In the spring of the twenty-fifth year of the Ming Dynasty, the spring of 1703 AD, the Forbidden City in Nanjing, the Ming Dynasty.

Kong Simin, the Queen Mother of the Qing Dynasty, Wu Sidao, the right counselor of the left-behind department of the Mongolian Summer Resort, and Suo Etu, a scholar of the Mongolian University, were walking among the majestic palaces and pavilions with Nalan Xingde, the minister of Honglu Temple in the Ming Dynasty.

.

The Queen Mother actually had a Forbidden City of her own. According to her late husband Yinreng, it was completely copied from the original drawings of the Forbidden City of the Qing Dynasty. It was probably similar to the Forbidden City of Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty... except that the house was simply built.

But when the Queen Mother Kong really arrived at the Forbidden City in Nanjing during the Ming Dynasty, she realized that what Yin Reng said was wrong.

Because the Forbidden City in Beijing is basically full of bungalows, while the Forbidden City in Nanjing during the Ming Dynasty has many very tall and impressive buildings. They are all three- and four-story buildings, and they are very spacious, with at least dozens of bays! And

Each floor has many large glazed windows with latticework, which looks luxurious. Not to mention the Forbidden City in Beijing, even the Forbidden City and Summer Resort in Nanjing, Mongolia, where Kangxi Khan often lived, did not have so many glazed windows...

...

Compared with the Forbidden City in Nanjing during the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City in Shangjing of the Empress Dowager Kong was really different.

What was even more eye-opening to Empress Dowager Kong was Nanjing, the most prosperous capital of the Ming Dynasty - this was a super city with bustling traffic, numerous merchants, high-rise buildings, and a population that could easily reach one million!

For Kong Simin, the last empress of the Qing Dynasty, one million people was really too much. She and Yinreng's Confucian Eight Banners together had less than 100,000 households, with a population of 500,000 or 600,000.

....Almost only half of the population of Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty! The prosperity of Nanjing really exceeded her imagination.

What is even more shocking to this country Queen Mother who has never seen the world is that the Ming Dynasty actually has more than one metropolis with a population of one million!

According to Nalan Xingde, who went to Taiping Mansion to greet her, Wu Sidao, and Suo'etu, the Ming Dynasty now has three first-tier metropolises, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Guangzhou, with a population of one million!

In addition, Ming Dynasty also has six "second-tier cities", Yangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, Hankou, Songjiang, and Tianjin, with a population of 500,000 or close. As for the "third-tier cities" with a population of 200,000 to 400,000, it is even more

As many as twenty seats!

And the vast majority of residents in all these big cities, as well as the vast majority of people living in small and medium-sized cities or villages under the Ming Dynasty, are of Han nationality!

Just looking at the national population, this is the most powerful country in the world, and it deserves the title!

In addition to its large population, the Ming Dynasty's wealth and production also opened the eyes of the country Queen Mother Kong Simin. Although the Queen Mother Kong was born in the Central Plains, when she was two or three years old, her father took her away to the Western Regions.

Her childhood, youth, and youth were spent in small cities and prairie at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. I only heard those old people talking about the prosperity, liveliness and wealth of the Central Plains... It was just those old people talking about it.

Everyone burst into tears, and she, the little girl, had to think hard to comfort the elders and aunties.

And when Queen Mother Kong really arrived in the prosperous area of ​​the Central Plains, she realized why those old people were crying so sadly. The Central Plains, especially along the Yangtze River, was so rich. Every town she passed, no matter how big or small, looked at

They are all so wealthy. Even the most ordinary people here wear clothes of bright colors and exquisite materials, such as cotton and silk. And judging from their body shapes, they should all be able to have enough to eat.

As for the shelves in the shops in the market, they were overcrowded with all kinds of products, most of which were goodies that Queen Mother Kong had never even seen.

And every time it’s meal time, all kinds of tempting aromas come out of the streets crowded with restaurants and restaurants... It really makes the country queen mother so hungry.

It’s really embarrassing to say that although Kong Simin was the last queen of the Qing Dynasty, when it was her turn to be the queen, the Qing Dynasty was really in poverty. Although her father-in-law Kang Mazi was rich, Kang Mazi and his husband Yinreng

They are enemies, and even if they have money, they will not give flowers to Yin Reng! Otherwise, why would Yin Reng have to recognize Da Mingye's father? But the little money Zhu Heji gave, coupled with the poor taxes of the Qing Dynasty, was only enough for the big guy

She had to make a living, so Queen Mother Kong's money was always tight. This time, because she was having a funeral at home and preparing for a war against the Mongolian invasion, she didn't bring much money with her on the road... She couldn't afford it at all.

!

Therefore, this country queen mother had no choice but to read more and buy less, and live a prudent life... But even so, she still overspent and spent all her travel expenses home when she arrived in Nanjing.

what should I do?

