The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 132 Remarkable Farming Warfare
The construction in Longxi is ancient and primitive in many ways. Most of the people living here are old Qin people, who used to live in the mountains.

Only after Shang Yang's reforms did they emerge from the mountains and become the people of Longxi today.

After Qin recovered a large amount of land from Yiqu, many Yiqu people became Qin people, integrated into this land, and made a living by farming, producing and living in accordance with Qin laws.

Chen Ping stood before Li You, and he finished speaking with great respect and courtesy, leading the many teachers in bowing.

Li You glanced at the document before him, handed it to a county official beside him, and left.

Chen Ping glanced at Li You, who was leaving in a hurry, and then felt that he hadn't attracted the other party's attention.

However, Chen Ping was not discouraged; instead, he still wore a smile.

The person who arranged for Chen Ping and the other scholars was a county official from Shanggui County.

Shanggui County is a large county in Longxi, and Du Shuichanglu was in charge of important farming matters in this place.

"You lot, come with me."

Upon hearing the county official's words, Chen Ping and the other scholars followed.

Shanggui County originally had 960 households, but the county town was empty. Most people were working outside. Chen Ping was used to the environment in Guanzhong where there were no idlers. The biggest difference between Guanzhong and the area east of Xiaoshan was that there were no idlers. This was Chen Ping's deepest impression. It shows how harsh the Qin law was. The Qin law did not support idlers.

Chen Ping is not an idler; he came here to teach.

The county official said, "This is your lodging; stay here for now."

Everyone carried their bundles and went inside.

After saying these words, the county official left.

This is a warehouse where everyone can sleep, but there are no separate rooms. If twelve teachers lived together, Chen Ping felt that it would become smelly in less than three days, especially in winter.

According to Chen Ping's knowledge and experience, the current prime minister Li Si was once a retainer of Lü Buwei.

If he hadn't heard that Prime Minister Li Si didn't accept retainers, Chen Ping would have really wanted to become Li Si's retainer.

Moreover, Prince Fusu only had one guest, namely Shusun Tong.

In those days, the Qin state was extremely fond of having retainers, taking in famous scholars from the six states as guests. Almost anyone with a reputation in the six states could be treated as a guest in Qin. However, this practice died out after Lü Buwei's death.

There was another person who shared the same feeling of being born at the wrong time as Chen Ping, and that person was Lou Jing.

Lou Jing was also in this teaching team; he was recommended to join the team by Shusun Tong.

If it weren't for the fact that Mao Heng and Li Si were from the same school, Mao Heng would be here too. It's infuriating, making one grit their teeth with envy and hatred. It's so good to have connections.

It was very cold in Longxi. Lou Jing tightened his clothes and said, "Chen Ping, I still have some money on me. Why don't we go find a restaurant?"

Ju shook his head and said, "I don't know what to do in the future. Even if I have money, I can't spend it recklessly."

As he spoke, he rummaged through his bundle, took out two pancakes, and was about to share them with the two men when he looked up and saw that Chen Ping and Lou Jing had already left together.

Ju sighed deeply, tore off half a pancake to fill his stomach, and put the rest back in his bundle, eating while reading the book he had brought from Tongguan.

The remaining people in the house were all from Guanzhong, and those living under the Qin laws were already accustomed to frugality.

People are different, and Ju felt it was impossible to change a person. Lou Jing and Chen Ping both came to Guanzhong later. Lou Jing was introduced to Zhang Cang by Mao Heng.

Chen Ping was introduced by the magistrate of Wuyang County, and the two men got along remarkably well.

In a restaurant in Shanggui County, Chen Ping and Lou Jing ate a meat dish and drank a pot of wine, which used up all the money they had.

The remaining two had to rely on their own skills to make a living.

Before his marriage, Chen Ping lived and ate at his elder brother's house and was penniless.

Lou Jing always felt that his inability to quit drinking was the reason he had ended up like this. He thought that if he could quit drinking, with his talent, he could at least become a county magistrate in Guanzhong. He often said this when he was drunk.

