Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

"It's truly exhausting! It's a shame that Heaven and Earth are unkind, treating all things like straw dogs. Heaven's way is simply like this; the more you think about it, the more exhausting it becomes. But if Heaven were the only way in the world, what would the imperial court be for? Ten years ago, when I was about your age, on a stormy night, the Imperial Ancestor summoned me and told me a story about a 'human femur,' the latest Hunyuan Dao Fruit. To be honest, at the time, I thought he meant that if one wanted to achieve immortality, they had to break their femur first."

"what?"

"I'm not kidding, because it does make sense. During the Foundation Establishment Period, bones need to be forged. "Forging" literally means hammering, and wouldn't it break if you hammered? - Of course, I figured it out later. The allusion means that a broken femur is inherently fatal to a human being. According to the laws of nature, that person would have died. But that ancient human femur healed. Because someone cared for him, someone fed him, and someone protected him. The fundamental purpose of human civilization is to help each other and allow everyone to live well together. This isn't the way of heaven, it's the way of humanity. So, I will help her. I think this is also what the Emperor meant. He called you here at this time so that we can help each other. Helping each other is the true way to defy heaven."

thump—

The chimes rang.

"Yes." After getting the confirmation, Zhu Xianxi continued, "Then leave this matter to me. There is an alchemy furnace inside. I will help you try it."

"So, Your Majesty, the Emperor wants you to make the elixir?"

[The Emperor has been personally taught the Dao of Alchemy by me. He has made great progress in the Dao of Alchemy and will be no less accomplished than Xu Fu, Ge Hong, and Sun Simiao in the future.]

"Daozu?!" He spoke, he spoke, the old man inside spoke.

"Grandfather." Zhu Xianxun bowed towards the inner room.

The Emperor's alchemy is a painstaking process. He begins refining elixirs at 12: AM every day, and has been doing so since he was years old. Let him help you with the alchemy, and you can rest assured.

"Hehe~ Because it's really fun, so much fun. That's why I come here every day. In the morning, I adjust the parameters of the alchemy furnace and change the ratio. The next day, there might be a surprise. This is so fun. It's like fishing and a lottery. So, leave it to me. Carrots, flour, soybean powder and honey, right? It looks like a syrup or an ointment. Just leave it there. If it's not enough, I'll add some more. If there's any results, we'll contact each other via Fetion."

Shangluo was overjoyed—someone had offered to help, saving him from having to deal with it himself. It turned out that professional matters should be left to professionals. He quickly thanked them.

"No need to thank me, it's just a small favor. I've always wanted to help those Jinyiwei, but I didn't have a recipe so it was hard to find one. You've been a big help—By the way, have you had breakfast? Why don't you eat before going to school? You must eat breakfast in the morning, otherwise you'll feel dizzy all day. Wait until 5:30 for breakfast to be served, so sit over there for a while."

"Oh, no need." Shangluo glanced at the time. "This place is far from school. It will be too late if we wait until then."

"Don't worry." Zhu Xianxun waved his hand. "You go to school in Mount Wutai, right? Then take the subway. You're worried that you won't be able to make it to the nearest subway station in time, right? That's why I told you not to worry—otherwise, how do you think I got here? There's a small door over there, and there's a backup subway line down there. Someone will take you to the main line, and you'll definitely make it. This is a little secret, don't tell anyone else, otherwise Lu Huaiyang and the others will know where I went."

Chapter 81 Imperial Meal

At 5:30 in the morning, the imperial meal was delivered.

This is the legendary imperial meal - stir-fried lamb with green onions, stir-fried pork with yellow vegetables, steamed pig's trotters, and steamed gluten stuffed with meat. The soup is a white soup made by stewing the fried fish. Each person is served with a large bowl of rice, two side dishes of spicy rabbit and crystal lamb dumplings, and a cup of tea.

Shangluo sat in front of a table of food, stunned. Above him, the stars twinkled, and before him lay a steamed pig's trotter. Beneath him lay a river of mercury, and the fish broth was dripping with oil. The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of orchids, and both the pork and mutton were generously spiced with fragrant chili peppers.

