Daming 1805

Chapter 617
On the eleventh day of the first lunar month in the 35th year of the Grand Duke’s reign, the Fengtian Hall in the Forbidden City was the first court meeting after the official opening of the new year.

People from the clan, the imperial court, the governor's office, and the industrial group all arrived.

Zhu Jingyuan came to the throne and sat down. Everyone bowed and saluted together, and then shouted long live the mountain.

Zhu Jingyuan waved his hand for everyone to take their seats. Looking around at everyone present, his heart was filled with an inexplicable emotion.

50 years ago, I was still a 15-year-old child in the Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City in Shuntian Prefecture.

The world war could no longer be fought, so as a grown-up child, he publicly said that the war should cease.

Later, he participated in the armistice negotiations and gained the respect of his grandfather who was the emperor. From then on, he began to actually participate in the actual affairs of the court.

35 years ago, on the first day when this hall was completed and opened, I was a high-spirited young man.

It was in this hall that my father formally awarded him the great power of the country.

Decades of hard work have brought a country that has just entered the industrial age into the information age.

The future is about to officially enter the era of machine intelligence.

There are achievements that can be achieved, and there is no big problem with the successor. I have no regrets in this life.

Now I am really getting old, and my energy is far less than when I was young.

Continuing to stay in this position will only slow down the efficiency of the court.

Zhu Jingyuan is not not greedy for power at all, but he knows that he must set an example of letting go in order to truly maintain the rules of power transfer.

Only when the supreme power can be transferred normally can the stable continuation of the family be maintained and the stable operation of the court be ensured.

Compared with the latter two, it is more important to continue to be emperor for more than ten years.

Besides, I have really worked hard all my life, and it’s time to step back and rest and enjoy myself.

But before that, I still have something to do.

So, Zhu Jingyuan took out a pamphlet from his pocket.

The booklet is very thin, with only a very simple piece of paper inside.

Zhu Jingyuan raised his eyes and looked at the people below. Under everyone's surprised gazes, he read the above content himself:
"The imperial concubine Wang is canonized as empress, and the eldest uncle is planning the ceremony for the conferment of the empress."

It was a very simple sentence, but it was an extremely important matter and something that was beyond everyone's expectations.

There was no princess before Zhu Jingyuan took the throne, and there was no queen for more than [-] years after he took the throne.

All the clan members, ministers and even the common people felt that Zhu Jingyuan was obviously not ready to canonize the queen just like the First Emperor.

As a result, it was the 35th year of the Grand Duke's reign, and a grand ceremony for enthroning the queen suddenly had to be held.

But no one dared to say anything.

Wang Ya's appointment as queen was also expected by everyone. She was originally the de facto queen, but now it is just a formality.

But Wang Ya is Zhu Di Lan’s mother.

So, Your Majesty, do you want Judy Lan to succeed you?

Or do you want to continue to be emperor for a few more years or even more than ten years?

Today's medical standards have made great progress. The emperor enjoys the best medical services in the world and has no problem living to 80 years old.

But no matter what everyone thinks, the post-sealing ceremony must be done.

And according to Zhu Jingyuan's request, it was held with extra solemnity and grandeur.

With the efficiency of Ming Dynasty in the information age, preparations still took three full months, and it was not officially held until April.

The venue was placed in the most formal Fengtian Hall, and it was also required to follow the grandest ceremonial activities and recruit as many people as possible to participate.

As a result, at the final stage of the ceremony, Zhu Jingyuan took out a pamphlet from his pocket.

Then in front of his father, aunt, and biological mother.

In front of his queen, concubines, and all his princes.

In front of all the princes and senior clan members, all senior ministers and ceremonial personnel.

As well as interviews with senior shopkeepers and managers of the four major industrial groups.

The above content was read out personally:
"The emperor's 64th son, Di Lan, is appointed emperor."

It is also a very simple sentence, but it is also the most important sentence in the world.

Zhu Jingyuan decided on this occasion the candidate for the next generation of emperor.

At this moment, everyone in the audience was stunned.

Both the Supreme Emperor, Zhu Jianyan and the Queen Mothers were thinking in their hearts that this kid finally decided to retreat.

Wang Ya was in a complicated mood. She had just become a queen and immediately became a queen mother.

