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

Outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but laugh as he watched Zhu Gaochi panting with every step.

"Big brother, you really need to lose some weight."

"It's only a few steps away?"

Zhu Gaochi gave an awkward smile.

"Gao Xu, you know, my body... has always been like this."

"Losing weight quickly is easier said than done."

Zhu Gaoxu chuckled.

"My Zhanjun has the most clever ideas; I'll have him think of a solution for you later."

After saying that, he suddenly realized something and looked around.

"Hey, where's that brat?"

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

Outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zhu Di felt a chill run through his body.

Holy crap, holy crap!

What did he just hear?

Did his dad respond to him?

wrong!

It must be a hallucination!

How many years has my father been dead?

Zhu Di felt his teeth chattering.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and muttered to himself.

"It's all fake, fake!"

"I'm probably just too tired."

Just then, a sound came from his side and behind him again.

"Fourth brother~"

"Fourth brother~"

"Fourth brother~"

An aged voice echoed within the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

[Ding! You have obtained a Prismatic Treasure Chest!]

Zhu Di's skin crawled with goosebumps, and his legs went weak.

He had never felt the Imperial Ancestral Temple so cold before.

The low temperature made him shiver all over.

Zhu Di clenched his fists tightly and slowly turned his head.

A figure could be seen leaning against a red jade pillar not far away.

Sunlight streamed through the window and through the swirling smoke, illuminating the face of the "figure"—it was none other than the face of Emperor Taizu Gao, Zhu Yuanzhang!

This founding emperor had a solemn face and piercing eyes. The sunlight shining on him made him look as if he were draped in a layer of golden gauze.

He was staring intently at Zhu Di.

[Ding! You have obtained a Prismatic Treasure Chest!]

hum!

Zhu Di was instantly struck dumb, as if his blood had frozen.

His legs went weak, and he staggered. He instinctively reached out to hold onto the altar beside him, barely managing to steady himself.

His lips trembled and quivered.

"Father, you're not dead?"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained motionless, silently watching Zhu Di.

"Fourth brother, you're getting old."

Zhu Di felt a chill run down his spine; his mind was a complete blank, and he couldn't remember anything.

He knelt down abruptly, as if he were completely exhausted.

The scene he used to only dream about was now unfolding before him, and his heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.

"Father...I..." Zhu Di's voice trembled, his throat tightened, and he could not form coherent sentences.

The imperial majesty of many years had vanished at this moment.

His mind was in complete chaos.

He watched his father's body being buried when he died.

Could it be that the spirit of our late father is truly present and has come to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to give instructions?

Is it because he hasn't done well over the years?

Just as he was lost in thought, "Zhu Yuanzhang" spoke again.

"Fourth brother, you've done a good job all these years."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di's fear subsided slightly, and he became somewhat excited.

His eyes reddened, and his voice choked with emotion: "Father... I've always been afraid you'd blame me... blame me for taking my nephew's place, blame me for killing my own flesh and blood..."

"Zhu Yuanzhang" said calmly.

"That boy Yunwen... is too impatient and ruthless. He listens to those scholars like Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng and insists on weakening the power of the princes to the point that you uncles can't survive."

"Our Zhu family conquered this land so that our descendants could live a good life, not so that they could kill each other."

"If he knew how to be kind and how to proceed step by step, how could you uncle and nephew have ended up like this?"

Zhu Di looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Father! You...you don't blame me?"

"Do you think... your son did the right thing?"

"Zhu Yuanzhang" spoke in a gentle voice.

"We can see clearly from down here."

"Although you raised an army in the Jingnan Campaign, you did not massacre the former officials of Jianwen after entering the capital."

"In the nine years since you ascended the throne, every single thing you have done has been for the sake of the Ming Dynasty. The policy of reducing the power of the princes has been implemented properly, which has not only consolidated the central government but also prevented any further unrest among the princes."

"The compilation of the Yongle Encyclopedia, which gathers ancient and modern classics, is a great achievement in cultural governance."

"We dispatched Zheng He's fleet to sail to the Western Ocean, to demonstrate our national power and to open up new sea routes."

"Dredging the canal facilitates water transport and benefits people's livelihoods."

"The conquest of the northern deserts further demonstrated the might of our Great Ming army!"

As Zhu Di listened to his father recount his achievements one by one, he felt his chest burning.

He lay prone on the ground, his forehead touching the earth.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your understanding!"

"Your Majesty, I will certainly work even harder and never fail your expectations!"

"These years have indeed been difficult for you," Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly. "You had to stabilize the court, appease the people, and carry out northern and southern expeditions... We've seen it all."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di was greatly encouraged.

For many years, his biggest concern, besides the fact that he had gained his position illegitimately, was that his father in heaven would not forgive him.

At this moment, receiving affirmation from his "father," Zhu Di felt an unprecedented surge of power.

Zhu Yuanzhang coughed lightly.

"Fourth Prince, although you have been a good emperor, if the Ming Dynasty wants to become strong, it depends on whether the successor is chosen well."

Zhu Di's heart stirred.

Is there something you want to say, Father?

He respectfully bowed his head to the ground.

"Please give your instructions, Father Emperor."

"Zhu Yuanzhang" spoke in a serious tone.

"The main reason we're here today, besides seeing you, is for our great-grandson, Zhu Zhanjun!"

Zhu Di's heart skipped a beat: "Zhan Jun?"

"Yes," Zhu Yuanzhang praised, "This child is remarkable!"

"We've been observing him for some time now."

"This child not only created a military weapon like a telescope, but also respected his teachers, was filial to his elders, was intelligent and eager to learn, was skilled in both literature and martial arts, had a clever mind, was kind and compassionate, knew how to behave, and was tenacious..."

"If Heaven had not given birth to me... if Heaven had not given birth to Zhu Zhanjun, my Great Ming Dynasty would have been shrouded in eternal darkness!"

"In our opinion, he is the most suitable successor to the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Di was deeply moved, but thinking of his eldest grandson Zhu Zhanji, he hesitated and said, "Father, Zhanji is the eldest grandson..."

"Zhu Yuanzhang" interrupted him.

"Fourth son, are you the eldest son?"

Zhu Di immediately looked embarrassed.

"Zhu Yuanzhang" said calmly.

"Fourth brother, you must open your eyes wide and not be blinded by the rules of legitimate and illegitimate children and seniority."

"Zhanji is good; he's more than capable of maintaining the status quo."

"But what our Great Ming Dynasty needs is not a monarch who can merely maintain the status quo!"

"The Northern Yuan has not been destroyed, the four directions are not yet at peace, and there is still a vast world overseas."

"Zhanjun is the unicorn of our Zhu family."

"He has the ambition to explore new frontiers, the ability to innovate, and, more importantly, the skill to unite people's hearts."

"Look at him, so young, yet he's accomplished so many things that even adults can't!"

"We're happy to see this!"

"My grandson has the makings of a great emperor!"

"It can make the Ming Dynasty great again."