Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 587 Emperor Shun
March of the second year of the Han'an era

On a bright spring day,

The emperor's long-awaited son was finally born.

The baby's voice was louder than that of his brother, who was born earlier but died a hundred days earlier, and his hair was also thicker.

The emperor stroked his soft hands and feet, feeling both joy and sorrow.

He worried that the child might also die young.

"He will surely live a long and healthy life." Liang Na looked at the baby with envy, her heart filled with a bittersweet feeling at his birth.

but,

Women from prominent families are taught from a young age the importance of having offspring to carry on the family line.

She wouldn't harbor resentment towards an innocent baby and its mother like Yan and Dou did.

But in the end, I couldn't help feeling sad.

The emperor noticed her emotions, and after some deliberation, instructed Consort Yu to take good care of the newborn prince, and then stayed by Liang Na's side.

"Is that okay?"

Liang Na said softly.

The emperor waved his hand and said, "...Let's talk about it after the hundredth day."

Only after surviving 100 days can they reach their first birthday.

Only the emperor dared to express his love for his newborn child.

otherwise,

Since some things will soon pass away,

Why should he struggle?
The emperor's emotions are already scarcer than those of ordinary people. It is already difficult enough for him to give them to those close to him, so there is really no need to waste them recklessly.

So Liang Na smiled and joined the emperor in enjoying the beautiful spring day.

One hundred days have passed in the blink of an eye.

The gentleness of spring fades, and the blazing sun hangs high in the sky.

It is summer.

The young prince was fortunate enough to outlive his brothers and become the emperor's first heir after 100 days.

The emperor was so excited that he immediately declared that after the child turned one year old, he would appoint the young boy as the crown prince and give him a formal name, Liu Bing.

The courtiers were also pleased.

Some of those who believed in prophecies and apocryphal texts privately said:
"After the reign title was changed, the Han Dynasty truly prospered."

"May the calamities of the past never be repeated."

Only General Liang Ji was somewhat displeased and uttered a few complaints at home.

His younger brother, Liang Buyi, advised, "The country has a crown prince, which is a very joyous thing. Why do you have to do this, brother?"

Liang Ji was a rough man and had never gotten along with his refined brother.

Remembering that before his father passed away, he had specifically called his other brothers over to talk, leaving her alone outside, she became even more furious.

He immediately glared at me and said, "What, are you going to report me?"

"Humph!"

"My Liang family was exiled to Lingnan because we were celebrating the birth of a prince at home."

"Does this mean I'll be exiled again for complaining about the prince's birth at home?"

Seeing his reaction, Liang Buyi could only remain silent.

When the young prince Liu Bing turns one year old,

The emperor kept his promise and immediately held a ceremony to appoint the crown prince.

Envoys from vassal states and barbarian tribes all came to congratulate the emperor on "having his wish fulfilled".

Among them, the praise from the Murong tribe of Liaodong was the most sincere, which pleased the emperor greatly. The emperor then ordered that the Murong tribe be bestowed with a great deal of gold, silver and ironware, and that they be given more preferential treatment at the border markets.

This made the already elderly leader of the Murong tribe burst into laughter.

"This prince is so handsome!"

"My Murong clan has also benefited from his good fortune, and has been able to grow even stronger!"

His sons laughed along with him, and then asked their father, "Now that the tribe is growing stronger, when will we be able to establish a kingdom and become kings?"

Liaodong,

It is an extremely vast land.

Back when the Yan state still existed, they seized land here, occupying a vast territory.

In reality, the barbarians living inside were not completely eliminated.

In general,
Liaodong under the rule of the Yan state
It was similar to the period of the Three Dynasties, when the Xia and Yi peoples lived together in a state of coexistence.

It is said that the Mo people of Liaodong dreamed of returning to the Zhou Dynasty.

When the Yan state was destroyed,

In order to quickly consolidate the Han Dynasty's rule here and weaken the remaining influence of the Yan state,
In addition to establishing the vast Liaoyang Commandery in a place suitable for farming and with convenient transportation, the Han emperors also allowed the various ethnic groups in Liaodong to develop on their own.

