The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 55 Something happened

Perhaps guessing what Ma Xun was thinking, Ma Xiuying said, "You are the emperor's uncle, do you know what this means?"

Ma Xun smiled and said, "It's about wealth and honor. Civil and military officials, princes and generals all give me some face when they see me."

Ma Xiuying said seriously, "It's good that you know this. You also know that you have wealth and splendor. If you were a domineering and arrogant person, your brother-in-law and I would find a way to settle you down. It wouldn't be a big deal for the Ming Dynasty to raise a useless person."

Ma Xun quickly said, "Sister, I'm not much better than trash."

"You are a coward and a slippery person!" Ma Xiuying said bluntly, "You are afraid that one day your brother-in-law will kill you. You are afraid that I will not acknowledge you as my brother and it will be difficult for me to have descendants in the future!"

Ma Xun was speechless for a moment, but then he said, "I haven't thought about it that much. I just don't like those smart people like Li Xiangguo."

Hearing Ma Xun's true feelings, Ma Xiuying felt relieved for a moment. In the past, her younger brother never talked about these things, as if no one was willing to believe them.

Ma Xiuying asked seriously, "It's okay if you just want to idle away, just tell me. As long as you tell me, no one will care if you eat, drink, play, and idle away in the future. No one, whether civil officials or military generals, will be allowed to visit you."

Ma Xun was a little moved for a moment, but after thinking about it, he said, "I still want to do something, but I don't want to be too involved in government affairs."

This may sound hypocritical, but Ma Xiuying can understand it. It's just that he doesn't want to get involved in the court struggle.

Ma Xiuying said seriously, "Do you know why your brother-in-law wants you to manage the Imperial College?"

Seeing Ma Xun shaking his head, Ma Xiuying said, "Your brother-in-law doesn't have many scholars under his command. Now that he is going to govern the country, it's time for scholars to rule. Tell me yourself, who else can he find besides the people from eastern Zhejiang?"

"Don't students of the Imperial College come from all over the country?" Ma Xun didn't quite understand. "I heard that the provincial governments recommended students to the Imperial College. How could they all be from eastern Zhejiang?"

"There are many people in eastern Zhejiang, and they hold high positions!" Ma Xiuying said bluntly, "It is difficult for others to stand out. Will the Ming Dynasty have to have factional struggles like the Song Dynasty? And regionalism?"

Yes, there will definitely be. There will always be regional discrimination and the like.

However, if it involves party disputes or something like that, then we cannot think so. We have to deal with it carefully.

Ma Xiuying continued, "Your brother-in-law never worries about military affairs. Even if some people have more thoughts, your brother-in-law can suppress them. Now that the country is established, it is difficult to govern. You have to train a group of officials for the Ming Dynasty!"

Ma Xun felt the pressure instantly, "Sister, I don't have that ability!"

"I'm not asking you to teach, I'm asking you to watch over them and make sure they don't teach the wrong things!" Ma Xiuying said more bluntly, "The officials in your brother-in-law's hands are either unsuccessful students like Prime Minister Li, or former officials who once worked for the Yuan court like your father-in-law. These people can be used, but they shouldn't be used all the time!"

Ma Xun tried hard to digest it, and then asked, "Is it to train a group of Ming officials?"

Ma Xiuying smiled and nodded, "We need to teach this group of people well. Most of the officials in the Ming Dynasty are from the Yuan Dynasty. When we have enough officials in the Ming Dynasty, many things will be easier."

There are not enough officials. This is the dilemma Zhu Yuanzhang always faced.

His territory was getting bigger and bigger. It was easy to conquer it, but it was not easy to govern it. Except for a few who came to surrender voluntarily, most of them just let the original officials stay in office after conquering the territory.

This would certainly not make Zhu Yuanzhang feel at ease. He needed to train his own civil servants, rather than a group of officials who seemed to have no choice but to serve the Ming Dynasty.

Especially since most of these officials were at the grassroots level and served as temporary officials, it is inevitable that people will think too much that the officialdom during the Yuan Dynasty can be said to be extremely corrupt.

Seeing that Ma Xun seemed to be thinking about something, Ma Xiuying said, "You don't have to worry about going to the Secretariat. It's not your turn yet. You don't have to worry about Prime Minister Li either. He's fifty-six years old and hasn't been in good health lately."

