gave Zhu Ju a thumbs up and said,

"After praying for rain, everyone fell ill, not only my parents, but also the second and third sons, as well as some of the concubines and other female relatives."

"If you have time, you can go and comfort these people."

"As for those old ministers who are highly respected, if you have time, you can also go and visit them, ask about their well-being, and show your kindness."

"As a person in a high position, you still need a certain reputation. You have a reputation for literature, but not for virtue. Take this opportunity to endure a little, and you can accumulate virtue and be praised by the world."

Zhu Ju was slightly stunned.

"Brother, I'm not an emperor. I'm just a top prince. What reputation do I need?"

He waved his hand.

"Besides, that's not my personality. I'm used to being free and unfettered. If you want me to be a Sixth Sage King, I won't do it. It would be so tiring to carry a label of being sage and live in a framework in the future."

Compared to Zhu Biao, Zhu Ju is more straightforward and irritable.

It has nothing to do with being elegant and virtuous.

"Listen to Big Brother, do these things, it will be good for you."

Zhu Biao said softly.

Seeing that he was weak, Zhu Ju could not refute him, so he could only nod and say:

"Okay, okay. I'll go and visit you when I'm free."

"Brother, how are you feeling now? Are you feeling hot and cold, or dizzy?"

Zhu Biao shook his head.

"I felt uncomfortable yesterday and the day before yesterday, but I feel better today. I guess my foundation is not very good, otherwise I wouldn't have to stay in bed. I prayed for rain for three days, and I even rested for one day in between."

He said helplessly,

"It seems that I really need to learn some physical fitness techniques from you."

"When I feel better, I will practice martial arts and boxing every day. I am really being dragged down by my weak body."

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

"Hey, that's the right way to think about it."

This stubborn donkey finally turned back. It’s not easy!

"By the way, you'll be handling government affairs these two days. If you have any questions, you can always come to me."

Zhu Biao said again,

"Although you are lying down, your brain is still working well. I won't say too much, but it's absolutely no problem for me to give you some advice."

Zhu Ju's eyes lit up.

"Brother, I just have something I want to discuss with you."

"It's about the newly-appointed Jinshi. Do you think this will work?"

……

The next day.

The meeting came as scheduled.

Everyone was shocked to see Zhu Ju sitting on the dragon throne and attending court yesterday.

But after one night, the ministers were no longer surprised. What surprised them was that in front of the dragon throne stood a row of scholars who were not wearing official uniforms. Although they had different appearances and body shapes, they all stood straight and looked very energetic.

"Who are these people?"

"Hey, these... seem to be the newly-appointed Jinshi, right? Did His Royal Highness the King of Wu summon them here? Is he going to select the top three in front of all the civil and military officials today?"

"I don't know who will be the No. 1 and who will be the No. 3. I think the young man on the left is very handsome and has an extraordinary bearing. Maybe he can become the No. 3."

"The third one from the right, he has a square and dignified face, and at first glance he looks like a top scholar!"

At this moment, Zhu Ju had not yet arrived, and several brave officials actually stepped forward and greeted:
"How old are you, sir? Are you married?"

"May I ask your name, sir?"

"..."

These guys are actually playing the trick of 'catching a son-in-law from under the list' and are choosing sons-in-law here!

The inspectors are already recording like crazy, but the old hands are not afraid of this.

The one who is close to the water gets the moon first. If you can find a son-in-law you like, what does this punishment matter?
You know, this is the first batch of Jinshi in the Ming Dynasty, and they were selected through two major examinations. Each of them is full of gold content and has a bright future!
Being able to combine with them can definitely make your family prosperous for another generation!

"This, I..."

"My humble servant greets you. My surname is Zhang and I am from Zhejiang."

Among the new scholars, some were hesitant, while others were calm and answered promptly.

The old foxes launched an offensive and flattered these new scholars with such eloquent words that how could these young people resist?
After a while, the two sides were chatting animatedly.

Da da da!
A figure appeared at the gate of Qianqing.

The eunuch who was delivering messages beside him was about to shout something but was stopped by Zhu Ju.

He walked up silently, stood beside the crowd, and just listened without saying a word.

"Hahaha, I'm from Jiangxi too! We are still fellow countrymen!"

"Come to my house for tea when you have time! I have two boys and a girl at home, and I'd like to ask Brother Gao for some advice when the time comes..."

"Right, I... uh!"

The old man was talking excitedly, but suddenly he saw Zhu Ju beside him and immediately shut his mouth.

One person shut his mouth, and the others noticed something was wrong and turned to look over.

"See...see the Regent!"

"Your humble servants and others are here to see the Regent..."

No matter whether they were old-timers or new scholars, they all felt guilty at this moment and bowed to Zhu Ju.

