Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 468 The Western Sea and the Western Regions

"This is never what I wanted;"

"I never intended for my army to launch an attack;"

"Together we resisted the Xiongnu and upheld the glory of Qin."

"But you betrayed me, you betrayed all of us!"

"You are indulging in your shameless power struggles and have lied to your sons and generals!"

"The Qin Dynasty only has one chance to be saved!"

"If you can't catch it, then I'll do it for you!"

"Let the Qin Dynasty burn!"

From the palaces of Andu to the yellow sands of the Abbasid Caliphate;

"Let the Western Sea boil, let Mount Taihua crumble!"

"Even if I shed my last drop of blood, I will see the Qin Dynasty rise again!"

……

When Horus, the son of the chief rebel, along with many Hu generals he had recruited and the support of the three Qin noble families—An, Shi, and Wang—reviewed his army under the bright sunlight and announced his pre-written, strongly worded "Declaration to Remove the Emperor's Evil Ministers,"...

Nile crocodiles emerged from the canal connecting the two seas.
A black, glossy bird circled in the sky, opening and closing its short, thick beak, providing another verse for the rebellious prince who was reciting his manifesto, a verse that would absolutely ignite his passion and send him into a frenzy of rage.

"Are you endless?"

"After Liu Laosan finished having his fun, you're going to enjoy the show too, right?"

The Nile crocodile, which had been silently observing for a long time, disguised itself as a floating corpse in the water, finally couldn't stand the clamor of its other self.

His mouth, submerged underwater, spewed out a string of gurgling bubbles, expressing his displeasure with the evil, chaotic bird in the sky:
"Are you still the Black Bird of Qin?"

The bird circled twice above his head and cawed:
"Of course I am the Qin people's black bird!"

"But scenes like this always make me want to create something!"

The Nile crocodile rolled its eyes at him, "Still making sarcastic remarks."

"Aren't you worried that if the Qin dynasty's nearly thousand-year-old ancestral temples were to be destroyed, it might lead to the Western Sea region reverting to its original state where barbarians roamed everywhere?"

The western sea is rugged.

Unlike the vast and flat Central Plains, which are connected by various waterways and mountain roads.

The land available for cultivation is mostly scattered in various places.

The Mesopotamian Plain, renowned for its fertile lands, was a notorious "easy to attack but difficult to defend" region before the great expansion of the Xia dynasty. It changed hands many times and was frequently the site of wars.

Until more than a hundred years ago,

The Qin people, singing the song of "No Clothes," arrived here and, with an arrogance, strength, and force far exceeding that of the original barbarians, conquered the plateaus and mountains surrounding the plains, using them as a barrier, and achieved an unprecedented "centralized unification" in the Western Sea region.
This is why Mesopotamia has enjoyed a rare and long period of peace and tranquility since the dawn of civilization.

But in this situation,
It has always been difficult to maintain and easy to destroy.

Moreover, it is limited by time and terrain.
In some corners that the ancient Qin people had not explored in depth, there still existed some barbarians who cherished the past and thought of "overthrowing Qin and restoring Persia".

Not to mention the surrounding barbarian tribes and Rome, who were eyeing them covetously.

"You are judging the situation in the Western Sea by the standards of Egypt."

Tired from flying, the black bird landed in the air and stretched lazily on the broad back of the Nile crocodile.

“Those places that have been influenced by the Qin people for a long time are not like Egypt, which still retains this kind of characteristics.”

The black bird's beady eyes gazed at the distant column bearing the inscription "Eye of Horus," a group of soldiers dressed in traditional Egyptian attire. Heads bowed, it spoke to its alter ego:
“You were released by the original body late, and you were in Egypt, a place that was only recently assimilated. Unlike me, who has personally witnessed Ying Qin’s methods, you don’t know how much the majority of people in the Western Sea identify with Ying Qin.”

Aside from using powerful martial arts to suppress any rebellious thoughts in this area,

And in addition to using sharp and swift swords to reap the heads of all those who dared to defy him,
And those that resemble cockroaches,
The Romans were terrified by their sheer number, referring to the Chinese gentry as "world-devourers."
The "century of prosperity" created by the Qin people in the Western Sea was also the main reason why the surrounding barbarians were sincerely convinced of its power.

After all, for all races in the world:
赢，
It's a genuine necessity!

Cannot win
Without this, it's impossible to cultivate the confidence that "I am stronger, I am nobler, and I am different from you."

Not to mention any sense of cohesion.

The gentlemen of the Xia people, long, long ago...

They came together through the "victory" of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor in beating up neighboring tribes;
The constant blows from Mother Yellow River forced the ancient people living on both banks to unite closely in order to protect the farmland they had painstakingly cultivated and the houses they had built.