Thus, the barbarian kingdoms such as Goguryeo were re-established.

The Murong tribe, who had migrated here, saw their situation and naturally felt quite bitter and jealous.

On bloodline,
Leaving aside the herding tribesmen, the current chieftain is indeed a descendant of the Xia people.

On culture,

Having undergone years of education, they were not much worse off than Goguryeo, who had much contact with the various Xia peoples in Liaodong.

How could the descendants of the Nine-Beasts establish a kingdom and become kings?
Why can't their Murong tribe do the same?
Fortunately, the chief was clear-headed and did not covet temporary fame, thus putting the tribe in an awkward situation.

He was only speaking to those clansmen who had just migrated to Liaodong, who felt that "the vast land offers great opportunities," and whose minds were beginning to wander:
"We must cultivate more land, store up more grain, and increase the population."

"With insufficient population, where can a country be established?"

"Moreover, my Murong tribe is recognized by the emperor and is considered a branch of the Chinese nation. We cannot live like Goguryeo, in a rough and unrefined way!"

Goguryeo's founding of a kingdom is one thing,

However, its national system, etiquette, and even its literary thought all retain strong traces of the past.

otherwise,

Originally living in Qilu, the Jiumo were pursued all the way to Liaodong by the Zhuxia people and were even more "orthodox" than the Donghu.

Therefore,
That nation belonging to the Murong clan needs to be built with care.

If they build something like a hodgepodge, resembling Goguryeo, then...
The leader himself has no face to see his ancestors, and he will also leave trouble for his descendants.

in this way,

So it was delayed until today.

But faced with his son's urging, the chief hesitated for a moment and then chose to postpone it.

"The current emperor is not a foolish or incompetent person."

"The reason he allowed my Murong clan to grow and prosper in Liaodong was firstly because my tribe was originally from elsewhere and had a shallow foundation here, making it difficult to achieve great things in a short time."

"Secondly, it is to lead our people to fight against the barbarians such as Goguryeo, so as to prevent them from becoming prosperous."

"Thirdly, they acknowledge our people's obedience and loyalty and bestow great favor upon them."

Even if a king's feelings are genuine, they are inevitably mixed with other thoughts.

Fortunately, the Murong family didn't care about this.

Interactions between nations are sometimes compared to the relationship between men and women, but this does not mean that the former are actually "people".

With the mind of an ordinary person,
To try to decipher a country's actions

This is not a smart approach.

All the Murong family needed to do was assess the situation and plan for their own benefit.

"Wait a few more years!"

When the Murong clan's population grows larger and its foundation becomes more stable,
Only then can their country be built into a stronger and more prosperous nation!
Moreover, the leader also enjoyed reading history books and was very concerned about the current Han emperors in Luoyang.

he knows,
The current emperor's father, grandfather, and even great-grandfather were not long-lived people.

Combined and equalized,
The lifespan of these three emperors was only thirty years.

And immediately,
The current emperor is about to turn thirty.

Can he, like his beloved crown prince, break through the barriers of his predecessors and enjoy an even longer lifespan?

If not...

If the Murong family makes any further moves, it will be much easier for them!

The emperor, far away in Luoyang, was unaware of the Murong clan's plans for the future.

He was only thinking about the future of the Han Dynasty.

"You must grow up quickly so that you can become the Emperor of the Han Dynasty in the future!"

"Sweep away all the rebellious nations on all sides!" Holding the growing crown prince in his arms, the emperor repeatedly expressed his expectations to him.

Liu Bing, who was one year old, did not inherit the intelligence of his father and ancestors.
He even had some difficulty walking and couldn't crawl on the ground for long.

Not to mention, he couldn't understand his father's words.

Compared to children of the same age,

He was clearly weaker.

However, the doctor had already diagnosed that due to insufficient vital energy in his father's family, he had a congenital deficiency. With careful nurturing, he was able to live to adulthood.

Just like the emperor's real grandfather,
Like Liu Qing, the Prince of Qinghe, Emperor Zhang's first crown prince.

