Even emperors have it tough, so don't be too picky about the entries.

"From today onwards, Luming Academy will hold an examination every month. Those who fail the examination will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane."

"Anyone who fails the imperial examination for three consecutive months shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane, exiled to Lingnan, and never allowed to participate in the imperial examination again."

"Those who can't even recite their books will be beheaded. Those whose crimes are particularly heinous will be torn apart by five horses or subjected to slow slicing."

"Furthermore, anyone who whispers, criticizes teachers, or falls asleep in class will be punished according to the laws of the Great Yan Dynasty for disrupting official schools. The punishment ranges from twenty slaps to forty strokes of the cane."

"Those who cheat on exams shall be punished the same as deserters, and beheaded."

Everyone was shocked!

Is it alright if I can't go to school?

But then Chen Shaodao said:

"If anyone dares to drop out of school, their entire family will be executed."

After saying that, he turned and left.

They walked to the door but then turned back.

"By the way, don't think I'm joking."

Shen Qingci quickly chased after him.

She grabbed Chen Shao's sleeve.

"Aren't you... being too cruel... to execute someone for not being able to recite their lessons..."

"If he hadn't said his father was Zhang Erhe, I would have just scared them a little."

"But Zhang Erhe, as Han Cao's lackey, has done a lot of despicable things."

"His son is so arrogant, you can't even imagine what kind of person he is normally."

"We're going to kill them sooner or later anyway, so killing them here is a good way to kill two birds with one stone. Why not?"

Shen Qingci thought what he said made sense, but that wasn't the point.

She couldn't connect the words "academy" and "beheading" no matter what she did.

The problem is, how do we wipe our butts?

"How are you going to explain this to Zhang Erhe?"

"I am the emperor, and he is just a seventh-rank censor. What right do I have to give him an explanation?"

"No, you know what I mean. I mean Han Cao will definitely retaliate fiercely."

Chen Shao laughed loudly: "He doesn't have time for that. I'll go find him now."

After saying that, he mounted his horse and waved to the Imperial Guards behind him.

"Let's go to the Prime Minister's residence. I need to pay my respects to the Emperor Emeritus."

Shen Qingci only came to her senses after Chen Shao's figure had completely disappeared.

With a shout, he walked into the school.

"Teaching to the point of handling a student's funeral arrangements, that's something else..."

......

The four servants at the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence saw a group of Imperial Guards rushing towards them menacingly from afar.

They recognized the leader; he was none other than the current Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty.

But the Prime Minister gave instructions that he should not see anyone, not even the Emperor.

The head servant reluctantly stepped forward.

"Your Majesty... the Prime Minister is discussing matters in the residence. Please allow me to inform him."

Chen Shao slapped him across the face.

"I'm here to visit my own father, do I need you to announce my arrival?"

This Han Cao is truly arrogant. How dare a mere servant stop the emperor? Without his orders, how could he dare?

The Imperial Guards swarmed forward from behind, pinning down all the remaining servants who tried to stop them.

Chen Shao stepped over the threshold and strode through the front yard, causing the maids and servants along the way to scatter in fright.

study.

Yuwen Huagu wiped his slightly reddened lips.

He let out a long breath.

Even if he's a trained fighter, he couldn't withstand this kind of exhaustion.

Han Cao said sarcastically from the side:

"General Yuwen is truly domineering."

"He drove everyone away and claimed all the credit for saving the emperor. I admire him greatly."

"Since ancient times, there has been no greater merit than saving the emperor. Once the retired emperor wakes up, General Yuwen will truly be second only to the emperor."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Huagu grinned.

It could make that old fox Han Cao envious, jealous, and hateful.

No matter how hard or tiring it is, it's all worth it.

The old doctor next to him was examining the Emperor Emeritus.

"General, it seems there's still a little left!"

Yuwen Huagu stepped forward without hesitation.

Clang!

The study door was kicked open.

Chen Shao stormed in aggressively.

Just as he was about to unleash a torrent of curses, he saw what he was about to witness.

Completely petrified.

Even though he had recently become skilled at fighting with people, he couldn't help but feel a bit mentally blank at this moment.

Chen Shao pointed at the group: "What...what are you...doing...?"

The social atmosphere is becoming increasingly superficial and restless.

Five-stone powder was very popular among the common people.

Their behavior was unrestrained, eccentric, and wild, which Chen Shao could understand.

But I can't understand what's happening in front of me.

"This...this..."

Yuwen Huagu suddenly stood up and turned around.

The three people's gazes met and froze.

"Your Majesty, please let me explain... it's not what you think."

Half an hour later.

Chen Shao finally understood what was going on.

It turns out it wasn't a peculiar hobby of the two old rascals.

But what they were really doing was saving the retired emperor.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Su Ruolan, Su Ruolan, your poison is truly ruthless."

If I get poisoned, I'll make you save me every day!

Wait a minute, why didn't these bastards find some palace maids to save them?

And they still say it's not a personal quirk!

Chen Shao could never have imagined the merit of following the emperor.

"It turns out that I misunderstood my two ministers."

"I thought you guys had also taken Wushi Powder."

Chen Shao changed the subject:

"But damn it, when I handed the Emperor Emeritus over to you, he was perfectly fine."

"It was perfectly fine yesterday, but you've turned it into this overnight. What exactly did you do to the Emperor Emeritus?"

"I'm warning you, if anything happens to the Emperor Emeritus, I'll risk my life to bite you to death, you bastard!"

Han Cao also looked miserable.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger..."

"This is definitely not due to the old minister's negligence; it must be that the Emperor Emeritus is suffering from acclimatization issues..."

"Go to hell! The Emperor Emeritus grew up here; how could he possibly have trouble adjusting?"

This matter is indeed strange.

Even an old fox like Han Cao couldn't figure out the key to it.

Fortunately, the senior doctor next to us stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, this is a relapse of the Emperor Emeritus's old illness."

"It has nothing to do with Prime Minister Han."

"Old ailment? What old ailment?" Chen Shao pressed on relentlessly.

"The doctor just said this was caused by uncleanliness. Did Prime Minister Han offer his wife as a sacrifice yesterday?"

He suddenly slapped his forehead, realizing what had happened.

"Well, you bastard Han Cao, you wouldn't have had your wife use her beauty to poison the Emperor Emeritus, would you?!"

"His Majesty!"

Han Cao considered yesterday's events the greatest humiliation of his life.

A gag order has been placed at home.

Chen Shao brought up a sore spot, instantly infuriating him.

"This matter is extremely difficult to explain, but it's all a misunderstanding."

"This old minister will personally stay by the Emperor Emeritus's bedside for the next two days, never leaving his side."

"If anything happens to the Emperor Emeritus, this old minister will not need Your Majesty to take action; I will disembowel myself to atone for my sins and demonstrate my loyalty with my death!"

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Huagu had a sudden inspiration.

"This general is no different!"

Just kidding. Letting Han Cao be alone with the retired emperor would be tantamount to excluding oneself from the core power circle.

When the Emperor Emeritus woke up, Han Cao said that he had saved the Emperor all by himself. What should be done?

Then all that pain in my mouth was for nothing!

Chen Shao's tantrums and bullying were exactly what he was waiting for to hear.

But there was an unexpected surprise: Yuwen Huagu volunteered to stay here.

In that case... he could really steal the base with lightning speed.