[Fantasy] The Rogue Landlord (Complete) - Chapter 18

Chapter Three: The Beastly Father and Son

Xu Ping slowly peeked through the screen. A quick glance revealed familiar faces like Zhang Qihua, Ouyang Tai, and He Jin kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed to the ground, too ashamed to look up. However, he chuckled inwardly, thinking that even if they saw his proper attire, they wouldn't dare to show it. Led by the supervising official, he arrived at the main hall. A beaded curtain hung at the entrance, blocking everyone's view. Tea, writing brushes, and ink were already laid out on the table.

In front was an open garden, with tables and cushions on both sides, each seat separated by wooden partitions. It seemed the students would soon be answering their questions here; ten years of hard study would culminate in this moment.

He sat cross-legged. A middle-aged man who appeared to be an examiner called out loudly at the entrance, "The Crown Prince is the chief examiner. All students who have passed the first round of written examinations, please enter."

As soon as he finished speaking, the students entered according to their student numbers. Their expressions varied; some were sweating profusely with nervousness at the thought of the Crown Prince sitting behind the beaded curtain, while others seemed unusually excited, perhaps eager to showcase their talents. Although there were many people, the room was unusually quiet.

Xu Ping searched for acquaintances among the incoming crowd, and what he saw made him want to punch them: He Jin was lazily yawning, probably because his breath smelled bad, and those around him were looking at him with disgust; Ouyang Tai and Zhang Qihua had lewd expressions on their faces, their eyes shifty and lecherous, discussing which family's girls were skilled or which family's widows were prolific—definitely not discussing any national affairs.

Once everyone had found their seats according to the names on the tables, the room immediately fell silent. Without exception, everyone stared at the indistinct figure behind the beaded curtain, pondering their future. At this moment, a withered old man with a white beard stepped into the middle of the group, leading several people in a thorough inspection of everyone's tables and belongings. Confirming there was nothing to cheat with, he bowed to Xu Ping and said in a firm voice, "Your Highness, I have thoroughly inspected everyone. There is nothing to cheat with. Please, Your Highness, present the first question."

"No rush, allow me to observe the demeanor of these talented individuals," Xu Ping said, trying to make his voice sound authoritative. As soon as he finished speaking, everyone straightened their backs, striking a pose of smugness. However, Xu Ping wasn't really interested in observing them. His eyes swept across the crowd, wondering why he didn't see Ji Kaiwen. Could it be that he hadn't passed the previous round of examinations? Impossible!

"Dear students, the first question is: write down the names of your parents and all your family matters on a piece of paper and submit it." Xu Ping, filled with doubt and beginning to suspect that Ji Kaiwen, this illiterate good-for-nothing, might have had someone take the exam for him, thought for a moment and then slowly announced. The students

below were surprised by this first question! Some resolutely began writing, but Xu Ping also carefully observed that others hesitated for a while before starting. After a while, everyone had finished writing, and the proctor went down to collect all the answers, organized them, and placed them in front of Xu Ping.

"Anyone whose family has an official in the court, step forward," Xu Ping thought for a moment, too lazy to look at the stack of exam papers, and directly announced. A small discussion and a commotion immediately arose in the crowd, seemingly puzzled by the Crown Prince's action. "—K—

" The examination hall is a restricted area; whispering is strictly prohibited." The white-bearded old man frowned upon seeing this and shouted, "Anyone with a family member

holding a high position in the court, step forward!" A few moments later, more than ten people emerged from the crowd and gathered in the middle of the aisle. Zhang Qihua also stood among them. After all, his father held a fifth-rank official position; by stepping forward, he was essentially saying that although the Ministry of Commerce had no authority to interfere in court affairs, it was still a department of the court, with a status similar to the Six Ministries. Xu Ping immediately gave him an approving look. Although this guy was full of clever ideas, he was quite quick-witted. However, from the faces of the others, it was clear that some were panicked and uneasy, while others seemed somewhat at a loss.

"Ji Kaiwen," Xu Ping suddenly called out. Everyone paused for a moment, then no one answered.

"Li Daonian, bring me Ji Kaiwen's exam paper," Xu Ping suddenly shouted fiercely at Li Daonian beside him. Immediately, a piece of paper was handed to him. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the name of that idiot grandson of the Ji family, with Ji Zhongyun and Ji Long's names also listed. This confirmed that Ji Kaiwen had been impersonated.

"How dare you! Ji Kaiwen, step forward!" Xu Ping suddenly slammed his fist on the table and roared. With this shout, a young man, drenched in sweat, collapsed onto his knees, trembling, and whispered, "This humble subject... Ji Kaiwen is here." "You

audacious scoundrel! Ji Kaiwen is a member of the imperial family! How could I, the Crown Prince, not recognize him? You dare impersonate someone else! Guards! Drag him away and lock him up! Have the Ministry of Justice interrogate him!" Xu Ping roared, cutting him off completely. He felt a surge of anger at being mocked. After all, he was the chief examiner, and this good-for-nothing dared to openly have someone take the exam for him! Did he think he was easy to bully?

The young man, now terrified, lay limp on the ground, his body drenched in cold sweat. Two guards emerged from the left and right and dragged him away.

"Hmph, I, the Crown Prince, will give you one more chance. If you don't behave, you'll not only lose your heads, but your entire family will be executed." Xu Ping looked at the remaining people and said fiercely, already thinking about how to use this incident.

It seemed his impromptu decision was correct. Originally, the plan was for him to call out the names of the successful candidates after the imperial examination. Now, he had come before the examination, preventing some people from playing tricks and also dealing with that fool Ji Kaiwen. It was a win-win situation! Thinking of this, Xu Ping's mood improved slightly.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me!" Another person immediately knelt down in the crowd, now so frightened that he wet his pants, some yellow urine flowing onto the ground, the pungent smell making everyone feel nauseous. However, even with urine on their feet, they dared not move an inch.

