The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 285 Brotherhood
Sima Xin nodded and said, "This is a message from Xianyang City."

More than twenty years have passed since Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin failed, and Xin Sheng and Wang Jian attacked the State of Yan.

Xin Sheng still remembers Qin King Zheng, who once wanted to march east and unify the six kingdoms. He slowly raised his head to look at Sima Xin and asked, "Where is the emperor?"

Sima Xin said, "Mount Li."

Xin Sheng coughed twice and then said, "This old man is going to see the Emperor."

The old general was indeed qualified to see the emperor; even if he couldn't, it would be good for him to wait for news down the mountain.

Subsequently, Sima Xin personally prepared a carriage and took the old general to Mount Li.

Since Wang Jian passed away, Xin Sheng has rarely spoken to strangers. His life was almost the same as Wang Jian's, but he did not have the same brilliance.

But sometimes, Xin Sheng was also glad that he hadn't made as many military achievements as Wang Jian.

As winter approaches in Guanzhong, whenever the cold northwest wind blows across Mount Li, it makes the weather feel even colder.

The emperor's palace stood atop Mount Li, where Ying Zheng often stood to gaze upon the scenery of Guanzhong and overlook the vast Qin Plain.

The scenery is truly different from before; it seems to have been completely renewed, especially under the warm sunshine. When the sunlight shines on the fields, Li often wonders what his father's ideal was.

Li Si strode over, bowed, and said, "Xin Sheng has arrived."

Ying Zheng sat in a newly made, spacious rocking chair, with Sun Zili beside him. The chair rocked slightly as he asked, "What is he doing here?"

Li Si reported: "He has come to pay his respects to the emperor."

Li hurriedly said, "Grandson, go see him."

Ying Zheng nodded and did not stop his grandson.

Li Si watched the young master leave and stood beside the emperor.

At the foot of the mountain, Li finally persuaded Xin Sheng to let the old man return. Mount Li was too high for him at his age to climb, and the emperor refused to see him.

Xin Sheng looked up at the top of Mount Li, and could only bow and pay his respects before letting Sima Xin lead him away.

After finishing these tasks, Li ate some dates as he returned to the mountaintop. He went back to his residence in the Lishan Palace, a small hall with simple furnishings filled with books.

Li has loved reading since he was a child. Since moving here to live with his grandfather, the emperor, he has asked the palace to bring many books.

When he had free time, Li would read these books.

"I've heard that the young master enjoys reading."

Upon hearing this, Li looked up and, seeing it was Li Si, bowed and said, "Prime Minister."

Li Si nodded and looked at the bookshelf next to him. Scrolls of books were placed on the shelf, some made of bamboo slips and others of paper.

"Why are there bamboo slips among the books here?"

Li replied, "These are all old books from the Xianyang Palace from a long time ago, and they were not printed on paper."

Li Si took one of the scrolls and said, "Gongzi Heng also enjoys reading."

Li said, "Yes, my brother has read more books and is more intelligent than I have. Even some of the scholars in Tongguan do not know as much as my brother."

The two young masters received the best education in the world.

Moreover, Prince Fusu and his wife were particularly strict in educating their two young sons, and these two children learned more than their peers from a young age.

Li then asked, "My father is going to become the next emperor of Qin. Will the Prime Minister still help my father govern the country?"

Li Si sat down to the side and said, "I'm old."

Li knew that the Prime Minister's visit was probably just to relax, as the Prime Minister usually went hunting with the Emperor at Mount Li.

"It's been cold lately, Prime Minister, please wear more clothes."

Hearing his still somewhat immature words, Li Si said, "Are you trying to ask me if I no longer want to help your father govern the country?"

"I dare not be disrespectful. My father respects the Prime Minister very much. Even if the Prime Minister does not help my father, I will still respect the Prime Minister."

Li Si stroked his white beard and said, "I am truly old and no longer have the strength to help your father."

Li saw disappointment in Li Si's eyes. It was because Li Si's ambitions had not yet been realized and his life's ideals had not yet been achieved, yet he himself had grown old.

Li sat silently at the desk, his eyes still fixed on the book. He felt that his grandfather and the prime minister were both men of great ambition, and that what they had done in their lives was something that no one before them had ever accomplished.

But their ideals were so lofty that they were unattainable, even now.

Looking back, the country is still not well governed, but they have grown old.

Governing a country is no easy task. It took a generation of Qin people, and a generation of their lives, until now the country is about to be handed over to the next generation.

The Prime Minister really can no longer help his father. Li guessed that this might also be related to his grandfather, but he could not voice his guess.

Li was used to hiding his suspicions and then facing others with innocence.

Seeing that the young master was still reading, Li Si felt it was not good to disturb him any longer and left.

When a palace maid was about to bring a plate of sour dates to the young master's palace, Li Si said, "The young master is reading, please do not disturb him."

The palace maid lowered her head and replied, "This is what the young master instructed. He said he wants to eat more sour dates lately."

