Chapter 339: The Demon Queen: I accompanied myself and lost my son
Shi Heng stood up and stood aside.

He was a little scared when he saw the emperor now, totally different from before, when he could even joke around. Recently, the emperor had reprimanded many ministers in the court, and his temper was getting worse and worse.

“Why are you standing there? Sit down and talk.” Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and sat down on the chair himself.

Shi Heng then sat down properly and said, “Your Majesty, it’s so late, I will be the one to watch over you, you can go and have some rest.”

“I can’t sleep.” Zhu Qizhen sighed softly.

Shi Heng looked at the somewhat haggard emperor and said with some concern, “Your Majesty, you must take care of your health.”

Zhu Qizhen looked at Shi Heng’s worried expression, spread his hands and smiled: “I am in good health, don’t worry, I will not delay state affairs. Come, tell me about the situation at the front.”

Shi Heng picked up a memorial and began to report.

Now that the war has not yet begun and there is no urgent military affairs, Yang Guifang is actively making preparations after returning to Samarkand.

“Your Majesty, there is no shortage of money or food over there, but there is a shortage of people.” Shi Heng frowned and said, “However, the court can no longer provide generals. Mobei and the southeast both need people to take charge.”

Zhu Qizhen thought of something: “Is Guo Deng still in Chagatai?”

“Yes, in charge of Chagatai’s military affairs.” Shi Heng nodded.

Zhu Qizhen pondered for a while and said, “If there is nothing going on in Mobei, transfer Yang Hong, Liu Dachui and others to Timur Province to assist Yang Guifang.”

“Yes, sir.” Shi Heng nodded.

Yang Guifang really needed someone, because he had to lead the war against the Ottomans and manage Timur’s internal rebellion. If Yang Hong and Liu Dachu were there, it would be much easier for him.

“In this case, those tribes in Mobei will not be ready to make any moves, right?” Shi Heng said.

“In a few days, send Qiqige and her child back to Mobei and support her to start controlling Mobei.” Zhu Qizhen said, “She is Yesen’s daughter, and all the tribes in Mobei will respect her.”

Shi Heng looked strange.

Qi Qi Ge’s child, isn’t that your Majesty’s son?
“You don’t need to send it back yet?” he asked.

“Of course, Yesen is too ambitious, so he stayed in the capital.” Zhu Qizhen said.

Shi Heng’s eyes gleamed, and he said, “Then we can ask that Boyan to send Qiqige back to the grassland, and our people will escort him. When we get to the grassland, Boyan will be available.”

“Yes, you can arrange it in the Ministry of War.” Zhu Qizhen nodded.

As the two chatted, Shi Heng was no longer so nervous, so he bowed and said, “Your Majesty, I have another request. Please let Yu Qian come out to do something.”

Zhu Qizhen was slightly stunned.

The historical records show that it was Shi Heng who initiated the coup and later advocated the execution of Yu Qian. Now, it is interesting that Shi Heng pleaded for Yu Qian.

“I have spared his life for the crime of treason, which is already a great mercy.” He said coldly, “If I let him serve as an official again, what should I do if other officials follow suit?”

Shi Heng shook his head quickly: “Your Majesty, now that the four seas have been united, the ministers will only be loyal to Your Majesty. Otherwise, let Yu Qian go to the Hongwu Military Academy and train talents like the Duke of Ying.”

“Okay.” Zhu Qizhen was silent for a while and nodded.

“Your Majesty is wise.” Shi Heng bowed again.

Zhu Qizhen picked up the hot tea and took a sip. Shi Heng suddenly sighed: “Your Majesty, the Duke of Ying is ill. I’m afraid he will not make it this time.”

“Ah?” Zhu Qizhen was shocked, “Why didn’t I know?”

Shi Heng looked helpless: “He was stripped of his title and is now just an ordinary instructor at the Hongwu Military Academy. How could his affairs have reached you, Your Majesty?”

“The Queen didn’t tell me either.” Zhu Qizhen frowned, “I’ll go see him tomorrow.”

It all started when the Duke of England asked him to pretend to be the emperor, and he decided to see the old man off.

……

In Changchun Palace, the night is deep.

The queen stood by the window, looking worried. She had received news that her grandfather was seriously ill, but the harem was in turmoil and she couldn’t leave for the time being.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty is here.” The maid came to remind her.

The queen immediately put away her expression and went to greet Zhu Qizhen who came in: “Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you.”

“Get up.” Zhu Qizhen raised his hand.

The queen stood up and apologized: “Your Majesty came suddenly, and I was not prepared. Please forgive me.”

Zhu Qizhen’s eyes fell on her. She was wearing a long white dress. Her face was unpainted, fair and tight, but a little haggard. He reached out and held her in his arms, saying softly, “Your grandfather is seriously ill, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Your Majesty knows?” The Queen was slightly surprised. “Your Majesty has been busy lately. I won’t bother you with my family affairs.”