"What are you talking about? I see you guys are having a great time chatting, keep chatting, I want to listen too."

Zhu Ju picked his ears and said expressionlessly.

Everyone: "..."

The law-abiding officials below were all laughing secretly at this moment.

"You guys turned my grand court meeting into a matchmaking meeting, didn't you?"

Zhu Ju pointed at the Qianqing Gate.

"Has this Qianqing Gate become your blind date corner?"

"This is outrageous! Where is the inspector?"

He was so angry that he started swearing.

"Chen is here!"

Several inspectors came up, each holding a notebook in their hands.

“Have you recorded everything?”

Zhu Ju asked.

"Reporting to the Regent, we have already recorded all the ugly behaviors of these officials."

The inspector handed over the book and said respectfully,
"Please have a look at it, Regent."

Zhu Ju waved his hand.

"Openly setting up a blind date in a grand court meeting, what crime should be committed?"

He said coldly.

All the officials lowered their heads in shame at this moment.

"This……"

The inspector was in a dilemma and tried to ask,
"Your Highness, there is no precedent... Should he be punished for being disrespectful in front of the palace?"

"Or disrupt the order of the court meeting?"

This situation has never happened before!

"Count them both! Punish them together!"

Zhu Ju ordered.

Upon hearing this, all the officials turned pale and looked ugly.

Being disrespectful in front of the palace is okay, but disrupting the order of the court meeting... is a serious crime!

Not only will you be fined, you might even be beaten and thrown into jail!
"As ordered."

The inspector looked solemn and said,

"Everyone, according to the law, if you are disrespectful in front of the palace, you will be fined three months' salary."

"If you disrupt the order of the court, you will be punished with thirty strokes of the cane at the least and thrown into prison at the worst!"

"Based on your behavior, it is considered a serious disturbance of public order. You should be thrown into prison and imprisoned for three months!"

Officials: “!!!”

"Your Highness, please forgive me!"

"Your Highness, I am only here to greet the new scholar. I just admire his talent and have no other motives!"

"Your Highness..."

This time, all the old foxes dared not to be stubborn anymore and knelt down in front of Zhu Ju to beg for mercy and to excuse themselves.

A beating with a stick is fine, but if he ends up in jail, his career will be ruined!

This time... I didn't pick up sesame seeds, but lost the watermelon instead!
Who could have thought that without any eunuch's call, the King of Wu would appear beside them in such a sinister manner!
"Okay, the others will be caned forty times, and this old man will be thrown into jail!"

Zhu Ju raised his head and said,
"You're still saying hello to Aicai. Even at this point, you're still trying to argue in front of me. Are you taking me for a fool?"

"Take him away and put him in jail!"

At a command, the imperial guards on both sides quickly stepped forward and dragged the old official away.

The rest of the people secretly rejoiced, and after a sigh of relief, they had to face another 40 lashes...

"Why are you still standing there?"

Zhu Ju sat down on the dragon chair and waved his hand.

"Go ahead and call him."

"After the fight, we'll start the court meeting."

The Imperial Guards responded with orders.

The old foxes all lay down obediently, and for a while, screams were heard everywhere.

The oil is about to be squeezed out!

boom!
boom!
With every hit, the newly-minted scholar's shoulders twitched.

This beating made them clearly realize the strictness of the court laws!

This is not a teahouse, nor is it a blind date corner. Anyone who dares to act rashly outside the Qianqing Gate will be taught a lesson!

After a while, the beating was over.

Several officials were beaten so hard that their eyes rolled back. At this moment, under the shove of the Imperial Guards, they could only hold their old waists and tremble as they returned to the team.

"How cruel."

"yes……"

Among the crowd, officials sighed inwardly.

Today, I got to see the tyrannical methods of this young King Wu!
However, most people are not too surprised by this. After all, there are too many legends about King Wu. He was a little devil in the past, and there was nothing he dared not do!
Beating a person is a completely minor incident.

"I have high hopes for you."

Zhu Ju looked at the forty-one Jinshi in front of him and said in a deep voice,
"Love is a long-standing thing. It's not that you can't pursue it, but you have to think carefully about who you want to marry."

“Sometimes, you think you have taken a shortcut, but in fact, it limits your own height. On the contrary, if you take the right path steadily, you can reach the top.”

"That's all I have to say. You can decide for yourself."

These words shocked all the scholars.

The young men who had been fighting fiercely with the old fox just now quickly calmed down and lowered their heads to listen to the lecture.

"Let's start the morning court."

After Zhu Ju finished speaking, he looked at the civil and military officials and said in a deep voice,
"What's the music today?"

After practicing with my mother, he thought he had improved his internal strength a lot.

A situation like yesterday's would definitely be something I could handle with ease today.

There’s nothing we can do about it, that’s how geniuses are, their ability to adapt is so strong!

