Chapter 471: I Have a Dream!

In the thirty-first year of the First Emperor of Qin, just after the start of the new year, a great tremor shook the court of Xianyang!

In the brilliantly lit main hall of Xianyang Palace, the aged Chancellor Wei Zhuang, so old he had to be carried into the hall, tremblingly allowed the herald to remove the Chancellor's seal from his sash and bear it away. This signified Wei Zhuang's retirement from the chancellorship he had held for ten years.

These ten years were the decade in which Qin transformed from a mere regional lord into the unifier of all under Heaven and ascended to the imperial throne. For a chancellor, it should have been a time of magnificent, sweeping action, yet, strangely, Chancellor Wei Zhuang's deeds and political achievements over those ten years were utterly unremarkable.

Some said this old fossil was clever enough to disguise his treachery, currying favor with the age.

Some said he was a smooth, seemingly honest elder who always liked to muddle through affairs, caring for nothing but his own official position.

Memorials of impeachment like these came year after year, yet the First Emperor simply would not replace him. This very man, of all people, managed to cling to the position of Right Chancellor for a full ten years.

The reason for this was that the Chancellor's authority in Qin was relatively heavy. The Emperor had had enough of Lü Buwei's monopolization of power and enough of Lord Changping's constant dissent. All he needed was a chancellor who would simply nod in obsequious agreement and stamp his seal.

But this seal had finally grown old and useless. The First Emperor bestowed upon him the title of "Grand Patriarch of the Masses" and let Wei Zhuang retire.

The old Chancellor withdrew. At that moment, at the First Emperor's signal, two heralds, bearing a brand-new golden seal and purple sash, approached the assembled ministers from the side of the hall...

Everyone stared at the dazzling golden seal and the vivid purple sash.

It passed before Wang Wan, who had been Left Chancellor for many years and always yearned to be promoted to the full position. Wang Wan seemed to have expected this, his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart.

It passed before Feng Quji, the Imperial Secretary, who had worked diligently for eight years and was considered by the court the most likely successor to be promoted to Chancellor. Feng Quji merely glanced down at the silver seal and green sash at his own waist, his face expressionless. Though the Imperial Secretary was often called the "Vice Chancellor," he was ultimately not the Chancellor.

In the end, this golden seal and purple sash stopped before Li Si, the Commandant of Justice!

"Let the Commandant of Justice Si, Grand Patriarch of the Masses, be appointed Right Chancellor, his noble rank elevated to Marquis Within the Passes!"

All eyes focused on this short-statured man from Shangcai.

Li Si was already over sixty this year, but he looked far more vigorous than younger men like Feng Quji and Neishi Teng. This old minister, a man of deep cunning, now showed a barely concealed excitement. He stepped forward and raised the jade tablet in his hands:

"Your servant Si, prostrates himself in thanks to Your Majesty!"

The Right Chancellor is the head of all officials, assisting the Son of Heaven and managing all affairs, overseeing the empire's punishments, campaigns, bestowals, and confiscations. Thus, the sovereign treats him with exceptional rites: descending from the royal carriage for him, rising from the imperial seat for him, and consulting him on matters of state upon entering the palace...

As part of the ceremony for appointing a Chancellor, the First Emperor of Qin, who rarely rose from his seat, now stood, solemnly raised his sleeve, and gave a slight bow toward Li Si below the dais.

Faced with this scene, no one was surprised. No one felt Li Si was unworthy. Only four words remained in their hearts: "He has earned his place!"

Over twenty years ago, when both men were still young and strong, they had once bowed to each other like this. At that time, Li Si was merely a court gentleman newly recommended by Lü Buwei to the First Emperor's side, and the First Emperor was still King Zheng of Qin, not yet in control of the government...

For over twenty years, through countless sleepless nights, the two had passionately discussed government affairs they were powerless to influence, dreamed of a unified era, and planned the empire's future.

