My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 235 Chongzhen: It doesn't matter if I can't be the emperor, it's fine to be a retired emperor who only cares about having children!
Then, for some unknown reason, he said, almost as if possessed:
"Actually, there is one thing about His Highness the Crown Prince that I find quite puzzling."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

Emperor Chongzhen immediately became interested and quickly asked a question.

After a moment's hesitation, Master Chongxu said:
"To be honest, Your Majesty, there have always been two portraits of Zhenwu the Great enshrined in Wudang Mountain. One is painted according to the appearance of Emperor Chengzu, and the other is a portrait of Zhenwu the Great that has been passed down from the Song Dynasty."

"It's quite a coincidence that His Highness the Crown Prince's face is very similar to that of the Zhenwu Emperor in this portrait that has been passed down from the Song Dynasty."

"When I first met His Highness the Crown Prince, I thought I was seeing the real Zhenwu Emperor."

really!

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen stood up excitedly.

Although I already knew about this, the meaning was completely different when these words came from a Taoist priest!

Chongxuzi's words just now seemed to confirm his inner thoughts once again.

Seeing Chongzhen's agitation, Daoist Chongxu was momentarily bewildered, wondering if he had said something wrong that had caused Chongzhen's excitement.

But then he heard Chongzhen say:
"Taoist Master, if I were to tell you that the Crown Prince is the reincarnation of the True Martial Emperor, would you believe me?"

Master Chongxu was stunned when he heard this.

If anyone else had said this, he would have scoffed at it, but since it was the current emperor, he couldn't do that.

Coupled with Zhu Cilang's similar appearance, his heart was actually somewhat shaken for a moment.

And so, without anyone noticing, Zhu Cilang's identity as the reincarnation of the True Martial Emperor was suddenly and completely confirmed!

Zhu Cilang was completely unaware of all of this!
After a moment, Master Chongxu finally came to his senses.

However, his thin face grew increasingly tense, and his withered hands unconsciously clenched his Taoist robe.

He had only casually mentioned that the Crown Prince's appearance was quite similar to the portrait of Zhenwu the Great enshrined in the Taoist temple on Wudang Mountain. Who would have thought that Emperor Chongzhen would throw out such a dilemma for him?

Should we really go along with the emperor's wishes and claim that the crown prince is the reincarnation of Zhenwu the Great?
Master Chongxu smiled bitterly to himself, a hint of helplessness appearing on his face. Even he himself found it hard to believe such absurd and nonsensical remarks.

After careful consideration, he took a deep breath and then said respectfully:

"Your Majesty, this matter is too bizarre to be understood by this humble Taoist. I truly do not know how to answer. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."

Emperor Chongzhen was not angry upon hearing this; instead, a mysterious smile appeared on his face, and he said:
"Never mind, I was just saying it casually, you don't need to take it to heart."

"When the time is right, you will naturally know the truth."

the truth?

What truth?
Is the truth that the Crown Prince is the reincarnation of the True Martial Emperor?
For a moment, Master Chongxu felt his mind was in complete turmoil.

In his view, both the emperor before him and the crown prince he had met before had an inexplicable strangeness in their behavior, making them unfathomable to him.

But what could he say now that things had come to this?

Left with no other choice, Master Chongxu could only bite the bullet and say:

"This humble Taoist priest obeys."

In an instant, Chongzhen seemed to remember something else and then sat down again.

His gaze was fixed on Daoist Chongxu, and then he asked:
"Master Daoist, in your opinion, is it truly possible for a person to cultivate themselves into an immortal?"

Previously, Zhu Cilang had asked the same question, and Master Chongxu had already given an answer.

Now that Emperor Chongzhen brought it up again, Daoist Chongxu naturally knew how to answer.

However, this time he chose a more tactful way of expressing himself.

Then I heard him say:

"Your Majesty, throughout history, those who have cultivated themselves into immortals are few and far between, and most of their deeds are unverifiable and difficult to verify."

"Although there are many legends about becoming an immortal in Taoism, in my opinion, such things are too ethereal and unreal, like a dream or a bubble, and are really hard to grasp."

