The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 48 Choosing a Beautiful Name

The people of Qin were generally pragmatic, so every decree issued by the Qin Dynasty was straightforward.

Some say that the Qin Dynasty wanted to standardize the written language, so it invited scholars from the six states to Qin, and then "locked them up."

After that, when the Qin Dynasty implemented the laws of standardizing writing and cart axles, no one objected.

At least, there were fewer voices of large-scale opposition, and the PhDs from the six countries were imprisoned in Xianyang City.

This left most opposition groups in various regions without their core leadership.

Fusu led his horse along the Luo River, while the warhorses beside him walked very slowly.

The reflection of the procession on the riverbank can be seen in the calm Luoshui River.

The Luo River is also a section of the Yellow River, and it is truly beautiful when the Yellow River is calm.

The large-scale migration was still ongoing. Fusu looked at the long line, which stretched as far as the eye could see. People were still migrating from the direction of Hangu Pass.

They mobilized 200,000 poor people from six prefectures and dozens of counties in the Central Plains to enter the pass.

Zhang Cang began preparations for this migration last autumn, with officials from the Prime Minister's office issuing orders to various counties. The migration officially began this February.

However, Fusu did not agree with a statement written by one of Lü Buwei's retainers in the Lüshi Chunqiu.

The saying goes, "If you have ten fine horses, it is not as good as having one Bole (a legendary horse expert); if you have a thousand miles of land, it is not as good as having one sage."

Fusu suspected that Lü Buwei at that time... was probably envious of Xunzi, the most famous scholar at the Jixia Academy.

He could neither get help from Xunzi nor get any help from him.

These are some of the prejudices that Fusu could think of regarding Lü Buwei, the merchant, when he was in charge of compiling the Lüshi Chunqiu.

Different perspectives lead to different thoughts. Fusu believed that in this simple agricultural era, agriculture was the most important foundation, and that crops could only grow on the land because of people's cultivation.

Millions upon millions of people are what the Qin Dynasty needs most.

Did the Qin Dynasty lack sages?

What the Qin Dynasty lacks now is real food to fill its stomachs; the Qin Dynasty is desperately short of food.

There is still a shortage of people who can cultivate more land.

I, the young master of Qin, am still worrying about how to feed people.

Fusu was truly worried. Even if each acre yielded just a few more bushels of grain, he would be extremely grateful. A few more acres of land in Guanzhong would be a tremendous blessing.

Therefore, when Fusu looked at the long line of migrants, he felt a renewed sense of strength, realizing that the world wasn't so bad after all.

Whether it's Legalism, Mohism, Xunzi, Han Fei, or even Lü Buwei's Lüshi Chunqiu, as long as a few words from it are useful for governing the country, the Qin Dynasty can use them. As long as they are effective, Fusu doesn't care which school they belong to.

A month later, the relocation did not officially end until March.

The weather has warmed up slightly, but it snowed lightly again yesterday.

It was early spring, and a light snow had fallen. Many laborers were not in high spirits, fearing that it would delay their farming.

Inside the small house by the canal, Fusu was looking through the books that his teacher Zhang Cang had sent. Zhang Cang was still in Luoyang overseeing the relocation of people and would most likely stay there for another year.

To ensure a smooth relocation process, Zhang Cang was to remain in Luoyang to oversee the relocation and to stay there to handle the aftermath.

Fusu picked up another scroll and, by the light of the oil lamp, saw that it was sent from Xianyang and bore the seal of the Prime Minister's office. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Tu Ju's military report.

Tu Ju marched south, capturing more than 3,000 villagers from various mountain villages, while Jian Lu officially began the construction of the Ling Canal.

Fusu calculated for a moment and concluded that, judging from Jianlu's pace, he should have arrived at the Xiang River.

Jianlu made an agreement with Tuju that all the captured villagers would be handed over to Jianlu to dig canals.

Fusu knew that Jianlu, far away in the southwest, was having an even harder time than himself. He had to deal with the climate and soil in the southwest, oversee the construction of canals, and also worry about Tuju, the commander of the army, and the morale of the troops.

