Ma Sicheng first threw the bag he was carrying on the carriage, patted the dust on his body a few times, and then arched his hand to Xu Liang and said: "Xiaguan walked dozens of miles on foot before arriving in front of Yongding Gate. ”

Xu Liang asked in surprise, "Why don't you hire a carriage or something?" ”

Ma Sicheng coughed lightly and did not speak. On the other hand, the little guy on the side was rubbing his sore arm, and when he heard the words, he said: "Master Ma is distressed about the car money......

"Ahem......" Ma Sicheng glared at the little guy embarrassedly, and said to Xu Liang: "Lord Xu, let's go into the city." ”

Xu Liang nodded, and gave Ma Sicheng some seats so that he could sit up. Pointing to Wang Qinian on the carriage, he introduced: "Let me introduce Master Ma, this is the new King Qinian of Guanglu Temple." ”

Wang Qinian arched his hand towards the horse temple and said, "I've seen Master Ma." ”

Ma Sicheng was a little scared, when he left the capital for Nanjing a month ago, he Ma Xiangyang was the only one in the entire Guanglu Temple for Guanglu Temple, why did a month pass, and there was an extra Guanglu Temple in the yamen?

Xu Liang saw that Ma Sicheng's face was wrong, so he explained with a smile: "Since I met today, then the official will say it directly." When I sent Master Ma to Nanjing, the official once said that as long as Master Ma has done a good job, he will recommend you as the Shaoqing of Guanglu Temple when he comes back. Alas, it's just that the personnel of the court have changed in the past month, and the official has mentioned this matter to Wang Shangshu once, but Wang Shangshu did not agree. ”

Ma Sicheng's mood was a little complicated, he looked at Xu Liang, and then at Wang Qinian, and said curtly: "The matter of the lower officials has bothered Lord Siqing." ”

Xu Liang said apologetically: "The official's promise has not been fulfilled, and the official is deeply sorry." But fortunately, the official has found a better position for Ma Daren. ”

"Oh, what's the position?"

Xu Liang said: "Doctor of Guozi Jian Taixue." Positive six products. Glancing at Ma Sicheng, Xu Liang sighed lightly. Said: "Our Qingshui Yamen of Guanglu Temple, there is no rush. Although the official position of Dr. Guozi Jian Taixue is only the sixth grade. But compared to our Danglu Temple, Guozijian must be much better. Master Ma, the lower officials have tried their best, and they can only help you get to this point. ”

Ma Sicheng was stunned for a moment, and then secretly rejoiced in his heart. Guozijian has thousands of students, and its powerful position is several grades higher than that of Guanglu Temple. Being able to become a doctor of Taixue is also much stronger than a powerless Guanglu Temple.

Ma Sicheng excitedly arched his hand towards Xu Liang and choked up: "The cultivation of the lower officials by the adults, the lower officials will not forget it. ”

Xu Liang was also very moved. patted Ma Sicheng and said, "Master Ma must not be like this. ”

Several people went all the way back to Guanglu Temple, got off the carriage at the yamen, and Ma Sicheng looked at the two guards standing straight in front of the main gate, and his eyes straightened.

"Great, my lord, when will there be guards in our yamen?" Ma Sicheng asked.

Xu Liang chuckled and said, "The dignified Guanglu Temple, there is no guard who is too disagreeable. ”

Guanglu Temple Shaoqing Shen Congliang and others had to report that Ma Sicheng had returned to Beijing and took Ma Sicheng in. Several people greeted Ma Sicheng politely. And they dispersed.

Ma Sicheng handed over the sacrificial books that he had worked hard to bring back from Guanglu Temple in Nanjing to the Yamen Record, and went to Xu Liang's room to report the situation of his trip to Nanjing.

Xu Liang instructed him: "The official letter has been issued by the officials of the Guozijian, and Master Ma will rest at home for two days before he can go to the Guozijian to take office." ”

Ma Sicheng thanked him again. Out of Xu Liang's office. Ma Sicheng thought that he hadn't seen his colleagues in the yamen for a month, so he went to a few familiar subordinate houses.

