The strongest eldest son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 11 The son, along with his father Zhang Jingdu, entered the imperial court to become an offi

Liu Bowen knew all too well that if he tried to dissuade them at this time, it would not only be futile but would also backfire.

Moreover, from the perspective of strengthening imperial power, the methods proposed by Young Master Zhu are indeed all reasonable and irrefutable.

But... he smiled bitterly to himself. As a member of the scholar-official class, he watched helplessly as the ship was about to be scuttled, yet he had no say in the matter. It was truly pitiful and lamentable.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but cough a few more times, his face growing even paler.

A moment later, Zhu Yuanzhang stopped and stared intently at Zhu Yao. His tone was urgent and expectant as he solemnly asked, "Yao'er, with such extraordinary insight and outstanding talent, it's a waste of your abilities to keep you in Chenzhou to do business."

"Would you be willing to return to the capital with your father, enter the court as an official, and govern the country?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bowen's heart tightened, and his gaze was fixed on Zhu Yao, both nervous and curious—how would this young master Zhu answer?

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, Zhu Yao immediately waved his hand, his tone decisive and without the slightest hesitation or consideration.

"Dad, no, no, I'm not going."

He leaned back in his chair, a mixture of satisfaction and disgust on his face, and slowly said, "I live a very comfortable life in Chenzhou. I manage my grain store and my business. I don't have to worry about anyone or live in fear. I live a carefree life, even happier than a god."

"Go to Kyoto to serve as an official for Old Zhu? What's the difference between that and falling from heaven to hell? I'm not going, no matter what."

Zhu Yao picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone full of undisguised complaints. Once he started talking, he couldn't stop: "Father, you don't know, being an official under Old Zhu is like living on your deathbed. It's even harder than when I was clearing land and farming."

"First of all, the officials' salaries are pitifully low, barely enough to support their families. But if they make a mistake, they will be fined or demoted at best, and their property will be confiscated and they will be executed at worst, with their families also being implicated."

"Furthermore, Zhu's temperament is rigid and strict. He cannot tolerate the slightest imperfection. Even the slightest carelessness could offend the emperor, and even an unintentional mistake could result in being beheaded."

"Those ministers in the court are always on edge, walking on thin ice. They have to carefully consider their words and actions, and they're even afraid of disturbing His Majesty if they breathe. How can they be as carefree as I am in Chenzhou?"

"Not to mention the intrigue and factional struggles in the court. You scheme against me, I am wary of you. If you are not careful, you will be dragged into it and never recover. I don't even want to think about such a life."

"In Chenzhou, though I'm just a merchant, I can bring benefits to the local people and live a peaceful and stable life. Why should I go to the capital and risk my life in that mess?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sat to the side, his smile vanished without a trace, and his expression gradually darkened.

He was clearly quite angered by Zhu Yao's words.

He meant well, wanting Zhu Yao to realize his ambitions through his talents, but he was unexpectedly rejected so bluntly and even complained that being an official under him was like hell. His anger and helplessness were intertwined, and his face was extremely ugly.

Liu Bowen, who was standing to the side, was taken aback after hearing Zhu Yao's complaints. Then, a look of deep agreement appeared on his face. He nodded repeatedly, coughed lightly twice, and chimed in.

"Young Master Zhu is absolutely right. Ahem... Serving as an official under His Majesty is indeed not easy. It is like walking on thin ice or standing on the edge of an abyss. The slightest carelessness could lead to one's death."

"Many ministers in the court are cautious and diligent every day, working from dawn till dusk, yet they still cannot escape His Majesty's harsh punishment. Ahem... It is understandable that Young Master Zhu is unwilling to attend court."

As he spoke, he couldn't help coughing, his tone full of emotion, clearly deeply understanding Zhu Yao's words. These years of serving a ruler were like walking on thin ice, and he was already physically and mentally exhausted.

But as soon as he finished speaking, he sensed that something was wrong in the room. He subconsciously looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang and saw that the emperor's face was terribly gloomy and his eyes were full of anger. He was so frightened that he froze and swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

He inwardly realized his mistake; he had spoken carelessly, echoing Zhu Gongzi's complaints in front of His Majesty, which was undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. He quickly composed himself, his tone shifting sharply as he advised Zhu Yao.

"Young Master Zhu, you can't say that. Ahem... Serving as an official in the court may be risky, but it also brings boundless glory. Being able to serve the court and bring happiness to the people is a story that will be celebrated for all time."

"His Majesty is wise and powerful, and eager to find talented people. If Young Master Zhu can enter the court, he will surely be highly valued by His Majesty, and will be able to make great strides and realize his ambitions. This is much more fulfilling than being a merchant in Chenzhou."

"Besides, being an official brings honor to one's ancestors and benefits one's descendants—what glory! Young Master Zhu has such talent; it would be a real pity if he were to remain unknown among the common people. It would be better for him to enter the court as an official. Cough cough..."

While offering his advice, he secretly observed Zhu Yuanzhang's expression, his tone filled with urgency, fearing that he might say something wrong and incur the emperor's punishment.

As Zhu Yao spoke, he suddenly seemed to remember something, leaned forward slightly, and looked directly at Zhu Yuanzhang with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

"Father, tell me honestly, do you have connections in the imperial court? And quite significant ones at that!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen were both startled, their expressions instantly changing. They exchanged a glance.

Their hearts tightened, and they subconsciously thought that Zhu Yao had already seen through their identities.

Liu Bowen was so frightened that he almost coughed again, and quickly calmed himself down.

Suppressing his panic, Zhu Yuanzhang asked in disbelief, "You...you knew all this?!"

He took a deep breath, already prepared for a showdown.

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang was about to speak and reveal his true identity, Zhu Yao waved his hand, looking completely matter-of-fact.

"What's the big deal? Dad, you're overthinking it."

"You're doing business in Jinling, and you're dealing in fabrics and salt—these are all scarce commodities controlled by the imperial court. How could you possibly succeed without knowing people in the court and having strong connections?"

"In our business circles, someone like you is called a white glove."

Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen looked blank, Zhu Yao patiently explained: "The so-called white glove is when those powerful and influential people find it inconvenient to do these business deals themselves, so they find a trustworthy person to manage them on their behalf. This person is like their 'glove,' protecting them from the wind and rain and managing the business on the surface. But the real power and profit behind the scenes are still those powerful people."

After hearing Zhu Yao's explanation, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled down. The panic on his face disappeared, replaced by a helpless smile. He reached out and tapped Zhu Yao's forehead, his tone carrying a hint of approval: "You lad, you're quick-witted. You even know about the white gloves. You're quite clever."

Zhu Yao didn't laugh; his expression instantly turned serious, and his tone was full of genuine concern: "Father, you must be careful!"