The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 729

When Wang Hong saw Zhou Chu directly appoint Yu Dayou as an instructor at the military academy, he felt that his opportunity had come. In front of Zhou Chu, he naturally dared not say much. After all, he was just a court eunuch with little authority. He didn't even want to think about what would happen to him if he reprimanded Zhou Chu in public.

However, if it were authorized by the Emperor, the situation would be completely different.

With this in mind, Wang Hong quietly left the military academy, rode back to the capital, and entered the palace.

"What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"

At the entrance of the Imperial Study, Huang Jin frowned as he saw Wang Hong's hurried appearance.

As Wang Hong's immediate superior, Huang Jin's tone was already quite mild. The hierarchy among eunuchs was very strict, and many eunuchs did not treat their subordinates as human beings at all, often beating and scolding them. However, Huang Jin had never done so.

"Grandfather, I have something important to report to His Majesty. It concerns the Military Academy."

Huang Jin, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, is not yet thirty years old. He doesn't like other eunuchs calling him "Grandpa." Apart from his adopted sons, he simply accepts the title "Grandpa" from other eunuchs. Over time, this title has become a customary practice.

Although Wang Hong was jealous of Huang Jin, he remained submissive and obsequious in Huang Jin's presence.

Upon hearing this, Huang Jin carefully examined Wang Hong. Having served Jiajing for so many years, Huang Jin was no longer as naive as when he first entered the capital. He could tell that Wang Hong was definitely up to something, and it wasn't anything good; it was likely related to Lord Zhou.

However, Wang Hong was neither his direct subordinate nor his godson, but Zhang Yong's godson. Huang Jin couldn't question him too much, since this was the entrance to the Imperial Study.

"Come back to your senses after you've caught your breath. Your appearance is offensive to His Majesty. What is your punishment?"

Huang Jin glared at Wang Hong and said.

"Alright, let him in."

The Emperor Jiajing's voice came from inside the Imperial Study. Of course, the situation outside the Imperial Study could not be hidden from the Emperor Jiajing.

Upon hearing this, a hint of smugness flashed in Wang Hong's eyes. He thought to himself that once he became the Grand Eunuch and held power, it was uncertain who would be in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial in the future.

Although the highest-ranking official in the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was the one who held the seal of office, the power of eunuchs came entirely from the emperor, not solely from their official rank. There have been instances where the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs had a powerful eunuch, such as Liu Jin, and later Wei Zhongxian, who, despite being only a eunuch, wielded immense power throughout his life.

Upon hearing this, Huang Jin said nothing more and led Wang Hong into the Imperial Study.

"Why are you in such a hurry to see me? What urgent matter is it?"

Jiajing looked at Wang Hong in front of him, somewhat puzzled.

“Your Majesty, Lord Zhou completely disregards Your Majesty. Just now, he directly appointed a student who came to study as an instructor in the academy without even informing Your Majesty.”

Wang Hong knelt on the ground and said.

Wang Hong originally thought that after hearing this news, the emperor would be even more wary of Zhou Hengqi, and might even have him placed in the military academy to check and monitor this Duke of Dingguo.

If that were the case, he would at least have to be a high-ranking eunuch.

But the reality was quite different from what Wang Hong had expected. When Jiajing heard this, he was not angry as Wang Hong had anticipated. Instead, he looked at Wang Hong with cold eyes.

"You've come to see me in such a hurry, disregarding all decorum, just to say this?"

Jiajing's voice was cold. He hadn't expected that one of the chief eunuchs he had sent to the military academy would harbor such filthy thoughts. Jiajing knew exactly what Wang Hong was thinking; Wang Hong was practically transparent to Jiajing.

He simply wanted to use this incident to promote him to the position of Grand Eunuch, and then have him make things difficult for Zhou Hengqi.