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

Several days later, the miracle at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was still being hotly discussed in Nanjing.

The emperor has always been a symbol of divine authority.

But this was the first time an emperor had ever flown into the sky.

This kind of thing is something that everyone, from ordinary people to royalty, talks about with great interest.

The current emperor has been on the throne for nine years, and the remaining forces of Jianwen have long since been reduced to almost nothing.

But the people aren't fools.

The emperor usurped the throne from his nephew; that was a foregone conclusion.

But now, the emperor can fly to the sky!

That's something only a god could do.

If this isn't the chosen one, what is?

Was Jianwen the legitimate ruler? Could Jianwen fly?

.................

Qingshou Temple.

Buddhist temple.

The air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood incense, and the scriptures were neatly arranged.

Yao Guangxiao, dressed in black monk's robes, sat cross-legged on a prayer mat with his eyes closed, slowly turning a string of prayer beads in his hand. His face was serene and calm, as if all the disturbances of the outside world were irrelevant to him.

"Disciple Zhu Zhanji requests an audience with the Junior Tutor," came Zhu Zhanji's voice from outside the door.

Yao Guangxiao slowly opened his eyes and said calmly, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, please come in."

Zhu Zhanji pushed open the door and entered, then gently closed it behind him.

He walked up to Yao Guangxiao and bowed solemnly: "Young Master."

Yao Guangxiao nodded slightly, gesturing for him to sit down: "Your Highness, there seems to be a knot in your brow. Is something the matter?"

Zhu Zhanji sat down on the prayer mat opposite Yao Guangxiao and took a deep breath.

"Young Master, you have keen insight. I have come here because I am deeply troubled and seek your guidance."

He paused, organizing his thoughts, and then began to recount the various events concerning Zhu Zhanjun that had occurred recently.

After a while.

"...Young Master," Zhu Zhanji's voice was slightly hoarse, "this child is exceptionally intelligent, often coming up with ingenious ideas, and has won the favor of His Majesty the Emperor."

"If this continues, Zhanji, though holding the position of eldest grandson, will feel like he's walking on thin ice, unable to eat or sleep in peace. Could it be that Grandfather... is truly considering changing the heir apparent?"

A brief silence fell over the meditation room.

After a long silence, Yao Guangxiao finally spoke.

"Your Highness, you are overthinking it."

Zhu Zhanji looked up and stared at him anxiously.

Yao Guangxiao's expression remained calm.

"Who is His Majesty?"

"The uprising of the Jingnan Rebellion, in which a vassal king seized power, was fraught with hardships and dangers that are beyond the imagination of ordinary people."

"That is why His Majesty understands the importance of 'status' and 'stability' better than anyone else."

"The primogeniture system is the cornerstone for maintaining the foundation of the state and preventing disputes."

"If Your Majesty were to shake this foundation yourself, wouldn't you be telling the world that the throne can be changed at will, thus creating endless trouble for future generations?"

He paused, then continued, "His Highness Prince Jiyang is indeed exceptionally talented, which is truly astonishing. His Majesty's favor towards him is also genuine."

"However, favor and high regard do not necessarily equate to being favored for the position of heir apparent."

"Even if His Majesty truly has other intentions... Your Highness, have you forgotten who your father is?"

Zhu Zhanji was taken aback.

Yao Guangxiao's voice was low and deep.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent and conservative, has no major faults, and enjoys a high reputation among civil officials."

"If Your Majesty wishes to depose the eldest son and establish a younger one in favor of the youngest, how immense will the resistance from the court be?"

"What will the scholars of the world say about this?"

"Your Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition. How could you, for a moment of joy, risk the wrath of the world and plunge the nation into turmoil?"

These words were like a wake-up call, gradually calming Zhu Zhanji's restless heart.

"But... Zhanjun is too popular." Zhu Zhanji was silent for a while, then slowly said, "If this continues, I'm afraid people's hearts will become unsettled."

