Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 242: The Demon Queen is moved and caters to her

Zhu Qizhen was about to go into the room to see Concubine Xian, but was stopped by the midwife.

"Your Majesty, you cannot go in. It is an unclean place. You are the Son of Heaven and have a noble status. You cannot see those unclean things." The midwife said anxiously.

According to the rules, the emperor was not allowed to enter. In this era, the delivery room was considered an unclean place, and people in this era believed that the sight of blood would indicate a bloody disaster, and heavy bleeding during childbirth was considered an ominous sign. Therefore, the emperor should not enter the delivery room to avoid being contaminated by the ominous air.

The rules and etiquette of the imperial palace are very strict. If the emperor easily enters an unclean place like the delivery room, it would be against etiquette and affect the emperor's majesty and the fortune of the country.

But as a time traveler, Zhu Qizhen didn't care about these things. He was worried about his wife, so he pushed the midwife away and went in.

At this time, a majestic voice came: "Stop!"

The Queen Mother came, and all the palace maids and eunuchs around her knelt down. The Queen Mother walked up to Zhu Qizhen and said coldly, "You can't go in!"

"I'm going to see my wife. She just gave birth to a son for me." Zhu Qizhen waved his hand. "I'm worried about my wife. I can't care so much."

The Queen Mother came closer, staring at him with her beautiful big eyes, and said, "You don't go in, it's for her own good, understand? If there are any problems in the Ming Dynasty in the future, the ministers and the people of the world will blame her. Because you, the Emperor, entered her delivery room and were contaminated with ominous air."

Zhu Qizhen took a deep breath. He had not expected this. A complex look flashed through the Queen Mother's eyes, and her voice became softer.

"Don't worry, the harem will make proper arrangements. After the delivery, Concubine Xian needs to rest and recuperate. I will arrange for special people to prepare special diets and medicines to help Concubine Xian recover her strength."

"The little prince will be sent to a special room for nursing and care. The palace will arrange special wet nurses and palace maids to feed and care for the newborn."

Zhu Qizhen slowly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.

……

After the Queen Mother gave some instructions, the maids and eunuchs went back to their work. Zhu Qizhen accompanied her down the corridor, and as a new father, Zhu Qizhen was obviously very happy.

"Have you chosen a name?" asked the Queen Mother.

"Call him Zhu Jianyang." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands, "I hope he can see the vast world outside in the future and not be bound by it."

The empress dowager lowered her eyes and sighed inwardly, wishing that this fake emperor should name his child according to Taizu's rules and not randomly name his child, otherwise, everyone in the world would be suspicious.

Taizu stipulated that, starting from the grandchildren, the names of the royal descendants of the Zhu family must all consist of three characters. The first character is the surname "Zhu", the second character is the "generation" character, and the third character can be freely chosen but must meet the requirements of the five elements.

Regarding generation characters, Taizu proposed twenty characters for each of his sons as genealogical characters. These characters were used in order in the names of his descendants to clarify the generation.

The third character of the name must use radicals of the five elements, namely gold, wood, water, fire and earth, and must be used in a cycle according to the order of the five elements.

The line of Emperor Taizong has reached this generation, whose generational level is "Jian", and the third character of the name must use the water radical.

Zhu Qizhen naturally knew all this. He also knew that in later generations, because there were so many people in the Zhu family, there were not enough characters, so they started to create new characters.

Interestingly, these coined characters were later used in the Chinese names of the periodic table. For example, "lithium" comes from "Neiqiu Wang Zhu Xiaoli" and "sodium" comes from "Ruijin Wang Zhu Zai Na".

"Zhu Jianyang." The Queen Mother nodded. "The vast sea of ​​the West Sea, the power and authority extend to the ends of the earth, very good."

Zhu Qizhen was stunned, but he had not expected this explanation. The Queen Mother glanced at him and asked in a deep voice: "Do you want to make Zhu Jianyang the crown prince?"

"What else?" Zhu Qizhen asked back.

The Queen Mother smiled coldly: "This is against etiquette. Don't forget that you already have a eldest son. The Queen has no children, but since ancient times, the eldest son has been the heir apparent. You should make your eldest son Zhu Jianshen the crown prince."

Am I stupid? Why don't I make my own son the crown prince?
Zhu Qizhen complained in his heart, with a half-smile on his face: "What if I must make Zhu Jianyang the emperor?"

