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

Chapter 175 Have I, Yan Maoqing, really become a eunuch? [Seeking monthly votes]

"Your Majesty is right. I never imagined that the Yan family and the Yan family were related."

Huang Jin also smiled and echoed,

"Yan Maoqing is also Yan Shifan's uncle-in-law. The Yan family's ancestral graves might even be emitting auspicious smoke."

But who would have thought that these words would come out so easily.

"?"

Zhu Houcong's smile slowly faded, and his expression gradually darkened, as if he were deep in thought.

"I misspoke, I deserve to die, I'll slap myself!"

Huang Jin's job was to read people's expressions, so how could he not notice Zhu Houcong's emotional changes? He was so frightened that he immediately knelt down and raised his hand to slap Zhu Houcong.

"What did you say wrong? Get up."

Zhu Houcong gave a soft shout and then said after a moment's thought,
"You did not say anything wrong; on the contrary, you reminded me at the right time."

One of the most important reasons why Zhu Houcong liked Yan Maoqing, was willing to entrust him with important responsibilities and privileges, and even indulged him to a certain extent.

Even though Yan Maoqing's background was extremely clean, his previous actions could not have involved collusion with powerful figures in the officialdom. On the contrary, he would have been hostile to those powerful figures. He was a truly isolated official!
As for Yan Maoqing's adoption of Duke Guo Xun as his godfather, Zhu Houcong saw no problem with it.

Since the Tumu Crisis, these nobles have been completely suppressed by the civil service and have been bound by countless shackles.

Without his strong support and favoritism, these nobles, despite their high status, could not actually cause any trouble in the court.

Moreover, Yan Maoqing is a heartless scoundrel.

This time, Guo Xun is facing such a crisis, and this scoundrel not only doesn't think about making a great effort to rescue him, but even has the idea of ​​sacrificing his own family for the greater good.

Even after I forced him to help Guo Xun, this guy dared to falsely convey my imperial edict, tricking Guo Xun, along with the three dukes Zhu Xizhong and Zhang Rong, into almost having their property confiscated, and even thinking of sharing their money with me...

This so-called "adoptive father and son" relationship without blood ties is indeed unreliable.

But now Yan Maoqing and Yan Song suddenly have this kinship connection.

The situation immediately changed, and it's definitely worth discussing...

True.

This time, Yan Maoqing acted prudently and took the initiative to help Yan Shifan.

This move was indeed very much to his liking, and it ensured that Yan Song, who was far away in Datong, would not be affected by family matters and could concentrate on his work.

But who can say that Yan Maoqing did not have ulterior motives?

He didn't want to help Guo Xun, but he took the initiative to help Yan Shifan, which already speaks volumes...

the most important is.

Yan Song will eventually return.

His previous idea was that as long as Yan Song handled the Datong matter well, he would reinstate him to his original position.

But now, he probably needs to reconsider.

Otherwise, Yan Maoqing, whom he already considered a crony, would have been promoted to the position of Crown Prince's tutor at such a young age.

Yan Song was once again regarded as an ally by him, and after his return, he was reinstated as Minister of Rites.

Once this leg and arm unite within this kinship, they can easily develop the idea of ​​advancing or retreating together, which could easily create a passive situation that leaves him partially paralyzed...

Therefore, he will probably have to choose between the two or impose necessary restrictions and constraints.

They even went so far as to abandon one of them to completely eliminate the possibility of becoming paralyzed on one side of their body.

This approach is somewhat heartless and akin to abandoning a friend after they've served their purpose.

But in the heart of this great Ming emperor, nothing and no one could possibly override his determination to maintain the integrity of imperial power, including Yan Maoqing!

"..."

Looking at Zhu Houcong's constantly shifting gaze, how could Huang Jin not understand what this emperor, whom he had served for more than twenty years, was thinking at this moment?
He felt that his cleverness today was very problematic, and a big problem at that.

At this moment, His Majesty must have some reservations about the kinship between Yan Maoqing and Yan Song.

If this got out, people who didn't know better would think he was deliberately passing on a message to the Emperor to attack Yan Maoqing. But honestly, he had no such intention!
Judging from the outcome at this moment, any explanation he gives seems so weak and feeble.

Now, the Emperor may very well doubt his motives, or even his loyalty, because of this.

If Yan Maoqing knew about this, that petty guy who would settle a score on the spot probably wouldn't let it go easily, and might even do something...

