Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 444 The Potion of Forgetfulness

"The Wang family are descendants of King Jian of Qi!"

"No wonder that old guy has been looking so smug lately, even daring to steal the ball from Wang Ben when playing Cuju."

In the Central Plains Ghost Kingdom,

Ghostly White Dragon Fish Costume, along with some of his dead friends, threw a dinner party on the shore of the Weak Water.

He sat opposite Mrs. Simon, sipping fine wine and listening quietly as she recounted everyday matters.

beside,

Liu He was with his newly acquainted friends, as happy as a nimble dog, chasing and running across the gray grass unique to the underworld.

"But why would his descendants adopt the surname 'Wang'?"

As the lazy and indolent spirits expanded their reach in the underworld and their mouths grew, they simply couldn't be bothered to cram too much into their brains.

King Jian of Qi, that old fellow, usually acts like a "parent's darling," but he doesn't really have anything remarkable about him.

Therefore, He Bo really didn't notice.

The descendants of Tian Qi who remained in the Central Plains changed their names and surnames, and gradually became the most distinguished figures in the Han Dynasty court, able to sit in the front row.

"Who knows?"

"In any case, the Wang clan of Yuancheng established by King Qi is indeed more prominent than the Wang clan of Langya and the Wang clan of Taiyuan established by the descendants of Wang Ben."

After all, Wang Zhengjun gained the Crown Prince's favor not long after being selected to enter the Eastern Palace.

Her gradually growing belly proclaimed to the world that a new generation of the royal family, the crown prince's first child, and the emperor's eldest grandson were being conceived and growing within her.

The emperor was very pleased with this and bestowed upon the Wang family of Yuancheng a great deal of wealth, as well as a higher official position.

The latter also clearly realized that the unborn child was related to the future of the family.

So during this period,

In private, Wang performed numerous divinations and sacrifices, praying that Wang Zhengjun would give birth to a son and that the boy would grow up healthy and safe.

Although according to the patriarchal system and rituals

Qi Wang Jian, this ancestor, cannot be called the ancestor of the "Yuancheng Wang Clan".

But due to the prayers of their descendants,
He's been enjoying a lot of free food lately, and he's eating so much that his face is glowing red and he's in high spirits.

This made Wang Ben, who had just been shown off by him, turn red with anger and clench his fists.

"never mind!"

"It's just a small matter!"

He Bo nodded in agreement with Madam Ximen's words, and then gently moved on from the discussion about the descendants of the dead.

He then turned to talk about serious matters.

"Do you want to take over the responsibility of filling the water bottles for the reincarnated dead?"

When reincarnation is formed
Old devils like Ximen Bao have raised questions about this before.

Humans are the most intelligent of all creatures.

If they can retain their memories when they are reincarnated,

How then can we distinguish between past and future lives?
Even if someone with malicious intent is reduced to the level of an animal, they can still use their intelligence to commit acts of harming and killing. How should we deal with this?

And these,
Clearly, this is something that He Bo, this ghost god, needs to figure out a solution to.

Fortunately,

Finding the relevant ideas or even the tricks to solve the problem is not difficult.

That occasional swirling wind that blows through the ghosts can numb them and reduce their senses;

The water that washes over the dead body makes it feel cold and piercing, as if it is being slowly sliced ​​apart, and finally melts away its soul.
There are also the "heavenly treasures" from the underworld, formed from the sedimentation of various complex human emotions, which, when consumed, leave people stunned and as if sculpted from clay...

These are all "raw materials" that can dilute the original memories of the deceased, helping them to quietly and easily welcome a new life.

The only thing to be careful about is...

These things are too lethal to the dead; the more one touches them, the more damage one will inevitably suffer.

Therefore,
He Bo, the "blender," needs to perform multiple operations and frequent experiments to blend these raw materials into what he needs.

Let's call it 'Forget-Me-Not Potion'!

After much effort, the ghost, with his not-so-laborious sweat, occasional bursts of wisdom, and crude handiwork, managed to concoct a murky, viscous liquid that would easily make any ghost nauseous.
He faced the bronze cauldron that was emitting wisps of black smoke and whose surface was painted with a greedy cat, and bestowed a name upon the finished product inside.

"I think this title is a bit strange!"

Upon hearing the name given to the object before them, the ghosts who had been summoned to admire the crystallization of the wisdom of the gods and spirits couldn't help but squint their eyes and scratch their chins.

"why?"

He Bo asked the other person with great confusion, "After drinking this, it can prevent the dead from ever shedding tears or grieving again."

"Doesn't this name suit its function well?"

The other party couldn't understand the deeper meaning behind the ghostly words, but still answered honestly:
"I just feel that it really can't be called... a type of water."

