The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 134 The Great Wall
One group after another left Guanzhong, heading west after crossing Xianyang Bridge.

Grain was transported northward from the northern suburbs of Xianyang Bridge almost every day.

In late autumn, the persimmons in Guanzhong ripened again.

Tian An was selecting persimmons by the Xianyang Bridge.

Xin Sheng, with his white hair and beard, said, "These Xiongnu people are not easy to deal with."

"We must fight them. If the threat of the Xiongnu is not eliminated, Guanzhong will not be at peace." Tian An carried a basket of persimmons. The persimmons were bright red, and just looking at them made one's mouth water.

Tian An handed Xin Sheng a persimmon and said, "There are too many persimmons this year; we can't possibly eat them all."

Xin Sheng nodded. There were so many persimmons in Guanzhong that they were overflowing, hanging all over the branches. There was so many that you couldn't pick them all. Just picking persimmons would exhaust you.

Tian Anlai stood by the West Wei River under the Xianyang Bridge, patiently washing persimmons one by one, and said in a low voice, "Persimmons are a good thing. If you can't finish them, you can store them. Good grains should be stored away."

Xin Sheng nodded as he ate the persimmons. Listening to Tian An's words, he felt that Tian An, this eunuch, was almost like a sage.

However, almost all the sages and wise men in the world have died out.

“Young master loves the world and loves the land of Guanzhong. People store up grain and raise their children to adulthood. This land is so good. There is an endless supply of grain. Even the persimmons are almost rotting on the branches, but no one picks them.”

As Tian An spoke, his tone became more hateful. He added, "If there is trouble on the border, I will go to the Great Wall and guard it."

Xin Sheng followed beside him, peeled the persimmon slightly, and then put the whole thing in his mouth. Ripe persimmons are delicious; you don't need to use your teeth. Just hold it in your mouth for a while, and you can swallow it.

There is a stone tablet and stone inscription under the front of Xianyang Bridge. It is a record of the construction of the bridge in the twenty-second year of the reign of Emperor Shaofu. It mentions that the Prime Minister's son, Fusu, was involved.

Beside the Jingye Canal in Weinan, there is a stone tablet with an inscription that reads, "Made in the twenty-first year by Prince Fusu."

The weapons transported to the frontier, the city of Tongguan, and the roads and bridges in various counties of Weinan were all inscribed with the words "Built by Prince Fusu," because almost the entire Weinan was rebuilt by Prince Fusu.

This includes the Langya shipyard and the newly built Langya County.

That is why people will remember what Prince Fusu did for Guanzhong; it was both a responsibility and a kind of love.

Therefore, the prince loves all people.

Tian An didn't understand the words of Confucius or Mencius. The young master once said something called "profound meaning in subtle words".

The profound meaning came from the young master's mouth. Prime Minister Li Si felt that he should write down this sentence so that more people could learn from it. At the same time, Prime Minister Li Si had recently mentioned banning private schools and abolishing Confucian robes several times in court discussions.

Tian An felt that most people in Guanzhong, like him, did not understand the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, nor did they understand the profound meaning of what the young master had said.

In this pass, most men only know how to farm and fight, while most women only know how to farm and raise children.

Tian An said, "Young Master said that the people of Guanzhong are very simple, and it is not difficult to govern Guanzhong."

As the autumn wind blew, the two elderly people walked side by side across Xianyang Bridge, heading back to Xianyang City.

Seeing that it was almost noon, Tian An quickened his pace and entered Xianyang City.

Xin Sheng asked Tian An for some persimmons, then ate a meal at a roadside eatery, and also went to his own home.

I ran into Tian An by chance today near Xianyang Bridge. The market near Xianyang Bridge is getting more and more lively.

A document was sent from Xianyang City all the way to Huayin County.

This is a document sent by the Prime Minister's Office. Sima Xin is serving as the magistrate of Huayin County, and concurrently as the magistrate of Dali and Tongguan Counties. The Prime Minister's Office has given him an official position, which is also the position of Prefectural Assistant.

It is rare for a prefecture to have two prefectural assistants. When Zhang Han left Weinan, Zhang Cang took over the management of Weinan's development.

However, there were many affairs to be handled in the six counties of Weinan, and someone needed to share the burden. This position was proposed by Zhang Cang in his memorial to the Prime Minister, and it was also agreed upon by Prince Fusu.

Sima Xin has managed Huayin steadily and reliably over the years.

Today, Zhang Cang brought Sima Xin to Tongguan.

Tongguan used to be just a very small village, and part of it was even under the jurisdiction of Huayin County.

Zhang Cang said, "I entrust the management of Huayin, Tongguan, and Dali to you."

Sima Xin bowed.

Zhang Cang saw Sima Xin's emaciated bones; the man was as thin as ever, so thin that it was almost unbearable to look at.

Zhang Cang and he walked along the Wei River.

There is a market in front of Tongguan City. This market is frequented by merchants and people from various counties. It is the most prosperous market in recent times, apart from Xianyang Bridge.

