Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 561 The Fourteenth Year of Yongyuan

"A miracle doctor!"

"Your skills are truly miraculous, Doctor!"

When Empress Yin's words startled the emperor so much that he "sat up in shock from his deathbed" and quickly regained his strength and spirits,
The dead ghosts in the underworld sighed with emotion.

If it weren't for Consort Su still speaking ill of Emperor Jing in the underworld,
They also had to suspect whether Empress Yin was their reincarnation.

"This is impossible!"

In response, He Bo stepped forward to explain, "How could the power of words, which can heal illnesses by stimulating people's hearts, be fixed and unchanging?"

Apart from those who have been condemned as beasts and animals because of their sins,
When a dead person is reincarnated,
When the past is gone, the soul sheds its many memories and emotions, returning to a state of unconsciousness and apathy.
Where can one inherit special skills from a previous life?
Therefore, the laws of the underworld stipulate that one's debts are settled only for one lifetime, with little connection to past or present lives.

Grudges from life that remain unresolved will be worn away after death.

After the time has passed, if one still has enough merit and virtue, one can choose to remain in the underworld or reincarnate on one's own.

If one's merit is insufficient
Reincarnation would also be considered a form of punishment, requiring one to be reborn as a beast of burden several times before the punishment could be completely eradicated.

Although Consort Su lacked any particular virtue and couldn't even get a share of Emperor Jing's tributes, her eloquence was truly legendary.

Some physicians in the mortal world were even inspired by this incident and developed methods to treat illnesses by guiding changes in emotions.

Therefore, this first person to suffer sorrow can still live a happy little life in the underworld.

"Once the Yin family member dies, I imagine these two will have plenty to say to each other!"

After hearing God's explanation, the dead stopped worrying about it.

After all, they just enjoy watching for fun, not actually doing academic research.

just,

Empress Yin, who was still alive, had no idea that so many dead ghosts were talking about her behind her back.

She was startled by the emperor's sudden change of heart, and then she wept sadly because she had lost the opportunity to rule from behind the curtain.

then,

Her witchcraft and curses became even more powerful.

The emperor's sudden onset and subsequent disappearance of illness made her genuinely believe in witchcraft.

Moreover, the power that had been gained only to slip away filled Yin with resentment.

She had really wanted to kill the entire Deng family for a long time!
unfortunately,

The emperor will not give her another chance.

He followed the example of Emperor Jing of the Former Han Dynasty and began to prepare for the future.

Emperor Jing's aim was simply to depose and install the crown prince.
But he wanted to depose the empress and install a new one.

He wanted to depose the Yin family and install Deng Sui in their place!
Deng Sui privately requested:
"This is a matter concerning national security, and decisions cannot be made based on momentary joy or anger."

The emperor looked at Deng Sui and sighed, saying to her:
"You are a very good person!"

“You serve me and the Yin family with the loyalty of a subject, and are willing to wait for your lord to correct his mistakes.”

"Therefore, she often covered up Yin's rudeness and spoke of her virtues to me."

“But ministers are divided into loyal and treacherous, and rulers are divided into virtuous and incompetent. People should neither be wicked nor blindly loyal and filial.”

A good minister chooses his lord to serve, and a good bird chooses its tree to perch on.

When the ruler and his ministers sit and discuss matters, they disperse if they disagree.

This was a very common occurrence in the pre-Qin period.

Now,

Although influenced by Confucian rites and laws, similar incidents have decreased significantly, but some have still survived.

Moreover, after the emperor recovered from his illness, he enjoyed reading historical books from the Spring and Autumn period and often sighed about the rise and fall of a country.

Especially when reading about the history of Duke Dao of Jin.

He was very worried that he would also die young like this predecessor.

"Moreover, after Duke Dao of Jin left, the state of Jin declined day by day."

“During the reign of his son, Duke Ping, the power of the monarch waned, and during the reign of his grandson, Duke Zhao, the position of hegemon was usurped… How can I not worry?”

