The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Zhu Zhanji's eyes turned red with jealousy.

No, this should have been his spot!

Zhu Zhanjun, of course, did not hesitate and immediately replied.

"Yes, Grandfather!"

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, Zhu Di was the first to walk towards the suspended wicker basket.

A moment later, the grandfather and grandson stepped into the basketball hoop.

Below, Kuang Zhong and the craftsmen conducted a final inspection of the ropes and oil stove. After confirming that everything was in order, Kuang Zhong bowed deeply to Zhu Di and then gestured to the guards who were controlling the ropes.

"Untie the ropes!" Kuang Zhong shouted.

Several thick hemp ropes were loosened at the same time.

The flames from the oil heater steadily heated the air inside the balloon, and the hot air balloon, freed from the constraints of the ground, began to rise slowly.

One inch, one foot, one zhang...

The basketball hoop lifted off the ground smoothly and gradually rose.

The figures of Zhu Di and Zhu Zhanjun appeared even clearer against the backdrop of the enormous spherical bag.

"It's flying...it's really flying!" Someone shouted first, and then a thunderous roar of exclamations erupted throughout the West Garden.

The civil and military officials could no longer maintain their composure. Many of them stood up involuntarily, tilting their heads back, mouths agape, eyes wide open.

Although Yang Rong, Huang Huai, and the others had learned some clues, they were still deeply moved and unable to contain themselves when they saw the enormous creature carrying the emperor and his grandson into the sky.

These officials even forgot to advise Zhu Di's son not to sit under a dangerous roof; their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Further away, the people who were allowed to enter the outer area of ​​Xiyuan were now in a state of complete euphoria.

"Look! In the sky! There's something flying in the sky!"

"What's that? It's a huge ball!"

"There's a basket under the ball! And a person in the basket! Oh my god, a person is flying!"

"It's His Majesty! It's His Majesty the Emperor! I see him, it's His Majesty!"

"His Majesty has ascended to heaven! His Majesty has ascended to heaven!"

"The true dragon has appeared! The true dragon has appeared!"

"Long live! Long live! Long live!"

"..."

At first, there were chaotic exclamations and discussions, but soon, when someone recognized that the figure in the basket, dressed in a bright yellow robe and standing with his hands behind his back, was none other than the current emperor Zhu Di, the emotions in the crowd were instantly ignited, and cheers shook the heavens and the earth.

The dark mass of people knelt down in droves, like waves of wheat blown down by the wind.

Countless people were moved to tears. They had never imagined that they would live to see the emperor riding the wind and appearing in their field of vision.

This scene, which transcends all legends and imaginations, is deeply imprinted in everyone's heart.

If any of the remnants of the Jianwen Emperor were to say that Zhu Di was not the chosen one, the true Son of Heaven, they would be chopped into mincemeat.

Zhu Di held onto the edge of the basket with one hand and put the other behind his back, gazing into the distance.

Seeing the cheers and kneeling of the people below him made him feel incredibly satisfied.

Zhu Zhanjun stood beside him, smiling.

"Grandpa Emperor, the people are cheering for you!"

"From now on, everyone in the world will know that only a true emperor like my grandfather can ride the wind and soar through the heavens."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di burst into loud laughter.

The cheers below grew even louder, like surging waves, one after another, sweeping across the entire Xiyuan area and even reaching the streets and alleys of Nanjing.

Many people who were originally celebrating the festival at home were also startled by the commotion in the distance and went out to look. When they saw the huge glowing sphere and the faint human figures in the night sky, they were all shocked and knelt down to worship, calling it a miracle.

After an unknown amount of time, the fuel in the oil stove began to decrease, and the flame gradually weakened.

The hot air balloon slowly descended.

Kuang Zhong and the others on the ground were already prepared, directing the guards to pull the retrieval rope and guide the basket back to its original position steadily.

When Zhu Di, holding Zhu Zhanjun's hand, calmly stepped out of the basket and back onto solid ground, the entire West Garden fell silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Heaven blesses the Ming Dynasty! Our Emperor is wise and sagacious!"

