Meeting the Emperor
Soon, an elderly eunuch dressed in a red robe embroidered with a Qingniao came out with a group of younger eunuchs to greet him, saying, "Please forgive us for not knowing that the Immortal Master has arrived. His Majesty has already canceled his schedule and is currently in the Imperial Garden to welcome you."
"Please, Immortal Master, board the sedan chair and proceed to the Imperial Garden."
Shen Ge nodded without saying a word, after all, he was a celestial master and had to maintain his celestial master demeanor.
However, Shen Ge felt a surge of excitement. He extended his Divine Sense to scan the other party and discovered that none of them actually possessed that thing. He immediately felt a pang of pity for their lives.
After the dumplings brought by the other party were placed on the palanquin, the old eunuch called out in a high-pitched voice, "Lift the sedan chair!"
About three-quarters of an hour later, the sedan chair came to a stop, and the old eunuch's voice rang out from outside. "Immortal Master, we have arrived."
Shen Ge opened her eyes and, upon alighting from the sedan chair, immediately looked at a man standing in the pavilion.
The man was about thirty years old, wearing a golden crown to hold back his full head of black hair. He had sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and a beard on his chin, giving him a somewhat regal appearance.
Before Shen Ge could speak, the other party said first, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Immortal Master, to make this trip for my small matter. I hope you will forgive me."
Shen Ge was taken aback. Seeing that the other party wasn't putting on airs like an emperor, his attitude softened. "Your Majesty is joking. As the ruler of a nation, and also a subordinate country of our Spirit Moon Sect, we certainly wouldn't turn a blind eye to your request."
The emperor waved his hand, signaling the eunuchs to leave, leaving only a few palace maids to serve him in the pavilion.
"Please take a seat, Immortal Master. Let's eat and chat."
Without hesitation, Shen Ge stepped forward and sat down in front of the other person. The next moment, a palace maid came forward and filled his cup with wine.
Shen Ge did not drink, but looked at the emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, what matter requires your assistance?"
The emperor's face fell, and he put down his wine cup, saying, "Actually, it's nothing serious, it's just that I sometimes feel a little lost."
"Immortal Master, you say that I have given the people of the Flowing Cloud Kingdom the lowest taxes, and the prices of grains and cloth are also the lowest compared to before. There has been no large-scale construction, no brutal killings, and no debauchery. So why are there still frequent rebellions? Why is that?"
Is this because you feel confused and want us to clarify things?
That's a really strange reason.
Shen Ge composed himself and asked, "These rebels are nothing to His Majesty, are they?"
The emperor nodded and said, "It's nothing, I can suppress it with a wave of my hand. But I'm curious why they rebel. Nowadays, while not every family has surplus grain, the number of people who have frozen or starved to death is far less than in previous years. What more could they want? Why would they rebel?"
"It's just that Your Majesty has made those merchants and powerful people resentful of you by benefiting the people. You've touched their vested interests. There's a saying that goes, 'Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents,' and that applies to anyone."
"Furthermore, Your Majesty, have you considered that for the common people, it doesn't matter who is emperor? What emperor would share the same pleasures as the people? That's impossible."
"For ordinary people, being able to eat their fill, stay warm, and have a little extra money is what most people aspire to."
"As for rebellion, no common people in the world today would think of rebelling. It's just the instigation or coercion of some ambitious people. Your Majesty's Lineage has been sitting on the throne for nearly five hundred years, so it's inevitable that outsiders would covet this position."
"Your Majesty, your Lineage is backed by the Spirit Moon Sect. With our support, there is virtually no chance of any change in imperial power. However, the will of the people and the general trend of the times cannot be changed. If Your Majesty's own Lineage becomes immoral and causes irreparable harm to the people, then the Spirit Moon Sect will support someone else."
"For the immortal sects, mortals are also the foundation and cornerstone; no one will dig their own grave."
"Your Majesty, do you understand what I'm saying?"
The emperor nodded and said, "I understand everything the immortal master said; I was just being too serious."
"Your Majesty, the people are misled because their minds are clouded. When they are misled or coerced, they basically follow without fully understanding what is happening."
"To completely resolve these problems, Your Majesty only needs to establish more schools to enlighten the people, while also strengthening your care for them and severely punishing those who harm their interests."
"As long as the person in that position is not cruel, inhumane, or incompetent, the people will generally not care."
The two talked for a long time. While Shen Ge admired the other party's humility, he also brought up some of his previous life's ideas when he got excited. Of course, he spoke very generally and did not read from a script.
After all, every country and every era has its own set of ideas, and whether a system is suitable or not is up to the person in power to analyze and create.
The reason Shen Ge said that was because he came from another world and wanted to see some traces of his past in this world.
Of course, Shen Ge wouldn't promote science or anything like that. After all, this world is ruled by cultivators, and if science were to be nipped in the bud, many people would die as a result.
The emperor opposite him remained silent for a long time, his brows furrowing and relaxing repeatedly, as if he were pondering everything Shen Ge had said.
After a long silence, he let out a long sigh, stood up, and said, "The Immortal Master truly lives up to his name. His ability to govern the country far surpasses that of all my civil and military officials. I will certainly keep the Immortal Master's words in mind today and strive to come up with a more comprehensive plan as soon as possible."
"Actually, there's no need to rush," Shen Ge said with a smile. "Change happens generation by generation; too much change might have the opposite effect."
"I will remember!"
After chatting for a while, Shen Ge put down his wine glass and said, "Your Majesty, why don't you tell us what you really want? We've been talking for quite a while now, and judging from your manner of speaking and the natural aura you exude, you don't seem like the kind of person who would worry about such trivial matters."
The emperor's smile vanished, his face becoming calm. He was extremely uncomfortable with the naked feeling of being seen through, but the identity of the person opposite him prevented him from even raising his voice.
Although the emperor is equal to the sect leader of the Spirit Moon Sect in terms of status, it is only a superficial equality. If someone is foolish enough to offend the other party, the Spirit Moon Sect can immediately change emperors with just a word.
This is why emperors throughout history have always treated the immortal masters of the Spirit Moon Sect with the utmost courtesy, regardless of their cultivation level or status.
After a moment of silence, the emperor slowly spoke, "Immortal Master, about 170 years ago, during the Fenghe era, when my great-great-grandfather was in power, a princess entered the Immortal Abode. She returned when my great-great-grandfather ascended to heaven over 100 years ago. I wonder if she is still alive today?"
Shen Ge's first reaction was that he didn't know about his sister's situation, but then he thought that perhaps his sister hadn't returned here since then, and no news had come back, so the other party didn't know.