Chapter 321

'The Son of Heaven of Xia was titled Sovereign, of Shang titled Emperor, of Zhou titled King — such were the practices of the Three Dynasties. Now that the Son of Heaven of Qin has swept clean the Six States, he too should change his title, to make manifest his accomplishments!'

'Counselor Wang speaks reason. His Majesty has ordered the Chancellor, the Chief Prosecutor, and all Counselors to deliberate on a title. We must exert ourselves to the utmost!'

Inside a hall of the Superintendent of the Palace Gentlemen's office, Heifu sat among a dozen-odd Counselors, listening to them argue back and forth, spittle flying, while his own mind wandered far away.

The King of Qin, Zheng, really does refuse to follow the usual script, Heifu thought. He had not expected that upon first entering Xianyang, he would receive no summons from the King of Qin, nor be appointed to the military post he had anticipated, but instead be tossed the idle sinecure of 'Counselor.'

The Gentlemen officers are responsible for guarding the gates and portals — within, they serve as night guards; abroad, they ride as chariot escorts. There are Counselors, Palace Gentlemen, Gentlemen-in-Attendance, and Regular Gentlemen, numbering as many as a thousand. Among them, Counselors rank at a salary of six hundred dan. As the name implies, the special feature of this type of Gentleman officer is that they not only answer queries and serve as advisors like the Erudites, but their official duty is to speak and deliberate, allowing them to discuss court politics.

The one who delivered his appointment letter was the Gentleman Usher Yang Liao, whom he had met once the year before. Yang Liao said to Heifu, 'The King says: Heifu, though of commoner birth, is glib of tongue and often produces startling stratagems. At present there is no vacancy in the military ranks, so let him first try his hand at being a Counselor!'

The so-called 'glib of tongue' was probably the impression left on the King of Qin, Zheng, by Heifu's proposals to build public latrines, compost and ferment fertilizer, and that line, 'A soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier.'

Nor could one rule out that, after hearing of some of Heifu's deeds from Governor Teng of the Interior and Li You, the King of Qin had deliberately placed him in this position, wanting to see what other abilities Heifu might have.

'The heart of an emperor — truly unfathomable. And Ye Teng even urged me, as a newcomer, to listen more, watch more, and speak less...'

Heifu grumbled inwardly, but stuck in such a post, not speaking was impossible.

But what was he to say? These were fine days, when the Six Kings had all submitted to their punishment and All Under Heaven was settled. To jump out at a time like this and say something that defied the King of Qin and spoiled his mood was naturally out of the question.

Yet even flattering words depended on how they were delivered — one had to grasp the proper weight, urgency, and pacing; otherwise, slapping the horse on the hoof would be amusing indeed.

For instance, the edict that had just been issued — though brief in words, it was profoundly meaningful. Political titles are a vital component of ancient Chinese political systems, valued because they carry the function of proclaiming a dynasty's legitimacy and lodging auspicious meanings. Isn't there a saying? If the name is not correct, the words will not ring true; if the words do not ring true, affairs will not succeed.

Fixing a title had clearly become the starting point for the Qin dynasty's new policies. As far as Heifu knew, this would also become the beginning of two thousand years of imperial rule.

'The Left Chief of the Multitude seems lost in thought — could it be he has an idea?'

Just as Heifu was weighing whether to fill in the answer, and how to fill it in appropriately, a Counselor beside him named Wang Wu called out to Heifu twice, pulling him back to his senses.

Wang Wu was a relative of Chancellor Wang Wan, his rank Fifth Grand Master. The ten-odd Counselors were all sinecure officials with no one to oversee them, and the Superintendent of the Palace Gentlemen paid them little mind, yet this man often styled himself the head of the Counselors.

After Heifu arrived, his rank was higher than Wang Wu's, which made Wang Wu somewhat uncomfortable. He also rather looked down on this crude common soldier of commoner birth, who didn't even have a clan name, yet had managed to elbow his way in among the Counselors.

But ordinarily he dared not openly clash with Heifu. Now that the King of Qin had ordered the Counselors to deliberate on an imperial title, he deliberately turned the attention toward Heifu, because he was certain that Heifu could never come up with anything.

Sure enough, when Heifu noticed that everyone in the room was looking at him, he put on the simple, honest smile of a countryman:

'I come from the ranks, I don't know many characters. In matters like these, which require citing the classics and drawing on precedents, how could I possibly have any ideas?'

The corner of Wang Wu's mouth curled slightly upward. He glanced at the other Counselors, his meaning obvious: See? Was I not right? This bumpkin can't produce a single thing!

Heifu knew he would not be able to blend in with the other Counselors in a short time, so he added, 'Gentlemen, please continue your deliberations here. I shall go to the archive room of the Chief Prosecutor's Office and flip through some books — perhaps something will come to me!'

With that, he rose, clasped his hands, and took his leave.

After he had left the hall, Wang Wu said with even greater contempt, 'A common soldier and a nobody, ordinarily neglecting all learning — isn't it a bit late to be flipping through books now?'

