Ma Erniang's Splendid Pastoral

Chapter 230 Promotion of Fakong
The matter in the capital has come to an end. Ma Min'er and Xia Zhen are going back to Xicaogou, and went to Ma's house to pick up Ma's family, but Ma Qifeng refused, "We'll stay in Beijing to take care of your elder brother. He Sanlang, the marriage of your two elder brothers should be prepared slowly, although it is not in a hurry, but it should not be idle."

"I'll help you."

Mo Wanyi shook her head, "You... Er Niang, it's written all over your face that Wang Ye thinks about his son, you should live your own life with Wang Ye, the most important thing is to have a baby quickly."

"But I'm still young, don't worry."

Mo Wanyi smiled at Ma Qifeng, as a stepmother, she had already urged her, so she couldn't push her any further, so she had to let her husband come.

"That's right, you're only seventeen, don't worry."

Sure enough, it was her own father, Ma Miner grinned so much that she turned her head, "Yueer, then follow me."

Ma Yueer shook her head, "No, I'm helping Aunt Wan at home and taking care of my younger brother, so I'm not free."

"Hey, Yue'er, yes!"

Ma Yueer smiled: "We won't affect you and your brother-in-law. If you miss us, come back often."

"It seems that this is the only way to go." Ma Min'er sighed.

The Ma family sent Ma Min'er to the door, and when they waved goodbye, she endured for a long time and said, "Father, I've already entrusted the third uncle's affairs, just these few days."

"Great, it will make your grandfather feel better."

Ma Min'er nodded, and said helplessly, "To tell the truth, father, thinking of the suffering we have suffered and the grievances you have suffered, I actually don't want to help."

"Min'er..." Ma Qifeng looked at his daughter guiltily, yes, her daughter is always thinking of herself, but she...

"Father, you don't have to blame yourself. Helping them is not for them, but for peace of mind."

"That's right, Min'er, you are right. Dad always feels that his life is easy, and he feels uneasy when he sees his relatives are having a hard time." After Jing Daughter said it, Ma Qifeng suddenly became enlightened, yes, he didn't think about it, What to show in the first place is not to be a saint in order to repay grievances, but to seek peace of mind.

Ma Min'er smiled, "If there is anything wrong, let Erping send us a letter."

"I know!"

"Also, as long as Xiaoyou comes to Beijing, I will let him come and see at home."

"Well, Dad knows."

Ma Min'er: "As for shopkeeper Peng, if he misses home, you can ask him to go back and take over his wife and children by the way."

"I've already told him that Dalang is going to get engaged in Beijing, so he must go back and talk to Daping."

"Okay." After everything was arranged properly, Ma Min'er returned home with peace of mind.

-

Xia Zhen went to the palace, even though she was going to the suburbs of Beijing, she still had to say hello to the most respected person in the Great Wei Kingdom, otherwise it would be enough to treat you for being disrespectful.

Emperor Yuantai squinted his eyes: "You like to run into the valley."

Xia Zhen smiled, "I'm used to being free and undisciplined, I hope the Holy One will understand."

Emperor Yuantai glanced at him: "How is Ma Tongfeng doing recently?"

"Returning to the Holy Lord, Grandpa's body is a bit uncomfortable!"

"Oh, no wonder you always stay home on leave."

Xia Zhen didn't know why Emperor Yuantai mentioned Ma Chengzu and didn't answer his words.

Emperor Yuantai seemed to be in deep thought, "Shurong is three months pregnant, and I am going to let the Ma family come to the palace to meet her."

Xia Zhen hurriedly half-kneeled, "I have thanked the Holy Grace on behalf of my grandfather, and thanked the Holy Dragon for the mighty kindness."

Emperor Yuantai looked at Xie En's courtiers, his eyebrows moved slightly, he couldn't see the Xia family's attitude towards Concubine Rong's pregnancy at all, his eyes were tightly shut.

"My lord, if there is nothing wrong, I will leave!"

"Well, back off.!" Emperor Yuan Tai waved his hand.

When Xia Zhen came out of the palace, she unexpectedly met Liu Zaili. The two nodded from a distance, and passed by without even a pause.

When Liu Zaili was about to reach the gate of the emperor's palace, he stopped and turned to look at the back in the distance. The two young men who had fought together for Emperor Yuantai walked farther and farther at this moment.

