Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 182 Yu Qian: Your Majesty, You Really Come from the Future

Northwest, Dunhuang City.

The sky was high and the clouds were light. The wind was cool and bleak as it swept across the vast Gobi Desert, gently brushed across the ancient city, and took away the last bit of warmth of summer.

It was autumn again. The Zhengtong Emperor stood on the city wall, feeling how time flies. It had been almost two years since he arrived in Dunhuang. Xu Bin, who was standing beside him, pointed outside the city and said happily, "Your Majesty, they are here!"

As the group was slowly entering the city, Xu Bin pointed at one of the middle-aged men and said excitedly, "Your Majesty, that is Mr. Wu Xingdao, the military advisor chosen for you by the Queen Mother."

The Zhengtong Emperor looked at Wu Xingdao and frowned slightly: "Why have I never heard of this person when I was in Beijing before?"

"When I left Beijing, the Queen Mother told me about this man. Wu Xingdao is so wise that he can help your Majesty plan and win battles thousands of miles away." Xu Bin said excitedly, "Your Majesty, you are currently lacking such a person."

There was one thing he had not told the Zhengtong Emperor: the Empress Dowager said that Wu Xingdao was too vicious and was suitable for conquering the world but not for serving as an official in the court.

"Then what are you waiting for? Follow me downstairs to welcome her in person." The Zhengtong Emperor turned around and went downstairs.

They arrived at the city gate downstairs and waited for the pedestrians to enter the city. After a while, the group of people arrived at the city gate. It turned out that they were from the Weiyuan Escort Agency, and they were the ones who escorted Wu Xingdao to Dunhuang.

"Mr. Wu." Xu Bin waved and called out.

When Wu Xingdao saw them, he immediately dismounted and walked to the front of the Zhengtong Emperor, ready to bow. However, the Zhengtong Emperor stopped him and said, "Mr. Wu, there are too many people here, let's go back to the palace and talk."

"Your Majesty, I am finally glad to see you." Wu Xingdao's eyes were filled with tears.

"I'm waiting for you too, sir." The orthodox emperor led him to a carriage.

Soon, the carriage arrived in front of the only palace in Dunhuang, and the Zhengtong Emperor warmly welcomed Wu Xingdao into the palace. Wu Xingdao bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am Wu Xingdao."

"Get up quickly." The Zhengtong Emperor asked anxiously, "Did the Queen Mother send me a letter? Is the Queen Mother okay?"

Wu Xingdao took out a letter from the package and handed it to the Zhengtong Emperor, saying, "This is a letter from the Queen Mother to Your Majesty. The Queen Mother told Your Majesty not to worry. She has a way to mediate with the fake emperor and told Your Majesty not to worry."

The Zhengtong Emperor took the letter but did not rush to open it. He said, "I am no longer the child I once was. I can wait."

……

Capital city, the Duke of England’s palace.

Yu Qian, the Prince's Guardian, came to visit the Duke of England. The two walked side by side in the backyard, their figures elongated under the mottled shadows of the trees, adding a sense of the heaviness of time.

The flowers that once bloomed in the spring have now all withered, leaving only dry branches stretching towards the sky, as if telling of the changing seasons and the ruthlessness of time. The fallen leaves are like tired butterflies, floating down from the branches one by one, covering the winding path, and every step makes a subtle and crisp sound, like the low singing of old age.

The hero is old, Yu Qian looked at the white-haired Duke of Ying and felt quite emotional.

In this somewhat bleak scene, there is a bamboo forest that is still tall and green. The bamboo leaves sway gently in the breeze, making a rustling sound. The sunlight that shines through the bamboo forest is mottled and sprinkled on the lapels of the two people.

"Duke, I'll be frank with you." Yu Qian frowned, "You are transporting supplies to the northwest, haha, you must not help the enemy."

The Duke of England snorted, "Who is the enemy?"

Yu Qian spread his hands and said, "Anyone who disrupts the Ming Dynasty is an enemy! Those who are not of our race must have different hearts, not to mention foreign enemies."

The Duke of England was stunned for a moment, then sighed, "I am old, and I only do what I should do. What happens next is up to you."

"Hey, old man, don't pass the blame on others." Yu Qian glared.

"Throwing the blame?" The Duke of England heard this strange word and asked, "Did you hear it from His Majesty?"

Yu Qian nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty always says some strange words."

The Duke of England stopped abruptly, stared at Yu Qian and said, "Your Majesty told me that he came from the future. Yu Qian, do you believe it?"

Yu Qian shook his head decisively: "Nonsense! Your Majesty is Your Majesty!"

He interrupted the Duke of England directly, clearly not wanting to continue the topic. The Duke of England smiled coldly, looked at him and said, "Yu Qian, don't pretend to be ignorant when you know the truth."

"Old Duke, I have said everything I wanted to say today. I am leaving now." Yu Qian strode away.

