Miss Fortune: Is the regent ready for today?

The East China Sea bandit camp.

Ming Zhidu stood with his hands behind his back. Xiongci Ridge was a good place with undulating peaks. Standing on a high place, one could vaguely see the outline of Shangjing.

The troops were stationed here for seven days to rest. It was obvious to the naked eye that the soldiers he raised were all in high spirits, much better than those crooked ones trained by Ming He. He had said long ago that he should be the emperor of Daliang, thirteen years ago and thirteen years later.

I don't know what luck Minghe, that good-for-nothing, had that he could sit on the dragon throne for sixteen years.

"Ah Jin! Bring some dry firewood over here. We'll make a fire and warm our armor. It's been raining a lot lately and it's too humid!"

"Ajin! Help us get some too!"

"Ajin."

These two words reached Ming Zhidu's ears without warning, and his blood froze.

Subconsciously, I turned around and looked towards the source of the sound, only to see a few rough men taking off their armor and asking a skinny young man to move firewood.

Ming Zhidu exhaled, frowned and turned around, feeling confused.

There were chapters turning in his memory, causing his thoughts to fly.

Xin Jusong, who had just received the new news, was unaware of this. He strode to Ming Zhidu and reported loudly: "Your Highness! A letter from the capital! Emperor Chongwen has woken up! But the palace physician said that his heart disease has worsened and he won't have much time left! God is really helping Your Highness!"

"Awake?" Ming Zhidu answered after a long while. "Daliang is already like this. He has to bear so much pressure, and he also has heart disease and cough. It is not easy for him to live to this day. But when he learned that Ming Fanlan killed his second prince, didn't he faint again out of anger?"

Xin Jusong narrowed his eyes, "Maybe she's hiding it from him? Princess Ming is very decisive and ruthless!"

“No, no, no,” Ming Zhidu shook his head. “My second sister is much more capable than Ming He. Since she killed Ming Ying, it is impossible for her to hide the news of Ming Ying’s death from Emperor Chongwen. She has always been brave enough to take responsibility for her actions.”

Xin Jusong nodded twice, "Your Highness! There is another piece of news. Our sentry reported that a young man in black clothes and a white cloak came from nowhere the day before yesterday. He was alone, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, on the east side of the moat in Shangjing, motionless, and looked like he was waiting for someone..."

"It's not like he's waiting for someone, he's waiting for someone." Ming Zhidu interrupted Xin Jusong, "He's waiting for us."

"Who is he?" Xin Jusong scratched his head, confused by Ming Zhidu's words.

"If I'm not mistaken, he is the young master of the Zhiyu Palace in Baqing Mountain. His name is Si Ziqi. He is a friend of Yin Luo and Yu Ruyi."

Ming Zhidu turned the jade ring on his right hand, as if telling a story, "When the Four Rivers area was flooded, he brought his dragon to the mouth of the Cuizhou River to quell the disaster, but the dragon died tragically. I'm afraid he holds this grudge against me."

"Then? Do you need me to lead a team to kill him first? That will clear the way for the prince!"

"No need. Wait a little longer." Ming Zhidu waved his hand, "There are still three days left, and we will attack Shangjing directly."

Xin Jusong was confused and asked, "What is your consideration? Since Princess Ming entered the capital, you ordered us to delay the siege. Are you waiting for some opportunity? What special day is three days later?"

"Ming Fanlan has taken over Gongri Hall. This is a game played on the Shangjing chessboard, so I have to give up the game first." Ming Zhidu smiled lightly, "If it was Ming He who was sitting in Gongri Hall now, I wouldn't care about these things."

"You mean Princess Ming has prepared a trap?" Xin Jusong thought wildly, "How can a woman like her have such great abilities?"

"Not really. When I was young, I loved playing chess, and Ming Fanlan and I had similar interests, so we always hung out together. She saw that I was younger than her, so she let me win three moves in every game." Ming Zhidu's smile deepened, "Now that she has returned to the palace, I naturally have to repay her favor. She let me win three moves in each game, so I will give her half a month. After three days, the half month will be up, and there is no need to delay the siege."

After Xin Jusong knew the reason, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise! We must succeed in this great cause, and we can't afford to lose even half a month!"

Ming Zhidu raised his eyes and asked, "Jiangnan Golden Pagoda, was it really demolished?"

"Yes! It is said that the young Saint Yu shipped out thirty carts of gold bricks yesterday and distributed them to the worst-hit areas around Jiangnan. He also cut down a camphor forest in Minzhou and rebuilt a 24-mile long dike in the Sijiang area at his own expense!" Xin Jusong's eyes were red. "If we don't want to save manpower, I will definitely lead people to intercept ten of his carts! That's pure gold!"

"Alright," Ming Zhidu stroked his sleeves, "The most important thing right now," he raised his hand and pointed at the blurred city in the distance, "is to capture Shangjing City. Let them worry about Jiangnan's affairs! Otherwise, they will have time to ruin my good deeds."

"I know the importance of things! I will not act recklessly without your order, Your Majesty!" Xin Jusong was very loyal.

"Take good care of the sir." Ming Zhidu suddenly instructed, "The rash in Cuizhou spreads too quickly, so we must be careful. If there are any abnormal symptoms in the barracks, let him treat them immediately, and don't let him down at this critical moment."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. We understand."

Daliang Imperial Palace, Gongri Hall.

Ming He sat on a wooden wheel chair and was pushed into the hall by Mei Chengting. When Ming Fanlan saw him, her heart tightened, but she didn't show it on her face, and remained calm.

"Why are you coming here in the wind when you are ill instead of staying in your bedroom to recuperate?"

Ming He choked before he could say anything. He tilted his head and coughed twice, frowning: "Is the Imperial Sister still blaming me?"

