Chapter 491 The Summer of the Eighteenth Year of Yuanfeng
A mediocre emperor will bring decline to the dynasty, as Emperor Xiaoding proved. An emperor who likes to make trouble will lead the country to destruction, as Emperor Li proved.
What can a wise and capable emperor bring to a dynasty?
He will tell everyone that the so-called irreversible situation and powerlessness to turn the situation around are all excuses.
Three hundred year dynasty cycle?
Since the next one will still be a feudal dynasty, why can't the helmsman of the old dynasty be the one to establish the new dynasty?
Since the world still needs an emperor, why can't the new emperor be the old emperor?
Great men sent from heaven exist objectively. As long as they are capable and there is room for them to maneuver, they can revive the country!
Emperor Li's actions led to the disaster of the tyranny of the Qin Dynasty. If the next emperor were still like him, the Han Dynasty would surely perish. At that time, probably people all over the world would say that the Han Dynasty was in such a state of despair that no one could save it.
But in fact, to maintain the survival of a dynasty, the emperor does not need to control the world, he only needs a basic base.
For an emperor as capable and resourceful as Liu Xun, it was easy for him to find a base that could maintain their loyalty, and revival of the country was not a dream at all.
The thirteenth year of Yuanfeng.
Liu Xun offered sacrifices to the Emperor Su Wang and the ancestral gods.
"Xun was originally a prince with shallow morals and unremarkable talents. However, because he followed the teachings of Heaven, he was able to take control of the power of the Chinese people and inherit the Han Dynasty. Since he ascended the throne, he has never dared to forget the teachings of Heaven.
Emperor Li corrupted the world. Over the past thirteen years, thanks to the protection of our ancestors and the unity of the emperor and his subjects, the country has finally recovered a little.
The granaries in Changping were full, the armor in Chang'an and the counties was repaired, and the people were given land and resumed farming.
So the descendants worshipped the ancestral spirits devoutly, reported the prosperity of the world to the Su Wang Shang Huang Tian, and hoped that the ancestral spirits would continue to protect the Han Dynasty and restore the prosperity of the Emperor Wen and Emperor Wu as soon as possible. "
Changping Granary is one of the most important granaries in Guanzhong. If the Changping Granary is full, Guanzhong can survive a famine. It can also support the Guanzhong Warehouse and is the key to stabilizing the Han Dynasty.
Liu Xun's goal was certainly not limited to this. His ultimate dream was to restore the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, the ultimate prosperous era in which Emperor Wu defeated the Huns and the people did not have to pay more taxes!
Although it was basically a dream, after all, Liu Heng's prosperous era was created by Empress Gao and Lu Zhi, but he obviously understood the principle that if you aim for the best, you will get the middle, and if you aim for the middle, you will get the worst.
Whenever someone praised him, he would say, “Have we done enough to boast about ourselves?
It is said that during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, the tax rate in Guanzhong was over 100%.
It is said that during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, granaries all over the country were filled with grain, and even ordinary people had food stored in their homes to get through the winter.
There are still refugees all over the world. Last year, more than 3,000 beggars were sent to the Western Regions from Guanzhong alone.
I am trembling with fear and dare not slack off in the slightest. I want to reward you, my dear ministers, and we should work harder. "
Luo presented crops.
The fourteenth year of Yuanfeng.
When the three heroes of the Jingnan Campaign passed away, the emperor sent people to express condolences and conferred posthumous titles on them. In addition to the eldest son inheriting the title, another son was chosen to serve as a guard in the palace.
The empress gave birth to the second legitimate son with great difficulty. Liu Xun rewarded all the people in the world with one level of nobility. He also issued an edict requiring all counties and states to reward widows, widowers, orphans, single people, and those over seventy years old with wine and meat, and those who could not eat would be compensated with money and silk.
This was the method of throwing money around that he learned from his grandfather, Emperor Xiaowu. When the country was financially prosperous, it was an excellent way to ease social conflicts and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.
In the 15th year of Yuanfeng, Yinghou Luos and Luhou Lu Chan died one after another. Basically all the leaders of the Jingnan Rebellion died of old age, leaving only Luo Shi alone guarding the Western Regions thousands of miles away.
Liu Xun was very saddened by Lu Chan's death. Although he did not allow Lu Chan to participate in political affairs, he had deep feelings for Lu Chan. If it were not for Lu Chan, he might have died in the countless cold winters in Laixi City.
"My uncle is a loyal minister that is hard to find in the world. When the Li Emperor was wreaking havoc on the country, he was the first to propose submitting a petition to the emperor, and he was not afraid of the Li Emperor's threats.
When Emperor Li was insisting on his own way, he was the leader of the meritorious officials in the Jingnan Campaign. He bravely took the lead and recommended the new emperor. My uncle praised my humble virtue.
Isn’t it my uncle’s credit that I am able to hold the position of honor today?
Pass down my decree to add 500 households to the Lühou State and exempt the state from taxes for three years to show my sincere love. "
The fifteenth year of Yuanfeng.
Luo Qing wrote a letter to Liu Xun, who appointed Luo Qing, the director of the Imperial Observatory, as the chief academic officer of the Imperial Academy, and also as the doctor of the "Astrology Classic". This was the first non-social science classic to be included in the Imperial Academy, and Luo's Academy simultaneously launched the study of the "Astrology Classic".
The sixteenth year of Yuanfeng.
