Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 133: Leave the fire in the west and return to the Ming Dynasty in the east!
[I would rather love a pinch of soil from my hometown than a ton of gold from another country! ]

This quote comes from Journey to the West. It was said by Emperor Taizong of Tang when he bid farewell to Monk Tang, who had gone to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures. It was meant to urge Monk Tang to return to the East as soon as possible, and it also expressed the author's homesickness...

[Now the Divine Emperor has used this famous saying to write to you, his intention is of course to have you return from the West to the Eastern Land, the Great Tang... the Eastern Land, the Great Ming!]

After receiving the letter, you couldn't help but feel bitter: Tang Sanzang returned to the Tang Dynasty because he had obtained the true scriptures in the Western Paradise, and his merits were complete... But now you have accomplished almost nothing.

You originally wanted to find some scientists in the West, bring them back to Ming, and help Ming quickly climb the technology tree... But the current situation has ruthlessly shattered your hopes. The West simply doesn't have such scientists, and the scientific system has long since collapsed. Climbing the technology tree is a dead end.

How can you go back in such a hopeless situation? What's the point?

The only outcome of your return to the Ming Dynasty is to follow your predetermined fate and face a desperate situation. When the ominous God-Emperor begins his feast in his later years, you will either die or commit suicide...

So you don’t really want to go back.

But what if I don't go back? Does it mean that as long as you can't see the Ming Dynasty, there will be no tragedy in the Ming Dynasty?

[After all, I'm just burying my head like an ostrich...]

[So after careful consideration, you finally decided to obey the Divine Emperor's order and return from the Western Ocean to the Ming Dynasty in the East!]

[But you only planned to go back by yourself, and you left Li Laiheng and others in the West...]

"Master! I don't want to stay!"

White-haired Li Laiheng weeps and prostrates himself before you: "I want to return to the Ming Dynasty! If I'm not here, and the master and Zhu Youjian start fighting, won't I be of no help at all?!"

"I have no other wish in my life but to die fighting for you before Zhu Youjian! If you leave me behind... I... I'd rather die now!"

You understand everything he means.

The only thing that kept this old thief alive was revenge on the Divine Emperor. No matter what the outcome of that revenge was, he was unwilling to live in humiliation.

[He only wants to die before you, to die under the tangible hand of the Divine Emperor!]

【But, you don't want him to die meaninglessly...】

[Humans are not plants or trees, so who can be without feelings? ]

As one of your earliest followers, Li Laiheng is no longer just a tool in your plan to kill the gods. Over the past few decades, he has become your old friend... You don't want him to die, at least not on the road to killing the gods, which is doomed to fail.

[Although this old thief has leveled up and become the Sword God of Shilipo, he's still just a vulnerable monster in front of the Divine Emperor. Since you already know you have no chance of winning in this lifetime, why bother dragging others down with you?]

[Besides, the old thief is already old. He is over a hundred years old and has entered the countdown of his life. Although you don't know how long he can live, you still want him to spend his remaining years in peace.]

[If he stayed in the West, the Divine Emperor would forget his existence and would only fight you from now on. No matter what the outcome is, it would not involve an old man thousands of miles away...]

If he stayed in the West, his status and military power would be enough to ensure that he would enjoy the most comfortable support in the West.

[This is your kindness and your concern. You want to give him a stable old age, so that his life will not be in vain.]

[But you also know that this stubborn old man won't give in easily. If you ask him to spend his old age in peace in the West, he will definitely not agree, so you have to change your approach...]

You smiled, then suddenly said in a serious tone, "Old Li, I don't want you to die of old age in the West. I want you to help me with something extremely important in the West!"

【what? 】

Li Laiheng scratched his head in confusion: "What could be more important than beating Zhu Youjian?" ["Of course!"]

You said in a deep voice, "This foolish emperor has summoned me, so I have no choice but to return. But if I go back, wouldn't the legacy I've painstakingly built in the West be wasted?"

"Furthermore, I still have a lot of things I haven't had time to do, such as various scientific research experiments... Also, I've always felt that it's impossible to accomplish anything in the Ming Dynasty. After all, the Ming Dynasty is under the watchful eye of a tyrant emperor, and my Jinyiwei simply can't accumulate divine power."

“If you can enable people outside the Ming Dynasty to generate divine power and accumulate a large amount of divine power, then I may be able to successfully kill the tyrant emperor in the future…”

"So you must stay in the West, both to protect this legacy for me and to find a way to kill the tyrant..."

[At this point, you said earnestly, "Lao Li, you are my last hope!"]

Your sincerity is unpretentious...

After hearing this, Li Laiheng was still skeptical, but he didn't say anything more and just nodded silently.

【…】

In the 102nd year of Chongzhen's reign, you received a letter of recall from the Divine Emperor, and decided to return to the Ming Dynasty to face the inescapable destiny!

[But you didn't want the old bandits to die with you in a meaningless battle, so you told them a white lie, asking them to stay in the West and help you take care of your newly built empire, and find a way to "evolve" the foreigners into Ming people, so that you can use them to kill gods in the future...]

[That year, you, as the Son of God, crowned Li Laiheng as the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, and the other old bandits were crowned "Electors," each taking turns to inherit the throne!]

[That year, having relieved yourself of your heavy responsibilities, you led eight hundred Jinyiwei onto a vast sea-crossing ship. Amidst the complex gazes of the intruders, you set sail with the wind until you disappeared where the sea and sky met...]

【This separation will last a lifetime.】

【…】

In the 102nd year of Chongzhen's reign, you returned by ship.

In the 104th year of Chongzhen's reign, you returned to the Nanyang region via the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Strait of Malacca. Then, you continued northward and finally arrived at Quanzhou Port.

[Ming Dynasty Prime Minister Zhou Liang has returned to the loyal Ming Dynasty! ]

On shore, you and your companions were warmly welcomed by the people along the way. They curiously asked you about the customs and practices of the foreign lands, and you smiled and shared your experiences with them. You also presented the various exotic local specialties you had brought back from this trip to the officials and people who came to greet the fleet.

Although these specialties might not be particularly valuable, their rarity, coupled with the fact that they were gifts from the Prime Minister, made them incredibly meaningful... Everyone was delighted!

[And so, you returned to the capital amidst the watching and cheering of the people along the way, and were summoned by the Divine Emperor...]

[In the Imperial Palace, you met the Divine Emperor again!]

[The Divine Emperor, whom I hadn't seen for many years, smiled and asked you many questions. You answered them one by one with a very respectful attitude, which made Him very satisfied...]

[But before you knew it, you suddenly noticed that His appearance seemed to have changed a little bit... This startled you, and you stole a closer look.]

The more you look, the more certain you are that you are not mistaken, and your heart gradually sinks.

[Because His temples have turned gray...]

……

(End of this chapter)