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

Chapter 543 The Last Letter
"Mother, the sea breeze outside the window is strong. Let me help you inside to rest!" Seeing his mother, Empress Xia, standing by the window in the sea breeze, Emperor Xixiang knew the reason. But he still quickly stepped forward, gently supporting his mother's hand, and spoke softly to her with a gentle expression.

"Yu'er, you are a good child. I saw everything that just happened with my own eyes."

"Your father actually passed away before me. I have no regrets in this life." Empress Dowager Xia said weakly to her son, her eyes filled with tears, as she looked at him carefully supporting her.

At this moment, Empress Dowager Xia felt no envy for her husband's ascension to the heavens, only a deep sense of relief at being freed from his suffering! Her greatest fear was that her husband would see her hideous state after her death. Now, her beloved husband had indeed kept his promise and departed ahead of schedule, so she was at ease!

Of course, when she saw her husband ascend to heaven on a dragon, Empress Dowager Xia was filled with pride and joy. After all, the man who ascended to heaven in broad daylight was her beloved husband!

"Mother Empress~~~" Upon hearing his mother Xia's gentle yet weak voice, Emperor Xixiang, with his white hair, forced back the tears in his eyes and helped his mother Xia to rest on a soft couch. Looking at his mother's weak face, Emperor Xixiang was also filled with sorrow.

After all, her father, Emperor Longwu, had just passed away, and now, the spirit that Empress Xia had been holding onto had quietly dissipated. Losing two loved ones in a single day was something even the strong-willed Emperor Xixiang found difficult to accept.

Perhaps at this moment, Emperor Xixiang may have truly regretted it. He regretted following his mother Xia's wishes and letting her watch his father, Emperor Longwu, ride away on a dragon!

After the ship's signal rang out, it signified that this sea voyage initiated by Emperor Longwu had finally come to a successful conclusion.

According to the "Biography of Emperor Longwu" officially published by the Dragon Kingdom court, in the autumn of the 30th year of Longwu and the first year of Xixiang, the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom, Emperor Longwu, ascended to the heavens in the vast ocean in full view of everyone, riding a true dragon that was 64 feet 3 feet 7 inches long, and ascended to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor!

The following day, Empress Dowager Xia, overwhelmed with grief, passed away, following Emperor Longwu in death.

For a time, the entire nation of China was filled with grief!

Ultimately, Emperor Longwu and Empress Dowager Xia were buried together in the mausoleum, which was temporarily renamed the Imperial Mausoleum. Next to the Imperial Mausoleum, in accordance with Emperor Longwu's promise before his death, a winding, river-like secondary tomb was built, which was the tomb of Zhang Dazhu, the Duke of Longhe.

The funeral of Emperor Longwu and Empress Dowager Xia lasted for three months before it finally came to an end.

Subsequently, after several grand court assemblies and discussions among the officials of the Dragon Kingdom, the court officials and Emperor Xixiang finally decided on the arrangements for the death of Zhu Zhanhe, the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom.

Zhu Zhanhe, the founding emperor of the Dragon Kingdom;

Era name: Longwu;
Posthumous title: Emperor Wenwu Shengzun Daguangxiao Mingren;

Temple name: Long Taizu;

Honorific title: Great Ancestor Holy Heavenly Emperor!

At the same time, the court officials also bestowed upon Empress Dowager Xia an honorific title: Empress Renxiao Cide Yixi Longsheng Peitian Qisheng Wen!

Once everything had settled down, the Dragon Kingdom resumed its normal operations.

On this day, Emperor Xixiang, Zhu Qiyu, as usual, dragged his tired body back to the Hall of Supreme Harmony and once again began to review the piles of memorials by lamplight.

Suddenly, Emperor Xixiang, who was reviewing memorials, stood up abruptly, startling the eunuchs serving him.

At this moment, Emperor Xixiang suddenly remembered that his father had said he would leave him a gift before his ascension to the throne! It was right under the dragon throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony!

Overwhelmed with emotion, Emperor Xixiang waved his hand to dismiss the bewildered eunuchs serving in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Only after the eunuchs had all left did Emperor Xixiang gently lift the cushion on the dragon throne, revealing the original sturdy wooden planks of the throne.

Then, following his childhood memories, Emperor Xixiang gently turned a dragon pearl on the dragon throne, and a small, square compartment, about one foot in size, was revealed on the originally tightly sealed wooden board of the dragon throne.

And, unsurprisingly, Emperor Xixiang found an imperial edict, a thin book, and a letter in the hidden compartment. "Father," Emperor Xixiang murmured, his heart filled with excitement, as he gently picked up the three items from the compartment and called out to the empty Taihe Hall.

Perhaps only now, after leaving Emperor Longwu, does Emperor Xixiang truly understand the difficulties of court life!

After a soft sniffle, Emperor Xixiang took out all three items from the hidden compartment and placed them one by one on the solid wood table in front of him, which was used to review memorials.

After staring blankly at the object before him for a moment, Emperor Xixiang picked up the letter addressed to him first. Silently unfolding the folded letter, he read its contents:

"Eldest brother, when you see this letter, it only means that Dad is really gone."

To be honest, I don't know where I'll go next. Leaving this letter is a backup plan for you if I really can't come back.

Of course, if your father comes back, you won't be able to see this letter.

I wonder how your mother is doing now. I really miss her!

You need to take good care of your mother; she has sacrificed so much for you!

"To get back to the point, the main purpose of your father leaving this letter is to tell you a few things." Upon opening the letter, Emperor Xixiang saw the sharp, calligraphic handwriting on the paper. With such fierce handwriting, Emperor Xixiang knew at a glance that this was the original letter left by his father, Emperor Longwu.

After all, no one can imitate the sharp and powerful handwriting of my father, Emperor Longwu!

When Emperor Xixiang saw the letter expressing his father's longing for his mother, he was also moved to tears.

Suppressing his sadness, Emperor Xixiang gently turned to the second page of the letter and began to read its contents again.

"Eldest brother, actually, I've always wanted to tell you that the so-called immortality is just a hoax I made up."

Of course, when you, and all of you, see Dad looking so young and youthful again, you certainly won't believe this.

However, I still have to tell you that the Three Methods of Immortality are really a scam that I made up to motivate you!

The first method for achieving longevity is what your father hopes you will study for medical purposes, since medicine can indeed achieve the goal of longevity;

The second method of immortality is a lie that your father fabricated in the hope that you, your uncles, aunts, and brothers can wholeheartedly govern the country and the fiefdom.

The Third Method of Longevity may be the most likely way to achieve longevity, but it is not immortality! However, this method requires endless resources. In the letter on the second page, Emperor Longwu truthfully told his son the true purpose of the Three Methods of Longevity he had mentioned.

Little did Emperor Xixiang know that although he frowned and looked surprised when he saw the contents of this letter, he did not believe it at all.

After all, the living example of Emperor Longwu riding a dragon to the heavens was right before his eyes, witnessed by Emperor Xixiang himself! How could Emperor Xixiang possibly believe it was all a lie?!
Of course, the contents of the second page of the letter also filled Emperor Xixiang with doubt. After all, Emperor Xixiang knew that his father, Emperor Longwu, had never lied to him! He wouldn't lie to him about this matter!

With these doubts in mind, Emperor Xixiang opened the third page of the letter.

"Eldest son, besides the immortality that you will all pursue, your father has left you two other things. One is an imperial edict that your father wrote to Emperor Yongle when he was still the Crown Prince of Han!"

"You can keep this imperial edict as a treasure for future generations." Upon seeing this, Emperor Xixiang couldn't help but glance at the imperial edict on the table.

(End of this chapter)