That's just how people are. The more they look at something they like, the more pleasing it becomes. While loving something means loving its owner, they also sometimes hate it.
On this day, Emperor Yi and his ministers strolled in the imperial garden, leading the civil and military officials to admire the peonies. Emperor Yi governed with the people's need for rest and recuperation, levying few taxes, and he himself was extremely frugal; the palaces and pavilions had not been repaired for many years. Before long, they arrived at the Flying Cloud Pavilion, whose beams had rotted due to years of neglect.
It was deemed fitting that Xin Shoude should inherit the throne. When Emperor Yi and his entourage arrived at Feiyun Pavilion, a beam suddenly broke and fell towards Emperor Yi. The officials were shocked, but were too far away to help and could only stare in disbelief. At that moment, Xin Shoude, who was beside Emperor Yi, roared and stood in front of him, lifting the falling beam and protecting Emperor Yi from disaster. Upon returning to the palace, Emperor Yi, in recognition of his merit in saving the emperor, bestowed upon him the title of Prince Shou.
At that time, some southern barbarian tribes, defying the rule of the Shang dynasty, rose in rebellion. Upon hearing this, Prince Shou petitioned Emperor Yi to lead troops to quell the rebellion. After receiving Emperor Yi's permission, Prince Shou appointed Huang Feihu as the vanguard and led troops south to suppress the southern barbarian uprising.
Prince Shou ate from the same pot as his soldiers, maintained strict discipline, and was deeply loved by them. With a capable general like Huang Feihu as his assistant, the rebellion of the Southern Barbarians was quelled in just a few months.
After returning to the capital in triumph, Emperor Yi finally made up his mind to appoint Prince Shou as his crown prince, to inherit the throne after his own death. This was because Emperor Yi observed that some tribes were rebelling. While his sons, Wei Zi Qi and Wei Zi Yan, were skilled in governance, they lacked military strategy, which would be detrimental to the Shang dynasty's future. However, his third son, Prince Shou, was skilled in martial arts and warfare, and therefore unafraid of such rebellions.
As for matters of civil administration, Prime Minister Shang Rong, his younger brother Bi Gan, and Wei Ziqi and Wei Ziyan were all skilled in this, and Grand Tutor Wen Zhong was proficient in both civil and military affairs. Therefore, they had no fear in this matter.
At that time, Prime Minister Shang Rong, Grand Master Mei Bai, Zhao Qi and others submitted a memorial to establish an Eastern Palace. Emperor Yi then took the opportunity to establish Prince Shou as the Crown Prince. Wei Ziyan was a wise man who knew that Prince Shou was more suitable to be the emperor than himself. He did not complain. Instead, he went to Prince Shou's palace to congratulate him and said that he and his wife would definitely assist Prince Shou in the future. Although Wei Ziqi had complaints, he could not disobey Emperor Yi's order and the suggestions of several ministers. He was alone and could not resist.
In the thirtieth year of Emperor Yi's reign, Emperor Yi died of illness, entrusting his son to Grand Tutor Wen Zhong. He then established Prince Shou as Emperor, named Di Xing, with his capital at Chaoge. He appointed his principal wife, Lady Jiang, daughter of Marquis Jiang Huanchu of the East, as Queen; Huang Feihu's sister as Imperial Noble Consort of the Western Palace; and Lady Yang as Imperial Consort of Xinqing Palace. All three consorts were virtuous, quiet, gentle, and kind. Huang Feihu was appointed Zhenguo Wucheng King, commanding all the armies of the realm, and became the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces.
The Rise of the Twelve Xiqi
The saying goes, "The people are the foundation of the state; when the foundation is firm, the state is secure." After ascending the throne, Emperor Xin worked diligently to revitalize the Shang Dynasty, bringing benefits to the people and glorifying his predecessors. He reformed and abolished the old system of killing slaves, allowing them to engage in agriculture, animal husbandry, and handicrafts, thus creating wealth for the country.
He also changed the slash-and-burn agricultural method, implemented large-scale collective production, began using oxen, and promoted complete agricultural techniques such as plowing, sowing, soil preparation, fertilization, irrigation, and drainage, which led to the rapid development of agricultural production in the country. This enabled the Shang Dynasty to regain its former glory, the people lived in peace and stability, the feudal lords of the four seas submitted to him, and he was deeply loved by the people.
To demonstrate the strength of the nation, Emperor Xin built three city walls in Chaoge. The imperial city wall was fifty zhang wide at the base, about three zhang high, and four zhang wide at the top. The outer ring was a moat seven zhang wide and two zhang deep. The second city wall covered an area of more than li in circumference; the third city wall stretched forty-five li from the south gate to the north gate, reflecting the grandeur of a powerful nation with a vast territory.
At that time, the Dongyi people frequently invaded the lands of the Shang Dynasty, harassing and plundering the common people. Although Emperors Wu Ding and Di Yi launched numerous campaigns against them, they were never completely subdued. In order to quell the harassment of the southeastern Yi people, Emperor Xin changed the methods of conquest used by his predecessor, Emperor Yi, and focused on military strategy.
With his great talent and strategic vision, he ordered all the feudal lords in the land to select highly skilled warriors, led by Huang Feihu, to conduct large-scale drills in Lidi, in order to demonstrate his strength to the Dongyi, so that the Dongyi dared not act rashly in the face of the powerful Yin Shang Dynasty.
To expand his territory, Emperor Xin also dispatched Grand Tutor Wen Zhong and King Wu Cheng Huang Feihu to lead troops to conquer all directions, causing the territory to continuously expand. In the end, all the surrounding barbarians submitted to him, and all directions became his subjects.
Eight hundred vassal lords all paid homage to the Shang Dynasty—four major vassal lords led eight hundred minor vassal lords: the Eastern Lord Jiang Huanchu, residing in Donglu; the Southern Lord E Chongyu; the Western Lord Ji Chang; and the Northern Lord Chonghouhu; each vassal lord led two hundred minor vassal lords, totaling eight hundred vassal lords under the Shang Dynasty. Emperor Xin enjoyed peace and prosperity, with all people living in harmony, favorable weather, and a peaceful and prosperous nation.
There is a saying among the people: "Emperor Xin's empire is as solid as an iron barrel." At that time, people still ate with their hands. Emperor Xin felt that this was uncivilized and inconvenient, so he made two thin sticks out of wood to pick up food and put it in his mouth. He found it quite convenient, so he made everyone in the palace eat like this.
Later, a minister saw that Emperor Xin used this thing to eat, so he went home and made a pair for himself. He found it quite convenient, so he had his whole family eat with this thing.
Then, this thing spread to the common people through the servants in the minister's household. When the people heard that this thing was invented by the current emperor, they rushed to imitate it. Gradually, every household began to use this thing, which was both convenient and clean. This indirectly reduced contact with viruses and greatly reduced the chances of people getting sick. It was a good deed.
The fact that Di Xin was able to become one of the Star Lords after his death is probably related to this merit. Although Di Xin did not do it intentionally, those who were spared from dying from the virus benefited from it.
During this time, Xuan Tian often returned to Chaoge and carefully observed Xin Shoude's actions, from learning skills from Wen Zhong when he was a child to his later expedition against the Eastern Barbarians.
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