Thousand-year-old family: its rise began with Shang Yang’s reforms

Chapter 350 The fate planted five hundred years ago is destined

Chen's ancestral motto?
Chen Zhulou said silently in a low voice: "Look up to the sky and be worthy of the heaven, look down to the earth and be worthy of yourself."

He raised his head and said, "Father, if I take care of myself first, would that mean I am guilty of the heaven and earth and myself? I don't think so."

Chen Zhulou turned his head and saw that the heavy snow outside was still falling, covering the ground with a layer of white.

"It's not that I don't want to take the people of the world into consideration. I just want to accomplish all this while preserving the current power of the Chen family. Isn't that right?"

Having said this, Chen Chengji finally sighed.

This was his fault, and it was something Chen had to go through.

The Chen family has been passed down for more than 500 years, and some "different" voices have already appeared within the family. These voices were small in the past, but are now flourishing.

So, as a noble family, what is the most important thing that the Chen family should do?
For the people? Or to protect the Chen family?
This is also one of the reasons why the Chen family seems to be getting closer to ordinary families in recent years.

Chen Chengji didn't know what to say, so he just said silently: "Why are you worried about the inheritance and power of the Chen family?"

"Since the time of Duke Xiao, the Chen family has never been discontinued, even if the Chen family has always been doing things for the country and the people."

"In other words, it is precisely because the Chen family has always regarded the people of the world as the most important thing that the Chen family has been able to continue to this day. Even though it has been suspected by almost every emperor, all emperors have not dared to kill the Chen family."

"Zhu Lou, do you think that it is the power of the Chen family that intimidates the emperor?"

He touched the top of Chen Zhulou's head and said, "You are a very smart child. Think about it carefully."

"There have been so many noble families in the world, and the Central Plains has experienced so many emperors."

"Why is the Chen family the only one among the aristocratic families that has survived for five hundred years and has always been prosperous?"

"Isn't there a family in this world that is almost as powerful as the Chen family, but has never been able to threaten the Chen family?"

There are some problems that children cannot see through, and this is when Chen Chengji, as a father, is needed to give guidance.

He smiled and said, "When you understand this question, you will understand why father came to Chang'an City at this time. This is the "root" that was planted when the Chen family was founded and when the Chen family began to pass on its legacy five hundred years ago. It is the flower that bloomed and the fruit that was borne five hundred years ago."

"Everything is predetermined."

After saying this, Chen Chengji slowly stood up.

He believed that his son would be able to figure this matter out, because it was not a difficult thing.

Chen Zhulou was sitting under the eaves, looking at the falling snow and fell into deep thought.

Is there no family in this world as powerful as the Chen family?

In fact, there is.

How could there be only one Chen family during the 400 years of the Han Dynasty and so many years of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period?
There are countless noble families in the world, just like the Yang family of Hongnong, the Yuan family of Runan, etc. Among them, the Yuan family of Runan is the most powerful, known as "three dukes in four generations".

Of course, it is still a little bit worse than the current Chen family.

But, he actually looks like Chen, doesn't he? He has the same disciples and former officials all over the country, he has the same monopoly, and his family has been the three highest officials for generations.

So, why did the Yuan family not only fail to develop like the Chen family, but instead gradually went downhill?
Is it because King Xiaogong married his daughter to Chen?
No.

No.

Because during the time of the previous emperor, Yuan had also asked to marry the princess, but was rejected.

After that, the Yuan family has been quietly going downhill.

What is the reason behind this?
Combined with what Chen Chengji had just said, Chen Zhulou understood the difference almost instantly.

What does it mean that the fruit was planted five hundred years ago?

What does fate mean?
Chen Zhulou stood up.

The Chen family has been passed down for 500 years. Perhaps this is due to the blessing of the ancestors' spirits in heaven, but more importantly, it is due to the efforts and sacrifices of the successive heads of the Chen family over the years.

Yes, the Chen family also has a patriarch who sacrificed himself for the family's interests.

This brings up an equally interesting question.

