Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 540 The Roman Envoy in the Great Han Dynasty
The shocks that the Central Kingdom brought them were always coming one after another.

When the boats traveled along the Yellow River into the Luo River and then stopped near Luoyang,

The envoy, who was making a great show of himself, thought to himself.

Luoyang

This is the capital of the Central Kingdom.
It is powerful, wealthy, tall, and majestic.

Other cities can only bow down to it.

Even the ancient cities of Andu and Yubi in Western Qin, which were once recorded in Roman historical texts and received countless praises and accolades, seemingly bathed in boundless glory, could not compare to it.

Perhaps only Chang'an, the capital of the Former Han Dynasty, could stand proudly before this vast yet clean city teeming with people.

What is the population here?

The envoy couldn't help but ask, "When I think that they are all citizens of this country and have the blood of the Chinese people, I always feel a sense of unease."

When passing through cities located in the Central Plains for the first time,

The envoy then pointed curiously at the crowd in the street and asked the guide sent by the Han court after receiving the official letter, "How many citizens are here?"

After the guide understood the meaning of "citizen," he laughed and replied to the messenger, "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king."

"Our Han people don't have the same distinctions as you."

Even in the ancient Shang and Zhou dynasties, there was only a distinction between "Guoren" (people of the state) and "Yeren" (people of the wild).

After receiving sufficient education and taking on the responsibility of paying taxes and serving the country, the latter naturally became part of the Chinese nation.

Even in places as far away as the Western Sea, Xinxia, ​​Taixi, and even across the ocean to Yinzhou,

As long as the Han Dynasty's national strength is sufficient to support it in sending troops, assigning officials, and transmitting government orders,

Then,

The people there would naturally become "king's subjects".

Not to mention the Western Qin and Xia-Sui states, which were originally part of the various Xia states.

unfortunately,

The journey was long and arduous.

In many places outside the region
The Han Dynasty could only, as the "Son of Heaven," first bestow titles and recognitions upon some feudal lords and govern them accordingly.

Upon hearing these words, the envoy, recalling his journey eastward through the former lands of Western Qin and the state of Suiqi, said to his companions:
"No wonder the ancients referred to the Chinese as 'world devourers' in their notes."

"Hundreds of years from now, the land under the sun will probably be welcoming the rule of the 'Son of Heaven'."

Rome witnessed the rise of the Western Qin dynasty, and it also witnessed its destruction.

They still remembered what the Western Sea looked like before the arrival of the Chinese.

And now,
Who among those who fought so fiercely there didn't consider themselves the successors of the Qin Dynasty?

As for those barbarians who want to take advantage of the situation to start a rebellion?
It had barely begun to emerge when it was precisely targeted and killed by the gentlemen of the various states.

Upon hearing his words, his companion said with hope:
"What the Chinese have done, Augustus is also emulating, and has achieved good results."

"Otherwise, why would we come to such a faraway place seeking more wisdom and blessings?"

Rome will endure as long as the Chinese civilization.

And as the great cause they established is inherited, their people continue to multiply.
Rome will inevitably receive another upgrade.

From a city to a country.

At last,
It will then become the name of a nation and be immortalized in the long history.

The envoy nodded, his somewhat somber expression lifting as he gazed upon the prosperity of Luoyang, the capital city.

Shortly thereafter,

They came before the King of the Kingdoms and presented him with gifts carefully prepared by Augustus, gifts imbued with the essence of the Mediterranean.

The emperor was very pleased with it.

Although they already had some understanding of Rome through their relationship with the Western Qin and the Silk Road.

But this is the first time that two major powers located on the east and west sides of the continent have had such direct exchanges.

“I should return some gifts to express my goodwill to your monarch.”

As he spoke, he ordered his ministers to select a batch of treasures from his treasury and have the messengers bring them back to Rome on the other side of the continent, along the same route they had come.

Subsequently,

He also treated the Roman delegation with great favor, and even when they mentioned that they wanted to visit the "virtuous men" of the Han Dynasty, he did not change his expression.

The Way of Peace certainly caused considerable trouble for the Han Dynasty.

But that's all in the past now.

The emperor, who was always clear-headed, understood that some things would not disappear just because he disliked or rejected them.

Therefore,
He never issued an order to abandon the Daoist sect of the Han Dynasty; he simply strengthened his control over the Daoists, just as the Sui Dynasty had done, and supported Buddhist monks to oppose them.

The vast White Horse Temple, its paint still not fully dry.
Surely it couldn't have been built because the emperor was a Buddhist, could it?
They had time to send people everywhere to arrest Taoist priests, to fool the people and imprison their minds, and to suppress resistance in various places.

It would be better to use that energy to cultivate a successor.

