Chapter 7

Even Huang Zicheng, who had just been stubbornly refusing to yield, could not help but fall silent.

Because Su Qiao spoke the truth.

As long as tens of thousands of imperial clan members took the battlefield.

How the war turned out no longer mattered.

Victory.

Then the merit would be completed in a single campaign.

Thereafter, the rebels within the passes could be crushed with a mere flick of the wrist.

Defeat.

Then the whole realm would unite as one, with grain, money, and silver inexhaustible.

Even if they were routed and annihilated in their very first battle, it would not matter.

History is written by those who come after.

Even to inspire future generations, these tens of thousands of Zhu family members would surely be written as glorious and radiant.

And the Great Ming, teetering like a pile of eggs.

Would tread upon the corpses of these tens of thousands of Zhu family members and regain a flicker of vitality!

Zhu Yuanzhang stared fixedly at Su Qiao and asked,

"What is your name?"

Su Qiao's heart leapt with joy.

Finally, the knife is coming?!

Regaining his composure, Su Qiao hurried forward, ecstatic, and said,

"Your Majesty, this student is Su Qiao!"

The moment he finished speaking,

Silence once again fell over the Jinsen Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang drew a deep breath and called out loudly,

"Issue the decree: appoint Su Qiao as the top scholar of this imperial examination!"

"Thank Your Majesty for your favor!"

Su Qiao shot his head up, staring at Old Zhu in disbelief.

I'm already the top scholar?!

He glanced around.

Everyone nearby wore an expression of deep thought.

Damn.

I just said that offhand!

It does sound perfectly reasonable.

But those are imperial clan lives!

You actually believe me?!

Old Zhu, I've already arranged your descendants' fates.

Is that all the spirit you've got?

Not a word, and you give me the top scholar?!

Where's the bloodthirsty tyrant I was promised?!

ps: Is anyone even watching? Please drop some flowers and votes—your lordships won't speak, and this little nobody is terrified…

7, Old Zhu's plan!

Saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang rose to his feet and said,

"Except for Su Qiao, the rest shall be promoted according to their examination rankings. Let's depart—back to the Qianqing Palace."

The moment Old Zhu finished speaking,

He hurried out of the Jinsen Hall, not even bothering to wait for everyone to bow.

After Old Zhu left,

The Jinsen Hall was left with only Su Qiao, stunned and speechless.

Fuck!

Is that it?

You're not going to kill me?!

If you're not going to kill me, what the hell am I supposed to do with all this money?!

The instant Zhu Yuanzhang left,

Ru Taisu, Zhan Hui, and others who had been standing nearby moved closer.

Ru Taisu smiled warmly at Su Qiao and said,

"A promising youth! A truly promising youth!"

"Zhan Minister, look at my back—it's soaked in sweat! I never imagined the Great Ming would produce such a genius!"

Zhan Hui's gaze toward Ru Taisu was twisted with envy.

Should Su Qiao one day be immortalized in history,

How could the annals possibly forget Ru Taisu's brave intervention today?

Forget the distant future—just look at Old Zhu's actions today.

Su Qiao will surely be heavily promoted in the days to come.

Will Su Qiao ever forget Ru Taisu's great kindness today?

With Old Zhu's temper.

With someone like Su Qiao standing here as a shield.

That would be equivalent to holding a genuine death-exemption token!

"Little Su... oh right, now I should address you as my lord."

Ru Taisu stroked his beard and smiled.

"Little Su my lord, once the court affairs are busy no more in a few days, I shall host a banquet at my home; Little Su my lord, will you grace it with your presence?"

The moment these words were spoken.

The newly appointed jinshi around them all turned their heads in surprise.

This is only the first day!

And he has already left such a deep impression on the Son of Heaven.

With an old minister like Ru Taisu guiding him in court.

What future could they possibly worry about!

For them, the few words Su Qiao just spoke had already covered the farthest path most newly appointed jinshi could ever walk in their entire lives!

Those around him either offered congratulations.

Or felt jealousy and envy.

Only Su Qiao stood in place, muttering repeatedly to himself.

"Why didn't he kill me?"

"If he doesn't kill me, where am I supposed to go for tea?"

Qianqing Palace.

Back in the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately opened the chat group before him and sent his message to Chongzhen.

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"Boy, let me ask you now, how many people are there in our Zhu family?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Great-Grandfather, there are roughly over four hundred thousand."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately drew in a sharp breath of shock.

He had only thought to prevent his children and grandchildren from living hard lives.

But even if Old Zhu had been beaten to death, he never would have imagined that the Old Zhu family could reproduce so prolifically!