The emperor said to Deng Sui, "There will never be another Duke of Zhou in the world. If anything happens, I can only entrust the future to you!"

He was thinking to himself:
Yin's words cured her illness; wasn't that divine favor, giving her time to make up for her previous oversight?

If time is tight,

He would naturally not allow the Yin family to be shaken, causing the Han Dynasty to lose emperors and empresses one after another.

But now,
He still has the energy to do this!

"Stop trying to persuade me!"

The emperor patted Deng Sui's hand, then summoned his only child, Liu Sheng, and his nephew, Liu Hu, who was raised in the palace, and instructed them to follow Consort Deng and receive her instruction.

The two children obediently agreed.

Then the emperor left and began to carry out his plans.

He originally intended to use the pretext of "jealousy" to depose Empress Yin, and then, following the example of Emperor Wu of the Former Han Dynasty in dealing with Empress Chen Ajiao, move her to another palace.

Although status has been lost,
However, this did not diminish the glory of the Yin family.

of course,

With Princess Biyang as a precedent,

The emperor would not continue to favor and trust the Yin family members like his great-grandfather, Emperor Guangwu.

No matter how much you think about it,

It couldn't compare to the surprises that the Yin family brought him.

When the eunuch he sent to handle the matter reported back that "there are witchcraft items in the Empress's palace, intended to curse and kill His Majesty and Consort Deng,"

Instead of being enraged, the emperor was amused by such folly.

He was even somewhat relieved that Yin had revealed her true colors before his deathbed, instead of remaining in a pretense until the moment he could die in peace.

otherwise,

If the Han dynasty were to fall into the hands of someone like this, they would probably be even more capable of causing trouble than Empress Dowager Xiaozhang, Dou Shi.

"So be it!"

The emperor waved to the eunuch.

The bleak autumn wind swept through the palace, blowing against his thin, pale face.

"Go and announce the edict deposing the empress!"

The eunuch agreed and then went to the front court and the inner palace to announce the crimes committed by the Yin family.

Empress Yin's imperial seal was confiscated, and she was moved to Tong Palace.

His father was questioned by the emperor and, that same day, followed a rule that had never been explicitly stated by the Han dynasty and committed suicide at home.

His two sons,

And then there was Zhu, along with her children, who schemed and plotted to win favor with their granddaughter; they were exiled to Jiaozhi, even further south in Lingnan.

Most of the other clansmen were also ordered to resign from their posts and return home.

If we compare this to the powerful relatives of the empress who failed in their power struggles during the Former Han Dynasty and were subsequently purged by the emperor,
The ending for the Yin family wasn't actually that bad.

After all, using witchcraft to kill the emperor is a grave crime, punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family.

However, out of consideration for his great-grandparents, the emperor spared Yin's life.

He was harsh on Dou.

It was because the Dou family, having grown too powerful, had already usurped imperial power and shaken the foundations of the Han dynasty.

However, since the Yin family were purely relatives of the imperial family, their rise and fall depended entirely on the imperial family, so they were not driven to exterminate them.

In the underworld, Yin Lihua, along with her brother Yin Shi, the great-grandfather of Empress Yin, went to greet the descendant of the Yin family who had been implicated by his daughter and forced to commit suicide.

Faced with the latter's ashamed expression, Yin Lihua simply said calmly:
"Is there any wealth or status in the world that lasts forever?"

"The Yin family's blessings should have ended long ago. The fact that enough of their bloodline has been preserved and that they can return to their hometown to continue the sacrifices is already a testament to the Emperor's benevolence."

The Yin family, a powerful maternal relative,

It was a rather unique case under the rule of four emperors of the Han Dynasty.

Emperor Guangwu showed him great favor.

Even the strict emperor Ming, out of consideration for his mother, comforted Lady Yin.

During the reign of Emperor Zhang,

Despite the rise of new powerful maternal relatives such as the Ma and Dou families, the Yin family remained powerful and influential. It was precisely because of the Yin family's strength that the emperor decided to make a woman from their family empress, thus ensuring the continuation of the Yin family's wealth and status.

