Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 577 Yang Jia
October of the fourth year of Yanguang

Liu Yi, who had only been on the throne for seven months, witnessed Empress Dowager Yan's equal persecution of the court and the harem, as well as the Yan family's unbridled seizure of power. He couldn't help but fall ill and died.

Empress Dowager Yan despised this useless boy.

The men of the Liu family die young.

The youngest son in the Liu family also died quickly.

Is there anything else usable in the Liu family?

But no matter how much you complain...
Empress Dowager Yan still wanted to choose suitable children to become sacrificial offerings for her regency.

then,

Liu Yi, who did not survive the last legacy of Emperor An of Han, "Yan Guang," and ushered in his own era, also followed in his predecessor's footsteps and was secretly killed by the Yan family.

Before the new ornaments arrive
He could only lie in the deep, dark palace, "claiming illness and refusing to attend court."

just,

These things could fool the officials outside the palace, but they could not fool the countless servants inside the palace.

The power of these people

This was verified as early as the reign of Emperor He of Han.

Upon hearing the news, Liu Baoxin's new nanny, Song E, secretly discussed the matter with others:
"If they can pursue wealth and status, why can't we?"

“The Prince of Jiyin is the only son of the late emperor and has the approval of Empress Dowager Deng. How could he not become emperor?”

The eunuchs she recruited strongly agreed with this statement, and then tried to contact people to secretly form a faction in the palace, eventually successfully recruiting Sun Cheng, a eunuch.

Zhonghuangmen
It was a type of eunuch position, responsible for guarding the palace and accompanying the emperor.

It stands to reason,

Such a high-ranking position could not be held by anyone other than a close confidant of the emperor, nor would they easily collude with others.

But right now,
The mighty Han Dynasty in the East, and the Roman Empire in the West.
None of them had experienced the full force of the "Imperial Guard Succession Law."

Naturally, they wouldn't be wary of this.

The status of the Zhonghuangmen was even lower than that of the Xiaohuangmen, belonging to the lowest ranks and salaries among the eunuchs within the palace.

Not to mention that such a position requires constantly serving important people, which is really low pay, high workload, and high pressure.

How did Yan treat her servants?
Two emperors in a row had been thoroughly corrupted by them, so how could they possibly take mere eunuchs seriously?
Therefore, Sun Cheng also harbored resentment towards it.

Upon learning of Song E's bold idea, he immediately expressed:
"Give it a try!"

"From pushcart to horse-drawn carriage!"

then,

While Empress Dowager Yan was still selecting from among the many young members of the imperial clan,

A group of eunuchs and palace maids gathered beneath the West Bell Hall, removed their clothes, cut off their left sleeves, and swore in unison:
"Today, the King of Jiyin shall be established, and there shall be no wavering!"

Liu Bao was led out by Song E and Sun Cheng, one on each side. Looking at the words of the people in front of him, he felt flustered.

But the years of patience and hardship his biological father had endured, as well as the careful guidance Deng Sui had given him before her death, came into play at this time.

Ten-year-old Liu Bao, under Song E's surprised gaze, raised his arm and said in a still somewhat childish voice:
"May we all share in wealth and prosperity!"

that's it,
The coup that originated in the West Bell Hall led them all the way to Empress Dowager Yan.

The two sides engaged in a fierce battle in the palace.

Outside the palace,

Some officials who had been recuperating at home heard the news and immediately got up, their faces flushed, donned armor, mounted their horses, and hurried to the palace to prepare to fight against the Yan family's faction that was helping Empress Dowager Yan.

One night passed,
The palace in Luoyang was stained with blood.

Amidst shouts of battle, Liu Bao inherited the throne that should have been his, but which had been fraught with twists and turns.

But this does not mean the end of the struggle.

The Yan family fled into the North Palace with the emperor's seal and continued to resist the new emperor's forces who occupied the South Palace.

She refused to recognize Liu Bao as emperor and even ordered her brother Yan Xian to lead an army to eliminate him.

With the support of his ministers who arrived later, Liu Bao sealed off the gates of all the palaces and sent out elite troops to continue the fighting.

Until the new day passes,
The palace gates reopened.

The smell of fresh blood wafted out.

Holding the imperial seal he had just seized from Empress Dowager Yan, Liu Bao sat on the throne and began to receive the homage of his subjects.

The former emperors of the Han dynasty who witnessed all this looked both pleased and worried.

Ying Qin, standing nearby, was practically dripping with jealousy, wondering what these guys were worried about.

He said:
"At such a young age, he possesses such courage and shrewdness. Could he not become a wise and virtuous ruler in the future?"

"The country has a chance to set things right, yet you're still frowning. What is it about?"

Really are!
The Han dynasty has produced several young emperors, each of whom possessed exceptional talent.

Emperor He of Han assumed personal rule at the age of fourteen.

And Liu Bao in front of him,

Although he was young, he was not under the control of the Empress Dowager, and according to etiquette, he was capable of ruling in his own right.

