Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 131 The Queen Mother shed tears of humiliation: Kill me, please

Kunning Palace.

Prince Qing hurriedly reported the news from Mobei to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother turned pale and asked, "Is he dead or alive?"

"Queen Mother, don't worry too much." King Qing said, "The messenger sent back news that Yuan Bin and Xu Bin are with the Emperor... They should be able to protect him."

The Queen Mother's eyes flashed with coldness. She knew Xu Bin well and would definitely do her utmost to protect the Emperor. But she was still worried about the vast Mobei.

"Now, we can't bring the person back for a while." King Qing said, "Queen Mother, you have to think about how to deal with His Majesty."

The Queen Mother regained her composure and said, "I know. Send someone to keep an eye on Mobei."

King Qing nodded affirmatively, then frowned again: "This is such a coincidence, could it be that someone doesn't want to redeem the person?"

What he meant was that he doubted Your Majesty. The Queen Mother listened and fell into deep thought. She could not imagine how Your Majesty could instruct the Ala Zhiyuan of the Oirat.

"It should be an internal conflict of Wala." The Queen Mother frowned. "After all, who on our side can order that Ala Zhiyuan? Ala Zhiyuan has never had any contact with us, right? It has always been Yesen who sent people to contact us."

King Qing also nodded. In all his intelligence, there was indeed no trace of any connection between the Ala Zhiyuan and the Ming Dynasty. He bowed again and said, "I will take my leave. I still have to report to His Majesty."

He left Kunning Palace. The Queen Mother sat down on a chair, holding her head and sobbing softly. She didn't know if her son would come back.

……

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qizhen did not spend too much time on the disappearance of the fake emperor in Mobei. After just mentioning it a few times, he continued to discuss the implementation of new policies in Jiangnan with the cabinet ministers.

"The deployment has almost been fully implemented near Yangzhou," Yang Guifang reported. "Once the gentry who have just received the reward return, the advancement will be even faster. After the deployment in Yangzhou, other places will follow suit."

Zhu Qizhen's face was as cold as ice. "Let the Jinyiwei close in on Shen Yihuan. We need to prove all his crimes and then announce them to Jiangnan. If we get rid of him, the other gentry should be completely obedient."

"As you wish." Yang Guifang nodded.

Wang Zhi, the chief minister of the cabinet, reported: "Your Majesty, that crazy student Zeng Yong has been escorted to the capital in the past two days. Your Majesty, do you want to interrogate him in person?"

"No need!" Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "Don't pollute my eyes with such people."

Yang Guifang bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I think you can meet him once. Your Majesty, if the real dragon appears, it will surely shock him, and he will realize how wrong he is."

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

It is time to meet Zeng Yong. How did he know the details in his article? Who told him? All of this needs to be investigated, because behind all of this, there is someone who knows the truth.

"Let's talk about it later." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and asked, "Has Shandong sent any memorials? Has the grain shipped to the disaster area arrived? What do the officials there eat? With such a big disaster, only one memorial was sent?"

"I haven't received the memorial yet." Wang Zhi sighed, "I am also looking forward to it. Maybe they are busy with disaster relief."

Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand.

Don't try to fool me with such words. How long does it take to write a memorial?
……

Two days later, in the Ministry of Justice Prison.

Zeng Yong was locked up. Since he was arrested, he has not said a word. No matter who asked him questions, he remained silent. No one could pry open his mouth.

The Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple were unable to do anything about him for a while. Moreover, this case was difficult to judge. If the result was not what the emperor wanted, these officials might lose their lives.

Therefore, it was a good thing that Zeng Yong didn't speak. After Luo Qi, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, came over and saw Zeng Yong's condition, he chuckled: "It seems that you have been instructed by the defendant, which is very good."

Luo Qi didn't ask any more questions and just left.

Then, when Jinyiwei Commander Shi Biao came, he was different. Because his goal was not to verify the authenticity of the content of Zeng Yong's article, but to know who was behind Zeng Yong's article and how the content of the article came from.

But no matter how Shi Biao threatened him, Zeng Yong just didn't say a word. Not only did he not say a word, but there was also a kind of mockery in his eyes, as if he was despising Shi Biao.

"Do you know who I am?" Shi Biao asked coldly.

Zeng Yong finally spoke, his tone extremely contemptuous: "I am just a Jinyiwei. I heard that you Jinyiwei have hundreds of tortures. Why don't you take me to the imperial prison? I want to try."

