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

Chapter 25 Reconciliation
No one knew better than Yan Maoqing whether he had submitted the selected articles to the Ministry of Rites.

He was selected as a probationary official without even submitting his essay, and even ranked first on the list. If there were no inside story, even ghosts wouldn't believe it!

But the question is, who exactly orchestrated this inside story, and why?

In his astonishment, Yan Maoqing's doubts were beyond measure.

He knew that the selection of the Shujishi Academy was jointly undertaken by the Cabinet, the Ministry of Rites, and the Hanlin Academy, and the problem most likely lay with the people in these three ministries.

Currently, the cabinet consists of only one Grand Secretary, Xia Yan, and one cabinet minister, Zhai Luan.

These two can be ruled out first. They were the examiners during the palace examination. If this baffling inside story is related to these two, Yan Maoqing should at least not be ranked last in the third class.

Besides, everyone needs a reason to do anything.

However, Yan Maoqing had never even met these two people before, let alone had any reason to give them such a wholehearted help.

The Hanlin Academy can also be basically ruled out.

The biggest difference between the Hanlin Academy and the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites is that Hanlin Academy officials have virtually no real power and are only responsible for reviewing articles selected by the academy.

Without real power, one cannot do whatever one wants, so the difficulty of manipulating this inside story is self-evident.

So... could it be the Ministry of Rites, which was headed by Yan Song?
But this is also unreasonable.

Although Yan Maoqing had not forgotten the ambiguous look Yan Song gave her at the palace gate that day, nor had she forgotten the time when Yan Song's servants tried to win her over in private.

However, Yan Maoqing clearly remembered that he had already rudely rejected Yan Song's "kindness".

Given Yan Song's personality, it would be a blessing if he didn't resort to any means to suppress him. How could he possibly go to such lengths to create such an inside story to promote him?
hiss……

not understand!
I don't understand!
My mind is completely messed up!

Yan Maoqing had already considered everyone he could think of who might be involved in this matter, but in the end he ruled them all out one by one, without finding even the slightest clue.

There is only one thing he is certain of now:
Despite his best efforts to marginalize, isolate, and make himself unpopular, the previous progress had been quite smooth.

But now the results are inexplicably developing in the exact opposite direction, as if someone has seen through his plan and is doing everything they can to oppose him!
Who is it?
Is he sick?

Why did you have to hurt me like this?!

"Keep pretending! Keep pretending!"

Seeing Yan Maoqing's exaggerated expressions change countless times in an instant, Gao Gong forcibly suppressed the urge to kick that face a couple more times, and cursed irritably.
"Now that things have come to this, not only do you refuse to admit it, but you're also putting on this hypocritical act. What's the point?"

"Eh……"

Yan Maoqing felt incredibly wronged, but he couldn't explain to Gao Gong, so he could only sigh helplessly and ask instead:
"Brother Gao, I wonder how the others reacted when the list of selected scholars for the civil service examination came out this time?"

"If you're not satisfied, be jealous, question it, gather a crowd outside the Ministry of Rites and demand the publication of your selected articles, what else can you do?"

Gao Gong retorted with a cold laugh.

"Yes! The article must be made public! The article must be made public!"

Yan Maoqing instantly perked up again.

Once the article is made public, regardless of who is behind it, the corruption and favoritism will likely be exposed.

When that time comes, we'll find out who this mentally unstable person is behind it all, and we might even figure out their true motives... Wait a minute?!
Yan Maoqing suddenly thought of a relatively reasonable possibility, and his heart skipped a beat:
"Could this be a deliberate scheme by Yan Song to flatter someone and then kill them?"

"First, they deliberately used the authority of the Ministry of Rites to help me be selected as a probationary scholar, and then placed me at the top of the list, which aroused public suspicion. Naturally, some people demanded that the articles selected by the academy be made public to prove my innocence!"

"Since I did not submit my essay for selection, I will naturally be proven to have committed favoritism and fraud." "Favoritism and fraud in the imperial examinations is no small matter. Even if the officials involved cannot be identified, I, as an involved candidate, may be stripped of my academic honors, and in more serious cases, I may even face the punishment of being exiled to the frontier!"

"Isn't this a bit too cruel?"

"I was hoping that I could simply retire and retain my official title so I could return to my hometown and enjoy a comfortable life..."

"..."

However, this scene appeared quite differently to Gao Gong, and even a hint of admiration quietly emerged in his gaze towards Yan Maoqing:
"How could this rumor-monger be so arrogant and conceited?"

"What confidence!"

"If he weren't confident that his article, once published, would make his fellow students feel ashamed of themselves, why would he be so eager to publish it!"

"That makes sense. The selection process requires joint evaluation by the cabinet and several Hanlin Academy scholars. His top ranking is certainly not due to luck; he must truly possess extraordinary talent. His poor performance in the previous palace examination was indeed just a mistake..."

……

Ministry of Rites.

"There's something inside! There's something inside!"

"Publish the article! Publish the article!"

Although Zhang Yusheng also mingled in the crowd and shouted, this time he had clearly learned his lesson and resolutely refused to be the one to stick his neck out.

After all, Yan Song was the Minister of Rites, and he, as a Jiangxi tribute student living in the Yuzhang Guild Hall, was openly causing trouble in the department under Yan Song's control. He was in a difficult position both morally and logically, so it was best for him to keep a low profile.

However, no matter how well he tried to hide it, he couldn't conceal the dejection in his heart.

He really couldn't figure it out.

That day, Yan Song clearly rescued him at the palace gate and even smiled at him three times when he left. Wasn't that because he had taken a liking to him and intended to promote him?

Zhang Yusheng was so excited about this that he couldn't sleep for several days.

With his literary talent and the assistance of Yan Song, the Minister of Rites, he felt that his selection for the Imperial Academy was a sure thing...

Unexpectedly, the list of selected scholars was posted today.

His name wasn't even on the list, while Yan Maoqing, whom he thought was least likely to be on the list, was at the top?!

What's going on?

Yan Maoqing had not only been expelled from the Yuzhang Guild Hall by Yan Shifan, but he had also been extremely cold towards Yan Song, his benefactor, at the palace gate that day, which probably meant he had completely offended the Yan family.

Why was he the one chosen as a junior official in the end?
Zhang Yusheng absolutely did not believe that Yan Maoqing was selected as a probationary official this time because of his own true talent and learning.

How much real talent and ability can someone who ranked last in the third class possibly have?
After much deliberation, he stubbornly remained convinced that there was only one possibility:
—Guo Xun, Duke of Yi!

When Yan Maoqing was expelled by Yan Shifan that day, he knew that Yan Maoqing had curryed favor with the Duke of Yi.

Unexpectedly, the Duke of Yiguo has such power that he can simultaneously manipulate the cabinet, the Ministry of Rites, and the Hanlin Academy, not only allowing Yan Maoqing to select a probationary official but also making him the top candidate on the list.
Thinking about all this, Zhang Yusheng couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

If things have already escalated to this point, and it's still impossible to change the selection results or shake Yan Maoqing's position as a junior compiler...

So, is reconciliation possible?

(End of this chapter)