Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 432 Rome in the Xia Dynasty

The Qin envoy brought with him the Roman envoy.
After landing at Guazhou, they headed all the way to Dongxia—

As an envoy of the state, if negotiations are to be conducted, they should naturally be conducted with the Xia State court.

What can we say to the Yuezhi people?
What can we say to that member of the royal family who is causing trouble in Xia Kingdom?
As for news about the Han dynasty's heavenly army...
Because their main activities were in the upper reaches of the Indus River, and they were allied with the Kihut army,
The Qin envoys and their entourage traveled mainly along the southern border of the Xia state, which bordered the states of Sindhu. As a result, the two sides not only did not meet face to face, but also heard very little from each other.

After all, in chaotic times,

It's normal for information to be difficult to circulate.

The Roman envoy was rather curious about the group in the western part of Xia Kingdom.

For Rome,
They came to the East seeking new friends and their help.

in this way,

The closer Rome was to the Qin state, the more advantageous it would be for Rome's objectives.

unfortunately,

The Yuezhi people had a bad reputation; the Xia people denounced them for their ferocity and barbarity, calling them a group of man-eating beasts.
This made the Roman envoy worry that once he arrived, before he could even explain his purpose, he would be dragged away by the Yuezhi people and devoured as a rare delicacy.

Moreover, although he could speak fluent Zhuxia dialect with a strong Qin accent, this was his first time here, and everything about the Xia Kingdom was still completely unfamiliar to him.

On the Xia people's side,

Because of the Yuezhi people's invasion, they also harbored a deep sense of rejection towards the Roman envoys, who were described as "barbarians" with black hair, black eyes, high eyebrows, and deep-set eyes.

The Roman envoy had no choice but to suppress his longing and quietly follow behind the Qin envoy, waiting for an opportunity to stare at the exposed slit between Qin and Xia.

……

"Isn't it said that the people of India are also at war with the Xia Kingdom?"

As the envoys from both countries were approaching the territory of Dongxia,

The Roman envoy sat relaxed in his carriage and asked the Qin envoy a question.

Why haven't I seen any trace of the Sindhu people?

To know,
When the Qin envoy decided to travel along the southern border of the Xia Kingdom, the Roman envoy was very worried, fearing that they would be drawn into a pointless conflict at the border between the two countries.

"It's quite normal not to see any troublemakers from India on the frontier."

The Qin envoy sat opposite him, with a wooden board placed between them to separate them.

He was resting with his eyes closed, and he did not open his eyes when answering the other person's questions.

"Given the shameless and weak nature of the people of Shendu, how could they possibly cross the borders of the Xia Kingdom and invade the territory of our various Xia states?"

The most important reason why the Xia emperor died in a foreign land had little to do with the people of Sindhu.

If he had behaved like a decent human being during the southern campaign, he wouldn't have ended up in that situation.

but,

People from India would never think that way.

Those barbarians never have an accurate understanding of their own strength.

After the emperor, who claimed to have killed the Xia people, said the world was about to return to "normal,"

The Sindhu people confidently marched north, only to be defeated by the Xia Kingdom's border army.

at first,

The people of Sindhu were unwilling to accept this fact, insisting that it was an accident or a mistake on their part.

But soon,
Before the Indians could regroup their forces and launch a fierce attack on the Xia Kingdom, some Xia people who had fled due to internal strife crossed the border and headed towards India.

Just like the people of Dongxia who fled to the central and southern regions.

During these two years,

Having reached a bottleneck in their development, the Taiping Army, gradually waking up from the deception and trickery of the powerful families, also began to seek a path southward.

after all,

If the Taoist priest couldn't defeat the Qin people or the Yuezhi people, how could he possibly be no match for the mere Sindhu people?
In the Xia Kingdom, one is to be played by powerful families.
Why not just go to India, destroy a few small countries, and become the king of one of them!
Let the Yellow Heaven of the Way of Peace fiercely blind those Indians!

Even now,

Many Xia people have already stirred up a huge storm in the countries of Sindhu.

The Sindhu people, who took the initiative to attack back then, once again turned their war of aggression into a war of homeland defense.

of course,

The Qin envoy, who had only recently arrived in the Xia Kingdom and was still on his way to the Eastern Xia Kingdom, was unaware of these recent developments.

The reason they arrived at such a precise conclusion was simply because they extracted the "Sindhu Theorem" from the vast historical records.

Emperor Taizu of Qin was once protected by King Wen of Xia and lived in the Xia state for a period of time.

Under the influence of this predecessor who "insulted the master of Sindhu," Emperor Taizu of Qin naturally had some understanding of the people of Sindhu.

Afterwards, Qin and Xia established an alliance to exchange documents and historical records every few years to show their kinship. Among the documents sent by Xia, there were many records of "Sindhu invading the border, either being executed, expelled, or having its capital destroyed and its ruler captured".

"So that's it!"

The Roman envoy received the explanation and felt that his wisdom had also increased considerably.

