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

Chapter 35 rhetorical question
As soon as you enter the Hall of Diligent Governance, a strong aroma of incense wafts towards you.

"Cough! Cough! Cough!"

This time, Yan Maoqing's cough was not intentional, but rather the smell of the fireworks was so strong that it hurt his throat and even stung his eyes.

"!"

This startled Huang Jin, who was leading the way. He thought to himself that this kid had already made the emperor frown when he sneezed during the ceremony, and now he was coughing as soon as he entered the hall. He was afraid that he was destined to have a bad impression on the emperor.

Moreover, Tao Zhongwen had given the Emperor some advice beforehand, so Yan Maoqing's chances of survival are probably slim...

Yan Maoqing was already tense at this moment, and he couldn't care less about these details.

He was peering through the swirling smoke, his head bowed, secretly observing the interior of the hall out of the corner of his eye.

Inside the empty hall, apart from two rows of dragon-carved pillars extending inward, the most eye-catching feature was a small altar located in the center of the hall.

This altar should be perfectly circular, with an estimated diameter of about three meters. It has three layers, which looks a lot like a three-tiered cake from later times.

Around the Jade Terrace, there are gauze curtains that reach all the way to the dome.

However, unlike the ceremony of issuing decrees, these gauze curtains were now drawn up, revealing the figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the altar.

He was a middle-aged man with pale skin, a thin face, sparse beard but thick eyebrows and big eyes, whose body was completely wrapped in a yellow robe.

Yan Maoqing could vaguely discern that this yellow robe was not a dragon robe, nor did it have a huge coiled dragon on the chest, so it should be a Taoist robe, with a straight collar, a wide front, and a right-fastening front...

No mistake, this is the yellow Taoist robe that only the Celestial Master, the supreme deity of Taoism, can wear.

This person must be Emperor Jiajing, Zhu Houcong...

According to Yan Maoqing, Zhu Houcong is only in his early thirties, which matches his image and status.

On the left side of the altar stood an elderly man with gray hair, who looked to be about the same age as Xia Yan, Yan Song, and the others.

This person bowed with his hands tucked in his pockets, also dressed in a Taoist robe, but in purple, which was second only to yellow, symbolizing nobility and wisdom, and implying that auspicious purple energy was coming from the east.

He must be Tao Zhongwen, right?
"Yan Jishi, why haven't you knelt and paid homage to the Emperor of Longevity?"

Huang Jin's slightly impatient reminder came to my ears.

Yan Maoqing snapped out of his daze and immediately bowed in respect:

"Your humble servant Yan Maoqing, having been granted an audience with the Emperor, respectfully pays homage to my sovereign and father!"

"Get up."

A deep, resonant voice then echoed through the hall. Though it was just a casual remark, it inexplicably conveyed a sense of immeasurable authority and weight.

"Thank you, Father."

Yan Maoqing kowtowed again and slowly rose.

Another ruler or father?

Zhu Houcong frowned again. Huang Jin knew that when he was cultivating in the West Garden, he should be addressed as "Emperor of Longevity", or "True Lord of Flying Mystery" or "Emperor of Loyalty and Filial Piety". He had already deliberately guided this person, but he dared to turn a deaf ear.
However, Zhu Houcong did not react at this moment, and then spoke in his deep voice, which he had carefully practiced many years ago:
"The Duke of Yiguo has presented your extraordinary book to the palace. Master Tao has already read it and has a few questions for you in person. Please answer them carefully."

"The minister obeys the order."

Upon hearing this, Yan Maoqing had a vague idea of ​​what role Tao Zhongwen had played in this matter. However, whether Tao Zhongwen asked or the Jiajing Emperor asked, the effect was the same. On the contrary, when Tao Zhongwen asked, he could speak more boldly and without any worries.

The next moment, Tao Zhongwen's clear, cold voice rang out in the hall:
"Yan Jishi, may I ask which grandmaster you studied under?"

