The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 139 The Prime Minister’s Office’s Order Prohibiting Private Schooling
The work of the Minister of the Imperial Household was extremely complicated. Fusu had to read many memorials and handle and arrange some matters in a timely manner.

For example, regarding the Jingye Canal, this year's heavy snow caused the canal water to freeze, and the vertical shafts in various places needed to be repaired. Each county needed to promptly conscript laborers from the county to carry out the repairs.

The Guanzhong Plain has abundant water resources, but they are not evenly distributed; Weinan was a typical example of this in the past.

Before the Jingye Canal was built, the dry land in Weinan stretched as far as the eye could see.

Every year from spring planting to summer harvest, and then to the winter solstice, each county submits its own official documents.

Serving as an official in Qin was extremely arduous, requiring one to grasp both the big picture and the details.

Previously, Fusu had been reviewing documents from several counties. During his two years as the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, he often saw documents showing that people from several counties were fighting each other over water resources.

In the past, the way to deal with such situations was to drive away the troublemakers, and if they really started a private fight, they would be taken to the county government for questioning and detention.

To eradicate the problem, the root cause lies in the water source. The uneven distribution of water systems in Guanzhong is exemplified by the Jingye Canal.

Fusu wanted to dig a canal in the Pei River to solve this problem.

The development potential of water conservancy projects in Guanzhong is still very large.

Even if we can't build a large reservoir, we can dig more canals. If we can't achieve the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, at least we can allow people to cultivate a few more acres of land.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, under Cheng Miao's arrangement, the thirty-odd most capable officials of the Prime Minister's residence began to get busy.

A cold wind blows through Guanzhong, this is the moment in Jingye County.

Zhang Cang didn't consider himself omnipotent; he only did what he was good at. He delegated tasks like building workshop complexes and water-powered workshops to Qingbi.

There's no other reason than that I don't know how.

When he had some free time, Shusun Tong would brew tea on snowy days, and Zhang Cang would come and drink the tea.

Shusun Tong had become accustomed to frying tea, a skill that only a few people knew about today. Most people in Guanzhong did not know how wonderful frying tea was. Nowadays, only Xin Sheng, Fu Sheng who was teaching here, Zhang Cang, Sima Xin, and the Duke of Pinyang knew how to drink frying tea.

Pin Yang Gong often came to ask Shusun Tong to buy some tea. Every time the old man sent his servant to buy tea, he was very generous, giving more than a hundred coins for just a few ounces of tea.

There are only a handful of people who are good at appreciating roasted tea and can drink this kind of tea.

I heard that this tea was originally made by Tian, ​​a servant of the young master, but after drinking it once, he never drank it again.

Shusun Tong felt that it was a great blessing in life that only a few like-minded people knew about the refined pleasures of tea drinking.

Today, Xin Sheng, Fu Sheng, Zhang Cang, Shusun Tong, and Sima Xin sat together drinking tea. They were all veterans who had contributed to the development of Weinan and could talk to each other about it.

Shusun Tong was in charge of brewing the tea. Once the pot of tea was boiled, he distributed it to the group of people.

The reason Zhang Cang liked to drink tea was because during the construction of Weinan, when Zhang Cang was still working hard in Weinan.

It was late at night when Zhang Cang, who was writing documents, suddenly smelled the aroma of tea. He went outside and saw Shusun Tong brewing tea. Zhang Cang asked for a bowl of tea, and from that bowl, he learned about tea.

At that time, Zhang Cang did not think that drinking tea was a necessity until the young master brought him those questions.

Every night, Zhang Cang would ponder the many questions the young master brought him until late into the night. One day, he suddenly remembered the tea he had drunk in Weinan and recalled the refreshing feeling that the tea had given him.

After that, whenever the young master brought him a question, Zhang Cang would ask for tea.

Before he knew it, tea had become an indispensable part of Zhang Cang's life.

If there were no tea in this world, Zhang Cang wouldn't know how he would survive.

The numerology problems that the young master sent were getting more and more difficult. You should know that numerology was just a hobby of Zhang Cang's. Although he knew he was good at numerology, it depended on who he was comparing himself to.

Compared to ordinary people, Zhang Cang was naturally more skilled in mathematics and divination.

However, Zhang Cang was exhausted when faced with a gifted young master named Fusu who learned everything at an astonishing speed. Moreover, the questions the young master presented were really a waste of tea.

Zhang Cang sat inside the room, slowly took a sip of tea, and then let out a long breath.

Sima Xin sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the cold wind blowing in from outside, and said, "I heard that the young master is going to repair the canal again this time."

