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

Chapter 155 Three Golden Melon Seeds [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"That damned Master Zhan!"

When Consort Wang first heard Yan Maoqing's voice, she was so angry that she almost tore the handkerchief she was holding in her hands to shreds.

As a mother who would give her life to protect Zhu Zaiyi, how could she tolerate an outsider humiliating her son like this?
Zhu Zai Rui has been arguing with her about fishing for several days, and even went on a hunger strike for a whole day yesterday. His little face turned green from hunger, and it's unknown how much grievance he has endured!

She couldn't bear to see her son suffer like this, and despite her reluctance, she finally softened and agreed.

And then this scoundrel, Master Zhan, actually turned around and gave them, mother and son, a taste of vomiting?!
Is this some kind of cruel joke?!
test?!
disappointment?!
This scoundrel is nothing more than the Crown Prince's tutor, an assistant to the Crown Prince. What virtue or ability does he have to dare to test the Crown Prince? What right does he have to be disappointed in the Crown Prince?

That sounds nice, but it doesn't!

Could it be that they were instructed by someone to deliberately humiliate the Crown Prince?
But when she heard what came next...

"Eh?"

Consort Wang was stunned, a complex expression appearing in her eyes.

This was actually a meticulously designed course?

"Not everyone in this world who smiles at you, makes you happy, and gives you hope is truly looking out for you, and not everyone deserves your trust..."

That makes a lot of sense. If the Crown Prince can keep those words in mind, he will benefit from them for the rest of his life!
And this statement... seems to include himself in it, doesn't it?

This Crown Prince's Chamberlain is quite different!
Consort Wang couldn't help but recall the scene when Xia Yan came to give Zhu Zai Rui a lesson.

Xia Yan was a mature and prudent scholar. After arriving, he methodically brought out the Four Books and Five Classics and carefully taught them to Zhu Zai Rui.

He did indeed speak in great detail and with great depth; even Consort Wang, who was eavesdropping outside, was impressed.

However, Zhu Zaiyi was always drowsy in class, and when she tested him after class, he could not answer most of the questions. This forced her to force him to kneel as punishment and make him memorize the material by rote.

Yan Maoqing's approach, however, was unconventional.

As the saying goes, "You can't learn by being taught, but you can learn by doing."

Although his methods were somewhat despicable, Consort Wang believed that this matter would leave a very deep impression on Zhu Zai Rui, and he would remember these words forever.

This was a principle she had long hoped Zhu Zaiyi would keep in mind!
After all, in this treacherous imperial harem, everyone must be careful and vigilant, otherwise...

The eldest prince, the fifth prince, the sixth prince, the seventh prince, and the eighth prince who also died before reaching the age of one last year—such a high rate of premature deaths are right before our eyes, and rumors are spreading in the harem. How can anyone feel at ease?

Unfortunately, Zhu Zaiyi was still too young and innocent, unaware of the dangers of the world. Even with her countless careful reminders, the child still did not know how to guard against outsiders in the palace.

If Yan Maoqing can truly teach Zhu Zaiyi this lesson this time...

That would be a great achievement, so what does it matter if I suffer some injustice?

Consort Wang suddenly recalled the Emperor's final reaction when she complained to him that day, even saying, "It's not entirely impossible to catch this fish."

Could it be that... the Emperor actually knew Yan Maoqing's thoughts all along, and that this was precisely the reason why the Emperor appointed him as the Crown Prince's tutor?

Just as I was thinking this.

"Waaaaah... Waaah—!"

Finally, Zhu Zaiyi's extremely aggrieved wailing could be heard from outside.
"Mother, Mother, you are all bad people! I want to find Mother! Only Mother is the best to me! Waaah!"

“Zai Lan…”

Upon hearing this, Consort Wang's eyes instantly filled with tears.

The enlightenment effect is just too... immediate!
She had previously disciplined and punished Zhu Zaiyi, and even used a ruler to beat him a couple of days ago for fishing.