As if to confirm the truth of his words.
The murky "forgetfulness water," which could reveal a variety of colors after being stirred a couple of times, bubbled and burst into bubbles in the air.

No odor managed to drift out.

But the commotion still sent chills down the spines of the dead.

"It's just a small matter!"

Is appearance really the most important thing?

Its function is the most crucial aspect!
"Come on, everyone, have a taste!"

He Bo enthusiastically dipped a little bit out of the pot with his chopsticks and condescended to hand it to the dead men next to him.

The latter all retreated and fled, saying that even if their souls were scattered, they would not let this filth touch them in the slightest.

He Bo failed to catch any of them.
So he could only regretfully turn to the lackey he had raised himself.

"Big Yellow, come here!"

"This is new dog food I made especially for you!"

He handed the chopstick, which carried an indescribable substance, to Big Yellow.

Then this yellow dog, which had once been honored to be raised by the gods and had followed the Grand Marshal and General of the Han Dynasty for many years, immediately looked up at the sky and howled. Then it tightly hugged its head with its front paws and refused to lift it up no matter what.

For this,

What else can He Bo do?

"It's as if I'm going to abuse animals!"

"How could I be such a heartless person!"

The ghost angrily rebuked Big Yellow for its disloyalty and disobedience, then turned its chopsticks around and held them to its own mouth.

snort!
They refused to try it!

I'll try it myself!

"Hold the grass!"

The usually gentle and polite spirit, who rarely showed any emotion, let out a gasp of surprise upon tasting something.

His mind was swept over by that extremely stimulating smell, leaving only a mess.

Escaping because of the "Potion of Forgetfulness"

The old ghost, who had returned out of loyalty, approached the ghost who was standing there in a daze and asked him:
"...Do you remember what just happened?"

"Can not remember."

He Bo lowered his eyes blankly and looked at the chopsticks in his hand.

"My intuition tells me that it's best not to recall things that are too painful."

So, does the "forgetfulness potion" force the dead to erase their memories by making it taste bad?
Upon hearing this, Lao Gui couldn't help but speculate in his mind.

Once the efficacy of the "potion of forgetfulness" was confirmed,

After sealing the pot of indescribable substance tightly, He Bo began searching for someone suitable to feed the dead ghosts, someone who could force the substance into their mouths despite their desperate resistance.

Of course,
The virtuous wife in Ximen Bao's household was chosen as the first candidate by the gods and spirits.

"But when that stuff is mixed together, it looks just too much like..."

When Mrs. Simon heard He Bo's invitation in person, she did not refuse directly.

But she frowned, trying to find a more elegant and fitting term to describe the "potion of forgetfulness" concocted by the ghosts and gods, but in the end, she failed.

So she shut her mouth and just sighed.

He Bo was able to understand her unspoken meaning.

But he still advised the other party: "After getting to know each other a few more times, you'll be able to accept it."

He took out a jar of "samples" that had been transferred in before the large pot was sealed, hoping to help Mrs. Simon desensitize herself.

Suddenly, Liu He, who was running around aimlessly with his great-uncle Liu Yong, rushed over and said to He Bo with dissatisfaction:
"You secretly brought good stuff, but you didn't share it with everyone, did you!"

Liu Yong also came over and stood with his distant nephew, criticizing the ghosts and gods for being "stingy".

They demanded with a clear conscience that He Bo generously display what he had so they could taste it.

Liu Xin, watching this scene from a short distance away, hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back. Fortunately,

Before his deep, ancestral love could be contained, Liu Bang raised his hand to stop him.

"Wait a minute!"

"Let me see something funny first!"

therefore,

Liu Xin sat back down, watching as his descendants, including Liu Che's grandson, happily took the simple jar from the ghost's hands, cheering their "victory" and tasting its contents.

They also used chopsticks to dip into the diluted, yet still strange-looking substance and put it on their tongues.

"Hold the grass!"

subconsciously,

They grasped the long, dry yet strangely resilient gray grass beneath them.

then,

The two Liu clan princes looked at each other, their expressions revealing a remarkably similar clarity and purity.

"What just happened?"

"I do not know!"

"What are we planning to do with this jar?"

"He probably just wants to try it out!" Liu He, as always, displayed his extraordinary wisdom.

Liu Yong, his great-uncle, appreciated his suggestion.

"Then let's try it!"

He said it so readily.

Therefore,

The bizarre scene repeated itself time and time again.
The cycle was only broken when they slowly licked the jar of "forgetfulness potion," which could even make a dead ghost stupid, to the bottom.

The two children with intellectual disabilities were later taken back by their respective ancestors to have their stomachs pumped.

"This is proof!"

"My cooking skills are pretty good!"

He Bo turned his head and pointed it out seriously to Madam Ximen.

