Chapter 8 - The Old Turtle Talks About the Past! Ming Dynasty and the People Rule the World Together!

Chapter 8: The Old Turtle Talks About the Past! Ming Dynasty and the People Rule the World Together!…

Lakeside.

Zhu Xuanji raised an eyebrow.

“Old Turtle of Xuanwu Lake? According to what Xiao Zhi and Xiao Shu said, you have been living in this Xuanwu Lake for over a hundred years? Moreover, you gave them their names! Judging by your tone. It seems you understand some matters of the human race!”

The old turtle spoke. He said slowly and methodically: “Please allow me to report, Benefactor! I, the old turtle, have lived in this Xuanwu Lake for 120 years! In my turtle clan, 120 years is neither considered long-lived nor short-lived. My grandfather once received guidance from an immortal and was able to absorb the essence of the sun and moon, cultivating and attaining the Dao! He lived for over a thousand years. My father inherited some of my grandfather’s bloodline power and lived for over 600 years!

“I, an old turtle, am not so capable. By the time my grandfather’s bloodline power was passed down to me, it was already quite weak. But, living to over 300 years should not be a problem. I heard from my father. Zijinshan is a blessed land of the immortals! Although it went through wars and changes of dynasties, causing the immortals to leave. But one day, the immortals will definitely return to Zijinshan! Today, my persistence has finally paid off! Finally, this old turtle has waited for the immortal to return to Zijinshan!”

As he said this, the old turtle’s voice even carried a hint of a sob!

It was hard to imagine, for a creature like the old turtle, it seems he also had some emotions and desires.

After hearing the old turtle’s words, Zhu Xuanji’s eyes flickered.

From what the old turtle said, he seemed to know some things about the outside world! Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Old turtle. Do you know what year it is now?”

The old turtle replied slowly: “If I am not mistaken, it is now the fifteenth year of Hongwu.”

Zhu Xuanji raised an eyebrow.

He murmured in a low voice, “The fifteenth year of Hongwu?”

“Old turtle, do you know what the situation is like outside? You just mentioned that there were immortals in Zijinshan before, what’s the story behind that?”

Zhu Xuanji asked the old turtle about the doubts in his heart.

After hearing Zhu Xuanji’s question.

The old turtle seemed to have opened a box of stories. He began to tell Zhu Xuanji about the past.

“Zijinshan* was the name of this place in the previous dynasty! Now, this Zijinshan is also called Zhongshan!”

[*Zijin—Shan(Mountain)]

“It was named by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty! Speaking of the previous dynasty, it cannot be fully called the previous dynasty. It can only be called the Mongol Yuan Dynasty! After all, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty still exists today, but its national power is much weaker than before! The Mongol Yuan Dynasty once dominated for a time, trampling Zhonghua!

“The founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, Genghis Khan, was a great figure in the demonic path, with millions of iron cavalry under his command. He swept across the entire Zhonghua in just thirty years! More than a hundred years ago, there was a saying on Zhonghua,

“Over a hundred years ago, there was a man named Realized Being Ziwei* on Zijinshan, known as one of the top ten immortals in Zhonghua! He absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on Zijinshan, nurtured the dragon vein, and his cultivation was astonishing!”

[*aka Emperor Ziwei]

“He had a great reputation in the martial world of Zhonghua! At that time, Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, wanted the people of Zhonghua to submit. He wanted to invite Realized Being Ziwei to join the Mongol Yuan Divine Court and serve as the national teacher of Mongol Yuan! Realized Being Ziwei firmly refused! Genghis Khan was furious and personally led 300,000 Mongol Yuan iron cavalry to trample Zijinshan! To avoid the attack, Realized Being Ziwei left Zijinshan and disappeared from the martial world of Zhonghua!

“After that, Genghis Khan established Jinling City next to Zijinshan as one of the twelve capitals of Mongol Yuan. Guarded by Möngke! Later, when Möngke died during the southern expedition, his brother Kublai took over the position of head of Jinling Capital! Subsequently, Kublai, using Jinling as his base, successfully became the head of the twelve capitals. He naturally became the emperor of Mongol Yuan!

“Although Kublai later went to Taiqing City to take the throne. However, Jinling City has always been called the place where the dragon rises! Decades later. Under the rule of the Mongol Yuan Divine Court, rebellions broke out everywhere, and the Emperor Shundi of Mongol Yuan was unable to govern the vast territory! The descendants of various dynasties that were destroyed by Genghis Khan began to rebel to restore their kingdoms!

“Heroes emerge in troubled times! The founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, was such a hero! He was originally a commoner from Huai Xi. In troubled times, he rebelled and joined the Ming Cult in his early years. Later, he became the Law King of the Ming Cult! Later, with his extraordinary courage and wisdom, he gathered a group of talented people around him. He occupied Jinling City and established the Ming Dynasty!

“Zhu Yuanzhang was very capable, his martial arts skills were also impressive, and he was known as the Hongwu Emperor in the martial world. The dynasty he established was called the ‘Martial Ming Dynasty’ by many people! After occupying this dragon-rising land of Jinling, Zhu Yuanzhang also knew the importance of Zijinshan outside Jinling. And he sent the extraordinary Liu Bowen under his command to Zijinshan to find the dragon vein left by Realized Being Ziwei!

“However, Liu Bowen did not find the dragon vein of Zijinshan. He only gave Zhu Yuanzhang an idea to rename Zijinshan! Zhu Yuanzhang then renamed Zijinshan to Zhongshan! And he built the Zhu family’s mausoleum on Zhongshan. All to ensure the Ming Dynasty’s national prosperity and enduring strength!

“Time flew, years went by! From the time when Genghis Khan of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty dominated for a time, to the present time when Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty is at the peak of his power. This old turtle has witnessed many storms and changes on this Zhongshan. The world outside, what it is like now. This old turtle doesn’t know much. Thinking about it, it should still be a peaceful world! After all, after great chaos, there must be great governance!

“That Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and his crown prince Zhu Biao. They have come to Zijinshan more than once. Father and son once rested by this Xuanwu Lake. I, the old turtle, once heard the conversation between the father and son. I know that both father and son value the people greatly! So, the current Ming Dynasty should still be good.

“At least it is much better than the Mongol Yuan Dynasty of the past. I once personally heard Zhu Yuanzhang say,  Just this one sentence. Is not something that the rulers of other dynasties could say!”

[TL note: The historical timeline mentioned here shouldn’t be taken as actual history. Research is needed on the reader’s part to understand the historical timeline of the world. The author has merely rendered a timeline that suites the narration of the story.]