The elderly Fusheng lay by the warm stove, holding a book in one hand and reading it. He was very pleased to read Prince Fusu's profound ideas on building the country, but he never participated in the discussion and only watched quietly.

Shusun Tong was a very clever old man, and also very good at gathering information.

After Zhang Han left, Shusun Tong was very happy here, working with Zhang Cang. It was truly the best arrangement in the world.

Zhang Cang is a man with few rules in his conduct, and while he is highly capable, he is also somewhat lazy.

This alone made Shusun Tong very comfortable, unlike Zhang Han, who was neither good at speaking nor at making friends.

When Zhang Han was the prefect, Shusun Tong was often busy with the affairs of various counties, but Zhang Cang was not. For Zhang Cang, these trivial matters could be resolved by him with just a few words. Even the Neishi County in the north was very impressed with Zhang Cang.

After Sima Xin finished speaking, Shusun Tong looked at Zhang Cang.

To everyone's surprise, Zhang Cang just kept drinking his tea, adopting an attitude that said, "You guys talk your way, it's none of my business."

Yes, the young master is going to repair the canal again. As long as the young master doesn't say that Zhang Cang is involved, then it has nothing to do with Zhang Cang.

Those present here are all highly skilled in this field.

Among the learned scholars like Mr. Fu Sheng and General Xin Sheng, Sima Xin was the most ordinary of all. Among these accomplished individuals, he was almost unbelievably ordinary.

Seeing that no one responded for a long time, Shusun Tong said, "They are building a canal on the Pei River."

Sima Xin nodded.

Shusun Tong and Sima Xin were talking about things that "ordinary people" should say.

We are all veterans who have come through the most difficult times in Weinan, so naturally we should unite and help each other. Perhaps we can even serve as ministers together in the future.

Shusun Tong naturally wanted to maintain harmony within the group, even though Sima Xin was quite ordinary and lacked talent.

But in a group of people, there always needs to be someone who is reliable and hardworking.

Besides, families that love to eat tofu usually have a donkey that can pull a millstone, right?

Shusun Tong chuckled and poured Sima Xin another cup of tea.

At that moment, lively voices came from outside. Xin Sheng finally stood up, opened the door and asked a question. He said to the quiet people inside, "The children guarding the border have returned."

After saying this, Xin Sheng walked out of the house and closed the door for everyone.

These are the first children from Weinan County to return from military service guarding the Great Wall.

Lang saw his parents again, and he also brought a scroll of documents that recorded his military achievements, the number of heads he had taken, and the number of times he had charged into battle.

These military achievements were enough for him to obtain several hundred acres of land and support a large family. He was even promoted to the rank of centurion by Meng Tian.

Xin Sheng looked at the young man and said with a smile, "Great! It's good that you're back, haha!"

Lang had become much thinner. When he left, he was still a young boy, but when he returned, his beard almost covered his mouth.

He was accompanied by quite a few boys, making today the liveliest day in the village. Lang returned home to find his mother weeping uncontrollably and his younger brother, who had grown considerably taller. He placed his bundle on the table and went to see his teacher, Shusun Tong.

Because of the liveliness in the village, everyone who was drinking tea inside had long since left. After General Xin Sheng left, Sima Xin also left, and then Zhang Cang, who was still there, also left. Only Mr. Fu was sleeping there.

Hearing a knock on the door, Shusun Tong was lying on his side on the couch, in the same posture as the old man Fusheng had been, looking at the book in his hands.

There were two more knocks on the door, and Shusun said, "Come in."

The wooden door was pushed open a crack, and Lang stepped in, where he saw the sleeping Mr. Fusheng. He quickly closed the door again, trying to prevent the outside wind from getting in.

At this moment, Shusun Tong had already sat up on the couch. He sat cross-legged and asked, "Lang?"

"Student Lang is back."

Shusun Tong nodded slightly and asked, "How is the northern border?"

"Now that General Meng Tian is stationed at Helan Mountain, the Xiongnu will no longer move south."

Shusun Tongdao: "The Xiongnu will not move south again?"

Lang realized that his words and actions were wrong, so he changed his words and said, "As long as General Meng Tian is in the north, the Xiongnu will not dare to go south."

Shusun Tongdao: "It's been three years since you left. You've all suffered."

"Have you heard that the Master has brought over a hundred students into Guanzhong?"

Shusun Tong replied, "That's true. I'm currently teaching in various counties in Guanzhong. Maybe next year I'll be able to take up a post in Xianyang."

"Office?"

Shusun Tong continued, "All of Gongzi Jingye County's servants have been registered in the household register. From now on, you can all become officials, as long as you are given important positions and as long as you have talent."

