Chapter 93 postscript

If Chu, Han and Three Kingdoms are the two undisputed peaks in Chinese history, then Liu Xiu and the Eastern Han Empire created by Liu Xiu are a deep valley between the two peaks.The writing of this book is intended to be a trip to the deep valley with readers. Liang Rengong said: "When we read history, we must look at his personality, how he handled everything, how he broke through difficulties, and how he prepared before he did it. This is more important than knowing the dull facts at that time." When this is the case, those who write history should also expect it from this. The writing of this book has no intention of saying that the present is different from the past, and it is not easy to criticize or reject it. Instead, it regards writing as a process of studying abroad, and retraces Liu Xiu's life, doing what he does, seeing what he sees, thinking about what he thinks, and feeling what he feels , share the sorrows and joys with the Sri Lankan people, "to witness the history with the heart, as if experiencing it personally", and the common people can almost gain comprehension and enlightenment.

Although this book focuses on Liu Xiu, it does not dare to ignore other important contemporaries, such as Wang Mang, Liu Yan, Liu Xuan, Yin Lihua, Deng Feng, the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai, Kui Xiao, Gongsun, etc. When writing about all the people, I also strive to be my own face, rather than being reduced to the background of Liu Xiu. Liu Xiuzhi's achievements have been described in detail in the book, so I won't repeat them here.What deserves mentioning is the special attention paid to Liu Xiu's fate in the book.Generally speaking, Liu Xiu's fate is very strange and strange, and it is fundamentally different from other founding emperors.The other founding emperors generally said "my fate is up to me", but Liu Xiu seems to be "my fate is up to me".

Long before Liu Xiu became an adult, there was a prophecy that "Liu Xiu will be the emperor", and Liu Xiu also believed in this prophecy, and he believed that this was his destined destiny.For Liu Xiu, to a certain extent, the emperor is just a profession, while fate has become a belief.Compared with the merits, demerits, honors and disgraces of his life, what may be more sighing and thought-provoking is the inexplicability and mystery of his fate. The whole book is divided into two volumes, with nearly 500,000 characters. This is the second volume. It started in October 23 AD, when Liu Xiu escaped from Luoyang, rose from Hebei, and created the Eastern Han Empire step by step, and finally ended in AD 57. , Liu Xiu died, and his son Liu Zhuang succeeded him.

This book has been written since August 2008 and lasted nearly three years.Three years in Sri Lanka, learning from each other, during which gains and losses are sad and joyful, but I have forgotten what I want to say. Liu Xiu's fate has been buried in history, but our fate is still an exercise to be answered. It is for remembering. Cao Sheng May 2011 in Hangzhou