People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 602 The sky is falling

"It has been a month since we came to the capital. Did Shoucheng have a good time?"

When Ma Teng pushed the door and entered the room, Xu Chen, who was handling official business, turned his head to look at him, nodded, and then chatted with him casually without stopping the action of writing instructions.

As soon as Ma Teng came in, he immediately felt uncomfortable. He felt the same way every time he was with Xu Chen.

After he sat down, he answered, "The scenery of Peking is truly amazing, but one month is not enough. I wish I could stay here forever."

Xu Chen had just finished the work at hand. After putting down his pen, he started chatting and laughing with Ma Teng: "I heard that you have been buying a lot of goods while touring the capital these days. How many carriages have you loaded?"

Ma Teng felt a little embarrassed when he heard this: "There are many rare items in the Beiping market, many of which I have never seen before. I can't help but like them. If I have made a fool of myself, I hope the Master will forgive me."

Xu Chen laughed and waved his hand nonchalantly: "Beiping lacks everything except commercial goods. Since Shoucheng likes these things, I will order the Internal Affairs Department to reimburse you later. It will be regarded as a gift from the court to you."

Ma Teng was immediately delighted when he heard this and quickly thanked Xu Chen.

As the overlord of Xiliang, he certainly had no shortage of this little money. What mattered to him was Xu Chen's intimate behavior. Money was not important, the face of the prime minister was what was important.

Xu Chen was willing to favor Ma Teng so much, of course, because of Ma Teng's contribution in surrendering to him, which enabled him to capture Liangzhou without bloodshed. At the moment, this little favor meant nothing.

After the two exchanged a few pleasantries, Xu Chen got down to business: "After Shoucheng returns, I'll have to trouble you to take care of Liangzhou's surrender."

Ma Teng straightened his expression and said, "Don't worry, Prime Minister. The court respects me, Ma Teng, so I will definitely live up to the court's trust. After I submit to the court, if the government can help me, I will fully cooperate."

Although he said it brightly, in fact, Ma Teng was sighing in his heart at this time.

After more than a month, Ma's future fate had been clearly arranged. Although she was not given a completely idle position like Zhang Lu and Shi Xie, her situation was not much better either.

After surrendering, the imperial court will set up an office in Liangzhou, and Ma Teng will then be able to hold an important position in the Liangzhou government office. Of course, although this position is high, the actual power is not much.

By then, the ones who really have power will still be the officials appointed by the imperial court to govern the province. Ma Teng is just relying on his reputation in Liangzhou to assist the government in its work.

After all, the situation in Liangzhou is complicated. Not only do various ethnic groups live together, but the people are more fond of fighting and have a relatively serious sense of xenophobia.

Under such circumstances, even if Xuan Xia took over Liangzhou, the future transformation work would be full of difficulties, so the government needed someone with considerable reputation in the local area to act as a face, so that things could be done, and Ma Teng was undoubtedly an excellent tool man.

Although liberation by force is violent, it is not without benefits. At least it can help cleanse the local powerful families in Liangzhou. However, countless ordinary people will be dragged into this process and suffer.

Although peaceful liberation is good, it is not entirely beneficial. At least the government needs to be more particular about methods and means when cleaning out the local powerful families, and there can be no rush.

To a certain extent, to stabilize Liangzhou, perhaps we have to take the same approach as sending Ju Su to stabilize the southwest. After all, the basic situation in Liangzhou is very similar to that in the southwest.

Xuan Xia is not following the kingly way of tyranny, otherwise as long as the local nobles surrender, the government will have nothing else to do.

But what Xuan Xia wants is complete liberation, which is destined to be a more arduous and difficult road.

The imperial court had already figured out how to govern Liangzhou after it surrendered, which was to first try to win over the masses, and then start to settle accounts with the local nobles with the people when the time was right. To win over the masses, Ma Teng's face could play a role. Of course, Ma Teng was not satisfied with this, but he had no choice. He still remembered the scene of the military camp's artillery test, and he didn't want to face that kind of thing with his own flesh and blood.

After surrendering, the Ma family would inevitably decline, but this is better than physical destruction.

Xu Chen smiled and said, "The imperial court is currently preparing the Liangzhou government. Shoucheng can stay in Beijing for now. After the Liangzhou army is disbanded, the government should be almost ready. Then he can take office in Liangzhou with the government and officially start governing the area."

Ma Teng cupped his hands and said, "The court can make all the arrangements, and I will cooperate with you."

Although he knew that he was acting as a hostage here in a sense, Ma Teng had already prepared himself mentally for this. He even came here specifically to be a hostage so that his big brother from Liangzhou would not be able to do anything he wanted.

Once things are completely settled, I will take the government back with me, and there will be no more twists and turns or setbacks.

Ma Teng's idea was quite reasonable, but the actual development was far beyond his expectations.

While he was talking with Xu Chen, he heard someone knocking on the door and coming in. Ma Teng recognized at a glance that it was Xu Chen's confidant Tian Shitou.

For some reason, after Tian Shitou entered the room, he looked at Ma Teng with a very strange look, which immediately made Ma Teng feel a little uneasy.

Ma Teng certainly knew the nature of Tian Shitou's work. It was hard for him not to have wild thoughts when he was looked at like that.

Did something happen?
Fortunately, Tian Shitou did not take any other action except taking another look. Instead, he walked directly to Xu Chen and whispered something. Ma Teng pricked up his ears, but could not hear anything clearly.

Not long after, Tian Shitou finished speaking, and then stood beside Xu Chen with an expressionless face. Instead, Xu Chen looked at Ma Teng.

This time, Xu Chen's eyes were as strange as Tian Shitou's just now.

Ma Teng's scalp suddenly felt numb. No matter how stupid he was, he should have realized that something was wrong. Something must have happened!
Xu Chen looked at him and said, "There's news from Liangzhou just now. Does Shoucheng know what the news is?"

Ma Teng asked nervously: "Please tell me clearly, Prime Minister!"

Xu Chen said, "I just received news that a few days ago, a riot broke out in Liang Province. Ma Chao led a hundred thousand troops eastward and started a war in the eastern part of Liang Province."

When he said this, Xu Chen smiled faintly and added jokingly: "Your young master is indeed very brave. The two counties of Anding in the north that Xuan Xia originally controlled have already fallen into his hands. If the war continues, I am afraid he will invade Sizhou."

a bolt from the blue!

Five thunder strikes!

At this moment, Ma Teng felt as if the sky had fallen, and then emotions of anger and disbelief surged in his heart.

He never imagined that Ma Chao could be so bold.

Of course, he felt even more heartbroken. After all, he was still in Peking. Didn’t Ma Chao ever think about his father when he started his rebellion?

Ma Teng only knew that he was in danger. Liangzhou was on fire. How could this gentleman in front of him let him go?
(End of this chapter)