The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 125 The Xiang Clan's Rebellion Against Qin

This year's snow is strange; the snowstorms always come every three to five days, arriving quickly and leaving quickly, and often with a large amount of snow.

The soldiers below Langya Terrace had cleared the snow countless times, and most of them were exhausted.

Fusu looked through the records of Qi County from previous years and found that there was heavy snow every year, but this year the heavy snow lasted longer.

Fusu sat in the side hall, with his wife beside him coaxing their child. The child was now crawling very skillfully. He was distracted again and realized that the child was not in front of him. He started looking around, not knowing where the child had crawled off to.

Therefore, this child had the most eunuchs and palace maids around him.

Fusu asked, "What has Xu Fu been doing lately?"

"Reporting to young master, Xu Fu has been staying at home recently."

The news of Xu Fu's appointment as magistrate of Langya County had not yet been sent out; only the Emperor, Li Si, and Wang Ben knew about it.

Fusu spread out a map in front of him, which depicted the future Langya County. This county was within the territory of Qi Commandery and would also be a key point for future maritime transport.

"Young master, a message has recently arrived."

"What news?" Fusu asked, looking at the map in front of him.

"The Prime Minister and the Grand Commandant sent officials and soldiers to Huyi Mountain to relocate the people, but they encountered resistance from many people and killed some before the chaos was quelled. Now the Yue people are on their way here. I heard that this matter is related to the nobles of Chu in the past."

The First Emperor once said that the former nobles of the six states who rebelled against Qin could not be killed or captured completely.

If they remain trapped in the predicament of capturing the nobles of these six kingdoms.

Therefore, with such a large investment of manpower and effort, will the world still be at peace? Will the Qin Dynasty still need to be built?

Therefore, the first thing the First Emperor did after implementing the prefecture-county system was to build up the country.

Li Si was a very shrewd politician. He used Qin officials to control local areas and shrink the living environment of the former nobles of the six states, while focusing his main efforts on national construction.

Fusu asked, "A Chu person?"

Tian An explained, "There are still many former nobles of Chu who want to rebel against Qin in the Chu region today."

"Young master! Xu Fu is requesting an audience at the foot of Langya Terrace."

The conversation was interrupted by voices outside. Fusu asked, "What is he doing here?"

"They say there is an important matter in Chu to report to you, sir."

Fusu put down the map in his hand, and since he was going out for a walk anyway, he left the side hall.

The snow on Langya Terrace had just been cleared, and there was still some thin ice on the ground. When you walked down the steps of Langya Terrace, you could hear the sound of the thin ice being crushed underfoot.

Langya Terrace still contains some stone carvings left from the Zhou royal period, mostly statues and inscriptions.

King Fuchai once stationed his troops here, and it is said that one can observe the shadow of the sun here to determine the winter solstice.

Xu Fu held a scroll of bamboo slips in both hands. When he saw the young master walking up to the stage, he bowed and said, "Young master."

Fusu asked, "What brings you here in this cold winter season?"

Xu Fu stepped back and said, "I have something important to tell you, my lord. I have recently heard that the Prime Minister's relocation of the Yue people has been obstructed by the Chu people."

Fusu chuckled and said, "It's nothing. You get used to it after a while."

Xu Fu continued, "Two months ago, Han Zhong sent me a letter. Han Zhong has now pledged allegiance to the Xiang family of Chu, and said that if I am bullied by Qin, I can also surrender to him."

After speaking, Xu Fu raised the bamboo slips high above his head with both hands.

Fusu took the bamboo slip and untied the knot on it. The bamboo slip slowly opened, revealing rows of characters written in Chu script.

It's not surprising that people in the Chu region still write in Chu script, even though the standardization of writing and cart axles has only been in place for a few years. People need time to change.

After reading the contents of the bamboo slip, Fusu said in a low voice, "Han Zhong regarded you as his best friend, yet you reported to me that Han Zhong had sided with the anti-Qin Xiang clan?"

Xu Fu hesitated for a moment, then said, "I originally wanted to help Han Zhong conceal this matter, but I heard that the Prime Minister encountered resistance from the Chu people when he moved the Yue people. I know that this matter is of great importance and I dare not neglect it."

Fusu returned the bamboo slips to Xu Fu and said to him, "I will tell the Prime Minister the truth about this matter. I will need you to serve here in the future. Remember, honesty is very important."

Xu Fu was naturally willing to serve Prince Fusu, and he hurriedly said, "Your subject obeys."

"Let's go back."

Xu Fu bowed again.

Seeing him leave in a hurry, Tian An asked, "Should we really inform the Prime Minister about this?"

Fusu shook his head and said, "No need."

Tian An understood immediately; this was to control Xu Fu, and the young master was thinking of his own interests.

Tian An added, "I wonder if there will be any good catches today."

