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

Chapter 1475 Half-believing, half-doubting

"That's because you haven't seen me before," Zhu Qiwu laughed.

Li Shanchang shook his head, turned around and left.

Zhu Qiwu stood at the doorway, the night breeze carrying the scent of the Qinhuai River and the smoke from distant military camps. He knew the days to come would not be peaceful. Zhang Shicheng would not give up easily, Chen Youliang's former subordinates were also secretly active, and the Yuan Dynasty court would not stand idly by and watch Zhu Yuanzhang grow stronger.

But he wasn't afraid.

Because he has a system, modern knowledge, and a fourth brother who is willing to listen to him.

This is enough.

At least, that's enough for now.

In the distance came the sound of the night watchman's clapper, once, twice, three times. It was already past midnight.

Zhu Qiwu closed the door, returned to the table, and began grinding ink.

He needed to prepare everything he would need for tomorrow. He had to write the notice for Enke, prepare the exam questions, and draw up the exam room layout. There was so much to do; one night probably wouldn't be enough.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

Take it slow, one step at a time.

He wants to gradually transform this world into something different.

Just as dawn was breaking, Zhu Qiwu was awakened by a series of loud banging on the door.

He rubbed his eyes and realized he had fallen asleep on the table, the ink staining half a sheet of rice paper black. The banging on the door continued, accompanied by Tang and that hoarse voice.

"Seven-five! Seven-five! Are you awake?! Something terrible has happened!"

Zhu Qiwu sighed and got up to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Tang He's charcoal-black face loomed over, his eyes wide like copper bells.

"What happened? Did the sky fall?"

"It's worse than the sky falling!" Tang He grabbed Zhu Qiwu's arm and dragged him outside. "Go and see! The notice was just posted, and hundreds of people have already gathered at the entrance of the examination hall, and a fight has broken out!"

Zhu Qiwu was taken aback: "They're fighting? Who's fighting whom?"

"Two groups of scholars are fighting! One group says our special imperial examination is the proper path, the other says ours is an unorthodox examination run by peasants, and we're not qualified to take it! They're fighting so fiercely that heads are bleeding, and Xu Da has already led men to stop them, but they can't!"

Zhu Qiwu was instantly wide awake. He grabbed the completed imperial examination notice from the table, stuffed it into his pocket, and ran out with Tang He.

The morning air in Yingtian Prefecture was still cool, and the thin mist on the streets had not yet dissipated. The two ran all the way to the entrance of the examination hall, and heard a commotion from afar.

There was indeed a large crowd gathered at the entrance of the examination hall, numbering at least three or four hundred. Xu Da stood in the middle with a squad of personal guards, holding a knife and looking menacing, but the scholars were not afraid of him at all and continued to argue heatedly.

Zhu Qiwu squeezed into the crowd and immediately spotted two groups of people.

On the left, a group dressed in simple clothes appeared to be poor scholars. The leader was a young man in his early twenties, with a fair complexion and no beard, clutching a scroll in his hand, his face flushed with anger. On the right, a group dressed slightly better, some even wearing square scarves, seemed to be scholars from some wealthy families. The leader was a middle-aged, overweight man, hands on his hips, with a disdainful expression.

"You poor wretches, do you even deserve to take the imperial examination?" The middle-aged fat man pointed at the young man's nose and cursed, "Who is the Prince of Wu? A monk who once begged for food! What serious stuff can his examinations possibly contain? Let me tell you, the literary gathering that Zhang Shicheng and Prince Zhang held in Suzhou, that's the real deal! They invited true Confucian scholars, not peasants like you!"

The young man trembled with rage, slamming the scroll in his hand to the ground: "Bullshit! What is Zhang Shicheng? A salt smuggler! Those Confucian scholars he invited, weren't they all after the money? The Wu King's special imperial examination tests real ability, not money! If you're so capable, go take the exam yourself, what are you yelling about here?"

"Me, take the exam? Why would I bother?" the middle-aged fat man sneered. "I'm a renowned scholar in Suzhou. Prince Zhang personally invited me to be his advisor, offering me fifty taels of silver a month! What can your Prince Wu offer me? A bowl of thin porridge?"

These words caused an uproar among the poor scholar's group.

"Fifty taels of silver and you think you can buy me off? What kind of scholar are you!"

"Exactly! Whoever feeds you is your mother; does this kind of person even deserve to be called a talented scholar?"

"Beat him! Beat this spineless coward!"

Just as they were about to make their move, Xu Da slammed his knife on the ground with a clang, and everyone fell silent.

"Shut up, all of you!" Xu Da's voice was louder than anyone else's. "Anyone who makes a scene will be thrown in jail! This imperial examination was personally decided by His Highness Prince Wu. Anyone who dares to utter a single word of dissent is going against the Prince of Wu!"

