The strongest eldest son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 71 Zhu Yuanzhang: Let's just give Zhu Yao the throne!

"If the head steward agrees, I am willing to become his apprentice, diligently study his skills, and learn this unparalleled art of business!"

Upon hearing this, Zong Yonghe looked terrified and hurriedly stepped forward, cupping his hands and waving them, urgently trying to explain himself.

"Your Excellency, you mustn't flatter me! This ingenious plan did not come from my own hand; I dare not take credit for it!"

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand at the opportune moment and spoke.

"Alright, Jiang Side, you can put aside all your unnecessary thoughts. There's no need to give up the position of Minister, and there's no need to mention the matter of becoming his apprentice again."

"You should simply stay in your position as Minister of Revenue, do your best to implement the Single Whip Law reform, and manage the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue well!"

Upon hearing the emperor's words, Jiang Side, the Minister of Revenue, who was full of enthusiasm, was filled with regret and secretly disappointed.

He felt extremely regretful and frustrated that he missed the opportunity to learn from a master and to be assisted by top business strategists.

"Your Majesty, I take my leave!"

Jiang Side bowed and withdrew with deep regret, and the hall instantly returned to silence, leaving only Zhu Yuanzhang and Zong Yonghe standing facing each other.

Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the cup of tea on his desk, took a sip, his expression relaxed, and slowly began to speak.

"Yao'er has made great contributions to us one after another, paving roads for agricultural and commercial enterprises and filling our private coffers. Each and every one of these is a tremendous achievement."

"He has done a great service, yet he hasn't received a single reward. Don't you think we should give him a proper reward?"

Upon hearing this, Zong Yonghe immediately bowed and clasped his hands in a respectful manner, replying in a low voice.

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Young Master Zhu has made great contributions and deserves a generous reward to demonstrate Your Majesty's favor and appease the people."

"In my opinion, the prince should be granted a hereditary title, which would be both respectable and glorious, and in accordance with the current regulations."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his tone extremely cheerful.

"A title would be excellent! Yao'er's achievements surpass all others; an ordinary title is not worthy of him. Let's simply bestow upon him a kingship!"

These words, spoken so casually, caused Zong Yonghe beside him to freeze instantly, completely dumbfounded.

Zong Yonghe stared wide-eyed, standing there dumbfounded, his mind reeling and his heart churning with turbulent emotions.

He was inwardly screaming with disbelief. He had only proposed to bestow upon a common noble title and a hereditary official position!

Who could have imagined that His Majesty would be so decisive, bestowing the title of King on the spot? The leap is simply beyond imagination!

Zong Yonghe's mind raced with thoughts, his mind churning. His Majesty had taken in many adopted sons throughout his life and had repeatedly rewarded them for their merits, granting them official titles and ranks.

However, looking at all the adopted sons and meritorious officials, not one of them was ever granted the title of king. For someone of a different surname to be granted the title of king was an extremely rare and extraordinary honor.

Even Zhu Wenzheng, the emperor's own nephew who made unparalleled contributions to the defense of Hongdu, despite his great merits and the fact that he was treated like a son, was never granted the title of king during his lifetime.

At present, the Ming Dynasty has not yet been established, the system of rites and etiquette is newly established, and the court and the people are still unsettled. There has never been a precedent of any non-family member or adopted son being granted a royal title.

Even the only non-royal prince, the Prince of Jingjiang, was posthumously granted the title to his young son, and was by no means bestowed upon a foreign official during his lifetime.

If His Majesty were to rashly confer the title of King upon Zhu Yao at this moment, once the news of this matter spreads through the court, it would surely cause a huge uproar, with officials in an uproar and the court and the public in turmoil.

Zong Yonghe's heart tightened, and cold sweat broke out on his brow. He quickly bowed and opened his mouth, about to offer some advice and stop this earth-shattering imperial decree.

Before he could speak, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, realizing that something was amiss.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head and muttered to himself, "Inappropriate, absolutely inappropriate."