As Master Chongxu spoke, he secretly glanced at Chongzhen, his eyes filled with caution.

Moreover, although he did not directly state that humans cannot cultivate to become immortals, the implication in his words was quite clear.

In short, it all boils down to one sentence:

Your Majesty, you'd better not overthink it!

Becoming an immortal? That's utter nonsense!
After all, Emperor Jiajing lived only a century ago. Back then, in his quest for immortality, he spent a great deal of manpower and resources searching far and wide for elixirs and magic pills, but in the end, he still could not escape the fate of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Under such circumstances, how could he possibly advocate the practice of cultivating immortality to Emperor Chongzhen?
Coupled with Zhu Cilang's previous warning, he dared not do it again!

It's better to be honest.

At the same time, Emperor Chongzhen was not angry when he heard this, and his expression remained very calm.

After all, he had asked Zhu Cilang the same question before, and Zhu Cilang's answer was similar to that of the Taoist Master Chongxu in front of him.

The reason for asking again is simply to completely dispel that last unrealistic fantasy in my mind.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen sighed softly and said with a touch of emotion:
"That being said, if one can learn the methods of health preservation and enjoy a few more years, it would be good nonetheless."

"Looking at all the emperors of my Great Ming Dynasty, the longest-lived one was only over seventy years old. Could you, Taoist priest, help me live longer?"

Upon hearing this, Master Chongxu's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, a smile appearing on his face, and then he said with certainty:
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have some longevity exercises here, such as the Eight Pieces of Brocade and Tai Chi, which, when combined with corresponding breathing techniques, will make it easy for Your Majesty to live to eighty or ninety years old if you practice them diligently."

joke!

He couldn't become an immortal, but he could still find ways to prolong his life.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, a relieved smile appeared on his face, and a hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes.

Just then, as if suddenly remembering something, Master Chongxu reached into his robes, pulled out a small booklet with an antique cover and slightly curled edges, and gently placed it on the table.

Emperor Chongzhen was curious about what this was when he heard Daoist Chongxu say:

"In addition, this book contains some secret techniques for cultivating pleasure. If Your Majesty studies them diligently, it may also prolong your life."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's previously calm face instantly turned bright red, and the tips of his ears also blushed.

As the ruler of a country, how could he not understand the meaning behind this?
But Chongzhen quickly regained his composure, reached for the booklet, and discreetly slipped it into his sleeve, saying as if nothing had happened:
"The Daoist is indeed learned and knowledgeable, which I greatly admire."

Master Chongxu quickly said politely:
"Your Majesty is too kind!"

Immediately afterwards, Chongzhen inquired about some other matters in detail before letting Daoist Chongxu go and rest.

Although accommodations have not yet been arranged for Daoist Chongxu, this is not a difficult task.

Because Zhu Cilang had already given an order that Daoist Chongxu could freely choose to live in any Taoist temple around Beijing.

If there is no suitable one, it would not be unreasonable to build a new one for him.

After all, it was all to please Emperor Chongzhen, so spending some money was no big deal.

Emperor Chongzhen naturally accepted this arrangement with pleasure.

It should be noted that after the previous Liaodong War, Emperor Chongzhen was already physically and mentally exhausted and had the idea of ​​completely relinquishing power.

He even once planned to return to the capital, pass the throne to Zhu Cilang, and then live a quiet life as an emperor emeritus.

However, this seemed unrealistic, given that Zhu Cilang was still young while Chongzhen was in his prime. A hasty abdication under such circumstances could very likely cause turmoil in the court and endanger the stability of the country.

Zhu Cilang had also taken this into consideration, so for now, he had no choice but to continue maintaining the status quo.

However, this situation will not last long.

Once Zhu Cilang turns sixteen and gets married, Chongzhen can pass the throne to him.

Even so, this matter still needs to be made more reasonable.

After all, it's inevitable that a prime-age emperor would suddenly pass the throne to his crown prince without any apparent reason, which would certainly cause controversy.

However, Chongzhen already had a plan in mind regarding this matter.

