The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 10: Relatives
Ma Xun was allowed to leave the palace. He took Wangcai to the entrance of the Meridian Gate and saw the heroic Mu Ying from afar.

When Mu Ying saw Ma Xun, he immediately bowed happily, "Nephew greets uncle."

Ma Xun hesitated to speak, because Mu Ying was a few years older than him, "Wangcai wants to go out, is it okay to take him with you?"

Mu Ying smiled and said, "Uncle, you are worrying too much. We are supposed to lead horses and ride donkeys anyway, so it's not a big deal to take Wangcai with us."

Ma Xun looked around and asked quietly, "It's fine if you take me out, but if the prince goes out with you, isn't it a little too few people?"

Mu Ying quickly said, "There are still some guards outside the palace. They are all from the Yiluansi and they are all good fighters."

Yiluansi is the predecessor of Jinyiwei.

Ma Xun was relieved, and then asked, "How many battles have you fought?"

Mu Ying smiled and said, "My nephew followed His Majesty to fight outside when he was twelve years old. When His Majesty besieged Jiqing, I served him. As for fighting, he was not granted a military commission until he was eighteen years old."

Mu Ying continued, "I just didn't know that my uncle was in Fujian in the early years. That year I broke through the Fenshui Pass, and then I guarded Jianning and controlled the three guards. Otherwise, I would have gone to invite my uncle a long time ago."

Ma Xun also joked, "It's because I'm short-sighted that I didn't know I was related to you. If I had known you were family, I would have gone to join you. In the end, I was able to come back because you conquered Fujian."

Mu Ying quickly said modestly, "Uncle, you are overpraising me. My nephew is just a young general. It is not my nephew's credit to pacify Fujian."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying had many adopted sons, but Mu Ying was a very special one. He was adopted when he was eight years old and was always with them. They really treated him as their own son.

Ma Xun asked with a smile, "Do you have any children now?"

Mu Ying smiled and said, "We have a son, Mu Chun, who is now four years old. The concubine was also pregnant before, so we should have another child this year."

Ma Xun immediately complained, "Why don't you bring Mu Chun here? I, your uncle, should definitely see your nephew."

Mu Ying said quickly, "My uncle is in the palace, so we can't easily enter. After I leave the palace, I will ask my family to go and pay my respects to him."

Ma Xun felt a little embarrassed when he heard this, "No, no, how can I let my family members do useless things for me?"

Mu Ying said seriously, "Uncle is the elder, so we younger generations should pay our respects to him."

As they were talking, Zhu Biao, dressed as a scholar, came over and asked, "Uncle, what are you talking about with Third Brother?"

Ma Xun immediately said, "Chatting with him about family matters. Your Highness, where are you going out of the palace today?"

Zhu Biao asked with a smile, "Uncle, where do you want to go?"

Ma Xun said, "Why don't we go to Mu Ying's house and take a look?"

"Third brother, you must go. Today, you will only visit your relatives." Zhu Biao said, "Then please ask someone to tell them that my uncle and I will have dinner at home before returning to the palace."

Mu Ying said happily, "I'll have someone prepare it right away! I thought that His Highness and my uncle were busy today, so I planned to have my wife and concubine take Mu Chun to kowtow to my uncle."

Zhu Biao immediately pretended to be unhappy and said, "Third brother, my parents always said that my uncle treats me as an outsider and doesn't get close to me. I think you are the same. You watched me grow up, and you always acted in a foreign way."

Zhu Biao looked at Wangcai beside him and asked, "Uncle doesn't ride a horse?"

"Wangcai has to stay in the yard these days, and he's a little bored." Ma Xun said distressedly, "I'll just take him out for a walk, Your Highness, or can you let me live outside?"

Zhu Biao said without thinking, "Uncle, do you think the yard is too small? Uncle is still too reserved. If you want to go to the training ground, can anyone stop you? It's okay to take Wangcai with you every day."

Ma Xun still said unwillingly, "After all, it is the palace. It is a little uncomfortable, but we can't break the rules."

Zhu Biao just passed the buck and said, "If my uncle wants to live outside, it's up to my parents to make the decision. How can I, a junior, make the decision for my elders?"

I have to say that the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty is really amazing. He is mature beyond his years.

Zhu Biao and Mu Ying rode horses, Ma Xun rode a donkey, and they were accompanied by some guards in distinctive armor, walking in Yingtian Prefecture.

Zhu Biao said, "Let's go to the Duke of E's mansion first. The Duke of E's wife is the closest to my mother."

Perhaps worried that Ma Xun would not understand, Mu Ying explained, "Duke E is now in the Northern Expedition, serving as the Deputy General of the Conquering the Enemy Army."

