The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 307 Kind People
As the new workshops in Jingye County were about to be built, people from other counties in Weinan often came to visit and see what the newly built workshops in Jingye County would look like.

Zhang Han divided the laborers into six teams and listed each team as a "corps leader". These people were not military corps leaders, but were divided according to the military's appointment system.

The division of labor must be meticulous, and the workers must be able to follow orders; these were Zhang Han's requirements.

There weren't many people involved in building the soy sauce workshop this time, only about ten, but that was enough.

Zhang Han sat on the grass at the foot of Shangyan Mountain, calculating the timber and bricks needed for the construction.

Before long, Gongzi Li strode over and handed over a scroll of paper.

Zhang Han respectfully accepted the paper.

Li explained, "These are blueprints for making soy sauce."

"Thank you, sir."

"General, there's no need for thanks. Grandpa Tian is willing to share the secret recipe for soy sauce with the world."

Zhang Han opened the blueprints and looked at their contents.

"Before the great victory of the Northern Expedition, Grandpa Tian always thought that more Xiongnu people would freeze to death in the cold winter. Now that the Northern Expedition has been a great success, Grandpa is thinking that people's food can be more abundant."

Zhang Han's gaze remained fixed on the blueprints, while the young master's words still echoed in his ears.

Reiya sat on the grass, basking in the warm sunshine, while a group of children played nearby.

"Grandpa Tian once said what my father once said: This world is actually very big. It is vast and rich in resources, and each of the north, south, east and west has its own advantages. Qin is the country with the largest and most extensive land among the dynasties in the past thousand years."

After reviewing the blueprints, Zhang Han said, "This humble general now knows how to build a soy sauce workshop."

As they were talking, seeing that the other party was about to return the blueprints, Li said again, "General, please keep these blueprints."

Zhang Han nodded once again.

Seeing that it was almost time, Li went to Tongguan.

Zhang Ping was leading a group of even younger children, and he was distributing cakes to them. "Listen carefully," he said, "the emperor said that we should eat more so that we can grow strong and build up the country."

A group of children nodded in agreement.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Han suddenly smiled. He put away the blueprints the prince had given him and thought to himself: Yes, the emperor hopes that our children can eat better and grow up strong so that they can protect their homeland and build a better country.

Upon returning to the county, Zhang Han informed Shusun Tong about the construction plans.

Shusun Tong looked at the blueprints and said, "It seems that Jingye County has gained the upper hand again this time."

Nowadays, Zhang Han's life is no longer as difficult as it used to be, but he still hesitated and said, "With this workshop, there will be more work to do."

Shusun Tongdao: "We people in Jingye County have known for a long time that wealth comes from hard work."

Zhang Han nodded, feeling that the old man was becoming more and more capable as he got older, but also more and more insightful.

"For eight hundred years, the states have been at war with each other. Everyone knows that only by strengthening themselves can they protect themselves. Those who rely on the alliance of other states and neglect their own will become the targets of other states' conquest. When Zhang Yi traveled among the states, did he ever advise them to strengthen themselves?"

Shusun Tong muttered to himself...

Zhang Han then put the blueprints away, placed them in a bamboo tube, and sealed them away.

"You don't intend to share the secret recipe for soy sauce with the counties," Shusun Tong said, looking at the bamboo tube in Zhang Han's hand.

Zhang Han replied, "The secret recipe for soy sauce is very simple; any outsider can figure it out at a glance. There's no need to hide it from us."

Shusun Tong said in a low voice, "So it's a simple secret recipe. Then there's no need to hide it anymore."

When the beams of the workshops in the county were lifted onto the roof, the women of the county took out baskets of hot mutton buns and distributed them to the workers. Most of the people who ate the mutton buns were children. People from the two neighboring counties would also happily come over to help if they took two or three when they passed by.

When Sima Xin saw that people from neighboring counties were going to Jingye County to help, he knew that this was another of Shusun Tong's tricks. He was using mutton buns to attract people. One bun could bring an extra laborer to the village, which was profitable no matter how you looked at it.

At that moment, Li Zuoche was also holding a steamed bun in his hand. He took a bite and said, "The mutton buns from Jingye County are indeed the best in Guanzhong."

For the remaining two days, Zhang Han visited nearby counties and prefectures.

Today, Zhang Han arrived in Jingyang County, north of the Wei River.

Cao Can, the magistrate of Jingyang County, received Zhang Han.

Upon learning that General Zhang Han had arrived, Liu Fei and Liu Ying also came to see the general.

Xiao He is currently busy with matters in Weibei and spends most of his time traveling.

Cao Can was in charge of all the affairs in the county.

Zhang Han entered the county government building and greeted Cao Can with great courtesy, saying, "County Magistrate Cao."

