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

Chapter 361 Things are developing in an unknown direction
Chen Zhulou was filled with emotion when he saw his father again. He leaned down with some guilt and said softly, "Father, I'm back."

"I'm late."

Chen Chengji didn't say anything. He didn't try to comfort his son, nor did he complain. He just waved his hand and said casually as he did back then: "Will you walk with me for a while?"

Chen Zhulou nodded slightly and followed him towards the backyard.

At this moment, the two of them were just like an ordinary father and son, walking in the yard under the night.

Chen Chengji spoke first, with some reminiscence in his voice: "I still remember how naughty you were in Guandu, but I never thought that in the blink of an eye, you would be so old and capable of standing on your own."

Chen Chengji turned around and said, "Tell me, what did you see along the way this time?"

"What did you think of?"

Chen Zhulou told all that he had seen and heard along the way, removing some of the more dangerous scenes and blurring out some of the more difficult places.

He knew that even if he didn't say it, his father knew those things.

After all, the black ice table at home is not just for show.

However, as a son, he really didn't want his father to hear those things from his mouth.

After telling everything, Chen Zhulou paused and said, "Actually, this time, when I came back, I had already met Meng De and Xuan De."

He hesitated for a moment before telling the three people their choices.

"Father, I actually think what Xuande said makes sense."

"Among the descendants of the late emperor, the one who is most suitable and qualified to be the emperor is the King of Hongnong left by the late emperor. However, the character of King Hongnong is very bad. "

Chen Zhulou shook his head slightly, not giving a high evaluation of Liu Xie: "He is not as smart as his brother, nor does he have his brother's ruthless decisiveness. His only advantage is probably that he knows the current situation well enough."

"According to Xuande and Mengde's intentions, we will help him ascend the throne and then demote the current emperor to the title of King of Hongnong."

"This can be considered as an explanation to the late emperor."

Chen Chengji did not make any judgment on the result of the three people's discussion. He just turned his head and looked at Chen Zhulou: "So, what do you think?"

"Do you think this is the right way to go?"

Chen Zhulou shook his head.

"I don't know, but I know that if I don't do this, I'm afraid I will be alienated from Xuande."

"not to mention"

He turned his head and looked in the direction of Weiyang Palace: "I'm afraid the emperor will not accept it directly as Xuande thought. I have a hunch that this matter will eventually develop in a direction that no one can imagine."

"The Chen family is no longer the rootless floating wood it once was."

"The Chen family's ship is big enough to handle all the storms and waves. All the storms will calm down in front of the Chen family's ship."

"So I thought."

"Give it a try."

Chen Chengji affirmed Chen Zhulou's decision. He nodded and said, "You made a good decision. You can't judge whether something will succeed or fail before it happens."

"Chen is not afraid of trying, but is afraid of losing the courage to try."

"Back then, when Chen didn't have the power he has now, he dared to try. What's more, now that Chen can fully bear the consequences of the attempt?"

Chen Zhulou supported Chen Chengji and continued walking, and their conversation had already spread to Zhang Jiao.

He smiled and looked at his father: "Father, Master Zhang asked me to say hello to you."

"He said that if he hadn't met his father back then, there would probably be no Zhang Jiao of the Taiping Dao today."

Chen Chengji didn't care about it, and just said casually: "In fact, I didn't help him with anything. Taiping Dao was established by him, and he did many things by himself."

"If I helped him, it was only at the beginning when I gave him some advice."

Chen Chengji asked, "How is the situation at Taipingdao?"

Chen Zhulou knew what Chen Chengji really wanted to ask, and his expression became stern: "In the past two years, the followers of Taiping Dao have spread to five of the nine provinces in the world. Many officials' families in counties and prefectures even believe in Taiping Dao."

"If we talk about momentum, I'm afraid we can't even compare to those people from Five Pecks of Rice."

Chen Chengji sighed. Even though Chen Chengji did not tell him what kind of situation the Han people were in today, he could still guess it.

