Thinking of the frail Ning Guo and the eleventh prince Zhu Chun, who was born not long ago, Zhu Yuanzhang softened his tone and said, "I will go to see them when I have time." ”

"Then the concubine won't disturb the emperor. Guo Hui was about to leave.

"Wait," Zhu Yuanzhang called her, thinking that she and Ma Xiuying had lived together since childhood, so he asked sideways: "I remember you said that you and the queen lived in Suzhou for a while, but do you know Shen Wansan, a wealthy gentleman in Suzhou?"

Guo Hui was overjoyed in his heart, and pretended to say casually: "I know, the uncle of the queen and the concubine back then had a good relationship because he saved Shen Wansan, so Master Shen gave us a mansion when he saw that we had just arrived." Later, Shen Wansan came to the door many times to thank him, and the queen was quite familiar with him, and even went out to play together...... At that time, the concubine's mother wanted to tell the queen about a family matter, but the queen refused to agree, and said that she had already intended someone to ......" She seemed to suddenly wake up to her own words, and quickly covered her mouth and pleaded guilty, "Oh, how did the concubine say all these things that should not be said, and the emperor forgives the sin." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang raised the green tendons on the back of his hand, and asked Guo Hui word by word, "Is her favorite person Shen Wansan?" If he only believed in the rumors for three points before, now he has five points, his heart is twisted, waiting for Guo Hui to confirm.

Guo Hui shook his head, as if he was explaining to Ma Xiuying, but the explanation was vague, "The queen didn't admit it at the time, and the concubine's mother didn't ask what happened, and the concubine guessed that she might not want to marry before she said this." Well, Master Shen suddenly and quickly set a family affair for Shen Wansan...... In the end, the matter was settled...... Hey, this is all in the past, why does the emperor care about these things. I believe that the queen is now single-minded to the emperor. ”

Guo Hui's plausible attitude not only did not dispel Zhu Yuanzhang's suspicions, but made him even more uncomfortable. He sent Guo Hui away, as if a thorn had been inserted in his heart, sullen, thinking about it, he was not at ease, and summoned Li Qi'er again. Li Qi'er was Ma Xiuying's maid before, so she should know some things.

Li Qi'er was very happy to see Zhu Yuanzhang, but when she heard that Zhu Yuanzhang was looking for her for Ma Xiuying's business, a trace of unnaturalness immediately flashed across her face. At first, she deduced that she did not serve Ma Xiuying in Suzhou and did not know Ma Xiuying's situation, but later under Zhu Yuanzhang's repeated questioning, she squeezed out a sentence, "The queen seems to have given Shen Wansan the relics left to her by King Xu and Mrs. Xu Wang." ”

King Xu and Mrs. Xu Wang are the nicknames that Zhu Yuanzhang gave to Ma Xiuying's parents, and Ma Xiuying was able to give Shen Wansan the relics left by her parents, what does this mean? All kinds of signs show that Ma Xiuying and Shen Wansan did have a personal relationship before, Zhu Yuanzhang was burning with jealousy in his heart, he believed that Ma Xiuying was now devoted to himself, but Ma Xiuying should no longer contact her former lover, and she also helped Shen Wansan several times to say good things.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was carried away by jealousy, rushed to Kunning Palace murderously and asked Ma Xiuying to give him an explanation, and he also viciously told Ma Xiuying that he had decided to execute Shen Wansan.

And so it was. Ma Xiuying couldn't care about the pain in her hands, got up from the ground and knelt down and begged: "The emperor has already said that he is not to blame for the past, why should he punish the Shen family, and the concubine asks the emperor not to ignore the law and change the decree." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang became more and more angry, "You still dare to speak for him! Don't think that I don't know about your previous affairs, how can you, a woman who has not yet left the cabinet, teach him privately?"

"Private teaching?" Ma Xiuying was confused, raised her head and looked directly at Zhu Yuanzhang, "The concubine begs the emperor to explain this matter clearly, even if the concubine's sin is to be cured, let the concubine understand the reason." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered: "What about the relics left by your father and mother?

"It does. Ma Xiuying explained calmly: "When my father and mother suddenly suffered, the concubine only had the gold lock and jade bracelet they left behind. Later, Shen Wansan wanted to do business, and the concubine felt that it was profitable, so she mortgaged the gold lock and jade bracelet to Shen Wansan because she had no money to invest. This matter was mentioned by the concubine as early as when he reported to the emperor about the Shadow Guard Organization, why did the emperor come to ask the concubine today?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, and Ma Xiuying said at that time that he had invested in Shen Wansan's business and relied on profit sharing to support the film and guard organization. However, at that time, he was very surprised that Ma Xiuying was able to form a team of shadow guards, and he was too focused on the huge power of the shadow guards, and forgot these details.

Ma Xiuying burst into tears and continued: "How the Guo family treated their concubines before, the emperor also knows it. The concubine established the shadow guard organization in the first place to be able to protect herself, and it is not enough to be protected, the concubine has to have money to support herself and the shadow guard. Shen Wansan was a businessman, and the concubine made an agreement with him to help him plan and invest in his business, and get paid from him. This is just a commercial operation, and the concubine really doesn't understand where the private gift comes from?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless, and he was chasing the wind and shadows by himself for a long time.

"The concubine later married the emperor and treated the emperor wholeheartedly, whether it was Shen Wan's profit sharing for the concubine or the savings accumulated by the concubine in private, the concubine never hid it, and used it as military funds. What the concubine is doing to the emperor, the emperor knows it, and now a few words from others make the emperor believe it, and the concubine and concubine are ...... in vain" Ma Xiuying said this, choked up several times, and the placket on her chest was wet with tears.

Zhu Yuanzhang was ashamed of himself, Ma Xiuying was kind to him, he remembered that this woman not only gave everything for him, but also worked hard for him, such a loving and righteous woman, how could he doubt it? He hurriedly helped Ma Xiuying up, and said ashamedly: "It's me who blames you, I want to accompany you." ”

Ma Xiuying turned sideways to avoid it, "The concubine doesn't dare to accept the emperor's apology, the concubine only hopes that the emperor can handle things fairly and strictly in the future. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang held his hand in the air and smiled awkwardly: "The queen's warning words have been memorized. ”

Ma Xiuying kowtowed and said: "In this case, please ask the emperor to judge the Shen family in a fair way, and don't commit crimes in vain." This incident was deliberately framed by someone to the concubine and the Shen family, and the Shen family was also a victim. The emperor should severely punish those who have bad intentions. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile froze, "No matter what the reason, because he caused your reputation to be damaged, he is guilty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was originally jealous that Shen Wansan was richer than him, and wanted to take Shen Wansan's family property for himself, but now he couldn't step down because of rumors, where did those fools know the whole story, maybe they would be secretly laughing at him, so Shen Wansan must deal with it.

Ma Xiuying saw that his attitude was very resolute, and persuaded hard: "Even if he is guilty, then the crime will not lead to death, which of the national laws is there to sentence people to death because of this crime?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, and after several thoughts, he changed the sentence to Shen Wansan to exile in Yunnan and confiscated all his family property.