Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 388 (Extra Chapter): Crassus's Search for Qin (The End)

The day of the grand meeting is fast approaching.

Even more people gathered in Andu, crowding the magnificent city to its limit.

Everyone was ready for the debate.
Everyone was also prepared to listen to the opinions of others.

After all, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to arguing with them to death.

of course,

Except for Crassus,
Because he was a Roman who could not understand the language of the Chinese.

Even if he forced his way in during that grand debate, he would still remain an outsider.

Therefore,
Crassus had no choice but to spend a huge sum of money to hire Qin people who were fluent in Roman to help him collect opinions from all sides, as well as the views of the Qin rulers and ministers on these opinions.

As for himself,
He was striving to be with the two wise men he had met by chance in the tavern.

Although the conversation that day was interrupted,
But Crassus still encountered them several more times afterward.

After several brief conversations, Crassus realized that the other party possessed unparalleled wisdom in business, and he then used the same enthusiasm he had shown when harassing the saints in Rome to relentlessly pursue him.

He sincerely invited the other party to return to Rome with him and become a guest of honor of the Crassus family.

"This is not a suitable place for you, gentlemen!"

"Rome is a paradise for business people!"

"With your abilities, you could easily gain the support of countless people in Rome!"

But the other party kept rejecting him.

The man surnamed Lü said, "I've already done a lot of business, and I'm not interested in your business."

As a businessman, he was adventurous by nature, and the greater the difficulty, the more exciting it was for him.

As for Rome?

Let's sit at the same table with this young man, Crassus, first.

"Besides, I need to focus my energy on debating with people, and I can't waste time chatting with you!"

Speaking of this,

A glint of light flashed in the other person's eyes, and a resolute expression appeared on his originally thin face.

His round, aged friend also spoke up, saying, "These two elders, Wei and Meng, are not easy to deal with."

"Their tongues are sharp; we really don't have time to grant your request."

then,

Crassus could only return to his residence with regret.

On the day of the large gathering,
He felt he had already paid someone to listen in, so he didn't go.

otherwise,

He spent money and got tired; wasn't that a waste of his wealth?
Crassus stayed in his room, silently writing down his various experiences and feelings in the Qin state.

"The Qin people live a very strange way of life; they actually like to sit on the ground!"

"The houses that the people of Qin admired were made of wood, which is said to be a habit that their ancestors developed in the east... However, there were not many places in Qin where many trees could grow. Only the Afang Palace in the north, the Beidi Commandery, and the Xilong Commandery in the west had enough resources."

"Therefore, owning a house constructed with a large number of giant trees can demonstrate one's noble status."

"...Speaking of wood, we have to mention those damn chopsticks!"

Why would they use such difficult tools to eat?

"Using two thin wooden sticks to pick up various foods is really torture for me."

"Fortunately, the abundance of food in the Qin state made up for this!"

"The mutton stew with bread tastes really good, and the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) is also delicious."

"The Qin people also used a plant called bamboo to weave various utensils... Speaking of which, I can't help but think of the steamed food called mantou."

"However, bamboo is mostly planted on the Black Sea side, and I have never seen its verdant appearance."

"The Qin people's talent in food is as if they were blessed by the gods!"

"Their dedication to farming is something I've never seen before... I've heard that the land in the East is much more fertile and the food is much more abundant... I can't imagine what that place would be like."

"I wanted to buy a few slaves skilled in preparing Qin cuisine, because traditional Roman food no longer satisfies my appetite... but the starting price for Qin slaves was five sheepskins, supposedly a price set by the emperor to commemorate those of the past..."

"Damn it! Five sheepskins could buy me several slaves. I really don't know what's so special about that slave that he's worth so much!"

"Didn't the Qin people know how useful slaves were? With such exorbitant prices, how could ordinary citizens afford to own slaves?"

"In addition, the Qin people loved building roads... They connected all parts of the country through a network of roads, and shipbuilding gradually flourished."

"I think this is something Rome needs to be wary of, because as things stand, winning a land victory against the Qin people is extremely difficult, to the point that it would require a miracle from the gods."

"The only possibility for Rome to defeat the Qin people is at sea!"

"at last!"

After writing down many rambling things, Crassus wrote the following at the end of his journal:
"The Qin state and Rome are destined to become enemies!"

"This nation, which claims to be a branch of the Chinese people, possesses a unity and strength far exceeding that of Rome."

“Their reproduction, and the identity they have built through their ancestors, terrify me.”

"The Qin people's love for war and territorial conquest was no less than that of the Romans!"

“I think I need to advise the family to arrange for some of their bloodlines to come here.”

"After all, the wise man I met in Andu City told me: only by casting a wide net can we get a greater harvest!"

