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

Chapter 207 Rotten wood cannot be carved [Seeking monthly votes]

While speaking.

Wang Tingxiang couldn't help but recall Yan Maoqing's answer sheet from the palace examination.

When he was the examiner reviewing that palace examination paper, he was so enraged by Yan Maoqing's treacherous and obsequious face that filled the lines that he slammed his fist on the table. He even used it to criticize Yan Song and confront him directly.

Looking back now, he realizes that he was young and impetuous, even though he is nearly seventy years old...

Especially when he looked at the things Yan Maoqing had done in light of what he knew, he felt that this person was unfathomable, which was fully demonstrated in that answer sheet alone.

That was clearly a cunning piece of writing that could be used to both attack and defend!

If we only look at the literal meaning, we can naturally regard Yan Maoqing as a treacherous official who flatters his superiors and benefits from wrongdoing.

However, upon closer examination of the examples Yan Maoqing introduced between the "introduction" and "opening paragraphs" of the eight-legged essay, some problems can be vaguely discerned, after all...

Emperor Wu of Han sought to obtain the secrets of immortality from the young emperor, but he failed.
When Emperor Huizong of Song built Genyue, it was said that he had gathered the spirits of heaven and earth. Wasn't that a recipe for national ruin?
Tao Hongjing was so enlightened that he was said to have reached the realm of the Three Pure Ones. Even though the imperial family treated him with the respect due to a national teacher, he still couldn't ensure the lasting stability of the Qi and Liang dynasties.
the most important is.

After the Emperor summoned Yan Maoqing and began to favor him more and more.

Didn't they also become even more obsessed with metaphysical cultivation?
On the contrary, sometimes on the days of the monthly fasting ceremony that should have been held without fail, the emperor would put aside the fasting ceremony for the sake of state affairs, and wear the long-lost leather cap instead of the Taoist robe to personally attend the morning court.

And didn't anyone in the court notice?
The old Taoist priest Tao Zhongwen has not made a public appearance for several months, nor has he been ordered to perform rituals to pray for rain, cure diseases, or pray for blessings...

Logically, the Imperial Household Department was ordered to recruit and train soldiers to go to Shanxi to suppress the White Lotus Rebellion.

Even if this matter is small, it is still a matter of national importance.

As the saying goes, "The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war!"
Even for an emperor who is not obsessed with metaphysics, this matter is not worth going through the whole ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, reporting to the temple, and performing the ritual of sacrifice. It is only reasonable to have the old Taoist priest Tao Zhongwen set up a ritual to pray for the safety of the army and to boost morale. No one can accuse the emperor of ruining the country by practicing metaphysics.
But it just doesn't exist!
Although it is unknown whether the Emperor has completely given up on esoteric practices, it is clear to everyone that his interest in this matter is gradually shifting.

And if Yan Maoqing was also the one who facilitated this...

Wang Tingxiang felt that there couldn't possibly be anyone else besides Yan Maoqing!

Because during this process, no other person who was not previously in court appeared beside the emperor, and when those people were present, none of them could have had such an influence on the emperor.

Even last year, when the emperor was bewitched by a sorcerer and wanted to order the crown prince to oversee the country and live in seclusion in the deep palace.

Yang Zui, the Minister of the Imperial Stud, was beaten to death on the spot for his outspoken remonstrance, and the entire court was silenced in fear, too shocked to speak out.

In the end, it was he himself who, with a death wish, stepped forward and earnestly explained the advantages and disadvantages of the situation, finally managing to change the emperor's mind...

and so.

Yan Maoqing must have been the one who brought this together!

Therefore, Wang Tingxiang was willing to call Yan Maoqing's palace examination paper "the best paper in the world"!
His initial assessment of the paper as "unheard of and unseen" still stands!

This shrewdness, this cunning, this effectiveness... were things Wang Tingxiang had never dared to imagine before.

He even believed that no one, including Xia Yan, Yan Song, Guo Xun, Zhai Luan and other noble officials, had ever imagined that the treacherous and sycophantic examination paper they had judged as the last in the third class, and the person who wrote that paper, would actually accomplish something that countless court officials and censors had failed to achieve even if they had given their lives!
If we could take Wang Tingxiang back to the moment he was reading the scroll, it would be perfect.

He will definitely advocate for Yan Maoqing's examination paper to be ranked among the top three, because he is the true champion of this examination, and no one can surpass him!
"This person... dares to use such treacherous and vile means to blackmail the Chief of Staff?"

Zeng Xian was also speechless upon hearing this.

Leaving aside the other two matters, this seemingly minor "small matter" alone was enough to shake him to his core.

Is this person insane, trying to blackmail and frame the Chief Censor of the Censorate?
Did he not know that the Chief Censor of the Censorate held the power of impeachment and supervision over the entire country, and that he could instruct his subordinates to jointly submit a memorial to the throne?

The cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had to back down, even the Grand Secretary couldn't withstand the pressure, and even the Emperor had to weigh the situation.

Even a somewhat inappropriate example came to mind:

A rooster went mad, refusing to compete with the hen in crowing, but insisting on competing with her in laying eggs. Isn't that a bit like showing off one's skills before an expert?
"And yet he succeeded! Isn't that amazing?"

Unexpectedly, Wang Tingxiang suddenly revealed that sly smile that made Zeng Xian want to punch him.
"First of all, I dare not gamble with the extermination of my entire clan and the confiscation of my property;"

"Secondly, he used such wicked and despicable means to blackmail me, actually coercing me to eliminate the beasts within the Censorate; I have no reason to refuse."

