Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 522 The State of Qi and the State of Sui

The struggle between the State of Qi and the State of Sui has been going on for several years.

Nearly twenty years ago,

I heard that the State of Qi has been reborn to my north, separated only by the massive Xingshan Mountain Range.
The Sui state, therefore wary, sent an envoy to probe the man's intentions.
Why did the Xiongnu people refer to themselves as "descendants of the Xia"?
Why did they suddenly migrate from the eastern grasslands to other regions?

Wang Zhi, the new-era King of Qi, warmly received the Sui envoy and had his crown prince, who was well-versed in history and classics, speak with the Sui envoy about their "relatives' friendship."

"The founder of the Sui Dynasty was a relative of the Zhou emperor."

"The ancestor of my Qi state was a guest of the Zhou emperor."

"Now we stand together beyond the borders, continuing the mission of the emperor to enfeoff the nine provinces and expand the myriad territories. Isn't this a matter of fate?"

"I hope that our two countries can get along well in the future and not damage our precious friendship because of the provocation of outsiders."

When the Sui envoy saw the "Records of the Grand Historian" that the other party had brought out, and then produced the imperial edict from the Han emperor that conferred the title of princess upon Wang Zhaojun and ordered her to go beyond the Great Wall for a marriage alliance, he couldn't tell whether it was true or false.

He could only return to his country and report to the emperor.

After listening, the emperor only said to his ministers:
"Whether the resurrected Qi Kingdom is a true descendant of the Xia or a barbarian in disguise, it is separated by the Xingshan Mountains, which are difficult to cross... As long as we guard Yangguan and prevent them from entering the land of our new Xia, that will be fine."

Following that internal turmoil within the royal family

The one who was dragged onto the throne was not any of the contestants, but a member of a collateral branch of the royal family.

He had no intention of vying for power, and he didn't care much about wealth or status. He even had some fear and aversion to communicating with others.

After losing his parents at a young age, he often lived in the mountains near his fiefdom, studying Taoism with the Taoist priests there. Although he had the status of a prince or nobleman, his life was quite poor.

When he heard about the internal strife that had occurred in the capital city of Dening, he didn't think it had anything to do with him.

Who knew that the chaos would shatter every competitor, to the point that the ministers who originally followed him could only be welcomed into De Ning and placed on the throne according to bloodline, age and seniority.

As a result, the Sui Dynasty welcomed an emperor who stayed in the palace and secluded himself to cultivate Taoism.

Fortunately,

The Way of Peace is not a sect that likes to cause trouble.

Even after being forced to inherit the legacy of his ancestors, the emperor did not lose his mind and treat the country as his private property, seizing the wealth of the people to use as resources for his own cultivation and ascension to immortality.

He merely followed the example of the ancient sages who practiced non-interference and handed over power to his ministers, while he secluded himself in the palace to cultivate himself.

Such a monarch who delegates power and does not take responsibility is not a good thing.

However, the Sui Dynasty had its own unique circumstances.

The previous infighting was truly frightening, and the excessive desires of the ministers and nobles had also stirred up a bit of the mindset of a sage.

Therefore, after the Daoist emperor ascended the throne, the situation in the Sui Dynasty actually improved, resembling the early days of the Western Han Dynasty, when the country was recuperating and governing under the Huang-Lao philosophy.

In their decision to ignore the external state of Qi and focus on living their own lives, the Han and Sui dynasties shared another similarity.

……

Unfortunately, this situation won't last long.

After the states of Qi and Sui began exchanges,

On the ancestral mausoleum mountain, Emperor Taizu of Sui, who was playing chess with ghosts and gods, expressed his feelings about this.

If you feel pain or your body is losing vitality, lying down and not moving around can indeed relieve the symptoms, but the underlying problem remains.

If no vigorous rectification is carried out...

It's just a matter of dying sooner or later.

As He Bo was tidying up the chess pieces, he smiled and said, "The effects of the internal strife have not yet disappeared. It is a good thing to let things return to calm after the chaos."

"If the ruler who ascends to the throne is a fierce and ruthless one who is eager to change the status quo of the country, then the Sui Dynasty might not have the peace it has now."

As the founding emperor, Sui Ping naturally understood this principle.

