Ma Zhixiong, 41 years old, lifted. In terms of composing poems and writing articles, he is not as good as the old lady Ma, because the old lady won the jinshi and advanced a jinshi pole at the gate of the Ma family, but he could only be lifted. In order to catch up with his father, he set up another Jinshi pole at the door of the horse's house, and after he was lifted, he studied angrily for nine years, and took the exam three times in nine years, but the result was still a name for Sun Shan.

The dream of setting up two Jinshi poles at the door was shattered, he gave up studying, turned to business, went to Xi'an Mansion to open a rice shop, did not think that he could not study, but business is a first-class good hand, the Ma family's rice shop in his hands from small to large, flying development, and then over, more than many millet lines, as if becoming a famous big business in Xi'an.

Because he was shrewd and capable, Mrs. Ma handed over the family to him to manage, but he stayed in Xi'an all the year round, so the affairs of the family had to be handed over to the second young master who did not learn and did not know how to do it. Ma Zhixiong was not worried about his second brother, so he left Ma Qianjiu to assist......

This time, the young master Ma received a letter from Ma Qianjiu, saying that the second young master made the people in the side courtyard behave mishaps, and fought with the Zhang family in Chengcheng, which made the Ma family and the two county commanders pinch, he was startled, this people do not fight with the officials, the Ma family can only have a good relationship with the county master, how can there be a reason to fight with the county master? He hurriedly left the affairs at hand and hurried back from Xi'an Mansion.

In order to prevent accidents, when Ma Zhixiong came back, he also brought a personal bodyguard and coachman, as well as fifteen knife men, these sixteen people have traveled with him for many years, and they are both capable and loyal.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw Ma Zhixiong's black carriage arrive at the door of the Ma family's compound, fifteen knife hands brushed the ground and scattered, forming two lines by the door, and then the curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged uncle jumped out of the carriage, he was wearing a very ordinary cotton scribe's shirt, thick-soled cloth shoes, square face, short beard, his expression was resolute and calm, and his eyes were shining with wisdom.

Ma Qianjiu trotted out of the compound, and when he saw Ma Zhixiong, he immediately knelt on the ground with a "poof", and his eyes were filled with tears: "Young Master, you are finally back." ”

"Hmmm! Qianjiu, get up and speak. Ma Zhixiong waved his hand.

"The eldest young master has been in Xi'an for more than a year this time, and the old slave really wants to kill you......" Ma Qianjiu said parting feelings as he got up.

"Qianjiu, you know my habits...... Don't say these words, I'm not coming back to listen to nonsense, I'm here to get down to business. Ma Zhixiong walked towards the courtyard and said, "Tell me about the situation of the Zhang family in Chengcheng, what is the current relationship between our two families......

Ma Zhixiong came back in a hurry, and he didn't know that Chen Guanyu, the county commander of Baishui, had been played down, the Ma family had the shirt family as an ally, and the Chengcheng Zhang family also shrank his hand, and what he now grasped was the situation when Ma Qianjiu wrote to him a few days ago, when the Qi steward had just died.

Ma Qianjiu's spirits lifted, the recent events are really worth talking about, he walked towards the hall with Ma Zhixiong, and talked about it quickly, starting from the matter of Xigu Village, slowly talking about it one by one......

Watching the figures of the two disappear behind the door, the corners of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth raised slightly, this Ma Zhixiong is not bad, he came home and immediately started to do things, he is a diligent person, replaced by the second young master, I am afraid that I will take a bath, eat a meal, listen to a song, and tease the maid again, so I am willing to listen to things reluctantly.

At this time, Bai Shui Wang Er patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Brother, you have been in the limelight recently, the maids in the inner courtyard have taken a fancy to you, some people are rushing to wash the clothes when they are dirty, and some people are rushing to sew them when the buttons are off, when will you add a brother and daughter-in-law to me?" ”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled dumbly: "Second Brother Wang, it's not righteous for you to say this, you don't know, I don't like these girls." ”

"Hey! You don't like any of that, so what do you have to like? Wang Er said dissatisfiedly: "I think these girls are all good, they have big butts, they can give birth, and there is a guarantee of inheritance." With big breasts and milk, you can't go hungry when you give birth to a child. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and smiled: "You married a wife just to give birth to a child and then breastfeed?" Nothing else? ”

"Hey, isn't that what women are for? What other use could it be? Wang Er said with a smile.

"No wonder no maid has taken a fancy to you......" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed at him casually.

"Forget it, don't talk about women, accompany my brother to practice boxing! Recently, your body has been getting stronger and stronger, and I have been wondering who is more powerful, you or me. Wang Er rubbed his hands and was eager to try.

"Of course you're better." Zhu Yuanzhang immediately admitted defeat, he is self-aware of his martial arts, even if he has a lot of combat experience, but limited by physique and strength, he is at most more powerful than ordinary people, and against ordinary soldiers, he can also be half a point stronger. But if he encounters a tall and skilled martial arts general, he is not an opponent at all.

Zhu Yuanzhang in the previous life also practiced martial arts desperately, wanting to be both civil and military. Later, Chang Yuchun came to take refuge in him, and when he saw his face, he said arrogantly: "I want to be your vanguard general." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed at the time: "Why do you want to be a pioneer as soon as you come?" Why not start as a creep? ”

Chang Yuchun casually showed his martial arts, and his skills were astonishing.

