The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 325 Zhang Liang's Belief

It was the third year of the reign of Emperor Xin of Qin, in late autumn.

Zhang Liang had been recuperating from a cold for a few days. When he woke up again on his bed, he saw a panda lying by the stove.

Ju was busy at work, with porridge cooking in a pot on the stove.

Zhang Liang sat on the bed, smelling the aroma of porridge, and his gaze fell on a roll of paper placed beside the bed.

The edges of the paper were rolled up and sealed with wax.

It seems it hasn't been opened yet.

Ju brought over a pot of stewed cured meat and said, "Let's eat first."

Before Zhang Liang could reply, he saw several children standing outside, looking at him with concern.

Zhang Liang knew that these children hoped his condition would improve so he could go back to teach them as soon as possible.

Ambition is the most important belief in a person's life. Zhang Liang once thought that in the three years since the new emperor ascended the throne, there have been many people who supported Prince Fusu.

Now that Prince Fusu has become the current emperor, he has even more supporters. All the teachers who went to rural areas to teach, and even the people who were educated by them, all support this new emperor.

This emperor was very powerful, powerful enough to inspire many people with his beliefs.

Therefore, if he had to pinpoint a single reason, Zhang Liang felt it could only be his belief.

Where did this emperor's beliefs come from, and how did they come about?

Zhang Liang remained puzzled by this.

As for what the emperor's beliefs were, that was something Zhang Liang had been searching for.

Zhang Liang sat up and felt that his breathing was much easier. Looking at the children outside the door, he got off the bed and sat down to have dinner with Ju.

Ju asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Feeling still a bit dizzy, Zhang Liang sat up and said, "Much better."

Ju picked up a slice of stewed cured meat, took a bite, and then wolfed down the rice.

When the children outside saw that Master Han appeared to be unharmed, they all ran off to inform their families.

After the child had gone far away, Zhang Liang opened the letter that was sealed with wax.

Ju explained, "This was sent to me by Magistrate Wu."

The letter was about the Imperial Academy, and it was mostly about trivial matters. It also mentioned that several students were about to return after studying in Tongguan.

After Ju finished eating, he left.

Zhang Liang sat for a while and felt less dizzy, so he tried to stand up, walk outside the bamboo house, and breathe in the fresh air. The autumn rain in Sichuan was still falling.

The distant Shu Mountains were also shrouded in moisture. Zhang Liang was still holding a letter in his hand, but when a gust of wind blew by, the letter in his hand was moving with the wind.

Just by rubbing my fingers together, I could feel that the thickness of the paper was off.

In the quiet house, the only sounds were my own breathing, the wind all around, and the rustling of the bamboo forest in the mountains behind the house as the wind blew.

Zhang Liang picked up the scroll of letters again, frowning as he looked at the contents. Suddenly, he felt that there was no need for Master Wang to write another letter about the matter at hand, as the document would naturally be delivered to Shu.

Zhang Liang sat down on the threshold in front of the house. There were already some white hairs at his temples, which were also fluttering in the wind.

The lazy panda was still inside. At this time of year, no matter how much you tug at it, it won't easily leave the house unless it's hungry.

Zhang Liang glanced at the panda inside the room, then looked back at the letter, carefully examining the edges of the paper.

Upon discovering a gap along the edge of the paper, Zhang Liang frowned and peeled it open. Sure enough, there was another, thinner sheet of paper inside, and what was written on this sheet was what Master Wang truly wanted to tell him.

What is written here is that the Imperial Censorate no longer investigates the teachers sent to teach in rural areas, and the records concerning Han Yuan from that year, as well as the records of Zhuo County and Sanchuan Prefecture, have all been destroyed.

After reading this short sentence, Zhang Liang lowered his head and pondered for a long time.

As another gust of wind blew by, Zhang Liang's thin robes fluttered in the wind, making him appear even more emaciated.

Despite the dizziness caused by the cold and high fever, Zhang Liang sat back down at the table and burned the paper.

The letter also had another meaning: the Censorate had stopped investigating, his identity had become legitimate, and he could live with this identity for the rest of his life without any worries.

Zhang Liang, sitting at the table, was still looking at the pot on it. The soup in the pot was still hot, and the stewed cured meat smelled really good.

Zhang Liang then looked at the panda lying beside him. This kind of creature really knows how to enjoy life; it can live however it wants.

The autumn rain was still falling outside, and occasionally a few drops of rain would fall from the windowsill into the house.

Zhang Liang said, "I'm sick, so no one will go to the mountains to cut bamboo for you tomorrow."

The panda remained lying nearby, even scratching its belly with its paw, seemingly unconcerned.

