The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 342 The Prime Minister, Still Learned

Who would have thought that the construction of Tongguan City initially involved only a dozen or so people, but the number of people involved in the construction increased over the years, and it took several years for it to take the shape it is today.

The students in Tongguan City talked most about things related to Xu Fu.

Everyone wants to know what Xu Fu said to the emperor, what Xu Fu saw after setting sail, how he set sail, and how he returned.

Legend has it that Xu Fu discovered an island full of gold and silver, and whoever obtained the island would be rich for life.

Some say that of the thousand people Xu Fu sailed to sea, only a dozen or so returned.

Going to sea can really kill people; not everyone can go to sea.

Huan Chu listened to the surrounding discussions, raised his head and was about to enter the city when he saw a person walking out of the city.

The man who was walking towards him suddenly stopped, stared at the other person for a long time, and then asked, "Huan Chu?"

Huan Chu bowed and said, "Master Lang."

"Haha!" Lang laughed loudly and said, "It really is you. I thought I would never see you again after all these years."

Huan Chu felt a lump in his throat; it had indeed been a long time since the two had last seen each other—more than ten years.

I remember it was on the beach in Langya County, and this man was arguing with the old man.

At that time, Huan Chu once wanted to kill Lang.

For some reason, perhaps because Lang really wasn't a bad person, Huan Chu ultimately didn't kill him.

This Master Lang is a good person.

Back then, Huan Chu didn't understand why the emperor had so many good people supporting him.

Even now, Huan Chu still can't understand it, he really can't understand it.

Lang pulled Huan Chu along and said, "Let's go see the old gentleman. He's been waiting for you for ten years."

Upon hearing this, Huan Chu felt as if he had been struck hard in the chest, and for a moment he was speechless.

Led by Lang, Huan Chu arrived in front of a mansion. He heard voices inside the courtyard, and the voices sounded familiar.

For more than ten years, the voice has remained unchanged; it is the old man's voice.

Huan Chu wiped away his tears. He hadn't seen the old teacher for ten years. This teacher, who was like a father to him, made him want to rush in and kneel down in front of him.

Huan Chu held back his anger as long as he could hear the teacher giving a lecture.

When the bell rang, the lecture inside the courtyard stopped.

More than ten students came out, and some of them recognized the teacher standing in front of the house and said, "Teacher Lang?"

Lang said, "I've come to visit the old gentleman."

"Master Lang".

"Master..."

The people bowed in twos and threes.

Feeling the respect from everyone, Lang smiled and even exchanged a few words with them.

Huan Chu had already entered the courtyard when he saw Mr. Fan Zeng, whose hair and beard were white, tidying up his books.

“Teacher.” Huan Chu immediately knelt down on the ground.

Seeing this, Fan Zeng quickly helped the man up and asked, "Child, you're back?"

"Yes, the emperor only ordered me to perform hard labor for ten years. I will return after completing the ten years of hard labor."

Fan Zeng sighed, "Have you eaten yet?"

Huan Chu shook his head.

Fan Zeng looked around his courtyard with some difficulty. He looked at Lang outside the courtyard and said, "Master Lang, this old man has run out of food in his courtyard."

Lang laughed and said, "Let's go to the prefect's mansion for a meal."

Fan Zeng nodded and said, "Very well."

This was Huan Chu's happiest day. He watched as his teacher, Master Lang, and Prefect Sima Xin had a very pleasant conversation.

Huan Chu dared not sit with them; he insisted on standing, standing behind the old man, just as he had done more than ten years ago.

The following day, Liu Fei arrived in Jingyang County.

It was the busy farming season, and there was practically no one else in the county. Liu Fei walked into the county government building, and a passing clerk saw him and stared blankly for a moment before stammering, "Liu... Liu..."

Liu Fei said, "It's me."

Before long, Cao Shen also came out from the backyard. When he saw the person who had come, his eyes widened, and he quickly stepped forward, looking left and right.

Seeing that Cao Can had reached out and pinched him, Liu Fei said helplessly, "Uncle Cao Can, it's me."

Cao Can patted Liu Fei heavily on the shoulder and asked, "You've been guarding the border for two years, and you've gotten thinner and darker."

Liu Fei said, "That's how it is with us border troops. Even the fairest-skinned person will turn like this after a year there."

"Haha!" Cao Shen laughed loudly, "It's better this way, you're stronger now."

After saying that, he looked around and said, "Liu Ying is still studying in Tongguan, and the prefect is still traveling around to various counties. Hmm... they will all be back tonight. Let's have a good meal tonight, haha!"

Cao Shen walked out of the county government laughing loudly, "Liu Ji, Liu Ji, you are truly blessed!"

Liu Fei smiled with relief, put down his bag, and looked at the files on the table.

These files record events that have occurred in the county in recent years.

While guarding the border, Liu Fei also helped General Zhang deal with some matters in Zhangye County.

Seeing these documents now, Liu Fei suddenly realized that Qin's county administration was actually very detailed, so detailed that there was no difference in the official duties given to counties in the border regions and Guanzhong. In the past two years, Liu Fei has gained a lot and learned a great deal.

That night, after Liu Ying and Uncle Xiao He returned, the county government became much more lively again.

After drinking some wine, Cao Shen said he wanted to find a good girl for Liu Fei.

