In the heart nourishing hall in the depths of the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been a little restless since he came back, paced back and forth like a hungry wolf.

I don't know how long it took, the founding emperor was a little bored and withdrew from the eunuchs and palace maids around him, and walked alone towards the bookshelf in the corner.

The old man in the yellow robe looked left and right, and when he was sure that there was no one around, the old man reached out to a secret compartment in the bookshelf.

Click.

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have moved some hidden mechanism, and then, with the sound of the wheels churning, the bookshelf made of rosewood separated from it.

As the bookshelves for concealment parted, the extremely clever secret door behind it was finally revealed. This secret door is in a circle, painted with the pattern of Yin and Yang Taiji, and in the middle of it, there is a prominent nine-square grid.

The long-faced old man skillfully pressed a few numbers on the nine-square grid, and then the two yin and yang fish on the left and right separated again, revealing the pitch-black corridor behind him.

Picking up a candle for lighting next to him, Zhu Yuanzhang carefully lit the fire path used for lighting next to the corridor.

With a popping sound, the oil lamps emitting a faint blue flame lit one by one, extending down the spiraling downward corridor.

Putting the candle in his hand back in place, Zhu Yuanzhang stepped on this deep aisle alone. As the secret door behind him slowly closed, this unknown depth suddenly fell into a deathly silence. The only thing that could be heard was the heavy footsteps of the long-faced old man.

After spiraling down the stairs, there was another narrow passage, and after the old man had walked for half a pillar of incense, at last, there was a clear light in front of him.

At the end, there is a secret room built deep underground. There is no light here, and the walls of the four walls are all painted with talismans to prevent the leakage of breath. The room was very spacious, about ten zhang square. There are four strangely shaped stone totems in each of the four directions in the secret room, on which are carved by skilled craftsmen with patterns of green dragons, white tigers, vermilion birds and Xuanwu.

In the middle of the secret room, there is a huge Go chessboard, dotted with black and white stone chess pieces. At this moment, there is a withered old man in a wheelchair, quietly staying on the edge of the chessboard, pulling the stone chess pieces the size of a watermelon with his divine thoughts, and deducing the fight.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was the son of the great tomorrow, walked in slowly, but he didn't disturb Yaxing, who was playing chess, he just stood opposite the old man and watched quietly.

I don't know how long it took, but the old man in the wheelchair slowly raised his head. I saw that his wrinkled face had a pair of miserable white eyes without pupils. Coupled with his long unkempt gray-white hair, it makes people feel unusually weird.

The blind old man turned his face to the direction where Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting, and asked a little strangely:

"Your Majesty, why did you come down?"

The old man's voice was old and hoarse, like a moan coming from the old bellows.

Shaking his head with a wry smile, Zhu Yuanzhang said helplessly:

"It's nothing, it's just that there are some things that I can't figure out, so I came down to ask Master Yuan for advice. ”

Gently patted the armrest of the wheelchair, and the blind old man actually drove the wheelchair and flew over in the air. With a thud on the ground, the old man asked:

"Could it be for the sake of that innate fire spirit?"

Frowning slightly, Zhu Yuanzhang replied respectfully:

"It's not all ...... Today, I have rewarded several meritorious heroes who have made meritorious contributions to the escort that day, and I have specially left the young man named Ao Cangfeng to serve in the Jinyi Guard. It's just a pity that there is no way to leave Xiao Yi's child and Xi Zhenren behind, which makes me a little disappointed. In fact, I am looking for Master Yuan today for another matter. ”

After a slight pause, the long-faced old man continued:

"Today, the border pass came to report that the soldiers on the front line lacked military salaries, but three months ago, a batch of military funds had already been allocated, so why did they say that they were short of money in just a few months? I always feel that this matter has something to do with Lan Yu, the old ministers in the army. These days, in order to repair the houses destroyed by the innate fire spirit, and to appease the people, the cash that can be mobilized by the treasury has been a little tight, and it is indeed a bit troublesome to make a fuss about this matter. But what is even more intriguing is that Shen Wansan came out at this time, and he gave one million taels of silver to help me as military expenses. Master Yuan, do you think there is any connection between this?"