"I have studied the classics and learned from Confucius."

Yan Maoqing straightened his back, bowed deeply to the heavens, and said solemnly.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houcong was immediately taken aback, and quickly covered it up by furrowing his brows even more. How dare he claim to be a disciple of Confucius!
Now that the imperial examination answer sheet has been leaked, I'm afraid that apart from you, all those ignorant and unreasonable Confucian scholars would rather die than acknowledge that they share the same teacher and ancestors as you.
However... the first answer has already been revealed: Yan Maoqing has no teacher or ancestor, no lineage, and little chance of having spiritual roots.

at the same time.

Tao Zhongwen had quietly observed Zhu Houcong's reaction to the first question, noticing that his brows furrowed even more and his voice gradually grew louder:

"Ask Yan Jishi again, has Yan Jishi personally experienced the immortal realm described in the book, and has he seen the strange fire and rare treasures mentioned in the book?"

This question was the fatal trap he set for Yan Maoqing!

If Yan Maoqing dares to say that he has been to that immortal realm and seen the strange fires and rare treasures described in the book...

Tao Zhongwen would still not assert the truth in front of Zhu Houcong. Instead, he would maintain his image as a kind-hearted person and continue to ask Zhu Houcong in an ambiguous manner if he still remembered the path and if he could go to seek immortality and treasure.

The next thing is simple.

Zhu Houcong would most likely order Yan Maoqing to do it with suspicion.

In this way, Yan Maoqing's situation would be exactly the same as that of Xu Fu in the Qin Dynasty and Luan Da in the Han Dynasty.

What became of Xu Fu and Luan Da?

One went and never returned, the other was exposed and cut in half.

Whether he was gone forever or was exposed and executed, it didn't matter to Tao Zhongwen at all; what mattered to him was the absence of Yan Maoqing.

Tao Zhongwen was very confident about this, as he had met countless alchemists.

Any alchemist who aspires to gain favor with the emperor would, given the circumstances, have no choice but to step into the deadly trap he has set.

Then, they succumb to the agonizing struggle of having to lie one lie after another to cover up their lies, until the lies can no longer be maintained, leading to their ultimate destruction...

Just as I was thinking this.

"Master Tao, are you perhaps joking with me?"

But Yan Maoqing straightened his back even more, and with a self-righteous attitude, loudly retorted:
"My book is nothing but a storybook, and storiesbooks are naturally fictional. How could I possibly experience a fictional world, or see fictional strange fires and rare treasures?"

"It's one thing if others can't tell the difference, but if even the immortal realm fabricated in the stories can't be distinguished by Master Tao..."

"Master Tao has already asked me, and I can't help but ask Master Tao a question as well:"

"Master Tao, have you truly seen immortals with your own eyes? Have you truly seen the elixir of immortality with your own eyes? And do you truly possess the ability to help His Majesty become an immortal?"

As soon as these words came out.

"Clap!"

After bringing Yan Maoqing in, Huang Jin, who had been silently dusting off the ritual implements with a whisk, froze, and the whisk slipped from his hand.

Before him was Shao Yuanjie, and after him was Tao Zhongwen; this was the first time he had ever seen anyone dare to ridicule the appointed Grand Preceptor of the Ming Dynasty in front of the Emperor.

Moreover, their words were so sharp, directly targeting the other party's weaknesses from the very first word, creating an atmosphere of life and death.

At that moment, he even wondered if Duke Guo Xun of Yi had been kicked in the head by a donkey.

When others present books to the emperor, they usually find eloquent and flattering people who can please the emperor. Why did Guo Xun bring up such a person this time? Didn't he give them any prior notice?
"You! You! I..."

Tao Zhongwen was momentarily confused and lost his composure. Although he tried his best to maintain a calm and collected demeanor, his words became less fluent.

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Houcong's sullen voice rang out at just the right moment!

(End of this chapter)