Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 598 Liu Hong
Liu Hong,

They are members of the imperial clan of the present Han dynasty.

He possesses bloodlines closely related to the imperial family of Luoyang.

Compared to someone who was already born and claimed to be a member of the Han imperial family, but whose bloodline traces back to a distant relative of Emperor Jing of the Former Han Dynasty,

His status was far too noble.

But the nobility of bloodline could not prevent the decline of Liu Hong's family.

no way,
There are just too many relatives of the Han Dynasty.

Even though the Liu family's reproductive capacity was severely weakened under the Han imperial court, it did not stop the enfeoffed princes from working hard to expand their lineage and increase the family's prosperity in their respective regions.

Thanks to the Edict of Grace issued by Emperor Wu of the Former Han Dynasty,

Once the princes and their descendants prosper and continue to thrive, the decline of their lineage will be even more rapid.

Liu Hong's distant relative, who was only a few years old, would have to rely on weaving straw sandals to make a living in the future.

As for Liu Hong, who was the great-grandson of Emperor Zhang, he had fallen so low that apart from a noble title, his family had nothing that could connect him to the imperial family.

For this,

What could he say?

Does he resent the Liu family of the Han Dynasty, whose fertility since Emperor Zhang has all been transferred to his great-grandfather, Liu Kai, the Prince of Hejian of the Han Dynasty?
Liu Kai,

He was the most peculiar of the feudal lords since Emperor Ming of Han.

Its excellence,
It's not about his character, which is considered "extremely shameless" by the world.

It wasn't because of his lifespan, which was much longer than his father's and brothers'—forty-two years just for sitting on the throne—that it mattered.

Not to mention the inherent arrogance, extravagance, and debauchery of a regional lord.

Rather, it lies in,

His exceptional fertility as the empress of Emperor Zhang—

Liu Kai, who is over fifty years old

She had a total of sixteen children.
This made an extremely important contribution to helping his brothers who died young and childless to continue their ancestral worship!
So far,

The lineage of princes inherited after Emperor Zhang all came from the line of the Prince of Hejian.

It can be said,
Liu Kai truly dedicated himself to the country.

He worked hard, and his whole family benefited.

This certainly cannot be compared to Liu Kang, the Prince of Jinan, who was the first father of any man in the Han Dynasty and whose number of children rivaled that of Liu Kang, the Prince of Zhongshan Jing of the Former Han Dynasty.

But there's only one person sitting on the throne.
There is only one person who sits on the throne.
Liu Kai's descendants multiplied and satisfied the needs of the Han dynasty's continuation.

otherwise,

Without the efforts of Liu Kai and his descendants in sowing the seeds...
The imperial lineage, which had lasted for a century, suddenly shifted from Emperor Zhang to a different royal line.
That was truly astonishing to the dead.

Who knows, it might even attract some curious ghosts who would run to Emperor Zhang Liu Da's tomb to inquire about his health and witness this ancestral power of emptiness.

but,

Liu Kai's descendants had many children.
He was happy for his brothers, but left his collateral descendants with immense bitterness.

After all, the Han dynasty continued the policy of granting imperial favor.

Emperor Zhang's lack of male heirs is also widely known.

There aren't many descendants who can be adopted out and receive a title, or even an imperial throne, from their uncles or elders.

This led to Liu Hong, the great-grandson of the deceased, not having a good life after several generations.

"But you still hold the title of Marquis of Jiedu Pavilion and enjoy a fiefdom that will ensure you have enough to eat and wear. What could be worse for you?"

Because they gave enough money.
Therefore, Zhang Liang, who was warmly received by Liu Hong and his mother, stroked his beard and smiled at the complaining host during the banquet.

He is not unaware of the proper conduct of a guest, and he is a wicked person who would deliberately attack the host's weaknesses.
The mother and son in front of him complained too much, and their words never strayed from the word "money," leaving Zhang Jiao, a wise and virtuous teacher, quite helpless.

So he chose to hurt each other, hoping to make the mother and son in front of him behave themselves.

They needed to save the money in their pockets for their journey to the State of Yan!
Zhang Jiao glanced at his brother, and seeing the look of shame, indignation, and sorrow on Liu Hong's mother, Dong Shi's, face, he could only say apologetically:
"Now that we've had our fill of food and drink, let's go down and rest."

The Dong family naturally did not object.

But Liu Hong, acting as the host, followed them out. After seeing the Taoist priest to his lodging courtyard, he suddenly said to Zhang Jiao:
"Don't you think that my family's focus on money is inconsistent with the etiquette and morality advocated in today's world, and that it reveals a stingy and greedy appearance?"

Zhang Jiao glanced down at him—

Perhaps it was because he lost his father at a young age, and his mother was not very bright or capable.
The young man before me, who was nominally a member of the Han imperial family but actually only enjoyed the treatment of a small landowner, already possessed a certain composure.

His eyes and expression also revealed a wisdom beyond his years.

It seems that the "abnormal factor" in the bloodline of the modern Han people played a role.

