Zhu Qiyu had never been impeached like this since ascending the throne. His face flushed crimson with shame, and by the time he returned to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, his eyes were red.
Even so, Pan Yun told him, "Your Majesty, you cannot cultivate a sense of qi like this. You need to relax; you need a sense of ease. Only when your body is comfortable can you sense the qi between Heaven and Earth."
Zhu Qiyu finally lost his temper and flung out the schedule Pan Yun had drawn up. "Of the twelve two-hour periods in my day, aside from the four I spend sleeping, every remaining moment is packed to the brim. How am I supposed to relax?"
Pan Yun said, "If one could comprehend one's true nature and attain immortality merely by following the steps in order, how could cultivation be called defying the heavens?"
Zhu Qiyu froze.
Pan Yun said, "And this is only the most basic part. If you wish to achieve anything, you must endure a period of arduous toil. Otherwise, with so many people in this world cultivating, fewer than one in ten can enter the Dao. Since the Tang Dynasty until now, those who entered the Dao have been as numerous as the hairs on an ox, yet not one has attained the Dao."
Pan Yun said, "Not every effort bears fruit, but without effort, there will certainly be no fruit. Your Majesty, if you wish to achieve something, effort is the most basic requirement."
Zhu Qiyu fell silent.
Another twenty days passed, and he moved from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
In the evenings, the hundred officials left their offices for home, and the Emperor likewise left work for the inner palace, no longer rushing