Cang's Ramblings

Chapter 25: Comments on "The Wei Palace"

Today I would like to recommend to you a historical text of 673 million words.

"The Palace of the Great Wei", author: Chief disciple of Jianzong, level 5 author.

Category: History-Alternative History.

【Introduction】

Born as the prince of Wei,

I wish to be a leisurely king in a prosperous age.

Aiming to lean on red and green, enjoy the pleasures of dogs and horses,

Care about the safety of the country and the people.

If the elder brother is virtuous, if the younger brother is wise,
You are the king and I am taking some time off.

If you cannot make your country strong,
I will ascend the throne and become the emperor!
————Hongrun "If You Can't Do It, I Will Do It"

【Brief Comment】

I seldom read historical texts, except for the serious reading of "The Son-in-Law".

Because when reading historical texts, you always have to make comparisons, look up information, and think of rebuttals. It can be very tiring.

It’s not like watching fantasy, urban, etc., especially those about cultivation and superpowers, where you can just go for it without thinking.

Without a sense of historical weight and cultural accumulation, reading historical texts would feel like a waste of time.

Although the author of this book does not have the title of a great writer, I feel that he is better than some of them.

The main feelings are as follows.

First, the opening sophistry. The protagonist is 14 years old and aspires to marry, not the throne. The emperor, on a whim, decides to test the princes. Not only is the protagonist late, but he also leaves early. The test paper he submits consists of a doggerel poem and an idiom. This simple, crude operation, far from angering the emperor, actually attracts his attention.

The emperor orders his ministers to debate the protagonist in person. Instead of citing classic texts to ground his arguments, the protagonist employs ingenuity, employing sophistry and counterintuitive thinking to defeat the three ministers. Even the emperor himself fails to gain the upper hand. The protagonist's identity as a time traveler is soon revealed.

The emperor's intention to cultivate him, but the protagonist's determination to resist, triggering many fascinating scenes of father-son confrontation. Many of the plots are drawn from historical allusions as well as the author's own imagination. Upon closer inspection, it is quite interesting.

Secondly, the author has deep knowledge of the field of history.

The depth of this work refers to the fact that, despite being a fictional historical work, it integrates the institutional mechanisms, governance experience, military prowess, and economic wisdom of many dynasties. This fully demonstrates the author's strong historical foundation and the ease with which he can draw upon the material.

Especially some of the more obscure explanations in ancient times, such as the fact that the palace maids were not allowed to serve the prince before he got married, he had to pay for meals plus tips, and that daily study was very hard, etc. Unlike the palace dramas nowadays, which are all messed up.

As for the subsequent enthronement, command of troops, governance of the country, etc., it further demonstrates the author's great wisdom and strategy. Even the ten clan guards at the age of 14 have always accompanied the protagonist throughout his military career, becoming the ten constant attendants in the future.

In the end, the protagonist looks back on his glorious and brilliant life, silently thinking of the enemies he has defeated and the lovers who have accompanied him. Suddenly, people feel empathy and can't help but shed tears.

The protagonist's life actually affected me as an ordinary reader, and reminded me that life is actually very short. Some memories will always remain in the mind, and some authors can really portray characters deeply into the readers' hearts.

Finally, respect history.

The joke is not nonsense, and the adaptation is not random.

Most of the fictional history, especially the funny ones, are just disguised as history and do whatever they want.

Those tough guys, with the exception of the atomic bomb, managed to make it into history. They devised ideas like making soap, dishwashing liquid, salt, improving munitions, and shipbuilding. Their fanciful and wild ideas were mostly gimmicky and illicit. Their governance was lackluster, leaving one with a vengeance.

Overall, this book, aside from its sophistry, cleverness, and roguery, is relatively respectful of history. Many of its settings and plots have legitimate sources.

Coupled with the serious writing style, occasional narration, brilliant imagination, readers' interpretations, etc., it is quite interesting to read and not boring at all!
Although there are many words, it only makes the content fuller. It is not too watery but has a lot of useful information!
【to sum up】

Writing is not easy, so cherish every moment!

I’m Cang Yiwei, and I’m here to endorse “The Devil of Collapse”!
(End of this chapter)