Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 474 Liu Xin
"The rise and fall of dynasties can sometimes be seen in the emperor's offspring."

God placed wine above the clouds.

Looking down at the view with my friends—

That emperor who ruled the world and governed all the people of the Central Plains,

She is not at all worried about not having children.

He maintained his indulgence and magnanimity, and during a time of frequent natural disasters, he would take his confidants and beloved concubines on excursions to enjoy the beautiful scenery of many places.

King Wen of Xia, who had just arrived in the Central Plains and was chosen by God to sit at the table, was very experienced in this regard.

After all, on the eve of the fall of the Zhao dynasty,

Regardless of whether it was the East or the West, none of the reigning emperors had any children who grew up.

In addition, there were descendants like Emperor Xuanzong of Xia, who were wise at first but foolish later.

He then expressed his feelings:
"A dynasty is established by a family or clan, and power is held by one person."

"If the emperor who holds power does not strive for progress, the collapse of the world will be very rapid."

"Of course!"

Even if a monarch is wise, it is difficult to attract followers if he has no offspring.

The officials "sold goods to the emperor's family," naturally hoping for lasting wealth and prosperity to protect their descendants.

In the context of "a new emperor, a new court",

In a father-son succession, at least there's still some lingering affection;
If the lineage changes...

That's hard to say.

"If that's the case, then the Zhou dynasty's succession is very stable!"

Upon hearing his words, He Bo suddenly thought of the Zhou emperors.

"Even in Ji Yan's time, we can guarantee that the father of every emperor will be an emperor himself!"

Even though there were several instances of succession from brother to brother,
But the younger brother is still his father's son, his own brother.

Compared to the 800-year reign of the Zhou dynasty, this succession is still quite orderly.

"So after Liu Ao died, he probably made his brother, the Prince of Zhongshan, emperor, right?"

King Wu of Qin, who was standing nearby, also recalled his own experience and spoke quite sincerely.

The King of Zhongshan of the Great Han Dynasty

It originated from Liu Sheng, the son of Liu Qi.

This Prince Jing of Zhongshan, who would later become famous, had already shown his extraordinary talent during his lifetime—

He resolved to dedicate his limited life to the boundless flourishing of his descendants.
So after he died
Even excluding daughters, the number of sons alone has exceeded 120.

It can be said,
The surname "Liu" has grown from an obscure surname during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods to its current flourishing form, thanks to the efforts of Liu Sheng.

unfortunately,

Even with numerous offspring and bloodlines spreading everywhere,

The Zhongshan Kingdom ultimately succumbed to the subtle, ruthless tactics of the Enfeoffment Edict.

When Liu Xiu, the Prince of Zhongshan, breathed his last,

Liu Sheng's Zhongshan Kingdom was abolished because the king of Zhongshan had no sons of his own, but only a large number of nephews.

after that,

Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun, enfeoffed his fifth son, Liu Jing, as the new King of Zhongshan, but the king was abolished because he had no sons.

The one currently in power, who holds the title of Prince of Zhongshan,
He had become Liu Xing, the third son of Emperor Yuan of Han, Liu Shi.

According to etiquette and law

He is Liu Ao's closest brother now.
He was also an elder among the royal family.
He was considered by many to be the most likely successor to the throne.

"That's not necessarily the case!"

He Bo laughed and said, "Liu Ao, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, is not like his father, a person who values ​​etiquette and ethics!"

Then everyone remembered what Liu Ao had done.
Through the cloud, he saw him with two beauties in his arms, one on each side, climbing the mountain for fun, and nodded in agreement.

Only Kong Guang, the Marquis of Baocheng, a descendant of Confucius, and the Grand Censor of the Han Dynasty, firmly believed that...

According to etiquette and precedent, Liu Xing should be the one to succeed to the throne.

He said to his disciples:
"Similar events have been recorded many times in the Shang Dynasty!"

"When King Wu of Zhou was seriously ill, even though he had his own sons, he held the hand of the Duke of Zhou and expressed his desire to pass the throne to him."

Doesn't this demonstrate the intimacy between brothers?

Wang Mang simply smiled and echoed his words, then joined his teacher in expressing their concerns about the future of the Han Dynasty.

After returning to Chang'an from the emperor's travels,
Wang Mang went to visit his sick uncle.

He shares the same name and surname as the deceased prime minister of the Han Dynasty.
Wang Shang, who had inherited the position of Grand Marshal from his elder brother, was lying in the arms of a beauty, his face rosy and showing no signs of illness.

When he saw Wang Mang approaching, he greeted him warmly: "You're back?"

"Perfect timing! I've taken the medicine you collected earlier, and I feel much better now!"

Wang Mang said, "Uncle is a pillar of the state and a support for us younger generations. You must take good care of your health!"

Wang Shang laughed and said, "Don't worry about that. Once I recover my health, I will continue to assist the Emperor and protect the Wang family!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Mang looked at Wang Shang with expectant and admiring eyes, and then took care of him without taking off his clothes or stopping for a moment.

He also told Wang Shang, "My father left too early, and I was able to grow up to where I am today thanks to the care of my uncles."