For no reason at all,
Looking at ten-year-old Liu Hong in front of him,
Zhang Jiao recalled God's assessment of the many young emperors of the Han Dynasty who were able to seize power through coups at a young age.

This made him smile.

but,

Something as distant as the "emperor"

It seems to have nothing to do with the boy in front of me.

His relationship with the King of Hejian had become so distant that it was unlike Zhang Jiao's. How much more distant would the emperor be in Luoyang?

Zhang Jiao only explained to the young master of this place:
"The pursuit of wealth, as well as beautiful people and things, is human nature."

"After all, in this life, what can you get without paying a price?"

Coins issued by the imperial court
Gold, silver, jewels, brocade, and grain that are recognized by the world and can be used for exchange.
These are all forms of "costs".

"I don't think liking money and treasures is a despicable thing."

On this point,

The Way of Peace reached a consensus long ago.

Through one's own efforts, one accumulates wealth until eventually reaching a point where one no longer worries about food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, and can pursue everyday enjoyment.
It wasn't some kind of evil that would be condemned by Taoist priests.

The Way of Peace (Taipingdao) aims for the "equal distribution" of wealth among the world, striving for a state of being where wealth is acquired without oppressing others or through corrupt or illegal means.

After all, absolute equality is impossible to achieve.

Indeed, among the myriad living beings in the world, there are differences in intelligence, ability, and even luck.

They cannot ignore this fact, yet they cling to the illusion of "equality for all".

In general,

As long as one "loves wealth but acquires it in a proper way," and does not become a heartless and wicked person after gaining wealth and status, that's fine.

"You are the first person I have ever met to say such a thing."

Liu Hong's eyes widened in surprise when he heard him say that.

He possesses wisdom and talent surpassing even his mother's; perhaps even his father, who died young, cannot match his son's intellect.
otherwise,

At the banquet where guests were just entertained, it should have been the older matriarch, not the young man before her, who should have been the one to act as the hostess.

When Zhang Jiao asked to stay overnight, he would not simply let a group of outsiders into his house just because the boy nodded.

But no matter what

Liu Hongcai had just turned ten years old.

Even if we calculate it at most, he's only eleven years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning).
He is undoubtedly a child who has never left the local area and has never seen much of the outside world.

His father, who died too young and whom Liu Hong only vaguely remembers, had not provided him with any guidance.

The mother, Dong, spent her days only concerned with counting the family's money and lamenting that "life is getting harder and harder," paying little attention to disciplining her son.

The teacher she hired for Liu Hong was not a famous Confucian scholar, and his ideas and beliefs were so rigid and inflexible that they made the young Liu Hong uncomfortable.

This led Liu Hong to often look down on the other party in private.
They preach "treating money like dirt" and "a gentleman values ​​righteousness over profit," but aren't they just bowing down for a pittance to teach themselves to study?
That righteous and awe-inspiring appearance

It's as if his family doesn't pay him, but the other party will teach him for free.

"Are all the people of the Way of Peace as eloquent as you?" Liu Hong walked around Zhang Jiao twice with his hands behind his back, sizing up the thin, long-bearded middle-aged Taoist priest in front of him. Compared to his mentor who had "retired successfully," the priest looked more like an elder scholar.

Zhang Jiao had seen many people of noble birth and had also experienced many condescending stares.

Therefore, he wasn't angry at all at Liu Hong's undisguised gaze.

If you get angry over a single glance,
Then the Way of Peace wouldn't need to preach anymore.

To know,
There are far too many odd-tempered and rude people in the world!

"I'm just stating some normal principles."

"Then why do the gentlemen of this era not understand this principle, and even despise and reject it?"

Zhang Jiao then said, "The principles of the world are originally simple and easy to understand, but as more people read them, they add their own interpretations, which makes them somewhat difficult to understand."

Why do people enjoy reciting and debating scriptures?
Does reciting the classics passed down from the ancients a few times automatically reveal their wisdom and turn fools into wise men?

It's not like a progress bar that you can just "swipe and be done"!
If so,

It's unlikely that there are any blindly foolish people in the world anymore.

Ancient sages,

And there's the world that ghosts and gods long for, a world where everyone is like a dragon.

It will arrive soon.

unfortunately,

Beautiful things are always fantasies.

The reason why later generations love to recite and debate scriptures is simply to use the words of the ancients to promote their own ideas and viewpoints, to better persuade others, and to assert their own legitimacy.

And with this idea in mind
It is common for people to deviate from the original meaning of the scriptures during chanting, or even to misinterpret them, making a mess of things.

The so-called "interpreting the classics through my own lens, and vice versa" is exactly like this.

In other words, the Taiping Dao (Way of Peace) had a special situation.

Those predecessors who wrote classic works could occasionally peek out and engage in physical altercations with younger generations who deliberately misinterpreted their meanings.
Even the God he ultimately relied on, who was his greatest support, was someone who would wander around.