"Zhanji recently started a newspaper called 'Huangming Bao'. Now that 'Daming Xinbao' is enjoying unparalleled popularity, Zhanji also wants a platform to promote the teachings of the sages, publish articles on state affairs, exchange ideas with scholars, and speak out for the court."

"This is the right way." Yao Guangxiao nodded. "Your Highness is right to publish a newspaper in the name of the Crown Prince."

Zhu Zhanji bowed respectfully.

"Please help me, Young Master!"

"If you could contribute an article in the opening chapter of the *Huangming Bao* under the name of the Junior Tutor, or even just a few of your thoughts and insights, it would surely make the newspaper famous and attract scholars from all over the land to follow your lead!"

Although Yao Guangxiao had semi-retired, his reputation as "the first meritorious official in the Jingnan Campaign" and "the black-robed prime minister" still had a huge influence among scholars.

Yao Guangxiao looked at the eldest grandson of the emperor, whom he had watched grow up and had carefully taught, and remained silent for a moment.

This is the purpose of the eldest grandson of the emperor's visit today.

However, if one gets involved, it means getting entangled in the struggle for imperial power.

He hesitated for a long time before slowly nodding.

"Very well. Living in seclusion in this ancient temple, I have occasionally gained some insights and have written a few shallow articles on Buddhism and governance, self-cultivation and bringing peace to the world. Perhaps they can be published to share with readers."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanji felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and a surge of joy welled up within him. He quickly said, "Thank you very much, Junior Tutor! Zhanji will certainly keep your teachings in mind, run the *Huangming Bao* well, and live up to your high expectations!"

Zhu Zhanjun is a rascal with all sorts of unique skills, so I will suppress him with the righteous path.

The entire court supports him!

He refused to believe that Zhu Zhanjun could fight him!

After a while.

Zhu Zhanjun left.

Inside the meditation room, Yao Guangxiao closed his eyes again, slowly turning the prayer beads in his hand, his face expressionless.

He assessed the risks.

The probability of Zhu Di establishing Zhu Gaochi as the heir apparent is quite high; it's unlikely that favoring a child would shake the position of the crown prince.

Zhu Zhanjun's many extraordinary tales did indeed earn his admiration.

That's all. Under such circumstances, the only way to seize the throne would be through a coup at Xuanwu Gate.

Upon thinking of this, Yao Guangxiao chuckled and shook his head.

How many Li Lao Er and Zhu Lao Si can appear in thousands of years?

It's not that easy.

.........................

"Achoo!"

Zhu Zhanjun sneezed and wondered to himself, "Who's thinking about me?"

He shook his head, his gaze fixed on the reward in front of him.

[Ding! Host has selected to open 6 silver treasure chests!]

[Ding! You have received 1 ibuprofen capsule. Would you like to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 piece of beef jerky. Would you like to claim it?]

[Ding! You have obtained a shovel*1. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 toothpick. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 loaves of bread. Do you wish to claim them?]

[Ding! Host has selected to open 8 golden treasure chests!]

[Ding! You have obtained "Forging Yang Technique" *1. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received "University Physics"*1. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 100 compressed biscuits. Do you wish to claim them?]

[Ding! You have received 1 weight loss meal. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have obtained Jenny's Spinning Machine *1. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 Middle School Physics (including junior high and senior high) textbook. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 Middle School Chemistry (including junior high and senior high) textbook. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received 1 Middle School Biology (including junior high and high school) textbook. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! Host has selected to open 5 Prism Treasure Chests!]

[Ding! You have obtained a high-temperature coke blast furnace with matching desulfurization technology. Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have obtained a plant nutrient solution (shortens the time to maturity, only works on plants). Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have received a talent selection order (with a chance to attract a famous historical concubine). Do you wish to accept it?]

[Ding! You have obtained the "Compendium of Materia Medica". Do you wish to claim it?]

[Ding! You have obtained a Prism-level quest – "Mom, I really can't tell!": You have transmigrated to a world filled with the indescribable. Please use mental pollution to successfully corrupt a mortal. (Upon completion, you will receive a Prism Treasure Chest and upgrade any one of your skills to Prism level.)]