However, after a few rooms in a row, the former familiar colleagues became a little rusty. The tone of the casual conversation is polite.

It is this politeness that makes Ma Sicheng feel strange.

It's just that. Ma Sicheng couldn't figure out why this strange feeling arose. However, before he could think about it, two days passed. Xu Liang personally sent Ma Sicheng to Guozijian to take office, and after a few days, Ma Xiangyang was busy getting to know Guozijian's colleagues, and he had to meet with thousands of Taixue students, teach, and get busy, and he didn't even have time to go back to Guanglu Temple to visit his old boss.

On this day, Ma Xiangyang had just come back from teaching the students of Taixue, and an uninvited guest came to the office room.

Hubu Langzhong Zhou Langzhong stood in the room with a smile, and when he saw Dr. Ma coming in, he congratulated him and said: "I heard that Master Ma became a doctor of Taixue, and he has been like a brocade since then, which is really gratifying." ”

Dr. Ma also said with emotion: "Yes." Not to mention Brother Zhou's accident, even Ma himself was flattered by this errand. Who would have thought that I, Ma Xiangyang, would also have the day to be a doctor of Taixue! Speaking of which, all this is thanks to Lord Xu of Guanglu Temple! ”

Zhou Langzhong smiled, looked at Dr. Ma meaningfully, and said, "Lord Xu is really clever and quietly expelled Master Ma from Guanglu Temple, and Lord Ma should be grateful to Lord Xu." ”

Dr. Ma's face sank when he heard this, he looked at Zhou Langzhong with dissatisfaction, and said, "How can Brother Zhou slander Lord Xu like this!" Lord Xu made a promise of a thousand dollars, and tried his best for the promise of the official. Now that Ma can serve as this doctor of Taixue, it is the result of Master Xu's efforts. ”

Zhou Langzhong smiled slightly and sighed: "That's right, that's why I said that Xu Liang is a good person." You have squeezed out Brother Ma, and you still have to think of his goodness. ”

"Brother Zhou, you have something to say today." Dr. Ma glared at Zhou Langzhong and asked in a deep voice.

Zhou Langzhong sat opposite Dr. Ma, stared at Ma Xiangyang, and said, "Brother Ma really thinks that Xu Liang helped you become a doctor of Taixue, is it good for you?" ”

"Brother Zhou, what do you say?" Ma Xiangyang asked suspiciously: "Could it be that there is something hidden in it?" ”

Zhou Langzhong smiled smugly and said: "Not long after Lord Ma returned to Beijing, he must have heard that on the day of the Taimiao Festival, Sun Chengzong, a scholar of Wuyingdian University, reprimanded Xu Liang of Guanglu Temple for being extravagant and wasteful and spending too much silver?" Xu Liang was also fined for one year for this! ”

Ma Xiangyang said: "I also heard about this. ”

Zhou Langzhong said in a calm tone: "This time to worship the Taimiao, Guanglu Temple alone spent nearly 50,000 taels of silver. It is quite rare for such a large cost to be spent on a sacrifice in the past. On the day that Master Ma left Beijing, the official wanted to ask Master Ma clearly. It's just that that day it happened that Xu Liang took everyone to send Master Ma out of the city. It is inconvenient for this official to meet with Master Ma. ”

Ma Xiangyang looked at Zhou Langzhong and said hesitantly, "Lord Zhou, you mean?" ”

Zhou Langzhong's eyes flashed fiercely. He said in a deep voice: "As a Hubu Langzhong, this official is very suspicious of Xu Liang of Guanglu Temple who is greedy for ink and silver in the process of this sacrifice. Fill your pocket! It's just that there is no hard evidence. Now that I heard that Master Ma was squeezed out of Guanglu Temple by Xu Liang as soon as he returned to Beijing, the official became more and more sure that there was something greasy among them. ”

