Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 508 The Third Year of Jianwu
"As expected, all conflicts eventually lead to a miraculous phenomenon of exchanging homes..."

"Now it all comes down to which side is more capable."

When they heard the news that the descendants of Ying Qin had settled in the central and southern regions, and the descendants of Liu Han had gone to the western regions to develop their careers,

The ghosts in the underworld marveled at the connection between the two.

"If Liu Ruyi really built up his family and career and became the ruler of a state in the West, and the Qin state had not yet been destroyed, wouldn't that have led to the coexistence of the Qin and Han dynasties?"

As for Liu Ruyi...

The dead didn't care much at first, and very few of them had even heard of his reputation.

After all, there are too many people in the world, and the dead are not like God, possessing the ability to overlook the mortal realm and know its myriad changes without feeling troubled.
Therefore, in order to better enjoy the spectacle, they would naturally focus their limited energy on the important figures of the time.

Only visionary and wise beings like Zhao Shen and God could see at a glance that Liu Ruyi possessed the "style of Emperor Taizu".

Even Emperor Taizu of Han, who was busy soaking his feet in the Ganges, said with genuine feeling:
“If this kid and his descendants can really make a name for themselves in the West, even if they sell their bodies and souls to the Way of Peace, I will have no other complaints!”

After successively developing Xinxia, ​​Xihai, Dongying and other places
Even scholars in the mortal world could perceive it—

The farther away a country is from the central country, the more its customs will be influenced by the local environment.

Just as people in early summer tend to be lazy and prefer to wear light and breathable clothes.

After the spread of Taoism and Buddhism, the people of Xinxia also developed a strong trend of meditation and spiritual cultivation.

The most tragic thing is that the military strength of the new Xia was also affected by the Sindhu people who moved further and further south, making it the weakest of the three major countries.
On the other hand, the Western Qin region exhibited a more harmonious blend of Hu and Xia cultures, emphasizing both farming and animal husbandry, with a simple and honest atmosphere, and a complete return to their ancestral roots.

For this,

Scholars did not criticize these countries for "forgetting their ancestors" or ridicule their "self-degradation" out of personal feelings. Instead, they objectively used the analogy of branches and roots, or ink wash to describe the relationship between the central country and its branching compatriots.

"Whatever!"

"As long as it's my territory, that's fine!"

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, each state still had its own customs and writing system. Now that each state has developed such a large industry, how could they possibly be completely the same?

Therefore,
Emperor Taizu of Han did not concern himself with the relationship between his descendants and the Way of Peace.

If Liu Ruyi of Taixi could follow in the footsteps of the young man from the Ying family in Zhongnan and marry a powerful local woman, living off her wealth in one fell swoop, that would be even better!
"But if that happens, your descendant probably won't dare to breathe too loudly in front of his wife."

You have to be mindful of the other party's strength.
Physiologically, it goes without saying.

Liu Bang understood the unspoken meaning of the spirit in charge of the mountains and rivers of Xinxia, ​​and immediately burst into laughter.

"Let him be, it's not like it's your husband who's suffering!"

"Moreover, those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles!"

If Liu Ruyi can't even tolerate this little thing, she shouldn't expect "everything to go smoothly".

He only remembered one thing at the end, and slapped his thigh to add, "I just hope we don't give birth to a rebellious, blond-haired son who wants to help his own father get burned."

Recalling the direct cause of the Qin Dynasty's decline to this point, that traitor still being punished in the underworld...
Emperor Taizu of Han could only say:
It's best not to infringe on the old Ying family's patents.

but,

Those are things for the future.

Right now, all he has to do is wait for good news from the descendants of the Central Plains.

Liu Bang's gaze swept over the scenery along the banks of the Ganges, then he jumped into the river and began playing with Emperor Yi of Chu, who was floating on the water practicing his rowing skills.

This puppet king, who was installed by others during the chaos of the times, recalled his own experiences after the Red Eyebrow Army installed Liu Penzi as the young emperor.

He worried that this younger generation would suffer the same fate as himself, easily dissolving into water after the world fell into the hands of others. So he pondered how to improve his boating skills to help Liu Penzi, who was destined to die, to quickly emerge from the shadows.

Liu Bang expressed his gratitude on behalf of future generations for Emperor Yi's actions and invited him to go boating on the Ganges.

After all, the Ganges is known for its good temper, unlike the turbulent waves of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River.

"Moreover, Xiang Yu still exists in the Central Plains, and I'm afraid he will come and capsize your ships again."

Emperor Yi thought Liu Bang's words made sense, so he followed him to visit the new Xia region.

Only Xiang Yu looked unwell.

But before he could retaliate, he was seized by historians who were busy recording various events and were forced to organize documents and records.

"Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, copied an entire set of Qin palace documents; he's very experienced in doing this!"

The historian who arrested him spoke with great conviction, which only made Xiang Yu more frustrated.

……

Following in the footsteps of the various Xia dynasties, riding the waves surging forth from the torrent of history, they once again ushered in a period of expansion.

