Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 228 Demon Queen: I've been bullied all night, I want to take the initiative
It's dusk.

Zhu Qizhen was in a good mood and walked happily to Kunning Palace. At the door, he saw Shuangxi, who was wearing a light red long skirt that dragged on the ground, with a thin waist tied lightly with a cloud belt, outlining a graceful curve; there was a silver hairpin in her hair, her delicate face was slightly red, and her bright and clear eyes were full of charm. She bowed to Zhu Qizhen in a reserved and respectful manner.

"Why do I still let you do the work of a palace maid?" Zhu Qizhen reached out and held her pretty face and pinched it.

Shuangxi's face instantly turned red, she was pretty and lovely. Of course, she was not as beautiful as the witch queen, but she was more youthful and bright. She blinked her eyes slightly: "Your Majesty, the queen doesn't like to have other people in the palace."

"Oh, yes, yes." Zhu Qizhen nodded repeatedly, "If there were other people, the things we three did would be discovered."

Shuangxi held his forehead and said angrily, "Your Majesty, could you please be more serious and stop talking nonsense?"

Damn~
Zhu Qizhen kissed her on the cheek and said, "Go ahead. I want to drink soup today. Make some soup for me."

"Yes." Shuangxi nodded.

Zhu Qizhen strode into the hall and looked up to see the demon queen watering the flowers. She was dressed elegantly today, with her soft and smooth hair falling casually to her waist, swaying in the wind.

A few strands of hair fell on the edge of her red lips, making her skin look even whiter. Her eyes were cold and charming, but she had an unattainable temperament. Her lotus steps moved lightly, and her skirt moved slightly, and two calves as smooth as jade could be vaguely seen.

"Stop looking and come and help." The demon queen looked up and glared.

"Okay." Zhu Qizhen walked over, picked up the watering can and sprayed it at her.

The demon queen bared her teeth and sprayed with a kettle, and the two of them sprinkled water on each other in the garden. The demon queen giggled non-stop, and as she ran, the fruits swayed in front of her.

Bang~
Zhu Qizhen threw the kettle on the ground and grabbed her into his arms. Her beautiful face was covered with glistening water droplets, like a lotus emerging from the water, charming and attractive. He bit her red lips.

The witch queen's beautiful face was flushed like rouge, and her eyes were blurred. After a long while, the two let go. At this time, the setting sun fell on her, making her look bright and charming.

"You have to pay me for the flowers."

She has the appearance and temperament of a mature lady, but she is not lacking in the arrogance that a woman should have. The two of them were in the garden together until Shuangxi came to call them to eat.

"It smells so good, Shuangxi, please sit down and eat with us." Zhu Qizhen said as he sat down.

"No, I dare not." Shuangxi shook her head.

The demon queen's eyes fell on her and she waved, "Sit down and eat. You are his now, closer to him than to me."

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands unhappily: "If you want, you can do it anytime."

“Bah!” The Demon Queen glared.

Shuangxi sat down timidly, picked up the bowl and chopsticks and lowered his head to eat. Zhu Qizhen ate heartily, while the Queen ate elegantly with small bites, blinking her beautiful eyes slightly, and asked: "The court and the country are very lively today, did Mobei win the battle?"

"Yes, we have won a few small battles." Zhu Qizhen nodded while eating, "Yu Qian, Shi Heng, Yang Guifang and others are cooperating and preparing to destroy Yesen in the near future."

"Oh." The Demon Queen nodded slightly and did not ask any further questions.

After the meal, Shuangxi stood up to clean up, but the Demon Queen grabbed her and said, "You serve him."

Zhu Qizhen smiled and waved his hand, then stood up and said, "I'm going to go see Consort Xian and Consort De. I'm leaving now."

He strode away, and the Demon Queen looked at his back, thoughtfully.

……

Summer has arrived in the blink of an eye. The sunshine is mild but bright. Although not as scorching as midsummer, it is enough to make beads of sweat appear on the foreheads of the city guards patrolling the streets. They are dressed in neat uniforms and maintain order in the bustling crowd.

Today's capital city is prosperous and busy.

On both sides of the street, there are many shops, with various signs swaying gently in the wind, attracting pedestrians from all over the country to stop and look. In the silk shop, the gorgeous silk seems to be shining; in the teahouse, the aroma of tea wafts, and the voices of storytellers rise and fall; and there is also the Western grocery store, which displays all kinds of ingenious items, attracting many people to watch.

