Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 480 You're a real talent, kid!
Han Xin, being a local, went up to the lazy shopkeeper and whispered a few words to him.

The shopkeeper turned around and looked Lin Dao and Zhang Liang over.

"Do you have a talisman?"

"Yes, I do." Zhang Liang stepped forward, took out the talisman, and showed it to the shopkeeper for inspection.

The shopkeeper looked left and right, carefully inspected the place, and after confirming that there was no problem, he looked at the horses outside.

"These horses~"

Lin Dao impatiently stepped forward and casually took out a silver ingot and threw it in front of the shopkeeper.

It's obvious that the shop owner knows his stuff.

He immediately smiled and beckoned someone to lead Lin Dao and the others to the back.

He also whispered a reminder, "Don't make any loud noises!"

The group arrived at the backyard and, at the waiter's direction, entered a slightly dark and cramped little house.

"Thank you for your trouble." Han Xin bowed to the waiter and said, "Please bring the banquet."

Upon hearing this, the waiter burst into laughter.

"You commoners, just sit cross-legged; what need is there for a feast?"

These words made Han Xin blush instantly, feeling as if he had lost face in front of Lin Dao.

There were no chairs to sit on during the Qin Dynasty; the earliest prototype of the folding chair would not appear for several hundred years.

In this era, when ordinary people gathered, they would simply sit down on the ground.

As for the "箕踞" mentioned by the waiter, it means sitting on the ground with legs outstretched.

As we all know, underwear didn't exist in the Qin Dynasty. If someone sat on the ground and stretched out their legs, the sight was quite something!
Tsk tsk.

The banquet that Han Xin requested was a coarsely woven mat, which was first laid on the ground as the bottom layer.

As for the mats, they were finely woven cushions placed on the banquet table for nobles to sit on.

Compared to sitting directly on the ground, it is naturally more comfortable to sit at a banquet.

Of course, banquets were something that only nobles of high status could afford.

The higher one's status, the more layers of banquet tables were laid out.

Nobles would never sit with their legs spread out; they would kneel with their knees together and their buttocks resting on their heels—this is called sitting comfortably.

Lin Dao stepped forward, reached into his pocket, and activated his money power once again.

A silver ingot was tossed into the waiter's arms, immediately earning him a smiling welcome.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guests, I will go and fetch the banquet."

Lin Dao looked at Han Xin.

Although he was still a teenager, he had a strong drive to improve himself since childhood.

He always considered himself an aristocrat and spent his life striving to become one.

His behavior is probably a joke in the eyes of many people.

After all, how could a commoner become a nobleman?

Han Xin, however, ignored the ridicule, mockery, and even humiliation from outsiders.

To achieve their goals, they endured and worked tirelessly.

He succeeded in history, so everything he did seemed meaningful, even worthy of being recorded in history books.

Countless Han Xins who failed to succeed were lost underwater, unknown to anyone.

Lin Dao didn't have time to search the world for a young man with the same ambition as Han Xin.

He could only follow the historical records to find Han Xin, who ultimately succeeded, in Huaiyin.

So far, Han Xin's performance seems to be quite good.

They have a strong sense of self-respect, yet when faced with a difficult choice, they can set aside their pride and choose practicality.

This is something that most ambitious young men cannot do.

Just like the previous humiliation of crawling between someone's legs, most young men either couldn't bear the shame, drew their swords and stabbed the butcher to death, and were then punished and became one of the prisoners of Lishan.

Or they might simply be killed by the butcher and disappear without a trace.

Han Xin's ability to endure such things is truly one in a million.

The waiter quickly brought over a large stack of banquet dishes and enthusiastically helped with the preparation.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guests."

The waiter greeted them with a smile, "I'll go get the drinks right away."

"What kind of meat would you esteemed guests like to eat?"

"The restaurant offers lamb and dog meat."

"And there's also venison, rabbit meat, bird meat, and pheasant meat sent by hunters from outside the city!"