For a family that has been in business for generations,

What could be more important than procreation and the acquisition of wealth?

The glory of Rome?
If possible, Crassus would certainly like it to exist forever!

"The only downside is that the Qin people are inexplicably wary of trade, and I need to wait for the outcome of their citizens' assembly."

May the gods bless the Krassus family!

……

While Crassus was quietly writing in his diary and taking the opportunity to feast on the delicacies of Qin,
The gathering of thousands of people in front of the Royal Palace's main square gradually came to an end as the sun set.

The emperor's guards held up bright torches around the area to replace the dimming sun and continue to illuminate the four people who were having their final debate.

The rest of the people,

Their tongues were not as sharp, their wisdom not as abundant, and their vision not as broad. So when these four hermits, who appeared out of nowhere, took the stage, they withdrew, leaving the stage to the other side.

"It's so similar..."

The emperor, who had been sitting upright on the stage to show his importance to the meeting, looked at the four people arguing heatedly and almost coming to blows, and suddenly let out a soft sigh.

The prime minister next to him turned his head curiously.

The emperor then said, "The four men here are surnamed Wei, Meng, Lü, and Hei, respectively?"

"Yes."

Do you know their specific names?

"No, these hermits are unwilling to reveal their origins, and even the elder of the Hei family waved his hand and remained silent."

"What a pity," the emperor sighed again. "When I listen to their debates, I can't help but think of the story of Shang Yang debating with his ministers, as recorded in the history books."

"And the research of that elder Meng in Confucianism was enough to make him the leading figure of Confucianism in the Qin state."

Even though the Qin state still valued laws and regulations, as the country became more stable, Confucianism naturally became popular.

However, compared to the branch in the Central Plains,
In the Qin state, because it was located outside the borders and its population did not yet have an overwhelming advantage over the surrounding barbarian tribes, Qin Confucian scholars paid more attention to matters of etiquette, law, and education.

It can be said,
After hundreds of years of twists and turns, we have suddenly returned to the era of Confucius.

"As for the Lü family..."

"Black" is a vast family that shares the fate of the nation.
Although the Lü family was once prominent in the Qin state, that was a century ago.

that time,
The Qin people were still abusing the six states back in their hometown.

When the First Emperor came to power and assumed personal rule, the then Chancellor Lü Buwei soon committed suicide, and all members of the Lü clan were relocated to Lingnan...

Therefore, when Emperor Taizu moved west, no member of the Lü family followed.

This surname was extremely rare in the Western Qin state.

of course,

The surname "Liu" was also very rare in Western Qin.

To know,
When the emperor initially ordered the bestowal of a staff of scepter upon a certain elder of the Liu family who was skilled in farming, he had actually gone through a period of internal struggle and conflict.

"They are probably remnants of the Nanyue Kingdom, who crossed the sea by boat," the Prime Minister said. After being exiled to Lingnan, the Lü family settled there and grew strong in the Nanyue Kingdom, regaining their former glory.

just,

When An Guo Shao Ji devoted himself to dredging the waterways for the Queen Dowager of Nan Yue and accomplished what even Lao Ai could not do, the glory of the Lü clan faded again.

Because they opposed submitting to the Han Dynasty, they were ruthlessly suppressed and purged by the soldiers sent by the Han Dynasty.

In order to make a living, it is possible that, based on the experiences of their predecessors, they would cross the sea to the Qin state.

Although the sea route is long, relying on the current to propel the boat along the coastline, it is unlikely to encounter too many obstacles.

"Maybe."

The emperor did not dwell on this issue for long.

He simply listened to the words of the four people on the field and said to the Prime Minister, "These are all outstanding talents."

"Thinking of their surnames... gives me a sense of disorientation, as if Shang Yang and Mencius were reborn before my eyes."

The Prime Minister smiled and said, "The sages of the past have long since passed away; this is merely a coincidence."

"The most urgent task is to listen to their views and make appropriate decisions in order to resolve the domestic problems."

"Your words are reasonable," the emperor nodded.

The firelight went from bright to dim.

Until midnight,

The debate gradually subsided.

But the Qin rulers and their ministers could not rest.

After the crowd dispersed, they would still gather in the palace to discuss the transcribed contents from the day.

The pros and cons of traveling merchants

Reasons for support and opposition

By order of the emperor, he wrote everything out on two huge sheets of white paper and spread them out in front of the court officials.

As dawn breaks

The tightly closed palace gates reopened, and the emperor, who had not slept all night, emerged with his ministers to issue new decrees to the entire nation.

"I have heeded the teachings of the ancient sages of the Chinese nation and know that agriculture is the foundation of the country and should not be neglected or underestimated."

