Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 437 It’s over
What kind of person do you think Sui Ping is?

"As things stand, I believe he has the potential to become a great general."

When Qin and Han were forced to unite, and in a strange way, they engaged in infighting, forcing the newly established "Holy Xia" to jump around in a panic.

Two great teachers, long since deceased, sat facing each other under the shade of trees on Zuling Mountain.

This mountain range, which the Xia people regarded as the "place of their rise," has now become a popular team-building site for the dead in the Xia Kingdom.

King Wen of Xia was initially worried, as this would be disrespectful to his ancestors.

But He Bo laughed and said:
"What's so disrespectful about that?"

"Your ancestor was someone who loved a lively atmosphere. It would be truly disrespectful if no one paid any attention to him!"

So afterwards,

King Wen of Xia gradually got used to throwing parties at his ancestors' graves.

at the moment,

He was holding a bowl of mung bean soup, sipping it gently.

Zou Yan continued, "Why not say it's about the monarch?"

"He's already become the rising star that the Beggars' Army is heavily promoting!"

As long as he doesn't die prematurely, and Sui Ping doesn't act like Emperor Xia Xuanzong who made some bizarre decisions, he'll be fine.

Based on Sui Ping's demonstrated leadership abilities, he is indeed capable of leading the Beggars' Army to reclaim the lost Mandate of Heaven from the Zhao family's Xia state.

King Wen of Xia said to him, "If you want to be a ruler, how can you only know how to wage war?"

"He's still young! He has so much to learn!"

"If you learn how to lead troops in battle today, you can learn how to control and train people tomorrow."

"But who can say what will happen in the future?"

King Wen of Xia put down the mung bean soup, shook his head and said, "Just like you and I never expected that the Beggar Army would be so decisive in handing over power to this young man, Sui Ping."

After his "death",
Although the two great teachers paid close attention to the Way of Peace, they did not interfere much.

After all, many things

These veterans are giving the newcomers a rundown, letting them know what attitude to take and what methods to use when facing problems; that's enough.

The Qin and Xia dynasties outside the borders were not the same as the homeland of the various Xia dynasties in the Central Plains.

Although through exchanges of correspondence and the exchange of official letters, they learned a great deal about the situation in the Central Plains.

However, as the branches grow stronger over time, they also develop an appearance different from that of the Central Plains due to the complex environment outside the region.

What will the future hold for the Qin state?

King Wen of Xia could not have foreseen this.

However, if the Xia Kingdom continues its downward spiral following the local customs, its future can still be predicted by glancing at Sindhu to the south.

Therefore,
King Wen of Xia, an old horse still eager to gallop, sent his descendants a surprise titled "Why has Your Majesty rebelled?"

When the Way of Peace quickly split up after the two of them let go,

Even though King Wen of Xia was very worried, he did not "come back to life".

"We can't keep cleaning up the messes of our unworthy descendants!"

"We must not take advantage of the favor of ghosts and gods to act recklessly."

The situation outside the territory is special.
Therefore, the spirits and deities are relatively lenient in managing the behavior of the dead from beyond the realm.

But this does not mean that,

This "width" will be like the mouth of the Yellow River, flowing freely from north to south, with everything running wild.

Fortunately,

The existence of the Beggars' Army ensured that their efforts were not in vain.

Who could have imagined that those few ordinary, unremarkable Taoist priests, who had never caught the attention of King Wen of Xia or Zou Yan, would one day raise the banner of the true Way of Peace?
However, the other party had limited abilities and lacked the ruthlessness to embark on the bloody path of vying for power and establishing a new dynasty.
This has confined the Beggars' Army to rural villages for so long, allowing them to truly live by begging.

now,

With the emergence of the young Sui Ping and the display of his unique talent, the Taiping Daoists who founded the Beggars' Army demonstrated a boldness that even King Wen of Xia had never shown before.

"I dare not entrust my business to young men who are no more than twenty years old, and let them do as they please."

"And I wouldn't be willing to part with it."

With the support of the Central Plains royal army and the addition of the Qin army, the Qihuo Army's power has greatly increased.

If not,

The emperor of Western Xia would not have regarded it as an opponent that needed to be suppressed.

I suppose we'll wait until the royal army leaves.
The emperor immediately decided to prioritize internal stability before external threats.

Zou Yan laughed heartily from the side, "Even you, a sage ruler, have shortcomings compared to others?"

"Where in the world is there a perfect saint?"

"Moreover, the disciples you've taught aren't very dedicated to the art of divination and prediction!"

King Wen of Xia retorted with a retort to Zou Yan.

Leaving aside the group of extraordinary figures in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom,
Before deciding to cultivate Sui Ping,
The chief clerk of the Beggars' Army had held numerous private discussions and debates.

Some agree.
Of course, there are also opponents.

In the end, someone got impatient and suggested using divination to resolve the argument.

"If it is an auspicious hexagram, then it will be successful."