Shi Biao walked up to him with a half-smile in his eyes, his eyes full of sarcasm: "You think you're a tough guy, right? You're not afraid of punishment, right?"

Although Zeng Yong was a prisoner, his clothes were clean and he was holding his folding fan in his hand. He chuckled and said, "You can try."

Shi Biao smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to torture you."

"Oh? Then what other methods does your Excellency have?" Zeng Yong raised his eyebrows.

"Since you know about the Imperial Prison, do you know how many floors it has?" Shi Biao spread his hands. "In fact, I don't even know how many floors it has, because it's deep underground. But I can order people to dig out a secret room at the bottom and lock you in there."

Zeng Yong shrugged: "It sounds good. Thank you for your care."

Shi Biao walked up to him and stretched out his hand to block the light coming in through the narrow window. The cell instantly became much darker. He smiled coldly: "It's a small space. There is no light or sound inside. There is only endless darkness and silence. Haha, Mr. Zeng, oh no, Mr. White-robed Prime Minister, believe me, you will go crazy in a space like that."

Zeng Yong's face turned pale instantly, and his eyes were filled with fear.

Shi Biao patted his shoulder and chuckled, "Prince White, hahaha, don't pretend in front of me. You've been locked up in a cell, but you're still so particular about your manners. How can someone like you be willing to die? After entering the cell, are there too many things you can't let go of? Prime Minister White, you're still very young and have too many hopes, and hope is the most terrifying thing in this world."

"You...you..." Zeng Yong's body began to tremble.

"I don't plan to interrogate you today." Shi Biao spread his hands. "Since you want to go to the Imperial Prison, I will grant your wish and let you experience the dark room at the bottom of the Imperial Prison for two days."

As soon as he raised his arm, two Jinyiwei came forward and dragged Zeng Yong out.

At this moment, Zeng Yong had completely lost his previous confidence. He collapsed and trembled, being dragged forward by two Jinyiwei.

"Bah, shitty prime minister in white." Shi Biao spat.

……

sunset.

Zhu Qizhen came to Kunning Palace for dinner and saw the empress dowager leaning on a cushion, hugging her legs with her hands and her head buried low.

"What's going on?" Zhu Qizhen asked Shuangxi.

Shuangxi shook her head: "I don't know, the Queen Mother has been like this since Prince Qing came. She hasn't eaten anything for a whole day."

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand to show that he understood, and ordered: "Bring the food up."

He came before the Queen Mother and said softly, "I have also received intelligence from the Royal Guards. Now, no news is good news."

The Queen Mother raised her head suddenly, tears sparkling in her beautiful eyes, her moist lips seemed a little dry at the moment, her hair was messy all around, she was no longer as cold and dignified as before, she said coldly: "You are happy."

"How can I be happy when you are like this?" Zhu Qizhen also looked very tired. "I have endless troubles in the court, and when I come back here, I still have to worry about you. I... who will understand me?"

"Worried... worried about me?" The Queen Mother's eyes were evasive.

Zhu Qizhen stretched out his hand towards her and said, "Get up and eat something, okay? After I finish eating, I have to go to Wenhua Palace to wait for the report from Shandong River Administration Office. It's raining heavily over there again."

The Queen Mother bit her lips and stretched out her fair hand. Zhu Qizhen took her hand and pulled her up, using too much force that their noses almost touched.

"I'll eat." The Queen Mother lowered her head quickly.

Zhu Qizhen helped her sit on the chair, and then sat down himself, shouting, "Shuangxi, hurry up, I'm hungry."

Shuangxi served the empress dowager a bowl of porridge. The empress dowager was in black and white with a hint of softness. She tilted her head slightly and ate in small mouthfuls. Zhu Qizhen was different. He ate with big mouthfuls.

"You are not worried about so many things and your appetite is still so good." The Queen Mother curled her lips.

"Only when you are full can you have the energy to work." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands, "If I were like you, I would faint in Wenhua Palace."

After hearing this, the Queen Mother hesitated to speak.

Zhu Qizhen took a few big bites and said, "I have decided to go to Fengyang to worship my ancestors, and to inspect the river and the implementation of the new policy in Jiangnan. If you... don't want to go, then don't go."

"Of course I have to go!" The Queen Mother looked up and stared at him.

