The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 117 Power makes people lost
It would be enough to stay in the palace for a few days. You can avoid the limelight for the time being and don't have to worry about too much trouble.

But when Ma Xun just got home, He Da came running over and said, "Uncle, Prime Minister Li sent someone to deliver a visiting card."

"Why did he send another visiting card?" Ma Xun's scalp suddenly tingled, "Is this going to end?"

He Daze explained, "Someone in Li Xiang's mansion said that Li Xiang was implicated in the punishment of the emperor's uncle by His Majesty, and he felt uneasy, so he sent a visiting card and wanted to come to apologize."

Ma Xun was speechless for a moment, because Li Shanchang's words seemed to make some sense.

This is really a funeral being celebrated as a happy occasion. The normal understanding is that Li Shanchang and others will not come to look for Ma Xun again because of guilt.

But a man like Li Shanchang obviously would not do so. He had always felt that he was not close enough to Ma Xun, and now he found a reason to pay him a visit.

Apologize, make a gesture, give certain benefits as compensation when appropriate, etc.

After so much interaction, it may seem that the relationship is not close enough at first, but it is hard to say what it will be like in the future.

After all, people like Li Shanchang are extremely good at winning people over. He still feels that he has some control over a country bumpkin like Ma Xun and thinks that he has no big problem.

Seeing that Ma Xun wanted to refuse, Liu Shuning smiled and said, "Husband, I don't think there is any need to avoid suspicion. Husband has made up his mind, how can Li Xiang change it with a few words."

Ma Xun thought about it and it made sense, so he said, "Okay, when he really gets to know me, he'll realize how ridiculous what I'm doing now is."

Liu Shuning thought so too. Once Ma Xun made up his mind, even if the emperor and the empress tried to persuade him, it would not change much.

Li Shanchang's few words to win over others obviously did not have much effect.

After all, he is a Huaixi noble. At this stage, Li Shanchang is still one of the most important figures among the Huaixi nobles. On the surface, he is Zhu Yuanzhang's confidant and loyal minister. It is impossible to say that he is disloyal now.

Even if they were not in agreement with each other in heart, they had to put on some superficial show to make people who did not know the inside story think that the Huaixi nobles were relatively united.

Chang Mao was diligent in visiting people. "Uncle, I heard that you were scolded by His Majesty in the court?"

Seeing the boy gloating, Ma Xun asked, "Do you feel happy listening to this?"

Chang Mao nodded vigorously, not hiding his thoughts at all, "Who told your uncle not to do his job all day? It would be great if you could go hunting and train with me, but you had to get involved with the civil officials."

Ma Xun looked at Chang Mao and said, "Go back and tell your father that the family should prepare. The grand ceremony of conferring honors on meritorious officials will be held next month, and then Marquis Enqin and I will go to your house."

"Is it really going to be settled?" Chang Mao was both excited and sad. "My sister is so young, why is she getting married?"

Ma Xun said unhappily, "The wedding will be next year, and your sister will be seventeen by then. Go back quickly and prepare everything you need to prepare."

Chang Mao thought about it carefully and asked again, "Uncle, you didn't arrange a marriage for me?"

"You?" Ma Xun thought for a moment and said, "You should wait another two years until your sister enters the palace. How about finding you a noble family or a duke family?"

Chang Mao quickly said in a flattering way, "No, no, I still want to find a civil servant. Uncle, how about you go and talk to me about this? Otherwise, I will really have to find a noble family for me!"

Although Chang Mao is usually noisy, he is very clear about some things.

"Then you can just hope that your sister will give birth to a nephew for you soon, then everything will be easy." Ma Xun encouraged, "It's also difficult to find a marriage for you."

In history, Chang Mao's wife was Feng Sheng's legitimate daughter, but history has long since changed.

For example, if Chang Yuchun was still alive, it would be impossible for Zhu Yuanzhang to deprive Chang Wan of her love and appoint her as the Crown Princess before the mourning period was over.

As for Chang Mao, as long as Chang Yuchun is still alive, it would be a little inappropriate to let the two powerful dukes marry.

Chang Mao nodded repeatedly and said, "I think so too. It would be great to find a family of scholars."

My mother is strong and is suppressed by her sister's bloodline. If she finds a powerful wife, Chang Mao will feel that every day will be a hard day for him.

Liu Shuning next to him joked, "I don't know the people in Huaixi very well, but I do know some of the ladies from the civil service."

Chang Mao quickly flattered, "Then I'll ask my aunt to find me a good-looking, well-educated and well-mannered woman. She must be gentle and considerate, and not jealous. I need to take in more concubines."

Ma Xun immediately said with disdain, "Get out of here. You are just a kid, what are you thinking about every day?"

Chang Mao laughed and ran away, but soon he heard Chang Yuchun's loud voice, "Little brother, are you home?"

Ma Xun stood up and walked to the door, "Brother Chang, aren't you talking nonsense? What I just said to Chang Mao, can I not be at home?"

"Has the time been decided?" Chang Lan asked excitedly, "What should our family prepare?"

