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

Chapter 19 Tracking
After receiving thanks from the three men and displaying a courteous attitude, Yan Song left first.

Unlike Yan Maoqing and other newly appointed scholars who currently rely mainly on their own two feet for transportation, he travels in a four-bearer sedan chair, which was built by the Ministry of Works at a cost of two hundred taels of silver. It was a government-provided official vehicle that was allowed to be used for private purposes.

This was still in the capital. Outside the capital, Yan Song, with his official rank, could still ride in a sedan chair carried by eight men.

It is worth mentioning that the Ming Dynasty had strict regulations regarding officials' use of sedan chairs since its establishment:
Civil officials of the third rank and above are permitted to ride in sedan chairs carried by four men, with silver tops, black canopies, and black curtains.

Officials of the fourth rank and below were only permitted to ride in small sedan chairs with tin roofs and carried by two men.
Military officers are strictly prohibited from riding in sedan chairs; those who violate this rule will be punished with caning.

However, these prohibitions have gradually been abandoned. Even the fifth-rank officials of the Six Ministries under the emperor's nose generally ride in sedan chairs carried by four men. Few nobles and military officers travel on horseback. In fact, traveling on horseback has become a sign of integrity. This shows how far the system of etiquette has collapsed.
Yan Maoqing had no idea what these people were thinking.

Perhaps it was because riding in a sedan chair conveyed a higher social status and better demonstrated wealth?

After all, the wages and food of sedan chair carriers in the capital were not cheap. One person would cost one tael and two taels of silver per month. If there were four sedan chair carriers, it would cost sixty taels of silver per year.

The newly appointed top scholar was recommended to become a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, a sixth-rank official, with a monthly salary of just over four taels of silver, which was even more unaffordable for ordinary people.

This reminded Yan Maoqing of a line from a later movie:
"What kind of car are you driving? We all drive Rolls-Royces and Mercedes-Benzes, and you're driving a Mazda. No wonder you're stuck in traffic! You're not qualified to attend this meeting at all!"

The four-bearer sedan chairs in Beijing must have been the Rolls-Royce and Mercedes-Benz of this era, right?

or……

In some people's eyes, riding a horse is not as enjoyable as riding a person?
In any case, according to unofficial historical records, even Zhang Juzheng, who came later, could not escape this custom. When he returned to his hometown in Hubei from the capital to hold a funeral for his father, he rode in a luxurious sedan chair with 32 bearers, which was more than twice as many as the 16-bearer dragon palanquin that the emperor was required to ride in according to the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty". It is unknown whether this is true or not.

This incident became one of the reasons why Zhang Juzheng's family was exterminated and his corpse was nearly exhumed and mutilated after his death.

With Yan Song gone, Zhang Yusheng's attitude changed instantly.

"Humph!"

His face turned cold. He first glared at Yan Maoqing with resentment, then snorted coldly in front of Gao Gong, before turning away.

However, his disheveled appearance, coupled with his half-wet clothes and his fleeing figure, only gave people an indescribable sense of comicality.

It would be a lie to say that I am not afraid.

If he spews trash in front of Yan Maoqing again, Yan Maoqing might slap him again.

It's a small matter to just beat him up. If this madman deliberately attracts the Imperial Guards again, then this time there's no chance of him running into Minister Yan again.

Speaking of which...

"Minister Yan was only trying to save me. Yan Maoqing and Gao Gong both benefited from my help, didn't they?"

As he walked, Zhang Yusheng was still analyzing the situation in his mind, and his resentment suddenly subsided.

"That must be it!"

"I never imagined that I held such a high position in Minister Yan's heart. Now I have no worries about not getting promoted and making a fortune!"

"They really got off easy this time. Just you wait and see!"

"..."

Watching Zhang Yusheng's receding figure, Yan Maoqing and Gao Gong exchanged a smile.

Yan Maoqing was the first to bow, but his expression of gratitude lacked any genuine sincerity.

"Thank you for speaking up for me, Brother Gao."

After all, he didn't need Gao Gong to speak for him; it was just that Gao Gong suddenly had some kind of illness and insisted on jumping in and interfering.

"Brother Yan, please don't misunderstand. I'm not speaking up for you. It's just that today's events ultimately started because of me, and I don't want things to escalate."

Upon hearing this, Gao Gong suppressed his smile, returned the bow, and said seriously, "That makes sense... then I won't thank you, farewell."

Yan Maoqing nodded slightly, then turned and left.

Eh? !

Gao Gong had lived for thirty years and had never seen anyone as straightforward and unyielding as Yan Maoqing, so he was taken aback once again.

He recalled Yan Maoqing's lukewarm attitude towards Yan Song, his nonchalant demeanor when faced with his accusations, and his immediate and reckless reporting of Zhang Yusheng, a fellow townsman who had betrayed him...

At that moment, he suddenly felt that what happened during the imperial examination might really have been Yan Maoqing's unintentional act, rather than a scheme to amuse the emperor.

After all, what kind of scheming or malicious intent could a straightforward person like this, who can't even maintain the most basic social etiquette, possibly have?

On the other hand, even though he can be a bit short-tempered at times, he still understands the importance of interpersonal relationships and sometimes has to be patient because of it.

Just now, he clearly felt that some people behind him were deliberately pushing and shoving him, and he realized that he was being used as a pawn by his so-called fellow townsmen and close friends. However, he would never do what Yan Maoqing did and drag them down with him on the spot. At most, he would not be able to resist giving them a good scolding when he got back, and then never have anything to do with them again.

Thinking about these things, Gao Gong suddenly felt that Yan Maoqing was very much to his liking.

Such straightforward people are extremely rare in today's officialdom, where even those who have not yet entered officialdom are already scheming and plotting against each other.

Being friends with him is full of sincerity and has no tricks. Isn't that a joy in life?
……

"I think I'm being followed..."

On the way back, Yan Maoqing quickly realized the problem.

He was a middle-aged man dressed in a blue cloth robe.

After he parted ways with Gao Gong, the middle-aged man followed behind him.

When he's fast, the other person is fast; when he's slow, the other person is slow; when he turns a corner, the other person turns a corner too, always keeping a constant distance, neither too close nor too far, neither too fast nor too slow.

Could it be that Zhang Yusheng held a grudge and hired a thug to stab him in the back as soon as he left?

But given Zhang Yusheng's family background, he probably couldn't afford to hire someone like that, right?

Or... Yan Maoqing couldn't think of any other enemies he might have, but he didn't dare to be careless. So instead of going straight home, he deliberately took a detour to a crowded place.

Just in case, he also spent two coins to buy a ceramic jar from a roadside stall along the way, carrying it in his hand for any eventuality.

They circled around for nearly half an hour, but still couldn't shake off the middle-aged man.

"Damn it! Is this never going to end?"

Yan Maoqing's legs were aching from walking, and he couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Just then, he saw an alleyway blocking his view. He quickly took two steps, slipped inside, raised the pottery jar, stood by the wall, and waited breathlessly.

"DaDaDa..."

The sound of hurried footsteps soon reached his ears, and the middle-aged man had indeed caught up.

Just as they reached the alley entrance and were about to peek inside, Yan Maoqing suddenly reached out and grabbed them, pulling them inside.

Then there was a "crack" sound.

Without a word, the earthenware pot was slammed onto the middle-aged man's head.

(End of this chapter)