According to Jian Lu's report, Tu Ju was an overzealous general.

But Jianlu also said that regardless of whether Tuju could pacify the entire southwest, he, Jianlu, would build this canal.

Fusu understood the Prime Minister's meaning. Prince Fusu was quite experienced in repairing bridges and canals, and the Chief Water Conservancy Officer Lu was an official under the Ministry of the Imperial Household.

Prince Fusu is now serving as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department, which means he is directly in charge of overseeing the construction of canals and waterways. According to Qin law, as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department, Prince Fusu is responsible for overseeing the construction of canals and waterways in various regions.

Fusu wrote the reply to Jianlu and handed him the name Lingqu.

He also sent a letter to Li You, hoping that he could do his best to help with the situation in the southwest.

As long as things remain peaceful in Shu, Jianlu and Tuju will have no worries about the future.

Fusu continued writing in the document that the so-called Lingqu Canal was a canal built under the guidance of the gods.

It is unknown whether the name Lingqu will be accepted by people today. Regardless of whether people accept it or not, Fusu still prefers to call it Lingqu.

After finishing the documents, Fusu handed them to Dong Yi beside him and instructed, "Have someone send them out."

Dong Yi nodded and went to carry out his business.

The small house by the canal was much larger than before, and three or five minor officials were sitting together there, writing documents.

After sitting all day, Fusu relaxed his eyes and rubbed his brow, knowing he had to control the time spent reviewing documents.

Otherwise, you'll become nearsighted sooner or later.

Stepping outside, Fusu stretched his back and looked at the distant scenery. There were groups of laborers digging canals, scooping out the mud from the vertical shafts to reinforce the riverbanks.

The clerks inside the room were all sent by the Prime Minister to assist him, and Dong Yi was one of them.

With a loud shout, the day's food was distributed. Everyone received three pancakes, which were made by the women of Jingye County, who had been busy since dawn.

The people who ate the most were the poor who had just moved to Guanzhong. Most of them were dressed in tattered clothes, but at least they could get food here. So men and women, boys as young as thirteen or fourteen, and even some strong old people all came.

As for children under ten years old, they were all sent to Jingye County.

Those children won't starve if raised in Jingye County. Shusun Tong has been growing increasingly fond of children lately, and he thinks the more children there are in Jingye County, the better.

Fusu walked along the roadside, his gaze falling on groups of poor people sitting together, munching on hot bread.

"If they don't own land, they can only work for the rich."

Fusu heard the old general's words.

Xin Sheng said, "Zhang Cang has a good eye. Although most of these people are thin, they are all very healthy."

Fusu asked in confusion, "Could it be that Master carefully selected them?"

"That's natural."

"I thought only Zhang Han would do this."

Xin Sheng suddenly smiled again and said nothing more.

The migrants all came in households, with each household consisting of about three to five people. In total, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 households here.

Many of these people are actually temporary families, mostly wives who have lost their husbands, children who have lost their mothers, or elderly people who have lost both parents and bring their grandchildren to join another family.

Anyone who pays close attention will know that at least 70% of these are hastily put together, mostly because county officials turn a blind eye to such things in order to save trouble.

The teacher didn't really care; as long as the laborers were healthy, that was enough.

However, none of that matters anymore. Fusu is about to re-register their household registrations, and they will all have new identities.

Mr. Lu Li once said that he hoped the Qin Dynasty would cherish all people under heaven.

He was truly a compassionate man.

The laborers would eat as they pleased, sometimes even hiding half a piece of bread, and the laborers were allowed to do so.

After the documents were sent to Sichuan, it usually took more than two months to receive a reply. The last time I received a reply from the Southwest was in late autumn last year.

During the cold winter, the army that had ventured deep into the southwest lost contact for the entire winter, and only now has news of them resurfaced.

Fusu thought to himself that he hoped the next letter would arrive sooner.

With these laborers migrating to Guanzhong, the construction of the canals was incredibly fast. In just over ten days, the Jingye Canal, which connects the upper and lower reaches of the Luo River, will be officially completed.