Zhang Liang smiled helplessly and fell asleep again.

This time, Zhang Liang slept for a long time, and when he woke up again, it was the morning of the next day.

Footsteps could be heard outside. It was Ju who had cut bamboo from the mountains again, so the panda wouldn't have to worry about food anymore.

Zhang Liang felt much better today than yesterday; at least he was able to get out of bed and walk a few steps. He asked, "How is the county doing lately?"

"Everything is fine. Magistrate Wu also said not to disturb your rest."

Zhang Liang picked up the kettle and found that the water inside was boiled water. He poured it out and took a sip.

There was a vegetable garden in front of the house. Several vegetables had been picked, washed, and placed in front of the house. A cleaned and gutted fish was also hung in front of the house.

After doing all that, Ju helped with the cooking.

A bowl of fish soup and a plate of vegetables make up lunch.

Zhang Liang said, "I'm all better now, you don't need to do these things anymore."

Ju said, "If I don't come, then the county magistrate himself has come."

"Yeah……"

“Yes.” Ju served Zhang Liang a bowl of rice and said, “Aren’t the three of us good teachers and good friends? For so many years, we are not from Sichuan, but we are the best teachers and good friends in Sichuan.”

Zhang Liang ate very slowly, holding the bowl and chewing slowly.

Ju then said, "It was the county magistrate who first said he wanted to take care of Master Han, but I stopped him, saying that if a county magistrate were to take care of Master Han, how would Master Han conduct himself in the future? So he sent me instead."

Zhang Liang had been used to traveling alone for many years and rarely felt this way.

Ju placed his hand on Zhang Liang's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, you'll get better."

Zhang Liang remained silent, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Three days later, Zhang Liang's condition had basically recovered, and apart from occasional coughing, it no longer affected his life.

After regaining his mobility, Zhang Liang returned to the academy to teach. On the first night after his recovery, Zhang Liang returned home and saw Magistrate Wu and Ju tidying up the house.

Zhang Liang looked at his house, which had been cleaned up and even the panda had been driven out. It could only sit in front of the door, looking at Zhang Liang with a pitiful expression.

Zhang Liang ignored it and walked straight into the house.

The panda wriggled its chubby body and followed them into the house.

Inside the room, Magistrate Wu and Ju had already prepared drinks.

The magistrate of Wu County said, "Master Han, you have just recovered from a serious illness and cannot drink alcohol. You can eat more meat today."

Zhang Liang asked, "Aren't things busy in the county lately?"

The magistrate of Wu County shook his head and said, "No rush."

Ju tore off a chicken leg, but before he could even take a bite, he said, "Have you heard? Brother Lang is back."

The magistrate of Wu County and Lang were both among the first batch of disciples of the old master Shusun Tong. Ju became a disciple two years later, but they all came from the same county.

Magistrate Wu asked in confusion, "Didn't he go to Langya County?"

Ju replied, "I'm back. It happened last year. I brought a son and a daughter with me."

Magistrate Wu smiled and said, "When we have some free time, let's go to Guanzhong to see him together."

"Okay."

Ju smiled and clinked his wine bowl with his.

Zhang Liang looked at the two with a smile, but he was naturally envious.

In their hometown of Guanzhong, they have brothers they grew up with, and they can go back anytime to find brothers they haven't seen for many years. With a hometown and people they miss, they have beautiful aspirations.
Zhang Liang thought of himself. He no longer had a hometown. Han was gone, and the people of Han might not remember the Han of yesteryear. Meanwhile, that Han prince Cheng was still living a simple life in the countryside, becoming an ordinary person.

Just two years ago, Zhang Liang heard that the emperor had allowed the old nobles or scholars of the states of Chu, Qi, Yan, and Wei to retain their own customs.

Fan Zeng from Chu also entered the Imperial Academy in Tongguan. Zhang Liang naturally knew Fan Zeng. Fan Zeng was a famous scholar in Chu, with students all over Chu. Even the King of Chu dared not neglect Fan Zeng.

Today, Fan Zeng's invitation to the Imperial Academy signifies that Qin accepted the preservation of Chu learning, but the teaching in rural areas still continues the Qin legal system and the books written by the Qin people.

In other words, the current emperor allows people to reminisce about the former six states, but only on the premise of maintaining Qin's unification.

A month later, an imperial edict reached Shu. Zhang Liang heard the news that the emperor had named a mountain in the Hexi Corridor Jiayu Mountain and built Jiayu Pass, which would become the first pass in the northwest.

This was the first major construction project undertaken by the new emperor after his ascension to the throne.