But I am still very happy in my heart.

Her husband personally named her queen, not her son's title of queen mother after he succeeded to the throne.

For a woman, the difference between the two is huge.

As for the current order to let Zhu Dilan succeed to the throne, of course there is no problem.

Although Zhu Zhulan has long been no longer in the Ministry of Personnel, his current position is not Otsuka Prime Minister, but the great uncle and the dean of the Criminal Court.

There is basically no tradition left.

However, before becoming an emperor, he served as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. This was only a convention formed by the previous emperors, or an unspoken rule.

How the emperor chooses his successor is, according to the rules, decided by the emperor himself.

All the ministers could only lament in their hearts that His Majesty the Grand Duke has never followed the routine since he was a child.

Judy Lan was even more unbelievable and stood up mechanically:
"Father...you are serious..."

Zhu Jingyuan immediately said with a straight face:
"Of course I'm serious. I'm a man of words, so get over here!"

Zhu Di Lan quickly walked out and went to the stage to salute Zhu Jingyuan.

Zhu Di Lan took over the edict of succession from his father in front of his parents, and was then driven back to the back hall to change clothes by Zhu Jingyuan.

After Zhu Dilan changed into the emperor's regular clothes and came out, he saluted grandpa, grandma, father and mother sitting on the stage.

Zhu Jingyuan pulled Wang Ya up and stepped forward, patted his son's shoulder gently and said:
"Do your best, the future of Ming Dynasty depends on you."

Judy Lan is still a little confused, but her body instinctively and mechanically agrees:

"My son, I will do my best and live up to my father's expectations."

Wang Ya next to her also chimed in:

"You can't run away now, the whole world's burden falls on your shoulders.

"But you don't have to work too hard, don't tire yourself out..."

Judy Lan also answered honestly:

"Thank you mother for your concern."

The three of them said a few words, and Zhu Jingyuan led them to Zhu Jianyan.

Zhu Jingyuan smiled and handed over to his father:

"Father, you have been promoted again. From now on, you will be the Supreme Emperor, His Majesty the Supreme Emperor."

After Zhu Jingyuan passes the throne, he will become the Supreme Emperor, and then Zhu Jianyan will become the Supreme Emperor, or the Supreme Emperor.

According to Zhu Zhongliang's practice at the time, the new emperor would take the clan princes to visit the Supreme Emperor and the Supreme Emperor.

Then the Supreme Emperor transferred the identity of the clan leader to the Supreme Emperor.

All the princes are here today, so we can handle this matter together.

Zhu Jingyuan originally had this idea, and he organized the ceremony for conferring the throne, announcing the succession, and paying homage to the Supreme Emperor.

However, Zhu Jianyan was too old and had long handed over the identity of the clan leader to Zhu Jingyuan.

Now it's enough to just change the identity title.

Zhu Jianyan also realized what his son was thinking, and was speechless and amused at the same time. His son had not acted according to common sense since he was a child.

"Oh, you are finally willing to give up. I thought you would work until you are 80 years old..."

Zhu Jingyuan shook his head with a smile and said:

"Don't break the rules. It will be difficult to fix them after they are broken.

“Even now that people are generally living longer, it’s okay to delay retirement to 65 years old.

“But if you add it to 80 years old all at once, there is no difference between it and a lifetime.

“When you are over 60 years old, you can really help your children with their affairs, but after you turn 80, you really don’t have the energy to get involved.

"To maintain the throne transfer system established by Emperor Shizu and his elders, the emperor should not be over the age of 65 at the latest.

“My grandfather and I both abdicated at the age of 65, and no one in future generations would dare to exceed this limit.

“At this age, you can still lift your child up and give him a ride.

“When you reach the age of 90 or [-], you won’t even have the ability to give someone a ride.

"If it doesn't work when I want to pass the position, it will cause big trouble."

Zhu Jianyan said in agreement:
"Yes, there is no guarantee that future generations will be like your boy and will not need extra care."

Zhu Jingyuan thought about what happened back then:
"If you and grandpa hadn't been watching over me, I would have done a lot of wrong things when I was young, and I might have made some big trouble."

