Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 140: Wala Student Zhu Qizhen: My Chance Has Come
Dunhuang City.

The leaders of the seven guards of Guanxi gathered together. The last time they gathered together was when Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty came to Dunhuang. More than ten years have passed.

Of the original seven leaders, only three remained, and four had passed away, replaced by their sons. The most prestigious Yahansha stood in the lobby and warmly welcomed them.

"Bulie, you old man are still alive." Yahansha gave one of the old men a warm hug.

This old man is the leader of Hami Guard, a descendant of the former Yuan Zhongshun King. Hami Guard is the most important of the seven guards in Guanxi. It is not only the "bridgehead" for Ming Dynasty to operate in the Western Regions, but also plays a role in promoting the tea-horse trade in the economy.

Of course, the current Ming Dynasty is unable to manage the Western Regions, and has to rely on the Seven Guards of Guanxi to form a northwest barrier to resist the Eastern Chagatai Khanate in the west.

Bu Lie looked like he had a head full of white hair, but he was full of fierceness. He said to Yahansha, "You are not dead yet, how can I die?"

After the seven leaders exchanged greetings, Yahansha invited them to take a seat and finally told them the purpose of summoning them this time. He said with a serious face: "Everyone, it is time to fulfill the alliance we made with Emperor Xuanzong more than ten years ago."

The seven people all changed color. Bu Lie stood up in shock and asked, "The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is here?"

Yahansha bowed and said in a loud voice: "Welcome to His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."

At this time, the orthodox emperor, wearing a dragon robe, came out from the back hall, followed by Yuan Bin and Xu Bin. The seven leaders also bowed like Yahansha.

"Everyone stand up." The Zhengtong Emperor raised his hand.

Bu Lie looked up at the Zhengtong Emperor and asked with suspicion: "A few days ago, the capital sent a message that Your Majesty was still inspecting Jiangnan. Why did you suddenly come to Dunhuang?"

The orthodox emperor glanced over and said in a deep voice: "Because the emperor in Ming Dynasty at this time is a fake one, I am the real emperor of Ming Dynasty."

When he said this, the seven leaders were not surprised. The legend of the true and false emperors of the Ming Dynasty had long been spread to the northwest.

"So, Your Majesty is from Mobei?" asked Bu Lie.

The Zhengtong Emperor was calm and collected: "That's right!"

Bu Lie took a few steps closer and said fiercely: "How do you prove that you are the real Emperor of Ming Dynasty? I think you are the fake one. I will capture you and present you to the Emperor of Ming Dynasty."

"Of course I can prove it!" The orthodox emperor was not afraid at all.

He took a few steps forward, facing the battle-hardened Bu Le, his momentum was even stronger. He was no longer the orthodox emperor of the past, and his mind and courage had been tempered over the years.

"Take out my things!" He waved his hand violently.

Xu Bin behind him took a step forward, opened the box in his hand, and took out something. When the seven leaders saw what it was, their faces changed.

"It's the Imperial Seal!"

They all knew that the imperial seal of the Ming Emperor was newly made, and that for a period of time, it was replaced by a golden seal. It was not until he came to power that the new imperial seal was used.

"Yes, it is the Imperial Seal!" The Zhengtong Emperor said coldly, "The Imperial Seal has always been with me. Although I was defeated in Tumu Fortress, the Imperial Seal was not lost. This is the first thing that proves my identity."

After hearing this, Bu Lie lost his previous assertiveness, but his doubts remained. He then asked, "What else?"

The Zhengtong Emperor waved his hand again, and Yuan Bin behind him came forward holding a box. Yuan Bin glanced over and said, "Everyone, we are old acquaintances. I can also prove that the Majesty in front of you is the real Majesty of the Ming Dynasty."

Yuan Bin followed Emperor Xuanzong to Guanxi and witnessed the alliance between the Guanxi Seven Guards and the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, Emperor Xuanzong left Yuan Bin to communicate with the Guanxi Seven Guards. Later, Yuan Bin sneaked into Mobei and continued to communicate secretly with the Guanxi Seven Guards.

"Brother Yuan, this is not a trivial matter. Just hand over the evidence in your hand." Bu Lie said.

"Okay!" Yuan Bin opened the box.

He took out a scroll from it. Bu Lie recognized it at a glance and asked in surprise, "Covenant?"

Yuan Bin nodded and said loudly: "This is the alliance between Emperor Xuanzong and you, the Seven Guards of Guanxi. You swore by the Eternal Heaven that as long as Emperor Xuanzong defeats Mahamu, you will be allies of the Ming Dynasty and will do your best to help the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty once and for all."

Bu Lie took the alliance letter from Yuan Bin and opened it. His hands trembled slightly, and his eyes were burning with pride. "It's the alliance letter! Back then, we made an alliance with Emperor Xuanzong. We blocked Chagatai in the west and attacked Wala in the east. How nostalgic. Emperor Xuanzong was a great ruler!"

