The Ming Dynasty: My sister, Empress Ma

The Mid-Autumn Festival has just passed.

Xu Da then prepared the tuition fee and sent it over.

I don't know why Xu Miaoyun looked so unhappy.

Nobody pays any attention to her.

On that day, Xu Da also gave Ma Wenyuan a list.

It was covered with names.

According to Xu Da, this was a student he had found for Ma Wenyuan.

More than ten people, all of whom were second-generation rich and powerful.

In later generations, he would definitely be considered the son of a high-ranking official...

Even now...

Ma Wenyuan opened the list and took a look.

There are only names on this.

Each page, though crooked and slanted, has a bright background.

Ma Wenyuan couldn't sleep no matter what he did, and stared at the screen for a long time.

Only then did I discern four words between the lines—"confiscate their property and exterminate their clan."

There's no one who can survive up here; they're all destined to die under Zhu's butcher's knife.

Ma Wenyuan felt a chill run down his spine.

However, living in the moment is also his motto.

Therefore, after Xu Da left, Ma Wenyuan began to visit each household on the list.

Since he is a teacher, he must focus on his students and know whether they are willing to learn.

……

The first family was the Chang family.

Ma Wenyuan visited without sending a formal invitation beforehand.

He was dressed simply today, in a plain-colored scholar's robe, yet no one dared to underestimate him.

If the gatekeeper is blind, he's doomed.

Before long, Ma Wenyuan was welcomed inside.

After Chang Yuchun's death, the Chang residence became quite desolate.

Among the comings and goings, only a few cleaning maids could be seen.

A harbinger of a family's decline.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor's Brother-in-Law!"

As soon as Ma Wenyuan entered the courtyard, he saw three boys standing respectfully among them, bowing deeply in greeting.

They were very polite, and there was not a single fault with them.

"Chang Mao?"

Ma Wenyuan looked at the oldest person.

"Exactly," Chang Mao said.

Chang Mao is the eldest son of Chang Yuchun. He inherited the title of Duke of Zheng last November.

What happened to this person...

It can only be described as quite tragic.

After Chang Yuchun's death, Chang Mao inherited the title and was greatly favored by the emperor. He often studied with the princes.

In the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, Chang Mao was stripped of his title and exiled because of the Nahachu incident.

Although it was indeed Chang Mao's fault, Ma Wenyuan felt that this guy had been used as a tool.

After all, he and his father-in-law shifted the blame to each other afterwards.

As a result, in addition to his exile, Feng Sheng, who was with him, also met a bad end, and his military power was taken away.

"Chang Sheng?"

Ma Wenyuan looked at the middle-aged boy.

"Yes, Your Majesty, that's right."

This person also has some merit.

The History of Ming states that he was implicated in the Lan Yu case, executed, and his son was exiled.

Local chronicles say he died during the Jingnan Rebellion.

Ma Wenyuan generally believes in official history, which sometimes makes him very curious.

How come Old Zhu can't even tolerate his old brother's son?

No doubt about it.

The youngest one is named Chang Sen.

These three were all of Chang Yuchun's sons, and also the three students that Xu Da found for Ma Wenyuan.

Of course, Chang Yuchun also had a daughter.

The eldest daughter, Chang, married Zhu Biao. The second and third daughters did not come out, so Ma Wenyuan had no chance to meet them.

"I heard that the three of you are willing to go to my school, so I came to see you."

Ma Wenyuan walked into the main hall with a smile, sat down, and said...

Then, naturally, they started talking about everyday family matters.

When conducting home visits, in addition to understanding the student's nature, it's also essential to understand their current situation.

……

the other side.

Today, Old Zhu gave Young Zhu a day off, so he doesn't have to deal with state affairs.

Xiao Zhu wasn't idle either.

He and Cao Guogong Li Zhen arrived at Song Lian's home.

Song Lian was demoted, but his family still lived in Yingtian Prefecture.

He didn't even bring any family members with him when he went to take up his post.

There was no other reason than that he knew the Crown Prince would bail him out.

As for the Crown Prince, Li Zhen, his visit this time was not truly to help Song Lian.

They were acting on Ma Xiuying's orders to act as matchmakers for Ma Wenyuan.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't come in person, and neither could Ma Xiuying.

After much deliberation, the only option was to invite the highly respected Li Zhen and the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince arrived at Song Lian's residence at noon.

The main gate of the Song residence was opened wide, and everyone came out to greet them.

This caused quite a stir.

That's how important people are; their every word and action makes their subordinates speculate for ages.

Some people are wondering if Song Lian is going to return and be entrusted with an important task.

Some people are wondering if the Song family is about to rise to prominence.

No one believed that the Crown Prince's visit was solely for Song Lian's daughter.

……

The words are divided into two parts.

Ma Xiuying is a decisive and efficient person.

She tends to act hastily, especially when it involves her loved ones.

Take the matter of helping Ma Wenyuan find a wife, for example; Ma Xiuying was very anxious about it.

It wasn't just that the Crown Prince was sent to the Song residence.

Ma Xiuying also ordered the people from the Yiluan Division to set off overnight to the other two households.

Just so that we can get a result as soon as possible.

For this, Ma Xiuying was even ridiculed by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Then Old Zhu didn't do anything today, just spent a long time coaxing people.

Finally, Ma Xiuying agreed that she would also keep an eye out for young women, and only then did Ma Xiuying give up.

……

After this incident.

Old Zhu wanted to show Ma Xiuying that his words and actions were consistent.

Whenever Zhu Yuanzhang met a minister who was over thirty-five years old, he would tentatively ask him if he had a daughter or niece.

This incident caused another stir in the capital.

Many people thought that Zhu Yuanzhang was going to take a concubine or find a wife for his son.

Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong immediately sent people back to their hometowns to try to find a suitable woman to adopt.

Other officials also took their own actions.

Xun Gui Group is doing alright.

Those civil officials who were neither high-ranking nor low-ranking were the most active.

He who usually disliked his daughter now takes her with him whenever he goes out, trying to spread the word about his daughter's fame to the palace through outsiders.

By the second day, a competitive atmosphere had emerged in Yingtian Prefecture.

……

Ma Wenyuan noticed that every now and then, several young women would appear on the street, and he was still somewhat unaware of what was going on.

The Ming Dynasty was not as open as the Tang Dynasty. Let alone exposing one's breasts, women in the Ming Dynasty generally did not leave their homes.

Seeing so many young women strolling around on the street, Ma Wenyuan naturally felt quite surprised.

He was also wondering what holidays were coming up.

The news quickly reached Old Zhu's ears.

Old Zhu, with a dark face, stopped these people's shady dealings and had someone issue a statement as an explanation.

But it would have been better not to explain; the explanation did not make those people behave themselves.

Previously, they thought the emperor was going to take a concubine, or that a prince was going to get married.

Becoming a concubine in the palace is certainly desirable, but it is also well known that once you enter the palace walls, it's like entering a deep, dark sea.

Becoming a princess is certainly a good thing, but after the prince goes to his fiefdom, it won't help their careers.

After this explanation, everyone knew that it was the emperor's brother-in-law who was getting married.

The emperor's brother-in-law is different from the previous two types.

As long as the Empress lives, the Imperial Brother-in-Law will always be in front of Her Highness the Empress, and he will definitely become a high-ranking official in the court.

The fact that the emperor personally intervened in this matter is proof of this.

Marrying the emperor's brother-in-law would be a hundred times better than becoming a princess or entering the palace.

Therefore, this explanation only made the situation more and more uncontrollable.