Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 124 Another powerful backer has emerged! The Marquis of Zhongshan's Mansion

"If the son is good, then Wen boy is even better."

At this moment, Tang He silently decided that he must be very grateful to this man named Ma Wenxiang for raising his son to be so outstanding, even surpassing the Hanlin scholar Song Lian.

……

"Great, really great."

"You're Wenxiang, the one who raised my son to be a prodigy? You don't look very old, but your thoughts are very righteous."

Do you know who I am?

Tang He was so excited that he didn't wait for the Imperial Academy before arriving in front of Ma Wenxiang.

At this moment, Ma Wenxiang and his son Ma Xiulin are traveling together.

As soon as he stepped outside, he saw the Marquis standing before him.

Ma Wenxiang looked at his face, stroked his chin, and then quickly came to his answer. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "This humble subject greets the Marquis of Zhongshan."

Ma Wenxiang was quite clear about the circumstances surrounding Tang He's bestowal of titles and honors, so while others might not recognize Tang He's noble status, Ma Wenxiang knew it all too well.

How did you recognize me?

Seeing that Ma Wenxiang was right, Tang He became interested and looked at him again with his eyes slightly narrowed.

In response, Ma Wenxiang scratched his head, feigning the naivety of a young man, and then laughed, "Naturally, it's because the Marquis looks exactly like Tang Ding that I was able to recognize him by sheer luck."

Ma Wenxiang's words sounded like flattery, but Tang He liked to hear them.

Praising himself might not have much effect, but praising his own son really hits the nail on the head.

Normally, this might not have had much effect, but the good thing is that yesterday, Tang Ding, this usually unreliable kid, gave his old father a huge surprise.

The old father was filled with gratitude, so the effect of this flattery was naturally the strongest; it wouldn't have been so effective under normal circumstances.

"Remember, the Marquis of Zhongshan's mansion owes you a favor."

"As long as you're still alive, as long as it's not some heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family, as long as you haven't offended the Emperor, the Marquis of Zhongshan's mansion will guarantee your official career and ensure the safety of your Ma family."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis."

Ma Wenxiang cupped his hands in thanks, and his father, Ma Xiulin, did the same.

Tang He merely returned the greeting indifferently, then glanced at Ma Xiulin, recognized her face, and then stopped there.

Ultimately, the reason he came today was not to see Ma Xiulin, but to see Ma Wenxiang; he was not concerned about the other aspects of the Ma family.

He wasn't as concerned as one might imagine.

So what if it's the Empress's maternal clan?

All these old brothers really care about is the Empress herself, nothing more.

Watching Tang He slowly leave, Ma Xiulin sighed.

Yesterday he might have refused to accept his fate, but now he has no choice but to.

He looked at his beloved son with a complicated expression, pinching his lips as if about to say something, but Ma Wenxiang patted his shoulder first, then said in a condescending tone, "Dad, you're the dad, and I'm the son. Between us, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine, so let's not go through all that pretense, okay?"

Seeing that Ma Wenxiang had said so, Ma Xiulin, the father, could only agree with a wry smile.

Even now, the son makes all the decisions regarding various aspects of the family.

As the father, he should take this seriously.

Ma Wenxiang was even more satisfied.

Naturally, after getting past the old man...

This youngest son of his family has undoubtedly won over another person, and it is a huge step closer to him taking control of the entire Ma family and ensuring that the Ma family continues to follow his plans.

The benefits are not immediately apparent, but their true importance will become clear when they become useful.

Ma Xiulin waved his hand and then went to his destination.

He couldn't go to the Imperial Academy, but thanks to the Ma family's connections, the first imperial examination of the year, and Ma Wenxiang's status, Ma Xiulin had a place to go in the capital. His acquaintances were all learned and talented people, which allowed him to improve his literary skills and cultural background.

When the day comes, let alone a mere scholar, even a successful candidate in the imperial examinations should have a very high chance of succeeding, relying on the eight-legged essay method they learned before.

……

Kunning Palace.

Ma Xiuying, who had just walked out of the Wuying Hall, had a strange look on her face, as if she did not quite understand the changes that had taken place in the palace recently.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know what was wrong.

"What's wrong, Your Highness?"

When she returned to the palace, Sun Miaoran kindly stepped forward and asked her questions in a low voice.

"It's nothing."

Ma Xiuying forced a smile, but anyone with eyes could see that something was off about her.

But since she, as the mistress, has already said this, it's not appropriate for ordinary people to offer any further advice.

Sun Miaoran bowed and then naturally withdrew to attend to her duties.

At that moment, a thought began to stir in Ma Xiuying's mind, and she thought of Ma Wenxiang, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

The woman's intuition told her that if Ma Wenxiang were present at that moment, he might be able to answer her questions.

Just as Ma Xiuying was hesitating, she heard a series of sounds rise again, making the entire Kunning Palace seem somewhat lively.

"Mother. Your son has come again with his mistresses. Why are you so unhappy?"

Did someone upset your mother?

"Your son will definitely avenge Mother. Who is it?"

Zhu Shuang waved his little fist, looking fierce, but the words he spoke at that moment were gentle and heartwarming.

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuying felt a warmth in her heart, and then looked at Zhu Gang, the third son, and Zhu Di, the fourth son, behind him.

Before she could speak, Sun Miaoran, who had just left, rushed into the palace, her face ashen, as if something terrible had happened: "Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The Tenth Prince has caused trouble! He just stoned that eunuch to death!"

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuying's mood, which had just improved, was now completely buzzing again. "How dare he?"

Ma Xiuying had some impression of the Tenth Prince Zhu Qiang before. Most importantly, this child was the child of Consort Sun, who had the best relationship with her in the palace.

The other party's child has committed such a serious crime. In other dynasties, this might not have been a big deal, but in today's world, Ma Xiuying is someone she simply cannot get past.

After Sun Miaoran finished speaking, she lowered her head. Zhu Shuang, who was usually a troublemaker in the palace, was also slightly stunned.

After realizing what he'd said, he spoke again: "Unlikely? Him? Does he even have the guts?"