Summary of the previous chapter: Cui Wensheng's medicine not only failed to cure Emperor Taichang's weakness, but made the emperor even more weak...
As the saying goes, "Good things spread hard, bad things spread thousands of miles." The story of Emperor Taichang's diarrhea quickly spread in the capital.
Rumors suddenly emerged in the capital. Everyone said that Cui Wensheng was related to Concubine Zheng, and that he was instigated by Concubine Zheng to mix laxatives in the medicine presented to Emperor Taichang, and deliberately wanted to put the emperor to death.
Ever since... a fierce argument was held inside and outside the court around the emperor's serious illness, and the battle... officially kicked off... and the Ma family, as a member of the court, naturally heard about it.
Lots of news.
Since all the men who are officials in the Ma family are guarding Ningyuan, among the Ma family now, only Ma Xiaoquan, a man without an official position, is left.
August 16, the forty-eighth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty, was the day when Emperor Taichang came to the court in person. Ma Xiaoquan, as the only male left in the Ma family, although he did not hold an official position, he still went to the palace with all the ministers. But...
.... Since the emperor had been doing it for several days, let alone going to court, even turning over while sleeping had to be assisted by someone. In desperation, he had no choice but to order it to be waived.
The court had not come to court, and the emperor had not seen him. As a "grassroots man", Ma Xiaoquan naturally had to leave first.
After walking a few steps, Fang Congzhe, the chief minister of the cabinet, grabbed Ma Xiaoquan.
"Eh? Mr. Chief Assistant, is something wrong?"
Fang Congzhe chuckled: "Are you Ma Xiaoquan? I heard that you and His Highness have become friends?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment and thought to himself, this old guy is really damn well informed.
"Yes, Lord Chief Assistant, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and I were there that day..."
Before Ma Xiaoquan finished speaking, Fang Congzhe reached out and interrupted: "I'm older than you, so I'll call you Xiaoma. Well, Xiaoma, I have something to ask of you. I wonder if you can agree to it?"
Ma Xiaoquan chuckled: "Master Chief Assistant, you see what you said, as long as I don't harm nature or harm people's lives... I can do it. By the way, if you rob civilian girls, I will do it too."
Fang Congzhe rolled his eyes and said, "What I'm talking about is serious business. Well, Xiaoma, come closer and we'll talk quietly."
Ma Xiaoquan looked at Fang Congzhe in confusion, thinking that this old guy is still very mysterious.
Ma Xiaoquan approached Fang Congzhe, and Fang Congzhe whispered: "Xiao Ma, you are an outsider. It just so happens that I would like to ask you to escort His Highness the Crown Prince to Cining Palace, and then protect His Highness the Crown Prince."
"Ah?" Ma Xiaoquan scratched his scalp, "Master Chief Assistant, I don't know martial arts?"
Fang Congzhe waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. As Xiaoma, you will have no problem at all."
Ma Xiaoquan curled his lips and said to you, Fang Congzhe, if you say I'm fine, don't you think I'm a dandy and a scoundrel from Beijing?
"Well, since Lord Chief Assistant has said it, then I would rather obey your orders respectfully, pony."
Fang Congzhe was overjoyed when he heard this. He grabbed Ma Xiaoquan's hand and kept shaking it.
Ma Xiaoquan felt very depressed. It seemed that in this dynasty, it was not a settled matter for men to accept or not kiss each other.
...
After bidding farewell to Fang Congzhe, Ma Xiaoquan went to the prince's residence alone.
Prince Zhu Youxiao lived far away from Cining Palace. Ma Xiaoquan jogged all the way and met many palace maids and eunuchs Huangmen Huozhe.
Because Ma Xiao was dressed in gorgeous clothes, the palace maids and eunuchs regarded Ma Xiaoquan as an official of the imperial court. Ma Xiaoquan was happy with this. After all, it would be difficult to walk in the Forbidden City without the corresponding identity.
Just as he was feeling proud, two guards suddenly jumped out of the fork in the road and grabbed Ma Xiaoquan.
"What do you do? Why haven't I seen you?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment. When he saw the embroidered spring knives on their waists, he immediately understood their identities.
"Haha..." Ma Xiaoquan smiled slightly, "Aren't the Jinyiwei responsible for affairs outside the palace? What? The palace is also in charge?"
The two looked at each other, and one of them asked again: "Who said that our Jin Yiwei are only responsible for affairs outside the palace?"
Ma Xiaoquan snorted coldly: "The chief minister asked me to serve the prince. If you delay me, what will happen... I can't say it."
Ma Xiaoquan's expression was very natural when he spoke, and there was no flaw in the eyes of these two people.
"Well." One of the Jin Yiwei, who looked slightly older, let go of Ma Xiaoquan's hand and dragged his chin and said, "You said you were sent by the Chief Assistant? Where is the evidence?"
Ma Xiaoquan laughed: "Evidence? Do I still need evidence? To tell you the truth, I know the prince."
"You still know the prince? Well, if you want to know the prince, we will know the prince's wet nurse!"
Ma Xiaoquan snorted and said, "Oh, are you lobbying for Yinyue? Oh, you know all those sexy women? That's fine."
The Jin Yiwei blushed and interrupted: "Stop talking nonsense, either you leave by yourself, or we take you out! If you want to see the prince, there is no way!"
"Oh, hey, I have such a bad temper." Ma Xiaoquan rolled up his sleeves, "Isn't he just a royal guard? What are you trying to do? Come on, if you have the ability, kill me in this palace? Come on, come on?" Ma Xiaoquan said, teasing.
neck and head against the royal guard.
With a sound of "Qiang", the younger Jin Yiwei pulled out the Xiuchundao.
Ma Xiaoquan sneered in his heart and raised his head to look at the young Jin Yiwei: "What? You really want to chop me down? I tell you, your girl is going to chop me down today. I'm not done with you anymore?"
"You!" The young Jin Yiwei gritted his teeth in anger.
Ma Xiaoquan shrugged his shoulders, and just as he was about to continue scolding, a familiar voice came to his ears.
"Eh? You are...oh, you are Ma Xiaoquan. Did you come to me to study carpentry?"
Ma Xiaoquan was stunned for a moment, turned around and saw that it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Zhu Youxiao. He happily said: "Oh, it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, yes, yes, I'm here to see you."
Zhu Youxiao was overjoyed when he heard this. He stepped forward in three steps and took Ma Xiaoquan's hand: "Then let's go quickly, I can't wait any longer."
Ma Xiaoquan did not move, but looked at the two Jinyi guards in front of him with disdain.
Zhu Youxiao didn't pull Ma Xiaoquan, he couldn't help but was stunned for a moment, and then he noticed the two Jinyi guards beside him.
"Huh? You two are Jin Yiwei, right? Why are you here?"
"Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince!" The two royal guards were half kneeling on the ground. "We are here to pick up His Highness the Crown Prince on orders from Eunuch Wei."