Chapter 41

"Aren't you just a fortune-teller setting up a stall in front of Qianmen Street?"

"Just tell him you've found a great business opportunity; if he invests his silver, he'll earn twenty percent interest in a month. Basically, just find a way to bluff him."

Emperor Sizong the Martyr:

"Great-Grandfather, but with such high interest, your descendant cannot repay it!"

Emperor Taizu the Exalted:

"Why are you so stubborn, child!"

"I told you to borrow the money."

"Did I tell you to repay it?"

"Besides."

"Our Great Ming is nearly finished anyway; why are you still worrying about whether this silver can be repaid?"

"Let the first few investors taste some sweetness."

"Once enough silver is raised, simply reveal your hand."

Emperor Sizong the Martyr:

"Reveal my hand? Great-Grandfather, if I do that, won't I become a swindler? If so, how can I rule the myriad people under heaven, how can I justify my existence, how can I..."

Emperor Taizu the Exalted:

"If you say 'how can I' one more time, I'll castrate Old Four."

Emperor Sizong the Martyr:

"..."

Emperor Taizu the Exalted:

"If you lose the nation, will you then be able to rule the myriad people under heaven? Will you then be able to justify your existence?"

Emperor Sizong the Martyr:

"Great-Grandfather is wise!"

When you're already eating instant noodles, do you still damn well complain they aren't healthy?

Is there still room for choice now?

Confiscating estates must wait until this new army of imperial clansmen has marched out to war.

Before that, the silver needed to train the new army must at least be scraped together first!

Thinking of this, a hint of murderous intent immediately surfaced on Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's face.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian, seated on the Dragon Throne, took a deep breath and closed the memorials sent by imperial clansmen from various regions.

He asked with a grave gaze:

"Has the Father of the Empress awakened?"

Wang Wang Wang Chengen, standing beside him, hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

Finally, he whispered softly:

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Father of the Empress awakened yesterday, but..."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian looked at Wang Wang Wang Chengen in confusion and asked:

"But what?"

"But the Father of the Empress is loitering in the palace, refusing to leave, claiming he intends to hang himself within the palace grounds."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian snorted coldly and said:

"Then don't stop him! Let him hang himself!"

Wang Wang Wang Chengen said with some difficulty:

"Your Majesty, heaven is my witness, we servants did not stop him..."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian couldn't help but let out a dry laugh, slowly rose to his feet, and sighed:

"Prepare the imperial carriage; I shall go see my Father of the Empress!"

"Yes!"

Several young eunuchs prepared the Dragon Carriage in less than a quarter of an hour.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's Dragon Carriage slowly came to a halt outside the Taiyi Academy.

As soon as he arrived at the entrance of the Taiyi Academy,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian heard that familiar voice.

"Just let me die!"

"Henchmen, henchmen! I, Zhou, am irreconcilable with you!"

"How can I face the ancestral spirits of the Zhou family like this!"

"Who could have imagined that merely coming to visit my daughter would lead to such a disaster!"

Hearing Zhou Kui's complaints,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian immediately couldn't help but snort coldly and say:

"What, is the Father of the Empress resenting Me?"

Upon hearing Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's voice, Zhou Kui immediately shivered.

He scrambled up from the ground and knelt before Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian.

"Your Majesty, your subject dares not resent Your Majesty!"

"Your subject wishes to impeach that band of Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"Your subject said he would donate five thousand taels of silver, but who would have thought those Embroidered Uniform Guard would completely strip the Zhou family bare!"

"Although there is little of value left in my home, there are many heirlooms of the Zhou family; those are keepsakes passed down from our ancestors!"

"Your Majesty, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard cannot restore the Zhou household to its original state."

"This subject, this subject would rather die, but I must die right here in the Taiyi Academy!"

44, Zhou Kui: Your Majesty, how much can you share with this subject?

Zhou Kui was no fool.

He lacked the courage to directly curse Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian.

But he certainly possessed ample courage to curse the Embroidered Uniform Guard by pointing at the mulberry tree while scolding the locust.

In any case, unless that five hundred thousand taels of silver was moved back.

Zhou Kui would simply refuse to admit that the Zhou household had been restored to its original condition, come hell or high water.

Watching Zhou Kui, who looked ready to roll around on the floor, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian signaled Wang Wang Wang Chengen behind him to bring over a chair.

He then sat down directly in front of Zhou Kui.

Then, with a single glance.

The host of eunuchs behind Wang Wang Wang Chengen immediately withdrew.

At this moment, only Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian, his father-in-law, and Wang Wang Wang Chengen remained in the side room.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian took a deep breath.

"Imperial Father-in-Law, I fear the Zhou household cannot be restored to its original state."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Kui immediately began to make a scene.

"Your Majesty, if even you do not seek justice for this old subject, then I truly have no reason to live!"

With that, Zhou Kui proceeded to hang a white silk cord from the roof beam.

Wang Wang Wang Chengen, standing nearby, could not help but mutter under his breath:

"Lord Imperial Father-in-Law, you have been throwing that white silk cord up there for three days now; be careful not to strain your shoulder..."

Zhou Kui glared fiercely at Wang Wang Wang Chengen and snapped harshly:

"What business is it of yours?!"

With that, Zhou Kui began to wail loudly.

"Father! Mother! Your unfilial son has suffered injustice unto death; your son is worthless!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian said with some impatience:

"The silver will not be returned, but I have a method that will allow the Imperial Father-in-Law to earn some more silver."

Zhou Kui's crying stopped abruptly, and he immediately looked at Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian with a smile:

"Your Majesty, I am but a rustic brute; please do not hold it against me."

"Regardless of anything, am I not still the Imperial Father-in-Law?"