After Li Changzhou left, the Jiajing Emperor thought for a moment and then summoned Li Shizhen.
Li Shizhen assured the Jiajing Emperor that there were no hidden health problems, but then added a discouraging remark that a quick recovery was not necessarily a good thing, and that slow and steady recuperation was the right approach.
After Li Shizhen left, eighteen more imperial physicians were summoned, and each of them said that the emperor was in good health.
Finally, there's Tao Zhongwen.
It's strange how people are like this. Yesterday, Emperor Jiajing wanted nothing more than to have Shao Yuanjie executed by slow slicing, but after receiving his will, he remembered the friendship they had shared over the years and ordered that Shao Yuanjie be given a grand funeral.
Emperor Jiajing trusted Tao Zhongwen, whom Shao Yuanjie strongly recommended in his will, and the man was indeed quite capable.
Emperor Jiajing was born with a talent; he was very good at being an emperor. He understood one thing very well: no matter his own preferences or circumstances, he must never allow his subordinates to have only one force.
If he completely trusted Li Changzhou, he felt that he would not gain immortality. Only by keeping each other in check could he make Li Changzhou give more.
"This humble Taoist greets Your Majesty." Tao Zhongwen's hair had turned somewhat white.
"Sit down," the Jiajing Emperor said, pointing to a stool.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Emperor Jiajing tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair: "Master Tao, I have something to ask you."
"Your Majesty, please speak. I will answer all your questions to the best of my knowledge."
Emperor Jiajing glanced at Tao Zhongwen, his attitude becoming even more respectful than before.
"Are you dissatisfied?" Emperor Jiajing asked, looking at him.
“Brother Zhongkang should have died last year. It is already a blessing from His Majesty that he survived past the first month of the lunar calendar.” Tao Zhongwen lowered his head.
The Jiajing Emperor nodded: "What I want to ask you is about the Immortal Marquis."
Tao Zhongwen took a light breath: "Your Majesty, please speak."
The Jiajing Emperor recounted Li Changzhou's methods for achieving immortality and his path to enlightenment.
"What does Master Tao think?"
"I don't know," Tao Zhongwen shook his head, "but His Majesty has permitted me to use the dragon vein, and I am willing to perform divination for His Majesty."
"allow."
The Jiajing Emperor knew something about the dragon veins and had even granted Shao Yuanjie the right to use them.
The chief eunuch brought over a golden seal box, which Tao Zhongwen accepted with both hands. He opened it, revealing the Ming Dynasty's landscape and the emperor's jade seal inside.
A mysterious and immense power descended upon Tao Zhongwen, more profound than Shao Yuanjie's previous "borrowing of power".
He silently recited the incantation, gazing upon the ancient and modern lands of China.
The Ming Dynasty was the "victor" of China at this moment, and naturally had the right to review the past of the land and glimpse the future.
This glance reveals the fall of the Republic of China, the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, and the moment before the value game begins—it shows that the Qing Dynasty had no dragon veins, no powerful cultivators, and the true "winner" was irrelevant.
This also proves that this history does not affect the outcome of the game.
Any history that influences the outcome of a battle will inevitably lead to a dead end for the "victor."
The reason why a "winner" is a "winner" is because he has defeated everyone at any time, in any space, in any dimension, and in any aspect.
Ancient gods, including the King of Wind and Light, naturally understood this principle, but how could they not contend with it?
Ordinary people will do everything they can to fight for a chance to survive when faced with death. How could someone who can become a god be willing to be a loser!
As the Jiajing Emperor said before, what is the point of wanting immortality, whether it is for the emperor or for slaves and servants?
Tao Zhongwen had no intention of delving into that forbidden history.
As a cultivator skilled in divination, he understood the horror of destiny better than other cultivators.
"How is it?" Emperor Jiajing sat up slightly and looked at Tao Zhongwen.
Tao Zhongwen put down the imperial seal, his breath weak and listless.
"If Your Majesty agrees, a life-or-death calamity will surely occur one year later; one hundred and four years later, the Ming Dynasty will surely be in chaos, and the one who brings chaos to the Ming Dynasty will surely be surnamed Li."
Just like Li Changzhou didn't tell the truth when he said he could become an immortal by taking the dragon vein—he only took four-fifths of it. Tao Zhongwen also didn't tell the truth. The chaos in the Ming Dynasty was indeed caused by the surname Li, but it wasn't Li Changzhou.
"Is it Li Changzhou?" the Jiajing Emperor pressed.
"The secrets of heaven are obscure, and this humble Taoist cannot see them clearly," Tao Zhongwen replied.
"What is this life-or-death calamity?"
"Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, cultivates the Tao. If you succeed, the empire will remain unchanged for ten thousand years. Heaven will not allow it, earth will not allow it, and the people will not allow it."
"You mean there are constant natural and man-made disasters? And someone is even trying to assassinate me?"
"Heavenly secrets are difficult to fathom, and only those with great destiny can see them. I have done my best."
Emperor Jiajing thought for a moment, relaxed his tense body, and leaned back in his chair: "I'll ask you this: have I entered the Daoist path?"
This concerns the very survival of the Ming Dynasty, but the image of Shao Yuanjie dying while spitting blood flashed through Tao Zhongwen's mind, and he said:
"It's in."
Only by giving this answer would Li Changzhou reveal a flaw, allowing him to avenge Shao Yuanjie.
It was precisely because of this answer that history continued along the path of destiny. The Jiajing Emperor of destiny entered Taoism, the Jiajing Emperor of destiny failed in his endeavors, and the Ming Dynasty of destiny perished at the hands of Li Zicheng after 104 years.
Tao Zhongwen extended the mandate of heaven, but what he ultimately wanted to do was to change it; he wanted Li Changzhou to die when he became an immortal.
With Li Changzhou dead, the Jiajing Emperor would be unable to enter the Daoist path, and the Mandate of Heaven would change.
Can he really do it? Tao Zhongwen wasn't sure.
Since you've decided to do it, there's no need to know the details.
"You may leave now. I'll think about it."
Tao Zhongwen bowed and took his leave, beginning preparations—he had already foreseen the Jiajing Emperor's reply in the future.
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