The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 90 The Prime Minister Reconsiders

When Feng Quji returned to the Prime Minister's residence, he also brought with him the household registration books of Dongting County and Changsha County.

Zhang Cang then arrived at the Prime Minister's residence and began to tell Prime Minister Li Si about his recent achievements.

As dusk fell, one by one the officials of the Prime Minister's residence left, but Fusu remained seated there.

It wasn't until nightfall that Fusu left the Prime Minister's residence.

However, when he left, he was still holding the case file in his hand.

At night, inside Gaoquan Palace, after the couple had dinner, Fusu took the opportunity to feed the deer by the fishpond.

There are twelve deer that came to Takasen-gu Shrine, including five calves.

Fusu sat by the fishpond, patiently feeding the fish.

Before long, several fawns were gently nudging Tang'er's knees with their heads, making her laugh.

Wang's mother-in-law was watching this scene.

Tian An walked over and said, "Jingye County sent a lot of celery."

Granny Wang sat on a stool, shelling dried beans as she whispered, "Madam, she can only eat the food the young master makes now."

Tian An sat to the side and responded, "Mm."

To make soy milk, you need to dry the soybeans, and picking the soybeans is a very tiring job. Tian An usually does these things himself.

If the beans are left to the other people in Takasen-gyu, they won't be picked up properly. If any beans are missed in the corners or edges of Takasen-gyu, Tian An will get very angry.

After feeding the deer, Fusu sat in the Gaoquan Palace, still looking at the household registration books of Changsha County and Dongting County.

Wang Tang'er walked over, saw the files on the side, flipped through them, and asked, "Why are so many names circled?"

Fusu asked, "Can't you sleep?"

Wang Tang'er sat to the side and said, "Sit for a while and then go to sleep."

Fusu copied down the circled sections, then wrote down the subsequent preferential treatment, and prepared a file for each household.

Give their children or their families more land and exempt them from corvée labor.

As Fusu was writing, he glanced to the side and saw his wife sitting beside him, already asleep.

With Granny Wang helping her rest, Fusu continued writing annotations and names.

The following morning, the court meeting was unusually quiet, with only Chancellor Li Si continuing to discuss state affairs.

After the court meeting ended, Fusu watched as the crowd walked out of the main hall in twos and threes. The first court meeting after autumn was quite quiet.

As Fusu left the main hall, he overheard people talking about the events in Weinan Prefecture.

After the summer grain harvest, Weinan rushed to plant millet in the early autumn. With the autumn rains approaching, people were saying that even if they planted millet, there wouldn't be much of a harvest.

Li Si stood at the foot of the steps in front of Zhangtai Palace and bowed, saying, "Young Master."

Fusu stopped and said, "Teacher, I was thinking last night about how to provide compensation for the soldiers who died in the southern campaign."

Li Si said, "I have considered it and will provide more compensation than in previous years, and will also exempt people from corvée labor."

Fusu knew that what his teacher was referring to was the annual corvée labor, which was mostly local labor service, including road construction and city building. In addition to corvée labor, there was also exile, which was a punitive form of corvée labor, such as building the Great Wall and tombs.

One characteristic of the Qin Dynasty's military service and corvée labor was that they were carried out in parallel. Military service and corvée labor were performed together.

Soldiers who have made military achievements are exempt from household labor, and this right of exemption can continue from their lifetime to their death.

This is recorded in the military rank law of Qin: "Those who serve in the army shall be rewarded for their merits... If they have already been appointed but have not yet received their reward and die or are subject to the law, they shall be given the reward."

Fusu and Li Si walked and discussed as they went.

Erecting monuments in various parts of the south to record the names of those who died in battle was an additional request Fusu made to the prime minister.

However, Li Si said that it would always be recorded in the dossier and would not be lost.

But Fusu still insisted on having a monument erected and his name inscribed on it.

The Prime Minister's residence was as busy as ever.

Wang Ben didn't come to the Prime Minister's residence to be on duty again today, saying he was feeling unwell.

As the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department, Fusu naturally took over the duties of the Director of the Imperial Household Department and handled all matters related to the department.

While looking at the dossier in his hand, Fusu asked, "When the court discussed the matter of building the Great Wall today, why didn't Chunyu Yue come out to refute it?"

Cheng Miao replied, "That doctor was probably just dealing with his own business."

"What's the matter?"

"There are some rumors in Shangjun that Zhou Qingchen has been trying to persuade those stubborn scholars to support the First Emperor, saying that the First Emperor did the right thing."

Fusu asked, "Are there many doctors who responded to him?"

