The Great Seminary

Chapter 378 Extending Life
With my son's status so high, my business dealings are practically charity.

This perfectly suited Tsurugi's wishes at that moment.

Zhang Gui kept her company happily, working late into the night at Da Gui Grocery and Sauce Shop, where a large bowl cost only a copper coin—almost like charity.

Exhausted, Takayo kept yawning and, unable to resist the drowsiness any longer, finally went upstairs to rest.
Zhang Gui strolled out of the grocery store.

Lu Zhenduan and Ding Chengqi had been waiting at the dock area for a long time. Upon seeing him appear, they immediately followed and paid their respects.
"Your humble servant pays respects to Your Majesty."

"Get up," Zhang Gui said, personally helping the two men who had bowed deeply to their feet. He praised them directly.
"Given the current situation, you've managed to hold on like this; that's quite remarkable."

"Your Majesty, you flatter me."

As the old saying goes, even a clever housewife can't cook without rice.

If it weren't for the immense financial and material support from the True Dragon Kingdom, the situation in Heian-kyo would probably have collapsed long ago.

They've truly done everything they could; they've gone above and beyond.

Lu Zhenduan shook his head and replied with a wry smile.

Although the True Dragon Kingdom is far away overseas, it has begun to gradually abolish the policy of 'closing the country to the outside world'.

Outsiders may not perceive much difference.

However, Ding Chengqi and Lü Zhenduan, who were in contact with the True Dragon as the Prime Minister and Cardinal of the Stone Corpse Kingdom, and were considered as half "insiders", would inevitably discover many clues.

In particular, the two had long harbored doubts about Zhang Gui's true identity.

If he continues to keep it a secret now, it would be an insult to people's intelligence.

However, he was probing Ding Chengqi's words.

Even though it was late at night, the dock was deserted.

But in front of everyone, Zhang Gui still did not answer, only waved his hand and said, "Come with me."

He strode towards Yonghe Palace.

Once inside the makeshift palace courtyard, he personally closed the doors and windows.

He entered the main room one after the other, along with Ding Chengqi and Lü Zhenduan.

After settling down, he revealed the truth openly: "Alright, I am the true Son of Heaven, the Emperor of Overseas."

Even though Lü Zhenduan and Ding Chengqi had a premonition, they were still stunned for a long time before they said in unison:
"Your Majesty is truly an extraordinary man who does extraordinary things; the ancients were right!"

"That's what they call 'times create heroes,'" Zhang Gui said with a faint smile, gazing at the dim moonlight outside the window. "Alright, Lao Ding, Lao Lü, we've known each other for a long time."

You should know what kind of person I am; I never bully honest people.

We are all guests, treated the same way. Although you have landed in this godforsaken, desolate Stone Corpse Kingdom.

However, there are also officials in the True Dragon Kingdom, whose names have long been included in the 'National Merit Fund'.

As long as nothing goes wrong, he will surely enjoy wealth and honor along with the nation in the future.

In short, this is my sentiment, and I'm just letting you know it first.

Since Lü Zhenduan and Ding Chengqi had close ties with Zhenlong Middle School, they naturally knew the significance of being listed on the 'National Merit Fund' list.

They hastily pushed aside mountains of gold and jade pillars, bowed deeply, and said, "Your Majesty, we thank you for your great kindness. We will devote ourselves to the cause until our dying breath!"

Even though they knew that Zhang Gui genuinely disliked seeing people kowtow, at this crucial juncture, it was more important to show the gesture.

"You two are truly the most cunning of the cunning," Zhang Gui laughed upon seeing this.
"Especially you, Brother Chengqi, you were so simple and honest when we first met, but you've become so worldly in just a few years."

The last time we met, I was so moved by the war between Yingri and Ming Song that I was determined to risk my life to come out of seclusion and save the world.

This time, however, he's bowing down for a pittance again. What happened? He came out of retirement only to find things weren't so simple.