Ma Xun did not hide it, "Your Majesty means three ceremonies, but the ceremonies like the wild goose may have to be removed. I will go to Tao Kai to discuss it later. The prince's wedding must be taken seriously." "Three ceremonies?" Chang Lan was a little surprised, but then said, "So, Old Chang can stay in the capital?"

Chang Yuchun actually wanted to join the fight against Sichuan next year, but he also understood that this was probably unrealistic.

When we go to fight Mingxia next year, any discerning person can see that the emperor is making preparations for Tang and the title of Duke. The combination of soldiers, generals, routes, etc. are all carefully considered by the emperor.

Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong, Deng Yu, and even Feng Sheng would not participate in this war.

Ming Xia was at the end of its strength. As long as Tang He performed a little more normally, with the assistance of the generals and officers, he would definitely be credited with destroying the country, and being conferred the title of Duke would be a natural outcome.

"Brother Chang will definitely not be able to leave this year or next year, but Brother Xu will probably leave soon." Ma Xun said with a smile, "After we defeat Mingxia, we will leave to fight Helin."

Chang Yuchun was also a little excited. Although he wanted to fight Mingxia, he still wanted to fight Helin the most. To destroy the remnant Yuan was the ultimate pursuit for a general.

"Uncle, are you going to the war?" Chang Mao asked curiously, "I heard that your school has a lot of military doctors, and they are all preparing to go to Sichuan. If they are all sent to Sichuan, how can you go to fight in Helin?"

Ma Xun explained, "This group of people have learned some basics and will go to Mingxia for some training. When the time comes, they will come back and follow us to the north to fight the Tartars."

Attacking Ming Xia in Sichuan and King Liang and the Duan family in Yunnan and Guizhou were not the goals of the top generals of the Ming Dynasty.

Chang Mao asked curiously, "Uncle, why don't you go fight the Tartars? Uncle, how about you take me with you? We can serve as the vanguard under my father's command."

Chang Lan was also looking forward to seeing Ma Xun. Everyone felt relieved when Ma Xun, the miracle doctor, was there. Moreover, Old Chang had made so many contributions, and his daughter was about to become the Crown Princess. How could he have made so many more contributions?

Ma Xun was a little embarrassed. "I don't know about this right now, but I want to go anyway. Let's see how things go. I'll be able to tell you when there's some movement next year or the year after next."

Everyone knew what was going on. If Ma Xun had no children, he would not be able to go anywhere.

Ma Xun understood this principle, and so did Chang Yuchun and others. So even if everyone wanted to invite Ma Xun to join the expedition, they had to choose the right time.

Only a fool like Chang Mao could not understand that if Chang Yuchun and others often mentioned these things, Ma Xiuying would be unhappy.

Chang Lan changed the subject and said, "Little brother, if it is really the Three Ceremony, does this matter still require the participation of Prime Minister Li?"

There was nothing that could be done about it, because Li Shanchang was involved in so many things, including the enthronement of princes, weddings, and even coronation ceremonies. He basically participated in the formulation of some rules.

"Yes." Ma Xun did not hide it, "It's just that some of the rules he set before may not be appropriate now. For example, the previous canonization of several princes actually changed a little."

Chang Yuchun said somewhat dissatisfiedly, "After Li Xiang returned to Beijing, he has been moving around a lot. I am a little afraid of him now."

Ma Xun deeply agreed with this. Li Shanchang's desire for power was so frightening. This minister who had made great contributions seemed to have no idea what "it is difficult to be rewarded for one's great contributions" meant.

"I don't care what he thinks." Ma Xun said, "It's just that he wants to have a good relationship with me now, and I think he will want to have a good relationship with you soon."

Chang Yuchun was confident, "My relationship with Prime Minister Li has always been neither good nor bad, but he may have to visit more frequently in the future."

Now Li Shanchang is closer to Xu Da and Li Wenzhong. He is a real "Huaixi person", but it is hard to say what will happen in the future.

For Li Shanchang, the ideal situation would be that all the important people in Huaixi had a good relationship with him, especially those who were close to the emperor, with whom he wanted to have a good relationship.

He wanted to make those Huaixi people who were of lower status than him and not as close to the emperor his younger brothers.

As for the people from eastern Zhejiang and so on, that is another matter. He obviously will not accept all of them as his disciples.

Ma Xun and Chang Yuchun looked at each other, and they also felt a deep sense of helplessness.

When it comes to Li Shanchang's abilities and so on, in some aspects the two of them combined cannot compare to Li Shanchang.

It is said that for someone as well-versed in the ways of officialdom as Li Shanchang, how could it be that there were some things that he just couldn't see through? Or even if he saw through them, he was unwilling to let go and still held on to some luck in his heart.

It may also be that power really makes people lose their way, and Li Shanchang was unwilling to give up even a little bit of power.

These are all very possible things, but based on some of Li Shanchang's current actions, he may have more and more disagreements and estrangements with Zhu Yuanzhang.

When that time really comes, I can't blame anyone else. Ma Xun will definitely not beg for mercy anyway.

Even though they were the so-called Huaixi people, Ma Xun couldn't become friends with everyone, nor did he think he had the ability to please everyone.

It is better to just do what you are supposed to do. Some people may try to persuade you, but if that doesn't work, just let it go.

(End of this chapter)