"If it's an ominous sign, then it won't go well!"

Let fate decide the outcome!

However, this resulted in even more opposition.

"If we're going to do something big, why bother with the heavens!"

"Does a bad outcome mean we no longer need to fight against the emperor?"

The overall atmosphere of the Beggars' Army

It is relatively peaceful.

This peace allowed the areas they occupied to enjoy a rare period of tranquility amidst the chaos of war.
However, this also meant that the Beggars' Army was not as sharp and direct as other forces in many matters.

But in chaotic times,
Too many fleeting opportunities leave no room for hesitation or deliberation.

The Beggars' Army has already suffered the consequences.
He also knew what kind of situation he would face after the Qin and Han armies all left.

The Taoist priest who admired Sui Ping threw the tortoise shell used for divination on the ground, and then listed all the merits Sui Ping had made.

"My stance is clear!"

"I only ask about this matter: who agrees and who disagrees?"

The others exchanged silent glances.
In the end, I chose the former.

This was their own decision.
Whether things turn out well or badly, it won't involve ghosts or gods.

Let them be!

"It's been almost twenty years."

"It's time to end it."

……

"But I don't want to leave like this!"

Upon receiving the ridiculous news that a member of the royal family who had fled from the Qin state had died from severe abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating a plate of porridge served by a cook from Sindhu,

The peacekeeping team sent here by the Qin and Han dynasties has also reached the moment of its return journey.

With their retreat blocked and caught in a pincer movement by various Xia forces, the Yuezhi people of Western Xia no longer had the strength to cause any further damage to the Xia Kingdom.

What will become of these barbarians?

The decision lay with the Xia people, not with the Qin and Han dynasties.

The emperor of Western Xia also did not care about the dying Yuezhi people.
He simply put on an act of deep gratitude, and held banquets every day, inviting the generals of Qin and Han to drink and celebrate this long-awaited peace.

At the banquet
The emperor described his ambition to revive the country in words and bowed towards the east to express his respect and gratitude to the Son of Heaven.

This made Qin general feel very uncomfortable.

This also made General Huo realize what the other party was implying to him.

Taking Dongxia into consideration,
The general who had established his own government also submitted a letter of state to Qin and Han in the name of the Emperor of Eastern Xia, demanding that they withdraw from the Xia state and not interfere in their internal affairs.

General Huo then said directly, "Since you have such ambitions and the Xia Kingdom has gradually been pacified, I should also return to the Central Plains to report back to the Emperor."

He arrived quickly.
He left quite gracefully.

They showed not the slightest bit of attachment to the land of Xia.

This made the Xia people admire the demeanor of the gentlemen of the Central Plains even more, and yearn for the strength and civilization of the Central Kingdom.

The Qin army, having arrived far too late and not having had time to radiate much light and heat, felt a deep pang of sorrow upon seeing this.
Although I was indeed late, and although he was the one who arrived first.
But this time...

I really want to be a good person!

Why can't you give them a chance!
just,

In order not to damage the country's image

In order not to be outdone by the Han people
No matter how unwilling the Qin general was, he had no choice but to follow and leave.

Will the future of Xia Kingdom be bright?

At the time of parting,

Having just taken on this important task, Sui Ping asked the Champion Marquis of the Great Han with some unease.

He followed this general for a period of time, and much of his experience in battle came from the general's teachings.

Yes,

Sui Ping regarded him as his teacher.

That's your problem!

General Huo, mounted on his horse, shook his head and said, "If words could determine the course of an event, the people of India would have been invincible long ago!"

I stayed in Xia Kingdom for a while.
General Huo had also gained some understanding of the characteristics of the Sindhu people, knowing that they had never won in their actions, but they had never lost in their words.

Sui Ping nodded, accepting the elder's final words of advice.

Some commoners, grateful for the king's kindness, then stepped forward to present them with parting gifts.

The elder representing the local people, holding a basket, said:
The summer solstice is almost here.

"I heard that in the Central Kingdom, there is a custom of eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and racing boats on the water before the start of summer."

"But the journey is long, and I imagine that when you return to Chang'an, you will miss such a lively occasion."

"So we packed some ourselves, hoping that you can taste the flavors of the Central Plains in Xia Kingdom."

As connections between the interior and the Central Plains increased,

People from Qi in the east were able to travel by ship to trade with the Xia state.

Customs related to the fifth day of the fifth lunar month

Naturally, this practice also spread to the Xia Kingdom, where it gained recognition and acceptance among some people.

Although regarding the sage Qu Yuan,
The Xia people did not have a deep understanding of this.
But this did not prevent the Xia people from praising his love for his country.

Other than that,

In terms of climate,

The people of Xia, suffering from the summer heat, also share a common language with the gentlemen of Jiangnan.