Prince Fusu has excellent vision. He immediately recognized the potential of this location. With just a little development, it would naturally become prosperous without any management.

This fortified pass is the most important barrier in Guanzhong after Hangu Pass.

Upon reaching Tongguan City, Zhang Cang said, "I'm returning to Shangyan Mountain. I'll leave the rest to you."

Sima Xin bowed and saw him off.

After Zhang Cang walked away, Sima Xin stood alone in front of Tongguan City. The city walls were very high, and once inside, one could see wide streets. Nowadays, there were not many people living in the city, making it seem somewhat empty.

The young master had Qingbi build this place, and it is currently empty. What will happen in the future, and how should it be built? Then he can make a great leap forward.

Sima Xin nodded, feeling that this was an opportunity given to him by Prince Fusu and Zhang Cang to fully display his talents and abilities.

That very night, Sima Xin brought his strict wife and two sensible children to Tongguan City.

The county government in Tongguan was very large, and even this usually stern and harsh wife rarely smiled.

Sima Xin relied on his ancestors being from the Qin people, and on his father's Qin clan connections, to obtain a position as a county official. He worked his way up to his current position as county magistrate in middle age.

To the officials in Xianyang, the position of county magistrate might not seem like a high-ranking one, but to someone like Sima Xin, it was a significant position.

His ability to become a county magistrate in a region already made him someone his peers in the clan had to look up to.

Now he has become the Prefectural Assistant, and the Prefectural Assistant of Guanzhong, which is a higher position than before.

Sima Xin once envied Zhang Han.

Back then, Wang Ben appointed Zhang Han to assist Prince Fusu, which changed Zhang Han's fate.

Now, Sima Xin has become a prefectural assistant through years of hard work. Therefore, Prince Fusu is a person who promotes people based on merit, not on personal preference.

Han Fei once said that good governance and strength arise from the law, while weakness and chaos arise from flattery. A country's strength and prosperity are related to its legal system.

The root cause of turmoil in a country is often related to the monarch's favoritism.

Sima Xin believed that Prince Fusu once said that Han Fei was his teacher, and indeed... the prince had a very good teacher.

At this moment, Sima Xin also wholeheartedly agreed with Han Fei's ideas.

During the Yellow River's flood season, another batch of books was transported into Xianyang City. These books were sent to Lü Buwei's old residence, where Princess Yinman moved in and named the place the Book Pavilion.

The library is a place to store books. There are rumors that Prince Fusu and Prime Minister Li Si wanted to collect all the books in the world in order to unify the rites and teachings.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Young Master Gao stood at the gate, waiting for his elder brother's summons.

Gongzi Gao has grown much taller now; the child is seventeen years old this year.

Many officials in the Prime Minister's residence were busy coming and going, and they all bowed to this young man when they saw him.

An hour later, Fusu, having a brief respite, met with his younger brother. Fusu asked, "Want to go to war?"

Gongzi Gao said, "Brother, I am already seventeen, it's time for me to go to war."

"You don't have to go."

After saying this, Fusu saw him stubbornly standing in place and said, "I have discussed with the Prime Minister and the Grand Commandant that Fu Ji's age will be postponed to twenty years old from now on."

Gongzi Gao said, "Father has not yet issued an edict, and the age of Fu Ji in Great Qin has not yet been truly postponed."

The younger brother actually argued back, so Fusu put down his pen and stared at him intently.

The young master lowered his head and then changed his words, saying, "Brother, Gao Zhi was wrong."

Cheng Miao, who was standing to the side, laughed at this scene. The young master could make the young master Gao behave himself with just a glance.

Fusu said, "Go and talk to your father. If he agrees, I won't stop you."

“Brother, it is precisely because I know that Father will never let me go to the battlefield that I have come to ask you for permission.”

Fusu looked down at the documents and did not speak.

Gongzi Gao, his neck stiff, didn't know how to continue pleading with his elder brother.

He thought to himself, "As expected, I couldn't utter a single word of the many words I had prepared in front of my brother. I had prepared so many things, such as defending the country and how these young masters should fight on the battlefield like the old Qin army, but now I couldn't say a single word."

His elder brother already possessed an aura and majesty that only their father, the emperor, could have, which made Gao feel quite uneasy even standing there.

Fusu said, "The Qin military system is strict. You can't just add or remove soldiers at will. Everyone has to be registered in the army and the local militia are conscripted from each county. Do you think this is all child's play? You can't just send them off whenever you want?"

"Gao...Gao knows he was wrong." Hearing his brother's words...

After saying this, Gongzi Gao did not dare to look up in his brother's direction and quickly left the Prime Minister's residence.

Upon reaching the gate of the mansion, he couldn't stop walking. He closed his eyes, his expression pained. If he went back now, his teacher would surely laugh at him.

Just then, Cheng Miao walked out of the Prime Minister's residence and said, "Actually, young master has been busy with state affairs lately and has no time for anything else."

“Hmm…” Young Master Gao turned around, bowed and said, “Gao greets Imperial Censor Cheng.”