The middle-aged, overweight man was startled by Xu Da's imposing manner and took two steps back, but he still retorted defiantly, "General Xu, I didn't speak ill of the King of Wu; I stated the facts. What do you peasants know about the imperial examinations..."

Before he could finish speaking, a hand reached out from behind, grabbed his collar, and lifted him up.

It is Zhu Qiwu.

He wasn't very tall, but his strength was terrifying. He lifted the middle-aged fat man off the ground, and his face turned a deep purplish-red.

"Who are you calling a peasant?" Zhu Qiwu's voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

The middle-aged, overweight man was so frightened he could barely speak: "Who...who are you? Let go! Let go!"

“I’m the peasant you were talking about.” Zhu Qiwu tossed him to the ground, dusted off his hands, and asked, “What’s your name?”

The middle-aged, overweight man got up, straightened his clothes, and said in a fierce but weak voice, "My name is Qian Tinggui, from Suzhou, one of Zhang Wang's men..."

“Zhang Wang?” Zhu Qiwu laughed. “Zhang Shicheng wasn’t even a king; he probably proclaimed himself one, didn’t he? The Yuan Dynasty didn’t even recognize him, yet you call him that so readily.”

Qian Tinggui's face turned pale instantly.

The scholars around began to whisper among themselves, and some were already laughing.

Zhu Qiwu ignored him and turned to the young, pale-faced scholar.

What's your name?

The young man cupped his hands in a respectful but not arrogant manner and said, "My name is Fang Zijing, from Jinhua Prefecture, and I am a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination."

Zhu Qiwu sized him up. His talent assessment technique activated automatically, and several vague words appeared above Fang Zijing's head: Literary Talent: Superior. Integrity: Superior. Temperament: Fierce.

He's a promising talent.

"Fang Zijing, what you said earlier was well said." Zhu Qiwu patted him on the shoulder. "Zhang Shicheng is giving you fifty taels of silver, and I'm giving you a chance. If you pass the exam, it won't just be a bowl of thin porridge; it will be giving you a county to govern. Do you dare to take the exam?"

Fang Zijing's eyes lit up, but he didn't agree immediately. Instead, he asked, "Young Master Qiwu, are you serious? Will I really get an official position if I pass the exam?"

“I really will,” Zhu Qiwu said. “I’ll not only give you an official position, but also a salary, land, and the power to improve the lives of ordinary people. If you don’t perform well, I’ll remove you from your post. It’s that simple.”

Fang Zijing took a deep breath and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting: "Good! I, Fang Zijing, have passed the exam!"

The surrounding poor scholars erupted in excitement, shouting excitedly, "I want to take the exam too!"

Count me in!

"Young Master Qiwu, I want to take the exam too!"

Qian Tinggui watched this scene with a very interesting expression on his face. He quietly shrank back into the crowd, trying to slip away.

"Stop." Zhu Qiwu said without turning his head.

Qian Tinggui's foot was nailed to the ground.

“Go back and tell Zhang Shicheng that I’ve already spread the word about the special imperial examination. If he’s capable, let his men take the exam. If they win, I’ll accept it. If they lose, don’t try anything underhanded.” Zhu Qiwu turned around and looked Qian Tinggui in the eye. “Also, you’d better think about whether that fifty taels of silver you took in Suzhou was worth it. How many years can Zhang Shicheng hold onto his meager resources in Suzhou? My fourth brother’s troops are already on their way.”

Qian Tinggui's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down. He scrambled away, running in the wrong direction, crashing into the wall of the examination hall, bouncing back, before finally finding the right path and disappearing into the alley.

Tang He, watching from the side, couldn't help but laugh: "Seven-Five, you're really something, you scared that fat guy away with just a few words."

“We didn’t scare him away; we made him go back and report,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Zhang Shicheng needs to know our stance. The clearer he knows, the more panicked he’ll become.”

Xu Da walked over and sheathed his sword. "Seventy-five, there are too many people. The examination hall can't hold all of them. I roughly counted, and there are six or seven hundred people registering today alone, and more are still rushing over."

“We have to fill it up, even if it’s overflowing,” Zhu Qiwu said. “Brother Da, go and borrow as many empty houses as you can from both sides of the examination hall. If all else fails, set up sheds in the courtyard. During the three days of the exam, have people take turns on duty. Anyone who dares to cheat will be kicked out and never hired again.”

Xu Da nodded: "Okay, I'll take care of it."

“And another thing,” Zhu Qiwu called after him, “starting today, no one is allowed to approach within two hundred paces of the examination hall. Tang He, you take men to Bugang, and don’t let even a fly get in.”

Tang He patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, not even a fly can get in!"

Zhu Qiwu then turned to Fang Zijing: "Fang Zijing, can you do me a favor?"

