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

Chapter 84 Refusal to Support the Demon Emperor

Having made up his mind, Zhu Houcong was in high spirits and immediately said to Huang Jin:

"Huang Ban, draft an edict for me."

"Announce Anda's surrender to the world, and summon all civil and military officials to the fifth meeting of the court tomorrow at dawn."

"Make it clear to those ministers that I will personally attend the court meeting, and no one is allowed to be absent!"

Now I can finally stand up for myself!

Now I can finally hold my head high!

I no longer need to hide in the back hall of Fengtian Hall to eavesdrop on the court meetings as I did in the previous four times!
Tomorrow I will sit openly and honestly in this court and tell these ministers that the Tatars have been intimidated by my way of kingship and are willing to submit!

I have the world in my heart and care for all the people.

Since the Tatars have submitted to my domineering ways, and I am extremely unwilling to cause trouble for the people and waste resources, and to start another war, I will treat them with the way of the king!

Praise me! Bow down to me! Admire me!

I want this world, future generations, and all living beings to remember my full name:
"Call me, the Lingxiao Shangqing Tonglei Yuanyang Miaoyi Feixuan Zhenjun, the Jiutian Hongjiao Puji Shengling Zhangyin Yanggongguo Dadao Siren Ziji Xianweng—Yang Zhenren Yuanxu Xuanying Kaihua Fumo Zhongxiao Dijun, the Taishang Daluo Tianxian Zongzhang Wulei Dazhenren Xuandu Jing Wanshou Dijun, Lei Xuan, Tianchi Diaosou—Emperor Jiajing Zhu Houcong!"

Turning around, Zhu Houcong looked at Lu Bing, who was kneeling on the ground, with a smile on his face:
"Lu Bing, you should also immediately write a letter, clearly instructing the Imperial Guards sent to arrest... those who are welcoming Guo Xun and Yan Maoqing, yes, those who are being escorted by imperial decree, understand?"

"Your humble servant... obeys the decree?"

Lu Bing was taken aback and looked up in surprise to see Zhu Houcong's radiant smile.

Why did the emperor behave in this way?

This was not only completely unrelated to his expected scenario, but also the complete opposite... So what does the Emperor mean?

However, the thought that the person sent to arrest them this time was Yan Changping, the ruthless "King Yama," sent a chill down Lu Bing's spine.

No, please don't!
Yan Changping, you better slow down, or you might just meet the real King of Hell this time, and this commander might even be implicated!

"..."

After Huang Jin and Lu Bing left one after another, Tao Zhongwen, who was left alone in the hall, couldn't help but feel a little lost.

Although he was completely bewildered by what was happening, even if he were slow-witted, he understood that Yan Maoqing was very likely not going to be eliminated by the Emperor as a "demon" as he had hoped...

"Master Tao".

Zhu Houcong finally looked at him, his smile inexplicably eerie.

Tao Zhongwen quickly bowed:
"Your humble servant is here..."

"You just mentioned inner demons, and I do indeed have one in my heart."

Zhu Houcong pondered for a moment and said,
“You once told me that I am the true dragon and my son is the hidden dragon. When the true dragon and the hidden dragon meet, their dragon energies clash, which will surely bring disaster upon the hidden dragon, causing it to lose its luck and shorten its lifespan. Therefore, the two dragons must not meet.”

"But I've been pondering this lately. Over the thousands of years of the Celestial Empire, there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of true dragons and hidden dragons, and countless encounters. It doesn't seem to be entirely true, does it?"

"I wonder if Master Tao could first remove this inner demon for me?"

"Your humble servant..."

Tao Zhongwen's legs gave way and he knelt on the ground.

Oh no! The Emperor has finally taken Yan Maoqing's wicked words to heart and has begun to try to glean "heavenly secrets" based on his own desires!

……

Xia Mansion.

"What's going on? Is someone holding a knife to my lower back?!"

Upon learning of Zhu Houcong's proclamation to the world that he was pushing forward the restoration of the Tao dynasty in order to achieve unparalleled merit and solidify his position in the court, Xia Yan found it difficult to accept this fact.

As the saying goes, "You can't hit someone who's smiling."

This is no longer just an ordinary smiling person, okay? He's a smiling person kneeling down begging for mercy. How can he continue to push forward with the re-establishment project?

If he insists on sending troops to retake the Tao now, it would be unreasonable and lacking in both sentiment and reason. Public opinion would likely not be as overwhelmingly in favor as before, and there is even a suspicion that he is recklessly provoking border conflicts!
Yan Song was no pushover either.