"Then all the ministers in the court will oppose it." The Queen Mother said coldly, "Since the Zhou Dynasty, the eldest son has always been the heir. Do you want to risk the disapproval of the world? The ministers in the court all abide by the ancestral system. The lessons of the past dynasties also tell us that we must abide by the ancestral system, so that the court and the country can be stable."

Zhu Qizhen sneered disdainfully: "Another ancestral rule!"

He certainly understood that the system of establishing the eldest son as the heir originated in the Zhou Dynasty and was the core part of the patriarchal system, emphasizing the hierarchy and power distribution within the family. This system was in line with the etiquette and laws since the Zhou Dynasty and was considered absolutely correct.

As the legitimate heir to the family, the eldest son's identity and status are clear, which helps reduce disputes and conflicts in the succession process. By establishing the eldest son as the legitimate heir, the turmoil and internal struggle caused by the succession to the throne can be avoided.

Throughout the dynasties, the eldest son, as the legitimate heir to the family, has an unquestionable legitimacy and orthodoxy in inheriting the throne.

"Are you determined to make Zhu Jianyang the emperor?" the Queen Mother asked again coldly.

"Yes!" Zhu Qizhen nodded affirmatively.

The Queen Mother stared at him and suddenly smiled sadly: "Then there is no possibility between us. I still hope that you will be Zhu Wusi and I will be Sun Ruowei."

"There is no connection between the two." Zhu Qizhen said.

"It matters!" the Queen Mother said sternly, "You are Zhu Qizhen, and I can only be the Queen Mother of the Ming Dynasty!"

After saying that, she strode away.

……

dusk.

Zhu Qizhen originally wanted to go to Kunning Palace, but in the end he did not go. He did not want to meet the angry queen, and the conflict between the two could not be resolved.

He strolled to the Queen's bedroom. Since the birth of Consort Xian and Consort De, he rarely came to the Queen's bedroom. The Queen rarely went out except to pay respects to the Queen Mother. To the point that everyone seemed to have forgotten that there was a Queen in the harem.

"Your Majesty?" The Queen was surprised and stepped forward to bow. "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. I didn't expect you to come. I haven't dressed up yet..."

Zhu Qizhen reached out and pulled her up, holding her in his arms, and said softly, "No need! I came to see you, and I remembered that when I came back from Tumu Fort, it was you who came to see me secretly."

"Your Majesty, do you remember?" The Queen leaned into his arms. "I just want to live a peaceful life."

Zhu Qizhen pulled her to sit on a soft seat nearby, held her face and said, "I have neglected you in the past few years."

The queen smiled and shook her head: "I am fine, don't worry too much, my life is very peaceful."

"Everything I promised you back then will come true." Zhu Qizhen said, holding her hand.

The queen smiled and nodded, then said: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, the virtuous concubine has given birth to a prince. Your Majesty, it is time to make the virtuous concubine the queen. I have no children, so I should not be the queen."

In fact, Zhu Qizhen came to tell her that he wanted to make Consort Xian the empress. In that case, Consort Xian's son would be the legitimate son. If the legitimate son was made the crown prince, the court officials would have nothing to say.

"It's difficult. I can't just appoint anyone I want as the emperor." Zhu Qizhen smiled.

"Will the Queen Mother disagree?" asked the Queen.

Zhu Qizhen smiled bitterly and nodded: "She will definitely not agree. The ministers will probably have the idea of ​​changing the crown prince. Concubine Zhou is more suitable because she gave birth to the eldest son."

The queen frowned slightly and said, "I can't help your majesty."

"You don't have to get involved, lest it affect you." Zhu Qizhen stretched lazily, "I am tired, I will sleep in your palace tonight."

The queen blushed slightly and lowered her head shyly: "I will go and prepare it right away."

……

At this moment, Kunning Palace.

The Queen Mother sat at the dining table, with delicious food on the table, but she didn't pick up her chopsticks. Shuangxi walked in from outside and reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, His Majesty has gone to the Queen's Palace. Eunuch Cao has said that His Majesty will sleep in the Queen's Palace tonight."

"Hmph!" The Queen Mother snorted coldly, "He went to appease the Queen. This means he is preparing to depose the Queen and replace her with the Virtuous Consort. This way, the Virtuous Consort's son will be the legitimate son. He really has a good plan."