At this point, Shusun Tong said, "Perhaps the young master wants to give the world a hope, a hope that as long as people study and acquire skills, or join the army to guard the border, they can change their fate."

The fate of all the servants in Jingye County has changed; he is now a person with a normal household registration, which is very exciting news.

"Now that you're back, there's something I need to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Lang stepped forward and said, "Please speak, teacher."

Shusun Tong got off the bed and rummaged through a pile of bamboo slips. After searching for a while, he took out a scroll and said, "Take a look."

Lang took the bamboo slip, saw the seal of the Prime Minister's Office on it, opened the bamboo slip, and looked at the rows of text.

After reading it, he whispered, "Does the young master intend to build a large school in Guanzhong?"

Shusun Tong nodded and said, "In the future, all the children in Guanzhong will be able to read books and learn to read and write, but this will require a great many teachers."

Lang asked, "Is it just Guanzhong?"

Shusun Tongdao: "See the stamp on this?"

He nodded.

"This is the seal of the Prime Minister's residence. This matter was not decided by the young master alone; it was decided by the Prime Minister, however..."

Changing the subject, Shusun Tong added, "However, the Prime Minister must have been involved in this matter as well. From now on, the scholars of Guanzhong will have to obey the Prime Minister's orders."

Waiting for Lang's reaction, and seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Shusun Tong shook his head helplessly.

This child has spent two years traveling and one year guarding the border. Doesn't he understand the true intentions hidden in this bamboo scroll by Prime Minister Li Si and Prince Fusu?
It's because this child is too kind; he doesn't understand Prince Fusu's true purpose, nor does he think too badly of him.

Shusun Tongdao: "This is actually Prime Minister Li Si's decree banning private schools."

Upon hearing this, Lang froze on the spot, almost dropping the bamboo scroll. He held it with both hands and said, "This...this is the decree banning private schools?"

Lang also heard about what happened in Qi. He heard that after the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, the scholars from Qi and Lu all cried their eyes out.

Shusun Tong looked at the kind-hearted student and said, "What? Can't you see it?"

Lang shook his head and said, "I can't tell."

"That's good, you can't tell." Shusun Tong sighed and asked, "How long do you think Prince Fusu has been building up Weinan?"

"ten years."

Lang replied.

Shusun Tong slowly said, "This is the shrewdness of Prince Fusu. If you want to accomplish something, you can plan for it for ten years. In these ten years, you have gone from having nothing to making some progress, and now you are where you are. No one thought that what we did was actually Prince Fusu and Prime Minister Li Si's decree to ban private schools."

Lang grew increasingly terrified. He had never really thought of it that way. He simply felt that he was teaching and that what he was doing was right. He never imagined that what he was doing would be related to Prime Minister Li Si.

They never imagined that this was related to the emperor's actions in Qi.

Shusun Tong smiled and said, "What kind of person is Prince Fusu? He knows very well that if Li Si uses barbaric means to issue a decree banning private schools, it will inevitably be opposed by the people of the world. If the decree banning private schools, which should have been severe, is presented in a different form, people will feel that it is a blessing from the Qin court."

“A decree banning private schools can enable everyone in the world to study. Isn’t that a blessing? People will remember this decree banning private schools.”

Lang said in a low voice, "If everyone can become a teacher, and all teachers are subject to the Qin court's orders, then whoever is taught by whom, and what kind of teacher, can be employed by the Qin court?"

Shusun Tongdao said, "What the young master and the prime minister want to eliminate are actually the famous scholars and great sages of the world."

"hole……"

Lang was about to speak when he immediately stopped himself.

Shusun Tong waved his hand and said, "It's alright, it's my teacher."

Lang realized he had said something wrong and lowered his head.

Shusun Tong continued, “Actually, the order to support education in rural areas is just a ban on private schools, so don’t be too surprised. Next year will be very busy. You have just returned from the north, so take good care of yourself. When the young master has any further instructions, Xianyang will send a letter. You can go back now.”

"Student resigned."

Lang bowed again.

As Lang stepped out of his teacher's room, he slowly exhaled in the cold wind. He thought of the young master he had met in Langya County; the young master must be a very good person.

At least, in Lang's opinion, Prince Fusu was the kindest person he had ever met.

And what about Prime Minister Li Si?

Lang traveled for two years, visiting the southern Chu region, the eastern Langya County, and even the Great Wall in the north. He recalled how people would often avoid mentioning Li Si, the prime minister of Qin, when he spoke of him, as if mentioning Li Si would violate Qin law.

But for some reason, Lang still felt that the "ban on private schools was correct and should be done."

With this in mind, Lang continued walking home with unwavering conviction.

(End of this chapter)