The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 120 Incense of Divine Descent, Father and Son Reunite
It is night, the moonlight is like water.

Li Clan Ancestral Hall.

The heavy sandalwood is woven with cloud patterns, its deep color solemn and awe-inspiring. The wisps of incense smoke from the burner create a graceful and ethereal effect, and at the very top, a shrine to the gods is placed.

Li Xianmu knelt on the prayer mat, head bowed, and recounted his experiences over the past few days in great detail.

If anyone were to see this, they would be astonished. Is this still the same decisive and efficient Li Xianmu of the past?

Time passed, and Li Xianmu felt his mouth getting dry. He finally stopped talking and remained silent for a long time before slowly taking out a stick of incense from his pocket.

This is a divine incense that cannot be soaked in water, burned by fire, broken by force, or transformed at will.

It was the most precious keepsake his father left him.

His hands were shaking.

Looking somewhat lost and timid, she asked again the same question she had asked years ago, "Will lighting this incense allow me to see my father?"

For three years, he had thought about this question countless times, but he had never taken any action because he was afraid that it was all just a dream.

But after returning from Qufu, he was still unsettled and today he could not suppress his longing for his deceased father.

"Li Xianmu, the second head of the Li family and descendant of Li Qi, lit incense to pay homage to his ancestors."

The incense for slaying spirits need not be lit with ordinary fire. Once the words are spoken, divine thoughts act as a guide, and wisps of green smoke drift away naturally.

A delicate fragrance slowly wafted out.

Before Li Xianmu could think further, a hazy blue light enveloped his soul and drifted out of his body.

His body stiffened instantly.

The next moment it drooped slightly, as if asleep.

Li Xianmu was surprised and uncertain. He slightly raised his transparent hand. Could this be the legendary spirit?
The next moment, he was plunged into deep darkness, no longer knowing what the world was.

Who will awaken first from this great dream?

Beyond the sky, Li Qi's body gradually solidified, and amidst the rising and falling, wisps of smoke drifted in, as he awoke from his deep slumber.

In an instant, he already knew what had happened. He never expected that Li Xianmu's first use of the Divine Incense was stimulated by the Kong family.

"I have 50 incense points now, and I can condense two more incense sticks to summon the spirits. My achievement points are 2000, which is quite a lot. My personal reputation and family reputation have not changed."

Li Qi waved his hand, instantly erasing 500 achievement points. The next moment, Li Xianmu's figure appeared in a high mountain and sea of ​​clouds.

boom!
Li Xianmu regained his senses. He felt as if in an endless, vast, and distant place, there were gods singing and great bells ringing.

An immense weight instantly descended upon his soul.

He looked up and saw a sea of ​​clouds churning, filled with endless light—gold, purple, and white—that made his eyes shine brightly.

Li Xianmu stared blankly at the unfamiliar scene, which reminded him of the celestial palace floating in the sea of ​​clouds in mythology.

What appeared before him was not the Heavenly Palace.

Instead.

A familiar figure.

"Father!"

Li Xianmu exclaimed in surprise, then knelt down abruptly.

Tears instantly filled his eyes. He hadn't expected that his father hadn't lied to him at all, and that he had really seen his father!
This is the most precious gift, far surpassing any glory or wealth!
"you……"

Li Xianmu had countless things he wanted to say, such as where this place was, and whether his father was still alive.
Li Qi landed in front of Li Xianmu and patted his head as usual, which made Li Xianmu look somewhat pleased.

Li Qi chuckled softly, "Do you remember what I told you, that a person dies three times in their life?"

Li Xianmu certainly remembered that it was after he became the top scholar in the imperial examination!
"The first is the passing of life, the second is the funeral, when everyone knows that this person is gone, and all his social relationships have died, and the third is being completely forgotten, which is also the last death. You have my blood flowing in your veins, and you are the proof that I am alive in this world."

He always kept these words in mind, so he was determined to revitalize his family's reputation and let the world know that Li Qi had a son named Li Xianmu, who was the successor of his will!

“A man dies like a lamp going out.”

Li Qi said with his hands behind his back, “But I am different after all. As long as I have descendants like you, I will not die. This is the meaning of inheritance.”

The father and son strolled together amidst the sea of ​​clouds atop the mountain.

Li Xianmu told his father everything he had done along the way, and then asked with great confusion, "Father, my two outstanding achievements have indeed been very beneficial, and His Majesty has even considered allowing me to serve in the Wenyuan Pavilion."

However, this was merely an increase in status; the son's reputation did not become apparent in the world, a far cry from the father's former glory.

The father was born into a sinful family, yet he always managed to gain prestige; the son was born of a saint, yet he was mistreated by the world.

Is it merely the power of time?
My father and His Highness the Crown Prince met by chance, and the Emperor and my father were merely nodding acquaintances, yet the Emperor entrusted my father with state affairs and heavy responsibilities.

The son and the emperor are blood relatives, uncle and nephew, and the crown prince are cousins. He has spoken generously and sincerely with the two of them, but he is not as trustworthy as his father.

