Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

Chapter 536 A Useful Donkey

After repeated interrogations by Hong Xiucheng, Ma Xianglin and the Embroidered Uniform Guards, it was confirmed that Sun Buyi was indeed from Qufu, Shandong.

The family was distant relatives of Duke Yansheng. Duke Yansheng was killed and his entire family was wiped out, leaving them without a livelihood. Later, they were secretly funded by the remnants of the Donglin clan and planned an assassination attempt.

It was an old-fashioned plot, but it happened just like that. Most of Zhang Shikang's previous 192 assassinations were caused by these bad things.

They are either the remnants of Shanxi merchants, the remnants of the Donglin Party, or the remnants of landlords and gentry.

Of course, there may still be remnants of Zhang Xianzhong and other enemies.

There is nothing we can do about it; the enemy won't make sense.

Since Zhang Shikang was injured and had no interest in continuing shopping, he took Ma Lingqi back to the temporary military camp.

That night, Zhang Shikang asked the young guard Ma Lingqi to take care of him on the grounds that he was injured.

Ma Lingqi felt very guilty, so she let Zhang Shikang do whatever he wanted. Fortunately, he was injured and couldn't do anything bad.

The next day, Zhang Shikang personally went to visit Ma Xianglin and Qin Liangyu, made clear his relationship with Ma Lingqi, and told them that he wanted to marry Ma Lingqi.

After hearing this, Ma Xianglin turned his head and almost laughed out loud.

Qin Liangyu did not agree to this, but she did not refuse it either. She hesitated for a moment before saying:

"Wuji is extremely talented and is going to marry Lingqi. As her grandmother, I should be happy.

But Wuji, do you know that you are the marshal of the army and hold the military power of the entire court?

I am also a general in the imperial court. If our two families were to marry, it would certainly make the civil and military officials of the imperial court wary, and I am afraid that Your Majesty would become suspicious."

Qin Liangyu was old and prudent after all, and she pointed out the consequences of doing so in just one sentence.

Although the Ming Dynasty law did not prohibit intermarriage between nobles and relatives, this was entirely because most of the nobles and relatives did not have military power.

Qin Liangyu was the Marquis of Loyalty in the Ming Dynasty and the governor-general of four provinces, namely Sichuan, Huguang, Yunnan and Guizhou, and was in charge of the southwestern border defense.

Not to mention Zhang Shikang. In the 270-year history of the Ming Dynasty, there has never been any powerful official who could reach his current power.

But precisely because of this, they should try their best to avoid the fear of court officials.

The ending of powerful officials was not very good. Qin Liangyu believed that it was mainly because they did not know how to restrain themselves and would often form cliques for personal gain.

If a powerful official wants to survive, he must be a lone official, so that the emperor can feel at ease.

Before this, Zhang Shikang was against all the civil and military officials in the court, which Qin Liangyu thought was a good thing.

Although he was close to some nobles in the court, such as Sun Weifan and Huang Degong, it was all because of the relationship between superiors and subordinates, so it was not a big deal.

But if I marry her granddaughter now, things might not be the same.

Zhang Shikang nodded in agreement when he heard this.

“That’s true.”

Qin Liangyu originally thought that Zhang Shikang would give up his granddaughter. After all, compared with the huge responsibility he shouldered, love between young men and women was not worth mentioning in Qin Liangyu's eyes.

However, Zhang Shikang frowned and thought for a while before saying:

"Then I will go back and find His Majesty and I will quit being the Marshal of the Army.

From now on, he will only be the Marshal of the Guards, or he may not even be the Marshal of the Guards.

Those official positions can be abandoned, the Duke of England is not short of money.

Besides, if I resign, Your Majesty will at least give me more money, right?"

Zhang Shikang had a serious expression and said a lot of nonsense.

What he said was true. Since he came here, he has hardly had any free time.

Fortunately, after nearly three years of hard work, the Ming Dynasty finally got back on track.

Now that the Donglin Party has been eliminated, the bandits have been destroyed, the common people now have land, and the Ming army has been almost integrated.

As long as Brother Chongzhen does not act recklessly, the Royal Guards will include Sun Weifan, Huang Degong, Li Dingguo, and a group of young generals from the Second Son's Regiment.

The Huben Army included Lu Xiangsheng, Sun Chuanting, Qin Liangyu, and many other brave generals from border towns who had returned to the frontier.

It can be said that as long as the Imperial Household Department keeps a close eye on corruption and the Ministry of Revenue keeps a close eye on commercial taxes, the Ming Dynasty will surely usher in a wave of revival in a short period of time.

Zhang Shikang himself had not originally intended to take on so many duties, such as the Marshal of the Army, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the General Administration of Manufacturing. Each of these duties was not easy to do.

Zhang Shikang had to spend a lot of time every day handling military affairs in various places and dealing with various intelligence collected by the Jinyiwei.

If I really keep doing this, I will never have a chance to relax.

Zhang Shikang felt more than once that he seemed to be getting further and further away from his dream of lying down.

Fortunately, after Qin Liangyu said this, he finally realized that perhaps, it seemed, probably, he could take this opportunity to step down.

"This..." Qin Liangyu was dumbfounded.

She never expected that Zhang Shikang had such a unique way of thinking. For the sake of his granddaughter, he would even refuse such a great power.

"Wuji, this is absolutely not allowed! Absolutely not allowed!" Qin Liangyu, who had reacted, repeated in a rare move.

"The country has just started to improve, how can you do this? Wouldn't you be letting down the emperor's trust?" Qin Liangyu said again.

"Yes, Wuji, if His Majesty knew that it was my mother's fault, he would probably blame her. Wuji, you can't do anything rash." Ma Xianglin also advised immediately.

"Xianglin, you should go to the capital with Wuji in two days, and be sure to report the truth to His Majesty." Qin Liangyu said to her son.

As a subordinate, she could only persuade Zhang Shikang but could not impose her authority as an elder. However, Qin Liangyu felt it necessary to inform the emperor personally about the matter.

The emperor was very kind to her, but she was old, so she could only let Ma Xianglin go once to remind the current emperor that the Ming Dynasty could do without her, Qin Liangyu, and Ma Xianglin, but not without Zhang Shikang.

"There is no need to do this, old general. Alas, I was just saying it casually. Your Majesty will not agree." Zhang Shikang waved his hands helplessly.

Based on his understanding of Brother Chongzhen, it would not be easy for him to step down.

This guy is a little bit dumb, but not stupid. He found a useful donkey, so he can use it to his heart's content!

Zhang Shikang was surprised to find that he had been a cow and horse in his previous life, and now, he was just a cow and horse brother.

After hearing this, Qin Liangyu and her son finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"But I am determined to marry Lingqi. No one can stop me. Old General, and General Ma, you two must agree."

Zhang Shikang chuckled.

Marriages throughout the ages have been very particular about the three books and six engagements, and the etiquette and regulations are extremely strict and clear.

It is quite strange for a son-in-law like Zhang Shikang to come to the door and say this in person.

But he is thick-skinned.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll tell my father about the necessary three letters and six engagement letters when I get back.

I really need to trouble General Ma to accompany me to the capital, otherwise... this road is too far, hehe."

……