Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 189: Three Days of Marriage, Demon Queen: As You Wish
If there is a lamp without a moon, it will not entertain people; if there is a moon without a lamp, it will not be spring.

When spring arrives in the world, people are like jade, and when the lamp is burning, the moon is like silver.

The streets are full of pearls and emeralds, and the village girls are dancing, and the gods are playing and singing.

If you don't show your beauty and open your mouth to smile, how can you spend this good time?

The false emperor led the demon queen to the temple fair. Seeing the lively scene in front of him, he couldn't help but compose a poem with emotion. The temple fair in the capital was even more lively and magnificent than what was described in the poem.

The moonlight in the sky is bright and the lanterns on the ground are colorful.

All kinds of lanterns are hung on both sides of the street, from delicate lotus lanterns to lifelike animal lanterns, each emitting a soft and warm light. People dressed in festive costumes walk in groups of three or five, or hand in hand, in the gentle breeze.

The girls were all dressed up very beautifully today, wearing pearls and jade on their heads and colorful clothes. They held lanterns or waved round fans, happily moving among the crowd. There were bursts of music and drums, and various social performances were performed in turn, from dragon and lion dances to opera and acrobatics, attracting everyone's attention.

"Let's go enjoy the lanterns." The Demon Queen held the fake emperor's arm, her figure graceful and her eyes curved.

At this temple fair, young men and women seemed to have become bolder. Some held hands, some linked arms. The Evil Queen and the False Emperor were snuggling together, and it didn't seem out of place.

The most exciting part of enjoying lanterns is guessing lantern riddles.

Under the lanterns, ribbons danced in the wind, and on each ribbon hung a delicate piece of paper with various lantern riddles written on it. These lantern riddles have a wide range of contents, including the obscure artistic conception of classical poetry, clever questions about common sense, word riddles, object riddles, etc. There is a wide variety of them.

"Let's guess this." The Queen of Demons pointed at the words on the ribbon and read, "Two people leaned against each other, living under the green grass. Guess what?"

The false emperor pondered for a while, picked up the pen beside him and wrote a word: Fu.

The shopkeeper at the side clapped his hands and said, "This young man guessed it right. 'Two people leaning against each other' is 'husband', and 'living under the green grass' is a combination of the Chinese character for 'grass' and 'husband'. I wish you a loving couple, as beautiful as the lotus. This string of copper coins is your reward."

The demon queen reached out and took the string of copper coins, put them away, and said politely to the shopkeeper: "Thank you, shopkeeper. I wish you great wealth and prosperity."

The shopkeeper smiled from ear to ear, and when he looked at them, he praised them, "What a perfect couple."

The demon queen was slightly shy and continued to walk forward, pulling the fake emperor.

……

They didn't return to the riverside courtyard until the night market was about to close.

"I am tired. Let's rest early." The Demon Queen then let go of the fake emperor and walked towards the room.

The fake emperor followed him in directly. The beautiful face of the demon queen was a little flustered. She said, "Xiaotian is not here. You go sleep next door."

"I'll warm your bed." The fake emperor spread his hands.

"Pah!" The demon queen spat, glaring, "I still don't know your little tricks, no."

The false emperor put his arm around her waist, looked down at her beautiful face, and said, "Like last time, I'm very honest."

The demon queen raised her blushing face and muttered in her heart, "You sleep like a dead pig, and I am the one who is uncomfortable." However, she smiled slightly and said, "I will trust you just once. I want to take a bath. Go and prepare hot water."

The fake emperor went to boil water. In this winter, he didn't dare to take a cold bath. However, there was only one bathtub, so he had to give it to the demon queen and wash himself in the yard with the bucket.

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. He listened to the sound of the wind outside the courtyard. After he took a shower, he felt refreshed. After admiring the moon for a while, he came to the room wrapped in a bathrobe.

The demon queen had also finished her bath and was sitting in front of the dressing table wrapped in a bath towel. Her figure was extremely hot, especially her pair of long, straight, snow-white legs, which were slender and toned without a single flaw, which made people imagine a lot.

She bent her head and wiped her long hair. Her skin was fair and tight without makeup, and the white and smooth snow-capped mountains were faintly visible in front of her.

"Have you seen enough? Come and help." The Queen of Demons snorted.

