Ma Sizhong and Li Chongju had been friends since they were kids. Li Chongju grew up in poverty, while Ma Sizho…
Ma Sizhong and Li Chongju had been friends since they were kids. Li Chongju grew up in poverty, while Ma Sizhong came from money and often lent a helping hand. When Ma Sizhong's family later lost everything, Li Chongju stuck by him and never turned away. As time passed, both of them ended up serving as close aides under Shi Hongzhao—Li Chongju as a military man, and Ma Sizhong as a civil official. Naturally, their different backgrounds led to plenty of arguments in politics. In the early years of the Qianyou era, one major falling out finally drove them apart.