Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 302: The price of the Demon Queen’s immortality: I cannot bear it
Chamber of Commerce, Guild Hall.

Xiyao, Li Ling, and Isabella got out of the carriage and walked into the guild hall. Li Ling introduced as she walked: "In the capital, if you want to send a message overseas, you can either go to the Chamber of Commerce or the Daming Trading Company."

"Then why did we come to the Chamber of Commerce?" Xiyao asked curiously.

Li Ling looked very experienced and said, "Because the Ming Trading Company is too closely tied to the imperial court, I don't trust them. However, the Chamber of Commerce is a purely non-governmental organization, and I believe that they are very honest. Before, my letters were sent back to Goryeo through them."

Isabella looked doubtful but still happy: "Great, I can send a message back to Spain."

They walked in and were greeted by Roujia. When Roujia saw Xiyao, surprise flashed across her eyes, and Xiyao gave her a look.

Roujia understood instantly and smiled at Li Ling, "Miss Li, are you going to take the letter to Goryeo?"

"It's not me this time." Li Ling pointed at Isabella and said, "It's her who needs to take the letter to the Kingdom of Spain."

Roujia smiled slightly and introduced: "It's winter now, and there are no fleets going to the West recently, so it will probably be late. Girl, give me the letter, and I will arrange the fastest ship to the West to bring you the letter, okay?"

"Okay." Isabella nodded.

Roujia led them to a private room, and Isabella had many questions, so she asked them one by one. Roujia gave her detailed answers, and Isabella was very satisfied.

"Where is the toilet? My stomach hurts." Xiyao suddenly said embarrassedly.

"Girl, I'll take you there." Roujia smiled and said to Li Ling and Isabella, "You two drink tea first."

She led Xiyao out of the room, turned a corridor, and entered another room. Roujia bowed respectfully to Xiyao: "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Get up." Xiyao's eyes were sharp, totally unlike the cute girl just now. She exuded a fierce aura and asked, "Did Mr. Ning send a letter?"

Roujia quickly took out a letter from the box in the room, handed it to Xiyao and said, "Here is a letter, Your Highness, please read it."

Xiyao took it, glanced at it quickly, and then frowned: "Mr. Ning, don't you want me to cooperate with the Queen Mother so quickly? What the letter said does make some sense."

"I don't know. This is a letter from Mrs. Ning to Your Highness. I can't read it." Roujia said.

Xiyao read the letter again and frowned.

What Ning Dajia meant in the letter was that once she could actually control Japan and not be controlled by the false emperor, she could cooperate with the Queen Mother. If they failed, they would have no way out.

"Is Japan a way out?" Xiyao sneered and looked at Roujia and asked, "Has the Ning family really fallen in love with the fake emperor?"

Panic flashed in Roujia's eyes, and she said, "I don't think so, right? Your Highness, you know the Ning family well. Her ultimate goal is to assist you, Your Highness."

Xiyao nodded slowly: "Yes, although she is a few years older than me, we grew up together, she knows me best, and I know her best."

She raised the letter in her hand and stretched it towards the burning candle. In an instant, the letter was ignited and quickly turned into ashes.

"Let's go and entertain my two friends." She waved.

……

Kunning Palace.

The Queen Mother stood in front of the window, wearing a purple long skirt that reached the ground, and a plain satin ribbon tied around her waist, which made her look proud. Her black hair was casually scattered behind her, her skin was as white as jade, but her eyes were cold: "It turns out that the Jinyiwei arrested my... eldest brother."

Shuangxi on the side said: "According to the news from Junshan Society, the old marquis did not suffer in the imperial prison and is living well."

"Hmph!" the Queen Mother said coldly, "He must have ordered the arrest of someone. He has such a cruel heart. For so many years, he hasn't said a word."

A complicated look flashed across her eyes. Although she and the eldest brother had severed their family ties, they were still members of the Sun family after all. Suddenly hearing news about him, her heart was still stirred.

At this time, a eunuch came in with a small step and reported: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Huichang wants to see you."

The Queen Mother was slightly surprised: "He has the nerve to come to see me? Well, I have something to ask him, too. Announce."

After saying this, she walked to the chair and sat down, folding her hands in front of her, looking majestic and noble. After a while, Sun Lian, the Marquis of Huichang, came in and knelt down respectfully: "Your servant Sun Lian pays homage to the Empress Dowager."