After all, the events of the previous dynasty have already proven...
No matter how magnificent the empire left by one's ancestors may be, if it falls into the hands of unworthy descendants, its collapse can happen at an unimaginable speed.

"...Let them be!"

"Even if a group of strangers can speak fluent Chinese, how many people can they meet in the Han Dynasty, and how much wisdom can they learn?"

After receiving the envoy, the emperor returned to the inner palace and said the following to the empress.

The latter agreed with his viewpoint and believed that such integrity was in line with the demeanor of a wise ruler.

If one were to criticize and condemn passages from a few scriptures, instigate literary inquisitions, and even refuse requests from distinguished guests who come seeking civilization...

It's inevitable that it will reveal a harsh and cold aura.

And such a rule

Perhaps by deceiving the people's minds and silencing their tongues, a period of stability can be achieved.

But ultimately it cannot last, and it will leave deep pain for future generations.

……

"You should rest well now and not worry about such things anymore."

After listening quietly to what the emperor had done in court that day,

Looking at her husband's pale, sickly face and listless expression, the Empress reached out and removed his crown, letting his hair down, and gently massaged the acupoints on his head—

Just as the Roman envoys landed...
The emperor of the Han Dynasty, the Son of Heaven of the Chinese nation, suddenly fainted and collapsed to the ground amidst the cool breeze after a heavy rain.

He suffered a stroke, just like his father.

Fortunately, he received timely treatment and was not left with many ailments.

The emperor quickly sat down at his desk again and began dealing with the affairs of state that were still in effect.

It is impossible to become a wise ruler without hard work.

The empress was therefore very worried about him.

But the emperor's will remained steadfast, and he told the empress:
"National affairs cannot be neglected in any way."

“If I relax my vigilance here, it could spread to other places and cause a disaster.”

"It's just a minor ailment; you don't need to worry so much about my health."

With his long-lived father living before him, he didn't think he would have any problems.

otherwise,

The Roman envoy could not see this noble emperor, the undisputed king of kings.

The Empress had no choice but to massage his head, which often felt tight and swollen, during a break after court, and bring him a medicinal soup prepared by a physician.

Unfortunately, these measures did not have much effect.

Just as the Roman envoys were traveling to Sichuan to visit several renowned and virtuous men there,
As an autumn rain fell, the emperor, who was discussing with his ministers in the court the attack on the Yan Kingdom and the subjugation of Liaodong, collapsed once again on his throne.

The lingering illness, which had been difficult to eradicate, finally erupted, rampaging and conquering within the emperor's body, causing him to become emaciated and pale in a short period of time.

The emperor knew that he would not live as long as his father.

So after regaining some of his energy...

The emperor summoned his crown prince and instructed the successor who knelt before his bed:
"My health is very poor, and the throne of the Han Dynasty will soon be entrusted to you."

"I hope you can continue the virtues of your predecessors, govern this country well, and complete the work I have not finished."

The crown prince tearfully agreed.

Then the emperor said, "Although the empress is not your birth mother, she raised you. After I am gone, you must take good care of her."

The crown prince agreed again.

The emperor nodded in satisfaction, his thoughts, which had become chaotic as life faded, returned to that spring night last year.

His parents, their figures faint and ethereal, reappeared before him, their expressions tinged with sadness.

His younger brother Liu Jing, whom he despised for being foolish, followed behind his parents, pouting and looking around, refusing to meet the emperor's gaze.

The emperor couldn't help but smile slightly.

He suddenly opened his mouth and, with his last breath, told the Crown Prince:
“Discipline your young brothers well, lest they become like the playful and useless Prince Si of Guangling!”

The prince subconsciously agreed, then wondered why his father had suddenly mentioned his deceased uncle.

But when he raised his head, wanting to investigate further, he found that the emperor had already closed his eyes.

quickly,

A white cloth, symbolizing death, was draped over his face amidst cries of sorrow.

The wise ruler died during the autumn harvest.

He was buried in a mausoleum with few burial goods. He was only taken with him a map depicting the landscape of the Han Dynasty, grains sent by local authorities over the years to symbolize a bountiful harvest, and a newly drawn map of the Yellow River's watercourses.

"These are my proudest achievements."

“It is much more precious than the terracotta figures of the first emperor and the gold artifacts and chariots of many previous emperors.”

Standing before the spirits and deities, the emperor, who was posthumously honored as "Ming," said this.

He Bo recorded his slightly proud expression, intending to show it to the First Emperor and Emperor Wu later.

So brave right after dying!

You'll see how formidable we are when the seniors come knocking.

As Liu Zhuang finished his posthumous rituals and was about to depart, he couldn't help but ask God:
"How many more years can the Mandate of Heaven of the Han Dynasty last?"