After pondering for a long time, the old man in the wheelchair actually looked Zhu Yuanzhang up and down with his godless eyes for a long time, and when he saw that the founding emperor was a little hairy, the old man said in a playful tone:

"Now in the old department of the army, eighty percent belong to Lan Yu. Naturally, the matter of losing air salaries and lying about the invitation to merit is related to them. However, now that most of the military power is in the hands of the Blue Jade Party, it is not time to make things too stiff. They ask for money, just give it to them. When His Majesty gradually transfers the military power to the command of King Yan and other princes, it will be foolproof when the time comes. ”

The long-faced old man nodded in agreement, and then continued to ask:

"Then what did Shen Wansan say?"

Stretching out his hand and wiping the beard under his chin that was a little felt, the blind old man commented indifferently:

Shen Wansan's move was nothing more than to protect himself, and he was a businessman who thought that sharing worries for the monarch could be exchanged for more benefits, which was not a basis. Judging from his past performance, he is not stupid enough to collude with the Blue Jade party. It's just ......"

Hearing the old man's somewhat hesitant tone, Zhu Yuanzhang asked a little nervously:

"Just what?"

"It's just that if there is a real war, this silver tael and grain and grass are indeed the first. Shen Wan is rich enough to rival the country, if Lan Yu really wants to plot against him, he will never let go of this moving vault. According to Yuan's opinion, His Majesty should be on guard early. After all, Lü Buwei also started as a businessman back then, and I don't want him to become the next Lü Buwei. ”

The expression on his face became more and more solemn, and Zhu Yuanzhang said in a cold tone:

"Thank you Master Yuan for the point, I remember. It's just that over the past few days, I feel that my health has been getting worse and worse, and I really don't know if I can survive until the branches on these tree trunks are cut off...... Master Yuan, I wonder if there is a way to prolong my life for a few more decades?"

The blind old man drove the wheelchair slowly to another position on the chessboard, and said in a playful tone:

"Your Majesty is the Ninth Five-Year Honor, and Shouyuan is related to the luck of the Ming Dynasty. Once you use the method of changing your life against the sky, let alone yourself, even the person who helped you change your life will be eaten by the Heavenly Dao, and there will be no place to bury you. ”

"But Master Yuan, you are very knowledgeable, you must know what you can do to help me. I don't want to be an eternal emperor, as long as it takes another thirty or fifty years, let me settle down this Ming dynasty and hand it over to a suitable heir, it is enough. ”

The old man in the wheelchair didn't pay attention to Zhu Yuanzhang's question, he just slowly raised his hand, and dragged a chess piece with his mind and landed firmly on the chessboard, and then he said slowly:

"Is there such a way? ”

"Ask Master Yuan for advice!"

"One of these is the 'elixir of immortality' that the First Emperor sent people to search for all over the world. ”

Looking at the blind old man with a stunned face, Zhu Yuanzhang asked in disbelief:

"Master Yuan, you're not kidding, are you?

Fingers tapped the armrest of the wheelchair, and the blind old man said with a little recollection:

"Of course it exists, otherwise why do you think the monster surnamed Wu in Tianji Pavilion has survived until now?"

His eyes widened, and Zhu Yuanzhang said in a nervous tone:

"Are you saying that the immortal medicine is in the hands of Tianji Pavilion? Is it possible, do you want me to go with that Mr. Wu?"

Yin Yin sneered, and the blind old man and the old god said:

"Your Majesty, do you think that a monster who has lived for thousands of years will care about you, an old man who only has a lifespan of a few decades? Even if you are the tribute lord of the world, in the eyes of their Tianji Pavilion, you are just a tool to maintain the luck of Kyushu. Driving the wheelchair and turning around, the blind old man said as needed: "What's more, the meaning of their Tianji Pavilion is to protect the normal operation of Kyushu's luck, once you use any method to change your life, it will definitely affect the change of Kyushu's luck." When the time comes, don't say begging them to make you live longer, I'm afraid that the first one to come out and kill Your Majesty is that Wu Xin. ”

A touch of ferocity unique to a king flashed in his eyes, and Zhu Yuanzhang retorted sharply:

"I am the king of this world, why should he kill me!"

"My majesty, do you think that in the eyes of a person like him, who is almost a god in the world, a mere human emperor is so important? And as far as I know, the 'immortal medicine' has strange medicinal properties, and only people with a certain constitution can live forever after taking it. Otherwise, His Majesty the First Emperor, who created the pattern of great unification, should have lived to the present. ”

After a little dejected talk, Zhu Yuanzhang asked without giving up:

"What about the other way?"

"The second thing is to depend on the creation of Bai Xiaoyi's little ruffian......