Ming Dynasty: I, Yan Maoqing, am truly radiating auspicious energy!

Chapter 146 Please, Your Majesty, do me justice! [Requesting monthly votes]

Qianqing Palace.

"Did this scoundrel really say that?"

Zhu Houcong looked expressionlessly at Crown Prince Xianma kneeling before him and asked in a low voice.

Crown Prince Xianma was also an official of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, a fifth-rank official, in charge of the Bureau of Classics under the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, responsible for managing the Crown Prince's collection of books, documents and archives.

However, what Yan Maoqing didn't know was...

Before he took office today, this Crown Prince Xianma had already received an oral edict and a temporary token from Zhu Houcong, ordering him to monitor Yan Maoqing's every move in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and granting him special permission to meet with the emperor at any time to hear his voice directly.

What Yan Maoqing didn't know was...

This Crown Prince Xianma was the same official he had recently randomly chosen to be in charge of roll call—a sharp-mouthed, monkey-faced man who looked like a clever little devil.

His name was Lü Maoxue. He was the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination in the eleventh year of the Zhengde reign. He was a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, a later scholar, and finally moved to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

To put it bluntly, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was essentially an upgraded version of the Hanlin Academy.

For the vast majority of officials in the Hanlin Academy, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices in the Ming Dynasty was an extremely important stepping stone for advancement.

After all, it's still education work. Is there anywhere in the world that can surpass the Hanlin Academy? If the Emperor doesn't select people from the Hanlin Academy, does he have a better choice?

Therefore, most of the officials here came from the Hanlin Academy, and at the very least, they were all junior scholars in a certain department. If you threw a brick into the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, you could kill at least three Hanlin scholars, except for the lowly clerks who did odd jobs.

"..."

Huang Jin was speechless at this moment.

He felt that the more he interacted with Yan Maoqing, the higher his own threshold for emotional sensitivity was being raised.

Normally, after hearing the report from the Crown Prince's tutor, he would have already knelt down to avoid incurring the prince's wrath.

But now, he felt that Yan Maoqing could still be saved.

It's nothing more than leading the entire Court of Imperial Sacrifices to neglect their duties, bluffing and deceiving others, and openly threatening others with false accusations. How big of a deal could it be?

Don't believe me? Look at the Emperor. After hearing all this, his expression didn't even change...

"Your Majesty's words are absolutely true, and I dare not alter a single word!"

Lü Maoxue kowtowed and replied.

Unlike Huang Jin's nonchalant attitude, he now felt that Yan Maoqing was completely finished.

Who in the world can get away with this mess on their first day in office, saying so many things they shouldn't have?

Since the Emperor had granted him an oral decree and a temporary warrant, ordering him to monitor Yan Maoqing's every move, it was enough to show that the Emperor had long harbored resentment towards him.

Yan Maoqing's position as the Crown Prince's tutor will not last long. In fact, this appointment is a scheme by the Emperor to flatter him and then kill him, just waiting for him to slip up (shh, this word is not allowed to be used in the Ming Dynasty) and be punished.

The fact that he was so highly regarded by the emperor this time was definitely because his ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke.

Perhaps... after Yan Maoqing steps down, the position of Crown Prince's tutor will be his; it's all up to the Emperor's word.

"I heard you say that he entered the palace today carrying a fishing net, and even brought the net with him when he visited the Crown Prince?"

Zhu Houcong pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly asked again,
"Did he ever say what else he wanted to do besides paying respects to the Crown Prince?"

"In response to Your Majesty, Yan Maoqing did not say, and I was afraid of revealing Your Majesty's decree, so I did not dare to ask."

Lu Maoxue snapped out of his daze and quickly and cautiously replied.

"I understand."

Zhu Houcong nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said...
"After you return, continue to act according to my instructions. If Yan Maoqing does anything unusual, come and report to me immediately."

"In addition, he mentioned the issue of officers in the Beijing garrison receiving salaries without working..."

"He appointed you to work at the Imperial Household Department on the very first day, which means he must have a certain fondness for you."

