Chapter 17: A Scene-Spoiling Sight in the Snowy Weather

Passing by the front of Zhangtai Palace, one arrives at the rear hall.

Fusu followed the Attendant along the path toward the rear hall, glancing sideways at Li Si, who was following half a step behind.

So many people had opposed the relocation of civilians to guard the borders during the Court Discussion, and the angry shouts in the main hall of Zhangtai Palace still rang in his ears; yet looking at his teacher now, he remained as confident and composed as ever.

Just as they were about to reach the rear hall, they heard the sound of chime bells being struck; Fusu looked up and saw a group of beauties dancing within the hall.

Fusu was led by the Attendant to sit to one side, while his teacher sat on the other.

Looking at the Emperor sitting in the seat of honor, he was eating a flatbread, his gaze fixed on the group of beauties before him with great interest.

It was likely that the nobles of the Six States had always enjoyed watching beauties dance while they ate.

Fusu looked at the food brought in by the palace maids: a basin of mutton, a basin of sliced flatbread, and a bowl of wine.

The wine tasted rather sour, so Fusu took another bite of the flatbread; the method for making this bread originated from Shangyan Mountain.

Tian An had learned the method for making this bread, and even the women at the foot of Shangyan Mountain had learned it, so it was not at all strange for it to appear in the palace.

Each piece of bread was cut to the size of a palm, and each was as thick as a thumb.

Fusu took a bite of the bread, then put a piece of mutton into his mouth.

Once the meal was finished, the sound of the chime bells also ceased.

The First Emperor waved his hand, and the group of palace maids and Attendants all withdrew.

When the table before them was also cleared, the hall returned to silence.

"Fusu, do you know what the people of Qin were like in the past?"

Hearing the Emperor speak, Fusu perked up and replied, "This son has heard of it; people say the Qin people of those days were fierce, and this son believes the Qin people of today are the same."

Ying Zheng picked up his wine goblet and took a sip.

Li Si, sitting on the other side with his eyes closed to rest his mind, heard the Prince's words and replied, "This subject still remembers when I traveled to Qi State to study at Jixia Academy, later becoming a student of Xunzi, before coming to Qin."

Ying Zheng nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"When I first arrived in Qin, what I saw were armies everywhere; their eyes were full of hostility—not just toward me, but toward everyone who came to Qin."

"At first I did not know why, but later I learned that this was their ambition; even a lowly Qin soldier had the ambition to kill the enemy and earn merit, and later I saw even more Qin people."

"The Qin people are different from the people of the old Six States; the greatest difference is that after the reforms of Shang Jun, there was hope in the eyes of the Qin people. The Qin people had land they could farm, and they could build a home beside the land they farmed; thus, they had hope."

"Since the reforms of Shang Jun, all Qin people could have land to farm; not only that, but Qin people could join the army, kill the enemy, earn merit, and thereby be enfeoffed as nobles. With Military Merit, they had a foundation and a basis for their standing..."

At today's banquet, his teacher was especially cheerful; perhaps his teacher had not enjoyed himself this much in a long time.

His teacher spoke of hope, but also spoke of numbness.

Li Si's family background had not been wealthy; born into a humble family, he relied on hard study to gain the appreciation of nobles, only to become a minor official, and even obtaining that position had been extremely difficult.

One must know, that was merely the appreciation of those high and mighty nobles.

From that time on, Li Si left, searching for a place where he could truly apply his learning.

Therefore, his teacher could well understand what the people of the Six States had been numb to: the children of nobles remained nobles, the son of a soldier remained a soldier, and those without land would sooner or later starve to death.

While listening to his teacher speak, Fusu noticed the Emperor's expression; perhaps both the Emperor and Li Si understood how this world needed to change.

For this reason, Li Si could point at dozens of famous scholars from Qi and Lu in Zhangtai Palace and shout at them, yet remain so confident and calm afterward, because the First Emperor held the same ideal.

Fusu presumptuously felt that ideals and hope were extremely important to his teacher and the Emperor.

Li Si said, "Your Majesty, this subject believes we should issue the proclamation tomorrow and begin relocating the civilians."

Seeing the Emperor look at him, Fusu bowed and said, "Father Emperor, what Teacher says is correct."

Li Si raised his head slightly and actually smiled.

Ying Zheng said in a deep voice, "Bring the map."

An Attendant hurried over carrying silk, which was so large that it required five people to hold it horizontally.

Then, the map was spread out on the floor, and a map depicting the northern defense line was before them.

His teacher was pointing toward the direction of Bingzhou, explaining the process of relocating the civilians.

Fusu stood to the side listening, his gaze also fixed on the northern defense line; in fact, about a hundred years later in the future, there would be an emperor called Han Wudi who would adopt the same relocation strategy to defend against the northern Xiongnu.

