The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 28 Gifts
Mr. Luli is useful to Daqin and to my father.

But this matter had nothing to do with this young master of his. Fusu looked over the imperial edict brought by Feng Quji again and again. Now that he had an official position, he had to do his job well and there was no time to waste.

Xianyang, Prime Minister's Mansion.

Zhang Cang stepped over the threshold and walked into the mansion.

When the officials coming and going in the palace saw that it was Zhang Cang who had arrived, they all bowed.

Zhang Cang was a person whom the prime minister relied on very much. He was also the teacher of Prince Fusu. He and the prime minister even studied under the same teacher, Xunzi.

Inside the mansion, Li Si was reading the war reports from the north, as well as the officials for the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. Seeing Zhang Cang approach, he smiled and said, "Wang Jian is back! This old man is getting busier and busier."

Zhang Cang stood aside and bowed slightly, "If you were here, you would surely help the Prime Minister with the paperwork."

Li Si's movements as he flipped through the bamboo slips were pleasant to the ears. He suddenly asked, "Sir, can you review documents now?"

"The young master hasn't reviewed any documents yet, but he has read a lot."

Li Si put down the bamboo slips in his hand and looked at the blue sky outside. It was the most beautiful time of the year. He relaxed his shoulders and neck while saying, "Zhang Cang..."

Before the Prime Minister finished speaking, Zhang Cang bowed respectfully.

Li Si looked up at the blue sky and white clouds and asked, "Mao Heng, how are you these days?"

Zhang Cang replied, "Your Excellency, you know what kind of man Mao Heng is. He knows nothing about government affairs, and is only familiar with the Book of Songs."

Li Si laughed and said, "Of course I know. Is he still scolding me now?"

Zhang Cang smiled helplessly.

We all learned from Xunzi, so naturally we all knew each other.

It's a pity that Han Fei is gone...

Li Si continued, "I read the records sent by the Doctor's Office yesterday. You and Mr. Luli had a good conversation. Fortunately, thanks to you and the young master, the old gentleman is willing to stay in Xianyang."

"Prime Minister, this is my duty."

Li Si put one hand behind his back and stroked his beard with the other, saying, "You have been teaching this young master for half a year?"

"It's been nearly half a year since the beginning of December last year."

"I've read the records of the Doctor's Mansion, as well as your conversation with that old gentleman. Why haven't I heard you mention some of these theories before?"

Zhang Cang frowned, not knowing how to answer. Even Li Si did not doubt that it was because of the young master.

Most likely, Li Si, as the young master's teacher, had no idea what was in the young master's mind.

The conversation at the Doctor's Mansion was indeed influenced by the young master. Zhang Cang felt that some of the words and things said were... indeed impeccable, especially in the system of selecting officials.

So much so that now that Li Si looks back, he becomes so suspicious.

Seeing that Zhang Cang did not respond, Li Si patted him on the shoulder and said, "Teacher, I have always thought that what I have learned and understood about poetry, books, rituals, music, and the Spring and Autumn Annals is still shallow. I feel ashamed of my teacher."

Seeing Zhang Cang standing there, still silent, he seemed a little embarrassed.

Li Si suddenly smiled, trying to put the other person at ease, and whispered, "I always thought that the teacher's most proud disciple was Han Fei."

Zhang Cang said, "Teacher's most proud disciple is indeed Han Fei, and the disciple that teacher is most proud of should be the Prime Minister."

Li Si sighed, "Without the cold, one cannot know the pines and cypresses. Without difficulty, one cannot become a gentleman... Your teachings have benefited me immensely."

After that, Li Si said, "Thank you for taking care of Mr. Luli's matter."

Zhang Cang said, "Cang dare not take credit for it."

Li Si nodded appreciatively, "I still have something to report to His Majesty, so please take good care of him, young master."

Before Zhang Cang could say anything else, Li Si had already left quickly.

After leaving the Prime Minister's Mansion, Li Si paused for a moment, thinking a lot in his mind, but he couldn't see through Zhang Cang's depth, because Zhang Cang's words were so leak-proof.

When he was studying under Xunzi, his teacher gave "The Book of Songs" to Mao Heng, "The Book of History" to himself and Han Fei, but gave "The Spring and Autumn Annals" to Zhang Cang.

After thinking about this, Li Si walked quickly towards the palace gate.

Zhang Cang was still standing in the Prime Minister's Mansion. He took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve, on which was written his views on the selection of officials.

In fact, the young master is a person who is good at asking questions. Zhang Cang doesn’t know... whether he was influenced by the young master and wrote this book.

Last winter, in the correspondence with the young master, he once said that there are no perfect choices for most things in this world, and there are not so many optimal solutions in this world.