That's terrifying!

The emperor who took personal rule at the age of ten!
Looking at the Western Qin dynasty as it was heading towards its demise, there were also a series of minor emperors, but most of them were just puppets.

The few who were quite talented, however, attracted the attention of powerful ministers because of their lack of patience.

However, the people of Western Qin, who called themselves "barbarians," did not follow the rules like those in the Central Plains.

Once the powerful ministers of Western Qin sensed something was wrong, they murdered the young emperor.

Such methods are direct and straightforward.
Although it also caused heavy damage to the powerful minister, Western Qin did indeed lose all hope as a result.

Therefore,
When the rulers of Western Qin saw Empress Dowager Yan wielding power in the court while ignoring Liu Bao, a key figure, they couldn't help but marvel at the good fortune of the Liu family.

Could it be that Emperor Guangwu's ability to receive celestial blessings and continue to curse his descendants even after death will be revealed in Liu Bao in a later generation?

Emperor He of Han sighed and shook his head.

He explained:
"It is certainly something to be happy about that Liu Bao drove out the Yan family and took personal control of the government."

"But a young emperor is bound to face some problems."

He became emperor through the support of others, so naturally he had to give them a sufficient return.

Whether it is the founding emperor or the successor emperor, they must follow this principle.

No matter how great a monarch's nominal power is, he cannot govern the world without ministers to assist him.

at the moment,

The coup was initiated by eunuchs.

The decisive factor later came from the ministers who led the army to the scene.

Even though Liu Bao displayed a maturity and wisdom beyond his years during this period, he could not change the situation where he had to divide power and bestow favors upon both.

“This is different from what I was like back then.”

Emperor He continued, “When I was in power at the White Tiger Temple, the Dou family’s arrogance had already allowed them to sweep away many disobedient officials in the court, and those who remained harbored much resentment towards them.”

Therefore, Emperor He's coup,

He quickly gained the cheers of his ministers and smoothly took control of the court.

And the eunuchs who cooperated with him
Most of them were people whom the emperor himself chose to trust, and he had some understanding of their background and nature.

Therefore, there is no need to worry too much.

Meanwhile, Liu Bao's side...

Many things can only be left to chance and gamble.

Can anyone think of,

A nanny of a deposed crown prince,
A lowly gatekeeper eunuch in the palace,
How dare they contact people and plot a coup?

As for the officials outside the palace?
Emperor He could only say:
"They fell ill in time, and recovered in time."

"The timing of leading troops to the palace to rescue the emperor couldn't be better."

With the precedent set by the Dou family,

When they realized that the Yan clan, a minor aristocratic family, had suddenly appeared and was assuming the airs of nouveau riche while encroaching on the court,
Many veteran officials took "sick leave" and stayed at home.

This allowed the veteran officials to preserve their power, not to mention, at this moment, they also gained the merit of supporting the emperor. They were a force even more difficult to eradicate than the eunuchs, and the biggest obstacle to Liu Bao's future rule.

Upon hearing this, the former ruler of Western Qin waved his hand and said, "Why think so much?"

"Anyway, your Liu family is better off than mine."

Now, so many years have passed since the fall of the Western Qin Dynasty, and a new dynasty has been established in the Western Sea, while the Han Dynasty has continued to exist.

If Liu Bao could live a longer life, he would surely be able to restore the dynasty in the future.

Isn't that something to be envied?

Emperor He agreed, so he stopped worrying and simply let his descendants do their own thing.

The human heart is a wondrous thing.
Even the dead ghost, who had a comprehensive view of the situation, could hardly predict what people would do next.

No matter how much they think about it now, what if none of it happens in the future?
Only time will tell the final outcome.

but,

Zhao Yu, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, did not have high expectations for the future of the Han Dynasty.

He still believed that the Mandate of Heaven for the Chinese people would fall to the Western Sea and become the glory of the Song state.

After Liu Bao became emperor,

He ordered the release of many people who had been unjustly imprisoned because of the late emperor and the Yan family.

Among them was the Song envoy who had already spent a year in prison, witnessing the Han Dynasty's three emperors.

"Only the rats in my cell have a faster turnover rate than this."

Gan Ying, who was fortunate enough not to die in prison, quickly stomped on his foot. Before the Song envoy could finish his words of lamentation, he cried out in pain, clutching his foot.

"Shut up, you!"

"Because of your silver tongue, I have suffered too much misfortune!"

The Song envoy laughed, saying, "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise, and a blessing may be a misfortune in disguise."

"If you don't hide in prison, you old bones probably won't survive this year of turmoil caused by three emperors!"

The deep, damp prison was filled with a suffocating humid atmosphere that made one feel extremely uncomfortable.

But the pain of being chopped down by a large blade is not something an ordinary person can endure.

For so many years, he has been shining and contributing to the Han Dynasty.
It's heartbreaking to think that he ultimately died in the internal strife within the Han Dynasty's imperial family.

Gan Ying glared at him, took off her outer robe and threw it at the Song envoy's face, indicating that she wanted to sever ties with him.