"Name!"

"Duan Mufeng."

"Whom did he impersonate?" "

Zhang Keluo, the nephew of Zhang Yulong, the Governor of Yunnan!" Xu

Ping intimidated him so much that he confessed everything. He snorted twice and said to the proctor beside him, "This is the first imperial examination since His Majesty ascended the throne, and it is also the first time I, the Crown Prince, have presided over the examination. For a high-ranking official to be so lawless as to instigate someone else to impersonate him is a heinous crime. The Ministry of Justice is hereby ordered to immediately arrest both parties involved in the impersonation, conduct a thorough investigation, and determine their crimes, adding one degree of severity to their punishment."

As Xu Ping spoke coldly, the proctor beside him carefully noted down his words. With a wave of his hand, the guards dragged Duan Mufeng's limp body away.

Xu Ping thought carefully; the others present must have some tricks up their sleeves. However, catching Zhang Yulong and Ji Long by the skin of their teeth was already a great achievement; it was impossible to clean them up completely in one go. Moreover, this matter could be used to make a big fuss. Although it wouldn't completely destroy them, it would still cause them significant damage. Thinking of this, his mood improved, and he chuckled as he addressed the remaining people, "Sorry to have startled you all. Now that the parasites have been removed, you can all focus on answering the questions. Go back and sit down!"

The crowd then returned to their seats with relief, though some, less cunning, visibly relaxed upon hearing that everything was alright.

"The exam question is: The Way of an Official. Time allotted is the time it takes to burn an incense stick. No classical allusions or literary references, no borrowing from the Analects or the Book of Poetry," Xu Ping said cheerfully, writing a slip of paper, folding it, and having it handed to Xiao Mi. The examiners didn't seem particularly interested in the question; some pondered it, while others immediately began writing furiously.

He Jin was among those who wrote quickly. The proctor immediately placed incense sticks in the central incense burner. Although Xu Ping felt that this, like the college entrance exam, allowed for a quick assessment of their efforts, it was somewhat unfair. But there's nothing that can be done about it. Gold will always shine, glass will always reflect, and money will always run out. Whether they have the ability or not depends on themselves.

They waited patiently for the incense to burn for a while, during which everyone else nervously watched to see if the examinees were cheating. Li Daonian paced back and forth with a stern expression. However, the white-bearded old man keeping time was intently watching the burning incense. Xu Ping felt that he even wished he could blow on the incense to make it burn faster. Finally, as the last bit of light went out, the old man shouted as if he had taken a stimulant: "Time's up! All students, stop writing!"

During the exam, Li Daonian caught several more cheaters. Some had been working on their clothes, with dense patterns forming essays. If you didn't look closely, you would think they were just decorative patterns. They had clearly put a lot of effort into it. With a wave of his hand, they were all confiscated.

Some students had already confidently completed their essays, but others, whether because they wrote too slowly or wanted to show off with long, rambling pieces, looked dejected, as if they had been kicked out of bed by their wives for impotence.

The old man ignored them, carefully collecting all the exam papers and respectfully handing them over. Some of the students below waited confidently for the results, but couldn't hide the tension on their faces; others already wore expressions of disappointment, as if they knew their essays would definitely fail.

Xu Ping took the papers, first pulling out those of He Jin and the other two, then handing the rest to the proctor beside him, instructing those who hadn't finished to pass, before looking at the three students' papers himself. When he saw the first one, he immediately spat out the tea in his mouth. The first one was Zhang Qihua's. No wonder that bastard finished so early; the paper only had a few words: "Officials protect each other, flattery and sycophancy. Three years as a clean prefect, ten thousand taels of silver."

Damn it, although every sentence was a profound saying and met the requirements, without referencing any famous works, it was still too perfunctory. Xu Ping coughed for a while, then looked at Zhang Qihua sitting below with a serious expression, and really wanted to grab a weapon and beat him up.

Ouyang Tai was even more outrageous. Not only did he submit a blank exam paper, but he also created a directory of brothels in the capital, complete with prices, details of which girls were good at what, and descriptions more enticing than any erotic novel. He even listed the best reputations of each establishment in great detail. Xu Ping felt an immediate urge to patronize one. This guy was definitely a seasoned brothel patron.

With that kind of writing, he could probably pass the exam with a decent essay. He probably just wanted to live a leisurely life as a spendthrift! What ambition! Xu Ping was truly exasperated by these two clowns. Zhang Qihua probably thought he was definitely going to be on the list too! He was considering dragging them into an alley and beating them up.

Despite his anger, Xu Ping couldn't let those two bastards fail. Thinking this, his eyes darted around mischievously. He pretended to accidentally knock over the inkwell on the table. The ink immediately smeared both of their exam papers, leaving them completely black. Xu Ping feigned surprise and then shifted the paper, turning both sheets into a black mess.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" The proctor rushed over anxiously, wiping the ink off Xu Ping's clothes with a piece of paper as he asked nervously.

"I'm fine!" Xu Ping waved his hand, deliberately tossing his now-black exam paper in his hand. With a regretful expression, he sighed, "These two are exceptionally talented writers. I was so captivated by their work that I never imagined such a fine piece would be ruined. What a pity!" "It

's alright," the proctor quickly chimed in, seeing Xu Ping's sighing expression. "If someone's writing is truly outstanding, worthy of the Crown Prince's admiration, they would be a pillar of the court even without

this piece of paper." "Exactly!" Even the usually stern Li Daonian smiled, agreeing, "A writer of such great talent who can captivate people is a pillar of the nation even without this piece of paper. Your Highness need not be so fixated on this."