"Come on." Zhu Xianxun opened the disposable chopsticks, "Eat, eat, eat. I'll move first."

Shangluo gritted his teeth and unpacked his chopsticks. The dishes weren't even served on a single plate; they were standard dishes. From stir-fries to steamed pig's trotters, each person got a small portion. They arrived wrapped in tinfoil for insulation, in a delicate food box with a seal still affixed.

Sitting before a table of dishes, the overwhelming aroma overwhelmed him. Each dish was glistening with oil, completely uncharacteristic of a Shangluo breakfast. But the presentation of the dishes was truly impressive, especially the pig's trotter. It was steamed to a tender, boneless consistency, retaining its shape. A simple stroke of chopsticks detached the outer skin, yet the pork knuckle beneath held.

Both dishes were a testament to their skill. They'd been sitting around for quite a while when they arrived, yet the sauce at the bottom of the dish hadn't separated, remaining perfectly clinging to the meat and vegetables. As the steam rose, you could even smell the aroma of the wok, practically as if it were fresh out of the wok.

"Your Majesty, these are... the imperial meals? From the imperial kitchen."

"No." Zhu Xianxun was patiently picking at the fish bones with chopsticks. "This is takeout I ordered—the imperial kitchen is about to close. How can we find an imperial chef to cook at four in the morning? We can only order takeout at this time."

"Oh, so that's it." Shangluo was shocked. He thought the imperial meal was "this" for breakfast.

"But it is indeed an imperial meal. I ordered takeout from Fangshan Restaurant. To be honest, the dishes made by the former imperial chef are better than those made by the current one."

After two more bites, Zhu Xianxun finally realized, "Ah, you think it's weird to have this for the imperial breakfast, right? I think so. I remember when I was in college, there was no such food in the cafeteria in the morning, so I had to go upstairs and order it myself. But I think you're weird. We all get paid several dozen taels a month, so why don't you eat more meat? And why eat so much rice? What do you think?"

Shangluo's eyes rolled around: I'm looking for him to do something now, so I might as well agree to it.

"Yes, the purpose of life is to eat more meat!"

"Brilliant!" Zhu Xianxun put down his chopsticks and applauded him. "Emperor Taizu figured this out during the Hongwu reign. So, I'd be the first to disagree with anyone changing the menu. How can you feel energetic without pig trotters in the morning? It's hot at noon, so shouldn't we have some spicy kidney stew and mustard lamb tripe? Those people out there are so hypocritical. They say the imperial meals are all 'roasted, roasted, and thickly stuffed,' or 'so pungent they've lost their original flavor.' And recently, some have even called it unhealthy junk food. Don't you think it's unhealthy?"

Shangluo suddenly realized something. The dish of stir-fried mutton with green onions in front of him whetted his appetite, and his mind suddenly opened up:

"Healthy! So healthy! This has both meat and vegetables. Look at this vegetarian dish. The green onion is vegetarian, so it's very healthy. Eating is all about enjoying it. Why bother with your stomach?"

"Well said! Have some tea." He handed the teapot to Shangluo, and Shangluo reached out to take a cup to relieve the greasiness.

Halfway through the water was poured, Zhu Xianxun suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, I need your help with something."

Shangluo's hands trembled with fear, but he still held the cup - he knew that this meal was probably not for nothing.

"Is there anything that may happen to your Majesty?"

"You're from the Wutai Mountain Training Institute, right? I have something I want you to bring over for me. It's from a student at your school. He'll give you money, and you just need to keep it. It's a one-way trip. I'll give you 30% of the money, and you can bring back 70%."

Shangluo was startled, thinking it was some big deal. It turned out to be a paid errand, which wasn't a big deal, and it happened to be on his way.

I got paid for running errands and also had a hearty (over the top) breakfast. I have to say, it was a good deal.

"But, Your Majesty, may I ask what this thing is?"

