The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 94 Mozi's Words
Sometimes the saying "time will tell" holds some truth; Fusu could learn from this incident where he discovered the limits of a person's abilities.

The point is to see what kind of decision this person will make when faced with this situation, and how much courage and perseverance they will have.

It seems he barely passed.

Compared to Li Si, Zhang Cang, Cheng Miao, and others, Sima Xin was barely passable.

Du Shuichang, along with his wife and children, boarded a carriage and, escorted by more than ten riders, headed to Longxi.

Wu Gong strode over, handed over a scroll, and bowed, saying, "Young Master, the Prime Minister says this transfer order requires the approval of the Imperial Household Department."

Fusu asked instinctively, "Where is the Minister of the Imperial Household?"

Wu Gong replied, "The Minister of the Imperial Household said he had been unwell recently, but the Prime Minister did not believe him at first."

Fusu nodded as he looked at the document, then took the pen offered to him.

Wu Gong continued, "I also went to the home of the Minister of the Imperial Household. It seems that the Minister of the Imperial Household was not ill; he was drinking at home at the time."

Zhang Cang stood to the side with his eyes closed, remaining silent.

Fusu also frowned and wrote annotations on the scroll.

Lord Wu continued, “Recently, I have observed that the Minister of the Imperial Household often misses court meetings due to illness, and he has even stopped coming to the Prime Minister’s residence, so I went to inquire about it.”

After Fusu finished reviewing the document, he handed it to him and instructed, "It's done. Go and give it to the Prime Minister."

Wu Gong took the document and continued, "I have also heard that the Prime Minister intends to entrust many matters to the young master, but does not inquire about the Minister of the Imperial Household."

"Well, I see."

After saying this, Fusu returned the pen to him.

Mr. Wu took the pen and left quickly.

Fusu frowned and asked, "Is he really the Prime Minister's fellow townsman, and his student?"

Zhang Cang slowly exhaled and nodded.

Looking further into the distance, Fusu saw Du Shuichang standing there, bowing to him.

Then the carriage began to head west, escorted by only twenty riders, enough to protect his family, since he didn't need to go to the Western Rong territory but would remain in Shanggui County.

The documents that Wu Gonggang just sent were also related to this matter.

Originally, this matter was arranged by myself alone, without informing my father, the emperor, but only discussed with the prime minister.

The Prime Minister's idea was that the people could be sent out first, and the dispatch documents could be completed later.

The documents that Wu Gong sent were for the purpose of completing the task.

Fusu walked back to Xianyang City and suddenly felt that the wind was much cooler at this time of year.

Upon entering Xianyang City, one immediately sees baskets of persimmons lining both sides of the street, as farmers have come to Xianyang to sell their persimmons.

These persimmons could cover the entire city of Xianyang.

However, most of these persimmons are made into dried persimmons and preserved.

Actually, you wouldn't make much money selling them, and you wouldn't be able to sell many. There are so many persimmons in Guanzhong that it's causing a crop failure.

However, the dates are still selling very well this year, especially those from Dali and Pinyang.

Some people worry about having too many persimmons, but the output of jujubes in Guanzhong has always been stable, with just the right amount and a reasonable price.

This shows that God is biased.

Zhang Cang still had to go to the Prime Minister's residence to attend to his business.

Fusu then returned to Gaoquan Palace.

Inside Gaoquan Palace, Tian An looked at the water bag in front of him as if facing a formidable enemy. He didn't know why the young master had someone bring such a thing from Shu.

Grandma Wang was combing her white hair. At her age, her hair was thinning and her face was full of wrinkles. She asked curiously, "What is this?"

Tian An slowly shook his head.

Granny Wang then asked, "I wonder what it is, and why are you treating it with such seriousness?"

Tian An said, "This was sent from Sichuan. I think it's poison."

"Poison?" Granny Wang was suddenly startled.

"I tasted some of this, and it was bitter."

Grandma Wang's surprised expression returned to normal. Despite his age, Tian An was quite tall and imposing. If it were poison, he would have tasted it before...would he still be sitting here?
Upon seeing the young master return, the two elders rose and bowed.

As Fusu walked, he said, "Zhao Tuo, Ren Xiao, and Tu Ju will all stay in the south. The situation there is still unstable, so they probably won't be coming back for many years to come."

Tian An said, "Young master, the goods from Shu have arrived."

Upon hearing this, Fusu picked up the water bag and even opened the lid to taste it.

Tian An was about to stop him, but when he saw that the young master had already taken a bite, the words of advice he wanted to say stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them.

Grandma Wang looked at Tian An with a mocking expression.

With the gates of Gaoquan Palace clearly in sight, this old woman from the Wang family was obviously of extraordinary origin. Even Tian An, the young master's attendant, had to give her some face. It should be noted that even the eunuchs of Zhangtai Palace had to obey Tian An.

Fusu certainly knew what this was. Sichuan was not only a major grain-producing area, but also a major salt-producing area.

Recently, Fusu consulted the classics left by Lü Buwei and unexpectedly discovered that Mozi had long ago had insights into brine and had even used it.

