Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 195: The fake emperor and the real emperor are in communication!

Japan, southern Kyushu.

Ning Rongrong's headquarters is here. She calls this piece of land that belongs to her "Xia Kingdom", and there are nearly 10,000 Xia soldiers in it. She also hired a lot of Japanese people to work and serve as servants.

There are two daimyo in Kyushu, Otomo and Shimazu, and they only have 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers, which is less than Ning Rongrong. Not to mention the equipment, Ning Rongrong has more than 100 warships, while the Xia army's weapons are all the most advanced muskets and artillery.

In Japan today, the daimyo of various places are fighting each other, and the Ashikaga shogunate has no control over the local situation. The daimyo are fighting for territory, and the smoke of war is everywhere. Due to years of war, all kinds of materials are in short supply.

Ning Rongrong's caravan could sell them the supplies they needed, as well as arms. So when Ning Rongrong did business with the Otomo clan and the Shimazu clan, the Shimazu clan decisively gave her a piece of land.

Soon, other daimyos also came to purchase supplies, especially new muskets and cannons, which were urgently needed for their struggle for hegemony.

At this moment, in a small palace in the camp, called Xia Palace, Ning Rongrong was reading a letter. She was dressed in a cyan outfit, looking cool and majestic, and her temperament was completely different from that of the Ning family in the capital.

The letter in her hand came from the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and was written by the emperor himself. The emperor not only answered the questions in her memorial and gave her support, but also asked some questions about Japan.

The emperor asked the names of several people, such as Oda Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, etc. He asked whether these people existed in Japan today and to pay special attention to them.

Ning Rongrong was very confused. Why would the emperor have such a problem? Did he plant spies in Japan?
In fact, Zhu Qizhen knew very little about the history of Japan. He had only watched a few movies and knew that Oda Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen, and Uesugi Kenshin were some of the more powerful daimyo during the early Warring States period in Japan. However, he did not know in which era these people lived. Were they already famous at that time? Or were they not yet born?
……

"Mr. Ning, a visitor has arrived." Bai Wuqi reported, "The daimyo of Kai Province, Takeda Shingen, has come to visit you in person."

Takeda Shingen?

Ning Rongrong was stunned for a moment. Looking at the letter in her hand which said Takeda Shingen, she wondered if he had got the name wrong.
"Xuan." She waved her hand.

Soon, a handsome middle-aged man walked in with his personal guards. It was Takeda Shingen. When he saw the legendary Ningjia, he knew that she was a woman, but he didn't expect her to be such a young woman.

"Is it Mr. Ning?" Takeda Shintora spoke in Ming dialect with a strange accent, "I have heard of your name for a long time."

Ning Rongrong made a gesture of invitation calmly: "General Takeda, please take a seat."

The two sides exchanged a few superficial words, and Takeda Shingen went straight to the point and said, "Mr. Ning, we, the Kai Takeda clan, also want to do business with you. We need food, muskets, artillery, etc."

Ning Rongrong smiled slightly: "Okay, I'm here to do business, but you have to follow my rules."

Takeda Shintora was very humble, and after listening to Ning Rongrong's rules, he only expressed the need to modify some minor details. Then, the two sides reached a deal.

During this period, Takeda Shintora expressed his intention to cooperate exclusively, but was rejected by Ning Rongrong. She came to Japan to mess them up, so how could she cooperate exclusively?

After the deal was done, Ning Rongrong asked casually, "By the way, General, do you know Takeda Shingen?"

Takeda Shintora was obviously stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "I don't know, there is no such person in my Takeda clan."

He thought to himself, Takeda Shingen, this is a good name.

"Just a casual question." Ning Rongrong waved her hand lightly.

Takeda Shingen bowed and walked out.

Ning Rongrong frowned slightly, thinking that she had to understand the current situation in Japan as soon as possible. The emperor also expressed in the letter that he wanted to know the current situation in Japan.

……

Beijing, Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Qizhen was summoning the commander-in-chief Tan You, who was also the new Earl of Ning, who had returned from Shaanxi and Gansu.

"My dear Tan, you will stay in Beijing to serve when you return this time." Zhu Qizhen said with a smile, "I need people like you who have made great contributions to be by my side."

Tan You bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I still want to go to Shaanxi and Gansu to gain some experience, and then return to serve you, Your Majesty."

Yang Guifang at the side smiled slightly: "Xinning Bo, His Majesty is preparing to personally lead an expedition to Mobei, and he will definitely need you by his side."

Tan You was shocked: "Your Majesty is going to use troops against Mobei?"

Zhu Qizhen nodded affirmatively and said with a smile: "So, you have to stay by my side and follow me in the Northern Expedition. So, you just came back, go back and rest for a few days, and I will arrange your mission."

"As you wish." Tan You bowed and walked out.

