Summary of the previous chapter: Ma Xiao is weak and unable to effectively attack the Lu family and kill Long Er. Long Er is also unable to launch an effective attack on Ma Xiaoquan because of the blue flames on Ma Xiao's body. Although the two are hostile, they still
Unexpectedly, they reached a tacit understanding of temporary peace...
The twenty-fourth year of Emperor Xian's reign of the Han Dynasty happened to be a year with a leap tenth month. Since Ma Xiaoquan failed to attack the Lu family mansion without success, he has been active in Nanyang County as "Mao Gang". During this period, Ma Xiaoquan continued to pay attention to Lu
There were people coming out of the mansion occasionally, but they were all in a hurry and did not stay outside much.
Ma Xiaoquan really wanted to launch another sneak attack, but since the last sneak attack on the Lu family mansion, the blue holy fire in his body has been in an unstable state. Basically, the flames raged three times a day. Every time the flames raged, Ma Xiaoquan was all
It takes a lot of energy to suppress the Lan Ming Holy Fire.
The Lan Ming Holy Fire is different from other flames. It can burn even without combustion-supporting oxygen, which is destined to be special and difficult to control. Forced by helplessness, Ma Xiaoquan could only do it again and again.
Postponing the extermination plan, wait until he has some control over the Lan Ming Holy Fire before making a sneak attack on the Lu family mansion.
Time passed slowly like this, and more than a month passed in the blink of an eye.
In the Lu family mansion, Long Er sent people to patrol continuously every day, fearing that Ma Xiaoquan would come to attack again. But... after waiting for so long, Ma Xiaoquan has not been seen again.
Just as Long Er was making repeated guesses, his master Lu Xian, who was far in the north, suddenly wrote a letter to Long Er. The instructions in the letter puzzled Long Er.
Although Long Er didn't understand his master's intention, he still carried out the instructions in the master's letter.
In the leap tenth month, Guan Yu, the former general of Shu Han who was powerful in China, was killed. As soon as the news came out, it immediately caused an uproar in Wei, Shu and Wu.
Liu Bei vowed to avenge his brother. Sun Quan pretended to be stupid because his subordinates captured Guan Yu and gave Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao. However, Cao Cao did not meet Guan Yu as written in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
The man had a head attack because of the sudden opening of his eyes...but...because of Cao Pi.
Since Cao Pi unilaterally took back the troops lent to Ma Xiao, he has been looking for various ways to suppress the Ma family. Cao Cao tried to persuade him many times, but he was old and had given away his power. Naturally, Cao Pi disobeyed.
.
Although Ma Xiao, the head of the Ma family at the time, was very angry, he had to endure it silently for the sake of the Ma family.
Cao Pi felt very unhappy when he saw that Ma Xiao was unmoved, but the old man was not dead yet, and he would "threate" himself from time to time to treat the Ma family well, otherwise he would... hum.
After thinking about it, Cao Pi decided to wait and talk.
At this time, news suddenly came from Jingzhou that Guan Yu was dead. Sun Quan was afraid that Cao Cao would send troops to seize the unstable Jingzhou, so he sent Guan Yu's head as a gesture of goodwill.
Cao Pi was so happy that he wrote a memorial to his father overnight, saying that he would send a funeral to General Guan to show his loyalty.
Cao Cao did not object to Cao Pi doing this. After all, it was Sun Quan who killed Guan Yu, not Cao Cao. Cao Pi would gain a good reputation by attending Guan Yu's funeral like this.
Cao Cao did not expect that Cao Pi's proposal to send Guan Yu a funeral this time was actually for his plan to suppress the Ma family.
On the day of Guan Yu's funeral, Cao Pi invited many dignitaries to go with him. Among them, Ma Xiao, the head of the Ma family, was also on the invitation list.
In order to show "sincerity", Cao Pi required that every dignitary attending the ceremony must bring his or her female dependents, with no restrictions on wives and concubines.
Ma Xiao currently only has one wife. After giving birth to the child, his wife's health has not recovered. Because he loves his wife so much, Ma Xiao petitions Cao Pi for leave, saying that his wife is ill and cannot travel, so he asks the prince to accommodate him.
After Cao Pi received Ma Xiao's report, instead of giving permission, he scolded Ma Xiao and wanted to punish Ma Xiao for "disrespecting the loyal General Guan".
Fortunately, many people interceded with Cao Pi, and Ma Xiao was exempted from the "responsibility" of being punished.
Forced by helplessness, Ma Xiao had no choice but to take his wife with him to Guan Yu's funeral.
On the way to the funeral, Cao Pi required every dignitary to walk and not ride a horse.
As soon as this order was issued, many officials were dissatisfied. However, this was a "political" task, and it was a task that King Wei also affirmed, so all the officials could only endure the discomfort and leave with the funeral procession.
Cao Pi pretended to be walking at the front of the funeral procession, pretending to sigh a few times from time to time.
Cao Pi's behavior seemed very kind to outsiders. In a short time, the people of Yecheng had a favorable impression of His Highness the Crown Prince.