"Hmm, that's all we can do!" Xu

Ping still shook his head with a regretful expression, then picked up He Jin's article and began to read. The man wasn't particularly handsome, but his handwriting was quite beautiful. Upon reading it, Xu Ping's eyes lit up, and he launched into a succinct essay, outlining the complexities of officialdom:

"The way of being an official cannot be based on rigid rules and regulations. One must know that upon entering officialdom, one should approach the task with a pure heart and sincere intentions, but unfortunately, the allure of the world, with its temptations of money and beauty, makes it difficult for many to resist. An honest official may have an excellent reputation but accomplish nothing, unable to use power to benefit the people. A corrupt official, though hated by the people, may have outstanding achievements that go unrecognized. Honest officials versus corrupt officials—who can distinguish whether they are working for the people or harming them? The way of being an official begins with self-awareness. While currying favor with the emperor and currying favor with officials is not the right thing to do, it is a way to save one

's life. Sometimes, honest and upright officials, adhering to the old rules, harm the country and the emperor. Who can distinguish whether an official is good or bad…?" Xu Ping smiled with satisfaction after reading it. This guy had indeed lived up to his expectations. He had written an excellent article; hopefully, his literary talent wouldn't just be empty talk. The idea that an inactive official is not necessarily a good official is truly a viewpoint worthy of condemnation!

Having read other people's articles, while there was no shortage of eloquent writers, most were evasive and lacked He Jin's outspokenness; at best, they offered only saccharine praise, making one want to fall asleep. After weighing the pros and cons, Xu Ping gritted his teeth and appointed He Jin as the top scholar, Situ Zheng as the second, and Ouyang Tai, at least having decent calligraphy, as the third. Zhang Qihua and a few other outspoken individuals made up the top ten.

After reviewing the papers, he immediately sent the students back to await news, drafted the list, and had the proctors submit it to the Ministry of Personnel for verification. The exam was thus concluded; it was so simple that Xu Ping even felt it was somewhat of a joke.

"Master, you should change your clothes!" Xiaomi walked in at the right moment. Seeing that Xu Ping's crown prince robes were covered in ink, she immediately ran forward in a panic, saying with some self-reproach, "Master, how did you get yourself all covered in this! It's Xiaomi's fault, I should have stayed by your side the whole time."

"Silly girl, this has nothing to do with you!" Seeing that no one was around, Xu Ping immediately and impatiently began to peel off his heavy clothes one by one, the innermost layer of which was already soaked with sweat.

"I'm not wearing this!" Xu Ping was so hot that he was dying, and waved for Xiaomi to change out of the scholar's robe.

Xiao Mi smiled slyly, knowing Xu Ping would never wear such clothes. Like a magician, she pulled out a pair of thin trousers and a vest from under her scholar's robe, proudly waving a pair of straw sandals in her hand, and said with a grin, "I knew Master wouldn't like it, I prepared it all along!"

"Good girl, Xiao Mi understands me best!" Xu Ping laughed heartily, stroking her little face. Although these clothes seemed strange to others, and even his own women thought they were sloppy, they were the best clothes for the hot summer.

"Thank you for the compliment, Master!" Xiao Mi playfully stuck out her little tongue, leading Xu Ping into the inner room where they brought warm water. She carefully wiped all the sweat off Xu Ping's body before he changed his clothes.

"Xiao Mi, take this note to the palace!" Xu Ping, comfortably putting on his mismatched clothes, handed Xiao Mi a note.

Xiaomi, also a former palace maid, was adept at small tasks like delivering messages. Many knew she was the Crown Prince's most favored maid, and even officials had to greet her respectfully. Entering and leaving the palace was commonplace for her.

"I'll go right away!" Xiaomi nodded solemnly, carefully hiding the note in her sleeve before leaving. Before leaving, she thoughtfully added, "Master, our carriage is at the back gate. Qiao'er is already waiting for you there!" "

Hmm!" Xu Ping responded and waved for her to leave. After Xiaomi left, he smiled and went to the main hall, where Li Daonian was indeed kneeling as expected.

"Get up!" Xu Ping sat down and gestured for him to rise and answer.

Li Daonian respectfully rose, but was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected the current Crown Prince to be dressed like a street ruffian in such strange clothes. However, he quickly recovered and smiled, his expression humble yet not without a hint of smugness, saying, "This humble subject didn't know if His Highness the Crown Prince would come, so I took the liberty of waiting here."

"Don't act all innocent after getting such a good deal!" Xu Ping waved his hand dismissively and asked, "How many people have questions?"

"Your Highness," Li Daonian said after a quick mental calculation, his expression serious, "Based on the current situation, excluding those arrested in the first round, I believe there are quite a few people with questionable conduct. However, due to the interference of other invigilators, I haven't been able to gather conclusive evidence."

"Forget it!" Xu Ping sighed and waved his hand, saying, "Some things don't need to be taken too seriously. Aside from the families of those in the court, you handle the others. Investigate how they managed to get in, and give the other students justice!" "

This…" Li Daonian said with a troubled expression, "I have no official position; it seems unreasonable."

"Don't give me that!" Xu Ping glared at him, rising as he said, "Go report to the Ministry of Personnel yourself, and then get out of here and do what you're supposed to do. Stop spouting nonsense!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I won't spout nonsense anymore!" Li Daonian smiled slyly and called out loudly, "Respectfully seeing off the Crown Prince!"

"Get lost!" Xu Ping cursed irritably, then avoided the bustling front door and immediately climbed into the carriage through the back door. Zhang Hu was already waiting by the carriage.

