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

Chapter 109 Crime of Adultery Without a Husband
Yuzhang Guild Hall.

"Eat! Eat up, eat a lot!"

Fueled by alcohol, Yan Shifan grabbed the chin of a newly appointed scholar who had come to offer him a toast but had inadvertently made a fool of himself, forcing him to drink. His rolled "r" sound carried a hint of ruthlessness.

"If you can drink three jars of wine today, I'll reward you with twenty taels of silver!"

The other newly appointed scholars shrank back and dared not speak, hiding silently to the side, fearing that they would be implicated.

They just felt that Yan Shifan's mental state was very strange today.

Previously, when Yan Shifan came to the Yuzhang Guild Hall to host a banquet for everyone, although he was not exactly approachable, he at least pretended to show them basic respect and would never have treated them so cruelly.

However, this simply means that they do not yet understand Yan Shifan.

This is Yan Shifan's true nature. Historically, he once mistreated guests at a banquet, which aroused Shen Lian's indignation. Shen Lian stood up and scolded him loudly, and this was the seed that sowed the enmity between Shen Lian and Yan Song and his son.

Even when the old general Zhou Shangwen served as the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Office and the vice commander of the Rear Army, he couldn't help but rebuke Yan Shifan to his face because Yan Shifan was arrogant and unpredictable and bullied his subordinates while serving in the Rear Army Commandery. He even wanted to submit a memorial to impeach him.

Later, Yan Song personally visited to apologize and managed to transfer Yan Shifan to another unit, which finally appeased Zhou Shangwen's anger.

From then on, Yan Song and his son harbored deep hatred for Zhou Shangwen and constantly sought to provoke him in the court...

However, Yan Shifan did indeed have the capital to be arrogant and domineering.

At the age of nineteen, he entered the Imperial Academy through his father's influence and was soon appointed as the Chief of the Left Army Commandery, and soon after, he was promoted to the position of Rear Army Commander.

Now, at less than thirty years old, he is already the Chief Administrator of Shuntian Prefecture in the capital, effectively becoming the second-in-command of the Shuntian Prefecture government. Even the Shuntian Prefect has to give way to him sometimes because of his father's influence. How many people in the capital dare to challenge him?

A newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination)?

These newly appointed scholars might be seen as divine beings descended to earth by the common people, but in his heart, they were nothing more than groveling bastards.

All puppies are the same. As long as you feed them, kick them occasionally, or spit on them, will they stop recognizing their owners?

Again.

Now that Xia Yan has stepped down, the Jiangxi Guild Hall is practically defunct. The Yuzhang Guild Hall is now the most powerful among the Jiangxi Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). There are plenty of people who want to curry favor with the father and son but can't get in!

"Eat! You all come and eat too!"

"Three jars of wine will be your reward of twenty taels of silver. In the future, I can guarantee that you will climb higher than that bastard Yan Maoqing. Do you want some or not?"

Yan Shifan glared with his single eye and then fixed his gaze on the group of timid and hesitant newly appointed scholars.

These newly appointed scholars were naturally unaware that they were actually being targeted by Yan Shifan.

The person who drove Yan Shifan to such a frenzy of rage was none other than Yan Maoqing, whom he had previously publicly expelled from the Yuzhang Guild Hall!

He simply couldn't swallow this insult.

That day, his father and he humbled themselves so much as to bring generous gifts to congratulate Yan Maoqing on moving to his new home. He was even prepared to swallow his pride and apologize, just to turn hostility into friendship...

As a result, that bastard Yan Maoqing dared to turn them away, and even the servants of the Yan residence didn't give them a friendly look!
You shameless bastard!

Yan Shifan remembered this grudge.

Moreover, he knew his father Yan Song's nature, and Yan Song must have kept this matter in mind. In the future, if given the chance, he would never let Yan Maoqing get away with it!
Xia Yan, who has now stepped down from his post, is strong evidence of his judgment.

Back when his father Yan Song was still working in the Hanlin Academy, Xia Yan, who was then the Minister of Rites, was favored by the emperor.

At that time, in order to get promoted, Yan Song tried his best to curry favor with Xia Yan under the guise of being a fellow Jiangxi native.

