My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 89 Untitled
Upon seeing the warships arrive, Zhu Biao immediately led his officials to the dock, where they lined up in formation.

This time, Ma Yu did not stay with Zhu Biao, but stood beside Chang Yuchun.

Once the warship docked at the pier, Xu Da and Tang He, fully armed, were the first to disembark.

Xu Da was tall, but not imposing.

On the contrary, Tang He, who was standing next to him, was burly with a thick waist and a beard, and looked very fierce.

However, Tang He's strength did not overshadow Xu Da; on the contrary, it made him appear even more dignified.

After the two men went ashore, hundreds of warriors followed them off the boat in single file.

Even from a distance, you can feel an aura of iron-bloodedness and murderous intent, making your mouth dry.

This was the first time Ma Yu had ever witnessed such a scene. While she was flustered, she was also extremely excited.

This is the dream team of China in this era.

Sensing his excitement, Chang Yuchun smiled silently.

This kid has no prejudice against soldiers.

Ma Yu had previously expressed her admiration for soldiers, but it was only verbal.

It remains to be seen to what extent his support for the military will reach.

But his current emotional state is the best proof, and there is no need to say more.

On the other side, Xu Da and Tang He had already led their men to Zhu Biao and first bowed and paid their respects.

However, they only gave a regular military salute and did not perform a grand salute.

After all, everyone can understand why Chang Yuchun did this, but it would be impossible to explain why Xu Da and Tang He did the same.

Zhu Biao stepped forward and gently lifted the two of them up:
"Generals, you've worked hard. Please, no need for formalities."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Xu Da and Tang He stood up.

Then Zhu Biao dismissed the other soldiers from the formalities.

Fortunately, the soldiers all obeyed orders and stood up; there was no instance of them only getting up when given the command by their commander.

Afterwards, other important officials also came forward to offer their congratulations. Xu Da exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone, then approached Chang Yuchun and said:

"Boren, you're not feeling well, you should stay home and rest. Why did you come?"

Chang Yuchun pointed to Ma Yu beside him and laughed loudly:
"Haha... This kid keeps saying that you are the number one person in the Ming Dynasty military."

"How could I, a mere soldier, dare not come to greet you, the first person to arrive?"

Xu Da paused for a moment, looked at Ma Yu, and asked with feigned confusion:
"Who is this……"

Chang Yuchun introduced, "This is Ma Yu, the Empress's cousin. He speaks highly of you."

"I heard you were returning in triumph, so I insisted on coming to greet you."

Ma Yu was touched; this Old Chang was reliable. She then stepped forward and bowed, saying:
"General Xu..."

Chang Yuchun interrupted him, saying, "What General Xu? He's like a brother to me."

"If you call me uncle, you should also call him uncle."

Ma Yu then changed his address, saying, "Uncle Xu, I have come to welcome your triumphant return on my aunt's orders."

But their attitude did not change significantly as a result.

Xu Da smiled and said, "Young Master Ma, you are too kind. The Empress is very kind, and I am deeply grateful."

You can tell the distance in his tone just from this one form of address.

He didn't directly refuse the title of "uncle," probably because he didn't want to offend Chang Yuchun on the spot.

Ma Yu didn't think there was anything wrong with this.

After all, Xu Da was loyal to Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, and everyone else had to take a backseat.

Even Zhu Biao followed the rules perfectly and did not show any special characteristics.

The key point is that he personally disliked court infighting and never took sides with anyone, remaining loyal only to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Naturally, one would not readily acknowledge a stranger as a junior.

But Ma Yu thought to himself, who isn't?

I didn't want to acknowledge a stranger as my uncle, but since Chang Yuchun had brought it up, I couldn't very well refuse him on the spot.

So we're all pretty much the same.

Tang He, who was following behind, also heard their conversation.

He wasn't upset about being called the number one military figure in the Ming Dynasty.

If it were someone else, he definitely wouldn't agree.

What kind of person dares to claim to be the number one military officer in the Ming Dynasty?