Ma Xiangyang was still a little unconvinced, and said hesitantly: "Brother Zhou suspects that Lord Xu is greedy for ink, this shouldn't be, I just returned to Beijing, and I heard about another thing, Lord Xu was promoted to a high-ranking official by His Majesty because of his meritorious contribution to the court. ”

Zhou Langzhong sneered: "Xu Liang was promoted because of donating money. It spread throughout the city of Beijing. Xu Liang's move, who knows if it is a collusion between officials and businessmen to sensationalize? ”

Ma Xiangyang listened, frowned and looked at Zhou Langzhong, shook his head and said, "Brother Zhou is too villainous when he says this. Speaking of which, Brother Zhou's suspicions about Lord Xu are all speculations, without any definite evidence. ”

Zhou Langzhong said coldly: "Evidence? Hmph, if Master Ma has a heart. I took the time to go to Guanglu Temple to take a closer look. Master Ma has served as the head of Guanglu Temple for many years and knows the situation of Guanglu Temple well. What was the Guanglu Temple like in the past, and what is the Guanglu Temple like today! A comparison before and after, I don't need to say it later. Master Ma can understand the strangeness! ”

After saying that, Zhou Langzhong got up and bowed his hand to Ma Xiangyang. Said: "If Master Ma understands, he can come to this official." ”

After Zhou Langzhong left. Ma Xiangyang sat in the room in a daze for a long time, and his face changed. There are some things that are not specifically mentioned. I don't think about it. Now that Zhou Langzhong said with such insinuations, Ma Xiangyang finally recalled some anomalies in Guanglu Temple after returning to Beijing.

A month ago, Guanglu Temple was still the kind of Qingshui Yamen that was half-dead, and most of the subordinate officials had to rely on private work to support their families. However, after returning to Beijing this time, Guanglu Temple was not only replaced inside and out, but even the main gate guards were added.

Besides, the cost of this sacrifice in Guanglu Temple actually amounted to 50,000 taels of silver, which is too sensational!

Thinking about it, thinking about it, Xu Liang's young face was sometimes clear and sometimes blurry in Ma Xiangyang's mind. The faint smile on his face, one moment kind, the other weird.

Ma Xiangyang suddenly felt a chill all over his body, and he no longer had any intention of doing business, so he hurriedly left the Guozijian and went to the yamen of Guanglu Temple.

Two days later, on the night, Ma Xiangyang, dressed in civilian clothes, walked on the street, pretending to be a night market, walking along the street, while picking up the things on the shelves of the street vendors to see, just looking, not buying.

After walking around for a while, Ma Xiangyang looked up and saw a teahouse, saw the sign of the teahouse clearly, and walked straight in.

In the private room on the second floor of the teahouse, the shopkeeper led Ma Xiangyang in, and then exited to close the door.

Ma Xiangyang couldn't help but be startled when he saw an old man in fancy clothes smiling in the private room, and hurriedly arched his hand: "Xiaguan, Ma Xiangyang, a doctor of Taixue in Xiaguan Guozijian, has seen Cao Ge Lao." ”

The person who can make Ma Xiangyang scared like this, also known as Cao Ge Lao, is Cao Yubian, a cabinet scholar and the imperial history of the left capital.

Elder Cao Ge waved his hand lightly and said, "Master Ma doesn't need to be polite. Please be seated. ”

Ma Xiangyang was shocked.

Zhou Langzhong, who was beside Cao Ge, chuckled and said, "Master Ma doesn't need to panic. After receiving the news of your meeting today, this official understood the determination of Master Ma. immediately reported to Cao Ge Lao. Although a long time has passed since this matter, the court has always attached great importance to this matter. ”

Seeing this, Elder Cao Ge said kindly: "Yes, the cabinet has always been suspicious that a small sacrifice would cost 100,000 taels of silver. Although on the surface, His Majesty fined Xu Liang a year's salary, but it was only for people to see. His Majesty's real intention is to ask the cabinet to secretly investigate this matter, and to find out the evidence of Li Tengfang, Xu Liang, Fu Yu and others who are greedy for ink. Among them, Xu Liang, the Qing of Guanglu Temple, is the focus of the investigation. ”