"It's good now!"

"What was bound to happen has finally happened, and we, the ancestors, can finally find some solace."

Ancestors naturally hope that their descendants will be wealthy and carefree.

But how can the blessings of the world be monopolized by one family?
If you enjoy too much, you'll eventually have to pay it back.

therefore,

Many dead can only pray that their descendants will be happier and that their families will be more loving and united, so that they won't wither and die when the autumn wind blows and the heavy snow falls.

If a relatively friendly family relationship can be maintained, then no matter how strong the wind and snow, there will always be a time to get through it and make it to spring.

When Empress Yin's father, Yin Gang, heard his ancestor say this, and saw Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang standing not far away, he naturally dared not utter any other complaints.

He nodded obediently, thinking to himself:
Hopefully, after this calamity befalls the Yin family, those descendants who are still alive will be able to shed their former extravagant and ostentatious ways.

He then recalled that he had been a dissolute young man in his youth, believing that his family's wealth would never leave him, and only chasing after arrogant and carefree times...

otherwise,

Why raise a daughter to be like that?

Yin Gang sighed and, led by his ancestors, headed towards the underworld of Fengdu to begin the process.

In the mortal world,

After everything settled down,

As the new empress, Deng Sui began to share some of the emperor's tasks to alleviate his worries.

After recovering from the illness,

Although the emperor gradually recovered his strength under the care of many renowned physicians,

However, the impact of the illness is still significant.

His body had become much thinner, and his already cold body often felt empty.

Fortunately, the original Yan state,
Now, in Liaoyang Commandery of the Han Dynasty, medicines to nourish yang energy are being supplied to the emperor.
This finally freed the emperor from that feeling.

Having observed the emperor's condition, Deng Sui was unwilling to let him waste his time on unimportant matters.

The moment she became empress, she summoned her family and told them to be vigilant at all times, lest they become like the Wang family of the Former Han Dynasty and the Dou family of the Present Han Dynasty, who became obsessed with their sudden wealth and lost their true selves, eventually degenerating into dissolute playboys who only knew how to play games and have fun.

"The Deng-Zhu incident is right before our eyes; how can we repeat the same mistake?"

Deng Zhu,

This refers to Empress Yin's maternal grandmother, the old woman who implicated her husband and son.

Her husband was exiled with her to Jiaozhi County, a place plagued by extreme heat and miasma.

His two sons were arrested and imprisoned by order of the emperor after the witchcraft incident broke out, and died in prison.

If the rest of the Deng family hadn't been unaware of this matter, given their ancestral achievements and the presence of the new Empress Deng Sui, the emperor would have been compelled to take drastic measures against them, thoroughly cleaning up the Deng family's mess.

When Deng Sui's family saw her serious expression and recalled the scene of the soldiers sent by the emperor breaking into their home and taking away Deng Zhu, her husband, and her son, they immediately felt a pang of anxiety and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Deng Sui's father's lineage followed a simple path of military generals, without much scheming or cunning. They often taught their children and grandchildren military law, so they naturally understood the seriousness of violating the laws of the court and offending the emperor.

Deng Sui was then satisfied.

Afterwards,

She also implemented a policy of frugality in the palace to correct the extravagant atmosphere that had been set up by Empress Yin during her reign.

It soon yielded significant results.

The emperor was pleased with her actions and followed suit by becoming more frugal. He canceled tributes from distant lands to alleviate local pressure and ordered that money and grain be lent at low prices to impoverished people in remote areas for relief.

He also said to Deng Sui:
"It's always easier to do things with you."

"If I had known this would happen, I should have made you empress sooner!"

There is an unspoken understanding between people with exceptional talent.

Occasionally, when the emperor had a problem that needed to be solved, Deng Sui could understand his thoughts without needing to give him instructions, and she would offer suggestions that were mostly to his liking.

With the atmosphere in the harem calming down, the emperor, in his rare moments of relaxation, no longer had to frown over the conflicts among the women in his boudoir.

