The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 70 Before the Laba Festival
In Prime Minister Li Si's plan, the South would be like the Central Plains in the future, with a system of prefectures and counties where people would be identified by which prefecture or county they belonged to.

During the narration, the First Emperor interrupted several times and asked repeated questions.

Li Si repeatedly explained and corrected his previous statements.

As they spoke, the Prime Minister and the First Emperor pushed the fate of the South into a new phase.

After Li Si finished speaking to the First Emperor, Fusu had also finished reviewing the more than sixty volumes of documents for the day.

It was already sunset outside. Fusu got up to bid farewell to his father, the emperor, and walked out of the main hall of Zhangtai Palace with Li Si.

After putting on his shoes outside the palace, Fusu looked into the palace and saw his father looking at the documents that had just been approved.

Seeing the Prime Minister still standing outside the hall with a smile on his face, Fusu bowed and said, "I heard everything the Prime Minister just said."

Li Si sighed, "The war in the south has not yet ended, and I also hope that everything will go smoothly in the south, otherwise what I have said today will be in vain."

The two walked down the steps together. Fusu sometimes felt that Prime Minister Li Si and the First Emperor were both extremely idealistic people. They shared the same ideals and put them into practice.

Some ideals, such as unifying the six kingdoms, have already been achieved.

There are also some ideals, such as standardizing the written language and the gauge of carts, which are now being put into practice.

Now there is also the ideal of educating the South, and this ideal was just spoken by Li Si at Zhangtai Palace.

Fusu thought about what Li Si had just said and replied, "I believe that the Prime Minister will definitely realize this ideal. Even if it is not possible now, Fusu is willing to help the Prime Minister continue to carry it out, even if Fusu does not do it well or does it in a biased way."

Li Si stopped and bowed once more.

As the weather grew colder in late autumn, on the day when the persimmons ripened and fell to the ground, Fusu once again came before the memorial tablets of the Qin kings of past dynasties to continue the sacrificial rites before his coming-of-age ceremony.

It is said that during the sacrificial ceremony, Fusu cannot drink water or eat anything today.

But after the last incident, Fusu noticed that this time, his great-grandfather simply ignored it and knelt down to the side, pretending not to see anything.

Fusu sat down without ceremony before the previous kings of Qin and began to deal with the affairs of state.

The Qin kings of all dynasties remained quiet, their memorial tablets standing firm, with only the smoke of incense wafting through the air and the occasional gust of cool breeze blowing into the hall.

Fusu looked at the wooden frame to the side, on which hung a garment. This garment was a crimson robe, and on the wooden tray placed on it was a dark red silk crown, which would be used during the coming-of-age ceremony.

These are now displayed next to the memorial tablets of the Qin kings of past dynasties, to inform the ancestor, Prince Fusu, of his coming-of-age ceremony attire.

Unlike last time, today an elderly person was explaining the details of the coming-of-age ceremony.

The old man said that on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony, guests would offer wine to the person being crowned, and the person would pay homage to the king. He would wear a narrow-sleeved robe, a leather belt, and square-toed, upturned shoes.

Fusu listened patiently. This was the etiquette that Qin had always followed. In fact, he didn't need to memorize it himself. Someone would put it on him on the day of his coming-of-age ceremony. He just needed to follow it.

“My lord, when the Zhou emperor enfeoffed the feudal lords, all young feudal lords had to undergo a coming-of-age ceremony and an enthronement ceremony. But you, my lord, do not need to undergo the enthronement ceremony, as that is reserved for feudal lords.”

Fusu nodded. The other party explained in great detail, even going so far as to explain the brief reasons for the coming-of-age ceremony.

"After the coming-of-age ceremony, the young master can participate in political affairs. He is capable of leading troops after his coming-of-age ceremony. The officials in Qin are different from those in Qi and Lu. The coming-of-age ceremony in Qi and Lu emphasizes poetry and music, which is said to be a continuation of the Zhou rites."

The old man continued in somewhat weathered words, "Actually, the Qin rites also came from the Zhou rites. The coming-of-age ceremonies of the various states and the kings were all different, each forming its own customs. The Chu people had their own shamanistic practices, the Qi and Lu people had their own rites and music, and the Qin people had their own martial spirit."

He added, “Those scholars from Qi and Lu claim to be the orthodox masters of Zhou rites. In my opinion, they are self-righteous. Our Qin rites were personally taught by the Zhou royal family. Our King of Qin received the complete Zhou rites, and all Qin rites were received from the Zhou rites.”

"If those scholars from Qi and Lu criticize the Qin rituals on the day of the prince's coming-of-age ceremony, I will fight them to the death."

Seeing that the old man had finished speaking, Fusu bowed and said, "Fusu has remembered it."

The old man nodded, quite satisfied with the young man, and left with a smile.

Grandfather personally saw the old man off, and Tian An sat to the side and whispered, "Young master, it was this old man who presided over the coming-of-age ceremony of the First Emperor."