The Pseudo Emperor walked forward, took the towel, and helped her wipe her hair. The Demon Queen sat obediently, looking at the Pseudo Emperor through the mirror, and sighed softly: "It would be nice if it could go on like this forever."

"A lifelong couple." The false emperor said, "I haven't left you."

The Queen was slightly stunned, feeling a little melancholy and confused for a moment. She clenched her hands slightly between her legs, and her tone seemed to be a little softer. She asked, "Really? I don't believe it. There are many beautiful women in the world. You men, huh, and you are still so young."

The fake emperor also sighed: "A pair of people for a lifetime, longing for each other but not being able to be together, that's what we are talking about."

He put down the towel in his hand, his palm slid down and fell on her round shoulders, leaning over her ear, embroidering the fragrance between her hair. The demon queen slowly turned her head, the two looked at each other, and moved closer at the same time.

The false emperor pulled her up, put his arms around her waist, and the demon queen hooked her arms around his neck, responding to each other passionately. After a long time, breathing became heavy, the false emperor reached out to pull the demon queen's bath towel.

"Don't!" The Demon Queen stopped him.

"You've called me your husband for a whole day, and you're still rejecting me?" The fake emperor glared.

The demon queen’s face was red, her eyes were blurry, and she kept the last bit of clarity: “No, at least not now… I…”

The false emperor let her go and smiled: "I understand, then take a rest."

The Demon Queen lowered her head and whispered, "You...should sleep next door."

"It's okay, I can bear it." The fake emperor spread his hands.

The demon queen blushed slightly, and she reached out and tightly grasped the false emperor's hand that was playing tricks on her waist. She bit her lips lightly and said with a little cry and trembling: "I...can't...you are too bad, I am afraid I can't help it."

The fake emperor chuckled, kissed her on the cheek, and went to the next room.

The Demon Queen breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly opened the window. The cold wind blew in and she immediately became much more sober.

……

early morning.

The fake emperor had cooked the porridge, but the demon queen hadn't gotten up yet. He pushed open the door and walked gently into the room, only to see that the demon queen was still sleeping, with her beautiful figure in all its shapes, and the quilt couldn't cover her curves.

"Let's eat." The fake emperor stretched out his hands and held her face.

The sudden coldness woke up the Demon Queen. She bared her teeth and said, "You want to die!"

The fake emperor picked her up and said, "We will burn incense later. There will be many people, so we should go early."

The demon queen stood up angrily. She was dressed in underwear, and her graceful and seductive figure was like a ripe peach. She was still a little dazed and had not yet woken up.

The fake emperor bit down on her red lips. With a suffocating kiss, the demon queen finally woke up. A blush instantly appeared on her fair and delicate face. She opened her mouth slightly and said, "You... go out. I'll change my clothes."

"Let me help you." The fake emperor blinked.

The Demon Queen put her arms around his neck and gave him a sweet kiss: "Okay, go outside and wait for your sister."

The pseudo-emperor shrugged his shoulders, left the room, served the porridge in the corridor, added some dry firewood to the stove on the side, and brought a plate of side dishes from the kitchen.

He began to eat slowly, and when he had almost finished, the Demon Queen came out after cleaning up. Her slender figure, set off by her long dress, was indescribably beautiful.

"Eat quickly." The fake emperor put the porridge in front of her.

The Demon Queen said as she ate, "Let's not go to Fahai Temple. Many people there know us. Let's go to Dongyue Temple."

The fake emperor didn't care: "Okay."

After the Demon Queen finished eating, she looked the Pseudo-Emperor up and down and pursed her lips: "Let me help you comb your hair, it's all messed up."

She pulled the fake emperor into the room, helped him sit in front of the dressing table, and began to comb his hair. Her movements were gentle, making people feel very comfortable, with a little more tenderness and attachment. The look in her eyes when she looked at him was also much gentler, and no longer deliberately restrained.

……

Dongyue Temple.

Inside and outside the temple, there was a bustling crowd and the smell of incense, creating an extremely lively scene.

When the false emperor and the demon queen slowly walked into the Dongyue Temple, they saw that the square in front of the temple was already crowded with people. The believers, dressed in various costumes, holding incense sticks, knelt devoutly in front of the temple, praying for the protection and blessings of the Dongyue Emperor.