Zhu Jianyan did not answer the question and did not feel that he had played a big role: "I will assume that you are serious. Let Di Lan and the child come to salute. When it is done, let the child go and take care of the emperor's affairs."

Zhu Jingyuan smiled and summoned Zhu Zhulan to come over and salute with him and all the princes of the clan.

Zhu Jianyan accepted the clan's worship with a smile:
"Okay, excuse me."

In this way, all the big things for today are done.

Zhu Jingyuan, together with his queen and the queen mother, escorted his father and mother into the back hall.

Everyone at the scene stood up again, followed Zhudi Lan, saluted Zhu Jingyuan and his party, and sent them off respectfully.

Then Zhu Dilan sat down on the main seat and accepted the formal worship of all the people.

After Zhu Jingyuan left Fengtian Hall, he directly took the tram in the Forbidden City to send his father and mother back to the harem.

When they arrived at the palace where Zhu Jianyan lived, the servant moved Zhu Jianyan to his recliner, and then the family surrounded the city and sat chatting.

Zhu Jianyan seemed to suddenly think of something, and asked Zhu Jianyan very curiously:
"Now that you have retired, shouldn't it be time to consider the mausoleum?

"What are you going to do? Tell me and let dad have a reference?"

Zhu Jingyuan was immediately speechless:
"Haven't your old man's affairs been arranged long ago? You can't make big changes now, right?"

Zhu Jianyan took a breath:
"Your father, am I just curious?"

Zhu Jingyuan said indifferently:
"I don't have any special ideas. I just need to dig a hole in the mountain west of the city and put it in myself, just like my ancestors did before."

Zhu Jianyan said somewhat unexpectedly:

"Didn't you consider freezing yourself and scolding yourself?"

This time Zhu Jingyuan did not speak, but his mother Liang Yunying spoke:
"Freeze the corpse? What's the difference between it and a mummy? We Ming people don't like this."

Longevity is everyone's ideal, and immortality is everyone's dream.

The Ming Dynasty is now technologically advanced, and there are many traditional aristocrats and wealthy families, especially the royal family, who still exist.

Therefore, how to treat various forms of diseases and how to extend life as much as possible are key research directions in medicine and biology.

Research progress is also similar to Zhu Jingyuan's previous life, with new gains constantly being made in the treatment of various diseases.

But there has never been any special progress in the dream of eternal life.

There are two directions as in the previous life.

Hibernation and freezing.

The current methods and achievements are also very similar.

Hibernation is a reference to certain animals that have hibernating habits. Drugs are used to assist mental adjustment into a dormant state and reduce the body's metabolic rate.

The body will not completely stop metabolism, or even avoid endogenous diseases, but can only slightly delay the rate of aging.

In terms of time, it usually only lasts from a few months to a few years.

Freezing is a complicated freezing process that occurs after the person dies, such as replacing blood with certain antifreeze liquids.

Finally, the processed body is completely frozen and stored in a liquid nitrogen tank.

As long as there is a continuous supply of liquid nitrogen, the body can be guaranteed not to decay after 500 million years.

Freezing is usually done after death and can be seen as a new form of burial, turning the corpse into a high-tech mummy.

As for the idea of ​​how many years later, future generations will thaw them and wake them up, it is still a pure fantasy.

It was not an awakening at all, but a physical resurrection.

Even if a person is still alive when frozen, he will immediately and completely die after being frozen.

The time it takes for humans to acquire the technology to resurrect corpses is not a matter of decades or even one to two hundred years.

Rather, it may take thousands or even tens of thousands of years, or may even never be achieved.

Unless there is a big explosion in related technologies.

Hibernation in science fiction works usually combines the advantages of hibernation and freezing in reality.

Humans themselves enter a dormant state while alive and can remain inactive for millions of years without aging.

So science fiction is just fantasy, not reality.

Since the technology is not mature at all, the key is that it requires maintenance after freezing, and there is no way to truly put it to rest.

When Zhu Jianyan built the imperial mausoleum, the related technology was more crude and even primitive, no different from simple freezing.

So I didn't consider using it at that time. I don't know why Zhu Jianyan suddenly wanted to use it now.