Since the third generation, Chen Ye has never interfered with the growth of Chen's descendants. Then why are the heads of the Chen family in successive generations willing to sacrifice themselves for the people, or even serve the people wholeheartedly?
Is it possible that in the past five hundred years, among the more than twenty family heads, there has never been a single one who had selfish emotions in his heart?
Does this make sense?

This is not common sense, and even less human nature.

Over twenty family heads and more than five hundred years, all of them would never do anything to harm the people for the sake of their family members, or even for themselves for the so-called family interests.

Then the only possible reason is that "not harming the people" itself has become Chen's interest.

Because Chen stood with the people of the world, it was as if he was standing with the emperor.

Because the emperor’s most fundamental interest is to maintain stability in the world, all other interests are secondary.

Only when the world is stable can he sit firmly in his position.

As long as the emperor can sit firmly on the throne, as long as he still has the power in his hands, as long as he can still be supreme, then the emperor will definitely be willing to support a "Chen family" who has been proven by facts, who only cares about the people, has never thought about his own family interests, and almost never intermarries with other families.

This is the reason why, over the years, the heads of the Chen family have never had the qualities of a "head of a noble family".

Because deep down, they are the heads of aristocratic families.

It is simply because their ancestors have laid the foundation for the Chen family, and after continuous investigation by later generations of family heads, they found that this foundation is better than any other approach.

No matter which emperor comes, they will like Chen like this, and will not want to be an enemy of Chen like this in their hearts.

Or
No matter which emperor came, the worst outcome for the Chen family would be to be "arrogant" for a while, then return to Guandu City, maintain their position as the number one family in the world, and wait for the opportunity.

This is Chen.

This is the emperor.

This is the benefit of the world.

After thinking everything through, Chen Zhulou looked back at his father's every move and suddenly understood the complexity and powerlessness involved.

It is necessary to come to Chang'an City. Even though he knows that there may be traps and exploits in Chang'an City, even though he knows that as long as he comes to Chang'an, he will definitely clash with other aristocratic families, and may even come into conflict with those treacherous people, he still has to come.

Because only by doing this can Chen be the Chen who "cares about the people of the world".

Because only by doing so can the Chen family remain the Chen family that is righteous and above all else, and can never be suppressed, eliminated, or targeted.

Chen could not break his own indestructible golden body.

So, Chang'an City must come.

This was destined five hundred years ago.

Peach Blossom Spring
A wisp of Chen Ye's soul floated away, looking at the conversation between Chen Chengji and his son. There was a hint of helplessness in his eyes, but more of a solemn expression.

This is why he established such a family motto for the Chen family in the beginning, and even made the Chen family have the generosity of "living for the people of the world" from the beginning. Chen Ye can guarantee that his sons and grandsons will care about the people of the world, but can he guarantee that all his descendants will be like this? What if a generation of family heads just want to develop the Chen family, develop the Chen family to the largest extent, and even become the world's number one family, but are still not satisfied and want to become a powerful official to wield power?
At that time, would he really kill his descendant?

What a joke.

Regardless of whether this is right or not, regardless of whether it is right to treat future generations in such a condescending manner, as if they were a toy, simply speaking, such behavior cannot guarantee that future generations can continue to walk on this people-oriented path.

So what to do?
The only way is to tie the interests of the people to the interests of the Chen family.

It will even be tied to the interests of the emperor.

The three form a delicate balance, and it is a balance that is impossible to break.

Only in this way can the descendants of the Chen family move forward along the predetermined trajectory.

It is still interference with future generations, but Chen Ye hopes to use this "human" means to interfere with the development of his future generations, rather than using the means of a "high and mighty god" to interfere with the development of future generations.

If the Chen family wants to become a thousand-year-old family, he cannot watch over them all the time.

We also cannot rely on the illusory so-called "destiny".

This is Chen.

A person's family.

Human hearts are always unpredictable, only interests can last forever.

Tea stalls and wine shops
Liu Bei sat there a little stiffly, waiting for his two good friends to arrive.

But after two bowls of wine, these restraints disappeared.

His teacher was Lu Zhi, a great scholar of the time and also the director of the Secretariat. How could he not know the news in the court?
After the court session yesterday, he learned from his senior brother that the Crown Prince of An Kingdom and Commandant Cao seemed to know each other, and that both of them served as the Eight Colonels.