He had no complaints about his descendant who devoted himself to spiritual practice, imitated God, and implemented an "offline monarchy" system.

He had secretly observed the behavior of this descendant and knew that he was genuinely practicing asceticism and did not engage in any tricks such as "wearing no more than eight sets of clothes for all four seasons" or "abandoning his family and country to dedicate himself to the temple."

Moreover, in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities, since the other party had lived among the common people, he would not be deceived by the palace servants. He was a proper ruler who could keep accounts and knew what expenses to spend.

This is much better than the previous emperor who, despite being the eldest son, crown prince, and in line to the throne, still had to cause trouble for his relatives and officials due to his mother's influence.

"But if we remain inactive in the face of external enemies, what will become of us in the future?"

When he was captured by ghosts and gods to play chess with them
The State of Qi has been established for ten years.

King Zhi of Qi, who led his men to flee beyond the borders and occupy parts of the Hezhong region, has also passed away.

The crown prince, well-versed in history, ascended the throne and launched a vigorous campaign against neighboring countries.

Under his leadership, the State of Qi successively conquered Dayuan and some tribal states, and demanded that Kangju in the north submit to him and pay tribute.

A minister from Dayuan came to seek support from the powerful Sui state in the south in order to restore the state that had been in power for hundreds of years.

Far-sighted ministers also advised the emperor:
"The reason why the State of Qi was on good terms with me before was because its establishment was short and its foundation was unstable. Therefore, it showed a gentle and harmless attitude in order to absorb more benefits."

"Now that its foundation is solid, and the land of Dayuan is not only conducive to agriculture, but also has always had fine horses... If we do not react soon, the time when the State of Qi will break into Yangguan will not be too far away."

But the emperor remained inactive, not wanting to take any major actions.

He simply ordered his men to continue strengthening the defenses of Yangguan, and then returned to the inner palace to recite some scriptures for praying for rain and peace for the country.

Emperor Taizu of Sui, who was observing the court assembly, could only shake his head.

The Dayuan envoy who came to ask for help fainted from crying.

"If this is the storm you prepared for the Sui Kingdom, hoping to awaken it from its closed and decadent state, will this storm destroy the trees I planted?"

As Sui Ping stroked the old tree on the ancestral mountain, he couldn't help but ask questions about ghosts and gods.

He knew that God's love was different from how ordinary people treated their children.

Some parents are strict with their children, wishing that their own flesh and blood would obey them, their "creator," from birth to death.
There are also parents who spoil their children to no end, allowing them to develop into bizarre and grotesque individuals.

But the God of the Chinese people treated His people with the same attitude as the Mother River of the Chinese people—

The Yellow River's reputation for being raging;
As the virtuous men of the Xia people traveled to all corners of the land, their teachings spread throughout the nine provinces.

at least,

The people of Xinxiang overcame numerous obstacles and explored all the way to the sea in Nanyinzhou that was disguised as a river. The crown of the Yellow River as the "Number One Mother" could not be removed.

However, from another perspective,
The virtuous men of the Xia people have multiplied into such a prosperous and large ethnic group as they are today.

The Yellow River still receives sacrifices and reverence from the virtuous men of the Xia dynasty.
It is clear that this "mother" is not only capable of whipping her own children.

After all, if there is only beating and no nurturing,
Her reputation could not be spread.

Compared to the Yangtze River, which has a more abundant water volume and a more terrifying flooded surface, its apparent gentleness is perhaps due to the precise elimination of ancient ethnic groups along its banks, leaving them "without worries."

The "Childless Beast-Loving River" in Nan Yinzhou is even more so.

Faced with Sui Ping's question,
He Bo calmly said, "When sharpening swords, in addition to being careful with the force applied, you also need to pay attention to the material itself."

If the force is too great or too small, the sword or blade will not be able to perform at its best.

Insufficient material will also cause it to break and become waste due to hammering.

"I and those deadbeats like Ximen Bao have always held this view."

Actually,
Over the past few hundred years,
He Bo secretly encouraged others to explore and develop in other places, and the number of ambitious people who took the initiative to go out was not small.

However, there are still very few groups like Ying Pijiang who relied on their own domineering ways to make their way to the Western Sea.

Too many people fell on the journey, their bodies buried by wind and frost. Only the spirits who arrived in those desolate places ahead of time could collect their souls and allow them to return to their homeland.

