Chapter 279: Has and Has Not

With that breath, the old emperor's spirits lifted, and his body seemed to regain some strength, making him want to sit up.

Concubine Ren and Grand Eunuch Li Sizhe quickly helped the emperor, while palace maids behind the bed swiftly arranged soft cushions.

Ji Yuan glanced at the old beggar and said, "See, he was specifically waiting for you."

The old beggar's mouth twitched. The way Ji Yuan spoke made it sound as if the other party was the victim, when in fact, he himself had been beheaded once!

Nevertheless, with things having progressed this far, today's encounter had to run its course. Moreover, judging by the old emperor's current state, his mindset had indeed undergone a significant change.

This was related to his approaching death and his experiences over the past two years, visible in the manifestation of his aura.

The old beggar cupped his hands towards the old emperor. "Your Majesty, do you still remember this old beggar?"

Times had changed. Seeing the old beggar again, the emperor naturally no longer had his former arrogance. Upon seeing the old beggar cup his hands, he also raised his hand in return.

The surrounding princes, consorts, and ministers, all believing that the emperor's ginseng soup meant he was about to give his final instructions, waited with utmost attention.

When they saw the old emperor cup his hands outward, all the royal family and nobles bowed together in salutation.

"I, of course, remember the immortal master…"

The emperor's words were much clearer than before, and his voice didn't tremble, but what he said left the ministers bewildered.

Prince Jin frowned, looking at the Grand Councilor beside him, who also shook his head at Prince Jin with a thoughtful expression, indicating his equal bewilderment.

It was Grand Eunuch Li Sizhe who quietly informed the nearby princes and important ministers. "His Majesty might be hallucinating… He started talking to himself before any of you arrived…"

Prince Jin looked at his father, his heart filled with mixed emotions. While he was glad to have secured the succession, his teacher had only just been buried, and now his father was in this state.

'Decades of imperial power, yet in old age, it comes to this!'

Such thoughts spontaneously arose in Prince Jin’s mind.

Although everyone else believed the emperor was hallucinating, no one disturbed him at that moment.

Once the old emperor finished speaking, Ji Yuan immediately quipped, "Your Majesty, I’ve brought the person to you. Feel free to voice any grievances."

Ji Yuan’s remark caught the old beggar off guard, but the emperor, naturally, wouldn't scold him at this moment. So, with a smile, he asked another question. "Your Majesty, if this old beggar were to ask the same question as before, how would Your Majesty answer today?"

Emperor Yuande sighed, forcing a smile onto his face. "This immortal master has already told me that my life force is waning, like an oil lamp running dry, and it’s impossible for me to live on."

"Alright," the old beggar said, looking at Ji Yuan after hearing this. "Mr. Ji, have you said everything already? Then what am I doing here?"

Ji Yuan quickly waved his hand. "Absolutely not. I merely said that one sentence, then went to find you. As for anything else, please feel free to speak, Mr. Lu. My karmic connection with His Majesty is limited to this."

The old beggar sighed and turned to look at the old emperor. "Your Majesty, outside there are two Day Patrol Deities from the Underworld, both principal envoys, four Soul Reapers, all high-ranking officials, and eight Umbrella Bearers, who are always stationed at the Gates of Hell. They have all come to escort you."

Hearing this, the old emperor felt a chill run through him, and a look of instinctive panic appeared on his face. "I… I’m going to die soon?"

Concubine Ren, seeing the old emperor’s unfocused eyes and fearful expression, tightly gripped his hands in distress.

The old emperor then came to his senses, looked at his beloved consort, and tightly clutched her hand in return.

The princes and some elder ministers also felt a pang in their hearts. Although Emperor Yuande was not a sage ruler of great talent and vision, he had lived a strong and resolute life. Now, at the end, he seemed like he was in a daze.

Even with several highly skilled imperial physicians in the bedchamber, by now, all their efforts were futile, and medicine was useless.

"Your Majesty is indeed about to die. Everything in this world will have its day, and even this old beggar and Mr. Ji here will likely face it."

The old beggar observed the emperor and Concubine Ren’s hands clasped together and continued, "This old beggar can also tell you that although the underworld envoys are here to receive you with considerable fanfare, even as the human realm’s supreme sovereign, once you die and descend to the underworld, you will still be subject to the Soul Determining Bureau, the Merits and Demerits Bureau for accountability, and you will not be exempt from the underworld punishments of the Evil Punishment Bureau."

The emperor’s face showed even greater fear, but he remained silent.

"Of course, an emperor’s life of merits and demerits is the hardest to judge, and with the Imperial Ancestral Temple offerings, you will certainly endure… This old beggar is saying all this just to tell Your Majesty that you ruled Da Zhen for decades, wielding supreme power and enjoying all the glory, but after a mere few decades, it is still not much different from an old farmer dying in the fields. Ultimately, dust returns to dust, and ashes to ashes."

"Of course, Your Majesty’s life was undoubtedly far more splendid than that of an old farmer, but the emptiness in old age will also be infinitely stronger."