The person beside him coughed lightly, reminding this relative of the Chancellor, who hailed from East of the Mountains, to mind his words. Qin valued military merit above all else, so even though everyone ordinarily looked down on Heifu's origins, none dared to slight him.

Wang Wu, realizing he had misspoken, could only sigh inwardly that the Qin court was overflowing with martial men. But even if they could unite All Under Heaven by force, could they really go on like that forever? He then continued deliberating the imperial title with the others...

With the correct answer in his grasp, Heifu felt no panic in his heart and was in no hurry to stand out. After leaving the office of the Superintendent of the Palace Gentlemen, he strolled unhurriedly toward the neighboring Chief Prosecutor's Office.

Qin's institutions were not built in a single day. Before unification, the offices of the Chancellor, the Chief Prosecutor, as well as the Nine Ministers — the Minister of Ceremonies, the Superintendent of the Palace Gentlemen, the Guard Commandant, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, the Grand Coachman, the Commandant of Justice, the Chamberlain for Dependencies, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Privy Treasurer — were already all in place.

These various offices were not located within the traditional 'Xianyang City' on the northern bank of the Wei River, but south of the Wei, in the area of later-day Xi'an.

This was not surprising. Although during the time of Duke Xiao of Qin, he had ordered Shang Yang to build Wei City on the Xianyang plain north of the Wei and erect the Ji Towers as the new capital, after over a hundred years of change, Xianyang no longer huddled in one corner. Like the territory of Qin itself, it had expanded at a breakneck speed!

It was said that after King Huiwen of Qin took the title of king, he fetched giant timbers from Qi and Yong and built new palaces, so that Xianyang's scale 'touched the Wei in the south, crossed the Jing in the north,' already beginning to take on the dimensions of a great power's capital.

By the time of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, it was even more remarkable: the markets and shops crossed the Wei River, expanding to the southern bank, and a horizontal bridge was erected over the Wei. Detached palaces like the Zhangtai Palace were also built one after another.

'Xianyang is no longer a single city.' Heifu recalled the summary made by that new friend he had made after arriving in Xianyang.

Heifu mused to himself, 'If I were to use a term from later ages to describe the current Xianyang, "capital region" would probably be accurate enough...'

You could also think of it this way: south of the Wei was Xianyang's Xiong'an New Area.

Government institutions had gradually relocated here as well. Compared to the somewhat cramped Northern Palace, the newly built Zhangtai Palace was more imposing and majestic, and thus supplanted the Xianyang Palace as the political center of Qin. The famous 'Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao' incident took place right here.

The King of Qin, Zheng, also disliked the Northern Palace and favored this place. For most of the year, he handled government affairs here.

To improve administrative efficiency, aside from the Guard Commandant who defended Xianyang and the Minister of Ceremonies who managed the ancestral temple sacrifices remaining at the Northern Palace, the offices of the other seven ministers, as well as the Chancellery and the Chief Prosecutor's Office, were all concentrated near Zhangtai Palace, lining the two sides of Zhangtai Street.

Looking back now, he could see the high walls and grand gates of Zhangtai Palace — lofty and imposing, no less than the later Forbidden City. But the palette of black tiles and yellow walls, set against the open, clear sky, with perching birds and the Ji Towers standing stark and tall, lush as if linked to the heavens, added an extra layer of gravity, and better suited Heifu's aesthetic taste.

Yet outside the palace walls, on either side of Zhangtai Street, there were only low, plain buildings. The architecture could not be called new. Although people came and went constantly, black-clad officials with hurried steps, they moved lightly and quietly, hardly making a single superfluous sound.

Someone who didn't know better would take them for ordinary wealthy households. Yet entering through these small lanes and alleys, you would bump into heavily guarded soldiers. Looking up, you would be struck to discover that the plaques read: Chancellery, Chief Prosecutor's Office!

Heifu could not help recalling a joke he had heard in his previous life: 'The central government offices tucked away in the hutongs of Zhongnanhai are less imposing than the county government of a fourth- or fifth-tier small county town...'

So here, what Heifu saw was not the bustling prosperity of the Xianyang markets north of the Wei, but the steady, orderly beating of the empire's heart. In the capital's offices and bureaus, every official was solemn and respectful!

Though he had only been in office two days, on his way to work he had been fortunate to witness, just after the cockcrow, over a hundred dan of documents and bamboo slips sent from the various commanderies and counties being hauled by a dozen-odd carts along Zhangtai Street. They were first sorted at the Chancellery and the Chief Prosecutor's Office, with a portion distributed to the various offices, and the most critical ones handed to the duty officers at Zhangtai Palace, then submitted to the King of Qin, Zheng, for personal inspection after he had finished his morning meal.

Only when he saw that the clay seals were intact, confirming they had not been secretly opened and read by malefactors, would the King of Qin order the clay seal shells broken off and sent to him for personal perusal...

It was said that the King of Qin was a workaholic. He 'personally handled the brush and ink, decided lawsuits by day, and managed documents by night,' reviewing 120 jin of memorials every day!

With the King of Qin himself so diligent in governance, and Qin law advocating that no official business be delayed overnight, the great offices along Zhangtai Street, beneath their quiet exteriors, were also scenes of bustling activity.

