Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 19 Master Wang Yangsheng is in action

However, it is not impossible to do things overseas.

However, it is still necessary to adapt to the times, the place, and the people.

Every national policy must be weighed against its advantages and disadvantages, planned for the long term, and thoroughly considered before it can be gradually issued and finally implemented.

This presents yet another complex situation.

Therefore, in Ma Wenxiang's eyes, the Ming Dynasty was already good enough under the arrangements of its founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, and there was really no need for him to interfere.

At most, he would make some small inventions, such as further refining salt and other exquisite handmade fabrics. He didn't need to become very rich. With a little extra money, he could do some good deeds and fulfill his wishes.

Even today!

Before Mr. Wang Yangsheng expressed his aspirations, Ma Wenxiang only intended to use the current essays and the future eight-legged essays for his own purposes, and never thought of publicizing them.

At most, he would pass on the knowledge to his father and his future children, so that they could gain some advantages in the imperial examinations.

Sometimes, the higher you stand, the more tragic your death will be.

Ma Wenxiang was an ordinary person in his previous life, and he is already very content to be able to slightly transcend one class in this life.

However, times have changed. Now that he has Empress Ma Xiuying, the most powerful woman in the land, as his backer, he may be able to have a little more ambition.

"To bestow upon him a marquisate?"

Ma Wenxiang couldn't help but chuckle as he thought about it, a slight smile playing on his lips.

I also want to be a "Celestial Dragon" in the future.

After all, Ma Wenxiang is now practically a mother to many princes in the royal family, so she should have some of those privileges.

……

That afternoon, at the home of Master Wang Yangsheng.

As the students of the private school reluctantly departed, Ma Wenxiang remained in the bamboo hut, enjoying a meal with his teacher's wife and daughter.

At the dinner table, Ma Wenxiang sat next to Wang Yangsheng. The meal was unusually lavish: three dishes and a soup, including chicken soup, two other meat dishes, and a cold vegetable dish.

Even in Majia Village, it's rare to see such extravagance, even for weddings or celebrations at the homes of landlords and wealthy men.

There should still be some rules at the dinner table.

Ma Wenxiang only began eating after Wang Yangsheng, the host, had started eating.

Of the three meat dishes and one vegetable dish on the table, almost all the meat dishes were placed very close to Ma Wenxiang. Wang Yangsheng didn't eat any of them himself, and he put almost all the meat on top into Ma Wenxiang's bowl.

One bowl was filled to the brim, then another bowl was used to continue serving.

The teacher's wife next to him looked at Ma Wenxiang with a hint of hostility.

"Sir, please have some too."

Ma Wenxiang, both amused and exasperated, placed a full bowl of meat in front of Wang Yangsheng's daughter. Only then did the atmosphere at the dinner table ease slightly, and his teacher's wife stopped glaring at him as before.

Before Wang Yangsheng could speak, Ma Wenxiang continued, "Why be so concerned about the present moment, sir? Once your grand plan is properly formulated, you won't need to be so frugal in the future."

Ma Wenxiang's words were pointed and all he meant well.

Wang Yangsheng did not misunderstand, but simply sighed, "In the end, I still made you laugh at me, Wenxiang."

Ma Wenxiang's actions of picking up other meat and vegetable dishes with his chopsticks were anything but polite.

"Actually, tonight's meal is the most delicious food the students have had in a long time. And the mung bean cakes that the teacher's wife made in the study earlier were even better than those made by the master chefs in the palace."

Ma Wenxiang showered him with praise.

The teacher's wife was overjoyed to hear this.

Although she didn't hand the meatballs in front of her beloved daughter back to Ma Wenxiang, she did pick and choose from the remaining meat dishes, putting most of the meat pieces in front of Ma Wenxiang.

That's how adults are.

They may suffer some grievances, but they will still try their best to satisfy their children.

This time, Ma Wenxiang didn't hold back and started wolfing down his food without any hesitation.