The old emperor opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but looking at the group of respectful royals and nobles waiting for his final moments, he ultimately said nothing.

Ji Yuan also spoke at this moment. "Even so, among people in this world, ten thousand out of ten thousand would want to be emperor."

"Indeed, Mr. Ji speaks the truth!" the old beggar sighed and looked at the old emperor again. After saying so much, the emperor had not refuted him. It seemed there was no need for further words of persuasion to help him let go.

"If Mr. Ji hadn’t removed that bloodstain, you and I wouldn’t be standing here talking so calmly today. In this old beggar’s view, this is also a matter of fate. Your Majesty, if there’s anything else you wish to know that doesn’t involve dynastic affairs, you may speak with this old beggar."

As the old beggar said this, his expression became solemn.

Hope, a hope for life, flickered in the old emperor’s eyes, but then it quickly faded.

"Now, I have nothing more to wish for. However, I do wonder, what is my lifespan in the underworld?"

Since the underworld undeniably existed, then some rumors about it should also be true. The old emperor was now curious about his lifespan there.

"Heh heh…" The old beggar chuckled. "That can only be seen after you die. However, this old beggar can tell you that even the enlightened monarchs recorded in historical texts often don’t have more than ten years of underworld lifespan after death, mostly only three to five years."

"Then, what about after that?"

"After that, your earthly soul will return to the earth, and your heavenly soul to the heavens. There will no longer be Emperor Yuande, Yang Zong."

The old emperor sighed and slowly closed his eyes. After a long moment, he released Concubine Ren’s hands and cupped his own towards Ji Yuan and the old beggar. "Very well. Thank you, two immortal masters, for allowing me a glimpse of the true face of immortality in my final moments."

"Father!" Prince Jin couldn't help but cry out. The old emperor heard the concern in that single cry and was so touched he nearly wept. He turned to look at his son, whose face was still somewhat pale, and simply nodded without speaking.

"Lord Yin has arrived, Chancellor Zhao has arrived, Lord Yan has arrived…"

Faint voices drifted from outside as Yin Zhaoxian and several other late-arriving ministers entered the bedchamber, but they merely bowed silently before standing to the side.

Whoosh… whoosh…

A silent, chilling wind swept through the bedchamber, making some ministers and nobles feel a shiver. In the old emperor’s eyes, a procession slowly walked in.

At this point, the old emperor was surprisingly less afraid.

This group of underworld envoys knew Ji Yuan and the old beggar were present, so their entry was not unexpected. They first bowed to the two of them. "Greetings to the two immortal masters!"

After Ji Yuan and the old beggar returned the greeting, the underworld envoys surprisingly turned and slightly cupped their hands towards where Yin Zhaoxian stood respectfully.

Yin Zhaoxian seemed to sense something, casting a puzzled side glance. The vast aura around him subtly emitted light, allowing him to vaguely see a blurry dark figure standing beside the emperor’s bed.

"Lord Yin, what are you looking at?"

Yan Chang was also perceptive, but he only felt a chill and saw nothing.

"Oh, nothing!"

Seeing this, the old emperor specifically looked at Yin Zhaoxian. As if understanding his confusion, the old beggar spoke. "Yin Zhaoxian possesses profound righteousness, and the common people pray for his well-being. Even ghosts and deities admire him. He is a great scholar and virtuous man of this age, worthy of a bow from the underworld envoys."

As the old emperor understood, the Right Envoy of the Day Patrol spoke. "Yang Zong, your time has come. Your body and soul are already beginning to separate. While you still have your last breath, quickly give your final instructions!"

The underworld envoys had appeared early out of respect for Ji Yuan and the old beggar, and to give this reminder. Normally, they would only appear after a person had died.

The old emperor’s breath hitched. He looked at Prince Jin, Yang Hao, and beckoned him closer. "Hao’er, come here! Closer."

"Yes, Father!"

Prince Jin stepped forward, leaning close to the old emperor, who whispered in his ear, "Yin Zhaoxian is a man of great talent and even greater virtue; he can shoulder heavy responsibilities. You must not let him be harmed by treacherous officials. Among the several Grand Councilors in court, all are capable ministers, except for Zhao and Liu…"

The old emperor quickly gave a few instructions, his voice growing more and more agitated. Finally, a trembling hand gripped Prince Jin’s neck tightly, but he could no longer speak.

"Father? Father!" Prince Jin looked at his father, whose eyes were already closed.

"The Emperor has passed away—!"

"Your Majesty!" "Your Majesty!"…

Outside, the officials knelt, and all the consorts wept.

Ji Yuan and the old beggar watched the old emperor’s body, then saw his soul being led away by the underworld envoys. Ji Yuan remarked with emotion, "I thought, Mr. Lu, you would ask again."

The old beggar did not hide it. "For a moment just now, this old beggar did indeed want to ask again. But if I had, wouldn’t I have gained a disciple with only a few breaths of life left?"

"Is that so?" Ji Yuan looked at him, said a detached remark, and then drifted away.