She did all this for Zhu Zai Rui's own good, but before today, Zhu Zai Rui didn't seem to understand. The more he did so, the more he feared, avoided, and evaded her. When he was wronged, he would go to the wet nurses, nannies, eunuchs, and palace maids in Zhong Cui Palace.

But after suffering such a great injustice this time, the first person Zhu Zai Rui sought out was no longer those outsiders, but his mother, the imperial concubine...

At this moment, she was absolutely certain that Zhu Zaiyu had truly taken Yan Maoqing's words to heart!
This Crown Prince's tutor is a capable and remarkable person.

He is a truly loyal minister who wholeheartedly guides the Crown Prince; he is the one, not even worth a golden melon seed!
Then, she heard Yan Maoqing yell and add insult to injury:

"Respectfully seeing off the Crown Prince. Fishing cannot make the Crown Prince's childhood complete, but this humble official can. Farewell, Crown Prince!"

"Waaah—!" Zhu Zai Rui's crying immediately became much fiercer.

……

at the same time.

Two eunuchs not far away quietly watched Zhu Zaiyi return, wailing. One of them frowned and lowered his voice:
"Find a moment to quietly report to Steward Feng that the Crown Prince did not go fishing with Yan Maoqing today."

"In that case, we can't pin the blame on Yan Maoqing, and things will become more complicated. We'll have to wait for another opportunity..."

……

"Your childhood, my childhood, seem so much the same~~~"

After leaving Zhongcui Palace, Yan Maoqing hummed a tune from later generations as he prepared to return the way he came and go to the Hanlin Academy through Donghua Gate.

Money only shows its value when it is spent.

Power only demonstrates its weight when it is used.

Since Zhu Houcong granted him the privilege of directly promoting officials under the Crown Prince from the Hanlin Academy, he naturally had to make the most of it.

Gao Gong? Chen Yingda? Shen Kun?
You lot, get into the bowl first!

what?
The people selected were all those who had been close to the Minister before, or those who had made great efforts to rescue the Minister when he was imprisoned. This may be suspected of nepotism.

Isn't that obvious?

Why form cliques and factions if you don't appoint people based on personal connections?
How can one ensure that their cronies remain firmly loyal to the head of the organization without nepotism?

Without nepotism, how can we recruit new followers and further expand the "Yan Party" within our department?
Just as I was thinking this.

"Minister Yan, please wait!"

A familiar female voice suddenly came from behind me.

Yan Maoqing stopped and turned around; it was indeed Granny Li from Zhongcui Palace.

"So it's Granny Li. May I ask what orders Consort Wang and the Crown Prince have?"

"The Imperial Concubine ordered me to convey a message to Minister Yan, saying that Minister Yan has put in a lot of effort in tutoring the Crown Prince."

Panting, Granny Li quickly caught up, speaking as she presented a folded brocade handkerchief with both hands.

"This is a small token of Her Highness's affection for Minister Yan. Please accept it, Minister Yan. From now on, the Crown Prince will be entrusted to Minister Yan..."

"Oh dear, how can this be?"

Yan Maoqing politely accepted the handkerchief.

Wow! It's quite heavy?

When he unfolded the brocade handkerchief layer by layer in front of Granny Li, he was shocked to find that there were actually three golden melon seeds inside!

Yan Maoqing certainly knew about this kind of thing.

This was a gift bestowed by the Emperor, mainly used to reward the concubines in the harem.

However, unlike the gold melon seeds of the Qing Dynasty, the gold melon seeds of the Ming Dynasty were not shaped like melon seeds, but rather small round gold cakes resembling buttons. "Gold melon seeds" was just a common name.

This item was made of pure gold with extremely high gold content, and it was also cast with several exquisite royal patterns. It mainly circulated in the imperial harem and had both practical monetary value and represented imperial favor, serving as a symbol of the status of the concubines in the harem.

The fact that Consort Wang has bestowed golden melon seeds upon him means...

Become!

It worked!

Through his resourceful and unpredictable maneuvers in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Zhongcui Palace.

From this day forward, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Zhongcui Palace, and the Hanlin Academy will be connected in a straight line, and the "Yan Party" will begin to take shape!
(End of this chapter)