The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 308 Young Master Gao's Book

Liu Fei naturally wanted to become someone like Uncle Xiao, someone who could govern a region.

Liu Fei had met Sima Xin and learned a lot from Uncle Xiao.

"The history of the nations is finished!"

People were cheering outside.

Upon hearing this, Liu Fei, who was sitting in the library, looked out the window.

Someone arrived with a cart full of boxes, all of which were books, including "History of the States" compiled by Prince Gao.

The book describes the rise and fall of various states, as well as the events that followed their defeat.

To compile this book, Gongzi Gao traveled all over the Central Plains, to the Hexi Corridor in the northwest, and also to the lands of Chu, Qi, and even the easternmost point of the Great Wall.

When these books were delivered to the library, Liu Fei was the first person to see them.

After putting the books away, Liu Fei couldn't wait to open one and start reading, and before he knew it, night had fallen outside.

After everyone from the Imperial Academy left, Liu Fei lit an oil lamp and sat alone in the library, continuing to read. Each page turned seemed to represent the lives of countless people.

The rise and fall of states during the years of warring states seemed to never end the feuds between kings and nobles.

The book does not actually describe the glory of kings and nobles, but rather the people who died in every war, the devastation of the people's lives, and the people who were forced to migrate or go into exile because of the war.

By daybreak, Liu Fei had finished reading ten volumes.

However, the histories of various states consist of hundreds of volumes, which cannot be finished even in a day and a night.

At daybreak, people came to the library.

Today and tomorrow are Liu Fei's two days off, so he went back to Jingyang.

In May, Guanzhong is bursting with life. The fields of the Guanzhong Plain stretch as far as the eye can see, making it a great time for travel.

Ying Zheng and Li Si went to the imperial palace in the northern suburbs once again. The emperor, who was over fifty years old, looked at the deserted imperial palace in the northern suburbs and fell silent for a moment.

The warhorses that were kept at the imperial palace in the northern suburbs back then are no longer there.

Li Si reported: "The new emperor has sent the warhorses here to the north. From now on, horses will no longer be raised in the northern suburbs. They will be sent to Qizhou, which will become the horse breeding ground in Guanzhong."

Ying Zheng stopped outside the palace, looked at the palace built on the grass, and said in a low voice, "Even if I come back, I will have no more attachment to this place."

Li Si bowed respectfully and said nothing more.

Looking into the distance, Ying Zheng, who was over fifty years old, suddenly had a reddening in his eyes.

Afterwards, the First Emperor and his old prime minister simply took a spring outing and returned to Mount Li.

That night, candles were still lit in Zhangtai Palace, and Fusu was reviewing documents from various places. This year was the busy farming season, which was also the busiest time for the Qin court.

Seeing Tian An return, Fusu glanced up briefly, then continued flipping through the documents, asking, "Did Father stay in the northern suburbs?"

Tian An said, "They've all gone back."

Fusu asked, "Father, what have you seen and heard along the way?"

Tian An replied, "They said they saw vast fields and people working there. They said that Guanzhong was not as good as it used to be, and there is more land than before. The barren Weibei dry plateau is now full of grain. With so much grain, many Qin people can be fed."

As he spoke, Tian An wiped away his tears. He then felt that it was somewhat inappropriate for him to shed tears in front of the emperor, so he took a step back, turned his head to the side, and wiped his tears.

Fusu's gaze remained fixed on the documents. There was another important matter to discuss this year: the paper mill in Sanchuan County had been completed.

The papermaking workshop in Jingye County was different from that in Guanzhong. The workshop still mastered the printing technology, and all the printed books had to be reviewed by the Imperial Academy and approved by the old master Shusun Tong.

After Xiang Liang's death, anti-Qin sentiment did indeed show signs of dying out.

Furthermore, Fusu had not heard any news of people in that region plotting to rebel against Qin for some time.

However, the dissemination of books within the state must remain in its own hands. Fusu had no intention of relinquishing this power; as the remnants of the ideologies of the six former states still existed, Qin would maintain its centralized authority.

The original copy of "History of the States" has been sent to Mount Li. It is likely that the Emperor and his teachers will greatly appreciate the books written by his younger brother, Gao.

Meanwhile, his younger brother Gao Yijiu remained in Yongcheng, seemingly having accepted the mission of the Imperial Clan Head, guarding the ancestral lands of the Qin royal family.

Fusu had read his historical records of various states, and some of the content and intentions in them were actually written under the persuasion of the new emperor himself.

This younger brother is very obedient; he will indeed write history according to my ideas as the new emperor.

Gao Hui is the next great-grandfather and holds the greatest power in the Qin royal family, which is something Fusu can give him.

After returning to Gaoquan Palace, Fusu picked up his daughter and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry?"

This daughter can only babble.

Fusu placed her in the cradle and began preparing today's meal.

Tian An had prepared the stove long ago. Lately, the new emperor had been in a good mood, probably because he was governing the country smoothly and often had the mood to cook meals himself.

Fusu stewed a pot of fish soup, added some tofu, and sprinkled some scallions.

Spring and summer are the seasons when food is most abundant in Guanzhong.

The lady walked quickly over and picked up the little princess who was about to crawl out of the cradle.

Wang Tang'er carried the baby to her husband's side and said with a smile, "Look at this child, he doesn't want to sit in the cradle anymore just because he smells the fragrance."

Fusu said, "When she grows up a bit more, I'll make her even more delicious food."

The child is very quiet when she sits in her mother's lap; she is playing with her mother's long hair.

They told Granny Wang to take the child to rest, and the couple sat in the sunlight in front of the hall to have their meal.

These are the times when the young master is most relaxed. If only things could always be like this, without the heavy burden of state affairs.

Tian An thought to himself, but then felt that this was impossible, since the emperor would have to work hard for the country his whole life.

Fusu served a bowl of fish soup to Tian An.

In June, Guanzhong enters the height of summer.

Some say that the current emperor is very filial. He has always hoped that the old prime minister could come to Xianyang, not to handle state affairs, but to retire there.

Or perhaps the emperor hoped that his father would come to Xianyang.

When the new emperor sent people to persuade them again, but to no avail, he stopped bothering the two old people on Mount Li.

Since last winter, Mount Li has been heavily guarded, with armored soldiers stationed at the foot of the mountain, making it impossible for even a rabbit to enter.

Meng Tian personally came to Mount Li, inspected the troops below the mountain one by one, and even replaced their weapons with better ones.

On the mountain, Ying Zheng looked at the hot spring pool that had been drained and ordered his men to clean the bottom of the pool.

Li Si stepped forward and said, "Meng Tian requests permission to go up the mountain to pay his respects."

"No, let him go back."

"Yes."

Li Si turned to look at the eunuch beside him, and the eunuch, understanding the meaning, quickly left.

Ying Zheng said, "Back then, you were so suspicious of Meng Tian. Do you think Meng Tian would hold a grudge against you?"

Li Si replied, "General Meng Tian is now the Grand Commandant, he won't care, and he certainly won't hold a grudge against this old minister."

(End of this chapter)