The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 105 Matters of the Western Tour
Half an hour later, more and more people came to the Prime Minister's residence. Fusu tidied up the table in front of him and organized the scrolls on the bookshelf.

After Cheng Miao arrived, he helped the young master organize the files.

Only Cheng Miao knew that every morning before the officials of the Prime Minister's residence arrived, Prince Fusu would tidy up the place first, and it would feel much better to do things in the clean and tidy Prime Minister's residence.

Cheng Miao really enjoys working in a clean place.

He even found working in a clean place quite enjoyable.

Before long, the Prime Minister and Zhang Cang also arrived.

Fusu sat in the position of the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, looking at the state affairs to be handled today.

The Prime Minister's residence has become busy again, and its previous cleanliness is gone.

Cheng Miao just wanted to tidy up the space within a few steps around him, so that he could feel better.

Sitting beside Cheng Miao at the table was Zhang Cang. On Zhang Cang's table was a tall stack of bamboo slips. After reading one scroll, Zhang Cang would stack another scroll next to him.

Another scroll was pushed down and landed on the ground, rolling to Cheng Miao's desk.

Cheng Miao picked up the scroll, remained seated, and placed it on Zhang Cang's desk with his arm outstretched.

Zhang Cang continued reviewing documents with a focused expression, unaware of what was happening.

No matter how busy he was, Cheng Miao always kept his desk tidy.

When Cheng Miao was in the Censorate, the place was dark and somewhat cold.

The Prime Minister's residence was different. It faced south and had a spacious entrance. It was warm and bright, and Cheng Miao liked it very much.

There weren't many things to deal with today. The court was always quiet in winter, and I finished all the state affairs in the morning.

After lunch, Fusu and Li Si strolled along the city wall, taking a walk to relax and admire the bustling city of Xianyang, even in the winter.

At this moment, many young masters and princesses are studying in Jingye County, and they often play with the village children.

Even Gongzi Gao has several close friends here, with whom he can spend time and play.

Eunuchs and palace maids usually took care of the princes and princesses.

Today, many eunuchs vaguely heard a rumor that Zhao Gao, who sent birds to Prince Huhai, had been killed.

The news from Xianyang may or may not be true, but one thing is true: Prince Fusu dislikes receiving toys from young princes and princesses.

As for whether Zhao Gao was alive or dead, no one knew. Most likely he was dead, since Zhao Gao never returned, and the eunuchs who went to the palace never saw him again.

Gongzi Gao also said that no more amusement items should be sent to the princes and princesses.

Sixteen-year-old Gongzi Gao was talking with several people of similar age. The oldest was nineteen and the youngest was fifteen. There were twelve people in total. Four of them were to be sent to Shangjun to join the army, while the rest could go to various places, which could be regarded as a kind of study tour.

In the past, scholars also traveled to study abroad. These people, like the children of the past, were a different kind of people going east.

Last year, a group of teenagers left this place, and now more than ten more have left. This will happen every year in the future, just like the pheasant and the bird.

Gongzi Gao stood at the foot of Shangyan Mountain. The cold wind sweeping in from the northwest was still howling. He looked at his peers who were walking away. Perhaps the knowledge they had from books was different, but the kind of person their teachers were was especially important.

Shusun Tong said, "Young Master."

"Teacher, I envy them so much."

Shusun Tong smiled and asked, "Is the young master also leaving this place?"

Gongzi Gao took a deep breath, his expression showing some discouragement, and said in a low voice, "I'm only sixteen. When I'm twenty and have my coming-of-age ceremony, my elder brother said he would entrust me with a business to run."

Shusun Tongdao: "Isn't this good?"

Gongzi Gao gazed into the distance and said, "I really want to see the world outside, to see what it's like. My father and brother are determined to change the world, but there are many people in the world who don't want to change it."

Looking at the young man, Shusun Tong could sense that the young man also wanted to leave, and advised, "Young master, it wouldn't hurt to study here for a few more years; it's always good."

Prince Gao nodded. A month after the First Emperor's western tour, Fusu learned that his father was going to worship the White Emperor in Ji County, and Prime Minister Li Si was also ordered to go to Longxi.

Many more people left the Prime Minister's residence, and this time even Prime Minister Li Si was summoned to Longxi.