He personally helped Lü Zhenduan and Ding Chengqi to their feet again. Feeling mocked, Ding Chengqi stood up and said with a wry smile:

"Your Majesty, there is no one in the world more wise and intelligent than you."

Saving lives is not something that can be sustained by a momentary impulse.

At first he was brave, then he waned, then he was exhausted, and the fourth time he was driven almost insane by the scene of "a thousand miles of deserted land, ten thousand paths filled with withered bones"!
An ancient sage once said, "A brave and courageous person's face turns red when angry."
A brave man's face turns blue when he's angry;
A man of courage and integrity turns pale with anger;
A truly courageous person remains calm and composed even in anger.

Looking back now, I realize how incredibly reckless I was. I relied on your support and acted on impulse…

“Blood and courage are also forms of bravery; saving one person is also saving another.” Zhang Gui interrupted Ding Chengqi and said seriously, “What I said just now was a joke, not a sarcastic remark.”

Especially when you clearly don't want to persist, yet you still go out of the mountains to search for surviving people and bring them back to Heian-kyo (Peaceful Capital).

If you ask me, this kind of 'doing something unwillingly' is even better than 'heroic'.

Of course, once you leave the mountain, all affairs of our Stone Corpse, both domestically and internationally, will depend entirely on Brother Lü's support. He has truly made a great contribution…”

Zhang Gui's methods for winning people's hearts, besides making grand promises and offering substantial benefits, included creating a sense of 'close friendship'.

The literary and military elites of the feudal era believed that "a scholar will die for one who understands him!"

This was naturally a great success, and Ding Chengqi and Lü Zhenduan were extremely grateful.

After the emperor and his ministers had finished their heart-to-heart talk, his expression turned serious, and he asked:
"Old Ding, have you been to the vicinity of Jinlingdu during your recent trips down the mountain?"

“Of course I have been there.” Seeing that his emperor was no longer being frivolous, Ding Chengqi nodded thoughtfully, “And I have seen the Japanese camp from afar.”

I also witnessed firsthand the bloody national war in which the Ming and Song armies defended Jinling Capital…

He carefully and thoroughly recounted to Zhang Gui what he had personally seen and heard.

Finally, he added his own judgment.

"Your Majesty, Zhao Zhusha truly deserves to be called the founding emperor of the Ming and Song dynasties, and was once one of the most outstanding and heroic rulers in the Eastern Continent."

He truly understands the art of advancing and retreating; his plans and considerations are like "a hidden vein stretching a thousand miles, a snake in the grass and a thread in the dark," which is truly astonishing!

He clearly obtained four of the 'Twelve Golden Immortals', the most precious treasures of the Qin Emperor from ancient times.

However, after its establishment, it was never used again and was secretly hidden in the underground palace of the capital.

The only reasonable explanation for this is that Zhao Zhusha knew that there are no dynasties that last for thousands of years.

His descendants will surely include incompetent rulers who will ascend the throne and wreak havoc on the beautiful lands of the Ming and Song dynasties.

Therefore, Zhao Zhusha hid those four Qin Emperor Golden Immortals as a trump card.

He was thinking that he might be able to extend the life of the dynasty he had created in the future.

Now it's come true...

Zhang Gui listened intently to Ding Chengqi's account, then hissed as if in pain, "Is that Qin Huang Golden Immortal really that strong?"

"Your Majesty, I have only ever seen a single one activate this power, and it already seems capable of breaking through the sun and moon!"

It is said that these four Qin Emperor Golden Immortals were once modified by Liu Bowen, a true immortal who claimed to know 500 years into the past and 500 years into the future, during the early Ming and Song dynasties.

Furthermore, a powerful magic array linked to the 'law of cause and effect' was used to restrain them, killing only external enemies and not harming Zhao's relatives and family members.

That's why the King of Yan was able to successfully sweep through the north.

When Ying Ri seized the throne in the name of Prince Zhen of this dynasty and besieged Jinling Capital, Qin Huang Jin Xian did not launch an attack.

If this is launched now, Prince Zhen is likely in grave danger.

(End of this chapter)