Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 396 Caesar (Two Chapters Combined)

"The Wang family truly deserves to be called a prestigious family in our Great Qin."

“Every mission he undertakes is extraordinary…”

When the exhausted Ma Lue, along with his trusted family and friends, settled down in Yu Bi City of Qin, the prefect hosted Wang Hong, the envoy who had made great contributions in this operation.

He was a descendant of the Qin royal family.
According to seniority, he should be considered the grand-nephew of Wang Sheng, who is still alive and reigning as the king in Egypt.

Following the example set by his family elders, Wang Hong took on the role of envoy after reaching adulthood, serving as a representative of the Qin state in various regions.

"I still can't compare to the magistrate's talent."

Faced with the prefect's praise, Wang Hong simply smiled and said, "Your Excellency was sent on a mission to the Central Plains and was detained for many years. Not only did you not damage our country's reputation, but you also gathered the strength of three kingdoms to compile the Great Encyclopedia... This truly makes us juniors admire you."

The Great Canon is a monumental work compiled by the governor of Beidi Commandery when he was sent as an envoy to the Han Dynasty, together with Xia envoys, Han officials, and many other enthusiastic scholars who wished to remain anonymous.

This book traces back to ancient times and records all the achievements of Chinese civilization to this day.

When it was completed, it was so large that it couldn't even fit inside the entire embassy.

Scholars from all directions came to request to peruse this brand-new classic, and then exclaimed in admiration:
"From now on, the classics referred to by Confucianism will be changed from the Six Classics to the Seven Classics."

And it is precisely because of this,
The Great Canon did not have any other prefixes before its title, unlike the Book of Poetry, the Book of History, and the Book of Rites, which were simply called the Canon to show its unparalleled status.

When the envoys from Qin and Xia wanted to leave with the copied copies of the "Great Canon," they had to use several carts to load all the books.

Perhaps it was a blessing from heaven,
During the long journey back, although it was inevitably subject to wind, frost, and the harassment of barbarians, the Great Canon was not greatly damaged and was able to be brought back to the Qin State intact.

When the Qin ruler and his ministers heard about this, they were impressed by the Han emperor's tolerance, as he allowed their envoy to do such a thing to gain fame right under his nose.
On the one hand, in order to demonstrate his emphasis on education, he ordered the construction of a new library in Andu City, specifically for displaying the "Great Canon".

This allowed the prefect's reputation to spread throughout the Qin state, making him a "virtuous man" admired by many scholars and literati.

For the prefect himself, this was indeed the most commendable achievement of his life.

"That's all in the past."

The elderly prefect stroked his beard, smiled modestly, and then said to Wang Hong, "Right now, the matter of fighting Rome is still the most important."

Although Rome had long been plagued by internal strife and political instability, it was not entirely populated by mediocre and incompetent individuals.

At least when Sula had been searching for his mortal enemy Marius for a long time but could not find his whereabouts, he could easily guess that it was the Qin state that was behind the scenes, extending a helping hand to Marius.

There was also a considerable amount of grudge between Qin and Luo.
In order to further consolidate their power and divert attention from internal conflicts within the country

Sula will definitely find a way to fight against the Qin state!

“I have already sent an urgent message to Andu, informing him of the civil unrest in Rome.”

"With Your Majesty's decisiveness and wisdom, the ships in Xilong should now be repaired and the soldiers counted, ready to cooperate with the northern operations."

"You shall stay in Yubi for the time being."

The prefect said to Wang Hong, "You have lived in Rome for many years and know their situation very well. I will need you to analyze the battle situation for me so that our army can be sure of victory and show its might."

"This is natural!"

……

Shortly thereafter,

When news of Sulla's attack on the Kingdom of Pontus spread, the latter's envoys also rushed to Yu Bi, requesting that the Qin state, its suzerain state, send troops to help.

The governor quickly mustered his troops and sent his adopted son ahead to lead a Thracian army south to Pontus to help resist Sulla's advance.

As for the main force of the Qin army, it set off from the sea to engage the Romans.

"I want to go to war too!"

In the city of Jade Walls, young Caesar made a request to his uncle Marius.

He possessed a courageous nature, and when he was forced to flee Rome, he incurred the enmity of Sulla and his ilk.

When Caesar saw the mighty army assembled by the Qin people heading from Jade Wall to Athens, which they had occupied, he could not contain his excitement and fervor and wanted to follow the army.

Ma Lue lay calmly on his bed, taking the bitter, calming medicine specially prepared for him by the physicians of Qin. He said to the spirited young man before him:
"You're only thirteen years old, what can you do?"

Caesar retorted, "I can deliver your message and help you escape Rome!"

Sulla's impact on Rome came as a surprise to many.

Only the people of the Xia, who had extensive experience in this area, could make predictions and prepare for it.

Even though they lived in Rome, Marius, due to his advanced age, had reduced his outings and entrusted many matters to Cinna, who was also a reformer.

If we forcefully go to their door, there's a risk of alerting them.

Greece and Rome were neighbors, both with a tradition of eloquence and a chaotic lifestyle.

