The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 306 Returning as Before

Li sat in the study, listening to the teacher, Xi, explain the law. The teacher giving this lesson was a prefect named Yin Tong.

Because of Yin Tong, many Chu people who opposed Qin were implicated.

There were more than fifty students listening to this lesson, and the teacher tried his best to speak louder so that everyone could hear him clearly.

Li's seat was in the row closest to the window. Looking to her side, she could see a group of people her age sitting at the table, listening intently.

These people were all around his age, and like him, they were all born in the era after Qin unified the six kingdoms.

The deeds of the six kings and nobles were already written in history books for them, but for Grandpa and the old prime minister, these were things they had experienced before.

In fact, Master Xi was only five or six years older than himself.

However, Confucius had been to the Chu region and was more familiar with Yin Tong's case.

At the end of the lesson, Confucius said that there would be many more people like Yin Tong, and that such people could not be eradicated; they would appear in Qin in various forms.

Li listened quietly, but then heard Confucius say, "There will always be struggles between people. People like Yin Tong are like rats in the field. You can't kill them all or exterminate them all. This is the contradiction between people's hearts and the law."

Upon hearing this, Li understood somewhat; a perfect country should not have someone like Yin Tong.

But no one in this world can be perfect; only stricter laws can improve it.

After Confucius finished speaking, the students present all agreed.

After the class ended, Li went to the riverbank alone and walked from the Wei River all the way to the Jingye Canal.

It is the busy farming season. Due to spring plowing in various parts of Guanzhong, the water level in the canals is very low, and some terracotta dikes are showing signs of collapse.

Li knew that this canal was dug under the supervision of his father, the emperor, and that it had existed since he could remember.

Today, after hearing what Master Xi said, Li recalled what his father had said a long time ago: the construction of the canal is not something that can be done in a year or two.

After the canal is repaired, manpower and resources must be continuously sent to maintain it.

Building a canal is not a one-time solution, just as governing a country is not a one-time solution.

People like Yin Tong cannot be killed off completely, but stricter laws can be enacted, even against their families. Nowadays, many people still support the emperor's policy of punishing officials who break the law many times over, and even their families.

In the Guanzhong Plain during springtime, the night breeze still carries a chill.

Li was having a meal with the old master.

"Why isn't General Zhang Han joining us for dinner today?" Li asked, then looked at the old scholar.

General Zhang Han would usually dine with the old scholar.

But not today.

Shusun Tongdao said, "I find him annoying just looking at him. After all these years, he still has no manners when it comes to meals."

These words made Li, who was eating, subconsciously slow down the speed at which he ate his noodles.

Shusun Tong chewed on his noodles and said in a low voice, "Young master, it's alright."

Li gave an awkward smile.

“Young master has been good at eating since he was a child.”

Li put down his bowl and chopsticks, and after the old master finished eating, he picked up the bowls and chopsticks for both of them.

He picked up the bucket by the house, poured the water into the basin to soak the bowls and chopsticks, and then sat down to wash them patiently.

This was how the master and his apprentice usually lived; their lives were always peaceful and quiet.

Shusun Tong also went outside and sat down next to the young master. He said, "We have brought some clothes from the palace. Please try them on, young master. If they don't fit, take them to the palace to be repaired."

Li picked up the washed dishes, shook off the water, and said, "Today, I have come to understand a principle."

Shusun Tong stroked his beard and asked, "What principle does the young master understand?"

Li said in a low voice, "Sometimes, I am looking for ways to govern a country, but in recent years I have read through the books of various states and philosophers, but I have found nothing. People talk about the past, but no one talks about the future."

Shusun Tong nodded.

"I believe that people are used to using past experience to judge what will happen in the future. But I believe that now that Qin has unified the world, the governance experience of the feudal lords is no longer sufficient."

"Young master, you are still young, so we cannot say that your past experience is useless."

Li said, “Teacher, I believe that governing a country is like repairing canals and controlling water. There is never a way to solve the problem once and for all. The construction of a country is to repair the deficiencies. We must discover the shortcomings of the country, acknowledge past mistakes and correct or make up for them. To gain the trust of the people, we must be realistic, fair and just. Otherwise, the country will lose the trust of the people, and the people will not trust the officials of the country.”

Shusun Tong nodded and said, "What you say is very true, young master."

Li sat to the side, gazing at the night sky, his eyes shining again.

After the young master went to rest, Shusun Tong was still sitting outside, holding a small dog in his arms. The dog seemed to feel cold and was snuggling into Shusun Tong's arms.

Another cold night wind blew by, and Shusun Tong, comforting the puppy in his arms, was still pondering.

Just then, the sound of hooves approached, and the warhorse came close. It was Zhang Han who dismounted.

The little dog, which had been nestled in Shusun Tong's arms, perked up and looked up at the newcomer.

Zhang Han looked around and asked again, "Where is the young master?"

Shusun Tong replied, "I'm resting."

After saying this, Shusun Tong put the noodles he had prepared into the pot to cook, and said, "I know you are on duty in Xianyang and will not be back until late at night. I am old and cannot finish so many noodles, so I have saved some for you." Zhang Han sat on a small stool to the side and took a bowl of hot water from Shusun Tong.

