Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 138 The false emperor is seriously ill, the empress dowager takes care of him day and night, undercurrents surge?

The Queen Mother decided to rest for a few days, and Zhu Qizhen understood her intention and took her to visit Daming Lake. The scenery of Daming Lake in early autumn is unique.

The lake is like a huge mirror, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds and the surrounding mountains, clear and deep. The early autumn breeze brings a hint of coolness, blowing across the lake, sparkling, as if countless tiny pieces of silver are flashing. The willow trees by the lake are still green, but not as lush as in midsummer. The branches sway gently, adding a bit of tenderness to this quiet lake.

They strolled along the lakeside and saw that although the lotus flowers in the lake had passed their blooming season, there were still a few late-blooming lotus flowers standing tall and graceful, and their pink petals looked particularly beautiful against the backdrop of green leaves.

Occasionally, a few dragonflies or butterflies dance among the lotus flowers. The mountains in the distance are painted with colorful autumn colors.

Zhu Qizhen looked at the beautiful scenery in front of him and recited the line for no reason: "Your Majesty, do you still remember Xia Yuhe by the Daming Lake?"

The Queen Mother standing beside him turned around and glared, "Who is Xia Yuhe?"

"Well, a poor woman." Zhu Qizhen took the Queen Mother's arm and smiled gently, "Queen Mother, while you enjoy the scenery, I will tell you a story. It all starts with a woman named Xia Yuhe."

So, he told the story of Princess Huanzhu while they were boating on the lake. At noon, when everyone was resting in the pavilion, the queen mother was already deeply attracted by the story.

"When did the emperor know that Ziwei was his daughter?" the empress dowager asked.

"If you want to know what happens next, please wait for the next chapter." Zhu Qizhen said after taking a sip of tea.

The Queen Mother glared, put her hands on her waist, and said angrily: "Next time? You have to finish your story today. Otherwise, how can I sleep at night?"

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a thunderclap in the sky.

Boo!

A flash of lightning struck, followed by a thunderclap.

"A rainstorm is coming, let's go back first." Zhu Qizhen said after looking at the sky.

Everyone hurried back to the post station. There was no special palace in Jinan. Of course, Zhu Qizhen issued an edict before leaving Beijing that officials along the way did not need to set up special palaces.

After sending the empress dowager back to the post station, Zhu Qizhen was about to go out in the rain. The empress dowager stopped him, frowned and asked: "Why are you going out at this time?"

"I guess the summer flood season is coming. Today, the river governor Wang Lai and his men have arrived in Jinan. I want them to inspect the Yellow River embankment." Zhu Qizhen said.

After saying that, he took Yang Guifang and Ding Xiu out in the pouring rain.

……

River Office.

Wang Lai was holding a meeting with a group of river officials. When he saw the emperor coming, he led all the officials to kneel and greet him. Zhu Qizhen raised his hand and said, "Everyone, stand up. We have met three times before. We don't need to be polite anymore. Is the flood season coming? Are you ready?"

"Your Majesty, I am assigning tasks to them and asking them to take charge of the rivers within the territory." Wang Lai's face was solemn. "The levees within the territory have not been repaired for many years. I am also worried. There is no other way at the moment. We have prepared manpower and materials to block the breaches. We are always ready."

Zhu Qizhen walked to the river map and asked, "Which section is the most dangerous?"

Wang Lai pointed to several locations on the map and said, "Pingyin, Changqing, Huaiyin, and Tianqiao are all dangerous. The most dangerous is the riverbank at Songjiaqiao."

Zhu Qizhen stared at the map and pondered for a moment, then said, "Then you and I will go to Songjia Bridge!"

"Ah? I won't do that!" Wang Lai knelt down in fear. "Your Majesty, you are worth a fortune, how can you take risks? If... I can't afford it."

Boo!

Boom!

There were thunder and lightning outside, and the rain was getting heavier. Zhu Qizhen ordered in a deep voice: "Stop talking nonsense, move!"

Wang Lai had no choice but to stand up and emphasize the key points of the rescue work to the river officials. Finally, he said, "If you lose a battle on the battlefield, you will lose your head. The river is also a battlefield. If it breaks, I will want your heads. Your Majesty, join us. If you cannot survive this flood, I, Wang Lai, will lose my head first."

"Yes, sir!" All river officials bowed together.