The son didn't understand why.

Li Qi laughed heartily, "It's already quite remarkable that you've realized this." Li Xianmu's expression brightened upon hearing this. He knew his father would be able to answer his question. This problem had troubled him for a long time, and he felt that no matter what he did, he was always a little short of his ideal state.

"Would you genuinely respect the Duke Yansheng, a descendant of a sage?"

"Of course not! It would only tarnish the reputation of the sage, so it's better to cut it off as soon as possible."

"Would you genuinely respect the various princes appointed by the imperial court?"

"Of course not! His crimes are numerous and he has only brought shame to our nation. We wish we could kill him ourselves."

"Will you genuinely respect the Crown Prince?"

This time, Li Xianmu paused for a moment, then said, "Probably not. The Crown Prince is kind and benevolent, but he has not made any significant contributions to the world."

Would you respect the emperor?

Li Xianmu hesitated more and more, "Perhaps, Your Majesty is nominally an heir, but in reality a creator, and is a man of outstanding talent in this era."

"Then will you respect the late emperor?"

This time, Li Xianmu did not hesitate at all, "Of course! Your son respects your grandfather, who rebuilt China, and whose merits surpass those of all emperors!"

"Alright, then I have another question: Do you respect Wen Tianxiang, Yue Fei, and Zhuge Liang?"

"Of course we respect him! His integrity is recorded in history; he is the backbone of the Han people!"

Li Qi laughed loudly: "Look, you clearly respect Confucius, the current emperor, and the late emperor."

Yet the Duke Yansheng is a descendant of a sage, and the princes and the crown prince are descendants of the emperor, but you have no respect for them and even feel disgust towards them.

Wen Tianxiang, Yue Fei, and Zhuge Liang were merely ministers, or even losers, yet you respect them.

This is the reason why, in this world, even sages do not value their birthright, yet their lineage becomes noble because of the sage's own prominence.

This is no longer the era of bloodline aristocracy.

The Duke Yansheng only received political privileges and did not receive any additional respect.

Even royal descendants were often disliked, let alone respected.

“My father is revered as a saint by the world because of his noble virtue. Even though I am a member of a sinful family, I am only limited in politics. The world does not feel ashamed of me. On the contrary, it inspires and motivates people to strive for progress.”

"This is because true reputation and glory come only from sacrifice and merit, with sacrifice coming first and merit coming second."

"As a father, I come from a criminal family and started from a very low point. In the eyes of the world, I should have been preoccupied with my own family and property. Yet, I dared to debate good and evil with the great Confucian scholars of the time on the Vermilion Bird Road, even at the cost of offending the powerful and wealthy to investigate illegal activities. All of this is a matter of sacrificing my life."

What truly made me famous was my advocacy for the princes and the emperor. As a member of a criminal family, I should have flattered the emperor to escape punishment, but I dared to speak out for justice, sacrificing myself for the greater good. From that moment on, my reputation transcended the shackles of my criminal heritage.

Li Xianmu already understood.

"All the outstanding figures in history are like this."

His father Li Qi's voice rang in his ears like thunder: "When you do something beyond expectations, you will earn the respect of others."

As you do more and more, this admiration will turn into reverence.

When you make sacrifices that transcend ordinary people, possess integrity that ordinary people lack, and even disregard life and death, this admiration will transform into respect.

In the eyes of others, you are no longer an ordinary person at this point, because you have given up the interests, life and death, and power that everyone pursues, all for the sake of the ethereal Great Dao. Even the most wicked person, even if he has to kill you, will still respect you in his heart.

Because justice resides in the hearts of the people!

After saying all this, Li Qi looked at Li Xianmu, who was still stunned, and said softly, "Do you understand now why, even though you have achieved so much at the age of fifteen, you are still not respected by the world?"

Li Xianmu raised his hands and murmured, "Because I am the son of a saint, I was born to enjoy glory."

Therefore, people had extremely high expectations of me. The emperor hoped that I could become an important minister, the crown prince hoped that I could protect the Eastern Palace, and the scholars of the School of Mind expected me to lead the School of Mind to create immortal achievements.

Therefore, all the achievements I have made are well-deserved, and the highest praise I can receive is simply that like father, like son.

The matter of moving the capital and the matter of the Duke Yansheng.

These achievements are what the world expects of me. I was born with extraordinary talent and was destined to make contributions.

These achievements, which would be enough to boast about for others, are praise to me, but they are not enough to awe the world!

After Li Xianmu finished speaking, he fell into a deep silence.

"exactly!"

Li Qi sighed and said, "So you must know that your eldest and second brothers, who do not stand out in the world, are under considerable pressure."

Li Xianmu was well aware that his elder brothers were mediocre, especially compared to his younger brother who had become the top scholar at the age of twelve. There were countless rumors and sarcastic remarks about them.

“Then what should I do, Father?”

"This is a path that cannot be rushed."

Li Qi looked at Li Xianmu, his gaze deep and thoughtful. "Is the Ming Dynasty truly so peaceful and stable?"

(End of this chapter)