I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 179 Worrying About Nothing

Chen Yu drove directly to Kuaiji. Upon hearing this, Wang Lang sent his subordinates, Sima Dong Xi and Gong Cao Yu Fan, to greet him.

"Gongwei, what is it that makes you come all this way in person?"

Wang Lang asked in confusion, "Could it be that something has happened in Jinling?"

"That's not it."

Chen Yu relayed Hua Xin's words to Wang Lang, who was also shocked: "Did Ziyu really say that?"

"How can it be false?"

Chen Yu couldn't help but worry: "Jingxing, what Ziyu said makes sense! I hope Jingxing can think of a way to help Zhongshan!"

After listening, Wang Lang pondered for a moment, then took Chen Yu to the south of Kuaiji.

Chen Yu looked closely and realized it was an altar.

However, the statues above have been destroyed, and there are no offerings around, making it look rather desolate.

"What does Jingxing want with me here?"

Wang Lang pointed to the sacrificial altar: "Gongwei, do you know who is being worshipped here?"

"Who?"

"Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng."

Chen Yu was also shocked: "Four hundred years have passed since the Qin Dynasty! Are there still places to worship Ying Zheng?"

However, seeing the dilapidated state of the altar, Chen Yu comforted himself, "It must just be a ruin..."

"No."

Wang Lang sat in the carriage, pointing around the altar: "Actually, when I first became the governor of Kuaiji, there were still people who frequently offered sacrifices here, and even enshrined Ying Zheng and Yu the Great in the same temple!"

Chen Yu's mouth dropped open again: "Such a thing actually happened?"

Four hundred years have passed since the Han Dynasty! It's truly unbelievable that the people of Kuaiji are still worshipping Qin Shi Huang!
"Then Jingxing had this place shut down?"

"Exactly."

Wang Lang said to Chen Yu, "In the twenty-fifth year of King Zheng of Qin, he pacified Jiangnan, subdued the Yue king, and established Kuaiji Commandery in the Wu and Yue territories. Later, he sent troops three more times to pacify Baiyue, which is why the people were in awe of him, and they still worship him to this day."

"Even when I ordered the people not to worship Ying Zheng four years ago, many people still secretly did so at home; but now such things have not happened again. Does Gongwei know why?"

Chen Yu shook his head.

Wang Lang did not continue the conversation on this matter, but instead asked Chen Yu if he knew about the "Buddhist religion".

"Of course I've heard of it; it's a sect that originated from India in the West."

"Back then, Zuo Rong, the chancellor of Xiapi under Tao Qian, was in charge of the grain transport in the three prefectures of Xiapi, Pengcheng, and Guangling. He embezzled a large amount of money and grain to accumulate wealth, and then launched a large-scale Buddhist pilgrimage in the Xuzhou area, building luxurious Buddhist temples, casting large gold and bronze Buddha statues, dressing them in brocade, and holding a bathing Buddha festival, attracting more than 10,000 believers. It was quite a grand spectacle."

Chen Yu was puzzled: "Jing Xing keeps talking about Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng one minute and about this Buddhist monk Zuo Rong the next. What exactly is he trying to say?"

Wang Lang then said to Chen Yu, "Now the world is in chaos, people's hearts are no longer what they used to be, the people are confused, and the classics of the ancient sages can no longer be used. That's why people like Zhang Jiao and Zuo Rong are acting recklessly."

"Even so, in Kuaiji, there are still people who worship Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng, who lived four hundred years ago. What do you think is the reason for this?"

If the world is still pure and innocent, then people no longer believe in Confucian principles or ancient classics.

If the world had completely collapsed, it would be illogical for the people of Kuaiji to still be able to offer sacrifices to Qin Shi Huang, who had died four hundred years ago.

Chen Yu was also confused by Wang Lang: "Jingxing, just say what you want to say, don't make me guess, okay?"

Wang Lang then comforted Chen Yu, saying, "The collapse of the Central Plains is because the people no longer believe in prophecies and auspicious omens."

"Even if the three ministers resign and apologize, the drought will still be a drought, and the disaster will still be a disaster."

"The people of Kuaiji are simple and honest. They are able to worship Ying Zheng because it was indeed Ying Zheng who mobilized a million troops to conquer the Baiyue and bring this place into the Chinese territory."

"So, why should Gongwei worry about what the gentry and powerful families think of General Liu? According to the words of the sage, this is indeed a time of moral decay and social upheaval. But moral decay and social upheaval have lasted for hundreds of years. Can they be repaired in an instant?"

Wang Lang was not worried about Liu Miao's current situation.

“As long as the world can be pacified quickly and the people can live in peace and health, what Ziyu is worried about and what Gongwei is afraid of will not actually happen.”

Chen Yu's expression was complicated: "Jingxing means we shouldn't interfere? But what about those powerful and wealthy families..."

"Gongwei, you've always been by General Liu's side, can't you see through his thoughts?"

Wang Lang felt that Chen Yu had far too little confidence in Liu Miao.

"Gongwei, if General Liu is truly a vicious and ruthless person, then what about the Lu and Gu families? And what about Zhu Huan, who is now serving as a Lieutenant General?"

"General Liu must have his own reasons, so you can rest assured."

After hearing Wang Lang's reassurance, Chen Yu did feel somewhat calmer.

However, Chen Yu soon became listless again.

“Jingxing, actually, I came to find you immediately after hearing what Ziyu said, not entirely without my own selfish motives.”

"I can neither conquer cities and territories for Zhongshan like Zhou Yu, nor manage internal affairs for Zhongshan like Gu Yuantan, nor defend the borders for Zhongshan like you."

Chen Yu took out the records of Liu Miao's words and deeds that he had kept from his bosom, his expression firm: "Therefore, I still want to do something for Zhongshan."

