Time waits for no one. After the father and son made a plan, Zhao Liben set off for Yangzhou to lobby Zou Yinglong.

Zou Yinglong was the deputy censor-in-chief and was in charge of the salt administration in Jiangnan and Jiangxi, and his office was in Yangzhou.

After seeing his grandfather off, Zhao Hao returned to the study and asked Secretary Ma to write two letters.

One letter was addressed to Yang Bo, the Minister of Personnel, asking how his company in Shanxi was doing. He also said that his Jiangnan company was on the right track and could help him build railways as early as the year after next.

After making the big promise, he tactfully suggested that the gentry in Jiangnan all hoped that Hai Rui could succeed Lin Run. If there was an opportunity for a replacement, he would be asked to help add him to the list of candidates recommended by the court.

We had tacitly agreed to join forces to defeat Xu, but now he doesn't even give us this favor. How can we still have fun together? Do you want to build a Zhengtai Railway to connect Shanxi and the Central Plains?

Then, Zhao Hao asked Ma Xianglan to write a letter to Cao Sanyang.

In fact, he had no friendship with this Zhongcheng Cao, but they had a big grudge against each other.

Cao Sanyang had arrested his father and had his house searched. Zhao Hao also took a group of candidates for a walk outside the Yingtianfu government office, which indirectly led to Cao Sanyang being kicked out of the capital.

The feud between the two sides has been formed.

But in his letter to Cao Sanyang, Zhao Hao praised him highly and even flattered him, and warmly welcomed him back home to serve as the governor of Yingtian. I believe that he will definitely help Lin Zhongcheng seek justice and get rid of the great thief who harmed Jiangnan!

Sister Ma wrote down what the young master dictated while covering her mouth and giggling.

"why are you laughing?"

"Sir, aren't you afraid of making things worse? Does Minister Cao really think you welcome him back?"

"How could that be?" Zhao Hao shook his head and said, "That day, a great gathering to overthrow Xu was held in Huafangzhai. Cao Sanyang's second brother was also present and they even swore an oath of blood together. I don't believe that he would not inform his younger brother about such a big thing."

"Even if you don't write this letter, Cao Zhongcheng will probably back down." Young Master Zhao has a bad memory, and Ma Xianglan is half his brain. Naturally, he knows that the Yixing Cao family is one of the largest silk families in Jiangnan and a downstream supplier of the Nine Great Families, so he certainly doesn't dare to offend the public.

"Haha, this young master is taking the initiative to show his goodwill to him." Zhao Hao sat on the desk, looking at the beautiful and elegant girl with glasses with a smile.

"We must show the magnanimity of a leader in order to unite all the forces that can be united and defeat the evil enemy."

Ma Xianglan couldn't help but stare at Zhao Hao in a trance. Who would have thought that this high-spirited and ambitious young man was so frightened by a nightmare last night that he dared not sleep alone?

"Why are you writing? Why are you daydreaming?" Mr. Zhao, who was unaware of what was happening, was surprised to find that Ma Xianglan's face was flushed. "Do you have a fever?"

As he said that, he reached out and touched Sister Ma's forehead, and touched his own hand with the other hand. "No, it's even colder than mine."

"Maybe the charcoal basin in the room is too hot." At this time Qiaoqiao came in. Ma Xianglan hurriedly lowered her head to cover up and started writing quickly.

Qiaoqiao came to invite the two of them to have lunch. She looked at Sister Ma's red face suspiciously, pursed her lower lip, and held back from saying anything.

~~

After Zhao Hao had lunch, he went to Longjiang Shipyard to meet Wu Shilai accompanied by Gao Wuxiwa.

Qiaoqiao then got the chance to try Ma Xianglan.

While she was cleaning up the dishes, she would occasionally glance at Ma Xianglan who was dusting antiques nearby.

Finally I couldn't help asking, "What happened last night?"

"What's going on?" Sister Ma looked at the naive Qiaoqiao in surprise.

"When I got up to prepare breakfast, I saw that you were not in bed and the quilt was cold." Qiaoqiao puffed her cheeks.

