Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 487 Mother Lu
"Are you really not staying?"

"The other provinces and cities of Rome were not as prosperous and stable as the capital."

As the Mediterranean welcomes its mild winter, Zhao Shen, the great wise teacher of Western Qin who had served Augustus's holy family for several years, witnessed the arrival of God of the various Xia dynasties in the magnificent Pantheon, and had taken the time to translate the Taiping Jing, was about to embark on a new journey.

He was nearly seventy years old, but thanks to his superb medical skills, he still looked very energetic and could still wield a bow and crossbow to kill enemies.

Augustus, who was also old, therefore valued him highly.

After all, although he longed to emulate the virtuous rulers of the various Chinese states who were gradually engulfing the world, and to vigorously propagate the bloodline of Rome, establishing an absolute and unchallenged center of authority among the various races under Roman rule,
However, limited by Roman culture and customs, and by its geography surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, Augustus could only regretfully abandon the reforms in this regard.

This forced him to pay more attention to the errors in his family's bloodline.

Why? Because the Romans, by law, only allowed monogamy.

No matter how hard a wife works, she can't give birth to too many children.

Given the current level of medical care, whether a child can survive after birth is a significant question.

Seeing his two grandsons growing stronger and stronger, Augustus's desire to recruit Zhao Shen as the royal physician and help the Holy Family multiply and prosper intensified.

Unfortunately, Zhao Shen was not alone in Rome.
He is the leader of an organization and the head of a religious sect.

He has a mission to spread knowledge and educate people.
The old Romans also had many criticisms of Augustus's close ties with the Qin people.

They worried that this "first citizen's" actions would allow the Qin state to take advantage of the situation and interfere in Rome's politics.

Although the Qin state was already in a dangerous situation of regional warlordism and constant local uprisings at this time,

However, thanks to the legacy of the monarch who had recently died on the throne, the vast region surrounding the Western Sea in Qin remained relatively stable.

In order to consolidate their increasingly weakened rule and maintain their few remaining core territories, the Qin people devoted more of their wealth and energy to their navy.

This immediately made the Romans, who also relied heavily on ships and lived in neighboring countries, feel very uncomfortable.

in this way,

Augustus had no way to force Zhao Shen to stay.

He could only give the other party some money and goods and issue some documents to facilitate the missionary's travels in Rome.

“I am of this age, and if I hesitate and delay any longer, I don’t know how long it will be before I can fulfill my promise to God.”

"Moreover, I also have plans to return to my roots, so I can't stand still any longer."

Zhao Shen said this to Qin Ming, who had come to see him off.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming also remarked with emotion, "When I was young, I followed Augustus to Rome because of our friendship as classmates, and I had no attachment to the Qin Kingdom."

"Now that I am old, I feel a deep longing for my hometown."

But he couldn't make it back alive.

His bloodline had already taken root and multiplied in Rome, becoming bureaucrats serving Augustus.

His position, unless absolutely necessary, did not allow him to turn away from Rome.

"I hope we can meet again in the future."

“In that case, I can also ask you to take my clothes and belongings back to Qin and bury them there.”

At last,
Qin Ming said this to Zhao Shen.

Zhao Shen nodded, then turned and led his many disciples onto the ship, heading to other parts of Rome.

The sea breeze ruffled his beard and made the tassels on his nine-section staff flutter.

Yege'er, who was following his master, curiously reached out and touched the beautiful pendant, and asked, "Can I have it when I grow up?"

to be frank,
He's had his eye on the nine-section staff for a long time!
This stick is straight, long, thick, hard, and very flexible; it's a godsend for cutting grass!
Who could resist the temptation of such a stick?
unfortunately,

Whenever Jacob intended to lay a hand on the staff, his mother would always use a sudden, powerful strike to snatch the child away, preventing him from defiling the "divine instrument" that only God's agents could wield.

Fortunately,

Zhao Shen was not angry about this.

For the great teachers who traveled far and wide, the nine-section staff was not only a symbol of their status, but also a very handy weapon.

Even at Zhao Shen's age, he could still wield a nine-section staff and kill several people who debated with him, allowing the scholars on the Roman side to personally experience the Chinese style of philosophical debate.

"Let's talk about it when you're older."

Zhao Shen casually replied to his grand-disciple, "The day you become the Great Teacher of the West, you will have your own nine-section staff."

Considering that the number of barbarians in the western region was greater than that in the western sea, and their customs were even more barbaric than those of the original Persia and Egypt.

Zhao Shen felt that the nine-section staff that God had given to the Great Teacher of the West in this region might have a few more functions, such as being able to pull out a sword or other sharp weapon by twisting it twice, making it easier for the Taiping Dao to fight and kill people in the West.

Thinking of this,

Zhao Shen then said to the child beside him, "You are already a strong child."

"In a couple of days, I'll learn martial arts from some elders and strengthen my muscles and bones."

Yege'er exclaimed "Ah!", wondering how the topic had suddenly shifted to this.

"But I still need to study..."

There are many classic texts of the Way of Great Peace, not just the "Taiping Jing".

