Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 617 Letters
"...Brother, what did the emperor write in his letter to you?"

Nanyang

While Zhang Jiao remained there, busy consolidating the Yellow Turban army's base and seeking an opportunity to cooperate with Dou Jiande and other rebel leaders in the north to jointly attack the main Han army led by Huangfu Song,
A special letter was secretly sent to Nanyang.

That was written by the emperor to his "old friend" Zhang Jiao.

When I learned of this news

Zhang Jiao pondered for a long time but still couldn't understand why the emperor would act this way.

However, he still received the messenger who had been sent to deliver the message, and saw the trembling messenger, who was covered in cold sweat, safely out of the Yellow Turban army's camp, ordering him to return to Luoyang to report back.

"He was just an innocent man appointed by those in power."

There's no need to make things difficult for him.

Zhang Jiao said this to the leaders of the Yellow Turban Army who intended to kill the envoy and let the emperor know how brave they were.

Subsequently,

He returned to his tent alone and opened the emperor's letter.

It was probably written in a fit of anger.

The emperor's writing revealed obvious impatience and anger.

In the opening sentences,
The emperor, as if reminiscing, described the interactions between the two sides in Hejian Prefecture.

He then couldn't help but accuse the Taiping Dao of "malicious intentions," questioning whether they had already deduced that he could become emperor through mysterious means such as "observing celestial phenomena at night," and thus deliberately contacted him.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Jiao couldn't help but laugh, revealing the wrinkles around his eyes and his graying beard and hair.

He is getting old.
The emperor's eldest son was already about ten years old.
If this were in the past,

At a time when the Han imperial family had no understanding of their own health and lifespan...
It seems that Liu Bian already had his own concubines and the ability to make the emperor his grandfather.

The other party was able to write something like this.

Perhaps I was so overwhelmed by the chaotic situation that I didn't think things through at all while writing.

But once the emperor's temper subsided,
His handwriting gradually became more composed, revealing the elegance and wealth he had cultivated over the years.

However, the content of his writings became increasingly harsh and arrogant.

He began to mock the rebel armies in various places, along with the powerful families and clans who were also entangled with them in those areas.

Finally, it was pointed out that the pursuit of Taiping Dao was nothing but a fleeting illusion, empty in the sky and empty on the ground, merely for show.

“Sun En, who competed with Emperor Shizu, was your predecessor.”

"Don't you know the fate of the Yan state he founded?"

"He didn't achieve what he pursued back then, so what about now?"

"The world may change, but people's hearts remain the same!"

What do you think you can do?

"If you still have hope for the future, then I can allow you to live out your days in luxury in Luoyang, enjoying the same treatment as the Duke of Yan who surrendered to the Han Dynasty back then..."

Zhang Jiao showed no interest.

He ignored the emperor's nonsensical words and continued reading.

but,

The other letter, however, did not express the emperor's true feelings.

Those were records of Anle Gong's past and present experiences and thoughts, written by someone else.

After the fall of the Gonghe Yan state
The last Duke of Yan, as the deposed ruler of his kingdom, was placed in Luoyang by the Han emperor as a mascot.

Because he once uttered the famous line "I am so happy here that I forget about the swallows" at a banquet held by Emperor He, he was later granted the title of Duke of Anle by Emperor He.

And perhaps it was to show loyalty,

In the latter half of his life, the first Duke of Anle often reflected on himself and the affairs of the Gonghe Yan State.

of course,

As a ruler who pursued a policy of non-resistance, allowing the land where his ancestors had shed blood to become a place trampled upon by others without firing a single arrow,
He would never speak well of the State of Yan.

Certainly, he was the Duke of Yan in the past.

Admittedly, during his time in the Republic of Yan, he never suffered any humiliation or torment, and rose rapidly through the ranks to become the ruler "elected by all and loved by all".

But when he arrived in Luoyang, he became the Duke of Anle of the Han Dynasty.

He has to plan for his later years and the wealth of his descendants!

How could he yearn for his homeland and incur the displeasure of the Han Dynasty?

He only knows how to speak ill of the State of Yan and say that the State of Yan is wrong!

Even Wen Gongsun En, who founded this empire, was described as "resisting the mandate of heaven of the Han Dynasty. In terms of merits and demerits, he can only be rated 30% and 70%."

ha,
The founders of the nation all had "three merits and seven demerits."

What kind of merits did this Duke Anle, who submitted to the mandate of heaven of the Han Dynasty and surrendered with his hands clasped, possess?

Zhang Jiao was unaware of this.

Because when he was still the Great Sage Teacher, able to communicate with spirits, he did not see this "Great Sage" who brought warmth to Liaodong and promoted the further expansion and unity of the Central Kingdom in the underworld.

