Nobita's Time Heist

"I've heard some things about the previous emperor. He... only had some issues with his sexual orientation. Overall, he couldn't be considered particularly incompetent or tyrannical, could he?"

"Why are you all so eager to usher in a new era? You clearly don't even know anything about Wang Mang, and none of you have ever interacted with him. Even if a new era begins, it doesn't mean that the problems that plagued the previous era will disappear. If it's not an armed coup, it's basically the same as inheriting the original system and political framework, just with his own people dividing the spoils."

Why do you believe in him so wholeheartedly?

……

In times of ignorance, thinking has always been the privilege of the nobility. Most ordinary people are incapable of thinking; whoever the cheerleaders say is good is necessarily good.

As for "why," he never thought about it.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

However, what was expected did not happen as predicted.

Everything was ripe, but Wang Mang's side fell silent for a long time. His political group stopped its grand propaganda, and the incessant auspicious omens suddenly ceased, as if their daily output had been a dream. Confucian scholars no longer used loudspeakers to proclaim Wang Mang's virtues, and the people who came to Chang'an were successively cleared out. In short, it was like a huge machine that had suddenly been put on pause, every gear stopping with practiced precision.

The originally fierce storm suddenly seemed to be held back by something, remaining dormant, and unsettling dark clouds lingered over the entire capital.

For several days, Wang Mang did not appear, claiming illness and needing to recuperate. Given that his intentions had already been exposed, this move was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.

He neither appeared in the court nor returned to the palace. After several days, he vanished without leaving any trace, abruptly slamming on the brakes for this well-known usurpation.

The situation in the imperial court thus became even more unpredictable.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Crash-"

A small waterfall cascaded down from the mountaintop in the distance, its unchanging yet soothing sound filling the air. Da Xiong looked around; it was a fairly spacious and neatly arranged square field, nestled against the mountain and beside the water, with a small stone pool formed by the waterfall. Beside the field stood an exquisite wooden house. Although it tried its best to imitate the structure of a farmhouse, the high level of craftsmanship was evident in every detail, making it far beyond the reach of ordinary farmers.

Apart from this house, there are no other buildings nearby; it's as if this field was created just for him.

"No one knows this place more than the size of a palm. And yet they managed to find their way all the way from Chang'an..."

Like an old farmer in the fields, Grandpa Wang sat on a small bamboo stool in front of his house, basking in the sun. He slightly lowered his straw hat and raised his eyebrows to look at the person who had come.

"The people of the Western Regions are truly remarkable."

Chapter 198: The Final Decision!

"Where is this...?" Nobita looked around and couldn't help but laugh. "Your secret base?"

"I don't understand what that word means." Wang Mang slowly pushed open the wooden door. "Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Having come this far, there was no need to back down. Following proper etiquette, Da Xiong said "Excuse me" and bent down to step over the threshold. The interior of the wooden house was much larger than it appeared from the outside, with a very even distribution of space that felt comfortable.

Clearly, such a luxurious mansion was designed specifically for Wang Mang. Upon entering, one sees writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones neatly arranged on the table. Instead of farm tools, the rooms are filled with ancient books and manuscripts. Tea canisters and wine jars are arranged on both sides. Although the exterior is somewhat similar to a farmhouse, a closer look reveals that the interior is completely different from the residence that Da Xiong saw in Tongxin Village.

Simply put, it has absolutely no trace of everyday life.

After they were seated, the white-bearded old man rose to pour him a cup of hot tea. This was clearly the highest level of courtesy that no one in the court would even dare to dream of, yet it happened so naturally in this room. It was as if he was no longer a powerful figure who held absolute power, but rather a refined old nobleman with a villa in the countryside, personally entertaining a distinguished guest. Da Xiong, meanwhile, enjoyed it all with complete peace of mind; the two had achieved a delicate balance in this idyllic haven.

"Your illness has long been cured, hasn't it?" Da Xiong took a sip of tea, almost burning his tongue, and couldn't help but blow on the surface of the hot tea. "Is it alright to stay here all this time? The situation in the court has been changing every day while you've been away."

"...Da Xiong, have you ever thought about what it will be like after you die?" Wang Mang suddenly asked a very abstract question, "Will anyone mourn you at your funeral?"

Nobita was stunned for a moment. To be honest, he hadn't thought about it. For him, death was still a very distant topic. Although his grandmother had taught him about death when he was very young, in the last moments of her life, it seemed to Nobita only to be a farewell. Deep down, he firmly believed that his grandmother still "existed" somewhere in the universe.