Cao Shen politely bowed and asked, "General, what brings you here?"

Zhang Han said, "Could we talk in the fields?"

"it is good."

Cao Shen readily agreed; how could he dare to contradict the general?

This general commands all the troops in Guanzhong. Even Cao Can's county soldiers must obey Zhang Han's orders, including Cao Can himself, the county magistrate.

The two walked in the fields outside, and Zhang Han bent down and said, "This is a very good place to grow beans."

Cao Shen leaned forward slightly in greeting and said, "Indeed."

"I want all your beans this year."

Upon hearing this, Cao Shen was in a dilemma and said, "We have to pay taxes on our beans."

Zhang Han said, "Jingye County has paid your taxes for you."

"This……"

Cao Shen was speechless for a moment. Everyone said that Jingye County was the richest county in Guanzhong. After all, everyone in Jingye County was dedicated to their work, which is why it was so wealthy.

It's good that someone is paying taxes to Jingyang County.

Whether or not the county residents will grow beans is still up in the air.

Zhang Han said, "Tomorrow, thirty carts of grain will be delivered to Jingyang in exchange for your harvest. This autumn, the bean harvest is abundant, and we will then exchange wheat for your beans. Once you have received thirty carts of grain, you cannot sell the beans to anyone else."

Cao Can countered, "Including taxes."

Zhang Han said, "Not only will I exchange a sufficient amount of wheat for beans with you, but I will also help you pay this year's land tax to Xianyang."

Cao Shen did not immediately agree. When seeing Zhang Han off, he added, "This matter still needs to be discussed with Prefect Xiao."

"Hmm." Zhang Han didn't say much, as if he had already expected Cao Can to say this, and then mounted his horse and left.

To be honest, Cao Can, standing by the roadside, was somewhat displeased. This Zhang Han seemed to think that it didn't matter whether he sold or not, since he had plenty of places to buy beans anyway.

The Guanzhong Plain is so vast; it's not like only Jingyang grows beans. Yes, it's definitely not just Jingyang.

Since Xiao He took office as the prefect, he was always on the move and would not return until night.

When Xiao He arrived at the county government, Liu Fei had already prepared a meal for everyone. Today, they would also have Chu wine from their hometown, Fengyi wine from Pei County.

When Liu Ying saw Xiao He return, he said, "Uncle Xiao, Father sent a letter today."

Xiao He sat down looking exhausted, without replying immediately.

Liu Fei appeared more composed than Liu Ying, who still harbored curiosity about Guanzhong and possessed a youthful liveliness.

Compared to Liu Ying, Liu Fei had been subjected to strange looks from the people of Pei County since childhood, and people in Pei County would talk about him because of his background.

But Liu Ying was different; he received the most love and care from the Liu family since childhood.

Liu Fei served Liu Ying a bowl of rice cooked from Pei County rice.

Smelling the aroma of the food, Liu Ying looked satisfied and said, "I've missed the food in Pei County so much these past six months."

Cao Shen smiled and said, "Ying, eat more."

After Cao Shen sat down, Liu Fei sat down next to Xiao He and said, "Father's letter also said that Fengyi in Pei County is to be expanded, and a new town needs to be built in Pei County first."

Xiao He did not reply immediately.

Seeing that Liu Ying was eating with his mouth full, Liu Fei said, "Father thinks it would be best to ask Uncle Xiao about this matter. If Uncle Xiao doesn't reply, Father will not build the new city."

Cao Shen drank his wine, looking quite frustrated. He thought to himself that Xiao He was managing so many things in Guanzhong and also had to consider Pei County, which was a thousand miles away. He must be living a very tiring life.

However, Cao Shen also felt that Xiao He was a good person. Liu Ji sent his two children to Guanzhong without saying a word, and Xiao He never uttered a single word of objection. Now, he was even asking Xiao He to plan for his Pei County. Liu Ji was really too shameless.

Xiao He watched as Liu Fei poured the wine into Guanzhong, and looking at this sensible child, he whispered, "Fei, is this wine from Fengyi?"

Liu Fei replied, "No, it's a winemaking family from Pei County. They settled in Guanzhong and made wine, but since they are too far away to use the water, soil, and grain from Chu, they dared not use the name of wine from outside the county. So they gave this wine a name: Xinfeng Wine."

Xiao He nodded and said, "I will write a reply to Liu Ji tonight."

Liu Fei's eyes lit up again, and he said, "Okay."

Xiao He picked up his chopsticks, and everyone began to eat.

During the meal, Cao Shen recounted Zhang Han's purpose for coming.

Xiao He said, "Whatever the General's plans, whatever he says, we will agree."

