Yuan Chonghuan nodded and said: "We thought about it together, so on New Year's Eve, I plan to patrol in person."
"No, Brother Yuan, I think you can leave this matter to me~" Ma Xiaoquan volunteered, "You are too famous and too ostentatious in Ningyuan City, so it would be better for me to do it."
Yuan Chonghuan said: "How can that be done? How will you spend this year?"
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled: "It doesn't matter if I can't live well, the key is to make the soldiers and people in the city live well. Brother Yuan, it's been a long time since you had a good New Year's Eve dinner with your sister-in-law, right?"
Yuan Chonghuan sighed and said with a guilty look on his face: "Yes, there is nothing we can do."
"Haha, then have a good time this year."
Yuan Chonghuan said movedly: "Brother Ma, then I will thank you."
...
Early on New Year's Eve, Ma Xiaoquan dressed up as planned and led Ma Laojiu around the city.
Although Ningyuan City is located in a remote area, it has many residents, so it is quite lively.
Vendors in the city are selling New Year's goods. Although the quality is not very good and the styles are relatively simple, there are still many residents rushing to buy them.
Ma Xiaoquan squeezed into the crowd and saw the residents holding copper coins in their hands, and some even held silver ingots. He couldn't help but be a little surprised, but soon Ma Xiaoquan figured it out.
In this war era, it is useless to have money that cannot be spent. Instead of holding on to a lot of money, it is better to spend it happily.
Ma Xiaoquan bought two roasted sweet potatoes and handed one to Ma Laojiu. Ma Laojiu peeled off the skin and took a bite. It was so hot that he almost spit out his tongue.
Ma Xiaoquan laughed and passed the sweet potato in his hand. When it cooled down a little, he peeled off the skin and took a shallow bite.
"It tastes good~" Ma Xiaoquan praised.
"Well, it's so delicious~"
Ma Xiaoquan asked Ma Laojiu: "Laojiu, why don't you think you have a family?"
Ma Laojiu's eyes dimmed and he said: "When I ran for my life, my wife was snatched away by the Jurchens and my child was trampled to death. I was the only one living a useless life."
Ma Xiaoquan patted Ma Laojiu on the shoulder and said: "It doesn't matter, it's all over. When this battle is over, you and I return to the capital, and I will find a wife for you in the capital."
Ma Laojiu was so moved that he almost knelt down and kowtowed to Ma Xiaoquan in public. Ma Xiaoquan helped him in time and shook his head.
Ma Laojiu wiped the tears from his eyes and sighed heavily.
...
The Ma family's house in Ningyuan had a strong Chinese New Year atmosphere. Qiao Yu led the two children to play in the yard, while Shen Jing led Hua Yue and Beiming Shuangxue to make dumplings in the kitchen.
Ma Mu sat on the chair, squinting her eyes and giving Ma Xiaoquan the soles of her shoes. She originally wanted to make dumplings with her daughters-in-law, but she was pushed back by several daughters-in-law.
Ma Xiaoquan pushed the door open and entered the room. Ma's mother raised her head and waved to him: "Quan'er, come here. Mom has given you a shoe sole. You can try it."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded and was preparing his slippers when a soldier suddenly shouted outside the door: "Sir, General Yuan is here to invite you."
Ma Xiaoquan gave Ma Mu a wry smile, put the soles of his shoes on the table, turned around and left.
"Quan'er, I have to come back to eat dumplings tonight..."
...
Seeing Yuan Chonghuan, Ma Xiaoquan told him the results of the morning investigation. Yuan Chonghuan nodded repeatedly, then took out a list and said: "I sent someone to check these spies again. Well, I am sure there is no problem, but...
....A spy also has a family, a wife and children, Brother Ma, what should we do?"
Ma Xiaoquan sighed and said: "The best way is actually to eradicate the roots. But children and women are innocent after all. But if we don't get rid of them, if the Jurchen army comes in, children and women will also face the same problem."
He will end up being bullied and killed."
Yuan Chonghuan sighed and said, "What should we do?"
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a while and said: "Otherwise, you and I will go door-to-door to toast each other in the evening. I will order someone to put a little bit of alcohol in the wine. After they drink it and pass out, I will take them away together. Of course, the Jurchen spies are
This is not a good thing. To prevent them from jumping over the wall or informing each other, this kind of work needs to be done by Brother Yuan. But having said that, you have to act quickly, otherwise Brother Yuan will not be able to catch up with his sister-in-law to eat dumplings.
hehe."
Yuan Chonghuan nodded: "Of course it's okay. Then I'll tell you to go down and keep an eye on those Jurchen spies, and try not to miss anyone."
"Okay~~"
...
It gets dark very quickly in winter, but on this special day, every house is filled with the smell of New Year.
In the afternoon, Yuan Chonghuan specially ordered the craftsmen to send a lantern to each household to express his feelings. In fact, the lanterns Yuan Chonghuan gave to the suspected Jurchen spy had a special mark. Apart from him, only the other lanterns had this mark.
Ma Xiaoquan knew it.
Although both of them had a list of spies, in order to be sure, Yuan Chonghuan decided to make a double insurance. Firstly, it could speed up the progress. Secondly, it also allowed Ma Xiaoquan to go home and eat a big dumpling after quickly cleaning out the spies.
.
Ordinary residents were naturally very happy when they received General Yuan's lanterns. However, some Jurchen spies held the lanterns and looked at them for a long time. After confirming that they were no different from others, they hung them on the eaves. However, they became vigilant.
heart.
Some people who are not strong-willed and timid think that their spies have come to an end and simply run away. In this way, they can at least save their lives. Another group of spies who are very confident in themselves decide to stay as long as they do so.
If the Jurchen army breaks into Ningyuan City, Nurhachi Khan will definitely give him a big reward.
...
In the conference hall, Yuan Chonghuan and Ma Xiaoquan exchanged the lists in their hands, looked at each other, and after confirming that there were no problems with the lists in both hands, they nodded and indicated that they could continue with the next work.
Yuan Chonghuan led a few people to the door of the conference hall, turned to Ma Xiaoquan and said: "Brother Ma, can you handle it with just two of you?"
Ma Xiaoquan turned his head and looked at Ma Laojiu beside him, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, we are enough."
...
Walking out of the meeting hall, Ma Xiaoquan said to Ma Laojiu: "Did you take the bottle of medicine I asked you to take?"
Ma Laojiu nodded and said respectfully: "Sir, I have it with me, but I don't understand very well. Why don't we go in and toast?"
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head and said: "Of course we won't go. My face is very unfamiliar to those Jurchen spies. They will definitely be extremely alert when they see me."
Ma Laojiu took out a small porcelain vase and said, "Can this small porcelain vase be enough to charm so many people?"