His trip to the Garden made him fully realize that the souls of all living beings would eventually find peace in this exquisitely beautiful realm, and that he himself would be no exception. Thinking this way, death didn't seem so unacceptable after all.

“As you get older, you always start to overthink things and worry about a lot of things.” Wang Mang sighed, leaning back in his chair and gazing out the window—where the setting sun had already sunk below the horizon, its rays scattering across the distant mountains. “After I die… what name will I be called?”

"It's impossible to know such things while alive." Nobita instinctively thought of the time machine, and couldn't help but find it funny—thinking about it this way, every time he went to the 22nd century, his normal self would have already died, right? The thought of no longer existing in the world was unbelievable even for Nobita, and he felt a little sad.

"Qin destroyed the six states, and Han destroyed Qin again, and so on until today. Every change of dynasty was achieved by force. What I am about to do has no precedent in history... There have been people who came close to me, but now I have surpassed them."

Wang Mang slowly began to speak, “There is a saying in the court: ‘Follow the example of Huo Guang.’”

"I don't quite understand, Huo Guang is..."

"Haha, that's right, you're from the Western Regions." Wang Mang smiled with relief, but his expression turned quite complicated when he mentioned "Huo Guang." "Just think of him as someone who doesn't have that idea."

"Since that era, no one has ever been more powerful than Huo Guang, no one has ever reached the pinnacle of power, and the fate of most powerful ministers has been worse than that of Huo Guang."

“Once I took this step, there was no turning back. No matter what awaits me ahead, I can only keep running on this path without stopping.” For the first time, a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes as he murmured, “What will be the fate that awaits me ahead…?”

……

Da Xiong looked at him with some surprise.

Power always changes a person's character, a fact Nobita deeply understands. He too has tasted the sweetness of power; even a small underground kingdom made him lose his bearings. (This scene is from "Nobita's Underground Kingdom," where Doraemon uses gadgets to create a small kingdom underground for children to "take refuge." Nobita, as king, quickly becomes arrogant, constantly ordering his companions around. Ultimately, he is overthrown by force by Gian and his friends, making it an entertaining and educational episode.)

At this moment, the man who was about to ascend to the pinnacle of power showed unease and fear.

"Are you... thinking of giving up?"

"Ha, it's a pity, there's no point in giving up now." Wang Mang shook his head with a wry smile. "Da Xiong, do you think... at this point, the only force supporting me is the cheers of the common people and Confucian scholars?"

"No, that's no longer the case. The power of public opinion, in the end, is just public opinion. It was the capital I initially used to protect myself, to let others see my value. If I relied solely on them, I could probably only guarantee that I would return to the imperial court and live a peaceful life as an official until I had one foot in my coffin."

"Aristocratic family".

"They oppressed this land, divided up all the interests, and tried to gain more... from the powerful families. It was their support that gave me the capital to change the world."

With his arms crossed and his gaze deep, Wang Mang seemed to be the only person he trusted in this era, explaining the rules of the game behind the operation of power.

“They have been developing on this land for hundreds of years, and they will continue to do so after I die. For them, the emperor himself is not important, as long as their interests in land and population are guaranteed, it doesn’t matter who is the emperor. In the end, the Wang family is the largest aristocratic family, and I, who was born here, am naturally regarded as one of their own.”

“They believe that as long as I come to power, I can give them more benefits… Therefore, I am now firmly tied to the ship of all the powerful families, and there is no turning back.”

……

The rules governing the operation of power are far more complex than Da Xiong imagined. What he initially thought was his greatest reliance—public opinion—now appears to be nothing more than the tip of the iceberg. The unanimous approval of interest groups was the real reason Wang Mang was able to rise to power.

"In other words, all you need right now is a little 'determination,' right?"

“That’s one way to put it, but…” Wang Mang gave a bitter smile, “Making that last bit of decision is quite difficult. After all, before I take action, I am still a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty, and the Duke of Zhou in the hearts of the people. Once I actually take action, I can’t control what the outcome will be.”

“Even so, we had no choice but to do it, didn’t we?” Nobita fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small pointer.

"【Determination Needle】—!!"

(Determination Needle: After being pricked, it will immediately put your determination into action, and the effect will last until the thing you decided to do is completed. From the original manga "Will Nobita Disappear?")

"Let me help you with this last little bit."

Chapter 199: The Broken Corner of the Imperial Seal

In the twelfth month of the eighth year of AD, witnessed by civil and military officials, Wang Mang, dressed in court attire, walked step by step with utmost piety into the Temple of Emperor Gaozu.

