Although Ma Zhou’s reputation among the Great Tang’s prime ministers isn’t significant, Lin Wanwan is quite apprehensive of him.

The reason is simple: this man is too clever and too formidable.

The fact that his fame is not prominent may be related to his disdain for using the Emperor’s mistakes to promote himself.

Moreover, "A skilled warrior doesn’t provoke battles," he plans ahead and nips problems in the bud, so nothing ever happens, making it difficult for his deeds to spread.

During her time in Chang’an, Lin Wanwan heard about this man’s remarkable achievements.

Even though she doesn’t engage with the officialdom in Chang’an City, nor has she had much contact with the big names in history.

But Ma Zhou’s story is quite legendary, so she caught wind of it.

The so-called "From farmer in the morning to Emperor’s hall at dusk" describes him.

Ma Zhou took the "Parents worshipping heaven and unparalleled mana" start from the orphanage protagonist script, and he was originally from an orphan background, a true son of a poor family.

Of course, at that time, things were family-oriented, so even as an orphan, he could find a bite to eat within the family and mix in some reading.

But you think he grew up on community charity so he’s poor, he’s cold, he’s resolute to strive, right?

Not at all, he was the carefree rambler famous in his hometown, using his intelligence and learning many books to mix into the ranks of civil servants. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Yet he didn’t set his feet firmly on the ground and diligently work to get rich, he remained unruly and wild. Even the governor had heard of his wild ways, but he completely ignored the superior’s words.

The saying, "He is strong, let him be strong, the breeze caresses the mountain ridge. As long as I don’t seek advancement or dream of promotion, the superior can’t do anything to me."

Finally, he simply resigned.

Fortunately, the scholars in the Great Tang were generally adept in both literature and martial arts, so he had some skills, and he managed to obtain some fur clothes through hunting.

Eventually, he reached the point where he had to rely on trading fur clothes for drinks—not wrong, you read right, even in such poverty, he still wanted to live freely and drink.

However, the shop owner was kind-hearted, he not only didn’t confiscate his clothes but also gave him an investment to go to Chang’an and seek refuge with his niece if he found nowhere to stay.

His niece was a widow, running a business.

So his uncle truly had faith in this Ma Zhou the wanderer, giving him money and goods so that a man too poor to afford drinks could go to Chang’an to find his niece and freeload, the intentions were clear.

And this widow was no ordinary person, because Yuan Tiangang had predicted her fate, saying she could become a First Rank lady, so she had many pursuers.

In this manner, Ma Zhou who sought refuge with her, met one of her pursuers, Central Lang General Chang He, through her.

Then Ma Zhou stayed at Chang He’s place as a guest.

In the fifth year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin wanted officials above the Fifth Rank to each write an essay, commenting on the gains and losses of governance.

Central Lang General Chang He could fight well on horseback, but really couldn’t write well, so he sought his guest Ma Zhou for ghostwriting, thinking a sloppy piece would suffice.

Unexpectedly, Li Shimin received this submission and treated it as a treasure.

Li Shimin knew the nature of the officials in his court well, and given Chang He’s level, he definitely couldn’t write such an article, so he asked who actually wrote it.

Chang He said it was Ma Zhou, and Li Shimin immediately sent someone to Chang He’s home to summon Ma Zhou to court.

Upon the arrival of the imperial decree, Ma Zhou had just drunk and was drunkenly lying down asleep.

From that day onward, Ma Zhou rose through the ranks, all the way from secretary to prime minister.

And that commercial niece Wang Ao married Ma Zhou, naturally fulfilling Yuan Tiangang’s prediction, becoming a First Rank lady.

New Tang Book considers Ma Zhou inferior to Fu Shuo and Lv Wang, but our New Huaxia’s founding ancestor doesn’t share this view.

He said: "Fu Shuo, Lv Wang, what can they possibly offer compared to Ma Zhou’s talents and virtues, which are far greater."

Fu Shuo was a Shang Dynasty advisor, Lv Wang is the illustrious Jiang Ziya, Jiang Taigong.

One can imagine the capabilities of someone who is rated so highly by our ancestor.

And now, this newly minted Imperial Censor, who went on a local inspection a few months earlier than recorded in history, has been captured by Lin Wanwan’s underling Baye Feng, which is truly perplexing.

Lin Wanwan is now troubled, Baye Feng captured him and then captured internally, capturing and tossing him into the wild might mean he might never find his way back.

Now confined within the base, with Ma Zhou’s capabilities, it’s certainly not kept hidden.

Ah, worry.

Lin Wanwan decides to resolve this big trouble overnight.

Killing him is certainly not viable, not to mention Xiao Chong must have information on Ma Zhou being sent over, she would have to consider the consequences even if she wanted to silence him; just looking at Ma Zhou’s contributions in history, she couldn’t strike at such a big name.

However, leaving him confined within her base is certainly not okay.

After pondering for a while upon returning home, Lin Wanwan decides to relocate all the forbidden items in the base — like arrows and crossbows — to the modern warehouse overnight.

Let everyone carry swords.

Without the forbidden items, she’s unbothered.

Steel has been built into the walls long ago, only leaving a somewhat bizarre cement floor, but as long as it’s explained as foreign imports, it’s not a big issue, cement paired with glass windows appearing together can be explained.

As long as there are no big visible bans, and since these three mountains naturally belong to Lin Wanwan’s territory, building a large estate for vacation within is indisputable.

What noble family doesn’t have some deep mountain forest property, right? Isn’t the rabbit with three burrows a necessary family skill!

As for the kidnapped Imperial Censor, of course, nothing of the sort, just a mere misunderstanding.

Thinking of this, Lin Wanwan wastes no time, taking Kun Lun along to join Baye Feng and his subordinates and stealthily heading into the mountains.

"Where have you locked up Ma Censor?" Lin Wanwan still needs to get more information.

Baye Feng concisely replies: "Cellar."

"Locked together with supplies?"

"No, punishment cellar."

"Oh, good." Lin Wanwan is reassured, as long as he’s locked up and isn’t wandering around, there’s no problem.

Pausing briefly, she adds: "Have everyone hand over all weapons except swords, and assign people to deliver some dinner to Ma Censor’s group but speak not a word to them."

"Hmm."

Anyway, Lin Wanwan is the boss, she makes the decisions, Baye Feng simply executes.

The group swiftly proceeds, quickly entering the Stone Forest Formation on the base’s outskirts.

Baye Feng, who is more familiar with formations than Lin Wanwan, leads the group through the formation into the base.

Lin Wanwan then takes Kun Lun into the base’s weaponry depot, where she lets Kun Lun stand guard outside while she alone enters to prepare for relocating the supplies.

At this time, Ma Zhou in the cellar remains calm and composed, not flustered at all.

If he had fallen into the hands of bandits, maybe it would be more dangerous (though bandits don’t have the capability to capture him), being captured by evident gate valves, he was unconcerned.

The other side would naturally weigh the pros and cons.

However, facing this situation, Ma Zhou couldn’t help feeling some doubt, the young man who just captured them was incredibly brave, truly unbelievable.

He was accompanied by specialists handpicked by the Emperor, who ended up defeated by that young man.

The captors were otherpeople who clearly seemed adapted from farmers, barely better than a ragtag group, unable to match private elite guards, only the young man was genuinely formidable.