Merchants were busy trading, and goods were frequently exchanged in the busy streets, creating a prosperous scene. Literati were writing in their study or teahouse, or reciting poems. Ordinary people were carrying things on their shoulders or hurrying on their way, but their faces were full of energy.

Despite the hustle and bustle of people, the capital city still maintains a rare order. The streets are wide and neatly laid out, and even in the busiest market, one can feel a sense of harmony and order amid the throng of people. The implementation of various government systems, coupled with the people's conscious compliance with the rules, make this ancient city even more vibrant and full of energy under the warm sun of early summer.

Occasionally, groups of Westerners would come and go, wearing strange clothes or speaking different languages. The people of the capital were used to seeing them, and there were also students from the Imperial Academy who could speak some Western languages ​​with them.

Zhu Qizhen strolled to Shunfeng Escort Agency. As soon as he entered the door, he saw Miss Qi Shu, who was busy checking the shipping list. The girl had a ponytail and looked neat and tidy.

"Master." When Qi Shu saw him, she stepped forward and bowed. He was indeed from a wealthy family and was well-educated and well-mannered.

Zhu Qizhen raised his hand, turned around and asked, "Where is Chao Xiaotian?"

Qi Shu led him inside and replied, "Xiaotian has gone out to do some work. He will probably be back soon. Master, please come in and sit down first."

"Hey, is that kid slacking off? I'll do everything for you." Zhu Qizhen snorted.

"No." Qi Shu smiled slightly, "We are going to meet a Western merchant caravan. The Westerners want us to protect their goods and ship them by sea."

Zhu Qizhen sat down and laughed: "Sure, it's a big deal."

Qi Shu poured him a cup of tea and said, "Master, what did you tell him you want to build... a multinational corporation? Xiaotian remembers it. Our Shunfeng Escort Agency already has its own fleet."

"Not bad, not bad." Zhu Qizhen nodded after taking a sip of tea. "We need to have him set up branches in Quanzhou and Guangzhou. The Maritime Customs Offices are located in these two places, which is convenient."

Qi Shu looked worried and frowned slightly: "We are not familiar with the Maritime Customs."

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and said, "Master, I have a connection with you in the Maritime Customs. You can do it boldly."

Qi Shu nodded obediently: "Yes, we all listen to the master."

Zhu Qizhen put down his teacup, looked at the bright girl in front of him, and asked with a smile: "When are you going to get married?"

"This..." Qi Shu lowered her head shyly and whispered, "Is it still Xiaotian? He...didn't express anything. Although I come from a merchant family and don't care about small matters, I still have to marry her in a formal way, right?"

Zhu Qizhen laughed out loud: "Yes, yes, this is my fault as a master. Xiaotian has no parents, so I should take care of him. So, I will go back and discuss it with your master's wife."

"Thank you, Master." Qi Shu blushed.

At this moment, Chao Xiaotian came back, walking with a step that didn't recognize anyone, and shouted: "I'm so thirsty, Xiaoshu, give me a cup of herbal tea...ah...Master, you're here."

Zhu Qizhen glanced at him and said, "You kid, you act like a big shot, ordering the girl around?"

Qi Shu smiled gently, poured a cup of tea for Chao Xiaotian, and then left, leaving the master and apprentice to talk alone. Zhu Qizhen scolded Chao Xiaotian for a while and said, "Change the name of your Shunfeng Escort Agency to Daming Trading Company."

"Why?" Chao Xiaotian wondered.

"Of course, it's to prepare for your global trade." Zhu Qizhen said, "The internal mechanism must also be changed. We need to gradually start corporate operations. In this way, I, your teacher, will also invest a little, and give you advice, so it's not too much to hold a portion of the shares, right?"

Chao Xiaotian said cheerfully: "I will listen to Master."

……

Mobei, Yesen’s camp.

In the central army tent, after reading the latest intelligence, Yesen's face was extremely solemn. He said in a deep voice: "The Ming army is really vicious. They support Toghtobuha and call on the various tribes in the grassland to hold the kurultai again to elect a new Khan of Mobei."

Boyan listened, his eyes spitting fire: "Leaders of the tribes, if they dare to follow Tuotuo, we will go out and destroy them."

