Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 531 Inheritance of the Throne
After queuing to enter, the cabinet members respectfully bowed to Emperor Longwu, while Crown Prince Zhu Qiyu, as always, stood at the emperor's side.

"I have summoned you here today because there is something I need to arrange."

"After you leave, begin making arrangements today, and don't waste any time." Emperor Longwu didn't directly say what it was about, but instead firmly told the cabinet members to get to work.

"Please give your orders, Your Majesty!" Zhang Tingfang, as the Grand Secretary, respectfully stepped forward, standing in front of all the officials, and bowed to Emperor Longwu. Although Zhang Tingfang did not know what Emperor Longwu wanted to do, he still agreed first.

"That's good then~"
By imperial decree: immediately prepare for the new emperor's enthronement ceremony and select an auspicious date.

"Crown Prince Zhu Qiyu is preparing to ascend the throne and become emperor!" Without the slightest hesitation, or any sign or preparation, Emperor Longwu sat calmly on the dragon throne and spoke as if casually.

"Your subject obeys." Without a second thought, Zhang Tingfang, who had initially intended to immediately accept the decree, was stunned upon realizing what was happening. He hadn't expected that Emperor Longwu actually intended to abdicate in favor of the Crown Prince!

Keep in mind that Emperor Longwu is only sixty-five years old! And on the surface, he appears to be even younger and more energetic than Crown Prince Zhu Qiyu!
But now, Emperor Longwu is actually going to abdicate? This is something none of the cabinet ministers expected!

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" In an instant, upon hearing of Emperor Longwu's intention to abdicate, the four ministers of the cabinet knelt on the ground, repeatedly pleading with Emperor Longwu to reconsider.

"Father, please reconsider!" At this moment, Crown Prince Zhu Qiyu, who had just come to his senses, knelt down in astonishment and begged Emperor Longwu to reconsider.

After all, Emperor Longwu's words came as a complete surprise, leaving everyone unprepared!

"Think it over, my foot!"

Emperor Hongwu reigned for thirty-one years!

Emperor Taizong Yongle reigned for twenty-two years!

My achievements in this life, if not surpassing those of Emperor Taizu, I believe are comparable to those of Emperor Taizong!

Therefore, it would be best if his reign did not exceed thirty-one years!

"Now that I've been emperor for thirty years, it's time for me to abdicate!" Emperor Longwu didn't care what his ministers thought; he had his own ideas! And Emperor Longwu even voiced his thoughts.

Then, without giving the ministers a chance to argue, Emperor Longwu continued to speak.

"Besides, there's no such thing as someone being a prince for decades in this world!"

Besides, I am the founding emperor of this Dragon Kingdom, and I must set a good example for future generations! I cannot remain emperor until my death!

"That's not good!" Emperor Longwu explained again to the four cabinet ministers.

"That's the decision!"

I remember telling you before that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I would live to be 120 years old! I still have another 50 or 60 years to go!

What? Do you want me to be emperor for several more decades?

Could my son have waited that long?

Go away~~
You all hurry down and make preparations to spread this message to all the vassal states!

"Let all the princes come and attend the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne!" Emperor Longwu didn't give anyone a chance to object and directly made the decision! Furthermore, Emperor Longwu brought up his own claim of living to be 120 years old!
Then, to avoid listening to his ministers' nagging, Emperor Longwu waved his sleeves and left.

In the days that followed, Emperor Longwu retreated to Kunning Palace once more, indulging in pleasure with the Empress and his concubines. He refused to meet with ministers, effectively handing over the reins of state affairs entirely to his eldest son! Amidst the uproar and commotion in the court...

On this day, in Kunning Palace, Emperor Longwu leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the sky, without saying a word.

Empress Xia, standing to the side, looked at her husband with a pained expression. He had been sitting there for about half an hour, and she hid the sorrow in her eyes very well.

Furthermore, to prevent the maids from disturbing her husband's thoughts, Empress Xia sent all the maids out of the palace.

At this moment, only Empress Xia was quietly watching her husband.

For some reason, even Empress Xia herself didn't know when it started, but she was horrified to discover that whenever her husband was alone, he always had a strange sense of being detached from the world.

It's as if your husband might suddenly disappear from your side at any moment!

This terrifying discovery filled Empress Xia with dread. However, she didn't know how to tell her husband, so she could only suppress this horrifying thought in her heart and silently endure this torment alone.

"Your Majesty, have some tea!" Seeing her husband still lost in thought, Empress Xia offered him a cup of tea with a pained expression and interrupted his contemplation.

"Oh! Okay!" The Dragon Emperor, whose mind was still foggy, was startled awake by his wife's sudden voice. He subconsciously took the tea from her hand and replied to her.

"My lord, how long have I been lost in thought?" Emperor Longwu, holding a teacup, seemed to realize that he had been daydreaming and asked his wife softly.

"It's been almost an hour!" Empress Xia replied to her husband in a trembling voice.

"My Empress, why are you crying?" Seeing that his empress's eyes were red and she was about to cry, Emperor Longwu quickly put down his teacup and stepped forward to comfort her.

"Your Majesty, I'm so scared!" Empress Xia, her hand being held by her husband, burst into tears instantly. She didn't know what had gone wrong, but she knew that her husband might really be leaving her!

"Don't be afraid, my lord, I'm fine!"

"I am just..." In the end, even Emperor Longwu himself didn't know what problems he would encounter!
However, there was one thing Emperor Longwu knew: he might really be leaving.

Because, without knowing when it started, a strange sense of alienation from the world had begun to appear. This feeling was truly astonishing, like the premonition of waking from a dream! It made Emperor Longwu somewhat uneasy.

However, after hearing Emperor Longwu's words, Empress Xia became even more heartbroken, and tears streamed down her delicate face.

"I just feel like I'm about to wake up from this dream!" Looking at his tearful wife, Emperor Longwu held her in his arms, looked at the sky, and murmured.

"Your Majesty." Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words, Empress Xia, her eyes brimming with tears, let her tears flow directly onto Emperor Longwu's chest.
It was after this day that Empress Xia seemed to lose all her energy and spirit, and her health began to decline rapidly.
As the beginning of autumn approached, after months of busy preparations, the Dragon Kingdom's court finally made smooth preparations for the Crown Prince's succession to the throne.

Furthermore, the vassal kings of each fiefdom had already arrived in Longduli from their respective fiefdoms ahead of time.

However, on the day the Crown Prince officially ascended the throne, the court not only prepared the usual enthronement ceremony, but also prepared an even grander military parade!

This can be seen as creating momentum for the crown prince's ascension to the throne and intimidating the world!
Of course, envoys from other countries also came once again to participate in this unprecedented sacred event in the Dragon Kingdom!
Standing atop the city wall with his sons, watching the rows of soldiers and the new firearms passing by in front of Longdu Square, Emperor Longwu was very satisfied.

After the military parade, the process of the crown prince's ascension to the throne will begin.

The series of procedures, including urging the emperor to ascend the throne, offering sacrifices, issuing edicts, accepting court homage, and the enthronement ceremony, were completed approximately three days later.

(End of this chapter)