The Queen Mother was absent-minded for a moment, her eyes fell on Sun Lian, the only son of the Sun family. She was silent for a while, and then she spoke in a faint voice: "Why did you come to see me?"

"I have come specially to express my gratitude." Sun Lian bowed, "I was arrested and imprisoned, and it was your will that saved me. I am grateful to you."

The Queen Mother snorted softly: "My order is so effective? How come I don't know it?"

"Your Majesty said so. I went to Your Majesty today to express my gratitude, and Your Majesty said that I had to come to thank the Queen Mother." Huichang Hou said, "Your Majesty said that he spared me for the sake of the Queen Mother. I sincerely regret my mistakes and will never cause trouble to the Queen Mother again."

"Hum hum!"

The Queen Mother sneered repeatedly, her face cold and grim, "Very good, you don't have to come to see me anymore in the future."

Marquis Huichang bowed again and said, "Please help me bring my concubine and son back, and I will live an ordinary life in the mansion from now on."

"I don't understand what you are saying." The Queen Mother said coldly.

The Marquis of Huichang bowed calmly and said, "Your Majesty, I still have some things in my mind. I might tell the Royal Guards when I suddenly remember them. I met my uncle in the imperial prison. He told me that the Sun family is still family after all. So I followed my uncle's instructions and didn't say a word."

The Queen Mother was silent for a while, then sighed softly, "How is your uncle?"

"Uncle is in good spirits, and the Jinyiwei didn't torture him." Huichang Hou said, "Uncle said that he is in the imperial prison and can still protect the Sun family from disaster."

The Queen Mother lowered her eyes and waved her hand: "You can go back. Your concubine and son are doing well. It is a good thing for them not to return to the capital for the time being. Can you protect them when you return to the capital?"

The Marquis of Huichang finally raised his head and said to the Queen Mother, "Thank you, Queen Mother."

……

Harem, small courtyard.

It was chilly outside, but the room in the courtyard was very warm.

Zhu Qizhen was hugging Bulma and biting her again. The fox fur she was wearing had fallen off, leaving only a thin undergarment, which set off her stunning appearance, graceful figure, and exquisite curves, as if they were natural. Her mature and charming eyes were filled with shame and anger, and her cheeks were covered with red clouds, which made her look even more charming.

Swish swish!
The only remaining underwear fell off, Bulma wanted to cry but had no tears. Her mature and pretty face, which looked like it was carved with care, was stained with a blush that lasted for a long time, and her eyes were full of shyness and restraint. She gently, almost trembling, tugged at Zhu Qizhen's restless palm with her slender little hand, and said with a hint of tears in her voice: "Your Majesty, it's still early."

"This kind of weather is perfect for sleeping." Zhu Qizhen blinked.

Although Bulma was born outside the Great Wall, she was not so open-minded. She wanted to refuse, but in the end she could only resist and accept. How could she resist the teasing of Zhu Qizhen, an old driver? Soon, she gave in.

Half an hour later, Zhu Qizhen came to his senses.

Bulma sat up, looked at the sky outside, and said, "Your Majesty, the maid may come to bring food later, you... better get up quickly."

"You're so cruel to send me away after you're done." Zhu Qizhen said as he looked at her charming and snow-white face.

"If a palace maid saw it, it would damage your majesty's reputation. I am an ominous woman."

Bulma's eyes drooped, a look of sadness flashed across her face, and at the same time, she gently helped Zhu Qizhen to dress himself. Her gentle eyes revealed a bit of sadness and loss, because she had heard the palace maids discussing her in secret several times, saying that she was a widow and a jinx.

"Is someone gossiping about her? I will beat her to death." Zhu Qizhen said coldly.

Bulma had never expected that the emperor would protect her, and she was surprised and touched. She pursed her lips gently, and her behavior became more gentle and virtuous, as if in an instant, she had regarded him as a solid support for the rest of her life. For a woman as tough and tender as her, once she is convinced, she will entrust her heart and soul to him; otherwise, with her temperament, she will never easily accept anyone into her world.

"Sister-in-law, I will protect you." Zhu Qizhen held her little hand with a sincere look on his face.

Bulma bit her lip and glared, "Don't call me that, please."

……

Coming out of the courtyard, Zhu Qizhen arrived at the Yonghe Palace.

