The temple enjoyed an extraordinary reputation and supreme faith during the Yongle period.
The founding emperor of the Dayong Dynasty specially built a temple for people to worship.
The Grand Preceptor who presides over the temple is the messenger who conveys the divine will to the human world.
Whenever a major prophecy of this dynasty appears in the world, the imperial advisor would personally open the nine-story pagoda, ascend the Star-Picking Tower, and warn the world.
Since the founding of the Yong Dynasty, the temple has predicted many major events, such as earthquakes, droughts, floods, and plagues. Each time, it has given the monarch and the people a warning in advance. Although some natural disasters are unavoidable, it has been able to minimize casualties.
In ancient times, when earthquakes or droughts were seen as divine punishment, temples and imperial advisors who could predict natural disasters became increasingly regarded as gods in the hearts of the people.
They also firmly believed in the "divine will" conveyed by the temple.
To this, the young imperial advisor could only sigh like Versailles.
Their lineage of temple practitioners simply studied astronomy, geography, and feng shui more than ordinary people; they were not as divine as the folk legends made them out to be.
Even if the ancestors of this lineage did indeed possess the ability to see the heavens and the earth, to know the past and the present, and to predict the future, by their generation, they had gradually declined to the state they are in now—living by relying on imperial power.
The task assigned by the emperor was one that the Yue State Preceptor dared not neglect. He first put on the silver robe of the State Preceptor, which symbolized the highest power of the temple. It was passed down from the first State Preceptor and was made of flowing brocade that was impervious to water and fire. After putting it on, the young man's handsome eyebrows and eyes naturally exuded a divine aura.
Then, with the divine servants clearing the way, they opened the Nine-Story Pagoda, ascended the Star-Picking Tower, and, dressed in celestial attire, pretended to observe the celestial phenomena at night, casting divinations and interpreting the stars and moon—
That's how God's will came to pass.
Heaven has decreed that His Majesty's marriage is unlike that of ordinary people; his destined love star is bound to a man whose birth date and time are xxx. His Majesty's fate is afflicted by the Seven Killings, which can only be suppressed by the destined love star. Therefore, for the sake of peace and prosperity for the Great Yong Dynasty, the Emperor must marry this man as his Empress; otherwise, within five years, war will break out in the Great Yong Dynasty, causing immense suffering and death.
The above roughly conveys the same meaning as what the tyrant demanded.
If Your Majesty does not marry a male empress, the consequences will be severe; it could even lead to war and the destruction of the country.
As for things like "Red Phoenix Star" and "Seven Killings in Destiny," those are all nonsense... oh, no, embellishments by Yue Tianxing.
For those who engage in superstition, their mouths are very important; the more mysterious their words, the less others can understand them, the better.
In fact, even without embellishment, the people would have believed this prophecy as soon as it was uttered.
His Majesty's reputation as a tyrant makes it seem as if the Seven Killings star is afflicting him, and it's not surprising that war will break out again.
No one is unafraid of the thought of war.
War means killing, bloodshed, smoke, and sacrifice.
There's also conscription, family separation, and displacement...
The current Great Yong Dynasty is prosperous and strong; no one wants to lose such a peaceful life.
If a war that causes immense suffering is inevitable and cannot be stopped, the people may resent the cruel and warlike king. But when they hear that the situation can be changed or avoided, they are truly happy!
The people knelt before the Qiankun Gate, pleading with the emperor to make a sacrifice for the sake of the nation and marry a male empress.
The calls were overwhelming.
It reached the ears of Heaven.
Previously, the entire court, who had thought the emperor's desire to marry the top scholar was utterly absurd and impossible, and who had vowed to die for his cause in the imperial palace hoping the emperor would change his mind, were now speechless.
I always felt this was too coincidental...
It's as if His Majesty had planned this all along.
In any case, the young emperor finally obeyed the will of the people and was able to openly and legitimately marry his beloved as empress.
The people did not find this absurd at all; on the contrary, they were overjoyed and ran around celebrating with each other, as if it were a cause for universal celebration.
Emperor Qingjia's image as a tyrant was completely transformed among the people. His reputation was not damaged by marrying a man as his empress; on the contrary, it reached an unprecedented height. He even gained a good reputation for loving his people like his own children and listening to their opinions.
Qin Ge: ...
Although the process was different from what he had envisioned—assisting a tyrant into a wise ruler—the ending was similar, so it can be considered that different paths led to the same destination.
Looking at the magnificent, red wedding dress sent from the palace, embroidered with dragons and phoenixes, unlike ordinary wedding gowns, and unique in the world, the young man smiled slightly, and his heart began to feel anticipation.
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