Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 613 Yecheng
"The world has finally become the familiar place I know."

When countless tiny streams converge into a mighty flood...
When Zhang Jiao of Huainan had gathered enough money, provisions, and manpower, he finally raised his banner.
He Bo said with a sigh in Ye City by the Zhang River.

of course,

In terms of details, there are still many differences:
For example, Emperor Liu Hong truly held firm for several years, using his experience to do everything he could to accumulate more power for the central government.
For example, besides the common people who once again donned yellow turbans, there were also many local heroes who refused to accept their fate as ordinary people who rebelled against the decaying Han dynasty.
For example, with the development and accumulation of various skills, established families that built a more solid foundation for themselves in their local communities.

For example,
Those talented individuals who left Luoyang and were recruited by certain aristocratic families, as well as the gunpowder that was spread through their hands.

"It's going to rain from the sky, and it's going to catch fire on the ground..."

Who can save the people from their suffering?

Was it Cao Cao, the loyal minister of the Han Dynasty who was ordered to quell the rebellion?
Or was it Liu Xuande, who brought his own provisions to support the Han Dynasty?

As for the Sun family's newborn son, whose formal name hasn't even been decided yet...

It seems that the distance between him and Hefei, which had been further repaired and fortified after being captured by the Yellow Turbans, was growing ever wider.

Let's not make things difficult for him.

Who could possibly know?

The couple, whom he had dragged out, echoed God's words.

They walked through the streets of Ye City, ignoring the hurried pedestrians around them, and finally arrived at the place that was once the temple of the River God.

Looking at the land that had changed hands countless times over the centuries and bore no trace of its former self, He Bo was filled with emotion:
"This house is really well built."

"Unfortunately, it's not mine."

The River God Temple in Ye City was demolished many years ago due to disrepair.

After all, with the changing times,

Ye City was no longer the small enclave established during the time of Marquis Wen of Wei, which was not yet connected to the Wei family's homeland.

It first became a prosperous city in the Kanto region, and then, with the change of dynasties, it highlighted its role as a military stronghold.

During the reign of Emperor Huan, he took full control of both military and political affairs, and the capital of Ji Province was upgraded to the provincial capital.

This naturally caused land and housing prices in Ye City to rise continuously.

A centuries-old temple is certainly an antiquity, a historical site.

However, compromises still need to be made in the face of modern life.

then,

When the temple of the River God collapsed,

The bricks and tiles were taken by the city residents to repair their houses.

The beams used for construction were also chopped up with knives and axes, and used as firewood.

He Bo, who witnessed the forced demolition of his old house, also voiced similar complaints:
"They were the ones who added firewood and started the fire for me back then!"

Madam Ximen then smiled and said:
"We received so much firewood in the past, it's only right to return it now!"

He Bo grumbled and left, ignoring the statues of gods that had also been pried open after the temple was torn apart.

Later,
The original site of the temple was purchased and converted into a residential compound.

The owners of the mansion changed again and again, and the signboard at the gate was taken down and put up again.
Even He Bo, whom they had provoked, couldn't "reminisce about the past" despite his efforts.

Fortunately,

A house has indeed been built here.

The ghosts and spirits ceased their activity.
There are still people living there.

The atmosphere remained lively.

However, this excitement quickly subsided in the past few days.

The Yellow Turban Army is crossing the Huai River from Huainan.

On the vast and fertile plains where Ji Province is located, eighteen streams of dust rose up, sharpening their swords as they prepared to attack Ye City, the capital of Ji Province.

Having obtained it,

It connects to Youzhou in the north, Henan in the south, and Bingzhou in the west.
To be honest, it can be said that:
"The vast world offers boundless opportunities."

Therefore, Ye City was also gathering troops and setting up camp outside the city at this time.

The generals and commanders gathered together, arranged their troops, and discussed the specifics of suppressing the rebellion.

otherwise,

Why should the residents of this magnificent city close their doors and windows and reduce their outdoor activities?
The approach of war and chaos

It made people who had been living in comfort for too long tremble, curl up their limbs, and flee to a small corner to seek peace.

