Chapter 1168

On the eighteenth day of the first month, after Hu Xiaotian had finished arranging everything here, he gathered nine thousand soldiers, boarded twenty large warships, carrying five hundred thousand catties of grain and fifty thousand taels of gold, set off from Xia Sha Port of Dongliang Jun, sailed downstream along the Yong River, heading straight for the Eastern Sea, their target pointing directly at Python Flood Dragon Island.

This time, Hu Xiaotian personally appointed Chang Fanqi as the main commander, responsible for battle command, while maritime logistics were handed over to Yang Yuanqing, and intelligence gathering was to be done by Xia Zhangming.

Zhuge Guanqi, although not accompanying them, expressed full confidence in Hu Xiaotian's expedition; before Hu Xiaotian's departure, the two of them had already drawn up various contingency plans, but the specific situation would have to be analyzed concretely, and the exact plan to adopt would depend on the actual conditions on Python Flood Dragon Island.

When Hu Xiaotian went to the Eastern Sea to suppress bandits, Li Yongfu had already successfully transported one hundred thousand shi of grain to Haizhou, handing over the grain at Haizhou dock to the Dakang commanders for takeover, and at the same time news of Hu Xiaotian's serious illness reached the imperial palace.

Long Xuan'en naturally would not believe the rumors of Hu Xiaotian's illness; he had originally expected that Hu Xiaotian would surely not dare to come to the capital in person. On the fifteenth day of the first month, the Spiritual Heavens Palace on Misty Peak had been freshly renovated, and the Laohuangdi personally visited the Spiritual Heavens Palace that evening. Returning to his former haunt, he couldn't help but feel endless emotion.

Accompanying him, Hong Beimo respectfully said, 'Your Majesty, are you satisfied with the reconstruction here?'

Long Xuan'en nodded and said, 'Satisfied; I have always been at ease with Minister Hong handling affairs.'

Hong Beimo said, 'Everything here has been restored according to the old regulations, striving to regain its original appearance.'

Long Xuan'en sighed with emotion, 'The experience of the Spiritual Heavens Palace is unforgettable for a lifetime!' He secretly made up his mind that he would never come here again under any circumstances. His gaze fell upon the plaque of the Cloud Temple; he pursed his lips but ultimately did not walk over.

Hong Beimo whispered, 'The person Your Majesty wishes to see is waiting inside the palace.'

Long Xuan'en grunted, turned around, and slowly walked toward the Spiritual Heavens Palace. This prison that once confined him, now freshly renovated and shining with gold and azure, yet Long Xuan'en was making his final visit here; after such a long absence, returning still left him feeling oppressed from the depths of his heart, this period of imprisonment on Misty Peak having become an indelible shadow deep within him.

Just as Long Xuan'en's figure appeared before the palace gates, he saw someone far away prostrate on the ground, weeping bitterly and crying, 'Unworthy grandson Tingzhen pays his respects to Your Majesty!'

Long Xuan'en stood arrogantly there, looking down upon his grandson crawling on the ground.

Long Tingzhen wore the ordinary attire of palace servants, bearing no trace of the former haughty and unrestrained imperial nobility; likely due to the torment he had endured, he looked extremely gaunt, not knowing how his grandfather would deal with him. Long Tingzhen felt anxious and uneasy, for after all, his father had once driven his grandfather from the throne and imprisoned him here—father's debt, son's repayment—and to this day he could not be sure whether the grandfather who had reclaimed the throne would pursue his guilt.

Originally, after Long Tingzhen managed to escape by luck, he would never again dare to harbor any grand ambitions; if it weren't for Hong Beimo summoning him to the palace, he would rather remain incognito, mingling in the marketplace, even if he could never regain the position of prince. After all, he had managed to preserve his own life.

Long Xuan'en gazed at Long Tingzhen for a long time without speaking.

The dreadful silence made Long Tingzhen grow ever more fearful; he even thought of death. Perhaps his grandfather would order his execution—so be it! Better to die than to live in hiding, scurrying about for a lifetime. Thinking this, Long Tingzhen kowtowed repeatedly on the ground and said, 'Tingzhen knows my father's sins are grave and unforgivable; this time I come to see my grandfather, I do not seek his forgiveness, only beg him to grant me death—Tingzhen's death is of no consequence; I hope the grandfather will allow me to be buried in the Long family mausoleum, grandfather…' Upon saying this, Long Tingzhen burst into tears.

Long Xuan'en suddenly burst out laughing, raised his foot and kicked Long Tingzhen's shoulder; Long Tingzhen was sent sitting on his buttocks on the ground, yet a smile appeared on Long Tingzhen's face, for in the past, when he practiced martial arts, Long Xuan'en had done the same to test how well his martial arts training had progressed.

Long Xuan'en pointed at Long Tingzhen and said, 'You little brat are also a good-for-nothing; after training martial arts for so long, you still can't withstand my kick—get up! You want me to kill my own beloved grandson—are you trying to make me a laughingstock before the world?'

Only then did Long Tingzhen realize that Long Xuan'en indeed had no intention of killing him; surprised and delighted, he scrambled up from the ground, hurriedly saying, 'Thank you, grandfather!' This fellow was originally a smooth-talking character, and after this setback he came to understand even more the vicissitudes and warmth of human life.