The other six leaders also gathered around. Although four of them were second-generation leaders, they had known about things more than ten years ago and knew about that glorious period.

The orthodox emperor looked at their expressions and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as he could integrate the forces of the Seven Guards of Guanxi, he would have a chance to return to the capital. Moreover, news came from Mobei that Yesen was preparing to march south.

When the time comes, the imperial court will go to war with Mobei, and that will be his chance to reap the benefits.

One day, he will announce to the world that he is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty and call on all the troops in the world to follow him, enter the capital and take down the false emperor.

……

Beijing.

Zhu Qizhen once again lived a life of going to court early in the morning, reviewing memorials, and flipping cards.

To be honest, I was exhausted physically and mentally, and those who understand would understand. Of course, it was also fun to go to Kunning Palace every evening to tease the Queen Mother and make her angry. Gradually, he seemed to get used to such a life.

On this day, he was really bored, so he took Yang Guifang to Yu Qian's camp. Ever since he became obsessed with firearms, Yu Qian usually stayed in the Shenji Camp.

boom! boom! boom!
After seeing the power of the latest artillery, Zhu Qizhen nodded in appreciation. In fact, during the reign of Emperor Taizong, the firearms of the Ming army were already very advanced. According to historical records, the Ming army was severely damaged by the defeat at Tumu Fort, and its firearms seemed to be broken.

Now, with Yu Qian's efforts and the flintlock principle provided by Zhu Qizhen, the Ministry of War increased its investment in research on firearms. Both artillery and muskets have been improved.

"Old Yu, next year I will allocate funds for you to set up an arsenal specializing in the production of cannons and muskets," said Zhu Qizhen.

"Your Majesty, words are not enough, why don't you write it down?" Yu Qian clasped his fists.

Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand: "My words are as good as gold..."

He paused halfway through his speech, knowing that he had to learn from the last lesson. Because of his words "a word is as good as gold", Shandong Governor Dong Yuchang and Canal Governor Wang Lai took away five million taels of silver.

"Next year, new policies will be implemented in all parts of the Ming Dynasty, and tax revenue will definitely double." Zhu Qizhen smiled, yet he himself was unsure.

Yu Qian knew that His Majesty had spoken without further questioning. He showed the Emperor and Yang Guifang around the barracks and encouraged the soldiers. The Emperor had finally come once, so he had to make good use of it.

After a round, they returned to the central army tent to discuss the latest military arrangements. Yang Guifang suddenly knelt down in front of Zhu Qizhen, with a serious and respectful look. "What's wrong with you? Why are you kneeling suddenly?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

"Your Majesty, after much thought, I have decided to join the army." Yang Guifang said seriously, "Looking at the situation, Yesen will definitely lead his troops south. This time, we cannot let him enter the pass. By then, Yu Shaobao will definitely march north. I want to march north with Yu Shaobao. I want to be the Huo Qubing of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Qizhen snorted: "You are so arrogant!"

He turned to look at Yu Qian and glared at him: "Old Yu, are you trying to poach people from my side behind my back? Hey, you look like a loyal minister, how could you do such a thing?"

"Haha!" Yu Qian was speechless. "Your Majesty, he was originally my subordinate. You borrowed him from me. And Li Bing, Ding Xiu, and Zhang Lun were all borrowed by you."

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "Aren't they all my subjects? Old Yu, why should we distinguish between yours and mine?"

Yang Guifang envied the relationship between Yu Shaobao and His Majesty, who seemed like friends. He knew he could not reach that point yet, so he bowed again: "Your Majesty, this is my own idea, Yu Shaobao has never contacted me."

Zhu Qizhen smiled, stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Okay, I will allow you to join the army and learn from Yu Shaobao! It doesn't matter if you can't be the Huo Qubing of the Ming Dynasty, you can be the Li Jing of the Ming Dynasty. Huo Qubing had a bad end and died young."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yang Guifang was overjoyed.

Although Zhu Qizhen wanted to keep Yang Guifang by his side, he still let him join the army in order to leave a talented general for the future of the Ming Dynasty. He was convinced that Yang Guifang's ability would definitely shine.

Because this person is not only smart, but also treacherous. He is from a famous family, but he will not be bound by fame. He practices the Shura Path and is ruthless enough.

Damn, the demeanor of a famous general!
……

Before I knew it, it was already late autumn, the sky was high and the clouds were light, and the wind was cool.

After Zhu Qizhen left the court, he walked slowly to the corridor of the Qianqing Palace and looked around. He saw that the palace was also full of autumn colors. The golden ginkgo leaves were like scattered gold, covering both sides of the palace road. Occasionally, they danced lightly in the wind and fell down, adding a bit of loneliness. Between the red walls and green tiles, a few maple trees stood tall, and the maple leaves were like fire, burning the last splendor.