After all, pinning everything on the spiritual world and on the "Great Sage Teacher" will only expand in such an disorderly manner when people's physical and material lives are already in a very disastrous state.

He asked softly, "Has the life of the people become like this?"

Chen Zhulou was not curious and just lowered his head.

Chen Chengji then asked, "Then what about the Buddhist family?"

Chen Zhulou hesitated even more, but finally said: "In the past, the Buddhists poured into Chang'an through the trade routes opened up by our ancestors, Marquis Bowang and others, and their development in recent years has not been very good."

"It's just that since the time of the previous emperor, the development of Buddhism has entered a peak period."

"During the years that I have been with the Great Sage Master, the development of Buddhism has almost become comparable to that of Confucianism, Taoism, and political science."

"Of course, the other three combined only have about half the power of political science."

Chen Chengji nodded.

"It seems that the lives of the people are much worse than I thought."

Chen Zhulou raised his head with a confused look on his face. How did his father know this?
Chen Chengji just smiled and said, "Buddhism emphasizes that one must bear the sins of this life, so one must endure hardships and atone for one's sins in order to obtain liberation and bliss in the next life."

"So, the more painful a person is, the more he will believe in Buddhist ideas, because no one will blame their life on a place that can be controlled, so they must find an excuse, an excuse that cannot be controlled."

Chen Zhulou said with emotion: "It's like the suffering in this life is due to the sins committed in the previous life?"

Chen Chengji nodded: "So the development of Buddhism also reflects the lives of the people to a certain extent."

He shook his head and waved his hands, saying, "Zhu Lou, the lives of the people are already hard enough. If you can find a perfect solution, then find a perfect solution."

"Only in this way can we save the people of this world."

After saying this, he no longer needed Chen Zhulou's support, but walked slowly towards his courtyard, leaving Chen Zhulou standing there alone.

Chen Zhulou's expression was somewhat gloomy. He just sighed lightly, and then without saying anything, he turned around and returned to the darkness.

Weiyang Palace

When Liu Bei entered the palace, it was already very late and the emperor had already fallen into a deep sleep.

But because Liu Bei's expression was very serious and he indicated that it was a very important matter, the Central Government had no choice but to obey Liu Bei's request and go to Weiyang Palace to wake up the emperor.

From this point we can actually see how great Liu Bei's reputation and power were.

When Liu Bian was awakened from his bed by the Central Government Order, he was still in a dazed state. He sat there, and after he came to his senses, he turned his head and spoke in a very low voice with a hint of murderous intent.

"what happened?"

The Central Government Commander knelt on the ground. He had witnessed with his own eyes the merciless killing of a eunuch. "Your Majesty, the Emperor's uncle requests an audience."

Emperor's uncle? Liu Bei?
Liu Bian frowned and asked, "Didn't you tell the emperor's uncle that I had gone to bed?"

The Central Government Commander heard a sense of easing in Liu Bian's tone, and immediately hurriedly told him everything Liu Bei had told him.

"Your Majesty, I have already told your uncle that you have gone to bed, but he said he has something very important and urgent that he must see Your Majesty, so... that's why I dared to wake Your Majesty up."

When Liu Bian heard this, most of the anger in his heart had actually disappeared.

important things?
While opening his arms and letting the maid change his clothes, he wondered in his heart, what important matter could have made Liu Bei come to see him so late at night?
After changing his clothes, Liu Bian asked as he walked, "Did the emperor uncle tell me what happened?"

The Central Government Commander shook his head, indicating that Liu Bei did not say anything.

When they arrived in front of the Weiyang Palace and saw Liu Bei sitting there, Liu Bian's heart suddenly paused.

He felt as if something really big was about to happen.

After exhaling, Liu Bian looked straight, his body upright, and then walked into the huge quagmire with a smile.

As soon as he met Liu Bei, he expressed his apologies and dissatisfaction humbly and respectfully.

"I am late, please don't blame me, uncle."

He asked casually, "I had just fallen asleep, and was woken up by this servant."