"If we go out, we will have to face the 500,000-strong army of the Ming Dynasty." Yesen frowned, "But if we keep hiding, then after the kurultai, Toghto will be the Great Khan of Mobei, and our Wala tribe will be isolated."

Boyan snorted coldly: "We will deal with them one by one."

Yesen shook his head, murderous intent in his eyes: "If my guess is correct, Alazhiyuan will represent the Oirat tribe to attend the kurultai assembly. By then, everything will be settled, and we will be isolated by the grassland tribes. They have the support of the Ming Dynasty, and our situation is hopeless."

Boyan was anxious: "What should we do? Khan, we have to fight now. We can't hide anymore."

Yesen rubbed his eyebrows and sat in a chair in deep thought. After a while, he spoke: "We are going to go out, but we need to see how to go out. After we go out, we must fight with the Ming army and win, so as to deter the tribes on the grassland. So, you go and call Wuluhei and Ivan, we have to make a plan."

Boyan nodded and went out in a hurry.

At this moment, somewhere in the vast grassland, there is Tutubuhua’s camp.

Tuotu Buhua, who had been in a state of embarrassment for several years, now had a rosy face. He glanced at the generals and said, "Everyone, our chance has come. I have already sent people to pass on my golden sword to the tribes on the grassland. Summon them to the Onon River to hold a kurultai meeting to elect a new Great Khan of Mobei and form an alliance with the Ming Dynasty."

"Khan, Yu Qian said that he fully supports you." said a subordinate.

"Yes, you will definitely be chosen as the Khan at that time, and you will become the Khan of Mobei again." said another subordinate.

Tuotuobuhua nodded slowly and said:

"This time, the Ming army must want to use this kurultai to lure out Yesen and then eliminate him. Great, we will also go out and kill Yesen when the time comes."

"Of course, I also know that the Ming Dynasty is using us. Then we can also use the Ming Dynasty to form an alliance first, and then wait for me to firmly establish my position as Khan and recover for a few years before marching south."

All the generals echoed in unison.

On another side of the vast grassland is the camp of Alazhiyuan.

After Bolai returned from the Ming army camp, he reported Yang Guifang's intention to Alazhiyuan, but of course he did not mention that the court wanted to support him as Khan. Alazhiyuan was very excited when he learned that the Ming Dynasty wanted to support him as the Khan of Mobei.

"The Ming army is using us, but I am willing to be used." The hatred in Alazhiyuan's eyes was burning, "As long as Yesen is defeated, I will kill him without hesitation! My brother and son died in his hands."

"Sir, the opportunity for revenge has come." Bolai said. Alazhiyuan took a deep breath, calmed down, and said: "Comparatively speaking, our forces are the weakest, so we must be patient and steady. Once Yesen comes out, he will definitely fight with the Ming army, and Toghtobuha will not let him go. Let's observe first, and then take action."

"Yes!" Bo Lai nodded.

……

Onon River, the Ming army camp.

Yu Qian rode his horse to a hilltop, looking at the horizon in the distance. Recently, he came here from time to time to look at the Langjuxu Mountain in the horizon. Wang Yue rode his horse behind him and reported: "General, Tuo Tuo Buhua asked if we could camp somewhere else. Because the kurultai is being held here, he is worried that some tribal leaders will not dare to come if we are here."

"Don't dare to come?" Yu Qian chuckled. "Well, pass the order down. To show the sincerity of the alliance, we, the Ming Dynasty, will give each participating tribe a thousand dan of food and grass, as well as a large amount of salt, tea, etc."

Wang Yue was shocked: "General, we don't even have enough food and grass."

Yu Qian waved his hands proudly: "Your Majesty is wise. He has already ordered the transportation of grain. In the letter he gave me, he said that he would use both kindness and force. The supplies he sent are for me to use to win over the tribes on the grassland."

"Your Majesty, are you so straightforward this time?" Wang Yue said with a smile.

"No!" Yu Qian held his forehead with his hand. "In your majesty's words, it's like giving them a candy first and then a slap in the face. How could your majesty do a business that loses money?"

Wang Yue was speechless: "I suspect that Yang Guifang learned all those dirty tricks from when he was with His Majesty."

"Go ahead and do it." Yu Qian waved his hand. "The tribes on the grassland are all short of food. They will definitely be willing to come. Well, if we can solve the problem of Mobei with fewer wars, the loss of some food and grass will not be a big deal."

