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

Chapter 52 Don't Cut My Horse
"Leaving the capital?"

"He is a junior official, someone I have appointed. Who gave him permission to leave the capital?"

Zhu Houcong looked displeased and then gestured for Huang Jin to present the document, which he then opened and examined himself.

After just one quick glance, he already had a rough guess in his mind.

The problem most likely lies with Xu Shen, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy!
There are only two ways for a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) to leave the capital smoothly: one is to observe the mourning period for a deceased person, and the other is to claim illness.

There's no need to elaborate on the mourning period.

To claim illness, one needs a medical certificate from the Imperial Medical Academy, which is required for approval from the Cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel in order to obtain a travel permit.

Without a travel permit, one would be considered to have left the capital without authorization. Not only would one be held accountable for such a crime in the future, but without resorting to extreme measures, one might not even be able to leave the capital city gates.

Yan Maoqing has visited Fulingtang, the business run by Xu Shen's son, several times in recent days. It's likely that his purpose is not to diagnose illnesses, but to establish contact with Xu Shen.

Given Yan Maoqing's current reputation, as long as he can diagnose the illness...

Whether it's the scholars of the Hanlin Academy or Xia Yan, who is now in charge of the cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel, they probably can't wait to take advantage of the situation and get rid of him in one fell swoop.

In this way, even if someone investigates this matter in the future, they can completely shift the blame to the Imperial Medical Academy, making it difficult to implicate them.

Moreover, given Yan Maoqing's current situation, who would worry that someone would investigate this matter?
If he hadn't been ordering the Embroidered Uniform Guard to keep a close watch on Yan Maoqing these past few days, this matter would probably have been swept under the rug in a muddle.

He just couldn't understand it.

This matter clearly wasn't something someone forced Yan Maoqing to do; it seemed more like he orchestrated everything himself, even concealing his whereabouts and purpose as much as possible...

Zhu Houcong couldn't help but think of Yan Maoqing's answer sheet for the palace examination.

If Huang Jin could see through those schemes, then he certainly couldn't possibly be unable to see through them.

Whether it was Yan Maoqing's methods of attracting his attention, Yan Maoqing's strategy of seizing the opportunity to meet the emperor, or even Yan Maoqing's unique way of giving advice in the Hall of Diligent Governance, all of them demonstrated unprecedented ingenuity and wisdom!

Zhu Houcong saw it all and remembered it all.

In particular, Yan Maoqing's willingness to risk the wrath of the entire court in order to gain this opportunity to offer his advice in person reminded Zhu Houcong of the shadows of Zhang Cong and Gui E.

Otherwise, why would he have shown leniency to Yan Maoqing that day in the Hall of Diligent Governance, only giving him a small lesson?

No one knew that from that moment on, he had quietly given up the idea of ​​using Yan Maoqing as a disposable consumable.

He wanted to give Yan Maoqing a chance.

Give yourself a chance too.

Deep down, he looked forward to Yan Maoqing's future growth.

We look forward to Yan Maoqing overcoming the pressure from the cabinet and the Hanlin Academy and getting through the three-year course of study, which is undoubtedly going to be extremely difficult.

I hope that Yan Maoqing will grow under pressure. Only in this way can he avoid breaking as easily as Gui E, and avoid being as restrained and mentally exhausted as Zhang Cong.

Zhu Houcong only provided Yan Maoqing with three possible paths:

Either die young, carrying with them my expectations!

Either become a great traitor to me!

Either become a great sage for me!

If he is a major traitor, I will personally eliminate him.

If it were a great sage... Anyway, I'm already past the halfway mark of my life and have already left behind children, so what's wrong with abandoning all the caution I've shown over the years and risking my life to accompany him? What fear is there of falling into water, getting into fire, or being poisoned?!

But now!

This fellow inexplicably touched my heartstrings, and he actually turned around and wanted to leave, shattering the little hope I had finally managed to muster!
"Oh!"

