The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 697

"The military academy His Majesty arranged has been completed. Hengqi said that he will send Shuisheng to the military academy to learn military strategy properly."

When Xu Wei was mentioned, Tang Bohu couldn't help but feel a little proud.

"You are so lucky to have a student like Hengqi and a son like Shuisheng."

Wen Zhengming said with a look of envy.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Isn't the weighing instrument your student anymore?"

Tang Bohu glared at Wen Zhengming and said.

Wen Zhengming smiled sullenly upon hearing this.

At this time, Zhou Chu was enjoying a tender moment with Yun Jin and Lin Yao. As the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Zhou Chu had been away from the capital for nearly a month, and Yun Jin and Lin Yao were longing to see him again.

However, it was just tenderness. Zhou Chu didn't dare to do anything reckless. Yun Jin had become pregnant three months ago, and Lin Yao had become pregnant two months ago.

"The military academy was completed half a month ago, but I'm heavily pregnant, so it's not convenient for me to attend classes."

Yun Jin said with some regret.

"No rush, wait until you give birth to the baby before you go. The academy will recruit new students every year, so there's plenty of time."

Zhou Chu smiled.

"Sir, I suddenly feel so useless."

Lin Yao sighed.

Zhou Chu naturally understood why Lin Yao said that. The longer Lin Yao spent with Zhou Chu and Yun Jin, the more she felt that she had no ability and seemed to be good at nothing.

What does "useful" mean?

Zhou Chu looked at Lin Yao and teased her.

“Like Sister Yun Jin, she is skilled in both martial arts and painting, and her skills are unparalleled.”

Lin Yao thought for a moment and then said.

Zhou Chu shook his head.

"Everyone has their own path to follow. Do what you like. If you like managing the household, then the family will be taken care of for you. If you like other things, you can learn them. Don't worry about whether they are useful or not. The greatest use is the use of the seemingly useless."

Zhou Chu patted Lin Yao's head and said.

"Yes, sister. When I first started learning to draw with my teacher, I didn't think about what it would be useful for in the future. I just liked it."

Yun Jin echoed.

Both of them were legal wives, regardless of age, but Lin Yao was considerably older than Yun Jin, so she referred to herself as the older sister.

The three were talking when they heard a knock on the door.

"Master, Eunuch Huang has arrived."

The speaker was Chunlan, and the eunuch she was referring to was none other than Huang Jin.

Upon hearing this, Yun Jin and Lin Yao helped Zhou Chu tidy up his somewhat disheveled clothes. Zhou Chu got up and left the room, going to the main hall in the backyard where he met Huang Jin.

“Eunuch Huang, you’ve come at the perfect time. This time, I brought back a lot of top-quality jade from Southeast Asia. This jade cicada is top-notch in both craftsmanship and material. I brought it back especially for you, Eunuch Huang.”

As Zhou Chu spoke, he took out a jade cicada.

Nowadays, jadeite is not as valuable as jade. Ordinary jadeite is hardly sought after. When Zhou Chu went to Annam and Champa, he found that the people there even used ordinary jadeite to pave roads.

However, the highest quality imperial green, especially the glassy imperial green, is the most prestigious among imperial greens, and its value remains exceptional even today.

The cicada that Zhou Chu took out was a glass-type imperial green jadeite, and its translucent color made Huang Jin unable to look away.

"We are truly fortunate that Lord Zhou remembers our family."

Huang Jin was deeply moved.

After saying this, Huang Jin straightened his expression.

"His Majesty has summoned Lord Zhou to the palace to discuss the matter of the first batch of students at the Military Academy. In the past month, all the high-ranking officials and nobles have gone crazy when they heard that His Majesty was going to open a military academy, and that you, Lord Zhou, would be teaching there. They all wish they could send their own people to the military academy, and they have tried every means to submit memorials to His Majesty."

Huang Jin said.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu handed the golden cicada to Huang Jin.

"I will now accompany you to the palace, Your Excellency."

Huang Jin didn't refuse. He was an honest man and knew that Zhou Chu was not short of money or possessions. He thought that helping Lord Zhou with some things and putting in a good word for him would be better than anything else.

Soon, Zhou Chu followed Huang Jin into the Imperial Study.

"Hengqi, take a look. I've been overwhelmed these past few days with so many memorials, all from people wanting to send their children or grandchildren to military academies. I don't know how to select them."

Jiajing said with a headache.

"Your Majesty, has the list been compiled yet?"

Zhou Chu asked.

Upon hearing this, Jiajing took out a booklet and handed it to Zhou Chu.

"This is the list that I had Huang Jin compile."

Zhou Chu took the booklet, opened it, and found that it contained detailed information, including who was who, whose family they were, and their birth order.

It must be said that Huang Jin did a very meticulous job.

After glancing at the booklet, Zhou Chu noticed a problem: most of the names on it were second sons of the legitimate wife, or even sons of concubines. There were also eldest sons of the legitimate wife, but they were only a minority.

This is not hard to understand. Since the Song Dynasty, civil officials have been stronger than military officials. Those who can enter officialdom through the imperial examinations generally do not want to pursue a military career. Those who want to send their eldest sons into the government are probably doing so because their eldest sons are not capable of being of great use and have no hope of passing the imperial examinations, so they want to try other paths.

As for the second sons of the legitimate wife or the sons of concubines, it is easier to understand. In many families, they do not want them to compete with the eldest son of the legitimate wife for resources, or they do not want them to surpass the eldest son of the legitimate wife, but they still want them to achieve something so that they can give back to the family. Taking the path of a military general is a good choice.

The military academy was taught by Zhou Chu. Who is Zhou Chu? Which civil or military official doesn't know him? Are any of Zhou Chu's students simple figures? Even Gui Youguang and others are now quite famous in the capital, and entering officialdom in the future will not be a problem at all.

As long as one can get into the military academy and learn military skills from Zhou Chu, one will probably at least become a centurion in the future.

This is what many people think.

Zhou Chu glanced at the list, but he couldn't tell much from it alone, since he didn't know much about these people.

"Your Majesty can have a notice posted to announce that all citizens of the Ming Dynasty who are between eight and twenty years old are eligible to participate in the academy's entrance examination. I plan to admit three to five tenths of the total number of people on this list, depending on whether they are qualified."

Zhou Chu said.

When Jiajing heard this, he nodded.

"I will make the arrangements immediately."