Cheng Miao smiled and said, "Military discipline is strict, so it is natural not to add or remove personnel at will. However, recently you wanted to do some teaching in rural areas. You studied under Shusun Tong in Weinan. How was your learning?"

Gongzi Gao replied, "I dare not say it's the best, but I hope it's without mistakes."

"How do you compare to those teachers who go to rural areas to teach?"

"Gao... he can't be worse than them."

“That’s right.” Cheng Miao added, “You can go to the Northwest to teach, as long as you don’t go to the army.”

Upon hearing this, Gongzi Gao's eyes lit up, and he was about to bow in thanks when he saw Cheng Miao leave.

When this young master entered the Prime Minister's residence again, he came out a moment later with the travel document and returned to the library in Xianyang City.

Cheng Miao felt that the prince's younger brother was quite clever, but far inferior to the prince Fusu.

Prince Fusu seemed born to be a politician, while Prince Gao was simply more outstanding than the average child.

The lamps were still lit at night when Prince Fusu and Prime Minister Li Si hurriedly left the Prime Minister's residence and went to Zhangtai Palace.

At night, Fusu and Prime Minister Li Si arrived at Zhangtai Palace.

Prince Fusu was Prime Minister Li Si's most proud disciple; there was probably no one in the world who could make the Prime Minister so proud.

After being summoned, Fusu and Li Si entered the main hall.

Inside the hall was a huge sand table, on which was a replica of the Great Wall, with details identical to the real Great Wall.

In the dark hall at night, the candlelight from the candlesticks illuminated the large sand table and also the profile of the First Emperor.

"Is Gao going to the Northwest?"

"He went to teach in a rural area."

Ying Zheng said, "Very well, this child needs experience. In the future, Jiang Lü and the others will also go to the harsh northwest to guard for three to five years before returning. Fusu, you can make the arrangements. There is no need to report to me."

Fusu said, "Your subject obeys. If you are still not up to par after going to the Northwest, then you need not come back."

Ying Zheng did not object, but nodded.

Li Si stood to the side, realizing that the prince's teachings were even stricter than the emperor's.

Li Si felt that he was too lenient in teaching Li You.

Ying Zheng looked at the Great Wall and said, "Back then, you suggested to me that we store grain at the beacon towers. Now, there are tens of thousands of shi of grain stored at the beacon towers in various places. Even if the grain transport from the rear is not in good condition, the grain at the beacon towers is enough for the soldiers to eat for a month."

Ying Zheng took two more steps onto the sand table, his gaze sharp as he looked at the trenches built along the city wall and the bronze crossbows on the wall, and also at the addition of beacon towers, one every five li.

How many troops does Shangjun have now?

Li Si said, "We have 30,000 soldiers, 20,000 cavalry, 10,000 crossbows, and 80,000 civilians."

Bronze crossbows had always been a powerful weapon of the Qin Dynasty. Now, the First Emperor placed these crossbows on the Great Wall to deal with the Xiongnu, and also dug deeper trenches to deal with the Xiongnu cavalry.

Fusu looked towards the west side of the Great Wall, where the western side of the sand table extended to Wushaoling.

Whenever the First Emperor looked at the Great Wall, his eyes were filled with unwavering determination and anger.

This aligns with Prince Fusu's vision: once the Great Wall is breached, the Xiongnu cavalry will be able to penetrate straight into Guanzhong within three days.

Li Si and Prince Fusu reported to the emperor at Zhangtai Palace on the preparations for the Great Wall.

Autumn in Guanzhong is usually very short, and this year winter came overnight again.

On the northern grasslands, a troop of cavalry was galloping by, led by General Meng Tian.

The group rode all the way from the grasslands back to the Great Wall. The northwest wind howled, carrying ice pellets that stung their faces like knives.

When Dr. Zhou Qingchen from Qilu met the returning general, he said, "General, General Zhang Han from Didaokou has sent a cartload of weapons."

Meng Tian rode his horse into the city gate, dismounted, and took off his iron helmet.

The general looked somewhat tired, but his eyes were bright. He walked to the torchlight and saw a basket of ironware.

Zhou Qingchen said, "General Meng, these are a spear and stirrups."

Meng Tian picked up a long spear, tested its weight on the spot, swung it a couple of times, and said, "What a fine weapon!"

The sound of horses' hooves came again from outside the city gate. The newcomer was dressed as a Xiongnu. He was naturally a Qin soldier, a scout who had gone deep into the grasslands to investigate the Xiongnu.

The messenger dismounted and reported, "General, the Xiongnu have retreated more than ten li and are now entrenched north of the Hetao region."

Meng Tian still held his long spear in his hand, and said with a cold expression, "In the dead of winter, marching can freeze people to death. If the Xiongnu don't come, the whole army will spend the winter inside the beacon towers."

Zhou Qingchen was still wearing the clothes of a Shandong doctor. He said bitterly, "Yes, it would be better if they froze to death."

(End of this chapter)