Diqin Designer

Chapter 434 Li Fu's Night Talk

When he said this, Fusu had a kind of confidence that "who else in the world is more qualified and capable than me, Fusu?" He was confident that among his brothers, he was the most qualified and capable to be the crown prince of Qin.

He understood that the First Emperor's purpose in asking him "What is your opinion?" was not to make him polite and humble, not to make him recommend other brothers, not to hear him say "No matter who Father Emperor appoints, I will accept it!", but to make him recommend himself, to see his courage to recommend himself, rather than being gentle and refined, and putting on a show of humility with his brothers.

If he were to recommend another brother or say that he would leave the decision to his father, it would make his father completely disappointed in him. This is a struggle for the throne, and there is no room for humility!
If one does not dare to recommend himself, it shows a lack of courage and self-confidence. How can such a person serve as the crown prince of Qin and lead Qin well?
But Fusu didn't know that the First Emperor would ask him this question because he didn't want him to be like the Fusu in the history Li Nian described: if that Fusu had been more assertive and dared to question the fake edict, perhaps Huhai and Zhao Gao's conspiracy wouldn't have succeeded.

Even if the edict was real, so what? Would he really obey the edict and commit suicide?
We have to put up some resistance, no matter what!
In fact, Fusu was not lacking in courage. For example, he knew that he would displease the First Emperor, but he still dared to submit a memorial to the First Emperor. However, he clearly used his courage in the wrong direction, and he was foolish and inflexible.

This temperament might be acceptable for a subject or an ordinary person, but it is unsuitable for a ruler of a country. Throughout the history of the Qin Dynasty, which of the capable former kings had this temperament?

The First Emperor looked at Fusu and said, "Why didn't you ask where Huhai went today?"

Fusu said frankly, "If Father Emperor wants me to know, he will let me know even if I don't ask. If Father Emperor doesn't let me know, it means that it is not the time for me to know yet. If I insist on knowing now, I may ruin Father Emperor's overall plan."

The First Emperor nodded and said, “Sometimes what you see in the world is only the appearance, not the underlying reasons. Therefore, it is best not to act rashly on something that is difficult to determine. Even what you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears may not be true, let alone what you think you know.”

This was both to tell Fusu that there were deeper reasons behind Huhai's affair and to warn Fusu not to make judgments based on assumptions when doing things. Fusu had done the same thing before, submitting memorials to advise without understanding the pros and cons or the reasons behind them.

This is what angered the First Emperor to Fusu, and it was also the reason for his disappointment in Fusu. He jumped out presumptuously without understanding the situation. How could such a person be the Crown Prince of Qin?

Even if he becomes the crown prince and inherits the throne, he will still be a fool who is led by the nose.

Fusu replied earnestly, "I will follow Father's teachings!"

Upon hearing Fusu's words, the First Emperor shook his head: "I hope you will truly heed my words! I can only control you for a time, not forever. In the end, the Great Qin will still have to be handed over to you. After my death, even if you do not heed my words, I will be powerless to stop you."

Fusu hadn't spoken with his father like this in a long time. He was quite surprised to hear the First Emperor say things like "I can control you for a while, but not forever" and "After I die." He was surprised that his father had become so magnanimous.

You should know that more than a year ago, to be precise, before he became emperor, my father was seeking immortality and searching for the elixir of immortality. He hated words like "death" and "death" and would never say it out loud. What my father wanted was immortality, for thousands of years to come. How could he live only one lifetime?

Fusu thought this to himself, but said aloud, "Father will surely be able to unite with the Great Qin for a thousand years..."

The First Emperor waved his hand: "No need to flatter me. There are no dynasties that last forever, nor are there people who live forever. Although I am an emperor, I am still a human being, and death is inevitable. However..."

The First Emperor did not reveal what followed the word "however," but Li Nian guessed that the First Emperor probably meant that he wanted to obtain a special kind of immortality through another means: to achieve great things and leave his name in history. As long as the Chinese civilization continues to be passed down in this world, he will be remembered forever!
The First Emperor then said to Fusu, "Becoming the Crown Prince of Qin is not easy, so you should work even harder. If there is anything you don't understand, you can ask Li Nian for advice. Don't think that asking him for advice is a disgrace just because he is your brother-in-law."

These words almost clearly indicate that the First Emperor's preferred heir to the Qin Dynasty was Fusu!
Fusu also realized this. Although he had long expected that his father probably wanted to make him the crown prince, he was still excited when it was confirmed.

