100 Historical Stories That Unlock Teenage Wisdom

Chapter 9 and 8

Chapter 18 Zhaojun goes out of Saihan and Xionghe

——Peace requires a bridge between people and people, groups and groups, and countries. It is not easy to change confrontational relations into peaceful exchanges.Therefore, the gap in everyone's hearts must first be connected with a bridge.

During the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, the power of the Xiongnu became more and more declining due to the nobles' struggle for power. Later, the Xiongnu split and the five Shanyus separated and attacked each other endlessly.

One of them, Hu Hanxie, was defeated by his elder brother Zhizhi Shanyu, and many people were killed or injured.After discussing with the ministers, Hu Hanxie decided to surrender to the Han Dynasty, and personally brought his subordinates to meet Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty.

Hu Hanxie was the first Shanyu to come to court. Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty was very happy and entertained him like a distinguished guest. He even went to the outskirts of Chang'an to meet him in person and held a grand banquet for him.

Hu Hanxie lived in Chang'an, the capital of Han, for more than a month.He asked Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty to help him go back.Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty agreed, and sent two generals with [-] cavalry to escort him to Monan.At this time, the Huns were short of food, and the Han Dynasty sent [-] hu (ten dou was one hu in ancient times) food.

Hu Hanxie Shanyu was very grateful and devoted himself to reconciling with the Han Dynasty.When the countries in the Western Regions heard that the Xiongnu had reconciled with the Han Dynasty, they all rushed to pay tribute to Chang'an.After the death of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, his son Emperor Han Yuan ascended the throne.Within a few years, the Xiongnu Zhizhi Shanyu invaded the countries of the Western Regions and killed the envoys sent by the Han Dynasty.The Han Dynasty sent troops to Kangju, defeated Zhizhi Shanyu, and killed Zhizhi Shanyu.

Zhizhi Shanyu died, and Hu Hanxie Shanyu's position was stabilized.In 33 B.C., Hu Hanxie Shanyu came to Chang'an again and asked for peace with the Han Dynasty.Emperor Han Yuan agreed.

In the past, when the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu made marriages, they had to choose a princess or the daughter of the clan.This time, Emperor Han Yuan was reluctant to part with the daughters of the clan, so he decided to pick a maid for him, and he ordered people to go to the harem to pass the message:
"Whoever wants to go to the Huns, the emperor treats her like a princess."

The maids in the harem are all selected from the people. Once they enter the palace, they are like birds in a cage. They all hope that one day they can be released from the palace.But when he heard that he wanted to leave his country and go to the Xiongnu, he was not happy.

There was a court lady named Wang Qiang, she was Wang Zhaojun, she was very beautiful and very knowledgeable.For her own life, she resolutely signed up and voluntarily went to the Huns to marry.

The person in charge was anxious that no one could apply for the job. Hearing that Wang Zhaojun was willing to go, he reported her name to Emperor Han Yuan.Emperor Han Yuan ordered the ministers in charge to choose a date for Hu Hanxie Shanyu and Wang Zhaojun to get married in Chang'an.

Needless to say, Hu Hanxie Shanyu was happy and grateful to have such a young and beautiful wife.

When Hu Hanxie Shanyu and Wang Zhaojun thanked Emperor Han Yuan for their kindness, Emperor Han Yuan was somewhat reluctant to see Zhaojun so beautiful and generous.He wanted to keep Wang Zhaojun, but it was too late.

Legend has it that Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty returned to the inner palace, and the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became.He then asked people to take out the portrait of Zhaojun from the portraits of court ladies to look at.Although the appearance is a bit similar, it is not as cute as Zhaojun himself.

It turned out that after the maids entered the palace, they usually did not see the emperor. Instead, the painters drew portraits and sent them to the emperor to wait for selection.There was a painter named Mao Yanshou. When he was painting portraits of court ladies, the ladies gave him some gifts, so he could paint more beautifully.Wang Zhaojun was unwilling to give gifts, so Mao Yanshou did not paint Wang Zhaojun's beauty as it really was.

In a fit of anger, Emperor Han Yuan killed Mao Yanshou.

Wang Zhaojun left Chang'an under the escort of Han and Xiongnu officials.She rode a horse, braved the cold wind outside the Great Wall, traveled thousands of miles to the Huns, and became the Yan family (that is, the queen) of Hu Hanxie Shanyu.After a long time, she gradually got used to life and got along well with the Huns.The Huns liked her and respected her.

Wang Zhaojun was far away from his hometown and settled in the Huns for a long time.She persuaded Han Xie Shanyu not to start a war, but also passed on the culture of the Central Plains to the Xiongnu.After the fight, the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty lived in harmony, and there was no war for more than 60 years.

Wisdom Interpretation:

It is not easy to go from confrontation to peaceful communication, because the hearts of each other have been separated for too long, and it is difficult to blend.If there is a bridge to connect everyone, it will get twice the result with half the effort.This bridge can have various forms. When Zhaojun went out of the fortress, she became a bridge to maintain the peaceful relationship between Han and Hungary.

The construction of bridges can turn the Xiayu River into a channel. Similarly, the gap in the relationship between people can only be connected by an invisible "bridge".

(End of this chapter)