"Furthermore, he can actually persuade the four great dukes of the capital to take the lead in returning ill-gotten gains. This is much more difficult than slandering me. If he can even keep his word on this matter, how could I dare to be his enemy?"

"..."

Zeng Xian unconsciously swallowed, finally understanding the meaning of Wang Tingxiang's words about "both righteous and wicked, seemingly treacherous and loyal, seemingly turbid and clear".

The methods were so wicked and evil, yet the purpose was so righteous and noble.

What, what, what kind of nonsense is this? No wonder Wang Tingxiang couldn't see through it or understand it.

Speaking of which, Zeng Xian had just returned. Although he hadn't had time to get to know his colleagues in the Censorate yet, he noticed that the Censorate had indeed lost some of its familiar faces and gained many new ones.

It is not difficult to see that the Censorate must have made some personnel changes and purged some of the "beasts".

I thought so in my heart.

Zeng Xian's resentment finally lessened somewhat, and he lowered his stance slightly, humbly seeking advice from Wang Tingxiang:

"Your Excellency, I seem to understand some of it, but I wonder what your views are on this matter, and what suggestions you have for me, as I am acting on imperial orders?"

"This mission to Shanxi to eradicate the White Lotus Sect... is going to be difficult."

Upon hearing this, Wang Tingxiang's old face wrinkled again. He shook his head and pondered with a sense of helplessness, "..."
"Even if the Emperor tries to cover it up, how could he possibly deceive these old foxes in the court? Who wouldn't understand that the suppression of the White Lotus Sect is just a pretext, and the Emperor's real purpose is to resolve the predicament of the Great Harmony?"

"You should already know that the Tatars have discovered large deposits of coal in the desert, and that the Ming Dynasty is about to establish tributary relations with the Tatars. I don't need to go into details, do I?"

"Now that Guo Xun and Yan Song are both in Datong, news of what they are doing for the Emperor in Datong has already reached the capital."

"His Majesty intends to use the Great Harmony project to seize a portion of the treasury and realize the ambition that Zhang Cong and Gui E failed to accomplish, which ultimately led to His Majesty's downfall and decline."

"Just this alone should make you understand how difficult this matter is, right?"

"so……"

"You should be glad that the Emperor didn't appoint you as the commander-in-chief this time, otherwise you would have been in a real dilemma."

"If you succeed in this matter, it will be a mistake, and someone will want your life. If you fail in this matter, it will also be a mistake, and someone will want your life. Such pressure is not something you can bear."

"Therefore, the Emperor is not humiliating you this time, but rather showing you care and giving you important responsibilities."

"You know that Yan Maoqing and his men have no experience in leading troops, so how could His Majesty not know this, and how could he dare to place all his bets on Yan Maoqing and his men?"

"If I'm not mistaken, His Majesty is using you as a hidden arrow aimed at Datong, a hidden arrow hidden under Yan Maoqing's shadow, to play a crucial role at the critical moment, and also as a kind of insurance for this matter."

"And all you have to do now is to obey orders, keep a low profile, and secretly train the grain and supplies army under your command into an elite force."

"If Yan Maoqing and the others are unable to complete their mission and the situation in Shanxi changes, then it will be time for you to play a role."

"At that time, Yan Maoqing and others will bear the pressure for you. You only need to focus on helping the Emperor quell the crisis with swift and decisive action and bring Yan Maoqing back to the Emperor safe and sound. That will already be an unparalleled achievement."

"Since the Emperor ascended the throne, no military officer has ever been granted a title for his military achievements."

"If you can understand the Emperor's true intentions, and do this well, you might become the first military officer in this dynasty to be granted a marquisate."

"..."

Upon hearing these words, Zeng Xian felt enlightened and immediately rose to bow in gratitude.
"Thank you for your careful guidance, Your Excellency. I understand what to do now."

However, after thanking him, Zeng Xian was still somewhat unconvinced.

Although he admitted that he couldn't bear the immense pressure of this matter, he didn't believe that Yan Maoqing, a young man in his early twenties, could handle such pressure, so he couldn't help but ask another question:
"But, General Secretary, if we're talking about shoulders..."

"Even if my shoulders are not broad enough, they are still broader than those of Minister Yan Maoqing, and there are countless people in the court with shoulders as broad as Minister Yan Maoqing's, like the Chief Censor."

Why does Your Majesty believe that only this young man is capable of shouldering such pressure and placing him in the eye of the storm?

Upon hearing this, Wang Tingxiang immediately stood up as if someone had stepped on his tail, his face darkening as he rebuked them:
"Stop talking nonsense!"

"My shoulders are narrow and thin, and my back is hunched over; they are not broad at all!"

"If you think you have broad shoulders, then be broad shoulders yourself. Don't drag me into this anymore, or don't blame me for turning on you!"

Zeng Xian was also taken aback by Wang Tingxiang's neurotic reaction and was speechless for a moment. He could only bow and say:

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency..."

"You're a piece of rotten wood that can't be carved. Why would I waste my breath on a scoundrel like you?"

Wang Tingxiang had already begun to dismiss them.
"Out of camaraderie, I'll give you one last piece of advice!"

"You only need to remember one thing: the outcome of this trip is not important. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. The most important thing is to bring Yan Maoqing back to the Emperor safe and sound!"

"As long as you can ensure his safe return, even if the sky falls, someone will be there to take responsibility, and you will forever be in a position of merit without fault."

"Whether you listen or not is up to you. Now get out!"

(End of this chapter)