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

Chapter 187 I almost believed it again! [Seeking monthly votes]

"..."

Looking at the ugly faces of these high-ranking officials in their scarlet robes, forced out of them by Yan Maoqing.

Zhu Houcong felt both immense pleasure and profound sorrow, his emotions a complex mix of feelings.

This is his court, these are the high-ranking officials in his court, and yet they can still so distort the truth and act so pretentiously at this point.

They were well-read and fought their way through the fierce competition of the imperial examinations.

They can write the most ornate language and shout the loudest slogans in the world, but they probably can't write the word "decency" that Yan Maoqing mentioned when he explained "the law does not apply to high-ranking officials"...

If at this moment, among these high-ranking officials in scarlet robes...

Even if only one person refuses to yield to the death, or only one person crashes into the gate of the Imperial Household Department.

Even Zhu Houcong wouldn't feel so sorrowful and powerless; he would still feel that there was hope for his empire.

He still has the confidence to govern this country well, sweep away the corruption in the court, restore peace and order to the world, and carry forward the legacy of his ancestors.

But... there wasn't one, not a single one.

More and more officials in scarlet robes began to raise their arms and shout the phrase "put the overall situation first," then, like cowardly dogs, they knelt down and willingly accepted their beatings.

Compared to them, Yan Maoqing, whose behavior seemed unlike that of a subject, was more like a human being!

Honestly, if even one of these high-ranking officials in scarlet robes today had shown the integrity and moral character they should have, it would be a great achievement.

This incident caused a huge uproar, disrupted the court, and even led to some people rebelling under the banner of "purging the emperor's inner circle."

Zhu Houcong might have hesitated for a moment, considering whether he should "put the overall situation first" and push Yan Maoqing forward to quell the so-called "public anger".

But this moment.

Zhu Houcong's heart suddenly became as firm as a rock!
come on!

Demons and monsters, come out and jump out! The higher you jump, the better! The louder you scream, the better!
Is compromise wisdom?
I would rather not have this kind of wisdom!
If I were to compromise with you all again as before, I wouldn't even be able to protect Yan Maoqing. If I were to act like these people and "put the big picture first," then what difference would I have from them?
How can an emperor like me govern this country well, cleanse the court of its corruption, and ensure that the legacy of our ancestors is carried forward and flourishes in my hands?!
Guo Xun!

Yan Song!

Hurry up, hurry up for me!
Once you have accomplished the great task, and once I have a tangible and real source of confidence, I will no longer compromise with anyone!
"..."

Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, and Zhang Bi also had mixed feelings, and their faces unconsciously flushed slightly.

Although they are not the ones displaying such ugly faces at this moment, nor are they the ones being beaten like dogs.

But this scene gave them the feeling that they too had been stripped naked and displayed by Yan Maoqing, as if a fig leaf covering all the high-ranking officials had suddenly been torn off, revealing their ugliest and most shameful parts.

And the spanking that struck these high-ranking officials in their crimson robes.

Isn't this a slap in the face to them...? Although they may no longer feel ashamed, they still know what it means to feel guilty.

The three of them secretly glanced at Zhu Houcong without prior arrangement.

Is it possible that everything that happened at the Imperial Household Department today was part of the Emperor's plan, and that the three of them standing here at this moment were originally part of the Emperor's plan?

Is this a real warning from the Emperor, or even the last?
……

"Clap! Clap! Clap!..."

The crisp sound of the clappers echoed across the small square in front of the Imperial Household Department, as if striking the hearts of everyone and resonating with their thoughts.

This matter has actually come to an end at this point.

Now only one question remains: what to do with these unyielding officials below the fifth rank, represented by Zhao Zhenji?
Everyone is seriously considering this issue.

This also includes Zhao Zhenji and his group...

They certainly despised the ugly face of this high-ranking official in his scarlet robe.

However, their unwavering political demand was to oppose the emperor establishing privileges in the court comparable to those of the Western Depot. Even without the call from these high-ranking officials in scarlet robes, they would still have boldly voiced their opinions.

In their view, this move could easily undermine the established laws of the Ming Dynasty and disrupt the balance of power among the three judicial departments.

If wicked people abuse their power to use cruel torture and create false accusations, it will surely cause the Ming Dynasty's officialdom to slide into the abyss of corruption even faster. It would be a foolish move that would do more harm than good!
and so.

They will not back down in this matter.

If Yan Maoqing comes to their door tonight and beats them to death, then let them prove the harm of this privilege with their lives and awaken the Emperor with their flowing blood!
at last.