But Xu Da felt that it was only right for him to be the first.

It was the address of "uncle" that piqued his interest, and he immediately squeezed in to say:

"You must be my sister-in-law..."

"Ahem." Xu Da coughed lightly, reminding him, "Be mindful of etiquette."

Tang He then changed his address, saying, "You must be Ma Yu, the Empress's cousin? I am Tang He, you should call me Uncle Tang."

Ma Yu's smile immediately became more friendly, and he bowed, saying:

“Uncle Tang, my aunt has told me many stories about you, and Brother Tang Li often talks to me about your heroic deeds.”

Tang Li is Tang He's youngest son and a member of the small organization.

As for his abilities, I'd say they're just average.

However, he is a decent person and doesn't have that arrogant or extravagant air about him.

While not particularly prominent in the small organization, they weren't exactly invisible either.

Ma Yu and he were acquainted, but not nearly as close as they were now claiming.

But that's how interpersonal relationships are.

A sedan chair is carried by many people, and as they carry it, their relationship grows closer.

Upon hearing his words, Tang He burst into laughter.

He stretched out his fan-like hand and patted him hard on the shoulder twice.

Ma Yu felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and couldn't help but grimace.

Chang Yuchun said unhappily, "Old Tang, be careful. This kid is clever, not a roughneck like us."

Tang He quickly withdrew his hand and laughed, "Oh dear, I forgot when I was in a good mood. I'm so sorry."

"That kid Tang Li wrote to me several times, saying he learned a lot from you."

"Especially in mathematics, he is more advanced than the previous teachers."

"Haha... Our whole Tang family are rough men, I never expected that one of them would be so learned."

"Old Tang really needs to thank you for this."

Ma Yu quickly replied modestly, "This is all thanks to Brother Tang Li's diligent study; I dare not take credit for it."

Tang He knew these were just polite words; how could he not know his own people?

None of them in the family are successful.

He knew all too well whose credit it was that his son had learned such genuine mathematical skills.

He was genuinely grateful to Ma Yu; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the initiative to approach him and shamelessly referred to himself as his uncle.

Not to mention that Ma Yu was Empress Ma's nephew, and was to carry on the family line of Ma Taigong.

Both publicly and privately, he wanted to cultivate a good relationship with the other party.

The courtiers witnessed all of this, which reaffirmed a fact.

Ma Yu is no longer the little beggar who relied solely on Empress Ma's favor.

The nobles didn't care about this; among their bunch of roughnecks, there was one knowledgeable person who didn't keep his knowledge to himself.

This is a good thing.

The civil officials who came from Confucian backgrounds felt very uncomfortable.

It's just a little math knowledge, look how smug you all are.

To truly govern a country, one must look to the profound principles and subtle meanings of Confucianism.

At this moment, Zhu Biao also came over and said with a smile, "My cousin is not only proficient in mathematics, but his knowledge of history is also unfathomable."

Cousin?

Xu Da and Tang He were slightly surprised, as they both knew from their family letters that Ma Yu had a close relationship with the royal family.

But private and public occasions are different.

Zhu Biao calling him "cousin" in front of so many people in public is beyond what can be explained by a typical close relationship.

It seems that Ma Yu has some secrets that I don't know about.

Tang He was mostly happy. He believed he had a good relationship with Ma Yu, and the more talented Ma Yu was, the better.

Xu Da then began to think about it. He decided to call the eldest daughter back when he got back and ask her what was going on with Ma Yu.

The group did not linger there. After a brief chat, they returned to the capital city under Zhu Biao's leadership.

Zhu Yuanzhang personally went to the gate of the imperial city to welcome them and greeted each of the generals, which shows how much he valued them.

Xu Da and Tang He were alright, but the other generals were moved to tears.

Even if it were a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, they would probably jump down without batting an eye.

Ma Yu couldn't help but scoff; this stinking beggar really knew how to win people over.

