Chapter 5 Strange Answers
Zhu glanced at Deng Qianqiu, and an idea came to his mind. He said, "I'm asking you, tell me, what is the biggest threat to our Ming Dynasty?"

Deng Qianqiu now knew that he had actually escaped from the gates of hell, and it seemed that the prince had no ill feelings towards him.

As soon as he heard the title, Deng Qianqiu became alert again.

The biggest concern of the Ming Dynasty?
This question is obviously not something that Deng Qianqiu, a small commander of the imperial army, can answer.

It sounded like someone was testing Zhu Gang.

Deng Qianqiu's guess was not wrong. Zhu Yuanzhang paid most attention to the education of his sons, especially the legitimate sons born to Empress Ma, such as Crown Prince Zhu Biao, Prince of Qin Zhu Chong, Prince of Jin Zhu Gang, Prince of Yan Zhu Di, and Prince of Zhou Zhu Su.

Among the five sons, the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin were the most stubborn, and it was for this reason that Zhu Yuanzhang sent them to the Zhongdu Fengyang.
The original intention was naturally to allow them to reform themselves in their hometown of Fengyang and experience the sufferings of the people.

Of course, in addition to these methods, Zhu Yuanzhang would often send people to convey his imperial edicts and test his sons, and examine their talents through their answers.

Just yesterday, the emperor sent another edict, which gave this question to the King of Qin and the King of Jin. When the King of Jin Zhu Gang saw the question, he was dumbfounded.

Because he knew very well that this question was easy to answer. For his brother, Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who was the most wise, there were naturally many answers. And for the King of Qin and the King of Yan, they were always brave and knowledgeable about military tactics, so their answer must be that the biggest threat to the Ming Dynasty was in Mobei.

In fact, King Zhu Gang of Jin also wanted to answer this way. Throughout the dynasties, haven't the biggest concerns been in the north?

The problem is that his brothers all answered in this way, so if he answered again, it would obviously not be outstanding!
What's more, he knew his father's temper very well. His father would definitely get to the bottom of the matter and continue to ask him why the biggest threat was in Mobei and how the Ming Dynasty should deal with it. These answers were obviously the strengths of his second brother and fourth brother.

Zhu Gang racked his brains at this time, but he really couldn't think of any solution.

"Hmm? Speak up, I'm testing you!" Zhu Gang looked domineeringly at Deng Qianqiu, who still had a dazed look on his face.

Deng Qianqiu gritted his teeth, it seemed that there was no way he could get away with it unless he showed off his skills.

So he thought for a moment and said, "Difficult times create brave and resilient people, and brave people create a peaceful and prosperous era. However, a peaceful and prosperous era makes people lazy and unwilling to work, and the lazy and weak people will bring the world back to difficult times!"

"..."

"Your Highness, I have finished answering."

"..."

"Your Highness..."

Zhu Gang's face finally recovered from the slight shock, and he said, "Wait a minute."

After saying that, he ran to the side hall. After a while, he rushed out with a pen, ink and a bamboo slip for taking shorthand notes, and said, "Come on, tell me again. I'll listen."

Deng Qianqiu was speechless, but he saw Zhu Gang simply lying on the ground, arching his hips, touching the tip of the pen with his tongue, then he spat and said, "Read."

Deng Qianqiu had no choice but to say: "Difficult times create resilience..."

Zhu Gang immediately raised his eyebrows and said, "Wait a minute, how do you write the word 'tough'?"

Deng Qianqiu was also stunned. He was used to typing on the computer in his previous life. If he was asked to answer at this moment, he might not be able to do so.

Zhu Gang gnashed his teeth and said, "You are an unlearned person. I am testing you with something as simple as this, and you don't even know it? Hey, hey, hey, go get someone to write the word 'Ren' for me."

After a busy period, Zhu Gang finally wrote down these words. Somehow, he felt that this answer might be useful.

After copying this sentence, Zhu Gang said: "Well, although your answer does not secretly match my intention, it is also decent. It seems that... you are still talented. Go down and use your life well."

Deng Qianqiu breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to bow and say goodbye.

In fact, his answer is a proverb of later generations. In fact, all dynasties, even all empires and dynasties in the world, can hardly escape the history and laws. Before leaving, Deng Qianqiu couldn't help but take a look at the bedroom. Seeing the carved beams and painted buildings here, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, it's really good to have money and power, a real man... a real man should be like this.

Very good, from tomorrow on, I, Deng Qianqiu, will set my ambition...

Watching Deng Qianqiu leave, Zhu Gang's face darkened and he looked coldly at Hu Jian in the corner.

Hu Jian had something to hide, as he never expected that Deng Qianqiu would praise him so highly that Hu Jian couldn't figure out whether Deng Qianqiu was really stupid or just pretending to be stupid.

Hu Jian could only cry out, "Your Highness, I... deserve death... a thousand deaths."

Zhu Gang snorted, "Get lost, get lost!"

"Yes, yes." Hu Jian was already frightened to the point of looking grim. He didn't dare to defend himself, nor did he dare to stay here any longer. He ran away in a hurry.

Zhu Gang looked angry and kept cursing: "This despicable and shameless villain, if I hadn't just been punished, I would have broken the dog's legs."

As he spoke, he took out the bamboo slips he had written down in shorthand and ordered, "Bring me some writing material. I want to write a letter to my father."

The eunuch at the side said, "Your Highness... I have something to say. The question His Majesty asked is in the hope that Your Highness can answer it personally."

Zhu Gang did not show any aggressiveness to the young eunuch, but just laughed: "Yes, I answered it myself. This is the answer I got by listening to it with my own ability."

The young eunuch looked embarrassed and asked cautiously, "But...will this work?"

Zhu Gang had a pleasant look on his face. He had already spread out the paper and inkstone, and was about to copy the bamboo slips. He grinned and said, "I don't know either. I just think this sentence is very sharp and sounds very powerful. Who cares? Anyway, the other brothers are more capable than me. I don't have any other ideas. I will just deal with it first."

The young eunuch had no choice but to say: "I'm afraid it won't suit your majesty's wishes..."

Zhu Gang said indifferently: "That's fine. If you answer wrong, I will forgive Deng Qianqiu and will never beat him to death."

Little eunuch: “…”

Zhu Gang sighed again: "If the answer is correct, he will naturally benefit from it."

This young eunuch knew Zhu Gang's temperament. Although he was moody, he rarely took his anger out on people around him. Among the older princes, although he was naughty, he was not cruel.

Just as the young eunuch was stunned, Zhu Gang suddenly looked over and bit the pen: "In Bajinli, how do you write the word 'hui'?"

"Ah..." The young eunuch was also confused.

The two stared at each other.

After a while, Zhu Gang said indignantly: "Damn it, it's all the fault of those masters. They taught me several times, but I always couldn't remember. And they still call themselves great scholars! Humph, they can't even teach me well, they are really a bunch of good-for-nothings. Ba Jinli, right?"

The little eunuch named Ba Jin Li looked embarrassed, but he tried hard to pull the corners of his mouth and said, "Yes, yes, whatever your highness says is right."

Zhu Gang asked someone to turn over the book while he continued to bite the pen and said, "Is Deng Qianqiu's father really Deng Jian?"

"Your Highness, I think that's correct."

After hearing this, Zhu Gang's face was full of doubts, and he looked thoughtful: "Strange, really strange..."

He muttered to himself, and a look of sadness that was inconsistent with his temperament and age appeared on his brows.

(End of this chapter)