With his intelligence, he could naturally guess that his good friend from yesterday was not an ordinary person.

After some guesses, I found out that one of the two men was Commandant Cao, oh, now Captain Cao, and the other one was the Crown Prince of An Kingdom, also serving as the Captain of the Upper Army, commanding the Xiyuan New Army, second only to the Emperor.

Will these two people still keep the appointment?

Liu Bei didn't know.

But he still came.

Because that's who he is.

A rare "good guy".

"Phew—it's so hot this day."

While Liu Bei was thinking about the problem, Chen Zhulou sat down next to him, wiped his sweat, picked up the wine that had been placed in front of him and drank it all, and then said in surprise: "Hey, there is such wine here?"

Liu Bei did not find Chen Zhulou's behavior strange, and just answered as he did yesterday: "The recipe passed down from Chen a few years ago, this winemaking recipe has spread to almost all the wine shops in Chang'an City."

"People all over the world still have great trust in the Chen family, but not many can brew this kind of wine, so it can only be tasted in certain wine shops in Chang'an City."

He pointed at the tea stall and wine shop and said with a smile: "How can anyone who can open a wine shop in West City be an ordinary person?"

Cao Cao also arrived at this time and said with a smile: "Isn't it true that if an ordinary family opened a wine shop here, they would have been squeezed out long ago."

"Although I never bent the law for personal gain when I was the Chang'an Wei, and I always worked for the people, this kind of squeeze is not something I can interfere with."

Cao Cao yawned and sat there, looking like he was still sleepy.

"My two friends, how are you?"

Chen Zhulou was not prepared to hide his intentions, and just teased: "Didn't I see you, the audacious Captain Cao, in the court yesterday? You schemed against everyone, and even plotted against King An?"

"You were finally warned, right?"

Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Chen Zhulou chuckled and looked at each other, and they all saw the intention of making friends in each other's eyes.

After drinking a bowl of wine, everyone warmed up and decided to discuss the current situation in the world.

The three of them expressed their opinions, and the surroundings suddenly became quiet for a while. People around them quietly listened to these three bold people discussing state affairs.

Suddenly, a very subtle voice sounded: "The Chang'an Wei is here! He's here to arrest those who discuss state affairs!"

Cao Cao and the other two paused, then instantly stood up and ran together towards the distance.

Running and laughing.

Cao Cao had been the commander of Chang'an before, and he knew that this kind of "arrest" was just a warning to turn a blind eye so that people wouldn't talk too much. As long as you ran away, they would leave you alone.

Liu Bei was very familiar with the current policies, so he was not worried.

The three of them ran to a corner, looked at the sweat on each other's bodies, and suddenly laughed.

It is indeed extremely rare to see someone in such a miserable state.

The spring of the fourth year of Guanghe arrived quickly. When the spring light fell on the earth, all things came back to life, and the people who were exploited by the current emperor and those foolish and treacherous eunuchs seemed to have some respite.

The fourth year of Guanghe, spring, February.

It was like the sun was shining on the ground, making all the darkness disappear.

In the first year of King An's reign, the Ten Eunuchs immediately sent letters to those relatives who relied on their power to do evil, telling them that if they did not want to die, they should spit out what they had eaten, otherwise they would not be able to save him.

And he told those local officials directly that they would be helping themselves by enforcing the law impartially, otherwise they should not blame them for being rude.

The aristocratic families also restrained themselves a lot.

Suddenly, the turbulent Polish man calmed down.

It has a certain flavor of political clarity.

However, only those standing in this pool of water know that this is not true political clarity, but a precursor to the coming storm.

There will always be stupid people in the world, just as there will always be greedy people in the world.

There are also many people who are greedy and stupid.

Some people who were at the forefront of the trend were like this, such as an uncle of Zhang Rang, one of the Ten Attendants of the powerful dynasty.

Zhang Ze is such a stupid and greedy person.

At this moment, he was threatening the man in front of him to say that he had returned the land to him.

Perjury for yourself.

(End of this chapter)