Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 451 Top Three
"Alright! I will obey my Empress's orders!" Looking at his wife's serious and earnest expression, Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch her cheek.

"Your Majesty!" Empress Xia's face flushed red at her husband's sudden, mischievous touch. She quickly turned her head to look around, and only after confirming that no one was watching her did she glare at her husband with an annoyed expression.

"Eat, eat~" Looking at his wife's shy appearance, Zhu Zhanhe felt very comfortable. Immediately, Zhu Zhanhe sat down in a chair, picked up a bowl of rice and started eating, as if he hadn't seen his wife's rosy face at all.

Seeing her husband's shameless behavior, Empress Xia blushed and looked utterly helpless. At the same time, Empress Xia was very aware of her husband's restless nature, and immediately waved for everyone to leave after the palace maids had set out the food.

To avoid being seen by others if her husband suddenly became unruly! That would greatly affect her dignity as the Empress!

At the dinner table, Empress Xia gently served food to her husband, her face full of tenderness as she watched him eat heartily, though there was also a hint of wariness about her husband's sudden mischief.

"Sir, there are quite a few scholars graduating from the Imperial Academy and the Military Academy this time."

As usual, you have Erniu arrange for someone to investigate these people again, select some suitable men from humble backgrounds, and I will then bestow marriages upon them.

"We should take a two-pronged approach. The Empress and I should work together to win over those scholars separately," Zhu Zhanhe instructed Empress Xia while eating the food his wife fed him.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I have already had the Embroidered Uniform Guard collect all the information on the students of the Imperial Academy and the Military Academy, and they are updating some information in real time."

This time, among the scholars eligible for marriage, the majority were from the Military Academy. After all, there were far too many powerful and influential people among the scholars of the Imperial Academy. Empress Xia naturally had no objection to her husband's request. After all, these were all assets for her future son! Empress Xia was very concerned; she wouldn't dig a pit for her son!
"As long as the Empress knows what's going on."

Regarding the issue of the number of powerful and influential scholars in the Imperial Academy, I have already discussed it with Yu'er, and we will find a solution as soon as possible.

However, Yu'er still harbors some resentment towards my methods of burning books and burying scholars alive. Empress, please talk to that child more often when you have time. After hearing his wife's words, Zhu Zhanhe put down his chopsticks and said with a touch of emotion.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will talk to Yu'er about it properly."

"It's just right, I haven't seen Yu'er, Qian Shi, and Xi'er for two days. Later today, I'll have them come to Kunning Palace for a chat." Upon hearing her husband's words, Empress Xia felt a pang of unease. She knew her son was starting to get stuck on his thoughts again.

Immediately, Empress Xia prepared to bring her son, daughter-in-law Qian, and eldest grandson Zhu Jianxi over for a chat. She also wanted to have a proper talk with her son.

Zhu Qiyu's principal wife, Lady Qian, was the legitimate daughter of Qian Zhongcai, a general in the army! And the legitimate son born to Lady Qian and Zhu Qiyu was named Zhu Jianxi!

"My lord is so thoughtful!" Upon hearing his wife's words, Zhu Zhanhe knew that Empress Xia had understood what he meant. Immediately, he grasped his wife's hand again, his face filled with gratitude.

"Your Majesty, mind your manners!" Empress Xia muttered irritably, seeing her husband acting inappropriately again. Unfortunately, her delicate hand was still held by her husband and she couldn't pull away.

"By the way, my lord, what are the Empress's plans regarding this arranged marriage?" Zhu Zhanhe ignored his wife's struggles and continued counting her fingers, asking the crucial question. After all, there had to be a reason for arranging marriages for officials. Moreover, the betrothed individuals were all from humble backgrounds.

Zhu Zhanhe believed that the powerful figures in the court knew about these things, but there had to be a plausible excuse to cover up the truth from everyone else!
"Your Majesty need not worry about this matter. I have come up with another good idea. However, Your Majesty will need to cooperate." Empress Xia replied to her husband with a gentle smile after hearing his inquiry.

"Alright, then I will follow my Empress's arrangements!" Zhu Zhanhe didn't care when his wife said it was a secret, but he continued to delicately play with his wife's jade hands, which made Empress Xia roll her eyes.

"My lord, Consort Zhen offended me today, and you, as the Empress, bear responsibility!" Seeing his wife's beautiful eye roll, Zhu Zhanhe decided to tease Empress Xia.

"What responsibility do I have? Your Majesty, please don't talk nonsense!" Upon hearing her husband's words, Empress Xia had a bad feeling! After struggling carefully with her jade hands for a couple of seconds but still not being able to break free, Empress Xia knew that her husband was beginning to have ill intentions.

As expected, taking advantage of Empress Xia's struggle to break free, Zhu Zhanhe pulled his wife into his arms.

"Your Majesty, this is because you failed to manage your subordinates properly, which allowed Lady Lahe to make a mistake. I will punish you!" Immediately, Zhu Zhanhe ignored Empress Xia's struggles and picked her up by the waist, carrying her into the inner room.

"Your Majesty, this is a trumped-up charge!"

"Your Majesty, this is not proper in broad daylight!" Empress Xia tried to argue further. But the reality was that such rhetoric was completely ineffective against the energetic Zhu Zhanhe.
Time quickly came to the next day.

Early in the morning, a large crowd had already gathered in front of the tightly closed gates of the imperial palace in Longdu. Moreover, everyone noticed that the number of people attending the morning court session was significantly greater than usual!

The most conspicuous group in the crowd was a square formation led by men in red and composed of men in blue, which stood in a corner! For this reason, squads of Imperial Guards scanned everything with eyes like eagles, each on high alert, ready to prevent any unexpected situation from arising!

A series of deep drumbeats rang out, and the officials who were chatting with their colleagues immediately straightened their clothes, lined up in order, and prepared to enter the palace.

"Creak~!" The soft sound of the door opening was so exhilarating at that moment.

"Gentlemen, please enter the palace in an orderly fashion!" Standing at the palace gate, a commander of the Imperial Guards, clad in armor, stepped out from two rows of fully armored Imperial Guards and stood at the palace gate, staring solemnly at each official and scholar entering the palace.

However, soon, the commander of the Imperial Guards saw again a group of figures that were distinctly different from their hurried entry into the palace, standing like weak rocks in the crowd.

Immediately, all the Imperial Guards turned their attention to it.

Standing silently in the square formation, the first few were dressed in bright red samurai uniforms! Behind them, however, were all young students in similar but blue samurai uniforms. In the eyes of the Imperial Guard Commander, these students were at most teenagers, no more than twenty years old.

However, what is most striking is the awe-inspiring presence and the visible discipline emanating from these young students!
Although there were only three or four hundred people, each one stood proudly like a spear. The dense square formation was perfectly orderly!

Even from the side of the Imperial Guard Commander, looking towards the formation, the diagonal line of the formation appeared as if it were a single, flawless unit!

"These are the students of the Military Academy!!!"

"This is the training method of the Emperor's Dragon Martial Military Manual?!" The Imperial Guard Commander stared in astonishment at the young and inexperienced, yet formidable, figures before him, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock!
"Military Academy!"

Everyone has it!

Change to a four-row formation!

"Start! Go!" To the astonishment of the Imperial Guard Commander, a scholar dressed in a red warrior's uniform, standing at the very edge of the line, ran out of the ranks with perfect posture. He then turned around with a sculpted gesture and shouted loudly to the group of martial arts academy students.

(End of this chapter)