Wang Yangsheng breathed a sigh of relief.

The more unceremonious Ma Wenxiang was, the more at ease he felt, which only highlighted their teacher-student relationship.

After the meal, Ma Wenxiang and Wang Yangsheng discussed the study of the eight-legged essay for a long time.

It's getting late.

Ma Wenxiang had no choice but to take his leave, departing the private school amidst Wang Yangsheng's reluctant gaze.

"You seem to care a great deal about this child?"

At this moment, the teacher's wife came to Wang Yangsheng's side, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment, but even more so with doubt.

Wang Yangsheng made no attempt to hide anything from his wife, smiling gently as he pointed out the key point: "Meeting this son is the greatest fortune of my life. Today, I plan to take the imperial examination again, and this time I am certain to return with a full score."

"Big brother is a good person."

Suddenly, the little girl's clear voice rang out.

Upon hearing this, the teacher's wife's eyes flickered slightly. She bent down to the girl and asked with a hint of coaxing, "Then how about we betroth Shushu to your older brother in the future?"

"Madam, isn't this a bit too hasty?"

Wang Yangsheng frowned slightly.

"Husband, are you unwilling? But Shushu hasn't spoken yet."

The teacher's wife chuckled softly.

"it is good."

The little girl responded in a soft, cooing voice.

Upon hearing this, the teacher's wife immediately revealed a smug expression, like a young girl.

Wang Yangsheng looked helpless. Although he knew in his heart that this was just a joke between his wife and daughter, for some reason, he actually felt a strange sense of anticipation.

"If this marriage could really happen, it might not be so bad."

……

A few days later, the private school in Majia Village closed its doors and suspended classes, a rare occurrence, leaving all the students to rest at home.

Ma Wenxiang had some guesses in his mind.

Wang Yangsheng is indeed not in the village now, but has taken a horse-drawn carriage to Qingfeng County.

In a teahouse in Qingfeng County, Wang Yangsheng met with three or five friends.

Without needing to say much, he simply presented the essays he had written after being taught the Eight-Legged Essay by Ma Wenxiang, which immediately drew gasps of surprise.

"Such an essay is impeccably structured and effortlessly skillful. Brother Yangsheng, is this an intentional attempt to take the imperial examinations and personally achieve a place on the list?"

"Although these articles may seem unremarkable, they are actually very accurate in addressing the topic and logically sound. If one were to participate in the provincial examination today, the chances of passing would be quite high."

"I never imagined that in just a few years, Brother Yangsheng, you would have made such rapid progress. You are truly a man of exceptional talent."

As scholars, they naturally had their own aspirations.

I have read through most of the articles written by past scholars and have a considerable level of appreciation for them.

Once an article reaches the quality of a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, they may not be able to judge its specific merits or demerits, but they can still discern whether an article has reached the quality of a successful candidate.

Faced with the reactions of his many classmates, Wang Yangsheng's lips curled into a slight smile, followed by a mysterious grin. Without keeping them in suspense, he said, "If I were to tell you all that this progress was actually achieved in just a few days, would you all be willing to believe it?"

Some things seem insignificant until weighed, but once weighed, they become incredibly heavy.

Normally, if Wang Yangsheng said this, everyone would just think it was drunken nonsense, but after he produced one essay after another of the quality of a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, people were amazed.

His remarks left many people skeptical, but many scholars genuinely wanted to believe them.

After all, if Wang Yangsheng can do it, why can't they?

If this is true...

Today's imperial examination.

Couldn't they also pass the imperial examination in one fell swoop, step into officialdom with one foot in the door, soar to great heights, and defy fate?

This was what these scholars, who had studied diligently for years but still failed the imperial examinations, had been striving for their entire lives.

But this is just the beginning.

Then!

When Wang Yangsheng revealed his grand ambitions, the three or five scholars in the small teahouse were once again filled with astonishment.