Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 91 I, Ma Wenxiang, don't ask for much, Your Majesty.

"Why is Mother crying? Mother, please don't cry, okay?"

Xiao Anqing's face was bright and dewy. When she looked at Ma Xiuying, she quickly spoke up to comfort her.

Little Ningguo wiped away her tears and asked in a childlike voice, "Is it because the clay figurine Ningguo made wasn't pretty enough that Mother is angry?"

"Mom, please don't be angry, okay? We'll try our best and make you look even more beautiful."

"No, no, that's not true. Xiao Anqing and Xiao Ningguo have already tried their best."

Ma Xiuying wiped away her tears, a genuine smile appearing on her face. She then kissed the two little girls hard on the cheeks, saying, "I never expected that Xiao Anqing and Xiao Ningguo would be so good to me."

"Hahaha, Mother was touched."

Anqing responded very bluntly, and Xiao Ningguo added meaningfully, "As Mother said before, people need to communicate. Many times, things that could be resolved with just a word are kept to oneself. Mother, please don't do that."

"Laugh out loud when you're happy, and cry your heart out when you're sad. That's how you can live to be a hundred years old and stay with Xiao Anqing and Xiao Ningguo for a very long time."

Little Anqing and Little Ningguo will do the same; they will stay with their mother for a very long time and won't let her be lonely.

The two children shook their mushroom-shaped heads and talked silly.

This seems to be how people should interact in the world, but in the complexities of human relationships, it has become an inexplicable luxury, leading to all sorts of regrets.

Ma Xiuying was speechless at this point, and could only nod heavily as a response to her two daughters.

"Mother, don't cry. Today, Xiao Anqing and Xiao Ningguo still want to eat pork stew with vermicelli."

"Yes, yes, pork stew with vermicelli."

Ma Xiuying's face was immediately full of question marks. What kind of dish is this?

However, considering that it was written by that young scholar, it felt exceptionally pure, just like his own style and lineage.

……

"Brother Wenxiang, what is the name of this dish?"

"It's so crisp and smooth, it's incredibly pleasant to eat. Although it's inexpensive, it tastes like a delicacy, even more fragrant and less greasy than the dishes made by the chef at Zuixianlou."

On their way to Kyoto, with no inns nearby, the group had no choice but to camp out in the countryside.

Ma Wenxiang had no choice but to show off his culinary skills, which earned him repeated praise from Sun An.

Ma Wenxiang rolled his eyes at him and said honestly, "That's only because you're starving. But to be fair, it really is quite delicious."

Ma Wenxiang's braised pork with vermicelli is not just plain braised pork with vermicelli. It uses a broth made with seasonings that he has specially developed over many years, and then adds pork and vermicelli.

You can add other vegetables during the meal. In short, besides pork and vermicelli, you can add whatever you have on hand. It's all about making a mixed stew, so you can eat to your heart's content and feel comfortable.

"It's a pity. Once I get to the Imperial Academy, it will probably be difficult to find this dish again."

Sun An remarked as he ate.

Ma Wenxiang glanced at him silently, then smiled gently: "Want to eat? I'll teach you."

"The student greets the young teacher."

Upon hearing this, Sun An immediately put down his chopsticks and bowed deeply to Ma Wenxiang, looking quite respectable.

Ma Jin, who was standing to the side, was eating pork stew with vermicelli. He was so engrossed in it that he almost swallowed his tongue. It was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating.

The taste of home, in particular, evoked endless memories for him. He hadn't eaten such comforting food in a long time. It was so delicious, as if he could see the beauty of his youth, a regret he had once lost.

"We're almost at the capital. For the sake of this pork stew with vermicelli, I'll guarantee your safety."

Ma Jin placed the bowl and chopsticks in front of Ma Wenxiang, patted his bottom, and prepared to get up and leave, leaving Ma Wenxiang with nothing but an empty promise.

"Wash your own dishes."

Ma Wenxiang said irritably.

"I am your elder."

Ma Jin said.

"We'll talk about it after you marry your daughter to me as a concubine."

"My daughter must be the legal wife."

Ma Jin wouldn't back down an inch. How could he possibly "sell off" his daughter for a bowl of pork stew with vermicelli? Absolutely not.

Ma Wenxiang said leisurely, "This matter was personally decided by the Empress. I already have two wives, one main wife and one concubine. Your daughter will be my concubine. With three wives and four concubines, one main wife and two secondary wives, your daughter will be the last secondary wife. Is that acceptable?"

"But only if you wash the dishes."

Ma Jin angrily squatted down and said defiantly in front of Ma Wenxiang, "Fine, I'll wash it."

"I wonder what percentage His Majesty will give me. It can't be that I won't get anything at all, can it? He can't just give me a few taels of silver and call it a day."

At this moment, Ma Wenxiang thought of many bad rumors. Looking at the bright moonlight, he seemed to see the scene where Zhu Tianzi would only reward him with one or two taels of silver in the future, and he felt his heart was suffocating.

"Old Zhu, you absolutely mustn't do this. Your Majesty, everything depends on you."

Ma Wenxiang silently recited it in his heart.

"This humble commoner has few demands, just enough to support my family; truly, few demands, just enough to live a comfortable life; truly, few demands, just enough to be granted a noble title in the future so I can afford a grand mansion with three courtyards and be a respectable person in the capital..."

"My requirements are really not high. Ideally, the family will prosper so that the wives in the family can show off to others."

Ma Wenxiang spoke sincerely to himself, but his demands kept rising, though he believed he could achieve them.

Surely the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty wouldn't be so petty?

He was an emperor, after all; his magnanimity shouldn't have been so low.

If that's really the case, then Ma Wenxiang...

I'll accept it!

At this moment, Ma Wenxiang secretly thought to himself with a tough heart, and he had to admit that this was similar to Ma Jin's previous actions.

After all, you can't write two "horse" characters in one stroke.

Whether they were related by blood was impossible to verify amidst the chaos of war.

However, if Ma Jin's daughter marries him and becomes a member of the Ma family, she can rise to prominence. With the Empress's maternal clan as her backing, it seems that this matter can indeed be accomplished.

At least that's what Ma Wenxiang thinks.

The Empress is here.

His home is right there.

It is definitely a force that holds an even more stable position than the Huaihe River Basin and Zhejiang East factions.

……

Two more days passed, and they were only half a day's journey from the capital.

Ma Wenxiang thought he would have to wait half a day to enter the city, but unexpectedly, just after lunch, a group of people rode from a nearby garrison and appeared in front of them.

The leader of the group was none other than Lord Mao Xiang, who had previously supported the Imperial Guard Commandery in the palace for several years.

Behind him followed a squad of resolute soldiers, the elite of the elite, at least more capable than the garrison's elite troops.

Ma Wenxiang had witnessed their martial arts skills before and was confident that even ten of him could not defeat one of them.

"Lord Mao, it's been a long time since we last met."

"Your Majesty, this humble subject greets you."

Mao Xiang bowed respectfully and immediately responded with meek and obedient manner.