Now, the emperor in Mobei is still alive or dead, so she has to make preparations. If the rumors in Jiangnan continue and affect the new policy, she will help the emperor in front of her.

"That's right. How many years have you been in the harem? Going out for a walk and seeing the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty will make you look younger." Zhu Qizhen said with a smile.

The queen mother, whose skin was whiter than snow and whose eyes were like a pool of clear water, snorted, "You think I'm too old."

……

The emperor was going back to Fengyang to worship his ancestors, so the court and the people had to prepare. Fortunately, it was not the first time the emperor went out, and everyone had experience. The government affairs were handed over to the cabinet headed by Wang Zhi, and the military affairs were naturally led by Yu Qian.

Zhu Qizhen went to the camp outside the city in person and met Yu Qian. Yu Qian showed him the newly developed musket, which was developed based on the principle Zhu Qizhen had mentioned that year.

"That doesn't look like it." Zhu Qizhen frowned.

"Your Majesty, according to what you said, the Ming Dynasty cannot do it at the moment. The materials, fine forging, etc. are not yet available." Yu Qian explained.

Zhu Qizhen nodded slowly.

The flintlock rifle he wanted was not invented until almost a hundred years later in Europe. At that time, forging and precision industry in Europe had reached a certain level.

"Old Yu, I will allocate funds every year from now on," Zhu Qizhen said, "specifically for the development of firearms. Perhaps in another hundred years, people will fight with firearms instead of swords."

Yu Qian also learned about firearms during this period and had a deep understanding of them. He nodded and said, "This is great. Your Majesty, if you pay attention to it, the Ming army's firearms will surely have great development."

In the past, he also wanted to make firearms, but he was short of money. The court was short of military funds, so where would the money come from for research and development? Of course, he was excited when the emperor transferred the money.

"Old Yu, let's take it one step at a time." Zhu Qizhen smiled, "When we have money, we will spend money on researching warships. The Ming Dynasty needs to go to sea, that's the only way to survive."

Yu Qian didn't quite understand this.

Even if Zhu Qizhen explained it, he might not understand it. As a time traveler, he knew the shame of the Qing Dynasty being beaten by the Western Empire.

That was a century of humiliation!
"I am going to Fengyang to worship my ancestors, and I will leave the military affairs to you." Zhu Qizhen patted Yu Qian on the shoulder, "As long as you, Yu Qian, are in the capital, I feel at ease." This was the truth. Yu Qian heard it and bowed: "Your Majesty, please go quickly and come back quickly. There has been unrest in the court and the country recently."

Zhu Qizhen just laughed it off.

Unrest? What kind of trouble can those scoundrels cause? Without soldiers, what dare they do?
……

In Changchun Palace, Zhang Jingshu is reading "The Great Ming Law".

"Your Majesty, the Queen has arrived." The palace maid announced softly.

Hearing this, Zhang Jingshu raised her eyes slightly and looked at the queen who was slowly walking in. She quickly stood up and greeted her warmly: "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you. I wish you the best of luck and happiness."

"Don't be so polite." The queen smiled gently and reached out to help Zhang Jingshu up. "There are so many trivial matters in the palace. I feel suffocated sometimes, so I want to go out for a walk and get some fresh air."

Zhang Jingshu took the Queen's hand affectionately and said with a smile, "How about I accompany you to the garden? I have recently transplanted some green bamboos and I am looking forward to enjoying them with you."

"Good idea." The queen nodded happily, with a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.

She waved her hand gently, signaling the maids behind her not to follow. The two walked side by side into the garden, a cool breeze blew past, bringing a slight coolness, refreshing the mind.

In the garden, a patch of green bamboo swayed gently in the wind. The bamboo leaves were densely packed together, and the sunlight shone through the gaps between the leaves, casting mottled shadows. The breeze blew, and the bamboo leaves swayed gently, making a rustling sound.

They strolled in the bamboo forest, and laughter could be heard from time to time.

"Sister, His Majesty is going to Fengyang to worship his ancestors, and the Queen Mother will also go." The Queen blinked, "When the time comes, this harem will need someone to take care of it."

Zhang Jingshu quickly said, "Of course it's you, the Queen."

The queen immediately shook her head: "I know what I am like. How can I manage the harem? There will definitely be chaos when the time comes. So, I will claim to be sick. And, I suggest to the queen mother that you take charge of the harem temporarily."

