I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality-Chapter 216 - 127: Traveling through Rivers and Mountains, Promoting Civilization

Since the death of Emperor Longping, the era name of Dayong has been changed from Qianyuan to Jingzhi.

Now that Zhao Rong has ascended to the throne, he considers himself the ruler of a rejuvenated era. During Emperor Longping’s reign, the court and the countryside were prosperous, and ministers only reported good news, never the bad. Even if there were disasters or bandits, they were seen as minor troubles, not worth worrying about.

Emperor Longping liked to hear such things, and Emperor Jingxing even more so.

In Zhao Rong’s view, if his eighty-year-old, dim-sighted father could govern the country into a scene of prosperity and peace, he, at only sixty, nearly twenty years younger than his father, should be in his prime, right?

Such a young and capable man like him, how could he govern the nation worse than the late emperor?

"I am a wise ruler, and my country is thriving. Who dares to say that I am not a good governor?"

Zhao Rong lived in his own world. Having struggled to this position at the age of sixty, shouldn’t he be able to enjoy himself now?

Apart from reveling in pleasures, Zhao Rong was not idle. During these days of his reign, he was busy eliminating any potential threats to his rule.

Those who once slandered him for being ruthless and fighting with his own kin were hiding evil intentions and were traitors to the nation, who must be eradicated.

There were also some old Crown Prince Faction members, and even the Fourth Master Faction who wanted to support the foolish Fourth Prince. None of these could be spared.

On this day, Emperor Jingxing Zhao Rong was furiously berating in the Imperial Study.

"What are you all good for! You can’t even handle a mere child. What use are you to me?"

Cai Shichun stepped forward with cupped hands: "Your Majesty, rest assured. I have already had checkpoints set up along the northern path, and the soldiers of the Divine Strategy Camp are ready for deployment. Even if he escapes for a while, he will never reach the Northern Territory."

Zhao Rong suppressed his anger and then asked about the old Crown Prince’s Mansion.

The Chief Eunuch beside Cai Shichun stepped forward and said, "The young prince of the Shou Qinwang Mansion suddenly fell seriously ill the day before yesterday. Although he is still alive, he has become an imbecile. This old servant specifically went to observe yesterday. The young prince drools from his mouth and is paralyzed in his lower limbs. He can’t even eat without being fed, and he was completely oblivious when the servant spoke to him."

"My poor elder brother suffered at the hands of the Celestial Heart Sect rebels, and now his only son is in such a state. It truly pains me! Convey my decree that the best Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital must be sent to treat my nephew, and ensure he is relieved from his ailments as soon as possible."

Zhao Rong walked up to the Chief Eunuch, grabbed his wrist, and patted his arm forcefully.

The old eunuch looked at the smile on Zhao Rong’s face, feeling a chill down his spine.

"This old servant obeys the decree."

Shortly after the old eunuch withdrew, ministers Pan Song and Shi Jinzhong came with a memorial to the throne.

In front of the imperial desk, Zhao Rong reviewed the memorial, which mostly contained articles praising the era’s peace and prosperity and the king’s ability to govern, such as how auspicious omens had appeared somewhere, how in June it snowed, and how snow has always been seen as auspicious.

Another cited a phenomenon of twin suns in the sky and a phoenix singing in the heavens, predicting the ruler’s wisdom and the empress’s virtue, resembling two bright suns illuminating the land, bringing peace and prosperity, which is an auspicious sign.

Zhao Rong happily annotated the memorial.

"Such auspicious signs, don’t they just validate that my ascension to the throne is favored by heaven and supported by the people?"

The two ministers exchanged a knowing glance and responded in unison.

"Your Majesty is ordained by heaven, with long life and eternal prosperity!"

Pan Song and Shi Jinzhong were the ’trusted ministers’ carefully selected by the aged and dim Emperor Longping.

Although the current Emperor Jingxing was somewhat different from the late emperor, they shared the same aversion to criticism while enjoying praise.

If the emperor considered the nation to be thriving, then it was indeed thriving, and no one would idle around to contradict.

After all, everyone had gotten used to this over the years. If a ruler came who wanted to make revolutionary changes, the uneasy ones would be replaced with them.

While Zhao Rong sang and danced, enjoying the hard-won throne, three destitute monks were being interrogated in the flourishing times, a thousand miles away.

"Where are you monks from? Do you have travel permits?"

The over fifty-year-old Gongsun Jin took out the permits and explained, "We are monks from Yunshan Temple, now returning after wandering and wish to go back to our monastery."

At the city gate, a group of soldiers guarded the main path, questioning and inspecting everyone.

The soldiers had a portrait, saying that a nobleman from the south had been attacked by villains and was missing. They held a portrait of the nobleman and his entourage for the purpose of finding and protecting them.

Gongsun Jin, accompanied by two dusty little monks, Zhu Huai’an following behind, glanced at the portrait as they passed the gatekeeper. It depicted none other than his own prosperous visage as Prince Zhu.

Unfortunately, with his intermittent meals, he had lost much weight. Not only would the portraits not help in finding him, but not even his mother might recognize him if she came.

Leaving the city, the three continued along the official road. During this, Zhu Huai’an saw a convoy of mounted soldiers in capital guards’ armor. Several prisoners, their heads covered with black cloth, were locked in iron cages on their wagon.

Shocked, Zhu Huai’an was about to rush forward but was pulled aside by Gongsun Jin.

The prisoners in the wagon were none other than his uncle’s family, with whom he had parted ways.

Once the convoy had passed, Zhu Huai’an, with eyes reddened, wrenched free from Gongsun Jin’s grip and said, "I have to rescue them!"

Gongsun Jin pulled Zhu Huai’an close and said sternly but quietly, "You can scarcely protect yourself. How can you rescue them!"

"At present, our only path is to head north. If Your Highness returns, you will only disappoint them!"

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