Faced with Cao Canshu's drunkenness, Liu Fei obediently nodded, not daring to refute in the slightest.

Until Liu Ying and Cao Can were both drunk, only Xiao He and Liu Fei remained at the table.

Xiao He looked at Liu Fei, who was now much darker and thinner. Even Liu Fei's voice had changed a lot; it was deeper and more like a different person from when he first came to Guanzhong.

"A squad leader named Guan Ying also came back with my nephew. He said he was going to his hometown in Suiyang and only parted ways with my nephew at noon today."

Xiao He asked, "Guan Ying?"

This child doesn't say unnecessary things; whenever he does, it has a purpose.

Liu Fei said, "I was thinking that if Uncle Xiao He goes to Chu in the future and needs manpower, we can use Guan Ying."

Xiao He said, "I've heard that you and Gongzi Li are very close?"

It wasn't just Gongzi Li; Liu Fei, Zhang Jing, and Gongzi Heng studied together back then.

If Cao Shenshu knew about this, he would probably cry out to the heavens again, saying: "Liu Ji! Liu Ji, your son has actually befriended the emperor's son. You are truly blessed!"

They usually say things like that, they always say it.

When Uncle Xiao He asked, Liu Fei replied truthfully, "Young Master Li has walked the Great Wall. He said he also wants to walk the entire Great Wall."

Xiao He nodded once again.

The food on the table in front of him was almost finished. Liu Fei heard snoring coming from Cao Canshu's room and asked, "When does Uncle Xiao He plan to return to Chu?"

Xiao He said, "It will be soon."

"Ah."

Liu Fei nodded in agreement and took the initiative to clear the dishes.

Uncle Xiao He was like that; he wouldn't proactively tell you the specific date. He would only tell you when the time was right and everything was ready.

Perhaps... it won't be long before Uncle Xiao He says he's going back to Chu.

Regarding many matters concerning the Chu region, Uncle Xiao He would only keep them to himself and would not speak of them. He would only tell you when the matter came to a head, and that it was time to do it.

Moreover, when you look back at this point, you realize that Uncle Xiao He had already arranged everything before and after.

The next day, Liu Fei went to the fields to help the farmers with planting.

Today, news came from Xianyang that the emperor had ordered a map to be drawn and made dozens of copies to be distributed to various counties.

When Fusu personally delivered the map to Mount Li, he saw his father and teacher cooking tea eggs.

Li Si, enjoying the still-cool breeze on his body, said, "Your subject pays respects to the Emperor."

Fusu quickly replied, "Teacher, there's no need for formalities."

Ying Zheng asked, "What is it?"

The Emperor's voice was languid; one wonders if he finds living here rather boring.

Fusu handed over a scroll of paper and said, "Father, teacher, this is a map of the Qin Dynasty's territory."

The map was spread out on the ground, with black lines and text written on the paper.

Ying Zheng looked at the southern part of the map and said, "Tu Ju attacked so far?"

Fusu nodded. The Xiang Commandery built by General Tuju had reached south of Jiaozhi in later generations, almost the southwestern border of the South China Sea.

Now the entire south has been incorporated into Qin's territory, extending to the entire South China Sea and all the way to the southeast coast, with all the land within sight in sight.

Having reached Cheshi to the west, Ying Zheng looked towards Helan Mountain and then towards the sea.

Li Si asked, "How come the island Xu Fu went to is still separated from the Central Plains by a piece of land?"

Fusu said, "At that time, there was the Buyeo Kingdom in the area north of Liaodong. As for the more distant areas, they have not yet been explored. These are maps that have been sent to explore several times in recent years, so they should be accurate."

Ying Zheng looked at the Western Regions on the map, then at the Altai Mountains, and said, "There is still such a vast land outside the territory of Qin."

Li Si said, "The Western Regions are vast and desolate. Although there are many small kingdoms, there is not enough land for people to live in."

"Li Si, it's not good for you to say that."

Li Si bowed and said, "What I have said..."

Ying Zheng interrupted him, his expression serious, and said, "Land is land. Did I not attack the Yan state when it was suffering from cold and harsh weather?"

Li Si lowered his head and remained silent.

Seeing that his father and teacher were still arguing over the land, Fusu advised, "Father is right. If we don't fight now, future generations will think that the land belongs to someone else. As long as we conquer it, even if we lose it again after ten or twenty years, future generations will remember that the land was once ours."

Ying Zheng took a sip of tea, his eyes still fixed on the map, and said, "There are also large tracts of land in the southwest."

Li Si further advised, "I've heard that's where the Qiang people live, mostly in the southeast. The extreme southwest is a desolate wasteland with endless snow-capped mountains, a place no human can inhabit..."

At this moment, Li Si once again demonstrated his erudition as the Prime Minister of Qin.

But the Emperor was not pleased to hear these words. Fusu sat to the side eating dates, and with a smile, he gave the Emperor a look that silenced the teacher who had not yet finished speaking.

Another eunuch came to report, and whispered to the emperor, "Old Master Xu Fu has gone to Tongguan, and promised to tell the students in Tongguan about things overseas."

Xu Fu went to Tongguan to teach the students what he had seen overseas, and he would tell them that there were no immortal mountains overseas.

Some students might not believe this, thinking that Xu Fu saw the sacred mountain, but the emperor forbade him to say so.

(End of this chapter)