If this were during the reign of Empress Yin,
The emperor's face must have been somber for a long time, while the woman beside him was still applying makeup and asking him who was more beautiful, him or the other concubines in the harem!

Upon hearing this, Deng Sui, wanting to fulfill her duty as a subject, advised the emperor not to be willful.

Fortunately, the emperor changed the subject in time.

"Ban Chao from the Western Regions requested to return to the Central Plains."

I recall that minister who was appointed to a high position during the reign of Emperor Ming and made countless contributions to the Han Dynasty's recovery of the Western Regions.
The emperor couldn't help but sigh, "He's old, and the merits of guarding the Western Regions can no longer be retained."

Leaves about to fall
They always yearn for their roots.

Deng Sui knew of Ban Dingyuan's great achievements and had always admired him. When she was young, her father would hold her on his lap and she would say that she would join the army to follow him when she grew up.

Unfortunately, she was not a man after all.

"It's perfectly normal for heroes to grow old and yearn for their homeland."

Deng Sui said this, and then, in accordance with the emperor's unfinished wishes, began preparing the rewards for Ban Chao after his return to the Central Plains.

that's it,
The elderly Ban Chao finally retraced his steps on the road that had taken him to the Western Regions, heading towards his hometown.

When he arrived at this place where oasis meets desert, it was still ruled by the disloyal King of Jiaonan.

But when he left...
The rulers of the various kingdoms in the Western Regions all came to see him off, bidding a tearful farewell to Ban Chao, who had been riding on their heads for decades and who would vent his anger on the rulers and nobles whenever he was unhappy.

Ban Chao didn't waste any words on them; he simply nodded calmly and instructed them:
"remember."

"Be good!"

Regardless of the original Western Region people, those pale-skinned, ghost-like Hu people,

It was Jiaonan that cultivated the Western Regions for hundreds of years, continuously sowing the seeds of the various Xia peoples.

They all had to submit to the Central Plains.

Anyone who seeks betrayal will only face destruction.

The Western Region kings, who understood the hidden meaning in his words, immediately broke out in a cold sweat, then bowed and nodded, showing the utmost respect.

Ban Chao gave them a soft hum and waved his old, wrinkled hand.

The frame then slowly began to move.

The desert is solitary and straight, and the long river falls into the sun.

Ban Chao, on his way home, passed by this scene.

But he has appreciated far too many such landscapes over the years.

Ban Chao had no intention of lingering; he only wanted to urge the carriages and horses to pass through Yumen Pass as quickly as possible.

But the sound of horses' hooves and shouts from behind interrupted him.

His former subordinate Gan Ying rode a fine horse and galloped over first, finally stopping in front of Ban Chao.

"Weren't you sent as an envoy to Rome?"

"What a coincidence that you came back in time?"

Ban Chao smiled and greeted him when he saw that he looked travel-worn.

Before the Eight-Nation Alliance envoys arrived in the Central Plains
Ban Chao considered that since Roman envoys could cross the sea to reach the Han Dynasty, the Han Dynasty could not fail to reciprocate.

So he dispatched Gan Ying to travel westward along the Silk Road.

On his first mission, Gan Ying failed to reach Rome. He was forced to turn back halfway due to the war in the Western Sea.

Later, news came from Luoyang that the Roman envoys had arrived again, accompanied by the envoys of the Western princes, which made Ban Chao even more resentful.

Even the Han dynasty had never been to Rome.
Why was Rome allowed to visit my Han Dynasty twice?

then,

He released Gan Ying again, allowing him to complete the task he hadn't finished last time.

Gan Ying could only go with tears in her eyes.

Today,

He has become a qualified envoy.
Gan Ying returned to Luoyang even earlier than Ban Chao to report his westward journey to the emperor.

Now, standing before his old boss again,

Gan Ying simply smiled and said, "I was lucky to meet a merchant on the road."

"He guided me along a route, avoiding some annoying and time-consuming obstacles, and even gave me a fine horse... that's how I caught up with you!"

(End of this chapter)