Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 518 The Central and Southern Yue Kingdom
"There's been a lot of excitement this year..."

When the constant sacrifices became unbearable, God himself intervened, using the winds and waves to escort the ships laden with the seeds of the various Chinese peoples all the way to the mouth of the Reina River, where the white deer received them, and then they flowed upstream to the land of Guangye.

He breathed a huge sigh of relief, wiping non-existent sweat from his forehead as he uttered this sentiment.

"Now, the Qin and Han dynasties have established their own bases in even more remote and desolate places!"

According to the customs of the Germanic tribes, Liu Ruyi's son's marriage to the eldest daughter of the Ubiel leader would grant him inheritance rights.

Based on the development speed of Guangye...

In a few years, the population will inevitably increase, and the city will inevitably become more expansive.

then,

The two great civilizations, China and Rome,

New conflicts will erupt in that desolate land.

After all, even if Roman nobles were extremely debauched, enjoyed soaking in bathhouses, and had the strange pleasure of "making themselves vomit and continuing to eat even when they were stuffed to the point of choking, in order to show off their wealth and extravagance"...

It is ultimately a unique and powerful nation in the West, possessing immense power and status there.

Rome would not allow a new power to rise on its borders and challenge its position.

The Qin state, Rome's old neighbor, left a deep impression on it.
But it was too much for them to know how much trouble the "Zhu Xia" would cause once they multiplied.

Those fickle barbarians, who haven't even had a generation to learn, are also unknown to what role they might play.

"It shouldn't end up as a roadside stall, right?"

He Bo forcibly hugged and squeezed a passing puppy, scaring it into whimpering for a while before finally letting the poor thing go, satisfied.

"The development of the descendants of Ying Qin in the eastern part of Taixi was faster than that in Guangye. If the seeds had not been destroyed, they could have intertwined over several decades or even centuries."

The old physician Zhong, who went to the western frontier to explore the land and later died and returned to Rome, also went to the northwestern Black Sea region.

He had found many new herbs in the two places and was now happily preparing his new pet, casually responding to God who was bullying the innocent puppy.

After the great rebellion,

The Black Sea coast became the most stable and prosperous area under the rule of the Qin state.

Many people suffering from the war in the south migrated north, just as people tended to flow south when there was war in the Central Plains.

This meant that when the internal strife in Xijing Yubi City, instigated by those in power for their own selfish interests, broke out, a large number of people, based on experience, still fled north, becoming nourishment for that land, which was even colder and more desolate than the Western Sea.

"I just wonder if the one who emerges from the battles over there in the future will be a member of the Ying family."

"I actually hope that Qin Han can continue to bicker and fight each other."

Descendants of the Ying family

The reproductive efficiency of the Liu family's descendants is quite similar—

Before unification,
"Liu" is a relatively rare surname.

The surname "Ying" was only possessed by the main branch of the Qin royal family, given the tradition of surname division during the Spring and Autumn period.

But after the Han Dynasty was established...

The Liu family then experienced a major boom.

Having migrated to the Western Sea, the Ying family, having suffered enough from the initial shortage of population, also placed great importance on having children.

Actually,
Even during the reigns of Emperors Yuan, Cheng, Ai, and Ping of the Former Han Dynasty, the newborns in Weiyang Palace were already declining along with the nation.
However, the Western Qin royal family remained steadfast and strong, and regardless of rise and fall, order and chaos, each generation had a dozen or so children born.

This was one of the reasons for the outbreak of internal strife in Western Qin.

This is also an important reason why many of those who went to the northwest of the Western Sea had the blood of the Qin Dynasty.

"But isn't there already a member of the Ying clan in Zhongnan?"

Unlike God, who would compare even the birth rates of Qin and Han dynasty princes to incite a bitter rivalry between the First Emperor and the Han Emperor.
The old physician Zhong simply worked hard to dry the medicinal herbs that had absorbed a lot of the essence of heaven and earth, and then he talked about Ying Feng from Zhongnan.

"But the country he founded was called 'Yue'!"

"And he even submitted to the Han Dynasty!"

Just last year,

An upheaval broke out in Jiaozhi Commandery of the Han Dynasty.

The powerful sisters, Zheng Ce and Zheng Er, launched a rebellion against Han rule and brazenly declared themselves kings after conquering some lands.

This is the first time a woman has addressed Wang Jianye.

Lu Jiao, who was previously known as the "Pirate King," did not achieve what they did.

The dead in the underworld marveled at this, but did not consider this rebellion, which was instigated by local powerful figures and involved many barbarians from Jiaozhi, to be a major event.

Because after receiving news from the south,
The emperor then quickly arranged for General Ma Yuan to lead an army south.

Ma Yuan was a famous general who made significant contributions during Liu Xiu's conquest of the empire.

His arrival

This means that the Central Kingdom has dealt a heavy blow to the barbarians on the border who do not submit to its rule.

Dare to rebel?
Then let the resurrected Han army test whether you barbarians can withstand this meteor shower of fire!
For this,

The group of people in Jiaozhi County did not feel much of a sense of crisis.