Ma Xiao led his wife and walked at the end of the funeral procession. His wife was not feeling well to begin with, but after such a torment, her face turned sallow, she sweated profusely, and she fainted several times.
Ma Xiao felt very sorry for his wife and came forward to plead with Cao Pi. Instead of being accommodating, Cao Pi publicly humiliated Ma Xiao, saying that he was ignorant of current affairs and a bastard.
Ma Xiao clenched his fists, wanting to rush forward and beat Cao Pi, but his wife suppressed Ma Xiao in time and gently shook her head at Ma Xiao.
"My husband... I'm fine. I can persist. My husband, you must hold back. My husband is the head of the Ma family. My husband cannot be implicated by a weak woman like me..."
Ma Xiao had tears in his eyes and kept shaking his head: "But I can't watch you feel uncomfortable..."
"I'm fine...Mr., I'm really fine..."
Ma Xiao gritted his teeth, feeling extremely angry. He looked up and saw Cao Pi looking at him with raised eyebrows and gloating.
"My husband," his wife held Ma Xiao's arm tightly, shook her head and said, "My husband, a little impatience will ruin a big plan. My husband, you are the head of the Ma family. Dad pointed out that Ma Xiaoquan has created such a big family for us."
, it cannot be destroyed in the hands of my husband, my husband, you must be obedient..."
Ma Xiao's whole body was shaking violently. After a while, he took a long breath and looked down at his beloved wife. Ma Xiao had already shed tears.
The wife looked at Ma Xiao with tears in her eyes.
...
The funeral procession circulated for more than ten miles before stopping. During these ten miles, many elderly ministers fell to the ground due to excessive fatigue, and even worse, life-threatening dangers occurred.
In the evening, the funeral ceremony finally ended.
Ma Xiao picked up his beloved wife and hurried back to the Ma family compound.
"Mom...Mother..." As soon as he entered the door, Ma Xiao kept calling his mother Diao Chan.
When Diao Chan went out and saw her daughter-in-law's pale face, she couldn't help but feel nervous and quickly asked her son to put her daughter-in-law on the bed.
When Diao Chan felt her pulse, her heart felt as if it had fallen into an ice cellar.
Seeing his mother's gloomy face, Ma Xiao panicked: "Mother... mother... what's wrong, what's wrong?"
Diao Chan flattened her mouth, raised her head and said, "Xiao'er... my miserable Xiao'er... wu wu..." Finally, Diao Chan couldn't help crying.
"No...this is impossible..." Ma Xiao kept shaking his head, "No, it can't be like this...Mom, look, Xiaoying
Ma Xiao's wife's nickname, Xiaoying, is still alive, look, look..."
Diao Chan's cry attracted Hua Yuexin, who also knew a little bit about medical skills. She stepped forward to check Xiaoyingyi's pulse, but she was also extremely sad.
Ma Xiao shook his head and grabbed Hua Yuexin's shoulder: "Moon, please, save Xiaoying, Xiaoying can't die, Xiaoying can't die..."
Hua Yuexin nodded heavily: "Xiao'er, don't worry, I'll send someone to find the doctor right now, um, there's also the best doctor in my Hua family... By the way, Xiao'er, go get your Qiniang."
Call me, Qiniang also knows medical skills..."
Diao Chan stood up and stopped Hua Yuexin: "Madam, it's useless. Xiaoying is my daughter-in-law. Ever since she gave birth to the child, I have been helping her nurse... Xiaoying
She...hey"
"Ahem..." Xiaoying, who had been unconscious on the bed, suddenly opened her eyes and coughed twice.
Ma Xiao quickly stepped forward and grabbed his wife's little hand: "Xiaoying, Xiaoying..."
"My husband...my husband..." Xiaoying's voice was very weak, but very clear, "Xiaoying is very happy to be able to marry my husband...it's a pity that Xiaoying doesn't live up to the expectations."
, I didn’t give my husband more children... My husband, will you blame Xiaoying?"
Ma Xiao shook his head violently, with tears on his face: "No, absolutely not. Xiao Ying will definitely get better. Can I give my husband a child by then?"
"No" Xiaoying shook her head slightly, "Xiaoying knows about Xiaoying's body. My husband, in fact, my mother pointed out that Diao Chan already knew that Xiaoying would not live long, but she never told you...
..”
Ma Xiao was stunned for a moment and turned to look at Diao Chan. Diao Chan turned her back and her body was shaking violently.
"Ms., please promise Xiaoying not to be resentful. Promise Xiaoying...promise Xiao..." Xiaoying lost her voice before finishing the last word.
Ma Xiao couldn't believe it and couldn't accept that Xiaoying left him so suddenly. He stood up and grabbed his mother Diao Chan: "Mom, you know Xiaoying's physical condition, why do you still let me take her out? Why?
?Why don’t you tell me Xiaoying’s health condition? Why? Tell me, tell me.”
"Pa" Hua Yuexin stepped forward and slapped Ma Xiao hard, "Xiao'er, you're so impudent!"
Ma Xiao cried: "Mother Yue, why, why?"
Hua Yuexin also cried bitterly: "Xiao'er, Xiaoying, it's because I love you, I love you..."