Shuangxi pursed his lips and said, "My lady, please have your meal first."

The Queen Mother's eyes were as cold as ice, and she complained in anger: "We agreed that you would come to dine with me no matter what happened. You are not coming just because we had a few arguments?"

Shuangxi stood aside, not daring to speak, but silently served the Queen Mother a bowl of soup. The Queen Mother gently shook her long hair, revealing her beautiful profile, and said, "If you don't want to come, then don't come. I'll eat by myself."

Shuangxi almost laughed at her angry look, because the Queen Mother at this time was like an annoyed girl. She secretly envied that the years had left no trace on the Queen Mother.

"Shuangxi, let's go out of the palace and play tomorrow." The Queen Mother said while eating.

"Okay." Shuang Xi was delighted. "The maple leaves over at Jingyi Garden have turned red. How about we go over there and take a look?"

The Queen Mother raised her beautiful eyes and nodded: "Let's go there. There is a temporary palace there. We can stay there for a few more days. Out of sight, out of mind."

Shuangxi nodded: "Your Majesty, I will go and prepare it right away. Do you want to inform His Majesty?"

"No need!" The Queen Mother waved her hand. "Why would they think of us now? We can go by ourselves. Notice the Imperial Guards to bring a team with us. Don't make a big fuss."

"Yes." Shuangxi went to arrange it.

The Queen Mother pursed her red lips and sighed faintly: "It's better not to see you."

……

The next day.

After the morning court session, Zhu Qizhen held a small court meeting in the Qianqing Palace. The imperial examination had ended very smoothly, and Zhu Qizhen was more concerned about the admission of talents in the arts.

Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied with the fact that nearly 1,000 candidates were admitted to the art exam this time. He knew that it would be difficult to change the imperial examination system that had existed for thousands of years, so he could only do it step by step.

Among the more than 1,000 people admitted, there were more than 100 foreigners, covering talents in astronomy, mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, etc. Zhu Qizhen directly used these people and assigned them to various departments in the court, and some went to the newly established research institute of the court.

After the small court meeting, Zhu Qizhen kept the cabinet chief Xu Youzhen.

"Old Xu, you are one of us, so I will tell you straight." Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, "I want to make our son Zhu Jianyang the crown prince. Will the ministers object?"

Xu Youzhen answered with certainty: "Yes! Due to the constraints of the patriarchal system and etiquette, the eldest son is the heir and the eldest son is the heir. It is deeply rooted and difficult to change."

Zhu Qizhen smiled helplessly: "Then what should I do?"

Xu Youzhen pondered for a while and said, "Liu Qi was the eldest son of Emperor Wen of Han, but because his mother, Concubine Dou, was made empress, he was given the status of legitimate son. After the four legitimate sons of Emperor Wen of Han died one after another, Liu Qi, as the only legitimate son, was made crown prince and eventually inherited the throne and became Emperor Jing of Han."

"Liu Che was not the eldest son of Emperor Jing of Han, but a concubine's son. However, because of his intelligence, love of learning and extraordinary intelligence, he was favored by Emperor Jing of Han and Princess Guantao. In the later years of Emperor Jing of Han, after a series of court struggles and intrigues, Liu Che finally defeated Crown Prince Liu Rong and was made the new crown prince."

"Your Majesty, appointing a crown prince is not that simple. It is often accompanied by blood and rain, and requires long-term planning. The prince is still young, so there is no need to rush."

Zhu Qizhen nodded slowly. He understood Xu Youzhen's meaning. If he wanted to make his own son the crown prince, he had to first help Consort Xian become the queen.

Even so, it is not something that can be established just because one wants to, it needs planning. Zhu Qizhen was speechless, a set of so-called etiquette and laws not only constrained the ministers, but also the emperor.

After Xu Youzhen left, Zhu Qizhen began to review memorials. After a while, the chief eunuch Cao Jixiang came to report: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother... went to Jingyi Garden and said she was going to live there and would not come back."

"What?" Zhu Qizhen was shocked.

He thought to himself, is he angry? Why would he run away from home?
Not coming back? It’s up to you whether you want to come back or not!

Of course, he could only complain like this in his heart. If the Queen Mother did not return to the harem for a long time, all kinds of rumors would spread in the court and the country.