Mozi's records state that when extracting brine, one should dig a deep well, obtain spring water, and boil it.

This is what is recorded in the chapter on flags in Mozi, although it is unknown what Mozi used the brine for.

In the Miscellaneous Chapters of Mozi, there is also a record about brine: Place a vessel on it and soak it in brine.

However, brine can now be obtained from the salt wells in Sichuan using this method.

Therefore, don't underestimate the wisdom of our ancestors; in fact, they were capable of everything.

The brine produced by the well salt in Sichuan is actually an extremely good brine.

As night fell, Wang Tang'er and her mother-in-law watched the busy young master and Tian An.

As Granny Wang combed Wang Tang'er's hair, she whispered, "Madam's hair is very beautiful."

Wang Tang'er nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the tofu pudding in the buckets.

Looking at the pregnant lady, Granny Wang said, "Madam, you must take care to rest. You should rest in another half an hour."

Wang Tang'er nodded obediently, and then said, "Why is no one helping the young master? He's sweating even though it's so cold at night."

"Sigh..." Granny Wang sighed and said, "Young master doesn't want anyone else to help him, but the palace servants here all want to help him."

Late at night, when Wang Tang'er had gone to rest, Fu Su and Tian An were still sitting in front of buckets of tofu pudding.

The stove was still burning, and Tian An was observing the heat.

Fusu said, "I'm going to rest now. You should rest early too. We can get busy again tomorrow."

Tian An was getting old and couldn't resist the drowsiness, so he went to rest. He gave a few instructions to the eunuchs and maids about how to use the brine and molds, and then went to rest as well.

The next day, when Grandma Wang woke up, she didn't smell the aroma of porridge or the scent of scallions, so she frowned.

She didn't know how late the young master and Tian An had been busy last night.

He glanced at the house next door and saw that Tian An was still asleep, so he didn't make breakfast.

Normally, he would have prepared a hearty breakfast by this time.

Grandma Wang noticed the tofu pudding in the bucket. It had turned into clumps of fluffy stuff. She picked up a wooden spoon and took a bite. Her face immediately turned bitter. The tofu pudding was bitter.

Before long, Fusu also woke up. Looking at the buckets of misshapen tofu pudding, he had to face the reality that they had all failed.

Douhua (tofu pudding) did not become tofu. Even the tofu that had slightly solidified crumbled at the slightest touch.

Under everyone's gaze, the young master left looking dejected.

Tian An didn't wake up until almost noon.

Disappointing the young master was an extremely serious matter for Tian An, and a terrible thing for the palace servants of Gaoquan Palace.

Tian An and his men were once again doing what they had done the night before. He had only heard the young master describe what tofu was like, and Tian An had performed this process countless times, whether last night or just now in his sleep. The stove had been burning for a day and a night, and it was still burning in the morning.

"Look at the flowers and add the braising liquid, look at the flowers and add the braising liquid..." Tian An murmured as he added a small spoonful of braising liquid.

To the palace servants here, the process of Tian An adding the brine was like reciting a sacrificial text during a festival, and it was very solemn and devout.

As dusk approached, Tian An held a white, blocky object in his hands. The object had slightly cracked edges and was somewhat rough.

But this is the best-looking piece of tofu that Tian An made in a day and a night.

"Hahaha..." Tian An stared at the tofu as if he were in a trance. Although the tofu was not perfect, he had succeeded.

……

Half a month later, the First Emperor had also eaten this food called tofu, and both Fusu and the First Emperor believed that it would not be long before tofu would become popular in Guanzhong.

Today, Fusu and Tian An arrived at Lü Buwei's old residence.

Fusu came here to retrieve books. Back then, Lü Buwei's three thousand retainers left behind so many books that this place became a library.

Whether it was Zhang Cang or Li Si, they both knew that Prince Fusu was good at reading and at finding valuable knowledge in books.

Once Fusu entered the library, he did not allow anyone to disturb him.

When Tian An arrived at the stable, the donkey was still there.

At this moment, Tian An looked at the donkey with great pity.

"Young Master said, 'How wonderful! Qin finally has tofu.'"

But the donkey had a very hard time during those two weeks. Only it knew how many rounds it had pulled the millstone and how many beans it had consumed.

Tian An said, "Don't let it pull the millstone anymore. The young master said it has done a good job, so treat it well."

Several servants immediately bowed.

Huayin County, half a month later.

Sima Xin sat in the county government office of Huayin County. He looked at a wooden frame filled with soil, from which new scallion sprouts had emerged.

For him, this was a very significant event.

Xin Sheng asked, "Just for this?"

Sima Xin nodded.

"Isn't this a very simple principle?"

Sima Xin's eyes seemed to light up as she replied, "Yes, it's such a simple truth. How come I didn't think of it before?"

Xin Sheng chewed on the dried meat and ignored him.

Sima Xin smiled as she continued to look at the single scallion sprout in the pot.

Huayin County has limited farmland, and Sima Xin previously felt that if he could guarantee the supply of scallions while ensuring the growth of grain, he would not be able to guarantee the supply.