Adopting the attitude of not speaking unless asked, Fusu quietly listened as his teacher finished explaining the general plan; from the original three thousand households, his teacher had added another three thousand, making it six thousand households.

Ying Zheng said, "Those Confucian Scholars will still criticize it."

Li Si bowed; as long as these people continued to appear in Zhangtai Palace, there was no way to control their mouths.

Ying Zheng said, "I really want to kill them."

Hearing this, Li Si nodded slightly, for in his heart—especially regarding the Qilu Doctor Chunyu Yue—he had already died many times in his heart and in his dreams, in all sorts of ways.

Li Si cleared his throat and added, "These people cannot be killed; they are useful to Great Qin while they are alive."

Fusu felt that his teacher was also an extremely cold person; some people were alive because they were useful, and otherwise they would be killed?

"Recently, have Shusun Tong and Fu Sheng come to pay you a visit?"

Hearing the Emperor's question, Fusu replied, "I have not seen those two old gentlemen since then."

Having said this, Fusu added, "Seeing how agitated the Qilu Doctors in Zhangtai Palace are about the relocation today, why not follow Teacher's suggestion and send a few Doctors to the north to take a look?"

People must always have investigation and observation before they can reach a conclusion.

Only with investigation and actual observation can one have the right to speak.

As for the discussions of those Doctors, give them whatever they lack; right now, they lack observation.

Li Si smiled, "The Prince's words are very correct."

Ying Zheng looked at the sky and said, "You may return."

Fusu bowed and exited the main hall.

Just as he turned to put on his shoes to leave, he heard the voices of his teacher and the Emperor.

It was likely his teacher saying that the Prince's method was feasible.

The Emperor was saying that his teacher should provide more guidance in the future.

Fusu sighed secretly...

A child is a child after all; Prince Fusu was watched as he grew up by the people of Xianyang Palace, not only by Grand General Meng Wu, but also by Grand General Wang Jian, Li Si, and Tian An.

Having merely overheard a bit, Fusu heard his Imperial Father and his teacher discussing matters concerning the anti-Qin forces again.

This world, which looks peaceful now, still has anti-Qin forces.

Even now, Fusu does not know where Xiang Liang, Xiang Bo, and Xiang Yu are, nor that man Zhang Liang.

Being able to stay alive is not easy at all, especially for those who have experienced the chaotic times.

The State of Chu has already perished, so what is there left to fight for?

Fusu felt this kind of war was very dull and completely unnecessary, as he passed by the great hall in front of Zhangtai Palace and walked all the way back to Gaoquan Palace.

Walking to the backyard of Gaoquan Palace, one could still hear the sound of water flowing into the fish pond.

Fusu looked at the pond full of fish and remained silent for a long time.

Tian An stood to the side watching, thinking the Prince was most likely choosing which fish to eat today.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw the Prince rise with a displeased expression and walk into the hall; only then did Tian An realize that the Prince did not want to eat fish today.

But today, the Prince had met with His Majesty alongside the Prime Minister, and the Prince had also attended the morning Court Discussion.

The palace maids and Attendants of Gaoquan Palace could all tell that the Prince was full of worries today.

Tian An asked, "Prince, what would you like to eat for the evening?"

"Is there any celery left?"

Tian An hesitated for a moment, then said, "There is still some."

"Then I shall have some celery."

Tian An ordered people to go look in the palace to see if there was any celery, and if there was none in the palace, to go find some outside.

Unknowingly, the sky turned to night; after winter began, the daylight became even shorter.

An Attendant arrived carrying a basin of emerald-green celery and replied, "There is no more celery in the palace; General Zhang Han planted some at Shangyan Mountain, and these are all that remain."

Tian An boiled the celery and placed it by the Prince's table, then heated up a flatbread.

He watched as the Prince put the celery and mutton into the flatbread, rolled it up, and ate it.

The night grew deeper, and the Prince was still reading a book.

On ordinary days, the Prince was just like this; when the Prince was happy he would read, and when he was unhappy, he would also read.

Heavy snow began to fall outside the hall again, and Tian An instructed, "The Prince loves to eat celery; tell General Zhang Han to plant more next year."

A night passed, and before the sky was fully bright—the light outside the hall still gray and dim—Fusu woke up lying on his side on the couch and picked up a scroll of a book from the side to read.

Even sleeping inside the bedchamber, one could still feel the cold outside.

Until he felt a bit tired from lying down, Fusu sat up, put on his outer robe, and opened the hall door.

A gust of cold wind blew in his face, carrying chill and snowflakes into the hall.

Stepping onto the thick accumulated snow, Fusu gazed at the snowy scenery before him, still holding a scroll of a book in his hand.