Next came the victory celebration banquet. However, during a break in the banquet, Xu Da and Tang He went to Kunning Palace to pay their respects to Empress Ma.

Ma Yu naturally went along as well.

Empress Ma kept calling him Yu'er and said that if he needed anything, he should ask his two uncles, who would definitely help him.

Xu Da's attitude became much more friendly, but still distant.

Tang He was different; he immediately patted his chest and declared:
"The Empress's nephew is my nephew, Old Tang's nephew. If you need anything in the future, just come to your uncle."

Afterwards, Empress Ma chatted with the two generals for a while until the eunuch came to inform her that the banquet was ready.

They then arrived together at the Fengtian Hall.

During the banquet, Ma Yu followed Chang Yuchun the whole time and witnessed the extravagance of the imperial feast.

All kinds of delicacies from land and sea are available.

They even got to eat bear meat.

As for what a "flower bear" is, don't ask, I simply don't know.

Anyway, Ma Yu ate a whole big bowl of food with a sense of guilt.

The final assessment was that the taste was just average.

It's more of a psychological feeling.

After the banquet, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Xu Da and Tang He to stay overnight in the palace, and Chang Yuchun was also asked to stay.

Ma Yu then prepared to go home alone.

He hadn't walked more than a few steps when a large group of nobles surrounded him and escorted him toward the Great Merit Archway.

These people included the fathers and brothers of members of the small group, generals of Chang Yuchun, Tang He, and others, as well as other nobles.

These people were implying the same thing: "My family has a good-for-nothing son (grandson), so please take good care of him, Young Master Ma."

Ma Yu naturally welcomed all who came, saying that they were all family and that his uncles and elders should not stand on ceremony.

In short, Ma Yu gained about ten more students along the way.

The next day, even more people came to his house to give gifts.

They even received several travel documents.

"Xingjuan" refers to a document used by ancient scholars to copy down their best works and present them to high-ranking officials in hopes of securing an official position.

Ordinary officials were not qualified to collect travel documents; only truly high-ranking officials and nobles were allowed to do so.

After all, only these people have the ability to recommend others for official positions.

The fact that people are now submitting their resumes to Ma Yu indicates that his banner has gained recognition from some people.

The most pleased person was the butler, Yuan Lang, who had finally chosen a good employer.

However, he was not in a hurry to seek opportunities for his own sons to enter officialdom.

Haste makes waste; it's not too late to talk about it after we've achieved some results.
-
Xu Da finally returned home, so Empress Ma gave Xu Miaoyun a few days' leave so that the family could reunite.

The next day, Xu Da returned from the palace, briefly greeted his wives, concubines, and children, and then summoned Xu Miaoyun to his study alone.

What do you think of Ma Yu?

Although young, Xu Miaoyun was very intelligent and immediately knew what her father was thinking. She replied promptly:

"Very capable, he often gives lessons to His Majesty, the Empress, the Crown Prince, and others."

To give lessons to His Majesty and His Majesty?
Xu Da was shocked. Although these two men came from humble backgrounds, they had become very learned through their subsequent efforts.

How old is Ma Yu? How come she can teach them?

If she weren't his own daughter, and if he didn't know her personality, he would have thought she was teasing him.

"What did they talk about?"

Xu Miaoyun said, "Most of the time, His Majesty would have people avoid the area, and I only overheard it a few times."

Then, she recounted what she had heard to Xu Da.

However, she was young and not very knowledgeable, so she didn't understand many things.

In addition, so much time has passed that I've forgotten a lot of it.

Less than one in ten can actually retell it.

Even so, Xu Da was still so shocked that he lost control of his expression.

Is this really knowledge that a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy can grasp?
No wonder the ruler pardoned his death sentence.

No wonder the Empress took it all seriously and accepted him as her nephew.

At this moment, he couldn't help but recall what Zhu Biao had said at the dock yesterday: Ma Yu's level of historical knowledge was unfathomable.

At the time, he thought the Crown Prince was advocating for his cousin.

I only realize now that it was a statement of fact.

