The Ma family mansion located southwest of Tokyo City is the residence of Ma Quanyi, a famous general in the early Song Dynasty. At that time, Ma Quanyi was brave and resourceful, and was deeply trusted by the two emperors of Song Taizu and Song Taizong. When he was at the highest position, he was appointed as the envoy of the Dongshang Pavilion. The Privy Council was appointed as the Minister of the Privy Council and was promoted to the Privy Council. At that time, the Ma family could be said to be in a glorious situation, and the Ma family was also very lively.

However, since Ma Quanyi's death, the Ma family has been like most generals, and there are no outstanding figures in the family. They can only watch the family decline step by step. In the end, the Ma family's mansion has become a large house. From a distance, the Ma family's mansion still covers a vast area and is very strict. However, when you get closer, you will find that many buildings in the Ma family's mansion have long become dilapidated, and many branches of the Ma family have also found another way out, leaving only one of the long houses who is still guarding the afterglow of the Ma family's mansion.

Originally, there were many generals like the Ma family that were gradually declining. If nothing unexpected happened, the Ma family would probably continue like this until they consumed the last bit of residual beauty left by their ancestors and became an ordinary citizen. However, the Ma family has a turning point, and this turning point comes from Ma Delang, the head of the Ma family.

Ma Derang has been tall and powerful since he was a child. He also likes to practice martial arts and military books. This is quite magnificent in his ancestor Ma Quanyi. But as the saying goes, the times create heroes. Ma Quanyi was born in a chaotic world. In the end, he used his own abilities to leave a large foundation for his descendants. However, Ma Derang was born in the most peaceful period of Renzong. Although the Song Dynasty had two great enemies, Liao and Xixia, they were still peaceful. People like Ma Derang had no place to use their skills. In addition, their Ma family was in decline, so they didn't even have a way to send him to the imperial guards. As a result, Ma Derang was so high that he could not make a low position. He stayed at home for decades, but still achieved nothing in his last forty years.

Although some people felt sympathy for Ma Dejang's experience, more people were watching jokes, and many even made fun of him in person. They thought that Ma Dejang's life had just passed mediocrely, but no one expected that Ma Dejang's eldest son Ma Tong used his parents' power to send Ma Tong to Zhao Yan to lose weight. As a result, it led to the establishment of the military academy later. Ma Tong withdrew because he could not bear the hardship, but Ma Dejang took the shamelessness to go to the military academy on his own behalf, and trained with a group of little guys who were enough to be his son every day. For this reason, the Ma family attracted greater ridicule, and there were all things behind it. Even his wife advised him to give up, but Ma Dejang still stubbornly persisted.

As the saying goes, "Heaven will never let go of the world." Ma Derang's persistence finally got rewards. After graduating from military academy, he joined the Western Army and happened to face the battle to destroy Xia. In this battle, he fought steadily, from a small Dutou to a battalion commander, and later promoted to the military capital Yuhou. Although Yuhou could only be considered a middle-level general in the army, with Ma Derang's qualifications, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would be promoted to the commander of the army in the future. It is not impossible to be a commander of the wing. You must know that this is the highest general of the local army and is definitely a senior in the army.

It is precisely because of Ma De's personal efforts and promotion that the Ma family, which was in a state of tranquility, was able to regain their vitality. When the Ma family went out, they could stand up again and speak with some confidence. Those who looked down on and laughed at the Ma family in the past were also so shameless that they hid far away. Many people even came to visit and tried to repair the relationship between the Ma family.

The Ma family mansion has been even more lively these days, because Ma Dejang was transferred back from the northwest. This time the imperial court rectified the imperial guards in the capital, but Ma Dejang's army was almost the first to be transferred back. Taking advantage of this opportunity, many people came to visit with gifts. After all, Ma Dejang has a broad future in the future, and he can have multiple ways to be able to make friends with him.

Seeing the lively scene at home, Ma Dejang was also very happy and personally received everyone who came to visit. After all, although the Ma family showed signs of revival, its foundation was still too weak. At this time, it was absolutely not safe. In addition, the family was all up to him, so he sent his son and nephew who were more prosperous at home to the military academy a few years ago. People graduated this year and next year. When these next generations of the Ma family gained a foothold in the army like him, the Ma family would have a real foundation.

Today, Ma Dejang refused all those who asked for a visit and asked someone to prepare a sumptuous banquet early to entertain someone. The Ma family also attached great importance to the arrival of this person. Not only did Ma Dejang sit by himself, but also a few of his brothers and a few more promising people among his nephews. It can be said that important figures of the Ma family have all come.