All the officials in scarlet robes had been flogged.

"..."

Zhao Zhenji and the others, holding canes, stood proudly, panting heavily, looking at Yan Maoqing with neither arrogance nor servility.

Some of them had already endured two hundred strokes of the cane, and some were ready to leave, but hesitated and were unwilling to be the first to do so.

They could feel the venomous gazes cast upon them by the group of high-ranking officials in crimson robes; they were blaming them for not being careful enough...

In reality, they did hold back; otherwise, after receiving two hundred strokes of the cane, these high-ranking officials in scarlet robes would not have just had swollen buttocks, let alone be able to stand up with a limp.

Can't they see what those court officials who were previously arrested and imprisoned in the Imperial Household Department looked like?

They only received about twenty strokes of the cane; that was the truly "deliberate" court caning.

Perhaps these high-ranking officials in scarlet robes have been in their positions for too long, enjoying the privilege of "no punishment for high-ranking officials" for too long, and have completely forgotten what it means to put oneself in another's shoes?

But it doesn't matter anymore. Perhaps after tonight, they will be able to escape this murky "sea of ​​suffering"...

Then they saw a smile appear on Yan Maoqing's face.

At this moment, Yan Maoqing's smile was completely different from his previous loud laughter, cold laughter, snickering, and ambiguous smile. For some reason, it gave people a warm feeling.

"Those who have been flogged may leave now. As for you stubborn cowards who would rather die than accept it..."

Yan Maoqing spoke slowly and deliberately, his words coming out clearly, and his tone returned to its initial calm and gentle tone.

However, after what just happened...

His warm smile, however, only conveyed an indescribable sense of sinister malice to the onlookers.

His calm and gentle tone sounded like something out of a maniacal madness to everyone else.

"!"

In Yan Maoqing's deliberately paused, deep breaths.

Zhu Houcong, Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, Zhang Bi, Kong Jian, Chen Yingda, Gao Gong, Shen Kun, Yan Shifan, Wang Xiude, Zhao Zhenji...

Whether they were inside or outside the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, everyone held their breath at that moment, anxiously awaiting what would follow, or rather, what would be called the verdict.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yan Maoqing smiled and said the following:

"...Congratulations! You have passed the test for becoming sages at Jixia Academy. Welcome to the first batch of sages to join Jixia Academy!"

"W-what???"

Everyone froze at that moment, a string of question marks popping up above their heads.

What does this nonsensical statement mean?
How did the Jixia Academy suddenly appear?
What is the test of the wise?

What are you doing?
There was no one illiterate present, so naturally everyone knew what the Jixia Academy was.

This is a higher education institution founded by Duke Huan of Qi during the Warring States period. It is also the earliest palace-run school in the history of the Celestial Empire. During its heyday, it gathered as many as a thousand wise men from all over the country. Even Mencius, the second sage, once served as a teacher at the Jixia Academy.

According to historical records, at that time, all scholars and intellectuals who came to the Jixia Academy, regardless of their academic school, ideology, political inclination, nationality, age, or seniority, could freely express their academic views, debate, question, and absorb each other's ideas, which made the Jixia Academy a center where all schools of thought gathered.

Most importantly, the Duke of Qi allowed the scholars of the Jixia Academy to "discuss matters without governing" and "discuss state affairs without holding office," and consistently upheld the principles of "recommending the virtuous and rewarding merit," respecting the virtuous and recruiting talents widely.

In this environment, Jixia Academy quickly became the premier academy in the land, integrating academics, politics, and education.

It played a vital role in shaping public opinion, providing political advice, and participating in handling political affairs, which in turn helped the State of Qi achieve a century of prosperity!

and so.

What exactly did Yan Maoqing mean by those words...?

"Please take a close look at the couplets that the Court of Imperial Sacrifices recently changed, and you may be able to understand my good intentions."

Yan Maoqing did not immediately offer an explanation, but instead pointed to the gate of the Imperial Household Department.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately turned to look.

In fact, some people had seen this couplet before, but they hadn't paid any attention to it. Only now, under Yan Maoqing's guidance, have they begun to take it seriously:
"The sound of wind, rain, and reading aloud enters the ear; family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs are all of concern?"

"Indeed, this is the mission of the Jixia Academy."

Yan Maoqing spoke loudly, his voice gradually becoming deeper.

“I have a saying to share with you all: ‘I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light.’”

"I come from a humble background. Although I am younger than you gentlemen, I was born and raised in the Ming Dynasty."

"I had long been accustomed to the arrogance of the powerful, the gluttony of the clerks, and the darkness of the common people suffering. At that time, I thought that this was the way of the world, and that the world should be dark."