Zhu Houcong suddenly flew into a rage and roared at Lu Bing:

"Go and arrest him! Seize this man for me, don't let him escape!!!"

"Yes! Your humble servant obeys your order!"

Startled by this sudden, inexplicable anger, Lu Bing trembled and quickly got up and retreated outside.

Zhu Houcong then roared at Huang Jin:

"Huang Jin, go to the Imperial Hospital and find Xu Shen. Ask him if he has prescribed a medical certificate for Yan Maoqing. If he has, I don't care what the illness is. Make him treat Yan Maoqing. If he can't cure him, he'll come to me with his head!" At this moment, Zhu Houcong still maintained at least some rationality.

He knew that ordering people to question Xia Yan and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy would be useless, and would not even hold anyone accountable.

Therefore, we must start with Xu Shen. No matter how justifiable Xia Yan and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy were in approving Yan Maoqing's leave, as long as Yan Maoqing recovers from his illness, all problems can be solved.

"The slaves obey the orders!"

Huang Jin also hurriedly went to handle it.

"..."

As Lu Bing was retreating, he heard the imperial decree issued to Huang Jin and understood how to treat Yan Maoqing after he was arrested. This man was probably a big shot.

……

Under Chaoyang Gate.

"Young master, it's our turn next. May I ask where your travel permit is?"

The driver turned around, lifted the curtain, and asked respectfully.

Today he must be incredibly lucky to have encountered such a lucky charm and landed such a huge business deal.

He was traveling all the way from the capital to Jiangxi. If his horse died from exhaustion along the way, this wealthy man promised to compensate him. He even gave him ten taels of silver as a deposit. After this trip, he could rest for more than half a year without any problem.

"Here it is! Here it is!"

Yan Maoqing was also inexplicably excited, and his hand, which was tightly gripping the travel permit, was trembling slightly.

"Young master, why is your travel permit different... Oh ho! Young master, you are actually the God of Literature descended to earth! I have been disrespectful!"

The driver leaned closer for a look, his eyes widened immediately, and he felt increasingly at ease.

A newly appointed Jinshi (进士) or Shujishi (庶吉士) will certainly not be shortchanged when he arrives in his new post.

Yan Maoqing was naturally showing it to him on purpose.

The coachman knew his identity, understood that he was a registered official in the Ministry of Personnel, and had a record of passing through Chaoyang Gate with him. He figured the coachman wouldn't dare to have any bad intentions on the way.

While talking.

The porter in front of me had already let me pass, and it was finally my turn.

While Yan Maoqing was excited, he was also a little nervous. As long as he could get through this hurdle, he could realize his ultimate ideal and completely escape the quagmire of the Ming Dynasty's officialdom that devoured people without spitting out the bones!

Goodbye, Beijing!

No! Never again...

Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from not far away:
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is conducting an investigation. All bystanders, get out of the way!"

"what happened?"

Yan Maoqing was startled, and the next moment there was a loud "crack".

Eh? !

Why did it suddenly get light?

No, it should be broad daylight right now, the sun is still in the sky... Wait, the sun?!

Yan Maoqing then suddenly realized that it wasn't that it had suddenly become daylight.

Instead, the roof of his carriage, which was not very sturdy to begin with, was blown off, and the sides of the carriage on the left, right, and rear were also blown apart!
A plainclothes Imperial Guard, displaying his badge in one hand and holding a knife in the other, was chasing a young man who had apparently committed some offense.

The young man was quite agile, and he even used his carriage to circle around the Imperial Guards.

"Shh!"

The Imperial Guard slashed at the young man with his sword across the carriage.

Yan Maoqing was greatly alarmed upon seeing this:
"Hey, watch out! Don't cut down my horse! How am I supposed to get around without it?!"

"Thank goodness, it was just a matter of cutting the horse's reins... But that's still no good, what on earth is this Imperial Guard brother up to?!"

(End of this chapter)