To become a qualified Taoist, one must not only be able to chant scriptures, but also learn farming, carpentry, medicine, and other skills. This is how the disciples of the Way of Peace can have the confidence to roam the world freely.

As Yege'er was born into a family that received God's attention, known as the "Three Generations of the Way," he naturally enjoyed the unique involution of the Chinese nation from a young age.

But even so,
The child never expected that on top of his already heavy academic workload, there would be another learning task.

Zhao Shen then bowed his head and said to him, "Do you know what the most important thing is to become a great and wise teacher?"

"Is it an understanding of the scriptures?" The child shrank his chin, squeezing out the soft, chubby flesh of his face. "Or is it a care and guidance for all living beings?"

"They can fight!"

Zhao Shen pressed his hand on his head, "A Taiping Dao who can't fight is not a qualified preacher."

Looking at the various schools of thought in the Chinese nation,

Who doesn't know how to fight?
If you can't win an argument, but you can beat your subordinates in a fight, then you've won!

Confucius, who traveled to various states with three thousand disciples,
Mencius, who once led hundreds of people in armed lectures while driving dozens of carriages,

There was also Mozi, who directly created organizations and fought wherever there was dissent.
They were all revered sages and patriarchs of the Taiping Dao.

As a younger generation, how could the Way of Peace not "choose the good and follow it"?

Yege'er, who received the "master's initiation," also showed a shocked expression, feeling that strange knowledge had increased in his mind.

"...But can I really become a great teacher of the West in the future?"

"It's worth trying."

Zhao Shen glanced at his distinctly foreign features and couldn't help but think:
There are many barbarian tribes in the west.

The differences between the gentlemen of the Central Plains and them were too great. No matter how sophisticated their theories or how profound their scriptures, they could not gain the acceptance of the other side.

But if Ye Su were to take on this task, it would be easier for her.

After all, even barbarians judge by appearance.

Zhao Shen felt that with the quality of the coconut shortbread, it would be easy for it to blend in with the barbarians from the Western region.

Ok?
Is this why God favors this child?

Tsk,
I never expected this.
That bored guy who likes to harass believers at the drop of a hat actually has such wisdom and can make such a far-reaching plan!

but,

The thought that it was because I took on Ye Rong as my disciple first, and only then did Ye Su come into being, made me realize...

It can be considered a way of taking advantage of the situation, but we shouldn't let it add unnecessary ulterior motives to God's mind.

"I will work hard!"

The child, having received affirmation, exclaimed loudly.

He faced the sea, and the seagulls circling in the sky, trying to catch some small fish from the water. His small body was filled with great anticipation.

……

And in the distant East,

Another fleet is setting sail.

They planned to travel to the other side of the sea to deliver the message to the Qi Kingdom of Dongying that the Central Plains Celestial Dynasty was about to undergo a change of emperor, and to request that Qi Kingdom promptly send envoys to Chang'an to pay homage to the new emperor.

If there is enough time,
This fleet was also to travel to Yinzhou to bestow a new name upon the Marquisate of Xinxiang, forbidding it from being called "Xin Guo" (New Country) anymore.

Having already prepared to ascend the throne, Wang Mang, after ordering his men to sift through numerous ancient texts to find information on the process of establishing a new era, discovered a rather awkward situation—

According to the "principle of territorial jurisdiction"
If Wang Mang were to ascend the throne, the dynasty he founded should have retained the name of his former fiefdom, "Xindu," and be called the "Xin" Dynasty. However, the name "Xin"...
Prior to this, Emperor Xuan had already bestowed it upon Su Guang, the Duke of Xinxiang, and it had been used by several generations in Yinzhou.

If we follow the principle of first come, first served...

Wang Mang then needed to find a new legal basis and establish a new country under a different name.

But how could he possibly agree!

He has endured for most of his life, and now that he is about to become emperor, why would he still be willing to tolerate a small, distant marquisate?
then,

Wang Mang waved his hand and demanded that Xinxiang be renamed.

And then,
Perhaps he became addicted to changing his name, or perhaps by altering other people's original names, Wang Mang, whose personality had been repressed for a long time, experienced a strong sense of manipulative pleasure.

His large hand, which forced others to change their names, was never withdrawn again.

He changed the names of the kingdoms in the Western Regions.
He also changed the title of the Xiongnu Chanyu.

He also changed all the official positions in the Han Dynasty...

"If there were a ranking system for demanding official titles, Wang Mang would definitely be number one."

For this,

He Bo, watching the fleet set sail—burdened with too much and unwilling to object to Wang Mang's current enthusiasm—calmly offered his assessment.

"Ugh!"

"This person is indeed extremely repressed; he won't even let go of things in name only."

The recently deceased Sun Chong echoed God's words, "If you hold it in for too long, it will harm your body and mind."

"However, this behavior also shows how much importance Wang Mang attached to ascending the throne and becoming emperor."

The sense of ritual is more than enough!

"Unfortunately, how long can the empire he seized through power and scheming last?"

The Way of Peace is guided by ghosts and gods.

I had a clear understanding of mysterious things like "the imperial court" and "the mandate of heaven" long ago.