"Brother Zhe, I said at the beginning that as long as you come to the capital, the best spirits here are full. How can you taste the wine? Is it better than the alcohol in our army?" Ma Delang raised his wine glass and smiled at the middle-aged man in his thirties in front of him. The northwest was bitter and cold. Most of the people in the army were addicted to alcohol, but there was no alcohol in the army. Only the doctors of the army had alcohol. Some people who were good at alcohol should ask for some alcohol when they were injured, and then mixed it with water as wine.

I saw that the middle-aged man was extremely tall. Even if he sat there, he was still one head taller than other people sitting there. He was extremely powerful. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, square ears, and wide mouth. His cheeks were a bit of wind and frosty in the northwest. I saw that the extremely tall middle-aged man drank the wine in front of him and couldn't help laughing: "Although good wine is not as spicy as the alcohol in the army, it has a long and endless aftertaste. This wine cannot be seen in the northwest!"

"Haha~, that's natural. The alcohol in the army is used to treat wounds, and there is no other taste except spicy. However, we drink aged wine for more than five years. This thing cannot be bought even if we have money. Fortunately, someone sent a few jars a while ago, otherwise I could only invite you to drink aged wine for three years. The taste was just a little short!" Ma Delang laughed again at this time. The tall man sitting in front of him was Zhe Kexing. It was a coincidence that when he was promoted to Yuhou, he happened to work under Zhe Kexing, who was the commander of the army. The two worked together in the northwest for several years. Not only did they cooperate tacitly, but they also had a good personal relationship. This time they were transferred to the imperial guards in the capital together. As a landlord, Ma Delang naturally had to hold a banquet to entertain him.

"Father, five years of aging is not a top-notch wine. I heard that His Highness King Yue still has ten years of aging wine hidden there. I heard that just by smelling it, you can get drunk. Unfortunately, Your Highness King Yue hid it very strictly and didn't show it to others!" At this moment, a young man sitting below also smiled and saw that this young man was about twenty years old, with a very strong figure and a little similar to Ma Delang. He was his son Ma Yong, who had just graduated from the military academy this year. Originally, Ma Yong was going to be assigned to the imperial guards in the capital, but Ma Yong was unwilling to do so. Instead, he insisted on going to the Hebei army because he felt that he could train himself in the frontier, which made Ma Delang very happy. He went to plead with Zhang Zai in person, which fulfilled his son's wish.

"Haha, you don't know this. In fact, Your Highness King Yue is not good at drinking, but he has a group of friends who are good at drinking, such as Ping Geer of Huyan's family, Song Geer of Cao's family, and Su Zizhan's literati, all of whom are good at drinking, and often run to King Yue, so Your Highness King Yue probably doesn't have much wine in his hands." Ma Delang laughed again. He was the first batch of students in the military academy and had the most contact with Zhao Yan, so he also knew the most about Zhao Yan's affairs.

When Zhe Kexing, who was sitting next to him, heard Ma Derong’s father and son mention Zhao Yan, he also showed a very interested expression on his face. He thought for a while and said, "Brother Derong, you father and son have both graduated from the military academy. I wonder if you can tell me about the affairs in the military academy?"

"Uncle Zhe, if you want to listen to the things in the military academy, you have to ask me. My father has graduated from the military academy for many years. The changes in the military academy have been very big over the years. My father is definitely not as clear as me!" At this time, Ma Yong spoke first. He is familiar with him and can speak with anyone he meets.

"You little brat, although I graduated from the military academy, I pay great attention to the military academy and I don't know less than you!" Ma Derang said very dissatisfied.

"Haha, brother Delan, why are you fighting with your child? And I think Ma Yong's virtuous nephew is very eloquent, and he must be better than you!" Zhe Kexing also laughed at this time. He actually realized that Ma Delan is very particular about Ma Yong's son, and this time he wanted to take this opportunity to introduce Ma Yong to himself, so that Ma Yong's path in the army will be wider in the future.

When Ma Yong heard Zhe Kexing, he also told himself that he became even more arrogant and drank a glass of wine. He started talking about the origin of the military academy, and then talked about the development and changes of the military academy in recent years, as well as some general courses in the military academy. Of course, he would never dare to pass on some secrets in the military academy that cannot be passed on, even if Zhe Kexing is a general in the military.

Zhe Kexing also listened very seriously. He said that he lost his father since he was a child and took on the important task of the family when he was a teenager. Although he had heard of military academy before, he had never had the opportunity to come to study. However, in recent years, he found that more and more generals from military academy were born in the military academy, and there were almost no mediocre talents. This made him have a strong interest in military academy. Now when he heard Ma Yong's story, a bold idea suddenly surged in his heart. He turned his head and said to Ma Delang: "Brother Delang, do you think if I want to study in the military academy, will the military academy want me?" (To be continued)
Chapter completed!