In the distance, the chrysanthemums in the imperial garden are in full bloom. Although not as colorful as the flowers in spring, they bloom with a tenacious posture in the cooling autumn wind, adding a touch of vitality to this bleak scene.

Zhu Qizhen looked at the autumn scenery and could not help but feel a slight sense of desolation. Although there was no busyness and joy of autumn harvest like in the countryside, he could still feel the passage of time and the changes of nature in this tranquility.

He sighed softly, and did not enter the hall, but walked to the courtyard beside. The autumn wind blew, and the leaves fell.

"Don't come in!" Zhu Qizhen waved his hand.

He went into the courtyard alone. Cao Jixiang, the eunuchs and the palace maids stood outside. They had no idea what His Majesty was doing in the courtyard.

Last month, His Majesty called the Ministry of Works to build a kiln in that yard. I don’t know what His Majesty is burning. I go in every day to take a look.

boom!
Suddenly there was a loud bang, and the yard exploded, with flames shooting up into the sky. Cao Jixiang was so frightened that he rushed in and shouted, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

Before he even reached the door, he saw the emperor running out, dishevelled but with an excited look on his face: "I, it's done!"

The eunuchs and palace maids were so scared that they all knelt on the ground. Zhu Qizhen was still excited. He was actually trying to make concrete. He had inspected the Yellow River embankment before and thought it would be great if there was concrete.

The principle of concrete is not complicated. The main components are cement, water, sand and gravel. However, there is no cement in the world. However, limestone and clay can be calcined to obtain a cement-like substance. But this requires high-temperature calcination and needs to be carried out in a kiln. The requirements for the kiln are very high, and Zhu Qizhen tried it during this period.

"Quick, summon those people from the Ministry of Works to me." Zhu Qizhen ordered.

After Cao Jixiang was sure that the emperor was fine, he ordered the young eunuch to convey the imperial edict to the Ministry of Works.

……

The Queen Mother heard the explosion and rushed over from Kunning Palace. Zhu Qizhen had an afro, his dragon robe was full of holes, and his face was also covered with black marks.

"What's going on?" the Queen Mother asked anxiously.

"It's okay!" Zhu Qizhen raised his dark face, but his eyes were clear and bright, "Empress Dowager, I made a good thing."

Cao Jixiang, who was standing by, bowed and said, "Queen Mother, Your Majesty almost blew himself up into the sky. It was too dangerous!"

Zhu Qizhen raised his leg and kicked him: "Hey, you slave, are you still reporting me?"

Cao Jixiang felt wronged, but he had no choice. Your Majesty, if you continue to play like this, you will kill us servants sooner or later. You must not tell the Queen Mother so that you will not take risks in the future.

"Tell me exactly what your majesty has done." The Queen Mother said coldly.

Cao Jixiang then told the Empress Dowager everything the Emperor had done during this period. The Empress Dowager was so angry that she raised her hand and hit Zhu Qizhen, saying, "You want to die! Blow up the palace someday!"

Zhu Qizhen dodged flexibly and explained proudly: "Empress Dowager, you don't know how great something I have done is."

"Stop right there!" The empress dowager put one hand on her slender waist and pointed angrily at Zhu Qizhen with the other.

She was wearing a lavender dress today, looking cool and dignified, with her black hair scattered behind her. Her skin looked delicate and fair against the shiny black hair, but her face was flushed with anger.

"Her Majesty, Your Majesty."

The Empress, Consort Xian, Consort De and other concubines in the harem all ran over, having also arrived after hearing the explosion. When they heard that this was all caused by His Majesty, they all rolled up their sleeves.

Zhu Qizhen was very upset. He was going to be in trouble today.

Fortunately, the eunuch who delivered the imperial eunuch came back and said that people from the Ministry of Works had arrived.

"Go back, I need to discuss important matters with the Ministry of Works." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "What I made this time is called concrete, which will benefit the world forever. Humph, you women don't know anything."

After saying that, he ran away quickly.

Xianfei stepped forward and supported the Queen Mother, saying, "Your Majesty despises all of us, Mother. Not only does he despise us, but he also dares to disrespect you. This is intolerable. From today on, none of us will pay any attention to him."

The Queen Mother looked at Zhu Qizhen's receding back, in a daze, wondering if His Majesty had really done something extraordinary. Although this guy was usually careless, he would not do anything in vain.

"Mother?" Concubine Xian gently shook the Queen Mother and asked, "You are not reluctant to leave, are you?"

"Who is reluctant?" The Queen Mother's eyes suddenly turned cold. "That's your business."

After saying this, she strode away without even glancing at the emperor's concubines.

(End of this chapter)