Madam Ximen covered her mouth, trying not to burst out laughing.

Hearing such words about ghosts and gods, he simply nodded in agreement and then wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes.

"All right!"

Seeing them like this, I suddenly realized that giving the dead a potion to forget love is actually quite an interesting thing!

……

As the cycle of reincarnation becomes increasingly perfect,
A newborn child, amidst the anticipation of the Han imperial family, uttered its first cry upon entering the world.

His mother, her forehead glistening with sweat and her heart overflowing with tenderness, watched as his father held the swaddled baby in his arms.

The crown prince looked at his eldest son with excitement.

He, who was usually gentle and mild-mannered, felt that the little, red, and incredibly tender "little monkey" in front of him was so cute that it broke his heart.

When the emperor arrived later and heard the baby's strong cry, he smiled with satisfaction.

He received the new bloodline from his son and said happily:
"A loud voice."

"He's in very good health!"

then,

The emperor bestowed a name upon his eldest grandson.

"Let's call him Liu Ao!"

Ao Zhe,
It is a fine horse.

The Lüshi Chunqiu states: "A good horse is expected to travel a thousand miles, not just be a fine steed."

Since his son was destined to be only an unremarkable ruler who maintained the status quo,

The emperor would naturally entrust his hopes for the future and the heavy responsibility of governing the country to his grandson.

"You must carry the Han Dynasty forward and continue your journey."

"Don't lose your way on that long and arduous road!"

The emperor's fingers traced the tender eyebrows and eyes of his eldest grandson, his heart filled with anticipation.

Afterwards, Wang Zhengjun, holding her child, whispered to him:
You must become a superior person in the future.

"The nation of Han, I, your mother, and your maternal grandfather will all be proud of you!"

Little Liu Ao couldn't understand what the adults were saying.
She yawned, clenched her little fists, and quietly fell asleep.

As he slowly awakens and grows, eventually becoming able to understand the simpler meanings in adults' words...

His incomparably noble grandfather would hold his eldest grandson in his arms, teach him to read, and tease him:
"If you become emperor in the future, will you govern the country well?"

"must!"

The bewildered Liu Ao answered his grandfather's question loudly, "It will definitely be alright!"

Grandfather then burst into cheerful laughter.

The crown prince beside him also smiled.

After all, the offspring are capable.
It's something all elders look forward to.

When the envoy from the Xia Kingdom arrived after traveling a thousand miles to report on the country's current situation and express gratitude for the assistance extended by the Han Dynasty in the past,

The emperor still kept Changsun by his side, and had him accompany him to receive the envoy from the Xia Kingdom.

"Has the Xia Kingdom not yet been unified?"

After listening quietly to the envoy's report, he said with concern.

"Yes."

After the Han imperial army and the Qin army left one after another,

The turmoil in the Xia Kingdom
It then became entirely a matter for the Xia people.

The remnants of the Yuezhi, with nowhere to escape, were submerged in the sea of ​​Chinese gentry.

Either be torn apart by the Avengers,
They will either be tamed or assimilated.

They've lost all ability to stir up any trouble.

The Way of Peace also regained its former appeal due to the rise of the Beggars' Army.

of course,

The Taoist priests' precepts, having learned from past chaos, have become even stricter.

Anyway, nobody wants to see a bunch of guys with the "Tian" in their names performing shamanistic rituals again!

And amidst such a surge,
As Sui Ping matured, he gradually rose to a higher position.

He was elevated to the position of leader.

Then, by facing various hardships and obstacles head-on, one's mindset and methods are tempered.

now,

He had grown into a competent monarch and ruled over the lands of Western Xia.

“My lord desires to receive investiture from the Son of Heaven so that he may rightfully claim the title of king and then launch a campaign against the Eastern Xia.”

The envoy took out the official letter he carried with him and respectfully presented it to the emperor.

The emperor carefully reviewed the letter of state and finally agreed to the request.

"can!"

"Let him establish this new dynasty called 'Sui'!"

"But you must remember this!"

The emperor coughed twice, attracting the curious gaze of the eldest grandson who was lost in thought.

"As branches of the Chinese civilization beyond their borders, both Qin and Xia bear the mission of educating and civilizing the barbarian tribes!"

"Do not let your own selfish desires tarnish the foundation that your ancestors worked so hard to build, and diminish the prestige of our Chinese nation!"

"If there's a next time, the Han Dynasty might not necessarily provide support again!"

"As ordered!"

The envoy prostrated himself and accepted the emperor's instructions.

Liu Ao stared wide-eyed at the scene, feeling that his grandfather was truly majestic and domineering.

He thought vaguely:
I want to be that good too!
I……

I want to be an emperor someday!

(End of this chapter)