Zhu Qizhen, who was standing by, held his forehead with his hand.

Who wants your heads? Can you stop talking about heads all the time? However, he also knew that at this time, morale and the courage to fight to the death were needed.

……

After nightfall, the rain got heavier.

The Queen Mother was standing in the corridor of the post station. She had not yet had dinner and was waiting for Zhu Qizhen. At this time, Shuangxi hurried to her and reported: "Queen Mother, I have asked and found that His Majesty has gone to Songjia Bridge and will not be back tonight."

"What?" The Queen Mother was shocked. "What is he doing there?"

"The summer flood is coming. Songjiaqiao is the most dangerous area. Your Majesty, please go and supervise the battle." Shuangxi said.

"Nonsense!" The Queen Mother was furious. "The Emperor should just sit there and command. Do I need him to personally go to the front line? Someone, go and call him back to me!"

After she finished shouting, she paused and waved her hand: "Forget it, let him be."

A strong wind blew, bringing rainwater into the corridor. The Queen Mother was unable to dodge and a patch of her dress was soaked. Shuangxi hurried forward to protect her and said anxiously, "Queen Mother, please go back to your room and have dinner."

The Queen Mother blurted out, "How can I eat without His Majesty coming back? Humph, he just wants me to worry about him."

She was angry and annoyed, her eyes full of resentment and sadness.

Shuangxi stepped forward to comfort her: "Queen Mother, His Majesty will be fine. He is protected by many people. You can deal with him when he comes back. Have your meal first, otherwise you won't have the energy to deal with His Majesty."

"Let's have our meal. How could I be so angry?" The Queen Mother turned and went into the house.

She sat down at the dining table, and Shuangxi handed her a towel to wipe her wet hair. Shuangxi served her soup and said, "Today, I'll serve your Majesty's favorite fish soup. What a pity."

"He didn't have a good meal at that time." The queen mother picked it up and drank it herself.

Blah blah blah!

There was thunder and lightning outside, and the sky seemed to be torn apart.

The Queen Mother drank half a bowl of soup and had no appetite, so she asked Shuangxi to arrange a bath. After the bath, the sky was completely dark, with only flashes of lightning.

The emperor still hadn't returned, and the queen mother lay on the couch, not wanting to sleep at all. In the middle of the night, the thunder and lightning outside still didn't stop, and the queen mother was really worried.

Half asleep and half awake, the next morning, she heard footsteps and thought it was the emperor returning. She quickly got up, opened the door, and saw Shuangxi cutting off the hot water.

"Your Majesty has not returned yet?" asked the Queen Mother.

Shuangxi shook her head. "I went to ask early in the morning. They said that the river management office had been fighting on the levee all night. They said that the flood peak might pass Jinan in the morning. Your Majesty, it's still at Songjia Bridge."

The Queen Mother lowered her eyes and covered her chest with one hand.

……

Songjia Bridge.

Zhu Qizhen certainly did not go up to the Yellow River embankment. He wanted to go up and take a look, but Wang Lai knelt in front of him to stop him: "Your Majesty, you stay down there. If you go up, I will be sentenced to death! Besides, if you are here, everyone may be restrained."

So he stood under the Yellow River embankment, watching the people around him and the river workers summoned by the river office. They were bare-chested and transporting stones, fodder, etc. to the river bank in the rain.

The rain continued all night, with no sign of stopping. Yang Guifang and Ding Xiu, who were accompanying them, were extremely anxious. Yang Guifang said, "Your Majesty, you'd better leave. If the dam breaks, we will all be washed away."

"Go and tell all the guards around me to move forward." Zhu Qizhen said in a deep voice, "Go and tell Wang Lai that I'm not going anywhere and will wait here!"

"I will go!" Ding Xiu bowed, "The Jinyiwei I brought with me will also go up."

After that, he rushed to the levee with dozens of Jinyiwei. At this moment, more than a thousand people were on the levee, wearing bamboo hats and straw raincoats, like a group of fearless soldiers, and were quickly forming an indestructible defense line with sandbags, wooden stakes and other materials.

They held the rope tightly, their eyes determined, looking at the surging flood, which was raging like a beast, with turbid waves surging and overwhelming, as if it was going to swallow up everything that stood in its way. The terrible momentum was so terrifying that it seemed as if even the heaven and earth were changing color.

