Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

West Garden, Yongshou Palace.

"Bao Zhong sent someone back with a report, saying that the King of Ying had crossed the Yellow River."

The Jiajing Emperor sat cross-legged on a prayer mat.

"Master Tao, my son will arrive in the capital soon. How should we resolve this conflict between the dragon energies?"

I finally asked!

Fortunately, I was prepared.

Tao Zhongwen first nodded slightly, then sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his fingers constantly moving in and out as if he were doing some kind of calculation.

He himself "calculated" that the Prince of Ying was the offspring of the emperor, who was only eleven years old, and his mother had given him a sexual encounter.

He also persuaded the emperor to acknowledge him as his younger brother, arguing that "two dragons should avoid meeting," and to allow the Prince of Ying to stay in Chengtian Prefecture for a long time, so as to suppress the aura of a hidden dragon in the land of hidden dragons.

That day, Duan Chaoyong and Guo Xun plotted against him, and by the time he realized he had vouched for their deception of the emperor, he was already in a bind.

Exposing the two would inevitably lead to his own conviction.

Left with no other choice, Tao Zhongwen had to once again endorse the heretical practices presented by Duan Chaoyong before the emperor.

As expected, the emperor ordered him and Duan Chaoyong to jointly select girls aged eight to fourteen from the common people to extract "red lead" and refine them into an elixir of immortality.

I originally thought that this so-called elixir of immortality made from "red lead" was just a complete scam.

Duan Chaoyong was just a conman like Luan Da during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. Guo Xun cooperated with him either because he got some leverage over Guo Xun or because he was deceived by him.

Although I've fallen into their trap, as long as I play along and buy time, I still have a chance to find a way to protect myself.

However, things took an unexpected turn.

Tao Zhongwen served Emperor Jiajing for many years and had an excellent understanding of the emperor's temperament.

Although Emperor Jiajing was extremely obsessed with cultivating immortality and achieving eternal life, he also valued the power of a human emperor very much.

When Duan Chaoyong first proposed the plan of seclusion and cultivation, the emperor did not agree directly. Instead, he asked whether, as during the southern tour last year, the crown prince would nominally oversee the country, but important national affairs would still be sent to the Western Garden for him to decide.

After receiving a negative answer, the emperor did not make a decision immediately, but instead put it aside for the time being, ordering himself and Duan Chaoyong to refine the first batch of "red lead" elixirs as soon as possible before discussing it again.

Before long, Duan Chaoyong presented several dark red "elixirs".

The emperor was very cautious. He first bestowed one upon an old eunuch by his side, and he himself was present at the time.

After consuming the elixir, the old eunuch soon became energetic and in excellent condition, showing no signs of his former old age.

That night, the old eunuch was wide awake and remained energetic throughout the night.

This state lasted until the next day, when the effects of the medicine finally wore off, and the old eunuch returned to his listless state.

Upon seeing this result, the Jiajing Emperor was overjoyed and took one himself.

The next day, the emperor summoned himself and Duan Chaoyong and personally told them that he had slept with seven women the previous night without getting tired.

Such amazing effects are far beyond what ordinary elixirs made by Taoists can achieve!

The emperor immediately rewarded Duan Chaoyong handsomely. Duan then seized the opportunity to suggest that the emperor needed to go into seclusion for one or two years to completely isolate himself from the outside world and avoid being disturbed by worldly affairs, so that he could refine a true elixir that could lead to immortality and eternal life.

As expected, the emperor agreed!

A few days later, the emperor announced to his ministers at a court assembly that he had decided to retreat to the Western Garden for two years, isolating himself from the outside world, and devote himself to Taoist cultivation, while ordering the crown prince to oversee the country.

Such an absurd order was met with disapproval from all the officials.

Yang Zui, the Grand Master of Ceremonies who dared to speak frankly and directly to the emperor, was ordered to be beaten to death.

Even so, none of the ministers dared to agree with the emperor.