However, Fusu did not appear excited. Instead, he remained calm. He looked at Li Nian and said solemnly, "Father, please rest assured. I have never considered it a shame to ask my brother-in-law for advice. It is my good fortune to be able to ask such a talented person as my brother-in-law for advice."

The First Emperor said nothing more and did not allow the two to follow him any further. He left under the escort of his guards.

After watching the First Emperor walk away, Fusu bowed to Li Nian and thanked him again, saying, "Thank you, brother-in-law, for speaking up for me just now!"

If it weren't for his brother-in-law's recommendation and support for him to be the crown prince, his father might have hesitated to make him the crown prince, and such hesitation would have created too much uncertainty.

In fact, Li Nian had no better choice than Fusu. The other princes of Qin were not as good as Fusu. Even if he did not change, he was still a weak and feeble man.

Even in the past, Li Nian had preferred to make Fusu the crown prince. After all, Fusu was kind and benevolent, so the possibility of him being beheaded after ascending the throne was lower.

Tonight, the First Emperor intentionally wanted Fusu to owe Li Nian a great favor, and at the same time, he took the opportunity to tell Li Nian something: I have no intention of taking you with me before I die. You should live well, maintain a good relationship with Fusu, and assist the Great Qin!
Both Li Nian and Fusu were part of the First Emperor's scheme, but neither of them could refuse it because it was a well-intentioned scheme.

Li Nian smiled and said, "Young master, there's no need for that. His Majesty has already chosen you. Even if I hadn't said anything, the position of crown prince would have gone to you. I'm just going with the flow."

Upon hearing this, Fusu shook his head and said, "Brother-in-law is too modest. Not everyone can do this 'going with the flow' thing. Without you, brother-in-law, it might have become 'going against the current'!"

His father, the emperor, wouldn't listen to just anyone's advice. Only those who held a very high position and importance in his heart would be considered. Moreover, when it came to such an important matter as choosing an heir, there were very few people who could speak up.

After Fusu finished speaking, he added, "Father should not discipline us tonight. Would you be willing to talk with me by lamplight? To be honest, I have many questions I would like to ask you."

Faced with Fusu's sincere gaze, Li Nian did not refuse and smiled, "How could I dare to refuse your invitation, young master? I only hope that you will not find my knowledge too shallow!"

Fusu patted Li Nian's shoulder and laughed, "Brother-in-law, you are a man of many virtues, but you have one flaw: you are too humble. If your knowledge is second to none in the world, no one would dare to claim first. And don't address me as 'Young Master.' Although you and Shunying are not yet formally married, who in the world does not know that you are Shunying's husband? Shunying is my sister, so how should you address me?"

Fusu's words implied, "If you call me 'Young Master' again, you're disrespecting me." Li Nian had no choice but to reply, "Brother!"

Fusu was then satisfied and said, "That's more like it! Come, let's have a long talk by lamplight. Tonight, I'll definitely have a good chat with my brother-in-law. There's something you might not know, but two years ago, Father wanted you to be my teacher. At that time, I didn't know your talents and even thought of making things difficult for you." "Father said you have great talent and are more learned than Master Chunyu. I didn't believe him, so I came up with some questions to challenge you: How high is the sky? How thick is the earth? How many stars are in the sky?"

After hearing Fusu's questions, Li Nian was speechless. If it were someone from this era, they would have been stumped by Fusu's questions, as they were simply not answers that people from this era could provide.

Li Nian smiled and said, "Generally speaking, the sky above us is two thousand miles high, and the earth is twelve thousand seven hundred and forty-two miles thick (atmosphere height and Earth's radius). As for the stars in the sky, there are six thousand to seven thousand stars that can be seen under a clear night sky. However, the actual number of stars in the universe is far greater than that, numbering in the trillions."

Upon hearing Li Nian's answer, Fu Su asked curiously, "How did my brother-in-law know all this?"

Li Nian smiled and said, "Brother should know about this soon!"

Fusu quickly realized that this meant he would know Li Nian's background after he became the Crown Prince of Qin.

Many people have secretly investigated Li Nian's origins, but to no avail. Several versions of speculation have emerged among the people: some say that Li Nian is the reincarnation of an ancient sage, who came specifically to assist the Qin Dynasty and become a sage of the present day; some say that Li Nian is a deity descended to earth; and some say that Li Nian accidentally entered a celestial paradise when he was young and was taken in as a disciple by an immortal...

But regardless of the version, Li Nian is no ordinary person. If a TV series about Li Nian were to be filmed in the future, these folk tales would surely be included.