After entering the hall, just as Liu Zaili saluted, Emperor Yuantai said, "Have you met Xia Zian?"

"Return to the Holy One, I met you."

Emperor Yuantai raised his eyes, "Apart from the Fengma family discussing relatives, what has Xia Zhen been doing lately?"

"Return to the Holy Lord, I visited Huamanlou a few days ago."

"I remember it's Xiao's building."

"Your Majesty has a good memory, it is indeed the building of the Xiao family."

Emperor Yuantai smiled slightly, "Xia Zian exposed Xiao Zilin's hiding of his wife and children, how dare he go to him?"

Liu Zaili said, "Xia Zian asked Xiao Zilin for help."

"Help?" Emperor Yuan Tai didn't expect that after uncovering Xiao Lin's background, he dared to ask others for help. It's interesting!

"Yes, my lord."

"Why are you busy?"

"About Ma Tongfeng's son a sixth-rank prose official."

Emperor Yuantai smiled lightly and said, "Did Xiao Zilin help?"

"Return to the Holy One, help."

Emperor Yuantai touched the three mustaches, "I just wanted to promote my concubine's family, but I didn't expect that Xia Zian would go ahead."

Liu Zaili was not at all surprised when Emperor Yuantai said this. It is common for the emperor's concubine to be rewarded to the family for her pregnancy. It's just that the little lady of the Ma family has not been pregnant for so long. There is one in the capital, which is intriguing in itself.

Xia Zhen took his young daughter-in-law to Xicaogou. As for whether the emperor would let the Ma family see their daughter or when, he didn't care at all. Now it's not that he wants to use the concubine in the palace to consolidate his position and power, but It was Emperor Yuantai who needed a concubine to be pregnant to balance his obsessed courtiers. It was Emperor Yuantai who should be worried, not Xia Zhen.

On the third day that Xia Zhen and his wife went to Xicaogou, Mrs. Ma San received an official document from the official department, "You...what did you just say?" She looked at the official messenger who came to deliver the letter in disbelief.

The messenger said impatiently: "The Ministry of Rites is short of copyists. After being recommended by the doctor of the Ministry of Rites, Ma Qimeng was hired. I will go to the Ministry of Rites to go through the recruitment procedures tomorrow. This is a letter of recommendation. Take this with you, and someone will naturally approach you."

"Thank you, thank you!" Mrs. Ma San almost kowtowed to a messenger who delivered the letter to thank her. After receiving the letter of recommendation, she trotted all the way to her husband's room, "Qimeng...Master...you have a business, you can enter the yamen ..."

Ma Qimeng was sitting on the porch, drinking old wine while teasing Thrush: "Unfortunately, you are just a bird. If you are a good person, you can accompany me..."

"Master... Master..."

"What's it called, it's called soul..." The drunken Ma Qimeng opened his mouth and cursed.

Mrs. Ma San didn't care about it, and happily put the recommendation book on the wine table, "Look, let's see what it is?"

"What?" Seeing his wife's happy face, Ma Qimeng lowered his head and looked down, "Recommendation letter, there is a candidate Ma Qimeng, who has a good hand in regular script, and is specially recommended to the Ministry of Rites as a literary classic. Ten Guan..."

Mrs. Ma San was listening to him happily, "Why did you stop?" Could it be that he thinks it's too little?But now that his qualifications care about these things, his mood is instantly bad.

Ma Qimeng raised Xing Xunxun's eyes, "Whose recommendation is this? Could it be Yihui's?"

Mother, it turned out that it wasn't that I disliked the lack of money, but that I didn't understand who it was, "It's you, master!" Ma Sanfu pointed to the three characters 'Ma Qimeng' and let him see.

"Ma-qi-meng, Ma Qimeng, isn't that me?"

"Yes, master, you are a sixth-rank Beijing official, and you can go to the yamen to do business."

Ma Qimenghuo stood up immediately, "Who is it, who recommended it?"

Madam Ma sighed long after hearing this, "It should be Min Niang."

"Miss Min?"

"Yes." Mrs. Ma San took the letter of recommendation from him, "Hurry up and tidy yourself up so that you can report to the yamen."

Ma Qimeng stood stunned: "How do you know it's her? Did she tell you?"

