Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Chapter 1474 Coming to Cause Trouble

Tang He slammed the roast chicken on the table: "If this won't work and that won't work, let's just skip the exam and have the rest of us brothers take it!"

"Tang He, shut up." Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him, then looked at Zhu Qiwu, "Qiwu, what do you have to say?"

Zhu Qiwu took a deep breath. He knew that the problem Liu Bowen had raised was the key to the success of the imperial examination system. Historically, Zhu Yuanzhang had indeed encountered this problem and dealt with it extremely ruthlessly. But he didn't want to follow that old path.

"Sir," Zhu Qiwu said, "I have an idea. Not only should we have exams, but we should also rank them. Those who pass the exams won't be immediately given high-ranking positions. They'll start with minor posts and work in lower ranks for a few years. If they do well, they'll be promoted. If they don't, they'll be demoted. And if they don't perform well and are disobedient, they'll be dismissed. This way, scholars will know that these positions aren't given away for free; they have to be earned through merit. And..."

He paused, glanced at Liu Bowen, and said, "Furthermore, I'd like to add one more condition: those who pass the exam must study at the Imperial Academy for another two years. What will they study? They'll learn the rules of the Zhu family, how to be an official, and how to interact with ordinary people. After two years, they'll be released. This way, those who emerge will be both learned and practically skilled."

Liu Bowen's eyes suddenly lit up.

He stared at Zhu Qiwu for a long while, then slowly nodded: "Young Master Qiwu, you don't seem like someone who hasn't read books."

Zhu Qiwu chuckled inwardly, but said aloud, "My fourth brother taught him well."

Zhu Yuanzhang watched this scene from the side, his smile growing wider and wider.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and a guard pushed the door open, kneeling on one knee: "Report! Your Highness, Prince Wu, urgent military intelligence!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile vanished instantly. He grabbed the military report, unfolded it, and after reading a few lines, his face turned ashen.

"Zhang Shicheng's men have set up a recruitment center in Hangzhou, aggressively recruiting scholars. And..." He slammed the military report on the table, "And he's declared that our Zhu family, being of peasant origin, is unworthy to administer the imperial examinations; anyone who comes to Nanjing to take the exams is going against all the scholars of Jiangnan!"

Xu Datang stood up abruptly: "Damn it! Zhang Shicheng, that bastard, he's incompetent at fighting, all he can do is resort to these underhanded tricks!"

Tang He also became anxious: "Fourth Brother, this won't do! If he takes all the scholars away, no one will come to take the imperial examinations!"

Zhou Dexing's expression was also grim: "It's not just a matter of no one coming to take the exam. If this gets out, it will severely damage our reputation. People outside already say we're bandits, and this will confirm that."

Zhu Qiwu didn't speak immediately; he waited.

What are we waiting for? We're waiting for the system's daily sign-in rewards.

When Liu Bowen entered, the system had already triggered the sign-in, and the rewards were being distributed. According to the system's rules, the value of the sign-in rewards would increase as his status rose. He was now Zhu Yuanzhang's younger brother and the Prince of Wu's younger brother, a status high enough already.

Ding, check-in successful. Reward: Talent Identification Technique (Beginner), capable of identifying the talent aptitudes of people within a ten-zhang radius, with an accuracy rate of 80%. Bonus: A compilation of past Yuan Dynasty imperial examination questions and standard answers.

Zhu Qiwu's pupils contracted slightly.

Talent identification techniques? This is incredibly useful. With it, he can quickly distinguish among a group of people who are truly capable and who are just pretending.

And that compilation of past imperial examination questions was a godsend. With it, he could set more precise questions, making Zhang Shicheng's recruitment hall a laughing stock.

"Fourth Brother," Zhu Qiwu stood up, his tone so calm it didn't sound like he was discussing something urgent, "Zhang Shicheng's words only prove he's afraid."

“Not only do we have a way, but this way will make Zhang Shicheng slap himself in the face.” Zhu Qiwu walked to the map and pointed to Hangzhou. “Didn’t he say we weren’t qualified to hold the imperial examinations? Then we’ll hold one that the whole world can see. Not just hold one, but hold it big. I want everyone to know that our Zhu family’s imperial examinations are ten times better than Zhang Shicheng’s recruitment hall.”

Liu Bowen, slowly fanning himself with a folding fan, suddenly asked, "Seventh Prince, how do you plan to let the whole world see this?"