Zhu Qizhen sighed softly: “We are husband and wife, and that is also my family affair. I have decided to go see him tomorrow, you come with me.”

Tears welled up in the queen’s eyes: “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Zhu Qizhen patted her back gently and said, “You and I are husband and wife, so there is no need to thank you. By the way, there is one more thing I need you to do. I have decided to send Qiqige and her child back to the grassland. Please make the arrangements.”

“As you command.” The Queen looked up. “The child should go with us? That’s your child, Your Majesty.”

Zhu Qizhen smiled bitterly: “Child, you should stay with your mother. I will see him when he grows up.”

The queen nodded slowly, snuggled into his arms, and asked softly, “Queen Mother, no news yet?”

“The Queen Mother has passed away.” Zhu Qizhen snorted, “As for Sun Ruowei, she should have gone abroad.”

The queen pursed her red lips and said, “Your Majesty will definitely find her.”

“Let’s talk later. I have a lot of things to do now.” Zhu Qizhen snorted, “If she wants to hide, let her hide. Let’s see how long she can hide.”

The queen took him by the arm and walked towards the back hall: “Your Majesty, it is late at night. I will help you go to bed.”

……

The next day, Hongwu Military Academy.

Zhu Qizhen and the Queen came incognito, without disturbing the students, and arrived at the small courtyard of the school building area. Duke Chen Mao of Jing had been waiting at the gate of the courtyard, and bowed to them: “Your Majesty, Queen, the old Duke…he is dying.”

“Didn’t the imperial physician come to see you?” the queen asked anxiously. “What did he say?”

Duke Chen Mao of Jing sighed, “I’m afraid the end is near and they will be powerless to save the situation.”

Zhu Qizhen patted the queen gently and said, “Ask the imperial physician for the details. I will go in and see the old Duke first.”

“Yes.” The queen nodded.

Zhu Qizhen walked into the courtyard, came to a room, and pushed the door open. The layout of the room was extremely simple, with just a table, four chairs, and a bed.

A white-haired old man was lying on the bed. He was the Duke of Ying, Zhang Fu. He was in a coma, very thin, and breathing very weakly. Zhu Qizhen’s eyes fell on him, and he was filled with emotion.

“Old man, wake up, I’m here to see you.” Zhu Qizhen shouted.

The Duke of England slowly opened his eyes, and the moment he saw Zhu Qizhen, he grinned slightly: “Your Majesty, you are here.” “Are you not going to call me the fake emperor now?” Zhu Qizhen sat down on the edge of the bed.

Duke Ying stared at him with complicated expressions for a long time, and then smiled with relief: “Forget it, I will soon meet Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong, so I can only go and apologize to them.”

“When we get down there, tell them that I, Zhu Qizhen, am stronger than them all, even stronger than Taizu.” Zhu Qizhen snorted, “The Ming Dynasty today is truly far superior to the Han and Tang dynasties!”

The Duke of England also snorted: “If it weren’t for this, I would have crawled up right now and kicked you in the crotch.”

The two looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter, as if all the grudges had disappeared.

The Duke of Ying laughed so hard that he coughed violently. Zhu Qizhen patted him on the back and said, “I have left you here for so many years. Do you hate me?”

“No.” The Duke of England calmed down slowly, “I know you did that to save my life. Otherwise, if I got involved in the affairs of the Junshan Society, I’m afraid my life would be in danger.”

Zhu Qizhen was annoyed: “So you, an old fox, know everything.”

“But, Your Majesty, you still didn’t kill the Junshan Society.” Duke Ying smiled slightly, “As for you, I knew you weren’t ruthless enough. If it was Emperor Taizong, not to mention me, the Junshan Society, and even the Queen Mother, they would have died long ago.”

Zhu Qizhen smiled helplessly: “I can’t do it.”

“I knew you couldn’t be cruel enough.” Duke Ying laughed, “Back when you were in Huailai City, you couldn’t even bring yourself to kill a few thugs.”

Zhu Qizhen glared: “It seems that you investigated me later.”

“Of course I have checked.” Duke Ying sighed, “But I still can’t stop you. I know you are a good emperor. But I can’t be unfaithful to Taizong, Renzong and the late emperor.”

Zhu Qizhen spread his hands and said, “It’s good now. You and I have a clear conscience. You don’t have to blame yourself when you meet the emperor of the Zhu family in the underworld. Tell them that the Ming Dynasty is doing well and is the overlord of the world.”

“Haha, then I have to brag to them.” Duke Ying laughed, “How could they know how vast the world is? How could they know that Beijing is now the capital of the world.”

His face was full of relief. The two chatted for a long time until the queen knocked on the door. Zhu Qizhen got up and left, leaving the grandfather and grandson to chat.