Duke Ying looked at his back and chuckled, "Yu Qian, Yu Qian, if you really have sided with the fake emperor, why bother telling me so much? You are more troubled than anyone else."

He stood alone in the bamboo forest, deep in thought.

……

Yu Qian rode his horse slowly, and the bustling streets of the capital did not attract his attention at all.

"Your Majesty is from the future?"

He asked himself in his mind, is this possible? But His Majesty does have many strange things. Not to mention that he knows too much, including new policies, river management, improved muskets, and concrete. The Ministry of Works also said that His Majesty drew a picture of a new spinning machine. In addition to these, His Majesty's words and thoughts are also strange.

Yu Qian especially remembered that when His Majesty came back from Tumu Fortress, he asked him what the world would be like a thousand years later, and His Majesty even described the world a thousand years later.

"Could it be that Your Majesty did not dream about it, and he really came from the future?" Yu Qian said to himself.

His eyes lit up. If His Majesty really came from the future, then wouldn't he know a lot of things? What kind of world is the future? How many years did the Ming Dynasty last? How did it perish?
At this moment, Yu Qian thought a lot, and the more he thought, the more curious he became. He even wanted to ask the emperor immediately. However, he controlled himself, because if he did that, he would definitely reveal the emperor's identity.

"Fake emperor, real emperor." Yu Qian looked up at the sky. "Emperor, if I help the fake emperor, you will blame me, right? But your son almost ruined the Ming Dynasty."

He continued to ride his horse slowly, various thoughts flashing through his mind.

……

The sky was clear, high and far away. Although the sun was not as blazing as in summer, it was warm without being hot. It shone on the vast wilderness outside the capital, adding a touch of softness to the cooling season.

In the wilderness, the autumn wind has brought a bit of bleakness. It is no longer as gentle as in the summer, but brings a chill that cannot be ignored. It whistles through the woods and grasslands, rolling up fallen leaves.

The surrounding scenery, blown by the autumn wind, looked even more bleak. The leaves turned yellow and slowly fell with the wind, covering the entire official road. On the official road, a carriage was speeding past, and the wheels rolled over the road covered with fallen leaves, making a rustling sound.

The carriage finally stopped at a riverside, and Zhu Qizhen and Yu Qian jumped out of the carriage. Zhu Qizhen took a deep breath and said with a smile: "Old Yu, the sun is rising from the west, why did you ask me to come out to enjoy the scenery?" Yu Qian was very upset and said: "Your Majesty, in your words, it is called a combination of work and rest. There are a lot of things going on recently, so I invite you to come out for a walk, drink some wine and relax yourself."

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands: "Where's the wine?"

Yu Qian took out a pot of wine from the carriage and handed it to him. Zhu Qizhen took it and continued to spread his hands: "Just drink it like this? Two grown men, facing such a beautiful scenery, do you need to be so embarrassed? If I have this time, can't I go find Ning Rongrong?"

"Your Majesty, do you plan to marry Mrs. Ning?" Yu Qian asked.

As he asked, he moved things from the carriage, grills, meat, etc. It turned out that he wanted to barbecue. Zhu Qizhen did not come forward to help. He took a sip of wine and said, "Dating doesn't necessarily mean marriage."

Although Yu Qian had never heard of these strange words, he still understood the meaning and frowned: "Your Majesty, aren't you harming the girl?"

Zhu Qizhen sighed with emotion: "Old Yu, do you know what love is? You definitely don't know, you've never had it. The feudal etiquette has imprisoned you. Young men and women should be free to fall in love."

"I know what love is. There are creeping grasses in the wild, dripping with dew. There is a beautiful person, pure and graceful. We met by chance, just what I wanted." Yu Qian said while busying himself, "This is love, Your Majesty... you are being a hooligan."

Zhu Qizhen: “!!!”

He is really good at judging people, worthy of being called Yu Qian.

……

Half an hour later, the two were eating barbecue and drinking.

Yu Qian pretended to ask casually: "Your Majesty, you described to me the world a thousand years later. Oh, it would be great if such a world really existed."

"It's still a long way off!" Zhu Qizhen took a sip of wine, "If the Ming Dynasty doesn't change, you can expect to be beaten."

Yu Qian looked puzzled: "Your Majesty, although the Ming Dynasty is not as good as the Han and Tang Dynasties, no one dares to bully us casually, right? Isn't it just Mobei? In the past thousand years, only the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty have entered the Central Plains."

Zhu Qizhen was a little dizzy from drinking and snorted:
"What makes me most angry is our ignorance. Do you know what changes have taken place in Europe during this period? They have gradually shifted from a manor-style natural economy to a commodity economy. With the rise of the commodity economy, Europe's handicraft workshops will develop rapidly, laying the foundation for the subsequent industrial revolution. The Renaissance has already begun, which will greatly change them. The Age of Exploration has begun. Navigators from Portugal, Spain and other countries have set sail to find new trade routes and colonies."

