After the negotiation between Yue Qijie and Xu Zhenye, Xu Zhenye got up to say goodbye, Yue Qijie sent it to the door, the talks between the two sides were perfect, Yue Qijie solved the problem for Ma Cheng, and Xu Zhenye also got the official position he wanted, as for the dead shopkeeper, no one cared.

Ma Cheng has been listening to the conversation between Xu Zhenye and Yue Qijie in the back room, and according to Ma Cheng's estimate, he will have to suffer a little no matter what he says. But Ma Cheng forgot that now is not the future generation that talks about human rights, but the evil old society. If there is no help from Yue Qijie in this matter, even if it is in the end, Xu Hongji, the Duke of Wei, can only come forward like this, the Ma family will come up with a top tank for the dead ghost, and Ma Cheng will be reprimanded by Ma Shiying.

Ma Cheng didn't expect a human life to be so lowly in the eyes of these officials, although Xu Zhenye claimed to be here for a life lawsuit just now, but most of the ingredients were good for merit, and as for the shopkeeper who died, probably no one cared about it except his family.

Yue Qijie sent Xu Zhenye to the door, then returned to the back room and sat down, glanced at Ma Cheng, and said: "Zhonghe, you are now eighteen years old, and you have reached the crown, when your father comes back, the old man will ask your father to arrange an official position for you, you can't continue to mess around like this!" ”

The dead man became nonsense in Yue Qijie's mouth, and Ma Cheng smiled bitterly and said, "Uncle, this matter is over?" Then the shopkeeper died in vain? ”

Yue Qijie glared at Ma Cheng and scolded, "What? Are you going to go to church and confront those untouchables? Hasn't your father's face been lost by you? ”

Yue Qijie hated Ma Cheng for not being able to make a weapon, so his tone was heavier, but when he thought about Ma Cheng after all, he was just his wife and nephew, and he still had something to say.

Yue Qijie suppressed his anger, and then asked as calmly as possible: "Zhonghe, who are the people who went out with you today?" ”

As soon as Ma Cheng heard Yue Qijie ask this, he knew that things were not good, just now Xu Zhenye said that he would hand over a substitute for the dead ghost, and now Yue Qijie has the idea of going out with him to the eleven pro-soldiers.

Ma Cheng hurriedly said: "Uncle, that shopkeeper was killed by the little nephew, and it has nothing to do with other people!" ”

Yue Qijie couldn't suppress his anger anymore when he heard Ma Cheng say this, and stood up and scolded: "Ma Cheng, you are too ignorant!" Do you know how much trouble you've gotten into for your dad? That Wei Duke Xu Hongji is close to the Donglin Party, and he is a good friend of Shi Kefa, and Xu Hongji holds the military power around Nanjing, and is an important force in supporting the new monarch, but now you have to offend such a person for a few pro-soldiers! Do you know how serious the consequences can be? ”

Ma Cheng saw that Yue Qijie was angry and panicked, but Ma Cheng thought about it again, these eleven people are the henchmen he just accepted, if he turns his head and sells them, who can fight for himself in the future? How can I accomplish my ambition to drive out the Tartars? So these eleven people must be protected.

Ma Cheng gritted his teeth to resist Yue Qijie's pressure, and then said: "Uncle, these eleven people are the newly recruited henchmen of the little nephew, please don't let them be substitutes for the dead!" ”

Yue Qijie has been in the officialdom for more than 20 years, not to mention that his heart is like a stone, in his eyes, only real interests are the most important, as for what henchmen and friends are just tools. Yue Qijie ignored Ma Cheng, who was pleading, and said outside: "Come on, go and call the Chinese officer Zhang Guozhu!" ”

The clerk at the door bowed down and agreed, and after a while, a voice outside the door said: "Zhang Guozhu of the Chinese army asks to see Lord Yue!" ”

The rank of the lieutenant officer of the governor is very high, Zhang Guozhu is the rank of deputy chief soldier, and the grade is far above Yue Qijie, but in the Ming Dynasty, the military was controlled by literature, although Zhang Guozhu was the deputy chief soldier, but he still had to kneel down and salute when he saw Yue Qijie.

After Yue Qijie saw Zhang Guozhu get up, he said: "Zhang Zhongjun, you go and tie up the eleven personal soldiers who went out with Ma Cheng today!" ”

Zhang Guozhu was stunned when he heard Yue Qijie say this, how did he start arresting people just now?

Zhang Guozhu is a native of Guizhou, and he has a very good relationship with Ma Shiying, so he still dares to speak in front of Yue Qijie, Zhang Guozhu arched his hand and asked: "Lord Yue, dare to ask what crimes these people have committed?" ”

Yue Qijie sighed and said, "Hey! Zhang Zhongjun, you are not an outsider, let me tell you the truth! Just now Ma Cheng took those eleven people out and killed people, including a relative of Wei Guogong, Fengyang County came over just now and said, let us hand over those pro-soldiers to atone! ”

Zhang Guozhu sighed in his heart when he heard this, it turned out that it was for this second ancestor again. Zhang Guozhu had no choice but to bow down and receive the order.

Xu Dahu and the other eleven people came back to rest in the signing room at the gate of the governor's yamen, and they knew that it didn't take long for a disaster to fall from the sky, and a group of personal soldiers came in to tie up Xu Dahu and the others.