The question that has always been on his mind is not only to conquer Mobei, but also to conquer the hearts of the people in Mobei.

……

Night falls in the capital.

Zhu Qizhen came to Kunning Palace for dinner, and when he entered, he saw the Demon Queen was already eating.

"Aren't you waiting for me today?" He walked over, sat down, picked up the bowl and chopsticks and started eating.

The demon queen's eyes flickered, rippling with an indescribable tenderness and affection, and she said softly: "I'm hungry, so I'll eat first. You've been busy with the battle in Mobei recently, who knows when you'll be back?"

"That's right. You don't have to wait for me in the future." Zhu Qizhen nodded while eating, looked up and asked, "Where's Shuangxi?"

The Demon Queen smiled meaningfully: "She has finished her meal and went to the back hall to bathe."

Zhu Qizhen was very upset. He drank a sip of tea and said, "Do we need to give Shuangxi a proper status? She is just a little girl serving us."

"If she can get pregnant, then I'll give it to her." The Demon Queen sighed, "I can't live without Shuangxi by my side."

Zhu Qizhen did not insist on eating, thinking that he had to go to the Ministry of War later. Today, it was the turn of Chen Mao, the Duke of Jing, to be on duty. He was almost eighty years old, so he went to brag with him. Old people love to brag about their heroic deeds when they were young.

"How long will it take to decide the winner in Mobei?" the Demon Queen asked calmly.

"It may take half a month, maybe not." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands. "War is always changing. However, I have confidence in Qian and the others."

The Queen reached out and smoothed her hair behind her, revealing her fair and beautiful face with gentle eyes: "You don't need to stay up late all the time. You are the emperor. If there is anything, they can report it to you."

"I understand." Zhu Qizhen nodded.

"No, you don't understand." The Demon Queen stood up, walked in front of him, leaned over, her figure showing a charming curve, stretched out her arms, hugged his neck, her long sleeves slowly slid down, revealing her fair wrists, leaned forward slightly to get close to his face, and said in a charming voice: "I am going to take a bath too, Shuangxi and I will wait for you in the back hall."

After saying this, her hot lips fell on Zhu Qizhen's face.

Zhu Qizhen's eyes lit up. She and Shuangxi? Waiting for me in the inner hall?

The Queen walked away with her long legs, her figure swaying, and Zhu Qizhen completely forgot that he had to go to the Ministry of War. However, he was not in a hurry, but after a meal, he leisurely drank a cup of tea, and then got up and went to the back hall.

He came to the back hall, which was the Demon Queen's boudoir, with ease. A familiar phoenix couch came into view, with curtains hanging down, and a person with graceful curves was lying inside.

The guy started to take off his clothes, and they fell all over the floor in a mess.

Afterwards, he stretched out his hand and opened the curtain, somewhat impatiently. When he looked up, he saw a charming and attractive face, youthful and bright. He was a little nervous and shy, and timidly called out, "Your Majesty."

Why is it you, where is the Demon Queen?

Zhu Qizhen saw Shuangxi and was disappointed, but he didn't show it on his face. He asked gently, "Where's the queen?"

"Your Majesty asked this servant to accompany Your Majesty."

Shuangxi sat up slowly, her long black hair falling down, her gauze undergarment unable to hide her graceful figure, her shoulders half exposed, her timid dark eyes looking at him with both joy and anger, her face blushing shyly.

Zhu Qizhen's mouth curled up into a smile, his hands fell on her long white legs, and he raised his eyebrows: "Why are you accompanying me?"

"Anything... is fine. Your Majesty has taught me a few things recently." Shuangxi stretched out her slender jade fingers, stroked her hair, smiled charmingly, and spoke in a gentle voice.

Zhu Qizhen stretched out his hand and pulled her into his arms, saying, "Well, let's see when your queen will show up in person."

Shuangxi's body trembled slightly, she bit her lips lightly, her eyes became more charming, and with a delicate moan, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him actively.

……

An hour later, Zhu Qizhen was lying on his back with his hands resting on his head. Shuangxi huddled aside, her brows furrowed from time to time because of the pain in her body. After resting for a while, she slowly sat up. She picked up a robe hanging on the side, put it on herself, turned around and got off the couch, and a pair of legs as even as jade fell on the furry carpet.