Therefore, Fusu has been living by the river since last winter, and still has.

Tian An was grilling two fish. He had dug a simple pond to raise the fish he had caught.

A large, fat catfish is being grilled.

Fusu never expected that there would still be such plump catfish in the Guanzhong section of the Yellow River. This fish is very rich in fat and is an excellent choice for supplementing meat consumption.

Tian An then poured the crushed scallion and ginger juice over the fish, saying, "Young master, this fish has a strong earthy smell."

Fusu sat by the stove, watching the oil from the fish drip into the fire, and asked, "How is the court doing lately?"

Tian An has a powerful network of connections. He can always find out about any news in the court or among the people in advance, and the news will only spread throughout Xianyang after he knows about it.

"Reporting to your son, His Majesty summoned the Prime Minister last night."

"last night?"

"kindness."

Being summoned at night is usually no small matter.

Tian An flipped the fish over and continued, "The First Emperor asked the Prime Minister how the people of the six states were doing and whether he should go out and see them."

"Eastern tour?"

Upon hearing this, Tian An hesitated for a moment before saying, "His Majesty did not mention an eastern tour; he only inquired about the well-being of the people of the six kingdoms."

Tian An placed the grilled fish on a plate, then cut it into sections. As he cut it, the skin and flesh were torn apart, and brown juice flowed onto the snow-white fish meat inside.

Tian An sprinkled some salt and pepper on it and placed two tangerines on the side. "Young master, you can eat now."

The tangerines were sent by Li You again. Fusu said, "I'm quite envious of Li You. He has an endless supply of fruit. Does he eat fruit like it's food?"

Tian An smiled and said, "The Prime Minister's son is lucky."

So many people died after the flood, and Li You buried so many dead bodies, yet he returned as if nothing had happened, except that he had suffered a considerable mental shock.

"He is indeed very lucky."

After speaking, Fusu picked up a piece of fish and placed it in a flatbread, pouring all the juices over the flatbread and crushing the fish on top. Now it had oil, salt, fat, protein, and carbohydrates all in one.

Fusu took a big bite and chewed slowly.

The first spring rain in Guanzhong didn't arrive until late March. The rain fell in a light drizzle, and many laborers went into the vertical wells. There were passageways on both sides of the underground canals, and the laborers took shelter from the rain here. Now there are twice as many laborers as before.

Moreover, there were more accents. Some people spoke the language of Qi, while others spoke the language of Yan or Zhao. These voices, carrying accents from various places, were mixed in with the chaotic discussions in the canal.

Fusu received another letter from the Prime Minister, listening to the sound of rain constantly washing over the roof.

In the letter, the prime minister also requested to send another hundred officials to assist him in setting up Tingxiang County and registering the households of the relocated poor people.

After reading it, Fusu placed the bamboo scroll aside, looked at the rain scene outside the house, and drank a sip of hot water.

The remaining minor officials inside the room were still writing furiously.

Recently, Tian An was in a good mood. He stood under the eaves and saw Xin Sheng, wearing a straw hat and a raincoat, return.

"Is the old man in a good mood?"

Tian An said with a smile, "The old general is also in a very good mood."

Xin Sheng walked to the eaves, took off his straw hat, sat down, and said, "I've gone to check. Dig the last three miles, and the canal will be completed."

Tian An said, "That's really a good thing."

Xin Sheng then asked, "What are you so happy about now, old man?"

Tian An lowered his voice and said, "I am happy for you, young master, that you have more and more capable ministers around you. In the future, you will have even more and more ministers around you."

Xin Sheng looked at the rain-soaked sky and smiled without saying a word.

"Dong Yi".

Hearing the young master inside call out a name, Dong Yi, who was standing on the other side of the back of the house, hurriedly walked inside.

After that, Dong Yi came out again, mounted his warhorse, and left in the rain.

Xin Sheng glanced at Dong Yi from afar and sighed, "Young Master should have more young people around him."

Tian An nodded.

Inside the room, a huge map was spread out in front of Fusu, who first let out a long sigh.