Since it is not the optimal solution, there must be something wrong with it.

Zhang Cang hesitated for a long time, then sat down to help the prime minister deal with the remaining documents.

It was not until late at night that Li Si returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion with a tired look on his face.

At this moment, the lights in the Prime Minister's Mansion were still on. There were no other minor officials here. Only Zhang Cang was still sitting in the mansion, reviewing documents.

In the quiet night, the night wind blew into the house, and the flames of the candlesticks swayed slightly.

The nights after Grain Rain are a bit warmer than in March.

It makes people more sleepy. There are three or two servants still standing in the mansion, but their minds have been taken over by sleepiness. They are so drowsy that they didn't even notice that the Prime Minister has returned. Only Zhang Cang is still writing the reply on the document with an extremely focused expression.

Li Si stepped forward and said, "That Mao Heng is cursing me again by the canal, saying that I, Li Si, am guilty of unforgivable crimes."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cang hurriedly put down his pen and saluted.

The servants around him suddenly perked up and saluted.

Li Si said: "I will naturally not bother with him."

Zhang Cang replied, "Even back when Mao Heng was a student of Xunzi, he and the Prime Minister were at odds. Over the years, that hasn't changed."

Li Si sat down and looked over the documents he had reviewed, each one looking very satisfactory. He said, "And Chunyu Yue, he's talking about how you enslave your servants. Haha... I've applied the same principles you used on your servants to the construction of the Great Wall. Results will be visible within six months."

Zhang Cang said, "Young Master, you are young and your actions may be thoughtless. I will definitely help you."

Li Si nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty is going to send more troops to the north."

When the Prime Minister had sorted out the bamboo slips and was about to leave his post, Zhang Cang handed over the bamboo slips he had prepared earlier and bowed, saying, "Prime Minister, this is what Cang wrote."

It should be said that this was a method of selecting and employing officials written by the master himself, which was inspired by the master. Most of it improved the concept of taking officials as teachers, but did not abandon the idea of ​​taking officials as teachers as the core. This gave the Legalist ideas advocated by Han Fei or Li Si a different flavor.

Li Si held the scroll in his hand and said, "Send Feng Quji here."

Half an hour later, the right prime minister Feng Quji came here in a hurry, not knowing what happened so late at night, and saw Li Si and Zhang Cang here.

When the man came closer, Li Si handed over the bamboo slips and said, "Right Prime Minister, please take a look."

Feng Quji first straightened his clothes and looked at it carefully. His expression became more and more solemn. He paced back and forth, occasionally talking to himself.

Li Si picked up the dried dates beside him and chewed them, then gave some to Zhang Cang who was standing beside him.

After a long while, Feng Quji closed the bamboo slips and said, "What is the Prime Minister's intention?"

Li Si asked, "What do you think, Right Prime Minister?"

"No!" Feng Quji said, "At least not now. The people from the old lands of the six kingdoms are still there. I'm afraid it will lead to even greater disasters."

Li Si's eyes grew sharper as he said, "Don't they want to restore the feudal system? This method of selecting officials completely eliminates their desire for feudal fiefdoms."

Feng Quji slowly shook his head and said, "Prime Minister, the time has not come yet to use this strategy."

Li Si looked at Zhang Cang standing beside him and asked, "Then do you want Your Majesty to see it?"

Zhang Cang was about to speak when Feng Quji said again, "It's even more impossible. Once His Majesty sees this policy of selecting officials, he will definitely implement it. By then, you and I will be unable to stop him." Li Si put another dried date in his mouth and thought while chewing it.

As the night deepened, the silence grew. A gust of wind blew into the mansion. Zhang Cang continued, "I'll refine this plan when I get back."

Li Si finally nodded.

Feng Quji also agreed.

The three of them finally reached a consensus. This is a sharp sword, but it cannot be used lightly. Once used, no one knows how much harm it will cause. At least it must be implemented step by step.

Zhang Cang took the book and left the Prime Minister's Mansion.

For some reason, Li Si felt regretful. He felt like he had obtained a treasure, but he couldn't use it.

The three of them had a conversation late at night and felt that they had temporarily stabilized the Qin Dynasty.

The night was as dark as ink. This night was no different from any other night. The darkness over Xianyang was as peaceful as ever.

Walking on the streets of Xianyang City, Zhang Cang remembered what the young master once said: there is never a perfect choice in this world, and you always have to give up something.

The next day, farming was a big event in Guanzhong. After Grain Rain, Guanzhong was extremely busy, and farming became everyone's top priority.

Fusu left Xianyang City and headed towards Shangyan Mountain, where he saw the magnificent scenery before him.

Zhang Cang rode his horse aside and watched this scene in silence for a long time.