"She didn't say it, but I can't think of who it is except her."

"Maybe it's the father?"

"Then you can ask him with the letter of recommendation." Madam Ma San finished speaking, then gave him the letter of recommendation, turned around and left, thinking in her heart, as far as his father-in-law is concerned, the family will not be able to live a happy life so.

"It's not me." Ma Chengzu stretched out his hand to press his son's recommendation letter, his old eyes drooping.

"Father, why didn't Ma Erniang help out a long time ago, but now..." Ma Qimeng was dissatisfied.

Ma Chengzu raised his old eyes suddenly, "Then don't go." After he finished speaking, he was about to tear up the recommendation letter, but his son snatched it away, "Father, what are you doing, I finally got a job in the yamen."

"Aren't you dissatisfied, what do you want him to do?"

Holding the recommendation letter, Ma Qimeng shrank his head guiltily: "I..."

Ma Chengzu said coldly: "Your own father never helped you find a way, but a niece did it for you, and you are still not satisfied, what else should you do?"

"I..." Ma Qimeng shrank his head and neck and stepped back.

Ma Chengzu shook his head and sighed: "Just like you, your capable niece will only help this time, there will be no next time."

"Father, you...why are you talking about son this time, son... how can son be such a person..."

Seeing such a son, Ma Chengzu waved his hands, "Hurry up, hurry up..." He couldn't bear to see this kind of sensuality and cowardice at one moment.

The Ma family...the Wang family...maybe it's here...

-

When Liu Zaicheng heard that Xia Zhen and his wife had gone to Xicaogou again, he was so anxious that he was not in the mood to listen to the manager in front of him, "Go to the side first."

"Little lord, haven't you finished reporting the villain's affairs?" the steward said.

"Go away."

"My lord..."

"What's it called? Believe it or not, I'll kill you."

The steward yelled: "Little... little prince, please be merciful, it's not that you have to scream, it's you who told us stewards that no matter what happens to you or how bad your mood is, you will listen to us patiently." The steward finishes the matter."

"You..." I said this myself, Liu Zaicheng suppressed his embarrassing heart, "Quickly tell..."

"Yes, my lord!"

When the steward finished reporting the matter, Liu Zaicheng called his followers to come in, "Hurry up and prepare a carriage for me, I'm going to Xicaogou."

The long follower hurriedly grabbed him, "Young lord, the Ma family didn't go to Xicaogou."

"What?" Liu Zaicheng asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

"The steward replied just now, seeing your hasty look, I guessed that you were looking for Ma Siniang, so I hurriedly asked someone to inquire, but the Ma family didn't follow."

"Great." Liu Zaicheng heaved a sigh of relief, then realized something, and grabbed the boy by the collar, "How did you know the secret of the master?"

"Grandpa... Grandpa, it's written all over your face!"

"Did I... did I write it?"

The servant Alai nodded, pointed to the little prince's hand, and said to himself, let go quickly, if you don't let go, I will be strangled to death by you.

Liu Zaicheng let go of his hand and touched his face, "Then do you think Si Niang noticed it?"

The boy Alai shook his head, "Probably not."

"..." Excited Liu Zaicheng immediately grabbed the servant Alai's collar again, "How could it be, even you can see it, why didn't she?"

"Grand...Grand..." The servant grabbed the hands of the young master with both hands, "Some young ladies don't understand these things."

"How did you know?"

"Grandpa, Miss Masi's eyes didn't straighten when she saw you." The little servant Ah Lai shouted in his heart, is it easy for me to be a servant? For you, I have asked a good girl picker, but he dare not say such a thing.

Liu Zaicheng blinked, yes, I heard that the little lady likes a man, when she sees him, her eyes will straighten, and she will become nympho, but Ma Siniang will only be aggressive when she sees herself, he suddenly becomes very depressed, "She...she doesn't like me...what to do...what to do?"

The servant, Alai, finally struggled out from his master, gasping for breath, "Master, if you like it, why don't you let the old concubine find a matchmaker to marry her back?"

"Ah... can this be done?"

"Of course you can, isn't everyone like this?"

"That's right..." Liu Zaicheng thumped one hand with the other, "I'm going to find my grandmother right now." After speaking, he ran outside, but after running a few steps, he stopped again, "No, no, what if Si Niang doesn't like me, it's not good to treat her like this."

