My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 11 Go and get rid of Tang Monk and his disciples

"Ah?" Zhu Biao opened his mouth in surprise, and after a while he said:
"Let Ma Yu and Mr. Song discuss the Dao?"

Although he was de-fascinated by Song Lian today, it did not prevent him from recognizing his knowledge.

He is the most famous Confucian scholar of the time, and can even be said to be the number one person in the academic world today.

Although Ma Yu is extremely talented and possesses a unique inheritance, he is still no match for Song Lian...

There's absolutely no comparison.

After a long while, he managed to utter another sentence: "This is too much of a bully."

Empress Ma showed an expression like an old fox and said, "I just want to bully him."

Then she explained, “The more educated a person is, the more proud he is.”

"He has a deep prejudice against Daming and your father. Do you think it's just because he was wrongly imprisoned?"

"No, it's actually a sign of pride."

In her opinion, although Ma Yu seemed to have a prejudice against Zhu Yuanzhang, he was actually full of contempt for their entire family.

They felt that they were of humble origins and had no idea how to govern a country, let alone have any imperial ideas.

But these words were too hurtful and were purely her own conjecture, so she didn't say them out loud.

But there is one thing she is sure of, Ma Yu is proud in his heart.

"The best way to deal with this kind of person is to find someone who is more knowledgeable than him and defeat him in his best areas."

"This way he can put aside his pride and be of use to me."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly. This method is indeed good, but...

"Will it be too much of a blow and leave him devastated?"

After all, this is a talent he discovered, and he is emotionally inclined towards him.

Empress Ma glanced at him and said calmly, "If he can't even get past this, he doesn't deserve our attention."

Zhu Biao opened his mouth but ultimately couldn't utter a word of objection.

Because he knew that his mother was right.

Although it is cruel, this is the reality.

Seeing that her son was not swayed by emotions, Empress Ma was very satisfied and said:
"But your concerns are correct. Forcing him to face Song Lian so abruptly would be too cruel to him."

"Let him know in advance so he can be prepared."

Zhu Biao quickly said, "I'll go see him to prevent him from having any unnecessary misunderstandings."

Empress Ma did not object and said, "That's fine. Come up with a suitable reason to avoid suspicion."

"I'll talk to Song Lian personally and let them meet in a few days."

The reason was easy to find. The next morning, Empress Ma was discussing government affairs with Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen and others when she saw a eunuch rushing in.

It is said that the second prince caught a cold in prison.

Both Empress Ma and Zhu Biao looked worried.

Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen and others all had their own plans, so they immediately stood up to advise.

The Second Prince has been in prison for so many days, he must have repented and reformed. In addition, he is in poor health, so it is time to take him out.

They thought that since Empress Ma was so concerned about her child, she would definitely let Zhu Chong go.

But it didn't happen.

"Don't try to persuade me anymore. I'm going to make him suffer this time."

"As for his illness... just send a royal physician to treat him, so he won't think I, as his mother, am mistreating him."

She even used the word "harsh treatment", which showed that she was still angry.

Although Li Shanchang and others were surprised that this was not in line with the Empress's character, they did not doubt it.

They knew very well what Zhu Chong had done, even better than Zhu Yuanzhang.

It's time to teach him a lesson, otherwise it will be a disaster for the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Biao stepped forward at the right moment and expressed his desire to visit his brother in prison.

Although Queen Ma said, "What are you looking at?", her body honestly agreed.

In this way, Zhu Biao took an imperial physician and went to the Yingtian Prefecture prison openly.

He also brought a jug of wine.

Although it is not known whether Ma Yu drinks or not, when he learns that he is about to face Song Lian, he will probably want to drink.

The rumor that Zhu Chong was sick was fake, of course. The purpose was to create an opportunity for Zhu Biao to go to prison.

So when they arrived at the cell, they naturally saw the lively Zhu Chong.

Zhu Biao's face showed a helpless expression just right.

The imperial physician suddenly realized that the second prince was pretending to be sick to deceive the empress.

He had seen too many things like this, so he naturally knew what to do. If he wanted to stay safe in the palace, he had to pretend to be confused.

As for Ma Yu...he was simply ignored by him.

It is likely that the second prince was bored in prison and found a prisoner of similar age to entertain him.

Nothing worth paying attention to.

Zhu Biao must have wanted to save his brother's face, so he pretended to be happy and said:

"It seems that my second brother's cold has improved a lot, but we still can't take it lightly."

"Doctor Wu, please take a look at him and prescribe some medicine."

Imperial Physician Wu understood immediately, and after pretending to examine him, he concluded:
"The Second Young Master did catch a cold, but thankfully, God has blessed him and he's recovered."

"But just in case, I still have to prescribe some medicine to strengthen it."

Zhu Biao said with a very understanding look:
"Then please ask the doctor to prescribe some medicine."

So, Imperial Physician Wu prescribed some medicine to nourish the body and then tactfully left.

