Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 464 The First Year of Jian Shi
With the arrival of the first year of Jian Shi
New landscapes have also emerged in the world of the various Chinese civilizations.

In the Imperial Academy,

Confucian scholars from all corners of the country engaged in various debates, which led to numerous physical altercations.

among them,

The main members of the attacking side were Confucian scholars from the Qin state.

Because on the Han side, under Emperor Yuan's decades of efforts and forceful reforms, many officials aspiring to a career in government had shed their outward appearance of formidable military prowess and had become accustomed to a refined and cultured demeanor.

As for the Confucian ideal of being "skilled in both literature and martial arts"?
joke!

Confucius himself spent his entire life pursuing official positions.
By giving up some things, we can obtain something even Confucius never had.
How could future generations of students not be willing?

not to mention,
The Han Chinese Confucian scholars never imagined that someone would dare to punch them three times during the grand debate at the Imperial Academy, in front of everyone in the court and the public.

However, the Confucian scholars of Qin had already planned ahead:
He felt that the Central Plains was a vast and prosperous land with abundant resources and a large population. It was not only the birthplace of Confucianism, but also a place of peace and tranquility for a hundred years. Therefore, when discussing and debating the classics and studying the wisdom of the sages, he was bound to surpass himself.

in this way,

It would be better to return to the original meaning of Confucianism, emulate the story of Confucius and Shao Zhengmao, and directly solve the problem with fists and feet.

snort!
You Confucian scholars who grew up in the Central Plains,

Now I'll show you the power of my body, which can cross thousands of mountains and arrive safely!

And as such struggles become more frequent...
The martial spirit that had been hidden among the Confucian scholars of the Han Dynasty was also awakened.

In a declining environment
The Qin and Han dynasties engaged in one last fierce struggle.

The Sui Dynasty Confucian scholars, who had recovered from the war but had gradually become lazy and refined due to the hot climate of the new Xia land, stared wide-eyed at this scene.

The states of Qi and Wu dared not say more.

from their perspective,
The Qin, Han, and Sui dynasties were all powerful states.
In a situation where words and fists are being used, it's not something they can easily interfere with.

After all, as a maritime nation that relies primarily on navigation for stability and prosperity,

Qi and Wu were going to do business with many major powers!

How can we let a mere debate on scriptures damage the relationship between our two countries?
of course,

While most people's attention was drawn to the struggle between the Qin and Han dynasties,

Small-scale exchanges of martial arts were also taking place between Qi and Wu.

Customers need to be won over.

Competitors must be eliminated!

……

"It's so lively, it's a pity that my new country couldn't participate."

On the islands of Japan,
The Yinzhou people, who had just landed, said to He Bo with regret.

"Arguing is something you can do after you've had a full stomach."

As the ancients said: "When people are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame; when they have enough food and clothing, they know etiquette."

"The foundation of the new nation is not yet solid; how can it have the time to get involved in such matters?"

He Bo comforted the young man in front of him, who was full of energy in both his speech and actions.

He was Su Guang's son and the next Marquis of Xinxiang.

This year, the Yinzhou fleet crossed the sea to the ancestral land on the other side, and it was he who presided over the journey.

Su Guang himself, with his frail and aged body, stayed quietly on the land of Xinxiang, waiting to die and preparing for his funeral.

There's nothing we can do about it.

Now that Emperor Xuan and Emperor Yuan have passed away one after another,

The people of the past are also growing old.

Even if Su Guang was very worried about the future of Xinxiang, he had no choice but to let go and look forward to the wisdom of future generations.

Fortunately,

Su Guang's previous efforts were not in vain.

His numerous voyages at sea indeed cultivated a group of capable and determined younger generations.

They will continue to support Xinxiang and head towards the unknown future after the elderly pass away one by one.

"It's just sad that the population is too small."

Upon hearing his words, Su Chang nodded in agreement, then let out a helpless sigh.

"Xinxiang has a vast land, but its population is really sparse... I don't know when or when it will be able to make its culture flourish and its granaries full."

Yinzhou land,

Unlike other regions previously opened up by the various Xia states,

Although the latter has negative traits such as barbarity, ignorance, and shamelessness, enough to warrant being expelled from the ranks of the Chinese people by the gentlemen,

But it must be admitted that,
Some of those wild people can be educated and introduced into the Chinese society, becoming part of its new blood and enriching the land where the Chinese people are rooted.

Not to mention the marriage system of the various Xia peoples and their strong sense of national identity that emphasized cultural inheritance.
The wild women from beyond the borders and the naturalized barbarians were able to make a great contribution to the propagation of the Chinese people.

This is one of the reasons why the Qin and Xia states were able to quickly establish themselves outside the borders.

Unlike Rome in the West,
It is clearly already a vast country spanning the ocean.
Yet they are still stingy and unwilling to issue citizenship, and stipulate that a man can legally have only one wife...

How could this possibly expand?!

