The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 268 Going North

Liu Ying, who was pulled aside, said, "Uncle! I want to see Xiang Ji, at least to see what he looked like before he died."

The originally fierce-looking Fan Kuai suddenly became more affectionate after his nephew addressed him as "Uncle," and said seriously, "My elder brother and Xiang Ji are both heroes. Heroes are happy to see each other, so why would I kill him?"

Liu Ying asked, "What were Father and Xiang Ji talking about?"

Fan Kuai's face showed a hint of annoyance, and he waved his hand as if shooing away a small animal, trying to drive Liu Ying away.

"uncle!"

Upon hearing his call, Fan Kuai sighed and had no choice but to allow him to go to the front of the house.

Xiang Ji's reputation in Chu has only spread in the last six months. He specializes in punishing bad people, but he doesn't kill them. He often ties up bad people and brings them to the county government gate.

People like Xiang Ji became admired by the children of Chu.

Who wouldn't envy such a carefree life?

Liu Ying still didn't see what Xiang Ji looked like, but he did see a very beautiful black horse and a tall figure who disappeared as he walked along the mountain path into the forest.

Liu Ji met Xiang Ji, but only confiscated his sword. As the county magistrate, he naturally could not allow privately held weapons to exist in the county.

As for Xiang Ji, he was simply let go. Even when the prefect of Pengcheng asked, he was told that he had mistaken Xiang Ji for someone else.

Liu Ying returned home with a disappointed look. Since her father became the county magistrate, her mother had rarely lost her temper and had become even nicer to her father.

But Liu Ying had not seen his elder brother Liu Fei for a long time; since he went to Guanzhong, he had not sent any letters.

Occasionally, only Uncle Xiao would send letters, mentioning the recent situation of his elder brother Liu Fei.

Liu Ying pondered that he should wait until he was a few years older before he could go to Guanzhong.

We had another guest today. This guest is the new volunteer teacher, Sima Xi.

In Liu Ying's view, ever since her father became the county magistrate and was known as the Duke of Pei, he would visit whenever someone came to the county.

Liu Ying could hear her father's conversation with the volunteer teacher Sima Xi in the front hall from the back room.

During the conversation, Liu Ying learned that the emperor was still on a western tour this year and had not returned to Xianyang, and that the person in charge of state affairs was still Prince Fusu.

In recent years, many officials have been promoted, and many people have come to Chu to teach.

With the arrival of this volunteer teacher, he also brought many books to the Chu region.

Prefect Wu of Sanchuan Commandery planned to build a large printing workshop there, and also to construct the city of Luoyang.

Master Xi said this was a great matter. Prince Fusu no longer focused on Guanzhong. Now that Guanzhong is prosperous, it is time to develop eastward and build the whole world into a place like Guanzhong. In the future, Chu will also be like Guanzhong, with many books, inexhaustible food, and countless students.

The sheer abundance of food alone is enough to inspire imagination.

Liu Ying dared not imagine what it would be like for his elder brother to have an endless supply of grain in Guanzhong. He still remembered that before his father became the county magistrate, whenever the harvest was bad, the family's grain had to be shared with his uncle's family, and his mother often got angry.

Now that my father is a county magistrate, we finally have enough food to eat. But when I think of Guanzhong, where there is an endless supply of grain, I wonder what a wonderful place it would be.

To this day, many guests come to visit my father. Whenever they talk about Guanzhong, they say it is a wonderful place. There are scholars who are knowledgeable about the past and present and whose learning is unparalleled in the world, as well as the most powerful Qin army, endless fields, and inexhaustible grain.

That's pretty much what they said.

If only one or two people said this, Liu Ying would think it was a lie, but since everyone said it, Liu Ying naturally felt that it must be a beautiful place.

If you are an ambitious person who wants to showcase your talents, then you must go to Guanzhong at least once in your life, and one day you will be appointed to the position of Prime Minister.

He went to Guanzhong and was appointed to the Prime Minister's office, thus becoming an official from a commoner.

This was something that ordinary people in the past would never have dared to even dream of.

After Master Xi left, Liu Ying went to the front hall.

Upon seeing his son arrive, Liu Ji said, "From now on, you will enjoy studying with your teacher."

Liu Ying asked, "If I go to Guanzhong after this, will I not be able to see my father and mother for many years?"

Speaking of this matter, Liu Ji thought of his wife, Lü Zhi. Lü Zhi was a very strong-willed woman, and even now that he was the county magistrate, she remained the same.

In her view, children must be kept in the care of the school; only in this way will their future be different.

Holding his son's hand, Liu Ji thought to himself, "Aren't those children who don't study in Guanzhong doing just as well?"

But Lü Zhi didn't think so. She believed that if the Liu family wanted to go further, the children's education had to be the best.

She always says she wants to think about the family, and she does take good care of it. Sometimes she can even make decisions for her husband.

With a mother like that, I wonder what will become of Liu Ying in the future.

Liu Ji said, "I'll do whatever your mother says."

"Mm," Liu Ying responded, without saying anything more.

In the summer of the forty-first year of the First Emperor's reign, Prince Gao arrived in Langya County and met Fan Zeng again. Fan Zeng, sitting by the sea, remained calm and composed. He said, "I told you that Prince Fusu would be in charge of state affairs for a long time. The Emperor has been on a western tour for a year now and has not yet returned to Xianyang."