Lin Dao was still thinking about his braised beef. "No beef?"

The waiter looked distressed. "We really don't have that."

"As you all should know, no one dares to slaughter a cow in secret."

As is well known, the Qin Dynasty was founded on agriculture and warfare.

The core of farming is the oxen.

Oxen are not only the core of farming, but their sinews, horns, and hides are also strategic resources.

There is no doubt that cattle were related to the food security and national tax base of the Qin state.

To address this, the Qin state established a special cattle registration system, treating cattle like people and recording their place of origin for strict control.

In the Qin Dynasty, those who steal horses are put to death, and those who steal cattle are punished.

That is to say, anyone who steals a horse will be executed, and anyone who steals a cow will be punished even more severely, usually with various forms of torture or even the punishment of their family members.

Eating beef is as sinful as killing a cow.

Under such pressure, very few people dare to kill a cow.

"Brother Zihou."

Zhang Liang was puzzled, "Deer and sheep are enough, why be so fixated on beef?"

For nobles, venison and mutton were enough to signify their status; there was no need to insist on beef.

Lin Dao, however, was filled with regret: "Beef is nothing special, what I really crave is the beef from the Great Qin."

Because beef is extremely scarce in Daqin, and its production is strictly controlled.

This made Lin Dao even more eager to try it.

It's not about eating meat, but about the feeling of breaking taboos.

"That's all."

Lin Dao waved his hand and said, "Three servings of mutton will suffice."

Zhang Liang chuckled and said, "Why not some venison? Venison is incredibly delicious!"

"There are no women around." Lin Dao waved his hand. "How are we supposed to release the venison? We can't exactly use a handgun."

The group sat down and began chatting.

The waiters worked incredibly fast, bringing out drinks and mutton in a continuous stream. This truly proved the saying, "Money makes the world go round."

Even in taverns directly controlled by the imperial court, as long as money was right, one could receive excellent service.

As for why Lin Dao used silver, it's because silver was the cheapest and most cost-effective option for him.
The beverage was slightly cloudy, clearly containing impurities.

The lamb was overcooked and the seasoning was just a sprinkle of salt, along with a side of meat sauce.

As for spices and such, forget about it.

Lin Dao ate nothing special, just enough to fill his stomach.

For Han Xin, this was the life he had always dreamed of.

"Han Xin."

Lin Dao raised his glass. "What is your dream?"

Men have to talk about their dreams over drinks.

Han Xin took a sip of wine and frowned slightly.

After a moment of contemplation, he looked up and said, "I want to be a superior person!"

This can be described as ambition.

Every man has this ambition.

Lin Daoxiao asked, "Serving the First Emperor?"

"If I am fortunate enough to be given an important position," Han Xin said earnestly, "I will certainly serve the First Emperor."

Zhang Liang, standing to the side, looked displeased and immediately retorted, "Now the First Emperor is fond of grandiose achievements and is destroying the people's strength."

"The imperial court levied exorbitant taxes, and the people in various regions lived in poverty."

"Endless corvée labor, endless taxes, and constant border defense."

"You want to serve the First Emperor?"

At this point, Zhang Liang's lips curled into a cold smile. "At your age, it won't be long before you go out to guard the Great Wall, or perhaps to build the Epang Palace, or even the Lishan Mountain."

Han Xin looked at Lin Dao with a puzzled expression.

"Zhang Liang was a descendant of the Korean nobility."

Lin Dao smiled and gestured, "Not long ago, I just assassinated Qin Shi Huang at Bolangsha."

Even with Han Xin's shrewdness, he showed surprise upon hearing this.

Assassinating the King of Qin is a matter of utmost importance to the world!

He looked at Zhang Liang in disbelief, "You're still alive?!"

Since Jing Ke and Gao Jianli, all assassins who attempted to assassinate the Qin emperor have met with tragic ends.

After all, the defense forces surrounding the First Emperor were undoubtedly the strongest in the world.