Even the people of Xinxiang, who seem capable of easily crossing oceans and traveling between Shenzhou and Yinzhou, only dare to come here once every few years.

As for those like the people of Qi who traversed the sea and even reached Rome, who knows how many of them became like Jingwei, the mythical sea monsters.

It can be said,
The prosperity of the Chinese nation today is inseparable from its spirit of self-improvement.

most of the time,
He Bo will only offer blessings to those who choose to travel far away, and will not provide excessive protection.

Sui Ping understood the unspoken meaning behind the ghost's words and lowered his head in disappointment.

He lacked the carefree spirit and determination of his predecessor, King Wen of Xia.

Because his country was less than a hundred years old.

If the Sui Dynasty were to perish like that, wouldn't it appear even more incompetent and fragile than its predecessors? Seeing this, He Bo smiled at him again and began to speak of another matter:
"People from New Zealand and Luzon have a habit of being lazy and undisciplined."

"But I do not feel the same disgust towards them as I do towards the Sindhu people and the dark-skinned Rongzhou people who share the same nature."

"This is because the environment affects many things. Sometimes, even the wisest and most resilient people have to bow their heads and sigh before the heavens and the earth."

New Xia and Luzon, among other places
In summer, one can experience the pleasure of "Heaven and Earth are the furnace, Creation is the craftsman; Yin and Yang are the charcoal, and all things are the copper" as described in Jia Yi's "Ode to the Peng Bird" from the Former Han Dynasty.

This forces people to become lazy.

Because diligent involution in the face of the scorching sun that embraces the earth only adds nutrients to the earth, but does not contribute to the country.

Therefore,
At the beginning of the Xia and Sui dynasties, when large-scale water conservancy projects were carried out in various places to restore production, they were mostly scheduled during the relatively cool times of sunrise and sunset to avoid the situation where as many laborers were conscripted, as many died from the heat.

After the dynasty had been in power for several decades,
The irrigation system for farmland has been completed.

The monarch and his subjects changed several times.
Memories of the chaotic end times are far removed from the minds of people who grew up in peaceful times.
Being too lazy to leave early and return late has become a common sight.

Able to lie still

Who wouldn't want to live off the achievements of their ancestors?
"I cannot completely abandon those who have been forced to lie down due to circumstances."

"But if it's truly impossible to help them up..."

"That's none of my business."

Three years after this discussion,
Having reaped a bountiful harvest from cultivating the land of Dayuan, and with the people's hearts settling down, the State of Qi launched an attack on Yangguan.

Initially,

The Sui state also sent envoys there, intending to appease the other side with treasures:
"Why should friendly nations fight each other?"

The King of Qi said, "I simply want the name of the state to match its reality."

The envoy replied, "If you wish to gain the recognition of the various Xia states, the Sui state can send an envoy, together with the Qin and Qi states, to the Central Plains to ask the Emperor to legitimize your country's name."

King Qi simply smiled and remained silent.

The envoy then abandoned all manners and angrily denounced the "rudeness" of the Qi Kingdom, saying, "Truly the style of the Xiongnu barbarians!"

The King of Qi was furious and drove away the messenger.

In terms of bloodline civilization,

The State of Qi possessed the same fervor as the State of Zhongshan in its heyday.

Since the founding of the nation
The people of Qi also repeatedly emphasized their lineage from the Xia people.

Even because of their historically certified "descendant of the Xia Dynasty,"
She also truly had the blood of a princess bestowed with titles by the Han Dynasty flowing through her veins.
This made the State of Qi more confident and assertive when discussing related matters compared to the State of Zhongshan in the past.

Therefore,

How could the Sui envoy's words not anger the King of Qi?

Unless the two countries are at war, envoys should not be killed.
The other person has already been dragged out and sacrificed his life for his country.

In this regard,

The struggle between Qi and Sui suddenly erupted.

However, the Yangguan Pass was treacherous, and with prior preparations in place, the soldiers sent by the King of Qi returned empty-handed.

Afterwards,

Unwilling to give up, the King of Qi personally led his army to this place, hoping to take advantage of the high morale and ample preparations to conquer the gate to the new Xia dynasty in one fell swoop.

However, the road to Yangguan is long and supplies are not easy to obtain.