Some time ago, he had neglected Concubine De, so this time he came to make up for it. Concubine De was originally a strong contender for the position of Queen, but she gave up on her own and praised Concubine Xian everywhere. When he entered the hall, he saw Concubine De eating. She was also surprised to see the Emperor, and hurriedly came up to pay her respects.

Zhu Qizhen raised his hand and said, "It's better to come at the right time than to come early. I'm just hungry."

De Fei was slightly surprised. Her beautiful eyes were full of affection. She picked up a pair of bowls and chopsticks and handed them to him, saying softly, "Your Majesty, I didn't know you were coming. These are just some ordinary dishes."

"I don't need all the delicacies from land and sea every time." Zhu Qizhen picked up the chopsticks and started eating with big mouthfuls. His eating manner was really rude.

Although Concubine De was used to it, she still felt helpless: "Your Majesty, go slowly, no one is competing with you."

"I'm really hungry." Zhu Qizhen chewed his food in big mouthfuls and said indistinctly, "The dishes you cooked taste great."

After hearing this, Concubine De was delighted. She looked at him tenderly with her beautiful eyes, and there was also a hint of doting: "If your Majesty likes it, I will make a few more."

"Okay, cook some dishes to go with the wine, and we'll go to the garden and eat while enjoying the snow." Zhu Qizhen was in high spirits. "It's snowing today, and there's nothing to report, so I'll accompany you."

Defei was so excited that she stood up and started cooking herself.

Not long after, under the pavilion in the garden of Yonghe Palace, several pots of charcoal were burning. Concubine De, wearing a snow-white fox fur, sat on a chair, like a fairy.

She raised her glass to Zhu Qizhen who was sitting opposite her and said, "Your Majesty, I offer you a toast."

Zhu Qizhen drank a cup of wine and said, "With wine and beauties, how can we not have music? I will play a song for you."

Soon, the sound of piano began to sound.

The sound of the piano is long and melodious, like the sound of a spring or the wind blowing through a bamboo forest, with an indescribable elegance and transcendence.

At this time, the empress dowager, who was coming out of the Imperial Garden and going back to Kunning Palace, passed by Yonghe Palace and heard the sound of the piano. She stopped to listen, and an inexplicable emotion surged in her heart. The sound of the piano seemed to have some kind of magic, which gradually calmed her originally anxious heart.

As the sound of the zither deepened, the Queen Mother seemed to see mountains and rivers, flowers blooming and falling, and the joys and sorrows of the world. She closed her beautiful eyes and listened attentively.

When the song ended, the lingering sound lingered for a long time. The Queen Mother frowned slightly, turned around and asked, "Who is playing the piano in Yonghe Palace? I don't think Concubine De is that accomplished."

Shuangxi stepped forward quickly and reported: "Your Majesty, I just found out that it was His Majesty who played the piano. His Majesty and Empress Defei were enjoying the snow in the garden, and he was inspired to play a piece of music."

The queen mother's face suddenly turned cold, and she snorted, "You are really in a refined mood."

She looked back at the Yonghe Palace, and without stopping, she walked away. However, she did not return to the Kunning Palace, but came to the Buddhist temple in the harem.

Because the empress dowager was a Buddhist, there was such a Buddhist temple in the harem. In addition to the Bodhisattvas, portraits of emperors of the Zhu family were also hung in the hall.

As the Queen Mother, she was not allowed to enter the Zhu Family Ancestral Temple. Usually, she would offer sacrifices to the emperors of all dynasties here. She waved her hand to let Shuangxi stay outside and walked in alone.

After lighting three incense sticks, she slowly walked to the portrait of the late emperor, stared at it blankly for a while, and said softly, "It seems that he and you are the real alike."

A cold wind blew, and the portrait seemed to move.

The Queen Mother had a complicated expression and sighed, "Emperor, do you know what the old monk taught me back then? The old monk you trusted so much wanted to kill you. I got your dragon energy and delayed my aging, but you died early."

Huhuhu~
A gust of wind blew by, and the portrait moved again. At the moment of folding, the empress dowager seemed to see the late emperor smiling. She suddenly moved, stepped back a few steps, stared at the portrait, and said, "No, you are so smart, and the old monk is so smart too, did you deceive me together? Did the old monk know that you will not live long? So he wants me to live longer? To protect the young master of the Zhu family?"

She stared at the portrait in silence for a long time, then sighed, "I don't owe you Zhu family anything! Do you know the consequences of that magic? I don't need it, I don't need it!"

