Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 594 The Eighth Year of Yuanjia
Time continued to pass,
The emperor and his ministers in the court were so engrossed in their power struggles that they did not even glance down at those below.

The Han Dynasty, which had lasted for more than three hundred years, continued to crumble under such neglect.

On the towering mountains,

Stones kept falling; first, small stones that couldn't draw blood, but still caused pain.
Then there are large stones that can smash people's heads, leaving them bloodied and dead, their bodies still covered in mud and grass.

Named the dust of the times,
And so it turned into a meteorite.
Embracing the same fiery and swift force that crashed onto the battlefield of Kunyang back then, it crashed onto the world 130 years after Emperor Guangwu.

Upon reaching adulthood, Zhang Jiao, facing the falling rocks of varying sizes, bid farewell to his relatives and elders and ventured alone into the human world.

His elderly father had stopped his business and stayed at home, hoping to enjoy the happiness of being surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

He tried to persuade his eldest son to stay.
"The outside world is not peaceful. The land along the Zhang River, relying on the protection of ghosts and gods, and the Taoist priests' organizations, can still make a living."

"Although you are not of noble birth, you are still well-off and have the medical skills to heal people, which earns you the respect of others."

Why bother going out to suffer?

Zhang Jiao simply said calmly:
"Because there are still people suffering and toiling."

If it were like him,

Those who had studied for many years, possessed some skills and martial arts, and had gained some understanding of the world's affairs through their teachers, were unwilling to go out and share that heavy burden of suffering.
That land, that world, that country
Is there any hope?
"But you're not married yet."

"What are we supposed to do if we get injured or lose our lives outside?"

Zhang Jiao's parents held onto his sleeves, still unwilling to let go.

But Zhang Jiao had already made up his mind and did not turn back.

His parents and brothers could only see him off, traveling all the way to the outskirts of Julu, where they could see the rolling Zhang River.

Zhang Jiao kowtowed to his parents to say goodbye, and then instructed his two younger brothers, "Take good care of our parents."

Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang nodded in agreement, and then quietly told their elder brother, "Once our parents are at ease, we'll come out and follow you, brother, to do great things together!"

They had reached the age where they could do things and felt that they were adults who could support their families. Naturally, they had expectations of "doing great things".

Zhang Jiao chuckled, speechless. "What about our parents?"

She had three sons.
To others, this is naturally a blessing.

But if all three sons ran away and didn't stay by their elderly parents' side to take care of them, they would become a laughing stock.

Zhang Bao clapped his hands and immediately replied, "That's easy, Zhang Liang and I will just draw lots!"

Whoever draws the worst possible lot stays at home!

Zhang Jiao smiled and shook his head, saying nothing more.

He then turned and left.

Zhang's father, who knew exactly what the boys were up to the moment they stuck their butts out, stepped forward and gave Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang two hard taps on the head.

"Don't dwell on nonsense!"

"I'll be keeping an eye on you!"

The two boys will be married in a couple of days.

He just didn't believe it.

With a wife and children to worry about at home, how could a son dare to run around and cause trouble?

……

In the eighth year of Yuanjia,

Just as Zhang Jiao was making a name for himself outside,
After a long period of stagnation due to disputes, the Nine Provinces of the world have finally seen some new changes.

Xinxia's side

The peasant uprising was quelled by the Sui Dynasty, but it resurfaced.
After repeating this process several times, they finally managed to occupy a piece of land and cautiously began to explore their own path of governance.

but,

Compared to the rise of Emperor Taizu of Sui, this peasant uprising that swept through the Sui Dynasty was not greatly affected by the Taiping Dao.

Even though the Taoist priests were still involved in the transition of the new Xia dynasty, they intervened less frequently than before.

"fair enough."

Zhang Jiao, who had joined the Way of Peace and was making rapid progress, expressed his approval after learning about the current situation of Xinxia from God from afar.

"People must learn to speak up for themselves, instead of letting others do it for them or waiting for others to speak first before following suit."

There are too many things in the world,

It just drags on and on, and eventually it gets ruined.

Ordinary people always hope that someone more valiant, wise, and talented than themselves will step forward first, driven by an invisible and intangible conscience, to support the collapsing world.

Then, under the protection of the tall man, she safely weathered the cold winter and the hardships.

But how many "tall people" are there in the world?

How long can those who charge ahead protect others?

The majority of people who merely escape reality and deceive themselves into thinking that as long as they yield and compromise, they can earn a little more gentle treatment from those in power...

This will only push them back to the edge of the cliff, until not moving forward means death.

Zhang Jiao felt that this attitude was not good.

"But that's how people are."

"Therefore, Xinxia became the birthplace of the Way of Peace, and figures like Sun En and Zhao Shen emerged in the Central Plains and the Western Sea."

He Bo savored the sorghum liquor brewed by the Murong tribe of Liaodong, casually responding to Zhang Jiao's words.

Human nature is far too complex.

Sometimes it's so intense that even ghosts and gods are astonished.

Sometimes, however, they are so lazy and sluggish that even ghosts and gods shake their heads and sigh.

Even though He Bo has seen the world for hundreds of years, new situations and new scenes always happen before him.