"However, since arriving in the capital, my knowledge and experience have broadened daily."

"I have seen loyal ministers who dare to speak frankly and directly to the emperor, risking their lives for him."

"I saw a righteous man who defied the times and was banished, so he resigned his post and left;"

“I have seen loyal and virtuous people who offend the authorities and are suppressed, and who, though they possess noble qualities, are trapped in their posts.”

"Even when faced with injustice and repeated humiliation, there are still those who follow one after another, risking their lives without hesitation, never regretting their decision even in the face of death!"

“There are many such officials in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices right now… I saw them, I saw them all!”

"In the darkness where I should not have been able to see my hand in front of my face, I saw twinkling, dazzling lights."

"So I finally couldn't stand the darkness anymore, and I started to have a dream."

"This dream perfectly matches a poem: 'The roof leaks above my bed, leaving no dry spot; the rain falls like a never-ending stream. Oh, for a thousand spacious houses, to shelter all the poor scholars of the world and bring them joy!'"

"And the way to realize this dream is to rebuild the Jixia Academy!"

In his essay "On Ministers," Su Shi wrote: "The order or chaos of the world depends on whether the people's sentiments are clear or obstructed. A minister should serve his ruler with the right principles; if he cannot, he should resign. Now, those above and below deceive each other, and corruption has occurred, yet no one dares to speak out. Whose fault is this?"

"The darkness in the world and the chaos in the court stem from the fact that court officials block channels of communication and deceive the emperor!"

"If there were a place like the Jixia Academy in the world, regardless of faction, age, seniority, rank, ideology, or political inclination, no one would worry about being ostracized for offending the times because of their humble status, nor would they fear being suppressed for offending the authorities because of their low rank. Their opinions could all reach the ears of the emperor, and the virtuous would be recommended for merit."

"The sky can no longer obscure my vision, the earth can no longer bury my heart, all living beings will know my will, and the darkness will crumble on its own!"

"Now there is a great opportunity."

"His Majesty the present is diligent and wise in governing the country, and has the ambition to bring order to the world. He has bestowed upon a palace garden area and ordered the establishment of the Jixia Academy to widely recruit scholars from all over the country!"

"Through this incident, I have tested your loyalty to the emperor and your determination to die for the country."

"You are precisely the talents needed by my Western Depot... Bah! My Jixia Academy, and I hereby sincerely invite you to join us!"

"???"

When they heard only half of what was said, Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, and Zhang Bi, along with a group of court officials who had been flogged, were already dumbfounded, their minds once again unable to process it.

Is this even possible?!

Yan Maoqing, you're a fucking beast!
How dare you play us like this, turning us all into idiots?!

Especially the three cabinet ministers, Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, and Zhang Bi, were in turmoil, their pupils trembling as they looked at Zhu Houcong beside them.

Your Majesty, just considering that Yan Maoqing also quoted Su Shi's "On Ministers"... this was indeed your scheme!
Your Majesty, why did you suddenly flip the table like this? Do you know that you are plotting a rebellion?

This "Jixia Academy" is even bigger than the "Leopard House" of the previous Zhengde Emperor. Is there no one or nothing in this world that the emperor cares about?
Now that their intentions are clear...

From this day forward, the imperial court is likely to be turned upside down.
"!!!"

Feeling the fearful gazes of Zhai Luan, Xu Zan, and Zhang Bi, Zhu Houcong was completely stunned, his mind buzzing.

Yan Maoqing, you filthy bastard!
You're being pretentious again!

Such a big matter, and you didn't even let me know beforehand. I really thought you wanted that palace garden because you were planning to set up the Western Depot!

And what the hell did you do to me was create the Jixia Academy!
You're still pretending to be profound!
You're still testing them!

You've even managed to win over these real troublemakers for me!
You say, "You could have endured the darkness if you had never seen the light"? First, take a look at how dark you yourself are!

You even went so far as to create a glamorous "prodigal son returns" persona for yourself, smoothly smoothing over the infamy that came from that initial imperial examination answer sheet, and even managed to make those troublemakers shed tears... You deserve to die!

I'll kill your mother!

If I hadn't known what kind of bastard you were all along, I would have almost believed you again!

"Eh……"

Huang Jin, who was holding the ladder below, also heard Yan Maoqing's speech.

Feeling the vibrations transmitted down the ladder due to Zhu Houcong's emotional outburst, what could he say?

Yan Maoqing, I, Huang Jin, still wish you well!
(End of this chapter)