"...Not good? That's the best way?" Ah Lai didn't understand, master, you are a little prince, how many women are looking forward to climbing the branches.

"I want her to like me and marry me willingly, that's the best." Liu Zaicheng said with a smile.

"If that's the case, no little lady would be willing to marry you..." the servant Alai pouts.

"What did you just say?" Liu Zaicheng glared with confused eyes.

Alai was so scared that he ran away, "Grandpa... since you won't go out, I'll ask the steward to come in."

"Dog, you run fast!" Liu Zaicheng was very angry, but he didn't realize that after being beaten by the servant, his impetuous heart miraculously settled down, and he sat on the main seat, ready to The next steward will answer.

So what made him settle down?Of course, he minded what Ma Min'er said, saying that he was not doing his job properly, and no one would marry a little lady to him.

Not doing business?That's all for him to do, this is terrible, listening to the steward's reply, he heard the sky was dark.

The old Liang King couldn't believe that his grandson would sit for so long to deal with matters. When he reached the door of his back room, he asked the porter, "How long has it been?"

"Go back to the old prince, from the afternoon until now."

Old Liang Wang showed a kind smile, "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect Xia Zi'an's daughter-in-law to curse a few words, the effect is so good, this shop is not in vain!"

The concierge secretly twitched his lips, saying that only your prince and grandson can smash the shop and educate the grandson.

The old Liang Wang raised his foot and wanted to go in, but he took it back after thinking about it, and whispered to the porter: "Don't say that I have been here."

"Yes, my lord."

-

When Xia Zhen and his wife returned to Xicaogou, an unexpected visitor came.

"Amitabha!" Master Fakong bowed with the little boy.

"Master, you..."

Master Fakong smiled: "The scenery in April is infinitely beautiful, and Lao Na couldn't help but come out for a spring walk, and came here unknowingly."

"Welcome Master." Ma Min'er turned around, "Zian, this is Master Fakong who let me go."

"Zian thanked Master here." In fact, Xia Zhen's thanks did not have much sincerity.

Master Fakong certainly saw the perfunctory behavior of the young man, but he was not angry. As a Buddhist, he did lose his virtue by allowing others to do unrighteous things. He bowed his head and said, "Amitabha!"

Ma Min'er also felt Xia Zhen's displeasure, but out of politeness, she politely asked her to stay: "Master, it's getting late, how about staying here?"

"I really need a place to stay tonight, so you're welcome, Lao Na, thank you benefactor!"

"Master, please be polite." Ma Min'er turned her head, "Sister Xiao Shan, let Brother Qiu arrange it."

"Yes, young lady!"

Master Fakong took Xiaotong to bow again, and left with Shan Xiaodan.

Ma Min'er smiled at Xia Zhen, "Thanks to Master for letting me go last time..."

Xia Zhen took the little daughter-in-law's hand, "I'm hungry, let's go back and eat!"

Ma Miner nodded, "Yeah."

After a day's driving, Xia Zhen and his wife were tired and went to bed early.

In the yard of the tiniest log cabin in the resort, the little boy opened the door with a food box, "Master, the food is here."

Fakong nodded, entered the room with the boy, and sat down at the small table. The boy said while putting the food on the table: "Master, I have already told the steward here that we will stay here for a while, and we will leave by ourselves from tomorrow onwards." Fire up and cook."

Master Fakong kept smiling and didn't speak.

The little boy continued: "The steward said that if you cook by yourself, they will deliver the ingredients on time."

Master Fakong reached for his chopsticks, "Let's eat."

"Master, I have been worried that they will eat and live with money, but the steward didn't mention the money."

"Let's eat."

"Yes, Master."

The manager of the resort's general affairs office found Qiu Baiyan, "Boss, I heard that you personally sent this pair of master and apprentice to the mini cabin, so I didn't ask about staying in Yinzi when I came here."

Qiu Baiyan said: "Well, well done, no matter how long they stay, don't mention the accommodation fee."

"Okay, little one understands."

"Well, let's go."

"Yes, Qiu is in charge."