"His Majesty is ordained by Heaven!"

"..."

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji had complex expressions and were lost in the crowd.

Zhu Gaoxu laughed heartily, eager to let everyone know that he had a good son!

After a while.

The West Garden gradually quieted down.

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui quickly stepped forward.

"Father, this hot air balloon is amazing! It can actually carry people into the sky!"

"Father, our family is a royal lineage favored by Heaven! You are the first person in history to fly!"

Other civil officials, such as Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, Huang Huai, and Hu Guang, also looked at Zhu Di with reverence.

Zhu Di smiled faintly.

"As the ancients said, 'The sage rides the wind, and his skill is truly remarkable.'"

"Now we have obtained a wondrous object that can carry people into the air, allowing them to ride the wind and overlook the mountains and rivers."

"This object is an auspicious omen created by Zhu Zhanjun, the Prince of Jiyang; it truly is a blessing from Heaven upon the Ming Dynasty!"

Yang Rong took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Your Highness is a man of extraordinary talent, creating this auspicious omen, allowing our Great Ming Dynasty to glimpse the realm of the divine and the human, truly a great fortune for the nation!"

Huang Huai also quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"This old minister has lived to this age, read countless classics and historical texts, and witnessed countless strange and ingenious skills, but never did I ever imagine that in my lifetime I would witness a person soaring like a bird, standing in mid-air! Your Highness Prince Jiyang is truly a prodigy descended to earth, a blessing upon our Great Ming!"

Hu Guang nodded repeatedly, sighing with emotion.

"Your Majesty rides this divine object to demonstrate the Mandate of Heaven, and all people admire and revere it."

"And His Highness Prince Jiyang, at only six years old, has been able to create such an astonishing object. His wisdom and ability far surpass those of Gan Luo and Cao Chong!"

"This is not only a blessing for the royal family, but also a sign that our Great Ming Dynasty's civil and military achievements are about to flourish!"

"..."

The civil officials chimed in with their praises, one after another.

Although some officials from the Eastern Palace were speaking in support of the emperor, it was clear to everyone that the emperor was extremely pleased with his grandson, and no one would want to displease him at this time.

Zhu Gaoxu was overjoyed to hear this.

He's having so much fun!

Zhu Gaochi's face was stiff with fat, and his smile looked worse than a grimace.

Damn it, this nephew is too ruthless.

How are they supposed to compete like that?

Zhu Zhanji stood in the crowd, surrounded by praise for Zhu Zhanjun.

He felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, aching and swollen, making it almost impossible to breathe.

He subconsciously clenched his fist hidden in his sleeve, his nails digging deep into his palm.

On what grounds?

He is the eldest grandson of the emperor!

He is the rightful heir!

He poured his heart and soul into copying the Diamond Sutra with his own blood for tonight's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, his fingers worn raw and his head spinning, all for the sake of winning a word of praise from his grandfather.

But the result was a complete joke in the face of Zhu Zhanjun's flimsy "Memorial of Congratulations from All People"!

Even when it came to something as simple as flying, the Emperor took Zhu Zhanjun with him.

Although the hot air balloon was invented by Zhu Zhanjun, he was the eldest grandson of the emperor.

Wouldn't it be more legitimate to let him go up and accompany the Emperor?

He didn't understand why this kid was so favored.

At that moment, Zhu Zhanjun spoke again.

"Grandpa, the invention of the hot air balloon is not just my achievement; Grandpa also contributed to it."

Zhu Di smiled and said upon hearing this.

"What do you mean?"

Zhu Zhanjun said solemnly.

"If it weren't for my grandfather's personal recommendation, I might still be obediently staying in the Grand Hall right now."

"Of course, there's nothing wrong with reading the classics."

"But opening a museum and making inventions offer me a much wider range of possibilities."

Zhu Zhanji: "..."

Wait, you little rascal, you're quite the smooth talker!

Let's start a class!