"Cao Jixiang, prepare some food and supplies and send them over." Zhu Qizhen ordered, "Send another team of imperial guards to ensure the Queen Mother's safety."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cao Jixiang took the order and left.

Zhu Qizhen thought, since the evil queen is hiding from me, let's separate.

……

Boom... boom...

The lightning was like a sword, cutting through the darkness and briefly illuminating the sky. Then, heavy rain poured down like a river from the sky, mercilessly washing the earth.

The Queen of Demons stood alone under the eaves of the palace on the top of the mountain, wearing gorgeous clothes, her sleeves swaying gently in the wind, her eyes passed through the rain curtain and cast towards the prosperous capital city below the mountain. Raindrops dripped along the eaves, forming silver bead curtains, adding a bit of extraordinary temperament to her.

At the foot of the mountain, the capital looked even more splendid in the rain. Since the court lifted the curfew, the night market in the capital had become more and more colorful. Although it was raining heavily, it was still bustling with people.

"My lady." Shuangxi came over with a cloak, "It's cold in the mountains, be careful not to catch a cold."

The Queen put on the snow-white cloak, her graceful figure was extremely beautiful, and her temperament became even colder. She said calmly, "It's been three days, and your Majesty hasn't come. Humph, it seems that you have completely forgotten me."

"His Majesty sends fresh fruits and vegetables every day." Shuangxi pursed his lips and said, "He still cares about the queen very much, but His Majesty is probably very busy with government affairs."

The demon queen glared at him and said, "You girl, you're still speaking for him."

Shuangxi smiled slightly: "My queen, it was you who taught His Majesty not to indulge in love affairs. When His Majesty came back from Tumu Fort, it was you who taught him to gradually grow into an emperor."

The demon queen's eyes were elegant and cold, and her cold and delicate features were full of sadness. She sighed softly: "I didn't know that there would be such an evil fate."

"Empress, aren't we going back to the palace yet?" Shuangxi asked.

"No!" The demon queen stamped her feet and snorted, "If he doesn't come, I won't go back."

Shuangxi walked up to her and asked with a smile: "My queen, are you relieved? There is a demon living in the harem, and she is actively trying to seduce your majesty."

The Queen was stunned, bit her red lips, and waved her hand: "Let him be eaten by the goblin."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Shuangxi stepped forward to adjust her cloak and said with a smile, "Before I came out, I greeted some eunuchs and palace maids, and they helped me keep an eye on it. The eunuch who came to deliver the food said that Your Majesty has not been to the other courtyard in the past three days."

The Demon Queen heaved a sigh of relief: "Shuangxi, you are really smart."

……

The rain was getting lighter and lighter, and the Demon Queen was tired, so she went back to her room to sleep and changed into a white gauze undergarment. However, she was not sleepy at all. She lay lazily on the couch, flipping through a book bored.

clang!
She heard the door being pried open, followed by a creak, and someone came in, with familiar footsteps. She was not panicked at all, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Soon, the fake emperor in night clothes came to her room. The demon queen looked at him and laughed: "Why are you dressed like this?"

The fake emperor spread his hands helplessly: "There are imperial guards everywhere. I have to wear a mask and sneak in."

"Why do you do it secretly? You have bad intentions."

The Demon Queen was lying on her side, her figure was exquisite and curvy, her narrow and charming eyes were filled with a faint smile, "It's dark now, and it's raining, why are you coming to the palace on the mountain?"

The fake emperor looked helpless, and his tone was also aggrieved: "I missed you. You got angry and went berserk. What can I do? I can only deal with all government affairs and come to see you at night."

The demon queen gently took a strand of hair and wrapped her fingers around it, smiling: "Miss me? Bah, who would believe you? It's been three days and you just came. Do you think you miss me?"

"Didn't you tell me that state affairs are more important?" Zhu Qizhen approached.

"Then tell me, what do you miss about me?"

The queen licked her charming lips gently, her eyes were seductive and extremely charming. That voice made people who heard it feel like they were burning with passion.

"I miss you...everything." Zhu Qizhen.

As he said that, he stretched out his hand, pulled the Demon Queen up domineeringly, and kissed her directly.

After a while, the false emperor finally let her go and said with satisfaction, "It has relieved my longing for her a little."

