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

Chapter 272 Returning Home in Glory is Like Wearing Brocade at Night [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"???!!!"

Yan Maoqing looked up blankly and clearly saw the sincere yet somewhat guilty smile on Zhu Houcong's face.

In that instant, he thought that his hearing had become impaired, and his eyesight had become impaired as well.

Is the person in front of me really the same idiot Zhu I know?
He is hailed by later generations as one of the most intelligent emperors of the Ming Dynasty, especially for his mastery of the art of governing people.

When he implemented his new policies and heavily relied on Zhang Cong, he also vigorously supported Xia Yan as a check and balance.

Later, when Xia Yan came to power, he began to strongly support Yan Song again.

Not long after Yan Song came to power, he brought Xia Yan, who had been dismissed and living in seclusion, back to counterbalance him.

After Xia Yan died, he then supported Xu Jie...

In short, he understood what the court's strategic rebalancing meant, and no one could truly dominate his court.

Also.

Given Zhu Houcong's sensitivity and suspicion towards power, it's impossible that he wouldn't feel uneasy about his own words.

Yan Maoqing even thought that Zhu Houcong's most normal reaction at this time should be a kind of paranoid suspicion, and then he would start to think of ways to vigorously support someone else in the court to check and restrict him.

After all, he had clearly seen Zhu Houcong frown after hearing those words, which was probably a reaction to stress.

But why did Zhu Houcong ultimately react this way and say such things?

So much so that Yan Maoqing couldn't help but consider taking the risk of being extremely disrespectful and going forward to grab Zhu Houcong's foot, lifting him up and shaking him to see if he could shake water out of his head.

or……

Zhu Houcong was actually being sarcastic, and this was his tactic of flattering someone to his detriment.

After all, he had just made such a great contribution, and it would be difficult to deal with it directly without a suitable and substantial reason.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong planned to use a tactic against himself: "To bring about one's own destruction, one must first drive one mad."

From this moment forward, all rewards and indulgences will become death knells tolling for him.

if it is like this.

Then he would have achieved half of his goal. With a little more effort, he could achieve his goal of living in seclusion in Yanjiao as a leisurely duke.

Whether Zhu Houcong actually thought this way is actually quite easy to verify.

The next step is to see if Zhu Houcong will quickly establish a new henchman in the court who can make him feel "like a thorn in his side," just as he did with Zhang Cong, Xia Yan, and Yan Song.

As for the identity of this new henchman...

It's actually quite easy to determine. The next step is to see who Zhu Houcong will appoint to succeed the current position of Minister of Rites, which is concurrently held by a Grand Secretary.

In short, this is the result Yan Maoqing most desired.

He wasn't worried about "extinction" because he felt he was more clear-headed than anyone else and would never truly "go crazy." At most, he would just use a trick to his advantage.

then.

"I kowtow to express my deepest gratitude to Your Majesty and Father. Your humble servant is moved to tears."

Yan Maoqing immediately kowtowed in gratitude, accepting the titles of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and Lady of the State from Bailu without hesitation.
"However, I am the only son in my family and have no brothers of the same father, so please refrain from seeking my protection."

There are definitely cousins ​​and other male relatives.

However, Yan Maoqing's current goal is to become a leisurely duke, a last resort after failing to retire and return to his hometown.

Under such circumstances, he would naturally not allow his relatives to be protected and come to the capital to serve as officials.

A nobleman like him, if his relatives were to receive special treatment, would most likely obtain official positions such as Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, or Commander of a Thousand Households. Sometimes, they would also be given lucrative positions such as supervising the construction of palaces and border defenses.

These cousins ​​are unlikely to be like him, only wanting to stay idle.

Given the opportunity, there's a high chance they'll blend in with the crowd in officialdom and line their own pockets under the influence of the prevailing environment.

In this way, even if he were to live a peaceful and quiet life one day, there would be a very high probability that he would be dragged back into the mess, which is certainly not what he wants.

Yan Maoqing even felt that it was now necessary to send a letter home or find an opportunity to go back and warn and supervise his clansmen in Fengcheng, Jiangxi, and even Bailu.