Did the emperor dislike building palaces but prefer building city gates?

People naturally like to discuss matters concerning the emperor and the country, but such discussions are only temporary.

Zhang Liang dug up some radishes in the field and was on his way home.

The radishes in the basket were still covered in mud, and there were about three or five of them.

"Master Han, where is Jiayuguan?"

Upon hearing the child's words, Zhang Liang said, "I've never been there either."

“Jiayuguan is located on the northwestern frontier, as Master Xu said.”

There are far more volunteer teachers in Sichuan now than in the past. Jiangyuan County alone has five volunteer teachers, and "Master Han" is the county's head teacher, in charge of all teaching affairs in the county.

Year after year, government decrees were continuously sent to various regions, including Sichuan.

Zhang Liang could sense that the emperor wanted to improve the system of supporting education in rural areas. This system was an extension of Qin's system of standardizing writing and cart axles. Although it was a difficult task, Qin had been implementing it for more than ten years with remarkable results.

Perhaps before long, the people of this world will no longer remember the six languages.

It is said that Qin collected the scholars of the six states and allowed people to cherish the culture of the former six states. The books of the former six states were all collected by the emperor and stored in the Imperial Academy in Tongguan.

Even if people in the future wanted the writings and books of the former six kingdoms, they would still have to go to Tongguan.

This is yet another example of the emperor's centralized control over books and knowledge.

Zhang Liang rarely taught in person anymore; each time he did, it was usually for only one or two days.

The snow in Sichuan is getting heavier and heavier, but the bamboo forests are still lush and green. The hardworking people of Sichuan are working even in the cold winter, raising chickens and ducks or weaving cloth to make Sichuan brocade.

The schools were closed for the winter, and the children had all gone home, planning to return to study the following spring.

After all the children in the study had left, Zhang Liang tidied up the study by himself, arranging the tables and desks neatly and putting all the books away on the bookshelves.

Zhang Liang swept the area clean with a broom. The broom was a bit worn out, but he didn't replace it. Some of the tables and desks were also broken, but he repaired them repeatedly. There were a few leaks in the roof, which would have to be repaired next year.

The bookstore is neither particularly good nor particularly bad.

After doing all this, Zhang Liang sat under the eaves of the study like a lonely old man, quietly watching the heavy snow falling. The snow blurred the view of the distant mountains, making them appear even whiter.

Actually, Zhang Liang wasn't old; his hair had just turned white before he was old.

Zhang Liang should be in his prime now, but his frail and sickly body hardly qualifies him as such.

So many years have passed, but Zhang Liang's sense of powerlessness remains the same as it was ten years ago. That Prince Fusu has become the emperor, and this emperor seems different from the previous one.

The emperors of the past were feared, but the current emperor is deeply loved by the people, and the Qin Dynasty remains powerful.

Xiang Liang died, the three Tian brothers also died, no one in Chu rebelled against Qin, the gentry in Qi and Wei were rejected by the Qin court, and the people in Yan seemed to care no matter who the emperor was.

And the once weak and vulnerable Han territory is no longer mentioned.

Now, no one in any region is rebelling against Qin.

Looking at the heavy snow, Zhang Liang still felt powerless. He didn't know what to do or how to restore Han.

It's probably impossible in this lifetime. This generation will never rebel against Qin. Everyone knows that such a powerful Qin cannot be rebelled against. It's almost impossible to succeed.

In the past, Qin had only recently unified the six states, and the old nobles of those states might still have had a chance.

But now, that opportunity seems to have passed.

The next generation, or the generation after that, will no longer remember the six kingdoms.

Zhang Liang sat upright, his back against the wall, exhaling a breath of warm air in the cold wind. He suddenly realized that teaching was probably the only thing he could do in this life.

The school was enclosed by a fence. As the number of children coming to study increased year by year, the county magistrate added land to the school. Now, a large area is fenced off for the children to play in.

Zhang Liang walked through village after village until he arrived outside the county government office. He took out a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to the clerk outside the office, instructing, "Give this to your magistrate."

When the clerk saw Master Han, he bowed respectfully and said, "I will go and give it to the magistrate right away."

Zhang Liang walked past the county government building and returned to his residence. The residence was very clean, obviously someone had cleaned it again. The people of Shu here were very kind, so kind that it made Zhang Liang's thoughts of restoring Han somewhat weaker.

Zhang Liang lit the oil lamp beside him and began to write down the events of the Han region in the past, as well as the deeds of the kings and nobles of Han. He wanted to write them down and have them delivered to the Imperial Academy, so that they could be preserved like the Chu Academy in Chu.

(End of this chapter)