Time Travel: The Noble Family

Chapter 300 - 300 111 Asking for Help_4

?Chapter 300: Chapter 111: Asking for Help_4 Chapter 300: Chapter 111: Asking for Help_4 Of course, these small courtyards were not shabby at the beginning—they were all well arranged. However, after a scion of a powerful family brought a woman to live in one of these small courtyards, an Imperial Censor learned about it and reported the matter. At that time, the Empress Dowager was a devout Buddhist and, upon hearing the news, became enraged. She said that this person had desecrated the Buddha and directly exiled him three thousand miles away, issuing an imperial decree that he was never to be pardoned. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager reprimanded all those who had made their small courtyards opulent and luxurious with her decrees. Her actions led to the present simplicity of these courtyards.

Ma Peng was not ignorant of the way things worked; he believed that his wife’s intervention was due to her status. He asked, “Why don’t we inform our cousin of these circumstances and let her decide for herself? If she finds it too harsh, we can forget about it. What do you think?” After two years of experience, Ma Peng had certainly lost the reputation for being dull and weak. Though Ma Peng’s Palace Graduate status was somewhat unearned, since joining the Hanlin, he managed his relationships with those above him very well and got along with his colleagues. Thus, he occasionally received praise from his superiors and peers, which greatly boosted his confidence. Ma Peng did not become arrogant due to these compliments; he still performed his duties diligently, no doubt with the help of Ruo Lan.

Ma Peng’s performance not only pleased Ma Chengteng but also brought comfort to Lord Zhuang, who felt that his judgment in selecting a son-in-law was truly excellent.