"Please allow me to take care of you as I would my own father, so that I can experience the affection that should exist between father and son."

Wang Shang was deeply moved by this.

He remarked to others in private, "When my elder brother Wang Feng passed away, Ju Jun served him in the same way."

"He still doesn't mind the hard work and is very considerate of me, which shows that he is sincere and simple!"

"He's even more filial than my own son!"

Therefore,

Wang Shang actually wrote a memorial to the emperor requesting that some of his fiefdom be given to Wang Mang.

For Wang Shang, who was incredibly wealthy and whose mansion was even more magnificent and splendid than the imperial palace, this was a different story.

It's just a small fiefdom, nothing to worry about.

Giving it to his nephew would also demonstrate his loving heart as an uncle and showcase the harmonious family tradition of the Wang family to the world.

He also told Wang Mang, "Don't worry, Chunyu Chang is just a greedy and lustful man, I will not give him an important position!"

Chunyu Chang,
She was a relative of the Wang family by marriage.
He is the nephew of the current Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun.
Many years ago, by currying favor with Wang Feng, he had already entered the imperial court and become a close advisor to the emperor.

Among their peers,

He was also Wang Mang's absolute rival!

After all, Chunyu Chang gained support from the inner palace after he climbed up to the Zhao sisters, who were favored by the emperor, and contributed significantly to Zhao Feiyan becoming the new empress.

The emperor respected his mother and was close to his uncles.
But she couldn't bear to hurt her true loves.

Therefore, he granted power to the Wang family,
He also vigorously promoted Chunyu Chang.
I hope these relatives who are related to me...
She could be like the Zhao sisters, meekly nestled in his arms, wholeheartedly assisting in governing the country.

But the Wang family, who had long been domineering and tyrannical,

How could they possibly accept someone else coming over and sitting on equal footing with them!
"You should gather as much dirt on Chunyu Chang as possible; whatever he has, you can have too!"

Wang Shang, with a sickly red face, spoke loudly to Wang Mang.

Wang Mang obediently agreed and helped him lie down to rest.

Then I left.

Wang Mang then met another uncle, Wang Gen.

After learning of Wang Shang's instructions, Wang Gen patted Wang Mang on the shoulder and said, "Do a good job. The Wang family's legacy will definitely be yours in the future!"

Wang Mang dared not accept, revealing a fearful and humble expression, and kept praising the virtues of his uncles.

"With such gems as you before me, what right do I have to emit the light of a firefly?"

When Wang Gen heard Wang Mang, who was highly regarded among the younger generation, praise him in this way, a smug smile appeared on his face.

He didn't press Wang Mang for anything further, but instead stroked his beard and went to other courtyards to enjoy himself with the beautiful courtesans and singers.

Wang Mang watched him leave before turning back to his own home.

He closed his eyes and recalled the words of Kong Guang and Wang Shang, as well as the relationship between Liu Xing, the Prince of Zhongshan, Liu Xin, the Prince of Dingtao, and the emperor...

At last,
He summoned a trusted person and instructed him to "prepare some gifts to send to the King of Dingtao."

The confidant, without asking why, immediately agreed, turned, and left without lingering. Wang Mang narrowed his eyes, his hand clenching in his sleeve:
I don't know about this one.
Will he bet right?

Meanwhile, Liu Xin, who was far away in Dingtao, received a gift from Chang'an and went to seek her grandmother's help with a lot of doubts.

His father died young.
His grandmother, Lady Fu, forcibly took him away from his mother, Lady Ding, and raised him in her own palace, arguing that his mother was only a concubine and that she was too gentle and timid to raise a brave and strong son.

Fu Shi,

She was a concubine of Emperor Yuan of Han, Liu Shi.
During her time in the imperial harem, she was favored by the late emperor.

And for her sake

Emperor Yuan, who always respected etiquette and abided by the law, even established the new rank of "Zhaoyi" among the imperial concubines, second only to the empress, making her position equivalent to the prime minister and her rank comparable to that of a prince.

While feeling disappointed in his eldest son Liu Ao, Emperor Yuan secretly considered making Liu Kang, the son of Lady Fu, the crown prince.

unfortunately,

Unlike Emperor Jing, he was not so biased. Although Liu Kang was talented, he was not as outstanding as Emperor Wu, so Emperor Yuan did not implement this matter.

Empress Fu, who had failed to make her son emperor and herself empress dowager, always harbored resentment about this.

She has always been prudent, intelligent, and adept at handling interpersonal relationships.

After being taken into the palace by Emperor Yuan, she intentionally emulated Empress Dowager Wang, the mother of Emperor Wu, by demonstrating her abilities, cultivating relationships with people in the court and the harem, and winning the emperor's favor for herself and her son.

Unfortunately, Emperor Yuan's indecisive nature led to Fu's failure in her attempt to emulate the success of her predecessors.

Fortunately, after many twists and turns,

Her grandson has another chance to sit on the throne!
Emperor Yuan had only three sons.

The eldest son, Liu Ao, succeeded to the throne.

Her second son was Liu Kang, whom she gave birth to.