This made the gentlemen of the Xia Dynasty, who emphasized being cautious in their words and deeds, very doubtful about their mouths, wondering if they could keep secrets when arguing or mingling with others.

Fortunately,

Julius Caesar was very interested in Eastern culture.

When he was very young, he studied the culture of the various Xia states. As he grew older, he enjoyed visiting the Qin embassy to seek instruction from the Qin envoy, Wang Hong.

Wang Hong admired his intelligence and wit, and considering that his uncle Marius had held power in Rome for a long time, he believed that he was very likely to become the new representative of the Julius family.

then,

Wang Hong asked Caesar for help and to inform Marius.

When Marius fled in haste, Wang Hong did not forget to remind him to take Caesar, his junior, with him.

"But even though you're clever, where would you get the strength to kill someone?"

Marius also believed that his junior would achieve great things in the future.

But youth is youth.
At the age of thirteen, Caesar was not even a full Roman citizen and still needed to rely on his elders for protection.

"I may not necessarily go to the battlefield to fight, but I can learn combat skills from the generals," Caesar replied.

"Moreover, through studying Eastern history, I know that there are many people there who accomplish great things at a young age."

"The monarch who led the Qin people to unify the vast land known as the Central Plains ascended the throne at the age of thirteen."

"According to Qin records, there was also a genius who was sent on a diplomatic mission to another country at the age of twelve and became prime minister because of his merits!"

"Decades ago, there was a famous general who followed his elders into battle at the age of sixteen and never suffered a defeat!"

"Why can't I accomplish such a feat?"

The more Caesar spoke, the more excited he became.

He realized his talent very early on and believed that he would inevitably achieve great things in the future.

But after studying under the Qin envoy for a period of time, he finally understood the meaning of the Chinese proverb, "There are people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens."

Those geniuses who achieved great success and wielded power in their teens...

This has never happened before in the present history of Rome.

But in the East, there are so many that they can be listed.

This made Caesar feel very down, and then a strong fighting spirit arose within him.

Marius, upon hearing this, simply laughed dismissively, saying, "The systems in the East are not the same as those in Rome."

"Don't make those pointless comparisons."

The Qin people would study Marius's influence on Rome.

Ma Lue would naturally also be secretly observing the state of Qin.

He was aware of the systemic differences between the two countries.

Caesar said, "Why can't we compare them?"

"The fact that the Qin state has developed to its current state proves the superiority of their system."

If Rome had adopted the Qin system...
How could his uncle-in-law be expelled?

How could those scoundrels in the Senate possibly return to their positions of power with such smugness?
Thinking this way, Caesar said, "To govern a vast country well, centralized power is essential."

"It doesn't matter if Rome learned from the Greeks before, or from the Qin Dynasty later."

Moreover, the Qin state was not fighting alone.

Behind it were states called "Xia" and "Han", as well as a civilization called "Zhu Xia".

While ancient kingdoms like Egypt and Persia declined and even disappeared,
This civilization, which lived at the same age as it, not only did not decline, but also ushered in a period of prosperity.

Doesn't that demonstrate that it has some kind of advantage?

"The royal family of Qin has ruled this country for nearly a thousand years."

"As a family, its history is even longer than that of Rome!"

"I also hope that Julius can rule a country for as long as it did!"

Upon hearing his bold words, Marius couldn't help but look up, recalling Wang Hong's assessment of Caesar, and then he said softly:
“If you have such thoughts, then I can’t let you go to the battlefield at such a young age!” The ancient and rich civilization of Qin gave the people a transcendent perspective on the development of people and things.

Caesar, this child, can indeed make the Julius family even more glorious in the future.

Marius thought:
I am old, and soon I will return to the embrace of the gods... I should protect this future even more!

unfortunately,

Although Marius had good intentions, he ultimately lacked the ability to prevent Caesar from exercising his own initiative.

On the night her uncle rejected her,

Caesar secretly slipped out and found Spartacus, who was about to depart at dawn. He claimed that he had obtained the consent of his elders and hoped to accompany the army.

The latter only considered it briefly before agreeing to his request.

After all, for Spartacus,

When he was ten years old, he started going out with the elders of the tribe.

As for thirteen years old?
In Thrace and even some barbarian tribes, a thirteen-year-old can become a father!
then,

Caesar followed his army to Athens in the southern Balkans, where he witnessed the clash between the Qin state and Rome.

Spartacus remembered Marius's words when he tried to get closer to him, and he also knew Caesar's special status, so he took him under his wing to let him know how powerful he was.

He commanded the Thracian legions, in coordination with the Athenian garrison, to repel several attacks launched by Sulla.

He even stroked his beard after the war and muttered to himself, "I don't know why, but it felt like fighting Rome was easier than fighting the barbarians to the north."

In the northern part of the Balkans, there lived a large number of barbarian tribes.

After coming of age, Spartacus was often ordered by his noble foster father to lead his people across the mountains to fight against the barbarians there.

The enemy was easily conquered and driven out by Spartacus.

Therefore,
Spartacus knew how his opponent felt.

But who could have imagined,
Logically speaking, the Roman army, which should have been even more powerful than the Germanic barbarians, made Spartacus feel that beating them was even smoother and easier.