Zhu Yuanzhang realized at that time that he couldn't win Chang Yuchun after practicing for a lifetime...... Later, he stopped practicing martial arts, and handed over the fight to Chang Yuchun and Xu Da to do, only responsible for using his brain, and the world was won.

So the second king of Baishui wanted to fight with him, but he didn't want to think about it, so he admitted defeat in one bite.

"You're so boring, you admit defeat without even fighting." Wang Er muttered a few words dissatisfiedly: "Ignore you, I'm going to patrol the surrounding villages, I've been safe and sound recently, no one has come to make trouble, and I have no place to use the strength of my whole body." ”

Wang Er took a big step and walked far, while Zhu Yuanzhang sat quietly by the stalk and did not go away. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Ma Qianjiu told the eldest young master what had happened recently, he would be called over, and now he was running around, so it was better to sit here and wait.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, the eldest young master Ma Zhixiong is a very good line, he connects the remote small county town of Baishui * County and Xi'an Mansion, and stays in Baishui * County for a lifetime, and I don't know if there is a chance to get ahead.

But Zhu Yuanzhang's heart is very confused, he has been hesitating recently, if he really gets an opportunity to blend into the imperial court, or become a small official, or become a master, or become a county minister...... Or become the head of the cabinet, or even make yourself the emperor, how can you save the Ming Dynasty?

This [***], degenerate, almost incurable Ming Dynasty, what method do you have to use to help it get out of the sea of suffering?

"Zhu Bugs...... Zhu Bugs...... The steward tells you to hurry to the antechamber. ”

An eager voice exploded in Zhu Yuanzhang's ears, pulling him back to reality from his dream, and it turned out that the housekeeper in the front yard had come to call him.

Zhu Yuanzhang sorted out his thoughts and walked into the Ma family compound, as soon as he entered the courtyard, there was a martial arts training ground in the front yard, and fifteen swordsmen were scattered on the field at will, sitting or standing. Zhu Yuanzhang walked through them with a calm expression and walked to the front of the hall.

The bodyguard man who was driving the car was standing in front of the door, with a straw in his mouth. Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang coming over, his eyes instantly locked on Zhu Yuanzhang's steps, and after a few glances, he suddenly smiled and said: "Although your body is weak, this momentum is good, the lower plate is calm, and your eyes are sharp!" Killed someone, right? ”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, this person has sharp eyes.

As a bodyguard, I like to observe the passers-by around me, see all the clues in my eyes, and eliminate all potential dangers. Zhu Yuanzhang's walking posture really didn't look like an ordinary villager, so the bodyguard took a look at it and immediately made a tentative speech.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew that he was suspicious of himself, and it was useless to lie and cover up against this kind of person, so he waved at the bodyguard and said in a low voice: "I killed someone before I joined the Ma family, do you want to go to the government to expose me?" ”

"Haha...... I've killed twenty-seven people, don't you have to pay yourself for exposing you? When the bodyguard said "twenty-seven", he deliberately aggravated his tone, and there was a faint murderous aura oozing from his body, as if he was going to give Zhu Yuanzhang a dismount, and then said: "Go in!" Don't do it against my master, or I'll kill you. ”

"How dare I be unfavorable to the eldest young master? It's a joke! Zhu Yuanzhang sighed: "Twenty-seven, that's a lot!" Killing people is like hemp, admiring and admiring. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone seemed to be sincerely admiring, and there was no hint of ridicule, the bodyguard was very proud when he heard it, and his face was proud, in fact, the profession of a bodyguard is better to be low-key, he is usually not a flamboyant person, but Zhu Yuanzhang's walking posture just now gave him a feeling of suddenly wanting to say something, in the face of potential danger, he couldn't help but show his strength, and tried in vain to use his past achievements to deter the other party, so that the other party did not dare to act rashly.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked into the hall and disappeared behind the gate, and the bodyguard suddenly felt a little strange at this time: What can I do with a side hospital manager? Even if he walks with a little bad spirit, he is a country man after all, what's wrong with me? Inexplicably scare yourself?

Zhu Yuanzhang walked up to the hall, Ma Zhixiong sat on a chair in the middle of the hall, and sat next to Ma Qianjiu, the two obviously had just finished chatting, and Ma Qianjiu still had a touch of excitement on his face. Ma Zhixiong's face was calm, and he didn't know whether he was sad or happy.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang coming over, Ma Qianjiu immediately shouted: "Eighth Brother Zhu, come over and give a salute to the eldest young master." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang walked over slowly, saluted Ma Zhixiong and said, "The villain has seen the eldest young master. When he saluted, his head had to be lowered slightly, so he couldn't see Ma Zhixiong's face, but he could feel that the other party's eyes were locked on his body, and he didn't know what he was looking at.

After half a ring, Zhu Yuanzhang heard Ma Zhixiong say in a deep voice: "I have already heard Qianjiu say this time, you have done a good job, very good!" And you refused to switch to the shirt family, showing your loyalty to my Ma family...... I will reuse you in the future. ”

Hey? As soon as you open your mouth, you praise me? Zhu Yuanzhang thought that he would be powerful first and then gracious, but he didn't expect that he would be praised directly, and he couldn't help but be shocked: this person is very good at winning people's hearts.