Transmigrating into Murong Fu, may you have many children and much happiness.

Chapter 373 Jiajing Asks the Question

The palace was large and luxurious, but not in a blatant, ostentatious way; rather, it possessed a low-key and elegant luxury.

If Murong Fu hadn't possessed such high aesthetic sense and taste, most people wouldn't have been able to articulate why.

Murong Fu walked through the palace, each step and turn concealing him with curtains and veils, creating a sense of mystery.

Walking to the central area, I saw an antique bronze alchemy furnace in the very center. The fire was burning brightly, and I wondered what kind of medicine was being refined inside, as it emitted a faint fragrance of elixir.

Murong Fu suddenly remembered that there were records from his previous life that Emperor Jiajing consumed 2000 catties of mercury every month when refining elixirs.

Five hundred catties of cinnabar were used to refine "elixirs of immortality," and the main ingredients of these elixirs were mercury, arsenic, and menstrual blood from young girls.

What they were drinking was the so-called "rootless water," which is the dew at dawn.

One can imagine that palace maids would get up at three in the morning, holding jade cups to collect dew in the imperial garden, and they were required to drink only dew to ensure clean menstrual blood. As a result, many of them collapsed from exhaustion and fell ill, which directly triggered the Renyin Palace Coup that shocked the court and the public.

Murong Fu took a light sniff and keenly sensed that it contained nourishing herbs and medicinal plants such as Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng.

As far as I can remember, Emperor Jiajing was a great lover of alchemy, and he even distributed the elixirs to Xu Jie, Yan Song, and others, which is why both of them, along with Jiajing himself, lived to a considerable age.

Although Jiajing lived to be 61, which may seem a little shorter than the other two emperors, he was still considered very long-lived compared to the short-lived emperors of the Ming Dynasty who died in their thirties or forties.

Murong Fu thought that he probably didn't take large amounts of those elixirs made of heavy metals and mercury, but mainly ate these herbal pills.

After all, too many people have died from consuming heavy metals in alchemy. Emperors like Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Yongzheng died young because they consumed too much heavy metal.

Murong Fu carefully observed the two Taoist priests who were refining elixirs, and not far from them, a middle-aged Taoist priest with a sallow complexion.

The Taoist priest had a tall, handsome face with three long wisps of beard. His face was full of majesty. He wore a tall crown and a blue robe. He was sitting cross-legged with his palms facing the sky, chanting incantations.

Murong Fu listened carefully and found it to be a passage from a Taoist scripture.

Murong Fu used the favorability system to check, and it clearly showed the other party's information:

Name: Zhu Houcong

【Favourability: 61】

Murong Fu was puzzled when he saw that Jiajing had a favorability rating of over 60 points towards him.

Through years of observation, he has summarized some patterns: if a person has a positive feeling towards him, it means that although the person has never met him, he at least knows him.

But as an emperor, Jiajing would naturally know what Jiajing had done after he became aware of his own situation. He used force to disrupt the law and unify the martial arts world. In the emperor's eyes, Jiajing was either a clown or a thorn in his side.

How could someone have such a high level of affection for me?

Murong Fu had some guesses in his mind, and then continued to look at Jiajing.

After reciting a Taoist scripture, he continued, "Practice until your body resembles that of a crane—"

Murong Fu almost burst out laughing when he heard Jiajing recite this poem.

This poem is so famous. It is a set of poems that Li Ao, a Tang Dynasty writer, gave to Zen Master Yaoshan Weiyan. Murong Fu immediately replied, "Not afraid of palace maids strangling his neck."

This happened in the 21st year of the Jiajing reign, and naturally it has not happened yet.

But Jiajing suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, "Who is it?!"

Murong Fu's voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear to the suspicious and anxious Jiajing. Moreover, he knew that there was no one else in the room besides himself and the two young Taoist priests, and the voice was very unfamiliar. He immediately opened his eyes and looked around, but he couldn't see anything.

