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

"Uncle Emperor, the dragon may seem invincible, but you don't know that the flesh and blood beneath the dragon's body has long been bound by an invisible net. You think you are in control of everything, but one day, the game will turn around..."

The night grew deeper, and under the pitch-black sky, Chu Ze paced in the imperial garden. Although he possessed the imperial power and looked down upon the world, his face was as cold as ice at the moment.

He had just dealt with a tit-for-tat between the court officials. He didn't care about those who wanted to overthrow his Ming Dynasty, whether it was an open attack or a hidden attack. What he cared about more was - why did he always feel that there seemed to be a faint crack in the land under his feet recently?

He waved his hand to dismiss the eunuchs who were accompanying him, and stood with his hands behind his back in front of a blooming red plum tree, his breath filled with the cold fragrance of the cold night. He suddenly felt that this red plum tree was particularly aloof, and it was quite similar to his temperament.

While thinking, there was a sound of light footsteps. Chu Ze tilted his head slightly, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and whispered: "Who is there?"

A figure walked out of the darkness, and Changle, dressed in plain clothes, followed him like a shadow, but she didn't seem flustered at all. She bowed and whispered, "Uncle, why should you be suspicious? It's me, your daughter, who is afraid of disturbing your pleasure."

Chu Ze heard the voice, the coldness on his face did not dissipate, but became even more stern. He turned around and stared at her: "Wandering alone in the middle of the night, a palace maid, you have the guts to do this. Why don't you tell me, what are you planning?"

Changle smiled awkwardly and looked up. Her beautiful face looked particularly gentle under the moonlight. "What do you think I can do? I am just worried about your health and came here to serve you."

"Serve me?" Chu Ze sneered, his eyes like knives, his tone full of sarcasm, "You are quite eloquent, and you have left me speechless with a few consecutive sentences. However, Changle, there is one thing you may not have considered clearly - although this palace is my world, if you don't serve me well, you will still have a hard time seeing the sun tomorrow."

Changle smiled lightly, and was actually contented, without the slightest intention of being intimidated: "I did have some thoughts before. Now I am serving the uncle, and I do not ask for wealth and honor forever, but only for a moment of joy. As for whether I can see the sun tomorrow, I will leave it to fate."

Chu Ze's eyes darkened, and then he slowly approached, looking down at her: "Leave it to fate? You are open-minded. But I still say that the more you want to hide something, the more guilty you appear."

Changle smiled even more deeply, but her tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "If the uncle emperor believes that I am guilty, no matter how much I defend myself, it will be in vain. Instead of wasting my time, it is better to be frank - it all depends on whether you are willing to give me a chance."

Chu Ze narrowed his eyes slightly, stared at her for a long time, and suddenly sneered: "Opportunity? You Changle are very cunning. With just a few words, you kicked the problem back to me."

After that, he raised his hand and gently lifted Changle's chin with his fingertips. The touch was cool and slightly cold, but it was like the edge of a sword that dominated the world, with overwhelming power.

Changle raised her little face and looked at him, her eyes deep and calm: "Uncle Emperor is indeed wise and powerful. But - what answer do you want to hear by testing me like this?"

Chu Ze was startled, and the arrogant smile on his lips froze for a moment, but soon returned to normal. He murmured in a low voice: "I never need answers from anyone. What I want is unconditional submission from others."

He pushed Changle away, and the barely perceptible complex emotions in his eyes were immediately covered up completely.

However, Changle staggered back a few steps, but she did not show any embarrassment. She stood still, straightened her messed-up clothes, and said with a bit of joking: "If the uncle emperor really wants to surrender unconditionally, the Ming Dynasty will probably lose half of its territory first." "How dare you!" Chu Ze's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he raised his foot to approach her, like a dragon that suddenly showed its power, "How dare you do this--"

"Uncle Emperor, calm down." Changle raised her hand to cover her lips, smiled lightly, and spoke in a gentle tone, "I just mentioned it casually. How could the Ming Dynasty not tolerate such a big dragon? Besides, didn't Uncle Emperor eliminate those small shrimps who didn't know the dragon's power and wanted to rebel?"

Chu Ze was speechless for a moment because of her demeanor, but he couldn't help but feel a little aroused. He sneered, "Changle, you are very good. I really underestimated you today."

"Same here." Changle bowed slightly and said softly, "When your uncle looks at me, I will learn to return the favor."

Chu Ze was about to say something else when he heard hurried footsteps coming from afar. Before he saw anyone, a sharp cry had already crossed the cold night of the garden: "Your Majesty! Something happened in the palace!"

Chu Ze frowned and looked up, only to see the chief eunuch Li Huaide rushing over breathlessly and kneeling on the ground: "Your Majesty! The Imperial Study... The Imperial Study has been robbed!"

Chu Ze lowered his cold eyes. Was the imperial study robbed? The place where he spent countless efforts to copy ancient books and draw up the blueprint of the territory, someone dared to move a finger? This was clearly trampling on his imperial power!
"Who did it?" He said in a cold tone, with a hint of murderous intent. The cold wind in the room seemed to be chilled even colder by his words.

Li Huaide raised his head, looking extremely embarrassed: "I didn't know! When someone found out, the door of the imperial study was already open, the room was in chaos, and several important confidential letters were missing!"

Chu Ze's eyes were extremely cold, and he suddenly turned around and walked out of the palace. When his cloak was lifted up, it rustled like a raging wind sweeping through the silent night of the palace. There was wind under his feet, and the coldness on his face seemed to be able to condense the deep imperial city in front of him into a piece of cold iron.

Changle was stunned in the garden, looking at Chu Ze's gradually receding back, with a strange light in his eyes. How many dynasties, how many emperors, who didn't want to maintain his supreme majesty until death? But this uncle, not only was he smart and cautious, but he also often revealed a kind of frightening abnormal arrogance.

She curled her lips, and suddenly felt that this invisible contest seemed to have revealed a deeper chess game. It was quite interesting.

Chu Ze rushed all the way and stopped in front of the imperial study. For a moment, the guards, eunuchs and maids surrounding him all knelt on the ground, not daring to even breathe.

Even though the man in the dragon robe didn't say a word at this moment, his heavy aura alone was like a sharp blade, piercing into the skin of everyone present.

"Who is responsible for guarding the imperial study?" Chu Ze spoke coldly. His tone was so calm that it seemed to be calm, but every word bit their nerves like a ferocious beast.

A guard in armor bowed his head almost to the ground, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I was in charge of guarding the imperial study. The wind was too strong outside the window last night, so I ordered people to relax their guard... I am responsible for this even if I die!" (End of this chapter)