Chen Ping picked his teeth, then spat them out to the side, and asked, "What do you think we should do from now on?"

Lou Jingdao: "Have you heard about something?"

Seeing that the other person was speaking in a low voice, Chen Ping also whispered, "What is it?"

Lou Jing looked around. The only person there was a shopkeeper sitting at the entrance of the restaurant, dozing off. The restaurants in Shanggui County were incredibly deserted. If they had three or five customers a month, that was considered pretty good.

On ordinary days, we don't see any guests for three to five days at a time, because unlike the other counties in Guanzhong, this place is just too deserted.

Lou Jing leaned closer and whispered, "Young Master Fusu has been plotting against the Western Rong people for many years."

"What's so good about the Western Rong people?" Chen Ping's eyes darted around as he retorted, "Do the Western Rong have beautiful women?"

Lou Jing shook his head, lowered his voice and drawled, "It's the land of the Western Rong people, it's that river valley, that's where we're going."

Chen Ping frowned and pondered for a moment, then asked again, "How did you know that?"

"Hehe..." Lou Jing's cheeks were a little red after drinking. He smiled smugly and then whispered, "I heard Zhang Cang talking to Prefect Zhang outside the house."

Chen Ping smiled silently. He didn't believe Lou Jing's explanation at all. How could Lou Jing have heard everything? Maybe it was Mao Heng who said it when he was drinking with Mao Heng.

However, taking this opportunity, Chen Ping still felt he should subtly inquire further.

"You're saying you can't be an official in Guanzhong because you can't quit drinking?"

"Hmm." Lou Jing placed his hands on his knees, his neck slightly flushed from the alcohol.

"Mao Heng was a fellow student of Li Si, yet he did not serve as an official in Guanzhong?"

"He couldn't quit drinking either, so he stayed in Tongguan to teach."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping understood and gained a basic understanding of the personnel situation in Guanzhong. It seems that the personnel situation in Guanzhong... or rather, Weinan, is the same. Even Mao Heng, who has such good connections, cannot become an official because of his fondness for alcohol.

Chen Ping did not know Zhang Han, but he had heard about Shusun Tong, who was a very cunning person.

In Chen Ping's view, Shusun Tong gained both children and food by teaching in Weinan. Children are precious, and it is even more rare to raise a group of loyal children.

No matter how much I think about it, I'm still in Longxi now, and I have to worry about the future.

Chen Ping and Lou Jing left the restaurant together. After returning to their lodgings, Lou Jing went to sleep.

Ju stepped forward and asked, "Brother Chen Ping, do you have any food left?"

Chen Ping took out some small pieces of silver from his pocket and gave Ju a reassuring look.

Ju chuckled sheepishly, realizing he had worried for nothing. How could someone as intelligent as Brother Chen Ping not think about the future? He had been overthinking things. He then took back the pancakes he had reserved earlier. He was worried that Brother Chen Ping and Brother Lou Jing would go hungry, which was why he was reluctant to eat them himself.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Chen Ping was the first to wake up. It wasn't because he was particularly diligent or ambitious, although... that was part of it, but he hadn't expected his living conditions to be so terrible.

I originally thought it would take three to five days for the place to start smelling bad, but it started smelling bad that very night.

Chen Ping couldn't sleep for long in this environment, so he sat down at the door early on.

Before long, a man rode up on horseback, followed by a group of armored soldiers.

Before the other party could speak, Chen Ping had already straightened his clothes and stood respectfully at the door to bow.

Upon seeing the respectful Chen Ping, the newcomer also bowed and said, "I am Zhang Ping. From now on, all of you will follow me."

Zhang Ping looked to be in his early thirties, and he looked quite dashing riding his horse in Qin army armor. Then, some armored soldiers took a large pile of armor from the cart and threw it on the ground. Seeing the people in the room coming out one after another, Zhang Ping said, "Put on your armor and come with me to the Western Rong."

Chen Ping stood there in a daze. We're going to Xirong so soon?

