I was forced to cultivate immortality when I just wanted to lie down

Chapter 337 The Way of the Emperor: Entertainment and Play

In the tenth month of winter in the fourteenth year of the Jingzhi reign, the year was Wuyin.

Emperor Zhao Rong resided in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

That night, an assassin broke in, and the emperor was murdered.

At that time, the emperor's face was swollen like a drum, and his palms and ankles were pierced by swords, a truly gruesome sight.

After investigation by the Imperial Clan Court and the Three Departments, it was concluded that the emperor did not die from weapons, but rather from sudden death.

During the assassination attempt, the assassin further insulted the emperor with vile words, provoking his anger and resentment, which led to the collapse of his heart meridian and his death from the shock.

Those palace attendants and maids who hid were spared.

Everyone called the assassin a cat seeking revenge.

In his early years, the emperor was obsessed with immortality and ordered his ministers to hunt black cats to refine elixirs, which is why the assassins came with resentment.

The assassin, or perhaps the master of the cat, entered the palace with a grudge, aiming directly at the emperor.

However, these are all rumors and should not be taken as gospel.

The Grand Historian Sima Qian said: The cat in question is not that cat; it is a symbol of the suffering of the common people. The emperor was incompetent and tyrannical, indulging in sensual pleasures and oppressing the people. He murdered his brother and betrayed his parents, showing no benevolence or filial piety.

The word "玄" means black, like clouds obscuring the moon, making the world dark and difficult to see.

The cat is a clever metaphor for the people. Unable to endure tyranny, the people rose in rebellion and murdered their ruler; this was the reason for the downfall of the Great Yong Dynasty!
—From the Annals of Emperor Yongshi

In the same year, outside Xuehou Pass.

Zhu Yong, the Prince of Beixiang, led the northern tigers and wolves out of Xuehou Pass, his banners obscuring the sky, his swords reaching as far as the capital.

The Northern army advanced with unstoppable momentum, breaking through the three passes of Huju, Yanling, and Guichou along the way, and the rest surrendered.

The Prince of Beixiang led his army on a personal expedition, capturing cities and strongholds along the way. When they arrived at Gubeikou, they were only two hundred li away from the capital of Dayong.

However, unforeseen events can happen at any time.

Just as the Beixiang Army was gaining momentum, a sudden heavy snowfall fell outside Gubeikou, lasting for ten days without any reduction.

The strategist Gongsun Jin was old and frail, and caught a cold, so he became bedridden.

Inside the tent, Gongsun Jin said to Zhu Yong, who was frowning, "The fate of the Great Yong Dynasty is not yet over. Heavy snow has cut off our supply lines. If we hold out here for a long time, our army will surely be defeated. Your Majesty should temporarily abandon the southern expedition, lead the army back, conserve your strength, and wait for the right time to act."

Beside him, Wu Zhiyuan, the chief clerk of the army, also bowed and advised: "The Yong Dynasty has lost the hearts of the people, and its defeat is only a matter of time. Your Majesty can follow the advice of the military advisor and wait until after the spring planting before planning the southern expedition."

Zhu Yong sighed softly.

As the saying goes, "One should strike while the iron is hot, but the momentum will wane with each attempt, and exhaust it with each subsequent one." Now, the capital of the Great Yong Dynasty is within reach, and the army's morale is at its peak, yet alas, fate has not forsaken Yong.
However, just as Zhu Yong was about to order the withdrawal of troops, the heavy snow that had been falling outside the camp for days suddenly stopped, and a bright sun dispelled the gloom of the past.

Sunlight streamed into the tent, which puzzled Gongsun Jin greatly. Could it be that the fate of Dayong had changed and the king's destiny had arrived?
Just as the emperor and his ministers were staring at each other in disbelief, a scout from the Imperial Guard suddenly came to report that Emperor Jingxing of the Great Yong Dynasty had been assassinated, and the entire court was now in mourning.

Gongsun Jin was overjoyed upon hearing this, but unexpectedly, he was blocked by phlegm and blood stasis. The emperor and his ministers in the tent called for the army doctor to treat him. After a long while, the withered old man on the bed finally recovered.

Once the old man recovered, he advised Zhu Yong, "This is a golden opportunity bestowed upon Your Majesty! When the emperor dies, Yong will surely hold mourning rites. If they weep for one day, they will not hold court for ten days. These ten days will be the time when the Great Yong will perish, and also the time when Your Majesty will establish your rule over the world!"

Gongsun Jin raised his palm with all his might and said, "I am now like a candle in the wind, my lifespan has come to an end, and medicine cannot cure me. This is the will of Heaven, and no human power can defy it."

At this point, the old minister on the bed exerted all his remaining strength to grasp Zhu Yong's hand and said from the bottom of his heart: "Lamenting the rites has ruined the country. Now that I am about to leave, I have only one wish. If I die before the great cause is accomplished, please remember this: the ancestral temples and the state depend on you. You must not neglect the affairs of state because of my decaying bones. If you do, I will die here and be content in the afterlife."

On the same day, Meng Yongzhen, who claimed to be the head of the four Taoist priests of the Celestial Master's Mansion, came to pay a visit.

