Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 582 Reunion
When the Roman monarch, who only began to demonstrate his talents in his later years, gradually quelled the chaos at the top, adjusted the country's policies, and restored the stability and prosperity that Rome had enjoyed four generations before,

When Zhao Yu, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, breathed his last, entrusting his descendants with a nation that had emerged from turmoil and was now growing freely towards the sun and sky,

The Han Dynasty in the Central Plains,
It is also moving towards a period of prosperity and revival with the development of the Yangjia era.

"The competition for destiny is truly fierce."

"Originally, the Song Dynasty was far ahead of the others, but who would have thought that the chaotic Han Dynasty and Rome would catch up with them."

While fishing by the river
As He Bo reeled in the plump grass carp that had taken the bait, he spoke to the dead men around him.

The disparity in national fortunes between the two countries, one in chaos and the other in prosperity, is naturally evident.

"The Song Dynasty lacks sufficient foundation, while the Han Dynasty is a century-old dynasty. It will be quite difficult to surpass it and gain an advantage while it is weak and chaotic."

The others echoed God's words, but Old Ghost Xi stared at the grass carp, looking dazed as if his mind had been stolen away.

The spot where God just took the bite of the fat fish was previously occupied by Old Ghost.

He waited for a long time and dug many bait spots in the water, but not a single fish came.

then,

He then switched places with He Bo, exchanged fishing rods with Zhuang Zhou who was catching fish one after another, and asked Sanlu Dafu, who easily attracted fish as soon as he entered the water, for some bait.

They were fully armed and started from scratch.

It was still empty.

God, who was too lazy to even prepare bait and simply tied an earthworm to the hook, reaped a bountiful harvest on the spot.

Old Ghost was pleased to know that this was not God using his power to benefit himself.

After all, having been a fishing enthusiast for so many years,

Old Ghost Xi had long understood that God was always frank about things like fishing, which depend on fate.

Perhaps his fishing luck was indeed bad today?

Upon seeing this, He Bo smiled smugly, picked up the large grass carp, and went over to Old Gui, saying:
"Why don't you go to your descendants and ask them for fishing tips?"

The Hei clan, having accompanied the Western Qin dynasty for two hundred years, also produced numerous descendants, becoming a renowned aristocratic family in the Western Sea.

Just like Ying Qin,
After the ancestral temple collapsed, most of the descendants disappeared into the common people.

One of them became fishermen on the banks of the West Wei River, catching a good amount of fish every day, which enabled them to open a small restaurant selling various dishes made from fish.

He Bo had tried it before and thought their cooking skills were quite good.

Old Ghost said gleefully:
"How can fishing with a fish and netting fish be the same?"

He's a staunch fundamentalist and would never touch anything other than a fishing rod!

After all,

He switched places with someone else, prepared fresh bait, and remained steadfast and unmoved by the wind and rain on the riverbank.

Seeing this, Zhuangzi didn't want to shout out at the right moment and upset his ancestor. He simply dragged the new big fish to the shore, strung it with a straw rope, and followed God to gather firewood to make fish soup.

When the live fish turned into a dead fish, it reluctantly soaked in the soup pot, gazing up at the starry sky.
Old Gui Xi hadn't even taken a bite yet, and was huddled by the water's edge, looking like he was fishing alone in the Yangtze River.

He Bo didn't call him, but just poured various seasonings into the fish soup to enhance the flavor.

The dead Liu Zhao smelled the fragrance that had been aroused by the flames and was wafting around, and suddenly let out a sad sigh.

He said, "How long can this current peace in the world last?"

Peace and stability on earth

Only God has the leisure to take a bunch of dead ghosts out for a stroll.

If it's chaotic and noisy
God would rather lie in a mountain or underwater and sleep soundly than look at the wickedness of human nature fully exposed in a chaotic world.

After all, human nature is greedy and dark.

Even a golden age won't disappear; at most, it will be hidden away, becoming a shadow under the sunlight.