Therefore, by the time of Ji Zhou,

The Chinese were able to loudly proclaim the distinction between "Chinese and barbarians," using their advanced culture to despise the surrounding barbarians.

Looking across the entire land of China,
Is there another Zhuxia?

Is there a second Yellow River?

Are there any other peoples from beyond the borders who, like the ancestors of the Chinese, were willing to sacrifice themselves one after another to provide a stable foundation for future generations?

That's definitely not true!
They don't know where they came from.

They had no idea where to go next.

The descendants they produce no longer recognize their ancestors.

What else can we expect?

So many times,
The barbarians from beyond the borders are like wild beasts, running around aimlessly, only knowing how to seize food, with no intention or ability to seek civilization and wisdom.

Even in the Persian era,

They barely managed to unite people's hearts by worshipping the gods.

after that,

This loose gathering, along with the conquest of Persia by the Macedonians, scattered like stars across the sky.

The Western Sea has once again become a place of constant warfare and numerous tribes.

Fortunately,

The Qin dynasty, chosen by destiny, has arrived here.

And it brought breathtaking splendor to the West Sea!

"Although the Qin people love fighting, they have never had a moment of leisure in this land of constant warfare."

"The transplantable systems, writing systems, and ideologies of the various Xia peoples enabled the Western Sea to achieve tremendous development."

"Not to mention that compared to the original rulers outside the region, even Xia Jie and Shang Zhou could be considered wise rulers in terms of the quality of their rule!"

More than a hundred years of stability and strength

For over a hundred years, there has been no nationwide unrest.
More than a century of continuous victories and expansion abroad!
The people of Qin used their swords and hoes.

Tell the people of this land of Xihai in the most honest way—

Come with us, there's potential!
Having tasted this benefit, the latter responded happily:
what!
Let's go!
So beautiful!

"But rise and fall, order and chaos, are always in a cycle."

"If things stay chaotic for too long, people will forget the feeling of winning. Won't Xihai turn into the kind of place I'm worried about?"

The black bird used the sharp, protruding scales on its back to sharpen its claws.

"What are you afraid of?"

"Does the fall of an old dynasty mean that no new heroes will rise and establish a new dynasty?"

He spread his wings and muttered, "When the big bird from Xingshan flies over someday, you can travel along the mountains and rivers to see Xinxia!"

"That place has experienced two periods of rise and fall, which is enough to prove that even when the seeds of the Chinese people go beyond the borders, they still possess ample vitality!"

all in all,
The civilized nation established by the virtuous men of the Xia dynasty.
Unlike its competitors, it is definitely not just a disposable, cheap, and fragile item.

While the Horus army marched out of Egypt,
Two spirits, each ruling over a region, discussed the future of Western Qin.
The document, which read "King Li Xuan colluded with foreign tribes in rebellion," was still being rushed to Andu City when...
The emperor, who had ruled the country for decades, was still celebrating his sixtieth birthday.

He had drunk some wine, and his aged face became somewhat flushed.

A young and beautiful concubine brought him a soft towel soaked in hot water and gently wiped his face. This made the emperor's vision slightly blurry.

He was immersed in the pleasures of love for a while before he remembered:
"The sixteenth prince did not send me any birthday gifts this year."

"What an unfilial son!"

Previously,

The emperor, still thinking that his gift had stopped on the way and preoccupied with his image as a loving father, did not send anyone to investigate.

But now,
The Long Live Celebration Banquet has concluded.
Most of the bright lights were extinguished, leaving only some ambiguous shadows.

The sixteenth prince's gift has not arrived yet!
The emperor said coldly, "It seems that after staying in Lixuan for so long, his heart has become wild too!"

snort!
He knew it,

No one can be trusted for long!

This was true of the royal relatives and nobles who had once been granted fiefdoms.

The same applies to the regional military commanders he had personally promoted.
right now,

His son was even more so!

"No wonder the king can only call himself 'I' and 'I'm alone'; it's truly lonely at the top..."

The emperor murmured to himself and reached out to embrace the beautiful woman.

For an emperor whose body was growing increasingly frail and unable to withstand the cold, and who was constantly surrounded by rebellious ministers and traitors...
Only the broad-mindedness of this beautiful woman could bring him a touch of warmth.

Today is not over yet.
It is still counted during the emperor's "birthday".

Therefore, he did not want to make a big fuss and ruin this annual joyous occasion.

"Tomorrow."

"As soon as it gets light, we'll send someone over to question that rebellious son."

"Make him bring his son... no, just summon him to the capital, so he won't cause me any trouble in Lixuan!"

The old emperor, surrounded by several beauties, fell onto the bed, thinking to himself.

But little did they know,

His filial son had prepared a belated "birthday gift" for him, which was already on its way to Andu.

The smoke from the fireworks in Andu City had not yet dissipated.
But the flames of war had already been lit in the southwest corner of the Qin Dynasty and were spreading all the way to the northeast.

