Ma Mingyuan asked, "Who do you want to be the county magistrate?"

Zhu Hongsan pondered for a while and asked, "Is there a good candidate for sir?" Ma Mingyuan originally wanted his brother Ma Jiyuan, but when he heard Zhu Hongsan's question, he knew that Ma Jiyuan was out of luck. How could he recommend his own brother?

Thinking of this, Ma Mingyuan said, "We have only four officials at hand, including the eldest brother, second cousin, Xu Dali, and Gong Dacheng. The eldest brother is too straightforward, and Xu Dali and Gong Dacheng cannot trust it now. Only Feng Ziyong's second brother is suitable."

Ma Mingyuan said exactly what Zhu Hongsan thought of, nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll ask my second brother to worry."

Two days later, Ma Mingyuan packed his luggage, Zhu Hongsan sent fifty people from his guard company to protect Ma Mingyuan, brought gold and jewelry, and set off for Nanzhili.

After seeing off Ma Mingyuan, Zhu Hongsan ordered the team to continue walking, and there would be another four hundred miles ahead to Shaoguan.

The team was walking through the Nanling Mountains, where the mountains were blocked by the mountains and the mountain road was rugged. There were deep deep ravines on both sides of the road, and they would fall down if they were not careful.

So far, Zhu Hongsan has lost more than a dozen people and three cannons. They all accidentally fell into the mountain stream. Zhu Hongsan ordered everyone to be absolutely careful, first of all, save their lives and do not have to be equipped with weapons.

After a difficult journey in the mountainous area for a month, I finally arrived in Chenzhou through a hundred miles of mountain road.

Chenzhou is the dividing line between the Yangtze River system and the Pearl River system. It is also the main transportation route from the Central Plains to South China. If you don’t go to Chenzhou, you have to detour Nanchang and enter Guangdong through Fujian. It is even more difficult to walk than here.

Chenzhou City is not big, just the size of Wuchang County. I roughly know the news that Zhang Xianzhong went south, and the four gates were closed. The soldiers walked outside on the city wall, and the atmosphere was very tense.

Seeing Zhu Hongsan walking out of the mountains, he was so scared that he whistled the sound of horns blew on the city wall.

When he arrived three miles in front of the city, Zhu Hongsan sent Qian Fatty to call the city with Ma Jiyuan's letter.

After a while, Fatty Qian came back and said, "The magistrate of Chenzhou said he wanted to meet Brother Ma."

Ma Jiyuan was stunned and said, "Want to see me? Do you recognize me?"

Zhu Hongsan said, "Brother, be careful."

Ma Jiyuan nodded and rode his horse to the city. He came over for a while before he came back. He looked happy.

Ma Jiyuan came to Zhu Hongsan and said, "I didn't expect that the magistrate of Chenzhou was the same year I used to be. I thought he was an official in Nanzhili, but I didn't expect that he was transferred to Chenzhou in the 13th year of Chongzhen."

It turned out to be an old classmate, so that would be easy. Zhu Hongsan ordered everyone to set up camp. Then he took Feng Ziyong and Zhu Hongyi to Chenzhou City.

When I came to the city, I saw someone greeting me at the city gate. At the door was a small middle-aged man. He was only 1.5 meters tall and was not very handsome.

Ma Jiyuan stepped forward and bowed, "Brother Shaohua, are you okay?"

The magistrate smiled and said, "Where, since we parted with each other in the palace examination, we haven't seen each other for more than ten years?"

Ma Jiyuan smiled and said, "Yes, it's been sixteen years since the first year of Chongzhen."

The prefect said, "There was news that Xinyang was lost a few years ago. I thought Ziming's brother died in his country, but I didn't expect to see him here."

When he heard his good friend say this, Ma Jiyuan blushed and turned around and glared at Zhu Hongsan. He said, "I am guilty, my father is alive. In addition, my family is trying to save me to escape back to Huguang. I am really living."

Zhu Hongsan said from the side: "Two, let's go in and find a place to say slowly. It's very windy outside the city."

The prefect said quickly: "Yes, go, go to my house. Let the cook two dishes in the bare house and have a good chat with Brother Ziming." After that, he led a few people into the city.

When Zhu Hongsan entered the city, he saw that the small Chenzhou city was well-managed, and couldn't help but say, "It seems that this magistrate has two tricks. Why don't we bring him with us when we leave?"

Feng Ziyong beside him was startled and quickly whispered: "My lord must not do this. It is already a shame for you to bring your elder brother back. If you are kidnapping his friend, he must die in front of you."

Zhu Hongsan said in his heart: "If you have known this group of stinky old masters, I will treat it as a shame for your whole family. If I had known this, I would have sacrificed my country for death."

Zhu Hongsan was fantasizing and watching the scenery, and then came to the prefect's yamen. Everyone came to the back house to sit down and greeted each other. After learning that Feng Ziyong was the magistrate of Hengzhou Prefecture, he was very polite to Feng Ziyong.

Hearing that Zhu Hongsan and Zhu Hongyi were family members, he was not polite and prepared a small table outside to let them eat outside.

Zhu Hongsan cursed angrily, and after dinner with Zhu Hongyi, he went back to Daying to sleep. When he was angry, the prefect looked down on him and stole two big bowls.

When he woke up the next day, he didn't see Ma Jiyuan and Feng Ziyong back. He probably lived in someone else's house. Zhu Hongsan thought maliciously, but the magistrate didn't know if he could let his concubine accompany Ma Jiyuan and Feng Ziyong?

