Summary of the previous chapter: Zhang Mazi seemed to have other motives for saving Ma Xiaoquan...
Zhang Mazi smiled meaningfully and asked Ma Xiaoquan in a tentative tone: "If I suggest you go to King Xin, can you agree?"
Ma Xiaoquan raised his eyebrows slightly and said with a smile: "Why? Why did you suggest that I go to King Xin? The current emperor is Zhu Youxiao, not Zhu Youjian. If you go to King Xin, you are undoubtedly not on the same team as the emperor."
In fact, Ma Xiaoquan knew that Zhu Youjian, that is, King Xin would become Emperor Chongzhen in the future, but this was also because he was a modern person who understood the premise of traveling back in time and knowing the history. However, Zhang Mazi actually suggested that he go to Zhu Youjian.
, does this Zhang Mazi know anything?
Seeing Ma Xiaoquan deep in thought, Zhang Mazi said, "You must be thinking why I, Zhang Mazi, suggested that you seek refuge with King Xin. Okay, let me be more direct. Mr. Deacon, I think before you were imprisoned, King Xin had
I hinted it to you, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded.
"If you had expressed your allegiance to the king in public at that time, you would certainly not have suffered like this, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan looked at the cloth strip wrapped around his body, smiled bitterly and shook his head, acquiescing.
"It seems that the deacon also knows, haha."
Ma Xiaoquan said: "Then if I take refuge in King Xin now, how can I take refuge now? I have missed the best opportunity before. If I take refuge now, King Xin will definitely think that I have been tortured and have no choice but to do it. He will definitely not trust me."
"Haha, the deacon is so smart!"
Ma Xiaoquan rolled his eyes: "Zhang Laotou, what you said means you didn't say anything!"
"Haha" Zhang Mazi laughed, "So if I take refuge in Wang Xin, even if I, Zhang Mazi, advise the deacon to do it, the deacon will never do it, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan said nothing.
"Okay!" Zhang Mazi clapped his hands and said, "So I have another way, but I wonder if the deacon is willing to listen?"
Ma Xiaoquan made a gesture of invitation, meaning that you have already said this. Is there any obvious difference between whether I listen or not?
Zhang Mazi understood and said: "Master Deacon, if I were you, in this situation, I would definitely ask for help from my family. Your father and brothers are guarding the border in Ningyuan and are important figures in the defense of the Jurchens. If your father or brothers come back,
If I plead for you, or even threaten the emperor, even if the emperor is angry again, he will not be able to continue to express his anger, because the affairs of the country are more important than you, and the emperor will naturally know what is important even if he is illiterate."
"Yeah" Ma Xiaoquan nodded, agreeing with Zhang Mazi's point of view.
"Of course, I also got news that someone from your Ma family has gone to Ningyuan, but it will take at least a month to go back and forth, so in terms of time, it is very urgent. I am afraid that the distant water cannot save the nearby fire."
Ma Xiaoquan said humbly: "What Zhang Laotou said is right! So what's next?"
Zhang Mazi glanced at Ma Xiaoquan and said with a smile: "Next, the deacon will of course choose to save himself."
Ma Xiaoquan rolled his eyes at Zhang Mazi again, meaning your words are still nonsense.
Zhang Mazi coughed and said: "There are many ways to save yourself. Since the deacon refuses to surrender to King Xin, the only option is to apply pressure!"
Ma Xiaoquan asked: "Pressure? How to apply pressure?"
"Haha, I just said that as long as you Ma family members come back from Ningyuan and put pressure on the emperor, I think the emperor will worry about the war in Ningyuan and will let you go!"
Ma Xiaoquan said helplessly: "You just said that it would take more than ten days to send a letter from Beijing to Ningyuan and then send someone back to Beijing from Ningyuan, and it would take almost a month as long as it took. I don't know what kind of situation I, Ma Xiaoquan, was in at that time.
Already..."
"Haha, you don't know this, right? According to reliable information, a friend of your Ma family, um, a general from Hebei, is already on his way to Beijing."
"A general from Hebei? Which one?"
"Well, you'll find out when you get out!"
Ma Xiaoquan said with a smile: "So, Prison Chief Zhang actually conveyed an important message to me! Then can I think that it was because he had mastered this news that Prison Chief Zhang helped me heal my wounds and treated me courteously?"
Is there any addition?"
"Haha, where, where..."
"So, what is your ultimate goal?" Ma Xiaoquan suddenly said seriously.
Zhang Mazi sighed and said: "I want to find the value of my existence!"
"Uh? What is the value of your existence?"
Zhang Mazi shook his head with a wry smile and said: "The reason why I drink is not because I really love drinking, but whenever I get drunk, I will forget everything for a short time..." Zhang Mazi smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Mazi said, rolling up the sleeves of both arms.
Zhang Mazi's two forearms were covered with knife marks of various sizes, which seemed to be self-inflicted, but also seemed to have been scratched by someone.
Ma Xiaoquan saw Zhang Mazi's arm and was surprised: "What's going on with these scars? Are they caused by you yourself?"
Zhang Mazi smiled bitterly: "Yes, what's the point of living? Power, beauty, money, everyone is chasing these, what's the point? What's the point of living? If I didn't have alcohol to numb me, I don't think I would be able to
Stop scratching yourself with a knife and let yourself figure out the meaning of..."
Ma Xiaoquan finally understood that after making trouble for a long time, people like Zhang Mazi were trying to find the meaning of living.
Thinking of this, Ma Xiaoquan burst out laughing. Zhang Mazi was curious and asked, "Why are you laughing, Master Deacon?"
Ma Xiaoquan said: "Zhang Laotou, well, I think I'd better call you Zhang Mazi. If I say that I need you to do something with me, will you be willing?"
There were only two people in the cell, Ma Xiaoquan and Zhang Mazi, and the soundproofing effect of this cell was very good. As soon as Ma Xiaoquan spoke, Zhang Mazi's originally smiling expression suddenly became serious.
If there are people around, they will definitely be amused by Ma Xiaoquan's words, because Ma Xiaoquan is almost wrapped into a rice dumpling with strips of cloth, looking very funny, while Zhang Mazi has his head tied tightly and is still holding a handful around his waist.
The dagger is full of airs, and based on the current image of the two of them, it should be Zhang Mazi who proposed the conditions, and Ma Xiaoquan either agreed or refused.
"Master Deacon, are you trying to convince me to team up with you?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "It can be said that since you don't love money, power and beauty, then I can promise you to write you into the classics of my Ma family, how about it?"