Clearly, the Western Qin and Rome,
They both flourished around the same time, and exchanges between the two countries were very frequent.

But now,
The number of descendants of the Xia people in the Qin state was already close to ten million.

In Rome, they still haven't been able to develop a huge, unbreakable base.

Meanwhile, in Yinzhou...
It is even more sparsely populated than the sparsely populated grasslands.

Su Guang initially intended to learn from the advanced experience of Qin and Xia and capture some foreign tribes to educate them. However, after riding horses and oxen and traveling around the valley where Xinxiang was located, he did not see many wild men, let alone women.

This left Su Guang feeling powerless, so he turned to studying "postpartum care for women," hoping that both men and women in Xinxiang could work harder and achieve more fruitful results.

Therefore,

Even Su Chang's name carries the expectation of "abundant descendants".

"I just hope that this time, we can recruit more seeds from Qi and the Central Plains!"

Su Chang revealed a simple and honest smile, "Although Xinxiang is essentially a barren place, we were fortunate enough to discover a gold mine that is easy to mine on a riverbank."

"Bringing talent here is a great idea!"

That wretched place, Yinzhou

Even with gold, it's hard to spend it.
It can only be used for buying and selling people.

He Bo told him, "If you're willing to spend the money, it's still possible to do it."

A guy who would give up his life for money
There are countless examples in the world.

Besides, boarding a ship bound for Xinxiang doesn't necessarily mean certain death!
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

To know,
The situation in the world is deteriorating more and more rapidly.

Octavian of Rome has completely broken ties with Antony and is now vying for control of Rome's future.

The former secretly allied with King Li Xuan of Qin and Horus of Egypt, promising to send troops to help him attack Qin after the latter helped him to attack Antony from the sea.

The Qin people had just recovered from the attack by the Xiongnu, and they never imagined that their "benevolent and filial" prince would collude with outsiders to plot against the country.
Even the emperor, who was always harsh and suspicious, did not believe that he would have such a vicious and malicious idea.

Because he had been playing the role of a loving father for so long, the emperor almost believed that he genuinely loved this obedient and sensible child.

Although there is still no plan to let him succeed to the throne,
But wasn't a portion of the wealthy Lixuan granted to him as his fiefdom?
Unfortunately, the prince did not cherish this belated fatherly love at all.

His heart and soul were filled with the desire to set the Great Qin on fire!
to this end,

He continuously courted General An, who had come from Beidi County to take up a post in Lixuan and was in charge of local military affairs.

There was also the prefect surnamed Shi, who was sent by the emperor to manage the local affairs.

The Wang clan, deeply rooted in the Qin state,

They were also secretly driving everything, planning to "stalk the cicada while the oriole is behind."

As for the current emperor of the Han Dynasty?
He Bo couldn't help but purse his lips as he thought of the ever-growing number of beauties in his harem and the increasingly powerful Wang clan in the court.

"This kind of life is worse than going to the plateau to fetch water!"

After seeing off the guests from Yinzhou...
He Bo, who was digging the grave with Zhou Jian, suddenly put down his hoe, looked up at the sky, and let out a long sigh.

Zhou Jian glanced at him curiously, then put down his shovel and asked, "Are you going on a long journey?"

"Yes!"

"I have taught you everything I could."

"As long as we have more in-depth exchanges with our fellow fans in the future, we can enhance our mutual understanding."

Zhou Jian's "interpersonal relationships" and "communication skills" are already on par with He Bo's!

Moreover, under He Bo's encouragement and guidance,
Originally slender but with a handsome appearance, Zhou Jian has also mastered martial arts skills.

Unlike the skills that Confucian scholars of the Qin and Han dynasties honed through playing around in school,
Zhou Jian's martial arts skills were honed through constantly navigating the life-or-death struggles and dealing with the dead.

After all, the long hours involved carrying hundreds of kilograms of dead flesh, evading "kill orders" issued by officials deeply ingrained with etiquette and law, dismantling human bones, and digging up graves to make coffins, among other things.

Without a healthy and strong body, it's really impossible to do this.

With his current muscular build, large fists, and agile movements, Zhou Jian should be able to protect himself in the future.

then,

He Bo decided to break up with him and release this kid who might become a historically documented "surgeon, forensic doctor, corpse driver, and tomb raider of the Xia Dynasty".

"...Why did I suddenly have this thought?"

"Is it because I did something wrong?"

Zhou Jian was somewhat reluctant to part with it.

On this road, destined to be scorned, feared, and misunderstood by the world,
He Bo, a friend who suddenly appeared out of the woods, provided Zhou Jian with a great deal of support.

While Zhou Jian was using the guise of "traveling and studying to govern people" to buy and sell human bodies, He Bo never strayed from his path.

He Bo shook his head at him and said, "It's not that you have a problem."

"There's a problem on my end!"

"What is it?" Zhou Jian pressed.

But He Bo, leaning on his hoe, said, "You can't solve this. They're not from your world."

