Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 489 Founding of the Nation

In the first month of the first year of the founding of the People's Republic of China,

The winter chill was still strong.
But Wang Mang, who had just become the official emperor and removed the word "fake" from his title, felt a flush and heat all over his body as he stroked the Imperial Seal of the State in his hand.

Although in the process of obtaining the imperial seal,
His aunt, who had been confused her whole life, suddenly had an epiphany, just like his teacher who had been confused for most of his life. She vehemently denounced Wang Mang's ruthlessness and shamelessness, and even tried to smash the imperial seal over his head with it. However, she accidentally threw it at the wrong angle, causing the perfect seal to be missing a small corner, which could only be filled with gold...

But what can we do about it?
Did Wang Mang not keep this treasure for himself?

Did Wang Mang not wear this Mandate of Heaven on his crown?

"If you receive orders from Heaven, you will live forever!"

"How could I not get what I want?"

The jade seal was stained with bright red ink, covering the sacred words bestowed by Heaven during the Qin Dynasty and the Zhou Dynasty.

Wang Mang gently picked it up and admired it with a deep gaze.

He was utterly fascinated.
He was also extremely pleased with himself.

Until someone came to report that his daughter, the former Empress of Emperor Ping and now the head of the new dynasty's imperial family, intended to commit suicide.

Wang Mang was furious, "This ignorant brat!"

"How dare you ruin my good mood!"

"There are so many men in the world, why should she risk her life for an emperor of the Former Han Dynasty!"

"And tell her that even if she wants to damage my reputation, she should consider her mother!"

The servant agreed and then went to the palace where Empress Xiaoping was located to relay Wang Mang's words to the "princess".

Empress Xiaoping immediately burst into tears, "Father used Mother to threaten his own children, and before that, as a subject, he poisoned his own monarch. How can he be human!"

The servant was horrified and ordered someone to cover her mouth, then demanded, "Where did you learn about this?"

Empress Xiaoping broke free from her restraints and replied, "If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place!"

"If you could deceive and fool me when I was young, would you still do it when I'm an adult?"

She covered her face and said, "I should have followed His Majesty long ago!"

The servants dared not say much, but continued to threaten the former Han empress by mentioning that Wang had become empress but still remained secluded in the deep palace.

So Xiaoping had no choice but to agree, but said that she would follow her mother and practice Buddhism with her hair intact, and would never remarry.

Wang Mang did not agree to her request.

Because he had just become emperor, he needed to form marriage alliances to consolidate his position.

Admittedly,

By cultivating a perfect reputation and public image, Wang Mang has risen to his current position.
This also led Wang Mang to develop a path dependency, believing that he could gain real power by cultivating a high reputation.

The title has been obtained.

Real power then follows.

But he wasn't as insane as the people of Xinxia, who were once again turned into building materials by the Sui Dynasty's southern expedition, and who were wholeheartedly immersed in their own imagined world.

Wang Mang knew that fame could be created, and power could be taken away.

Therefore, he needs to consolidate his power and needs help.

And under the heavens,

Is there any easier way to win over other forces than through marriage?

However, Empress Xiaoping refused to obey.

Even when Wang Mang directly arranged for a young nobleman he favored to enter her palace, she, contrary to her past gentleness and virtue, picked up an object and chased after him, leaving the young nobleman terrified and no longer daring to have any thoughts of offending the former Han empress.

Wang Mang angrily retorted, "How can she look so much like her mother!"

"That's fine!"

"She's not the only woman in the Wang family!"

Wang Mang abandoned his coercion and instead married off his other daughters, nieces, and granddaughters to numerous prominent families. He also promoted members of the Wang clan to high and prestigious positions to demonstrate the "refined governance of the new dynasty."

After doing all this, Wang Mang still felt it wasn't enough, and then said to his ministers:
“The Wang family of Yuancheng originated from the Tian Qi, which in turn originated from the Chen state, which in turn originated from the Gui surname of the Xia dynasty.”

"Therefore, these surnames should all be designated as the surnames of the new dynasty's royal family, listed as members of the imperial clan, and given the support of the state."

Some objected, saying, "That's too many people. The country is newly established, and many problems haven't been solved yet. How can we support so many members of the royal family all at once?"

Wang Mang rebuked him, "So many members of the former Han imperial family were supported, why can't the imperial family of the Xin dynasty be supported?"

The minister stammered, unable to utter a word, and could only think to himself:
The Han imperial family had many members, but they were also multiplied generation after generation. Moreover, there were the systems of bestowing favors and rewarding officials with gold and titles, so that they would not have to grovel on the court and suck the blood of the people for generations.

But the emperor had only just established the ancestral temple when he listed people from the three surnames as members of the imperial family...

How can this be compared to the early Han dynasty?
"Why did he do this?"

Emperor Yuan, who emerged from the underworld, also asked in surprise, "It's not that he has no offspring. Now that he's the emperor, can't he let his lineage slowly multiply and grow stronger?"