"Me?" Zhang Jingshu was secretly surprised.

"I can see that you are the most talented among all of us concubines." The Queen sighed, "His Majesty likes you the most, too."

She showed kindness to Zhang Jingshu many times, also for the sake of having a good future for herself.

Zhang Jingshu certainly understood what the Queen meant and nodded slowly: "Thank you for your trust, sister."

……

In the afternoon, the Queen Mother summoned all the concubines in the harem.

She announced that she was going to Fengyang to worship her ancestors, and she would go with His Majesty, without bringing other concubines. Zhang Jingshu felt something was wrong when she heard this.

"The harem cannot be in chaos when I am not here." The Queen Mother glanced over and said, "I need someone to temporarily lead the harem for me, the Queen..."

The queen bowed quickly, covering her head, looking very tired, and said, "Mother, I have not been feeling well recently and cannot take on this important task."

"Then sister, you must take care of yourself." Concubine Zhou said hurriedly.

In her opinion, if the Queen doesn't care, then it's her turn as the Imperial Concubine. If she temporarily leads the harem for the Queen Mother, won't she have the opportunity to really lead the harem in the future?

"Mother, I think Concubine Xian is well-educated, young and energetic," the queen said, "why not, let her lead the harem for a while."

The other concubines' faces changed drastically.

Concubine Zhou stood up and was about to speak, but the Queen Mother interrupted her with a wave of her hand and said, "Very good, then Concubine Xian will temporarily take charge of the harem for me."

Consort Zhang Jingshu bowed respectfully: "Your Highness obeys your mother's order."

This matter was settled. In the harem, the queen mother's words were final, and no one dared to object. Even if the concubines were jealous, they could only hide it in their hearts.

Come out of Kunning Palace.

The concubines all congratulated Zhang Jingshu, and Zhang Jingshu responded politely. Finally, Concubine De Sun Zhenzhen was on her way back. She pulled Sun Zhenzhen and said, "Sister, you have to help me. I am afraid to think about the heavy burden on me. You and I entered the palace together, so you have to help me."

"The Queen Mother believes in you, which means you have the ability." Sun Zhenzhen said with a smile, "Otherwise, why didn't the Queen Mother choose me? Because she knows that if she chose me, I would cause chaos in the harem."

Zhang Jingshu pinched her lightly and glared, "I'm so anxious, and you're still making fun of me."

Sun Zhenzhen took her arm and said, "Okay, okay, I'll help you, but I can only do some things like passing on information."

The two of them talked as they walked, appearing very close.

……

Intoxicating night.

Zhu Qizhen and Zhang Jingshu slept in each other's arms. After some tossing and turning, his mind became clear and his body relaxed. Zhang Jingshu in his arms had rosy cheeks and looked charming and weak.

"The queen is sensible and has given you the temporary position of leading the harem." Zhu Qizhen sighed, "We must be nicer to the queen in the future."

"I understand." She still held his neck with her arms, her eyes dim, "In fact, I want to go to Fengyang with Your Majesty to worship our ancestors. On the way, someone has to serve you, Your Majesty."

Zhu Qizhen hugged her slender waist and smiled: "This is not the first time I travel. This time I have to go to Shandong first to inspect the disaster there, then go to Fengyang to worship the ancestors, and also inspect the implementation of the new policy in Jiangnan. It's very tiring."

"Then the Queen Mother..." Zhang Jingshu smiled meaningfully, "Can she withstand it?"

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "I have long been fed up with her pampered life. This time, I will let her know about the sufferings of the people by letting her go out and do some exercises."

A triumphant smile appeared on his lips.

Zhang Jingshu looked at them with a strange expression. She thought to herself, these two people are competing with each other, could it be that they have developed feelings for each other?
"You should worry more about the affairs of the harem." Zhu Qizhen said, "There are many women, and there will be many disputes. Don't underestimate the harem, or you will have a headache."

Zhang Jingshu was very confident: "Your Majesty, look at me. I will ensure that the harem is harmonious. Women are actually very easy to satisfy."

Zhu Qizhen had a smile on his face.

I really should tell her the story of The Legend of Zhen Huan so that she won't take it lightly.

"You should also pay attention to the Duke of England." Zhu Qizhen said.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. The imperial physician went to see my grandfather last time and said that he had many minor illnesses, but he could endure it." Zhang Jingshu smiled bitterly.

