Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 390 Huian
For a period of time afterward,
The emperor left the Five Palaces.

He began to inspect his own mausoleum.

Lingyi

It was a new system established by the Han Dynasty.

After the emperor's tomb was built, in order to show respect, the Han court would relocate some local people to the vicinity of the tomb to build new towns and cities to guard the deceased Han emperor.

This system is very good.

At least it presented the convincing reason of "filial piety," which allowed it to justifiably relocate local powerful families, weaken their local influence, and extend the power of the imperial court.

just,

After the emperor's continuous meddling, the powerful and wealthy had already been relocated.

Moreover, the emperor's tomb is vast, with many ministers' tombs nearby.

This led to the expansion of the city and an increase in the number of people migrating there.

Where in the world could one find any more powerful and influential families to fill this enormous mausoleum?

therefore,

When the emperor arrived
He saw some people who were described as emaciated.

This was very different from what he had imagined.

After all, in the emperor's view, since the relocated people were powerful and wealthy, the wealth they had accumulated, apart from the portion taken by the court, would naturally be spent on their new residences.

Using the money of the relocated powerful families.
He built his own mausoleum so that even in death he could feel the prosperity and bustle of the surrounding area, satisfying his unrestrained nature.
What a wonderful thing this is!

but why,
Why are these people so thin?

When the emperor raised the question, the people replied, "We are from nearby areas and moved here voluntarily to make a living."

After Wei Huo left
The emperor continued his resolute campaign against the Xiongnu.

But after those two brilliant generals fell, the Han Dynasty never achieved a victory as stunning as the Battle of Mobei.

Some Han generals either died or surrendered in the subsequent battles.

This resulted in a significant depletion of the Han army's base, consisting of respectable men from the six prefectures surrounding Chang'an.

But what will happen to the elderly, women, and children left behind after the able-bodied men and women are gone?
Guarding the emperor's tomb
This is something to be proud of, and the imperial court has repeatedly shown favor to many mausoleum counties.

Therefore, some people are willing to leave their hometowns and migrate here.

The officials below turned a blind eye to this.

Since the powerful and wealthy were no longer sufficient, the common people naturally had to step in.

Otherwise, the area around the imperial tombs would be deserted.
The homes of officials would also become deserted.

The emperor listened to their reasons and remained silent for a long time.

He murmured, "If Lingyi is like this, what will other places be like?"

He then issued a new order to visit the surrounding counties.

So the wheels began to turn, carrying the emperor, who, being old, had not traveled around to see the changing scenery of the common people for a long time, through many places.

The emperor looked around, but remained silent the whole way.

He sat on that ornate carriage, his eyes closed, lost in thought.

Upon returning to the palace,

The emperor spoke in a hoarse voice to Huo Shan, "You are the son of the Marquis of Champion. What are your thoughts on war?"

Huo Shan had served on the battlefield and earned military merits.

He enjoyed the glory that war brought to the Huo family, and should have supported this "foundation" like the powerful nobles of the Qin Dynasty who enjoyed the benefits of the military merit system.

But he said, "War is something that a country must do."

"But if a country wants to become strong, it cannot only fight wars."

The emperor listened to his words, looked up at the cushion, and looked somewhat tired.

He suddenly changed the subject.

Do you know Master Huian from the Xia Kingdom?

"knew."

In Huo Shan's mind, a dazzling bald head appeared.

Huian

He was a Buddhist disciple who traveled from the Western Regions to Chang'an many years ago. His story of traveling thousands of miles alone in hopes of obtaining the "true Dharma" in the Central Plains attracted the attention of many influential people.

As for the young monk Hui'an...

He also gained considerable help from many people by relying on his eloquence, his nature, and the novel Buddhist theories that were completely new to the gentlemen of the Central Plains at that time.

now,

He had already built a simple temple on the outskirts of Chang'an and started worshipping the Buddha with some of the local people.

Huo Shan once went to see him out of curiosity, and then exclaimed in admiration at his round head:
"No wonder some people say: Our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents, and we dare not damage them..."

"I never knew people could look so ugly without hair!"

"Luckily, no one in my family is bald!"

Huian wasn't angry at all; he just smiled and patted his two round heads, making them shine even brighter in the daylight.

"Go and bring him here."

"I wish to see him."

The emperor gave Huo Shan these instructions.

As the emperor took the lead in engaging in paranoia...
The practice of witchcraft and sorcery flourished in Chang'an in a short period of time.

Against this backdrop, Huian's reputation spread widely.

After all, compared to witchcraft, which still retains some ancient and barbaric air and often involves "I wonder if such a curse can be cast,"

Buddhism is already a very mature religious sect.

Moreover, in today's world,

By piecing together the places where the various Xia peoples had traveled,
There is no one more skilled in chanting scriptures than the monks of the Xia Kingdom.

Who made these monks a breed specially selected and bred by generations of Xia kings?

They have long since transformed into the likeness of the various Chinese peoples!

Therefore,
With the rise of witchcraft,
The small temples in Huian have recently become very popular with worshippers.

Some powerful and influential people gradually came to visit and discussed Buddhism with Huian.

But the emperor's summons was still a bit too much of a surprise for Huian.

He carefully followed the eunuch into the vast and magnificent palace and knelt before the emperor.

"I remember that religion was very prosperous in the Xia Kingdom, and it was the root of Buddhism."

"Why would a master travel all the way to the Central Plains?"

After Huian sat down, the emperor asked him this question.

"Because of curiosity," Huian said frankly to the emperor.

"Is it out of curiosity about the ancestral lands of the Xia people?"

"No, it's curiosity about why the Chinese are called the Chinese."

Hui'an clasped his hands together and relayed his conversation with an unknown passerby in the Western Regions to the emperor, adding:
“When I was in Xia Kingdom, I heard my masters mention the situation in southern India.”

"The religion there is more prosperous than that of the Xia Kingdom, and the status of monks is higher than that of those who hold power in the country, but the lives of the people are far inferior to those of the Xia Kingdom."

"If believing in ghosts and gods can lead to a good life, then why do people in India live in such dire straits?"

"During the reign of King Wen of Xia, he was cursed by many monks for his southern expedition against the states of Sindhu and for strictly prohibiting witchcraft and sorcery. However, he died a long life and is still remembered by the people of Xia."

"Could this be punishment for disrespecting the gods?"

"Before leaving the Xia Kingdom and arriving in the Central Plains, I traveled south to the countries of Sindhu, hoping to find answers there."

"But the chanting of scriptures there was too loud and did not dispel my doubts."

"...So, how does the master feel now?"

After hearing his words, the emperor asked him this question.

Hui'an said, "I dare not say that my doubts have completely disappeared, but I can draw a basic conclusion from what I have heard and seen, and that is—"

"The power of the human heart can surpass the might of ghosts and gods."

The emperor then remained silent for a long time.

He covered his face, waved his hand, and dismissed Huian.

(End of this chapter)