Zhu Qiwu turned around, looked at Liu Bowen, then at Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, and finally his gaze fell on Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Fourth Brother, I want to hold a special imperial examination. It shouldn't just test classical texts and policy essays, but also include a martial arts competition. Let scholars and warriors compete on the same stage, so the world can see that the people chosen by our Zhu family are capable of both governing the country with their literary skills and defending it with their martial prowess. And moreover…"

He pulled out the compilation of past imperial examination questions provided by the system from his pocket, waving it in his hand. "I have something good here. I have all the past imperial examination questions and standard answers from the Yuan Dynasty. We can take these questions out and let scholars all over the world see what level the Yuan Dynasty's imperial examinations were at. Then compare them with ours, and the difference will be obvious."

Liu Bowen stopped folding his fan.

He stared at the stack of papers in Zhu Qiwu's hand, his expression becoming very complicated: "Young Master Qiwu, where did you get this?"

Zhu Qiwu smiled and said, "Sir, please don't ask. Anyway, it's all legitimately obtained. Tell me, isn't this a ruthless move?"

Liu Bowen was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Ruthless. Too ruthless. You're trying to peel off the Yuan Dynasty's mask and then trample on it."

Xu Da, listening nearby, was filled with fervor. He slammed his fist on the table: "Let's do it! Let's do it! Let Zhang Shicheng see what real talent recruitment looks like!"

Tang He chimed in, "That's right! Although I, Tang He, am illiterate, I can be an examiner! The kind that specializes in testing martial arts!"

"You're going to be the examiner?" Zhou Dexing scoffed. "You can't even write your own name properly."

“So what if I can’t write it all? I don’t need to write it, I’ll just type it!” Tang He rolled up his sleeves.

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent; he was deep in thought.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice not loud, but each word heavy: "Seventy-five, you will organize this special examination."

Zhu Qiwu was taken aback: "Fourth Brother, I..."

"You will be in charge of organizing this event, and Mr. Bowen will be your deputy; he's skilled in logistics." Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze swept over everyone present. "Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, the three of you will be in charge of security. Anyone who dares to cause trouble during the special imperial examination will be arrested immediately."

Tang He clasped his hands in a fist salute, his gesture twice as grand as Xu Da's: "Fourth Brother, rest assured, I, Tang He, will be the first to object to anyone who dares to cause trouble!"

Zhou Dexing was more composed. He thought for a moment and said, "Fourth Brother, security is not a problem, but there's one more thing. This special imperial examination will test all the scholars in the country. With so many people, there will be a mix of good and bad, and it's inevitable that there will be spies sent by Zhang Shicheng. What if they cause trouble in the examination hall..."

Zhu Qiwu laughed at this moment.

He happened to possess the talent identification technique, which, although it could only identify people within a ten-foot radius, was sufficient for use in the examination hall.

“Brother Dexing is right, I’ll think of a way,” Zhu Qiwu said. “I have a method to find the spies who have infiltrated.”

"What method?" Zhou Dexing asked.

Zhu Qiwu didn't answer directly, but instead looked at the young scholar standing behind Liu Bowen. From the moment Liu Bowen entered until now, this young man had stood quietly behind him, without uttering a single word.

"And who is this?"

Liu Bowen stepped aside to let him pass and introduced, "This is my student, surnamed Song, given name Lian, courtesy name Jinglian, from Jinhua. Although young, he is quite learned and came to Yingtian Prefecture with me this time."

Song Lian quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Song Lian greets His Highness Prince Wu and the Seventh Prince."

Zhu Qiwu looked at Song Lian, and the talent assessment technique in his mind automatically activated.

A strange feeling welled up inside him, and he could almost see several blurry words appearing above Song Lian's head—Literary talent: Superior. Loyalty: Superior. Courage: Average.

Zhu Qiwu nodded inwardly. This Song Lian was a true talent. Historically, Song Lian later became the leading civil official of the founding of the Ming Dynasty and presided over the compilation of the "History of Yuan," truly living up to his reputation. "Song Lian," Zhu Qiwu suddenly spoke.

Song Lian was taken aback and looked up.

"Would you be willing to help me organize this special imperial examination?"

Song Lian's eyes lit up, but he didn't agree immediately. Instead, he glanced at Liu Bowen.

Liu Bowen nodded slightly: "Go ahead. Following the Seventh Prince will lead to a brighter future than following this old man."

Song Lian then solemnly cupped his hands in greeting: "Song Lian is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

Zhu Qiwu nodded in satisfaction, then turned to the crowd: "Alright, then it's settled. The special imperial examination will be held on the fifteenth of next month at the examination hall in Yingtian Prefecture. Xu Da, go and prepare the examination hall; it needs to be large enough to hold a thousand people. Tang He, go and post notices to spread the news of the special imperial examination as far as possible. Dexing, go and investigate the people who have recently come from the Hangzhou direction; keep an eye on any suspicious individuals, but don't alert them. Fourth Brother, go and find Li Shanchang and tell him to prepare the money and provisions."