However, looking at the vast sea of ​​historical records,
The periods of true stability, peace, and prosperity are few and far between; the majority of the time is spent in decay and turmoil.

There have indeed been far too many of these kinds of things to appreciate.

Unfortunately, its destructive power and far-reaching impact often leave those who later harbor noble aspirations feeling helpless and burdened.

Just like the current emperor, Liu Bao.

In the first few years after he ascended to the throne, he spent his time trying to resolve the problems left behind by his father.

Because the throne, which should have belonged to him, was seized by Emperor An through a "nationwide selection of a crown prince," which involved interference from ministers and eunuchs, it was ultimately returned to Liu Bao.

On a political level, Liu Bao felt a natural indebtedness to the ministers who seized power through a coup.

This forced him to choose patience and compromise before he could implement his ideas.

This also allowed some contradictions to accumulate further, just as Zhao Yu had predicted.

of course,

In the tenth year of the Yangjia era, when Liu Bao had already completely seized power,
There's no need to worry about these things anymore.

What troubled Liu Zhao and his ancestors even more was that Liu Bao, who was almost twenty-one years old, still had not fathered a child.

He ascended the throne at the age of ten.
A few years later, in order to further establish the monarch's authority, Liu Bao took in several concubines into the palace.

Although he privately listened to the doctor's advice and did not prematurely deplete his vital essence in order to strengthen his foundation.

However, it has been three years since Liang Na was made empress.

Despite Liu Bao's seemingly robust appearance and his long-term practice of manipulating the harem, not a single seed of desire has sprouted.

Emperor An, Liu Hu, had already fathered Liu Bao at this age.

Although Emperor He, Liu Zhao, only had one eldest son at such a young age, he did indeed have quite a few offspring.

They have no problem passing on their bloodline.

But Liu Bao...

Could there really be something wrong with Emperor Zhang Liu Da's bloodline?

During the reigns of Emperor Guangwu and Emperor Ming, the Han Dynasty was perfectly fine!
Unable to continue the bloodline
It cannot provide sufficient guarantees for the long-term continuation of the policy.

This is a major problem for a monarch who holds all the power in his hands.

"I told you to find a few Taoist priests to teach you the art of the bedroom... Unfortunately, your family doesn't have good relations with the Taiping Dao."

Not long after he died, Zhao Yu, who was visiting the Central Plains for the first time, started gossiping.

His achievements

The vast country he built single-handedly,

And his relationship with God,
This made Zhao Yu completely unafraid of the numerous former emperors of the Han Dynasty.

During his lifetime, he pointed fingers at the Han Dynasty.

Even in death, he was still pointing fingers at the Han Dynasty.

Never forget our original aspiration and keep in mind the traditions of the Qin Dynasty.

"Look at my wife, she's only achieved such excellent health thanks to the guidance of a Taoist priest!"

Empress Zang, wife of Zhao Yu,
Not long after the Zhao family moved to Xihai, they began living together.

They spent decades together, fathering seven children, which laid a solid foundation for the prosperity of the Song Dynasty.

but,

Considering that childbirth inherently takes a toll on the mother's body,

Therefore, Zhao Yu, who loved his wife dearly, invited a Taoist priest named Gao De to treat her, following his father's advice.

Don't say

Besides being good at giving directions, the latter...
They are also very capable in this regard.

Lady Zang once fought alongside Zhao Yu while pregnant. As a result, her child was not only born safely, but also did not suffer from excessive pregnancy, thus enjoying a long life.

The "bedroom arts" summarized by Taoist priests, besides enhancing marital harmony, also...

It also includes guidance on men's need to conserve their energy and women's need to nourish their yin and spirit.

In conclusion,

All matters concerning matters in the bedroom of husband and wife were categorized under this broad category, making a significant contribution to the propagation of the Chinese people.

Another theory is...
This "technique" is undoubtedly the masterpiece of a Taoist priest from Xinxia who has devoted himself to various studies, and it was further developed and popularized by a Taoist named "Liu He".

