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

Chapter 533 There are three ways to achieve immortality
In the Imperial Ancestral Temple of Longdu, just as the princes of the Dragon Kingdom were kneeling and getting impatient, they suddenly heard a series of muffled footsteps.

As the heavy footsteps drew closer, the princes felt the air around them grow thick and oppressive.

At this moment, even without any eunuchs announcing their arrival, all the princes kneeling on the prayer mats knew that the person who had come was the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom, and now the retired emperor of the Dragon Kingdom—Emperor Longwu!

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!" Just as the familiar figure of Emperor Longwu stepped into the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu, was the first to kneel on one knee and respectfully pay homage to his father, Emperor Longwu.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" After Emperor Xixiang knelt down, all the princes of the Dragon Kingdom quickly knelt down as well, respectfully bowing their heads to Emperor Longwu to greet him.

"Alright, all of you, get up." Emperor Longwu said as he stepped to the center of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, addressing the people kneeling on the ground.

"Thank you, Father Emperor!" Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu, was the first to stand up.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Following closely behind Emperor Xixiang, the princes also respectfully rose to their feet.

"Ahhh!" Suddenly, just as Emperor Xixiang stood up, the princes who followed him also rose to their feet heard his startled cry. Then, in a flurry of panic, the princes saw Emperor Xixiang, as if he had seen something terrifying, collapse back onto his prayer mat!

"Father~~" Emperor Xixiang, who had slumped onto the prayer mat, stared blankly at Emperor Longwu standing in front of him, his eyes filled with shock.

"Royal brother~~~"

"Big brother~~~~"

"Father Emperor~~~"

"Dad~~~~"

"..." In an instant, all the princes followed Emperor Xixiang's gaze to Emperor Longwu before them, only to be completely stunned! In a mere moment, exclamations of surprise rose and fell, creating a chaotic scene!

It turned out that everyone was only now realizing that Emperor Longwu had somehow shaved off his thick beard! And what was truly astonishing was that after shaving, Emperor Longwu seemed to have become decades younger!

At this moment, Emperor Longwu, without a beard, had a youthful yet upright face, making him look like a young man in his early twenties!

At this moment, the princes present were shocked and terrified to see the young Emperor Longwu again!

To everyone's surprise, the Dragon Emperor, who was actually over sixty years old, was appearing before everyone as a young man in his twenties! This unbelievable scene truly terrified all the princes present!

As for whether the young Emperor Longwu before them might be an imposter, the princes present were capable of discerning the truth; they certainly wouldn't mistake their elder brother and father for each other!
"Brother, you've become younger?" After being stunned for a long time, the Third Prince, Zhu Zhan'an, the Prince of Luzon, seemed to have come back to his senses. With a blank expression, he stammered and asked the Emperor Longwu.

"Third brother, don't you feel that I have been replaced?" Looking at his third brother, who was in a daze, Emperor Longwu asked him jokingly.

"Brother, you jest. Even if we are old and our eyesight is failing, we will not mistake you for someone else!" Faced with Emperor Longwu's somewhat absurd question, Queen Yushu stepped forward before King Luzon and said to the younger Emperor Longwu with a serious expression.

"Yes, eldest sister is right!"

"Yu Shu is right, elder brother. No matter what, would we possibly mistake you for someone else?!"

For a moment, a cacophony of voices echoed throughout the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

"Alright, alright, everyone quiet down." Looking at his younger siblings and sons who had gathered around him, talking all at once and with strange glints in their eyes, Emperor Longwu slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

Immediately, the Imperial Ancestral Temple fell silent. "Your Majesty!" After the silence descended upon the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Emperor Longwu called out to Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu.

"Father, I am here!" Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu, replied respectfully.

"Is the area outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple under martial law?" Emperor Longwu asked softly.

"Father, no bird dares approach more than a hundred paces from the Imperial Ancestral Temple!" Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu, replied solemnly. However, for some reason, looking at his father, who appeared even younger than himself, Emperor Xixiang felt a strange unease.

"It's good that martial law is in effect!" Emperor Longwu sighed softly.

"Today, I have summoned all the princes of my Dragon Kingdom to their fiefdoms because there is something, or rather, a secret, that I wish to share with everyone, but it is not appropriate for others to hear it!" Emperor Longwu turned around, picked up a few sticks of incense from the incense table, lit them with the candlelight, looked at the princes behind him, and spoke softly.

Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words, the Imperial Ancestral Temple fell even more silent. After all, everyone knew that anything that could warrant such caution from Emperor Longwu must be a very important matter!
After speaking, Emperor Longwu gently placed the lit incense stick in his hand into the incense burner.

Then, Emperor Longwu took a few more steps forward, getting even closer to the incense table.

"My lord, after I am gone, this memorial tablet should be placed next to me!" The Emperor Longwu took out a very simple memorial tablet from among the many tablets on the altar and said to Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu.

"Father." For a moment, Emperor Xixiang was at a loss after hearing Emperor Longwu's words. However, seeing the memorial tablet handed over by his father, Emperor Xixiang still raised his hand and accepted it.

Emperor Xixiang knew very well that the memorial tablet in his hand was the one personally bestowed upon Zhang Dazhu, the Duke of Longhe, by his father.

In fact, at this moment, not only Emperor Xixiang, but also all the princes were filled with doubt. After all, Emperor Longwu looked so young, why was he talking about his legacy now?

However, at this moment, no one spoke. They simply watched Emperor Longwu's actions in silence.

"Let's get down to business!"

I have something to discuss with all the princes of the Zhu family today.

"As for why I shaved my beard, it was only to make what I'm about to say more convincing." Emperor Longwu ignored the surprise on the faces of his son, Emperor Xixiang, his younger siblings, and his sons, and casually sat down on the prayer mat, speaking calmly.

"Sit down~"
"I have important business to discuss, everyone sit down and listen!" Looking at his younger siblings and sons who were still standing, Emperor Longwu raised his hand again to remind everyone to sit down.

After Emperor Xixiang sat down, holding Zhang Dazhu's memorial tablet in his arms, the princes also sat down somewhat awkwardly. At this moment, all the princes looked at Emperor Longwu with expectant expressions, wanting to see what Emperor Longwu had to say to them this time.

"Today, the leading figures of the Zhu family of my Dragon Kingdom have also gathered here in this Imperial Ancestral Temple."

"Today, I have something important to tell you all." Emperor Longwu spoke slowly, as if testing the patience of the princes. Seeing that none of the princes responded, Emperor Longwu continued speaking on his own.

"I have said many times that I will live to be 120 years old!"

"I'm sure many of you here have heard this before," Emperor Longwu asked the princes softly, as if seeking their opinion.

"Your subject remembers!" Upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words, Emperor Xixiang paused for a moment before respectfully replying. The other princes also nodded in agreement, indicating that they had heard the same thing.

(End of this chapter)