"Is there something important going on, uncle?"

"Why did you enter the palace at night?"

"I was shocked when I heard it just now."

Liu Bian's face showed the obedience that only an emperor could show in front of Liu Bei.

Liu Bei's expression didn't change much. After all, he already knew the tyrannical person behind this well-behaved expression.

"Your Majesty, I do have something important to report."

He asked directly: "The Crown Prince of An Kingdom has entered Chang'an City. Do you know this?"

The Crown Prince of An Kingdom is back?

Liu Bian was slightly stunned. He didn't get the news, but this shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Is it necessary to come in the middle of the night?

But he didn't say it out loud, he just smiled and said: "I see, the prince of An Kingdom is coming to the capital, this is indeed a big deal."

"The Crown Prince of An Kingdom Enters the Capital"

Just after saying this, Liu Bian paused for a moment, frowned and looked at Liu Bei: "Could it be that King An's body..."

Liu Bei nodded slightly. He was not surprised to hear the news that Chen Zhulou had returned. The emperor was able to realize that Chen Chengji was not in good health.

But this was not what he wanted to say at the moment.

He frowned and said softly, "Your Majesty, I didn't want to say anything in the past, because I have said enough of those similar words."

"But today I have to say it."

After a brief thought, Liu Bei told Liu Bian everything they had talked about today except for the matter of changing the emperor. Finally, he sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the people of the world are in dire straits right now. You should stop thinking about fighting for power and profit."

"Otherwise, I'm afraid I won't be able to suppress it anymore."

"Cao Mengde is loyal to the emperor and the Han Dynasty. He is a loyal and capable minister. The two Chens have no other intentions, but you treat them as imaginary enemies."

"Over the years, although they have resentment in their hearts, they have not said anything."

"And now, I hope you can understand some things and stop doing such things!"

Liu Bian just sat there, looking very silent.

He didn't say anything, but one could sense the bleak murderous aura from him.

After a moment, Liu Bian raised his head, no longer hiding his expression or his emotions. He completely and comprehensively exposed himself to Liu Bei: "Uncle, I call you uncle, you should know why."

Liu Bian said softly: "Yes, you are right, Chen and Cao Mengde are both loyal ministers."

He pulled a smile without any arc on his lips: "So, I am a tyrant?"

"In this world, are there any loyal ministers who would take away all the power from the emperor? In this world, are there any incompetent monarchs who would tolerate their ministers controlling power for several years without reacting?!"

Liu Bian stood up suddenly and shouted at Liu Bei: "Loyal minister?"

"I think they are loyal subjects without a father or a king!"

"Hunjun?"

Liu Bian stood there, his posture straight and upright: "I don't think I'm a tyrant, but a wise ruler like Emperor Wu!"

He opened his arms and turned his back to Liu Bei, but he was actually watching Liu Bei's reaction out of the corner of his eyes.

Liu Bian just said calmly: "Uncle, don't be nervous, I won't imprison you."

"But I also want you to tell me who you are standing by."

"Are you on the side of the Chen family, Cao family and other noble families and the rebels, or on my side?"

He leaned over to Liu Bei's ear and whispered, "Have you forgotten what your father told you before he died?"

Liu Bei just remained silent.

When Liu Bian saw the silent Liu Bei, he felt a little disappointed.

After a moment, he just said: "Forget it, I understand what the emperor's uncle means."

He sat there, pressing his forehead.

"Give me some time."

Liu Bian raised his head and said, "Three days, can you give me three days to think about it?"

There was bitterness on the corners of his mouth: "After all, it is very difficult to suddenly accept that you have become a puppet."

"Do you think so?"

"Uncle Emperor?"

Liu Bei looked at Liu Bian's expression and wanted to explain that Liu Bian would not become a puppet, but he opened his mouth and finally said nothing.

He knew that Liu Bian would not surrender so easily.

He closed his eyes.

Things were developing in the direction he least wanted to see.

(End of this chapter)