Chapter 1542 Imperial Teacher

The prince looked at the emperor and asked, "Father, if I know these, can I be a good emperor?"

The emperor shook his head, "It's not that simple. The knowledge here is too deep, deep enough for a person to study for a lifetime. In addition to these, there are some things you need to know."

"What else?" The prince asked.

The emperor smiled.

"I'll teach you a very important point. Being an emperor is not omnipotent, so sometimes you need to take advantage of opportunities and leverage. If you can find a strong backer, it would be even better." The emperor said.

The prince was a little puzzled, "Who can be the emperor's backer, the prime minister, the six ministries, the generals, the relatives?"

The emperor shook his head, "They are all ministers, and they will always be ministers. How can they be qualified to be the emperor's backer? There are very few people in the world who can be the emperor's backer. For example, the Tang Dynasty found Laozi as a backer."

The emperor touched his son's face lovingly, "You are still too young. Father is afraid that you can't deal with the ups and downs outside, not to mention those monsters and demons, so father wants to find you a backer, a strong enough backer."

"How strong?" The prince asked curiously.

"Haha, it's so powerful that even if the dynasty is in danger of collapse, it can turn the situation around." The emperor said.

However, after saying this, the emperor was silent for a while, thinking to himself, I just don't know whether this will succeed or not.

Chen Yan took the imperial edict and led people out of the city to Juyongguan overnight. The capital is a hundred miles away from Juyongguan. It is difficult to travel at night. It was not until dawn that he arrived. The prime minister was so tired that his legs trembled when he got off the horse.

"I'm really old. If it were ten years ago, I wouldn't be so unbearable." Chen Yan knocked on his sore buttocks and said.

He looked up and saw the plaque of "The City God of the World", and then looked at the mountain, thinking that there was still a mountain road to climb.

He didn't dare to ride a horse into the City God Temple. Even if the emperor came to worship, he had to walk up obediently.

But at this moment, two people came down the mountain road. Chen Yan looked up and saw a happy face.

"Bo Yan!"

Chen Yan shouted.

Xue Ji came over quickly and bowed to Chen Yan, "Congratulations, Brother Chen, for becoming the Prime Minister."

"Hey, how did you know?" Chen Yan was very surprised. He just became the Prime Minister yesterday, and then he came here overnight. He didn't believe that the news spread so quickly.

"Hehe, it was the Lord of the City God who told me, and said that you have come to the mountain gate, and asked me and Senior Zhuge Wulong to come to see you, saving you the trouble of climbing the mountain." Xue Ji said.

Chen Yan looked at Xue Ji and blinked, and asked in a low voice: "Bo Yan, is there really a City God of the City God?"

Xue Ji laughed, "You and I have known each other for decades, and we have a close relationship. How could I lie to you? And I can also tell you that Mr. Zhuge Wulong is the judge, and I am the City God of Henan."

Chen Yan was shocked, "You are also the City God?"

Then he took a look at Zhuge Wulong, thinking that this is the world-famous judge.

He suddenly understood why the emperor rewarded Xue Ji and Zhuge Wulong so much. The emperor had said before that he had seen the city god, and he must have seen the two of them beside the city god.

After a long time, Chen Yan finally accepted this fact and began to issue the emperor's edict, exempting Zhuge Wulong from all guilt and granting him the title of Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, exempting Xue Ji from all guilt and granting him the title of Grand Secretary of Longtu Pavilion and the title of Deputy Assistant.

After the edict was issued, Chen Yan said to Xue Ji: "Boyan, His Majesty said that he wanted to see you today and asked you to follow me back to the capital to see the emperor immediately."

Xue Ji did not delay and immediately returned to the capital with Chen Yan's team.

Watching the edict team go away, Zhuge Wulong opened the edict again and looked at the handwriting on it, feeling an indescribable feeling in his heart.

He was successful at a young age and won the top three prizes in the imperial examination. He entered the Hanlin Academy and then had a smooth career in the officialdom. However, he was demoted again and again because he could not get along with corrupt officials, and finally went to jail.

He has experienced too many ups and downs in life.

Today, the emperor issued an edict to exempt him from the crime. Although it didn't mean much to him, he felt that the resentment in his chest was finally relieved.

The world became much clearer, and the birds and flowers were fragrant around.

At noon,

Chen Yan, Xue Ji and the six ministers went to the Qianqing Palace to see the emperor. The emperor looked at the ministers, four of whom were just mentioned, and said, "You will be diligent in government affairs and work hard in the future."

"We will not let your majesty down!" Everyone knelt down and kowtowed together.

The emperor asked everyone to stand up and said, "There is another important matter. The prince is young, and I want to find a teacher for him."

If it was the people present, Chen Yan and Xue Ji were the most qualified, and then there were some university scholars. Chen Yan asked, "I wonder if your majesty has a candidate."

"There is already a candidate, Xue Ji!" The emperor looked at Xue Ji.

Now Xue Ji has changed into a crimson official robe. When he heard the emperor calling him, he hurried forward. When others heard the emperor calling Xue Ji's name, they all thought that the emperor had chosen Xue Ji.

The emperor looked at Xue Ji and said, "Xue Ji, can you ask the City God if you can accept the prince as a disciple?"

Everyone, including Xue Ji, was shocked. If they asked the university scholar to be the prince's teacher, they would not be surprised by any of them, but they did not expect that the emperor would want the City God to be the prince's teacher.

After being stunned for a while, Xue Ji immediately bowed and said, "I will ask the City God right away."

"Prepare a fast horse for Xue Ji and send a team of imperial guards to protect him." The emperor ordered.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to be so troublesome. Just find a room for me." Xue Ji said.

