Ma Zhou's fame is far from that of Sun Chang Wuji and others in the period, but he is one of the founders of Zhenguan's prosperous times and an expert in internal work. He advised Li Shimin to share weal and woe with the people, practise economy, select talents and suppress the captaincy. Li Shimin regarded him as his right-hand man, but unfortunately he died before he was fifty.

0 1. From a scholar who is attached to others to a prime minister who is the head of a hundred officials.

Ma Zhou was born in poverty. He was an unruly man and loved to drink. Therefore, although he is brilliant, he has always been regarded as an alternative and looked down upon by his hometown people, but Ma Zhou doesn't care. Later, by chance, he came to Beijing, was appreciated by the military commander Changhe, and stayed in his home as an adjutant. Because Li Shimin saw that Zhang He's passbook was written by someone else, he found Ma Zhou. After talking with him, Emperor Taizong found that he was very speculative, so he was included in the court, and Ma Zhou got rid of the status of a poor scholar and became a civil servant.

After becoming an official, Ma Zhou has been deeply loved and valued. After more than ten years, I saved enough qualifications and became a prime minister. In addition, Li Shimin regards Ma Zhou as the elite left by Prince Li Zhi, and entrusts him to assist the East Palace and manage the affairs of the East Palace.

02. Help Li Shimin consolidate its rule, strengthen centralization, develop people's livelihood, and create chastity rule.

Ma Zhou can get the attention of Li Shimin, naturally because of his ability. He is very Wei Zhi's character, making outspoken suggestions, daring to point out Li Shimin's mistakes, and having his own ideas on governing the country. Ma Zhou opposed the hereditary clan. He believes that it is a big drawback to enfeoffment the imperial clan and heroes to local governments and allow them to be hereditary in the early Tang Dynasty, which is not conducive to centralization. Moreover, the country was initially established, and the example of Yang Guang has just passed. We must cherish the people, adopt a policy of rest and recuperation, and fight less.

Ma Zhou also believes that the emperor must be thrifty, never extravagant and wasteful, and rewards and punishments should be fair and clear. Even Li Shimin can't reward and punish his officials at will. In addition, the monarch should not only pay attention to whether the officials in Beijing are virtuous, but also the local secretariat and county decrees are very important, which are the basis of state rule, so he should choose their candidates very carefully and choose talented people to serve. Ma Zhou's series of policies greatly promoted the recovery of national strength and social development in the Tang Dynasty, and made great contributions to the initiation and continuation of Zhenguan rule.

03. Died young and was buried with Zhaoling.

However, Ma Zhou, who was jealous of talents, and Li Shimin, who relied on him, died in less than a year. Emperor Taizong was very sad and ordered him to be buried in Zhaoling. For Li Shimin, the loss of Massachusetts is a blow. After all, Ma Zhou is quite young, and he still wants to help the future emperor with Chu Suiliang. This dream was shattered with the early death of Ma Zhou. Although Ma Zhou became an official only in 15, he laid a solid foundation for the Tang Dynasty and made great contributions to the prosperous Tang Dynasty.