After a long period of chaos, the Central Plains finally saw the dawn of stability.

In the third year of Jianwu, Liu Xiu, who gained the support of powerful local clans in Hebei and ascended the throne after Liu Xuan's death, demonstrated considerable strength and defeated many local forces.

The Red Eyebrow Army, which occupied Chang'an, was also defeated and fled towards Hexi. Liu Penzi led his remaining troops to surrender Chang'an to Liu Xiu.

Liu Xiu was able to return to the old capital.

over there,
He met the terrified Liu Penzi, and also the frightened Wang Kuang and others.

Liu Xiu pardoned the former and said to Liu Penzi, "You and I are relatives, and you were forced to become emperor by the Red Eyebrow Army. I will not hold a grudge against you for this."

He bestowed upon Liu Penzi ample wealth and status, causing this distant relative to kowtow repeatedly in gratitude.

However, Liu Xiu said he could not forgive Wang Kuang, who had always opposed him and even caused the death of his elder brother Liu Yan.

Therefore,

Liu Xiu ordered Wang Kuang to be taken out and beheaded as a warning to his elder brother in heaven.

On the day of the execution,

Because he had not committed any major crimes and had shown Liu Xiu a great deal of goodwill, Wang Feng, who had also been pardoned, came to see Wang Kuang off.

He was wearing the old clothes he wore when he was running around happily in the mountains and green forests, and he brought food from his hometown. He met Wang Kuang, who was sitting in a prison cart and about to be sent to the execution ground.

The other party was described as very down and out, showing no trace of the high spirits and domineering manner they once possessed when they held great power.

"Why are you here if you're not leaving Chang'an?" he said to Wang Feng.

Although the new master of Chang'an spared Wang Feng's life, he confiscated all of his wealth and status.

Wang Feng's current net worth is even more miserable than it was back in her hometown.

Such a status and position clearly prevented him from living and settling down in Chang'an or Luoyang.

Moreover, no one can guarantee that Liu Xiu won't turn ruthless once he has secured the throne and no longer needs to win over others to demonstrate his magnanimity.

Wang Feng told him, "I borrowed money from some friends and plan to go back to the mountains to live in seclusion."

"But how could I not come to see you off?"

He handed the food over, and Wang Feng took it with both hands through the prison van's fence and put it in her mouth.

He savored the taste of his hometown and suddenly burst into tears.

"If I had known this would happen, I should have listened to your advice and not been so obsessed with power. How could I have ended up in this state today!"

"Ugh!"

"I really want to go hunting in the green forest with you again, brother!"

unfortunately,

Such a humble dream can never be realized again.

The prison cart started moving and slowly headed towards the execution ground.

Wang Kuang simply turned his back to Wang Feng, who was watching him leave, and quickly stuffed the unfinished food in his hand into his stomach.

And when it's all over...
When Wang Feng properly prepared his brother's body and buried him...

The sun overhead gradually moved westward.

Wang Feng then left Chang'an with only a few belongings on his back, heading towards his hometown.

I imagine the storms that will follow.

It will have nothing to do with him anymore.

"If you go back to your hometown, what do you plan to do?"

He Bo rowed his boat and met the outlaw on the bank of the Han River. He then offered to take him back to Xinshi as an old friend.

Wang Feng sat at the bow of the boat, watching the ripples being parted, left behind by the small, light boat, getting further and further away from her.

When asked by He Bo, he only replied, "I haven't figured it out yet." "These past few years have felt like a dream. I just don't have the energy to think about many things anymore."

He rose from humble beginnings as a poor man in Xinshi to become a general of a powerful force during the chaotic Xin Dynasty, dominating many regions.

Then, in the struggle for power, he suddenly fell from grace, leaving him with only his old clothes and the money for his journey home.

in this way,

Who can remain calm?
As Wang Feng walked along the road, looking at the people and things around her and thinking about her experiences over the years, she couldn't help but feel a bit like she was in a dream.

"I feel that life is like the river in front of me, flowing back and forth, unpredictable."

When encountering obstacles,
The river water will create a few splashes;
After overcoming the obstacles,
The river will return to calm.

But it keeps flowing, a joyful river that carries countless silt and impurities yet still heads towards the sea.

unfortunately,

To be born as a human being
Wang Feng couldn't accept everything as calmly as a river.

Sometimes he would think of the joy of being a bandit in the mountains, and sometimes he would think of the pride he felt when he held great power. In the dead of night, he would dream of some of the enemies and friends he had killed.

A thousand flavors linger in my heart; if they were to spill out, they could probably poison quite a few fish.

"If you can't figure it out, don't think about it."

"Go home and get some rest."

He Bo, who was rowing the boat at the stern, smiled and said to him, "After you wake up from this dream, go to the fields to farm, go to the mountains to hunt, do some down-to-earth things, and you'll be able to regain your former state of mind."

"I'm afraid it will be difficult!"

Wang Feng replied, "The river flows in the direction created by nature, and there is no turning back."

"How can one possibly skip over intense experiences and completely return to the past?"