However, he does not regret keeping his distance from Ma Yu.

On the contrary, he felt that his choice was correct.

Learning from history, we can know the rise and fall.

Ma Yu's profound knowledge of history would certainly have led him to participate in the construction of the nation's ritual and legal system.

No, he's already involved.

So, would Li Shanchang just stand by and do nothing? Would those Confucian scholars agree?
The current calm is simply because everyone's attention is focused on unifying the world.

Moreover, the emperor had not yet begun any major military campaigns.

Once the country is at peace and internal development begins, the struggles will become more intense than ever before.

He did not want to get involved in court disputes, nor would he.

When you're in the world, you're not free to do as you please; ordinary people naturally have no right to stay out of it.

Can you simply choose not to get involved in court infighting?

For example, Liu Bowen was almost questioned about his loyalty.

But Xu Da had the right to do so. As long as he didn't take the initiative to intervene, no one would force him, including Zhu Yuanzhang.

Even if all the factions in the court fought each other to the point of exploding, no one would dare to bare their teeth at him.

Therefore, after confirming Ma Yu's abilities, Xu Da became even more determined to keep his distance from him.

Tang He made the exact opposite choice.

On the morning of the third day, he brought Tang Li to visit him, along with a gift for the apprenticeship ceremony.

Ma Yu personally greeted them at the main gate.

Upon meeting, Tang He laughed heartily and said, "Nephew, your uncle has come to see you... This is a gift for your apprenticeship, please don't think it's too meager."

Ma Yu said politely, "Uncle, what are you doing?"

“You are my elder, and Brother Li and I are like brothers. There is no such thing as giving a gift to someone to formally become my apprentice.”

Tang He laughed and said, "Let's each talk about our own things."

He spoke with an air of authority, brooking no refusal, and directed the servants to carry the gifts into the courtyard.

Ma Yu had no choice but to accept it.

The two sides then had a friendly exchange.

Tang He held a prominent position in the Ming Dynasty, and Ma Yu knew that he was a great asset.

Since the other party has expressed goodwill, he naturally knows what to do.

He pretended to ask Tang Li, "I know a little about history. If Brother Li doesn't mind, we can discuss and learn together in the future."

Tang Li was overjoyed and rose to bow.

Tang He was even more pleased. He had taken the initiative to show goodwill and disregarded his status to personally deliver the apprenticeship gift. Wasn't this what he wanted?

Although he was a martial artist, he knew very well that a family could not last long by relying solely on brute strength.

Having knowledge, even just ordinary knowledge, and following the proper path to officialdom, can ensure the preservation of one's family fortune.

He just couldn't even learn ordinary knowledge before.

Now we've finally found a way.

As for Ma Yu's influence in the court, that was secondary to him.

Given his status, as long as he didn't rebel, no one in the Ming Dynasty could lay a finger on him.

Therefore, whether or not he forms a party is completely irrelevant to him.

The three chatted for a long time. During this time, Tang He wanted to take his leave, but Ma Yu wouldn't let him go.

They warmly invited him to stay for lunch before letting him and his son leave.

He personally saw them off at the gate, and watching Tang He's retreating figure, Ma Yu was filled with emotion.

No wonder Tang He, despite his mediocre abilities, was able to remain a pillar of the Ming Dynasty.

It wasn't just his personal relationship with Zhu Yuanzhang that made him successful; this man also had extremely high emotional intelligence.
-
Five days after the army's triumphant return, Ma Yu's long-planned trip to the manor finally came to fruition.

Empress Ma, Zhu Biao, Zhu Gang, Zhu Di, Zhu Su, and others all went.

Chang Yuchun also accompanied the emperor to protect him.

The group members had been notified several days in advance that there was a major event today and that everyone was expected to attend.

He was incredibly excited when he learned that he would be accompanying Empress Ma on the trip.

Correspondingly, shortly after they set off, the other families regretted it even more.

Why didn't I get my child into the group sooner?

(End of this chapter)