One of the slightly older Taoist priests, about seventeen or eighteen years old, hurriedly approached Jiajing and asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong? Who are you looking for?"

Jiajing rose to search, but walked with a powerful stride. After circling the room, he looked around with some doubt, then sat back down on the prayer mat: "It's nothing, perhaps I misheard."

He then continued reciting: "I have come to ask about the unspeakable."

Murong Fu then dispelled his concealment and stood before Jiajing, saying in a low voice, "Your son is also in league with the Japanese."

Jiajing suddenly saw a stranger appear before him and exclaimed in shock, "You?!"

He fell backward, then tried to get up, and with the help of the young Taoist priest, he hurriedly stood up.

Suddenly, he pointed at Murong Fu excitedly and exclaimed, "You're Murong Fu?!"

Murong Fu nodded and said, "You recognize me?"

Jiajing had the two young Taoist priests release him, and as he walked around looking Murong Fu up and down, he said, "Of course I recognize you; I've seen your portrait."

My men all say you're a sorcerer, but I think you're an enlightened being.

You can fly through the air, ride beasts, and kill thousands with a flick of your finger...

What else could this be but enlightenment?

"I am also a cultivator of the Tao, so naturally I understand the rights and wrongs of the matter."

Murong Fu nodded, thinking to himself: This Jiajing Emperor has quite the imagination, but perhaps this will save a lot of trouble...

Seeing Murong Fu nod, Jiajing became even more excited and said to Murong Fu, "I have been practicing Taoism for nearly twenty years, but the path of cultivation is far too difficult..."

"Fortunately, I have encountered your presence, fellow Daoist. I wonder if you could offer some guidance?"

Murong Fu nodded. Everyone has weaknesses, and Jiajing's biggest weakness was his thirst for immortality.

As he grew older, this desire intensified, transforming him from a diligent and ambitious emperor into the greatest parasite in the land.

The Jiajing Emperor bears some responsibility for the collapse and demise of the Ming Dynasty in its later years.

However, Murong Fu could understand his desire for immortality to some extent. If a person's health is poor, physical problems are bound to arise.

Emperor Jiajing's grandson, Wanli, completely gave up his career due to numerous health problems.

Compared to Jiajing, who was merely working from home while practicing Taoism in the Western Garden, Wanli was truly a homebody to the point of death.

Moreover, it is now the twentieth year of the Jiajing reign, and he is still considered a competent emperor, not the biggest parasite in the land.

Therefore, Murong Fu's purpose in coming this time was primarily to treat the sick and save lives.

However, Murong Fu was willing to offer some guidance to Jiajing, who had spent half his life searching for the path to immortality.

He said calmly, "Fellow Daoist? Your cultivation level... I'm afraid you're not even worthy of being called a fellow Daoist with me."

Do you really think you're on the right track?

After Murong Fu finished speaking, the temperature in the entire room dropped by two degrees, and the two young Taoist priests shivered.

They know His Majesty's character all too well; anyone who says there's something wrong with his cultivation will not be let off easily.

He has killed many people for this...

The young Taoist priest was even more afraid that the person in front of him was an assassin who might kill His Majesty.

After killing His Majesty, it will probably be those two...

Suddenly, Murong Fu heard Jiajing burst into hearty laughter: "Hahahaha!"

Then he spread his arms and glided around Murong Fu twice, as if imitating a small airplane, and said, "Fellow Daoist, I have naturally entered the Dao!"

When I was young, I was in poor health and often fell ill. But in the more than 20 years I have been practicing Taoism, I have been self-disciplined and have few desires every day.

Wear no more than eight sets of clothes throughout the four seasons, changing between dry and wet garments; do not crave the five flavors in food, and do not eat after noon... Be sincere and devoted to the Way every day.

'

Murong Fu shook his head, and frost appeared in his hand, condensing into an ice statue.

He then took out a small jar from his personal space, poured the liquid inside into the Ice Venerable, and handed it to Jiajing, saying, "Try it."