Dark Sand: My Players Are All Actors
Chapter 239 - 197: Stay True to Original Aspiration, Never Give Up (Requesting Guaranteed Monthly Votes)_2

Chapter 239: Chapter 197: Stay True to Original Aspiration, Never Give Up (Requesting Guaranteed Monthly Votes)_2

"And in the final moments of her life, she merely admonished her own husband, to seek wise counsel and to be as cautious in the end as at the beginning, and then, she passed away with a smile on her face.

"And her husband, after enduring countless hardships, his heart had long become as hard as iron and stone, yet at that moment, he could only weep uncontrollably!

"For looking back upon his own life, the Empress was the anchor in his heart, the sheath that could contain his sword, and from then on, he lived not for anyone else, but for the common people of the world!

"Widowed, bereft, solitary, alone; having lost his father early on, his wife in his middle years, and his son in his later years—even as an Emperor, his life was filled with anger, sorrow, and doubt.

"His childhood ’losing parents and siblings in succession, too poor to afford a proper burial’ was just a microcosm of the struggles in his life; fate had always dealt him pain, with hardly a touch of warmth.

"In his youth, with just a broken bowl, he caught the Huaxia, riddled with holes and battered by wind and rain; yet at his death, he expanded the territory by thousands of miles, leaving behind a mighty dynasty where the people lived in peace and the Barbarians paid homage!

"However, in his will, he didn’t once speak of his own achievements, but only left behind a heart full of sincerity.

"He said, ’I have labored day and night in governance, solely for the benefit of the people;’

"He said, ’I come from humble origins, my talent and learning far inferior to that of the sages before me;’

"He said, ’Death is the natural end for all things, let not my passing disrupt the common folk; the materials needed for funeral ceremonies and sacrifices should not be of gold or silver. The mountains and rivers of the Xiao Mausoleum should remain unaltered, do not change them. Let the subjects of the empire mourn for three days, then remove their mourning clothes, so as not to affect matters of marriage.’

"He met the Empress during turbulent times, walked hand in hand through countless storms, and stood by each other until they personally created a splendid Sheng era.

"And from beginning to end, he never forgot he was the son of farmers; he never forgot the duties of an Emperor, working with the diligence of a labor model, wishing to solve all problems once and for all within his lifetime.

"Perhaps many of the things he did were in vain, perhaps he made some mistakes, but no one can deny that with his own two hands, he accomplished what was nearly impossible, and until the last moment of his life, he never forgot his initial resolve, not for an instant did he slacken!

"Thus Heaven, when about to place great responsibility on a man, always first tests his heart with hardship, toils his sinews and bones, starves his body and skin, deprives him of his possessions, and confounds his endeavors. In this way, it stimulates his mind, hardens his nature, and strengthens his incompetence.

"Every leader, bestowed with Heaven’s mandate, has indeed embodied anxious consideration and is noted for his leadership; accomplishments are monumental, but virtue often diminishes. There are many who commence well but very few indeed who persevere to the end. Is it that it is easy to acquire but difficult to maintain? Complaints are not due to the enormity, but the dread lies in man himself; as the boat is carried and capsized by the same water, one must be deeply cautious. Can the decay of a racing chariot’s rope be taken lightly?

"No matter what setbacks are encountered, one is never broken; no matter how much wealth is possessed, always personally practicing frugality, even as an Emperor never forgetting the hardships of the common people!

"Many can endure suffering with gritted teeth, but those who remember hardship after attaining wealth and rank are indeed a rare breed.

"Therefore, I believe that ’expelling the barbarians, restoring Huaxia; establishing standards and providing relief for the people’ are indeed achievements that will be remembered for generations, but in my opinion, a person who can truly maintain ’their original intention unchanged, and persevere through all trials,’ is also most worthy of admiration!"

Unlike the previous two points where Meng Yuan spoke with passionate eloquence, when he talked about the last point, he deliberately lowered his tone and emotion, but the power of his sentiment was undiminished.

Because of this sincerity, it resonated even more with the audience!

On the video website, the barrage from many viewers flickered rapidly across the screen.

"What a wonderful speech! I feel like crying!"

"Ah, the life of Emperor Taizu of Sheng was indeed not easy. If one only looks at his achievements, the majority might see it as a tale of success and satisfaction, but if he were a common man, would he not have been crushed by the adversity long before any talk of rebuilding Huaxia?"

"Indeed, there have been many heroic figures in the history of Huaxia, but there are indeed very few who, like His Majesty, could always remember their original intention from beginning to end!"

"Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s Empress would undoubtedly rank among the top three among all virtuous consorts throughout the ages, truly a paragon of virtue, goodness, and beauty; alas, a tale of deep conjugal affection, it’s just a pity she died too soon. Otherwise, the entire history of the Great Sheng Dynasty might have been rewritten."

"Actually, Emperor Taizu of Sheng’s later frenzy in executing corrupt officials is also a manifestation of not forgetting his original intention. After all, he never forgot the pain of his childhood, and thus he could never forget his hatred for the corrupt and venal officials!"

"’Expelling the barbarians, restoring Huaxia; establishing standards and providing relief for the people; maintaining the original intention, and persevering through all trials!’ This assessment is indeed fitting!"

Previously, when Meng Yuan mentioned the third point was "maintaining the original intention, and persevering through all trials," many viewers were puzzled, considering it not much of an achievement, almost like it was just filling a quota, but only now did they realize that this was not the case.

Emperor Taizu of Sheng, who "expelled the barbarians and restored Huaxia," seemed more like a cold statue, high above, yet difficult to touch;

Emperor Taizu of Sheng, who "established standards and provided relief for the people," turned from a statue into a Ming Jun, ruling from on high yet never forgetting the suffering of the people;

And Emperor Taizu of Sheng, who maintained "the original intention, and persevered through all trials," truly transformed from a statue into a man of flesh and blood—a living person!

If one only looks at the accomplishments of Emperor Taizu of Sheng, it’s quite easy to go to either extreme in appraising him.

Emperor Taizu of Sheng indeed accomplished great feats that were nearly impossible to achieve, but he was not without his faults.

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