After he left, Zhu Chong curled his lips and said:

"Is it really necessary to go to so much trouble?"

Zhu Biao said helplessly: "If I frequently go in and out of the cell without a legitimate reason, it will put Brother Ma in danger. I have to be careful."

Ma Yu couldn't help but feel touched and said, "Thank you, Brother Li, for your care."

Zhu Biao felt a little embarrassed and changed the subject by taking the action of getting wine:

"No need for that... I brought a bottle of fine wine, and I wonder if Brother Ma would like it."

Ma Yu didn't like drinking, but he didn't want to hit someone who smiled at him, so he took the wine and said:
"A little drink to relax you, thank you for your kindness, Brother Li."

As he said this, he put it under his nose and smelled it.

Then he was stunned. This smell...

He quickly pulled out the cork, and a rich aroma of wine wafted into his nose.

Smelling this familiar yet unfamiliar scent, Ma Yu felt like crying.

Zhu Biao also noticed his abnormality and asked, "Brother Ma, what's going on..."

Ma Yu calmed down, carefully put down the bottle, and said:
"This wine should be produced in Luzhou, Sichuan."

Zhu Biao said in surprise, "This wine was presented by Mingsheng, the false emperor of Daxia who occupied Sichuan. As for whether it was produced in Luzhou, I don't know."

"How did Brother Ma guess that?"

Ma Yu sighed and said, "I'm too familiar with this taste."

"I lived there for more than half a year, and the smell of wine was with me day and night."

"Even though I haven't seen you in years and we're miles apart in time and space, I can still smell it."

He was talking about his previous life. Because of some things, he lived in Gulin County, Luzhou, Sichuan for more than half a year.

He lived very close to a winery and could smell the aroma of wine day and night.

I was not used to it at first, but I got used to it after a while, and gradually I felt that the smell was quite nice.

Later, through a friend's relationship, I visited the brewing workshop.

As a result, he passively learned about the local wine culture.

I didn't expect to see it again after traveling through time.

Although there are slight differences in the smell, it is generally familiar.

Seeing something familiar can inevitably cause some emotions.

What he didn't expect was that his words successfully led Zhu Biao into trouble.

Zhu Biao did not doubt Ma Yu's words at all.

Even if his facial expressions and actions could be faked, his familiarity with this wine could not be faked.

He only knew one person who could judge a wine by its taste alone, his future father-in-law Chang Yuchun.

Moreover, Chang Yuchun could only smell the two or three kinds of wine that he drank most often.

For other drinks that you don’t drink often, you can only tell whether they are good or bad, but not where they come from.

Ma Yu could tell where the wine came from just by its aroma, which only showed that he was very familiar with this type of wine. Even if he was not from Luzhou, Sichuan, he must have lived there.

How could Zhu Biao not be happy after finally finding out some information about the other party's identity?

Zhu Chong was also very surprised and even more speechless.

My goodness, I tried to ask him for so long but still couldn’t find out his background.

Unexpectedly, a bottle of wine led to the discovery of the clue.

Zhu Biao suppressed his excitement and said calmly:

"Oh? Brother Ma is about the same age as me, and he's actually been to Sichuan? I guess he went there with his elders, right?"

"I really envy you for being able to travel all over the beautiful mountains and rivers, unlike me who is trapped in this corner of the world."

Ma Yu had calmed down from his initial excitement and could naturally guess that the other party was taking the opportunity to inquire about his situation.

He did not beat around the bush and followed the other party's words and said:

"Unfortunately, my family no longer exists in this world, so when I smell this alcohol, I lose control of my emotions."

"I'm sorry to make you laugh, Brother Li."

What, all the family members are gone?

Zhu Biao was stunned at first, then he reacted.

If his family were still alive, how could he have become a beggar?

During the decades of chaos at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, his family must have suffered disasters. It is likely that his elders took him to Sichuan to avoid disaster.

I just don’t know why they turned back to the Central Plains.

Perhaps something unexpected happened after he returned to the Central Plains. All his elders were gone, and he was left alone and helpless, becoming a beggar.

Later, he followed the refugees south and was wrongly imprisoned and sentenced to death by corrupt officials.

As he imagined all these tragedies, Zhu Biao couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Ma Yu.

I also have a better understanding of his previous excessive behavior.

Alas, he is also a poor man in troubled times.

Although the intelligence he had just obtained was cut off again, Zhu Biao was not disappointed.

At least we understand part of Ma Yu's life trajectory and know that he did not appear out of thin air.

After we pacify the Great Xia Kingdom, we can send people to Luzhou to investigate. Maybe we can find some clues.

And because he sympathized with Ma Yu, he did not continue to ask what happened next.

Why rub salt into other people's wounds?

After chatting for a while, Zhu Biao changed the topic to the books of Guan and Xun.

He said that he went back and carefully studied the works of the two and gained a lot.

Then some more questions were raised.