There was a timid young man, his legs weakened with fear, he turned around and tried to run: "I have a mother at home."

Wang Lai grabbed him and said, "Little brother, we all have a mother, but if this is breached, we will all die. His Majesty the Emperor is down there, and he will die with us. If you are a man, stand in the team."

After saying that, he rushed to the front. When everyone saw the governor of the river standing in the front, they also gained courage. At this time, the sound of footsteps came, and the emperor's guards and the Jinyiwei came up and joined them.

Wang Lai glanced over and held the rope tightly in his hand: "Tighten it!"

Boom... boom... boom...

"The flood peak has passed! The flood peak has passed! The flood peak has passed!"

"Protect the embankment! Protect the embankment! Protect the embankment!"

Ding Xiu, who stood beside Wang Lai, looked at the surging flood and sighed, "What a huge wave!"

Wang Lai was filled with pride at this moment: "Sir Ding, how does this compare to the battlefields you've been on?"

Ding Xiu spread his hands and said, "It's all hard work. Lord Wang, His Majesty asked me to tell you a message. He is down there and he is not going anywhere!"

"Your Majesty is also a man who doesn't care about his life!" Wang Lai grabbed the hemp rope, "Master Ding, stand firm, the flood peak is coming!"

Boom... boom... boom...

The flood came overwhelmingly, with destructive force, rushing and raging wantonly. The waves were so high that they seemed to swallow up everything between heaven and earth, and every roar was like the roar of the god of death.

The levee was shaky under the impact of the flood and could collapse at any time. Everyone tried their best to pull the ropes and try to stabilize this last line of defense.

The flood was mixed with all kinds of debris, trees, houses, livestock... everything was ruthlessly swept into it and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

……

At the bottom of the levee, Zhu Qizhen stood in the rain, listening to the roaring waves, his heart trembling. He turned to look at Yang Guifang and asked, "Are you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared!" Yang Guifang smiled bitterly, "If Your Majesty hadn't been here, I would have definitely run away."

Zhu Qizhen wiped the rain off his face and said, "Everyone has to experience the moment of life and death. It's exciting, isn't it?"

Yang Guifang stared at the levee: "It's so exciting, I'm almost dying of excitement!"

The flood peak passed, and the ground shook. However, the dam did not burst, and the terrifying rumble gradually became smaller. Ding Xiu came down from the river bank and ran to Zhu Qizhen to report: "Your Majesty, we have held on! The biggest flood peak has passed, and Lord Wang is leading everyone to reinforce the river bank. There should be no problem, and the rain has also become lighter." "Prepare the food, they will come down in batches to eat." Zhu Qizhen breathed a sigh of relief, "After fighting all night, they need to replenish their energy."

Yang Guifang nodded: "Everything is ready on the river. Your Majesty, the rain has subsided, and you haven't slept all night, so let's go back to the post station first."

"Well, then I won't bother you here." Zhu Qizhen nodded.

He knew that he would not be able to play a big role. But he still came. To put it bluntly, he came to encourage and also to show off. This matter would soon spread.

People all over the world will know that Your Majesty would go through fire and water for the sake of the people.

"Yawn!" Zhu Qizhen sneezed.

He was really tired after not sleeping all night. Once he relaxed, he felt light and fluttery.

……

Station.

The Queen Mother watched as the rain outside the window became lighter, but she was still uneasy. Suddenly, Shuangxi hurriedly pushed the door open and reported: "Queen Mother, His Majesty is back."

clang!
The cup in the Queen Mother's hand fell on the table, and she immediately stood up and walked out of the room, just in time to see Zhu Qizhen, who was soaked all over, coming in. When Zhu Qizhen saw the Queen Mother, he raised his hand to salute.

Suddenly, I felt dizzy.

Bang!

He fell to the ground and fainted. The Queen Mother shouted anxiously: "Quick, call the imperial physician, imperial physician!"

She stepped forward and picked up Zhu Qizhen, shouting, "What's wrong? Open your eyes and look at me."

Zhu Qizhen didn't react at all. The Queen Mother reached out and touched his forehead. It was burning hot. Her face turned pale instantly. "Is the imperial physician here?"

"I've already called him, Queen Mother. Please change His Majesty's clothes first and put him on the bed." Shuangxi reminded.