Come to think of it,

When the smoke and dust from various places drifted over Ye City,
The already sparse flow of people on this street was about to be completely cut off.

"This change of government was driven by the people..."

Stepping out of the city walls,

Stepping over the densely packed tents that almost surrounded Ye City,
God followed Simon and his wife to a nearby hill.

This is the place where Doctor Ximen once fought against the barbarians and captured the Bai Di.
In the past, many people sang folk songs, picked wild vegetables, and had sweet rendezvous with their lovers on this small hill surrounded by the Zhang River.

But the water flows swiftly, carrying away too many traces of the past.

The temple dedicated to the River God was toppled.
The ancestral hall where later generations expressed their gratitude for Ximen Dafu's achievements in governing Ye is no longer visible.

Even the grass and trees on this hill,
It also became desolate as the people in the city cut down trees and chop firewood, and the soldiers outside the city built stoves and made fires.

The once beautiful hill
Now it's bare, exposing the soil and rocks underneath, looking old and ugly.

but,

God did not despise the old, faded hills.

He found a relatively flat stone to sit on, and counted on his fingers:
“Dou Jiande of Qinghe County, Ge Qian of Bohai County, and Song Jingang of Shanggu County... were all commoners.”

"Dong Zhuo, who succeeded Lu Zhi in pacifying the warlords in Hebei, was a commoner and a military man."

"Not to mention the Yellow Turban Army in Huainan."

"Tsk tsk!"

"The grand drama has begun, and the focus of the powerful families is still in Luoyang. They are trying to find ways to wrest power from the emperor... So even if they are squeezed out later, they will not be innocent."

Ximen Bao also found a clean spot and sat down cross-legged with his wife.

Not far away, the banner of a certain General of the Han Dynasty fluttered wildly in the wind.

He said:
"After centuries of accumulated problems, it is quite normal for this situation to occur."

It's not just a matter of dynasties,
It also lies in the issue of aristocratic families.

The latter's succession was more stable compared to that of the Han dynasty's imperial family.
Their family's glorious history is longer than that of the Han Dynasty's imperial family.

Because when Emperor Guangwu, who founded the Han Dynasty, was young, he was just a scholar and farmer from Nanyang.

However, some aristocratic families had actually fought alongside Emperor Gaozu of Han in conquering the empire.
If we trace our lineage back to the Yuancheng Wang clan of the Former Han Dynasty, we can even find connections to the ancient noble families of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

Therefore,
The ailments of old age,
How could they possibly avoid it?
"They have been in the sky for too long and have lost touch with the soil and water on earth. They don't know how the grains grow or how the seasons change... Only the sun hanging high above their heads, shining on all people, is what they think they need to pay attention to."

Sunlight is very important.
Heaven bestowed upon it purity and spirit.

The earth receives it and thus life flourishes.

Who doesn't crave sunshine?

But a long time ago
Ancient sages have also pointed out that, for ordinary people, the "sun" also presents different interpretations—

In the Zuo Zhuan,

Feng Shu, a minister of the state of Lu, asked Jia Ji, a minister of the state of Jin, "Among the famous ministers of Jin, Zhao Cui and Zhao Dun, who is more virtuous?"

Jia Ji then replied, "Zhao Shuai is like the winter sun, and Zhao Dun is like the summer sun."

Winter can make people feel close.

Summer sun, however, is so intense that people try to avoid it at all costs.

When the heat reaches its extreme, even life withers.

But power, as alluring as sunlight, always draws wave after wave of people, like moths to a flame.

Perhaps they just thought, "I'll only take a little more, I'll only take a little more."

But those who don't know how to be full will eventually stuff themselves to death.

"Staring at the sun for too long can make you go blind!"

He Bo laughed and said, "When the time comes, you'll become blind and won't be able to hear what's happening below. Sooner or later, you'll fall off the sky!"

"Just like the ministers and nobles of the State of Wei back then!"