Ok,
That's the same Liu He who, back then, gave Zhao Sheng a health-preserving medicine for his daughter's happiness.

Now that he knew everything, Zhao Sheng's face contorted with rage, as if he'd been through hell, at the thought that his first meeting with his father-in-law had been because of that kind of thing. "Hmph!"

"My family has its own capabilities and doesn't need any outside help!"

When the new rival of the West Sea brought up this matter, the Liu family immediately became defiant.

The late Emperor of Han kept uttering phrases like "the descendants of the Liu family are exceptionally gifted" and "young wise rulers are emerging one after another," which made the other dead ghosts burst into laughter.

This immediately dispelled the somber atmosphere created by his sighs and lamentations.

of course,

Old Ghost, who was still not getting any fish, did not join in the laughter.

The joys and sorrows of the dead are not shared.
He just thought these guys were noisy.

"I didn't catch any fish today, they must have driven them away by their noise!"

He comforted himself and then took his fishing rod to a secluded and quiet corner.

A full moon rose into the sky.
Bright moonlight shines down on the world.

Candles were gradually lit in every household.

The descendants, having just finished eating mooncakes, patted the crumbs off their hands, squatted at their doorstep, and began burning incense and paper money.

As they burned the offerings, they called out the names of their ancestors, making the bonfire at the door and the candlelight inside the house "guides" for their ancestors to return home and visit their descendants.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion, has arrived.

On this day,
Wherever the culture of the Chinese civilization is influenced, people look up at the moon and hope that the human world can be as perfect as the full moon.

"Today is a great holiday."

"Even if you encounter unworthy descendants, don't get angry with them."

"At worst, we'll just feed them more offerings to put pressure on them to improve!"

After God waited for the dead ghosts to finish distributing the fish soup, and for the old ghost Xi to return empty-handed from the corner, God distributed mooncakes to them and gave them his final instructions before the festival.

For Zhao Yu, whose family lived the farthest away, this was the first time he celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with his family as a dead man, and it was also the first time he received a mooncake from God.

The first thing he did after receiving it was to tap the heavy cake against the stone at his feet, making a "bang bang" sound.

He was pleasantly surprised, "This mooncake looks oily, but it looks just like the naan cake from the Western Sea!"

Whether steamed or baked, the cakes from Xihai are always soft and fluffy when they are still warm.

However, due to the effects of water and heat, it will become dry and hard if left for a long time.

This makes it not uncommon in the West Sea to see people injuring or even killing each other by grabbing a flatbread in a fit of anger during a quarrel.

"It could probably even block the swords and blades that the enemy wields!"

Zhao Yu was still marveling,

But God, with a cold face, simply raised his hand and sent him back to the Song Kingdom in the Western Sea, leaving him to lament with his descendants.

Seeing this, the other dead spirits stopped thinking about throwing God's handmade mooncake to test its weight and power.

They simply kept it quietly, following the guidance of the firelight and responding to the calls of their children and grandchildren, enjoying the beautiful reunion that comes once a year.

As the full moon gradually dimmed and was about to set in the western night sky,

This brief period of bliss is also coming to an end.

The dead man should return to where he belongs.

Even strangers must end their vigil, yawning as they lie back in bed.

Then, a new day begins.

"I wonder if, in the future, future generations will look up at the moon and call for my return."

In the imperial city bathed in rich moonlight.
After the emperor finished his ancestral worship ceremony and changed out of his heavy robes, preparing to go to sleep, he suddenly said this.

Hearing this, the queen, who was disassembling her jewelry, couldn't help but come over and comfort him:
"We're still young, why are we in such a hurry?"

"Emperor Wu also had the same troubles back then!"

Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne at the age of sixteen, and it wasn't until he was nearly thirty that he had his first son.

Before that,
His own uncle even worried that his nephew would have no successor because of this incident, and had been involved in collusion with other princes.