That is, as long as he indulges in cultivating immortality and neglects state affairs, he can pass the throne to Zhu Cilang when the time comes, and no one will dare to oppose him.

After all, when Emperor Jiajing sought immortality and enlightenment, he brought many disasters to the Ming Dynasty, and officials still feel lingering fear to this day.

They wouldn't be able to handle another Jiajing Emperor.

Of course, these are things to follow.

At this moment, Emperor Chongzhen was preoccupied with returning to the inner palace as soon as possible and then studying that secret cultivation technique.
It's okay if you can't be the emperor; being a retired emperor who only knows how to have children is actually quite good.

Time flies and a few days pass in a flash.

That night, in the Eastern Palace, the moonlight shone like water on the courtyard, casting a silvery veil over the entire palace.

The candlelight flickered gently on the exquisite candlestick, casting a soft glow on Zhu Cilang and Zheng Xiaomei.

Zhu Cilang was holding Zheng Xiaomei in his arms, and the two were exchanging sweet words when suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from afar, breaking the tranquility of the night.

A moment later, Ma Bao's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Your Highness, Commander Li of the Embroidered Uniform Guard requests an audience!"

Li Ruolian?
Although Zhu Cilang was somewhat helpless, he still said:
"Have him wait outside, I'll be right there!"

After saying this, Zhu Cilang got up from the bed, put on a thin coat, and went outside.

Just before leaving, he seemed to remember something, then turned back, cupped Zheng Xiaomei's face, and gave her a peck.

"Wait for me to return!"

This made Zheng Xiaomei blush shyly.

Before long, Zhu Cilang met Li Ruolian.

"What happened so late?"

Zhu Cilang asked.

Li Ruolian quickly bowed and then hurriedly reported:

"Your Highness, the bandits escorted from Henan have arrived in the capital."

"Because you previously instructed me to inform you of this matter as soon as possible, that's why I've come to bother you!"

Bandits?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang's eyes lit up instantly, as he immediately recalled what Zuo Liangyu had mentioned in his letter.

In his letter, Zuo Liangyu said that he had captured many of Zhang Xianzhong's subordinates, including Li Dingguo, and that he would escort them all to the capital to await Zhu Cilang's judgment.

He hadn't expected them to arrive tonight. Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang perked up, a smile of excitement spreading across his face.

But just as he was about to order the summons of Li Dingguo and others, he suddenly changed his mind.

A sly smile appeared on his face first, then he said:
"Never mind, it's too late tonight, I won't see them now."

"Place them in the imperial prison first. Remember, do not torture them, but also don't let them have too much peace and quiet tonight."

Upon hearing this, Li Ruolian immediately understood Zhu Cilang's intention.

It was obvious that the Crown Prince wanted them to frighten the bandits.

This is one of the specialties of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
Li Ruolian then quickly bowed and replied:
"My minister obeys."

"Go down."

Zhu Cilang waved his hand, his smile unchanged.

Because he knew that Li Dingguo and the others were going to suffer tonight.

Li Ruolian bowed respectfully, then turned and left.

As for Zhu Cilang, he couldn't wait to return to his own paradise.

Although he was still too young to take that final step, Zhu Cilang did everything else he could.
The night was as dark as ink, and the eerie Northern Garrison Commander stood in a corner of the capital, like a lurking beast.

The high prison walls blocked the moonlight, making the place appear even darker and more sinister.

Zhang Xianzhong's subordinates and adopted sons, including Li Dingguo and Liu Wenxiu, were all imprisoned here, and a suffocating atmosphere of tension permeated the prison.

As time goes by, the first rays of dawn appear, and a new day begins.

For those who can sleep soundly, the night passes in a flash.

But for Li Dingguo and the others, the night was incredibly long; it would be an exaggeration to say that it felt like an eternity.

Inside the prison, the damp walls were covered with moss, and a lone lamp cast a faint light, making everyone's shadows long and distorted.

Li Dingguo and the others were scattered throughout the imperial prison, their faces filled with fear and exhaustion, their eyes bloodshot, clearly indicating that they had not slept all night.