The Demon Queen bit her lower lip with her silver teeth, her charming eyes showing a hint of shyness, and the whole person became more and more charming and seductive, with a hint of anger.

"What are you going to do~" She took a deep breath, calmed herself down, and looked at the fake emperor with her beautiful eyes.

The fake emperor was a little out of control and said, "I want you!"

The witch queen glared with shame and anger: "I can't compare to Yesen's concubine. I'm not as beautiful as her."

"We are married couple, stop being upset."

The false emperor stretched out his arms and grasped her slender waist, exerting a little force and pushing her into the corner, looking down at her with great aggression.

"Who... who is your spouse!" The demon queen was both ashamed and angry.

She knew what the fake emperor was going to do and shook her head to refuse.

The fake emperor held the weak and boneless girl tightly in his arms and glared at her: "You don't admit it? So heartless?"

ruthless?

You say I'm heartless? I'm always bullied by you, so I'm still heartless?
The demon queen looked at him angrily, her eyes rippling with charming charm and shame and anger, as well as a hint of hypocrisy: "If you can't stand it, I'll go call Shuangxi. I've already showered, and I'll be covered in sweat again in a bit."

"Okay, I'm not that anxious." The Pseudo-Emperor gently held her in his arms, "I just came to see you, are you still angry?"

"I'm not angry anymore." The Demon Queen looked at him lovingly, like a little wife who had just had a quarrel with her husband.

She snuggled in his arms obediently, her beautiful eyes full of affection: "I'm not going to reject you. When you are Zhu Wusi, I can give myself to you. Otherwise, I will always feel uncomfortable."

After saying that, he pursed his lips, then quickly lowered his eyes.

"I understand." The fake emperor sighed, "Don't worry, I won't appoint a crown prince so quickly. We still have time..."

The Demon Queen gently covered his lips with her hand and looked at him tenderly, not wanting to hear what he said next.

She stood on tiptoes and kissed him actively, passionately and madly.

There was a drizzle outside the window, and they kissed each other in ecstasy. I don't know how long it took, the Demon Queen nestled in his arms, standing in front of the window, looking at the night outside. The Demon Queen's beautiful eyes were full of sweet attachment, and her every frown and smile made the flowers in the room pale in comparison.

"Aren't you going back to the palace yet?" asked the false emperor.

"Well, stay for a while." The Queen raised her beautiful eyes, jealous, "I will return to the palace after you learn that thing from Alena. I won't be bothered by you if I don't see you."

The false emperor chuckled.

The demon queen glared at him, waved her hand and hit him, saying angrily: "You're still laughing!"

……

The next day.

In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, after the morning court session, Zhu Qizhen yawned and rubbed his face to cheer himself up. Qi Qige served him a cup of hot tea.

"Your Majesty, where is the Queen Mother?" Qi Qi Ge asked.

"I'm going to stay in the temporary palace for a few days." Zhu Qizhen was curious, "Why are you asking about the Queen Mother? Do you have something to ask her?"

Qi Qige blinked his sharp eyes, hesitated, and asked, "Do you know why the Queen Mother is so young?"

"You said you were practicing Taoist health-preserving techniques." Zhu Qizhen raised his eyebrows, "You also want to be younger?"

Qiqige frowned slightly: "What kind of health-preserving technique is this?"

Zhu Qizhen shook his head: "I don't know either, I don't need it, and I don't understand it."

Qiqige seemed to be hesitant to speak, and finally did not continue asking. She picked up the teacup and left the hall. The reason why she asked about the Queen Mother was because Alena told her that the Taoist health-preserving technique that the Queen Mother practiced might be a sorcery. Alena learned from the Great Shaman and knew some Taoist health-preserving techniques.

Qiqige was also curious and asked, what kind of evil magic? But Alena didn't say anything, just smiled strangely: "It is said that Emperor Xuanzong died young, it may be because of the nourishing empress dowager. A woman like the witch queen will bring bad luck to anyone who touches her."

Witchcraft?

Qiqige didn't quite believe it. She had been well-educated and knew about the witchcraft disaster during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. The royal family in the Central Plains seemed to like believing in those strange things.

Just like the shamans of the grassland, they look magical, but Qiqige doesn't really believe in them. Perhaps they have some unknown means.

(End of this chapter)