This is one of the main reasons why God loves to observe humanity.

There's no end to the pessimism, joy, sorrow, words, and actions of people.

Just as Zhang Jiao said, "People should learn to be adults and take responsibility for themselves," but in reality, he chose to give up his comfortable life and throw himself into this turbid world.

Thinking of this,

God then depicted Zhang Jiao's father trying to persuade him to stay when he went on his travels, repeating his parents' words of reluctance to part, making Zhang Jiao feel both ashamed and a little homesick.

He meant that children's growth is always slow and cannot be accomplished simply by giving them a helping hand or a little support.

I would also like to cite the experience of the Chinese gentry who cultivated the land for thousands of years to emphasize the important significance of the guidance of those who came before them for future generations.
I would also like to say that before I set off, I was still young and ambitious, with the idea that "the world revolves around me". Now, after traveling for several years and being beaten down by life, my views have naturally changed.

But in the end, he only said:
"It's alright. As you read more, gain more wisdom, and grow into an adult, you will realize your responsibilities and make the right choices."

Just like myself.

Before that,
Parents of tall children naturally don't mind guiding and loving them.

Zhang Jiao couldn't remember anything from when he was one or two years old, but he did remember how his two younger brothers were helped by their parents to learn to walk and run.

And now,
The strong-legged boy was even more eager to find ways and opportunities to leave his parents and pursue his own distant dreams.

Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

He Bo laughed, "The way you say that is exactly the same as Sun En back then."

"I just don't know if, after he has crossed the water once, you were to cross it again and feel the stones at the bottom of the water, thus helping future generations to find a way to the other side."

Zhang Jiao could only sigh:
"If there is a sturdy bridge spanning the river, who would want to risk being swept away by the waves and wade through that murky and terrible flood?"

Among the various Xia states, many of the Xin Xia people, known for their laziness and indolence, have already emerged from beneath the floodwaters.
What would happen in the Central Plains when floods rage?

Zhang Jiao thought,

In the days that followed, he practiced medicine and preached while keeping an eye on the uprising in Xinxia.

As for Japan...
Zhang Jiao didn't pay much attention.

He Bo, however, circled around there several times, marveling at the King of Qi's good fortune—

The envoy who had been sent to the Central Plains finally saved enough money to return home through hard work. Urged on by the turmoil, he successfully set foot on the land of Japan and returned to Luoyang.

And shortly after his return
The lord who held the King of Qi in his palm as a plaything and was eager to usurp the throne unfortunately died suddenly from illness, vomiting up many white worms before his death.

This is why he loves eating raw fish and refuses medical treatment.

"I'm only eating a couple of bites of sashimi, it's not going to kill me, is it?"

"The fish slices are cooked until they are crystal clear, and you can't see any insects at all. You, as a doctor, must be exaggerating!"

When a well-meaning doctor tried to persuade him, even citing Lü Peng's edict promoting raw food and explaining its dangers, the other party simply stuck his neck out and said...

it's good now,

You can repeat a principle a thousand times, but it's hard for people to understand. However, you can learn something from a single experience.

Unfortunately, the opportunity has already passed.

That Japanese lord, who loved sashimi and was closest to the throne, could only lament his fate in the underworld.

And after his death,
Luo City was back under the control of the King of Qi.

Visible to the naked eye,
The rule of the Qi state under the Jiang clan and the Lü family in Japan could continue for a while longer.

"Of all the places in eastern China, only Liaodong has any real luster."

Watching Zhang Jiao embark on his journey once again,
God touched a non-existent beard on his face and said in a low voice.

After the Murong clan obtained the emperor's permission and were officially enfeoffed, they formally established the state known as "Northern Yan" by the Han dynasty.
These people from the Northern Yan, who originated from the Xianbei and were later assimilated into the various Xia states, followed the precedent set by the former Gonghe Yan state and began to cultivate and develop the land in Liaodong.

During this period, Sun En enjoyed going to Liaodong to quietly watch the people of Murong Yan drive their cattle and horses and walk with them in the fields.

The way he limped around clearly showed that he wasn't very skilled at farming.

After all, the Murong clan had only been in Liaodong for less than a generation.

Old customs do not disappear quickly as living environments change.

But just like everything has a beginning, there is a beginning.
As time goes by,
With the accumulation of experience,
You'll get used to it eventually.

The Murong clan shepherds, unfamiliar with farming, will eventually become skilled farmers.

And the land beneath their feet, frozen in winter and flooded in summer, will also regain the prosperity of the Former Yan era.

Sun En was naturally pleased with this.

Because of the Han dynasty's support for the barbarians in Liaodong in an attempt to erase the traces of the Former Yan dynasty,

Sun En often lamented in the underworld that all his hard work had gone to waste.

Among the original barbarian tribes of Liaodong

Most of them only knew how to herd livestock and hunt, turning the once well-cultivated farmland back into a lush, overgrown wasteland.
The water conservancy facilities left behind when the Yan state was destroyed were all abandoned due to such neglect and disregard.

The Yan state in Liaodong, as a branch of the Xia people, thus shrank and withered away.