The emperor was naturally not satisfied with this diagnosis.
But when he thought of the vital energy he inherited from his ancestors, and the child who had died young, he dared not ask for anything more.

anyway,

Prince Liu Qing of Qinghe also lived to be over thirty years old and had children and grandchildren, didn't he?
Thinking about it more deeply,
Emperor Zhang had eight sons.

Of those that have continued to this day, only I myself, along with the four branches of Le'an, Jibei, and Hejian, remain.

Many of them died young, leaving only their young sons to inherit the throne.

Ugh,
All we can say is that if we can live a little longer and continue our bloodline, that would be great!

Stroking his son's still sparse and yellowish hair, the emperor thought to himself.

Liang Na then came over and started teasing little Liu Bing as well.

Under the emperor's arrangement,
Liu Bing was registered under her name and raised, but unlike her predecessors Liang Guiren and Li Shi, Yu Guiren, her biological mother, was not driven away.

Liang Na was a gentle person, and also possessed the demeanor of a queen.

Unable to separate mother and son, she raised Liu Bing together with Consort Yu.

Her brother Liang Ji still harbored considerable resentment about this.

He believed that now that the emperor was able to have a son, he should try to have a legitimate eldest son with the empress.

by that time,
With his connections and collusion in the court, coupled with the emperor's favor towards Liang Na, it wouldn't be difficult for him to depose and install the crown prince.

Of all the crown princes since the Han Dynasty, only Emperor Zhang's position was relatively stable.

Which emperor, such as the Ming or the He, didn't experience this kind of change of dynasty?
“Even if you don’t have that kind of blessing, you should still make the Crown Prince recognize you as his only mother.”

So as not to wait until the new emperor ascends the throne and then bring out the Yu clan to compete with the Liang clan for power as maternal relatives.

Liang Na was very angry about this. "Brother, have you forgotten what my family has gone through?"

Many members of the Liang clan died during the Dou clan's arrest and exile years ago.
How can she become the second Empress Dou now?

Seeing that she wouldn't listen, Liang Ji also became angry, "If you don't listen to me today, I'm afraid the Liang family's wealth and status won't last long!"

Having witnessed Emperor An's execution of the Deng clan, Liang Ji had no intention of being a virtuous relative of the emperor.

After all, the consequences of being a good person are not pleasant.

If you were to be a bad person
Leaving aside the future counterattack and retribution, and the punishment from the gods and spirits after death,

At least they enjoyed wealth and luxury.

Like the Deng family,
A good maternal relative who keeps to his duties and cooperates with the Empress Dowager in governing the country.
Liang Ji doesn't want to do it!

Liang Na and her brother parted on bad terms because of this.

but,

Thinking that "relatives should keep each other in the dark," Liang Na did not tell the emperor what her brother had said.

She wanted to be a good empress.
But she also had to be a good daughter and a good sister.

The Liang family is her clan.
It was also the pillar that enabled her to become empress amidst the many powerful families.

She could not risk incurring the emperor's wrath for the entire Liang family because of her brother's arrogant words in private.

All she wanted was to raise the young prince and gain his acceptance of Lady Liang.

After all, the emperor can't just favor one relative of the empress.

Didn't Emperor An just promote three companies in one go?

And to hold such a naive idea
The young prince has reached the age where he can speak.

He grew slowly, his teeth came in late, and naturally he started talking later as well.

However, he's very good at recognizing people.
Being able to distinguish who the people around you are to you.

The emperor couldn't help but perk up again, indulging in beautiful fantasies:
His physique is similar to that of my grandfather, Prince Xiao of Qinghe.
The minds seem similar as well.

Liu Qing was a shrewd man who could, right under Empress Dou's nose, huddle in bed with Emperor He to discuss matters of the coup.

The emperor thought that if his son were so intelligent,
With the foundation they have built, the Mandate of Heaven will remain firmly in the Central Plains, hanging over the Liu family.

“We should send someone to the State of Song to see if the disloyal people there know that the Han Dynasty is still favored by Heaven.”

