Empress Ma has recovered from her illness.
With the emperor's tacit approval and indulgence, everyone who needed to know this news knew it, and even the "unspeakable" parts of it spread like wildfire throughout the city.
After the court session, Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han, took Tang He, the Duke of Xinguo, to his home for a talk.
The two sat facing each other. A maid brought tea, but before Li Shanchang could even swallow a sip, he heard a long sigh, which made him lose all interest in enjoying the tea.
Tang He frowned and said, "What came out at this morning's court is an ominous sign."
Speaking in a cryptic and ambiguous manner, Li Shanchang casually stroked his beard, smiled knowingly, and deliberately beat around the bush:
"Oh, which matter is the Duke of Xin referring to? I see the world at peace and prosperous, with Lan Yu and Mu Ying having just conquered Dali and the Duan family surrendering. The Ming Dynasty is stable; where is there any ominous sign?"
"When a monstrous talent gains the emperor's favor, it is a great omen of misfortune!"
With a bang, Tang He, overwhelmed with emotion, disregarded the word and directly used the word "monster," slamming his hand down on the table with a loud crash that made the serving maid tremble in fright.
"What's the big deal?"
Li Shanchang waved for everyone to leave, but his next words were even more direct:
"Isn't it just that our emperor worshipped a monster and even defied the world by bestowing high-ranking official positions and generous salaries upon it? Which dynasty in history hasn't had such things?"
"How can these be the same!"
Tang He was so anxious that his veins bulged. To him, Zhu Yuanzhang was not only an emperor to whom he had been loyal, but also a close friend.
Throughout history, no matter how wise and powerful an emperor may have been, his obsession with cultivating immortality and seeking enlightenment has been an indelible stain on his reputation, as recorded by historians.
"How is it different?" Li Shanchang raised his voice slightly, his speech becoming increasingly rapid, like a machine gun:
"As long as it does not affect national affairs and His Majesty's authority remains intact, what is wrong with merely bestowing a celestial title upon some snake demon who claims to be repaying a debt of gratitude? What is wrong with that for the world, for the people, and for you and me!"
Yes, Li Shanchang did not make a big deal out of this matter, not to mention that this "Immortal Liu" had not done any evil deeds such as building a Taoist temple, refining elixirs, or spreading slander.
Even if we did it, it wouldn't affect the very foundation of the Ming Dynasty; it would be nothing more than a trivial matter.
After the conversation, seeing Tang He's stunned expression, Li Shanchang twirled his expensive teacup and softened his tone:
"Besides, this so-called Willow Fairy did indeed save the Empress. Given His Majesty's high regard for the Empress, there's no doubt he will not allow anyone to criticize this person."
As he spoke, as if recalling something amusing, Li Shanchang couldn't hide his laughter:
"This morning at court, there were censors who directly voiced their objections, but what was His Majesty's response?"
Tang He couldn't help but laugh too.
Faced with opposition from court officials, Zhu Yuanzhang went from cursing and insulting them to attacking their ancestors for three generations using their local dialect...
At this time, countless conversations about "Immortal Liu" took place in Nanjing. Some believed it to be true, while others cried out that the world was doomed and that monsters were rampant, resolutely refusing to believe it.
Of course, the newly established Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) responded to such remarks that threaten the foundation of the nation with a simple "thank you, buddy, for helping us achieve our targets."
The prevailing attitude among the officials was one of skepticism, after all, they had prepared mourning clothes, white cloth, and ginger slices, and had watched as Empress Ma had indeed recovered.
The most widely accepted folk tale is about the empress being repaid for the kindness of the snake demon she had saved years ago.
As for the general public, they love stories that blend fantasy, cause and effect, and royalty.
Despite the storm raging through the city, Zhu Yuanzhang ignored it all and instead had people secretly fan the flames, hoping to lure out the imagined "reclusive master".
Look! The emperor is being bewitched by a monster, and he might harm all the people!
At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and gave him a series of orders to "invite" people from various famous mountains and rivers, ancient sites, famous Taoist sects, and Buddhist temples.
Mao Xiang could only nod in agreement, and very considerately pointed out a small problem:
"Your Majesty, inviting so many monks and Taoist priests is quite a big undertaking; it needs a proper justification."
Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it and agreed, then slapped his forehead and said:
"Just say that I want to rebuild the genealogy of Taoist immortals and gods, as well as the ranking of Buddhist bodhisattvas and arhats, and add a grand Buddhist-Taoist debate."
"Your Majesty is wise!" Mao Xiang exclaimed with delight, showering him with flattery.
"This title couldn't be better. I think even if we don't personally invite them, once the news gets out, those monks and Taoists will have to do everything they can to come."
Don't be fooled by what may seem like a trivial matter; Taoist priests venerate a certain deity as their ancestor, and monks and nuns in temples also worship a certain Bodhisattva or Arhat as their main deity.
Compiling the genealogy of immortals and ranking the bodhisattvas and arhats are matters of vital interest to them.
Do you want your ancestor to be a supreme deity or a jinx who sweeps the floor?
As Zhu Yuanzhang had predicted, with this two-pronged approach, Taoist and Buddhist temples from all over the country gradually flocked to the capital, poised to unleash their full potential.
Countless eyes were focused on "Liu Xian" and her disciple Bai Susu.
"Willow Fairy" hibernated, and Bai Susu lived deep within the palace. Since there was nothing particularly special about them, they lived in peace for a time.
Finally, someone couldn't resist testing the waters.
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