Because before the turmoil broke out in the Former Han Dynasty.
As the nation's power waned, it had long since lost control of Jiaozhi, the southernmost part of its territory.

Just like when a big tree dies, the branches at the farthest ends will always wither and fall first.

Therefore, for the people of Jiaozhi County
Those corrupt and incompetent bureaucrats and soldiers who were utterly incapable of fighting were the "normal level" of the Han Dynasty.

After indulging in fine wine, the rebellious local chieftains even made boastful remarks:
"Han army?"

"Hmph, I'll make sure they never leave alive!"

This courage inspired others in Central and Southern China, separated from them by the Changshan Mountains, and gave rise to other ideas among certain forces.

After all, the neighboring country had expelled the original Han Chinese officials and proudly declared itself a kingdom.

Can they fall behind?
then,

Unrest also broke out where Ying Feng was.

Some locals attempted to emulate the two Zheng sisters of Jiaozhi County, using the banner of "resisting Han rule" to seize the property of Ying Feng, a wealthy merchant who had grown into a prominent figure in Xinxia and Zhongnan.

They want him to help them with their spiritual practice!
Faced with such an impact,
Ying Feng's elderly father was terrified.

He wanted to retreat again, just as he had chosen to leave his hometown and come to the western part of the Sui Kingdom many years ago to escape turmoil, and then moved to the eastern part of the Sui Kingdom due to the impact of a coup.

"Money is just an external thing; as long as my life is safe, that's enough!"

"At worst, I'll just abandon the business in Central and Southern China and become a local tycoon in the Sui Kingdom!"

However, Ying Feng disagreed with his father's proposal.

His power had grown considerably, and most of the affairs in Central and Southern China were pioneered by Ying Feng.

He could not possibly abandon the "empire" that he had spent years and years building.

There is no reason to retreat again and again!

“Those barbarians have received the kindness and blessings of the Chinese people for many years, and have enjoyed years of education that has enabled them to leave the wild mountains and forests and move to prosperous cities... yet they do not know how to be grateful and repay the kindness!”

"This shows that reason and etiquette cannot convey our attitude to them!"

“They will only think we are weak, and then they will bully us even more!”

"Father, have you forgotten what the Great Ancestor said back then?"

Ying Pijiang, the founding emperor of the Western Qin dynasty,
But he was a man who traveled all over the world and had dealt with countless barbarians.

In his book of admonitions to his descendants, he repeatedly emphasized that "barbarians fear power but do not cherish virtue," and that only by taking strong measures could they be made to understand human nature.

And Ying Duan, the Taizong Emperor of Western Qin, whose ancestor conquered Persia and greatly expanded the territory of Ying Qin, also laid the foundation for the subsequent prosperity of Western Qin through his actions.

If he hadn't ordered the massacre of countless Persians in Mesopotamia, reducing them to a rarity, the Western Qin's rule over Mesopotamia wouldn't have been so quickly consolidated.

"I cannot tolerate the provocations of barbarians!"

At last,
Ying Feng drew his precious sword, which he had purchased from the Central Plains through the Qi people at great expense, and said with a resolute expression.

His father could only sigh when he saw his son in this state.

His father-in-law was very supportive of his son-in-law's idea.

"How can those who refuse to submit to the king's rule be worthy of living in this world!"

When the virtuous men of the Xia people came to the Central and Southern regions, they spread education, rites, music and morality. This was a great thing, as it was like issuing human registration to the local barbarians!

Moreover, the gentlemen's indomitable spirit enabled them to withstand the excessive heat and water, as well as the frequent epidemics, and to cultivate many fields and build spacious and comfortable residences.

But what about the natives?

They have lived in this area for generations, yet they have never contributed to the development of Central and Southern China. Many of them live like monkeys that have just come down from the tree, from birth to death.

When they see the people of the Xia Dynasty working in the fields under the scorching sun, wearing straw hats and carrying water jugs, they will laugh at them, thinking that this is "trying to endure hardship without effort".

After all, for monkeys,
If you want to eat, you can pick it from the trees or from the forest. Why do you need to work hard to grow your own food?

"If we let them run rampant, the day when Zhongnan follows the same path as the Wu Kingdom of Southeast Asia won't be long!"

Nanyang Wu Kingdom

They were descendants of the Wu king who rebelled against the Former Han dynasty, and established a country on the island of Luzon in Southeast Asia.

The soil and water there are very similar to those in central and southern China, so the indigenous people living there also have similar personalities to those in central and southern China.

However, unlike the development of Central South China and the Qi Kingdom of Eastern Japan,
Although the Wu Kingdom was later forgiven by the Han Dynasty and returned to the embrace of the Chinese civilization, it did not, like the previous two kingdoms, bring in a large number of people from the Central Plains, follow the teachings of its ancestors, or promote the virtues of the Chinese civilization.

Although they did not change their clothes, the people of Wu chose to lie down and collude with the natives of Luzon.

Even with genetic mutations, the state of Wu produced two rulers willing to strive, which led to its prosperity and its ability to rival the state of Qi at sea for a time.

However, this sudden change did not last long. When the grandson of the King of Wu, who had shouted "I must fight," was on the throne, the Wu rulers and ministers returned to their original complacent attitude.