However, Huang Jin probably never imagined this.

It remains to be seen how Zhu Houcong will view him.

But if Yan Maoqing were to learn of this, he would instantly open up a new avenue for retiring.

She even excitedly kissed his forehead on the spot, and then spared no expense to bribe him, begging him to keep up the good work!

After a long time.

Zhu Houcong did not mention "giving Yan Maoqing something else" again, but simply asked:
"Did the Censorate submit any memorials today?"

Huang Jin immediately snapped out of his daze, quickly rummaged through a pile of memorials and carefully presented one with both hands:
"Your Majesty, this is a memorial submitted by Wang Tingxiang, the Left Censor-in-Chief, impeaching some censors in the Censorate for abusing their power and violating the law, and requesting that these officials be dismissed and punished more severely."

"Hehehe, Yan Maoqing's threat of 'slander' is still more effective."

Zhu Houcong took it, glanced at it, and sneered.

"After Wang Tingxiang submitted his memorial 'Investigating Censors in Accordance with the Constitution' a few years ago, he proposed six methods for investigating censors. He later submitted another memorial to supplement it with fifteen methods. However, all these years have passed, and the Censorate has not yet investigated or prosecuted a single person in accordance with the Constitution."

"That old scoundrel is nothing more than a shrewd strategist who talks big but never delivers anything."

"This time he's run into Yan Maoqing, a scoundrel even more treacherous than a treacherous minister, so he's finally too scared to play the role of a paperhanger anymore?"

"What Your Majesty says is true..."

Huang Jin also knew about this.

The fifteen articles of the Censorate Charter formulated by Wang Tingxiang are truly ingenious. If they can be strictly implemented, they will surely transform the Censorate.

The emperor thought Wang Tingxiang was capable of accomplishing great things, so he immediately issued an edict approving and supporting him.

In the end, this was just a pie in the sky that Wang Tingxiang was dangling at the emperor. The charter was written in black and white, but several years passed and not a single person in the Censorate had implemented it.

Therefore, the Emperor even issued a special edict to question:
The duties of the Censor-in-Chief are extremely important, and you, having served as Censor for many years, have failed to examine or dismiss a single person since establishing the six articles. You should now thoroughly reflect on your actions.

After receiving the imperial edict, Wang Tingxiang was terrified and apologized, but he still didn't dare to touch a single person in the Censorate, and the matter was left unresolved.

Not only that, Wang Tingxiang was also in charge of supervising the capital's military camps together with Duke Guo Xun. Guo Xun defied the imperial order at that time, and Wang Tingxiang was equally hesitant, failing to rectify the laxity of military affairs...

So even if Huang Jin dared not say it aloud, he had to admit it in his heart.

Yan Maoqing's despicable methods, which can be described as those of a great villain, were indeed more effective than the emperor's edicts.

These officials, regardless of whether they are loyal or treacherous, all have a servile nature; they refuse to listen to reason and insist on suffering the consequences.

They're just taking advantage of the fact that the emperor has to consider the bigger picture and can't bear the stigma of being a tyrant; otherwise, these people would all die a horrible death...

"His!"

Zhu Houcong directly tore up the draft proposal attached to the memorial by the Grand Secretariat, which suggested that "the Three Departments should be ordered to conduct a joint investigation, so as not to allow the Chief Censor to make decisions unilaterally, lest it start the beginning of obstruction and bring disaster to the government." He then handed the memorial to Huang Jin.

"Send it to the Directorate of Ceremonial for approval, and bestow upon Wang Tingxiang the Imperial Sword, granting him sole authority to make decisions and execute first and report later."

"If Wang Tingxiang is willing to be a cruel official this time, I will forgive him for his past actions. If he still cherishes his power and seeks to protect himself, I will let him off the hook."

"Then don't blame me for being a foolish ruler who listens to Yan Maoqing's 'slander'!"

"This servant obeys the decree..."

Huang Jin quickly agreed, thinking to himself, "Does His Majesty really intend to use Yan Maoqing as a consumable this time?"

Then Zhu Houcong said again:
"Draft another imperial edict: After I ascended the throne, didn't I render the Eastern Depot idle, and the Western Depot was already abolished?"

"However, nowadays there is no oversight above the Censorate and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the administration is becoming increasingly corrupt. Since the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, he has the responsibility to oversee the country."

"Order the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to take on the responsibilities that the Western Depot originally held!"

(End of this chapter)