Xu Dahu didn't know why, so he hurriedly asked Zhang Guozhu, who followed up: "Zhang Zhenbiao, why is this?" (There are too many abbreviations for various official positions in the Ming Dynasty, for example, the governor is called the general system, the Xiantai, the governor is called Futai, the political envoy is called the domain, and the envoy is called Zhentai, etc., the commander in the army is called the military gate, and the general soldier is called the general town, Zhang Guozhu is the middle officer of the governor's yamen, and the pacesetter who manages the governor's yamen, so it is also called the town standard, everyone understands it, and it will not be explained in the book in the future!) ）

Zhang Guozhu sighed and said, "I've really wronged all the brothers!" After speaking, he waved his hand, and the soldiers brought the eleven people to Yue Qijie.

Yue Qijie looked at the eleven people and asked, "At noon, which of you killed the shopkeeper in front of the Huaiyang Building?" ”

When Xu Dahu heard Yue Qijie say this, his heart was like ashes, and he knew that he was going to be used as a scapegoat. But there is no way, these military families have low lives, and they can enter the eyes of these big officials.

Xu Dahu knew that he was going to die, so he straightened his chest and said: "My lord, that shopkeeper was killed under the beating, and it has nothing to do with the second master and other brothers, please let the other brothers go!" ”

Yue Qijie nodded when he saw Xu Dahu so single, sighed and said: "Originally, I didn't need you to die for you, but the person you killed was a relative of Wei Guogong, and the official couldn't help it!" But don't worry, the other ten people have already been protected, and they have nothing to do with them! ”

Xu Dahu's face was like ashes, he looked at Ma Cheng beside him and said: "Second master, there are still wives and children in Guiyang, please take care of the second master!" ”

Ma Cheng originally looked down at the ground blankly, and when he heard Xu Dahu say this, he suddenly grabbed the teacup on the table, smashed the bowl, and then put the shards against his neck and said: "Yue Qijie, today you must ensure that my eleven brothers are intact, otherwise the master will commit suicide!" Wait for my dad to come back and see what you have to say! And see how you explain to my own aunt! Yue Qijie, as a big official, you can't do such a little, if you don't make decisions for the people, it's better to go home and sell sweet potatoes! You should be a fart soldier and go back to Guiyang to raise pigs! ”

Ma Cheng was excited and talked nonsense, saying everything, and everyone in the room didn't react for a while, and they were all stunned.

Ma Cheng thought very well, and was ready to threaten Yue Qijie with his life, but he forgot that except for himself and Yue Qijie, the others in the house were all soldiers, and when Ma Cheng was talking nonsense, Zhang Guozhu took advantage of Ma Cheng's inattention and snatched the fragment, and Ma Cheng's attempt to commit suicide failed.

Yue Qijie sneered a few times and said: "Ma Cheng, I didn't expect you to have this kind of blood, the old man really looked down on you before!" ”

Ma Cheng saw that the plan he thought of did not succeed, his head turned sharply to think of a way, and at this time, Yue Qijie had already signaled Zhang Guozhu to escort Xu Dahu out, and then handed it over to Fengyang County for processing.

Ma Cheng thought at this time that it was useless to deal with an old bureaucrat like Yue Qijie, only real interests could impress him, and only if Yue Qijie felt that offending Wei Guogong had more gains than losses, this old guy could help.

Ma Cheng shouted in a hurry: "Zhang Guozhu, wait a minute, I have something to say!" ”

Zhang Guozhu looked at Yue Qijie, Yue Qijie thought for a moment and motioned for Zhang Guozhu to go out and wait first.

Ma Cheng waited for Zhang Guozhu to go out, and his brain teaser turned rapidly, thinking about how to impress the old bureaucrat in front of him.

Ma Cheng organized his language and said, "Uncle, you just said that Wei Guogong and the Donglin Party are close, isn't this our enemy by nature?" Isn't there something wrong with you still helping Wei Guogong? ”

Yue Qijie saw Ma Cheng's anxious face, and said with a smile: "Zhonghe, the old man is at odds with the Donglin Party, but he won't offend Wei Guogong for a small personal soldier, right?" ”

"Uncle, that's what the little nephew means. Now my father is discussing with the Donglin Party which prince to support, and my uncle wants to persuade my father to support King Fu, why not offend the Duke of Wei and anger the Donglin Party, so that my father's plan to support King Lu will not go bankrupt! When the time comes, my father can only support King Fu according to his uncle's plan, isn't this the best of both worlds! ”

Ma Cheng used to be just a courier, he had never been involved in politics, and the only bit of Gong Dou's insight was obtained from watching TV dramas, and it was too difficult for him to think of such a way in a short period of time today.

Although Ma Cheng's idea was a bit crumbling, it did have some intention in Yue Qijie's ears. However, Yue Qijie is an old fritter in officialdom, so he can be moved by Ma Cheng's idea of a pit father full of loopholes.

Yue Qijie looked at Ma Cheng with interest, and then asked, "Zhonghe, how do you know that your father must be in favor of King Lifu?" You must know that your father was ready to support King Lu when he left! ”

At this time, Ma Cheng combined the history known by later generations, coupled with his own analysis, and said eloquently: "Uncle, according to the law of the country, it should be King Fu on the throne, and the Donglin Party must be afraid that King Fu will ascend the throne and settle accounts with them, but the Donglin Party forgot that there are eunuchs in the court in addition to them!" Although the eunuchs were hit enough in the early years of Chongzhen, the hundred-legged insects died but did not stiffen, and the little nephew estimated that these eunuch remnants must unite with the four towns of Jiangbei and want to play a yellow robe! ”

If Yue Qijie was funny about Ma Cheng's flawed strategy just now, he would be shocked now. He didn't expect that Ma Cheng, such a second ancestor, would be able to analyze his secret plan with Lu Jiude so thoroughly, and Yue Qijie even had a feeling that Ma Cheng was on the side when he was plotting.