"This kid doesn't know our true identity yet; he just thinks of us as an ordinary wealthy elder."

"To bestow a royal title upon him out of the blue would be too abrupt and strange, and would inevitably expose his identity. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Zhu Yuanzhang turned to look at Zong Yonghe, collected his thoughts, and asked.

"Let's put the bestowal of the title of king on hold for now. Now think again, what other safe, respectable, and rewarding methods can we devise for Yao'er?"

Zong Yonghe breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this, then quickly focused his mind and pondered for a moment before bowing and replying.

"Your Majesty, I have been observing in Chenzhou for a long time and have found that Young Master Zhu is young and promising and has a lot of wealth, but he is still unmarried and has no wife or wife."

"A man's life is complete only when he settles down and establishes a career. Your Majesty might as well grant Young Master Zhu a fine marriage, which would be both a reward and a fulfillment of his wishes."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up instantly, and he showed delight, immediately making the decision.

"This method is excellent! It's a hundred times more secure than bestowing a title of king; it's silent and unnoticed, yet the bond of gratitude is profound and the connection lasts a long time!"

He spoke slowly, listing the benefits in a clear and logical manner, his eyes filled with calculation and satisfaction.

"Firstly, this arranged marriage is a common act of kindness from elders, so it won't arouse suspicion and will never expose our identities."

"Secondly, the daughter of a high-ranking official in the court is well-educated, reasonable, and of good character, and is a good match for Yao'er's talent and abilities."

"Thirdly, once Yao'er is married, he will be firmly bound to the civil and military officials of our dynasty, deeply rooted and completely holding their hearts."

Having made up his mind, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately issued an order to the outside world.

"Guards, summon Erhu to the palace!"

Upon hearing the sound, the two guards quickly entered, bowed, and waited in a deep voice for orders.

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke solemnly and issued the order directly.

"You shall immediately go to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites to examine the files and compile a complete list of portraits, family backgrounds, character, and ages of all eligible daughters of marriageable age from the households of civil and military officials of the third rank and above."

"Bring it here immediately! I want to personally select a virtuous and capable wife for my child!"

Erhu dared not hesitate, and quickly clasped his hands in obeisance, replying in a deep voice, "Your subordinate obeys!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Erhu turned around and strode out of the hall to quickly begin preparations for the matter.

.....

The morning light was warm and gentle at the Liu residence in Chenzhou.

The courtyard is quiet and peaceful.

After Zhu Yao finished washing up, he came to the dining table and was about to sit down to eat when he noticed that the breakfast on the table was completely different from usual.

The simple and exquisite home-style dishes of the past are nowhere to be seen. Instead, there are congee, steamed cakes, refreshing side dishes and soft and glutinous pastries, which are elegantly presented and light and easy on the stomach.

Zhu Yao paused slightly, turned to look at Chen Zhong standing beside him, and asked in a puzzled tone.

"Why is breakfast different today? It's so different from usual."

Chen Zhong quickly bowed and replied with a smile, "Young Master, these were all specially prepared by the kitchen staff at Madam's request this morning."

As soon as she finished speaking, Empress Ma walked in carrying a bowl of warm lotus seed and millet porridge.

With gentle eyes and a warm smile, she gently placed the bowl of porridge in front of Zhu Yao and spoke softly.

"Yao'er, I've noticed that you usually eat breakfast very casually, often finishing it with just a few bites. I'm afraid you don't have a good appetite."

"So I took the liberty of changing your food to something light and palatable. Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Zhu Yao looked at the table full of warm and exquisite breakfast, his eyes filled with astonishment, and couldn't help but ask a question.

"Madam, did you make all of these yourself?"

Empress Ma nodded gently, smiled slightly, and spoke with a touch of humility.

"I made this on a whim when I had nothing else to do. I haven't cooked in a long time, so my skills are a bit rusty. I'm afraid it's not very good, but please don't mind."