The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 133 Empathy
Ma Xun, who has a lot of serious things to do, can't rest at all, mainly because there are too many things to do.

He got up early in the morning to wash and dress. This abnormal scene surprised many people in the mansion. What time is it? Why has the king's uncle gotten up?

While eating, Ma Xun said to Liu Shuning, "You will go to the palace in a while. In a few days, they will confer titles on the meritorious officials. I still have a lot of things to do."

Liu Shuning immediately replied, "I understand. I will go to the palace in a moment."

"Go with sister-in-law Chang, and bring Wan'er with you." Ma Xun ordered, "The court will confer titles on meritorious officials, and the harem will entertain the female relatives, so there will be a lot of things to do."

Liu Shuning nodded quickly. Coming from a family of officials, she had heard of these things.

But she had only listened before. As an unmarried woman and not a core member of the Huaixi Group, she naturally could not expect to participate in the reception of the ladies of honor.

But it is different now. Even if you are the youngest, you are still very "prominent" among the women of noble birth.

This is the embodiment of marrying a good husband. Nowadays, a wife is honored by her husband and a mother is honored by her son.

After talking about these things with Liu Shuning, Ma Xun went out. This time he was going to be the invigilator.

Compared to Ma Xun's nonchalance, the teachers and students at the Imperial Academy were a little worried because there was suddenly an additional exam.

Not only were they confused, even some of the readers and lecturers in the main hall were confused. They were all here on orders.

Different test questions were given according to the level of the students in the Imperial Academy.

Ma Xun took a careful look and found that the main points of the questions were defense of the northern border, recuperation, winning over the hearts of the people, and rectifying the administration of officials.

This is also the most important series of things in the Ming Dynasty now. Although most of the students in the Imperial Academy have no experience yet, it is necessary to let them know many things.

These scholars not only shook their heads and talked about various things, but also policy essays were extremely important to them.

Even though the Ming Dynasty now seems to be selecting scholars based on the eight-legged essay, students are still required to learn how to write articles on current political issues and offer suggestions to the court. This is also a reflection of the political ideas of these students.

Ma Xun was just invigilating and occasionally glanced at the students' essays, but he would not make any comments easily.

The task of marking the papers was still left to these lecturers, and the final test scores had to be handed over to Zhu Biao.

Ma Xun, who was basically confirmed as the chief examiner of the first imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty, got into the state in advance.

It is better to find out the levels of these students as early as possible so that we can make more targeted arrangements for the first examination next year.

Even if your grades are average, you can't make a fool of yourself.

After a day of supervising the exams, Ma Xun left the Imperial College amidst the anti-plague attitudes of the teachers and students, but he also became more and more worried.

It’s hard to say about next year’s imperial examination as the level of these students is really average.

Unless some students who are not studying at the Imperial College emerge, it will be difficult for truly talented people to emerge in next year's imperial examination.

He can't take care of these scholars now, as Ma Xun still has to continue training Zhu Chong and others.

"To the left!"

"To the left!"

"To the left!"

Zhu Chong and others had no objections. It was not difficult for them to turn to these things as long as they worked hard and focused.

Mu Ying whispered during the break, "I was worried that they were a little squeamish, but now I see that these people are suitable for the army."

Ma Xun also smiled and said, "I was also worried that they would be disobedient or too spoiled. After all, these are the descendants of noble princes and generals."

But looking back now, some of the previous worries were unnecessary, and Zhu Chong and others performed better than expected.

"Let them touch the weapons tomorrow." Ma Xun immediately made arrangements, "We need to continue to practice these formations, but it's not a good idea to have them line up all the time."

In the final analysis, the purpose is to motivate Zhu Chong and others a little bit. The boring formation training is just the basics.

When these guys' patience is about to run out, let them touch the weapons to boost their morale.

After boosting morale, these guys continued with the boring basic training when they thought they were about to enter a new chapter of training.

Zhu Chong, Chang Mao and others were full of yearning for the military camp, but it is hard to say whether they still yearn for it now.

Fortunately, they are still persisting now. Perhaps these young people also understand that they are just gaining experience now and they don’t have to do this all the time.

After all, they are being trained as soldiers now, and in the future these people will be either commanders or generals, and they will be the ones who train other soldiers.

Ma Xun was a little curious, "You have been a general since the age of eighteen, and you have made many military achievements over the years. You are not included in the list of meritorious officials this time. What do you think?"

Mu Ying said nonchalantly, "The life I was able to keep was all a gift from your Majesty and the Queen. Besides, your Majesty also appointed me as the General Guarding the Nation and the Assistant Governor of the Grand Military Governor's Office. I am satisfied."

The title of General Guarding the Nation is supposed to be conferred on the prince's other sons other than his eldest son.

Mu Ying was the first general defending the country of the Ming Dynasty, while Li Zhen and Ma Xun were the supreme generals defending the country.

Mu Ying was not only contented with what he had, but also grateful, so he didn't care that he was not given a title. Moreover, he also understood that although he had some military merits, they were not worth mentioning in the army.

If he were given a title, then a lot of people in the army would also be given titles.