Having received some nourishment, the emperor, who had already begun to stretch his branches and leaves, did not wait for the return of the previous group of envoys. Instead, he sent a new group of people to the Western Sea, expecting their reports and the Song emperor's reaction.

This must be something that would make the emperor very happy.

unfortunately,

We haven't waited for that day yet.
The emperor, who had just celebrated his thirtieth birthday, suddenly fell ill.

His illness progressed rapidly and became so severe that doctors were at a loss for what to do.

Liang Na was very anxious. In private, she went against the Han court's wariness of Taoist priests and invited two highly respected Taoist masters to come and treat the emperor.

However, upon their arrival, the two Taoist priests shook their heads and said, "..." before even taking a pulse.
"Life is bleak, there is no chance."

The underworld messengers, ready to escort the emperor down to the afterlife, were already standing by, prepared.

It's no use for them to take action now.

Upon hearing this, Liang Na grasped the emperor's hand and wept uncontrollably.

Consort Yu held Liu Bing, who was two years younger than her, beside her, and she was also saddened.

The young prince sensed something, and his chubby hands touched his mother's face and then grabbed Liang Na's sleeve.

He first called out, "Mother!"

He turned his head again and called out to the lying emperor, "Father!"

The emperor, who was suffering from a high fever and clouded mind, regained some strength from the child's voice calling out to him.

He barely managed to raise his hand, pointing at his son and saying, "He's only two years old, only two years old!"

"We will definitely raise him with all our heart!"

The crown prince's two mothers understood the emperor's meaning and immediately knelt beside the bed and spoke.

The emperor then lowered his hand, and turned to face his anger.
I'm only thirty years old!
Is the Han Dynasty truly cursed, preventing its emperor from enjoying long-lasting health?
He had finally endured those difficult and arduous days, and only then did he see the Han Dynasty return to normalcy and stabilize its destiny. Why did he have to die?

Is this a cruel joke played by fate?

If you don't want him to live a long and peaceful life, why give him the hope of a happy ending after suffering?
And why let him leave this world just when this hope was about to be realized?

"This is none of my business!"

Standing to the side, waiting for the emperor to breathe his last, He Bo immediately spoke up to clear his name, "This is clearly Liu Da's problem!"

Emperor Zhang himself was in poor health, yet he passed on such bloodlines to his descendants. How can you blame God for this?

Don't let being called "Son of Heaven" too often...

They really think it's their own seed!

Emperor Zhang, Liu Da, was also embarrassed and angry, but he didn't know how to refute it.

Because several emperors died young,
The former emperors of the Han Dynasty, now in the underworld, couldn't help but discuss the characteristics of inheritance with the physicians.

Therefore, the claim that "Emperor Zhang's seed was problematic" was basically accepted by his close relatives.

But from whom did Emperor Zhang's problems originate?

Emperor Ming's father lived to be nearly fifty years old, which is considered normal for an emperor.

His birth mother, Consort Jia, entered the Crown Prince's palace at the end of the Jianwu era and passed away during the Jianchu era. She was also a long-lived person.

Therefore,
The only one to blame is Emperor Zhang himself for his sudden change.

Fortunately, judging from the performance of the recent emperors,
Emperor Zhang could still comfort himself, "It doesn't matter if I die young, as long as I live past ten years old, there will be no problem!"

Although there are many minor emperors in the Han Dynasty,

But as long as they survive past the age of ten, except for Emperor An Liu Hu, everyone will experience abnormal development.

Let's calculate it carefully.

Liu Bao seized power through a coup and quickly eliminated Yan Xishan's faction, freeing himself from the Empress Dowager's control. He then ruled in his own right for twenty years.

This emperor's reign was not short.

That's concise enough!
With this in mind,

Emperor Zhang quietly approached the weeping Liu Bing, and reached out an invisible hand to touch the face of his grandson:
"Your complexion is rosy; you'll definitely live to be thirty before anything goes wrong!"

Liu Bing was unaware that he had been touched by something dirty, but he still sneezed and his small body trembled.

Emperor Ming quickly stepped forward and brought his son back.

(End of this chapter)