Upon entering, he saw Qiao'er huddled at the back of the carriage like a child, her mouth watering at the fresh fruit on the table. Her adorable little face practically drooled. Xu Ping couldn't help but laugh and scold her, "You greedy little girl, you're even eyeing the fruit that quenches my thirst."

"Master, actually you look quite handsome in that Crown Prince's robes!" Qiao'er, seeing Xu Ping's tattered clothes, offered him fruit while giving her her opinion.

"Come on, what trouble have you gotten yourself into again?" If any other pretty girl had said this, Xu Ping might have pounced on them and then groped them, but coming from this little devil's mouth, it sounded rather strange.

"I'm serious!" Qiao'er pouted, her face full of grievance, but her hands were already busy popping fresh grapes into her mouth.

"Alright, alright, let's go home. I'm dying of heat. This morning was more tiring than a fight." Xu Ping felt annoyed thinking about the old proctors' archaic language.

All that "ooh and lament" stuff, it's just a particle! Why make it so incomprehensible? Just say "fuck your mother" first, it's clear, concise, and universally understood, isn't that better? They're sick!

Xu Ping cursed the two proctors from the Ministry of Rites viciously as he slumped back, his body sinking into a cool bamboo mat instead of a thick blanket—a wonderfully comfortable and refreshing sensation against his skin. He couldn't help but ask, puzzled, "Who had the time to change the blankets so quickly this morning?" "Aunt Ji, she said blankets can cause prickly heat in the summer," Qiao'er said, sticking her head out to tell Zhang Hu, her voice slightly distracted, as if all her energy was focused on eating. "Oh…" Xu Ping responded softly, but inwardly he was puzzled. This aunt of his had always been quite fiery; when had she become so considerate? Strange! Very strange indeed. Was the capital about to be haunted?

For the next two weeks, Xu Ping was so busy he didn't even have time for sex. He spent most of his time running between the palace and home, arranging the placement of the newly appointed examinees. After a thorough conversation with He Jin, it was determined that he was a capable man. With Xu Ping's strong insistence and the support of Ji Zhengang's faction and the Emperor's faction, the opposition from Ji Zhongyun's faction was suppressed, and He Jin, the newly appointed top scholar, was appointed governor to investigate the whereabouts of disaster relief funds in famine-stricken areas of Hebei.

The Ministry of Personnel prepared the necessary paperwork, official seals, ranks, and official documents. He Jin, without even a moment of glory, was kicked out of the capital by Xu Ping. Meanwhile, activities began in both the capital and Yunnan. Zhang Yulong, recuperating in the capital, seemed to be worsening his condition, repeatedly trying to retire to his hometown, but Zhu Yunwen suppressed his requests on the grounds of poor health.

It seemed they had also subtly sensed something amiss, especially with the recent imperial examinations, which had given many scholars important positions, leaving those Ji Long's faction seeking promotion without a chance to shine. How could he not be anxious?

Meanwhile, Lin Wei and Sun Zhengong, active in Yunnan, began frequently contacting various forces. The Demonic Cult also opportunely created some chaos within Zhang Yulong's faction, and Yunnan's previously impregnable defenses began to show signs of weakening.

As for Ji Kaiwen's cheating incident, Zhu Yunwen was quite troubled. While a little revenge was acceptable, there was no need to openly confront Ji Long at this juncture, so he simply kept him imprisoned without taking any action.

These past two weeks of trouble had driven Xu Ping almost insane; back at the Crown Prince's residence, he had no energy left for anything but sleeping. This had left Xiao Mi, having been a virgin for an extra two weeks, looking at herself with a resentful gaze, and she had no time to flirt with her beautiful mother-in-law, making things even more frustrating.

"Ping'er, it's not that I want to criticize you. Look at the kind of people you've chosen. Zhang Qihua, a top-ranking scholar, couldn't wait to go off and seek out women as soon as he was awarded his title. Ouyang Tai, a third-ranking scholar in the special examination, also went off to have fun with him. He Jin, the second-ranking scholar, is even more outrageous—a complete slovenly drunkard. Only Situ Zheng looks relatively normal; the others either have lewd expressions or do n't look like normal people. What kind of taste do you have?"

Zhu Yunwen was sitting angrily in the imperial study, venting his frustrations on his son. The rare father-son reunion couldn't be joyful; he'd been subjected to much criticism from the ministers these past few days because of these worthless individuals, leaving him quite depressed.

Xu Ping, however, ate fruit with an indifferent expression, seemingly unconcerned. After all, many court officials had expressed strong opinions about this batch of successful candidates during this period. Even those who weren't part of Ji Long's faction disapproved. He figured if his father didn't vent , he'd be driven to his grave.

So Xu Ping sat quietly, letting him vent without lifting a finger. Otherwise, he worried that he might inflict serious problems on this middle-aged man already going through menopause, like impotence or sexual perversion.

Once he had vented his anger, Xu Ping calmly said, "Father, this has nothing to do with me! Selecting talented people is the most basic principle. Besides, we're selecting ministers, not prostitutes. What's the point of such good looks? Do you think all the old men in the court have a taste

for that? The world is going to the dogs!" "Then at least select some who look human! Look at them, even I can't stand them!" Zhu Yunwen shook his head helplessly, utterly exasperated by his god-like son.

Xu Ping chuckled, grinning mischievously, and said, "Look at what you're saying. They all have two arms and one mouth. Do you think they're all human? You should be grateful you didn't find some with two arms and four legs."