Ma Xun understood immediately that they were going to Chang Yuchun's residence. "Let's go around first, and then go to Tang Bo's house. Although Tang Bo is in Taiyuan now, Dad has the best relationship with him, and Fujian was pacified by Tang Bo." Zhu Biao continued, "Then go to Uncle Zhou's house, he and Tang Bo are both Dad's childhood friends."

Tang He and Zhou Dexing were both childhood friends of Zhu Yuanzhang. In terms of their childhood relationship, they were closer than Xu Da, who was from the same hometown.

Zhu Biao continued to make arrangements, saying, "Let's go to Uncle Xu's house, Uncle Guo's house, and Uncle Deng's house in the afternoon."

Ma Xun just listened. He had no say in these matters. Now he just had to follow the host's wishes.

As soon as they arrived at the Duke of E's mansion, a stout middle-aged woman immediately led her children to kneel down, "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Crown Prince."

"Please stand up, Madam Duke." Zhu Biao said with a gentle smile, "Today I have been ordered to take my uncle to visit relatives, and the first one is the Duke of E's family."

This middle-aged woman is Chang Yuchun’s wife, Chang Lan, who was Ma Xiuying’s right-hand man when she was in charge of the rear.

This tough woman followed Chang Yuchun when he was still a bandit, and she also brought along her brother Lan Yu, who was a burden. If she didn't have such a tough style, she would have been dead long ago.

Hearing Zhu Biao's words, Chang Lan smiled happily, while the girl next to her blushed.

This was Chang, the legitimate daughter of Chang Yuchun and Chang Lan, who was the same age as Zhu Biao. Even though they were not betrothed, they were definitely childhood sweethearts, just waiting for the official engagement.

There were three other young men beside Chang Lan, Chang Mao, Chang Sheng and Chang Sen. They all looked like naughty kids, and they were all dissatisfied and resentful.

After entering the mansion, Chang Lan asked with concern, "How is Her Majesty the Queen these days?"

Zhu Biao immediately said, "Well, my uncle has been found recently, and my mother is very happy."

The naughty kids have already swarmed to Mu Ying, asking him to teach them how to ride horses and fight. In the past, their uncle Lan Yu taught them how to fight, but now Lan Yu is also with the army in the Northern Expedition.

Chang Lan looked at Ma Xun happily and said, "The queen had no family members before, but now the uncle is here. Wan'er, why don't you kowtow to your uncle!"

Chang Wan immediately knelt down and said, "Niece greets uncle."

Ma Xun was numb and said to Zhu Biao, "Help her up. I don't have anything to give you. The Queen gave me something as a reward earlier, and I'll have someone send it over later."

Chang Wan immediately said, "Uncle has just arrived in the capital, how dare your niece trouble him to spend money."

Zhu Biao smiled and helped Chang Wan up and said, "Your uncle is not married yet, so you should accept what he gave you. He is your elder, so how can you refuse it?"

Looking at the boy and girl in front of him, Ma Xun smiled and said to Chang Lan, "I've always heard of golden boys and jade girls before, but I didn't know what they were like. I was too confident, the prince and your daughter are really like that."

Chang Lan said happily, "My uncle is so kind. My daughter looks quiet and gentle, but she is not very good at studying and needlework. It was all because of Old Chang who taught her some skills of riding a horse and using a spear."

Looking at Chang Wan, this is the Crown Princess Chang who gave birth to Zhu Biao's eldest son Zhu Xiongying in history.

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "You are not a stranger, so I won't be polite. Madam Guogong will prepare lunch. I have to take my uncle to visit other uncles' houses first and will be back soon."

Chang Lan, who was very sharp and swift, said immediately, "It would be ok to have some tea, right? Regardless of other matters, Wan'er must serve a cup of tea to the prince."

Zhu Biao thought it made sense, and Chang Mao and others were also brought over.

The one you pay respects to in front of the mansion gate is the prince, and now that you are inside the mansion, you have to pay respects to your step-uncle.

The future Crown Princess Chang brought tea, and Ma Xun took it without hesitation, "Next time you should not serve tea like this, the other gifts will be delivered soon. Take this gold leaf for the meeting."

Chang Wan's face flushed, but she was not shy, "Thank you for the reward, uncle."

"They are all awarded by the Queen, and they are all left for you." Ma Xun smiled and looked at Chang Lan and Zhu Biao, "If the Crown Prince gets married, according to folk customs, should my uncle sit at the head of the table?"

Zhu Biao was teased and became anxious. "Uncle, I am the crown prince, how can I get married with folk rites? When I get married, you will have to perform rites!"

Chang Wan quietly pulled Zhu Biao's sleeve, and the angry Zhu Biao immediately said, "My uncle hasn't married yet, does Madam Guogong know which families have good matches?"

The offensive and defensive situations are different, and this time it's Ma Xun's turn to be anxious!

(End of this chapter)