As for the one in the present...
Zhang Jiao knew even less.

After all, he had never been to Luoyang and had no way of meeting the current Duke of Anle.

Fortunately, the emperor had taken this into account and specially sent a message to Zhang Jiao.

Upon learning that the Taiping Dao had raised its flag once again, this person was in a very bad mood.

He knew that, given his status, he would inevitably face repercussions from the Han Dynasty court.

And the emperor did indeed arrest him and imprison him.

The words and events in the letter were the heartfelt words of the other party while in prison.

He first shouted "I'm innocent!" for a while, then pleaded with the emperor for forgiveness from afar, and then berated the Taiping Dao for being "ignorant".

They actually chose to cause trouble while he was still alive.
Couldn't they have considered past relationships and been more patient, so that the Anle lineage could preserve its wealth and status?

"So many years have passed."

"The state now called Yan was established by the Xianbei people."

What is the Way of Peace still holding onto?

At last,
He even said:
"The two emperors Heshun were truly benevolent back then, failing to strictly prohibit the Taoist sects throughout the land, which has allowed them to become arrogant again today!"

It's one thing to cause harm to the local area

The Dukes of Anle and Zuoyou nominally held Anle County as their fiefdom, but in reality, they resided in Luoyang for generations and would not directly confront the rebel army.

But once it involves you,

The entire Anle family would then harbor deep resentment.

"They were this shameless back then, and they're still this shameless now!"

"Can such a despicable attitude be passed down to future generations?"

Curious, they came looking for them.
Zhang Liang and Zhang Bao, who wanted to know the contents of the letter, were shocked after learning the details from their elder brother.

Regarding the emperor's attitude,

They don't care.

Since the two sides are destined to be enemies, how could they not insult and accuse each other?

However, the fact that Anle Gong was able to become one of the nobles in Luoyang because of the Yan state infuriated them.

"It doesn't matter."

"They can't possibly admit their mistakes."

Those who benefited
It is difficult for them to let go of the benefits they have and to reflect on whether the means by which they obtained those benefits were problematic.

They only mock others' incompetence when they succeed, while admiring their own "cleverness and resourcefulness."
When they fail, they open their mouths wide, anxiously and impatiently blaming everyone else for all the mistakes.

Just like when the first Duke of Anle died and met Sun En, he knelt on the ground and wept bitterly, saying that all his actions were due to being misled and forced by others, and that he had no way to reverse the situation and could only "submit under duress".

Therefore,
Zhang Jiao was not as angry as his two brothers.

He calmly put the letter down and discussed with the others what to do after the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

"After the emperor deposed Shi and installed Mu, our pressure may increase."

In Luoyang, the dilapidated areas were treated as liabilities and sold off on a large scale.
The powerful families then had to rely on their own strength to protect themselves.

Those ambitious individuals who took advantage of the emperor's extensive decentralization of power, intending to ride the wave of chaos and plan for a better future, were also willing to contribute their talents and abilities.

They would recruit their own troops and use money from their own treasuries to train them.

When all the effort requires you to pay out of your own pocket, but the rewards still end up in your own pocket...
They will naturally become more attentive.

Because they were no longer there to uphold the Han dynasty's rule.

Instead, they are fighting for their own territory.

"And we can't be as aggressive as before."

"We need to be more moderate and steady."

The territory conquered by the Yellow Turban Army stretched all the way from Hefei in Yangzhou to Nanyang.

Judging from the time it took to start the uprising, it was already quite extensive.

If it continues to expand
The foundation that had been firmly established in Huainan was about to be shaken.

The land that has been conquered needs to be managed.

A large army needs provisions to be mobilized.

The Way of Peace is responsible for those who follow them.

Too many precedents have shown that being too hasty in trying to gain power will not lead to a good outcome.

in addition,

We must also learn from the lessons of Master Sun En and pay close attention to the internal dynamics of the Yellow Turban Army, as the morale of its members fluctuates with the unfolding events.

If another figure like Duke Anle were to appear,

Zhang Jiao must have died of shame.

A long time ago,

Zhang Jiao knew that his pursuit might not necessarily become a reality in this world.

Even if a country is established, it will eventually perish.

He could only be like Master Sun Enxian.

To provide nutrients for the seeds, and to guide and pave the way for future generations.

but no matter,
If its behavior upon its fall was even more disgraceful than that of the Gonghe Yan State,
Doesn't that mean...?
Did he not only fail to advance beyond what his predecessors had built, but actually regress?

That won't do!

Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang nodded, indicating that they understood.