Zhu Yunwen suddenly switched to a deeply affectionate expression, smiling broadly, and said, "Come on, you brat. I heard your winery is doing well lately, practically making a fortune every day, and the Ministry of Commerce seems to be bringing in silver too. See, your old man's a bit strapped for cash lately. Is that right?" "

Go away, don't even think about it. I'm poorer than you. You could just sell some of the palace maids, wouldn't that do? Let me tell you, I'm practically spending every tael of silver like it's three. Don't even think about getting anything out of me." Xu Ping immediately jumped aside, watching him warily.

Zhu Yunwen, his face grim, feigned anger and shouted, "Don't you see how much trouble you've caused me lately? If it weren't for me keeping things under control at the Ministry of Rites, wouldn't it have turned into a complete mess? And the Ministry of Commerce matter, it caused such a commotion, and you even beat up a scholar from the Ministry of Rites in the street! How are you going to settle

this?! You tell me!" "Don't give me that!" Xu Ping retorted sharply, "Why don't you talk about the hundreds of thousands of refugees outside the capital? If I hadn't been gritting my teeth and running soup kitchens, there would be some unrest or even a plague by now! Who would pay for that?!"

Zhu Yunwen sneered, slamming his hand on the table. "Don't pretend to be so righteous. You did donate a lot of money recently. But now, aren't many people going there to donate? I see your soup kitchens haven't even cooked many pots, and you've even hired a lot of free laborers from there. Do you, this miser, ever lose money?"

"Damn it, I've spent a lot of hard-earned money!" Xu Ping complained.

The father and son were both incredibly strained; talking about money hurt their relationship, and they felt nothing without it. Nine out of ten sentences were filled with complaints about being poor, and talking about money had become the main topic!

Zhu Yunwen glared at him, his face contorted with rage, and said, "Your money comes so easily, why are you so stingy? Don't think your old man is stupid. Your little bandit girl is now hanging around with the Imperial Workshops! Every single one of those newly opened factories is making money, and you're still hiding all that profit!"

At this, Xu Ping couldn't help but chuckle instinctively. Zhao Ling was truly too clever. By cultivating good relations with the Imperial Workshops, although it offended some people in the Procurement Office, the flow of money kept the relationships amicable. Even before the factories had officially started operations, many merchants had already placed orders through the Chamber of Commerce. While this was thanks to the influence of the winery and Zhang Qinghe, the profits even before production began were truly astonishing.

"Alright, alright, no fighting then. But it seems that recently some immoral, beastly fellow has openly raped two widows in the mourning hall while the body of a high-ranking official was still warm. This is truly outrageous! If such a beast isn't beheaded, who knows how many more people will be harmed?" Zhu Yunwen wore an expression full of righteous indignation, but in Xu Ping's eyes, he was nothing more than an old fox.

"Yes, such a guy is indeed worse than a beast," Xu Ping echoed, feigning ignorance, wondering how this old man knew about his own affairs. He was also wondering about Zhao Ling's income; to be honest, he didn't really know much about it.

"Yes, so even if this beast's crimes aren't publicized, at least his family should be notified," Zhu Yunwen said calmly, though his words carried a threatening undertone.

"Damn it, I'm telling you, no more than 50,000 taels!" Xu Ping cursed, knowing the old man wouldn't budge without some food. Only he and Qiao'er knew what happened that night, but he'd forgotten to tell those two sluts to keep quiet. Instead of being the emperor, they were spreading rumors! Damn it!

"Hehe, I told you my son wouldn't be unfilial, right? Here's what we'll do, I don't want your money. Just settle all the refugees outside the capital. That's not an unreasonable request, is it?" Zhu Yunwen smiled smugly, seeing his fish had taken the bait.

"Damn it, no way! Tell whoever you want, there are at least 200,000 people outside the capital. The daily food consumption alone is a huge expense, not to mention the many sick and wounded, the medical bills will be enormous. You really think you can beat your son up like a nouveau riche? No way, absolutely not!" Xu Ping had initially thought the old man had lost his mind and was actually trying to let him off the hook, but he hadn't expected it to be the calm before the storm, his words so ruthless from the start. If he were to lose money, it wouldn't just be a matter of tens of thousands of taels of silver, so he slammed his fist on the table and jumped up.

"You brat, you have to do it, whether you like it or not. Do you think I don't know your Ministry of Commerce is already operating smoothly? I hear that the donations and membership fees from the provincial chambers of commerce alone have reached 1.6 million taels, and you've even openly started doing business with Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Korea. Your Northeast merchant caravan alone has paid 100,000 taels in taxes in just half a month, not to mention your Guangdong Chamber of Commerce has started maritime trade. With such huge profits, you don't even share a penny with me. Do you think your old man doesn't need to take care of his health when facing these old fogies every day?" Zhu

Yunwen also put down his imperial airs, slamming his fist on the table and standing up like his son, his fierce appearance making him look like a street ruffian. The father and son stared at each other like fighting cocks.

"Damn it, you actually planted a spy next to me!" Xu Ping pointed at Zhu Yunwen with a pained expression, looking very sad, his face almost brimming with tears of grievance.

"Come on, show me how many tears you've shed. Your dirty laundry is the talk of the town now. Every minister has relatives in business, and the Chamber of Commerce is full of gossips, it's no secret. You can hear people talking about everything, even when you're taking a dump. So, are you in or not?" Zhu Yunwen looked at Xu Ping with disdain, his eyes saying, "You're too green to act with me."

"Damn it, if you want me to do this losing business, you have to agree to one condition first." Xu Ping thought it over and realized he had to bleed money. He immediately remembered a plan he'd made recently.

"Speak." Zhu Yunwen, seeing the problem was almost solved, didn't waste any more words.

"I want the Ministry of Commerce to control all brothels, brothels, and casinos." Xu Ping's expression was one of absolute determination.

"Oh, why?" Zhu Yunwen hadn't expected Xu Ping to ask this question. He calmly sat down and asked.

