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

Chapter 106 The Tragic Scholar

The "Renyin Palace Coup," which occurred more than a year earlier, can only be referred to as the "Xinchou Palace Coup" in historical records.

Afterwards, Zhu Houcong immediately dispatched Duke Cheng of Cheng, Duke Yi of Yi, Duke Ying of Ying, and other nobles to express their gratitude to the ancestral temple and issued an edict to the world to reassure the people that he was safe and sound.

And in this imperial edict...

The mastermind behind the palace coup was still Consort Wang Ning, while Consort Cao Duan was an accomplice. The reason for the coup was the resentment that a woman in the inner palace felt she could not gain the emperor's favor.

In the end, Consort Wang Ning, Consort Cao Duan, and the palace maids involved were still executed by slow slicing, their bodies were mutilated, their heads were displayed in public, their families were confiscated, and their clans were exterminated...

However, unlike in history, Zhu Houcong also described in detail the details of his escape in the edict.

There was no mention of a counterattack, nor of the short sword.

It is said that at that moment, a thunderbolt struck Yude Palace, suddenly knocking back the group of palace maids who were trying to assassinate her. Two of the maids were killed on the spot, and the rest fled in fear.

As for Tao Zhongwen and those alchemists and sorcerers who used palace maids as ingredients in alchemy, not a single word was mentioned...

In addition, unlike in history, Zhu Houcong did not decide to move to the Western Garden to live alone, but continued to live in the palace.

Based on this detail alone, Yan Maoqing already had a good idea of ​​what was going on.

The message made to the public is just that—the message made to the public. Zhu Houcong must have had his own considerations in doing so. In any case, Yan Maoqing had at least clearly seen that he intended to use this matter to mythologize himself.

However, the fact that Zhu Houcong did not intend to move to the West Garden to live alone this time is enough to prove that he was not frightened as he was in history.

Tao Zhongwen had naturally lost Zhu Houcong's trust, and it was impossible for him to be granted a seat upon meeting Zhu Houcong again, as recorded in history, and to be called a teacher without being named.

In that case, Zhu Houcong certainly wouldn't have sought immortality every day, neglected his duties at the suburban temples, abandoned court lectures, and stopped interacting with his subjects, right?

Anyway, things have developed to this point, and regardless of whether Tao Zhongwen is dead or not, he is no different from a dead man and will certainly not have a good ending.

Those alchemists and sorcerers who used palace maids as ingredients in alchemy were probably the same, but they wouldn't be dealt with publicly.

In Yan Maoqing's view, this was already the best possible outcome for the country.

The rest was none of his concern; after all, he was just a junior scholar who only wanted to retire and return to his hometown, without even an official position or salary.

His only duty was to come to the Hanlin Academy to report for duty and give lectures...

Is this not?

During the midday break, Yan Maoqing was once again forced to sit in Dengying Hall of the Hanlin Academy and silently enjoy the loving lunch that Bailu had prepared for him.

In fact, the Hanlin Academy would provide working meals for the junior scholars, but the meals were too simple, consisting of nothing more than two steamed buns and a bowl of salty soup with only a few specks of oil.

Every time Yan Maoqing saw such a work lunch, he immediately felt that the Ming Dynasty was about to perish.

Fortunately, now that he has Bai Lu as his virtuous wife, he can, like many other well-off young scholars, bring his own fine meals, which include meat, vegetables, and nutrition.

With such a virtuous wife, what more could a husband ask for?
“Brother Jingqing, ever since your wife came, you’ve been living a much more comfortable life.”

Gao Gong sat to the side, picking at his own simple meal, half-teasing and half-envious, while his eyes were intentionally or unintentionally fixed on a goose leg in his lunchbox.

"Get lost! I'm still growing, don't even think about it!"

Yan Maoqing immediately reached out to protect the lunchbox.

In fact, Gao Gong's family was quite well-off, and he didn't eat the meals provided by the Hanlin Academy.

After all, he has his own house in the capital, a two-courtyard house, and he had already brought his wife over. His son is now ten years old.

However, since the junior scholars did not receive a salary and only received a meager allowance, he had to support not only the expenses of his house and servants but also the needs of his entire family.

In addition, the hard times for junior scholars are far from over, and even if they have savings, they will eventually run out of money. Therefore, it is unlikely that they will be able to indulge in lavish meals every day like Yan Maoqing.

"Look at you, so stingy, as if anyone wants to eat you?"