The Liaodong Protectorate put down the rebellion of the Wuhuan tribe. The Western Regions Protectorate fought three small and medium-sized battles with the large Kangju nation. As they were unable to send troops on a long expedition, and in addition, the old Wusun and Cheshi kingdoms rebelled, Luo Shi led the temple army back, beheaded the old Wusun king, established a pro-Han noble as king, and then slaughtered Cheshi to the east.
The seventeenth year of Yuanfeng.
Liaodong and the Western Regions were generally stable. The tribute envoys from the Kingdom of Lingnan had not arrived, so Liu Xun sent envoys to hold them accountable. The Kingdom of Lingnan surrendered and begged for mercy.
The eighteenth year of Yuanfeng.
Liu Xun had ruled this vast dynasty for eighteen years, a number that exceeded the reign of Emperor Xiaoding Liu Jin and Emperor Li Liu Dan, and was even longer than the reign of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang.
In Changle Palace, Huo Guang was reading the summary of the previous year for Liu Xun.
"Your Majesty, the granaries in Guanzhong have been largely filled, and the granaries in Guandong have also recovered to 70%. According to resource records, the country has now recovered to about 50% of its level at the end of Emperor Xiaowen's reign. Your achievements in reviving the country have surpassed those of all previous leaders who have revived the country.
Whether it is Wu Ding of the Shang Dynasty or King Xuan of the Zhou Dynasty, they are far inferior to you."
Huo Guang meant what he said. The fact that the devastated empire was restored to this state in less than twenty years was due to the good foundation of the Han Dynasty, but it was also inseparable from the emperor's personal ability.
He could unite the power of the people and then strike hard at the powerful, even killing clan members. To the best of his ability, he could turn refugees, the biggest threat to the dynasty, into self-cultivating farmers or even small landlords who could maintain the stability of the country.
This is not the effect of one plus one equals two, but one plus one equals four!
"King Xuan..."
Liu Xun muttered a few words, saying that people will die eventually, and posthumous titles are very important, and he likes to announce this posthumous title.
Because of Duke Xuan of Luo, Xuan is the highest among all the officials under Wen and Wu, so this posthumous title is the best one to give him.
Huo Guang heard Liu Xun's voice, then looked up and understood instantly.
The emperor and his minister looked at each other, and Huo Guang said that it was no problem. Your Majesty, your achievements are more than enough to be announced, and even if you promote it, the Emperor Su Wang will definitely agree.
Liu Xun smiled slightly, expressing his approval of Huo Guang's understanding.
Eighteen years!
Liu Xun raised his head slightly and looked at the intricate and exquisite patterns in the palace. Unconsciously, he had been the emperor for eighteen years. During these eighteen years, he could be said to have been working day and night, not daring to forget his duties for even a moment.
Half of the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, this is the limit that can be achieved so far.
Liu Xun looked at Luo Qing, who was kneeling in the hall and drinking alone, and sighed with a smile: "Young Master Qing, the crops and skills contributed by your family have contributed greatly to my current achievements!"
Luo has been studying high-yield crops and how to increase the yield of each acre of land. This research is basically useless, but naturally there are some results after many years of research.
Without modern technology, there are only two ways to make crops more productive: either genetically mutate them themselves or breed new seeds through hybridization.
For example, corn, one of the high-yield grains, is a root plant with seeds wrapped in a hard shell, but its genes have mutated.
The hard shell disappeared!
Although corn at that time had only one row of kernels, it still became a supplementary staple food. However, corn could not resist its competitive spirit and continued to evolve. It soon became modern corn with dozens of rows of kernels and became a high-yield staple crop.
There is no corn in the Central Plains, but with the careful cultivation of the Luo family, some crops with significantly higher yields were obtained, which were gradually spread across the major plains.
In addition, Luo improved agricultural tools and water conservancy, and also set the time for fertilizing and pest control. He also established more accurate planting and harvesting times for various places based on the calendar. It can be said that he made outstanding contributions to the agricultural development of the Han Dynasty.
Otherwise, how could it be possible to reach 50% of the level at the end of Emperor Xiaowen's reign in just eighteen years!
The level of 50% at the end of Emperor Xiaowen's reign could be considered a prosperous period in any period.
Liu Xun was very clear about this and had no intention of taking credit for himself. He was the emperor and employing people was his duty. Luo offered suggestions and he adopted them. Everyone contributed, which was good.
Luo Qing was also very satisfied with Liu Xun. The emperor before him had basically no shortcomings except for his instinctive suspicion.
In his opinion, he was a low-profile version of Emperor Xiaowen.
Luo Qing bowed his head slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise. There are often wise ministers in this world, but not often wise rulers. The Han Dynasty is fortunate to have Your Majesty."
As the two were talking, a eunuch ran in hurriedly, looking anxious.
————
Emperor Liu Dan was an emperor with outstanding military achievements. The author believes that ancient China was too harsh on him. Emperor Liu Xun, who succeeded Emperor Liu Dan, was much luckier in comparison.
Of course, Emperor Liu Xun was also an outstanding emperor, even more outstanding than Liu Dan.
Emperor Liu Xun, with his outstanding political wisdom and superb political skills, governed the empire, which had just recovered from a serious illness, prudently and carefully, and successfully made it healthy again.
Any monarch who can save an empire from decline should be accorded the highest respect.
Moreover, his process of saving the empire was so brilliant. No loyal ministers died, no people were cruelly abandoned, and no one abandoned the glory of humanity for political compromise. He was one of the most outstanding emperors in ancient China. ——"Global History·Qin and Han Volume 6·Final Comment"
(End of this chapter)
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