Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 365 Gift
Chang'an

A triumphant Emperor Liu Che accepted the visit of the Qin and Xia envoys.

But the joy didn't last long.

His good mood was ruined by the agreement between the rulers of Qin and Xia to declare themselves emperors.

Fortunately, he had been in power for a long time.

The emperor has become much more composed.

He simply said to the envoys of both countries, "After witnessing the might of the Han Dynasty, do you still have the courage to compete with me?"

The Qin envoy straightened his back and said, "We can agree to send troops and have a contest outside our borders."

Although the Xia envoys already recognized that "Han was strong and Xia was weak," they ultimately did not abandon their integrity as envoys of a nation.

He bowed slightly to the Han Emperor and said, "The relationship between the three kingdoms is like that of three brothers born into one family."

"Now that the three brothers have established their own households and do not have close contact, it is not appropriate for the other to point fingers at many things."

"If Your Majesty wishes to establish yourself as the eldest brother and head of the family, then please put in more effort and demonstrate your abilities."

The prosperity and strength of the nation

Besides the most fundamental military aspects,
It also needs sufficient culture and a prosperous economy.

especially,

The Han Dynasty occupied the most fertile ancestral lands of the Central Plains; if it couldn't surpass them in these aspects,

Qin Xia would not accept this.

Upon hearing this, the emperor glared at the envoys for a moment, then said, "Qin and Xia are truly remarkable; I admire them greatly!"

"Since you've said that, there's no need to rush back. Stay in the Great Han for a few more days and witness the splendor of our ancestral land!"

Upon hearing these words, which implied "detain them and do not allow them to return," the envoys from both countries did not change their calm expressions.

In any case, a diplomatic mission is a long and arduous journey.

They would be willing to stay and recuperate in the Central Plains for a longer period.

Subsequently,

As per protocol, both countries presented gifts that had traveled thousands of miles to the Central Plains.

The Xia Kingdom was rich in gems, ivory, and spices, as well as some books.

"These books include some historical records, some classics written by scholars of our Xia Kingdom, and some Buddhist scriptures."

The emperor was aware of the tradition of exchanging information and records between states.

Because even today, the Han Dynasty still retains many traditions from the Warring States period.

The inertia of thousands of years will not be easily changed by a rule of less than a hundred years.

As for classical texts,

This was to highlight the culture of the Xia state, to show that although it was located outside the borders of the country, it had not failed the teachings of its ancestors and had inherited and carried forward the wisdom they had passed down.

The emperor had someone take a look and found that the writing was indeed extraordinary.

Aside from the Mohist school of thought, which had long since faded in the Central Plains but still remained in the Xia state, there were also many medical practices.

It is likely that the Xia Kingdom was too hot and humid, and prone to epidemics, which allowed physicians to flourish there.

"Then what exactly is this Buddhist scripture?"

The emperor pointed to several books and asked the Xia envoy about them.

The Xia envoy said, "Buddhism is the most prosperous religion in our Xia Kingdom today."

"Although it originated from India, after it was introduced to our country, it was improved by Buddhist monks and integrated into our cultural tradition."

Upon hearing this, the emperor recalled the report Zhang Qian had given upon his first mission to the new Xia many years ago.

He remembered,
At that time, Buddhism was not widely spread in the Xia Kingdom.

The Xia king would also frequently send people out to investigate and suppress the numerous temples in Biqiu, in order to prevent the monks from swindling money from the ignorant people and abducting young men to bury themselves in chanting scriptures instead of engaging in production, thus damaging the foundation of the country.

I never imagined that so many years would pass...

These heretical books were actually regarded by the Xia Kingdom as something to be shown off.

The emperor immediately concluded in his heart:
The Xia Kingdom will inevitably fall behind the Han Dynasty in the future!

to this end,

His mood improved somewhat.

He then looked at the Qin envoy and asked what gifts he had given.

Like the Xia Dynasty,
The Qin state prepared its own national history and classics for the Han dynasty.

In the latter content,
They were mostly engaged in farming, animal husbandry, and even tool making.

Upon seeing this, the emperor thought to himself:
The script of the Xia Kingdom has a rather superficial and frivolous style.

The books of the Qin state contained many practical elements.

From this perspective, even when the Qin rulers and ministers went abroad, they did not change much. They continued to suppress the people, making them behave themselves and not allowing them to think too much.

Thus,
Even if it could rival the Han Dynasty for a time, it would eventually become weak and lack sustainability due to its internal emptiness. The emperor was thus in a better mood.