Because of the Prime Minister's instructions, I'm afraid I'll have to stay here for another year.

Governing the country is difficult. Since last winter, Fusu has encountered more and more problems, and they have become increasingly difficult.

This is not simply about building a bridge or simply about developing a county.

The Prime Minister entrusted him with a very important task: to re-establish villages and counties south of Shangyan Mountain.

Fusu frowned and remained silent for a long time, his brain working rapidly, memories of county-level plans flashing through his mind.

Fusu picked up his pen and circled the area on the map.

It rained all day, and Fusu was busy all day.

The next morning, as soon as the rain stopped, Fusu mounted his horse and headed south along the canal, escorted by Xin Sheng and his troops.

Fusu pointed to the opposite bank of the river and asked, "Is that Liyi?"

Xin Sheng nodded.

Fusu himself continued to ride his horse along the banks of the Luo River.

The spring sunshine wasn't intense, as it was just dawn and the rain had only recently stopped, leaving the entire Guanzhong Plain still damp.

The azure sky is like a pure sapphire, dotted with white or gray-black clouds.

People didn't know what Prince Fusu was doing; he just wandered around and looked at things.

This made the county magistrates and pavilion chiefs of each county very nervous. They looked around and inquired about each other's whereabouts, fearing that Prince Fusu would arrive and they would not have time to greet him.

For several days in a row, Xin Sheng led his son Fusu to measure the land and inquire about the population register and county records.

Having accompanied the young master for five days, today the young master sat on the carriage shaft, recording something, seemingly the number of acres of land, and I recalled the map I had seen earlier.

Connecting these events, Xin Sheng discovered something extraordinary: the young master wanted to establish prefectures and counties.

After a moment of excitement, Xin Sheng calmed down. The Prime Minister was Prince Fusu's teacher, so how could he give credit to someone else? Naturally, he gave all the credit to his disciple.

As for how capable Prince Fusu is now, and what kind of development he can make of this place.

These are not a cause for concern at all, because Prime Minister Li Si will arrange for people to handle the aftermath.

Everyone knows that once the Jingye Canal is completed, the area will become prosperous, and the prosperous county will undertake large-scale construction. It is most appropriate for the Prime Minister to entrust this matter to the young master.

Despite being very busy these days, Fusu maintained an optimistic attitude, chatting and laughing with his unclesun Tong and Zhang Han who came to visit him.

Zhang Han was holding a child in his arms; it was his child with Lady Dong.

Fusu said, "No wonder Dong Yi volunteered to come here."

Zhang Han said, "Many people from the Dong family have come to visit."

Thinking about the fact that there are more than two thousand children in Jingye County, Fusu asked curiously, "With so many children, can you take care of them all?"

Shusun Tong chuckled and said, “Young master, this matter is very simple. The laborers who have just moved to Guanzhong will entrust their children to Jingye County for upbringing. I will distribute the children to each household in the county, with three children per household. Once the laborers have finished repairing the canals and settled in, they can take the children back, but they must pay for the grain. To take back a child who has been temporarily raised in the county, they need to pay ten dou of rice, since the children raised in the county also need to eat grain.”

Fusu put an almond in his mouth and suddenly realized that since Shusun Tong, that old fox, entered Jingye County, he had never been one to suffer a loss.

"Does the young master think ten bushels of rice is too little?"

“I don’t care, but if the village doesn’t have enough food, I’ll hold you responsible.”

Shusun Tong suddenly smiled; in his view, such a statement was not unexpected.

He stopped stroking his gray beard and said in a low voice, "Some children have actually lost their parents a long time ago, or have been living with several different families. Not everyone is willing to take the children back."

Zhang Han said, "Young master, rest assured, the county has records of where these children came from and who sent them. Even if no one wants them, the county annals will be able to find out when they grow up."

Upon further thought, Zhang Han added, "You really don't seem like a Confucian scholar."

Shusun Tong laughed and said, "In the past, I always associated with my fellow disciples or other Confucian scholars, but now, I don't have a single Confucian scholar by my side."

Zhang Han said, "You even let Mao Heng go."