Since being escorted here last night, although they have not suffered any physical pain, the eerie and terrifying atmosphere around them, as well as the constant screams, have kept them awake all night.

In fact, when they followed Zhang Xianzhong onto the path of rebellion, they had already prepared themselves for an untimely death.

But he never expected to suffer such torment before his death.

The imperial prison was completely sealed off, with only a solitary lamp and screams coming from who-knows-where, making it impossible for them to keep track of the passage of time.

They had no idea what they were about to face.

If we could just kill them with one blow, that would be a clean and swift death.

But if the imperial court intends to torture them, then they're doomed!

This uncertainty about the future and the mental anguish were far more unbearable for them than the physical pain.

At this moment, despair was written all over everyone's face.

They had considered suicide, but Zuo Liangyu had warned them that if they dared to commit suicide, the tens of thousands of peasant soldiers who had surrendered to the Ming Dynasty would be buried with them!

This includes their families!
This has led to them not even having the courage to commit suicide!
Of course, Zuo Liangyu was just trying to scare them. According to the existing policies of the court, even if they really committed suicide, Zuo Liangyu would not dare to kill all the surrendered peasant soldiers.

However, Li Dingguo and his group were unaware of this rule in the imperial court.
Just when everyone was filled with despair and didn't know what the future held, a series of footsteps suddenly came from the doorway.

Immediately afterwards, several Imperial Guards entered the cell carrying food boxes and placed the food in front of them one by one.

Moreover, the meal was quite plentiful, with each person receiving a bowl of bright red braised pork, a bowl of fresh and tender green vegetables, two snow-white and fluffy steamed buns, and a bowl of steaming porridge.

This was a delicacy they could only dream of when they were farmers. Even after they joined Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion, they could only enjoy such a meal occasionally when they captured a city.

However, at this moment, no one had any appetite, because in their eyes, this might be the legendary last meal before death.

After all, once they were escorted to the capital, they would most likely be beheaded in public to deter bandits from all over the country!

Only Li Dingguo remained calm, his eyes showing no fear.

Firstly, he already disregarded life and death; even if he were to die immediately, he wouldn't even flinch.

In his opinion, his life had been quite eventful, so what did it matter if he died?
Secondly, the soldiers escorting them along the way took good care of them and provided them with plenty of food and drink, which was hardly the treatment one would expect from prisoners.

Therefore, Li Dingguo concluded that the imperial court did not intend to kill them directly, but had other plans.

However, Li Dingguo never told anyone about this, since these were just his guesses.

In any case, only Li Dingguo could eat this meal; the others barely touched their chopsticks.

Of course, the Imperial Guards didn't care whether they ate or not; once the time was up, they took away the bowls, chopsticks, and food.

Immediately afterwards, another group of Imperial Guards entered the prison and ordered them to stand up.

The group thought they were being taken to the execution ground, but instead they were taken to a room and asked to wash up.

The group looked at each other, their faces full of confusion. They knew that these were traitors who had rebelled, so why were they being asked to wash up?

But the Imperial Guards were adamant, saying that if they didn't wash themselves, they would wash them for them.

Left with no other choice, everyone had to follow the instructions and wash up.

After they finished washing up, the Imperial Guards gave them clean clothes to change into, and then led them to a courtyard in the Northern Garrison Command.

After all that work, it was already broad daylight.

At this moment, the pine and cypress trees in the courtyard stand tall, and the leaves rustle in the breeze, creating a very pleasant atmosphere.

Zhu Cilang was already waiting there.

At this moment, he was dressed in a magnificent casual outfit, sitting at a stone table, leisurely drinking tea.

Li Hu, Zheng Chenggong, Li Ruolian, Fang Zhenghua and others attended him, and the surrounding area was filled with Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).

Seeing the Imperial Guards escorting everyone in, he didn't even lift his eyelids and continued drinking the tea in his cup.

After everyone had been brought in, Li Ruolian shouted loudly:

"Your Majesty!"

The crowd looked at each other, and soon some of them obediently knelt down.