After watching him leave, Zhu Qizhen's eyes turned cold, and he said to Shi Biao, the commander of the Jinyiwei in the palace: "Send someone to keep an eye on him."

Shi Biao accepted the order: "As you wish."

Yang Guifang pondered for a moment, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, why not just arrest him? It would be very easy for the Jinyiwei to accuse him of a crime."

Zhu Qizhen sneered, "No hurry, I still need him to catch some big fish in the capital."

"Your Majesty is wise." Yang Guifang and Shi Biao bowed together.

Zhu Qizhen raised his hand and said to Yang Guifang: "You should pay more attention to the situation in Mobei. Now that the situation in the southeast is stable, we should consider sending troops to Mobei. This time, I will destroy Yesen."

Yang Guifang took out a memorial and handed it to Zhu Qizhen, saying, "This is General Shi's new memorial. I just got it from the Ministry of War."

Zhu Qizhen took it and glanced over it quickly.

Shi Heng described the current situation in Mobei in his memorial: Yesen was still the Great Khan of Mobei, the most powerful, and had the support of the Golden Horde in the north, so no one dared to rebel against him. However, the internal contradictions of the Oirat became increasingly prominent. Yesen not only killed Alazhiyuan's second son, but also killed his two brothers. Alazhiyuan hated Yesen to the core. Toghtobuha was also secretly accumulating strength, waiting to seek revenge on Yesen.

"Let them fight among themselves first." Zhu Qizhen smiled slyly, "I want to publicly support Tuotuobuhua."

……

After discussing the matter of Mobei, Yang Guifang, Shi Biao and others withdrew and acted according to the plan. Zhu Qizhen began to review the memorials, and soon, Yang Shan, the Minister of Rites, asked to see him.

Yang Shan came to report the results of the palace examination. Zhu Qizhen was quite satisfied with this year's imperial examination and praised him greatly. Yang Shan continued to report: "Your Majesty, according to your order, the candidates for the art exam are all outside the palace, waiting to be summoned."

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand: "Hurry up and announce it."

Soon, dozens of people came to the hall. The young people all looked nervous and excited. After paying their respects, Zhu Qizhen raised his hand and asked them to stand up.

"You are the first batch of art scholars admitted by my dynasty." Zhu Qizhen also stood up and glanced at them, "I have high hopes for you. I hope you will achieve success in your respective fields in the future. I also hope that more and more people will apply for the art exam..."

After encouraging them, he also specifically mentioned Guanxi Chen Wang and Sun Yan, as well as Zhang Xuan who came from a low-income family. He also told these students that the Ming Dynasty would establish an Academy of Arts and Sciences, corresponding to the Hanlin Academy, so that they could study with peace of mind.

Finally, he left Chen Wang and Sun Yan behind.

"Tell me about the current situation in Guanxi." Zhu Qizhen said.

Chen Wang was a man of unrestrained demeanor, with a temperament not inferior to those young masters of famous families in the capital. He spoke eloquently about the plight of Guanxi and praised the court's measures towards Guanxi.

Zhu Qizhen smiled slightly, because Chen Wang was actually talking nonsense, without any valuable information. He looked at Sun Yan, who seemed a little dull. "Your Majesty, the civil strife in Guanxi continues, and the court should send a large army to stabilize the situation." Sun Yan said, "The leaders in Guanxi are actually occupying one side and oppressing the people in various ways. Your Majesty, why don't you just set up three divisions in Guanxi?"

Sun Yan was telling the truth. Zhu Qizhen sighed and said, "The court can't take care of it right now. The Japanese pirates in the southeast and the northern border are eyeing us covetously. However, I will definitely stabilize Guanxi during my lifetime and let the people live in peace."

Sun Yan bowed deeply, and a hint of sarcasm flashed across Chen Wang's lips.

……

At dusk, the setting sun falls on the garden of Kunning Palace.

The garden is full of spring, and everything is more vibrant under the sunset. The afterglow of the sunset shines through the sparse branches and leaves, and sprinkles on the path, forming a mottled light and shadow effect.

In the pond, the water was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the setting sun. A few goldfish were swimming leisurely in the pond, creating ripples on the water. The demon queen, dressed in red, was practicing swordplay nearby.

The tight outfit outlines her extremely hot figure. Her hair is tied up, revealing her fair and beautiful face. Her eyes are sharp, and she has a bit of the temperament of a chivalrous woman.

Snapped!
Zhu Qizhen slapped the demon queen's arm with the wooden sword in his hand, causing her to grimace in pain: "Is my move wrong? You obviously did the same thing."

"Don't just imitate, you have to learn how to exert force, otherwise it will be in vain." Zhu Qizhen glared.

The demon queen pursed her red lips and said, "I am useless, right?"

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "That's not true. At least now I'm practicing well. Although it's just for show, it looks good. Just like you, you look good."

