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

Chapter 20 Taming
The strength is just right, it doesn't hurt your brain!

Before fully understanding the situation, Yan Maoqing did not intend to kill someone in the street, which is why he chose this fragile, not very sharp, pottery jar as a weapon.

Smashing a can on someone's head like that is enough to stun them for a few seconds, giving you an opportunity to subdue them.

really.

"Ouch!"

Caught off guard, the middle-aged man was immediately thrown to the ground.

Yan Maoqing reacted swiftly, closing in on the middle-aged man before he could react, pinning his hands behind his back and pressing his knee firmly into his back.
"Who are you, and why are you following me?"

"Ah! Let go, let go now, it's going to break!"

The middle-aged man cried out in pain.

"Don't even think about it. I am a man of official rank. You have followed me without reason. If you don't explain yourself, you can expect the Five Cities Garrison to deal with you!"

Yan Maoqing was not about to give the other party any chance. If the middle-aged man's answer could not dispel his concerns, he would continue to restrain him and wait for more onlookers to gather so that someone would report him to the authorities.

"I said, I said!"

Seeing Yan Maoqing's firm stance, the middle-aged man had no choice but to temporarily back down.
"I am Minister Yan's servant. My master ordered me to come to your residence. There are some things I need to tell you privately. If you don't believe me, you can look at the Yan family's ivory tag on my waist!"

"Yan Song?"

Yan Maoqing had a doubt in his heart, so he freed one hand and reached around the middle-aged man's waist, and sure enough, he pulled out a ivory token.

The ivory tag did indeed bear the words "Yan Family". Although it had no anti-counterfeiting measures, it seemed somewhat credible in light of the man's account.

After all, he had just met Yan Song not long ago, and had been stared at for a long time by this nearly seventy-year-old man with a seemingly ambiguous look...

That chilling look alone was enough to make Yan Maoqing suspect that Yan Song had some unknown thoughts about him, so it suddenly made a lot more sense that he had sent someone to deliver a message in private.

However, Yan Maoqing still did not release him easily, but instead asked more warily:

"Why did Minister Yan send you to see me?"

“This… Scholar Yan, it’s not that I’m unwilling to speak, it’s just that there are too many people around here, it’s really not the right place to talk.”

The middle-aged man looked troubled again and said in a muffled voice.

Just now, in order to make this middle-aged man hesitate to act rashly, Yan Maoqing deliberately walked towards crowded places, and this small alley was naturally located in a corner of the bustling city.

Yan Maoqing glanced back and saw that some curious people had gathered around after hearing the commotion. Knowing that this was indeed not the place to ask questions, he asked again:
"Are you carrying any sharp weapons?"

"Absolutely not, I only have twenty taels of silver on me."

The middle-aged man quickly replied.

Yan Maoqing relaxed slightly upon hearing this, but still twisted the middle-aged man's arm and searched him carefully from head to toe.

Only after confirming there was no weapon capable of causing harm did they release the person, then, as if turning the page, their demeanor changed completely. They feigned a smile and helped the person up.
"Oh dear, look at this mess! It's all a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding. If you had revealed your identity earlier, things wouldn't have come to this. Haha, hahahaha."

"They're bleeding..."

The middle-aged man looked annoyed, rubbing his sore arm and then touching his head, only to realize that Yan Maoqing had cracked his skull open.

Fortunately, the wound wasn't big; it was just a small cut that caused a small bump to form.

"It's my fault, it's my fault for being too cautious, hahaha."

Having gained an advantage, Yan Maoqing showed some restraint and even kindly brushed the dust off the middle-aged man.

"Brother, more and more people are gathering. Why don't we leave here first and talk as we walk?"

After a while.

"My master asked me to tell Scholar Yan that yesterday, my young master expelled you from the Yuzhang Guild Hall. It was not the Yan family's intention, but a helpless act."

The middle-aged man walked down the street, his eyes still filled with resentment, but that didn't stop him from conveying Yan Song's message.
"It's because your answers during the palace examination reading displeased Grand Secretary Xia and Chief Censor Wang, among other examiners."

“My master is not only the Minister of Rites, but also a fellow Jiangxi native with you. Yet, he has been accused of favoritism and corruption by Grand Secretary Xia and Chief Censor Wang, and they even want to report this to the authorities and impeach him.”

"My master had no choice. Firstly, to avoid suspicion, and secondly, to protect you, he had to reluctantly order my young master to expel you from the guild."

"Since the master has gone to such great lengths, please forgive him, Scholar Yan."

Yan Maoqing was not surprised by this explanation, but he did not completely believe it either.

He wrote that answer sheet during the palace examination precisely to achieve this effect, thereby impacting his official career.

As a result, Yan Song was questioned and attacked by Xia Yan and Wang Tingxiang. In order to avoid suspicion, it was reasonable to expel him from the guild hall.

However, if Yan Song's actions were also to protect him, he would have to have a big question mark about that.

Not only that, he also had reason to suspect that Yan Song's real intention in ordering this person to speak to him privately was to sow discord between him and Xia Yan, Wang Tingxiang, and others.

As for whether there's still an intention to win him over...

That's hard to say. At least for now, Yan Maoqing can't think of anything about himself that would make Yan Song so eager to win him over. Even the motive behind sending his servant to convey these words is hard to fathom.

Yan Maoqing simply nodded and did not continue the conversation.

The middle-aged man then took out two ingots of silver from his pocket, which Yan Maoqing had already found during the search:

“My master also said that although it was out of necessity that Yan Jinshi could not stay at the Yuzhang Guild Hall for the time being, my master would not disregard the friendship between fellow townsmen.”

"Therefore, my master will continue to arrange food and lodging for Scholar Yan in the capital. Please accept these twenty taels of silver!"

"This... I cannot accept such a reward without having done so. I appreciate Minister Yan's kindness."

Looking at the two heavy silver ingots in front of him, Yan Maoqing became even more confused.

If what I said before wasn't considered an attempt to win him over, then this time it should be considered a clear attempt to win him over, or even a bribe, right?
But why did Yan Song go to such lengths?

"In addition, my master has some important words concerning the future of Scholar Yan to tell me, but I can only pass them on after Scholar Yan has accepted the money."

The middle-aged man presented two silver ingots to Yan Maoqing, but made no attempt to force them on him. He simply waited quietly for Yan Maoqing to reach out and take them.

He had done the same thing countless times, and no one had ever been able to refuse.

It felt like when a man and woman were kissing, the man only closed the distance to 90%, waiting for the woman to complete the last 10%.

This is a test, and also a probing.

Sometimes, it's even a process of taming.

Yan Maoqing still didn't understand why Yan Song had suddenly tried to win him over like this.

But he knew that if he accepted the money now, Yan Song might tacitly approve of his allegiance to Yan's faction, and might even go to great lengths to promote him in the future...

This undoubtedly goes against Yan Maoqing's plan, and may even force him to get deeper and deeper into trouble!
Conversely, if he refuses, he may incur Yan Song's wrath, which could become a powerful ally in Yan Song's plan.

So Yan Maoqing gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing his already aroused curiosity, and then smiled calmly:
"In that case, I won't trouble you to waste your breath. Farewell."

(End of this chapter)