When she was wondering where to go to get some travel expenses, she had already followed Nalan Xingde into a particularly grand building. Then Nalan Xingde's voice rang in her ears: "Queen Mother Kong, please."

In the middle hall, Mr. Wu, the three of you, please come with me...The Holy Spirit will summon you in the upper study."

At this time, the country mother-in-law found herself in a very majestic hall. Directly in front of her was a very majestic white marble staircase. Under the stairs stood two guards wearing very polished breastplates.

Wearing a similarly shiny steel helmet and holding a rifle with a bayonet, he looked extremely powerful.

Nalan Xingde had already stepped up the stairs, and Queen Mother Kong quickly followed. After the two of them walked dozens of stairs one after another, they arrived at the entrance of a long passage on the second floor. There were also two guards outside the entrance of the passage.

, the breastplates of these two guards are a bit strange, the chests are raised high, outlining full and round curves... These two guards are actually women. Queen Mother Kong walked closer,

Only then did he realize that these were two foreign women with blue eyes, snow-white faces, gorgeous facial features, and tightly pursed red lips, showing a firm expression.

Queen Mother Kong had grown up in the Western Regions since she was a child. Naturally, she knew the Western Orchid. She also knew that the appearance of these two Orchids was absolutely top-notch. They were sold to the Western Qing Dynasty by slave traders from the Crimean Khanate.

Western orchids don't have this kind of appearance. I didn't expect that such a blond orchid could only look after the door here...

The Queen Mother of the Countryside, who was feeling a little uneasy, continued to move forward with Nalan Xingde and walked through this passage that was dozens of steps long. At the end of the passage, there was another corridor. The corridor and the passage formed a T-shaped combination. Queen Mother Kong

After observing it, I found that the north side of the corridor was full of huge glass windows, and the south side was a series of closed doors. Nalanxingde led a few people to the main door consisting of two doors.

He walked forward and then gently patted the door panel.

Nalan Xingde said: "Empress Dowager Kong, Suo Zhongtang, Mr. Wu has arrived."

Then only a low "squeak" was heard, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in his forties with a goatee appeared inside.

Nalan Xingde respectfully bowed his hand to the middle-aged man: "Mr. Bingjia, they have been brought here. Will the Holy Spirit see them now?"

The man known as "Mr. Bingjia" had a surname of Lu and a given name of Baozhong. He was the eldest son of Lu Liangliu, a famous scholar from Zhejiang who participated in the battle to restore the Ming Dynasty. He was also the first graduate of Jinling University and a disciple of Huang Zongxi.

I don’t know if it was because of Huang Zongxi’s relationship, but Lu Baozhong was valued and promoted by Zhu Heji after he entered the officialdom, and he almost reached the position of ministerial attendant with ease! And what’s even more incredible is that Lu Baozhong had not even gone to elementary school.

The youngest daughter Siniang was actually chosen by Emperor Zhu Da and betrothed to Zhu Heji's eldest grandson Zhu Bohai... not as a concubine, but as the eldest wife!

This Zhu Bohai is the direct heir to the Ming Dynasty throne!

Lu Baozhong's youngest daughter Siniang will be the empress of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Now her wealth will be a hundred times higher. Even important ministers like Nalan Xingde will respect him.

Lu Baozhong, who was proud of the spring breeze, nodded with a smile and said: "Your Majesty, please invite the Queen Mother of the West and Mr. Wu to go in together."

"The Queen Mother of the West?" Nalan Xingde was stunned, "Is it the Queen Mother Kong?"

"Yes," Lu Baozhong said with a smile, "The Holy Master said that Kong was the Empress Dowager of the Western Qing Dynasty, which happened to be the title of the Empress Dowager of the Western Qing Dynasty."

Does it matter?

Kong Simin was confused after hearing this, while Wu Sidao's expression tightened... The Queen Mother of the West has sealed her, so is the Southern Emperor of Mongolia going to be hoodwinked by Hong Xi?

The confused Queen Mother and the anxious Mr. Wu followed Lu Baozhong, who didn't know why he was so favored, into Emperor Zhu's huge office.

Emperor Zhu Da was sitting behind a large mahogany desk writing, and standing next to him was a strong-looking, yet graceful Western woman. Empress Dowager Kong quietly took a look at the woman and found that she was wearing a Ming dynasty dress.

Dressed in a royal attire, but with a Western sword hanging from her waist...she must be Natalie, Emperor Zhu's "Sword Princess".

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother of the West, Mr. Wu, Suo Zhongtang has arrived."

Lu Baozhong made an announcement, and then the Empress Dowager Kong, Wu Sidao, and Suo'etu knelt down and worshiped in front of Emperor Zhu's desk.

