The two came to a partial camp. Yuan Chonghuan ordered his men to get a pot of water and wine, and said sheepishly: "I'm sorry, Mr. Ma, Liaodong is short of supplies, so this is just this pot of wine."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and said: "Drinking is the next best thing. Does General Yuan want to invite me to join the army?"
Yuan Chonghuan was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
"Haha, General Yuan, you have been in Liaodong for a long time and don't know about the imperial court. I also want to work with General Yuan, but unfortunately, I have more important things to do in the capital."
"What's more important?" Yuan Chonghuan didn't understand.
Ma Xiaoquan said: "General Yuan also knows that I am not on good terms with the eunuch Wei Zhongxian in the capital, right?"
Yuan Chonghuan nodded.
"Then do you know how much of the supplies I send will be taken away by Wei Gong each time?"
"Yes, so why do I have to transport it myself this time? General Yuan, let me ask you, just for your Ningyuan unit, how much food and salary have not been received yet?"
Yuan Chonghuan sighed and said: "In total, there are already more than 50,000."
"Hmph, a Ningyuan owes more than 50,000 yuan. If this were the entire Liaodong, how much would it cost? So... if I stay in Liaodong for a long time, General Yuan, do you think this deficit will increase or decrease?"
Yuan Chonghuan was stunned and said in shock: "So, if you are not joining the army, wouldn't your food and salary be..."
"That's right, so I appreciate General Yuan's kindness, but people have divisions of labor, and trees also have branches. I, Ma Xiaoquan, can only do what I can do. As for fighting, I am not as good as my father and brother."
Yuan Chonghuan nodded: "I understand, hey... Master Ma's life is not easier than ours."
"Haha, long live understanding, long live understanding. Okay, General Yuan, my mission has been completed. I'm afraid Gao Di won't let me participate in military matters, so I'll finish the things at hand and return to the capital.
Already."
Yuan Chonghuan stood up and bowed to Ma Xiaoquan very solemnly: "I hope Mr. Ma can help me with the food and salary matter!"
Ma Xiaoquan returned the greeting: "Of course, because we are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty, the country was destroyed and the family was destroyed. I understand this truth! Come, General Yuan, I respect you for this glass of wine! I hope you will guard Liaodong well."
Yuan Chonghuan handed over his hand and then picked up a glass of wine: "Your Majesty, Yuan will never let you down."
"Eh? It's not entrusted by me, it's entrusted by the people of the entire Ming Dynasty! It's entrusted by the emperor."
"Hmm~~"
...
After bidding farewell to Yuan Chonghuan, Ma Xiaoquan immediately hurried back to Ningyuan. As soon as he jumped off his horse, his second brother Ma Yuan ran over from a distance.
"Xiao Sizi, you went to the camp? How was it?" Ma Yuan asked.
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head: "If Gao Di is not good enough, Ning Yuan may be in danger."
"Well, I think so. Well, mother asked me to come over and give you a message. Our trip to Beiming Family will be postponed for two days."
"Huh? Why was it postponed again?"
"Hey, I didn't get enough of the betrothal gift. Mom thinks it's too callous. I'm trying to think of ways to get it together right now."
"Looking for a way? Is there anything good to think about? If it doesn't work, just give me money~" As he said that, Ma Xiaoquan took out a wad of banknotes and flicked them in his hand a few times.
"This...isn't it, little fourth son, are you rich?"
Ma Xiaoquan shrugged his shoulders: "Is this still a lot?"
Ma Yuan grabbed the bank note, spat in his hand, counted it, and said with a click of his tongue: "Forty thousand taels, it's not much. If you take this money, Ning Yuan will be able to save it for at least a year and a half."
We already have food and salary, but you, kid, are you hiding something?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head: "If you want it, just take it."
Ma Yuan shook his head: "No, no, no, this money cannot be confiscated. It just so happens that my mother feels that the betrothal gift is frivolous. With this money, I can buy something and give the betrothal gift to others."
"Okay~ Then I'll give you two extra days and I'll go to a secret location."
Ma Yuan was stunned. His originally proud expression suddenly turned serious, and his address to Ma Xiaoquan also changed: "Fourth brother, are you sure you want to go?"
"Huh? What's wrong, second brother, is there a problem?"
Ma Yuan thought for a while and said: "Fourth brother, if you want to go, the second brother will go with you. If that doesn't work, the second brother will call the third brother and we three brothers will go together."
Ma Xiaoquan took a breath and asked, "Second brother, why do I think your tone is wrong?"
Ma Yuan sighed: "The secret place has now been taken over by the Jurchens, but they don't know what is in the secret place, so no one has entered, but it is heavily guarded. The second brother is thinking, you want to
Go, second brother and third brother will accompany you, so that we brothers can take care of you."
"How can that be done? No, second brother, you and third brother are still leading troops. If something happens to you, how can I explain it to the second sister-in-law, the third sister-in-law, and my parents? I think it's best for me to go alone.
.”
"Are you alone? That's not right. You don't even know the way."
"Oh, second brother, you don't believe in my martial arts, right? Okay, let's have a fight~"
Ma Yuan shook his head: "It's still too dangerous. I'll discuss it with dad before making a decision. Do you think it's okay? Hey, I don't understand. What's so interesting about that secret location?"
...
Late at night, Ma Yuan came to Ma Xiaoquan and said that his father (Ma Ruiqing) was looking for him.
Ma Xiaoquan followed Ma Yuan to Ma Ruiqing's study. Ma Ruiqing asked Ma Yuan to go out, leaving Ma Xiaoquan to enter the study alone.
After closing the door, Ma Ruiqing and Ma Xiaoquan held hands with each other.
Ma Ruiqing said: "Why did the first-generation head of the family suddenly want to go to a secret place? Yuan'er should have told you that the secret place is guarded by the Jurchens, so it's not easy for us to go."
Ma Xiaoquan replied: "So I said it is more convenient for me to act alone. Why, don't you believe in my ability?"
"That's not true. Well, I have a map to get there. I'll give it to you~"
Ma Xiaoquan took the map, unfolded it, looked at it, nodded and said, "Thank you~"
"Then when do you plan to leave?"
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a moment and said, "I will leave alone early tomorrow morning."
Ma Ruiqing said: "In this way, you can act alone, but I will still send Yuan'er and Cheng'er to wait for you. I have a whistle here. You can take it. If something happens, just blow it and they will at least call for the first time.
I will support you immediately."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "Okay~ But I still have to say, Ma Yuan and Ma Cheng, they must be safe, they are my recognized brothers."
Ma Ruiqing was stunned for a moment, and said with some emotion: "The first-generation head of the family, you, you really..."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and waved his hand: "Of course, I am actually quite lonely. I am very happy to have such a brother and family. By the way, in front of others, we should be more like father and son."
"Well, okay~~"
After walking out of Ma Ruiqing's study, Ma Xiaoquan weighed the map in his hand and murmured: "Well, I have to think carefully about what to bring."