Under One Person: My Inner Realm Connects to All Worlds!

Chapter 61 Painting Cake
Zhu Houcong dared not voice any objection to the methods Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi proposed to make amends for their mistakes. After all, who wouldn't be anxious upon suddenly hearing that they were to be thrown into a pig's womb?

He didn't want to die, and the Ming Dynasty couldn't perish either, so he had no choice but to die in other small countries.

Zhu Houcong's eyes darkened, revealing a cruel glint.

His gaze then shifted, and he looked expectantly at Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi. His throat tightened, but his desire overcame his fear, and he finally mustered the courage to ask:

"Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong, your descendants wish to ask, is there any method to become an immortal?"

Zhu Di's face was grim, and Zhu Gaochi's lips twitched as well.

"What, you think you can come to the Heavenly Court in your current state of convict?"

Zhu Houcong hurriedly crawled forward a few steps, grabbed Zhu Di's leg, and said, "Emperor Taizong, I am truly your descendant!"

Zhu Gaochi curled his lip: "You entered the main sect from a minor sect. Even among the younger generation, there are degrees of closeness and distance. My two younger brothers and my son are still in the underworld and haven't been rescued yet. Why should it be your turn?"

"With lofty vision and benevolent guidance, and with profound support and constant assistance, I too am a descendant of Emperor Taizong; blood is thicker than water!"

Zhu Houcong looked up, his eyes gleaming with hope. "Emperor Taizong and Emperor Renzong, though your descendants have made mistakes, if you are fortunate enough to receive divine favor, you will surely diligently cultivate merit and protect the Ming Dynasty for eternity."

Zhu Di snorted coldly and kicked him away: "You still have the nerve to mention me? You've been neglecting state affairs and pursuing alchemy and Taoism, almost ruining the entire Ming Dynasty. Now you know how to correct your mistakes? Where were you all this time!"

Zhu Gaochi sighed and shook his head, saying, "Houcong, how can one easily obtain the opportunity to become an immortal? You haven't even fulfilled your duties as a mortal emperor, how can you possibly glimpse the path to immortality?"

Zhu Houxi's face turned pale, but he was still unwilling to give up. He gritted his teeth and said, "Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong, your descendant knows he was wrong. As long as you two point out a way, I am willing to brave even mountains of knives and seas of fire."

Zhu Di narrowed his eyes, then suddenly revealed a meaningful smile: "Oh? You're really willing to do anything?"

Zhu Houcong nodded vigorously, "Absolutely true!"

Zhu Di immediately gave Zhu Gaochi a wink, then turned his back and transformed into a golden light, leaving the place.

Zhu Gaochi smiled and helped Zhu Houcong up, then said, "You think you can become an immortal? That's difficult!"

Zhu Houcong looked up expectantly: "Emperor Renzong..."

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand: "Don't speak yet, let me tell you about the difficulties. The Heavenly Court has a rule that cultivation is not allowed while the emperor is alive."

"However, after death, if one has performed great deeds for the common people, one can ascend to the Heavenly Court, or one can use one's merits to guide one's descendants to the Heavenly Realm."

“Take me for example. Although I was emperor for only ten months, I was able to ascend to heaven after my father used up my merits. After all, I was unfamiliar with the Heavenly Court, and our Zhu family had no foundation. If we don’t trust our descendants, who can we trust?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houcong immediately became excited: "Then, Emperor Renzong, can I also do it?"

Under Zhu Houcong's expectant gaze, Zhu Gaochi shook his head and sighed, "It's all my eldest grandson's fault, that little bastard Qizhen."

"He committed evil deeds in the human world and became the Gatekeeper Emperor. We were also implicated by him, burdened with sins, and lost a lot of merit as a result. Now, with this incident involving you, haven't you seen my father's dark face every day?"

“My father originally tried his best to make this happen, hoping to bring prosperity to our Ming Dynasty and allow my father and me to gain prestige in front of Little Han Tai. But what have you done… Sigh, never mind!” Zhu Gaochi waved his hand. “My father also wanted to bring my two younger brothers and my son up here, but now he doesn’t have enough merit to help you, let alone get you out of trouble. What can he do?”

“In this Heavenly Court, merit is more effective than incense offerings; it’s the ultimate hard currency. We have to spend money on welcoming and sending off guests, and my father is used to spending lavishly. I have to be careful with my money every day; I’m practically a master of abacuses.”

Zhu Gaochi rummaged through his sleeves, spread his hands out, and showed them to Zhu Houcong, saying with a self-deprecating laugh, "See? Cleaner than my face, I have no money!"

"Therefore, if you want to ascend to heaven, you must accumulate merit. Do more good deeds in the mortal world so that my father and I have enough money to rescue you!"

Zhu Houcong seemed to have realized that his ancestors had no money... well, no merit, and wanted him, their descendant, to accumulate merit for them!
Why is my heart, which is meant to work like an ox or a horse for my ancestors, suddenly restless?

Zhu Houcong asked cautiously, "Emperor Renzong, what do you want me to do?"

"Simple!"

Zhu Gaochi turned his palm over, and a miniature model of a constellation appeared in his palm—it was the Blue Star.

"The myriad realms of the heavens are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and the stars are but a speck of dust. The sun, moon, mountains, and rivers will endure forever, and the Ming Dynasty will endure forever!"

"There are so many territories beyond the Ming Dynasty. The merit of expanding territory is great enough for an emperor. If you don't take them now, your descendants can expand them later, and the merit will belong to them," Zhu Gaochi said with a smile, trying to persuade him.

Zhu Houcong stared at the star in awe. Although he knew about Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean and had seen the World Chart, he truly hadn't expected that there was such a vast world outside of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong stared at the blue star model in Zhu Gaochi's palm, a hint of greed and ambition flashing in his eyes, just as an emperor would when he saw the Imperial Seal of the State.

Zhu Houcong: This is the foundation upon which I will become an immortal!

He swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly: "Emperor Renzong, do you mean for me to expand the territory and add new land to the Ming Dynasty's land?"

Zhu Gaochi smiled slightly, put away the constellation model, and patted Zhu Houcong on the shoulder: "Not bad. If you can establish such merits, you can not only wash away your previous mistakes, but also accumulate enough merits, and it is not impossible for you to ascend to the Heavenly Court in the future."

Zhu Houcong's eyes flashed with a sharp light, but then he hesitated: "However, although the Ming Dynasty is currently strong, years of war have left the national treasury empty. If we were to launch a large-scale military campaign abroad, I'm afraid..."

"Don't worry, I'll let you destroy that tiny country of Ercuo, it'll be full of gold and silver."

"Also, who told you to go and fight now? Your most important task right now is to restore order to the court and strengthen the nation. Stop all that alchemy and cultivation stuff as soon as possible."

"Focus your energy on governing the country, and it will not be too late to make plans after the country has recovered its strength."

Zhu Houcong nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, your descendants understand. I will certainly work hard to govern the country and restore order, but your descendants' health..."

Zhu Gaochi glanced at Zhu Houcong with disdain, then waved his hand, and a golden light entered his body. Immediately, strands of foul blood mixed with a fishy smell appeared on the surface of Zhu Houcong's body.

"I've cleared the erysipelas from your body; you can live for at least another twenty years."

(End of this chapter)