After a flurry of activity by the accompanying palace maids, Zhu Qizhen lay on the couch, still unconscious. The imperial physician came and felt his pulse. He said solemnly, "Your Majesty has been caught in the rain all night and has caught a cold. Your high fever will not go away. I will prescribe medicine to reduce the fever as soon as possible, otherwise you will be in danger."

"Quick, boil the medicine!" the Queen Mother ordered.

The palace maids started recording hurriedly. The empress dowager sat beside the bed and personally applied a cold towel to Zhu Qizhen's forehead. She then ordered the curtains to be drawn, the windows to be opened, and ice cubes to be placed in front, behind, left and right.

Soon, Shuangxi came up with the boiled medicine. The Queen Mother waved her hand and said, "Shuangxi, hold His Majesty up. I will feed him the medicine."

Because Zhu Qizhen was still in a coma, the two of them could only help him feed the medicine, and it took half an hour to finish. The Queen Mother's hands were shaking as she held the medicine spoon, and tears were sparkling in her eyes.

"Okay, Shuangxi, you go down, I'll stay here." The Queen Mother reached out and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Empress Dowager, let me stay here to guard it." Shuangxi said softly.

"I will stay here by myself. You go and prepare some ice and medicine. I will call you if there is anything." said the Queen Mother.

Shuangxi nodded in acceptance of the order and left.

……

The night is getting dark.

Zhu Qizhen slowly opened his eyes, feeling extremely thirsty. He looked around, only two lanterns were lit in the room, and the light was dim. He recalled that when he came back from Songjia Bridge, he saw the beautiful empress dowager, and then he fainted.

He wanted to call for help, but when he opened his mouth, only mumbled sounds came out. He had no choice but to sit up by himself, and then, he was startled.

The empress dowager was half lying on the other side of the soft couch, wearing a plain white dress that wrapped her plump body and curvy curves, which immediately sobered Zhu Qizhen up. Her sleeping posture was really beautiful, with her hands folded on her lower abdomen, revealing a sense of elegance and tranquility.

Zhu Qizhen leaned closer, intending to wake her up. Coincidentally, the Queen Mother opened her eyes, and he met her dark and cold eyes.

"You're awake?" The Queen Mother's beautiful eyes flashed with surprise.

"Water...water..." Zhu Qizhen's voice was hoarse.

The Queen Mother got out of bed and quickly poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. Zhu Qizhen took it, drank it all, and said, "Another cup."

"Okay!" The Queen Mother obediently went to pour another cup.

Zhu Qizhen looked at her beautiful back and felt secretly happy. She could also serve others?

After drinking three cups of tea in a row, Zhu Qizhen's dry lips became moist. However, he was so weak that he half-lay down, saying pitifully, "I almost lost my life."

The queen mother's beautiful eyes were gentle, and her cold and beautiful face seemed to soften: "I told you not to think about the consequences, didn't I? You are the emperor, you are not allowed to be so reckless in the future."

Zhu Qizhen nodded, reached out and held the Queen Mother's hand, and sighed softly: "Ruowei, I'm glad to have you here. It's great to meet you."

The empress dowager's beautiful eyes suddenly flashed with a strange color. This time, she did not pull her hand back. Her expression became a little more serious. Instead, she held Zhu Qizhen's big hand tightly, and spoke like an older sister educating her younger brother: "Didn't you say that? Two lonely souls."

Zhu Qizhen thought about opening his heart and talking, but his eyelids became heavier and heavier, so he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. The Queen Mother held his hand and sighed: "Don't worry about it for the time being. When I return to Beijing, I will be the Queen Mother again."

She lay on the side, looking at Zhu Qizhen's angular face with her beautiful eyes, and fell asleep in a daze.

"Ruo Wei..."

The Queen Mother suddenly woke up and saw Zhu Qizhen seemed to be talking in his sleep. She moved closer to hear what he said, but unfortunately, she only heard him calling her name, and the rest was unclear.

……

The emperor was seriously ill and the ministers accompanying him were terrified.

Yang Guifang and Ding Xiu stayed outside all night. In the morning, Wang Lai, the governor of the river, also came with river officials to visit the emperor.

The Queen Mother appeared and summoned them. She was dressed in a purple dress, looking dignified and upright. She glanced over and announced, "Your Majesty has woken up and the fever has finally subsided, but the imperial physician said that he still needs to rest."