Fusu sat down again and continued to handle state affairs in front of the successive Qin kings.

After a quiet night, when the sky brightened again, one could see a layer of frost on the ground and roof when one went outside the palace.

Tian An slowly exhaled and gave an instruction to the eunuch outside the hall.

Soon after, someone brought over a hot breakfast.

When Fusu woke up, he had missed the court meeting again. While eating breakfast, he looked at the frost on the ground that had not yet melted and felt that Guanzhong had entered winter overnight. He said, "Winter has come so quickly."

Tian Andao said, "That's how it is in Guanzhong. Spring and autumn are short, while winter and summer are long."

As Fusu sat before the successive Qin kings, drinking hot mutton soup and eating noodles, he realized that the Qin people actually still valued their Qin etiquette.

After Duke Xiao of Qin, King Huiwen of Qin received the most orthodox Zhou rites and was one of the most orthodox feudal lords.

Those scholars from Qi and Lu who dared to criticize Qin rituals were disrespecting the Zhou emperor, and the people of Qin were ready to fight them to the death.

Etiquette is the foundation of a nation, so naturally, we must fight to the death for it.

When Fusu arrived at Zhangtai Palace, only his father, the emperor, remained in the main hall.

After his son entered the hall, Ying Zheng said in a deep voice, "According to the Zhou rites, a man is crowned at the age of twenty. This is something you must go through."

Fusu said, "Your subject will complete the coming-of-age ceremony according to the instructions of your elders."

Ying Zheng continued, "The old capital of Qin is Yongcheng. I hastily held my coming-of-age ceremony in the old capital back then. Now, what's placed in Xianyang are just the ancestral tablets of past generations. The ancestral temple of Qin is in Yongcheng. You still need to worship the ancestral temple and past generations in Yongcheng."

The coming-of-age ceremony of my father was extremely dangerous. At that time, the internal struggle of the Qin state had already begun. My father hurriedly performed the ceremony, and then seized power and commanded the army, quelling the chaos within Qin.

The father and son chatted about everyday things, with Fusu sitting next to his father, listening to stories from the past.

Ying Zheng said, "There is a detached palace in Yongcheng. It was the imperial palace of the old capital. When I went there for my coming-of-age ceremony, it was already dilapidated and had not been repaired for many years."

At this point, Ying Zheng added, "Don't worry, I had the Qinian Palace repaired three years ago. On the day of your coming-of-age ceremony, you will go to the Qinian Palace in Yongcheng to complete the ceremony."

"My son, take your orders."

Ying Zheng reached out and patted his son heavily on the shoulder, saying, "Perform the coming-of-age ceremony properly."

Upon hearing this, Fusu observed that his father's eyes first held encouragement, but then revealed deep sorrow and loss.

Back then, my father's coming-of-age ceremony was stained with blood; many, many people were killed before he truly seized power.

Therefore, the emperor felt lost and desolate.

However, Fusu felt that his father had a strong heart, and only someone with an extremely strong heart could be so decisive and ruthless.

Without such a strong mind, how could one unify the six kingdoms?

Compared to his father, Fusu felt fortunate. The Qin Dynasty was now in a state of internal harmony, and the world was unified. There were very few people who could be considered external enemies.

Meng Tian was stationed in Shangjun to build the Great Wall, which deterred the Xiongnu from invading. The First Emperor had also said that he wanted to build the Great Wall on the borders of the Rong tribes.

The implication was that the Great Wall should be extended northward, reaching right to the doorstep of the Xiongnu.
This was the First Emperor's ambition.

As autumn deepens, frost falls on the Guanzhong Plain every morning, and the cold wind blows after the autumn rains stop.

Every autumn, Guanzhong is greeted by a snowfall. The snow is not heavy, but its early arrival seems to announce the arrival of a long winter.

This year's autumn was very short. Before Fusu could even properly enjoy the autumn scenery, Guanzhong suddenly entered winter.

Today, the heavy snow continued to fall, and Fusu sat in the carriage.

Under the escort of Wang Ben and his troops, Tian An drove the cart towards Weinan. He could reach Weinan by exiting from the east gate of Xianyang and following the Luo River downstream.

Fusu sat in the carriage and asked in a low voice, "I heard that the people in the Prime Minister's residence have been complaining a lot lately?"

Wang Ben replied, "Yes, I have heard that as well. The people in the Prime Minister's residence are often busy until late at night."

Teacher Zhang Cang cunningly went to Xianyang Bridge to oversee the construction of the bridge in the three counties. He didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the Prime Minister's Mansion at all, as he had already anticipated that the Prime Minister's Mansion would be very busy in the next six months.

Fusu added, "It seems that no one is going out hunting this winter."

Wang Ben said, "There are still people hunting in winter, but not as many as in previous years. This year, Weinan is undergoing major construction, and the Xianyang Bridge is also relocating people, so everyone is very busy."