Wang Lang asked in surprise, "What is Gong Wei going to do?"

"Jingxing just said that the world is going to the dogs, people's hearts are no longer what they used to be, and morality has collapsed?"

"Exactly." Although the Han Dynasty governed the country with loyalty and filial piety, this theoretical framework had already accompanied the Han Dynasty to the brink of collapse.

The very act of recommending people for the civil service examination has become increasingly a joke.

"Filial piety and integrity" means being filial to one's parents and honest in handling affairs. In reality, the recommendation system was mostly monopolized by aristocratic families, who flattered each other, engaged in fraud, and there was even a children's rhyme that satirized it: "Those recommended as scholars are illiterate; those recommended as filial and incorruptible live separately from their fathers."

For example, during the reign of Emperor Huan, when Chen Fan, a renowned minister, served as the governor of Anle, there was a man in the prefecture named Zhao Xuan. After his father's death, Zhao Xuan buried him and then lived in the tomb passage, observing mourning for over twenty years, earning him a reputation that resounded throughout the prefecture and county. Local officials recommended him to Chen Fan. When Chen Fan met with him and inquired about his wife and children, he discovered that all five of Zhao Xuan's sons had been born during his mourning period…

Such examples were commonplace in the Later Han Dynasty.

Otherwise, Liu Miao's abolition of the "Three Elders" and the establishment of the "Three Chiefs" would not have been so smooth.

At least, if Liu Miao had dared to do this a hundred or two hundred years ago, he would most likely have been condemned to death by the people...

It is precisely because people no longer believe in the old ways that they flock to new things.

That's why the Taiping Daoism and the Futu Sect were able to grow so rapidly!
The reason why people are unwilling to believe in the old ways is that those things no longer offer any guarantee.

but now!
Right here in Jiangdong! Right beneath everyone's feet!

Liu Miao truly distributed land to the people and provided them with security!

Isn't this better than the talismanic water and hot soup that the Taiping Daoist sect gave to the people?
Isn't this better than the food and ritual implements taught by the Buddha?
But now, what Liu Miao has done is unknown to the people of the world, and may even be seen as a symbol of "cruelty" and "absurdity" by the propaganda of those powerful families. Is this fair to Liu Miao?

Chen Yu: "This can't go on!"

Wang Lang: "Liu Biaoqi probably doesn't care about these things."

Chen Yu: "But I do care!"

Chen Yu unfolded those items and placed them in front of Wang Lang.

"What Ziyu said is actually quite right."

"If we only do things and don't talk about them, who in the world will know?"

"I also ask Jingxing to lend me a hand and organize the things Zhongshan has done into an outline, so as to restore the hearts of the people!"

Restore morale!

What a grand vision!
Wang Lang took the notes Chen Yu had made and finally focused on a few large characters Chen Yu had written—

"Respect yourself and love others."

"Reborn, and... a noble talent?"

Chen Yu nodded: "These are all observations I've made of Zhongshan's words and actions."

“Zhongshan never said these things, but his actions were full of them.”

"Since people's hearts have fallen apart, why not use this opportunity to rebuild them?"

Chen Yu noticed Wang Lang's doubts and said to him, "These are not all floating duckweed!"

"Many of these principles were actually put forward by the ancient sages long before I and Zhongshan!"

The Analects states: "To govern a state of a thousand chariots, one must be respectful in one's duties and trustworthy, frugal in expenditures and loving towards the people, and employ the people at the right time!"

Holding these things, Chen Yu earnestly pleaded with Wang Lang once again—

"This is not just for Zhongshan! It is for all the people of the world!"

"A bright future! Isn't this also the aspiration of us scholars?"

Chen Yu's gaze was so intense that Wang Lang was momentarily overwhelmed.

"In that case, shall we give it a try?"

"Okay! Let's give it a try!"

------

Upon returning to Jinling, Liu Miao immediately held a banquet to celebrate his victory.

However, Liu Miao always felt something was off during the banquet.

Normally, whenever he is in Jinling, someone will immediately follow him like a shadow, clinging to him like a giant gecko and refusing to leave.

But this time, he didn't feel that way, which made Liu Miao feel rather uncomfortable.

Where did Chen Yu go?

"Reply to my lord."

Zhang Zhao informed Liu Miao of Hua Xin's resignation and Chen Yu's trip to Kuaiji to find Wang Lang, which caused Liu Miao to frown and say, "Mind your own business!"

Even now, scholars like Hua Xin and Chen Yu still have a strange sense of awe towards aristocratic families, and they even convince themselves that these powerful families acquired their land because they first possessed talent and ability.

In reality, apart from those who started their businesses, most people were able to build their so-called capabilities by acquiring land first and then using resources.

What Liu Miao wanted was their land anyway, so what did it matter how they viewed him?
Liu Miao immediately scoffed, "Does Gongwei think I can't conquer Jingzhou? Don't you even know who my subordinates are, all the great talents under my command!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu and Lu Su both puffed out their chests, assuming that Liu Miao was referring to them...

Unexpectedly, Liu Miao bypassed them and went straight to Liu Ye's side: "Am I right, Ziyang?"

Liu Ye: ? ? ?
He blinked his eyes frantically!

What do you mean?
Does Liu Biaoqi intend for him to divide his forces into three routes and take Jingzhou alone?
　Pei Songzhi's commentary quotes the *Lang Family Biography*: In Kuaiji, Qin Shi Huang was traditionally worshipped, with a wooden statue erected in the same temple as Yu the Great. When Lang arrived at the capital, he believed that Qin Shi Huang was an immoral ruler and should not be worshipped there, so he abolished the worship. During his four years in the prefecture, he showed great kindness and compassion to the people.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)