《明史·列传·卷一百五十一》
他的同乡顾秉谦当时掌着大权，懋德却不跟他来往，秉谦对他很恼火，因此懋德得不到大的提升，被授官礼部仪制主事，后来又升为祠祭员外郎。
同乡顾秉谦柄国，懋德不与通，秉谦怒，以故不得显擢。授礼部仪制主事，进祠祭员外郎。
His fellow countryman Gu Bingqian held great power at that time, but Maode did not associate with him. Bingqian was very annoyed with him, so Maode did not get a big promotion and was awarded the official position of the Ministry of Rites. He was later promoted to an external official of the Ancestral Temple and the Ministry of Rites.