The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 120 Mountaineering
After walking for a while, Fusu felt his steps become much heavier, and the autumn wind still carried a chill.

Fusu wiped the sweat from his forehead, took a few deep breaths to relax his heart and lungs for a moment, and then took the hiking poles that had been prepared earlier from Tian An behind him.

Seeing that the old man could no longer climb, I followed him up the mountain for half a day, which almost exhausted his strength.

Fusu said, "Let's go back."

Tian An said, "Young master, there is still some dry food and water here."

As he handed over the water and the cloth bag containing the bread, even at this hour, the old man still didn't forget to eat and drink, fearing that his young master might be hungry or thirsty.

Fusu took the cloth bag and said to the armored soldier beside the steps, "Carry him down the mountain."

After saying this, the armored soldier took two steps down the steps, bowed, and carried Tian An down the mountain quickly.

Fusu looked around for a while longer. The mountain road was still very winding. He could see the houses below the mountain at a glance, and the black flags fluttering below were the Qin army.

Fusu carried the cloth bag on his back; the dry food inside was enough for the father and son to eat.

There were also two water bladders, tied to the belt.

Fusu, holding a self-made hiking stick, quickly walked up a few steps to his father, who was still panting heavily, and handed him the stick.

Ying Zheng wanted to push him away, but Fusu had already stuffed the wooden staff into his hand, so he had no choice but to hold the staff in his hand.

“Originally, Tian An didn’t need to prepare these foods. He always feels at ease only if he carries food with him.” After saying this, Fusu added, “Father, please sit down for a while.”

Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng realized the time and sat down on the steps with his son, eating cakes and drinking water.

Sweat soaked the back of my shirt, and the wind carried a chill with it.

Ying Zheng stared straight ahead, chewing on a biscuit, his expression serious.

Fusu looked back and saw that the mountain path had been taken for a short while before he had walked a short distance.

Behind them, Prime Minister Li Si's entourage slowly caught up, as the Prime Minister still needed to carve inscriptions on stone tablets along the way.

If these stone inscriptions remain here, people will never forget that the First Emperor once climbed Mount Tai.

The father and son each ate a pancake, drank all the water in the pot, and rested for a while.

In the afternoon, Ying Zheng slowly stood up and looked up again. The long mountain road seemed to have no end in sight.

Fusu said, "This mountain road is really long."

Ying Zheng patted his son's shoulder, smiled silently, and continued walking towards the top of the mountain.

This time, the First Emperor did not refuse the walking sticks, but used them to reduce the pressure on his legs.

The higher you go, the more you exercise your heart and lungs. It is said that the mountain path from the foot of Mount Tai to the top is nine kilometers long.

After walking up a stone staircase, and looking up again, the road ahead was old and dilapidated, with dense pine forests on both sides of the mountain road.

This is the middle section of climbing Mount Tai, and a huge welcoming pine tree stands right next to it.

It was dusk, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the mountain forest.

Fusu first helped his father to a wooden house, which was temporarily built and also had an altar.

"Rest for an hour."

Upon hearing his father's words, Fusu nodded and said, "Your subject will have someone prepare torches."

Father Emperor did not want to spend the night here, it seems he will continue climbing the mountain tonight. This is the mountainside of Mount Tai, with huge rocks standing tall and the surrounding area desolate.

Half an hour later, Prime Minister Li Si and many civil officials finally climbed up to this spot.

Many people had collapsed from exhaustion on the steps along the way.

They must have been exhausted. Only Fusu felt that he was still young and his cardiopulmonary function was still strong.

Fusu bowed and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Prime Minister."

Li Si gasped for breath, then suddenly laughed, waved his hand, and was no longer able to speak.

Fusu helped him find a clean stone platform to sit down, and then patted his teacher's back to help him catch his breath.

After a long silence, Li Si's breathing slowed slightly, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "Emperor..."

Fusu said, "Father is resting in the room. In another half hour, we will continue climbing the mountain."

Seeing that his teacher was about to speak, Fusu said again, "Teacher, there is no need to rush to follow. Resting for another hour will not be a problem. Father and I will walk a little further."

Li Si gazed at the setting sun in the west, having only the strength to breathe.

Fusu glanced around and saw the disheveled Cheng Miao and Zhang Cang, who were lying on the ground, looking up at the sky.

As the golden rays of the setting sun slowly faded from the blue sky, the last ray of sunlight disappeared, leaving the blue sky as dark as night.

The First Emperor stepped out of the wooden hut and came to the altar. Under the watchful eyes of his ministers, he lit the silk scroll inside the altar and buried the jade tablet with dragon patterns.

This is called burying a jade tablet to worship the earth.

The smoke from the altar drifted away with the wind.

Wang Ben and his men caught up.

He had torches and braziers placed along the steps, and the path leading up ahead was illuminated by flames.

Flames rose against the wind on both sides of the road.