Poor health?

Li Shanchang has been in poor health for a period of time. Who knows how long he can live without any accidents?
Ma Xiuying smiled and said to Ma Xun, "Prime Minister Li, you can move around, but you are not allowed to have any contact with Hu Weiyong, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites. This man was recommended by Prime Minister Li, and he has both ability and ideas."

Ma Xun nodded repeatedly and said, "I will definitely not have any dealings with Hu Weiyong and will stay away from him."

"Don't have anything to do with Yang Xian, the Left Chancellor of the Secretariat, and others." Ma Xiuying said simply, "Except for those in the army, you can ignore all the people in the Secretariat." Ma Xiuying was still giving Ma Xun instructions on the situation in the court when she suddenly saw Zhu Yuanzhang coming towards her angrily.

"Look! Look!" Zhu Yuanzhang threw a letter on the table with force. "Mu Ying disobeyed the general's order. What a great prestige!"

Ma Xiuying was shocked. "No way? Wenying is not like that."

"He doesn't dare, but someone else does!" Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily, "He returned without an imperial decree and still wanted to enforce military law. Feng Zongyi thought I dare not kill him!"

Ma Xiuying's face turned pale. After reading Feng Sheng's letter impeaching Mu Ying, she naturally also saw the report from Mu Ying and others.

"Zhongba, you have to issue an edict immediately, otherwise the battle at Guanlong will be in vain." Ma Xiuying said immediately, "Let Tiande go back immediately. I don't trust Feng Sheng anymore."

Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily, "How could he think of returning to the frontline in the middle of winter? Will Wang Baobao still fight if we return now?"

Ma Xun quickly asked, "Brother-in-law, is everything okay in Guanlong?"

"It shouldn't be a big problem. Feng Sheng only took a part of the troops." Zhu Yuanzhang said with a heavy breath, "It's better that you like to think the worst of others, otherwise you will miss the big opportunity!"

Ma Xun didn't know for a moment whether this was a compliment or a criticism, but since it wasn't a big problem, that was good.

Ma Xiuying also said with lingering fear, "Although Feng Sheng has made many mistakes before, this time he was too reckless."

Zhu Yuanzhang also said angrily, "He thinks he conquered the Ming Dynasty just because he has some ability. No one else can beat Wang Baobao! I will punish such arrogant and brave generals sooner or later!"

"I was just telling you that the army is under your control and there's nothing to worry about, but now Feng Sheng is doing this!" Ma Xiuying said angrily, "These arrogant soldiers are not the same, we need to set rules for them."

In recognition of his merits, he was naturally granted a title of nobility, appointed as a general, and rewarded with gold, silver, jewelry, etc.

But you must not be arrogant because of your achievements, and you should not rely on your achievements to touch the emperor's bottom line again and again.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Ma Xun and asked, "You don't want to go to your father-in-law, you don't want to go to Xu Da, you want your sister to teach you how to be an official?"

Ma Xiuying immediately defended him and said, "We just talked about him, so don't talk about him anymore. If you talk too much, he won't dare to enter the palace. It's hard to get close to him."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Ma Xun and said, "My dear brother, you are my brother-in-law. There are some things you can't avoid. Whether you like it or not, things will come to you."

Ma Xun knew what was going on. "I just told my sister that I was being petty before."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "I don't blame you. If you weren't careful, you wouldn't be alive today. I just want to tell you that your sister is the queen and your nephew is the prince. You have to protect your nephew!"

Ma Xun subconsciously replied, "Then give me an official position in the Eastern Palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled happily, and Ma Xiuying also said quickly, "I didn't tell you before because I was afraid you would think too much. When you get married, I will give you the title of Prince's Junior Tutor, and it will be convenient for you to go in and out of the East Palace. You should spend more time with Biao'er!"

The Ming Dynasty now only has the 'Third Young Master of the Crown Prince' instead of the Third Master of the Crown Prince.

In other words, Ma Xun was promoted to the same position as Li Shanchang, and at the same level as Xu Da's Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince and Chang Yuchun's Junior Protector of the Crown Prince.

Such promotions naturally do not represent official positions or actual power, but these promotions, which symbolize honor and status, are enough to illustrate a person's status in the emperor's mind, as well as his future plans.

Junior Master?

I impart knowledge to the prince?

(End of this chapter)