The third King (Vua) was Chau Ng?c T? ??. Seeing that the two previous Kings, despite being praised, lived lives that were too disciplined and difficult yet failed to live as long as the Immortals (tiên gia), Chau Ng?c T? reasoned that there was no point in living frugally. One must live joyfully and savor all the pleasures of this life ??.
Initially, seeing that state affairs were stable and the populace was wealthy but that the palace was always frugal, he immediately increased taxes threefold ?? upon ascending the throne to fund personal projects and needs.
Admirable Talent and the Fall from Grace (Tài N?ng ?áng N? và S? Sa Ng?)
From a young age, Chau Ng?c T? showed himself to be an excellent military and political talent:
- Subduing the Southern Barbarians (Bình ??nh Nam Man): He played a crucial role in the campaign to eliminate the small scattered tribes in the south, unifying the minor Southern Barbarian states. After the Southern Barbarian Dynasty was vanquished, he was given control of the Southern Barbarian Capital as a Minor King (ti?u v??ng) overseeing a vast territory. He wisely stabilized the new land, winning the hearts of the people and the nobility, demonstrating superior management and diplomatic talent.
- Conquering the Northeast (Chinh ph?c ??ng B?c): He personally commanded military campaigns against the giant tribes, the people of the North, and achieved many great military feats, consolidating the northern border. He even enslaved these people to build his constructions.
Chau Ng?c T?, in addition to his military talent, was a masterful designer, particularly of large-scale public works:
- He planned the construction of a canal system connecting two major rivers, creating a foundation for commercial development via water transport, ensuring smooth travel from North to South.
- He designed and built a city, upgrading the capital with three thick, almost impenetrable layers of walls.
- He designed and built the Great Wall (b?c t??ng v? ??i) in the North to fend off the Northern Barbarian Army (Quan B?c ??ch), the perpetual enemy of the Jade Nation's army and populace.
In culture and scholarship, Chau Ng?c T? also excelled:
- He possessed the talent for poetry, capable of composing a poem in seven steps, and all his works were highly praised.
- He loved reading, building many schools and libraries across the country, contributing to the dissemination of knowledge and laying the foundation for cultural development.
With these outstanding talents, Chau Ng?c T? was completely worthy of the important responsibility of being a King.
The Error of Novel Ideology (Sai L?m C?a T? T??ng M?i L?)
Towards the end of the lives of the two previous Kings, his father and grandfather, Chau Ng?c T? witnessed the withdrawal of the Immortal Families (Tiên gia), replaced by new ideological trends that influenced the young Prince. He was significantly influenced by his grandfather's ideology: sacrificing the interests of a few to bring benefits to many. By the time Chau Ng?c T? officially became King, these ideologies had already been deeply ingrained in his blood.
In his early reign, Chau Ng?c T? was overly fond of war ??. He consistently believed the Jade Nation achieved its brilliant Golden Age because of war, so Chau Ng?c T? continuously provoked neighboring minor states for no clear purpose.
- Especially with the minor nation in the Southeast called the Southern Mountain Kingdom (Nam S?n Qu?c), a small state surrounded by mountains, easy to defend but difficult to attack. The nation was harmonious, and the hearts of the people were devoted to the Southern Mountain Royal Court, making it extremely difficult to conquer. Chau Ng?c T? still stubbornly attacked, losing all three times. The last time, he mobilized over one million troops but still failed.
- These military defeats depleted the national treasury (qu?c kh?) so he had to increase taxes ?? to compensate. The military and populace resented him for sending their fathers and sons to their deaths for no good reason.
Combined with his military failures, his wastefulness became the final straw. When he was young, he had the talent for designing large constructions. Upon becoming King, he immediately implemented them, building great public works for the community's benefit, sacrificing the labor and lives of a few to complete his grand plans, similar to his grandfather's ideology. Millions of people were mobilized for these large projects; in his first 8 years on the throne, there were over 30 million cumulative labor days for 22 grand projects, eroding the national strength of the entire country.
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The combination of military failure and national wastefulness dragged the entire country into a spiral of constant rebellion and civil war ??. Uprisings erupted everywhere and almost caused the dynasty to collapse.
Chau Ng?c T? later did nothing; he did not try to correct his mistakes, just like his grandfather. Instead, he indulged in a life of hedonism and pleasure ??, abandoning the court, which allowed corrupt officials to rise while loyal ministers were assassinated or retired into the mountains.
Consequences and the Fulfillment of the Prophecy (H?u Qu? và S? ?ng Nghi?m L?i Tiên Tri)
The Minor Kingdoms (ti?u v??ng qu?c) in various regions began to rise, recruiting talents and building their own forces. Some openly opposed the Great Nation of Jade (??i Qu?c Chau Ng?c), only to be suppressed and annihilated. But the vast majority were wiser, still accepting the protection of the Jade Nation: "Only hear the decree, not the declaration" (Ch? nghe ?i?u, kh?ng nghe tuyên).
- They were ready to mobilize troops for battle during major incidents, but maintained independent military power.
- They did not participate in court assemblies or tedious ceremonies. They were not bound by royal court regulations.
King T? saw that uprisings and rebellions were breaking out everywhere, costing him effort to quell. Instead of dealing with them, he permitted the cities to establish their own armies and resolve their own problems. Gradually, local officials and generals formed their own powers, controlling one region, instigating the process of the Great Nation of Jade splitting apart, just as the Heavenly Dao's prophecy foretold ??.
Celestial Record (Thiên Th? Ghi Nh?n) ??
Date Log (Nh?t ky ngày): [A period of 10 years]
Event (S? ki?n): The prophecy about the decline of the Jade Nation (Chau Ng?c Qu?c) has come true. The brilliant Golden Age (Th?i k? hoàng kim) has ended, giving way to an era of chaos and instability.
Impact (Tác ??ng): The decline of the Immortal Families (Tiên t?c) has led to the rise of other cultivation branches. The Jade Nation is disintegrating, entering a new era.
- Merit Update (C?p Nh?t C?ng ??c)
- Character File Update (C?p Nh?t H? S? Nhan V?t)
- Analysis of Demonic and Ghost Power (Phan tích s?c m?nh c?a Ma và Qu?)
Demonic/Ghost Cultivation (Ma tu, Qu? tu) ??: These were mentioned as new cultivation paths, alongside Body Cultivation (Th? tu) and Merit Cultivation (Th?n tu). These paths are considered the shortest and do not require high innate talent (Linh c?n), attracting many followers amid the decline of the Immortal Families (Tiên gia).