"Your Majesty, you are joking," Ming Fanlan stood up from behind the table and walked towards them. "Now that Daliang has become like this, let's not talk about those private matters. Ming Zhidu's military camp is stationed ten miles east of Shangjing City. Who knows when they will break through the city gates."

Ming He smiled bitterly, pulling the corners of his mouth, "Thank you, sister, for taking care of the palace for me while I was unconscious."

Ming Fanlan didn't comment and stopped playing Tai Chi with him. "Now that you're awake, what are your plans?"

"Ahem...if an enemy comes, we will stop him. If a flood comes, we will block it with earth." Ming He's lips were pale, and he pressed his chest to relieve the pain. "My body is no longer able to do this. To defend this palace, I have to rely on the soldiers of the Imperial Guard. I asked Lao Mei to line up troops at the eight palace gates. The gates of Shangjing are a thousand pounds heavy. If they are closed, they are easy to defend but difficult to attack. After they are stabilized, I will, ahem... write a letter to Emperor Hong of Northern Liao, asking for troops to recapture the cities occupied by Ming Zhidu."

"Wan Ruotan? Are you sure he will help?" Ming Fanlan was skeptical. "He has only been on the throne for a short time. The situation in Northern Liao is probably still unstable. He is borrowing a large number of troops from Daliang at this moment, which is not good for him. He must be aware of this."

"I will lend it to you." Emperor Chongwen felt a surge of energy in his chest. He gritted his teeth to avoid vomiting blood. His throat felt fishy and sweet, and the smell of rust spread in his nose. He knew that he was about to die, and physiological tears welled up in his eyes. He drooped his eyelids and gasped heavily.

"I don't have much time left. I hope God will bless me and wait until this trouble is settled..." Emperor Chongwen looked at Mei Chengting and then at Ming Fanlan. He did not finish the second half of the sentence, but the two people present knew what he wanted to say.

Mei Chengting still advised, "Your Majesty, don't say that. You just woke up and your body is weak. You will feel much better after taking two decoctions."

Ming Fanlan glanced at Mei Chengting without saying anything.

Seeing her contemptuous expression in the eyes of Emperor Chongwen, Minghe curled his lips and said, "Lao Mei, Lao Mei."

"I didn't kill Ming Ying. He used a poisonous blade on me, but my body-protecting Qi blocked it and he died." Ming Fanlan explained calmly, "Ming Li's leg bones were broken, and he was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison past the best treatment period. I'm afraid he will never be able to stand up again in this lifetime. Although these are not what I should say, given the state of your majesty's health... we still have to make plans early."

Emperor Chongwen nodded, "I know." He stretched out his arm weakly, "Sister, you haven't taken my pulse for a long time. Those guys in the Imperial Hospital hide away when they feel my pulse. They just hold back and refuse to tell the truth. Please, sister, take a look at me?"

There was a look of longing on the middle-aged emperor's face, as if he hoped Ming Fanlan would get closer to him, and as if he wanted to regain the warmth of his family.

Wrinkles of vicissitudes appeared under his eyes, and tears were not yet dry in the corners of his eyes. The emperor, who was always dignified and solemn, now looked a little pitiful.

Ming Fanlan's heart ached so much that her mouth tasted bitter. "Okay." She took Ming He's pulse.

Blood deficiency is unstable, like a shrimp swimming in the water, sometimes jumping away and coming back in a moment, with rapid and restless movements but no strength, extreme cold in the three yin meridians, and loss of yang to the outside.

Even though she had expected this pulse, she felt a jolt in her heart when she felt it herself. Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she felt something was wrong. "Are you poisoned?" Ming Fanlan looked at Ming He, her brows furrowed in a frown.

Minghe's right hand, which was covering his chest, shrank its fingers unnaturally, "Really?" He asked the question even though he knew the answer.

Mei Chengting's heartbeat stagnated, but he pretended very well and continued, "I said... Your Majesty's heart disease is not that serious!"

"It's a chronic poison, but the root cause is long-standing, five or six years ago." Ming Fanlan withdrew his hand, with doubt in his eyes, "You can't be completely unaware."

Ming He started coughing again, interrupting Ming Fanlan's intention to continue asking questions. She looked past Emperor Chongwen and met Mei Chengting's gaze, but saw the man in withered wood-colored clothes slowly lowering his head, avoiding her gaze.

These two people! She gritted her teeth secretly, helpless and speechless.

"Report - a token has been sent from the city gate, Your Majesty! Princess! The Fourth Princess Mingfang has returned to the capital!" The Imperial Guards presented a heart-piercing arrow.

"Cough cough cough cough...Why did she come back at this time?" Minghe was extremely anxious.

Ming Fanlan glared at the ignorant imperial guards with displeasure, "Princess, please return to the palace and come in safely! Why are you shouting? Who told you to walk straight into the palace and shout loudly?"

The imperial guard bowed and knelt, not knowing whether to stay or leave.

The good old Mei Chengting hurried to help him out, "Go quickly! Invite the princess back to the palace! Why are you still standing there?"

"Yes, yes!" The Royal Guards noticed that the atmosphere in the hall had become cold and solidified, and ran away quickly.

Ming Fanlan took a deep breath, "Your Majesty, don't let your emotions fluctuate too much. It's only right for Fang'er to come back. As a princess of Daliang, how can she hide outside during chaos? That would bring shame to the Ming royal family!

What's more, Qingyue is with her, and the two of them can take care of each other! You should take care of yourself first." She glared at Mei Chengting again, "Why don't you send His Majesty back to Sulong Palace to rest? If there is anything, just call me over. Why bother pushing his sick body back and forth?" (End of this chapter)