Tian An came over with hurried steps, "Prince, the Emperor has issued an edict, saying that the court is suspended for the month of the twelfth lunar month."

Fusu put down the Bamboo Slip in his hand and began to wash up.

In his ears was the sound of Tian An's nagging again; he said, "It is mostly those Doctors from Qi and Lu who made His Majesty unhappy; they actually dared to openly refute the Emperor and the Prime Minister in the great hall; they really should all be killed."

Fusu said, "Teacher says those people are useful if kept alive."

"Is the Prince having morning meal?"

"Is there any of yesterday's celery left?"

"There is still quite a bit left."

Fusu instructed, "Since there is no need to go to the Court Discussion today, I will make some food myself; bring the celery."

Usually, the Prince would make his own food, and the Prince's culinary skills were very good; it was rumored that it was a craft taught to the Prince by Huayang Taihou back then.

Therefore, the current Emperor also liked the fish soup the Prince simmered very much.

Whenever he thought of these things, Tian An would always have hot tears in his eyes.

Because others did not know, and only Tian An knew, that the Prince's cooking skills were not taught by Huayang Taihou, though Huayang Taihou also said the Prince's skills were very good.

Tian An still clearly remembered to this day that the young Prince sat by Huayang Taihou's couch, simmering soup for Huayang Taihou.

The Prince was so young at that time, yet he could spare no effort to make food with his own hands.

At that time, Huayang Taihou was still alive, and the Taihou always watched the young Prince, always showing great affection.

The Prince grew up right by the Taihou's knees.

To this day, Huayang Taihou is gone; people do not know the hidden truth of those years, and the Taihou never explained it while she was alive, so Tian An naturally let this misunderstanding continue to spread.

Nowadays, it is known to all in Xianyang Palace that the child Huayang Taihou loved most back then was Prince Fusu, and the Prince's skill in making food was all taught by the Taihou.

Tian An allowed this misunderstanding to expand in the palace and never explained it; even if it was a misunderstanding, at least now when people in the palace saw the Prince, they would not forget Huayang Taihou.

And Tian An naturally felt that he was the most loyal servant by the Prince's side.

Fusu first put some millet into an earthen bowl and placed it on the stove to boil, then put two eggs into another bowl and placed it on another stove with a smaller flame, simmering slowly.

Afterward, while reading a book, he patiently waited for today's morning meal to be cooked.

After another half an hour, Fusu then put the chopped celery into the pot and boiled it for another short while.

Thus, those two eggs were also cooked; Fusu put down the book in his hand and ate his meal quietly by himself.

It was still snowing outside the hall, and the snow on the ground was getting thicker and thicker.

After finishing his meal, Fusu intended to go out for a walk.

There were palace servants clearing snow everywhere in Xianyang Palace; Fusu walked on the city wall of Xianyang Palace, from where he could overlook Xianyang City from a high vantage point.

If a person reads many books, then that person must be very learned.

Fusu felt that if he read books for a few more years, he could also become a learned person; if... he could be a learned Emperor in the future, that should be quite good, right?

On this quiet, snowy day, Prime Minister Li Si began his plan to relocate the people, and he increased the original three thousand households to six thousand.

Not only that, but Li Si also named sixteen Qilu Doctors to head north to oversee the relocation of the people and to record the progress of the Great Wall's construction.

If those Qilu Doctors refuting Li Si's relocation plan during the Court Discussion was considered pushing their luck,

then Prime Minister Li Si using the relocation matter to deal with the Qilu Doctors now was a counterattack, and one that pushed their luck to the very top of their skulls.

Several Qilu Doctors were currently clamoring at the gate of Prime Minister Li Si's residence, using all the profanities they had learned in their lives to curse that Prime Minister of Qin.

Unfortunately, the gate of the Qin Prime Minister's residence was shut tight, and no guests were being received.

In this freezing weather, who would still be receiving guests?

As the few old men threw a tantrum and rolled on the ground in front of Li Si's house, they were taken away by a few patrolling Qin Army soldiers.

For some reason, Fusu felt embarrassed; after all, the part of the relocation plan that arranged for the Qilu Doctors was his own suggestion, and his teacher had actually arranged it—it was too ruthless.

Seeing this scene that spoiled the scenery today, Fusu actually felt a bit flushed, and he turned and walked down from the city wall.

Today, more squads of the Qin Army left Xianyang, and among those taken away were the Qilu Doctors; these old men were invited onto carriages to go north to inspect the border defenses.

What was surprising was that the list of Doctors sent to the north this time did not include Chunyu Yue.

In the midst of the heavy snow, Chunyu Yue saw off these old friends who were going far away to the north, among whom was Zhou Qingchen, a friend he had made when he was young at the Jixia Academy.

(End of this chapter)