Even for an emperor, without the support of others, this matter could not be carried out.

If this matter is dropped, it would definitely be a good thing for me.

The emperor himself couldn't meet the requirements set forth by Duan Chaoyong, so he couldn't blame anyone else for failing to concoct the elixir of immortality.

However, just when everyone thought this farce would come to nothing, Yan Song suddenly went to see the emperor alone one day.

The next day, the emperor issued an edict summoning Prince Zhu Houyu of Ying to the capital to assist the crown prince in overseeing the country.

In Weihui, the emperor once told him that he had slept with the mother of the Prince of Ying in order to help him deduce whether the Prince of Ying was his son or his brother.

The emperor would not tell anyone except himself, so Yan Song could not possibly know.

Since the Jingnan Rebellion, emperors of all dynasties have been extremely wary of vassal kings, and in the presence of princes, there was absolutely no possibility of summoning vassal kings to the capital to assist in governing.

I really don't know how Yan Song dared to advise the emperor to summon the princes to the capital to assist the crown prince in overseeing the country.

At this time, the emperor's plan to have the five-year-old crown prince oversee the country could not be implemented. The Prince of Ying was already twenty-one years old, and an adult prince was naturally capable of fulfilling the responsibility of overseeing the country.

Therefore, the reasons for the ministers' opposition were no longer valid.

However, Emperor Jiajing still had a hurdle in his mind: his own theory of conflicting dragon energies.

In the emperor's eyes, he was the only one who knew the truth, and only in front of him would he call the Prince of Ying "my son".

"His Majesty cultivates in the West Garden, isolating himself from the outside world, where the true dragon's aura naturally resides."

After a moment of "calculation," Tao Zhongwen slowly opened his eyes.

"I have calculated that within this imperial city, there is a 'Dragon-Trapping Land' that can suppress the aura of a hidden dragon."

If His Highness Prince Ying resides here and does not enter the Western Garden, he will be safe and sound.

"Such a place actually exists within the imperial city?"

Emperor Jiajing's eyes lit up.

"Your Majesty, this is the Southern Palace."

Tao Zhongwen nodded and said,

"The Southern Palace is located in the Xun position of the Imperial City, belonging to the Li trigram, which represents the sun, brightness, and suppression."

The Eastern Palace is located in the Zhen direction, which represents the dragon and the birth of spring.

The Zhen dragon emerges from the Zhen trigram, while the Li fire resides in the Xun trigram. One rises and the other is restrained, one is Yang and the other is Yin. This is the two dragons guarding the country, which subtly aligns with His Highness Prince Ying's intention to assist the Crown Prince in overseeing the country.

Moreover, the Southern Palace was formerly the place where Emperor Yingzong's hidden dragon was kept in seclusion. It is just right to keep a dragon in the south and nurture it with the fire of Li, so as not to offend His Majesty or disrupt the celestial pivot.

If the King of Ying were to reside at the Southern Palace, it would not only be without harm, but would also be an omen of the nation's enduring stability.

"Nangong was indeed a 'place where dragons were trapped,' where Emperor Yingzong was confined for seven years."

Emperor Jiajing pondered for a moment,

"Although this place can suppress the hidden dragon's aura, it is also very ominous."

After Emperor Yingzong was restored to the throne, Emperors Xianzong, Xiaozong, and Wuzong never stayed overnight at the Southern Palace. I also avoided this place and never entered it.

"If my son were to stay here permanently, would it cause any problems?"

"Although the Southern Palace once imprisoned Emperor Yingzong, more than sixty years have passed, and its malevolent aura has long since dissipated."

Tao Zhongwen maintained the demeanor of a Taoist hermit.

"Although His Highness Prince Ying's presence here may restrict his potential and hinder his ability to exert his power, it will not harm his health in any way."

"That's excellent."

The Jiajing Emperor finally showed a satisfied expression.

"As the immortal master has said, let my son reside in the Southern Palace."