Ma Xiangyang was taken aback and asked, "What does Elder Ge mean that the court has been secretly investigating Lord Xu?" ”

When Cao Ge heard this, he exchanged glances with Zhou Langzhong, nodded appreciatively, and said, "Not bad." ”

Ma Xiangyang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately, before and after the sacrifice, I was not in the capital, otherwise Xu Liangzhen found out what was wrong, and he was afraid that he would also suffer. Thinking about it, Ma Xiangyang wiped a cold sweat and sat on the chair carefully.

Zhou Langzhong urged: "Master Ma, what have you discovered?" ”

Ma Xiangyang was entangled in his heart, on the one hand, Xu Liang did adjust himself to the position of Doctor of Taixue in the country, and he was kind to himself. On the other hand, Ma Xiangyang did find that there were many things wrong with Guanglu Temple.

Is it to tell Cao Ge Lao the truth, or to keep his mouth shut?

Ma Xiangyang's expression changed, and he was silent for a long time.

Seeing this, a trace of disdain flashed on Cao Ge's face, he coughed lightly, and said faintly towards Ma Xiangyang: "Ma Xiangyang, the cabinet has actually mastered a lot of evidence of Xu Liang's corruption of ink, and it doesn't matter if there is any evidence from you. It's just that Zhou Langzhong and you are old acquaintances, and he mentioned you in front of the old man many times, and the old man wanted to take this opportunity to carry you. Saying that, Cao Ge put away his smile and said solemnly: "It is a matter of time before the cabinet takes Xu Liang. The reason why it has not been launched for a long time is because of the lack of an opportunity. If Ma Xiangyang can defy power and take the initiative to expose Xu Liang's corruption to the court, the old man will assure you on behalf of the cabinet that after Xu Liang steps down, you will be the next Guanglu Siqing! ”

Before Cao Ge's old words were finished, Ma Xiangyang's breathing became heavy. The huge temptation of the next Guanglu Siqing made Ma Xiangyang abandon all his worries. Moreover, listening to Cao Gelao's meaning, Xu Liang's greed for ink has become a basic fact, and it is a matter of time before the court takes down Xu Liang, and Cao Gelao, the cabinet minister, personally assures that Xu Liang's criminal evidence has been collected a lot, and only one person who takes the initiative to impeach him is needed.

I'm Ma Xiangyang, I'm going to be that kind of person again!

Ma Xiangyang drank all the cup of tea in one gulp, and then said angrily to Cao Ge Lao and Zhou Langzhong: "Ge Lao, Brother Zhou, what you said is right, Xu Liang does have the possibility of greedy for ink. In the past two days, the officials carefully observed the situation of Guanglu Temple, and found that Guanglu Temple not only added a lot of brand-new tables, chairs and bookcases, but also equipped with ten guard sergeants, and what is even more suspicious is that the officials of Guanglu Temple, whether they are big or small, seem to have made a small fortune, and many people have added a lot of new objects to their homes. You must know that in the past, these people lived on that bit of money, and it was a problem for the family to eat...... All these signs show that Guanglu Temple has been very rich recently! ”

Elder Cao Ge stroked his palms and smiled: "The cabinet has also paid attention to the situation discovered by Master Ma for a long time. Guanglu Temple Qingshui Yamen, the subordinate officials' silver is also fixed, where did they get the money to buy utensils and arrange guards? Hmph, think about it, except for the 50,000 taels of silver from the household department for the sacrifice of Guanglu Temple last time, Guanglu Temple basically has no income! The money must have been deducted from fifty thousand taels! ”

Ma Xiangyang and Zhou Langzhong listened and nodded in agreement.

Cao Ge looked at Ma Xiangyang with a smile, and said in a deep voice: "Next, Master Ma, you have to do this......" (To be continued.) )