They thought that people would be too busy celebrating the New Year to burn incense and pray for blessings in the first month of the year, but they did not expect that Dongyue Temple would attract so many believers. In the temple, bells and drums rang, and Taoists in robes and holding instruments were chanting scriptures and praying for the believers.

There is an endless stream of believers in front of the statue of Dongyue Emperor, who either kneel or worship, or offer incense or donate money, hoping to receive the blessing and protection of the gods.

"Today we are just ordinary people, go and worship." The demon queen glared, "Be more pious!"

After waiting in line for a long time, they finally arrived in front of Emperor Dongyue. They each made a wish silently, and no one knew what the other person wished for.

It was already noon when they walked out of Dongyue Temple. They were just looking for a place to eat something when a carriage stopped in front of them. The curtain was opened and Ning Rongrong's beautiful face poked out: "Is it really you? Come to burn incense too?"

Before the false emperor could speak, the Demon Queen nodded with a smile: "Yes, I am hungry now, I need to find a place to eat."

Ning Rongrong smiled slightly: "Why don't we go to my club? It's not far away."

"Then I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Ning." The Demon Queen smiled and turned to the somewhat confused Pseudo-Emperor and said, "Why are you standing there? Get in the car."

The two got on Ning Rongrong's carriage. The Demon Queen and Ning Rongrong sat next to each other, both very calm, but the Pseudo Emperor was a little uncomfortable. Ning Rongrong, wearing a fox fur coat, had elegant and cold eyes, and her cold and delicate features were very attractive.

"When has Mr. Ning decided to leave Beijing?" asked the Demon Queen.

"We'll leave after the Lantern Festival." Ning Rongrong said, "We'll take a boat from the Grand Canal, go to Jiangnan first to give instructions, and then go out to sea."

The Demon Queen sighed softly, "After this separation, I don't know when the Ning family will be able to return to the capital."

Ning Rongrong smiled slightly dejectedly and did not answer.

……

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the guild hall.

Ning Rongrong took the two of them into the private room on the second floor and ordered the maid to serve the dishes. After a while, a table of delicious dishes was served. Ning Rongrong picked up the wine glass first: "Happy New Year, both of you."

"Happy New Year." The false emperor and the evil queen also raised their glasses.

The three of them ate slowly, without any tension or awkwardness. Ning Rongrong and the Demon Queen even chatted about some girls' matters. The Pseudo-Emperor ate silently on the side, trying not to speak.

"By the way, Mr. Zhu, after I leave, someone will take charge of the guild hall and many other matters." Ning Rongrong smiled slightly, "I'll ask her to come and see you." She shouted to the door. The door was gently pushed open, and a woman walked in. The first impression of the pseudo-emperor was that she was charming. She was wearing a purple long dress, which outlined her perfect curves and also highlighted the contours of various parts of her body, as if showing her proud side.

"My name is Roujia, and I'm here to greet Mr. Zhu, Madam." She bowed.

The Pseudo-Emperor felt a heavy weight in front of her. The Demon Queen glared at him coldly before he withdrew his gaze. Ning Rongrong continued to introduce: "After I leave, Roujia will take my place. Please take care of her in the future, Master Zhu."

"It's my duty." The fake emperor smiled.

The demon queen smiled and said, "Yes, it should be so."

Ning Rongrong's expression changed slightly, and she waved her hand, and Roujia retreated. The three of them continued to eat and chat leisurely, and the pseudo-emperor looked at the Gaoliang River outside the window.

"What are you staring at?" The Demon Queen nudged him lightly.

"Oh, the river has thawed. We should go back tomorrow." The Pseudo-Emperor took a deep breath. "A new year has begun, and we have to face new challenges."

After hearing this, the Demon Queen's eyes drooped slightly.

……

dusk.

The false emperor brought the demon queen back to the small courtyard by the Gaoliang River. He did not go in, but stood by the river watching the sunset. The afterglow slanted across the Gaoliang River, and the water was flowing slowly and sparkling.

On both sides of the river, withered yellow reeds swayed gently in the breeze, making rustling sounds. In the distance, a few old willow trees stood quietly with their branches drooping.

The fake emperor and the demon queen stood side by side, their robes swaying gently in the wind. The fake emperor's face was complicated and hard to tell in the sunset. He was nostalgic for the beautiful scenery in front of him, but also seemed to hide his helplessness about the day that was about to disappear. The demon queen's eyes were complicated, perhaps cherishing this short-lived beauty, or worrying about the future.