Fusu said, "This should be the time when the people of Qin are staying indoors during the winter, and I'm sure there are many people complaining about it."

The only people who would complain are probably those from the Prime Minister's office, and those from Xianyang Bridge and Weinan.

"I have brought a bow and arrows. If you wish to go hunting in the winter, I will arrange for men to surround the mountain and hunt."

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

Wang Ben said, "Zhao Tuo went to the south, and many generals went to the north or to the south. There are not many generals in Xianyang now. If they were all here, it would be more lively. This year is desolate."

As they spoke, the carriage arrived in Dali County.

Upon learning that it was Prince Fusu's carriage that had arrived, Zhang Han and Shusun Tong personally came to greet it.

Fusu alighted from the carriage and said, "I've just come to take a look; you don't need to come and greet me."

Zhang Han bowed and said, "This humble general has many important matters to report."

Fusu looked up and saw Shangyan Mountain in front of him. He was surprised to find that Zhang Han had actually planted celery and radishes all over the mountain.

Zhang Han said, "Young master, tender celery and radishes that have been touched by frost are the most delicious."

Fusu nodded and said, "Tian An, take more with you when you go back."

"Hey."

Tian An responded, and then two eunuchs left, carrying baskets as they ran towards Sangyan Mountain.

Fusu noticed the mulberry tree, which was already as tall as a person. The mulberry tree had grown very quickly, reaching this height in just three years. The climate in Guanzhong was very suitable for jujube, mulberry, and persimmon trees.

"I think the soil and water in Guanzhong are very good, and the days are long and the nights are short in the summer. I'll try to plant more fruit trees next spring and summer."

"The last general takes orders."

As Zhang Han spoke, hot breath escaped his lips. Without even hesitating, he immediately accepted the order.

The Jingye Canal has a stable water flow, and wooden bridges that allow people to walk across it have been built on both banks.

Fusu asked, "Is this small wooden bridge sturdy enough?"

Zhang Han replied, "Several sites were destroyed during the autumn floods this year."

Fusu added, "Safety is the most important thing."

"Yes."

Today, Dali County has expanded nearly three times, and its population has increased nearly five times. These people are all able to pay taxes and are extremely important.

The vast majority of the newly expanded population consisted of poor people who had recently migrated there.

Fusu continued walking. The light snow was still falling. The rising smoke from the chimneys mingled with the falling snowflakes, creating a captivating scene.

A rider arrived quickly and reported something to Tian An.

Upon hearing this, Tian An put down the radish he had just washed and stepped forward, saying, "The army has issued a transfer order, replacing the generals in Shu. Li Xiaoling, who is in Shu, is also on the list of those being replaced. The Prime Minister also sent a letter to Li Xiaoling, asking him to arrive in Xianyang before the young master's coming-of-age ceremony. The Prime Minister also instructed Li You to offer a toast to the young master on the day of the ceremony."

Fusu said, "Great, Li You is coming back."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Han smiled.

……

After the onset of winter, Guanzhong experienced several intermittent snowfalls.

Half a month before the end of the year, Fusu rode in a carriage out of Xianyang City and headed towards Yongcheng.

Yongcheng is also known as Qinyi among the people of Qin. King Xuan of Zhou and King You of Zhou once lived in Yongcheng, so many Qin people regard this place as their ancestral home.

Later, due to the invasion of the Western Rong people, the Qin people gradually migrated eastward, and thereafter, wars between Qin and the Western Rong became frequent.

This trip was escorted by General Wang Ben. Fusu looked at the scroll in his hand. Yongcheng represented the patriarchal orthodoxy of the Qin people, and Xianyang symbolized the Qin law.

Yongcheng is more than 140 li away from Xianyang. Yongcheng is located north of Yongshan Mountain, hence the name Yongcheng.

When the Zhou emperor chose this place, he recognized that Yongcheng was a vital strategic location for defending against the Western Rong tribes, with Yongshan Mountain serving as a natural barrier.

When night fell, Wang Ben called for the carriage to stop, and the carriage came to a halt.

"Young master, it is still sixty li from here to Yongcheng. It is already night. Why don't we set up camp here?"

"Alright, I'll follow the young master's arrangements."

Wang Ben nodded and immediately ordered his men to set up camp and dispatch troops to guard the surrounding area.

Whenever he traveled, Prince Fusu was very "obedient". He obeyed all military arrangements and would never make his own decisions. He followed the instructions of the generals who were escorting him. If he could avoid wandering around, he would stay in the carriage and not move around at will.

Once all defenses were in place and the camp was fully set up, Wang Ben came to report: "Young Master has made all the arrangements."

Fusu, wearing a cloak, stepped down from the carriage and exhaled a breath of cold air in the wind. Looking around, he saw a plain with no villages nearby. Within a three-mile radius, the terrain was flat with almost no obstacles, making it impossible to hide troops or horses. Anyone who wanted to get close could not hide.

(End of this chapter)