Gao Gong pursed his lips, glanced at the goose leg one last time, then turned away and secretly swallowed.

"Brother Suqing, why don't you just go out and sell yourself?" Yan Maoqing, seeing this, blinked and advised.

“We junior scholars are still quite popular outside. If your wife doesn’t cause trouble for you, why don’t you make an effort to take a merchant’s daughter who hopes to climb the social ladder by marrying an official as a concubine? She should be worth at least a thousand taels of silver. Isn’t that a win-win situation?”

"Go away, go away! If you want to sell yourself, go sell yourself. Even if I starve to death, go crazy with poverty, or jump off Mount Tai, I would never debase myself like this!"

He raised his neck high and spoke with great backbone.

"Hehe, I'm not like you. I only got a wife after I passed the imperial examination. My wife gave me a dowry of one thousand taels, and another two thousand taels are on their way. They will be sent to the capital in a few days."

Yan Maoqing's smile grew even brighter, and he even started shaking his head.
"Oh my gosh, I've made money! I don't know how to spend it. I have a goose leg on my left and stir-fried pork kidneys on my right."

"No wonder you're disliked at the Hanlin Academy..."

The two were bickering over rice.

A figure suddenly appeared silently beside Yan Maoqing's desk, tapped the desk twice lightly with his knuckles, and then bowed, saying:

"Brother Yan Nian, Brother Gao Nian, may I ask you two a few questions?"

"?"

As Gao Gong said, Yan Maoqing now has no friends in the Hanlin Academy except for Gao Gong.

However, it wasn't the kind of isolation that felt like collective bullying, but rather a rather subtle state of separation...

To put it bluntly, those junior scholars couldn't see through him and didn't know how to get along with him, while he treated them rather coldly. Thus, a subtle tacit understanding of not disturbing each other was formed between them.

So when someone suddenly came to talk to him, Yan Maoqing couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

"Greetings, Shangguan."

Gao Gong was also taken aback for a moment, then immediately stood up and bowed.

At this moment, Yan Maoqing finally saw clearly that the person who came was Shen Kun, the top scholar of the same examination who had come into his sight a long time ago, and who was now a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

This is the same person who, despite achieving the highest rank in the imperial examination and having a promising future, remained in the Hanlin Academy for fifteen years without any promotion. When he returned to his hometown to observe the mourning period, Japanese pirates invaded the area. The corrupt government troops were on the verge of collapse. So, he resolutely sold his property and organized local militia to annihilate the invading pirates, thus making a significant contribution to the defense against the invaders. However, just as he was about to be promoted for his contributions in resisting the pirates, he was falsely accused by court officials of "privately training local militia and plotting to betray the court," and died in the Jinyiwei prison.

"Meet the superior officer!"

Yan Maoqing always held such a person in high esteem, and if there was no enmity between them, he immediately stood up and bowed.

"My two elder brothers, there's no need for such formalities."

Shen Kun returned the greeting and said solemnly,
"I heard that when you two accompanied the Duke of Yi to Datong to assist with his mission, you were involved in communicating with Anda."

"I am currently undertaking the task of compiling the historical record, and therefore I would like to ask you two about what happened at that time so that I can record the matter in detail for reference. Would that be convenient for you?"

"..."

Yan Maoqing and Gao Gong exchanged a glance. This was not something to be said lightly, so Yan Maoqing smiled and said:
"Shangguan, although you have been appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, you have not served for long enough to be qualified to compile the Veritable Records."

"Nothing can be hidden from Brother Yan Nian."

Upon hearing this, Shen Kun gave an awkward smile, then bowed respectfully and said...

"I do have some selfish motives. My hometown, Huai'an Prefecture, is often harassed by Japanese pirates. Therefore, I hope to learn some valuable experience from your two experiences in order to find a way to eliminate the Japanese pirate problem in a way that can be similar to the way the Tatars were subdued."

"Please rest assured, my two elder brothers, if I come up with a solution in the future and submit it to the Emperor, I will definitely include your names and will never claim credit for myself."

"..."

This is not a matter of merit or demerit, but rather that the problems of Japanese pirates and sea bandits are completely different from the problems of the Tartars, so how can they be compared?

However, seeing the unusually resolute look deep in Shen Kun's eyes...

Yan Maoqing seemed to have finally understood why Shen Kun became a tragic top scholar in history...

(End of this chapter)