So much so that whenever Sun En witnessed the Murong clan's actions, he couldn't help but recall the events of that year.

Can anyone think of,

Will it be the people living on the other side of the mountain who will bring new life to these withered branches?

"Their future should be better than that of the Former Yan."

Sun En, who had returned from Liaodong, sensed God's call and came to He Bo's side, where he spoke to him about the situation of the Murong Yan Kingdom.

"At least the Han dynasty they faced was not as powerful and ambitious as it was at the beginning of its founding."

Internal strife alone

That alone was enough to completely exhaust the energy of the Han Dynasty, which had lasted for a century.

"And there's also 'name and reality match'!"

The sorghum wine from the Liaodong sacrificial ceremony was not yet finished. He Bo drank it while winking at Sun En.

"This time, the ministers and rulers of Yan will surely pay more attention to the matter of defending the country!"

Only serve the country as a public servant.
They really don't hesitate to sell things from their "owner's" house without batting an eye.

Since this item is not meant for me, I might as well refine it to help it advance further.

Under a system where the state is ruled by a family,
Regardless of the ministers' or nobles' character, the king will still wholeheartedly protect them.

Who caused the country's downfall?

The one who suffers the most severe fall will inevitably be the monarch who brings about the downfall of his kingdom.

Sun En shook his head and sighed, then repeated what he had said before:
"Water follows the laws of nature, flowing when it should flow and bending when it should bend."

"If the Murong clan's Yan state lasts longer than the Gonghe Yan state, it can only mean that the world has not yet ushered in the time of peace and harmony that I have been looking forward to."

Human power cannot stop a flood.
The wheels of history roll ever onward, relentlessly crushing countless people and things.

However, it is also wrong to simply drift along with the tide and accept a harsh fate.

Even a drop of water can wear through a stone.
Even slight ripples can cause a river that was originally straight to tilt to either side, making the river meander and ultimately changing its direction of flow.

The silt carried by the torrent, as long as it does not give up its impact and makes those seemingly futile but continuous efforts, will one day guide the river to where it wants to go.

For this,

He Bo gave the same answer back then: "I'm afraid we'll have to wait a long time to see such a scene again."

"But you have the patience, don't you?"

Looking at the Taiping Dao's biggest backer, Sun En poured himself a glass of sorghum liquor.

He Bo immediately and proudly agreed, "That's right!"

"No one in this world is more patient than me!"

just,

God is patient.
His nominal son, however, could not bear the loneliness and waiting.

"Thank God!"

"Ancestors bless you!"

"Liang is finally dead!"

"When is that Liang Ji guy finally going to die?!"

In Luoyang City,

Taking advantage of the opportunity to "go to the toilet," Emperor Liu Zhi expressed to his trusted confidants whom he had painstakingly won over the phrase, "Half the bitterness has ended, and half the sweetness has come."

He shuddered, his face showing no trace of the grief that should have been present due to the passing of Empress Liang Nuying.

Only pure bliss!

Only after being oppressed for so long can one finally hold their head high and be free!

Nobody knows,
How did he get through all these years?

Liang Nvying,
The empress was forcibly placed here by Liang Ji in order to better control him, without considering anything else—

Liu Zhi was nominally adopted by Emperor Shun and recognized the latter as his father, but he was also forced to marry the Empress Dowager's sister, putting him in an awkward position as her nominal aunt.

Liang Nuying's temperament was very similar to her brother's, lacking the gentleness and mildness of Empress Dowager Liang.

Once she entered the palace, she took Liu Zhi as her own and forbade him to favor other women.

Because of her brother's instructions, Empress Liang also had a strong aversion to the eunuchs around the emperor.

Once it is discovered that any woman in the harem is close to the emperor...

Empress Liang would then decisively administer the medicine, physically eliminating the opponent.

Once it is discovered that any eunuch in the harem has close ties with the emperor...

Empress Liang would also resort to force-feeding medicine to prevent a repeat of the events of Emperor He and Emperor Shun using eunuchs to seize power.

This meant that if the emperor wanted to discuss dealing with powerful ministers with his confidants, he had no choice but to come to this filthy and foul place.

Fortunately, "avoiding disaster by using the toilet" is a ancestral technique of the Liu family.

It is as famous as the "King Qin Circling the Pillar" of the Qin Dynasty.
It's not like Emperor Liu Zhi was wronged.

"Now I don't have to put up with it and share a room with him anymore."

What caused the emperor deep distress was not only Liang Nuying's domineering nature, but also her appearance—

This man not only resembled his elder brother Liang Ji in temperament,

His appearance was also very similar to his elder brother Liang Ji.

Every time we share a bed,

It always instilled in the emperor a sense of fear and dread, as if he were suffering from kidney deficiency.

Empress Liang, however, still hoped to have a legitimate eldest son with the emperor and make him the successor.

This caused the emperor a different kind of pain.

Fortunately, the wait eventually came to an end.
The Liang family arranged for the death of their most trusted informant in the harem.
The emperor would then be able to act much more freely.

"This world!"

"It truly is the Liu family's world!"

He finished using the restroom, pulling up his pants.

The emperor emerged from that small room filled with confidence.

(End of this chapter)