The wind blew again, and she slowly squatted down, as if whispering, silent tears falling.

……

In a house in the west of the city.

The Junshan Society was holding a meeting in a secret room, with Deer Mask presiding as the leader, and only Ox Mask, Tiger Mask, and Wolf Mask as members. Fox Mask did not come. Ox Mask told the story of his meeting with Marquis Huichang.

"Should we kill him to silence him?" Tiger Mask said coldly, "The Royal Guards are clearly using him as bait to trap us."

Deer Mask shook his head: "What Boss Rat meant is that we should not kill him. He has lost his value now. He has already confessed everything he should confess. He will not threaten us. We can just ignore him."

"Boss Rat, she is kind!" said Wolf Mask lightly.

The Bull Mask sighed softly, "Old Deer, why did you come to us this time? Has Boss Rat come up with his plan?"

Deer Mask shook his head and spread his hands, saying, "Boss Rat and Fox have made a private appointment, and it seems that they haven't reached an agreement yet."

"Who is the fox? How can he make a private agreement with Rat Boss?" asked Wolf Mask.

"I don't know either." Deer Mask said, "Boss Rat attaches great importance to that fox."

The four of them fell silent. After a while, Deer Mask spoke up, "I asked you to come here for only one reason, which is to collect money! Your Majesty and the others need money to live, and I can't pay for it all by myself."

Ox Mask and Tiger Mask had strange looks in their eyes. Wolf Mask didn't think much about it and said immediately: "Okay, let's make an appointment and I'll bring the money."

"Yeah, we won't force you to do too much. Just do your best." said the Deer Mask.

The Bull Mask sighed helplessly: "Your Majesty has been wronged enough, a tiger in plains, a dragon in shallow water. Let's all do our best."

"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place!" Tiger Mask snorted.

The four discussed for a while, and the ox mask and the tiger mask left first. The deer mask and the wolf mask were left, and they all took off their masks, naturally Shang Lu and Yu Qian.

"This thing hurts my face when I wear it," said Yu Qian.

Shang Lu laughed at himself and said, "I've been wearing it for so long that I almost don't know who I am anymore."

Yu Qian took out a pack of cigarettes, took out a cigarette and handed it to Shang Lu, saying, "Old man, this is a cigarette. You haven't smoked it yet, have you? Men need this stuff."

Shang Lu rolled his eyes, took out a cigar from his pocket, and said, "Your cigarettes are not strong. I like cigars. It is said that these cigarettes were also the idea of ​​your majesty?"

"Yes, the cigarette factory of Daming Trading Company is very profitable." Yu Qian said, "Every layout of your majesty has extraordinary effects."

Shang Lu blew out a smoke ring and said, "Your Majesty, you trust us too much."

"Old man, do you feel any regret?" Yu Qian asked with a raised eyebrow.

Shang Lu also raised his eyebrows at him: "Aren't you the same?"

Yu Qian frowned, took a deep breath and said, "To put it bluntly, we are just thinking about your kindness, and we don't know whether this is right or wrong!"

"It depends on what perspective you are standing at." Shang Lu said, "If we stand at the perspective of justice, we are right. A loyal emperor is naturally a true emperor. But if we stand at the perspective of ordinary people, we may be wrong. To them, whoever is the emperor is not the emperor. But the current emperor makes the Ming Dynasty strong and everyone has a good life."

Yu Qian took a few puffs and asked, "Do you think that if Your Majesty regains the throne, can the glory of the Ming Dynasty continue?"

"No!" Shang Lu answered decisively.

"Why?" Yu Qian asked.

"Your Majesty does not have the ability, nor the heart." Shang Lu's face darkened. "To put it bluntly, your Majesty's talent and virtue are not worthy of the current Ming Dynasty. He will quickly ruin the good situation."

Yu Qian also frowned: "Then don't we become sinners?"

Shang Lu shrugged: "Who said it wasn't? But we still have to do it! Who made us the ministers of the Zhu family? If we don't do it, thousands of years later, historians will curse us."

"Even if you do it, you will still be cursed," said Yu Qian.

Shang Lu took a deep breath and threw the rest on the ground, stomping it out. He said, "Let's go! Yu Qian, what answer do you want from me? You know everything yourself."

"Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back!" Yu Qian smiled bitterly, "I guess Boss Rat won't keep us waiting too long."

(End of this chapter)