"Where are you going?" Zhu Qizhen turned around and asked.

Shuangxi tidied up her messy hair and bowed: "This is your Majesty's phoenix bed. I will sleep outside."

Zhu Qizhen wanted to keep her, but then he thought better of it. No matter how much he said, she wouldn't listen. Shuangxi had made rapid progress just now, which made him feel tired, especially with a sore waist.

His eyelids felt heavy, and after he closed them, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

I don't know how long it took, but when he woke up again, he saw someone lying in his arms. He squinted his eyes and saw that this was the Demon Queen. When did she come in?

The demon queen wore a black undergarment that wrapped her mature and delicate body. A beam of moonlight fell from the window and landed on the demon queen, who looked like a fairy. Her delicate collarbone was white and moving, and her beautiful face was noble and charming.

Zhu Qizhen stretched out his hands to hold her slender waist. Her long eyelashes moved slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her dark pupils blinked and she said softly, "Awake?"

"Yeah." Zhu Qizhen smiled, "Why didn't you wake me up? If I stay overnight in your palace, aren't you afraid of rumors?"

The Queen jumped into his arms and said, "I have already sent a message to all the palaces, hinting to them that the Emperor has visited the palace maid Shuangxi. It is normal for you to be in Kunning Palace tonight."

"Poor Shuangxi, he's taking the blame again." Zhu Qizhen held his forehead with his hand.

“Isn’t that true?” The Demon Queen glared with her beautiful eyes.

Zhu Qizhen held up her beautiful face and kissed her gently, and the queen also responded gently.

After a long while, the Demon Queen gently pushed him away and said angrily, "You've been fighting with Shuangxi for an hour, and you're still so energetic."

"How about you try it too?" Zhu Qizhen raised his eyebrows.

"Don't push your luck, or I'll kick you out right now." The demon queen's beautiful eyes softened and she sighed softly, "Go to sleep, I just want to lie in your arms, it's so peaceful. I've been feeling anxious and insomniac lately, can you let me have a good sleep, please?"

Zhu Qizhen was very upset: "I see, no wonder you planned to do this. It's really hard for Shuangxi."

"That little girl is so happy." The Queen of Demons snorted.

Zhu Qizhen was actually a little tired. He hugged her gently and said, "Okay, let's go to sleep."

The Demon Queen pursed her red lips and closed her eyes. I don't know how long it took, but I heard a snap, and the Demon Queen waved her hand to open Zhu Qizhen's hand, gnashing her silver teeth and angrily said: "Don't put your dog's paws anywhere."

"Oh, sorry, I fell asleep just now and didn't notice it." Zhu Qizhen said.

……

When it was almost dawn, Zhu Qizhen felt someone moving in his arms. He opened his eyes and saw Shuangxi, who was not even wearing underwear. Shuangxi blinked shyly and said, "My queen, please cook more porridge. Let me help your majesty get up."

Zhu Qizhen was a masculine and passionate young man. How could he bear such stimulation in the early morning when his blood was at its hottest?

After a while, he was holding Shuangxi in his arms when he heard the voice of the Demon Queen coming from outside: "Your Majesty, if you don't get up, you will be late for the court session. Cao Jixiang is already waiting outside, and I have already greeted him."

The arrow is on the string and must be shot.

Zhu Qizhen cursed in his heart, thinking that the witch queen must have done it on purpose. After he finished his work in a hurry, he came out and saw the witch queen drinking porridge, smiling playfully: "Oh, so fast?"

"Just wait for me." Zhu Qizhen glared and hurried out of the hall.

The demon queen smiled and said, "Don't you want to eat something?"

She thought to herself, I've been played tricks by your dog's paws all night, so why don't I tease you again?
Zhu Qizhen was too late. When he arrived outside the palace, he saw Cao Jixiang waiting with the dragon robe. He quickly put on the dragon robe and hurried to Fengtian Palace. Cao Jixiang followed him and asked in a low voice: "Your Majesty, do you want to make Shuangxi a concubine?"

"Not for now." Zhu Qizhen said.

It seemed that Cao Jixiang had never doubted him or the Demon Queen, but had determined that it was Shuangxi. The Demon Queen was indeed very capable, and had deliberately come out to warn Cao Jixiang, and put all the blame on Shuangxi.

(End of this chapter)