On the western side,

In the course of its expansion, Rome actually encountered many different peoples.

But even the Japanese barbarians

They are not as "magical" as the people of India.

"You really are a very knowledgeable person!"

The envoy happily reached out his hand, wanting to pull the Qin envoy to express his gratitude.

As a result, the Qin envoy, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly perked up and put his hands behind his back.

Upon seeing this, the Roman envoy said with some regret:
Why are you so resistant to me?

Is it because of my previous declarations of love for you?

Rome has always been a very open society.

Even Caesar, who had studied in Qin for many years, couldn't maintain composure in certain situations, let alone the native Roman envoys.

Unfortunately, back when the Qin people were still in the Central Plains, they couldn't understand the Qi people's fondness for purple and their love of parties.

After arriving at the West Sea,

The Romans, who also admire purple and love to party, found it even more incomprehensible.

Do you take me for some frivolous Han Chinese?!

The Qin envoy sternly rebuked him, "Keep your distance from me!"

If it weren't for the fact that there was only one carriage, and that he had already been walking for some time and was exhausted,

otherwise,

Why would I share a room with this dissolute man!
The Roman envoy paid no attention.

He said to the Qin envoy who had turned his head away and closed his eyes, "If you open your eyes and look at me, I don't believe your eyes are empty!"

"Pooh!"

……

They pulled and tugged along the way.

The envoys from both countries finally arrived in Dongxia.

The last remaining gem of the Xia Kingdom was also dressed up exquisitely and noblely by the ministers who controlled the court, and presented to them.

"The people of Qin are still honest and kind!"

"Our nation is in peril and needs your assistance now!"

When the young and thin emperor saw the Qin envoy, he couldn't help but stand up, wanting to walk down the steps, grab the Qin envoy's sleeve, and cry out his grievances.

But when the general beside him glared at him, the young emperor shrank back, covering his face with his sleeve and weeping uncontrollably.

Upon seeing this, the Qin envoy frowned and sighed inwardly.

This Eastern Xia has rebelled against the Heavenly Gang, to the point that the emperor is afraid of the expressions of his ministers.

When he returned to China and brought back reinforcements,

Will the person sitting on this throne still be a member of the Zhao family?
"General, Qin and Xia have a long-standing alliance. Now that the Qin Emperor has sent an envoy, it is clear that he intends to help."

"This is not good for your great cause, General!"

“How about…” a staff member in the shogunate suggested.

The great general, who had already acquired privileges such as establishing his own government, not having to bow when entering the court, wearing a sword and shoes in the palace, not having to be named when receiving homage, and being granted the Nine Bestowments, snorted and waved his hand, saying:
“Even when two countries are at war, they do not kill their envoys, let alone Qin and Xia, which are not even considered to be at war.”

"Moreover, I found the Qin envoy to be dignified and handsome, a rare talent, so I couldn't bring myself to harm him..."

The Shogun was a man who greatly appreciated beautiful women. Whenever he encountered one, he would feel a sense of appreciation for her talent and promote her.

"More importantly, the Qin people already have a vassal state in the Western Xia region. If he hears that I killed the Qin envoy, wouldn't that give him a reason to send troops?"

That feudal lord was indeed a "rebel against Qin".
But those in positions of power are always very flexible.

If it's to their advantage, it's perfectly acceptable to put on the act of being a loyal subject of the Qin Dynasty!
"Let's appease them for now and send them out of our Great Xia territory as soon as possible. After all, if the Qin people really send troops to help Xia, they will have to pass through the west first!"

The northwest of the Xia Kingdom was already in complete chaos.
It won't be an easy task for the Qin army to get through there!
"I need to focus my energy on dealing with the powerful families!"

The Shogun slammed his hand on the table and spoke in a loud voice.

aristocratic family,

It is a chronic problem that has plagued the Xia Kingdom for centuries.
It cannot be eliminated by a decade or so of turmoil and resistance.

Even in the Eastern Xia, where military men held absolute power, aristocratic families still managed to gain many benefits for themselves through various means. Their sons occupied prominent positions, were won over by the young emperor, and opposed the shogun.

This made the powerful general very unhappy.

He once discussed the matter of deposing and installing emperors at a banquet, declaring that "the emperor is weak and incompetent, and is not fit to serve the ancestral temple. We wish to follow the example of Yi Yin and stabilize the country."

As the soldiers entered, suppressing the assembled officials to the point of silence, the general stroked his wine-soaked beard and chuckled smugly:
"The affairs of the world today are in my hands; I will act now, and who dares to disobey?"

result,

However, disciples from prominent families stepped forward at this moment and openly confronted them.

The man gripped his sword and spoke vehemently:
"The affairs of the world depend on the emperor and your loyal ministers!"

"You are nothing but a usurper, so what can you do about it!"

The general immediately stamped his foot in anger, drew his sword, and threatened the other party:
"Would you like to test the sharpness of my sword?"

"My sword is not bad at all!"

The other party glared back angrily, looking extremely smug.

The general wanted to kill him.