The Song envoy watched him leave with a groan, then burst into laughter on the spot.

Shortly thereafter,

With the young emperor's financial support, he embarked on his journey back to the Western Sea.

When passing through the State of Qi, the Song envoys rested and observed the ongoing standoff between the Eastern and Western Dynasties that had not yet ended in the new Xia Dynasty.

It's hard to say whether it's fate playing tricks on us.

The matchmaking system in the new summer is always so extreme.

The rise and fall of the Sui dynasty always occurred simultaneously, seemingly destined to entangle themselves until the very end of time.

"However, it's still better than the turmoil in the Western Sea."

The Song envoy, who had been imprisoned in the Central Plains, displayed his emotional intelligence as an envoy in the State of Qi.

He remarked with emotion, "Peace is better than chaos, and minor chaos is better than major chaos."

At its most fragmented point, the Western Sea was divided into dozens of small kingdoms that coexisted and fought each other relentlessly.

Xinxia here

In the midst of the protracted tug-of-war, even the border battles occasionally ceased, turning into a more peaceful standoff.

these years,

The two countries have also opened several border markets for trade, which has led to a decrease in the frequency of friction.

"But a country or dynasty is always prone to dying out from comfort and ease."

"Once the two countries form an alliance, trouble will follow."

After so many years of competition,

The State of Qi, in order to claim what it considered the rightful heir,
In order to recover the ancestral lands, the Sui Dynasty

They sacrificed something from the country.

If the result of years of hard work is merely a handshake and reconciliation between the two sides, how should the sacrificed party feel about this?

If later generations lack the ambition and perseverance of their ancestors, even swords and blades will become rusty and dull in their hands.

What if further turmoil occurs in the future?
"Therefore, prolonged peace is not good, nor is prolonged turmoil," said the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies who was hosting the Song envoy from the State of Qi.

The Song envoy nodded and said, "I know."

But what does this have to do with him, a man from the Western Sea?

He only needs to know,
It's good that the two great powers of Qi and Sui no longer have the strength or the will to compete for supremacy.

Do it all at once, second time tired, third time exhausted.

When they are exhausted and we are full, how can we not win?

That makes sense!

When Zhao Yu returned to Andu City of the Song Dynasty, he heard the Song envoy relaying the situation of the Han, Xin Xia, and Qi Sui states in the Central Plains. He simply smiled and echoed his words.

His white beard trembled under his chin.

The once mighty ruler, who swept away all dust and turmoil, is now entering his twilight years.

But the founders are getting old.

But it means that the country he founded is moving towards a more robust and powerful adulthood.

"Even if the Han Dynasty had a clever young emperor to make up for his mistakes, the problems caused by his congenital lack of vital energy could not be cured by medicine he took in later."

A young emperor inevitably leads to a situation where the ruler is inexperienced and the country is in turmoil.

Once doubts arise, it becomes difficult to unite people's hearts, and their strength will be constrained and weakened.

The initial energy will inevitably be spent on this.

This will cause the existing problems to continue to accumulate, creating greater resistance to future changes.

"Moreover, you also said that the three Han emperors of the last three dynasties were all young rulers, and most of them died in their prime."

Zhao Yu shook his head and said, "What's the use of dividing a thread into several segments that can't be connected? Even if some segments are long, what's the point?"

Emperor He reigned for seventeen years and held power for thirteen years.

Even though Empress Deng Sui continued his policies, the death of the older monarch and the subsequent death of the young emperor still caused the country's power to be interrupted for one or two years.

Moreover, in the first few years of Deng Sui's reign, the country was facing continuous natural disasters and local warlord rebellions...

The smooth road was blocked.

After finally getting through, Emperor An of Han, Liu Hu, came up with another scheme, almost completely destroying the achievements of the "Yongyuan Prosperity".

right now,

It was Liu Baolai's turn to be the "sorting officer".

Can he do it?

Judging from the lifespans of his ancestors for three generations,
Does he have enough energy to do it?

In a monarchical autocracy and centralized power
The impact of a change of emperor can be extremely severe!
"So, good health is what really matters!"

Zhao Yu stroked his beard and finally made his conclusion.

He admonished his descendants, "This is the reason why I do not let you grow up in the deep palace and send you to do things in the local areas all year round."

"Only by going out and about regularly can you maintain a healthy body, broaden your horizons, and understand the situation of ordinary people."

“If the country has just been established and you are already so weak and incapable of drawing a sword, with the limited perspective of women confined to their homes, then the future of the Song Dynasty will not be long.”

The descendants of the Zhao family readily agreed.

Only the crown prince's expression was somewhat inscrutable.

Zhao Yu noticed him and recalled the worried words of several old ministers before his parents passed away. So he dismissed the other sons and left the crown prince behind to talk to him.

He's old.
The country had only recently been founded and was still recovering.
Whether the succession of this second generation can proceed smoothly is of great significance!

(End of this chapter)