Back then, Li Si had desperately hoped the First Emperor would make him Chancellor the moment he took personal rule, so he could put his talents to full use. But after seizing control of the court, the First Emperor revealed the style of a wise sovereign. He skillfully utilized the various factions within and outside Qin, adopting all of Li Si's strategies and suggestions, yet never promoted him beyond his rank. Instead, he placed Li Si on a path of slow advancement, leaving Li Si burning with impatience but helpless.

Fortunately, over all these years, his advice and strategies for destroying the six kingdoms and unifying the realm, along with his measures to consolidate imperial rule—standardizing cart axles and unifying the written script—had not been forgotten by the Emperor. Twenty years of mutual understanding between sovereign and minister had finally brought this day's reward!

But Li Si did not let down his guard in the slightest.

A minister governing the state renders service to the nation to secure his position, demonstrates ability in office to receive his duties, and exerts himself in the balance of power to manage affairs. Li Si knew that this was His Majesty's art of employing men. Balance was a crucial indicator, alongside merit and ability. The Emperor would never allow any single minister's faction to dominate.

Sure enough, besides the Left Chancellor remaining Li Si's old rival Wang Wan, and the Imperial Secretary position still held by Feng Quji, the First Emperor appointed someone to the vacant post of Commandant of Justice that made Li Si, even as Right Chancellor, feel as if a thorn were pricking his back...

"Neishi Teng, Grand Patriarch of the Masses of the Quadriga, is promoted in rank to Grand Patriarch of the Masses and appointed Commandant of Justice!"

"As expected." Ye Teng had waited a long time for this day. This much-disputed man of Han had finally entered the ranks of the Nine Ministers. He too stepped out of line to bow and thank the Emperor.

The assembled ministers looked at each other. With this, a subtle shift had occurred in the court's power structure:

Li Si, as Right Chancellor, had his eldest son Li You serving as Governor of Changsha Commandery; he was also the representative of the Legalist officials.

The Confucian Erudites rallied around Left Chancellor Wang Wan, actively pushing for the imperial eastern inspection and the Feng and Shan sacrifices next year.

Feng Quji was Imperial Secretary, and his cousin Feng Wuze was Marquis Within the Passes, stationed with the army in Yan and Zhao.

Ye Teng was Commandant of Justice, and his son-in-law Heifu seemed destined to be Governor of some eastern commandery.

Meng Yi, as General of the Palace Gentlemen, was constantly at the Emperor's side, while Meng Tian served as Governor of Shuofang.

Add to this the already declining Wang military clan, with Wang Jian aged and feeble, Wang Li demoted, and only a single Marquis of Military Prowess, Wang Ben, remaining.

The balance of power between sovereign and ministers is an extremely critical issue. The monarch must stand at a commanding height and govern his ministers with the skill of balance and mutual restraint. This is especially true for capable ministers, who must be managed with skill; otherwise, complications will arise, chaos will ensue, and the monarch's imperial enterprise will be endangered.

Whether in the court, the army, or the provinces, no single faction could dominate. All power remained concentrated in the Emperor's hands...

Affairs rest in the four directions, but the crux lies in the center; the sage grasps the crux, and the four directions come to serve!

The tremors caused by central personnel appointments were bound to ripple out to the provinces.

After the court session ended, the First Emperor returned to his inner hall. Instead of resting, he had someone unfurl the latest version of the "Map of the Four Seas United as One." He intended to shift several key regional officials to new posts.

The massive map, stitched together from dozens of sheets of fine white silk, did not have its mountains, rivers, commanderies, and counties painted on. Instead, they were embroidered stitch by stitch by the nimble hands of seamstresses, ensuring they would never fade or blur. It was several paces in both length and width, allowing the First Emperor to directly step onto it and look down upon his empire!

The Emperor walked from south to north. He stepped over the Five Ranges in one stride, planting his foot on Changsha Commandery, where Li Si's eldest son and the First Emperor's son-in-law, Li You, had already served as Governor for five years...