Fang Zijing was taken aback: "What kind of help?"

"You must know quite a few people among these scholars, right? Could you pass on a message for me: the first exam for this special imperial examination will be on classical texts, the second on policy essays, and the third on current affairs. Tell them to go back and prepare well. Also, tell them that this special imperial examination is free of charge; all expenses for the candidates' food and lodging will be covered."

Fang Zijing's eyes lit up again: "No charge?"

“No,” Zhu Qiwu said. “My fourth brother said that this special imperial examination is designed to ensure that all scholars in the country can pass. Anyone who tries to take money from the candidates will be beheaded.”

Fang Zijing bowed deeply: "Seventh Prince, on behalf of all scholars in the world, Fang Zijing thanks His Highness Prince Wu!"

Zhu Qiwu waved his hand, signaling him to get back to work.

The crowd gradually dispersed, but the excitement at the entrance of the examination hall hadn't subsided. Zhu Qiwu stood on the steps, watching the scholars leave in twos and threes; some were discussing, some were reciting their lessons, and some had already begun looking for places to stay.

Just then, a bodyguard ran over quickly and whispered a few words in Zhu Qiwu's ear.

Zhu Qiwu frowned slightly.

Where is he?

"Yuelai Inn in the South of the City, Room No. 1 (Top Tier)."

Zhu Qiwu nodded and said to Tang He, "Tang He, you keep an eye on the examination hall for now. I'm going out for a bit."

"where did you go?"

"Going to meet an old friend." Zhu Qiwu smiled, but there was no warmth in his smile.

Yuelai Inn in the South of the City, Room No. 1 (Top Tier).

Chen Liang sat at the table, a pot of tea in front of him. The tea had gone cold, but he hadn't drunk a drop. He was a middle-aged man in his forties, tall and thin, with an ordinary appearance—you'd definitely not notice him in a crowd. But his eyes were extraordinary; they were narrow and long, like two knives, and always carried a chilling aura when he looked at people.

He was one of Zhang Shicheng's most capable strategists. This time, he was sent to Yingtian Prefecture with only one mission—to sabotage Zhu Yuanzhang's special imperial examination.

"Master, we've heard the news from outside." A young man pushed open the door and came in. This man was called Zhao Shunzi. He was one of Chen Liang's men. He was a big, burly man who looked like he was doing manual labor.

"explain."

"Enke's notice has been posted, and quite a few people have come to register, at least six or seven hundred. That Zhu Qiwu personally spoke at the entrance of the examination hall, scaring Qian Tinggui away. Now the examination hall is surrounded by soldiers, and our people can't get close at all."

Chen Liang tapped his fingers lightly on the table a few times: "Zhu Qiwu... this man is no ordinary person. I heard about him when I was in Suzhou; they said he was Zhu Yuanzhang's younger brother, but his behavior doesn't seem like that of an ordinary peasant."

"Then what do we do?" Zhao Shunzi asked. "Sir, how about we just burn the examination hall down?"

Chen Liang shook his head: "Burning down the examination hall would be too obvious. Zhu Yuanzhang's men aren't pushovers. If we're caught, we'll all die in Yingtian Prefecture."

"That……"

"No rush." ​​Chen Liang picked up his iced tea and took a sip. "Isn't the imperial examination still half a month away? We'll find a way in those two weeks. Go and visit every inn in Yingtian Prefecture, see how many scholars are staying there. Then..."

He lowered his voice, "Then find a way to make sure they fail the exam."

Zhao Shunzi chuckled: "Sir, this is something I'm good at. Should we drug you or steal the exam paper?"

“None of those will do.” Chen Liang glared at him. “Drugging is too easy to be detected, and stealing exam papers is even worse; the examination hall is as secure as an ironclad fortress now. What I need you to do is something much simpler.”

"What's up?"

“Let those scholars not want to take the exam,” Chen Liang stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the bustling street outside. “Go spread the word that Zhu Yuanzhang’s special imperial examination is a trap; even if you pass, you won’t get an official position, but will instead be conscripted into the army. Also spread the word that Zhang Shicheng is holding a literary gathering in Suzhou, and those who pass will directly receive an official position and a sum of money. With this two-pronged approach, I don’t believe those poor scholars won’t be tempted.”

Zhao Shunzi suddenly realized: "Brilliant! Master, that's a brilliant move! Those poor scholars were already half-believing, and with this added fuel to the fire, some of them will definitely run off to Suzhou."

"Go on, and hurry up." Chen Liang waved his hand.

Just as Zhao Shunzi reached the door, it was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

A young man stood at the door, smiling, holding a pot of hot wine in his hand.

"Mr. Chen, what a refined taste!"

Chen Liang's pupils contracted sharply, but his expression returned to normal in an instant.

"Who are you?" (End of Chapter)