The previous rounds of battles, while yielding some gains, also depleted most of our reserves.

therefore,

When the King of Qi drew his bow again and shot the Sui general, causing him to fall from his horse in pain, the fall of Yangguan became inevitable.

"Yangguan..."

"Ugh!"

Emperor Taizu of Sui, who insisted on observing the battle from the sidelines, shook his head and sighed again upon seeing this.

"Why can't we defend ourselves properly and let the enemy in?"

Hearing his complaint, He Bo replied in his heart:
This narrow valley is inherently difficult to defend.

Before the arrival of the virtuous men of the Central Plains, they didn't even have the concept of "defense"!
If placed on the original historical track...
Even two thousand years from now,

This place will not be repaired, and a few fortresses will not be built here.

After all, the people of Sindhu lacked both long-term wisdom and the power to unite the people.

It could only become a channel for foreigners to vent their desires, freely entering and exiting, and then riding on the backs of the Sindhu people to lord it over them.

"On the bright side, the reason why the State of Qi was able to break through it this time was because its ruler personally led the expedition, rather than because the State of Sui failed to defend it properly."

"This shows that the Sui Dynasty was not rotten to the core. If the rotten flesh and bones could be removed in time, it might be able to regain its former glory and prolong its life."

Sui Ping thought of his descendant, who was neither muddle-headed nor particularly intelligent, and could only nod to himself in self-consolation.

In the Sui capital of Dening City
News of Yangguan's fall arrived first.
The letter, written by the King of Qi himself, arrived shortly afterward.

Two documents were placed on the table in front of the emperor.
The former confessed his guilt as a general for failing to defend the territory.

The latter, however, behind its ornate and elegant language, directly challenged the Sui Dynasty:
"I heard that the first county established by the pioneers who opened up the new Xia was called 'Anxia'."

Why don't our two countries settle their differences here in Anxia, ​​and show who the real 'Xia people' are?

The emperor could only respond with a long silence.

Finally, he slowly spoke, asking his ministers, "The people of Qi are coming with overwhelming force; what should we do?"

Once Yangguan Pass is breached,
Then the army can advance unimpeded, reach the vicinity of the Sindhu River, and attack the counties there.

The capital of the Sui Dynasty, Dening, was located in the Ganges River basin, separated from another major river by a desert.

It would take a considerable amount of time for government orders to reach there, let alone mobilizing troops to provide support.

However, the "place of origin" of the dynasties established by the Chinese rulers throughout history was all across the Xindu River.

That place must not be lost!

"His Majesty!"

"Send troops!"

The ministers knelt down one after another, pleading with this king who was somewhat eccentric and preferred tranquility and inaction.

The Taoist priest who had once taught him the ways of the Dao also came to the palace to pay his respects and said to him:
"To uphold the Way of Heaven and to perfect the Way of Humanity is the original intention of 'Peace'."

"Your Majesty is not a foolish person. Does he not know his responsibilities at this moment?"

The emperor then made up his mind.

He entrusted the affairs of state to the young crown prince, while he himself led his troops and supplies to defend against the enemy.

He also said to his ministers, who were astonished that "the emperor was neither socially anxious, nor withdrawn, nor did he lie low":
"Since I ascended the throne, I have accomplished nothing. The stability of the country is due to the protection of our ancestors and the diligent assistance of our subjects."

"Therefore, although there is a lesion, it has not reached the bone marrow."

"Now that we are being invaded by the enemy, even though I am incompetent, I am willing to serve as an envoy to transport provisions and weapons for the soldiers on the front lines."

When the ministers heard him say this, they all burst into tears.

Sui Ping, who had also traveled to Dening to find out what kind of decision this descendant, who was even more lazy than a salted fish, would make, was also surprised.

Turn around,
He exclaimed with delight, "Our Sui Dynasty truly still has hope for prosperity and longevity!"

Subsequently,

As King Qi's letter stated, the armies of the two countries engaged in fierce fighting in Anxia County.

The outcome of this battle for "legitimacy"
The two countries agreed to temporarily cease hostilities, using the Indu River as the border.

Upon returning to the capital, the emperor could only tell his ministers:
"You should all assist the Crown Prince in the future."

"I have done my best."

(End of this chapter)