"Though Li You lacks great talent, he is of average ability. His status, at least for the next three years, cannot be lower than Heifu's. It is time to recall him."

The First Emperor pondered this, looking around, and set his sights on the Central Plains.

He took two more steps, crossed the Yangtze River, and his toe touched Sanchuan Commandery, with Chenggao to its east, Xiao and Mian to its west, its back to the Yellow River and facing the strategic passes of Yi and Luo...

Li You would be transferred to serve as Governor of Sanchuan Commandery. This was also a reward for his years of hard work in the south, and simultaneously a signal to Li Si of the trust and importance he placed on their family.

Li Si was a capable minister. The First Emperor understood his desires and pursuits perfectly. He must use unparalleled wealth, honor, and glory to secure the Li family's absolute loyalty.

Then, the Emperor turned his head toward the northwest. This was the newest version of the map. The "Thirty-Six Commanderies" of the year of unification had now become forty, with the addition of Hengshan, Zhang, Yuzhang, and Shuofang. Beyond that, the territory of Beidi Commandery had also expanded significantly.

Beidi needed a new Commandery Commandant, someone who could follow the court's policy of "building the Great Wall in the north" and also effectively continue the Shanghe military-agricultural settlement and migration project that Heifu had established.

The First Emperor already had an excellent candidate in mind.

"Zhang Han, Assistant to the Privy Treasurer! He can be the Commandant of Beidi."

However, Zhang Han's younger brother Zhang Ping seemed to already be serving in Beidi as Director of Works. This was absolutely forbidden. Zhang Ping would be transferred away, sent to Shang Commandery to work on the straight road his elder brother had not finished building...

Next came the most difficult choice. Where should the outgoing Heifu be transferred?

Although the First Emperor firmly believed the diviners' talk of "black dog, white horse," Heifu was different from Li Xin. He possessed not only military strategy but also civil governance skills. He could lead armies and also administer the people. To use him only for westward expansion would be a waste.

So the biggest question was not where Heifu could go, but which of the many commanderies was worthy of being governed by Heifu, this "talent fit to be a general or chancellor in ten years."

First, it needed to be a large commandery, with a large population—at least a hundred thousand households. Heifu could not be slighted.

Second, its vicinity needed to have significant problems, ones that those foolish officials found difficult to control, urgently awaiting a capable administrator to resolve.

Third, it needed to occupy an important position in the First Emperor's future plans for the empire!

Within the twenty-plus commanderies east of the Pass, the First Emperor clasped his hands behind his back and scanned them one by one, until at last his gaze came to rest on the eastern edge of the map!

Within the Six Directions, all is the Emperor's land. East to the Eastern Sea, west across the Shifting Sands. South to the Northern Door, north beyond the Great Xia…

"Heifu has already guided the great army, enabling our Great Qin to cross the Shifting Sands in the west — what of the other places?"

The First Emperor broke into a smile, strode over in a few steps, and stamped down hard on it with his square-toed, pointed-tip shoes.

"Excellent, this is the place!"

……

In mid-October, having already packed his bags at Yiqu City and prepared at any moment to hand over to the next Commandant of Beidi, Heifu received the First Emperor's edict.

It concerned the candidate for the new commandery commandant, and where Heifu would be transferred…

Ye Zijin held the child; she was more concerned about where their family would be living for the next few years, so she pressed him, "Husband, where is it?"

Heifu burst into hearty laughter. Instead of announcing the answer directly, he said with deep feeling, "In truth, I have long cherished a certain wish, and now it seems it will soon be fulfilled."

Ye Zijin asked curiously, "What wish? Why have I never heard my husband speak of it?"

"Because it was a dream from a past life…"

These were words he could not speak to anyone. His heart full of emotion, Heifu simply drew his wife and child into his arms, gazed toward the distant east, and said with a smile:

"I want a big house by the sea, to watch the tides rise and fall, the sun rise and set!"

PS: Volume Three, "The First Emperor" — End!

(End of chapter)