The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 216 Heavy Snow

He said, "I remember it was many years ago when I was still the magistrate of Huayin County. At that time, Zhang Cang was not yet the Vice Minister of the Imperial Household Department. At that time, Zhang Cang submitted a method for selecting officials to Prime Minister Li Si."

Upon hearing this, Xiao He perked up, for he had been planning this matter for a long time.

Sima Xin mentioned that Zhang Cang once got drunk and told the story. Wang Ben was also present at the time, and the Jingye Canal was under construction at that time.

However, he only heard about it briefly and didn't pay much attention to it. Sima Xin never mentioned it to anyone.

Because the prime minister and the right prime minister at the time did not immediately implement this strategy.

As for the actual planning of this matter, it probably began after the emperor's eastern tour.

Sima Xin couldn't recall the specific reasons, but this matter had indeed been planned for many years. Only now, when Prince Fusu and Prime Minister Li Si felt the time was ripe, did they finally issue this decree.

Why do we say that now is the right time?
What else could it be for? Because after so many years of rural education support, it has already taken shape and accumulated experience, which is why it has been so effective.

Now that the promotion order has been issued, Sima Xin recounted this incident from many years ago.

Xiao He then learned that Prince Fusu had been preparing for this matter for many years.

Sima Xin said, "Nothing can be accomplished overnight; it requires gradual accumulation. Just as Prince Fusu once said, one must be down-to-earth and take things one step at a time. It took five years to build the Jingye Canal and ten years to develop Weinan. These are all the results of gradual accumulation."

Xiao He raised his wine bowl and said, "To the young master."

Sima Xin also raised his wine bowl.

Xiao He added, "With this promotion order, coupled with the support of rural education and examinations, there will definitely be more people entering officialdom."

Sima Xin nodded; of course, he couldn't say that the Qin court was facing a shortage of manpower.

Prince Fusu's abilities are beyond question.

Sima Xin regarded Xiao He as a confidant, and the two shared the same thoughts and ideas.

That is, it is not enough for the world to have only one wise prince, Fusu.

This world still needs many capable ministers.

Sima Xin added, "You will definitely be able to enter the Prime Minister's residence in the future."

Xiao He said, "I..."

Sima Xin was very clear-headed. He knew that his talents were limited, and that he was probably limited to being a prefect. He was neither Zhang Cang, who was highly talented in mathematics, nor Cheng Miao.

It was neither Zhang Han nor Shusun Tong.

All Sima Xin possessed was diligence, so his only future was that of a prefect.

Perhaps, in the future, Prince Fusu will need a role model, and Sima Xin is certainly willing to stand up for Prince Fusu. But until then, he can only be a prefect.

The young master is a man of exceptional insight; how could he not see the capabilities of his ministers?

Whether it's an exam or a promotion order, the purpose is to select talent.

Sima Xin was a prefect who was promoted because of his diligence. The young master was also telling others that as long as one is diligent in office, even if one's talent is not outstanding, one can still be promoted.

Sima Xin looked at Xiao He sitting in the hall; Xiao He's talent was no less than Zhang Cang's.

This is what I learned from my interactions with Xiao He over the past two years.

The two met through their shared experience of teaching in rural areas.

Xiao He sighed and said, "If I have the opportunity to be promoted in the future, I want to return to Chu." Sima Xin asked in confusion, "Return to Chu?"

Xiao He nodded and said, "To be honest, Prefect, I am grateful for your care over the past two years. My purpose in coming to Guanzhong is to return to Chu to govern, but I am just a minor county official in Chu and know that I cannot change the situation there."

Heng ate his pancakes and drank his soup, and understood what Xiao He meant. He glanced at Zhang Jing beside him.

Zhang Jing naturally understood this as well.

Xiao He wanted to take this opportunity to get promoted and return to Chu to govern the region properly.

The Chu region was vast, encompassing the Huai River region, Changsha Commandery, and Dongting Commandery.

Within the Qin Dynasty's territory, the Chu region was a large and very important area.

Xiao He came to Guanzhong to return home. He then talked about his friendships with many friends in Zhongyangli, including a man named Liu Ji.

Cao Shen said that Liu Ji was not a good person; that Liu Ji was full of trouble, and nothing good ever came of encountering him.

Xiao He glanced at Cao Can.

Cao Shen lowered his head again and said nothing more.

The group continued drinking, and Sima Xin inquired about the situation in Chu, which Xiao He explained in detail.

It's unclear how much time passed, but Heng and Zhang Jing, the two students, left at some point.

Tonight, Xiao He spoke at length to Sima Xin, sharing his heartfelt words and his deep concern for the Chu region.

Sima Xin was Xiao He's only friend in Guanzhong, and the first person he could confide in.

Especially after those two children left.

Sima Xin said, "When I was still serving in Huayin County, I never thought I could become the prefect. A person's life is very long. You have been in Guanzhong for two years. No one knows where you will be in the future."

Xiao He said, “What the prefect said makes sense. Before I came to Guanzhong, it was Lang who advised me. He wrote to me saying that Qin needed to set an example in Chu. After I entered Guanzhong, I realized that Guanzhong was just as people outside had said. I dare not say that I will enter the Prime Minister’s office. I will wait until I have made some achievements before returning to Zhongyangli to build it up. Even if I resign from my official post and become just an ordinary person, I am willing to go back to my hometown.”

In fact, Heng did not leave immediately. He and Zhang Jing listened outside the door for a while and heard these words.

Upon hearing this, the two turned and left.

Heng said, "There must be many people like Xiao He who have come all the way from afar to Guanzhong."

Zhang Jing said, "There are many people like that, but many people do not have the same circumstances as Xiao He."

"He can still think about his hometown."

Zhang Jing said, "Because Xiao He could still think of his hometown in Chu even while he was in Guanzhong, he would also think of Guanzhong and the Prime Minister's Mansion, which gave him the opportunity, when he returned to Chu in the future. He was loyal and righteous, and no matter where he went in the future, he would repay the kindness."

Heng said, "How can someone who is both capable and loyal be merely a county magistrate?"

Zhang Jingdao said, "It is precisely because he is a county magistrate that he has risen step by step from county assistant to county magistrate, which is enough to convince people. This is the protection for Xiao He. Those with outstanding talent will inevitably be criticized. The Prime Minister's Office just does not want Xiao He to suffer these things. When he really achieves results in Jingyang this year, compared with the other county assistants scattered in various counties in Guanzhong, Xiao He's achievements will be obvious to all."

It wasn't until the next day, when Heng was about to go to the academy for a lesson, that he learned that Xiao He and Cao Can had returned to Jingyang. At that moment, he remembered what his elder brother Zhang Jing had said.

If Xiao He is thinking of the Chu region now, then he will repay the kindness Guanzhong has shown him in the future.

It snowed again in Guanzhong today. Heng looked at the heavy snow outside and lost all interest in the lesson. He still remembered the old man and the old teacher arguing about the tofu money.

Heng suddenly smiled, and from then on, every year on a snowy day, he would miss his great-grandfather.

(End of this chapter)