“Old man, don’t worry, I will protect the Zhang family.” He said as he walked forward.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The Duke of England nodded.

Zhu Qizhen went out and came to the yard. He stood under an old locust tree, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

After a long time, the Queen’s crying sound came from the room, and Zhu Qizhen knew that the old Duke was gone. He whispered to himself: “It’s all over.”

……

Nanyang, Malacca City.

In a magnificent palace, the Demon Queen stood in the main hall, wearing a purple dress, dignified and majestic. Behind her, standing was naturally Shuangxi. They had been here for some time.

“Madam, would you like to go out for a walk today?” Shuangxi asked, “It is said that all the people here are from our Daming Dynasty. There are many things from Southeast Asia in the market in the city.”

The Demon Queen smiled and said, “Okay, the sun is shining brightly, let’s go and take a look. It’s much hotter here than in Ming Dynasty.”

“I heard from them that it won’t snow here,” Shuangxi said.

The two chatted as they walked out of the hall and ran into Chao Xiaotian and Qi Shu. They bowed to the Demon Queen and asked Chao Xiaotian with a smile, “Master’s Wife, are you leaving?”

“Yes, let’s go out for a walk.” said the Queen of Demons.

“Master’s wife, I will return to Daming tomorrow. I am free today, so I will walk with you.” Chao Xiaotian said.

The Demon Queen frowned slightly: “You’re going back so soon?”

Chao Xiaotian smiled and nodded: “Yes, there are many things going on in Daming.”

“When you go back, if your master comes looking for you, you must keep it a secret.” The Demon Queen’s beautiful face was full of worry. “I’m worried that he will embarrass you.”

Chao Xiaotian said nonchalantly: “It’s okay. Master is looking for me, so I’ll kneel down and admit my mistake. What else can he do to me?”

“Then he won’t do anything to you.” The Demon Queen sighed softly, “He still has feelings for you as his disciple. Besides, if I leave, he will have no relatives left, except you.”

Chao Xiaotian smiled and nodded: “So, if the master comes to me, I will kneel directly and he will forgive me.”

As they talked, they walked out. Chao Xiaotian hesitated and asked tentatively: “Master’s Wife, are you really not going to go back?”

“What a sad place! How can I go back? How can I face the world after I go back?” The Demon Queen smiled sadly. “Even if I sacrifice myself, lose my son, and die in the Ming Dynasty, I still cannot face the ancestors of the Zhu family.”

Chao Xiaotian consoled him: “Master’s Wife, this is not your fault. Besides, the Ming Dynasty is doing very well now!”

“Let’s not talk about this any more, let’s go for a walk.” The Queen of Demons smiled.

They didn’t return until dusk.

The Demon Queen sighed: “There are so many people from the Ming Dynasty here. It’s convenient. I don’t have to worry about the language barrier.”

“Besides, we are very respected here.” Shuangxi said.

Chao Xiaotian said arrogantly: “That’s right, their kings have to be respectful to me. Master’s wife, you don’t have to worry about anything when you live here, we have our own soldiers to protect us.”

“I’m not worried.” The Demon Queen nodded. As she spoke, she took out a jade pendant and handed it to Chao Xiaotian, saying, “Take it. If your master dares to embarrass you, give it to him.”

Chao Xiaotian did not hesitate and continued: “Master’s wife, don’t worry, maybe Master will come to Nanyang someday.”

“Haha, he won’t give up his kingdom.” The Demon Queen smiled, “Besides, the Ming Dynasty also needs him. By the way, the Ming Dynasty will go to war with the Ottoman Empire soon. You must send me the news in time.”

“I will.” Nodded to Xiaotian.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

The Demon Queen, Shuangxi and Qi Shu went to the dock to see Chao Xiaotian off and watched his boat sail away.

“Qi Shu, why don’t you go back with Xiaotian?” asked the Queen of Demons.

“Master’s Wife, I will stay here with you.” Qi Shu pursed her lips and said, “I am a little scared to face Master after I go back.”

The demon queen’s eyes fell on her and she sighed softly: “Speaking of which, it was me who implicated your Qi family and your father. Don’t worry, Xiaotian will rescue your father. His Majesty did not kill people at that time, and he will not kill your father later.”

“Thank you, Master’s wife.” Qi Shu had tears in her eyes.

Shuangxi looked at the blue sky and said happily, “The weather is nice today, let’s go shopping in the city again. We didn’t finish shopping yesterday.”

“Okay.” The Demon Queen also became interested.

The three women got on the carriage and headed towards the city. Not long after they left, a man came out from the alley next to them and looked in the direction they were going.

In the carriage, the Demon Queen said, “We will live here in our old age, so we need to buy more daily necessities.”

“Your Majesty, we are not in a hurry. Choose carefully.” Shuangxi said.

The three of them had an enthusiastic discussion, with laughter audible from time to time.

(End of this chapter)