Xu Ping was about to explain, but then he thought about how lucrative this was, and if Zhu Yunwen found out, he might lose out. After glaring at him, he said, "Anyway, these are my conditions. Agree or disagree, I won't give you a single copper coin, even if you kill me."

"Alright, everyone in China knows that the Crown Prince is a greedy fellow. If there were no benefit, you wouldn't be bringing this up when you're already busy. I know this is a huge incentive. However, the ripples caused by doing this will be no smaller than when you established the Ministry of Commerce. Trying to swallow this territory, the cost of just paying to appease those refugees is a bit too low."

Zhu Yunwen's mind raced. Although he couldn't see how big the profits were, he greatly admired his son's money-making skills. After thinking for a moment, he decided to extort some money from him. His eyes were so cunning that they made people's hair stand on end.

"Damn it, I'm not saying this to criticize you, but you're good at politics, but you're not as good at making money as my wives. I've already agreed to pay for you to deal with those refugees, how can you still think about extorting me? You're inhuman!" Xu Ping said, while making a heartbroken expression.

"My surname is Zhu, not Tie. How come I was born such a stingy old man? One million taels. I'll take care of those old geezers." Zhu Yunwen thought for a moment. The great disaster in Hebei was still ongoing. The national treasury was desperately poor. If he didn't seize this opportunity to make a good fortune, he might actually have to sell part of the palace in a couple of days.

"Thank you. 'Stingy old man' is my nickname. Three hundred thousand taels, that's all." Xu Ping shook his head and said. Money comes in and goes out quickly these days, so every penny saved counts.

"Can't you at least show some consideration for me being your father? Nine hundred thousand taels." Zhu Yunwen gritted his teeth and said, looking like he was about to betray his own family for the greater good.

Xu Ping shook his head firmly and said through gritted teeth, "Can you bear to see your son so poor he has to pawn his pants? Three hundred and fifty thousand taels."

"Eight hundred thousand taels." Zhu Yunwen conceded, feeling his heart bleeding as he said that amount.

"I won't waste any more words, I'm still short of money. 360,000 taels."

"I don't want to waste words with you either, we're so poor we're practically starving, 150,000 taels."

Xu Ping gritted his teeth, saying each word clearly, "One day I heard that someone was having an affair with two palace maids in broad daylight in the Imperial Study, truly morally depraved, 300,000 taels."

Zhu Yunwen was not to be outdone, slamming his fist on the table with a ferocious expression, "One night I heard that a certain beast was openly having an affair with a Japanese woman in the wild, and even secretly colluding with the Japanese to transport weapons for them, truly worse than a beast! 140,000 taels."

Xu Ping's eyes widened, thinking that this must have been told to his mother by his aunt, and that his mother had whispered in his ear again. However, he couldn't back down, and immediately countered sharply, "I've heard that an emperor openly defiled two fair-skinned young girls in the Imperial Garden, and afterwards didn't even remember what they looked like. Four hundred thousand taels."

Zhu Yunwen's old face flushed red. Seeing that his son hadn't wavered at all, he couldn't help but admire him, but he still tried his best to persuade him: "I've heard that some beast actually defiled his own niece in the carriage, and made the little girl unable to walk. One hundred thousand taels, not a penny less."

The father and son were now exposing each other's shortcomings, their eyes gleaming with malice, like sworn enemies. They were both puzzled as to how the other knew so much about their own dirty secrets. Luckily, they had cleared everyone out earlier; otherwise, the news would have been terrible.

"Alright, 100,000 taels! I'm so sorry! But let me make this clear, you can't ask me for money again later." Xu Ping thought about his father's current predicament, and the amount was still within his acceptable range, so he nodded helplessly.

"100,000 taels, deal. Let me make it clear that besides helping you deal with those old fogies in the court, I won't do anything else." Zhu Yunwen

nodded in satisfaction, finally breathing a sigh of relief. The court was so poor it was almost starving; the border regions kept demanding military pay, and during the famine, they needed disaster relief funds. Now, everything they asked for was money; he was almost overwhelmed.

Although Xu Ping outwardly appeared unwilling, he was actually overjoyed. If the brothel and casino were combined, how could this mere 100,000 taels of silver compare? With such a huge piece of the pie in hand, the money would flow in endlessly. The father and son immediately changed their expressions, laughing heartily and putting on a show of deep fatherly affection, exchanging warm greetings. An uninformed observer would have thought they were a picture of perfect harmony, a loving father and son!

Upon receiving the money, Zhu Yunwen's mood immediately improved. He warmly pulled Xu Ping's hand and sat him down, saying with concern, "By the way, you need to be extremely careful with your operations over there. The situation in the capital has become increasingly tense since this imperial examination. I'm constantly on edge, guarding against whether Ji Long will launch an attack prematurely."

Xu Ping paused for a moment, then looked up and asked, "How's Ji Zhongyun's side? The old man's 100,000-strong Hungry Wolf Camp is the one we need to be most wary of!" Zhu

Yunwen nodded helplessly, saying with a headache, "The Hungry Wolf Camp is so powerful that even your grandfather and his pack of grassland wolves would be wary of it. That's what I'm most worried about. If Ji Zhongyun weren't still alive, I would have dealt with Ji Long long ago. How could I let him expand his power step by step like this!"

At this point, the father and son couldn't help but look more serious. After thinking for a while, Xu Ping asked, "Even if the Hungry Wolf Camp is strong, its numbers are still limited! Other military camps, even if they don't have his fighting power, shouldn't be afraid, especially since Grandpa's dilapidated army is known as a tiger and wolf force."

Zhu Yunwen smiled wryly and shook his head, saying, "Ping'er, you're still a bit naive. Apart from the ordinary garrisons in various places, the four major military camps are practically immovable."