Meng Yongzhen was originally the eldest of the Seven Xuanji disciples of the Celestial Master's Mansion. However, his fellow disciples suffered one disaster after another, and now only four of the Seven Xuanji disciples remain. So Celestial Master Lu simply changed the names of the seven disciples and called them the Four Daoists of Dongqing, Nanzhu, Xibai, and Beixuan.

In Taoism, the north is revered. Meng Yongzhen, known as the Northern Mysterious Taoist, served the King of Beixiang under the name of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

“The Great Yong is tyrannical and its fate is sealed. Your Majesty is the chosen one. I have come here in accordance with the principles of Heaven, and I wish to assist Your Majesty in conquering Yong.” Zhu Yong frowned and said, “What help can you, a man from another realm, offer me?”

"Those who live outside the secular world possess their own unique skills. Our Celestial Master's Mansion, with its thousand-year-old lineage, can all serve as aid to the king!"

Zhu Yong sneered, "I lead the elite troops of the North, crushing the three passes with unstoppable force. Why would I need any otherworldly techniques?"

Meng Yongzhen laughed loudly: "The royal army is indeed brave, but the snow-covered roads are blocked, and the horses are stuck in the snow. The army can hardly move an inch. I happen to have a way to open the road, which can solve this problem. Furthermore, the capital city is as impregnable as an iron city wall. I also have a way to clear the land and build a road, so that the royal army can cross secretly. This is no different from the heavenly army descending to earth. The fortified city can be breached in no time."

Zhu Yong's eyes flashed, and after a long period of contemplation, he said, "Even without your help, I can clear the snow path and break through this fortified city."

Meng Yongzhen repeatedly agreed, but as he left the tent, he still revealed a confident smile.

After dismissing Meng Yongzhen, Zhu Yong remained silent for a moment before returning to Gongsun Jin's bedside.

Zhu Yong, who had a short beard and was nearing forty, stared at the candle in silence.

Gongsun Jin woke up by chance and saw Zhu Yong standing in front of his bed. He asked the king what was troubling him.

Zhu Yong recounted the story of the Northern Mystic Daoist coming to serve him, and sighed, "Before I arrived in the Northern Frontier, a friend gave me the Nine-Character Three Instructions, which enlightened me and led to my achievements today."

My friend has always looked down on the Celestial Master's Mansion, saying that beasts shouldn't wear Taoist robes, feigning cultivation while committing demonic acts.

Zhu Yong frowned and said, "If we follow my old friend's advice, I should drive this Taoist priest away with sticks. However, he came here with good intentions to serve me. If I drive him away, I fear I will lose my reputation for respecting the virtuous and loving scholars."

Gongsun Jin laughed upon hearing this, saying, "It is indeed good that the king's friend hates evil, but the king is a monarch, not just one person. The king has hundreds or thousands of ministers under his command. How can they all be of good character and excellent?"
It should be understood that water that is too clear has no fish; as long as those who come are talented and have not committed serious mistakes, the good will be used for the good, and the bad for the bad.

Gongsun Jin said earnestly, "Your Majesty will one day have to govern the country and check and balance your ministers. This is the way of employing people, and also the way of an emperor. In my humble opinion, Your Majesty has already made up your mind, otherwise you would not have come to ask this old minister."

Zhu Yong's brows relaxed, and he felt as if the gloom in his heart had completely dissipated with the clearing sky.

At that time, Emperor Jingxing of the Dayong Dynasty had passed away for more than two days, and Gongsun Jin, a loyal and capable minister who had assisted the Prince of Beixiang for more than ten years, had also passed away.

The King of Beixiang was unaware of this situation. Following Gongsun Jin's plan, he took advantage of the fact that the court officials of Dayong were in mourning and launched a surprise attack, bringing his troops to the city within ten days.

After the surprise attack on the capital city secured victory, Zhu Yong learned of the tragic news of Gongsun Jin's death.

Gongsun Jin died without ever witnessing the king's great achievements.

Xu Qing walked slowly along the ancient Yinhe Road.

He gained a lot from his trip to Kyoto.

Firstly, it brought a sense of satisfaction from finally getting revenge for a long-suppressed grudge.

Secondly, the great dynasty's destiny has been lost, so I can go and find old friends to fulfill past promises, which brings me great comfort.

As for Emperor Jingxing and Feng Dehai...
These two are not worth mentioning.

Feng Dehai's only skill to be proud of is the Earth-level superior-grade Bao Gang Tong Zi Gong.

This technique is useless against zombies. Xu Qing thought that Tie Zhu and Sun Erzhuang were not married yet. When he returned to Tianjin, he might be able to ask them about it and pass on this technique.

Compared to the master Feng Dehai, Jing Xinghuang was even less worthy of being mentioned.

What Xu Qing learned from the old emperor were the philosophy of emperors, the art of governing the people, and some sensual and decadent entertainment.

Ironically, the other party, as the ruler of a country, had no imperial luck whatsoever among so many human-related rewards.

Xu Qing originally thought that he might have a chance to obtain the lost imperial purple aura from the old emperor.

It seems that even the emperor's luck is disgusted with this old dragon who can urinate with the wind and still wet his shoes.

(End of this chapter)