Its foundation is nothing more than violence.

If we possess the violence of God, who can shake the earth and flood the land at the slightest provocation, then even if He is not loving or forgiving, who can do anything to Him?

As mortals of flesh and blood, besides relying on violence that surpasses that of their own kind, humans also need the support of the people to strengthen their rule and prevent new violence from rising from below, overthrowing the hard-won position they have achieved.

of course,

This applies to the founding emperor.

In the eyes of later monarchs,

The throne beneath one's buttocks is not the result of a fierce and bloody struggle, but rather one's own inherent property, something one is born with.

With such thoughts in mind, how could they bear to part with the scraps of meat in their mouths to comfort the starving and freezing people?

in this way,

The loss of public support

The cycle of dynasties has begun once again.
The world is about to take on a new look, yet it retains some of the appearance of the old.

all in all,
For the Way of Peace, there were also some insightful and wise individuals,
Wang Mang's "Xin Dynasty" was destined to be flawed from the start, crippled in one leg.

Even now,

He was able to send troops to suppress those forces that opposed his claim to the throne.
But how many of the generals who led the troops into battle and the soldiers who fought desperately were truly loyal to him?

"The real test will be on the battlefield!"

He Bo said nonchalantly, "Anyway, stories of defecting in the face of battle have already happened as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties."

"Even if we come again now, it will be no different."

He turned to Sun Chong and said, "Come on, let's go to town and have a chat!"

The all-knowing God intended to reward Sun Chong, the great and virtuous teacher who had dedicated his life to the cause of the Way of Peace, handsomely.

to this end,

He led Sun Chong to Haiqu County in Langya Commandery, found a tavern, and slammed his fist on the table, saying to the owner:
"Bring out the finest food and wine; I want to entertain my distinguished guest."

Seeing his generosity, the boss immediately agreed and went to the kitchen to prepare.

Sun Chong was a little disappointed. "I thought I could ride on the clouds and sit in the sky to enjoy fine wine, but who knew that I would have to continue eating earthly food after I die."

He Bo laughed and said, "If you don't eat a few more bites now, it won't be easy to eat this later!"

"Don't think that just because you were once a great teacher, you have the privilege of coming to the mortal world at will!"

The laws between ghosts and gods

It's much stricter than the mortal world.

After years of patching, there are still no vulnerabilities left for people to exploit.
So sometimes, after enjoying their post-death bliss, it's not easy for ghosts and spirits to come to the human world to "reminisce about the bitter past and appreciate the sweet present" and taste the hot food of mortals.

Sun Chong smiled and nodded in agreement.

As the food was served and the two men were eager to eat, a woman passed by the tavern and saw He Bo's figure through the half-rolled-up curtain.

She was immediately overjoyed and strode into the tavern at a speed that even her servants couldn't keep up with, coming to He Bo's side.

"What a coincidence to see you again!"

The beautiful and mature woman greeted He Bo warmly, completely ignoring Sun Chong, who looked old, thin, and pale.

Sun Chong was not angry about this, but only winked at God.

"Who is this?"

He Bo could only introduce her as "Lü Jiao, a local tycoon from Haiqu County."

"I wouldn't call him a tycoon, just someone with considerable wealth."

Lü Jiao laughed heartily, then said to the shopkeeper, "I'll pay for these two gentlemen's expenses!"

The boss clearly recognized her, and smiled upon hearing this, "How could I let you spend money?"

"It's just a meal and drinks; consider it my treat!"

"This might not be a good thing..."

Lü Jiao wanted to refuse, saying that she didn't lack money to treat people to meals.

But the owner said, "This meal costs less than what Mr. Lü spends every year to help the poor in the city!"

"With such a good reputation, why don't I be a good person too today!"

Lü Jiao then agreed.

Sun Chong, who overheard their conversation, stroked his beard and guessed the other party's identity.

When the Taiping Dao (Way of Great Peace) grew and expanded in Shandong...

Sun Chong had heard that in Haiqu County on the coast, there was a woman named Lü who was beautiful and had a forthright personality.

She inherited the family business and, through her own abilities, accumulated even more wealth.

However, she did not become rich and heartless and continued to expand her business. Instead, she liked to take out food and clothing to help the poor people of Haiqu during the cold winter months.

When others asked her why she did this,

This extraordinary woman then said with a straight face, "Initially, it was to do good deeds and accumulate blessings for my sickly son, and to pray that the gods and spirits would bless him to grow up healthy."

"The rest is due to conscience!"

"I'm a woman, and I've earned so much money but have nowhere else to spend it. I might as well use it to help the people!"

"And what about your son?" someone else asked.

Lu Jun said, "He's a man, and he'll naturally have to make a name for himself and build his own career in the future. How can he rely solely on his mother's financial support?"

People admired Lü Jun's virtue and spread her fame.

Upon hearing this, Sun Chong wanted to visit her, but the matter of preaching kept him occupied. By the time he had some free time, his lifespan had come to an end.

Fortunately,

He was unable to depart before his death.

After death, he was taken in by God and met this valiant woman.

(End of this chapter)