PFC Chapter 12 Child, your father is related to the imperial family!
Chapter 12 Child, your father is related to the imperial family!
Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened. "Yao'er, what do you mean by this?!"
Zhu Yao explained, "Dad, you should just listen to me!"
"Especially those officials in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, never have any dealings with them."
"It won't be long before the Empty Seal Case breaks out, which will definitely implicate a large number of people. If you have any connection with them, you'd better clear your name quickly and not get dragged down with them."
Zhu Yuanzhang felt a warmth in his heart when he saw the genuine worry in Zhu Yao's eyes. He could clearly feel that this child was truly concerned about him, without any pretense.
He gently patted Zhu Yao's shoulder, his tone gentle yet firm, and comforted him, "Don't worry, Yao'er, I know what I'm doing. Nothing will happen."
"Father does have connections in the court, but he doesn't follow the official channels; he follows the channels of the imperial relatives. The affairs of those officials have nothing to do with Father."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao's tense expression eased slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief, nodding gently.
He knew in his heart that although Zhu Yuanzhang was strict and decisive, he was quite protective of his sons and relatives. As long as they were related to the imperial family, no matter how big the Empty Seal Case became, it would not implicate his father.
Seeing that Zhu Yao was relieved, Zhu Yuanzhang's lingering hope resurfaced. With a hint of enticement in his voice, he asked again, "Yao'er, I'll ask you one more time: do you really not want to become an official in the court?"
"With your father paving the way for you, you don't need to start from the bottom. He can at least arrange a high-ranking official position for you, like the prefect of Chenzhou, how about that?"
He paused, then explained in detail: "The chief official of Chenzhou is a fourth-rank official, in charge of the military, political and civil administration of Chenzhou. He has a generous salary and receives rewards from the imperial court. His position is prestigious, much more glamorous than being a merchant here."
As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang turned to look at Liu Bowen beside him, gave him a wink, and said in a suggestive tone, "Old Liu, you should also try to persuade Yao'er."
Liu Bowen quickly understood, suppressed his cough, and cupped his hands to Zhu Yao, advising, "Young Master Zhu, cough cough... Master is absolutely right. The Chief Official of Chenzhou is a fourth-rank important position with great power and responsibility. If you, young master, can take up the post, you will not only bring glory to your family, but also better benefit the people of Chenzhou. Cough cough... It is truly a wonderful thing."
"With such talent, young master, if you could enter the court as an official, you would surely achieve great things. Cough cough... please don't bury your talent."
But Zhu Yao still shook his head, his tone resolute and unwavering: "No, no, I'm not going no matter what."
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was still going to try to persuade him, Zhu Yao changed the subject and slowly said, "Unless..."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and he quickly pressed on, his tone urgent: "Unless what? Tell me, as long as your father can do it, I will definitely grant your wish!"
Zhu Yao raised his eyes, his expression serious, and said, word by word, "Unless Zhu Yuanzhang is dead!"
These words exploded in the room like a thunderclap. Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen froze on the spot, completely stunned, their faces filled with disbelief, their mouths slightly open, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Liu Bowen was so frightened that he trembled all over, almost falling off his chair. A violent cough erupted instantly, so severe it was heart-wrenching. His face turned ashen, and only one thought remained in his mind:
It's over, Young Master Zhu is really going to lose his head!
After a brief moment of bewilderment, Zhu Yuanzhang's blank expression was instantly replaced by overwhelming rage. His imposing presence was palpable, his brows furrowed, and his voice was so cold it seemed to drip ice.
"What did you say?!"
The anger in that voice almost set the entire room ablaze. Zhu Yao was so shocked by the aura that he shrank back slightly and quickly reacted.
He muttered to himself, it seems his father is probably a die-hard fan of Zhu Yuanzhang. These words really hit a nerve. He has to be considerate of his father's feelings and not upset him anymore.
Zhu Yao quickly waved his hand, softened his tone, and patiently explained, "Dad, don't be angry. I didn't mean it; I just said it casually."
"Think about it, Old Zhu is too strict. It's too dangerous to be an official under him. I'm afraid that one day I might accidentally offend the emperor and lose my life, not to mention implicating you. I'm doing this so that my son and I can live a peaceful life."
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang's expression had softened slightly, Zhu Yao quickly changed the subject, calling out towards the door, "Chen Zhong!"
Butler Chen Zhong hurriedly pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully: "Young Master, what are your orders?"
"Go to the backyard and prepare a few fine guest rooms. Make sure my father and Mr. Liu and their party are well accommodated. Make sure they are well taken care of and not neglected," Zhu Yao instructed in a calm tone.
"This old servant obeys your command," Chen Zhong replied respectfully.
After making the arrangements, Zhu Yao's gaze inadvertently fell on Liu Bowen, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Liu Bowen's face was ashen, his lips were bloodless, his body trembled slightly, he coughed incessantly, and his breathing was even more rapid than before.
Zhu Yao stood up and walked to Liu Bowen's side, his tone tinged with concern: "Mr. Liu, why do you look so pale? Has your condition worsened?"
Liu Bowen waved his hand weakly, coughing so hard he could barely speak: "It's nothing...cough cough...I'm fine, it's just that my old ailment has flared up again, I'll be alright after a short rest..."
"I know a little about medicine, so let me take a look at you, so you can feel at ease."
As Zhu Yao spoke, before Liu Bowen could refuse, he reached out and gently placed his hand on Liu Bowen's wrist.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang suppressed his anger and stared intently at Zhu Yao, his heart filled with a mixture of expectation and worry.
Zhu Yao's expression was solemn as he carefully felt Liu Bowen's pulse with his fingertips. His brows furrowed more and more, and after a moment, he slowly withdrew his hand.
"Mr. Liu, this isn't a relapse of your old illness, it's poisoning," Zhu Yao said calmly, his tone completely unwavering, yet it sent a shiver down the spines of both men present.
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up, his face full of astonishment, his tone tinged with disbelief: "What? Poisoned?! Old Liu, you've been poisoned?"
He never expected that Liu Bowen would be poisoned, and a surge of anger rose in his heart. He secretly resolved to find out the truth.
Liu Bowen was also stunned, then gave a wry smile and coughed, saying, "No wonder...no wonder I've been feeling weak and coughing incessantly lately, it turns out I've been poisoned..."
Zhu Yao nodded slightly, his tone softening: "Don't worry, sir. Fortunately, the infection isn't too deep, and the toxicity isn't too severe. As long as you take good care of yourself and take your medicine on time, you'll recover in no time."
"I'll have someone prepare the detoxifying medicine right away. Sir, please rest well today, and I'll have your follow-up appointment tomorrow."
After saying this, Zhu Yao instructed Chen Zhong to prepare the medicine, and then led Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen to the guest room in the backyard.
Zhu Yuanzhang closed the door, and the atmosphere inside the room instantly became heavy.
Zhu Yuanzhang walked to the table, sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked in a calm tone, "Bowen, what are your thoughts on the matter of the Prime Minister?"