The hot water could be felt flowing through his stomach and intestines, and at least he didn't feel so cold anymore. Zhang Han added, "In a few days, the weather will warm up."

Shusun Tong scooped out the cooked noodles and then took out chopsticks to serve to Zhang Han.

Zhang Han ate his noodles in big mouthfuls, then added a few more mouthfuls of radish.

Seeing that everyone was eating, Shusun Tong picked up the puppy again and sat down, this time sitting a little further away from Zhang Han.

Because Zhang Han still eats the same way he always has: when food enters his mouth, soup and broth fly everywhere. He has been like this for many years, and he hasn't changed since returning from the Hexi Corridor.

"The young master told me something today."

Zhang Han swallowed the noodles in his mouth and asked in confusion, "What did the young master say?"

“In the past, the young master was always looking for a way to govern the country, but the young master said that there is no way to solve the problem once and for all in this world. There is no way to govern the country once and for all. The only way is to face the difficulties of governing the country and make repairs and corrections every year.”

Zhang Han said, "Many years ago, the emperor also said something similar, but not about governing the country, but about building canals."

Shusun Tongdao said, “The young master is also intelligent, studious and humble. He trusts me too much. If it were someone else... he would not tell others his thoughts, but keep them to himself.”

Zhang Han had finished a bowl of noodles and put the bowl and chopsticks aside. Seeing that there were still some tea eggs, he picked one up. Although it had cooled down, it still tasted delicious.

Shusun Tongdao said, "Actually, what the young master said is not entirely correct. No one will become what the other imagines. No official in the world will become what the young master imagines. People... are not immutable, so... there will inevitably be struggles and rebellions."

The old master said something very pessimistic.

"If the young master heard this, he would be unhappy. After all, it was the answer that this child had been searching for for so long. I will only tell you this now."

Zhang Han kept a straight face and didn't say much.

Shusun Tong handed Zhang Han a small pottery pot and asked, "Do you know what this is?"

Zhang Han asked, puzzled, "What is this?"

"This is soy sauce."

Seeing that Zhang Han still looked puzzled, Shusun Tong continued, "A few days ago, someone from the palace sent over a dish called braised pork. They said the secret recipe is this soy sauce. I can't finish it; it's too salty."

Zhang Han opened the small pot, took a sip, and said, "It is a bit salty."

Shusun Tong then asked, "Do you know what this thing is used for?"

Zhang Han asked, "Drinking?"

Shusun Tong shook his head and said, "With this, we can cook food. In recent years, the beans in Weibei have had bumper harvests one after another, and the granaries in Guanzhong are full of beans. These beans are used to brew soy sauce. As long as there are people brewing soy sauce, there will be workshops."

Zhang Han frowned and said, "We should plant more beans in the Hexi Corridor."

How many beans can be grown in the Hexi Corridor?

“There are many. Beans can be grown in the Hexi Corridor in the summer and harvested before autumn. The days there are longer than in Guanzhong.”

Shusun Tong usually disliked Zhang Han's manners, but he still appreciated Zhang Han's insights. This general was good at everything except for his lack of manners.

Shusun Tong's hint was quite clear, and Zhang Han said, "I can help build a workshop for brewing soy sauce."

After talking for so long, he finally heard what he wanted to hear, and Shusun Tong breathed a sigh of relief.

The next day, Zhang Han woke up early. He didn't go to Xianyang for his shift that day, as it was his day off, so he stayed in the county to help build the workshop.

Having served as a border guard in the Northwest for many years and now holding a position in Xianyang, Zhang Han still enjoys great prestige in the county after returning.

General Zhang Han raised his arm and called out, and the people of the county gathered together.

Lang disliked wearing the black robes of the Imperial Academy, preferring instead to wear patched coarse cloth clothes. He watched people building workshops with a smile on his face, and then said to the teacher beside him, "If I don't go to the Imperial Academy, I won't understand the things about your Imperial Academy."

The Master said, "I can teach you."

Lang chewed on the jerky and said, "This jerky is delicious."

"The dried meat sent from the north is so plentiful that the border troops can eat it as food."

Lang found it delicious because he often ate this kind of dried meat when he was fighting the Xiongnu at the Great Wall.

The master asked impatiently, "Are you going to the Imperial Academy or not?"

"Don't go."

Lang answered decisively, "I won't wear such nice clothes. I'm used to these tattered clothes."

Master Zizhui now has neat hair and beard, wears a black robe, and looks very energetic.

Lang's long hair was a bit messy, and her clothes looked like they hadn't been changed in many years.

The Master said, “If you miss this opportunity, you won’t get another one.”

Lang lay there lazily and said, "I'm used to my usual relaxed lifestyle."

"I'll arrange a study room for you, and you can continue teaching from now on."

"Thank you." Lang continued to look at the lively scene before him, a smile on his face.

A child ran up and said, "Teacher, the general said that once the workshop's beams are in place, he will make mutton buns for us to eat."

(End of this chapter)