Parallel Ming Dynasty: The more he compared, the more devastated Zhu Yuanzhang became.

The exciting chapter "Chapter 19: All People Worship Zhu Duo as a Saint" is now available online. Click to read it now!

After that, the yield data for corn per acre was gradually completed. Although it did not have the astonishing increase as potatoes, it was still more than three times the yield of wheat.

With tangible results in increased production, the reputation of the Heping Trading Company as a guarantee of credibility, and the full support and promotion from the imperial court from top to bottom, the company had the potential to achieve significant results.

In total, Zhu Duo only took two and a half years to completely resolve the food shortage crisis that would plague the Ming Dynasty for the next thousand years.

As long as the situation of the four major grain merchants of the United States monopolizing the global food supply does not occur in the future, there will never again be a famine tragedy with corpses strewn across the land of the Ming Dynasty!

Based solely on this one achievement that benefited all people, it would be entirely reasonable and justifiable for Zhu Duo to be revered as a saint by the world, without the slightest impropriety.

A sage of all ages, only fourteen or fifteen years old!

Such an astonishing feat, placed in any era throughout China's five thousand years of history, would have been enough to ignite an unprecedented nationwide jubilation.

Even Shen Bi, the person in charge of the Peace Trading Company, could not hide his excitement and exhilaration. He repeatedly urged Zhu Duo to step forward and face the people.

To receive the heartfelt gratitude and support of the people of the world.

Shen Bi always felt immense honor and extreme pride in being able to follow Zhu Duo.

However, after Shen Bi told Zhu Duo all his thoughts, Zhu Duo just smiled faintly and gently patted his shoulder.

Zhu Duo slowly began to speak, "The brilliance of individual heroism is ultimately nothing more than a fleeting firefly. For a country to truly grow and prosper, it needs the complete awakening of all its people."

Moreover, blind worship of individual heroes can stifle the possibility of this awakening.

Let me give you a somewhat inappropriate example.

When a hunter with a bow and arrow surrounds and hunts a herd of deer, driving the entire herd to the edge of a cliff, the deer standing on the precipice would rather leap off the cliff to fight for a chance to survive than turn back to resist the hunter who is all alone with only a bow and arrow.

Do you know why?

"Why?" Shen Bi asked, looking completely bewildered.

"In such circumstances, the so-called heroes are the real evildoers. It is the heroes who have personally stifled their will to think independently, given them unrealistic delusions, and made them just wait foolishly, thinking that a hero will always fall from the sky and lead them to the so-called bright and smooth road."

"But my Great Ming Dynasty has never needed such heroes."

"So, go and give the order to make the Peace Trading Company more marketable and vulgar in the future."

Every penny of these improved grain varieties costs money.

We must make it clear to all the people in the world that we are merely profit-driven merchants, not saints who save all living beings, and that everything they receive from us comes at a price.

Only in this way can we prevent them from developing blind worship and dependence on us.

With a gentle smile on his face, Zhu Duo patted Shen Bi's shoulder again. Although he was a young man who had not yet come of age, it did not feel out of place for him to make such a gesture to an adult who was much older than him. Instead, it was as if he were a kind and patient teacher instructing his student.

Shen Bi gritted his teeth. He fully understood the deeper meaning in Zhu Duo's words and completely comprehended the good intentions behind Zhu Duo's actions.

But he couldn't help but feel sorry for Zhu Duo and cry out for justice.

He was willing to tarnish his own reputation, remain anonymous behind the scenes, and endure the misunderstandings and criticisms of the world, all in order to bring about significant progress for the entire dynasty and awaken the people.

Zhu Duo, in this respect, is more deserving of the title of saint than all the sages throughout history who have been revered as saints!

If someone like Zhu Duo cannot be revered as a saint, then even until his death, he will never be able to resolve this knot in his heart or fill this enormous regret.

But it was precisely because of this that Shen Bi became even more determined to follow Zhu Duo for the rest of his life.

At that moment, Shen Bi made a solemn vow in his heart that he would follow Zhu Duo for all eternity, willing to go through fire and water for him, even unto death, and never doubt him! When Zhu Duo's heartfelt words were made public with the extraordinary celestial phenomenon, countless people of the Ming Dynasty were instantly moved to tears.

Zhu Duo not only brought them a new life of plenty, but also personally gave up the readily available honor of being granted sainthood, keeping his immense merits hidden deep within himself. He even willingly allowed the world to misunderstand the Peace Trading Company, thinking it was just a profit-driven business focused solely on making money.

Such selfless and benevolent spirit cannot be repaid even a fraction of the gratitude expressed in mere words of praise.

{New World: His Highness Zhu Duo is selfless and impartial, a model for all ages!}

{New World: His Highness Zhu Duo will be remembered for eternity, revered for generations to come!}

{New World: We will never forget the immense kindness Prince Zhu Duo has shown to the Ming Dynasty, even if it means our own destruction!}

{Original world: His Highness Zhu Duo! }

{Original World: This is truly a sage for all ages!}

{Original World: I truly envy their world; to have someone like that who cares for all people.}

{Original World: Why is there no one like Prince Zhu Duo in our world?}

At the same time, within the territory of the Ming Dynasty in the new world, on every piece of land from north to south.

People from all over the land, whether in small groups or alone in their homes, all bowed and stood facing the direction of Yingtian Prefecture and the palace.

I bow deeply and respectfully!

Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, from the elderly with white hair who were over seventy years old to the toddlers who were just learning to speak, everyone bowed in the direction of Yingtian Prefecture with the most sincere hearts at this moment.

The elderly man, with his head full of white hair, had hot tears in his eyes. Having lived a whole life, he understood the profound meaning of Zhu Duo's words about the awakening of all people. It was precisely because of this understanding that he admired Zhu Duo's choice to give up everything even more.