Fusu said, "Choose more crabs."

"Okay." Tian An left with a smile. The young master loves to eat crabs, so he will find more plump crabs from the local fishermen.

Two weeks after the snow stopped, Fusu was still busy with the construction of Langya County.

Fusu picked up a newly delivered bamboo scroll and read its contents. It turned out that Prime Minister Li Si wanted to build an army in Langya County and establish a general there. The general's official title was Donghui Duwei, a shipping general.

The mighty Qin Dynasty has actually begun building a navy; how could this not be exhilarating?

All matters concerning the army were proposed by the First Emperor, drafted by the Chancellor, and implemented by the Grand Commandant.

The same applies to the construction of Langya Commandery. Both the First Emperor and the Chancellor felt that this place was very important. After the First Emperor, the Chancellor, and the Grand Commandant reached a consensus, it was up to the Minister of the Imperial Household Department to implement the plan.

Every day, boxes of bamboo slips were sent out from Prince Fusu's side hall.

When Prince Fusu established the new site for the construction of the township pavilion, the first batch of Yue people who migrated from Huyi Mountain also arrived in Langya County, totaling 20,000 households, though it seems that many were lost.

Cheng Miao immediately arranged for people to build houses.

The 60,000-strong army has been holed up in Langya Terrace for over a month without any problems, and now it's the perfect time to put them to use.

No matter how many obstacles were encountered during the migration, as long as the manpower could be transported over, it was already a good result. Even if the people brought over were savages, they were still labor and productivity.

Therefore, Fusu never picked and chose among the workers. Even convicts could work as long as they had all four limbs and were strong.

People in this era actually pursue very simple things; they are already very fortunate to have the resources to survive.

Therefore, unlike the Qi royal family, Fusu did not constantly exploit the fishermen. Instead, Fusu established a mutually beneficial relationship with the fishermen and tried to expand this benefit to the point where they could make a living. Building a home was building a country.

In this way, only through continuous mutual compensation and the building of relationships, will the people here become more and more supportive of Qin.

In just two months, Fusu won the hearts of the old chieftain and the other Yue people. Afterward, the old chieftain and his Yue people would continue to teach other Yue people to serve the Qin Dynasty.

The coldest season in Langya County has ended, and the seaside has been sunny for several days.

In January of the 29th year of the First Emperor's reign, the First Emperor stayed at Langya Terrace for more than three months.

Over the past three months, construction along the coast has been progressing rapidly.

Prime Minister Li Si's policy of relocating the Yue people was also coming to an end, with 12,000 Yue craftsmen working here.

At the mouth of the Yellow River, a group of craftsmen were busy at work. Prince Fusu planned to build a large shipyard here, which would later become an important hub for maritime transport. Lang brought a man who, like Lang, was a student from Jingye County and could continue what Lang had not finished here.

Many people sensed that Prince Fusu and the First Emperor were about to leave, and people noticed that the Qin army, which had been scattered in various places, was gradually returning.

The number of Qin soldiers below Langya Terrace is increasing.

As new villages and pavilions were built one after another, the First Emperor's true purpose was to make the Yue people subjects of Qin.

Prime Minister Li Si also had other intentions. He wanted to ensure that the Yue people could never restore their kingdom. Under Qin's centralized rule and the implementation of the prefecture-county system, the existence of the Yue kingdom was not allowed.

Fusu knew all these purposes. These were all Li Si's foresight and scheming as a politician. In fact, they had nothing to do with the Yue people, and the Yue people could not have imagined that Prime Minister Li Si would be so scheming.

Prime Minister Li Si was a true political mastermind.

Fusu was aware of this, but it was precisely because Li Si was not a very good person that he was able to firmly build the Qin Dynasty.

As he was about to bid farewell to Langya Terrace, Fusu had many thoughts on his mind. He thought of the past between the First Emperor and Li Si, and thus came to the conclusion that the Qin Dynasty did not believe in tears, and that weakness and benevolence could not make the Qin Dynasty strong.

"Young master, everything is ready."

Fusu took one last look at Langya Terrace. Many of the constructions here were not yet finished and would continue in the future. However, he didn't know when he would be able to visit Langya Terrace again.

Fusu walked to the foot of Langya Terrace and said to Xu Fu, "Did the Prime Minister tell you this?"

Xu Fu replied, "The Prime Minister has appointed me as the magistrate of Langya County."

Fusu added, "One day, I will help you realize your dream."

Xu Fu had a dream since childhood: to go and see the distant seas.

However, now that Xu Fu is middle-aged, he no longer has such a strong urge to fulfill this ideal.

Upon hearing the young master's words, Xu Fu still bowed and said, "Thank you, young master."

Fusu boarded the carriage.

Tian An gave instructions to the general guarding him, and then rode a fast horse back and forth on both sides of the column to relay the message.