Cheng Miao shook his head and said, "Actually, there aren't many. On the contrary, quite a few Shandong doctors say he's two-faced, and Chunyu Yue thinks this person is pathetic."

"So, this Zhou Qingchen is going to pledge allegiance to the Prime Minister?"

Cheng Miao placed a stack of bamboo slips on the bookshelf and nodded, saying, "Yes, according to rumors, this Zhou Qingchen is a coward, and now people like Chunyu Yue despise him."

"I have also heard about something else."

Hearing Zhang Cang speak again, Fusu asked curiously, "What is it?"

Zhang Cang said, "There is a minor official under the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister noticed his quick wit and assigned him to do things like submitting documents. It is said that he is the descendant of an old friend of the Prime Minister. This old friend wanted his child to study under Chunyu Yue, which incurred the Prime Minister's wrath. Now he has been sent to Shangjun."

So many years have passed, but the antagonism between Prime Minister Li Si and Chunyu Yue has not been resolved at all; on the contrary, it seems to be escalating.

Fusu took out three cooled tea eggs from his sleeve and gave one to each of Cheng Miao and Zhang Cang.

Putting down the documents in his hand, Fusu asked again, "You two are usually so busy, how come you still have the leisure to hear so much?"

Cheng Miao explained, "It was Li You who said it."

Fusu understood; since it was the Prime Minister's son who said it, it made sense.

Li You's rebellious phase was rather long, and he remained in that phase even after getting married.

The three sat in the Prime Minister's residence, eating tea eggs and talking in hushed tones, when a man hurried over and told Li Si about the situation in the south.

Fusu vaguely overheard a few words. It was because the First Emperor and Prime Minister Li Si had decided to leave Zhao Tuo in the south to govern the Yue region with Ren Xiao that this man was worried about Zhao Tuo's disloyal intentions.

Legend has it that the Yue region has the Five Ridges, a natural barrier. If Zhao Tuo had any rebellious intentions, he could rely on these mountains to block the South China Sea. These mountains stretch for thousands of miles from east to west.

In response, Li Si angrily rebuked him for undermining the morale of the army.

The man bowed once more and said, "Prime Minister, please reconsider!"

Li Si shouted, "Step back!"

Upon seeing the prime minister's anger, the man left in a sorry state.

Even today, the Qin Dynasty still has many loyal and upright officials, so what this minor official said is not wrong.

Half a month later, when the documents for post-war compensation were issued, Guanzhong was once again greeted by autumn rain.

Fusu sat in Gaoquan Palace, waiting for the heavy rain to pass.

The rain was heavy, and the deer were huddled together under the eaves of the palace. They all looked up at the rain pouring down. These deer were very intelligent and seemed to have sensed the heavy rain in advance, taking shelter under the eaves before it started.

Inside the palace, his wife was preparing his clothes for the trip. When the heavy rain turned into a drizzle, Tian An knew it was time to go.

Tian An understands the autumn rain in Guanzhong very well, just as he understands the children and soil of Guanzhong. He has watched the autumn rain in Guanzhong for decades and understands its nature very well.

He could even predict that the next autumn rain would fall tonight.

After his wife finished packing, Fusu took her to Jingye County.

As the wife of a young master, she needs to know his family background clearly, at least what his private assets are.

Fusu sat in the carriage, watching his wife looking out the window. When she saw the vast expanse of fields outside Jingye County, she exclaimed in surprise, "Is all of this yours, young master?"

Fusu explained, "It was bestowed by my father, and the land was designated by my teacher."

She asked in surprise, "Why are there still so many people working in the fields even though it's autumn?"

Fusu explained, "In early autumn, they planned to plant a batch of autumn grain."

Tian An said, "Young master, Prefect Zhang and his assistant are at the crossroads."

Fusu said, "Let's stop at the intersection."

As the carriages moved about, the escorting soldiers immediately dispersed and surrounded the area.

In the past year, Fusu has rarely visited the village, and Zhang Han has been arranging everything here.

Upon seeing the young master arrive, Zhang Han bowed and said, "Young master."

Upon learning that the young master's wife was also coming today, Zhang Han had his wife bring along the women from the village to accompany them.

Fusu watched as his wife was led by the hand by Li Nu'er, talking with a group of women.

After watching for a while, Granny Wang and her maidservant stood guard by her side.

Tang'er gave him a look that conveyed reassurance.

Fusu was naturally at ease. Tang'er had grown up in Pinyang since childhood, not in Xianyang City, so everything in the village and county was familiar to her.

Fusu withdrew his gaze and took the opportunity to ask about the situation in the village.

As you enter the village, you are greeted by a row of brown and black dogs.

Seeing that they were still approaching and lingering around the young master, Shusun Tong laughed and said, "They still remember the young master."