In the queue, Hu Weiyong winked at several officials around him.

"Your Highness, I have a memorial to report to the emperor."

"Twelve chieftains of Yunnan returned and rebelled again. The Xuanwei Office requests Your Majesty to allocate troops and send out recruiting envoys to quell their rebellion."

Zhuju; "..."

How come this is still military affairs and is related to ethnic minorities?

"I would like to report to the regent. I, your humble servant, also have a report to make."

"In the areas of Nanzhili and Zhejiang, the illegal sale of salt continues despite repeated prohibitions. Several salt smugglers are active in various waters. Local authorities have reported this..."

"To supervise the country..."

Officials came forward one after another. Before Zhu Ju could even finish answering the previous question, the next one came along, leaving him no chance to catch his breath.

Moreover, these issues are all major and thorny issues for the country! We cannot be vague about them.

The internal energy I practiced yesterday seems to be completely useless today!
Seeing that Zhu Ju's expression was not right, Hu Weiyong couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

Too much to handle, right?

Haha, it’s still too tender!
He was very calm, stepped out and shouted:
"Why are you so anxious to submit a report? Your Highness needs to think about it, one point at a time. What's the point of making such a fuss?"

The order made all the officials who were about to step forward pause. Several officials also stopped.

"It's okay, go ahead, go ahead."

When Zhu Ju heard Hu Weiyong talking, he already knew what was going on. His expression suddenly changed and he said with a smile,

"Just say what you want to say. The more the better."

"Go ahead. If you have anything else to say, come up and say it all."

When Hu Weiyong heard this, he was slightly startled. He saluted slightly towards Zhu Ju and returned to the queue.

He wanted to see where Zhu Ju got the confidence from.

Swish.

Swish.

Seven or eight officials submitted memorials, and more than a dozen petitions were submitted. They were either about military and national affairs or local emergencies, as well as a bunch of old issues.

The problems that Zhu Yuanzhang hadn't solved now all came up for Zhu Ju to solve.

The more Zhu Ju listened, the more certain he became - it was Hu Weiyong and his gang who wanted to fight with him and embarrass him!

Haha! Fortunately, I am one step ahead!
"That's all, is that all?"

Zhu Ju asked with a smile,
"Today is really strange. So many difficult and big questions were handed in all at once. Is it because you know that I will test the new Jinshi today?"

"Ha ha……"

When the officials heard this, they were all a little confused.

The newly-appointed scholars also looked up at Zhu Ju.

"My father asked me to select the top three candidates and choose the top two candidates."

Zhu Ju stood up and said,
"I have thought about it. Using ordinary test questions and selecting candidates based on essays is still too old-fashioned. I will just follow the idea of ​​the imperial examination and use real government affairs as the test questions!"

As he spoke, he walked in front of the scholars and asked with a smile:

"Did you hear all the dozen or so reports just now? Did you hear them clearly? If there are any that you didn't hear clearly, I can ask them to repeat them to you again."

All the newly-appointed scholars: “?!”

I never expected that the King of Wu would choose the top scholar in this way!
This was something they had not expected...

However, thinking about the questions in the imperial examination, it is understandable that this selection test is so difficult.

"Your Highness, could you please repeat it again? I was not paying enough attention just now and did not hear it clearly."

“The students didn’t hear it clearly either…”

The Jinshi scholars called themselves students in front of Zhu Ju, which meant they considered themselves disciples of King Wu.

This made Li Shanchang, the hard-working examiner, look a little unhappy - after working for a long time, in the end not only did he fail to expand his own power, but he also became an obstacle for Zhu Ju!
Emperor Zhu, oh Emperor Zhu, do you have to guard against me like you would a thief?

At this moment, Li Shanchang's heart was filled with sorrow and resentment.

He could now understand why Zhu Wenzhen, Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew, would go to Zhang Shicheng for help.

Because his uncle is a ruthless man!
"Okay, let them repeat it!"

Zhu Ju smiled and said,

"Don't be anxious, think about it slowly, and tell me when you have figured it out!"

"Today's grand court meeting is your stage! Whether you can shine on this stage depends on your ability!"

"There are more than a dozen memorials, which means more than a dozen test questions. You can choose to answer any one question. If you feel you have the energy, you can choose to answer more than one question. Of course, if you feel you have the ability and answer all of them, I welcome that too!"

"I can make a promise in advance. As the three outstanding candidates, not only can they be selected as the top three in the imperial examination, but they can also be directly awarded the title of fifth-rank official!"

"Real teaching!"

Zhu Ju will not be stingy with the official position for the real gold that has been screened out with such tricky questions!
Give it directly to the powerful fifth-rank official!

As the regent, he has such great power! After all, in reality, he is now acting on behalf of the emperor, and is the emperor!

(End of this chapter)