Lady Ximen recalled her husband's life experiences and, more importantly, the "great enemy" Marquis Wu of Wei, and chuckled along.

After laughing for a while,
Ximen Bao added, "It's still very difficult for ordinary people to overturn what's above their heads."

Their experiences were insufficient to provide a detached perspective after the uprising.

Wealth and status suddenly acquired through violence can easily undermine a person's original character and will, causing the power of resistance to rise and fall suddenly.

Leaving aside the precedents of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, and the Red Eyebrows and Green Forest rebels,

The failure of the Xinxia “Chuangwang Uprising” is still fresh in our minds!
Even if you've read some books and learned more principles, human nature is always hard to resist temptation.

Without a firm will, one can suddenly rise to a high position and then be courted by previously unreachable, elegant dignitaries...

The dragon slayer thus swiftly transformed himself into the very dragon he once hated most.

"No, Dong Zhuo isn't that kind of person!"

He Bo pointed to the "Dong" flag fluttering in the wind on the towering and sturdy city wall and said to Doctor Ximen, "Have you forgotten his past deeds in Xiliang?"

Dong Zhuo's background was far better than that of ordinary people.

But for powerful and influential families, it was still not enough.

Even a small, powerful family located on the frontier, disliked by the wealthy clans of the interior, still had the confidence to look down on him.

Even if he had military merits,

Even if he can appease the Qiang people and maintain border stability, what then?

A poor family is a poor family.

Even if a carp flies over the Dragon Gate, it can't transform into a dragon.

Dong Zhuo's reaction to this

It wasn't about bowing and scraping to powerful families, trying to change their attitude towards him by adopting a gentle and sexy masculine demeanor, or putting on a worthless act.

After gaining power, he chose to lead his fierce soldiers and directly posed a deadly question to the minor aristocratic families of Xiliang with whom he had previously harbored grudges:
"Want to test the sword at my waist and see if it's sharp?"

There was no answer.

Because before they stubbornly replied to Dong Zhuo, "My sword has never been less effective,"
Dong Zhuo's men had already helped them achieve a carefree sleep during the cool summer days.

"This is a very vicious person."

Ximen Bao was also aware of Dong Zhuo's deeds.

He then added, "This is another thing I'm worried about."

Human nature is truly ever-changing and unpredictable.

Facing a superior whom one once despised,
Some people quickly succumbed to the tenderness he offered.
Some people harbor hatred for them deep in their hearts.

That hatred is irrational.
It is filled with malice that seeks destruction.

"Judging from Dong Zhuo's style of doing things, I am worried that once he gains power, he will do extremely cruel things."

"Emperor Liu Hong is currently still able to control the court and manage these arrogant and fierce soldiers."

"But he's almost thirty!"

This is a very dangerous signal for the current Han emperor.

The death that took away too many wise rulers and caused many policies to be unable to continue could come to Liu Hong at any time.

Therefore,
What happens after he dies?
Of his only two sons, which one could steer this dilapidated carriage of Jin Han to a more distant place?
If we had prepared earlier, we might have been able to survive for a while longer.
After all, there are still many people who claim to be restoring the Han Dynasty.

Unable to become a monarch with real power
It would be acceptable to be a Zhou emperor who enjoys honor and glory, allowing the Han dynasty to nominally continue for several more generations.

unfortunately,

Liu Hong is a very confident person.

The many things he did and the many policies he implemented
All of this demonstrates that he really doesn't have much talent in "patiently waiting".

I've persevered a bit and worked harder these past two years.

The force of trying to force growth has also increased considerably.

This contradicts the saying in Lao Tzu, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish."

If governing a country is done too hastily,
But this will cause big trouble.

The ancient rulers of the Han Dynasty, who had secretly observed this man, once said:
"His ambitions are lofty, and his goals are extraordinary."

The desire to "make money from all the rich people in the world" is not something a monarch would have.

"His talent would be more than enough to maintain the status quo in times of peace."

But how much of a mess it will leave for future generations is another matter entirely.

Moreover, a grand goal coupled with the ability to only maintain the status quo inevitably leads to a situation of "ambition exceeding ability".