A group of dead ghosts gathered in Haoli or Fengdu Street, crying and begging the gods and spirits to dissect them.

Where can Zhou Jian get his hands on things?
Ugh,
I don't know which gossipy person told the deceased about their actions in the mortal world.

it's good now,

In order to atone for their sins, contribute to human medicine, and make their days in the underworld easier, the dead gathered together to petition.

He Bo was extremely annoyed by them.
I don't even want to stay in the underworld for long, I'm thinking I might as well just live on the plateau!
When Zhou Jian heard him say this, he knew that their fate had run its course and they could not continue.

Although he was still reluctant to give up the human flesh trade that the two of them had built up, which spanned many counties in the south, he still said:
"Then I wish you happiness."

When it was time to say goodbye to He Bo,
Zhou Jian gripped the edge of the carriage with his six-fingered hand, sniffed, and asked, "Will we ever see each other again?"

He Bo looked at him with a puzzled expression. "It's not like we're facing life and death, how could we not have a time to meet again?"

Zhou Jian's body is brimming with vitality; one look at him and you can tell he has the healthy physique to live another five hundred years.

He Bo didn't think so.

Even if we spend decades, we still can't conquer the Yangtze River.

Zhou Jian then said "Oh," composed his expression of parting, and watched He Bo drive away in his carriage, gradually disappearing into the distance.

Subsequently,

He packed his bags and returned to his hometown.

Previously,

To avoid causing too much confusion for my parents,

Zhou Jian chose to develop his business in another city.

Now that his business partner has left, his career has hit rock bottom, and the imperial warrant for his arrest is gradually becoming obsolete as people's memories change.
It was only right for him to return home and take care of his elderly parents.

When Zhou Jian, who had been away from home for several years, stepped into his home...

His parents were at home, watching the old ox pull the millstone, grinding beans into bean flour and wheat into wheat dregs.

Because Zhou's father was carrying his son on his back, he was unable to see Zhou Jian immediately.

Zhou's mother let out a joyful cry, then quickly stepped forward, took Zhou Jian's hand, and looked at her son, whose appearance had changed so much, with a look of surprise and delight.

After the initial surprise,

Zhou's mother reached out and stroked Zhou Jian's face.

Even though she could clearly sense the latter's robust health, the elderly Zhou's mother still couldn't help but say:
"You've lost weight! You've lost weight!"

"I told you not to go running around outside! Look at you, you've made yourself so dark and thin!"

Zhou Jian bent down slightly so that his mother could better stroke his face and hair, rubbing his hands together, somewhat shy and not daring to speak.

Then Zhou's mother asked him:
"Aren't you hot after your journey?"

"Are you hungry? Mom will make you some food!"

Zhou Jian said, "I am indeed a little hungry."

Zhou's mother smiled happily and took her son home.

unfortunately,

There was a Zhou father in the middle.

When the old man first heard his wife's voice, he knew that his son had returned home, and he was also excited.

But he realized he couldn't act like a woman, showing his emotions so openly.
So Zhou's father simply put his hands behind his back, raised his neck, and stared at his son, who had grown tall and big.

As he approached,
With a stern face, Zhou's father snorted, intending to assert his fatherly authority and question him about what he had done over the years.

As a result, Zhou's mother nimbly stepped forward and elbowed the person aside.

"The kids are saying they're hungry and eager to eat!"

"What are you doing standing in the middle?!"

After all,

Only then did Zhou's mother put on a smile again and lead Zhou Jian into the house.

Zhou's father was a little uncomfortable from being elbowed, and could no longer pretend to be a "silent and strict father." He turned around and went to the kitchen with his family. Using flour made from the freshly harvested wheat, he made a bowl of noodle soup for Zhou Jian.

Zhou's mother said with great heartache:
"There are leftovers at home, but you don't like eating them."

"Making new noodles takes a bit of time, so I can only learn from the people in the north and cook noodles for you."

Zhou's father chimed in from the side, "Don't believe your mother!"

"She heard about some custom from somewhere, something about 'dumplings before getting on a horse and noodles upon disembarking,' so she made me go out and trade some wheat with someone, and she keeps nagging me to make noodles for you every day!"

Zhou's mother elbowed him again, saying defiantly, "Isn't what you're saying right?"

"The wheat had just been milled when my son came home!"

"If I hadn't let you go harvest the wheat and grind it into flour, our son might never have come back!"

Zhou's father couldn't persuade her, so he just stood there with his arms crossed, muttering something like, "How can I, a southerner, learn the customs of northerners?"

"I'll cook a good meal for my son later, what's so great about eating noodles!"

"The people in the north are pitiful. What good food have they ever eaten? All they know how to eat is noodles and steamed buns every day..."

"Even with zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), I can only get a date to eat!"

Zhou Jian stood beside his family, holding a bowl, listening to their long-awaited words, and only showed a simple, honest smile.

In distant Chang'an,
Wang Mang was also with his family.

(End of this chapter)