"Father is here to inspect the northern border defenses."

Fan Zeng added, "I think that once the emperor returns to Xianyang, he will pass the throne to Prince Fusu."

Gao took out a scroll and said, "This is Huan Chu's punishment. He participated in Xiang Liang's rebellion against Qin, but fortunately he did not harm others. He only participated in the planning and was sent to the north to build the Great Wall for ten years. He was released after ten years."

Fan Zeng's smile finally vanished, and he murmured, "This child is just too sentimental, hmm..."

After a brief pause, Fan Zeng resumed his playful old man expression and said, "Hmm, Huan Chu shouldn't be so sentimental. People who are sentimental don't live long."

Gongzi Gao said, "However, after he completes ten years of hard labor, he will be able to return to your side, but because of his crime, his family and descendants will not be able to serve as officials."

Fan Zeng scoffed, "Qin law is harsh; it's only because Prince Fusu is confused that he's still alive."

Knowing that Huan Chu could return, Fan Zeng's eyes brightened, and he asked in a low voice, "I've heard that a chivalrous hero named Xiang Ji has recently appeared in Chu?"

Gao replied, "Yes."

"Xiang Liang is dead, and the Xiang clan is scattered far and wide, leaving only the indecisive Xiang Bo. It seems there won't be any more trouble." Fan Zeng stroked his beard and said, "You actually captured that chivalrous Xiang Ji?"

“We interrogated dozens of people, as well as those who were arrested in Songyi or other former nobles of Chu. They all identified Xiang Liang as the one who rebelled against Qin. Xiang Liang’s sons and nephews were just following him and did not participate in the rebellion. The comparison with the witnesses proves that they did not do evil.”

Knowing that Fan Zeng was about to object, Gao added, "Those who break the law should naturally be punished. The Qin law must be trusted by the people. My elder brother was taught by Han Fei and often reads the classics passed down by Shang Yang. He killed Xiang Liang because his crime was unforgivable."

Fan Zeng said, "I still remember that when officials break the law, the punishment is several times more severe than that for commoners. Their families and relatives will be exiled, fined, or even beheaded."

“Yes,” Gao replied, “but Xiang Liang ultimately did not raise an army.”

Fan Zeng said, "If Xiang Liang raises an army, the Xiang clan will truly be wiped out."

Gao nodded and said, "The Prime Minister's Office's conviction is very clear. It all ends here: Xiang Liang murdered Han Zhong, bribed Yin Tong, and joined forces with the old nobles of Chu to provide money and plot against Qin. That's the end of it."

Gao then recounted the events of the night Xiang Liang was arrested.

After listening, Fan Zeng sighed and said, "Xiang Liang knew his fate long ago. Once the Qin army found him, he would not survive. So he sent his sons and nephews away, leaving only himself, Xiang Liang, to cover the rear. He knew that Prince Fusu was a fair man, which is why he believed in Prince Fusu's character and that his sons and nephews would not suffer the same fate."

The facts are ironic, and they also proved that Xiang Liang was right.

Xiang Liang, who was determined to overthrow the Qin Dynasty, managed to save his nephews and nieces by trusting Prince Fusu's character.

Everyone in the world knows that Prince Fusu is a man of his word, fair in his actions, strict with officials, and loves the people.

According to Fan Zeng, Gao heard that Xiang Lianggong, whom he considered suspicious, actually believed in Prince Fusu of Qin, who wanted to rebel against Qin, before his death.

Xiang Liang also died by the river.

Zhang Ping stood guard by Gongzi Gao's side, thinking that the young master could easily send him to capture Xiang Yu.

But the young master never gave any instructions.

Previously, Zhang Ping did not know the reason, but now he did. It was because Prince Gao respected Prince Fusu very much. If he rashly went to find Xiang Ji, it would not only embarrass the other party, but also cause the prince to have something to say about him.

Let Xiang Ji remain a wandering hero in Jiangdong; the world still belongs to Qin, and the state of the world remains stable.

Xiang Liang's death served as a warning to those who hid in various places and wanted to rebel against Qin.

As long as they dare to raise an army or break the law, the Qin army will keep searching for them for ten or twenty years until they find them.

This is the lesson Xiang Liang learned. Since Dr. Qin and Han Zhong were murdered, Qin Jun has been investigating this case for eight years without ever letting up.

Gongzi Gao met Fuzi Lang and Xu Fu again. The two of them were still living their lives peacefully as before.

As a county magistrate, Xu Fu naturally had some worries about governing the people and the county.

Having taught in rural areas for many years, I often get angry at some of the students.

But these are all ordinary things.

On a fishing boat by the sea, Gao poured wine for the two men and said, "The history of Chu is finished."

Xu Fu and Lang raised their wine bowls and drank together.

Lang asked, "Is the young master returning to Xianyang?"

Gao Dao said, “I want to go to the Northeast to see what the North is like now after the Donghu were destroyed. I want to record what the grasslands are like after Maodun’s death and write them into the history books.”

History is like an endless book. For Prince Gao, this book is very heavy. He needs to travel all over the Central Plains and spend his whole life writing it.

Xu Fu ate the fish and said, "Once winter comes, the north will be freezing cold."

“It’s alright. Du Shuichang is also in the north. I can help him when I go there.”

(End of this chapter)