This sudden and seemingly unreasonable deficiency will certainly be seized upon and relentlessly attacked.

If, as he had previously planned, the people were to suffer again due to the resurgence of the epidemic, it could have been said that "the sins were committed in this generation but the merits will last for generations."

But now that Anda has already submitted and surrendered, this argument is certainly untenable. If Yan Song seizes upon this point and uses it to his advantage, he can ruin Yan Song's reputation and plunge him into an abyss of no return!

"Is this the will of Heaven? Is the heavens against me?"

Xia Yan slumped into the chair, knowing that things had come to this point and he was powerless to change anything.

He had staked everything on this, and who could have imagined that Anda would suddenly deliver such a devastating blow, rendering all his previous plans futile...

……

Yanfu.

"How could this be?

"Just one step away, just the last step!"

Yan Song was equally unable to accept this fact, and he shut himself in his room, looked up at the ceiling, and sighed deeply.

"As long as we force the Emperor to personally step in and reject the proposal to reinstate the tassels despite the criticism, that old scoundrel Xia Yan will be completely finished. The Emperor will definitely not let him off easily in the future, and he may not even be able to save his old life!"

“Once Xia Yan steps down, I will be able to enter the cabinet… Let’s not even mention Zhai Luan, who is just a figurehead. Even if I am not the Grand Secretary, as long as I enter the cabinet, I can actually control it.”

"This time it's all good. The Tatars suddenly submitted and surrendered. The Emperor's rejection of the proposal to restore the Tatars not only relieved him of public pressure, but also allowed him to take advantage of the situation to boast about it."

"And Xia Yan, that old scoundrel, seeing that the situation is not good, will surely assess the situation and not only dare not continue to advocate the restoration of the capital, but will probably immediately change his attitude and try his best to flatter the emperor."

"In that case, wouldn't all my previous hard work and effort have been in vain in the Emperor's eyes?"

"Then will His Majesty still remember his previous promise, considering that I have worked hard even if I have not made any great contributions, and will the promise to allow me to join the cabinet still stand?"

"Besides, even if I were to enter the cabinet, if the Emperor had not dismissed Xia Yan this time, wouldn't the cabinet still be in his hands, and wouldn't I still be subject to his control at every turn?"

"It was so close!"

"Is this the will of Heaven? Is the heavens against me?"

……

Ten days later, at Deshengmen.

A large procession entered the capital, the most eye-catching of which were the nine white camels, nine white horses, and nine white oxen.

This scene immediately attracted a crowd of onlookers who discussed it heatedly.

After Zhu Houcong issued an edict to announce the news to the world, almost everyone knew the good news of the Tatars' submission and surrender, and this was the time when national pride was at its peak.

Yan Maoqing then quietly approached Zhang Xian, Guo Xun's trusted servant, and asked in a low voice:

"Steward Zhang, I wonder if my new house has been arranged properly?"

He left Beijing in a hurry and never got to visit the large house that Guo Xun had Zhang Xian find for him, a house where he could stretch his legs.

All that is known is that after he leaves the capital, servants will help him move, and he can move in as soon as he returns.

"You can rest assured that I will handle things properly. After I escort my master back to the Duke's mansion, I will immediately take you to the new residence."

Zhang Xian bowed slightly and answered with a smile.

"No! I must go back to the new house immediately. If it's inconvenient for you, Steward Zhang, please send someone to escort me there. Hurry!"

Yan Maoqing urged him firmly.

Putting everything else aside, this 400,000 taels of silver must be sent home first. It would be best to dig a hole in the backyard, bury it there, and then stomp on it a few times to compact the soil.

Otherwise, whether it is first transported to the Duke of Yi's mansion or first taken over by the Northern Garrison, this silver is very likely to be coveted by others, and it may not be ours anymore.

This was the money he earned with his life, and it was also the money he would use to pay for his coffin when he retired and returned to his hometown to enjoy a comfortable life.

Who would dare to covet his money...

He was willing to sever his father-son relationship with Guo Xun for this, and he was willing to fight against anyone to the end, not even the Jiajing Emperor Zhu Houcong.

Rejecting "Emperor-Supporting Demons" starts with me; it's everyone's responsibility!
To be fair, he did not steal, rob, embezzle public funds, prey on the people, accept bribes, or sell official positions.

This is money he earned through his own abilities, and it has nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty. Even the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty can't interfere with overseas fraud that has nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty, right?
He took the money with a clear conscience, with a strong sense of righteousness, and with a perfectly legitimate reason.

All his money is his!

(End of this chapter)