flstandardbreds Chapter 180 Liu Xiu
Chapter 180 Liu Xiu
"Since the Xinshi and Pinglin factions of the Green Forest Army entered Nanyang, the time left for the Nanyang gentry is running out. Why don't you just rebel? Both sides will be asking you for money and food."
"Among the powerful families in Nanyang, there was a rebel leader who didn't want to choose anything. He said that only little kids make choices, and he, as an adult, naturally wanted everything!"
"This person is Liu Yan, also known as Liu Bosheng, whom we mentioned earlier. He is also a member of the Liu clan, a ninth-generation descendant of Liu Bang, and a descendant of Liu Fa, the Prince of Changsha, son of Emperor Jing."
"Liu Fa was Emperor Jing's sixth son. When Emperor Jing was drunk, he wanted to take Consort Cheng back, but Consort Cheng was menstruating and unable to attend to him, so her maid, Consort Tang, took her place."
"Unexpectedly, Emperor Jing of Han, after getting back to his father, disregarded his identity and thought that the child was someone he had gotten while drunk. He was not very happy with him and sent him to be the King of Changsha when he grew up. The kingdom he was granted was also a little less prestigious than that of his other sons."
Liu Qi, the Chess Saint of the Han Dynasty: ...
"Emperor Jing of Han could never have imagined that more than a hundred years later, such two unusual brothers would appear in the lineage of Liu Fa, whom he disliked."
"Although the Liu clan only had a good name because of the imperial edict, thanks to the hard work of Liu Bosheng's father and grandfather, the Liu family of Nanyang is still a prominent family with a certain influence."
"Liu Yan was a man of resolute character and generosity. Like his ancestor Liu Bang, he liked to make many friends. Ever since he heard that Wang Mang had usurped the Han throne, he was often indignant and wanted to restore the country and support the Han dynasty. He used most of his own money to make friends with various heroes."
"Besides being so idealistic, he also had a role model—Liu Bang. Their ancestor Liu Bang did nothing back then, just like a street ruffian, making friends all over the world. In the end, he succeeded, which led to the Liu family becoming emperors."
Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty: ...
Big Han Liu Zhuzhu: ...
A soldier from the Ming Dynasty: I already knew about Liu Xiu, but I didn't expect he had brothers!
A scion of a prominent family in the Song Dynasty: It's a pity that it was his younger brother who ultimately ended the chaotic era!
A spoiled young master from the Tang Dynasty: The prophecy says it's Liu Xiu, but he's never heard of this prophecy!?
……
"Liu Yan had three sisters and two brothers. Emperor Guangwu of Han, Liu Xiu, was their third brother."
"Let's start by introducing Liu Xiu. He was born in December of the first year of Jianping. Perhaps it's a tradition in the Liu family that when he was born, a red light illuminated the entire room."
"Liu Qin found it strange and asked someone to perform divination. The final result was auspicious. That year, three millet plants grew in front of Liu Qin's door, and each plant had nine ears of grain. They were also larger than other millet plants, so they were named Xiu."
"Historical records describe his appearance as remarkably similar to that of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, but their personalities were worlds apart. Liu Bang, needless to say, is well-known, while Liu Xiu was an expert at cultivating crops."
"It was also because he was diligent in farming that his elder brother Liu Yan often teased him, comparing him to Liu Xi, Liu Bang's second elder brother. Liu Yan, who had seen the world, also knew that there was no future in just tending to crops. His younger brother was still young, so why should he live such a predictable life?"
"So he waved his hand and sent his younger brother to study at the Imperial Academy in Chang'an. He studied the Book of Documents under the guidance of famous scholars and thus met Deng Yu, Zhu You and others. These two were later listed among the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai and were also teammates in Liu Xiu's early entrepreneurial group."
A Song Dynasty official: I hope my brother will become a dragon! Hahaha!
A spoiled young master from the Tang Dynasty: I can't even understand the Book of Documents! It's too difficult!
……
"Liu Xiu studied for six years, which broadened his horizons and knowledge considerably. It is said that when he saw the magnificent Zhijinwu (Imperial Guard) on the streets of Chang'an, he exclaimed: 'If I were to become an official, I would be the Zhijinwu; if I were to marry, I would marry Yin Lihua.'" (Book of the Later Han)
"The Zhijinwu was in charge of patrolling and defending the capital, similar to the later Jinwuwei. In addition to protecting the emperor's personal safety, they were also responsible for patrolling the capital and the surrounding military garrisons."
According to the records in "Han Guan", the scene of the Imperial Guard inspecting the capital was very spectacular, with two hundred Imperial Guards and five hundred and twenty men carrying halberds clearing the way.
"Liu Xiu had a brother-in-law named Deng Chen. His family was also a powerful and wealthy clan. Coincidentally, his family was related to the Yin family. So when Liu Xiu first met Yin Lihua, he was amazed by her beauty. That's why he exclaimed such a thing when he met the Commander of the Imperial Guards in Chang'an."
A spoiled young master from the Tang Dynasty: The child is all grown up and ready to get married, hahaha!
