The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Inside the house, the light was bright and soft, and the air was filled with a faint scent of tea.

Meng Yi sat in the main seat, while Han Xin and Kuai Che sat on both sides.

Meng Yi looked at them with a smile and said, "It is my great honor to meet Mr. Kuai Che today."

Kuai Che said modestly: "Your Excellency is too kind. It is my honor to meet you." His eyes revealed respect for Meng Yi, as well as a hint of curiosity.

Meng Yi gently picked up the teacup, took a sip, then put it down and said with a smile, "Mr. Kuai Che, I heard Zhong Yan say that you are quick-witted and resourceful. Seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is well-deserved."

Kuai Che waved his hands hurriedly and said modestly: "Your Excellency is too kind. Kuai Che only knows a little bit."

Meng Yi laughed heartily and said, "Sir, please don't be too modest. I sincerely admire your talent."

Kuai Che also knew in his heart that Meng Yi wanted to recruit him. Moreover, three generations of the Meng family were all famous generals who expanded the territory of the Qin Dynasty. The Meng Yi in front of him not only did not look down on him, but treated him with courtesy.

Kuai Che could not help but be fascinated, so he said: "Your Excellency defeated the Xiongnu like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves; you dealt with unjust cases like a mirror hanging high; you built the Terracotta Army like a masterpiece of nature; you conquered the Western Regions without fighting. Each of these things is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Moreover, Your Excellency is in the prime of his life, and his future prospects are limitless. It is a great honor for us to have the opportunity to meet Your Excellency!"

Meng Yi was secretly delighted, "It seems there is great hope of capturing Kuai Che." He waved his hand and said proudly, "A true man stands between heaven and earth. An official should establish his heart for heaven and earth and his destiny for the people."

"Although I, Meng Yi, have achieved some success, I still need to continue to work hard. Now that the world is just beginning to settle down, people's lives are difficult. We should stand up and seek welfare for the people of the world." Meng Yi said with a righteous look on his face.

Kuai Che nodded repeatedly, "Your Excellency is right, but now Your Majesty values ​​the law over the various schools of thought, values ​​corvée labor over the people, values ​​alchemists over the state. I am afraid that in the future..."

After a brief pause, Kuai Che saw that Meng Yi showed no sign of anger or displeasure, so he continued, "Besides, relying solely on one's own strength would be like an ant trying to shake a tree, and it would be difficult to change the situation."

Meng Yi smiled slightly and continued, "One person's power is indeed limited, but if we can gather like-minded people and work together, we can achieve great things. I wonder if you are willing to join hands with me to create a great cause?"

A glint flashed in Kuai Che's eyes. He noticed that Meng Yi was talking about achieving great things in the future, rather than just serving the Qin Dynasty. It was a pity that the world was now settled, so how could there be any more disputes?

Meng Yi seemed to understand Kuai Che's thoughts. He smiled faintly and said, "Sir, there's no need to worry. With your talent and wisdom, you will surely be able to lend me a helping hand. Whether you enter the imperial court or govern the people in the future, you will surely realize your ambitions."

After hearing Meng Yi's words, Kuai Che was moved. "Well, there are many good horses, but there are few good horse trainers." He stood up, bowed, and said, "I am grateful for your kindness, sir. Kuai Che is willing to serve you at your service."

Meng Yi was overjoyed. "Hahaha, with your help, I am like a tiger with wings. I hope you can give me more guidance in the future."

At this time, Ji Tao was looking for Han Xin outside the house. Han Xin saw her and bowed to her, then quietly left.

Meng Yi stared at Kuai Che and said slowly, "Sir, do you have any unique insights into the current state of affairs?"

Kuai Che spoke confidently, "Qin's unification of the world is truly the trend of the times. Just as the general said, 'The great Qin, reviving the remaining valor of six generations, reigned supreme. It swallowed the two Zhou dynasties and destroyed the feudal lords. To the north, it defended itself against the Xiongnu, forcing them to retreat south to graze their horses. To the south, it seized the lands of the Hundred Yue and established them as Guilin and Xiangjun.' Every time he recited this verse, his subordinates were filled with amazement."