Long Xuan'en said, 'You've grown thin! And you've grown up—I'm not muddled; your father's deeds have nothing to do with you.'

Long Tingzhen said, 'Grandfather, I also do not approve of what my father did, but as a low-ranking official in the court I lack the influence to persuade him to turn back; moreover, because of this matter I offended that eunuch scoundrel Ji Feihua, who threw me into a lightless dungeon.'

Long Xuan'en naturally did not believe the boy's words, smiling faintly and said, 'I understand, I understand everything; take good care of your health, and once you recover, I will announce it to the world and formally appoint you as crown prince of Dakang!'

For Long Tingzhen, this was nothing less than tremendous good news; his greatest hope had merely been that the old emperor would cease pursuing his guilt and give him a way to live, yet he never expected that not only would his sins be pardoned, but he would also be made crown prince. Reflecting on how he had lost the struggle against his imperial brother, it seems indeed that surviving a great calamity brings future blessings.

Long Tingzhen knelt, tears in his eyes, and said, 'Grandfather, I will gladly go through fire and water for you.'

Long Xuan'en patted his shoulder and said, 'I, too, cannot sit on this dragon throne forever; it is time to choose a successor. Your father was too eager—if he had not used underhanded means to seize the throne, I would still have passed it to him. Tingzhen, among my descendants I value you the most; I had thought you died young, which grieved me for a while, but only recently did I hear you were still alive, and my delight is beyond words—truly a heaven-sent gift. Tingzhen, from now on I will entrust the entire realm of Dakang to your hands; I hope you will never let me down.'

Long Tingzhen choked up and said, 'Grandfather above, if I dare harbor even the slightest disloyalty toward you, may I be struck by lightning and pierced by myriad arrows…'

Long Xuan'en's face darkened as he said, 'Don't talk such nonsense—how could I not trust my own grandson?' As he spoke, he couldn't help but think, in this world who is still trustworthy? Even with descendants filling the halls, each is merely calculating his own interests.

Long Xuan'en said, 'You may temporarily stay on Misty Peak to recuperate; Mr. Hong will naturally teach you what to do, no need to rush—at most three months, and I will grant you the status of crown prince.'

Long Tingzhen nodded repeatedly, saying, 'Grandfather, not just three months—even three years, I can endure.' He was not lying; having previously endured the lightless, year-long agony of the dungeon, to him there is nothing worse left in this world.

After Long Xuan'en departed, Hong Beimo remained behind, and Long Tingzhen showed the utmost respect toward Hong Beimo; without Hong Beimo's intervention, he would never have had the chance to see the light of day again, let alone now having received the emperor's promise to make him crown prince. Long Tingzhen respectfully said, 'Thank you, Mr. Hong; your great kindness and virtue to me I will never forget!'

Hong Beimo smiled and said, 'Words alone are no proof; how does Your Highness the Crown Prince intend to thank me?'

Long Tingzhen was stumped by that question, momentarily at a loss for an answer; he now possessed almost nothing besides his own life—what could he offer to repay Hong Beimo? And would Hong Beimo even care about his life? Perhaps he valued Long Tingzhen's future potential, hoping to profit from his later repayment. Thinking this, Long Tingzhen replied, 'From today onward, Mr. Hong shall be my mentor; I will treat him with the courtesy of a disciple, and if one day I can ascend the throne, I am willing to share the realm with Mr. Hong!'

Hong Beimo couldn't help but burst into loud laughter upon hearing those words.

His laughter made Long Tingzhen's face burn with shame; he felt deeply insulted yet could not express his anger, so he only lowered his head deeply.

Hong Beimo said, 'If you can live to see that day, then we'll talk!' He sighed and asked, 'Do you know why His Majesty has not immediately announced your news?'

Long Tingzhen whispered, 'It should be that the timing is not yet ripe.'

Hong Beimo said, 'Do you know how many people want you dead? Ask yourself whether you presently have the ability to protect yourself.'

Long Tingzhen bit his lip; in martial arts he is merely third-rate, and speaking of influence, he is like a tree fallen and the monkeys scattered—there is not a single reliable aide at his side. Wanting to preserve his life, he can only rely on others; thinking this, Long Tingzhen respectfully said, 'I hope Mr. Hong will give me guidance.'

Hong Beimo said, 'No one can constantly guard your life; to survive in the end you must rely on yourself. Your natural talent is not bad—if you had followed a renowned master from childhood to study martial arts, you would surely have achieved something, but you have wasted much of your time in the past.'

Long Tingzhen gave a wry smile and said, 'Mr. Hong, even if I start practicing martial arts now, I fear I cannot become an expert.'

Hong Beimo said, 'That is not necessarily so; becoming an expert need not be limited to cultivating martial arts alone.'

Long Tingzhen sensed the deep meaning in those words and hurriedly said, 'Mr. Hong, teach me!'

Hong Beimo said, 'There is also a method whereby, through medicinal body refinement, one can in a short time attain an indestructible vajra body and possess the power of gods and demons.'

Upon hearing this, Long Tingzhen's eyes blazed with light, full of anticipation.

'However, this method of medicinal body refinement requires enduring pain beyond what ordinary people can bear; the entire process is utter torment, a fate worse than death, and without superhuman tenacity one could not possibly withstand it.' Saying this, Hong Beimo gazed deeply at Long Tingzhen.

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