The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 239 Prince Fusu, who presides over state affairs

In the thirty-ninth year of the First Emperor's reign, Fusu received a letter from Gao in April.

After receiving the reply, Fusu went to the Northern Suburbs Palace to meet his father, the Emperor.

On their way to the northern suburbs, Cheng Miao and Feng Jie continued to inquire of Prince Fusu about the various arrangements for state affairs this year.

When the carriage arrived at the northern suburbs palace, Cheng Miao and Feng Jie stopped talking, dismounted, and waited in the northern suburbs.

Since last winter, apart from Prime Minister Li Si and a few other ministers who have seen the emperor, the emperor has rarely been seen in public. It is said that he has been living in a detached palace to recuperate.

Nowadays, many state affairs are presided over by Prince Fusu, and even the ministers are used to the fact that Prince Fusu presides over the court meetings every morning. If the emperor suddenly appears in Zhangtai Palace one day, it will feel a bit strange.

After the improvements, the doors and windows in the main hall of Lin Guang Palace are now much larger, and the hall is now brighter and better lit.

Fusu also wanted to modify the doors and windows of Zhangtai Palace to make the main hall brighter and warmer.

However, he is not the emperor yet and cannot alter the Zhangtai Palace.

As a son, Fusu felt that it was good enough to build a better retirement home for his father.

"Father, Gao has sent a letter."

Ying Zheng took the paper his son handed him and asked, "Tell him that I am waiting for his history book to be finished."

Fusu smiled and said, "Alright."

Ying Zheng picked up a scroll and handed it to Fusu, saying, "Back then, I planned to build the Epang Palace in the Shanglin Garden, but it was just a rammed earth layer, and it was stopped because of the Northern Expedition."

Fusu took the scroll, frowning and hesitating.

"Here are the original construction drawings. Take them. Whether you build them or not is up to you."

Fusu took the scroll but did not speak immediately. Instead, he sat down and reported recent state affairs to his father.

Cheng Miao waited until noon before the young master emerged from Lin Guang Palace. He bowed and said, "Young master, General Zhang Han has delivered a report of victory."

Fusu took the military report, which stated that the Qin army had captured the entire Mazongshan area. He added, "Back then, when Modu killed the Yuezhi king and seized Yuezhi gold artifacts, Zhang Han also coveted the gold dust from the Altai Mountains."

Cheng Miao said, "General Zhang Han only led his troops to Mazong Mountain for a short trip and did not have any conflict with the Yuezhi people. This is because the Yuezhi people plan to go to Mazong Mountain again this year to perform sacrifices, as that is the place where the Yuezhi people perform their sacrifices."

“Every year at this time, they would face east and perform a sacrifice at the foot of Mazong Mountain.”

Cheng Miao continued, "The Prime Minister came to ask whether General Zhang Han should be stationed in the Hexi Corridor and not to advance rashly."

Fusu stopped in front of the carriage, thinking of the Yuezhi king's head, which was still in Maodun's hands and had become Maodun's drinking vessel.

The Yuezhi people must have harbored extremely deep hatred for Modu, but the truth is that revenge is not always the case.

Clearly, the Yuezhi people did not have a strong desire for revenge, and this matter was likely related to internal conflicts within the Yuezhi royal family.

If the Yuezhi people had been able to unite as one, they might have truly swept through the Xiongnu on their Tian Shan warhorses.

But reality is unpredictable. Not all revenge is passionate. The Yuezhi people at present do not seem to want revenge. They are weak.

The weak Yuezhi people are actually reassuring. In contrast, even if Zhang Han were to declare that Mazong Mountain belongs to the Qin army now, the Yuezhi people would probably not dare to say anything.

Fusu also understood that there was a reason why Modu was able to escape from the Yuezhi people after a long raid.

Beyond the borders, in the Western Regions or the grasslands, the environment has always been harsh. The weak Yuezhi people will eventually lose everything, including their Altai Mountains. Fusu asked, "Is there any news from the countries of the Western Regions?"

“Recently, many people from the Western Regions have been traveling to and from the Hexi Corridor to trade gold and people. These matters are all being overseen by General Zhang Han.”

Fusu said, "I understand."

Cheng Miao nodded and waited for the young master to board the carriage before mounting his own horse and heading back to Xianyang.

On his way back to Xianyang, Fusu wrote a reply to Zhang Han and then had the guards outside deliver it to Zhang Han.

Mazong Mountain is the northern end of the Hexi Corridor. Zhang Han's actions were correct. Since the Qin army wanted to take over the entire Hexi Corridor, they could not allow the Yuezhi people to continue their sacrifices at Mazong Mountain.

This was Zhang Han's long-standing experience in dealing with people: if it was the Qin army, the Yuezhi people should not be allowed to perform sacrifices, otherwise the Western Regions would think that the Qin army was easy to bully.

The Qin army must project a tough image of fighting for every inch of land. It cannot treat the Western Regions states with courtesy, but must establish its authority with its fierce fighting power.

In the future, Mazong Mountain will be the location where the Qin army can look out over the Tianshan Mountains.

Fusu said to Tian An, who was driving the carriage, "After we return, send all the Shu wine that Shu has presented to Zhang Han this year."

Tian An said, "I'll make the arrangements once we get back to Xianyang."

I will need to consult the Prime Minister about the war in the Northwest and how to coordinate the defenses on the northern border after I return.

Inside the carriage, Fusu put aside his worries about the border defense and opened the scroll given to him by his father. Upon opening the scroll, he saw a huge map. The map showed a cluster of palaces, crisscrossing covered walkways, giant magnetic gates, and a 400-zhang-high Star Gazing Platform. This was the Epang Palace, which later became known as the Epang Palace, which covered 300 li. The palace complex was so large that it stretched from Shanglin Garden all the way to Mount Li.

Fusu put the scroll away again. The Epang Palace was simply too large; it was like something out of a dream. With current productivity, technology, and manpower, it was impossible to build.

After returning to Gaoquan Palace, Fusu would lie on the reclining chair in front of the hall, taking a midday nap as a habit of the young master.

Tian An was tidying up the documents and files brought by the young master. He also saw the map of the Epang Palace and looked at the young master who was taking a nap with his back to him.

He found an empty spot on the bookshelf and placed the scroll there.

Tian An then saw the lady looking at the "homework" that the two young masters had sent from Jingye County.

There was no such thing as homework before. It was only when the young master was teaching the young master Gao that the concept of homework came into being, and Princess Yinman also highly praised the method of learning by doing homework.

Ever since Tongguan was built, there has been talk of a project.

Tian An noticed that the lady's expression was still very good, even with a hint of a smile, it seemed that the two young masters' homework had satisfied her.

For now, things seem satisfactory. Once the two young masters return, the lady will revert to her strict motherly demeanor.

Tian An walked to the back of Gaoquan Palace and helped the palace maids there to dry the preserved vegetables. Now that the vegetables were dried, they could be eaten in the fall.

Prince Fusu was taking a midday nap. The Gaoquan Palace was very quiet, with the occasional sound of fish swimming in the pond.

With the warm sunlight shining on him, Tian An squinted as he carefully picked out the dried plums, discarding the bad ones.

No matter what the outside world is like, or how busy the country is, for Tian An, this home has always been peaceful.

Then Tian An washed several more earthenware jars, packed the first batch of dried plum vegetables into the jars, and had them delivered to the two young masters.

(End of this chapter)