After resting for half an hour, the massive team finally began to move. Under the awe-inspiring gazes of the people, the team slowly left Langya County.

The day after the First Emperor left Langya County, Lang packed his belongings at his home there.

He shouldered his bundle, went out of the house and met a group of children. He said in the Guanzhong dialect, "I'm going to the Great Wall. Zhen will teach you."

The children bowed in greeting, using the Qin etiquette they had just learned.

Lang, wearing straw sandals and all black clothes, looking somewhat dejected, left the beach.

The children stared at the handsome and dashing figure from behind, speechless. They were children of the Yue people, but a teacher from the Qin people had taught them to write and read.

A seed is planted in the hearts of the children; they also want to become like their teacher.

Lang is really going to the Great Wall and will arrive before the summer of next year.

Xu Fu stood below Langya Terrace and waited for Lang, who was about to embark on a long journey.

He first glanced at the Langya Terrace, which was still under construction, and then remarked, "I heard you've become the magistrate here?"

Xu Fu took out a bag of dry rations, handed it to him, and said, "I know you're going to the Great Wall. You can eat these rations on the way."

Looking at the sea, Lang laughed and said, "By the time I return from the Great Wall, I should be able to take up an official post."

Xu Fu said, "I have heard that the Great Wall in the north is very dangerous."

"The north is getting colder and colder. The Xiongnu people, who live deep in the north, are constantly migrating south. As their numbers increase, they will become a large army."

"I hope you come back alive. If only you could have survived this war."

Lang smiled and waved his hand, continuing his journey northward.

Xu Fu stood there, watching as he left a long trail of footprints on the beach.

Xu Fu was very envious of this child. He came from Guanzhong, had been to the southern Chu territory, and was now going to the Great Wall in the north. He was so young, yet he had traveled almost all over the world.

Xu Fu reflected on his experiences over the past six months, and looking at Langya Terrace now, he felt as if it were all a dream.

After leaving Qi County, the First Emperor did not return by the same route, but headed southwest. Before leaving Qi, he arrived at Lu County, which also had another name: Sishui.

Because the Prime Minister relocated the people of Yue to Langya, Fusu has recently seen a lot of news about Chu.

Among them were some anti-Qin remarks, but these were all rumors, and the Prime Minister paid no attention to them.

However, there is a legend in Lu County about the King of Chu's ambition to conquer the Central Plains.

The Si River flows through the land of Chu, which was once part of Chu. Until the late Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Chu was a very powerful force.

This place is also a strategically important location, connecting the Huai River and the Ji River, and is a hub for water transport in the Central Plains.

Despite his illness, Chunyu Yue returned to the group. He told the First Emperor and Li Si the story of the King of Chu asking for the tripod, which was a tripod symbolizing the Zhou emperor. Yu the Great cast nine tripods to establish the nine provinces. Since Qin wanted to replace Zhou, it had to find the lost nine tripods.

Fusu stood outside his father's carriage, listening to the conversation inside, his gaze fixed on the calmly flowing Si River.

The army is resting by the Sishui River.
"Lao Ding?"

The First Emperor's question came from inside the carriage.

Back then, King Zhuang of Chu abandoned his ambition to conquer the Central Plains and angrily sank the Zhou Ding (a type of ancient Chinese bronze vessel) into the Si River.

After Chunyu Yue and Li Si left the carriage, Fusu then entered the carriage to meet his father, the emperor.

Inside the carriage, Ying Zheng was drinking a bowl of porridge and chewing a piece of meat.

Fusu said, "Father, the provisions for the journey to Dongting County are ready."

"Fusu, do you think I should retrieve the cauldron?"

At this point, Ying Zheng picked up another piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and stared intently out of the carriage.

Fusu replied, "What Chunyu Yue said is puzzling. How can he prove that Zhou Ding is here?"

Seeing that his father was still chewing meat and remained silent, Fusu said, "Father, Yu the Great built the Nine Tripods to establish the Nine Provinces. The loss of the Nine Tripods was the fault of the Zhou Emperor, not yours. If you want to replace the Zhou Emperor, why do you have to do what the Zhou Emperor did? What does the Zhou Emperor's tripods have to do with Qin?"

Ying Zheng nodded slowly.

Fusu felt that his father had accepted the idea. In fact, his father did not want to take the cauldron, but he lacked someone who would sincerely advise him.

That night, while everyone was still resting, news spread throughout the army: Dr. Chunyu Yue from Qilu had died, reportedly from illness.

Tian An held the young master Heng in his arms and said with a smile, "The young master once said that kindness and weakness cannot make the Great Qin strong."

The six-month-old little prince Heng can't speak yet; he can only grin.

Li Si did not allow anyone to investigate the cause of death, but instead returned the body to his family.

The following day, the First Emperor's entourage continued southward.

(End of this chapter)