"Why?" Xu Ping asked疑惑地问道, he really hadn't paid much attention to this matter, but for his future, it was better to learn more.

Zhu Yunwen tapped his fingers on the table, sighing, "The Hungry Wolf Battalion is stationed far from home year-round. Although they can be disobedient at times, Ji Zhongyun guards the northeastern grasslands, and the various tribes don't dare to provoke him, so they've maintained stability in the region. Your maternal grandfather's Broken Army Battalion has always been stationed in Jiangnan because it's a land of plenty and can't tolerate any wavering or negligence, otherwise the country would be in chaos. Also, the coastal areas have always been known for their fierce people, and the people's morale was low in the early days of the nation's establishment, so we have to be careful."

"What about the Fierce Tiger Battalion?" Xu Ping asked doubtfully. Legend has it that this elite force should be the most powerful of the four major legions. Back then, 20,000 of them fought against 40,000 Yuan soldiers and managed to fight to a draw. Even now, the people still praise them!

Zhu Yunwen nodded and continued softly, "Although the Fierce Tiger Battalion is strong, it has been infiltrated by various factions and is now in complete disarray. Although it is still called a battalion, there are very few people left. It has long been split into several parts and is not concentrated together. None of these veterans who have survived countless battles want to move. As for the Python Battalion, it has been guarding the Northwest, and the nomadic tribes there are fierce, so it cannot be moved either. In addition, their attitude is ambiguous. I estimate that Ji Long has made some contact with them, but he is not sure of a stable situation."

Chapter 4: A Powerful Breakthrough

Xu Ping's head was spinning. Doesn't that mean that apart from the Imperial Guards in the capital, there are almost no other troops that can be mobilized? Although the garrisons in various places are of varying quality, they are still unstable and cannot be mobilized. If Ji Zhongyun's 100,000 troops march south, what will they use to stop them?

Seeing his son's furrowed brow, Zhu Yunwen immediately understood his worry and comforted him with a smile, "It's alright, Ping'er. Ji Zhongyun doesn't dare to go south on his own now. After all, he's been entangled with the various tribes of the grasslands for so long. If he wanted to come down, they wouldn't let him off easily. Besides, although he sometimes disobeys orders to protect himself, he hasn't shown any signs of rebellion."

Xu Ping couldn't think as thoroughly as his son, but he was somewhat worried about the situation on the vast grasslands. The Jurchen, Khitan, and Manchu Eight Banners, who should have been powerful ethnic groups from different periods, had all appeared simultaneously. Although they weren't yet shockingly powerful, judging from the chaotic situation, his future days would definitely not be easy.

Zhu Yunwen didn't want his son to overwork at this time, so he immediately put on an indifferent expression and asked gently, "Don't think about these things. Tell me first what you plan to do with these people!"

"I'll take Ouyang Tai and Zhang Qihua. As usual, I'll have the others find small positions in the lower levels of the Six Ministries to start. As for Situ Zheng, he should be able to handle things independently, but promoting him too high at once isn't a good thing. Now that the Governor of Zhili, Zhang Danian, is dead, let him go there and work as a county magistrate first, to hone his skills from the bottom up,"

Xu Ping said after thinking for a moment. These top-ranking scholars weren't the kind of people who would stick to the rules. After honing their skills, they should all be able to handle things independently. But what they lacked now was experience in dealing with the old fox. Even though they were his own people, they still needed to be strictly supervised.

Zhu Yunwen sighed and said, "Well, I'll get the Ministry of Personnel to arrange things in the next couple of days. Everyone except those who are fifth-rank officials should be given ninth-rank titles. By the way, Ji Long and Kong Hai have been trying to find someone to plead for them regarding the cheating scandal. Even Ji Zhongyun wrote to me; I had to give him face. There's no need to cause any more trouble at this crucial moment. I plan to do them a favor in a few days."

Xu Ping immediately understood what the old man was up to. He shrugged and said, "Alright, do you think I don't know what you're up to? You just want to squeeze more money out of them. I wholeheartedly agree. I won't share this money, is that alright?"

"Of course, but I won't let them get away with it so easily. It's said that Ji Kaiwen and Zhang Keluo couldn't handle the shock after being arrested and got into a fight with other prisoners. They were both badly injured due to exhaustion and will probably be crippled." Zhu Yunwen's face was full of smugness; he looked every bit the cunning old fox.

"Oh, it seems we need to strengthen prison supervision. The way the prisoners are fighting each other shows the court's lack of control. But didn't I hear they've damaged their genitals?" Xu Ping immediately understood, and said with a knowing smile.

"Oh, I see. I'll have someone check on them later. If all else fails, we can find them a sinecure in the palace," Zhu Yunwen replied,

feigning understanding. Father and son exchanged a knowing glance. At this moment, Zhang Keluo and Ji Kaiwen, locked in the cell, couldn't help but shiver.

"Alright, I still have to look at memorials later. Have dinner at Cining Palace. I've already informed the Imperial Kitchen. Lately, your mother seems quite melancholy, and I haven't had time to visit her. Go and have a good talk with her!" After finishing his business, Zhu Yunwen said to Xu Ping with a somewhat somber expression.

"Then I'll take my leave." Xu Ping knew it was wrong of him not to visit her in the harem for so long; his father was probably too busy. He truly didn't know how his mother had managed. After taking his leave, he left the imperial study and, led by a palace maid, headed towards the harem, feeling particularly guilty.

The harem—a place that countless men yearned for, a place that would make any male creature drool. Who didn't know that it was filled with beauties, each with their own captivating charm, even the palace maids were exceptionally beautiful.