"Oh, about this." Sister Ma said calmly, "The young master had a nightmare last night. When I went into the room to check, he grabbed my hand in his sleep. I couldn't get free, so I had to sit by the bed all night. Fortunately, there is a floor heating in the bedroom, otherwise I would have caught a cold."

As she spoke, she pounded her shoulder and said, "It's still sore now."

"Is that so?" Qiaoqiao looked enlightened and couldn't help feeling apologetic. Sister Ma had taught her so much, but she still doubted her. It was really too much.

"I'll give you a massage when I'm done with my work." Qiaoqiao said in a low voice.

"Okay." Ma Xianglan smiled at her and continued cleaning.

After a while, Qiaoqiao said in annoyance, "Why didn't I hear anything?"

"You sleep so soundly that you can't even hear the thunder." Ma Xianglan said with a smile.

"Oh..." Qiaoqiao lowered her head in silence. She had always known that as long as she ate well, she would sleep well. What else could she do?

"Oh, right." Suddenly, Ma Xianglan said softly, "I received a letter from the young county lady this morning. She has left the capital and is heading south. She must be almost in Shandong now, right?"

"Ah, really?" Qiaoqiao's attention was diverted, and she asked in surprise, "Why haven't I heard you mention it, Master?"

"The county lady didn't let me tell the young master, saying she wanted to give him a surprise." Ma Xianglan explained with a smile.

"It's more like being shocked..." Qiaoqiao muttered, and whispered, "The county lady trusts you so much. If she knew that we are on Miss Jiang's side, how sad she would be."

"What nonsense are you talking about? We are the young master's people and we don't take sides." Ma Xianglan felt it necessary to make it clearer, so that Qiaoqiao would not become a bad teammate.

"Remember the story I told you about Weiguo?"

"Yeah." Qiaoqiao's historical knowledge was all taught by Sister Ma, so she naturally still remembers the stories of defending the country that Sister Ma highly praised.

"My sister said that it was a very magical country that existed for more than 900 years, the longest in history. Even Qin Shihuang, who unified the six kingdoms, did not spare it."

"Wei State is not isolated in a corner. On the contrary, it is located in the heart of the Central Plains, with no strategic location to defend. Since the Spring and Autumn Period, it has been surrounded by powerful neighbors." Sister Ma smiled sweetly, stroking the feather duster in her hand and said:

"We should learn how to survive in the country."

"How can I understand this?" The young cook looked at Secretary Ma in embarrassment. "I only know how many folds a bun should have."

"Alas." Ma Xianglan rubbed her temples with a headache, but still explained patiently: "First of all, Weiguo has many talented people. Although the country is not big, it has considerable strength. You can understand that adults should have their own strengths."

"Yeah." The little cook nodded vigorously. I have this.

"But at the same time, they were able to rationally recognize their own weakness. They never had any extravagant thoughts and did not offend the big countries. In this way, the neighboring Qi and Jin countries maintained good relations with them and were not afraid that they would turn to each other. The big countries checked and balanced each other, and no one had any intention of attacking Wei."

"Is that so..." Qiaoqiao suddenly realized that there was such a deep meaning behind the bedtime story Sister Xianglan told her.

"So my sister thinks that having only one Qi State is not enough and she needs another Jin State."

"Sister is so smart." Ma Xianglan kissed Qiaoqiao happily. "If it were a boy, he would definitely pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi."

"Then sister will be the female top scorer." Qiaoqiao smiled sweetly. How could she still remember that little bit of grudge?

Sister Ma breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, because she was worried that it would exceed Qiaoqiao's ability to understand, there was another very important point that she didn't mention, which is the vision and ability to take sides.

The most amazing thing about the Wei State was that it could stand on different sides in different situations, subtly reduce its presence, and not make enemies with other countries.

Finally, after the unification of the Qin Dynasty, they voluntarily surrendered, which was actually a way to take the side that caused the least harm to the people.

Although the Wei State is weak, it is not humble, and this is how people should be.

ps. Second update, please give me your monthly vote!