Fortunately, Heifu's post as Counselor was an idle sinecure with little to do to begin with, and he had the legitimate excuse of 'checking reference materials,' so it hardly counted as skipping work. He crossed a lane, but instead of entering the main gate of the Chief Prosecutor's Office — crammed full of chattering Erudites and Confucian scholars — he circled around to its side and rear, outside a courtyard surrounded by wells.

On the courtyard gate, in large seal script, were clearly written the characters: 'Archive Room of the Chief Prosecutor's Office.'

This was the book repository of the Chief Prosecutor's Office — that is, the national library and national archives of Qin. Documents from the four directions, meaning the central government's memorials, archives, maps, books, and materials submitted by the localities, were all concentrated here.

Heifu presented his bronze seal and black cord sash of a Counselor, along with the bamboo-slip document granting him entry permission, and was also required to leave behind the flint and steel that everyone carried in those days, before he was led in by a minor clerk.

'What books does the Counselor wish to consult?'

This was Heifu's second visit. The archive clerk had some impression of this Counselor who had come to the archive room to flip through books, only to end up falling asleep.

'Today I am not looking for books first. I am looking for a person. Is the Pillar-Below Archivist available?' Heifu smiled.

'The archive room has four Pillar-Below Archivists: for the Bright Hall, the Stone Chamber, the Golden Cabinet, and the Jade Tablets. May I ask which one the Counselor seeks?'

The Great Qin national library was under the jurisdiction of the Chief Prosecutor's Office, but internally it was subdivided into four sections: the Bright Hall, the Stone Chamber, the Golden Cabinet, and the Jade Tablets. The Bright Hall held Qin's own historical records and canonical texts; the Golden Cabinet stored Qin laws and ordinances; the Jade Tablets housed household registers and maps.

Only the Stone Chamber was newly established, containing the plundered historical records and book collections of the Six States.

The one Heifu was looking for was precisely the Pillar-Below Archivist of the Stone Chamber.

A junior clerk led him through the side corridors. Passing the chambers, he could hear the rustling sounds of knife-pen Qin clerks copying documents, and from time to time they encountered clerks carrying boxes of bamboo slips in and out. In this era, scholarship was also manual labor — no easier than hauling bricks.

A thought flashed unbidden through Heifu's mind: "If only lightweight paper could be invented, they wouldn't have to toil so hard. And with the realm unified, the commanderies and counties will face ever heavier administrative burdens — these backward writing materials are beginning to struggle to keep up with Qin's exquisitely meticulous governance..."

While he was pondering this, they arrived at the stone chamber.

Qin's seizure of the Six States' texts was driven more by a conqueror's mentality; few people were genuinely interested in those texts. So visitors to read here were sparse. The door stood slightly ajar, with no one around.

"Archivist? Archivist?"

The archive clerk stepped inside and called softly, but after a long moment, no one answered.

He had no choice but to raise his voice. At last, an impatient voice sounded from within.

"Who is it shouting and disturbing me outside?"

The clerk shrank back. "Archivist, a Court Advisor has a question and has come specially to find you!"

"Court Advisor?" The voice inside fell into thought, and only after a moment said, "Wait a moment. I'll come out now."

Yet half a ke later, no one had emerged — only the muffled thud of something hitting the ground!

Startled, Heifu and the clerk walked in to look. They saw a bookshelf loaded with bamboo slips had toppled over. The slips and bamboo scrolls had all crashed to the floor, pinning a human figure underneath!

"Quick... quick, pull me out!"

The person was massive in build and clumsy in movement. Now, crushed under several dan of bamboo slips, he could not budge at all...

Heifu, possessed of great strength, strode over and hauled him out with one pull.

Looking closely, he saw it was a fat man — a rare sight in this era. His cheeks were plump and full like soft steamed buns, and a pair of narrow eyes were deeply sunken into the flesh. Yet his skin was excellent, fair and plump like the white flesh of a gourd...

The fat man had been yelping in pain just moments before, but once pulled out, he paid no heed to checking his injuries. Instead, he threw himself at those ancient bamboo slips, lamenting over them with heartbroken sighs.

"This is the sole surviving copy of the Shizi! I haven't even transcribed it yet — if it's damaged, what am I to do?"

He frantically began picking up the books from the floor, but unexpectedly, his footing was unsteady. He stepped on another bamboo scroll, fell again, and toppled onto his back — buried once more in the pile of slips...

If this man's brains were addled by a fall, it would be a great loss. Heifu could only pull him up again. Seeing he was not injured, Heifu said with a helpless laugh, "Brother Zihu, I know you love books as your very life, but surely you needn't make books your coffin and casket?"

This tall, fair, plump fellow before him was none other than Zhang Cang, whose name Heifu had heard renowned for years. He was a scion of the Zhang clan of Yangwu, a distinguished disciple of Xunzi, a junior fellow disciple of Li Si, a scholar of broad learning, and the future great mathematician and scientist.

Yet only after Heifu met the man in person did he discover his true identity — he was, in fact, a...

... dead otaku!

PS: Got back late. Two more chapters tonight — aiming to finish before midnight.

(End of chapter)