The demon queen blushed, glared at him, and continued to practice. Recently, she was obsessed with sword practice and was very hardworking. She got up early in the morning to practice, and waited for Zhu Qizhen to come and check the effect of her practice at dusk.

"How about we compete?" The Demon Queen raised her eyebrows, "But you are not allowed to use great strength, you can only use sword moves."

Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "You are eager to try, you want to beat me, right? Okay, I will help you."

The evil queen tightly grasped the wooden sword in her hand. She really wanted revenge. During this period, she was beaten by Zhu Qizhen every day. The back of her hands, arms, and thighs were all red. The most hateful thing was that he also spanked her buttocks.

She had been holding back her anger for a long time, and shouted, "Evil villain, watch out."

As the two fought, the Demon Queen quickly realized the gap, because Zhu Qizhen stood there motionless, she could not get close to him at all, and all her sword moves were blocked by him.

Soon, she was in a panic and could only defend herself. Zhu Qizhen took advantage of her weakness and hit her decisively, hitting her arms and thighs several times, and she was in so much pain that she almost cried.

"No more fighting." She was so angry that she threw away the wooden sword.

Zhu Qizhen laughed loudly at the side. The witch queen stared at him with her beautiful eyes, and she was about to cry: "You... did it on purpose. I told you last time that you should be gentle."

"I've already controlled myself very well." Zhu Qizhen looked innocent.

"It hurts so much." The Demon Queen touched her arm.

Zhu Qizhen walked over and held her in his arms, smiling: "Practice swordplay, so you can remember it."

The demon queen put her head on his shoulder and snorted, "You don't have the slightest bit of sympathy for women."

"You really cried." Zhu Qizhen reached out and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Are you trying to use a beauty trap on me? Well, I fell for it."

The Demon Queen chuckled, reached out and slapped him, glaring at him: "Disgusting."

Zhu Qizhen grabbed her hand and kissed her red lips. The queen's beautiful eyes were blurred, and she hooked her hands around his neck and responded.

After a long time, the lips opened.

The Demon Queen leaned in his arms and snorted, "I need to rest for two days. I will go to Fahai Zen Temple to burn incense tomorrow."

Zhu Qizhen shrugged. He was just having fun and didn't believe that the Demon Queen would really insist on practicing sword skills.

……

After the beginning of spring, government affairs become busy.

Although Zhu Qizhen also gave the Imperial Household Department the power to approve documents, he still reviewed and approved most of the memorials himself.

One day, he was reviewing memorials when the commander of the Imperial Guard came to see him in a hurry and reported: "Your Majesty, the people who were monitoring Tan You have made some progress. He actually secretly contacted Chen Wang, a new art examiner. I sent someone to keep an eye on Chen Wang and found that he sent a message to the northwest."

"Did you catch the person?" Zhu Qizhen asked.

Shi Biao shook his head: "I sent people to find out his communication team and intend to uproot them."

Zhu Qizhen closed his eyes in deep thought, and suddenly his eyes lit up: "I wrote a letter to the false emperor in the northwest. Before you arrest those people, ask them to pass my letter back."

"Ah?" Shi Biao was shocked.

"The real and fake emperors must communicate with each other." Zhu Qizhen sneered.

"As you wish." Shi Biao nodded.

Zhu Qizhen picked up a pen and quickly wrote a letter and handed it to Shi Biao. After Shi Biao took it, he stepped back.

"I don't know if the orthodox emperor will vomit blood when he sees the letter." Zhu Qizhen sneered.

He thought about the scene and felt very happy. He reviewed the memorials much faster. In the afternoon, after he finished reviewing the memorials, he left the palace in plain clothes because it was still early.

When he got to the street, he remembered the last time Roujia had helped him cool down, and her skills were excellent. So he quickly walked to the door of the guild hall, and just as he was about to enter, he was stopped by Chao Xiaotian who appeared from the side.

"Master, you finally came. It's just right. Your disciple has something urgent to discuss with you." Chao Xiaotian said.

"I am more anxious. Please wait here for half an hour." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand.

He thought about solving the problem with Roujia first, and then he would talk nonsense with Chao Xiaotian after half an hour. Besides, what big deal could Chao Xiaotian have?
"Master, you can't do this. Have you been seduced by Roujia again?" Chao Xiaotian said speechlessly, "Master, in your own words, you are a scumbag!"

Zhu Qizhen was speechless: "You know shit!"

He was saying in his heart, "A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a secret lover." Do you understand this kind of thing?
"Master, I really have something to do..." Chao Xiaotian was anxious.

However, Zhu Qizhen interrupted him and said, "Wait until the master comes out."

After saying that, he strode in. He spread his hands towards Xiaotian and said, "Master, you don't want to hear about the Junshan Society? Forget it, I'm leaving."

Zhu Qizhen turned around immediately.

(End of this chapter)