He Bo was still smiling. "Your words sound rather elegant."

"You must have read quite a few classic texts while you were in Chang'an, right?"

Wang Feng nodded. "I was bored, so I read some of Zhuangzi's writings, as well as the scriptures of the Way of Peace and Buddhism."

Chang'an was the center of the world.

There are many things you can find there.

After the Green Forest Army occupied Chang'an, the struggle for power reached a new peak.

Caught in the middle, Wang Feng was completely disoriented and at a loss. So she made an excuse to stay at home and read some ancient sages' articles that she had never read before and did not want to read in detail.

Among those piles of classic books, Wang Feng's favorite was "Zhuangzi".

after that,

The Taiping Dao scriptures, which were strictly prohibited by Wang Mang, were also smuggled into Chang'an amidst the chaos and were presented to Wang Feng.

Thinking that they were all religious sects and that she shouldn't favor one over the other, Wang Feng went to read a few more Buddhist scriptures.

"That's it!"

He Bo glanced at him and said, "Then you might as well become a monk or a Taoist priest."

Wang Feng scratched his head, his expression somewhat moved. "Maybe."

"But that's not necessarily true."

Having experienced great ups and downs,
Wang Feng dared not make any promises about her future.

He looked down at the river, stopped talking, and his expression returned to its previous blank look.

For some unknown reason, Wang Feng drifted off into a daze again.

He Bo did not disturb him, and continued to row, parting the waves.

They headed towards the new city in the south.

In the north,

Sun En is also organizing his men to head further north towards Liaodong.

"Your health isn't good, you can't stand the cold air, what are you going there for?"

Someone asked Sun En, puzzled, their expression full of concern.

After Liu Xiu gradually occupied Luoyang and Chang'an and consolidated his position, those in the Yellow Turban Army who were dissatisfied with Sun En slowly began to gravitate towards him.

This is actually a good thing.

After all, we must go and preserve our essence.

After the internal reactionaries were thoroughly dealt with, the proportion of Yellow Turban soldiers who recognized Sun En's ideals and were willing to fight for them increased.

"But such a change... is indeed somewhat beyond my expectations."

"this is normal."

He Bo, the doctor who came to visit Sun En and also to examine his health, said, "You always have good intentions towards people. You take in anyone who comes to you, and you want to distribute any grain you have in your granary... Over time, how can there not be many people who try to pass off inferior goods as superior ones?"

"Isn't this because you're here to cover for me?"

Sun En simply smiled at God's accusations.

Seeing him like this, He Bo angrily ground the medicinal herbs while muttering about a certain old ghost.

"With the way you're doing things, no wonder Ximen Bao used to keep a close eye on me every day, afraid that I would interfere in human affairs recklessly."

The mere act of ensuring that one "has a place to rest in peace and a judgment in death" was enough to give rise to such indulgent thoughts in Sun En, a great and virtuous teacher capable of contending for the throne.

What if we intervene directly?

Those who know God's mercy must have the audacity to act like overgrown babies, crying and begging God for help in everything.
The thought of that possibility...
Even the lazy God couldn't help but shudder, fearing that he would be morally coerced into becoming a nanny.

Sun En naturally knew the story between God and his prime minister.

For this,

He still smiled and said, "I should always set a good example."

"As a senior, I set a high standard, so even if later generations want to lower the standard, they have to think about it carefully, right?"

He hopes the world will become a better place.

In this way, we cannot allow future generations to fall into a situation of "competing to be the worst."

Even if laziness is human nature,
Even if greed is human nature,
But once you start high, it's not easy to back down.

He Bo glanced at him, wanting to say something like, "It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go back to frugality," but ultimately remained silent.

"Live a few more years."

"It will take a lot of effort to transplant the seeds to Liaodong and get them to take root and sprout!"

He brewed a bitter medicine for Sun En.
Having accomplished his task, He Bo brushed off his clothes and drifted away.

Sun En held the herbal medicine, drank it in large gulps, and stroked his warming chest, thinking:
He would naturally not disobey the task God had given him.

There are still people willing to follow him.

How could he bear to let this old, frail body suffer the ravages of powerful figures after it had stopped breathing?

Long ago,

Knowing that he was destined not to live as long as his teacher, Sun En began to consider his funeral arrangements.

Liu Xiu was so young, so capable, and so lucky; sooner or later he would be able to restore the Han Dynasty.

How could she possibly outlast Sun En, who was nearly thirty years older than her?
Sun En was not a born emperor like Emperor Taizu of Han, who could change his attitude and principles and make various new decisions based on his own situation.

He was just an ordinary person who grew up in a village in Sichuan and had narrowly escaped death.

He was stubborn, like a bull butting its horns; even when his eyes were red, he refused to back down.

Such is Sun En.
He cannot be a good ruler.

But Sun En was not afraid of death.

He would fight with others until the very last moment of his life.

Seeds,
Those seeds that carried his hopes,
It still needs a piece of land to allow it to multiply and grow, in order to embrace a better future.

(End of this chapter)