When the new emperor was still young, Zhang Han had been by his side. Faced with such a great general, Weibei could only listen to him.

After the meal, Liu Fei was still washing the dishes.

Xiao He had already written a letter to Liu Ji and was about to hand it to Liu Fei.

Watching Liu Fei wash the dishes, it's clear that this child didn't come from a good background and suffered a lot of criticism in Pei County, but Cao raised a good son.

A child who endured so much coldness and gossip back then, though we don't know what's going on inside that child.

Xiao He looked at Liu Fei and was speechless for a moment. Liu Fei was a very kind child. Liu Ji was a very blessed man to have such a kind son.

Even so, the world gave Liu Fei countless cold looks and comments.

Liu Fei still embraces the world with his kindness.

Xiao He knew that Cao Shen had spoken ill of Liu Ji in private, but Xiao He genuinely envied Liu Ji.

Xiao He handed the letter to Liu Fei and said, "Go to Tongguan and have someone deliver it to your father."

Liu Fei quickly dried his hands, took the letter, and said, "Alright, I'll have the steward of Tongguan arrange it tomorrow."

The night was beautiful; one could even see the clouds near the moon's afterglow. Xiao He sat down and asked, "Do you miss home?"

Liu Fei countered, "Uncle Xiao, do you miss home?"

"Hehe..." Xiao He suddenly laughed, patted Liu Fei on the back, and said, "Yes, of course I want to go back."

When does Uncle Xiao plan to go back?

Xiao He remained silent for a moment.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, and Liu Fei, sitting to the side, also looked up at the night sky.

Sometimes I feel that the night sky when I look up from Peixian is no different from the night sky in Guanzhong, and sometimes it feels different.

Xiao He said, “When we were in Pei County, we always heard people from Guanzhong say that Guanzhong was a very good place with an endless supply of food, a popular young master, and a bumper harvest every year, so everyone could live a very prosperous life.”

As he spoke, Liu Fei laughed. He had only realized after arriving in Guanzhong that the Guanzhong people talked about was not like that. There was a lot of land here, but it was all cultivated by people through their labor. The people here were wealthy, but that was also because of the abundance of land. They were only slightly richer than the people east of Hangu Pass.

Xiao He said, “But Guanzhong is indeed better than Pei County, better than any county in Chu. We came from Pei County, so naturally we should go back to Pei County. Here we will learn the methods of governance, the philosophy under the new emperor’s governance, and the origin of Guanzhong’s wealth. When we go back, we can use what we have learned to benefit Chu.”

Liu Fei sighed, "The new emperor has postponed the age at which we can join the army. We have to be twenty years old before we can serve in the army. I can study with Uncle Xiao in Guanzhong for a few more years."

The next day, Liu Fei took Liu Ying to Tongguan to study.

Liu Ying was already familiar with the rules here, and he went to the study early to read.

Liu Fei went straight to take up a post at the Imperial Academy, and today the Imperial Academy has another uninvited guest, Chen Ping.

Most of the teachers at the Imperial Academy disliked Chen Ping because he was not only the Director of the Imperial Academy but also the Censor.

This man was ordered by the Right Chancellor to inspect various counties on behalf of the Censorate, and he discovered many problems in those counties.

In fact, the officials in various counties also disliked Chen Ping, but Chen Ping was an imperial censor and had the power to submit memorials to the emperor.

When Liu Fei arrived at the Imperial Academy's library to organize the books, he heard from others that Chen Ping had come to apologize to Master Wang.

Liu Fei didn't have many friends at the Imperial Academy, but Master Wang was one of the people he was close to. He listened to the people around him discussing this matter for a while longer.

It turned out that when Chen Ping inquired about the teachers who volunteered in various places, he found that the identities of many of them were not unusual after several investigations.

Chen Ping felt guilty towards Master Wang and also troubled many other teachers to come and apologize, bringing with them a lot of paper and ink.

Liu Fei placed several volumes of books from the cart onto the bookshelf, then heard someone in the library whisper, "What do you think Chen Ping investigated the volunteer teachers for back then?"

“Our volunteer teachers have never been selfish. How could those who oppose the Qin Dynasty possibly infiltrate our ranks and go to remote areas to become volunteer teachers who suffer hardship and receive no reward?”

"That Chen Ping is truly despicable."

Liu Fei listened for only a moment, then calmly continued organizing the books in the library. His job at the Imperial Academy was to take stock of the books in the library every day and organize and classify them.

Therefore, as long as he was here, Liu Fei could see all the books in the Imperial Academy.

A few more days of peaceful life passed, and Liu Fei continued to stay in the library as usual, reading every day in order to become an official in the future civil service examination.

(End of this chapter)