"I have some channels to sell some of the small by-products of alchemy, so it's a small side business. But I'm actually very afraid of being recognized, because my portrait is on silver coins and in newspapers. If someone recognizes me, wouldn't it be front-page news? So I thought I could ask you for help."

Speaking of side jobs, Shangluo understood. Emperor Tianqi also had to ship his carpentry work, and now this person's alchemy seems to be more professional and more advanced, so of course he also has to ship it.

"So you understand, right? Besides the issue of revealing my identity, I'm actually quite busy sometimes. Don't look at me here refining pills in the morning. In fact, I have to review memorials after 10 o'clock, and then have dinner with the elders. I don't want the Jinyiwei to know what I'm doing, so sometimes I take the subway to ship goods by myself. It's a waste of time going back and forth, and sometimes I have to be back on time. Ah! The emperor summoned you this morning, which really solved an urgent problem. How about you help me with the shipment? I'll give you %, no, how about %? And then I'll give you a % increase."

"Ah this."

Seems okay?

It seemed like it was no problem. He didn't seem very busy, and even if it was about racing, he didn't need to spend all day and night there - after all, he wasn't a racing driver, and he didn't need to practice driving.

"Apollonia, what do you think?"

[Good thing. After you establish a good relationship with him, you can ask him for help with recipes other than the Foundation Establishment Pill, which you can't find help with. He's right, cultivating immortals requires mutual support. You save him time, and he saves you time, too. That's pretty good.]

After consulting Apollonia, he agreed to Zhu Xianen's request.

"Very good, then we'll contact each other via Fetion. I'll let you know three days in advance of any arrangements, and you can arrange your own time. If you really don't have time, just let me know and I'll make the trip myself. But you'll have to pay for the travel expenses yourself. Your 4% cut will cover them. If you run errands for me two or three times a week, you should be able to earn quite a bit of pocket money. But there's one thing you need to keep in mind."

"what's up?"

"I seem to be quite famous in your school and other schools. So you'd better shorten the transaction time and don't let them ask you questions. If necessary, you can make up some excuses yourself, don't ask me. Just do what's best for you in this matter. As long as I can ship the goods, I don't care about anything else. The radish medicine you want will probably be refined in the next few days. Just give me the payment on the way."

Chapter 82 Backdoor

"Burp~" Shangluo couldn't hold on any longer. He didn't know he could eat so much at once, and he didn't expect he could eat so much for breakfast.

He used to eat just one rice ball: glutinous rice wrapped in fried dough sticks and then sugar, the ultimate three-in-one carbohydrate. But it was only about the size of a fist.

In the past 35 minutes, he'd eaten a serving of stir-fried pork and mutton, a bowl of pig's trotters, two gluten-stuffed meatballs, a bowl of fried fish soup, a large bowl of rice, and half a pot of tea. Yet, he felt he could still eat a little more, could still hold on.

"It's true that people's stomachs get bigger the more they expand." He held onto the door frame and took a breath.

"Well, see you later. If you need anything, just text me, or you can come to Yuxi Palace at this time this morning. I'll be here the whole time. It's not always the same outside of this time. I might be back at the palace to work, or I might take the tram to explore. The subway line in front of you is quite useful. If you exit this way, you'll reach Xiamafang subway station. Just go down directly; there's always someone waiting downstairs."

After entering the small door, there was a staircase just wide enough for one person. It was much longer than expected, and even standing at the top, I couldn't see the end. However, like the rest of the Grand Palace, it was well-lit, so it didn't seem too cramped.

The terrazzo steps were nailed with brass anti-slip strips. The strips were slightly loose, indicating frequent movement here—clearly, the man above, who frequently used this route. According to Lu Huaiyang, he was "running around everywhere" and "unseen all day long." This was indeed true, for once he entered through this door, he could appear anywhere in Yujing.

In the past, Lu Huaiyang usually saw him disappear after entering the door, and then come back directly after a few hours.

The convenient "portal" was just ahead. Walking down the stairs, a thin, dark green iron door appeared in front of me. It wasn't locked, just had a handle.