Meng Yi couldn't help but feel a little shy. After all, this was plagiarizing a line from the later "On the Overthrow of Qin". He quickly waved his hand and said, "Sir, you are too kind!"

In Kuai Che's eyes, this was a manifestation of Meng Yi's humility and composure, and he was immediately convinced.

Kuai Che bowed again and continued, "During these chaotic times, when the world is in turmoil, the Qin Dynasty's system of military merit and titles and harsh criminal laws are indeed necessary. However, now that the world has been stabilized and much remains to be done, we should give the people a break, reduce penalties, and prioritize governance. Yet, the current dynasty is still imposing forced labor, engaging in wars, and even seeking immortality and burning the teachings of various schools of thought. This is truly unwise. In a few years, I'm afraid..."

Meng Yi frowned slightly when he heard this and asked, "Mr. Kuai Che, what do you think we should do?"

Kuai Che pondered for a moment and then spoke slowly, "The most urgent task is to reduce taxes and corvée labor so that the people can rest and recuperate. At the same time, we should recruit talented people and attach importance to official administration to ensure a clean and honest court. In addition, we can adopt a policy of appeasement in border areas rather than blindly conquering them. Only in this way can we achieve peace and prosperity for the country and the people."

Meng Yi nodded repeatedly after hearing this, and he appreciated Kuai Che's views. However, he also knew that the Qin Dynasty was in trouble and that it would not be easy to implement these reforms.

A gleam flashed in Meng Yi's eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh, "It seems Kuai Che's vision is no less brilliant than Zhang Liang's! But the First Emperor's campaigns did lay a solid foundation for the future territorial conquests. Furthermore, the Xiongnu in the north are growing stronger like wolves, a thorn in the flesh that's difficult to shake off. Only a heavy blow can be dealt. It's understandable that the ancients didn't know what would happen in later times."

Meng Yi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. He said softly, "Sir, you are quite right. But the Xiongnu often invade our borders like hungry wolves, and the people of the north suffer greatly from them. If we don't strike them head-on, I'm afraid the foreign tribes surrounding our Great Qin will pounce on them like hungry tigers and bite them hard."

After hearing this, Kuai Che frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. After all, he had not been to the north and could not feel the suffering of the border areas. He realized that his previous views might be too one-sided and had not fully considered the aggressiveness of the Xiongnu and the harm they posed to the border areas.

After a moment, Kuai Che slowly nodded in agreement and said, "That's true. It's my fault for not considering it properly." He realized that Meng Yi's concerns were not groundless, but were based on considerations of the actual situation.

Meng Yi waved his hand and continued, "Sir, to be honest, the situation in the court is like a deep pool shrouded in fog. I have a constant feeling that there's a force, or several forces, stirring things up in secret." He frowned, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. "Including the previous court meeting on the feudal system, the fire in the Chenliu warehouse... These things seem unrelated, yet they seem inextricably linked."

Meng Yi knew very well that what he was facing was not a simple political struggle, but a power game involving the entire Qin Empire.

However, Meng Yi felt overwhelmed by the court's turmoil, finding himself in crisis several times. He knew that unravelling this mystery alone was difficult. Although he came from a later era and understood the course of history, he was a complete novice when it came to political intrigue.

Therefore, Meng Yi hoped that Kuai Che could get some inspiration.

Meng Yi took a deep breath and said to Kuai Che sincerely, "Sir, I have always believed in the principle of 'trust people when you employ them, and don't employ people if you don't trust them.'" His tone was firm, revealing his trust in Kuai Che.

Kuai Che quickly bowed and saluted.

Meng Yi then began to recount the weapons vendors he encountered during his mission to the Western Regions, the grain and fodder accounting issues he discovered during his inspection tours of the eastern counties, the court debate on the feudal system, and Prince Fusu's expulsion from Xianyang. He described every detail in detail, hoping that Kuai Che would find clues and connections.

Kuai Che listened quietly, his eyes focused and deep, nodding from time to time to show that he understood Meng Yi's concerns. He narrowed his eyes slightly and thought about the situation Meng Yi described.

Meng Yi told all the details like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.