However, due to the obstruction of powerful families, it did not succeed.

He therefore deeply realized that
Even though he could depose and install emperors, there were still some things he hadn't truly mastered.

"Apart from me, Dongxia will not allow such a powerful force to exist!"

"In this entire country, one man with guts like me is enough!"

The general stroked the imperial jade seal he had taken directly from the palace, his eyes revealing an undisguised murderous intent.

For a period of time afterward,
The envoys from both countries stayed in Dongxia and expressed their feelings about the political situation there on several occasions.

"The country is in chaos and unrest, which causes suffering to the people."

"I wonder when peace will be restored."

The Qin envoy looked at the beggars and a few refugees being driven away by officials in the eastern capital, and his sighs never stopped.

The Roman envoys were shouting and yelling incessantly.

He witnessed the chaos of the Chinese civilization for the first time and was deeply shocked by the devastation, which far exceeded his own historical knowledge.

Actually,
On the way to Dongxia, he had already kept the Qin envoy awake for several days.

"How terrible!"

"I used to think that you Chinese were cruel to your enemies, but it turns out you are just as merciless to your own people!"

The envoy had read the history books of the Qin state.
Although the vertically written characters, rich in meaning and with complex strokes, yet possessing a strange beauty, were very difficult for him to read, he eventually gritted his teeth and learned them.

Who can blame them when, along the entire Mediterranean coast, only the Qin state remains as a force to be reckoned with against Rome?
Faced with the Qin people's relentless pressure and forceful suppression, Rome had no choice but to devote all its energy to learning from and studying them.

Sun Tzu, revered as a military sage by the Chinese people, once said, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win the battle."

In particular, the presence of Caesar, a student from the Qin state, introduced many Chinese classics to Rome.

Countless ancient books rich in profound thought were translated into Roman languages ​​and then became popular reading material among the nobility.

Other than that,

Caesar, this young nobleman well-versed in the learning of the Chinese, also encouraged the Romans to study in the Jade Wall City of the Qin state.

"Only by directly engaging with their lives can we understand their thoughts!"

"Scratching an itchy spot through your boots won't solve the underlying problem!"

therefore,

The envoy did indeed study in Jade Wall City for several years, and based on his excellent performance, he was assigned the important mission of being sent as an envoy to the Xia Kingdom.

The impact you have had on me will never end!

"Of course, such a tragic scene also makes me feel that supporting Crassus and his men is a wiser choice."

He patted his chest and said this to the Qin envoy.

Influenced by their elders and the Qin people,
Caesar was a very clear "authoritarian".

He believed that the vast land and abundant population had exceeded the administrative limits of the republic, and that the state should, while continuing the reforms of his predecessor Marius, learn from the Qin system and establish its core.

However, Crassus and Pompey, who had once followed Sulla, were quite motivated to maintain the Senate's rule.

Although Sulla, who used his military prestige to become a dictator for life, had proven through his own experience that establishing a centralized power structure was inevitable for Rome afterward, regardless of whether he supported the Senate or not...

It can be replaced by the old one.
It always takes a long time to resolve.

The envoy worried that the massive changes would cause too much harm to the country and to himself.

in this way,

It would be better to continue supporting the Senate and let those old and incompetent fellows continue to rule for a while longer.

Wait until he dies peacefully.

Even if there's a massive flood, it won't be a problem.

"Moreover, I believe that many problems stem from your system!"

"The power of the rulers of the various Xia states is simply too great!"

"Indiscriminately slaughtering an entire family!"

"In Rome, this is something even the gods couldn't accomplish!"

"That's because you're incompetent!"

The Qin envoy crossed his arms and asked him, "Has Rome risen a thousand years ago?"

How many times has a country experienced internal turmoil and then risen again?

"Don't spout nonsense here if you don't have rich experience."

The Roman envoy then shut his mouth.

After a while,
The Qin envoy announced his return journey.

He was going to return to his country and report the situation of Xia to the emperor.

at this time,

News of the arrival of the Han people and their suppression of many rebellions in the Western Xia territory had already reached his ears.

The Qin envoy thus became anxious and impatient.

Competition provides the motivation to get things done.

Thinking about this time,

The Qin emperor would definitely choose to send troops to help the Xia state.

But the Roman envoy did not return with them.

By this time, he had become a familiar face in the Xia Kingdom and no longer needed the Qin envoy's introduction. Naturally, he could now devote his energy to helping his own country.

The two sides thus parted ways.

Privately, the Roman envoys compared the prominent powers they knew in the Xia Kingdom, pondering which side to forge a friendly alliance with and which side would be more easily tempted to agree to Rome's request to attack the Qin Kingdom from both sides.

But he hadn't had time to analyze it clearly yet.
There wasn't even time to send anyone to get to know the Han army that Qin Xia valued so highly, an army said to come from the far east, from the land where the sun rises.

Then he heard something that puzzled him greatly:
"What do you mean the general plans to hold a diving competition in the Ganges?"

(End of this chapter)