When the First Emperor and his son Fusu walked up the mountain road again, Li Si's eyes were full of respect. In order to claim the Mandate of Heaven, even at the risk of so-called great disobedience, the First Emperor was willing to personally climb Mount Tai.

If it were someone else, they might have given up halfway, just like Kong Fu, who didn't even have the courage to meet the First Emperor.

The latter half of the climb up Mount Tai is very steep and the path is narrow, so that two people cannot walk side by side.

Fusu continued to walk behind his father, breathing in the cool night air. The mountain wind blew again, rustling the leaves in the forest. He didn't know what kind of tree the leaves were, but they fell at his feet, withered and dry.

Along the way up the mountain, there were soldiers standing, some holding torches, and others guarding the fire pits.

He didn't know how long he had been climbing, but the night had already fallen. Looking back, Fusu could see torches along the mountain path.

On the mountain path of Mount Tai, at an altitude of over 1,500 meters, Fusu saw scattered torches moving slowly upwards. These were the civil and military officials following behind, holding torches and keeping a distance.

Looking around, the firelight almost covered the entire foothills, and tens of thousands of people gathered on Mount Tai, creating a magnificent scene under the starry night.

This was a civilization nurtured in Mesopotamia, a land still in the slash-and-burn stage.

People are still so confused and endearing, yet there are always those who hope that civilization can take another step forward.

Since Suirenshi learned to cook food with fire, the people of this civilization have lived long lives.

Fuxi invented writing, which allowed civilization to be passed down.

Shennong planted the five grains, allowing civilization to be passed down from generation to generation.

Since the legend of King Wu's conquest of King Zhou, the people of this civilization have become more brilliant and beautiful with each generation.

Seeing that his father had walked a little further, Fusu hurriedly followed.

The dew had already settled overnight, making the narrow mountain path even more difficult to traverse.

Fusu wanted to step forward to help his father, who had stopped walking, but just as he was about to reach out, his father took another step towards the mountaintop.

The night wind grew stronger, and the flames from the braziers on both sides flickered.

By the dim light of the fire, Fusu could see that his father's legs were trembling. His father was wearing black cloth shoes, which were extremely uncomfortable for his feet.

At this moment, Fusu felt soreness in his legs.

After climbing the mountain, it will probably be difficult to walk for a few days.

After a moment of wry smile, Fusu saw that his father was still climbing, so he gritted his teeth and followed. The path up the mountain became increasingly steep and high.

You have to take things one step at a time.

The last stretch of the journey was especially slow. Fusu could even see that the First Emperor's legs were still trembling. At this moment, he could not see what the First Emperor's eyes were like, and he could not see the First Emperor's spirit from behind.

Their expressions and eyes were mostly resolute.

Until the last few stone steps, the First Emperor, supporting himself with his wooden cane, took a step forward, then a second, a third...

Until we stood on the platform at the top of the mountain.

The eastern sky was beginning to lighten. Fusu gritted his teeth and climbed to the top of the mountain, feeling his heart pounding and breathing in the air deeply.

We started climbing the mountain yesterday, and by the time we reached the summit, it was already dawn.

From the side, the Emperor was already standing in front of an altar.

This is the summit of Mount Tai, which will later become known as the Jade Emperor Peak.

The dew made the summit of Mount Tai wet. Looking into the distance, the cloud-shrouded mountain range stretched eastward without end. White frost covered the pine forests, and clouds shrouded the mountains.

The altar here was very tall and large, and the jade tablet and golden rope were placed in front of the altar.

Ordinary people were not allowed to witness the Fengshan ceremony. The armored soldiers withdrew from the high platform, leaving only three eunuchs dressed in black.

Fusu then saw the small seal script characters written on the jade tablet: "The emperor's subject dares to report to the Supreme God of Heaven."

As the sun rose in the eastern sky and shone on the mountaintop, the First Emperor began the Fengshan ceremony.

Smoke rose from the altar. After eight hundred years, someone was finally offering sacrifices to Heaven and announcing the Mandate of Heaven.

The altar, with its granite base, was filled with silk scrolls and jade tablets. Black pottery burial jars and five-colored soil were used to inform Heaven that the lands of the six kingdoms had been unified, and the golden rope of the Fengshan ceremony was firmly tied to the top of Mount Tai.

Fusu thought about the First Emperor's fate. Since the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, the First Emperor only had twelve years left to live.

At present, nothing seems out of the ordinary about the First Emperor, but Fusu hopes that the First Emperor can live as long as possible.

Seeing his father standing solemnly before the altar, the hours passed by.

Around noon, Fusu finally met Prime Minister Li Si and Zhang Cang, who had climbed up the ranks, along with the civil and military officials.

Fusu turned his back, not looking at his father who was solemnly facing the altar, but looking at the mountain path. The officials could see the blue smoke rising from the top. The officials knelt down, and even the scholars from Qi and Lu, led by Chunyu Yue, knelt down in fear.