"I order you to feign complete obedience to him, quickly gain his trust, ascertain his views and opinions on this matter, and report back to me in detail." "?"

Lu Maoxue was taken aback upon hearing this, feeling that the Emperor's decision was far from what he had expected, but at this moment he could only kowtow.
"The minister obeys the order."

"Go back."

Zhu Houcong waved his hand, and after Lü Maoxue left, his brows furrowed again, and he asked in a seemingly muttered question to himself,
"Huang Ban, you said that when Yan Maoqing first went to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, he pointed to the spy I personally selected for the roll call. Did he see through my thoughts at a glance, or is he truly so in sync with me?"

"Pfft!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Jin turned deathly pale and immediately knelt down on the ground:
"Your Majesty, I am utterly loyal to you and would never dare to divulge even the slightest of Your Majesty's secrets, much less collude with Yan Maoqing from within!"

To date, only Zhu Houcong, Lü Maoxue, and he know about this matter.

If Yan Maoqing wasn't exceptionally perceptive or had some kind of precognitive ability, then he was the prime suspect in leaking this information.

"Get up, I have not questioned your loyalty."

Zhu Houcong pondered for a moment and said,
"Let's see what kind of trouble this smoking thing will cause me next. I'm actually looking forward to it..."

"..."

Huang Jin wiped the cold sweat from his temples and looked up in surprise at the emperor he had served for more than twenty years.

No one was more certain than him that he had absolutely not leaked the secret to Yan Maoqing, and Yan Maoqing had no reason to see through the Emperor's thoughts at a glance, since such things could not be seen with just a glance.

Therefore, Yan Maoqing also took a liking to Lü Maocai, who had a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks and looked like a clever little devil... Could it be that he and the emperor were truly in sync?

Just as I was thinking this.

"Report!"

A shout came from outside the hall:
"The Imperial Noble Consort Wang requests an audience outside the palace!"

……

After a while.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to do justice for me!"

As soon as Consort Wang entered the palace, she knelt down and her wailing echoed throughout the hall.

Even though he had some prior expectations, Zhu Houcong was still taken aback by Consort Wang's unexpected and heart-wrenching wails, and had to immediately step forward to anxiously inquire:
"My beloved concubine, why are you weeping so bitterly?"

"Your Majesty is unaware of the truth. The newly appointed Grand Tutor, on his first visit to the Crown Prince, actually wanted to take the Crown Prince to play in the water and catch fish, intending to murder the Crown Prince!"

Consort Wang continued to wail and slump to the ground, her voice filled with resentment as she accused her.

It's no wonder she hated Yan Maoqing so much.

She successfully gave birth to Zhu Zai Rui, who was then made crown prince. In the imperial palace, where a mother's status depended on her son, Zhu Zai Rui was her greatest hope for the future.

Over the years, she has always taken great care of it, as if it were fragile and delicate, and would not tolerate the slightest mishap.
Now, someone comes along and insists on taking Zhu Zaiyi to play in the water and catch fish!
It is common knowledge that evil spirits roam the waters. The Zhengde Emperor of the previous dynasty contracted evil spirits after falling into the water, and his health deteriorated rapidly. He died of illness in less than half a year.

What else could this be but an attempt to murder the Crown Prince?!

His heart should be killed!

"This thing emitting blue smoke brought a net into the palace, was it for this purpose?!"

Zhu Houcong's eyes widened upon hearing this; he could hardly believe his ears.

He was well-versed in history, but he had never heard of any crown prince's tutor in any dynasty doing such a thing.

Normally, the Crown Prince's future is tied to that of the Crown Prince, so shouldn't the Crown Prince's tutor be more attentive to the matter than his own father...?

"Not only that, this person also tried to bewitch the Crown Prince. Just because I stopped him from going swimming and fishing with him, the Crown Prince actually said that he no longer wanted to be the heir apparent!"

Consort Wang's cries grew increasingly shrill, a truly heart-wrenching display of grief, with tears streaming down her face.

(End of this chapter)