So they argued back and forth.

The early emperors of the Han Dynasty could only clap their hands together and decide to accept their fate.

Anyway, they're already dead, and their bodies are rotting in their coffins.
What's the use of worrying about future generations and the legacy?
If the Han Dynasty could perish in a spectacular and glorious way...

To leave behind a good reputation like the Qin Dynasty, where "the king dies for the state," is to have a proper beginning and an end.

He Bo admired Doctor Ximen's ever-sharp gaze and was about to agree with him when he heard a commotion coming from the camp outside the city.

The soldiers began to run.
The horses neighed.

He Bo glanced over there, then told the Simon couple, "Let's go, a war is about to break out here."

They were gossiping outside the city.

The generals inside the city were naturally discussing matters of state.

After talking for so long

It's time to make arrangements.

"Let's do as Li Mi says!"

"Let him lead a troop of men to ambush the bandits here!"

In the city,

Despite his large belly, Dong Zhuo, who had the imposing presence of a military general, pointed at the map and issued his orders.

Li Mi immediately stood up and replied, "I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

After all,

He glanced casually at Li Ru beside him, and seeing that Li Ru's expression remained unchanged, he left without making a sound.

Dong Zhuo, oblivious to the furtive glances exchanged between his two beloved sons-in-law and advisors, simply stroked his belt and beard and said:
"His Majesty has repeatedly issued edicts urging me to quell the rebellion, but bandits have risen up in Guandong, and smoke and dust fill the air... If I cannot achieve any results in the next few days, I fear I will follow in Lu Zhi's footsteps."

Lu Zhi was a renowned minister and scholar of his time.

He was even dismissed by the emperor for failing to recover the counties that had fallen into enemy hands.
Besides, what about him, a warrior from Xiliang?
Li Ru then said, "Since Your Excellency has appointed Li Mi to be in charge of relations with Luoyang, are you worried that no one will be willing to help you?"

Li Mi,

He was born into a commoner family in Sichuan, and was studious from a young age, aspiring to be recommended for the civil service examination.

Unfortunately, the titles of "filial piety and incorruptibility" in the Han Dynasty were beyond his reach.

Li Mi's pursuit of fame and fortune was forever thwarted by the oppression of powerful families.

I don't know what he was thinking.

Later, he even went to Xiliang and mixed with a group of Qiang people, where he gained a certain status and trust.

therefore,

He became acquainted with Dong Zhuo, was then taken under his command, and married off one of his concubine's daughters to him.

Dong Zhuo valued him highly.

Because of his humble origins, Li Mi was extremely adept at currying favor with those in power.
Therefore, over the years, the gifts that Dong Zhuo sent to the Yuan family and powerful eunuchs such as Zhang Rang were all handled by Li Mi.

“Those guys are getting more and more greedy.”

“Every time His Majesty sends someone to deliver an imperial edict, I have to send out a batch of treasures... How can I not be emptied out?”

"If they can no longer get money from me, and the merits they have gained cannot be shared with the descendants of the Yuan family to help them advance in their careers, will they still speak well of me before His Majesty?"

For those aristocratic families who put on airs and constantly flaunt their noble status,

For those "angels" who seize every opportunity to solicit bribes.
Dong Zhuo had long harbored a deep-seated hatred for him.

But Luoyang is not Xiliang.
The people who came from there were not the impoverished people of Xiliang.

Dong Zhuo had no choice but to endure it.

The reason he appreciated Li Mi as his son-in-law was that although Li Mi was very experienced in groveling to the powerful, he harbored the same thoughts as Dong Zhuo.

otherwise,

In terms of strategic planning and seniority, Li Mi was inferior to Li Ru; he could only rely on his military prowess to raise the average level.

How could he have risen through the ranks so quickly while serving Dong Zhuo?

The two are simply too similar in temperament.

If Li Mi were a bit more robust, Dong Zhuo would have liked him even more. He might not only have wanted to take him as his son-in-law, but also recognize him as his son!
(End of this chapter)