He turned the handle and took a step forward.

“Who???” A figure next to him suddenly stood up and he was scared.

Shangluo was somewhat prepared, as Zhu Xianxun had previously told him that someone was waiting downstairs. The man before him wore a large hat and a knee-length military coat, with the Chinese character "五" (five) written on his hat.

Before Shangluo could speak, he stretched out his hand and said, "Wait, don't move."

He stopped Shangluo with one hand and picked up the jade token with the other hand and tapped on it.

"So I did." He looked at the sign for a moment. "The Emperor sent me a letter. I was just... just studying Latin, so I didn't see it. You're Shangluo, the new guy from South Town, right?"

"Ah," Shangluo nodded, "So you are the fifth of the Thirteen Guardians of Northern Town?"

"Yes, they asked me to look after the back door, Lao Wu. But none of them knew where this 'back door' I was looking at was, because only the emperor and I knew about it, and now you know it too. But have you met the other Thirteen Protectors?"

"I met Lao Liu, the one who was watching over the warehouse yesterday. Oh no, Sixth Brother. The Sixth Brother in the warehouse."

"You've seen him, which means you've gained access to that place. The same goes for seeing me. You can use this connection later. The Thirteen Guardians' job is to guard the gates, and the others are stationed at other important locations. The only person in the empire who can access all thirteen places is probably the Emperor. For example, only the Emperor knew about my place before. Okay, add me on Fetion, and let me know when you come next time. Don't scare me so early in the morning."

Shangluo took out his "mobile phone" and added the other party.

Another person was added to the contact list. Before "Old Six, who looks after the warehouse," appeared "Old Five, who looks after the back door."

"Then let me tell you how to use it here."

He pointed to the corridor in front of him. "This is actually the entrance to the underground fortress of the Grand Palace. I don't know what's so defensive about Yujing, but we're just going to dig tunnels to prepare for a rainy day. There's a hidden subway station just ahead; no mainline trains pass through here. Go south to Xiamafang subway station. Go north, and you'll be deep inside the fortress. I don't know what's inside, and I'll only defend this far. There's a small commuter tram on the platform. Since you're a professional from a craftsman's family, I won't teach you how to operate mechanical equipment. I still need to sleep... Oh no, I still need to learn some Latin."

"Then I will."

"Wait a minute." Lao Wu suddenly raised his hand again, "I almost forgot. When you drive the tram, drive a little slower and pay attention to whether there are people in front. Remember to turn on the train lights."

"There are still people here? Aren't there any mainline trains passing through here?"

"It's true, but there's an 'urban legend' going around among the young people in Yujing lately—that there's a hidden subway station next to the Grand Palace, and that something powerful is hidden inside. They're talking about it in a serious way, saying that when you go in, you have to look back the way you came, otherwise you won't be able to get back."

"Let's not talk about the second half, but isn't the first half true?"

"That's why it's troublesome. I don't even know what's going on. Maybe it's just like the legendary children's proverb, like 'A deer walks into Chang'an'. Children's intelligence network is the most unpredictable. Even two schools thousands of miles apart can have the same nursery rhyme. So be careful when you drive, because maybe some unlucky kid will come here to explore...ah." He yawned.

"That's all, then. Be careful. I'm going to take Latin lessons first. See you later." He led Shangluo to the corridor entrance. The bright spot ahead was the subway station. After dropping him off, he returned to his original seat. There was a pot of tea, a reclining chair, and indeed, a large Latin textbook. However, the entire book was closed and untouched, and the cover was wrinkled, as if it had been used as a pillow.

After exiting the corridor, the tram that Lao Wu mentioned was in front of us - it looked like a truncated version of an ordinary subway, with nothing but the driver's cab, but the furnishings inside the cab were very complete.

There is no seat in the driver's cab. There is a whole row of instruments in front of him, but there are not many places where he can operate.

"Speaking of which, how do I open this thing?"

