Summary of the previous chapter: Wei Zhongxian was dealing with the Donglin Party, blocking Yang Lian's memorial, and did not forget to take the opportunity to step on Ma Xiaoquan...
The next morning, Ma Xiaoquan was having dinner at home. After just a few bites, a eunuch came to the door with a decree.
Ma Xiaoquan put down his chopsticks and knelt down to receive the order inexplicably.
The imperial edict is written very concisely. It mainly focuses on one point. It says that Ma Xiaoquan has done nothing, and from now on, half of the imperial salary will be deducted. Thank you for this!
After the eunuch announced the order and left, Mrs. Ma couldn't help but cursed loudly.
Ma Xiaoquan comforted Mrs. Ma, took a few bites of rice hastily, and then entered the study with the imperial edict.
Li Qinghan and Hua Yue looked at each other. The two girls nodded to each other, put down their rice bowls, and followed Ma Xiaoquan into the study.
After closing the door, Li Qinghan said dissatisfiedly: "What's going on with the Emperor that he wants to reduce your salary!"
Ma Xiaoquan grinned and smiled scornfully: "Reducing salary is still a small matter. I guess it won't be as simple as reducing salary next time. Huh, besides, I, Ma Xiaoquan, have never paid attention to the small amount of salary."
Hua Yue frowned slightly and shook her head: "You can't say that. If Zhu Youxiao can reduce your salary, there must be someone around him who is trying to stumbling you. Ma Xiaoquan, if you don't fight back, I'm afraid...
Your official position is really about to be demoted."
Li Qinghan said angrily: "Humph, I think Zhu Youxiao dares?"
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and shook his head: "Qinghan, he is the emperor, he is the king, and I am the minister. Do you think I dare?"
"But...Ma Xiaoquan, Sister Yue'er is right. If you don't fight back, I'm afraid things will get worse and worse next time."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "This is also the reason why I put down my job and came to the study. Well, you two will help me advise. What should I do next?"
The two girls looked at each other, and Li Qinghan said: "Actually, you have thought about it a long time ago, right? When you put down your job, you also knew that the two of us would follow, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan gave a thumbs up: "How clever. Fortunately, you two are my women. If you let them go to my rivals, then I will not have a peaceful life!"
The two women looked at each other again and said in unison: "We are not eunuch women!"
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled. He did not say that his opponent must be Wei Zhongxian, but the two women agreed that the opponent he was talking about was Wei Zhongxian.
...
The next day, Ma Xiao met with the emperor in full, and once again chatted with the emperor about the war in Liaodong.
Zhu Youxiao had been hesitating whether to gather ministers to discuss border issues. Ma Xiaoquan's actions strengthened his determination.
After Ma Xiaoquan left, Zhu Youxiao clamored to go to court. This time, Wei Zhongxian could not win Zhu Youxiao's heart back no matter what methods he used.
In the evening, Wei Zhongxian gathered his lackeys to discuss countermeasures. Li Yongzhen suggested: "Eunuch, I think we should arrange a group of guards around the emperor, each holding a weapon. As soon as the court begins, these guards will keep a close eye on him.
Yang Lian, when the time comes, Yang Lian is so cowardly that he might not dare to take the memorial."
Wei Zhongxian frowned. Although he didn't think this was a good way to prevent Yang Lian from participating in him, it was at least a way. If he didn't try it, how would he know the result?
"Then... okay, Yongzhen, just go and do this."
Li Yongzhen nodded happily and left.
.......
Ma's house, in the study...
Ma Xiaoquan was pacing back and forth in the study, while Li Qinghan and Hua Yue were sitting leisurely at the desk drinking tea.
"Well, you two...are you really leisurely?" Ma Xiaoquan stopped and said.
Hua Yue said: "What else, Ma Xiaoquan, you are worried about Master Yang and Yang Lian's safety, but no matter how worried you are, Master Yang will probably never look back."
Li Qinghan said: "Yes, by the way, don't you have something...what...oh, what is it called a data device? You can take a look, and there will be more next time."
What happened?"
Ma Xiaoquan gave a bitter smile and shrugged: "I don't know what happened, but the data machine can't be used...so I don't know what will happen next."
Hua Yue exclaimed: "No, you are a modern person. You should know a lot about...well, the Ming Dynasty, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan blushed, scratched his head and said: "Well... there used to be data machines, and they were all learned and sold now. Now that the data machines are broken, just... again...
..Besides, you think the history of the Ming Dynasty is just...just a little bit. I am not a saint over the past few hundred years. Even if I have read it, I may not remember it."
Li Qinghan picked up the teacup, put it to Ma Xiaoquan's mouth, gave him a sip of tea, and then said: "You are just quibbling, then you won't go back and repair yourself?"
Ma Xiaoquan said helplessly: "You think I don't want to, but you also know, Qinghan, that I will go there soon and come back for at least ten days. If something happens during this period, wouldn't I not know about it? Besides,
, I am in a dangerous stage now, if I disappear for more than ten days and a month, Wei Zhongxian will definitely find a reason to report me to the emperor..."
Li Qinghan said: "Don't you have a substitute? How come you sent him to Ningyuan and never came back?"
Ma Xiaoquan frowned: "Don't tell me, I'm even more depressed when I talk about this. The second brother wrote a letter saying that after the substitute arrived in Ningyuan, he suddenly woke up and clamored for a war. Okay, he went out with the army for the first time.
He was shot to death by random arrows from the Jurchens. If my second brother and the others hadn't covered him up in time, got him back and lied about it, he was buried. Otherwise, I guess Ma Xiaoquan's name would be on the martyr card now."
"How come I don't know about this?" Li Qinghan said.
"Of course you don't know, because I was the only one who read the letter. I won't go into details. Anyway, even if I find a substitute and train him, it will take three to five months. Now I can't leave, so the data device is
Let’s put this matter aside for now.”
"Well, okay!"
"Oh, by the way..." Ma Xiaoquan thought for a moment and said, "I'm going to see the emperor today. The emperor should go to court tomorrow. I guess Wei Zhongxian will definitely take action, so please help me think about it.
This will allow Brother Yang to successfully submit the memorial to the emperor."
Hua Yue squinted her eyes and shook her head. She had never entered the palace, let alone met the emperor, so she could not express her opinion.