Taiheiki

Chapter 41 Remarks on the launch
It’s on sale today, Weber has a few more words to say.

First of all, I would like to thank all the book friends who have supported this book before. In a sense, online literature is the result of the joint efforts of authors and readers. I hope you will continue to support us and hope that more people will join us to make this book better.

Next, I'd like to discuss the general plot direction of the book. Some believe the title, "Taiheiki," comes from the Japanese Taiga drama "Taiheiki." (The story follows the life of Ashikaga Takashi, founder of the Muromachi shogunate, and covers a long period of history, from the fall of the Hojo shogunate, to the Kenmu Restoration under Emperor Go-Daigo, the Nakazendai Rebellion, Ashikaga Takashi's rebellion, and the conflict between the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Interested parties should check it out. The drama features many veteran actors, including Jinnai Takanori as Sasaki Michiyo, Emoto Akira as Takase, Kataoka Tsurutaro as Hojo Takatoki, and Kataoka Takao as Emperor Go-Daigo. Miyazawa Rie and Sawaguchi Yasuko were both stunning beauties at the time. There are countless wonderful lines and excerpts. I especially recommend the scene where the Hojo family commits suicide at Tosho-ji Temple, which has the air of ancient Greek tragedy.) Others believe it connects to the Taihei Do (Daigo) movement, set twenty years later in the book. Both of these points are correct. I chose this rather obscure title for this reason as well. If I must say it, it means "praying for peace and hoping for peace."

History is a fascinating subject. The same historical facts can often be interpreted quite differently by different people. In recent years, especially, with the increasingly conservative and rightward trend in China's online culture, historical literature has increasingly focused on the top echelons of the ruling class—emperors, princesses, empresses, and princes. The narratives have become grand narratives of new policies, the training of a new army, internal reforms, saving the empire, and expanding territory. However, these protagonists often, intentionally or unintentionally, overlook the fact that the empire itself, and particularly its elite, was the root cause of all its disasters and conflicts. It was the Rebellion of the Eight Princes that preceded the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China. It was Emperor Xuanzong of Tang's appointment of Li Linfu and the reckless behavior of Yang Guozhong, his own political maneuvers, his manipulation of foreign vassals to suppress the crown prince, and his pursuit of grandeur that led to the An-Shi Rebellion. It was the years of neglect by Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty, his policy of allowing Gao Huai to impose a mining tax in Liaodong, which led to the weakening of military and political power in Liaodong, the eight changes of military commanders in ten years, the devastation of the people, and the alienation of the people that allowed Nurhaci to rise to power.

Why did this happen? Could a wise ruler have prevented all this? But wasn't Li Longji wise? While the Western Jin Dynasty had a foolish emperor, it also boasted visionaries like Zhang Hua, and the Wanli Emperor's reign was even more foresighted and intelligent. Yet, none of this prevented tragedy. It's not that there weren't intelligent individuals within the ruling class, and it's certainly true that no one anticipated the catastrophic consequences of this situation. However, the extreme concentration of power forces those in power to focus their energies on maintaining and fighting for power, rather than using it for the right things. And the best way to maintain and fight for power is to attack and weaken opponents, not to act. It's like a moving car. If the occupants are constantly fighting over the steering wheel, an accident is inevitable, no matter how skilled the driver is. Ultimately, the state is an imagined community, a tool for maintaining the interests of the ruling class.

Now, returning to the historical period of this book, the protagonist is well aware of his position, caught in the midst of the Han Empire's slow but unstoppable decline. Peasants, merchants, powerful landowners, the nobility, and the barbarians of the frontier are all, intentionally or unintentionally, contributing to the empire's downfall. Meanwhile, the imperial relatives, the emperor, the eunuchs, and the officials who are supposed to save the empire are engaged in conspiracy, factionalism, internal strife, and internecine destruction. The protagonist is powerless to prevent all this, and it is impossible for him to do so. His only option is to grow as strong as possible, to gather as many people under his wing, so that when the moment of no return arrives, he can soar to the sky and establish a new nest on the ruins of the empire. Then, he will bring justice to all, punishing the wicked, rewarding the virtuous, resting the hardworking, and feeding the hungry.

In short, he is a destroyer, a judge, a protector, a conqueror, and a builder, but he's not the paperhanger of the old empire. There's no point in smearing rouge on mummies' faces, feeding them fresh food daily, or even performing dances. We're not ancient Egyptians. Let those who deserve to die die; lingering on and resurrecting from the dead is bad for everyone.

(End of this chapter)