"Perhaps it's a talent!"

The general of the Kingdom of Pontus stationed in Athens said to him ingratiatingly:
"To commemorate such a great victory, I propose that a celebration be held for you, General!"

The main force of the Qin state has already engaged in battle with Rome at sea, and Athens can no longer be considered the front line.

They can certainly take a break and enjoy the sweet and delicious fruits of their victory.

But Spartacus said, "The war is not over yet, how can we start celebrating halfway through?"

"If we really want to commemorate this, we can erect a stone monument and inscribe the results of the Battle of Athens on it!"

He recalled the story of his teacher, who had traveled to the far East and followed the famous general known as the "Champion Marquis" on his expedition to the northern deserts, and emphasized it further:
"Write on the stone tablet: Spartacus defeated Sulla here!"

I heard that when the Marquis of Champion was enfeoffed with the Wolf-Dwelling Mountain, he had someone carve similar words on a stone.

He grew up listening to his teachers' praise and admiration for the other person, and he knew in his heart that he could never achieve such a great feat.

However, following the tradition of the various Xia peoples, it is still acceptable to "carve inscriptions on stone to commemorate achievements".

"...If I have the chance to reach the northernmost position, I wonder if I can become the champion of the West."

After the stone tablet was carved, Spartacus stroked the victory inscriptions written in Greek, Chinese, and Roman, and couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

Upon hearing this, Caesar spoke up, "Can a great hero only think of imitating others?"

"I want to create my own era!"

"Even if I were to share the title with someone else, I would want posterity to call me 'Caesar'!"

"An ambitious boy!"

Spartacus chuckled and patted him on the shoulder, "Much better than that money-grubbing guy Crassus!"

Caesar blinked—

He knew Crassus.

I also know that the currency of the Qin state was very different from that of Rome.

The coin known as "Qin Banliang" has a small square hole in the center, supposedly to make it easy for people to string them together and carry them with them.

Moreover, with the small hole for comparison, it would be easy to detect if an unscrupulous merchant secretly cut the coins.

"...Eastern proverbs are really interesting."

Caesar understood the implication and clapped his hands, laughing, "Crassu is indeed a guy born into wealth!"

……

at the same time,

When Spartacus used the Roman army to teach Caesar, his gifted successor, how to command troops,
When the Qin navy gained the upper hand in its battles against the Roman ships, gradually forcing Sulla onto an island,
The true Western champion is rowing in the West Sea Strait.

"Die, hurry up and swipe!"

"If we don't row now, we'll fall behind Qin and Luo in the naval competition!"

No matter how hard Huo Qubing tried,

As soon as his small boat sails a certain distance on the sea, the waves will relentlessly slap it back.

"give up!"

The ghost beside him, sipping Mediterranean seafood, said, "That's a shore you can never reach!"

"I do not believe!"

Marquis Cai, the champion of the Han Dynasty, would not give up on his goal because of difficulties and obstacles.

He said to He Bo, "Take me with you, and let's try to break through the Jade Wall again!"

He was determined to cross the strait and experience the taste of naval warfare he had never known before!

"do not want!"

He Bo decisively refused him, "If you keep pushing me, I'll go to the grasslands to herd sheep and sing the Ballad of Changle!"

Huo Qubing frowned and said, "How can you be so useless?"

"If His Majesty and my uncle were here, they would only organize a powerful fleet and let me lead it across the entire Mediterranean!"

Instead of sitting here idly, gazing longingly at the distant flames of war.

He Bo ignored his provocation and retorted, "They've been apart for a long time and are busy going out hunting!"

"I wouldn't bother coming to another realm to find you!"

Wei Qing was a very composed person.

After his death, unlike his lively nephew, he remained quietly in the Ghost Kingdom of the Central Plains, enjoying the tranquility and peace of the underworld, waiting for his relatives and friends to come down and reunite with him.

As for Emperor Wu...
After dying, he was taken away by the upright and selfless Ximen Bao, following the proper procedure.

Having never suffered such injustice, Zhu Bao tried to call upon his ancestors to save him.

As a result, Liu Bang stopped his loving father Liu Qi, who couldn't bear to see him suffer, and said to him with a smile:
"Crying takes time, kid!"

"Come play with your grandfather again after you come out!"

then,

Poor Emperor Wu only had time to reunite with Wei Qing now.

He was traumatized and desperately needed to soothe his inner pain through hunting and playing. He really didn't have time to go beyond the borders and explore new worlds with Huo Qubing.

"Besides, this is Qin territory. How can we allow the Liu family's emperor to interfere?"

Do you really think the former rulers in the Qin ancestral temple never fought?

To know,
When the emperors of the Liu family died, they were mostly old men.

However, most of the Qin rulers died young, in the prime of their lives!
Especially King Wu of Qin,

If you swing a cauldron at someone, you'll hit them squarely every time!

"Really boring!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Qubing listlessly put down his oars.

"I wonder when I will be able to be reincarnated?"

"I long to live a second life, to fight a few more battles with the Huns or other enemies!"

"Sigh, I want to too!"

Hearing his expectations, He Bo also sighed.

(End of this chapter)