There was nothing to do during the day, and the city gate of Chenzhou was also opened. Zhu Hongsan and Tong Yangjia went to the city to purchase daily necessities.

Seeing that Tong Yangjia's bookkeeper Gong Dacheng was quick to bargain with his friend to calculate the cost, Zhu Hongsan realized that this guy should not be a county magistrate, but should go to business.

In the evening, Ma Feng and the others came back. Zhu Hongsan grabbed Feng Ziyong and asked, "Second cousin, did the magistrate treat you with his concubine?"

Feng Ziyong was stunned and asked, "How do you know?"

Zhu Hongsan smiled and said, "I'll just say that you scholars are the most hypocritical. You are actually full of shit on the surface. You can only do this by changing your wife."

Feng Ziyong cursed: "What nonsense? How can a wife be exchanged? A concubine is just a slave, and she can't help but buy and sell. Why can't she exchange it?"

Zhu Hongsan was speechless. Yes, this era is like this, and women have no status. However, they cannot let their women sleep with others. They can consider sleeping with other women.

We originally decided to leave the next day, but we didn't expect that Ma Guoxiang fell ill when he arrived in Chenzhou. Yes, Ma Guoxiang is 65 years old, and this era is rare in the age of 60. It would be great to be able to live to 65 years old.

I thought he was just tired of the journey and would have to rest for a few days, but I didn't expect it to get worse and worse. After three days, I was almost out of reach. The doctor invited from the city told me to prepare for the funeral.

Ma Guoxiang's descendants immediately cried. Ma Jiyuan fainted twice.

On the fourth day, Ma Guoxiang began to return and arrange his funeral. Unexpectedly, what Ma Guoxiang wanted to see was Zhu Hongsan. This surprised Zhu Hongsan.

When he entered the tent, he saw Ma Guoxiang's red face and in a good state of mind. Zhu Hongsan knew that it was the last time. Ma Guoxiang asked Zhu Hongsan to come over and said, "Son-in-law, I hated you very much when you were young. I didn't agree with Xiaofang's intention to marry you, don't you blame me, right?"

Zhu Hongsan said: "My father-in-law, I was so naughty when I was young. Even if I have a daughter, I wouldn't look for such a person."

Ma Guoxiang continued: "I have been mistaken for the rest of my life, and it is you. I see what you have done over the years, and you are the one who wants to accomplish great things. I have one requirement that you must agree to me."

Zhu Hongsan said, "My father-in-law, please tell me."

"If you can really revive the Ming Dynasty in the future, you must leave a root for my Ma family. Jiyuan is too straightforward and Mingyuan is too passionate about fame and fortune. Jingyuan should not join your army. You will definitely not let them go in the future for stability. I don't blame you for this. They chose the road themselves, but I beg you to leave someone for my Ma family."

Zhu Hongsan was shocked when he heard Ma Guoxiang say this. Unexpectedly, no one could understand this outsider. Ma Mingyuan only saw the beauty of the Ma family by relying on himself. Ma Guoxiang saw the ruthlessness behind the beauty.

Ma Guoxiang held Zhu Hongsan's hand tightly and said, "Son-in-law, you must agree to me for Xiaofang's sake of giving birth to a legitimate son for you."

Seeing Ma Guoxiang's face quickly pale, Zhu Hongsan knew that Ma Guoxiang was about to die. Thinking of this, he should let him go to that world with peace of mind.

Zhu Hongsan lay down in Ma Guoxiang's ear and said, "My father-in-law, I promise you that when things are not done, I will leave a root for your Ma family."

When Ma Guoxiang heard Zhu Hongsan say this, he felt relieved and exhaled in one breath, leaving the world forever.

Zhu Hongsan sighed and came out to inform Ma Jiyuan. The Ma family went in and cried and cried without mentioning it.

Zhu Hongsan stood outside and looked at the starry sky, thinking that the Ma family could rely on him, but where was his way out?

Since such a big thing happened, everyone could not leave. They had to hold a funeral in the local area. Yu Magistrate of Chenzhou also came to pay his respects. Twenty-one days after the spirit was stopped, Ma Guoxiang was buried in a Fengshui treasure land in Chenzhou.

After these things, it was June, and the rainy season in the south was in the south. But there was no way to go. After Ma Jiyuan said goodbye to his friend, he set out with Zhu Hongsan. The next destination was Yizhang, the southern gate of Huguang. When he arrived in Yizhang, he left the mountains, with hilly areas in front of him.

However, if you want to get to Yizhang, you have to enter Huangling Mountain in Nanling, which is Qitianling Mountain, one of the five ridges. However, it was called Huangling Mountain in the Ming Dynasty.

The highest peak of Huangling Mountain is more than 1,600 meters, which is even harder than the mountains north of Chenzhou. In addition, the Yao bandits in the mountain come out from time to time to attack the team, which makes it even worse.

In the end, Zhu Hongsan was so angry that he couldn't lead the artillery to break the three villages, and the men, women, old and weak inside were killed. He also strung his head on the spear and stood on both sides of the road, which scared all kinds of bandits along the road.

After a long journey, I finally arrived in Yizhang on the second day of July.

Yizhang County is very small and there is nothing to see. Tong Yangjia took Yu Zhizhou's letter to the city for major purchases. The county magistrate didn't even have a fuck when he saw the letter from his boss.

After staying in Yichang for two days, we set off again. This time the road gradually got better and the mountains became smoother. Finally, we left the mountain area on July 20 and came to Lechang County, Guangdong.
Chapter completed!