Shusun Tongdao: "He already wanted to leave."

Zhang Han said, "This humble general suspects that Mao Heng has already starved to death outside."

Shusun Tong looked like a playful old man. He laughed and said, "Mao Heng is very talented. If he finds a nobleman who loves the Book of Poetry, Mao Heng will never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of his life. General Zhang Han doesn't need to worry about him."

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Fusu turned his head away from them and got up to sit down at the other end of the room.

Despite being very busy, Fusu always maintained an optimistic attitude. Looking at the laborers sitting together eating their evening meal, even though he couldn't understand their accents, he listened as the laborers sang some unknown folk songs.

Hearing their rough and not-so-pleasant singing, Fusu smiled again.

If you can gradually build up a barren place through your own hard work, that would be a very fulfilling thing.

Every appointment made by the Prime Minister is correct. Building canals, developing villages and counties, and constructing roads—isn't this the duty of the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department?
Everything was perfectly legitimate, and there was absolutely no favoritism in the appointment of the prime minister.

Fusu wanted to give this place a beautiful name, Weinan Prefecture.

The name Weinan actually existed among the people of Qin, but the name Weinan County only came into use five hundred years later.

Today, just as dawn was breaking, Fusu and General Xin Sheng were already by the river, practicing with heavy halberds.

The Yellow River reflects the figure of Prince Fusu practicing his heavy halberd.

Xin Sheng corrected the young master's posture time and time again.

The movements were simple, but the halberd was really heavy, and Fusu was sweating profusely before he finished practicing.

"General, let the laborers plow the fields today, and let Dong Yi lead the team."

"Young master, it's still early for spring plowing."

Fusu wiped away his sweat and said, "First, distribute the land. Those without military merit only have the right to use the land and are not allowed to possess it privately. All the land will be recorded in the land register and belong to the respective counties, which will then hand it over to Xianyang."

"Young master, the county has not yet been assigned."

"The land belongs to me first."

Xin Sheng nodded. Since the land belongs to the county, and now that the county is well-developed, it belongs to the young master.

Seeing groups of laborers leaving the canal, Zhang Han, who was having breakfast, asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

Shusun Tong, who was eating noodles, looked at the sky for a while longer. He still had chopsticks in his hand. He looked up at the sky and said, "The canal is about to be repaired. Young Master doesn't need so many people. Distribute the manpower first."

Zhang Han slurped up another mouthful of noodles and nodded, saying, "Yes, that's how the young master always does things. He doesn't wait until the spring planting season to start cultivating the land. Before the dry season even arrives, he instructs us to store water in the water cellars."

Shusun Tong saw that his bowl was empty and wanted to eat some more, so he went to scoop some out of the pot. The fire in the stove was still burning and the water in the earthenware pot was still boiling. He tried to scoop some out with his chopsticks but found that there was no more noodles in the pot.

Looking again at the bowl in Zhang Han's hand, the noodles were piled very high in his bowl.

Noticing Shusun Tong's gaze, Zhang Han swallowed the noodles he was still chewing and asked, "Isn't it enough for you?"

Shusun Tong put down his bowl and chopsticks and said in a low voice, "That's enough to eat."

"Mm!" Zhang Han nodded emphatically and slurped up another mouthful of noodles with great relish.

Shusun Tong sighed and said he really didn't want to dine with this man again.

Then they saw another group of unfamiliar officials arrive at the place, and someone was asking them questions.

Shusun Tongdao said, "They were most likely sent by the Prime Minister to assist Prince Fusu."

Zhang Han finished his noodles in a few bites, then quickly stepped forward to ask questions.

Shusun Tong looked at the still-boiling soup in the earthenware pot. He took out a shriveled flatbread from his bosom and soaked it in the soup. After the soup had turned the flatbread into a paste, he picked it up, let it cool, and then slowly enjoyed it.

Before long, Shusun Tong saw Zhang Han leading those officials to the prince.

Although he couldn't hear what they were saying, Shusun Tong noticed that the officials from Xianyang looked very troubled.

(End of this chapter)