Zhu Heji glanced at the three of them, and then his eyes fell on Wu Sidao: "Wu Sidao, you are from Shaoxing, why did you follow them to the Western Regions?"

"Going back to your Majesty, the foreign minister's father was the master of General Mang Yitu of Jiangling. Later, he followed the governor of the capital, Gu Ba Dai, all the way to the Western Regions."

The "Gu Badai" in Wu Sidao's mouth is Yinzhen's confidant. Although his surname is Gu, he is a genuine Manchurian. His surname is Ergenjueluo. His father Nachan returned to Batulu in the Huangtaiji era.

.After inheriting the secular position, he gave himself a Chinese surname, Gu. He also asked his father Nachan to take his surname as Gu Nachan... and gave his late father a surname.

, this dutiful son is like no one else.

"Oh, that's it," Zhu Heji nodded, "Natalie, show this calligraphy to Wu Sidao."

"Yes." Natalie on the side responded, picked up the big characters that Zhu Heji had just written, and showed them to Wu Sidao. There were only two characters, Yong on the top and Zheng on the bottom.

Seeing these two words, Wu Sidao felt happy, while Queen Mother Kong was shocked.

Yinzhen is Prince Yong of Mongolia. Zheng...of course means "just hug him and you will be Zheng"!

This is to make Yongzheng the Southern Emperor!

Zhu Heji also explained with a smile: "This is the reign name I gave Yinzhen... Yongzheng, just support him and he will be upright!"

No matter how nourished the Empress Dowager Kong was and how much sacrifice she was prepared to make, Zhu Heji would definitely support Yinzhen... He had just found Lu Siniang, and now he was just short of Yongzheng.

Lu Siniang was the one who defeated Yongzheng!

With Lu Siniang as the grandson concubine or crown princess of the Ming Dynasty, Yongzheng would definitely be defeated to death.

"Thank you, the Great Emperor, for the title of reign!" Wu Sidao quickly kowtowed to Zhu Heji to thank him - he had originally prepared a lot of speeches, but now they are all useless, so he just kowtows to express his gratitude.

Zhu Heji smiled and picked up the brush again and started writing on another piece of rice paper. After finishing writing, he asked Natalie to show it to Wu Sidao. When Wu Sidao saw it, it seemed that there was still a year number on it, respectively.

"Qianlong", "Jiaqing", "Daoguang", "Xianfeng".

"The Qing Dynasty finally ruled together, and later Mongolia started under Kangxi... Then the five emperors Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng were passed on, and that's about it." Zhu Heji was still writing, and asked while writing, "Western

Queen Mother, what do you think?"

By the way, Zhu Heji gave four reign titles to the descendants of Yongzheng. In fact, it was because of the Queen Mother Kong of the Western Qing Dynasty... Even the Queen Mother of the Western Qing Dynasty had it, so the Mongolian state Zuo would also be in Xianfeng. Because

Historically, the true emperor of the Qing Dynasty only came to Xianfeng. The subsequent Tongzhi, Guangxu, and Xuantong were all unreal because they did not have the authority of an emperor.

"Your Majesty," Queen Mother Kong of the Western Qing Dynasty did not give up and kowtowed to Zhu Heji and said, "Prince Yong Yinzhen is not the direct descendant of Aixinjueluo. Hong Xi is the legitimate son and grandson, and he should inherit the throne."

"Haha," Zhu Heji smiled, "Sou'etu, if Hongxi becomes the Southern Emperor, Sofia will definitely not agree, right?"

"This... Great Emperor, ask the Queen Mother, she and Emperor Daxing do have some quarrels..."

Zhu Heji smiled and said to Kong: "Queen Mother of the West, you are also the Queen Mother, and Sofia is also the Queen Mother... Why don't we let Bei Khan, the Southern Emperor of Mongolia, honor both of you as Queen Mother, and you be the Queen Mother of the West?

She will be the Queen Mother of the East. From now on, Great Mongolia will be the Southern Emperor and Northern Khan, and the Queen Mother of the East and West!"

While talking, he personally took the large characters he had just written, on which were written side by side the two words "Emperor Dowager of the East, Queen Mother of the West".

This is very good. From now on, the great Mongolian country will not only have double kings, but also the southern emperor and northern khan, and even the queen mother and the east and west queen mothers! Of course, the godfathers will also be double, with Ming father and Fa father.

.

It would be a miracle if such a country could really last until the Xianfeng Year!

In Zhu Heji's calculations, Great Mongolia, the buffer empire between the two great powers of the East and the West, would have existed for about 100 to 150 years... because by that time, the second

The Second Industrial Revolution is almost complete, and the little bit of "no-owner's land" in the world has been divided. A real world war to determine who will win between the East and the West can naturally begin.
Chapter completed!