He didn't value such mysterious matters much during his lifetime.

otherwise,

After successfully controlling the river, he should have gone to Mount Tai to convey his achievements to Heaven, instead of going to the Yuanling Mausoleum.

But he died, and his soul stood in the underworld, receiving the light of the black sun. How could he not believe in those things?

God then told him, "If you want to know, go and see for yourself!"

"I'm not stopping you!"

That's how it is.

God disappeared even faster than Liu Zhuang.

He was busy going to the mortal world to spy on the actions of the Roman envoys in the Central Plains!

How could he not record more of such events that would inevitably become important historical events if they were passed down to future generations?

Liu Zhuang, who had just faced God's demeanor, stood there stunned for a while before slowly coming back to his senses.

He has a meticulous personality.

It's not easy to accept the fact that you'll have a "free-spirited and undisciplined boss" in the future.

"Humph!"

"Good and evil will eventually be rewarded... You deserve to be severely punished!"

Seeing his elder brother's furrowed brows, Liu Jing, who often opposed him, couldn't help but laugh.

He had been looking forward to this moment for a long time!

During his lifetime, Liu Zhuang was the crown prince and the emperor.

No one can disobey his will; they can only do things according to his requirements.

it's good now,

No matter how much he likes to meddle, can he possibly interfere with God's affairs?
Dr. Simon has long since occupied this special ecological niche!

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhuang frowned even more deeply.

"How come you're still so immature after being dead for so many years?"

Liu Jing raised his head and said, "What's it to you?"

"I can do whatever I want now!"

Liu Zhuang said, "Actually, I have never understood why you are always disrespectful to me, to the point that you would rather be close to Liu Jiang than to me, your own brother."

Liu Jing snorted, "Want to know? Then go find it yourself!"

"I don't acknowledge you as my older brother!"

"Liu He is my biological half-brother!"

Liu Zhuang looked puzzled, wondering who the other person was referring to.

After all, there are too many people in the world with the surname Liu, and too many people with the given name "He".

Fortunately, Liu He arrived in time in his carriage and greeted Liu Jing, "Come on, the Emperor invited us to watch the dogs from two villages fight!"

"They'll scatter if you go too late!"

Liu Jing immediately lay down on the vehicle, responding to the call of the Taizu Emperor.

Before leaving,
He didn't forget to yell at Liu Zhuang, "You just wait!"

"You're so strict with everyone, your son who becomes emperor won't always be so obedient!"

Not everyone has a serious and upright personality.

Liu Zhuang wasn't angry about this; he just watched with a puzzled expression as his brother left, arguing with others.

Behind the carriage, only a trail of dust remained.

Who was that who sped past in their car just now?

He asked a dead ghost passing by for advice.

The other party replied, "He was the King of Changyi during the Former Han Dynasty."

Liu Zhuang immediately became alert, leaning back slightly. "Then what he calls the 'Emperor Taizu'..."

The dead man waved his hand, dispelling Liu Zhuang's last hope. "It was Emperor Taizu of Han, Liu Bang! Who else could it be?"

Liu Zhuang then fell silent.

Han dynasty historical records often use the term "heavenly being" to describe Emperor Gaozu, who swept across the world in just a few years, overthrowing Qin, destroying Chu, and pacifying the feudal lords.

When Liu Zhuang was commenting on the *Records of the Grand Historian*, he even told Ban Gu about his dissatisfaction with its content.

Sima Qian portrayed Emperor Taizu of Han too vividly and also praised Xiang Yu, his enemy, excessively.

In Liu Zhuang's view, this was a sign of disloyalty to the monarch.

just now……

It seems that Sima Qian was quite loyal.

"Let's go see our parents first!"

Putting aside his extraneous thoughts, Liu Zhuang shook his head and found his father's residence.

Looking at the mansion, which was far less magnificent than the palace he had lived in, he felt a pang of heartache for his father, the restorer of the dynasty. He even regretted following his father's will to give him a simple burial, which had caused his father to "suffer" in the underworld.

However, Liu Xiu didn't care.

He also comforted his son:
"Compared to others, this house is already very good."

"Moreover, the underworld has its own laws, so how can we judge it based on what happened in life?"

Liu Zhuang then had no choice but to change the subject.

"Where is Mother?"

“She lived in her own courtyard, two houses away from mine.”

"Hmm?" Liu Zhuang became wary again.

He asked anxiously, "Why doesn't Mother live with Father?"

Where is she now?

"When she saw that you had received God's greeting, she thought it would be quite a while before you came out... Just then, Lady Guo and Empress Lü invited her to go shopping, so she agreed."

"what?"

(End of this chapter)