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

Chapter 469 Qionglin Banquet 5
Looking at Du Wubing kneeling before him, Emperor Longwu knew that his efforts to win over the people had finally succeeded!
However, in Emperor Longwu's view, this effort to win people's hearts could be done even more openly!

"Du Wubing~!"

"May I live a life free from illness and disaster, serving my Dragon Kingdom!" Emperor Longwu murmured to himself, as if sighing. Yet, his voice still echoed throughout the entire Qionglin Garden!
"The candidate for the first rank!" Suddenly, Emperor Longwu turned around and called out to the candidate for the first rank who was kneeling facing Empress Xia.
"This servant is here!" Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's call, the kneeling maidservant quickly turned around and knelt down facing him.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were drawn to the terrace from below.

At this moment, everyone on and off the terrace wanted to know how Emperor Longwu would handle the situation!

Even the eldest prince Zhu Qiyu and Empress Xia focused their attention on the candidate selected by the first rank!

"A top-ranking beauty!"
The Du family's father was wounded in battle for the country and returned home. Now, he has sent his adopted son to the military academy, where he will soon be stationed in the army!
They can be described as a family full of loyal martyrs!

Such a family of loyal and brave people!

"I will ensure the Du family line continues!" Emperor Longwu said solemnly to the kneeling Lady Jia.
At the same time, Emperor Longwu's words, "May the Du family's descendants continue," were like a thunderclap in the sky, resounding in the ears of every minister below the terrace!

Unconsciously, throughout the entire Qionglin Garden, one could even hear the sound of countless people swallowing their saliva!
In an instant, all the officials and ministers on and off the terrace focused their attention on Emperor Longwu! They had considered that Emperor Longwu might give Du Wubing a verbal commendation, or bestow a reward as a sign of favor, or some other kind of reward!
However, they never imagined that Emperor Longwu would bestow his rewards in such a straightforward, direct, realistic, and unsolvable way!
In the name of the emperor, this was a gift, or rather a congratulation, to the family of a loyal minister for the continuation of their lineage!
Such a reward is unprecedented! Yet, it is something the subject cannot refuse! And it fills the subject with joy and delight!
Because this is not only a reward from the emperor, but also a blessing from the emperor to his subject! It is a blessing to the subject and his offspring!

In an instant, countless officials looked at Du Wubing with envy, wishing they could take his place!
After all, such enduring glory for an entire family is not something everyone can possess!
"Your Majesty, I obey!" Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words, the concubine of the Jia rank felt a sudden jolt in her heart! She knew that her fate had been decided! It was that seemingly robust man below the terrace! At the same time, it was also the family that the Emperor himself had praised—a family of unwavering loyalty!
Therefore, at this moment, the concubine of the Jia-ranked imperial concubine, facing Emperor Longwu, even addressed herself as "your humble servant" to show her attitude at this moment!

"Your subject, Du Wubing, on behalf of my father and his descendants, thanks Your Majesty for Your Majesty's grace!"
"My Du family will serve the Emperor with our lives!" Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words on the terrace, Du Wubing's eyes instantly turned red, and he was so excited that tears were about to overflow!

As Du Wubing knelt and kowtowed, he thought to himself that if his father knew the Emperor's evaluation of him, the Du family, and his expectations for the Du family today, he would probably be just as excited, and might even feel that he could die without regrets!
"My dear minister, you may leave now." Hearing the resounding thud of Du Wubing's kowtow, Emperor Longwu immediately dismissed the burly man.

After all, he couldn't let his newly recruited underlings go crazy from kowtowing!

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Du Wubing immediately stood up respectfully and returned to his seat. At that moment, he noticed that the way his classmates looked at him had changed!

Is this the Emperor's boundless grace?! For a moment, Du Wubing's heart was filled with a deep sense of loyalty to Emperor Longwu!

At the very front of the scholars' seats, Fang Xingjian and Zhang Tingfang silently imprinted the name of this scholar, Du Wubing, deep in their hearts! They knew that, from this moment on, they had gained another ally who would swear to serve the emperor to the death!
"My son!"
"This time, all the materials and dowries needed for the weddings of all the scholars in this bestowed marriage will be allocated by my imperial treasury! You will be in charge of this matter personally!" Emperor Longwu, who had sat back on the dragon throne, gently patted his wife Xia's hand before speaking to his son again.

Furthermore, Emperor Longwu's words were another bombshell!
The emperor personally arranged marriages for his officials and hosted the weddings! He even had his eldest son preside over the ceremony! Furthermore, all the supplies for the officials' weddings were allocated from the emperor's private treasury!
At this moment, all the officials once again felt Emperor Longwu's care for them! Or rather, Emperor Longwu's support for the younger generation of officials in the court!

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Upon hearing the task assigned by Emperor Longwu, the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu, readily agreed. He knew this was an opportunity given to him by his father to cultivate relationships with and win over young scholars!
Meanwhile, the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu, was also diligently studying his father's tactics for winning over his ministers! He couldn't help but feel excited and admiring for every word his father had just said!

"Continue!" Empress Xia said to her son only after her husband finished. At the same time, she gave her husband a disapproving look, as if she were complaining that he had stolen their son's thunder!
Upon hearing Empress Xia's voice, the candidate in the Jia-character selection respectfully withdrew and stood firmly behind the Jia-character screen.

At the same time, the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu, spoke again!

"A second-ranking imperial concubine, from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau, sixteen years old!" After calming his turbulent thoughts and excited spirits, the eldest prince Zhu Qiyu continued to announce the background of the second imperial concubine.

Then, the second candidate slowly stepped onto the terrace! After bowing to Emperor Longwu and the Empress, the candidate, still holding the box high, awaited the Empress's drawing of lots to determine her future fate!
At this moment, perhaps this young lady, whose name is Yi, is also fantasizing that the Emperor will have high expectations for her future husband's family!
Then, Empress Xia continued to draw lots with her jade-like hand and handed them to the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu.

"The candidate for the second-ranking concubine, the result of the draw: Wang Lanjiang!" Immediately, the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu, showed everyone the bamboo token in his hand and then loudly read out the name on the token.

In an instant, all eyes of the scholars were drawn to the ranks of those from the Imperial Academy. After all, they were very familiar with the name Wang Lanjiang! The top student in the second class of the Imperial Academy! A distinguished scholar! This was a super talent with strength approaching that of the top class!

Unexpectedly, such a task was actually drawn out by the Empress's phoenix hand!
"Your subject, Wang Lanjiang, thanks Your Majesty for your grace!!"
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty the Empress!" After a moment of stunned silence, Wang Lanjiang seemed to realize what was happening. He immediately left his seat, went to the central aisle, and respectfully kowtowed towards the terrace!

At the same time, Wang Lanjiang was somewhat bewildered at this moment!

After all, according to Wang Lanjiang and his elders, the marriages bestowed by the Emperor and Empress upon their officials were primarily reserved for scholars from humble backgrounds. It was extremely rare for them, representing powerful clans, to receive such marriage opportunities!
Yes, Wang Lanjiang represents the powerful and influential! Although he is not among the top powerful and influential figures in the Dragon Kingdom, he is still a descendant of the first group of civil officials who followed Emperor Longwu to start their business in Yunnan!

His elders were very familiar with Emperor Longwu's ways. That's why they believed that Emperor Longwu would concentrate all the bestowed marriages on those from humble families!

(End of this chapter)