He then looked at Liu Bowen and Song Lian: "Teacher and Jinglian, work with me to set the exam questions. This time, I want the questions for the special imperial examination to be something that will impress all the scholars in the world."

Everyone accepted the order and was about to disperse when Zhu Qiwu suddenly called out to Tang He again.

"Tang He, wait a moment."

Tang He turned around: "What's wrong?"

Zhu Qiwu took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and tossed it to him: "These are some pills I prepared. Take them home and take them; they'll reduce your alcohol consumption by half a percent."

Tang He caught the porcelain bottle, looking suspicious. "Really? You're not messing with me, are you?"

"Eat it or not, it's up to you." Zhu Qiwu waved his hand.

Tang He chuckled and tucked the porcelain bottle into his pocket: "Alright, I'll trust you this time. If it doesn't work, I'll settle the score with you later!"

The crowd laughed and dispersed.

Only Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu remained in the room.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked over to Zhu Qiwu, patted him on the shoulder with considerable force, and said, "Qiwu, you've handled this matter well. Your fourth brother will reward you handsomely."

Zhu Qiwu looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang and smiled, "Fourth Brother, I don't want any rewards. I just want you to promise me one thing."

"What's up?"

"When the world is at peace in the future, don't kill scholars."

Zhu Yuanzhang's hand froze in mid-air, his eyes becoming deep and thoughtful.

After a long pause, he finally said, "We'll see."

Zhu Qiwu remained silent. He knew what those four words meant. Historically, Zhu Yuanzhang both used and killed scholars; the Hu Weiyong case and the Lan Yu case implicated countless intellectuals.

But he didn't want those things to happen.

At the very least, he wanted to try to change something.

After Zhu Yuanzhang left, Zhu Qiwu sat alone in his study, watching the sky outside the window gradually darken. The twilight in Yingtian Prefecture was beautiful; the setting sun dyed the Qinhuai River gold, and the distant Zhongshan Mountain resembled a sleeping giant in the twilight.

He opened the system panel and looked at the two things he had acquired that day.

The talent assessment technique was activated. He tried it on the guards at the door and indeed saw a few blurry words: Loyalty: Superior. Martial Arts: Intermediate.

It works well.

That compilation of past imperial examination questions was a treasure. He flipped through a few pages and found that the questions from the Yuan Dynasty were indeed of limited quality, with many requiring rote memorization. Compared to the three exams he had designed, they were worlds apart.

But just as he turned to the last page, his finger suddenly stopped.

The last page wasn't a title page, but a list.

The list contained more than a dozen names, each followed by a line of smaller text. He looked at it carefully, and his expression gradually changed.

These names are all scholars who were killed by Zhu Yuanzhang in the early Ming Dynasty.

Fang Xiaoru, Xie Jin, Gao Qi...

After each name was written the same four words: "A talent that can be used".

Zhu Qiwu's hands trembled slightly.

What is the system trying to tell him?

He closed the list and took a deep breath.

Regardless, he had to make this special examination a success. Not only to select talent, but also to give these people a way to make a living.

Footsteps sounded outside the door again; this time it wasn't a personal guard, but Li Shanchang.

Li Shanchang pushed open the door and entered, his face bearing his usual shrewd smile: "Seventh Prince, the Prince of Wu sent me to coordinate the logistics for the imperial examination with you. Don't worry about the money and provisions; I, Li Shanchang, may not have many other skills, but I can certainly handle accounts. However…"

He lowered his voice, "I just received news that Zhang Shicheng sent someone to Yingtian Prefecture, ostensibly to do business, but actually..."

"Actually, they're here to cause trouble," Zhu Qiwu continued.

Li Shanchang was taken aback: "How did you know?"

Zhu Qiwu smiled but offered no explanation. He stood up, walked to the door, and looked at Yingtian Prefecture in the night.

"Brother Shanchang, go and investigate someone for me. This person's surname is Chen, his given name is Chen Liang, he's from Suzhou, ostensibly a cloth merchant, but actually a strategist under Zhang Shicheng. He arrived in Yingtian Prefecture three days ago and is staying at the Yuelai Inn in the south of the city."

Li Shanchang narrowed his eyes: "You even know this?"

“I know more than you think.” Zhu Qiwu turned around, his gaze calm but firm. “Brother Shanchang, this special imperial examination isn’t just testing scholars, it’s testing ourselves too. Zhang Shicheng wants to cause trouble on our turf, so let him come. Once he’s here, he won’t be leaving.”

Li Shanchang stared at Zhu Qiwu for a long while, then slowly smiled: "Young Master Qiwu, I, Li Shanchang, have served the King of Wu for so many years and have seen many intelligent people. But someone like you is a first." (End of Chapter)