At this, Chongzhen was overjoyed.
He ordered, "If that is the case, then I should bestow a title upon this auspicious omen."
"My ministers, give it some thought. What title should it receive?"
Someone stepped forward and said, "The former Emperor Shizong once bestowed upon himself the title Longevity Emperor Lord. Why not confer upon that deity the title Longevity Divine Lord?"
In truth, the man was mocking Jiajing.
Jiajing had indulged in Daoism and neglected state affairs for decades. Great Ming's decline had begun there.
"Oh, right, it must be Emperor Shizong descending to the mortal world, descending to help us. Your Majesty, this is a great auspicious omen!" someone said in wild delight.
"So that's how it is." Chongzhen actually failed to catch the sarcasm. "Very good. I hereby order the Ministry of Rites to draft a title at once, build temples, and offer it sacrifices."
The Ministry of Rites officials looked at one another, then the Vice Minister of Rites stepped out and said, "Your servant obeys the imperial decree."
The Minister of Rites did not move.
He was a diehard believer in the Confucian School. He kept his distance from supernatural matters and strange forces.
How could he worship a monster?
Even if it was supposedly a deity.
But deities did not appear in this world.
Anything that appeared was a monster.
That was the view of the sages.
Afterward, the Ministry of Rites found a way to grant the monster—no, the deity—an honorific title.
It was a full hundred characters long.
It began with "Revering Heaven..." and ended with "Longevity Divine Lord."
Then orders were issued for the people across the land to begin building temples.
When this news reached Wenren Sheng through the Post Stations,
he could not help laughing and crying at the