Chapter 3

It can't solve the problem.

Just solve the problem?!

How come we never saw Yunwen was this brilliant?!

Old Zhu's throat surged with rage.

Only after a moment did he force out two words.

"Bullshit!"

Three, my Great Ming is on the verge of collapse—do you have any strategies?

Zhu Yuanzhang stared fiercely at Zhu Yunwen and demanded sharply.

"In the first year of Hongwu, the capital burned, and floods and droughts ravaged the four corners."

"This year alone, our Great Ming has reported nearly three hundred natural disasters."

"Should I, then, abdicate today in shame?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen broke into a cold sweat and collapsed to his knees with a thud.

I just wanted to flatter my imperial grandfather!

How did I end up kicking the horse's hoof?!

"Yunwen's studies are insufficient—please, Imperial Grandfather, punish me."

As soon as Zhu Yunwen spoke, the surrounding ministers all knelt to the ground.

Poor teaching is the teacher's fault.

If Zhu Yunwen is punished for this matter,

None of you will escape.

Everyone present instantly grew tense.

"Your servants beg to die…"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his teacup onto the ground with a sharp crack.

"Did I say I wanted you to die?! I'm asking you—what should we do if our Great Ming faces such a year?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's roar utterly stunned the men before him.

Ru Taisu and others were terrified, their souls nearly fleeing their bodies.

How could he say that?

It's just no money, no grain!

Even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice.

If we had the power to turn stones to gold, who would be serving as officials?!

In the end, it was Zhan Hui, kneeling on the ground, who suddenly thought of something.

He quickly raised his head and shouted to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Your Majesty, I have an idea!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sized up Zhan Hui, then asked,

"Speak!"

Zhan Hui blurted out,

"Your Majesty, today is the palace examination—the newly minted jinshi are all waiting in Jinsen Hall. Why not make this their exam question? Perhaps they'll have a Method to break the deadlock!"

As soon as he spoke,

Old Zhu suddenly snapped back to his senses.

After all, Chongzhen's news had been too shocking.

Old Zhu had completely forgotten the newly minted jinshi were still waiting in Jinsen Hall.

"To Jinsen Hall!"

"Yes!"

Seeing Old Zhu relent, everyone around him finally exhaled in relief.

Only Ru Taisu quietly gave Zhan Hui a thumbs-up.

"Minister Zhan, brilliant! All of us in this room owe you for diverting the blame."

Zhan Hui gave a helpless, bitter smile,

"Nothing but practice."

…

Not long after,

Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial carriage quietly appeared outside Jinsen Hall.

The newly minted jinshi, who had been lost and confused inside the hall, immediately returned to their seats upon hearing the news.

"Your servants pay homage…"

Before the new jinshi could bow, Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand impatiently.

"No need for formalities!"

"Someone, remove all the desks!"

The new jinshi stared in shock.

Though Old Zhu had once held unusual palace examinations, those were over a decade ago.

So none of them were mentally prepared.

Sitting calmly upon the dragon throne, Old Zhu regarded them all and said,

"Today's palace examination has only one question."

"Whoever answers well, we shall appoint him the Zhuangyuan."

"You all must listen closely to us."

"If one day, our Great Ming suffers consecutive natural disasters, the national treasury is empty, strong enemies knock at the gates from without, and rebellious mobs rise up from within, how do you solve it?"

As these words were spoken,

everyone present instantly froze in place.

Once the voice fell silent, Zhu Yuanzhang quietly sized up the crowd before him, then asked,

"Have you all thought it through? Strong enemies outside, no silver in the state, consecutive natural disasters—how do you break this situation?"

All the scholar-officials exchanged glances.

Wasn't it agreed that the palace examination was just a formality?

Is this how your family conducts a formality!

Is this a method a human could possibly devise?

Among the crowd, only one person carefully studied Zhu Yuanzhang, who sat enthroned on the Dragon Chair.

Su Qiao had clearly treated this trip to the Great Ming as a journey.

Since he had come, even if he couldn't go out to stroll around, seeing what Old Zhu actually looked like was worth it.

And Zhu Yuanzhang, seated on the Dragon Chair, also noticed Su Qiao.

Among all the newly minted Jinshi in the hall, only Su Qiao dared to lift his head and look at Old Zhu.

Even if Old Zhu wanted not to notice Su Qiao, he couldn't.

The ruler and his subject exchanged a glance.

Su Qiao, tired of pretending, rose on his own, stepped out of the ranks, and shouted loudly,

"This student has a solution!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the gaze of everyone present instantly focused on Su Qiao.

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes, carefully studied Su Qiao, then asked,

"Speak your idea!"

Su Qiao took a deep breath.

After all, it was his first time courting death.

He had no experience.

To say he wasn't nervous would be a lie.

After pondering for a long time, Su Qiao immediately spat out two words with perfect diction.

"Confiscate their families!"