In the 15th year of Emperor Xian's reign of the Han Dynasty (AD 210), just after the thirtieth year, Cao Cao anxiously came to the Ma family compound and asked Ma Xiaoquan to discuss ways to seek talents.
Cao Cao has been sparing no effort to recruit useful talents, but due to the influence of the old model of officialdom in the Eastern Han Dynasty, he has never been able to achieve good results.
Before this, Cao Cao had discussed with his officials. Some people suggested following the filial piety and integrity model; some people preferred relationship recommendation, such as teachers and students, superiors and subordinates; and some people suggested that Cao Cao take a longer view and use
Some non-gentry talents...
This subordinate had so many suggestions that Cao Cao, who was already suspicious, couldn't make up his mind for a while.
After talking about this to Mrs. Bian at night, Mrs. Bian suggested that her husband, Cao Cao, go find Master Shangxian...
"Hey Lord Shangxian, this is what happened..."
Cao Cao spread his hands and looked helpless.
"Yeah." After listening to Cao Cao's retelling, Ma Xiaoquan also felt a little tricky.
In history, Cao Cao issued an order to seek talents in this year. The main purpose of the order to seek talents was "to promote talents only."
When Cao Cao retells it, Ma Xiaoquan also thought about asking Cao Cao to adopt a talent-seeking strategy, but... after all, it is not his surname Cao who has the final say in the Han family. If Cao Cao makes an exception and promotes someone he thinks is useful,
talents, then other old Han ministers will definitely ask for the promotion of their favorite people, which is the so-called balance of power.
Ma Xiaoquan thought for a while and asked Cao Cao: "Xiao Cao, what do you think, what do you really think?"
Cao Cao said: "Sir, if it were me, I would be more inclined to the third point of view."
Ma Xiaoquan nodded. The third point of view mentioned by Cao Cao happened to be the meritocratic strategy of seeking talents.
"Since you are more inclined to the third point of view, why don't you implement it against all opinions?"
Cao Cao smiled bitterly and said: "Master Shangxian is unaware of something. It's not that I don't want to execute it, but that as long as I take any action, I will definitely attract a lot of scolding. I, Cao Mengde, don't care about these scoldings, but my subordinates don't.
It’s decided.”
"Well," Ma Xiaoquan said, "Indeed, you can control your own thoughts, but you can't control other people's thoughts. I don't blame you for this..."
"Master Shangxian, what should I do?" Cao Cao said, kneeling on the ground with a thud, "Cao Cao begs Master Shangxian to give me some advice."
Ma Xiaoquan helped Cao Cao up and patted him on the shoulder: "Well, don't be too anxious about this matter. Let me think about it for a few days and then give you an answer. What do you think?"
Cao Cao was overjoyed. Although Master Shangxian said it would take a few days to think about it, he at least agreed to help him.
"Then thank you first, Master Shangxian. Master Shangxian, then I will prepare some money for you..."
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and patted Cao Cao on the shoulder: "There is no need for this this time. I will give you my help in vain."
When Cao Cao heard this, he couldn't help laughing.
...
In the evening, Ma Xiaoquan summoned Ma Yu to his side and asked Ma Yu to draft a petition for him overnight, which mainly focused on talent recruitment...
Early the next morning, Ma Yu knocked on Ma Xiaoquan's door with red eyes and handed the memorial letter to Ma Xiaoquan's hand.
"You didn't sleep last night?"
Ma Yu chuckled: "Master, the more I think about it, the more I feel something is wrong, so I spent one night organizing some language and vocabulary and wrote this memorial. Master, please read..."
Ma Xiaoquan's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he unfolded the book and read it.
"Oh," Ma Xiaoquan laughed. Ma Yu was really amazing. He actually wrote the memorial into prose in one night. He was so talented. He was so talented.
"Okay, I'm sorry, go back and rest quickly, otherwise your wife won't want to. By the way, please give me an order to prepare a horse for me. I'm going to Xudu, right away."
Ma Yu scratched his head, chuckled and stepped back.
...
On the morning of the third day of the court, an explosive news came out in Xudu. The Shenxianhou, who had never gone to court, suddenly held a memorial and went to court to see the emperor early in the morning.
The content of the meeting between the Immortal Marquis and the Emperor has not yet been revealed, but many versions have appeared in the market.
Some people say that the memorial book in the hand of Shenxianhou is actually a method for refining elixir; some say that Shenxianhou treats the emperor's illness; others say that Shenxianhou actually threatens the emperor because the relationship between Shenxianhou and Prime Minister Cao is very close.
Good; some people even said that the Immortal Marquis suddenly fell in love with the emperor and wanted to have a long-yang love affair with the emperor...