The toddlers, still struggling to walk, didn't understand much about the big picture. But when they saw their parents bowing down, they would imitate them and do the same. And the clever children clearly remembered that all those novel and interesting toys, and the sweet ice cream in their hands, were brought to them by Zhu Duo.

They all knew in their hearts that if it weren't for this extraordinary phenomenon that shook the heavens and the earth, they would never have known Zhu Duo's painstaking efforts behind the scenes.

Their bow was a tribute to Zhu Duo for bestowing upon them the immense kindness of providing them with food and warmth.

Their bow was a tribute to Zhu Duo's boundless benevolence towards all people.

Their bow was a gesture of the deepest, most sincere reverence and overwhelming emotion that arose from the bottom of their hearts.

Throughout the four seas, all people submit.

Such a scene, which is unprecedented and will likely remain so for thousands of years to come, is truly unparalleled.

Later historians recorded that on this day and for the three days that followed, it seemed as if Heaven and Earth were moved by the people's sentiments and grateful for Zhu Duo's benevolence in saving the world. For three consecutive days, the entire territory of the Ming Dynasty was bathed in clear skies and bright sunshine.

Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the imperial palace...

After reading Zhu Duo's actions and heartfelt words, Zhu Yuanzhang was deeply moved and shocked.

If it weren't for the seniority that prevented him from being here, if it weren't for his own chronic illness, if it weren't for the fact that Zhu Duo was a descendant of the Zhu family by blood.

He would certainly stand up at this moment and bow deeply to Zhu Duo.

For no other reason than for everything Zhu Duo did for the Ming Dynasty, for his comprehensive consideration for the people, and for his extraordinary breadth of vision and awareness.

"Duo'er, today I hereby issue an edict to pass the throne to you, so that you may succeed me and rule the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke every word with utmost sincerity, without a trace of falsehood.

Zhu Yunwen, standing to the side, remained silent throughout. He knew perfectly well that he had lost completely this time.

He is completely incomparable to Zhu Duo.

Whether it was his contributions to the Ming Dynasty or his compassion and awareness of helping the people, he could not compare to Zhu Duo in any way.

That's why when he heard Zhu Yuanzhang say he wanted to pass the throne to Zhu Duo, he felt no surprise or astonishment whatsoever.

In fact, he considered this to be a matter of course and a matter of course.

If Zhu Yuanzhang had insisted on passing the throne to him at this time, he would have thought that his father was making a huge joke.

Not only Zhu Yunwen, but all the princes standing in the hall also clearly understood that from this moment on, everything in the court had completely changed.

Before arriving at the main hall today, they all thought that their father's succession to Zhu Yunwen was a foregone conclusion. However, this earth-shattering and bizarre phenomenon completely reversed the situation.

It was this extraordinary phenomenon that shocked the world, completely exposing Zhu Duo, who had been hiding quietly and unremarkable among them, to the world.

This boy, whom they had always regarded as nothing and ignored, had always been working silently behind the scenes for the Ming Dynasty and for all its people.

None of the princes could have done what he did and sacrificed.

In this world, who can remain unmoved when faced with an easy opportunity to be made a saint?

Furthermore, if they had the opportunity to become heirs to the throne, and now they have made such a monumental contribution that could be considered a sainthood, would they easily let it go? As long as they make public their achievements in completely eradicating the food crisis for the Ming Dynasty, who in the world could compete with them for the supreme throne?

Even if someone dares to stand up and fight, the people of the world will never agree with them.

Zhu Di thought to himself, "If I were the one who brought these amazing achievements of potatoes and corn to the Ming Dynasty, I would have rightfully succeeded my father to the throne and become the supreme ruler of the Ming Dynasty long ago."

"If I were Zhu Duo, I would become the youngest emperor in history, at the age of thirteen or fourteen, bearing the immense merit of benefiting all people, and with the behemoth that is Peace Merchants backing me."

What exhilarating spirit and boundless pride that must have been!

Just thinking about it in his mind ignited a raging fire in Zhu Di's heart, and he became excited.

But Zhu Duo personally gave up everything that was within his grasp, gave up his immense merit and fame, gave up the supreme throne, and gave up the full support of Zhu Yuanzhang that he could have rightfully obtained.

At that moment, Zhu Di even felt a sense of frustration and resentment at the fact that his son was not living up to his potential.

Not only Zhu Di, but Zhu Xi himself had the exact same thought.

"Why isn't such a gifted and compassionate person my son! If he were my son, I would dedicate the entire power of my kingdom and my entire life to supporting him, ensuring his secure ascension to the throne as the second emperor of the Ming Dynasty!"

"It's a pity that my elder brother left us too early. If he were still here, knowing that his son was so talented and accomplished, he would be so proud that he would look up to the sky and roar with joy, and be content with his life."

Seeing how much Zhu Yuanzhang valued him and even wanted to pass the throne to him directly, Zhu Duo was not moved at all and instead fell into a long silence.

The way things were unfolding before him was far beyond reason and completely contrary to his original expectations.

The sudden appearance of the system, along with this extraordinary celestial phenomenon, seemed to render all his previous efforts and behind-the-scenes work meaningless.

What he originally planned to achieve step by step through his own scheming has now been delivered to him for no reason, readily available to him.

Faced with all this, Zhu Duo felt no surprise whatsoever; instead, a sense of indescribable regret arose in his heart.

Wouldn't it be better if this system didn't interfere, allowing him to successfully rebel based on his own abilities?

"Eh..."

Zhu Duo sighed deeply, his tone filled with unspeakable sorrow and helplessness, and said softly, "Your Majesty, let's put this matter aside for now and not mention it again."