"Let's talk about Yin Lihua again. She is the daughter of the Yin family, another powerful family in Nanyang. In terms of background, this family is no less prestigious than the Liu family. Their ancestor was Guan Zhong, who helped Duke Huan of Qi achieve hegemony."
"After the seventh generation descendant Guan Xiu, he moved from the State of Qi to the State of Chu and was appointed as Yin Dafu. He continued to use this surname afterward. At the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the whole family moved to Xinye."
"Then they continued to grow stronger over the next few hundred years, and by the time of Wang Mang, they had become a powerful clan in Nanyang. The Yin family alone owned more than 700 hectares of land, and even their number of carriages, horses, and servants was comparable to that of a prince."
However, the Yin family possessed only wealth and resources, lacking real power, while Yin Lihua lived during a period of significant change and upheaval.
A scion of a prominent family in the Song Dynasty: In turbulent times, money alone isn't enough! You'll easily become easy prey!
A skilled farmer from the Ming Dynasty: Oh my, I've fallen in love with it!
Big Han Liu Zhuzhu: ...
A romantic scholar from the Tang Dynasty said: "My elder brother has great ambitions, while my younger brother, who wants to be emperor, doesn't have much ambition."
A bystander from the Song Dynasty exclaimed: "But the in-laws are all from powerful and wealthy families! My goodness! Over 700 hectares is a huge area!"
……
"In the year 19 AD, the Central Plains were already devastated. When Liu Xiu finished his studies and returned to his hometown, he saw many refugees along the way, a far cry from when he first came to Chang'an."
"When he returned home, he was surprised by the changes. He didn't know when his generous and righteous older brother had become the leader of a group of people, and so many brothers were staying at his house."
"In fact, Liu Yan has not been idle in these years. As the leader of the rebellion, he not only has a great dream, but also the ability to realize it. Especially when he saw the world in chaos because of Wang Mang, he was even a little excited!"
Liu Xiu: How did my brother become the eldest brother?!? (???)
Liu Yan: It's time to stir things up! Haha!
"So in recent years, he has also made many friends with people who want to overthrow the new dynasty, and his reputation has spread far and wide, attracting more and more people to join his ranks."
"As for Liu Xiu, compared to Liu Yan, he didn't like Liu Laoda's extremely unstable life, so he went to Xinye to stay with his brother-in-law Deng Chen."
"But sometimes you can't escape it just because you don't want to. Many times it seems like fate is pushing you forward."
"However, some people speculated that Liu Xiu sought refuge with his brother-in-law Deng Chen because Liu Yan was involved in rebellion, and he wanted to stay away to avoid being implicated. Also, the Miss Yin whom Liu Xiu fell in love with at first sight was in Xinye!"
Deng Chen: Good heavens, my abacus beads are all shattered on the ground!
"Even if Wang Mang's dynasty is beyond saving, Brother Liu, isn't your voice of rebellion a bit too loud?"
"You must know that when planning something big, especially something like a rebellion, you need to keep a low profile, preserve your strength, and remain vigilant. As the saying goes, things are accomplished in secrecy and ruined by leaks."
"Moreover, there was more than just one rebel army. Being too conspicuous would make one a target, and perhaps his failure was foreshadowed."
A bystander from the Song Dynasty commented: "Showing off too much before even achieving complete success is not a good thing!"
A spoiled young master in the Tang Dynasty: However, he never expected that his younger brother, whom he had always teased, would eventually complete what he had not finished.
A lazy official in the Ming Dynasty: He planned carefully before acting, which was both ostentatious and imprudent.
……
Unlike his elder brother, Liu Xiu was much more cautious and shrewd in his dealings with others. Therefore, in his brother's eyes, this third brother was timid and cowardly, only good at tending crops, much like Liu Bang's second elder brother.
"But he didn't realize that this kind of land is not easy to work with. Seasons, weather, pests, and so on can all have an impact. Liu Xiu was able to do it very well. Most importantly, he studied the Book of Documents and was able to understand its main points."
"The Book of Documents is a compilation that recounts ancient events. Its contents are not only obscure and difficult to understand, but also have various interpretations. In short, it is a book that is difficult to understand. However, Liu Xiu was able to grasp the general meaning of the book."
"Moreover, when Liu Xiu helped his brother-in-law in Xinye sell grain, he never compensated him. It was as if he could accomplish anything. But I think a person who is cautious in everything is more likely to succeed in pursuing great things."
"Especially when it comes to becoming emperor, you have to be extra careful. After all, you might accidentally end up having your own family tree, or your whole family might end up playing a nine-player match-9 game. It's hard to say!"
A scion of a prominent family in the Song Dynasty: He doesn't look like someone to be trifled with! His brother has recruited a large number of people; it might not be a good thing!
A farming expert from the Tang Dynasty: Looking at it this way, that prophecy was really quite amazing!
Old Wang, a butcher in the Ming Dynasty, said: "This man is good at both farming and studying! It's a pity my son just can't keep up with his studies!"
A small butcher in the Ming Dynasty: ...Could it be a genetic issue!?
……