Xu Ping was far from sympathetic. Walking along the palace paths, he could almost see the pervasive resentment. Life in the palace was not just a deep, dark sea, but utterly inhumane. Sometimes, a casual remark from the emperor could lead to the deaths of countless people. Even worse, a favored concubine could be banished to the Cold Palace for the slightest oversight, and if the emperor had already moved on to a new favorite and forgotten her, escaping was practically a pipe dream.

The palace was already rife with rules; once inside, leaving was virtually impossible. Even the imperial concubines rarely had the opportunity to visit their families, let alone the palace maids and eunuchs. They would die of old age in the palace, their names forgotten, their hardships and loyalty forgotten. It was arguably the most realistic and cruel place in the world.

As for the harem, apart from the Empress, who was the mother of the nation, everyone lived in constant fear. Killing a person here is easier than farting. Even if the emperor isn't interested in women, the Ministry of Rites still has to time the selection of concubines to be sent to the palace. Once these women are in, those lucky enough to be slept with by the emperor are considered fortunate, even if the emperor doesn't even know their names afterward.

"Damn it, no wonder they complain about being poor with so many people! Damn it!" Xu Ping was sweating profusely. This wasn't a harem; it was more like a maze. He hadn't been here for a year, and after all this time, he was almost completely disoriented. Looking at the seductive and resentful expressions on the faces of the passing palace maids, he knew that living here for too long would definitely warp his mind. He

finally reached his mother's palace, but after asking around, Xu Ping felt like vomiting blood. His mother was truly relaxed now, actually going to eat vegetarian food and worship Buddha. He had walked so far and hadn't seen anyone! Damn it!

On his way back, he remembered the palace maids saying that Princess Changxiao, Zhu Lianchi, and her daughter, Zhu Yuchen, were also with him. Xu Ping couldn't help but chuckle lewdly. He figured he'd take both of them sooner or later. His niece, Yu Chen, was so unrestrained after getting into bed; he wondered what kind of allure his usually quiet and gentle cousin would bring!

Poor little girl, pretending to be a good child while being kept by two traditional women, she must be quite bored. He'd pamper her properly when he had time. Thinking of the pleasure of ravaging her little chrysanthemum, Xu Ping couldn't help but grin lewdly.

As they walked, the sky was already filled with stars. Xu Ping grew somewhat bored. Looking at the palace's heavily guarded defenses, with sentries every three steps and patrols every five, supposedly impenetrable even to mosquitoes, he suddenly felt a surge of curiosity and wanted to see just how this legendary, "miraculous" defense actually worked.

Having made up his mind, Xu Ping immediately ran to the Imperial Workshop, obtained a set of night clothes, changed into them, and donned a mask of some unknown opera costume. He then swaggered out. Although the people in the Imperial Workshop were suspicious, no one dared to question the Crown Prince's plans, and given Xu Ping's threat to execute anyone who spoke of it, none dared utter a word.

Although the candlelight wasn't very effective, the extravagance made the entire palace almost as bright as day, except for those cold... The palace or the residences of eunuchs and maids seemed desolate. However, Xu Ping had no interest in such run-down places. He was also somewhat eager to test his lightness skill, carefully dodging each patrolling guard and sentry, quietly making his way towards the palace gate.

Everything went quite smoothly. Xu Ping had already evaded many people and reached the forbidden gate. He wondered if he should tell his father tomorrow that they needed to replace the guards; their vigilance was simply too poor!

Suddenly, a guard who had been as still as a statue seemed to have heard something unusual. His ears twitched slightly, and he roared, "You audacious madman!" He then drew his sword and slashed directly at the bushes where Xu Ping was hiding.

"Damn it!" Xu Ping cursed inwardly. He hadn't made any noise; how did the guard know? Despite the cursing, having never practiced any martial arts like Iron Shirt, he quickly flipped and jumped away to dodge the fierce blade. He knew in his heart that this was definitely a deadly strike, intended to kill instantly. Even if he had mistaken the person for someone else, it was his own fault for sneaking around; the other party had every right to retaliate.

"Grab him!" The guards had already been disturbed by the commotion. Before Xu Ping could even land steadily, several flashes of silver light rushed towards him. He braced himself slightly and jumped back a few times. There was a loud bang, and looking down, he saw not only hidden weapons but also iron whips, which had easily shattered the stone path.

After dodging a few blows in a disheveled manner, Xu Ping, relying on his profound internal strength, quickly flipped and landed on the wall. A quick glance back startled him. The once tranquil palace had suddenly become like boiling water. There were only a dozen or so guards on the path before, but now they were swarming in, and some with excellent lightness skills could even be seen leaping from the rooftops towards him.

"Damn, they reacted so fast!" Xu Ping cursed involuntarily. Looking at the group, he saw a bizarre array of weapons—whips, hooks, and the like—and hardly anyone drew their swords. What kind of bodyguards were they?

Although they were mostly second- or third-rate, there were a few top-tier fighters among them. But this wasn't the time to play around. Xu Ping's first instinct was to get out of there. If these guys swarmed him, it would be like ants trying to eat an elephant—they'd devour him completely.

Before he could think any further, Xu Ping leaped over the crowd and, using his familiarity with the palace, quickly ran towards the palace gates.

"Go back and keep watch!"

The guards were on high alert, ready to give chase as soon as the man in black ran. At that moment, a dignified and powerful voice rang out. Before they could even react, a gray figure was already moving at an almost imperceptible speed, chasing after Xu Ping.

"Go back and keep watch! With the Grand Master in charge, these scoundrels will surely be captured in no time!" The head guard glanced at the two figures that had disappeared into the night, wondering if this was a diversionary tactic. He quickly ordered everyone to return to their posts.

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