Fusu saw the village schoolhouse, where many children were studying. Since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, attending school had been extremely expensive.

"There seem to be fewer children than before?"

Shusun Tong replied, "There are only these many children in the village. Some of the children who stayed behind were taken back by their families after they had paid for their food when they were halfway through their studies."

Fusu said, "You can tell me if you have any difficulties."

Shusun Tong bowed and said, "Your subject wishes to teach more children."

Fusu asked in surprise, "Can you teach them all?"

Upon hearing this, Shusun Tong began to explain his teaching methods. He had taught a group of children who were now fifteen or sixteen years old, and he was able to teach even younger children.

From top to bottom, the children range from sixteen to ten years old, with only a minority completing their studies at sixteen. The vast majority of students are concentrated in the age range of twelve or thirteen.

Shusun Tong actually had only about ten disciples, while the remaining younger students were taught by those ten or so older students.

On the contrary, he himself was able to enjoy a peaceful and leisurely life.

Shusun Tong bowed and said, "Your subject wishes to have more children from the counties of Weinan come to study."

Fusu asked, "How is the Guanzhong region as a whole?"

Upon hearing this, Shusun Tong was taken aback.

Fusu changed his tune, saying, "I was just joking."

Shusun Tong smiled and bowed, saying, "I can handle the children of Weinan."

"Very well, General Zhang Han will instruct the relevant counties to handle this matter."

Zhang Han nodded in agreement.

Zhang Han should now be called Prefect Zhang, but Fusu is reluctant to change his address, so he continues to call him General Zhang Han.

Fusu walked to the edge of the field, observed the newly sprouted millet, and said, "I have seen this in many records of the Western Rong. Do the Western Rong people also grow millet?"

Zhang Han replied, “That is indeed the case. Millet can mature in as little as sixty days. It can even be rotated with beans within a season. If millet is planted in spring and summer, migratory birds will come to eat it. Those birds especially like millet grains. Moreover, millet is not picky about the land. It can be planted in sandy soil and dry land.”

"I have been farming in Weinan for five years. I was thinking of planting some millet in early autumn, which would be better than nothing. Besides, there will be fewer insects and birds to damage the crops after autumn."

Fusu subconsciously looked at the sky; at this time of year, even migratory birds had left Guanzhong.

The autumn rain had just stopped, and the sky was still overcast. It seemed that, just as Tian An had said, the rain would continue and come again after nightfall.

Fusu walked back to the village, where a huge shed had been built. Part of the shed was used as a stable. At present, there were only two warhorses in the stable, one for the prefect and one for the assistant prefect.

These warhorses were all registered, and Qin had very strict control over them.

The warhorses are being well cared for in the stables.

Zhang Han said, "These warhorses were sent by the Minister of the Imperial Household."

Fusu realized that one of the horses was a Tianshan horse, but he didn't say it out loud. He secretly remembered his father-in-law's intention.

Beside the stables were rows of spinning wheels. The women had stopped working, and Fusu saw his wife surrounded by women, who were also learning how to use the spinning wheels.

Most of these spinning wheels were made by craftsmen commissioned by Zhang Han, based on the spinning wheels that Tian An had previously modified.
There are thirty such spinning wheels in this area.

Normally, these spinning wheels would never stop; this was another major source of income for Jingye County, besides Shusun Tong's teaching.

That night, Fusu and his wife stayed there for dinner.

The entire county of Jingye was practically worshipping the young master and his wife; even when the couple sat there, the villagers almost kowtowed to them.

Because the young master is so kind to them, to the people of Weinan.

Even General Xin Sheng came and presented the young master with a river delicacy as a special dish.

This was Wang Tang'er's first time here. After getting married, she lived in Gaoquan Palace and was unaware of her husband's private property. This was the first time she had seen her husband's achievements.

It was the first time she had ever seen how many people supported her husband. Standing beside him, she felt incredibly proud.

Just like when her grandfather and father returned victorious, it made her happy.

There was no alcohol at the village banquet, and it couldn't really be called a banquet. Everyone just ate noodles, and they were quite happy with a bowl of mutton noodles.

Before leaving, Fusu helped his wife into the carriage.

"Young master! The city walls and towers of Tongguan will definitely be completed before the beginning of spring next year."

Fusu said, "Alright, when winter comes, I will definitely come to Tongguan to drink with you."

The man with the green arm said loudly, "Your subject obeys."

Fusu boarded the carriage to return to Xianyang. Tian An, still chewing garlic, personally cracked the whip, and the carriage headed towards Xianyang.

Just as Tian An had said, it rained again after nightfall.

(End of this chapter)