There were people cultivating every piece of land. Some families of three or five were pushing the plows, and some were driving the oxen. People were busy planting crops.

Tian An drove the carriage and said loudly, "Sir, many nearby counties also need to plant more wheat."

Zhang Cang said, "The wheat is ripe early, so we can plant beans after the summer harvest."

When the group arrived at Shangyan Mountain, they met Shusun Tong riding a donkey.

A group of children were chasing Shusun Tong to play.

"Stop making trouble and stop pulling my beard."

Despite what Shusun Tong said, the children continued to reach out and grab his long beard.

If you look closely, you can see that his beard is indeed much thinner than before.

Afterwards, Shusun Tong was dragged away by a group of children to play again.

Fusu didn't know how this old man could have so much fun playing with a group of children.

"Shusun Tong is a doctor, but he's not paying attention to the affairs of the court. He's just here playing with the children. I wonder what the teacher would think if he knew."

Fusu muttered to himself, and then he saw Li You digging a vertical well.

As a colonel in the army, Li You knew that the soil was being dug here, so Fusu felt relieved.

I went to Hangu Pass and came back, and it was still the same.

General Zhang Han is still in charge of this place.

There were many mulberry seedlings planted on the mountain. At this moment, Zhang Han said seriously, "Sir, I have opened up a field on the mountainside and plan to plant celery all over it."

Fusu smiled and said, "Well, celery is good. It can also be used to make vinegar celery. Well... plant more radishes."

Zhang Han clasped his fists and said, "I obey your command."

After Grain Rain, all counties began to farm and the soldiers who had gone to the battlefield returned. Fusu once again saw a family of six or seven people sitting in the fields and eating.

The soil in the fields had just been turned over, and the family sat together after working for half a day.

This family includes elderly people, old women, or young couples, and three or two children. This is a family.

While eating, they can even greet their neighbors who are also eating in the fields.

After eating, the family will continue to cultivate the fields.

Fusu was looking at the scenery in front of him when a group of people broke into his sight.

When the group of people came closer, Fusu finally saw who they were and said with a smile, "Greetings to the Shaofu."

Wang Ben dismounted, saluted with a smile, and said, "Sir, my father asked me to bring some goods."

Fusu stepped forward and asked, "When will the construction of the West Wei River begin?"

Although he was the chief of water conservancy and Zhang Cang was the director of the construction office, the decision on when to start the construction of the Xiwei Bridge still had to be made by the Shaofu, one of the Nine Ministers.

Wang Ben said, "When spring plowing is over and construction begins during the dry season, the Right Prime Minister will arrange for manpower."

The matter involved the Right Prime Minister, who was in charge of the overall matter. Fusu felt that he could only say a few words on small matters at most. After all, it was a matter of family and country, and as a prince of the Qin Dynasty, he was still young.

Being treated like a child was not a pleasant feeling. They almost said, "Leave it to me, young master!"

That's about it...

Fusu asked, "What good goods did your family bring?"

Wang Ben led his men to the rear of the team, lifted the cloth covering one of the carts, and said with a smile, "Twenty carts of rhinoceros hides."

Rhino skin is indeed a precious item. It can be made into armor, belts, medicine, and even shields.

When the nations were still around, rhinoceros skins were something that every nation would stockpile before a war.

Fusu thought that there were probably still herds of rhinos in the south.

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, rhinoceros hide was used to make carts and was an important leather.

Fusu felt a little embarrassed looking at these rhinoceros skins.

Wang Ben noticed that the young master also looked very confused.

Fusu was perplexed. What was he going to do with the rhinoceros skins? Was he going to make armor for his servants? He wasn't going to fight a war.

General Wang Jian is now the richest man in the entire Guanzhong region except for the First Emperor. He is quite generous and gave away dozens of carts of rhinoceros skins at a time.

Fusu was still looking at the carts of rhinoceros skins, not knowing what to do with them. Even sending some food would be helpful.

These three thousand servants had everything they needed except food.

Seeing that the young master didn't speak for a long time, Wang Ben also fell silent.

Fusu said: "We are very short of food. We can't just chew on rhinoceros skin."

It should be said that Guanzhong and even the whole world are short of food now.

"Wang Shaofu."

"I'm here." Wang Ben stepped forward respectfully.

"Can it be exchanged for food?"

"This..." Wang Ben was also in a dilemma. A cart of rhinoceros skin could be exchanged for dozens of carts of grain. The problem was that even though his family enjoyed a food allowance of ten thousand stones, they were still short of food.

This ten thousand stone food allowance will not be available until after this year's summer harvest.

Fusu added, "Rhinoceros skin is also very good. Shang Yanshan accepted it."

Wang Ben finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could finally go back and report to his old father.

(End of this chapter)