They even have to wear armor? Does that mean they've been drafted into the army and are going to fight on the front lines?

Chen Ping felt a chill run down his spine. He was there to teach, not to fight or kill.

Speed ​​is of the essence in war?
Or is the situation so critical that these people need to put on armor and go to the battlefield?

Did the Xiongnu arrive so quickly?
Has the situation become this dire?

Many thoughts flashed through Chen Ping's mind. Facing Zhang Ping's fierce-looking face, he silently put on his armor.

Seeing that no weapons had been given to the group, Chen Ping breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone was ready, and Zhang Ping said, "I was originally stationed at Baichang on the Great Wall in the north, but General Meng Tian ordered me to come and reinforce Longxi."

Upon hearing the introduction, Chen Ping, who had recently become familiar with the Qin laws, understood that the centurion in front of him was a centurion guarding the Great Wall. Although he was called a centurion, he only had thirty or forty men under his command.

The county official from Shanggui County arrived in a hurry. Upon seeing Zhang Ping's seal of office as a general of the Northern Lands, he respectfully bowed and offered assistance.

The arrival of the 100 generals from the north put the entire Shanggui County on edge.

This is a general who actually fought against the Xiongnu. He may have killed quite a few Xiongnu. Look at the soldiers under this centurion. They are all Qin soldiers in their thirties or forties. These people make a living by fighting and killing enemies, and use their military merits to support their families.

After leaving Shanggui County, the group headed towards the Western Rong region.

Now, winter wheat has begun to be planted in the fields outside Shanggui County. Chen Ping, wearing leather armor, felt rather uneasy walking behind. Looking at the armored soldiers guarding behind him, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.

After walking for three days, the group arrived at a military camp.

When Chen Ping arrived at the military camp, he discovered that there were about five thousand Qin soldiers there, who seemed to have all come from the north.

This place is only five li away from the territory of the Western Rong. A fast horse can reach the territory of the Western Rong in just half a day, and the Western Rong can also reach this place in just half a day. The name of this place is Didaokou, which is used by the Rong and Di people in the Qin people.

It was also the main assembly camp for the Qin army's western route, and this place led directly to Wushaoling, the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor.

There were also Yuezhi cavalrymen who had fled from Yuezhi here. They were packing up their arrowheads. The Qin army allowed them to stay, but asked them to fight the Xiongnu with hatred in their hearts.

This was one of the strategies left behind by Prince Fusu. The prince always felt that the more people he united, the more advantageous it would be.

There are still many Chu prisoners in this area. Back then, under Li Si's policy of relocating prisoners to populate the border, many Chu prisoners are still alive here. They were originally working on the Great Wall.

Chen Ping saw Li You again, but only glanced at him from afar and did not approach him.

Seeing Chen Ping's somewhat dejected expression, Ju advised, "Brother Chen Ping, our teacher once said that the most critical times are the best opportunities to make a contribution."

Chen Ping looked around and found that only the sensible and reliable Ju and the freeloader Lou Jing could give him a sense of security.

Upon closer inspection, Chen Ping noticed that Lou Jing, who had been squatting to the side huddled in the cold wind, was gone.

He asked, "Where is Lou Jing?"

Ju replied, "Brother Lou said he was hungry and asked the Qin soldiers here for some food."

Sitting there, Chen Ping started to let his mind wander again. It's true what they say, you don't know how urgent the war is until you get to the border.

Chen Ping was worried about himself and the future of Qin. Since Qin unified the Central Plains, war had been a constant companion to the country, with several years of southern expeditions and now a northern expedition.

These were all wars of unbelievable scale. Before the strength of the southern campaign had been recovered, the Qin Dynasty began its northern expedition.

Chen Ping seemed to have a premonition that the country's people were under unbearable burdens and were on the verge of collapse.

The First Emperor's most outstanding son, the renowned Prince Fusu, also seemed to be no benevolent person.

Chen Ping wanted to know how the current Prince Fusu would govern the country.