Fusu did not return to Yichun Palace, but went to Liuying Palace with Li Nian. Looking at Fusu who was very talkative, Li Nian thought of something: Fusu seems to have just returned today. Instead of accompanying his wife, this fellow came to talk to her late at night. Isn't he afraid that his sister-in-law will think too much?

Fusu wasn't lying; this guy really did have a lot of problems, mainly concerning how to govern a country, and Confucian and Legalist philosophies.

Not only did he ask questions, but Fusu would also sometimes share his insights. After hearing Fusu's thoughts on Confucianism, Li Nian truly felt that this young master Fusu had changed.

Although Fusu in the past did not believe in the principle of "learning without thinking is futile, thinking without learning is dangerous," he did believe in "learning and thinking about what he thinks is correct." He was stubborn and insisted on his own opinions, which is why he dared to submit a memorial to the First Emperor despite his anger.

He stubbornly believed that what he was doing was right, without considering other perspectives or weighing the pros and cons. If he had been able to think from other angles, he would have found that he actually believed those bad policies and tyrannical regimes had some use.

After discussing many issues with Li Nian, Fusu became even more aware of his past shortcomings and sighed, "Only after talking with my brother-in-law tonight did I realize how shallow and ignorant I was back then!"

Without changing perspectives, it's impossible to see the big picture or understand why decision-makers make those decisions.

Li Nian smiled and said, "No one is perfect. Even saints wouldn't dare say they are flawless. Having mistakes and shortcomings is nothing to be ashamed of; the real challenge is recognizing those mistakes and correcting them! It's never too late for you, brother, to recognize your flaws and make amends!"

"Thank you for your comfort, brother-in-law!"

Fusu then asked, "Does my brother-in-law know why Father Emperor wants to establish an heir at this time?"

"I know the real reason for this problem, of course, but I can't tell you right now!"

Li Nianxin said in his heart, then replied, "The Great Qin Dynasty has been in power for nearly two years, yet the position of Crown Prince remains vacant, which is detrimental to the country. Moreover, His Majesty has enfeoffed all the princes in various regions, none of whom are in Xianyang. If anything changes..."

Li Nian didn't say anything about "change," but Fusu understood. Li Nian continued, "The Great Qin may fall into turmoil, or even collapse. Establishing a crown prince can calm the unrest among the people and make the Great Qin more stable. Even if there are changes, there will be guarantees."

"My brother-in-law and I share the same opinion!"

Fusu then asked about another matter: "Before Father Emperor enfeoffed his younger brothers as kings, he said that this was to ensure the Qin Dynasty's governance of the regions, and also to prepare for the enfeoffment of the princes overseas. What is your opinion on this matter, brother-in-law?"

Instead of answering, Li Nian asked, "What is your opinion on this matter, brother?"

Fusu said earnestly, “I believe this matter has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage lies in having the princes stationed overseas, which can stabilize the overseas territories of Qin, allow the brothers to display their abilities and not be left empty-handed, and provide assistance from overseas when Qin’s homeland is in danger.”

"As for the source of the trouble, with your brother-in-law's talent, you should be able to understand that enfeoffment is a way to sow the seeds of disaster, and the precedent of Zhou is not far off. At the beginning of the enfeoffment, the overseas countries may not cause any harm to Qin, but as time goes by, their national strength will increase while Qin's homeland will decline, and the situation of division and chaos will surely reappear."

"When that time comes, it will be another war between nations, and the people of the world will be slaughtered again. Because the territory is larger and the population is greater, the war will be even more devastating than before!"

Li Nian said, "Brother, you have a kind heart and a compassionate spirit, which I admire! What you say is very true. Enfeoffment is indeed a way to sow the seeds of disaster. Unification would certainly be better, but Great Qin cannot do it for the time being. The overseas regions are vast, and their territories are larger than Great Qin's. If Great Qin wants to take them, how will it defend them if it does not enfeoff them?"

"Moreover, in the world, there are not only the Great Qin, nor only our race, but also other states and tribes. These states and tribes are still ignorant and far inferior to Great Qin. This is precisely the opportunity for Great Qin to develop. If we do not seize overseas territories now and acquire a wider living space for Great Qin, are we going to wait until these states rise up before we can compete with them?"

Fusu would certainly not say something as foolish as “we don’t need to compete with others, we can get along well with other countries and ethnic groups.” This is competition with other countries and ethnic groups, how could we not take advantage of the first-mover advantage?

The struggle between nations and the clashes between tribes are rarely peaceful and harmonious. If you are not willing to work hard, you may be invaded by other countries and enslaved by other ethnic groups tomorrow!

(End of this chapter)