For example, how do you view Xunzi’s interpretation of virtue?

Ma Yu pondered for a moment and said, "Whether human nature is inherently good or evil is very important to scholars. It is the starting point and foothold of their thinking."

“But it actually means little to those in power.”

"What you should pay attention to is the methods of governance proposed by scholars in response to these two schools of thought."

"Just as Xunzi viewed virtue, he believed that virtue is not something that is innate."

“We believe in virtue and advocate virtue, not because it is innate.”

"It's because we know that if we want to survive and live well, we must be moral."

"That's what separates us from livestock."

Zhu Biao showed a thoughtful expression, and then asked:

"Then why do you still emphasize the importance of basing our thinking on the Confucian and Mencian ideas of the inherent goodness of human nature?"

"Since we are going to use Xunzi's method, wouldn't it be more convenient to also adopt his theory that human nature is evil?"

Ma Yu thought to himself, how do you expect me to answer this?

After thinking for a moment, he came up with an idea:

“It’s actually a psychological suggestion.”

He first explained to Zhu Biao what psychological suggestion was, and then continued:

"If we tell the world that human nature is evil, they will be influenced if they hear it more often."

"Since I was born evil, then my evil deeds are in accordance with my nature and are caused by my nature."

"If this happens, moral conduct will be corrupted."

"If we emphasize the inherent goodness of human nature, people will gradually be inclined to do good and practice virtue."

Zhu Biao clapped his hands excitedly and said, "Brother Ma's words are indeed extraordinary. This idea of ​​psychological suggestion is unheard of, but it makes people think deeply."

Zhu Chong standing by also had a thoughtful expression.

Ma Yu breathed a sigh of relief, finally fooled him.

Fearing that the other party would continue to ask questions, he quickly said:
"Moreover, for two thousand years, people have revered Confucius and Mencius, believing that human nature is inherently good, and this has become a consensus."

"You're going to be an official in the future, so why go against the consensus and cause yourself trouble?"

“What’s more, the standards set by Confucius and Mencius are indeed consistent with the appearance of a great kingly world.”

Zhu Biao nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, thank you Brother Ma for your guidance. It has opened my eyes."

Ma Yu finally felt relieved.

Finally I got away with it.

I should avoid talking about things I am not good at in the future.

However, at this moment, Zhu Biao showed his shame:

"Brother Ma, Wen has an unreasonable request, I hope you won't be angry."

Ma Yu's heart, which had just been relieved, was weighed down again. Li Wen was so annoying today.

"Brother Li, if you have any instructions, please tell me directly. There's no need to be so formal."

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment before saying, "I was reading the books of Guan Yu and Xun Zi, and my teacher discovered it."

"He's very angry, but also shocked by Brother Ma's 'original use' perspective, and wants to discuss this with you in person."

Before Ma Yu could say anything, Zhu Chong beside him exclaimed:

"What? Old Man Song wants to discuss Taoism with Ma Yu?"

Zhu Biao nodded even more shamefully, his eyes somewhat evasive.

After getting the confirmation, Zhu Chong was shocked. He looked at Zhu Biao and Ma Yu in disbelief.

Then, I don't know what he was thinking about, but a gloating expression appeared on his face.

He sat down again, pretending to be watching a show.

Ma Yu felt puzzled. What does it mean that your teacher wants to discuss philosophy with me?
He is not stupid. Li Wen’s teacher must be a Confucian scholar, and possibly a famous Confucian scholar.

If you hear the idea that Confucius and Mencius are the basis and Guan Yu and Xun Zi are the practical application, you will definitely be angry.

You should know that Confucianism has begun to become a religion since the Song Dynasty.

Xunzi's view that human nature is evil was classified as heresy because it was contrary to the ideas of Confucius and Mencius.

Although there is no rule of burning dissidents to death in Chinese culture, there is still suppression.

What he said to Li Wen was considered treasonous in the eyes of Confucianists.

It would be strange if his teacher was in a good mood.

Why are you looking for me to discuss something? It must be because you are here to blame me.

This Li Wen is too unreliable.

As for meeting his teacher, isn't that just asking for humiliation?

Ma Yu is not stupid, how could he agree?

So he said bluntly, "Brother Li, don't mention this again."

"I just learned a little from my elders. How dare I insult your teacher's ears?"

Zhu Biao smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Ma, I'm not forcing you to do this, I just can't refuse."

Ma Yu frowned slightly and said, "Why? With your status, can't you refuse?"

Zhu Biao said helplessly: "His identity is even more special."

Ma Yu suddenly felt something was wrong and asked, "What is his identity?"

At this time, Zhu Chong on the side said jokingly: "Big brother's teacher is called Song Lian, you should have heard of this name."

"What?" Ma Yu jumped up from the ground:

"Song Lian?"

A picture involuntarily emerged in his mind:
The Nine-Headed Insect said to Benboerba: Go and get rid of Tang Monk and his disciples.

(End of this chapter)