Daming: After self-explosive time travel, Lao Zhu's mentality collapsed

He hoped that Shen Xue could forgive him, forgive his past stupidity and impulsiveness.

One night, Chu Ze had a dream. He dreamed that Shen Xue was standing in front of him with a gentle smile on her face.

"Ze, you finally understand the truth." Shen Xue said softly.

"Xue'er, I...I'm sorry..." Chu Ze said with a sob.

"Don't blame yourself, Ze." Shen Xue gently stroked Chu Ze's cheek, "I know you have always loved me."

"Xue'er, I love you, I really love you..." Chu Ze hugged Shen Xue tightly, tears streaming down his face.

Suddenly, Chu Ze woke up and found that his face was full of tears.

He stood up, walked to Shen Xue's spirit tablet and knelt down.

"Xue'er, I will definitely avenge you!" Chu Ze swore silently in his heart.

He began to investigate the ministers who had framed Shen Xue. He found that these ministers were all the queen's men, and they did not hesitate to frame loyal officials in order to please the queen.

Chu Ze arrested these ministers one by one and sentenced them to death.

He avenged Shen Xue and also eliminated a group of treacherous officials for the Ming Dynasty.

However, he could not let it go in his heart. He lost the person he loved the most and also the person he trusted the most.

He began to become more withdrawn and apathetic, no longer trusting anyone.

He locked himself in the palace and no longer cared about state affairs.

He indulged in alcohol and sex all day long, numbing his nerves.

He became increasingly decadent and depraved, losing his former ambition.

Until one day, he met a mysterious woman...

Chu Ze sat decadently on the dragon throne, his eyes empty, his former vigor and vitality long gone. The palace maids walked around him cautiously, not daring to breathe, for fear of accidentally angering this moody emperor.

"Your Majesty, it's time for dinner." An old eunuch bowed and said.

Chu Ze waved his hand, indicating that he had no appetite. Since Shen Xue's death, he had lost interest in everything, including his favorite food.

"Decorate the Imperial Garden." Chu Ze suddenly said. He wanted to go out for a walk, perhaps it would make him feel better.

In the imperial garden, the flowers were in full bloom, colorful and gorgeous, but in Chu Ze's eyes, they all lost their color. He walked aimlessly, with Shen Xue's figure in his mind.

Suddenly, he saw a woman standing under a peach tree. She was dressed in white and had long flowing hair, like a fairy descending to earth.

Chu Ze's heart skipped a beat; he felt that the woman's figure looked familiar.

He walked closer slowly, wanting to see the woman's face clearly.

The woman slowly turned around, revealing a beautiful face.

Chu Ze was stunned for a moment, he felt like his breathing had stopped.

"You are...you are..." Chu Ze was so excited that he couldn't speak.

The woman smiled and said, "I am a new concubine in the palace, my name is Liu Ruyan."

Liu Ruyan's voice is gentle and pleasant, like the sound of nature.

Chu Ze's heart was in turmoil. He felt that Liu Ruyan and Shen Xue looked so much alike, as if they were cast in the same mold.

Could it be... Could it be that Shen Xue is not dead?

This thought made Chu Ze feel extremely excited and thrilled.

He grabbed Liu Ruyan's hand and said excitedly: "Are you...are you Xue'er?"

A trace of panic flashed in Liu Ruyan's eyes. She gently broke free from Chu Ze's hand and said, "Your Majesty, you have the wrong person."

Chu Ze looked at Liu Ruyan, his eyes full of confusion and puzzlement.

He felt that Liu Ruyan was Shen Xue, but Liu Ruyan denied it.

Could it be... could it be that he really recognized the wrong person?
Chu Ze's heart was full of contradictions and pain. He didn't know how to face Liu Ruyan, and he didn't know how to face this woman who looked exactly like Shen Xue.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?" Liu Ruyan asked with concern.

Chu Ze shook his head and said, "I'm fine, it's just... I just think you look like an old friend of mine."

A trace of barely perceptible sadness flashed across Liu Ruyan's eyes. She said softly, "Really? Then this old friend must be a very important woman, right?"

Chu Ze nodded and said, "She is my first wife, the woman I love most."

A complicated look flashed across Liu Ruyan's eyes, and she said nothing more.

Chu Ze looked at Liu Ruyan, his heart full of doubts and confusion.

He didn't know Liu Ruyan's identity, and he didn't know Liu Ruyan's origins.

He only knew that he wanted to get close to Liu Ruyan and he wanted to understand Liu Ruyan.

"Ruyan, can you...can you walk with me?" Chu Ze asked tentatively.

Liu Ruyan hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

Chu Ze and Liu Ruyan walked side by side in the imperial garden, neither of them spoke.

Chu Ze's heart was full of contradictions and struggles.

He didn't know whether he should believe Liu Ruyan, he didn't know whether he should treat Liu Ruyan as a substitute for Shen Xue.

"Ruyan, how...how long have you been in the palace?" Chu Ze broke the silence.

"In reply to the emperor, I have been in the palace for three months." Liu Ruyan said softly.

Three months?
Chu Ze became even more confused.

It has only been three months since Shen Xue passed away. Could it be... could this really be a coincidence?
"Ruyan, where...where is your hometown?" Chu Ze continued to ask.

"My hometown is in Jiangnan." Liu Ruyan replied.

Jiangnan?

Chu Ze's heart was shocked again.

Shen Xue’s hometown is also Jiangnan!
Could it be... Could it be that Liu Ruyan is really Shen Xue?
Chu Ze felt his heart beating faster and faster, and he felt like he was about to suffocate.

He wanted to find out Liu Ruyan's true identity, but he was afraid to know the truth.

He was afraid that Liu Ruyan was not Shen Xue, and he was afraid that he would lose Shen Xue again.

"Ruyan, you...you..." Chu Ze's voice trembled and he didn't know how to start.

Liu Ruyan looked at Chu Ze, a complicated look flashing in her eyes.

She suddenly stopped and turned to face Chu Ze.

"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you." Liu Ruyan's tone became serious.

Chu Ze's heart sank suddenly. He had a premonition that what Liu Ruyan was going to say must be of great importance.

"Actually...actually, I..." Liu Ruyan's voice became lower and lower, and she seemed to find it difficult to speak.

"Actually, I am..."

Just then, a eunuch ran over hurriedly and interrupted Liu Ruyan's words.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!" the eunuch said in panic, "Urgent news from the border: the northern barbarians are invading!"

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, as if she had made a great decision: "Actually, I..."

"Your Majesty! Fifty thousand cavalrymen from the Northern Barbarians have broken through Yanmen Pass and are heading straight for the capital!" The eunuch shouted again, interrupting Liu Ruyan's words and the storm in Chu Ze's heart.

Chu Ze's eyes flashed with impatience. This damn northern barbarian, couldn't he be left alone for a while? Yanmen Pass is such a dangerous place, how could 50,000 cavalry break through it? There must be something fishy! He suppressed his doubts and curiosity about Liu Ruyan's identity, and asked in a deep voice: "Where is the Minister of War?"

The eunuch said in a trembling voice: "The Minister of War... The Minister of War has... has committed suicide in his mansion..." (End of this chapter)