Ma Chao turned around, his eyes just past the wooden bar, and collided with a pair of bright eyes in the dimly lit prison. On closer inspection, a middle-aged scribe was kneeling upright on the straw-covered floor of the cell. The scribe rests his hips on his calves, his hands on his thighs impartially, and his entire upper body stands upright, also impartially.

Although his face was somewhat withered, he remained unusually clean in the filthy cell, his beard was meticulously trimmed, and his hair was tightly tied with strips of coarse cloth, and not a single hair hung out. Although his eyes are not large, they are more sharp and energetic. Seeing Ma Chao, who was dressed in splendor, wearing jade and sword, and having an extremely luxurious body, standing in front of him, he was unmoved, and his tightly pursed lips never moved.

As soon as Ma Chao saw it, he knew that this person was extraordinary.

Ma Chao said: "Who is this person?" ”

"He is the history of the magistrate of Hanyang County that the major general is looking for, Gai Xun."

Ma Chao looked straight at Gai Xun, and Gai Xun looked at him without evasion, as if there was a confrontation and temptation between the two about ideas.

Ma Chao laughed out loud and said, "Interesting." Hurry up and make a quiet place and take him with you. I have something to say to him. ”

"Oh, the next official will do it."

Soon the two jailers opened the prison and just wanted to grab Gai Xun's hands, but Gai Xun said solemnly: "No need, I will go myself." ”

Ma Chao shook his head, and the jailer let go of his hand.

Ma Chao chuckled and left. Gai Xun followed behind Ma Chao.

As they passed through the rows of prisons, the scribes stretched out their hands and shouted, "Gai Changshi, don't listen to Ma's words!" ”

Ma Chao didn't speak, and so did Gai Xun.

Soon the jailer led Ma Chao and Gai Xun to his office, Ma Chao waved the jailer away, stretched out his finger and pointed to the seat, and said, "Please!" ”

Gai Xun sat down Ruyi, and Ma Chao chose to sit directly opposite Gai Xun.

Ma Chao said with a smile: "Gai Xun, Gai Changshi, I have admired the name for a long time." I don't say it, you know who I am, so I won't explain much. I'm here to persuade you to take up a post in the Assassin's Mansion. ”

Gai Xun had a cold face and said, "I naturally know that you are the Shenwei Heavenly General Jin Ma Chao. Although you have the name of benevolence, I will not go. The general is still dead. ”

Ma Chao was already mentally prepared for this, and said: "Do you think that my Ma is a thief?" ”

Gai Xun snorted coldly: "Hmph, isn't it?" ”

Ma Chao also knew that what they said was right, he and Ma Teng were really anti-thieves, so he could only refute Gai Xun with clever words.

Ma Chao said: "I said no, and you may not believe it." ”

"Hmph." Gai Xun turned his head disdainfully.

"But I want to know, what are the signs that Gai Changshi can see that my Ma clan has a rebellious heart?"

Gai Xun sneered: "Everyone knows it, why bother asking? ”

Ma Chao smiled: "What you said is not right, Gai Changshi." This meal can be eaten indiscriminately, but words should not be indiscriminate. If you don't have evidence, how can you accuse my father and son of being thieves? Could it be that Gai Changshi has always liked to put on trumped-up charges against people? ”

"Okay, since the general doesn't dislike the subordinate official's noisy and unpleasant words, then the subordinate will talk to the general. First of all, you Ma have self-respect, yes or no? ”

Ma Chao said calmly: "Supporting soldiers is yes, but self-respect is not." I am a Shenwei general of the imperial court, what's wrong with leading troops? My father, as the captain of Liangzhou Thorn History and Huqiang, why can't he lead the troops? As for self-respect, my father and son have never resisted the orders of the imperial court, and they have always been the only ones who look forward to the court. Where is the self-respect? ”

Gai Xun probably didn't expect Ma Chao to argue so closely and was speechless for a while. Immediately afterwards, Gai Xun said: "Okay, then please explain to the general, the assassination history is only the right to supervise, and there is no right to control the military and political affairs of the county." Why did Ling Zun dare to take charge of the full power of a state, and even dare to privately appoint the Taishou, the county order, and the subordinate officials of the assassin history? ”

Ma Chao smiled: "Gai Changshi Xu has been in prison for a long time, and the news is not clear, right?" The imperial court has issued a clear decree that my father and son have the right to act cheaply and dispose of it in Liangzhou. In other words, the imperial court has given me all the power in Xiliang. I, Ma, uphold the will of the Han family, pacify Xiliang and govern Xiliang, what's wrong? Gai Changshi criticized this. Could it be that Gai Changshi has already rebelled against the Han? ”

Gai Xun was annoyed and angry, his neck and face were red with anger, and he argued: "My loyalty, the sun and the moon testify, the heaven and the earth can be learned, how can I betray the Han?" ”

Ma Chao also shouted loudly: "Then Gai Changshi explained, what's wrong with my Ma clan taking full power in Liangzhou?" ”

"You! I ......" Gai Xun was speechless. Admittedly, everything is legal and reasonable, the procedures are proper, and Gai Xun really can't find anything wrong.

Ma Chao tilted his head and looked at the angry Gai Xun with a smile on his face, just like to look at him helpless and angry.

Gai Xun seemed to think of something again, and said, "Okay, this is really nothing. Can the general explain to me why the scribes were arrested for no reason? Aren't you afraid that we will tell the general's true thoughts? ”

Ma Chao said with a smile: "As Fang just said, my Ma clan is legitimate and legitimate, whether it is in the army or in politics, even if it is such a painstaking attempt by Gai Changshi to search for signs of rebellion of my Ma clan, it has not succeeded, and it must be even more impossible for others." Since I, Ma, have a clear conscience, I have not done anything rebellious. But Gai Changshi is entangled in a group of unscrupulous people to slander and slander my Ma family's reputation, causing an extremely bad impact on society, shouldn't he be punished? As a Liangzhou assassin, my father has the right to arrest thieves and dispose of prisons. Why can't I imprison you? ”

Gai Xun had nothing to say, stared at Ma Chao dryly, and couldn't say anything to refute.

Ma Chao crossed his fingers and said: "As the magistrate of Hanyang County, you are not diligent in official duties, and you take slander as a priority all day long, and you have failed the expectations of the court, the Son of Heaven, and the Han family for you, which is disloyal; If you sin and be imprisoned here, you will hurt your parents and your spirits, and you will be unfilial. You are guilty, and the Assassin Mansion uses your slight prestige to solicit you regardless of your previous suspicions, but you speak more evil words, which is rude; It is unrighteous for you to insult the innocence of others without a reason, and to deceive others to slander with you. ”

This time it was Gai Xun's turn to be criticized, he listened to Ma Chao's accusations, and instead of being angry like ordinary people, he concentrated on thinking that he seemed to be in line, but he became panicked and embarrassed.

Ma Chao secretly saw that Gai Xun had become a little weak-hearted, and secretly thought that this person was worthy of being a celebrity, and his consciousness was so high. He talked nonsense, and Gai Xun actually believed it. If he had been pointed at his nose and scolded like this, he would have been slashed a long time ago. Ma Chao also understood why Ma Teng valued these celebrities so much, because these people are all tendons, and they are enough to conquer them with upright principles.