You don't know how to do it? I thought everyone in Aurora was a railway enthusiast, but that was just a stereotype. It's pretty simple, with the words on it. Turn on the breaker inside the car, turn the reverse gear to forward, and that steering wheel-like thing is the speed control handle, use that to adjust the speed. Okay, that's about it, nothing more to say. You're not the driver, so you don't need to operate it with your fingers or mouth, just make it work. There's no "unlucky kid" ahead, so just drive away without worry. If you really don't know how to do it…

She thought for a while:

"I can help you open it. No one else can see it here anyway. I also want to go out and exercise."

Chapter 83 Tram

"You drive it if you want." Shangluo took a step back, one step away from the console: "So, how do I operate it?"

[It's too much trouble to take me out of the phone again. I'm quite comfortable inside. Wait a minute, I'll add a function. Beep, beep, beep.]

"Done yet?"

[OK, you see? There's a switch for airplane mode on the desktop. Press it and I'll fly. Once you turn it on, I'll shut down all non-essential functions, disconnect from the Akashic Records, and focus on the present. It's a switch.]

"Is this necessary?"

It's absolutely necessary. You're taking "Introduction to the Occult" this weekend, right? You'll understand after that. But I can give you a more vivid example. You've seen Harry Potter, right? In Harry Potter, the students at Hogwarts all practice using wands to cast spells. But there's a magic school in Africa that practices wandless spellcasting. In fact, most modern wizards use wands. Do you know why?

"Is it because of the switch too?"

Yes. From an occult perspective, magic requires switches. If you don't include a 'switch,' every action you take could potentially take on occult significance, leading to unpredictable consequences—because being everywhere equals being nowhere. Only extremely strong inhibitions can manage this uncertainty. This ability can even become the ultimate punishment: for example, in ancient Greek mythology, there's the story of King Midas and the golden finger. The king had the ability to turn everything into gold, but every time he 'touched' something, it turned to gold, nearly killing him. This is an extreme case. Let's consider a less extreme case, such as the idea that if your left eye twitches, you'll be rich, and if your right eye twitches, you'll be in trouble. Would you want your left eye to twitch for wealth, and your right eye to twitch for disaster?

"That's not necessary."

So that's the situation. The switch is a self-limiting measure for me, because I don't have the energy to check every one of my works for mystical significance. So I just created a switch. This switch narrows my possibilities, but also makes it easier for me to use my power—for you and for me. Adding a switch also has many other benefits, such as ensuring that each casting of the spell produces similar results through similar causes, without straying too far.

"Is the occult such a troublesome thing?"

You haven't learned anything yet, and suddenly you hear about something as complicated as building your own rituals. Of course, you won't understand. By the time you finish the class, you'll have most of it. If you don't understand anything, I can give you some extra lessons. Relax. Just like the Taoist Patriarch was able to personally teach the Heavenly Son the Way of Alchemy, I can also bring out your attainments in the mysticism. Knowledge is knowledge because it has a path to be learned.

"You're finally useful."

"I've always been useful, okay? Now, press the button! I've been holding it in for so long, I want to experience the beauty of the real world."

Shangluo pressed "Flight Mode." The entire car shook violently—but it seemed to be a psychological effect. The car itself didn't move, but he felt the vibration.

But as Apollonia joined the train's movement, the train itself actually began to move.

The power switch in the car was turned on and the commutator automatically switched to the forward direction.

"Gone? Gone just like that? Shouldn't you get in the car and do some backroom work?"

Please, that requires phlogiston, okay? It's just a little train, why take it so seriously? And I just thought of a compromise—any action I take that requires force will consume phlogiston. Flipping a switch isn't a big deal, and turning off the power is easy, too. But I just tried that speed control handle, and it's pretty heavy. So let's divide the work. I'll handle the other parts, and you can just control the speed.

"Automatic, right?"

"Oh, yes, you can use it as an automatic. That way we can both enjoy driving, and you just ate a lot of meat, so you have more energy than me now. Poor Apollonia is still hungry."

"So, let's go?"