Back in Xicaogou, the life of Xia Zhen and his wife returned to calm again. They were busy in the calm. Before they knew it, April passed, and it was May again. More than that, in order not to disturb the holiday life of the rich and powerful, fortunately, the market and shops were built on the periphery, and a river separated them from the resort. Not only that, but the walls of the resort along the river were also slowing down. It was built slowly, which guaranteed the quietness and safety of the nobles on vacation.

In April and May, Xia Zhen and Ma Min'er went back to the capital twice, one was to report to the emperor, and the other was to visit Ma's family.You can't just focus on your own little life and forget about your loved ones!

The strange thing is that Fakong master and apprentice never mentioned the matter of going back since that day when they lived in the holiday village, which really puzzled Ma Miner. However, she is not good at urging him to leave, so that's how it is.

Master Fakong finally asked Xiaotong to invite Ma Miner to play chess. After inviting her a few times, she discovered the pattern.

This reminds Ma Min'er of the 13 and 16 years Feng Jiangyi calculated for herself, and every three years, is there any mystery here?

In the wasteland around Xicaogou that was opened up by the soldiers, in addition to not being self-sufficient in food, the vegetables and poultry were not only enough for self-sufficiency, but the surplus was sold to resort villages and even Xiangguo Temple [-] miles away.

Xia Zhen's general affairs steward became friends with the purchasing stewards of Xiangguo Temple, and he himself was invited by the abbot of Xiangguo Temple to drink tea, play chess, and discuss Taoism in the name of a friend!
It really enriched Xia Zhen's boring life in the military camp.

The seedlings from April seedlings were planted in the rice fields in mid-June. The greenery turned the once desolate Xicaogou into an idyllic landscape, just like the poetic bridges and flowing water houses in the south of the Yangtze River.

When Feng Jiangyi got out of the carriage, what he saw was such a scene, "Ten years ago, I passed by here, except for rocks and lowlands, there were some farmhouses with thatched houses, children playing in front of the door, and even a Not a single decent body covering."

Some villagers passed by, and when they heard his words, they laughed loudly, "Gentleman, don't say ten years, even last year, it was like this here, but it's different now, since the noble couple of Beijun Wang and his wife lived here, our small village It is already more prosperous than a small town, and our life is so rich in an instant, it is very easy."

Carrying the vegetables for a while, "I want to go to the market to sell vegetables and earn money." The villagers sang folk songs and left.

"Yes, she stayed there, and it became a beautiful garden, and the people there lived in peace and comfort." Feng Jiangyi sighed leisurely.

"Grandfather, are you talking about the king of Beijun?"

Feng Jiangyi turned his head to look at his granddaughter, smiled, didn't say much, put his hands behind his back, walked into the resort village, just after crossing the first bridge, there was a servant Xiaoqian, "Your lord, you are here for vacation!" ?"

"Vacation?" Feng Jiangyi laughed, "Yes, they are here for vacation."

"Excuse me, how long are you going to stay?"

Feng Jiangyi looked at Ma Chengzu beside him, stretched out his hand and said, "Three people, what time is it, it's possible in three or five days."

"Okay, my lord, three of you!" The waiter swept over the servants behind him, and there were not many servants, "Then prepare a miniature wooden courtyard for you."

"Miniature? What do you mean?" Feng Jiangyi asked with interest.

"Back to you, miniature means extra small."

"So that's the case." Feng Jiangyi laughed again, "It must be the trick that girl came up with."

The waiter blinked, "My lord, do you know our master?"

"It's not just acquaintance, we are old acquaintances and old friends."

The waiter blinked again, "My lord, wait a moment—" After finishing speaking, he turned and whispered to another waiter standing by the bridge, and that person ran away immediately.

"My lord, I will show you the scenery here first!"

"Okay." Feng Jiangyi stretched out his hand towards Ma Chengzu who was beside him, "My lord, please—"

Ma Chengzu nodded, "Master Feng, you are too polite."

Ma Min'er didn't go out today, and was calculating the income of the resort in May with Xiao You and Brother Qiu, "After deducting all costs, we have no profit!"

Fu Xiaoyoudao, "The main reason is that the opening time is short and the initial investment is too large."

Qiu Baiyan nodded: "That's right, in the first half of the year, it's pretty good to be able to maintain no loss."

Ma Min'er said: "Brother Qiu, the flowers and fruit trees you ordered from Jiangnan should be shipped back as soon as possible."

"It's already on its way back."

(End of this chapter)