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

Before, he hoped that the Duke of England would die soon, but now it is different. He has married his granddaughter and they are truly on the same boat and he can take advantage of him.

……

The huge royal team left the city and headed south.

The Queen Mother sat in the luxurious extended carriage with Shuangxi accompanying her. The carriage was very spacious. Not only could one lie down and sleep, but there were also various small objects and books for the Queen Mother to entertain herself on the journey.

Zhu Qizhen also had a luxurious carriage, but he rode a horse most of the time. It was much more comfortable to enjoy the scenery along the way than in the palace. The empress dowager was in a much better mood and looked much brighter.

On this day, the team arrived at Yanggu, Shandong, the disaster area where the Yellow River burst its banks. It was raining heavily, and the victims were taking shelter in simple sheds.

The Queen Mother lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out the window. She saw the victims huddled in the most shabby shacks, trying to avoid the pouring rain. Their eyes were full of despair and helplessness, their clothes were ragged, their faces were pale and their bodies were thin. Children were crying because of hunger and cold, and the elderly were shaking because of exhaustion.

The team stopped, and Zhu Qizhen summoned Shandong Provincial Governor Dong Yuchang. This guy came to see the emperor, and his official uniform was covered with mud. Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "Dong Yuchang, I asked, you used all the relief grain you brought in for the disaster victims. There is a porridge stall every ten miles, and the porridge is the kind that you can stick chopsticks into without falling over. You did a good job."

"Your Majesty, this is my duty." Dong Yuchang bowed, "I dare not say that no one has starved to death, but I can help them survive until the autumn harvest."

Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "Did you deliberately place the victims where my convoy passed by?"

Dong Yuchang was stunned at first, then nodded: "Yes! Seeing is believing. Your Majesty, Shandong has suffered from disasters for many years. I ask Your Majesty to exempt Shandong from taxes this year."

"Okay, wait for me here." Zhu Qizhen raised his hand, "Okay, I will exempt Shandong from this year's tax. But you have to promise me one thing. I have decided to repair the Yellow River, and you Shandong can't be stingy when the time comes."

Dong Yuchang was overjoyed when he heard this, and patted his chest and said, "If your majesty really wants to repair the Yellow River, Shandong will contribute money and manpower even if we have to sell everything we have."

Zhu Qizhen smiled and nodded.

This trip had a good start as I met a nice official.

……

After summoning the officials from Shandong, Zhu Qizhen came to see the empress dowager. Shuangxi stood under the carriage, looking anxious. When he saw the emperor coming, he hurried forward and bowed: "Your Majesty, the empress dowager is crying alone in the carriage."

Why are you crying again?

He cleaned his shoes and got into the carriage, where he saw the Queen Mother sitting there, wiping away tears. She bit her lips lightly, tears sparkling in her eyes: "The people are suffering so much."

Zhu Qizhen looked at her crying, her weakness was heartbreaking, he stepped forward and gave her a warm hug, saying softly: "There are worse things than this, yellow dust and red earth, almost no people in every village; bones are white and phosphorus, and ghosts cry every night."

The Queen Mother leaned sadly in his arms, a trace of sadness in her beautiful eyes: "I should have come to the disaster area earlier."

"You live in the palace, and you have your own things to do." Zhu Qizhen put his big hands on her waist, gentle and considerate, "You did a good job in those years."

The Queen Mother clung to him with tears streaming down her face.

Zhu Qizhen patted her back gently and whispered in her ear: "I know your suffering."

The Queen Mother's body softened, and she leaned against him, and he hugged her tighter. The Queen Mother also felt that something was wrong at this moment, biting her moist lower lip and resisted in a low voice: "Let...let me go."

Zhu Qizhen lowered his head, looking at the mature and charming face in front of him with his eyes. He was about to lean over, but the Queen Mother turned her head suddenly and said, "You...what do you want to do? You might as well kill me. Don't forget, I am the Queen Mother of the Ming Dynasty."

Call ~
Zhu Qizhen gently let her go and calmed himself down.

Tears flowed down the queen mother's beautiful face. She whispered, "Don't force me, or I will lock myself up in Kunning Palace forever and we will never see each other again."

"I'm sorry." Zhu Qizhen said.

……

ps: I am just asking for votes.

(End of this chapter)