When dealing with Zhang Qian later, who had gotten lost, he even showed great imperial favor, stripping him of his official position and title and reducing him to a commoner, but quickly allowing him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service.

"Go on a mission to the Western Regions!"

"It is time to spread education there and integrate them into our Chinese nation!"

After the Battle of Hexi

The Xiongnu had completely withdrawn from this area, and the road from the Central Plains to the Western Regions was now fully open.

With a wave of his hand, the emperor established four new prefectures along that narrow corridor, declaring this place an integral part of the Chinese nation since ancient times and one that future generations would never abandon.

Considering the wealth that trading with other regions could bring to the Han Dynasty, the emperor's demand for the Western Regions also increased.

He needs more money.

Because the war was not yet over, the emperor's ambition to expand his territory had not yet been satisfied.

"The fighting in the northern desert must continue! I will fight until the Xiongnu dare not set up their Chanyu's royal tent in the southern desert again!"

"Nanyue must also be recovered. I cannot tolerate the existence of such a country to the south of the Han Dynasty!"

How can you allow others to snore on the side of the bed?
The Central Kingdom

It was born to possess a vast territory stretching from the sea in the south to the grasslands in the north.

After all, the Classic of Mountains and Seas has already outlined the basic appearance of the land of the Chinese nation through its descriptions of many mountain ranges and terrains.

The vast plains between rivers
It is the foundation upon which the various Chinese peoples thrived and grew stronger.

And to the west, the mountains gradually stretch out in magnificent splendor.
It is a natural barrier for all summer.

They should seize this perfect land, so as not to waste God's favor.

Huo Qubing, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely solve your problem!"

The emperor then burst into laughter.

He put his arm around Huo Qubing's shoulder without any formality, thanking him for his unparalleled contributions to the Han Dynasty.

Between words,
The emperor suddenly said, "You must take good care of yourself."

"Although I often say that you and your uncle are famous generals sent by Heaven to defeat the Xiongnu and restore the prestige of the nation."

"But you must not leave my side after the Xiongnu have collapsed and submitted."

Regarding Huo Qubing's performance during his military campaigns
The emperor already knew.

This is why he had such concerns.

Upon hearing this, Huo Qubing simply patted his chest and said, "Don't worry!"

"I am in perfect health!"

The emperor didn't believe the boy's nonsense. He simply ordered the palace servants to select many precious medicinal herbs from the imperial treasury and send them to the Marquis of Champion to help him recover.

He also issued an additional decree to General Wei Qing, instructing him to keep Huo Qubing under control during this period and prevent him from causing trouble.

In the palace,
The emperor, being his uncle, was a man of great authority and influence, so Huo Qubing dared not act recklessly.

But outside the palace,

hum,

Even his uncle, Wei Qing, couldn't catch this agile nephew!
Thinking like this,

Huo Qubing returned home, only to be captured by Wei Qing.

Wei Qing said, "I heard that you shared a spring with your soldiers when you were on the march?"

"Yes!" Huo Qubing proudly puffed out his chest. "His Majesty also said that to commemorate this event, the place should be named Jiuquan Prefecture!"

"Uncle, you mustn't be jealous of me because of this!"

His Majesty already said that.
They, uncle and nephew, were the wings that enabled the Han Dynasty to conquer the grasslands!

He cherishes and loves each and every one of them!

But Wei Qing's furrowed brows remained unchanged.

"Didn't I repeatedly tell you not to drink river water directly unless in dire straits?"

“There are pests in wild waters. If you drink them, you will easily get sick. You should boil them or filter them with a cloth to prevent the pests from entering your body!”

This is mentioned in the "Health Preservation Method" that He Bo gave to Wei Qing.

After all, they were fighting and raiding on the grasslands, and it was inevitable that they would encounter such problems, which could lead to various illnesses. We had to take precautions!
Huo Qubing even had time to bring out a jar of wine and drink with his soldiers, showing that they hadn't reached the point where they "couldn't live without drinking raw water."

Huo Qubing said, "When the emotions were right, I couldn't help but drink a little!"

"Besides, the spring water was crystal clear, and I couldn't see any dirt or grime. How could there be any insects?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Qing did not refute him further. Instead, he simply reached out and grabbed his nephew's shoulder, urging him to return with him to thoroughly study the medical books given to him by their elders and to swear that he would never do such a thing again.

Huo Qubing was unable to break free and had no choice but to agree.

(End of this chapter)