Immediately afterwards, most of them obediently knelt down, except for three people, including Li Dingguo, who stubbornly refused to kneel.

Upon seeing this, Li Ruolian immediately prepared to step forward and take action.

But just then, Zhu Cilang raised his hand to stop him.

"Forget it, if they don't want to kneel, let them be. There's no need to force them."

Upon hearing this, Li Ruolian had no choice but to step aside, a hint of resentment on her face.

Zhu Cilang then turned his gaze to Li Dingguo, who was at the head of the group, and asked with a hint of curiosity in his eyes:
"You are Li Dingguo?"

Zhu Cilang did not recognize Li Dingguo, but the man in front of him was quite heroic and exuded an extraordinary temperament in his every move, which made him guess that this man must be Li Dingguo.

It turned out that he was right!
The man at the head, who seemed as stubborn as a mule, was none other than Li Dingguo!

Upon hearing Zhu Cilang's question, Li Dingguo immediately sneered, a mocking smile curving his lips, and said:
"That's right, I am Li Dingguo. And who are you?"

"Be bold!"

Seeing that Li Dingguo neither knelt down nor behaved so rudely, Fang Zhenghua, who was standing behind Zhu Cilang, could no longer hold back and immediately shouted at him.

However, Li Dingguo seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, his eyes full of disdain, and continued to mock:

"I've already rebelled, why would I be afraid of you calling me bold?"

After saying that, he looked Fang Zhenghua up and down, and then said:

"You have a high-pitched voice, are you perhaps a eunuch?"

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Zhu Cilang and continued:
"To be able to act like this in the Imperial Guard prison with eunuchs, it seems you must be either a prince or the crown prince."

"After all, the current emperor isn't as young as you!"

Zhu Cilang was dressed in plain clothes today, so Li Dingguo did not initially guess his identity.

But as soon as Fang Zhenghua opened his mouth, his unique voice instantly aroused Li Dingguo's suspicion.

That's why these speculations have arisen!

Seeing that Li Dingguo was able to guess his identity, Zhu Cilang's eyes instantly showed a hint of appreciation.

He then nodded and said:
"You guessed right, I am indeed Zhu Cilang, the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Li Dingguo's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected that his casual remark would actually be correct.

At the same time, Liu Wenxiu and the others behind him were also stunned. It was obvious that they did not expect the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty to receive them personally.

Those who had previously refused to kneel now knelt down, but Li Dingguo remained proudly upright, refusing to kneel.

Zhu Cilang looked at Li Dingguo, a hint of provocation flashing in his eyes, and asked:
"Now that you know my identity, you still refuse to kneel?"

Li Dingguo continued to sneer, his expression unrestrained:
"So what if we know, or we don't? We've already rebelled against your Zhu family, so what's the point of kneeling or not?"

Zhu Cilang did not get angry, but continued to ask:

"Since we've come to the topic of rebellion, then tell me, why do you want to rebel?"

Li Dingguo did not answer Zhu Cilang's question, but instead asked in return:
"You ask me why I rebelled? Then I'd like to ask you, why did your ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang rebel back then?"

Before Zhu Cilang could answer, he continued:

"We're starving to death, and we can't even get a full meal! Your ancestor Zhu Yuanzhang was like that back then, and we are like that now."

Upon hearing this, Li Ruolian, Fang Zhenghua, and the others were immediately enraged, their faces turning bright red, wishing they could rush up and chop Li Dingguo into mincemeat!

In their view, Li Dingguo's audacity to compare himself to Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang was utterly rebellious.

However, before they could make a move, Zhu Cilang stopped them.

Zhu Cilang then stood up and paced slowly in the courtyard, as if he were pondering something.
A moment later, Zhu Cilang suddenly grinned and looked at Li Dingguo, saying:
“What you say makes some sense. If the Zhu family makes the people of the world go hungry, why should the people bow down and submit to the Zhu family?”

"Let's just rebel!"

Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

Not
This is hardly something a crown prince should say!
Even Li Dingguo looked completely bewildered, unable to figure out what Zhu Cilang was up to.

(End of this chapter)