Ming Dynasty: Regrets about the Jingnan Rebellion? I changed it in a dream!

Chapter 16 Queen Ma in the Dream

In the harem, Empress Ma was wearing a dress with a phoenix pattern on it and holding a pen, reviewing everything in the harem.

There were many female officials in the harem standing beside her, reporting the affairs of the harem to Empress Ma in real time.

Looking at my mother's face which has not yet faded.

Zhu Di stood there in a daze.

He hadn't seen his mother's face for more than thirty years and was almost forgetting it.

At this time, a palace maid walked into the house and found Zhu Di standing outside.

Then he saluted and said, "Your Highness, Prince of Yan."

The sound and movement naturally attracted the attention of Queen Ma who was in the room.

When Empress Ma saw that the person standing outside the house was her son, her originally worried expression instantly became relaxed and gentle.

"Fourth brother, come in."

Zhu Di walked into the house with trepidation.

His maids of honor were beside him.

At this moment, Queen Ma's face was fully revealed to him, and he could even see the wrinkles around her eyes.

And the strands of white hair on top of his head.

"Mother, mother."

Perhaps this name had disappeared for too long, making him feel a little unfamiliar for a moment, and Queen Ma's eyes lit up slightly.

Mother, it’s been a long time since I heard this name.

Queen Ma just nodded slightly and looked at the palace maid beside her.

"Yu'er, what's the matter?"

Yu'er bent her hands slightly, bent her waist and half squatted.

"My Queen, they are here again."

When Queen Ma heard this, the relaxation on her face turned into a solemn one.

She waved her hand, signaling the female officials around her to leave first.

Only Yu'er and Zhu Di were left.

After thinking for a while, Empress Ma told Yu'er, "Go tell them that the emperor executed Hu Weiyong and others this time only because of their crimes."

"No innocent people will be harmed, so they can rest assured. If anyone has been wronged, they can report it directly to me, and I will go and speak to the emperor in person."

"But the prerequisite is that they do not form a clique with Hu Weiyong and others and violate the laws of the Ming Dynasty. Otherwise, I cannot protect them."

"Also, although I am the queen, I am only responsible for managing the affairs of the harem. All major events in the world are decided by the emperor. I have no right to interfere. If you want to ask me to pardon some people, you don't have to come here."

After hearing Queen Ma's reply, Yu'er bent her waist and half squatted.

"Yes."

After Yu'er left, Queen Ma's brows relaxed a little, but just for a moment, she could feel a few more wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

And much older.

Queen Ma sat in the chair with some worry and rubbed her head.

Seeing this, Zhu Di walked behind Empress Ma and massaged her head.

"Mother, are you... okay?"

Queen Ma sighed slightly.

"How can it be alright? Your father has implicated Hu Weiyong and other officials."

"The whole Yingtian Prefecture is in a state of panic, fearing that they will be the next to be exterminated."

"Every day, the families of officials and dignitaries come to ask me, wanting to know who your father is going to kill next."

Empress Ma knew clearly that this was not just a major case created by Zhu Yuanzhang to purge the court.

At the same time, it was also a prelude to centralizing imperial power, abolishing the prime minister and abolishing the Secretariat.

Although it is too cruel, it is very effective and fast.

She also tried to persuade Zhu Yuanzhang, but ultimately failed.

What the couple likes most is reading history books and summarizing history.

One of the reasons for the decline and fall of the Qin, Han, Tang and Song dynasties was that the power of the prime minister was enormous. Once it was not controlled well, it would lead to the loss of imperial power, decline, and eventually the destruction of the country.

In order to avoid such a situation, a one-size-fits-all approach was adopted, which led to the Hu Weiyong case.

"Well, let's not talk about this. Old Four, how are you?"

"How come you still have time to come to my harem today?"

"I felt something was wrong the first time I saw you."

"Why? Are you unhappy about leaving Yingtian Prefecture to become a vassal?"

After only a brief contact, Empress Ma keenly noticed that Zhu Di seemed a little different today.

Zhu Di just remained silent. He had a lot to say to her, but he didn't know where to start.

After meeting his mother again after a long separation, he didn't know what to say to his mother.

If she knew that I would start a rebellion in the future, the Zhu family would kill each other.

I'm afraid she will be very disappointed.

Empress Ma taught him since childhood that brothers should live in harmony, and the same should be true for the descendants of the Zhu family.

It’s a pity that he didn’t follow through on this instruction.

Zhu Di walked from behind him to the front of the desk, lowered his head and said.

"Mother, I... don't want to go to the feudal domain."

Looking at this scene.

Queen Ma was slightly startled.

This is?

Why does it feel that today’s Old Four is so different from the Old Four in the past?

I don’t know why, but I always feel that the youthful and immature vigor of Zhu Di has completely disappeared.

There is only the feeling of vicissitudes that comes from the test of time.

Is this still her Zhu Laosi?
Empress Ma slowly stood up and looked at Zhu Di curiously.

"Don't want to go to the vassal state? Lao Si, can you give me a reason?"

She did not accuse him, but asked softly and gently.

In Empress Ma's impression, Zhu Di has always been the fearless Prince of Yan.

His martial arts skills were outstanding among all the princes, and he was well-versed in various military books.

Maybe he is sometimes inappropriate and impulsive, but no one is perfect and Zhu Di is not a saint, so why find fault with him?

Zhu Di slowly raised his head.

"Mother, I...want to stay with you."

He wanted to say that he had a dream in which he rebelled and his hands were stained with the blood of the Zhu family.

But when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

Changed the sentence.

In his heart, Queen Ma has always been a kind and loving mother who loves him very much.

Zhu Di didn't want to make Empress Ma sad.

And...as long as he leaves, wait for him to come back again.

He would never see Queen Ma again.

After a moment's silence, Empress Ma read Zhu Di's thoughts and smiled.

"Since you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."

"But, after all, you are the King of Yan."

"It's not reasonable for a vassal king not to go to his fiefdom, but I believe that you must have your reasons for not wanting to go."

"I will go and talk to Chongba in person about this matter and ask for his opinion."

"Then decide whether you want to stay or go."

Although Zhu Di was also her son, but this kind of thing.

It is still necessary to seek Zhu Yuanzhang's opinion.

Only with Zhu Yuanzhang's consent could Zhu Di not go to the vassal state.

However, if Zhu Di really doesn't want to go, she is there.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't force it.

"If there is nothing else, then you can go back and wait for news."

"I still have a lot of things to do."

Outside the house, the female officials were waiting for Queen Ma to make the decision.

Now, all matters big and small in the palace are decided by him personally.

Like Zhu Yuanzhang, he personally took care of all matters, big and small, even the meals for the princes and grandchildren.

Zhu Di was about to speak but stopped.

"Mother, I will take my leave now."

Queen Ma nodded.

Looking at Zhu Di's back, Mother...the fourth child has really changed a lot.

"Go check and see what King Yan has been through recently."

(End of this chapter)