When a person is hungry, the feeling of hunger will force him to look for food. With Lou Jing's talent and learning, he became friends with several Qin soldiers for a time, and even asked for some extra dry rations to share with Chen Ping and Ju.

Lou Jing even learned that this large army was not heading west.

Instead, it was Li You's army used to transport and store grain. As early as when the First Emperor made his western tour, the Qin army had the practice of sending supplies before the troops moved.

Chen Ping was now certain that they wouldn't have to fight on the battlefield, and a weight was finally lifted from his shoulders.

Li You is no longer a sergeant, but a military commander in charge of transporting provisions for the army. He is now a commander.

Li You had only been a sergeant for two years, yet he quickly became a captain in charge of transporting grain.

For the remaining days, he realized that once Baizhang arrived at this place, he would leave them alone.

Chen Ping, who had some free time, inspected the storage and transportation of grain and fodder in the camp. He also noticed that Lieutenant Li had dug water cellars, which were now empty of water and filled with grain and fodder.

During the dry season, hundreds of water cellars along the route were filled with water, ensuring both water and food supplies, thus securing the Qin army's rear.

Chen Ping frowned as he looked at the water cellar. He couldn't get close, but he could look at it from a distance.

Chen Ping was once again impressed that the Qin army was able to build water cellars to store water in Didaokou, a place where water was scarce. Indeed, there were many talented people in the Qin army.

Li Youneng's ability to become the Commandant of the Imperial Guard is due to his considerable skill.

Among the army in Longxi, there was another remarkable man, Du Shuichanglu, who cultivated tens of thousands of acres of fertile land in Longxi.

According to Qin army rumors, as long as Du Shui was stationed in Longxi and Li Duwei was in the rear, the Qin army would not go hungry.

People have a deep attachment to farming and the land, just like the proverb inscribed by the Qin people on the banks of the Zheng Guo Canal: "Water is not an enemy, but a friend if you go with the flow."

While the Qin army was stockpiling grain, Chen Ping would go to the Qin army's farmland when he had free time. This broadened Chen Ping's horizons, and he saw scenes he had never seen before in his life.

The Qin army had garrisoned hundreds of hectares of land. On this relatively arid loess soil, they planted winter wheat that stretched as far as the eye could see. The area was quite dry and required water conservation.

In order to conserve water, they used various methods. When the Qin army pulled carts full of earthenware jars filled with water and buried them in the ground, this was called the earthenware jar seepage irrigation method.

A Qin soldier, whose hair and beard had turned mostly white, sat on the edge of a field and said to Chen Ping in a thick Longxi accent, "After the winter wheat is harvested, the decomposed straw can be spread in the field to nourish the soil."

Chen Ping had never done any manual labor since childhood, so he knew nothing about these things. He just felt that this knowledge was enough for him to learn for a lifetime, and sighed inwardly, "The Qin army is amazing."

In Xianyang, inside the Prime Minister's residence, Fusu was reading a report sent from Longxi.

Chancellor Li Si and Grand Commandant Wang Ben were discussing the selection of the general to lead the westward expedition. General Meng Tian was in charge of the northern expedition, but the selection of the general to lead the westward expedition needed to be finalized.

Before Prime Minister Li Si lay a roster filled with densely packed names, all of whom were generals of various ranks in the army.

Wang Ben circled a name, and it turned out to be Zhang Han.

It's no wonder that Wang Ben is Prince Fusu's father-in-law, so he always puts the prince first in everything. Zhang Han is the prince's most valued person, and he comes from the military. Moreover, the prince has been plotting to seize the Western Rong River Valley for a long time. Who else but Zhang Han can help the prince obtain that important place?

Li Si hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Grand Commandant Wang, don't you want to consider the others?"

"As the Grand Commandant of the court, I bear the heavy responsibility of selecting generals. I have been extremely cautious in choosing Zhang Han."

Upon hearing this, Li Si subconsciously glanced at Prince Fusu, secretly wondering if Wang Ben had been doing a lot of things for the prince in private.
But Li Si was very dissatisfied. In fact, he could also help the young master with his affairs in private.

(End of this chapter)