Xia Yan was a man who valued his fellow townsman. He did indeed help Yan Song when he was appointed as an official, recommending him to be the Minister of Rites in Nanjing. Two years later, he was transferred to be the Minister of Personnel in Nanjing. This allowed Yan Song to gain influence in the officialdom and eventually become the Minister of Rites.

However, Xia Yan also had his own temperament, namely, the extravagance and arrogance that came from years of pampered life, often looking down on everyone. After Yan Song was appointed Minister of Rites, he invited Xia Yan to several banquets, but Xia Yan neither replied to the invitations nor attended.

Later, Xia Yan finally agreed to attend the banquet, but he was an hour late. In front of all the guests, he only ate three spoonfuls of wine and moistened his lips with a spoonful of soup before immediately getting up to take his leave.

Seeing this, the guests dared not linger and all got up to take their leave.

These matters remained etched in Yan Song's memory, and he would grit his teeth and feel indignant whenever they were mentioned to Yan Shifan.
"I have suffered countless injustices at the hands of Xia Yan throughout my life, and I will surely avenge him one day!"

Therefore, after Yan Song gained a foothold in the court, he immediately stopped acknowledging that he was Xia Yan's disciple. Not only did he fund the Yuzhang Guild Hall to compete with Xia Yan for disciples, but he also confronted Xia Yan in the court, vowing to be irreconcilable with Xia Yan!

Yan Shifan still remembers it clearly to this day.

After being turned away by Yan Maoqing that day, Yan Song returned home and, while tearing at his hair, said something similar to him:

"Today, I, your father, have been humiliated by this lowly wretch. It is as painful as having my skin peeled off and my face cut. How can I bear this?"

Therefore, whether Yan Maoqing supports Yan Song's entry into the cabinet is no longer important to them now... What is important to them is that Yan Maoqing is not in the court!
Just as Yan Shifan was becoming increasingly indignant and gripping the newly appointed scholar's hand tighter and tighter,

"Young Master Yan, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Ok?"

Yan Shifan turned around angrily, only to see Zhang Yusheng, who was still living in the Yuzhang Guild Hall.

Zhang Yusheng, with a fawning expression, whispered in his ear:
"I heard that Young Master Yan just mentioned Yan Maoqing. If Young Master Yan really intends to deal with this person, I do know something."

"really?!"

Yan Shifan was unaware that Zhang Yusheng had been sent by Yan Song to the Ministry of Rites' Kitchen to clean up kitchen waste—a trivial matter. Upon hearing this, he immediately released the poor new scholar and grabbed Zhang Yusheng by the collar, pulling him over.

"How could I dare to mock Young Master Yan? It's just that there are too many people around and too much talk..."

Zhang Yusheng struggled to speak.

Yan Shifan immediately waved his hand and shouted sternly:

"Get out! Get the hell out of here!"

The newly appointed scholars were immediately relieved, as if granted a pardon. They scrambled out of the room, fearing that if they were too slow, they would suffer further humiliation and torture at the hands of Yan Shifan.

So when only the two of them were left in the hall.

Under Yan Shifan's threatening gaze, which seemed to say, "If you can't give me a straight answer today, then you are the one who is right and wrong," Zhang Yusheng forced an unnatural, ingratiating smile and hurriedly said:

"I heard that Yan Maoqing's wife recently came to the capital and has been staying with us ever since."

"You're playing me for a fool, so what?!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Shifan immediately gripped Zhang Yusheng even tighter, his nauseating smell of alcohol wafting onto Zhang's face.

"Young Master Yan, you are unaware of this!"

Zhang Yusheng quickly explained.
"My relationship with Yan Maoqing was quite close before (before Yan Maoqing transmigrated). He once told me that he and this woman were only engaged and had not yet officially married."

“Yan Maoqing has been in the capital all this time, and I have never seen him hold a wedding.”

"Now that my fiancée has arrived, we should live with her; that is the most important thing!"

"According to the Great Ming Code, this constitutes adultery without a husband. Those who commit adultery before marriage shall be punished with eighty strokes of the cane!"

"According to the etiquette and laws of official schools, this is also a shameful act that is despicable. How can such a person who corrupts customs and harms morality, who is of low moral character and depraved conduct, be allowed to occupy a high position and wear official hats? How can he be allowed to tarnish Qinghua?"

(End of this chapter)