"Moreover, the Guanzi says, 'When the granaries are full, people know etiquette!' The Qin state is located outside the borders and has the mission of educating all people. I dare not be lenient in this regard."

"But governing a country is like taking care of seedlings; it requires following the right timing and location to achieve harmony among people."

"Given the current state of Qin, it would be like planting wheat in winter and expecting a harvest in spring—it would be extremely difficult."

"I dare not defy such natural law, therefore I have made certain modifications to the administration of the state—"

First of all,

Following the example of the Han Dynasty in the Central Plains, the salt and iron industries were state monopolies. People could obtain certificates issued by the court by transporting grain to border garrison soldiers, and then sell salt to various places.

Secondly,

More roads and post stations were built to promote trade, and the management of city markets was relaxed, with many rules that hindered transactions being abolished.
Furthermore,
Considering the harsh conditions of the frontier, the imperial court allowed the soldiers stationed on the frontier to collect customs duties from passing caravans, keeping a portion for their own use;

as well as,

If a merchant's wealth reaches a certain level and he owns more than a certain amount of land, he must pay high taxes.

……

all in all,
The Qin dynasty rulers and ministers chose to use the "Doctrine of the Mean" to reconcile the fundamental and the trivial.

The imperial court controls the most basic things, while leaving the branches to others for irrigation and maintenance.

“There’s nothing wrong with these measures.”

"It's the fact that soldiers are allowed to collect their own customs duties that gives me a bad feeling."

On the broad West Wei River,

A ferry gently swayed with the waves.

The boatman, who was rowing the boat, said to his friends.

Those virtuous and reclusive scholars who participated in the meeting and then left without giving the emperor a chance to summon them were sitting neatly on this boat, calmly drinking fine wine.

There was no sign of a heated argument.

"What premonition?"

The elderly man, surnamed Hei, who had to wear a hat all the time because of his severe baldness, asked him a question.

The boatman shook his head, only revealing a mysterious smile, and said, "Hmph, I won't tell you!"

"Unless you beg me!"

So the elder Hei decisively gave up and turned to look at his friend beside him.

Shang Yang said, "It's simply that the general has become too powerful and no longer obeys orders!"

With military power in hand, and also financial power,
Given Qin's current predicament of being overshadowed by enemies on all sides, it's hard not to recall examples of certain scholar-officials during the Spring and Autumn period.

"But everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and the outcome will change over time."

"As long as it benefits the country in the short term, it can be implemented."

As for the future?

Let's look forward to the wisdom of future generations!

Lu Buwei, standing to the side, said with great enthusiasm, "With such a decree, I really can't resist wanting to do something!"

"You have to endure it, even if you can't help it!"

Shang Yang glared at him, remembering how this damned fellow had been privately preaching various business secrets to people since arriving in Qin, acting like a "success coach," which inexplicably made him angry.

"Or I'll give you a rope and two cups of poison!"

This was the exclusive outfit that Lü Buwei wore when he committed suicide.

This guy drank two cups of poisoned wine but failed to kill himself. He was writhing on the ground in stomach pain and finally had to hang himself from a tree in the southeast to solve his intestinal problems.

"It doesn't matter!"

Lü Buwei simply smiled indifferently at Shang Yang's coercion.

He held out his hand and said, "I can return the favor with five horses!"

"That horse was delivered by the hands of a god!"

In order to fully explore the mysteries of "life and death",

Over the years, He Bo has delivered babies for ordinary people in the Xia Kingdom and for cattle and horses in the Qin Kingdom, earning a great reputation in both places that would move Liu Xin to tears.

Fortunately,

Unlike his grandfather, Liu Xin, a member of the Han imperial family, did not selflessly travel beyond the borders to dedicate his posthumous strength to the Qin state.

He was still unaware of what "he" had done outside the domain.

Shang Yang was so angry that he was about to pounce, but fortunately Meng Ke and Hei Hu pulled him back in time.

"Don't capsize the boat!"

Although the dead don't have to worry about drowning, they still don't want to fall into the water and watch fish nibble on snails.

And after falling down

Even the ghosts and spirits rowing the boat might not be willing to rescue them!
……

at the same time,

Crassus concluded his mission and embarked on his journey back to Rome.

He failed to bribe Qin officials to realize his dream of smuggling goods from the East.

They couldn't bear to spend the high price of five sheepskins to buy a slave skilled in cooking so as to satisfy their own appetites.

But he felt he had still gained something.

The Qin state relaxed its control over commerce, which meant that cracks appeared in the iron wall.

He can slowly scheme and plot.

right now,

He needed to return to Rome to find a way to help his father and resolve the problems caused by Marius and his ilk.

(End of this chapter)