To prevent them from taking advantage of their family producing a Duke of Biguo and dragging this dragon-slaying youth into becoming a vicious dragon, making it even harder for him to escape. After all, the powerful and wealthy in the capital are encroaching on the interests of the common people, and many of the things they do are not their own doing, and there are even some things they know nothing about.

As Xu Jie later became a corrupt official far surpassing Yan Song and his son, his sons, relatives, and in-laws must have provided indelible and significant assistance.

"In that case, let this good thing fall on your parents."

Zhu Houcong did not insist, but simply smiled and said again,

"I hereby order Huang Jin to draft a decree to appoint your father as Grand Master of the Palace and your mother as Lady of the State."

“To extend one’s blessings to one’s parents is even more enviable than to protect one’s brothers. At that time, everyone in the world will praise you as the number one filial son in the world.”

"..."

Yan Maoqing was stunned again. Was it really necessary for me to protect my family today?
Moreover, filial piety is especially important in this era. If his parents were to obtain official positions and turn into evil dragons, he would have a hard time managing them.

At that moment, he finally realized that something was wrong...

If Zhu Houcong was being sarcastic, there seems to be no need to go to this extent.

If Zhu Houcong was trying to ruin him by praising him, then forcibly dragging his parents into the matter would give Zhu Houcong an initial advantage and add a negative buff to himself, which is not a good sign.

Therefore, he had to take precautions.

Otherwise, it would be a situation where "I do not harm the people, but the people are harmed because of me," which is something Yan Maoqing does not want to happen.

Therefore, Yan Maoqing immediately kowtowed again and said:
"Even so, may I ask Your Majesty to grant me permission to return to my hometown to visit my family soon?"

"As the saying goes, 'To return home in glory is like wearing fine clothes at night.' I have been away from home for over a year now, and I have finally risen to a position of power thanks to the Emperor's favor. It is time for me to return home to fulfill my filial duty and express my gratitude to my parents for raising me."

"Heh, young people like to show off?"

Zhu Houcong smiled wryly.
"You can set the time yourself. Once you've chosen a date, submit a memorial to me. If there's nothing urgent going on, I'll grant your request."

……

Three days later.

"Slap—ah! Slap—ah! Slap—ah..."

Yan Maoqing had rested enough at home and finally made it to the Ministry of the Imperial Household Department on time. As soon as he entered, he heard the sound of whipping and screams.

"Is this... someone else missing their roll call?"

Yan Maoqing was puzzled and followed the sound to investigate.

Just a few days ago, Xu Jie was being tortured by several minor officials, who made him lie face down on a long bench. His clothes were lifted up, and there were several lash marks on his back, with some blood seeping out.

Unfortunately, Xu Jie was someone who couldn't handle pain.

With each strike of the cane, he would immediately let out a scream even louder than the cane itself, making those who didn't know better probably mistake the Imperial Household Department for a slaughterhouse... at least Yan Maoqing felt that way.

This is something that has never happened before.

Even Yan Shifan, a pampered second-generation rich kid who had lived a life of luxury for over thirty years, missed his roll call the first time he came to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Aside from initially demanding that her aunt's husband take charge, once she was actually subjected to flogging, she could still grit her teeth and only let out a few muffled groans.

After all, those who work in officialdom are all respectable people who care about their reputation.

Moreover, these days it's fashionable to seek fame and fortune, and to sell one's integrity for personal gain. Even if someone isn't a tough nut to crack, they have to pretend to be one.

A person who can't even withstand a mild form of flogging from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, which is meant as a form of punishment, and who screams and cries out as soon as it's applied, is certainly not a tough nut to crack, but someone that would be looked down upon by truly upright and outspoken officials.

The current Imperial Household Department is full of upright and outspoken officials, and even some troublemakers who are not afraid of death. That's how the atmosphere has become.

Yan Maoqing believed that Xu Jie, a man extremely skilled at seeking fame and reputation, must also understand these things and probably wanted to grit his teeth and keep quiet.

He just couldn't control himself...

Yan Maoqing then grinned:
"Oh ho, Xu Jie's biggest weakness is actually his inability to endure pain?"

"I understand……"

(End of this chapter)