The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Somersault Cloud, Old Zhu was so envious he cried!

"Is this...me?"

Empress Ma raised her slightly trembling hand, wanting to touch the mirror, but fearing it was all a dream.

At this moment, Yu'er, who was standing to the side, burst into tears of joy. She knelt down with a thud, wiping away her tears as she excitedly exclaimed, "Your Majesty, it's true! You've really returned to how you were back then! This isn't a dream!"

Yu'er had been by Empress Ma's side since she was a child.

Having come this far, she knows best how hard the Empress's life had been in the first half.

In her youth, the empress followed the emperor, who was then a common soldier, on numerous campaigns and endured many hardships.

During the day, she traveled with the army, and at night she had to take care of miscellaneous tasks. Coupled with the wind and rain day and night, even Xi Shi would be ravaged beyond recognition.

When the emperor ascended the throne and became empress, the empress was made empress, but she was still not idle. On the contrary, she looked more tired than before.

Because she not only had to manage the entire harem, but also had to worry about the suffering of the common people and the plight and difficulties of the officials in the court.

Under such mental and physical strain, the Empress, who is only in her early forties, already looks much older and more haggard than an ordinary woman in her fifties.

Moreover, due to her years of military campaigns, the Empress suffered from a number of hidden ailments, and her body ached all over on rainy days.

Yu'er served the Empress closely all year round, and she saw all the suffering the Empress endured and felt the pain in her heart.

She only regretted that she was powerless and could not bear this suffering for the Empress.

Fortunately, Heaven finally saw the Empress's efforts and sent down a miracle, allowing her to regain her youth.

Yu'er was genuinely happy for the Empress.

"Your Majesty, this must be a blessing from Heaven, seeing your hard work over the years. From now on, I will burn incense and pray to Buddha day and night to thank Heaven for its mercy!"

After saying this, Yu'er knelt on the ground, clasped her hands together, and kept thanking Heaven.

But only Empress Ma knew the truth.

Her ability to regain her youth was definitely not due to divine intervention.

Empress Ma lowered her head in deep thought when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck her.

The elixir, it's that elixir!

Her body only changed after she took that pill.

Ming'er just said he took on a master today.

The other party is a deity, and he was the one who gave me the elixir!

At first, Empress Ma thought that someone was deliberately trying to deceive her young son by pretending to be a ghost.

But at this moment, looking at her smooth and beautiful face in the bronze mirror, she felt a sense of ease and vitality within her body.

She finally realized how terribly wrong she had been!

So she quickly turned her head, wanting to ask Zhu Ming for more details.

For example, which deity was his master?

Why did the pill I just fed her make her young again?

And most importantly,

Is there only one pill or are there many?

Has he eaten it himself tomorrow?

After all, as a mother, no matter what happens, her first worry is always Zhu Ming.

"Ming'er, tell your mother that today you..." Empress Ma stopped mid-sentence.

Following her gaze,

Her young son, Zhu Ming, was fast asleep, his hands resting on the table, his head under his arms.

Seeing this scene,

No matter how anxious Empress Ma was?

What questions remain in your mind?

At this moment, she couldn't bear to make a sound and disturb the sleeping child.

At this moment, Yu'er noticed that the Empress seemed preoccupied, as if she had something to ask the Sixth Prince.

So she stepped forward and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, should I wake the Sixth Prince?"

Without even thinking, Empress Ma refused, saying, "No, no one should disturb him. Let him sleep peacefully!"

The voice just fell,

She gently stepped forward, bent down and picked Zhu Ming up from the table, then held him in her arms, gently patting his back with her palms, her movements extremely tender.

Empress Ma gazed at Zhu Ming, who was fast asleep in her arms, and gently stroked his pale cheek with her fingers, her eyes filled with tenderness and emotion.

She whispered, "Ming'er, how could you be so foolish! Why did you give the elixir your master gave you to your mother? Why didn't you keep it for yourself!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Empress Ma's eyes were already brimming with tears, but she held them back for fear of disturbing Ming'er.

She had heard a saying that goes, "Children are all coming to collect debts from their mothers."

Empress Ma felt that this statement was completely wrong.

Her son is coming to repay her kindness!

"Ming'er, to have you as my son in this life is the blessing that I, Ma Xiuying, have accumulated over three lifetimes."

She lowered her head and pressed it against Zhu Ming's soft hair, her voice choked with emotion, full of earnest prayer: "Heavens above, from this day forward, I, Ma Xiuying, will do good deeds with all my heart, praying only that my Ming'er will be healthy and safe every year!"

……

Even late at night, the Qianqing Palace was still brightly lit.

Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang was undoubtedly the most hardworking person in history.

If you could see his schedule, you would definitely exclaim: This is simply superman!

For example, the 996 and 007 work schedules that working people complain about now are already going too far.

But compared to Lao Zhu's strength, this is simply weak!

After all, even 007 has shifts and statutory holidays, but with Lao Zhu...

Holiday? What kind of holiday?

Only those who are useless to society get holidays!

He worked year-round without a break, getting up at three or four in the morning every day to work, handling government affairs during the day and reviewing memorials late into the night, often working until late at night.

They're always so energetic, like they're on steroids. Aren't people like that scary?

If it were someone else, they probably would have died suddenly within a few days under such high-intensity work.

And what about Old Zhu?

According to historical records, he lived to the age of 70.

In ancient times, when the average lifespan was short, it was already quite remarkable that he lived to be 70 years old.

Not to mention, he also had a daughter when he was 68 years old.

This is absolutely awesome!

I really want to look through his recipes and see what he usually eats.

"What a bunch of useless idiots! As local officials, they draw salaries from the imperial court but don't care about the lives of the local people or the displaced people. All they do is greedily accept bribes. I really want to chop you all up!"

Zhu Yuanzhang angrily threw down his writing brush and began cursing at the memorial before him.

The thing he hates most in his life is corrupt officials!

Fortunately, the memorial I just received was the last one, and I've finally finished my work for the day.

Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his sore and swollen eyes, let out a long sigh, and the fierce aura in his body slowly dissipated, leaving only exhaustion.

The personal eunuch, Yun Gonggong, who was serving nearby, first picked up the vermilion brush from the ground, wiped away the remaining ink with a clean silk cloth, and gently placed it back next to the inkstone.

Then, seeing that His Majesty had finished his business, he carefully bowed and said, "Your Majesty, it is late at night, you should rest. May I ask if you wish to choose a concubine, or if you would like to summon one of your consorts to serve you in bed?"

In the past, Zhu Yuanzhang would choose whichever concubine he selected by flipping a nameplate and then summon that concubine to serve him in bed.

Sometimes, he even flips two at once!

However, he was a little tired today.

So, Old Zhu waved his hand and said in a relaxed tone, "No need to choose a consort. We're not going anywhere tonight. Prepare the carriage; we're going to Kunning Palace to keep the Empress company."

Eunuch Yun immediately responded and quickly dispatched a young eunuch to Kunning Palace to report the news.

After Lao Zhu finished packing, he prepared to leave.

The eunuch who had gone to deliver the message rushed back and knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, a palace servant from Kunning Palace has come to report that Her Majesty the Empress is unwell today and does not wish to trouble Your Majesty. She requests that Your Majesty move to one of the other consorts' palaces to rest tonight."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "?"