"If you don't seize the time to enjoy the beauty of something you've finally obtained, how can you declare to the world that you own it?"

He Bo, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Besides, there's a saying that goes, 'If we become rich and powerful, let's not forget each other!'"

Although Wang Mang was very harsh on his wife and children, he was generous in taking care of his clansmen.

It seems they were planning to use the large population of the Chen royal family to replace the Liu family, who were already scattered all over the place, while squeezing out the various powerful clans that had seized too much land.

unfortunately,

Wang Mang, who used his power and public opinion to peacefully usurp the throne, never experienced the pain of a direct confrontation with the enemy.

To know,
When it comes to personal interests, a mere imperial edict cannot make the other party obediently submit.

"Let's go, let's go see your queen first, and then go see your demolished ancestral temple."

He Bo greeted Emperor Yuan and then led him into the inner palace.

Due to Wang Mang's strong sense of ritual

After ascending the throne, he not only renamed a large number of people, places, and things, but also took the opportunity to rename his own aunt's name.

Wang Zhengjun went from being the empress of Emperor Yuan of Han, the mother of Emperor Cheng of Han, and the grandmother of Emperor Ai of Han, to becoming the Grand Empress Dowager Wenmu of the Xin Dynasty.

Subsequently,

Wang Mang further argued that since "Empress Wen's title had been changed and the Han dynasty had been destroyed," Empress Wang Zhengjun could no longer serve Emperor Yuan's temple as a widow.

So he ordered the destruction of the Yuan Emperor Temple, the cessation of sacrifices, and its conversion into the "Wenmu Zhuan Dining Hall" as a longevity palace to worship the elder Wang Zhengjun.

And in order to give his aunt a surprise
Wang Mang also forbade palace servants from informing Empress Wang Zhengjun of this matter before the temple's demolition and reconstruction were completed.

Therefore, Wang Zhengjun did not retaliate. She remained quietly in her original palace, accepting Wang Mang's support while reminiscing about the past Han dynasty.

When this news reached the underworld, Emperor Yuan, Liu Shi, could not remain silent.

Ancestral temple,

It is the place where the dead enjoy the offerings.
This is also the foundation upon which most of them establish themselves in the underworld.

Once the rituals cease, the dead spirit dares not gamble on his place in the hearts of posterity.

then,

Liu Shi, who had accepted the fate of his country's destruction and intended to spend quality time with his family in the underworld, soon found the underworld and requested to go to the mortal world to observe the current situation.

"Why not try to send a message to your family in a dream?"

The underworld official who received him asked this question.

Emperor Yuan remained silent, feeling awkward.

With the improvement of the underworld system,
The conditions for the dead to appear in the dreams of the living have become more stringent.

The person who receives the dream must be the deceased's wife, children, or relatives, and they must also be filled with longing for the deceased in order to obtain permission from the underworld to allow them to "dream about what they think about during the day."

Unfortunately, Emperor Yuan only had one son with each of Fu, Wang, and Feng during his lifetime. Among them, Emperor Cheng had died, Fu and Emperor Ai had died, and Feng and the Prince of Zhongshan had died. Only Wang Zhengjun was still alive.

But this woman,

He kept saying he "missed the late emperor," but he never had any real feelings in his heart, and his eyes only wandered to the living conditions he enjoyed.

This made it impossible for Emperor Yuan to even enter her dreams and scold her.

Now the ancestral temples have all been demolished.

The woman hadn't made any move yet, which showed that she hadn't given much care to her deceased husband. Thus,

Why don't you go and cry at the ancestral temple yourself?
What else could Emperor Yuan do?
Should we continue to rely on Wang Zhengjun?
It would have been better to just keep the original Fu family!

The fact that the obsessive woman still tried to be buried with him after she came to power shows that she at least had some genuine feelings for him.

Upon learning of Emperor Yuan's request, He Bo guessed the reason for his actions and, while traveling in the mortal realm, helped the emperor by allowing him to visit Chang'an.

When he met Wang Zhengjun
Emperor Yuan observed that those around him were still using the Han Dynasty's system and had not changed the dark red color favored by the Han people, yet he still said:
What good is it if things only look good on the surface?

"She's not even as good as Liu Kan's wife!"

"Moreover, her living expenses are still at the level of the Empress Dowager, without any reduction!"

"If she were more simple and had fewer servants around her, I wouldn't have so much resentment!"

Empress Xiaoping now follows her mother's example, living alone in a courtyard, refusing to be served by others, weaving cloth and spinning clothes, cleaning and cooking by herself, showing an attitude that she will never accept the new dynasty's support.

Based on their background and status,

There's also an understanding of Wang Mang's temperament as his father.

And yet they still do it.
This is enough to show that the other party truly missed the Han Dynasty.

When Emperor Yuan saw the ancestral temple that had been forcibly demolished, he completely broke down, having initially held a sliver of hope.

He sat on the ground, looking at the piles of building materials around him, and raised his sleeves to cry, "I may have made mistakes, but I don't deserve to lose even the ancestral temple!"