Because there was no precedent for this, he could do whatever he wanted, and thus every step he took was highly formulaic. To put it in perspective, it was like informing shareholders who had long since stopped managing the company that it was poorly managed and now needed a new legal representative. In any case, Nobita, who was among the attendants and also witnessed this historic moment, felt no resentment whatsoever.

Just as Wang Mang had predicted, he had essentially won over the hearts and minds of the people over the past two centuries. From the officials standing respectfully to the palace soldiers guarding the key points, everyone was genuinely convinced of this outcome. At least, at this moment, they sincerely believed that this would be a good ending. Following Wang Mang meant endless good days were ahead for them.

What was Wang Mang thinking at this moment, in the Temple of Emperor Gaozu? Was he simply going through the motions, like giving a work report, explaining why the Han Dynasty had to change its legal representative? Or was he too lazy to even pretend, choosing instead to remain silent and wait for the time to run out?

It's impossible for anyone else to know this.

But this moment is destined to be written into the history books of future generations.

The Mandate of Heaven had been bestowed, and from then on, the Han dynasty was renamed the Xin dynasty. A brand new dynasty, with its new name, truly took its first step.

Da Xiong watched everything from the crowd, witnessing him ascend to the throne, where everyone knelt as if the whole world had prostrated itself before him, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" The immense roar of the crowd seemed to scatter the clouds in the sky.

"Finally, it has begun..."

The emergence of a new dynasty was an inevitable trend, a convergence of favorable timing, location, and popular support. Even without Nobita and his friends, it would have happened sooner or later. The real question is why it didn't perish in accordance with the cyclical laws of time, but instead continued for two thousand years, even suppressing the development of all other civilizations.

……

In the deep palace.

Old Mrs. Wang was helped up. She watched as her good nephew led a large group of people in and barged in, and saw his dragon robe, which was clearly "out of line." She was so angry that she trembled all over. All the procedures for the "abdication" had been completed. All the formalities and stamps had been done. Only the final nominal step remained to be taken.

It was the first day of the first month of the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. Wang Mang, along with dukes, marquises, ministers, and civil and military officials, presented the newly made seal of the Empress Dowager to the Grand Empress Dowager. He announced that, in accordance with the mandate of Heaven, the Han dynasty's name would be abolished and replaced with the Xin dynasty. Da Xiong, also as a retainer, mingled among this large group of people. In Wang Haoren's words, "Anyway, with so many people, if you stand a little to the side, no one will notice you."

Coincidentally, Shizuka and Asur also infiltrated the Empress Dowager's inner circle as "palace maids." In the vast sea of ​​people, Nobita met their gazes, and they both saw complex emotions in each other's eyes—they clearly still had their own missions, yet they felt inexplicably excited because they were at a crucial moment in history.

How many times in a lifetime can one witness such a momentous event as the change of dynasties?

At this moment, they are all bystanders in history.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Empress Dowager, things have come to this point, the die is cast, and neither you nor I are able to change it." Although he had been granted imperial power, he still respectfully bowed to his aunt, but as he straightened his upper body, the light in his eyes was almost lifeless. "The new dynasty has been established, signifying a renewal of all things. Let us not dwell on those unpleasant ailments, and hand over the Imperial Seal to us."

"..."

Old Mrs. Wang bit her lip, her thin body trembling, looking as if she were having an acute attack and might faint at any moment. The maid beside her tried to help her up, but was violently pushed away by her in a fit of anger. She picked up her peach wood cane and slammed it heavily on the ground, making a loud "thud."

The hostile voice immediately prompted the fully armed Tiger Guards to take action, but Wang Mang subtly raised his hand to stop them.

"Judging by this situation, if I don't give it to you..." Wang Zhengjun glanced at the Tiger Warriors standing outside the door and sneered, "this matter will not end well today."

“Aunt, please don’t say that. I am still your blood relative. Over the years, I have always followed your virtues and have never disobeyed you once.” Wang Mang lowered his voice, as if soothing a terrified horse. “Things have turned out this way, which is not what I wanted.”

“Yes, once, even when the mother of one of my maids was ill, you personally went to visit her… How respectful, how humble… But for what is happening today, such humility is unnecessary.” Wang Zhengjun raised her gaze again, looking at everyone. Everyone fell silent, only urging her on with impatient eyes. It seemed that overnight, the whole world had become her nephew's supporters, while she alone remained a naive and particularly difficult old woman.

Only the trembling palace maids, compelled by their duty, were willing to stand by his side.