On the fourth day, Xu Du's palace suddenly issued an order that if anyone spoke nonsense again, his tongue would be cut out and his face would be tattooed...
Xudu, imperial palace.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty teased the canary in the birdcage with great interest, with a faint smile on his lips. In front of him, the immortal Hou Ma Xiaoquan stood quietly, waiting for the little emperor's reply.
After so many years, the former little emperor has now grown up.
With his own thoughts and his own revenge, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty is no longer the Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty.
"My dear...what you are asking...isn't it difficult to handle?"
Ma Xiaoquan cursed in his heart, thinking that at first the little emperor still called him uncle, but now that he has grown up and his wings have hardened, he no longer calls him uncle.
"Well, what do you think, Your Majesty?"
Ma Xiaoquan wanted to call Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty directly as "you", but he thought that now the Han family still belongs to his surname Liu, so forget it and bear with it.
Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty raised his eyebrows, dropped the birdcage, and said hehe, "What if I don't agree?"
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled: "That means there is no need to discuss?"
Emperor Xian of Han snorted: "Ma Xiaoquan, do you think I don't know this? Your memorial is actually for Cao Cao, right?"
Ma Xiaoquan nodded: "Yes."
"Presumptuous!" Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty slapped the stone table next to him with his right hand, "Ma Xiaoquan, do you know the consequences of doing this?"
Ma Xiaoquan was not impatient and said calmly: "I don't know!"
"You..." Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty pointed at Ma Xiaoquan and gritted his teeth tightly.
"Back off!" Emperor Xian of Han shouted.
Ma Xiaoquan shook his head and turned away.
Seeing Ma Xiaoquan's retreating back, Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty kicked the stone table over angrily and kept cursing: "Bastard, bastard, he is still Cao Cao's, still Cao Cao's...
..Someone is coming..."
Several Huangmen eunuchs came forward and knelt down in front of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty in fear.
"It is my decree that all family members, relatives, and servants of the Immortal Marquis are not allowed to serve as officials of any kind in our Han Dynasty!"
"yes"
...
By the time Ma Xiaoquan returned to the Ma family compound in Yecheng, the emperor's oral edict had become an imperial edict and was "issued" to Ma Xiaoquan.
After receiving the imperial edict, Ma Xiaoquan was not surprised, but the whole Ma family compound was terrified.
The imperial edict stated that Ma Xiaoquan, the Immortal Marquis, could not be hereditary. In other words, after his generation ended, it would really be over. No one from the Ma family would serve as an official in the Han Dynasty.
Ma Xiaoquan smiled and burned the imperial edict to the ground. However, for the young eunuch who came to deliver the imperial edict, Ma Xiaoquan generously rewarded him with a hundred gold and sent him away. It was a hundred catties of copper. In ancient times, gold referred to copper.
With the head of the family so calm, everyone in the Ma family didn't know what to do.
Hua Yuexin walked gently to her husband and held Ma Xiaoquan's hand tightly.
Ma Xiaoquan looked at Hua Yuexin and received a firm look from the other party.
"Yue'er, thank you!"
Hua Yuexin shook her head: "No matter what kind of person your husband is, I will stand by your husband's side forever and ever!"
As soon as Hua Yuexin finished speaking, the remaining seven ladies also stepped forward, stood behind Ma Xiaoquan, and voted for their wishes.
Next, Liang Long, Ma Yun, Ma Yu and other subordinates also raised their hands, showing their attitude of following their master to the end.
There is just one person... Although he has a voting attitude, he is very resentful in his heart...
This person is Mao Gang.
At night, Mao Gang lay on the bed, tossing and turning and unable to sleep.
Thinking of what happened during the day, Mao Gang felt very unwilling.
Long before Ma Xiaoquan went to Xudu, Mao Gang had secretly established some relationships in order to find himself an official position in the Han Dynasty, but... Ma Xiaoquan couldn't get through to Xudu just now.
Two days later, the emperor issued an imperial edict that completely ended Mao Gang's dream of becoming an official; and... after Hua Yuexin learned that Ma Xiaoquan could only serve as an official alone and not hereditary, she still
Stand by his side and support him so wholeheartedly...
"Huh!" Mao Gang said loudly and slowly sat up.
"Husband...what's wrong with you?"
Mao Gang said coldly: "Sleep in your bed obediently, and don't ask questions that shouldn't be asked!"
"Yes...yes!"
Mao Gang stood up, put on some clothes hastily, walked to the window, and pushed the window open.
The weather was still cold, but Mao Gang felt hot and aggrieved inside. At this moment, he really wanted to kill Ma Xiaoquan...
"Hey" After a long time, Mao Gang's mood stabilized a little, and then he closed the window and muttered to himself: "I wonder how prepared that guy is..."