The ministers all breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

Yang Guifang bowed to the Queen Mother and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you go back to Beijing directly? The medicines in Beijing are complete, and the Imperial Hospital can take good care of Your Majesty."

The Queen Mother shook her head and said, "The high fever has subsided. It's just a cold. Your body is weak and can't stand the long journey. You should rest in Jinan. Your Majesty is young and in good health. You will be well soon."

After hearing this, all the ministers felt that what the Queen Mother said made sense.

Wang Lai, the governor of the river, suddenly came out, knelt before the queen mother, and kowtowed: "Queen Mother, it was I who failed to stop Your Majesty and caused Your Majesty to take risks. I am guilty, please punish me, Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother sighed softly, "Forget it. I know His Majesty's temper, and you can't stop it. But I still have a few words to say. His Majesty is young after all, and he wants to create a prosperous era. I am very pleased to have your help. However, he is sometimes full of passion, and you have to stop him. Show some demeanor of the famous ministers of ancient times. If you are determined to stop him, you can still stop him. His Majesty is not someone who can't tell good from bad."

"We acknowledge our guilt." All the ministers bowed together.

"Alright, I'm not going to punish you." The Queen Mother waved her hand, "Go and do your own things."

All the ministers then withdrew.

……

Three days later, early morning.

Zhu Qizhen was practicing boxing in the yard, shirtless and sweating profusely. He couldn't believe that he had caught a cold. He examined himself three times a day, how could he catch a cold? Yang Guifang, the weak scholar, was fine, and Ding Xiu was also fine.

It seems that I haven’t practiced enough!
He was practicing boxing, his strong body was vigorous, and his perfect muscle lines showed his infinite vitality. The queen mother, who was walking not far away, saw it, and the male hormones that came to her made her blush.

"That's good. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold again?" she shouted.

"I'm completely fine now." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "I'm going to take a cold shower now."

"Hey, you...don't be so willful. If you dare catch a cold again, I won't take care of you...come back!" The Queen Mother stomped her feet in anger as she looked at the receding figure.

Zhu Qizhen really took a cold shower and felt refreshed. He remembered that when he was in college, he had a roommate who did the opposite of what he usually did when he caught a cold, taking a cold shower. Miraculously, after he took a cold shower, his cold was gone. Later, all the brothers in the dormitory followed his folk remedy and went to get intravenous drips.

He dressed up and put on a white robe, looking elegant and handsome.

"I'm alive!" he announced loudly.

Shuangxi supported the Queen Mother and stood in the corridor. She looked at the Emperor with shining eyes and said, "The man on the street is as beautiful as jade, and the young master is unparalleled in the world. Queen Mother, this is talking about His Majesty, right? His Majesty is completely different from before."

The Queen Mother was slightly stunned. In fact, this fake emperor was completely different from her son. Why didn't the ministers suspect him? After watching for a long time, they found that they also looked different.

……

Zhu Qizhen summoned Yang Guifang and Ding Xiu.

"Your Majesty, I am relieved to see you alive and well," Yang Guifang bowed, "I have been fasting and chanting for the past few days, and I finally moved the heavens."

Ding Xiu rolled her eyes and said, "Did you give the plate of pig's head to the dog when we were drinking last night?"

Yang Guifang held her forehead with her hand: "Old Ding, if you continue like this, you will have no friends in the future."

Zhu Qizhen glanced at them and said, "Let's talk business. Is there anything important during the few days I've been ill?"

"Yes!" Yang Guifang said, "Now the people are saying that the emperor personally went to the levee to supervise the battle, and then everyone worked together to block the flood peak. They also say that your majesty appeared as a real dragon and scared away the yellow dragon."

Zhu Qizhen looked strange: "Isn't that an exaggeration?"

Yang Guifang waved her hand and said, "It's not an exaggeration. I was the one who spread some of the stories. Your Majesty, you are a real dragon. If you add some mythical elements, the people will be more easily convinced."

Zhu Qizhen understood what Yang Guifang meant. The legend of the true dragon emperor was self-defeating, and the so-called fake emperor was easily refuted.

"Nothing serious?" he asked.

"Yes!" Ding Xiu took out a piece of intelligence, "Mobei Yesen may be heading south."

Zhu Qizhen was shocked!
He was most afraid that Yesen would come at this time because the Ming Dynasty was not yet ready.

(End of this chapter)