Yu Qian didn't quite understand what he was saying, so he handed Zhu Qizhen a piece of barbecue. Zhu Qizhen continued to sigh:

"As for our Ming Dynasty, we have not made any progress at all. We will miss out on the huge benefits brought by the Age of Discovery, and then we will miss out on the Industrial Revolution, and fall behind the West. Do you know what the Industrial Revolution is? According to the current situation, no matter how hard I try, I will still miss it."

"Although our agricultural-dominated economic structure can create prosperity, it limits the development of commodity economy and industry and commerce. Foreign trade is restricted by the maritime ban policy and the tribute system. Our commerce is difficult to develop, and it will not promote large-scale industrial production. The Ming Dynasty has almost no industry."

"We take the imperial examination system as the core, attach importance to classical knowledge and Confucianism, and ignore practical knowledge and natural sciences. This system has led to the homogeneity and rigidity of the official team, lack of interest and support for scientific and technological development, and also restricted the innovation vitality of local and private enterprises."

"We still have the traditional concept of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, and we have a derogatory and restrictive attitude towards commerce and businessmen. This concept has led to the suppression of commercial activities, making it difficult for the commodity economy and industry and commerce to develop fully."

Yu Qian listened attentively, raised his face full of curiosity, and asked: "Your Majesty, can you make me understand?"

Zhu Qizhen burped and said, "Okay, I will teach you well!"

Yu Qian believed more and more what the Duke of England said. Could it be that this Majesty really came from the future? Otherwise, how could he know so much?

The reason why Zhu Qizhen was so patient was that when he wanted to open the sea, he would certainly encounter opposition from many ministers. So he persuaded Yu Qian first so that he had the support of a big boss.

……

sunset.

Zhu Qizhen came to Kunning Palace holding a bouquet of flowers, handed it to the empress dowager standing by the window, and said: "This is for you. I went out with Yu Qian for an autumn outing today and picked them in the mountains."

"Chrysanthemum." The Queen Mother's eyes lit up and she looked beautiful and charming.

She was also dressed in simple and elegant clothes today, with a graceful and elegant temperament, eyes like a pool of clear water, and a plump and graceful figure. Her beautiful eyes moved slightly, and she took the flowers and said, "Why pick these flowers? They are growing well."

Zhu Qizhen snatched the flower back and said, "If you don't like it, I'll give it to Ning Rongrong tomorrow. She has a similar temperament to you and will definitely like chrysanthemums."

When she heard that he wanted to give the flowers to Ning Rongrong, the Queen Mother frowned slightly, her cold eyes showing a hint of seriousness: "Are you still dating her? Merchant women are very scheming. Just play it for fun, don't take it seriously."

Is this jealousy again?

Zhu Qizhen smiled slightly: "Following the situation, this word is used very well. You are worthy of being the witch queen, you are good at playing tricks on the situation, and you can see through it at a glance."

"The fake emperor is also well aware of this, right?" The Demon Queen glared, "We have only been at peace for a few days. I don't want to argue with you. Let's stop talking about this, okay?"

The queen had a stunning appearance, and even without makeup, it was hard to hide her stunning beauty. She had a graceful figure, and her long black hair was like a waterfall, gently falling to her back, and tied up with only a white silk ribbon. Her simplicity revealed endless refinement, exuding an indescribable beauty.

"Why did you go on an autumn outing with Yu Qian?" She changed the subject.

"I also feel it's weird. Old Yu took the initiative to ask me out." Zhu Qizhen shrugged. "Well, I gave him two hours of ideological enlightenment, and my mouth was dry."

The Demon Queen's cold eyes blinked slightly, as if she was thinking about something.

Shuangxi came up with dishes at this time, filling the table with dishes that Zhu Qizhen liked. She first served a bowl of rice to the empress dowager, but as soon as the empress dowager reached out to take it, Zhu Qizhen snatched it away.

"Your Majesty~" Shuangxi said angrily, "Don't bully the queen."

Zhu Qizhen ate with big mouthfuls while glaring at him and threateningly said, "Shuangxi, you are so bold now. Don't think that I won't punish you just because you have the Queen Mother's support. If you provoke me, I will punish your mother as well."

When he said this, a picture appeared in his mind, a very exciting picture.

The witch queen glared at him and said, "Last time you said you would reward Shuangxi, but now you are bullying her again. You are the emperor, but you don't keep your word."

Shuangxi served the empress dowager another bowl, and then took the initiative to pick up food for His Majesty the Emperor, saying softly: "Your Majesty, if you two don't quarrel in the future, I will do whatever you want."

Zhu Qizhen smiled playfully: "You said so."

……

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, I’m sending you some red envelopes.

(End of this chapter)