What will this fire turn this country into?
How long will it burn before it goes out?
Nobody knows the answer.

The only thing that can be confirmed is
As the flames surged, the people of Qin, who had enjoyed a century of peace, were destined to experience a painful ordeal.

Upon seeing this, a Taoist priest named Taiping couldn't help but sigh with emotion:
"The Xia Dynasty perished because of the excesses of human nature, which in turn led to the flooding of the river."

"On the Qin side, a fire has broken out!"

What about the big man?

What about that Central Kingdom, which has also enjoyed many years of peace and should have accumulated too many chronic problems and should be on the verge of illness?
What will the future hold for the various Xia peoples?

……

"The events of Qin and the distant Xia have proven that centralizing power and unifying national strength is more conducive to the continuation of Rome!"

"Gentlemen, we are on the right path and are destined to create new glories for Rome!"

As internal strife broke out in the Qin state,

In Rome, a city that had only recently ended its civil war,
Having just evolved from "Principality" to "Augustus," Octavian, having finally fulfilled the wishes of his ancestors and become the de facto ruler of Rome, is raising his wine cup and joyfully calling out to his companions.

Let's keep moving forward!

"Just like the transformation I'm doing for this ancient city, let's make everything of us as indestructible as marble, so that even the passage of time cannot erode it!"

Two years earlier, Octavian, who had become emperor by defeating Antony, had directly ordered the renovation and reconstruction of the ancient city of Rome.

Those mud-brick houses were demolished and replaced by gleaming marble buildings.

The originally narrow roads were widened, allowing Octavian, who had held many triumphal processions, to better lead his army through Rome and receive enthusiastic cheers from the citizens on both sides of the street.
Countless exquisite ornaments and rare treasures from all directions adorn the newly built, magnificent buildings.

They are witnessing the arrival of a new era in Rome!

Those subjects and generals who had supported Octavian, the young leader, as he rose step by step to the top, also raised their hands straight up and cheered for the great Augustus.

Octavian responded with a smile.

But after the banquet ended and everyone left,

He said to the few trusted confidants who remained, "But some things are not over yet."

The latter knew what he was referring to—

Octavian's rapid rise to power and consolidation of authority after Caesar's death was due not only to his exceptional talent but also to the influence of the Qin people.

In the subsequent matchup against Anthony,
Furthermore, he frequently came into contact with the Qin prince who harbored ulterior motives, causing Octavian to secretly suspect whether he had Greek ancestry and harboring a strong "parricide" sentiment.

They became allies and vowed to deal a heavy blow to the Qin state.

"That prince did it to take revenge on his father."

"but me!"

"I did it for the future of Rome!"

His face still retained a touch of youthful innocence, unlike that of a typical Roman whose appearance would immediately deteriorate after the age of twenty. Octavian said this to his confidants:
"The Qin state is the greatest obstacle to Rome's great cause!"

"The cunning and military prowess of the Qin people, as well as their past history, all remind me that I must seize this opportunity!"

Octavian, like his foster father Caesar,
They all studied in the Qin state when they were young.

Even if he did not have the same length of study abroad experience as the latter, and did not travel to the heart of the Qin state.

However, he also used his intelligence to study and research many things about the Qin state.

And the Qin people's thick historical records, which included everything...

What he liked to mention most was Ying Qin's many journeys—

The Zhou dynasty replaced the Shang dynasty.
The Qin dynasty migrated from the eastern coast to the windswept west.
Han Dynasty Qin
The Qin dynasty migrated from Guanzhong, where it had been based for many years, to a more distant and riskier region beyond its borders.

Every time,
They all successfully established their own roots.
After many years, through fierce battles and hard work, they rose again and became a powerful force that could not be ignored in a vast region.

therefore,

Octavian harbored great vigilance towards the ancient, resilient, and ever-changing Qin dynasty, which was seemingly impossible to eradicate completely.

The history of this country,
It lasted longer than the entire Roman Empire;
The vitality of this branch of the Chinese civilization.

It was even thicker than the Romans had imagined!

The cunning and wisdom of the Qin people

Even more remarkable than those outstanding Roman and Greek philosophers and sages!

They wouldn't be enemies like the Senate.
They couldn't possibly be enemies like the Senate!
"I can't bask in the glory of beating a bunch of idiots!"

"This will only lower my guard and reduce my intelligence!"

"My destined enemy, Rome's destined enemy, can only be the Qin state!"

Octavian said this with a determined look in his eyes, "Therefore, I cannot miss this opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy!"

There is only one chance to set the Qin state ablaze!
If others can't grasp it...

Then let Octavian come!

If not,

This group is as tenacious as cockroaches.

It will surely rise again after its fall!
(End of this chapter)