The First Emperor's sacrificial ceremony to Heaven did not end until dusk.

Fusu and Wang Ben were looking at a map of the mountain, and then the Prime Minister joined them. The three of them named the mountain climbing route.

For example, Fusu gave this place a name, such as the mountaintop being called Jade Emperor Peak.

However, Li Si quickly rejected this name, feeling that "Emperor's Peak" would be more appropriate.

Wang Ben rejected Li Si's idea again.

After some debate, both Li Si and Wang Ben accepted the title "Jade Emperor Peak".

Afterwards, the three of them named the path they had taken, such as Zhongchantai and Yunbu Bridge.

After the First Emperor stepped down from the altar, the three of them bowed in unison.

The path down the mountain was much easier. When they reached the bottom, they saw Prime Minister Li Si and the prince bestowing the name Zhongchantai upon the altar where the pine forest was located. Only then did Zhang Cang and the others realize that Prince Fusu had been observing the ceremony on the top of Mount Tai.

In principle, these officials, including Prince Fusu, were not allowed to observe the Fengshan ceremony; this was a taboo of the Fengshan ceremony.

This was largely to maintain the mystery and secrecy surrounding the Fengshan ceremony.

Since Prince Fusu witnessed the Fengshan ceremony at the altar, it is enough to show how much the First Emperor valued this son. Some people are already discussing whether the First Emperor will appoint Prince Fusu as Crown Prince after this Fengshan ceremony.

Of all the First Emperor's children, only Prince Fusu was most suitable to be the crown prince due to his abilities and character; the other sons were not suitable.

Zhang Cang was once again certain of his suspicions: Prince Fusu was indeed the First Emperor's most beloved child.

Late at night, the First Emperor finally arrived at the foot of the mountain, and Fusu also returned home, where he saw his wife sitting at the table tidying her clothes, and their child sleeping in a cradle.

"Son!"

Fusu asked, "Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry."

Upon hearing this, Tian An and Granny Wang, who were still dozing off against the wall, hurriedly got up and went to prepare food.

Before long, a bowl of hot noodles and a plate of meat were served.

Seeing her husband eating noodles with gusto, Wang Tang'er served him another bowl of soup. Worried that he might choke, she whispered, "Mount Tai must be very difficult to climb."

Fusu said, "Yes, it was really difficult."

After the young master returns, the lady can go to bed early.

It was already late at night, and after the lady went to sleep, it was almost dawn. Fusu took a short nap and then woke up.

Outside, Tian An was tidying up firewood. He said, "Young master, it's still early."

Fusu said, "I'll come out and sit for a while, and get some fresh air."

Tian An continued tidying up the firewood. He said, "During the two days that the young master was climbing the mountain, the madam stood at the foot of the mountain every day, holding the child and looking up at the top."

Tang'er grew up in Guanzhong and had never seen how high Mount Tai was, so she was naturally worried.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly.

It's still quite cold at the foot of Mount Tai on this morning.

Fusu said, "It should be snowing soon in Guanzhong at this time of year, right?"

Tian An replied, "A message came yesterday saying that it has snowed heavily in Yan."

I remember leaving during the summer harvest season in Guanzhong, and by the time I arrived at Mount Tai, winter was just around the corner.

For the remaining two days, everyone rested. Most people's legs were so sore that they couldn't put weight on them, and it took them two days to recover.

On that very day, the First Emperor issued a chilling edict to destroy the eight shrines of Qi and Lu, promulgating the "Edict to Destroy the Shrines".

Upon hearing the news, the scholars from Qi and Lu knelt outside the First Emperor's carriage, begging him to rescind the edict.

But the First Emperor did not respond to them, only preserving the Landlord Temple and worshipping Liangfu of Mount Tai.

This ensured that the imperial Fengshan ceremony became the sole authoritative ritual for communication between heaven and earth.

Li Si once again demonstrated his ruthless political skills and the cold-blooded Qin laws to the people of Qi and Lu, forcefully depriving the scholars of Qi and Lu of their right to speak on ancestral sacrifices.

People from Qi had advocated for the restoration of the enfeoffment system, a fact that Li Si always remembered.

After the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, Li Si, by order of the First Emperor, implemented the Lingshui Gazetteer in the Qi region, eliminating doubts and establishing laws.

This means using the name of a national project to replace the local ancestral worship system.

In reality, what Li Si did was to strengthen the influence of the prefecture-county system on people's hearts.

In short, Fusu understood Li Si's political purpose as strengthening the system of learning from officials and basing decisions on the law.

Let the people of Qi believe in Qin law and not let ancestral hall rules restrict their production.

In essence, it is a pragmatic approach to politics.

For them, it was largely a very harsh form of authoritarianism.

Fusu looked at the hundreds of Qi-Lu scholars kneeling before the First Emperor's carriage, and the many more Qi-Lu students behind them.

Fusu understood in his heart that Li Si was, after all, Li Si.

(End of this chapter)