The hardships of our predecessors have all flowed away with the eastward river.

Some Chinese merchants who had returned from Southeast Asia, after comparing the situation in various countries, privately lamented, "I'm afraid even Xinxiang in Yinzhou can't compare."

“At least in recent years, the people of Yinzhou have once again endured the hardship of crossing oceans to trade with us in the Central Plains.”

Ying Feng's father-in-law, as a prominent merchant in the south, was naturally one of those who had visited the State of Wu and expressed such sentiments.

However, the state of Wu could remain inactive and did not face the threat of national annihilation.
It is because it is located on an island, so as long as the State of Qi is defended, everything will be fine.

However, there are many powerful forces in the Central and Southern regions. If they are not careful, they will turn from hunters into prey, be captured, skinned, and have their bones removed to help others improve their cultivation.

No one wants their life's work, and the legacy of their descendants, to perish in such a way.

Therefore,
When Ying Feng expressed his intention to "make a name for himself in Zhongnan," his father-in-law was very supportive and contacted some businessmen to fund his son-in-law's career.

One of the wealthy businessmen, surnamed Lü, was pulled over and gave Ying Feng a look that was both funny and exasperating:
“My ancestor was Lü Buwei, and I am a descendant of him who was exiled to the south.”

"I never imagined that I would meet the descendants of my former master in Central South China."

Ying Feng laughed along with him.

His father-in-law then asked, "Shall we do it or not?"

"If you won't do it, I'll find someone else!"

The other party immediately replied, "Of course!"

"I am very willing to follow in the footsteps of my ancestors!"

After Lü Buwei

Which merchant wouldn't want to "strategize with the ruler of the country and win countless riches"?

Subsequently,

They then took action.

The behavior of those natives once again confirmed the assessment of the Western Qin Emperor, who quickly defeated them and became arrogant at first but obsequious later.

After Ying Feng led his assembled army to slaughter many natives, the latter became even more respectful towards him, and their kneeling posture became more standard.

Ying Feng therefore said:
“Some people who study the classics came to me and persuaded me with the principles of benevolence and the people’s hearts, hoping that I could benevolent to the local people so that I could influence their minds and bodies.”

“But are these barbarians not human? How can they be judged as human?”

"Treat beasts with the same attitude you would treat people, and ignore real interests for the sake of so-called face. Such foolishness will never lead to a good outcome!"

that's it,
With his previous wealth and subsequent martial prowess, Ying Feng gathered a large number of gentry from the Central and Southern regions.

After gaining their support,

Ying Feng then established his own kingdom and proclaimed himself king this year.

Some people believed that he was a member of the royal family of the Qin Dynasty and suggested that he adopt the name "Qin" as the name of the state.

However, Ying Feng thought of the Western Qin, which, despite the turmoil, had survived to this day like an unkillable cockroach, and regretfully rejected the proposal.

Some people suggested using the name "Chu" to indicate that it was a southern country, a land of water and heat.

Ying Feng was furious. "I will never use the name of my enemy!"

then,

After a long debate,
After Ma Yuan quelled the rebellion in Jiaozhi County, Ying Feng finally established the ancient name of the state as "Yue".

Having witnessed the military might of the Han Dynasty in Jiaozhi Commandery, they chose to submit to the revived Han Dynasty rather than pay tribute to the neighboring Sui Dynasty.

The person who advised him to use the name "Chu" said, "If you don't submit to Chu, why should you submit to Han?"

Ying Feng replied, "The state cannot act on impulse."

"And what's wrong with me submitting to the emperors of all the kingdoms?"

The dead in the underworld also breathed a sigh of relief.

The easygoing and portly King Huai of Chu said, "If the descendants of Ying Qin were to bear my family's name, whose door would they knock on after they die?"

But then he lamented to a group of former Chu officials, “Even the State of Qi has a group of Xiongnu people chasing after them to claim ancestry, relying on their meager bloodline to be reborn in a foreign land.”

"How vast was our Chu state in its heyday, and how prosperous were its descendants! Why is there no one to revive it?"

Hearing him say that, He Bo also fell silent, then pulled Chen Sheng over and said, "This is Zhang Chu."

Xiang Yu picked it up and said, "This is Western Chu."

Emperor Yi brought it over and said, "This is Later Chu."

Which one do you want?

King Huai of Chu was even more grief-stricken and ran to Qu Yuan, whereupon he embraced Qu Yuan and wept bitterly.

Only He Bo remained where he was, bursting into laughter.

In the mortal world,

With the news of the pacification of Jiaozhi County,

An envoy from the southern Yue Kingdom, who had come to pledge allegiance, also entered Luoyang.

Feeling that the world was at peace, the emperor finally issued an order to depose Guo Shengtong, who had been by his side for many years and had borne him six children, and to install Yin Lihua, who had also borne him five children, as the new empress.

Guo Shengtong did not grieve or shed tears upon receiving the imperial edict.

She calmly tidied herself up and let out a soft laugh as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"We've been messing around for so many years."

"I have so many gray hairs."

(End of this chapter)