This is why the Way of Peace has been passed down to this day, with believers all over the world, and even becoming the state religion in the West.

However, it did not lead to a scene of fragmentation and everyone chanting their own scriptures.

Upon hearing his words, Liu Hong couldn't help but laugh. "Now I understand why Emperor Shizu, despite his struggle with the Yellow Turban Rebellion for the throne, ultimately failed to stop the spread of the Way of Peace."

You speak so sweetly.

Whether you're in a superior position or a subordinate position, who wouldn't like it?

"Would you like to stay and explain this to me?"

Liu Hong patted himself on the shoulder, "I am the dignified Marquis of Jiedu of the Han Dynasty!"

Zhang Jiao was a Taoist priest of the Way of Peace.
He is definitely not qualified to be his teacher.

However, opportunities to spread the teachings among the Han imperial clan are rare.

Liu Hong didn't mind letting Zhang Jiao take advantage of him.

At worst, I'll just not take his money.

But Zhang Jiao refused his request, saying, "I have to continue my journey and I'm afraid I can't stay any longer."

Regarding Liu Hong,

He still admires it.

A clever and mature child will naturally win the favor of elders.

Even though Liu Hong showed some arrogance,
But considering his age...
Zhang Jiao felt that it wasn't a big problem.

Children can be taught.

Temperament and behavior can be changed.

Zhong You, one of the seventy-two disciples of Confucius,
He was almost a bandit leader back then, but wasn't he still refined by Confucius who happened to be passing by?
As for his identity, it was really not worth Zhang Jiao thinking about it.

Again--

Nowadays, almost everyone in the world with the surname Liu can put the title of "relative of the Han imperial family" on their head.

He preached all the way to Hejian County.
Zhang Jiao encountered quite a few impoverished relatives.

He longed to visit Liaodong and pay homage to the traces of the past.

Liu Hong had his hands behind his back, waiting for the Taoist priest in front of him to happily agree and then come over to preach and expound scriptures to him for free.

After craning my neck for a long time, I was met with a rejection.

This quickly made him blush, and he couldn't help feeling embarrassed and annoyed.

Admittedly,

Ever since he was old enough to understand, he has often been troubled and embarrassed by his family's financial difficulties.
But in reality,

His family also owned a fiefdom with over a hundred households, making them prominent and well-known figures in the surrounding area.

The reason why people are still troubled by money is
The main reason is that he is a member of the Han imperial family and the Marquis of Jiedu.
His family needs to spend enough money to maintain a lifestyle befitting their status.
As stipulated by etiquette, the exchange of gifts with relatives and vassal lords of the main lineage was indispensable.

Even though the present Han dynasty is not like the former Han dynasty,

Regarding the matter of contributing tribute to ancestors, many restrictions were relaxed. Except during the reign of Emperor Ming, there were few cases of people being stripped of their titles for not being able to raise enough tribute to their ancestors.
Even with the implementation of the Edict of Grace, the sons of the feudal lords were to some extent freed from the control of their elder brothers and grandsons, and were no longer required to pay tribute to them...

But the debt of gratitude must be accounted for.

The more prestigious a person's status, the more thought and effort they need to put into their interpersonal interactions.

after all,

Their social standing has steadily declined with each step of the imperial favor.
If you can't even get into the circle of influential people...

That was truly unacceptable to Liu Hong, a member of the Han imperial family.

His mother, Lady Dong, was once a noblewoman from a powerful family.

Isn't it still about saving face and maintaining a decent amount of money that has turned him into this stingy and money-grubbing person?

But in general,

Judging from the surrounding area alone, Liu Hong had indeed not suffered any additional grievances.

Besides money
No one can make him suffer any injustice.

This made Liu Hong reveal a rare youthful spirit, and he said to Zhang Jiao, "Do you know who you rejected?"

"You refused the opportunity to teach the classics to the great-grandson of Emperor Zhang and the great-grandson of Prince Xiao of Hejian!"

You'll definitely regret this later!

Zhang Jiao just smiled and didn't argue with him.

After tidying up his room and packing his things, Zhang Liang came out and saw the young master of the family jumping up and down angrily at his older brother.

He looked at Zhang Jiao questioningly, "What happened?"

Master Zhang waved his hand and turned to go inside to rest.

Liu Hong, still hot-tempered, continued, "You're a Taoist priest who doesn't even have a small temple, why won't you agree to my request?"

Do you want me to give you more?

Do you want him, the dignified Marquis of Jiedu, to put on a humble and respectful attitude towards a Taoist priest?
joke,

He doesn't need to be recommended for the civil service examination.
Having such a distant relationship with the emperor and feudal lords, they didn't need to worry too much about their reputation.
There's absolutely no need to put on airs or try to gain a good reputation!

Zhang Jiao didn't stop, he stepped directly into the room, and was about to close the doors and windows and go to sleep fully clothed.

Liu Hong's voice came through the crack in the door:
"OK OK!"

"Stay for a few days and tell me what's going on outside!"

"I'll just pay!"

(End of this chapter)