It is evident that the pressure Emperor Wu was under at that time was no less than that of the emperor who was only twenty years old.

Upon hearing this, the emperor became even more depressed.

Emperor Wu's son was born late, but he gave birth to his first daughter when he was twenty years old.

She was the same age as me, but there wasn't a single trace of it.

Seeing his expression, Liang Na realized that her example was inappropriate, and she couldn't help but purse her lips.

At last,
The ever-favored empress simply pushed over the emperor, who was still sullen and showed no signs of sleepiness:
"Your Majesty takes good care of your health and will surely live a long life. There is no need to rush the matter of having offspring!"

"Let's go to sleep first!"

After saying that, Liang Na blew out the candles, pulled the quilt over, and wrapped the two of them up.

One night passed,
The emperor rallied his spirits and resumed dealing with state affairs.

"When the Murong Xianbei arrived in Yan, the trading schedule with them also needed to be changed."

"This matter will be discussed between the Court of State Ceremonies and the Ministry of Revenue."

Two years ago,
A fierce struggle broke out within the Xianbei.

The increasingly powerful Murong tribe challenged the position of the Xianbei Khan. At first, everything went smoothly, but as winter approached, a sudden snowstorm caused heavy losses to the Murong tribe, which was closer to the north, and they were also attacked by the Wuhuan.

Fortunately, the Han Dynasty considered that the Murong tribe had always been respectful and admired the various Xia states. Following the example of the Xiongnu who established the Qi state, the Han Dynasty, based on the records in the "Records of the Grand Historian," recognized the Yellow Emperor as their ancestor, making the emperor feel that he should help this vassal.

Thus, with a wave of the Han Dynasty's hand, the Murong tribe, which was on the verge of collapse under the attack from both inside and outside, gained new pastures in Liaodong and moved from the west side of the Great Xianbei Mountains to the east side of the Great Xianbei Mountains.

but,

Moving is always a process that takes a long time to resolve.

The Murong tribe, having just arrived in Liaodong, still needs the support of the Han Dynasty to quickly establish a stable foothold.

therefore,

This year, the Murong envoy came to Luoyang to request trade with the Han Dynasty on the border in order to obtain sufficient supplies.

This should have been a very ordinary thing.

After all, by opening border markets along the Great Wall, the Han Dynasty seized control of the nomadic people who had long suffered from a lack of resources and were unable to raid the Central Plains from the south, thus making them much more skilled in singing and dancing than before.

However, the Murong tribe's request involved trading agricultural tools and other farming products.

This alerted the Han Dynasty emperors and ministers who were skilled in farming and knew the consequences of being addicted to it.

However, after a period of discussion, the emperor decided to agree to the matter.

"Letting the Xianbei people farm was an important way to assimilate the barbarians into the Chinese."

"We cannot abandon the development of Liaodong just because we are worried about the future."

"Moreover, there are quite a few Yan people left in Liaodong. Even if the Murong tribe did not obtain farming skills from the Central Plains, they could still learn them from the remnants of the Yan state."

The difference is simply a matter of sooner or later.

So what is there to be wary of?
On the contrary, it would make the mighty Celestial Empire appear narrow-minded.

And with the emperor's nod,
Batch after batch of supplies were transported beyond the Great Wall and fell into the hands of the Murong tribe.

"This is the former territory of the Yan Kingdom, and also the hometown of your grandfather."

“When I was young, I promised him that I would come here and make up for his regrets back then.”

right now,

Although he was rescued by a big man, it can be considered that he has fulfilled his wish from back then.

On the already chilly Liaodong land, Murong Yan rode his steed, leading his son to inspect the tribe's new territory, and told them stories of the past.

His sons listened attentively, while also taking in the newly cultivated fields.

This is a new life for the Murong tribe.

But they don't know much about this yet.

but,

After the wind and snow have blown through Liaodong a few times, things that are unfamiliar will probably become familiar.

(End of this chapter)