The Case of Zhang Wenxiang Assassinating Ma Xinyi/张文祥刺马案

<p>This infamous assassination occurred in 1870 during the Qing Dynasty when Zhang Wenxiang (张文祥) stabbed and killed Ma Xinyi (马新贻) the Governor-General of Liangjiang (modern Jiangsu Jiangxi and Anhui provinces). The case shocked the empire and became one of the Four Great Mysterious Cases of the Late Qing (清末四大奇案).</p><p></p><p>This book is based on the Zhang Wenxiang Stabbing Horse Case one of the four major mysteries of the late Qing Dynasty and is a legendary novel created through artistic processing. The author is Bu Xiaosheng from Pingjiang. During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi Ma Xinyi the governor of Liangjiang was stabbed to death causing a stir in the court and the public. Zheng Dunjin the Minister of Justice was ordered to jointly investigate this case with Zeng Guofan and execute the assassin Zhang Wenxiang. Through the use of folk history novels and dramas it is revealed that Ma Xinyi's official title was actually obtained by falsely reporting military achievements and curry favor with the powerful. At the same time he killed his brother for the wrongful death of a female and Zhang Wenxiang stabbed Ma as revenge. This book selects relevant chapters from Pingjiang Buxiaosheng's Jianghu Qixia Zhuan about the Stabbing Horse Case and focuses on presenting the details and background of this strange case.</p><p>本书以清末四大疑案之张文祥刺马案为原型，系经过艺术加工后形成的传奇小说作品，作者为平江不肖生。同治年间，两江总督马新贻被刺身亡，朝野震动。刑部尚书郑敦谨奉旨与曾国藩同审此案，将刺客张文祥处决。后经野史、小说、戏剧的曲笔演义，马新贻的官爵实为假报军功、巴结权贵得来，同时因女色冤杀把兄弟，张文祥刺马实为报仇。本书将平江不肖生《江湖奇侠传》中关于刺马案的相关章节节选而出，集中展现了这一奇案的详情原委。</p>