HLnovel Chapter 179 Prophecy
Chapter 179 Prophecy
"Prophecy books can also be considered a powerful tool for rebellion. Wang Mang used such folk songs to create the impression that he was the one who would save the people from suffering, and Liu Xiu was no exception."
"But in the later period of the era, it gradually turned into seeking immortality and asking for divination, and all sorts of things like shamanistic rituals and fortune telling, which were especially popular among the common people."
"But prophecies should be viewed separately from these, because they are more prophetic than superstitious or mystifying."
"For example, at the end of the Qin Dynasty, Chen Sheng hid a message inside a fish: 'When the Great Chu rises, Chen Sheng will be king,' and waited for the right moment to rise up in rebellion!"
Fusu of Qin: !!!
"The Liu family also did something similar. On the surface, Liu Bang had a father, but according to the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han, Liu Bang's mother dreamed one day of having intercourse with a god or a dragon, and that's how she became pregnant and gave birth to Liu Bang."
"There are many similar cases. The above examples are probably more about creating hype for themselves. But regardless of the form, I am more inclined to believe that it is more likely due to human intervention than to divine intervention. After all, it is said that man can conquer nature!"
"Let's go back to Liu Xiu's prophecy. There may have been many versions at the time, after all, he was not the only member of the Liu clan. It's just that he succeeded, so this version became widely known."
Lin Ke: This is just my personal guess! I'm not responsible for it!
An old fisherman from the Song Dynasty: So it turns out that most of it is man-made!
A spoiled young master from the Tang Dynasty: This guy is truly amazing! I wonder what his reputation will be in later generations!?
An official from the Song Dynasty said: "Where do all these gods descend to earth from? Even auspicious omens can be faked, let alone this thing!"
……
"However, what's very strange is that when this prophecy circulated, Wang Mang hadn't yet begun to wreak havoc on the dynasty. Logically speaking, this statement directly points out that Liu Xiu will be the emperor, which seems a bit too straightforward!"
"Moreover, Liu Xiu was nowhere to be found at the time, so he wouldn't attract any attention at all. However, Liu Xin, the Grand Tutor and Confucian scholar who served Wang Mang, changed his name to Liu Xiu in 6 BC."
"This Liu Xin was a Confucian scholar who compiled the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the Seven Strategies, the Strategies of the Warring States, and so on. Some say he did this because of the prophecy, while others say it was to avoid the emperor's taboo name. In any case, it was quite a coincidence."
"However, he later betrayed Wang Mang and plotted a rebellion because Wang Mang killed his child. When the plot failed, he committed suicide."
A scion of a prominent family in the Ming Dynasty: I think most of them are fake! It's because you succeeded that destiny is aligning with you!
A mischievous kid from the Song Dynasty: Changing my name won't do any good!
A scholar-official from the Han Dynasty: ...You've got some nerve!
A farming expert from the Tang Dynasty: Is it possible that Liu Xiu's father named him Liu Xiu because he heard this prophecy?
……
"As we mentioned earlier, Wang Mang's chaotic actions resulted in a land full of refugees and rebel armies in the Central Plains. Even the powerful clans couldn't deny that these starving refugees would indeed cause them trouble!"
"Moreover, rules and laws are meaningless to this group of people. They might see the powerful families as easy targets in the eyes of the refugees."
"Therefore, local powerful clans not only had to gather manpower to prepare for a war to defend their families, but Wang Mang, being the emperor of this dynasty, also had to recruit people and grain from these local powerful clans."
"These powerful clans are left with only two choices: either remain neutral and be slaughtered, or stand out and become targets! Of course, you can also choose to rebel!"
"Anyway, there aren't just a few rebellions. There are rebel armies everywhere in the world, especially wealthy clans that have little power but plenty of money. To those who are starving, they are all pieces of meat that will be divided up."
An official from the Sui Dynasty: What if we don't choose any of them?!
A general from the Ming Dynasty: In chaotic times, might makes right!
A scion of a prominent family in the Song Dynasty: Let's just rebel! After all, Wang Mang is doomed!
A farming expert in the Ming Dynasty: How terrifying! In chaotic times, it's really hard to say; it's as if everything is reshuffled and started all over again!
……