Especially after repeated failed assassination attempts against the Qin emperor, their defensive measures and vigilance doubled with each attempt.

Under such circumstances, it's truly astonishing that Zhang Liang went to assassinate the King of Qin and actually returned alive.

As for suspecting Lin Dao of lying...
Zhang Liang didn't think that he, a mere commoner, was worth being deceived by someone as distinguished as Lin Dao, who appeared extraordinary at first glance.

Moreover, this isn't a good thing!
Zhang Liang chuckled and gestured to Lin Dao, who was drinking nearby, saying, "Thanks to Brother Zihou's help, I was able to escape."

"You two are truly extraordinary."

Han Xin's praise was heartfelt.

To escape from the ferocious Qin army is truly the work of a superhuman.

"If the First Emperor doesn't use it," Lin Dao finished his cup of wine. "Then what will happen?"

These words silenced Han Xin.

He sat motionless, head bowed, holding his wine glass.

The three of them fell silent, sitting there quietly drinking.

After an unknown amount of time, Han Xin suddenly spoke up, saying, "The people of Huaiyin County have suffered under Qin for too long."

"Life became increasingly difficult, and many people went out to serve as laborers on the border, but never returned."

"Such a tyrannical Qin dynasty should never exist again!"

Zhang Liang, looking shocked, gazed at Han Xin and murmured, "You lad, you're a real talent!"

If the emperor doesn't give them a chance, then they'll rebel against him.

Such a rapid shift in stance—that's truly remarkable!

"What if the First Emperor were willing to change?" Lin Dao asked calmly, without showing any emotion. "If the First Emperor were willing to accept advice and change the national policy to allow the people to rest and recuperate, would you two be willing to serve him?"

“How could that be?” Zhang Liang frowned slightly. “If he were willing to change, he wouldn’t be the First Emperor.”

Han Xin remained silent once again.

Lin Dao waved his hand and smiled, "Alright, let's drink and eat, we'll talk about the rest later."

Next, we should go find the First Emperor.

Lin Dao wanted to see if the First Emperor could change the lives of the people, whether many large-scale projects could be slowed down, allowing the people to catch their breath and loosen the noose around their necks.

Afterwards, we should focus our attention on external matters, and share some of the benefits we have gained with the people so that they can live better lives.

If that's the case, Lin Dao wouldn't mind helping the First Emperor.

But if the First Emperor is unwilling, then Lin Dao will have to take other actions.

The wines and spirits of the Qin Dynasty were made from grains, and their alcohol content was naturally incomparable to that of modern industrial products.

However, the taste of grain liquor is indeed very good.

The three of them drank and ate meat, chatting and laughing, having a very lively time.

In the midst of the revelry, Lin Dao suddenly frowned and put down his wine glass.

Zhang Liang, standing to the side, asked in confusion, "What is it?"

"Troops are approaching."

Zhang Liang and Han Xin immediately changed color.

Zhang Liang subconsciously drew his weapon and looked warily toward the door.

Zhang Liang's eyes lit up, and he immediately said to Han Xin, "They must be looking for us."

"This is none of your business, you may leave!"

Undoubtedly, Han Xin was now faced with a difficult choice.

After a brief silence, he drew his sword. "You two have treated me with sincerity, and I will repay you in return!"

Running away at this point doesn't necessarily absolve them of responsibility.

After all, it wasn't like nobody knew that he had brought them here to drink secretly.

Whether it was chatting and laughing with the wanted criminals who were plotting to assassinate the Qin emperor, or secretly drinking alcohol in violation of the prohibition, neither could escape the responsibility.

These two were no ordinary people; their lifelong pursuit was to rise above others.

Now that we finally have a chance, we should fight for it with all our might, not run away in fear!
Lin Dao gave him a deep look.

He has a strong ability to adapt to changing circumstances, but unfortunately, he is terrible at political maneuvering.

If only some of that wisdom had been used for political maneuvering, he wouldn't have lost his life at the hands of a woman.
(End of this chapter)