After entering the room, Xue Ji used the Capital God Seal, and his soul flew out of his body and quickly flew to the Capital God Temple. Seeing Jiang Hao who was practicing in the temple, Xue Ji bowed to Jiang Hao and explained his purpose.

"Lord Capital God, the emperor intends to let the prince worship you as his teacher. I wonder what you think."

Jiang Hao thought about it, and he could roughly guess the emperor's thoughts, "I can understand the love of a mother for her child. He is afraid that the prince is too young. I am a god myself and will not covet anything, so I became the best, strongest, and most suitable guardian of the prince in the emperor's heart."

"What do you think?" Xue Ji asked.

Jiang Hao knew that the emperor only had a few days to live. When the prince ascended the throne, he would not be the prince's teacher but the emperor's teacher. He could also use this identity to influence the direction and fortune of this dynasty, which would also be of great benefit to his mission.

"You go back to the emperor and tell him that I accept this apprentice." Jiang Hao said.

Xue Ji was overjoyed and hurried back to reply. He walked out of the secret room in less than half an hour and came to the emperor's bedroom again.

When the emperor saw Xue Ji, he asked before he could speak: "Did you see the City God?"

"Yes."

Everyone was very surprised. It took only a short time to go back and forth. If it was a war to send a letter, could it be more convenient than this?

"What did the City God say?" the emperor asked anxiously.

"Your Majesty, the City God agreed and is willing to accept the prince as a disciple." Xue Ji said.

The emperor was overjoyed and said to Chen Yan, "Tell the Ministry of Rites to organize the ceremony of worshiping the city god and paying respect to the teacher. It must be grand and fast. We will set off tomorrow."

Chen Yan frowned, "Your Majesty, such a grand ceremony may not be fully prepared in less than a month."

The emperor's face darkened slightly, "I don't have that much time. Tomorrow, no matter what you think, I want it to be grand and I will go in person."

Others were shocked when they heard it, "Your Majesty, your body is suitable for rest now, and you can't move around."

The emperor shook his head, "Rest is also five days, and moving around is also five days, am I right, Xue Ji?"

Xue Ji pursed his lips and bowed to the emperor.

In fact, this is already an answer.

The next day,

The palace gates opened, and the emperor went out. The dragon chariot pulled by six white horses, the body of the car was inlaid with gold, silver, jade, gems and pearls, and the surrounding carvings of dragons and phoenixes, showing the royal noble style. The emperor leaned in the car, and the queen and the prince knelt beside him.

This time, the emperor brought all the six ministries, five temples, the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial Observatory, the Inspectorate, and even some relatives and nobles, and protected by 10,000 imperial guards, and the team set out for Juyongguan.

Along the way, the emperor kept telling the prince how to govern the country, the local customs, mountains and rivers, the national army, the garrison of grain, and so on.

The prince has heard a lot of things these days, and even if he doesn't understand them, he puts them into his mind. The more he listens to his father, the more he feels that he has misjudged his father before. His father is also a very knowledgeable emperor.

After a hundred miles of walking for two full days, they finally arrived at the foot of the Juyongguan City God Temple.

Everyone went up the mountain. Because the emperor was seriously ill, he was carried on a bed frame, and the rest of the people all walked, including the queen and the prince.

After passing through the Ten Halls of Yama, they finally arrived at the main hall of the City God. The emperor brought the empress, the prince, the university scholar, the minister, the clan leader of the clan, etc. into the City God Hall. Others could only stand in the courtyard. Fortunately, the courtyard was very wide and could accommodate so many people.

Chen Yan and Xue Ji were the chief and deputy hosts of the apprenticeship ceremony. Everyone bowed and worshipped the statue of the City God and paid tribute to it.

As the incense was lingering, Jiang Hao slowly floated down from above, wearing the purple dragon robe of the City God and a crown on his head. When everyone saw that the real City God had appeared, they all knelt down immediately.

The emperor lay on the couch sickly, looking at Jiang Hao and said: "Thank you for extending my life for five days. The prince is young, and today I worship you as my teacher. I hope that the City God will do his best to support me in the future."

Jiang Hao nodded, "I will."

The apprenticeship ceremony was held. Jiang Hao sat in the main seat. The prince bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to determine the status of master and apprentice. From then on, the heaven and earth can witness and cannot change it. Those who bully their teachers and destroy their ancestors will be punished by heaven.

Jiang Hao touched the prince's head and gave him three volumes of books.

After the apprenticeship ceremony, the emperor blocked the faces of all officials and issued several orders,

"First, all provinces, prefectures and counties should repair local city god temples.

Every year on the 13th day of the first lunar month and the first day of the tenth lunar month are the days to worship the city god. Officials must organize worship and encourage the people to worship the city god more.

If there are grievances in the counties, the city god has the right to interrogate and investigate, and can report directly to the court, or even directly to the emperor."

The team returned to the capital. On the way back, the emperor felt very tired. He held the queen in one hand and his son in the other, looking at the scenery outside the window.

"Empress, I am leaving. Maybe we will meet again in the next life."

"Don't cry, Yi'er. Father has nothing to regret. Your master, the City God, gave me five days of life. I can make some arrangements for you before I leave. I have fulfilled my responsibilities as a father."

"With the City God here, no one in the world can bully you. Father can leave with peace of mind. I just hope you don't learn from your father and live in a muddle for decades. If you are really capable, you should be a good emperor, a wise ruler, and create a prosperous era."

The emperor's voice became smaller and smaller, and he slowly closed his eyes.

The queen and the prince couldn't help crying.

When the officials outside the dragon chariot heard the crying, they knew that the emperor might have passed away. In fact, they were mentally prepared and ordered the team to hurry back to Beijing and immediately seal the city after returning to Beijing.

The next day, the government announced to the world that

the emperor had passed away!