Actually, growing scallions is very simple, and scallions are indeed easy to grow. All you need to grow scallions is soil and water, and they are not even limited to being grown in fields.

Now that Sima Xin understands this principle, this matter is no longer a challenge for him.

There's no need to worry about not having enough land in Huayin County anymore. Sima Xin doesn't plan to plant all the scallions in the ground; instead, he plans to build nurseries using scaffolding.

After reading the books in Shanglin Garden, he found that his perspective and way of looking at things had been reborn.

He not only understood the relationship between crops and soil and water, but also gained insights into some of the causes of climate.

After General Xin left, Sima Xin was left alone in the county office. He took out the bamboo slips one by one and looked at them as if they were precious treasures.

Upon further thought, Sima Xin suddenly remembered the origin of the bamboo slips in Shanglin Garden. They were all written by Prince Fusu, and it was intentional on his part.

At this moment, Sima Xin felt a sense of awe towards Prince Fusu for some reason.

Prince Fusu left such knowledge in Shanglin Garden, as if planting knowledge in the soil, and generously allowing everyone to approach it and see how magical and beautiful this seed is.

If planting seedlings is merely a clever idea of ​​the young master...

Therefore, the young master's understanding of the causes of climate is a true wisdom.

Sometimes one shouldn't be too greedy. Sima Xin felt that what he had gained in Shanglin Garden was enough, and he shouldn't think about getting more.

Sima Xin thought of the many books that the young master had left behind at Tongguan, and those books must contain even more knowledge.

The following day, Zhang Cang's letter finally arrived in Huayin County.

This time, the reply was half a month late, and Zhang Cang's reply contained only a simple sentence: From now on, be down-to-earth.

Zhang Han was a very pragmatic man. When he heard that Sima Xin had returned to Huayin County after being away for half a month, he was surprised to learn that Sima Xin had returned.

He also went to see Sima Xin in person.

Then Sima Xin told me about the Shanglin Garden.

Even now, Sima Xin is still somewhat grateful for his decision. If he hadn't mustered up the courage to go to Shanglin Garden, there wouldn't be the nursery we have today.

When Zhang Han left Huayin County, he was still wondering if Sima Xin had completed the test that Prince Fusu had given him.

The young master is always very careful and cautious in selecting talent.

Zhang Han simply hadn't expected that the young master would test Sima Xin.

Zhang Cang first gave him some benefits, and then directly presented Sima Xin with a difficult problem.

Thinking of this, Zhang Han recalled the situation when he first arrived in Jingye County.

Actually, the young master has been searching for the talent he needs, but he is also very cautious.

We must proceed with caution, probing, observing, and waiting for the young master.

It seems that the young master wants to do something big, and to accomplish this, he needs one person after another. These people cannot make mistakes; they must be both talented and persevering.

Zhang Han suspected that if Li Si had not driven away Wang Wan and had not become the Prime Minister of Qin, Prince Fusu might have kept his distance from Li Si from then on.

In other words, Zhang Han thought of his past self. If he hadn't worked hard in Jingye County, he wouldn't have been valued by the young master, and he wouldn't have the position of prefect he has now.

Just like Lou Jing, even if he gave the young master a strategy, the young master still wouldn't use it.

Zhang Han returned to Jingye County.

Just then, Shusun Tong, who was sitting at the entrance of the village, had finished a bowl of noodles. When he saw Zhang Han return, he smiled and said, "This morning, someone from the palace came and brought a kind of food called tofu."

"Food?"

The piece of tofu was now placed on the table. Young Master Gao cut it into several pieces and then distributed them to everyone present.

Shusun Tong had already tasted it, and seeing Zhang Han eat tofu again, he sighed.

Rice and flour are refined grains, and tofu is already a very refined grain, but tofu is even more refined. Zhang Han swallowed this delicious food in one gulp without even tasting it properly.

Zhang Han said, "This is not as satisfying as eating noodles."

The war to the south lasted for more than three years and is now basically over. After autumn, there are basically no major events in Qin.

In order to unify the south, Qin paid an extremely high price, which would gradually manifest itself and, as a wound, would be reflected in productivity.

Now, the Central Plains can only heal silently. As the saying goes, healing is like pulling silk from a cocoon, and this healing process is extremely long.

As autumn was drawing to a close, before winter even arrived, Guanzhong was hit by a freezing rain.

Zhang Cang, acting on the orders of the young master, came to visit Shusun Tong and Zhang Han.

"Prefect Zhang is leading his men to harvest millet."

Zhang Cang said, "It's alright, I'll wait a little longer."

Shusun Tong added, "Please also tell the young master and the prime minister that everything is fine in the six counties here."

When he spoke, Shusun Tong not only mentioned the young master, but also the prime minister.

Zhang Cang showed no reaction to this, remaining completely calm.

Shusun Tong felt that this person was probably used to hearing these kinds of things. When Zhang Cang was mentioned, Li Si would be mentioned, and then Zhang Cang would be thought to be Xunzi's disciple and also the teacher of Prince Fusu.

(End of this chapter)