The world around me seemed to have gone quiet, leaving only the sound of the setting sun and the occasional chirping of birds. The air was slightly chilly, but also mixed with the freshness of the soil and river water, making people feel an indescribable tranquility and harmony.

"Are you going back to the palace tomorrow?" The Demon Queen leaned in his arms and asked softly.

"Well, it's time to prepare for the court session." The fake emperor put his arm around her waist.

After a while of quiet tenderness, the Demon Queen raised her beautiful face and said, "I will make dinner for you. As a wife, you should cook for your husband."

The false emperor held her face and said with a smile, "Okay, my lady."

The two turned and entered the small courtyard. The Demon Queen went to the kitchen to work. The Pseudo Emperor sat on a chair in the courtyard, looking at the sunset in the sky. He had no expectations for the Demon Queen's meal.

"After the opening of the dynasty, the imperial examination will soon be held this year. I hope to select a few talents, especially those in the arts. We have to select a few to serve as officials. In the future, there will be more people in the academic subjects."

"We have to deal with the Japanese pirates this year! After that, we will focus on dealing with Mobei and solving the problem that is our biggest concern."

"It seems that it is better to assassinate the Wala student from the northwest. Shi Biao is not good enough. Do you want me to train a special forces unit myself?"

He was thinking about what he should do this year.

……

Half an hour later.

The demon queen's voice came from the kitchen: "Okay, come and help move it."

The false emperor yawned, stood up and went to the kitchen. He was stunned.

The kitchen was filled with smoke, as if a small fireworks feast had just taken place. Pots, pans, and bowls were scattered all over the floor, some still stubbornly clinging to the foam that had not been washed off; on the chopping board, all kinds of ingredients and seasonings were mixed together, colorful but slightly messy. The most striking thing was that the always elegant and noble queen looked completely different at this moment.

Her hair no longer fell smoothly as usual, but scattered messily on her shoulders, with a few strands of hair playfully sticking to her cheeks, adding a bit of casual charm to her. On her fair and beautiful face, a few black marks appeared at some point, which should be the marks quietly left by the ashes of firewood, but it did not diminish her beauty at all, but added a bit of reality and loveliness to her life.

The demon queen's expression was very stubborn, and her hands, which were covered with flour and oil, were still busy, trying to present the final dish perfectly.

The false emperor looked at the evil queen and could no longer hold back his laughter, and he burst out laughing.

"Are you making fun of me?" The Demon Queen looked up.

"No, no, no~" The fake emperor walked over and stretched out his hand to help her smooth her hair. "Don't mention it, you look quite cute."

The Demon Queen glanced at him and curled her lips: "I know I didn't do it well, but I tried my best. Even though it's a bit messy, the dish will definitely taste good."

"I believe it." The fake emperor couldn't help laughing, "But, I'll do it from now on."

"You are just laughing at me~" The demon queen had an aggrieved expression.

The fake emperor leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then said, "No, I'm looking forward to the dishes you cook. Move them out quickly, or they'll get cold and affect the taste."

The two of them were busy for a while, and finally, the food was served. The fake emperor pretended to be very anxious, picked up the chopsticks and started eating. There was a burnt smell. The demon queen's beautiful eyes widened and asked, "Is it delicious?"

"Delicious!" The pseudo-emperor ate with big mouthfuls.

What can I say? It’s not too bad.

The Demon Queen took a bite and frowned slightly. The Pseudo-Emperor ate with big mouthfuls while encouraging her: "My dear, you have already achieved such a level when you just started cooking. You are already gifted. You will definitely make it even more delicious in the future."

"Thank you, my husband. You can eat more." The witch queen smiled slyly and picked up some food for him.

False Emperor: “!!!”

After finishing the meal and cleaning up the kitchen, it was already late at night.

After the fake emperor took a shower, he felt comfortable all over and was ready to go to bed and return to the palace early tomorrow. The demon queen came out of the shower and threw herself into his arms, whispering, "Sleep with me, but don't do anything bad."

"Okay." The fake emperor agreed readily.

The Demon Queen led him to her room, and the two of them lay in each other's arms. The Pseudo-Emperor breathed slowly, as he had already practiced it. He gently hugged the Demon Queen's waist and said softly, "Time flies by so fast."