Therefore, when this custom, which symbolizes "driving away evil spirits and avoiding epidemics" and "praying for health and well-being," was introduced, it was not met with much resistance.

more importantly,
Having more legitimate reasons to go out and hang out with friends
Why refuse?

just,

This "new festival" is not yet widely known in the Xinxia region, but is more popular in the Dongxia region.

Therefore, on the Western Xia side,
The origin and meaning of "Dragon Boat Festival" are not very clear.

But this doesn't prevent people from knowing that it's a good festival.

The royal army has been traveling for too long because of the affairs of the Xia Kingdom, and has been separated from its homeland for too long.
Now that Xia Kingdom is gradually getting back on track and the other party is about to return, we naturally cannot miss another wonderful festival.

For this,

General Huo merely raised an eyebrow and silently accepted the basket full of zongzi.

He grew up in Chang'an, a city located on the south bank of the Yellow River.

The local people mostly eat wheat and millet soup noodles, and rarely eat rice.

Therefore,
General Huo was unfamiliar with this type of food, which was popular in the Jiangnan region.

But since the elder kindly gave it to him, how could he refuse?

He first ate one himself, savored its taste, and then handed it to the Qin general next to him, who was watching with longing eyes, looking on with a "I'm so jealous but I won't say anything" attitude.

"Taste it?"

The other person silently accepted it, cruelly peeled off the zongzi wrapper, and ate it in two bites.

Then he said, "It's salty."

"How abominable!"

For the Qin generals,
This was also his first time eating zongzi.

Because the land in Western Qin was not suitable for the widespread cultivation of rice,
Unlike Jiangnan and Xia, which have abundant water, heat, and fertile land, rice is more delicate and difficult to cultivate than wheat.

General Huo nodded in agreement and said in a low voice, "I also think it won't work."

"It tastes better with two sweet dates inside!"

Upon hearing this, the other person glanced at him, then reached into their pocket and pulled out a date, handing it over.

This is what he brought from the Qin state.
Thanks to the natural shelf life of dates, they are still edible today.

General Huo cautiously accepted the package, somewhat worried that the other party might have poisoned it to harm him.

But in the end, he ate the rice dumpling and the date in turn, and then shared his thoughts afterward:
"Sweet rice dumplings definitely taste better!"

at this moment,
The representatives sent by the Qin and Han dynasties to the Xia state reached a rare consensus.

Only the elder who had offered the zongzi returned to his fellow villagers, confidently stroking his beard and saying:
"I specifically asked many people to try this flavor!"

"Salty and delicious, it will definitely make the general taste the flavor of his hometown with just one bite!"

The villagers clapped and smiled with delight, feeling that they had done a very thoughtful job.

After the rice dumplings have been shared,

The armies of Qin and Han then set off, heading towards their respective countries.

In the far East,
He Bo withdrew his gaze from the distance, began rowing, and suddenly asked the physician sitting opposite him:
"I have a question—"

Do you prefer sweet or savory food?

Because of the completion of the Lingqu Canal and the influence of spirits, the water from the Central Plains to the Lingnan region was able to flow through it. Qu Yuan, upon hearing this, casually said, "Anything is fine."

"I'm not too particular about food."

Qu Yuan pursued beautiful things, but more so the beauty that appeared both inside and out, rather than simply delicious food.

King Huai of Chu interjected, "Actually, I prefer sweets."

"It's a pity that many of the zongzi I receive every year are savory."

In today's world,

"Salty" is better than "sweet".

It's still easier to obtain.

Judging from the fact that countless heroes and brave men cried out "I want to drink honey water" before they died,
You can understand this principle by doing so.

Upon hearing this, He Bo glanced at the chubby, easily fooled Prince Huai, and then said to him:
"it is good!"

"Now I know why you were fooled by the Qin people!"

King Huai of Chu immediately changed his expression, but dared not say anything to the ghosts and gods. He just pouted and moved closer to Qu Yuan, looking very aggrieved.

"You can't even let people talk about what you did?"

He Bo glared at him, "Instead of wasting time being upset, you should hurry up with what you're doing!"

"With your rowing efficiency and physique, if you don't work harder, how can you expect to help me win first place in the rowing race?"

King Huai felt even more aggrieved.

He gripped the oar and said, "Then you can find someone else!"

Why bother me?

"Why did Xiang Yu and his men refuse to join me and insist on forming their own team?"

Moreover, activities like boating on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month...

It wouldn't be very interesting if we didn't include Qu Yuan, the key figure in the story.

Unfortunately, King Huai was always associated with Qu Yuan, so He Bo had no choice but to opt for a buy-one-get-one-free deal.

Thinking of this,
It's the ghosts and gods who are more wronged!
"Row!"

"The Qin people have been using their oars to fight with others at sea several times!"

"How can you, a Chu man who died in Qin, be even less skilled in water management than they were!"

King Huai of Chu had neither the ability nor the courage to resist the tyranny of the gods and spirits, so he could only row his boat with tears in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)