That guy Wang Mang

When they entered officialdom, it was already during the reign of Emperor Cheng.

If he's upset about something and wants revenge, he should go after his son, not his uncle!

Wang Jujun,
You've broken up with the wrong person!
But He Bo, stroking his chin, analyzed for him, "It might not necessarily be wrong."

"What if the person he wants to provoke isn't Liu Ao or Liu Xin?"

Considering Wang Mang's consistent emphasis on reputation,

He targeted the dead Emperor Yuan most likely to pressure his aunt.

As a legitimate member of the Wang family,
Wang Mang may not have been unaware of Wang Zhengjun's true intentions.

But etiquette and law take precedence.
This aunt was indeed the main legal basis for his claim to the throne.

Wang Mang had to give her a show of respect and occasionally cooperate with her to highlight Wang Zhengjun's "unyielding spirit".

"Marrying an unvirtuous wife has led to this tragic end!"

"I shouldn't have been so infatuated with beautiful women back then!"

Emperor Yuan then regretted his decision and blamed himself for his lack of resolve.

He Bo yawned beside him, still spouting sarcastic remarks, "He claims to be sentimental, but he's actually heartless."

He boasts of his wisdom, but is in reality weak.

"Whose fault is this?"

To trace back to the source,

The blame can only be placed on Emperor Xuan, the father who doted on his children.

He waved his sleeve, leaving without a trace, only sending the still-lamenting Emperor Yuan back to the underworld, thinking to himself:
Being lustful but unable to control one's bottom line is certainly not a good thing. Even Lady Lü of Haiqu was much more clear-headed about matters of love and sex than Emperor Yuan.

It seems he can take some time to write related stories with Kong Guang and the others, compile a new book, and warn future generations of men and women to avoid similar mistakes.

Ok,
"The Peasant" is just one poem.

Its warning isn't strong enough!
With this in mind,

He Bo casually assigned the task to Kong Guang, who was following the two sages and watching them discuss philosophy and fight, thus being forced to shrink into a corner to avoid being accidentally injured.

Kong Guang was taken aback when he received this unseen notification.

Then a shadow fell over him.

"This won't do!"

Chong Yu, who followed Mencius in his lectures and had extensive experience in philosophical discussions, extended his wicked hand and dragged out the old man Kong Guang.

"I said I wanted to experience the pre-Qin philosophical customs firsthand, so why are you hiding again?"

"Go on, it's your turn!"

Chongyu threw the old man in his hand away.
Kong Guang was then forced to confront a Mohist disciple with a strong and powerful physique.

He was silent for a moment, then said in a trembling voice, "We must respect our elders..."

The other person looked at him in surprise, "You were born when my bones were already rotten, right?"

Who respects whom?
"Come!"

"Let me see what the descendants of Confucius are all about!"

"Confucius once held up the city gates!"

Kong Guang was thus forced to undergo a trial.

Not just the skin on the body,

Even the bones were dismantled and turned into something resembling the ancestral temple of Emperor Yuan!
In the mortal world,

He Bo was unaware that his actions had caused Kong Guang to miss his chance to evade capture.
He turned around and came to the scenic Yangtze River basin, admiring the beautiful view of the mighty river flowing eastward under his command.

A few villagers came to the water's edge to draw water, fish, or swim.

"Playing in the water during the first month of the lunar calendar?"

He Bo came over to the latter and greeted him.

The young man said, "I'm very healthy. I've been running around in the mountains and rivers since I was a child, so I'm not afraid of the cold!"

After all,

He found a shallow spot, stood up, and struck a few poses for He Bo to prove that what he said was true.

He Bo then admired his strength and praised his might.

"If this were during the reign of Emperor Wuxuan, someone like you would surely have made great achievements in the army!"

The man smiled and said, "I often think that way, but unfortunately I never have the chance!"

After Emperor Yuan,

The Han army launched attacks far fewer times.

With the Xiongnu's western regions completely subjugated, there was no longer any room for brave warriors to display their strength.

To accumulate military merits and establish a career,

Who knows, some of our talents might end up being exported to the Qin state!
"Where are you from? I've never seen you around here before!"

After getting acquainted, the person who had been winter swimming in the wild came ashore, changed into their own clothes, and asked He Bo for advice.

He Bo said, "They came from the north."

"Oh!"

The man understood. "Things have been a bit chaotic up north lately, no wonder you came from there!"

Compared to the Huaibei region of Henan, which was prone to uprisings,

The situation on both sides of the Yangtze River remains relatively stable.

"Judging from your fair and delicate skin, you must have lost a lot of weight on the way here, right?"

The man said warmly to He Bo, "We're friends now that we've met!"

"Come on, let's go to my place and rest for a while!"

He Bo said he was sorry, but his body betrayed him and he followed.

He also politely asked the other party, "Since I'm going to visit your home, may I know the name of the host?"

The man laughed heartily, "Don't be so polite!"

"Just call me Wang Feng!"