"Yeah." His eyes blinked slightly, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, "Thank you for your hardship."

The false emperor glared.

The Demon Queen leaned in his arms and slowly closed her eyes. She was really tired today.

The moon was dim outside, and the soft moonlight shone through the window onto the floor inside the house.

On the soft couch.

The false emperor rested his head on one hand and hugged the Demon Queen with the other, feeling the soft and smooth body as silk in his arms, and feeling the Demon Queen's steady breathing, which showed that she had fallen asleep.

He sighed in his heart.

It is exciting, but the Demon Queen can endure it more. When will it be the final step?
……

Qianqing Palace.

After Zhu Qizhen returned, he summoned the eunuch chief Cao Jixiang to learn about the situation during his two-day absence. Fortunately, everything was fine in the palace, and the ladies in each palace were all safe.

He asked if there were any urgent memorials in the past two days, and Cao Jixiang said no. What could happen on the first and second day of the first lunar month? He breathed a sigh of relief. He could not let the evil queen delay state affairs.

Otherwise, wouldn’t I become a tyrant?

"Your Majesty, the virtuous concubine requests an audience." Cao Jixiang bowed.

"Announce." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand, "You all go down as well."

After a while, the virtuous concubine came to the palace, and Zhu Qizhen went up to her and picked her up and put her on the dragon bed. These two days, I was really suffocated in that small courtyard.

After a storm, Concubine Xian lay weakly on the couch, feeling a little regretful. Why did I deliver myself to this place? Your Majesty was really too fierce today.

"Do you have something to talk to me about?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

"I want to go home, so I come to ask for your permission." The virtuous concubine said softly.

Zhu Qizhen asked in confusion: "Aren't you going to ask the Queen Mother about this? She is in charge of the harem."

The pretty face of Concubine Xian was flushed with a blush that had not yet faded. She said, "The Queen Mother said that she will not care about so many things in the future. She also said that I will be in charge of the weaving bureau."

Zhu Qizhen frowned.

The weaving bureau belongs to the inner court, and usually eunuchs are sent to various weaving bureaus to manage them. The eunuchs either listen to the emperor or the empress dowager. Now the empress dowager has appointed Consort Xian to manage it, which is also good.

"Then you take care of it!" Zhu Qizhen pinched her face and said, "The Ning family will cooperate with the Weaving Bureau. You should pay more attention and select a few capable eunuchs to go out and do business."

The virtuous concubine nodded: "I will do my best!"

Zhu Qizhen's hands were playing tricks, and he was in high spirits again. Concubine Xian was a little flustered, and hurriedly got up and got off the dragon bed. Her long black hair was like a waterfall, draped behind her. Her gauze dress could not cover up her beautiful scenery. Her eyes were shy and she said, "Your Majesty, I will go and ask Concubine De to come. She also misses Your Majesty."

……

In the next few days, Zhu Qizhen, as the emperor, presided over several sacrifices, which was what he had to do every year. In a blink of an eye, it was the sixth day of the first lunar month and the court was opened.

The first grand court meeting of the new year was nothing major, just a formality. After the grand court meeting, Zhu Qizhen summoned Yang Shan, the Minister of Rites, to discuss the imperial examination.

The imperial examination was in February, and some students were probably already on their way, so he had to ask if all preparations were done. After all, this was the first time Yang Shan presided over the imperial examination after becoming the Minister of Rites.

Of course, the chief Zhongzheng official of this imperial examination is Shang Lu. Only an old minister like him, who has articles handed down from generation to generation, can be worthy of the position of Zhongzheng official and keep the pressure. Zhu Qizhen also felt that sometimes, some old ministers are still needed.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. Everything is ready." Yang Shan said after the introduction.

Zhu Qizhen nodded, as if he suddenly remembered something, and asked: "I remember that there was a child prodigy before, but he was rejected by Master Hu last time and was sent to study at the Imperial Academy to gain some experience. Will that student participate in this imperial examination?"

"Your Majesty, you are talking about Li Dongyang, right? Of course he will participate." Yang Shan smiled, "Li Dongyang also became a disciple of Grand Secretary Ke Qian. I am very optimistic about him."

Ke Qian accepted Li Dongyang as his disciple?

Zhu Qizhen murmured in his heart, both of them are talented, it would be nice if there were a few more, I am short of people.

(End of this chapter)