People like Mu Ying and Lan Yu are the threshold. Only those with greater military achievements than them are qualified to be included in the discussion of conferring titles, otherwise they have to find a way to get an official position.

Zhu Chong ran over breathlessly and said, "Uncle, we have to go back first."

Ma Xun asked curiously, "What's going on?"

"The emperor wants us to rehearse the ceremony one hour in advance to confer titles on meritorious officials." Zhu Chong pointed at a black guy not far away and said, "Hua Wei is here. He said so."

Hua Wei's father is Hua Yun, one of Zhu Yuanzhang's most powerful generals in his early years. It is said that his personal bravery is even stronger than that of Chang Yuchun and others.

However, when the city was breached by Chen Youliang that year, Hua Yun was tied to the mast of a ship and shot to death by arrows. Hua Yun's wife also committed suicide by drowning.

Hua Yun's wife's maid took the three-year-old Hua Wei and hid everywhere. It took them more than half a year to escape back to Yingtian Prefecture, more than a hundred miles away.

Hua Wei is only fourteen years old now, and he is already the deputy captain of the Huben Youwei Army. He has always been Zhu Biao's study partner and playmate.

Ma Xun smiled and waved his hand, and Hua Wei immediately ran over, "Uncle of the King."

Ma Xun smiled and asked, "Is your mother okay now?"

"I'm fine." Hua Wei immediately said with a smile, "I went to pay my respects to the Queen a few days ago."

Hua Wei also knew how to be grateful. He always called his mother's maid Sun "Niang", and the fisherman Lei Laotou who helped them escape was also caring in every way.

"Ask the Crown Prince for permission in a few days and go back to Taiping Prefecture with your mother." Ma Xun sighed and said, "Find a way to find your mother's remains and bury them with your father."

Hua Wei immediately knelt down and said, "I will listen to the uncle and ask for his order when I return."

Mu Ying next to him had a serious expression, and Zhu Chong was a little uneasy. Could it be that when his uncle saw Hua Wei, he thought of himself?

Ma Xun then asked, "Can your mother's remains be found?"

"It's hard to say." Hua Wei said with some embarrassment, "The superiors also sent people to look for it, but they couldn't find it."

Ma Xun nodded slightly, and then said, "There was war back then, but now it's stable. Ask more people. There are still many old people in the army who can find out. In a few years, they will be gone, and it will be difficult for you to find them, understand?"

The more amiable Ma Xun was, the more worried Zhu Chong, Mu Ying and others became. By then, the Emperor and the Empress would also feel uncomfortable.

Ma Xun patted Hua Wei's head and said with a smile, "Would you like to study with the prince, or would you like to join the army?"

"I have no idea. I will listen to the superiors and the prince." Hua Wei said with a simple smile, "My mother also said that I am not smart and I only have brute force."

Ma Xun said, "Logically speaking, it's a good thing for you to follow the prince. But if you want a good future and live up to your father's reputation, it's better for you to join the army."

Hua Yun still said, "I will listen to the superior and the prince. My mother's words are also fine."

This silly boy seems to be a bit slow in the head, but he is not annoying.

Filial piety and honesty are also excellent qualities, and such younger generations are likable.

"Okay, then you go back first." Ma Xun said with a smile, "It's okay to ask your mother to come to my house. My Moth and your mother can chat together."

Hua Wei immediately smiled and said, "My mother and Aunt E don't have a good relationship. They always quarrel with each other."

Ma Xun was speechless. According to today's view, Hua Wei's wet nurse was a "loyal servant" who brought back the flesh and blood of her master and mistress with untold hardships and had been taking care of him with all her heart.

Xu E could be considered a chaste and virtuous woman. She was the same kind of person as Hua Wei's biological mother and wet nurse, but unexpectedly, they did not get along well.

"Then don't go." Ma Xun also laughed, "Take good care of your mother. It's not easy for her to bring you back."

Hua Wei nodded vigorously. In his opinion, the world was so important that apart from the emperor, empress and crown prince, his mother was the most powerful.

Watching Hua Wei riding back to the palace to report back, Ma Xun said with a smile, "This kid is interesting. I have to come over and train him properly."

"Uncle, this won't do." Mu Ying said quickly, "He only has this many children in his family. If he doesn't have any offspring, we definitely can't let him join the army."

Zhu Chong was also nodding vigorously. He had heard that Tang Bo was going to march to Sichuan and many people wanted to go to the war with him.

He also heard that General Xu, General Chang and others wanted to take his uncle to fight Wang Baobao. His uncle also wanted to go, but his father and mother would not allow it.

The reason is very simple. My uncle has no children, and the Ma family now only has one child.

Ma Xun then waved his hand and said, "Pack up and you all go back."

Ma Xun then went to find Chen Zhidong. The actual manager of the school had now been transferred to the Grand Marshal's Office and was already a fifth-rank official.

This is a promotion. This is the Experience Department of the Governor's Office. This is considered a meteoric rise, a promotion of several levels.

If you get things done and achieve political achievements, you will naturally be promoted!
(End of this chapter)