Zhu Jianyan retorted quite seriously:

“Of course resurrection is impossible now, but who knows whether it will still be impossible thousands or even tens of thousands of years later?
"Even if it is an Egyptian mummy, if it is not dug up and eaten by the Western Yi, maybe there will be a chance tens of thousands of years later?"

Zhu Jingyuan was a little speechless, feeling that his father was really confused:
"The mummy's internal organs have been dug out, and the cells are completely dead. It's almost like cured meat. It won't survive even if the gods come...

“Our current technology is indeed much better than that of mummies, but there is not necessarily a fundamental difference in the technology for processing corpses.

“Most of the human body is made of water, including blood and all cell fluids, which will expand during the freezing process and directly destroy the basic cell structure.

"The most we can do is replace blood, but we can't remove all the water from the body, and we can't completely dehydrate.

"The difference between the current frozen and mummified bodies is only the size of the destroyed structural units."

Zhu Jianyan continued:
"You are talking about the present. Who knows what the world will be like tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years from now?

"People 200 years ago would have never imagined that we could create something as magical as a mobile phone.

"Even if it is really impossible to resurrect, freezing it is not completely useless.

"Leaving some complete corpses for people tens of thousands of years later is also of high archaeological and research significance."

Zhu Jingyuan was still speechless and said:

“Liquid nitrogen needs to be continuously refilled, and the machines we build now cannot continue to operate for hundreds of years.

“To keep it frozen, it needs to be maintained.

“If the defenders are our descendants, it is impossible and unnecessary to open the coffins of our ancestors.

“If our children and grandchildren are gone and there is no one to maintain the equipment, it may be rotten within a few years.

"From this point of view, freezing is not as good as a mummy. To preserve it, just soak it in antiseptic water."

What else did Zhu Jianyan want to say.

Zhu Jingyuan followed up with a sentence:

"If you, old man, really want to freeze, just freeze. I will think of a way for you to arrange the best plan."

Zhu Jianyan sighed, and then said:

"When you get to my age, things may change."

Zhu Jingyuan thought for a while:

“I don’t think there will be any changes. Basic research in biology is difficult and takes a long time.

"Birth, old age, illness and death are human nature. I just want to rest in peace like my ancestors."

A group of people were all old people, and everyone's energy was not very good. After chatting for a while and confirming the matter, they all went back to rest.

The next morning, Zhu Jingyuan came to greet Zhu Jingyuan for the first time as emperor.

Zhu Jingyuan told Judy Lan about his father's idea, but also told him that this was a clan affair.

I will continue to directly follow up and be responsible, and go directly to the Ministry of Etiquette and the Ministry of Works to handle the matter.

Let Judy Lan concentrate on her own affairs.

Judy Lan didn't care why grandpa wanted to be frozen, but she certainly couldn't object to what grandpa requested.

Anyway, I didn’t have to worry about it, so I just agreed honestly.

Zhu Dilan said goodbye to his father and grandfather and went back to work on his own affairs, mainly adjusting personnel.

Three days later, Zhu Jingyuan personally summoned the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Industry and asked them to sort out the latest technology.

Design a body cryonics maintenance system that can operate as completely independently as possible.

At the same time, the renovation of Zhu Jianyan's mausoleum was immediately started, and the freezing and maintenance system was installed in the mausoleum.

The original main burial chamber was converted into the location of the freezer.

The Ministry of Industry and the New Industry Group already had laboratories to research related technologies, but now they have only officially decided to use them in Zhu Jianyan's imperial tomb.

However, Zhu Jianyan's mausoleum cannot be completely closed, and passages and equipment must be set aside for regular inspection and maintenance.

In order to prevent the possibility of emergency, it is necessary to design a function that can completely close the passage at any time.

At the same time, it ensures that maintenance personnel disappear and the equipment can operate on its own.

When it eventually becomes unable to operate on its own, the refrigeration equipment in the mausoleum can be turned into an ordinary coffin.

This transformation is quite complicated.

However, the core frozen coffin can be prepared first to ensure that it can be used directly after the death of the Supreme Emperor.

As for other maintenance and energy supply equipment, they can be continuously supplemented and adjusted.

Zhu Jingyuan is busy here renovating his father's mausoleum.

Zhu Di Lan began the transformation of the imperial court and began to apply machine intelligence and unmanned equipment in various industries.

(End of this chapter)