Li Si picked up one or two, put them in his mouth and ate them, then ordered, "Send them over."

"Yes." Li remained seated, reading a book, when the sour dates were placed before him. He asked, "Has the Prime Minister left?"

The palace maid glanced back and replied, "The Prime Minister has gone far away."

Li put down the book in his hand, frowned, ate a sour jujube, and then instructed, "Prepare pen and ink, I want to write a letter."

When the writing brush and ink were brought, Li spread out a sheet of paper and began writing a letter to her elder brother.

He wanted to inform his elder brother that the prime minister was no longer willing to assist their father.

Although his elder brother was stationed on the northern border, he wanted to tell his brother about everything that had happened in Xianyang recently.

The two brothers should work together and keep in touch with each other. In the letter, the brother inquired about the situation in the north.

In Li's mind, only when he and his brother are united enough can they help their father govern the country. The two brothers have read their uncle's history books and have seen the stories of royal families fighting each other for power.

This also made Li realize deeply that he must not only study hard so that he can use his knowledge to govern the country in the future, but also continue to maintain good relations with his elder brother, as he knows how hard-won this family is today.

After writing the letter, he put it into a leather case, and then, with his rather clumsy knitting skills, he sewed the opening of the leather case closed. He then sewed it into a newly delivered winter coat. After doing all this, he put the winter coat into a bundle and handed it to a palace maid standing nearby.

The palace maid was three years older than her and had been placed by her mother. She handed the bundle to her and instructed, "Go find Grandpa Tian'an's eunuch and have them give this winter coat to my brother in the north."

“But…” She first took the bundle and said in a low voice, “This is for the young master from the madam; the eldest young master can’t fit into it.”

But seeing Li's expression, she knew there was no room for doubt, so she didn't ask for the reason and hurriedly replied, "I'll go and arrange it right away."

Once the letter is sent out, the palace maid will truthfully inform her mother.

Li had secret correspondence with his elder brother, which his mother and father would both know about. However, he did not want the Prime Minister to know, so as not to cause a rift between the Prime Minister and his father.

Although the prime minister was no longer willing to help his father govern the country, his kindness to his father was a beautiful story for the world to hear.

Li didn't want this beautiful story to have any flaws.

My clumsy methods will surely be seen through by my father, but that doesn't matter. In this world, the only people who can see through all my thoughts and secrets and still love me as always are my father and mother.

Li only felt comfortable in front of his father, mother, and older brother.

As for others, Li always maintains a higher level of caution.

After finishing these tasks, Li went outside the palace.

Seeing the young master walk outside the hall, a deer that was lying outside the hall also stood up. It walked to the young master's side, raised its high antlers, and looked around, as if helping the young master to be alert to his surroundings.

Li patted its back and walked along the mountain path, just to clear his mind.

The deer stayed by his side the whole time, and if the young master got tired, he could sit on its back.

As night fell, Li gathered a lot of fruit from the mountains and returned to the palace at Mount Li, placing it in front of his grandfather.

Ying Zheng asked, "Did you pick them?"

"Hmm." Li nodded, giving some dates and persimmons to his grandfather, and added, "They'll all spoil after winter."

Ying Zheng picked up a date, chuckled, and put it in his mouth to chew. As he chewed, his mustache moved along with it. He said in a low voice, "You secretly sent out a package today."

"That's for my brother."

Ying Zheng asked in a low voice, "What's in the bundle?"

Li replied, "There is a secret letter for my elder brother."

Ying Zheng chuckled and said, "It's definitely not a good thing."

Li grinned but didn't say much.

Then, a eunuch came in carrying a copper pot filled with mutton soup, with dried vegetable leaves and some chopped green onions floating in the soup.

It was already night outside, and a cold wind was howling through the air. The guards standing outside the palace felt a chill on their faces, and when they looked up, they saw snowflakes falling with the wind.

Then the wind gradually subsided, but the snow became heavier and heavier.

In the early morning, the heavy snow had not yet stopped. Before the winter solstice, it started snowing heavily again in Guanzhong. When people looked at today's calendar, they realized that there were still three days until the winter solstice.

Zhang Han went to the canal early to fetch a bucket of water and came to the door of Shusun Tong's house to boil the water.

Shusun Tong got up early, glanced at the heavy snow outside, frowned and remained silent. Seeing Zhang Han boiling water, he stepped forward and said, "General, you don't need to do these things."

Zhang Han said, "You raised my child, what's this little thing?"

Shusun Tong said in a low voice, "I've already told you, your son doesn't eat food for nothing."

Zhang Han said, "They were taught and raised by the old master."

"How is Zhang Jing doing up north?"

Over the years, Zhang Jing had treated Shusun Tong almost like his own grandfather. Zhang Han replied, "This child fought against the Donghu, so he has fought in battles."

"That child will be like you, a general in the future."

"Ah."

Seeing that Zhang Han only responded, Shusun Tong turned his head away and refused to talk to him anymore. After so many years, he was still the same as before, not even as good as his son.

(End of this chapter)