The Ming Dynasty: A bookstore sells the history of the Ming Dynasty, leaving Emperor Chongzhen bewil

Back home, Zhu Ziming was still preoccupied with the question he had just encountered.

Emperor Chongzhen traveled through time to the modern era, and ended up in his bookstore. Why did he travel through time? And why did he specifically end up in his bookstore? These were not the questions Zhu Ziming cared about most, because they were already established facts.

What Zhu Ziming was most concerned about was whether this incident had triggered a butterfly effect.

Has the real world changed as a result? Or has it changed without him noticing?

If Emperor Chongzhen's visit to his bookstore truly changed history and thus affected the real world, that would be no small matter; it would be a major event concerning all of humanity.

Because all history after Chongzhen will be rewritten, and that includes the history of the entire world.

Its impact can be described as widespread and profound.

If that's the case, his bookstore will likely become a highly sought-after location by various countries and regions.

Therefore, Zhu Ziming made a special trip to the bookstore. He came mainly to do two things: one was to look for the passageway, but he found nothing.

Another thing was to look through history books.

The history of Emperor Chongzhen has not changed, the history of Yuan Chonghuan has not changed, the history of Mao Wenlong has not changed, and the history of the Qing Dynasty has not changed.

No one's history has changed.

Seeing this, Zhu Ziming finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Emperor Chongzhen had read the History of Ming, and I also told him some random unofficial histories and my views on some important historical figures. History cannot remain unchanged.

Could it be that his memories have also changed?

Zhu Ziming didn't think so either, because he clearly remembered what Chongzhen looked like when he first came to the bookstore. And if that was the case, wouldn't that mean that the history of the entire world and everyone's memory had been destroyed and reshaped?

impossible!

Therefore, the only explanation is that this Chongzhen Emperor comes from another timeline.

Not accurate enough.

It should be said that from the moment Chongzhen arrived at the bookstore, a new timeline of history emerged.

It's like a river that keeps flowing forward. The unexpected event of Chongzhen coming to the bookstore was like digging a gap in this river, splitting off a tributary that flowed in another direction.

The original river continues to flow forward along its original course.

In other words, in Zhu Ziming's timeline, everything that has happened has become history. History is an objective reality and cannot be changed.

However, the timeline created by Chongzhen's time travel is different. He flowed in another direction, and it was an unknown direction. Everything there had not yet happened; it was being created, a new history.

Once Zhu Ziming understood this point, his thoughts became clear.

There was another matter that Zhu Ziming had also figured out: should he tell others or the authorities about Chongzhen's visit to his bookstore?

If it had a real impact, then Zhu Ziming would probably have to hand it over to the state in the end, since the impact would be too great. But since it has no real impact now, then there is no need for Zhu Ziming to do so.

Because that would not only fail to help the real world, but would also attract the covetous eyes of those with ulterior motives, and if capital were to intervene, it would only lead to more chaos.

Therefore, Zhu Ziming felt that things were fine as they were.

Before figuring out Chongzhen's true identity, Zhu Ziming spoke haphazardly, saying whatever came to mind, mixing official and unofficial histories together. But from now on, Zhu Ziming would have to be more careful with his words and actions.

Because his every word and action could potentially affect an individual, a group, a country, or even the world on another timeline.

Zhu Ziming would certainly do his utmost to help Chongzhen.

Even setting aside the fact that he also shares the surname Zhu, his Han Chinese ancestry alone would lead him to make the same choice.

This time, the Ming Dynasty will not perish, nor will the Han dynasty perish...

……

the other side.

After the New Year, all the civil and military officials returned to their posts, and the massive, cumbersome, and cumbersome administrative machine of the Ming Dynasty finally began to turn slowly again.

However, today, after the morning court session, Emperor Chongzhen did not send everyone back to their posts. Instead, he led a group of civil and military officials to the edge of the moat.

The idea was to bring everyone together to see something fun, because sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone.

The ministers looked bewildered, but Emperor Chongzhen was quite interested. He glanced at the ministers and finally fixed his gaze on Qian Qianyi and Liu Zongzhou.

"Minister Qian, Minister Liu, do you still remember our bet?"

"Of course I remember."

Liu Zongzhou stepped forward proudly, and Qian Qianyi had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.

Everyone still looked bewildered.

Emperor Chongzhen laughed and said, "The other day, you two stopped me, blaming me for neglecting disaster relief. Now, reports have come from Shaanxi that the disaster relief efforts are going well. What do you two say about that?"

So that's what happened? The ministers suddenly realized.

During the morning court session this morning, they learned that an urgent memorial had arrived from Shaanxi, stating that local officials and gentry, grateful for the Emperor's grace, had donated funds and supplies for disaster relief, and that relief work was now being carried out in an orderly manner.

The ministers were all completely baffled.

Those gentry knew their character better than anyone else. Asking them to donate money and grain was almost like taking their lives. What method did the emperor use to get them to donate money and grain?

They couldn't understand it, but what they couldn't understand even more was that now that the disaster relief was progressing, everyone should be happy. Qian Qianyi and the other man were doing it for the court and for disaster relief, so why was the emperor so insistent on making them jump into the water in front of all the officials, not giving them any face at all?

"I was wrong!"

"That day... I spoke falsely!"

Faced with the facts, the two had no choice but to admit their mistakes.

Emperor Chongzhen showed no intention of circumventing them, and said calmly, "Then jump."

It seems the Emperor is determined to make them jump into the water.

It's just jumping into the water, not going to the execution ground.

Therefore, the two did not hesitate for long. After bowing, they went to the edge of the moat.

At this time, the river had just thawed, the snow on the banks had not yet melted, and the soil was still frozen hard, permeated with a damp and cold air. Near the water's edge, the wind blew unhindered along the river, not with the sharp, cutting edge of winter, but with a slow, bone-chilling cold.

The wind swept across the water, bringing with it a chilling mix of ice and water that made people instinctively shrink their necks and gasp for air.

Liu Zongzhou closed his eyes and jumped into the icy river with a splash.

Qian Qianyi, who was standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded.

Aren't you cold jumping like that?

Qian Qianyi tested the water temperature with his toes. The moment he touched the water, a sharp, almost living chill pierced his fingertips like a needle, spiraling upwards along his toes and straight to the top of his head.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials, including the emperor, were watching from behind.

Qian Qianyi knew that if he jumped today, it might become a topic of conversation, but if he didn't jump, his reputation would be ruined.

So, Qian Qianyi took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and finally plunged into the icy river. As soon as he jumped in, he let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered, which made the onlookers smile.

Only Chongzhen stood on the shore, watching coldly, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "So it turns out that Minister Qian is not afraid of the cold water, but only of dying."

Upon hearing this, Qian Qianyi, who was shivering from the cold, was taken aback...