She couldn't help but feel a deep sadness: If she weren't surnamed Wang, if she were a relative of another noble family, would this nephew, who was considered a paragon of morality, still have brought a large group of people to go to such lengths to force her to abdicate? Would he have allowed the Tiger Army to storm in and smash her old body into mincemeat?

As she pondered, the officials standing before her transformed into a pack of wolves in her eyes. Wang Mang was that wolf, his fangs bared beneath a facade of benevolence and morality, his eyes gleaming with a green light.

"when--!!"

Driven by her emotions, she slammed her cane down, her eyes wide with fury, and shouted, "Wang Mang... your family has enjoyed generations of honor and wealth thanks to the Han Emperor's merits! But you have neither repaid them nor seized power while the emperor was entrusting his son to you, completely abandoning gratitude and morality! You are worse than pigs and dogs, and you call yourself 'child'... How can the current emperor have a father and brother like you?!" (After becoming the false emperor, Wang Mang referred to the two-year-old Liu Ziying as "child" in public.)

"If you truly desire the Mandate of Heaven and wish to change the course of history, you should forge the founding jade seal of the new dynasty! What use is this ominous jade seal of a doomed nation?!"

"As for me... hehe..."

“I am just an old widow of the Han people, who may die at any time. I will take this imperial seal with me to be buried with her. You will never get it!”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"boom----!!"

Outside the door, a thunderclap struck.

Inside the door, every word spoken resonated deeply on the ground.

Wang Zhengjun immediately burst into tears, and those around her wept as well. The atmosphere became incredibly tense. Wang Mang looked at his respected aunt, his smile completely vanishing. As he took his final step up the Dragon Gate, an undisguised murderous intent flashed in his hawk-like eyes.

Seeing that things were not going well, Grand Tutor Wang Shun, though saddened, said after a long while, "We have nothing more to say, but... now that the new dynasty has been established, the Imperial Seal should not be absent under any circumstances. Can the Empress Dowager really refuse to take it out until her death?"

Having said all that, Wang Zhengjun's face was ashen, as if her heart had died. When she presented the Imperial Seal of the State, she took one last look at this priceless treasure passed down from the Qin and Han dynasties, and then violently threw it to the ground.

"Boom-!!"

The heavy jade seal fell to the ground, breaking off a corner.

She uttered her final prophecy, "Don't think this is anything good... Our Wang family will be wiped out because of it—!!"

Chapter 200: The Well-Field System

"Are you happy?" Da Xiong asked, looking at the jade seal with a missing corner in front of him. "Does this mean... things have completely fallen out with your aunt?"

"Everything has its priorities. For me, the most important thing is to handle everything smoothly."

Wang Mang stroked the dragon robe he wore, a symbol of the emperor's supreme power, and a smile crept onto his lips, as if possessed by something. He couldn't stop laughing. "The Empress Dowager is getting old. It's a bit difficult for her to accept new things all at once. We can mend our relationship later, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we seize it, we've truly seized it."

朕。

This title unconsciously reminded Da Xiong that the old man before him had truly become an emperor ruling over a region. In the eyes of the ancients, he was no longer a human being, but the embodiment of the will of Heaven, possessing absolute control.

"Da Xiong, how long do you think the new dynasty I founded will last?"

"Huh?" He hadn't expected Wang Mang, now the emperor, to ask such a strange question. Thinking of his future, so drastically altered, he didn't know how to answer and could only say, "Just now, didn't your ministers say something like 'The Xin Dynasty will last forever'... or something like that?"

"Ah, eternity..."

Wang Mang smiled inexplicably, lowered his head, and revealed a clear-headedness in his eyes. It was evident that despite being adorned in the imperial robes, he had not been completely blinded by elation and still retained a considerable degree of critical thinking.

"Such words have always been used to deceive children. What in this world is eternal? The Zhou Dynasty lasted for eight hundred years, and the Qin Dynasty perished after only two generations. Whether long or short, there will always be an end. I only hope that... the new dynasty can last longer than the Qin Dynasty, and that will be enough."

Second generation?

So, the Qin Dynasty ended after only two generations? What a short-lived dynasty—Da Xiong sighed inwardly. But at the same time, he began to worry: what if the problem lay with the next generation, or even the generation after that? What would he do then? Would he have to rely on the Time Traveler to watch it episode by episode?

In any case, a newly established dynasty shouldn't have any problems with its founder, Wang Mang...

Right?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"She's fainted?" At his usual canned dinner, Da Xiong picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. Upon hearing this news, he was startled and nearly choked. "Ugh...cough cough...Is the old lady alright?"