But in times of chaos
Who can truly enjoy peace and tranquility?

Even if the Yellow Turban Army restrained its military might and sought a more cautious approach, exploring suitable systems based on its own principles and the specific circumstances of its territory,

However, the surrounding forces were unwilling to give the Yellow Turban Army such leisure.

The newly appointed governor of the nearby state is eager to reclaim lost territory and demonstrate his power.

Some people from humble backgrounds who joined his cause, hoping to take advantage of the chaos to elevate their own status, proposed:
"The prefectures and counties are suffering from countless disaster victims, which is a real burden for you, my lord!"

"The Yellow Turban Army originated from the Way of Peace and often used the slogan of saving the world and helping the people."

"It would be better to send troops, drive the disaster victims to the front, and charge into their camp!"

"If they are reluctant to take action, then under the cover of the disaster victims, our army can charge and break through their lines."

"If they take action, it will not only expose the hypocrisy of the Yellow Turban Army to the world, but also alleviate the disaster in the state."

The essence of disaster relief lies in addressing the human element.

As long as the disaster victims are taken care of
Wouldn't that mean there would be no disaster?

The governor was taken aback when he heard the other party's suggestion.

He was able to reach such a position, naturally because he came from a noble family.

And lasting wealth,

Although it made him look down on the lowly common people and treat them like cattle and horses,

But as for the current situation,

For a moment, he couldn't come up with such a direct yet ruthless plan.

"Then we'll do as you say!"

The governor stroked his beard and pondered for a while before finally approving.

……

"That's why I often say that the human heart is extremely difficult to fathom."

Having witnessed this treacherous plan succeed and inflict a heavy loss on the Yellow Turban Army, He Bo spoke to the dead man beside him.

"The only difference between a poor family and a noble family is their background."

"Their character and temperament are all hidden behind a thin layer of skin... How can one make a simplistic judgment, deeming one good and the other evil?"

"Therefore, Liu Hong's eagerness to promote people from poor families will not end well."

The two emperors, who had fought against powerful families for many years, nodded in agreement.

Don't they know to support those from humble backgrounds to fight against powerful families?

However, human nature is complex, and sudden wealth is a huge shock to people who were originally in ordinary circumstances.

They cannot guarantee that,

Under such an impact, will human nature be distorted, leading to more problems?

They chose to let time be the witness.

Even if that good character is a facade.

But if it can keep the disguise going for a while, that would be a good thing, wouldn't it?
Now, Liu Hong is promoting several representatives from impoverished families.
He Jin sought refuge with powerful families, cultivating close ties with the Yuan family, whose members had held high office for four generations.

Dong Zhuo harbored a deep aversion and hatred towards the powerful clans, and his methods were brutal and ruthless. As his power grew, it was anyone's guess what he might do next.
Only Cao Cao seemed to possess some semblance of loyalty to the emperor and the country, and the demeanor of a virtuous minister who could assist the world.

No wonder that after deciding to shed its liabilities and streamline its operations to consolidate its central position,

Liu Hong would choose Cao Cao to serve as the Commandant of the Army.

For this,

God simply smiled and remained silent.

"Let's go!"

"It's so smoky and polluted here, it gives me a headache if I look at it for too long!"

After collecting the souls of those innocent disaster victims and sending them to the underworld for burial,
He Bo shook his head and led the dead to other places to witness the end of the Han Dynasty.

He did not go to comfort Zhang Jiao, who was feeling dejected.

Because once you choose to enter this chaotic battle...
You must learn to accept the consequences of failure.
We must also learn to confront the wickedness of human nature.

In times of chaos, people vie for power.
It's no easier than going around to provide disaster relief and treat the sick!

The latter is something people avoid at all costs, so naturally, people will resort to fewer malicious tactics.

The allure of national interests is undeniable.

Good or bad,

All of these will be fully revealed in times of chaos.

They drove away disaster victims to act as human shields.

What does that even mean?

"Destroy the old and establish the new."

"I only hope that after such turmoil and danger, the subsequent dynasties can be more stable and peaceful for a longer period of time."

He Bo overheard the dead men discussing this.

He chuckled softly, "Given the current situation, it's hard to say who will win the world!"

He pointed in the direction of Luoyang, "Liu Hong indulged in wine and women, and his vitality faded quickly."

He then pointed in the direction of Liaodong, saying, "Jizhou is in chaos, Youzhou is in turmoil, and the Yan Kingdom has been eyeing us covetously for a long time."

"The Prince of Yan has long been looking for an opportunity to send troops south to restore the Han Dynasty!"

This muddy water,

Another huge boulder is about to be thrown.

How big will the splash be?

(End of this chapter)