The third son was Liu Xing, born to Consort Feng.

To discuss this relationship,

As long as Liu Xing is defeated and the emperor's approval is obtained, everything will be fine!

"This is Wang Mang trying to curry favor with you!"

"He was a renowned sage, and also came from the Wang clan, a powerful family related to the imperial family."

"With his help, your chances of becoming the crown prince will definitely increase significantly!"

Fu said to her young grandson, "Go quickly and prepare some generous gifts to give back to Wang Mang, to show him your closeness and intentions."

"The emperor is getting older and older, but most of the previous emperors only lived to be in their early forties!"

"You cannot hesitate and let this opportunity slip away!"

Liu Xin dared not question her grandmother's request and obediently did as she was told.

Once the gift is given,
He then cautiously inquired of his grandmother, whom he had always perceived as strong and authoritative:
"Can I really become emperor?"

“The Prince of Zhongshan is older than me and closer to the Emperor… Would the Emperor abandon his younger brother and let his nephew succeed him?”

With her old but still clear and bright eyes, Madam Fu smiled and told her grandson:
“If your father were still alive, you probably wouldn’t be able to win against Liu Xing.”

"But he's dead!"

"With him dead, you have a chance to surpass Liu Xing!"

Fu stood up excitedly and stomped her cane on the floor, making a thumping sound.

Liu Xin was somewhat afraid of her grandmother's emotions.

He didn't know,

Why did she show such an expression when talking about her son who died young?

Fortunately, Madam Fu quickly composed herself and even comforted her grandson:
"The deceased are gone, and no matter how much grief you feel, it's useless."

"As his mother, and as his son, we both need to look forward and move forward."

"If you ascend the throne in the future and still cherish your father's memory, then bestow upon him an even more beautiful and noble posthumous title!"

Liu Xin nodded.

"Very well!" Madam Fu smiled with satisfaction. "Now, you should go back to your studies!"

"In any case, the emperor will like a sensible child."

"As long as you follow the rules and show consideration for the emperor who has no children, he will definitely agree to adopt you as his son!"

"But it's Father's sacrifice..."

Liu Xin wondered what would happen to his biological father, Liu Kang, if he became Emperor Liu Ao's son.
Madam Fu immediately rebuked him, "The throne is beckoning to you, yet you still hesitate like this!"

"Let's set aside the ancestral rites for your father for now, and discuss them after we've accomplished something important!"

Liu Xin dared not ask any more questions.

He bowed to his grandmother, then left the palace to begin his studies diligently.

Meanwhile, in the Zhongshan Kingdom,
Liu Xing was also talking to his mother.

He said with some anticipation, "News has come from Chang'an... Many officials have submitted memorials requesting the emperor to select an heir for the Han Dynasty from among the imperial clan."

"I...I should have a chance!"

But his mother, Feng Yuan, sighed, "It won't be easy!"

Liu Xing paused, puzzled, and asked his mother, "Why do you say that?"

"Among the imperial family, is there anyone whose bloodline is closer to the emperor than mine?"

"The King of Dingtao is acceptable."

"But he's my nephew!"

The fog on Liu Xing's head thickened even more. "How can a nephew compare to a younger brother?"

Feng Yuan sighed again, "Have you forgotten your relationship with the emperor?"

You are indeed brothers.
But they were once real competitors!

Feng Yuan shook her head, recalling what happened back then—

Emperor Yuan was a passionate man.

He saw love in his parents and hoped that he could have such a beautiful relationship.

But just like his governance of the country...
They say that etiquette and law are sacred and inviolable, yet they can't help but indulge themselves, then regret it, correct themselves, and indulge again.

The crown prince has been clearly established.
Yet she still doted on the other princes;
The Empress who clearly possessed
Yet they still needed to establish the position of "Zhaoyi".

In the end, after all that trouble...
He did not receive the genuine affection he hoped for.
His country also encountered huge problems in the hands of his descendants.

Amidst the undercurrents of the inner palace that Emperor Yuan failed to notice...
Wang Zhengjun made countless efforts to ensure her son's secure position.

Lady Fu, the Consort, went to great lengths to ensure her son's ascension to the throne.

As for myself

Despite her indifference to worldly affairs, she ultimately gained Emperor Yuan's respect and favor because of her merit in saving the emperor, making her the target of attacks from Consort Fu and Empress Wang Zhengjun in the harem...

It must have been a difficult time for Emperor Liu Ao during that period.

Out of concern for his father,

In front of many people, he showed affection towards his two younger brothers.

But what about in private?

He has been emperor for many years.

He has been revered by all people and has been free from worries and sorrows for many years!
He really didn't need to pretend anymore or put on any brotherly or respectful act!

"You don't need to do anything more about it."

"Just do your job!"

At last,
This was all Feng Yuan could tell her son.

Liu Xing still didn't understand the meaning behind his mother's words.

But he was an honest man.

He lacked both sufficient talent and shrewdness.

All he knew was that his mother would never harm him.

So he said "Oh," and thought with some regret:
I'm afraid I really have no chance of inheriting the throne.

That's such a shame!

(End of this chapter)