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

Chapter 204 It's laughable to think about! [Seeking monthly votes!]

At the same time, Zhang Zuo and the others would also be able to tell the difference.

Although Yan Maoqing's words were not so direct, they were a blatant and direct threat!

Previously, it was always the Directorate of Ceremonial who threatened others; how dare others threaten the Directorate of Ceremonial? And ask the Grand Secretariat, who sits in the imperial court, if they dare to do so!

Moreover, it is highly problematic that such words came from the mouth of Minister Yan Maoqing!

Even though this young man kept saying that Yan Shifan was young and impetuous, he completely shirked responsibility.

Do they think they're all fools?

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices was ultimately Yan Maoqing's department, and the privileges of the Western Depot were ultimately Yan Maoqing's Western Depot privileges. Even Yan Shifan was ultimately Yan Maoqing's nephew!

Without Yan Maoqing's approval, how could Yan Shifan, a mere sixth-rank official, possibly cause any trouble?!

Therefore, the person who broke the tacit understanding of "fighting without breaking" in the court was none other than Yan Maoqing!
As for Yan Shifan, whom he mentioned so often, he was nothing more than a capable henchman and a sharp claw.

The truly young and ambitious person was Yan Maoqing!

With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Zuo's expression quickly returned to normal, and he returned the greeting with a smile:
“What Minister Yan said is absolutely right.”

"The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs assists the emperor and upholds the order of the court; the Court of Imperial Sacrifices informs the crown prince and consolidates the foundation of the nation."

"It is time to work together with one heart and one mind, carry on the past and open up the future, and jointly ensure the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty's ancestral temple."

This was Zhang Zuo's counterattack, which Yan Maoqing would have recognized if he were a smart man:

The Holy Lord is above, the Crown Prince is below!
Therefore, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was above, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was below!
He reminded Yan Maoqing to understand his place and not to become arrogant because of temporary favor. Making enemies of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would not do him any good.

To prevent the clueless young man Yan Maoqing from misunderstanding, Zhang Zuo deliberately paused slightly when saying that sentence, making it sound like:
"The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is above, assisting the Holy Emperor in upholding the order of the court; the Court of Imperial Sacrifices is below, instructing the Crown Prince to consolidate the foundation of the nation."

After that brief exchange...

It wasn't just Zhang Zuo who mistook Yan Maoqing for a hothead.

The eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial behind him already regarded Yan Maoqing as a reckless and impulsive young man.

Within their knowledge and experience.

A truly shrewd person would never act like Yan Maoqing.

His pretentious and worldly-wise words just now only revealed his childish naiveté.

His earlier rule-breaking threat only revealed his ignorance and arrogance.

Such a person, having obtained special privileges from the Western Depot, thinks he can ride roughshod over the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. He probably won't even know how he'll be played to death in the future... It's laughable to think about!

Zhang Zuo's words were already quite meaningful.

How could Yan Maoqing not see through the scheming in those words?
What's with this "neither up nor down" nonsense? So what if you're on top or on the bottom? Do you even have the tools to commit the crime?

Compared to that, he still felt that the puns "is a wolf (vice minister) or a dog" and "the minister (official) is a dog, and the censor (censor) eats shit" were more sophisticated.

Unfortunately, they were now facing eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, and these brilliant lines were not applicable to these eunuchs.

It seems I should make more trips to the Six Ministries and the Censorate in the future, looking for opportunities to use these two puns and get them out of my mouth.

With this in mind, Yan Maoqing didn't hold a grudge against Zhang Zuo and the others in the slightest.

Anyway, he didn't really intend to break ties with the Directorate of Ceremonial.

It would simply mean slightly offending them, hoping to leverage their influence to smoothly retire and return to his hometown. If he could also implicate Yan Song and his son, ensuring they could never return to the court, that would be ideal. Therefore, the degree of offense needed to be carefully considered.

If you go too lightly, they might not take it seriously at all.

If things get too serious, it could easily escalate to a point of no return, which would contradict his goal of safely retiring and returning to his hometown.

Now that the people in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs are unhappy and can't help but want to retaliate verbally, this is exactly the right situation.

--Perfect!
Then Yan Maoqing gave another fake smile:
"In that case, Feng Jinzhong, Cao Zhen, and all the eunuchs from the Bureau of Armory and the Imperial Horse Administration will be dealt with by Eunuch Zhang and the other eunuchs. Please follow me to the prison to fetch them."

……

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.

"Godfather, please save your son this time! I'll never dare to do it again!"

Bound hand and foot, kneeling before Zhang Zuo, Feng Jinzhong, whose hair and beard were already white, banged his head on the ground. After only a few thuds, a large bump swelled up on his forehead, and blood quickly seeped out.

Zhang Zuo let out a helpless sigh, turned his face away, and said in a hoarse voice:
"Alas! It's not that Godfather is heartless, but this matter has escalated to a great extent; the Emperor has already personally issued an edict..."

"Godfather..."

Although he had expected it, hearing these words from Zhang Zuo still made Feng Jinzhong feel weak all over, his eyes filled with despair.

"Tell me, what are your unfulfilled wishes?"

Zhang Zuo raised his hand and gently wiped his cheek with his sleeve before turning around and speaking softly.
"Your godfather isn't very capable, but he can do his best to ensure you leave without any worries, so that your relationship with your godfather won't be in vain."

Feng Jinzhong gradually regained his senses. Although tears welled up in his eyes, he showed a sliver of backbone, straightened up, and cried out in a trembling voice:

"My parents died early and I have no brothers or sisters. I am fortunate to follow my godfather in this life. What unfulfilled wishes could I possibly have?"

"If there's one thing I can't let go of, it's that I can no longer serve my godfather, and I can no longer fulfill my filial duties to him..."

"Godfather, your unfilial son must take his leave first!"

After saying this, Feng Jinzhong, disregarding the blood on his forehead, began to kowtow repeatedly with all his might.

"Good son!"

Zhang Zuo was also moved by this, and quickly stepped forward to help Feng Jinzhong, taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe away the blood flowing down his forehead.

"Godfather, before I leave, there are some things I must remind you of!"

Feng Jinzhong sniffed, then continued,

"This time, my son has fallen into Yan Maoqing's hands. Although he is unwilling, he accepts the defeat wholeheartedly!"

"Godfather, you must never underestimate this young man in the future, and you must not be deceived by his feigned madness and nonsensical appearance."

"Although this person is not old, he is the most cunning person my son has ever met in his life. No one can match his meticulousness, viciousness, and swiftness!"

"If it weren't for meeting this person."

"This time, the gunpowder division of the Ordnance Bureau has been blown up without anyone knowing, and the charges against my son and Cao Zhen will also be destroyed. They will never end up like this today!"

Zhang Zuo was taken aback upon hearing this:
"What did you say? You actually planned to set fire to the gunpowder depot to escape punishment?!"

(End of this chapter)