With both the Prime Minister and the Right Chancellor absent, the many state affairs of the past month have fallen on Fusu's shoulders.

In Xianyang, Fusu received a series of documents from Longxi. Fusu suspected that his great-grandfather should also be in his father's entourage, having been by his father's side since Yongcheng.

The emperor's western tour route passed through the former territory of the Yiqu people and headed towards the border guarded by Meng Tian.

Fusu sat in the Prime Minister's residence, watching the busy crowd before him. Ever since the construction of Weinan began, Meng Tian had gone to Shangjun to build the Great Wall.

The Emperor's western tour route is now heading straight towards the border, and many border residents have seen the First Emperor's western tour entourage.

The messenger also brought news that the First Emperor had established Xixian in the western border region and sent Prime Minister Li Si to Longxi. The purpose of this was to have Prime Minister Li Si redefine the area of ​​Longxi Commandery, expanding its scope to include Didao, the strategic point between the Hexi Corridor and Longxi, and to station troops there.

However, news then arrived that Chancellor Li Si had gone to Longdi and, together with the First Emperor, ascended Mount Long to offer sacrifices at the Great Western Tomb, which was rumored to be the shrine of Shao Hao, the ancestor of the Qin people.

The First Emperor ordered Li Si to carve a stone at Longdi, and the emperor established the country, which led to the subjugation of the Rong and Di tribes in the west.

It has a strong sense of determination, and this inscription was probably addressed to the Xiongnu people.

Many border residents witnessed the First Emperor's western tour, which served both as a deterrent and to stabilize public sentiment. The First Emperor never forgot the governance of the border regions and even personally inspected them, re-establishing prefectures and counties, redefining border areas, offering sacrifices at the Western Palace, and using the highest sacrificial rites to worship Duke Xiang of Qin.

The black flags of the First Emperor's western tour swept across the Guanzhong Plain, covering the sky and intimidating the border regions, while also serving as a warning to the Western Rong and Xiongnu people.

A few days later, the First Emperor, who was on a western tour to the former territory of Yiqu, heard news that the Xiongnu, who had been fighting with the Western Rong people, had actually withdrawn their troops.

The imperial carriage escorting the First Emperor was still moving forward. The procession was silent and solemn, with large numbers of armored soldiers and black banners demonstrating that even after Qin destroyed the six states and unified the south, it still had a sufficiently powerful military force.

The former inhabitants of Yiqu who lived in this area all knelt down upon seeing the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Ying Zheng looked at the map and said to Li Si standing in front of him, "Fusu compared the Rong region to the Hexi Corridor, and this place does indeed look like a corridor."

Li Si replied with a smile, "Young master has coveted this place for a long time."

"What?" Ying Zheng asked with a smile, "Isn't the private property you gave him enough for him?"

Standing to the side, the Right Chancellor Feng Quji also had a smile on his face. He knew, of course, that the First Emperor was not saying that Prince Fusu was greedy; the First Emperor was clearly praising his son for being ambitious and having goals.

If Prince Fusu were merely a prince who maintained the status quo, it wouldn't matter.

But he was the son of the First Emperor. Without ambition, there would be no drive for advancement. The more ambitious Prince Fusu was, the more satisfied the First Emperor became.

How did the First Emperor ascend to the throne of Qin?
If the First Emperor had been even slightly soft-hearted, even slightly compassionate or weak, the Qin Dynasty as we know it today would not exist.

Faced with the First Emperor's slowly shifting gaze, Feng Quji suppressed his thoughts and lowered his eyes.

"That must be the Great Wall where Meng Tian is currently stationed."

"Exactly."

Ying Zheng put away the map in his hand, looked up at the window, and asked, "How long have I been on this tour?"

Li Si replied, "It has been forty-five days."

Ying Zheng said in a low voice, "For the past forty-five days, Fusu has been handling state affairs?"

“When I was in Xianyang, I often heard you say that the winter season is really quiet, and the officials in various places must be quite idle.”

Ying Zheng relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and said, "After seeing Meng Tian, ​​return to Xianyang."

Li Si nodded, guessing that the young master probably wouldn't kill the Qi Lu Doctor.

……

P.S.: Due to health reasons, I need to adjust my sleep schedule recently, so updates will be less frequent. Please forgive me.

(End of this chapter)