Chapter 305 Ying Zi
There is no sunlight on the second underground floor of Xianyang Prison, and the only lighting is provided by candlelight.
The long-lost breeze blew on Gan Luo, taking away the bad luck of living underground, his past in Xianyang Prison, and his long-held obsession.
He put up his hand to cover his eyes. The dim light in the morning was a little too bright for him, so bright that he could hardly see the road ahead.
Li Si's ridicule made his face even gloomier. His hands, which were blocking the sunlight, were tightly clenched, hiding his unwilling face.
"The Qin Sword is in his hand. No one can stop him except Your Majesty."
Gan Luo muttered to himself, quickened his pace, and walked towards the outside of the Supreme Court, taking every step with great force.
When he ran out of the Supreme Court, he smelled a faint smell of blood, and his face became even uglier.
Although he had been imprisoned in Xianyang Prison, he had a brother who often told him about the situation outside. He knew about the bloody massacre in front of the Supreme Court.
The three ancient families of Meng, Xi, and Bai, which had existed since the time of Duke Mu of Qin, were wiped out in one day. Right here, in front of the gate of the Tingwei Mansion, which symbolized the highest judgment of the Qin State, they died under the Qin law.
The three great families were the most powerful families in Qin State, only slightly inferior to the Gan family. Before Gan Luo united the many families in Xianyang, even the Gan family, the leader of the families, could not match the foundation of the three great families.
Gan Luo still found it hard to believe that the three powerful families that had supported the Qin monarchs for more than a dozen generations were eliminated. He stood still for a moment, and the resentment on his face faded a little.
"Sir, we have been waiting for you for a long time."
" Hahaha , congratulations to the Lord for his redress. Please join us at the banquet."
"The hot water is ready, the incense is lit, please come this way, sir."
“…”
Dozens of horse-drawn carriages and ox-drawn carts were parked in front of the Supreme Court. Their owners lifted the curtains in the carriages and kept looking at the gate of the Supreme Court.
When they saw Gan Luo walking out in prison clothes, everyone got off the car and went to greet their family leader with smiles on their faces.
They walked on the bluestone bricks stained black by the blood of the three great families, smiled gently in the faint smell of blood, laughed heartily, and said congratulations and congratulations. They were really happy.
Gang Chengjun Cai Ze was also among them. Due to his age, the old man could not squeeze next to Gan Luo, so he smiled sincerely at the back of the crowd and said the same compliments as the heads of the aristocratic families around him.
Just like the bright moon surrounded by stars, Gan Luo felt no joy in his heart, nor did he smile of escaping danger on his face.
The three great families of Meng, Xi and Bai were all wiped out, and a group of family heads were chatting and laughing at the place where the three great families were wiped out. There is only one possibility, that the matter has been settled and the result has come out.
Only when the heads of these noble families are out of danger can they laugh so naturally and speak compliments fluently. Most people will not be in a good state when their life and death are uncertain.
Gan Luo was surrounded by a group of family heads. He moved forward not by his own legs, but entirely by the strength of the family heads. He suppressed his emotions and put on a noble smile.
"What kind of punishment did that boy receive?"
The middle-aged patriarch, who had a prominent black mole on his left eyebrow, had a look of regret on his face and said in a hateful voice:
"Your Majesty is unfair. He only imprisoned him. That boy is blessed by your Majesty. He is really lucky!"
[Ignorance! Being able to imprison that bastard is already great news! ]
Gan Luo, feeling better, raised his head and looked at the Xianyang people in the distance, who were wearing patched black linen clothes and saw the horse and ox carts gathering here and took a detour.
A fat, panting head of an upper-class family who was following Gan Luo noticed that Gan Luo's mood had improved, and said with a smile:
"I think the minister left in a hurry and didn't pay attention to the second-floor prison. That bastard was imprisoned by His Majesty in Xianyang Prison."
Gan Luo paused as he approached the carriage, but the team of family heads did not stop, and the inertia of the crowd carried Gan Luo onto the carriage.
"I don't have the assurance of killing him, so I dare not go against his will. But who in this world can kill him... All is over."
Gan Luo lowered his head and buried his face in his hands. His noble spine was no longer straight. Having just been released from Xianyang Prison, he knew better than anyone that Ying Chengjiao was not in Xianyang Prison.
Dozens of horse-drawn carriages and ox-drawn carts carrying the heads of most of the aristocratic families in Xianyang were moving on the highway. Gan Luo in the carriage did not care where this aristocratic family convoy was going, as there was only one highway in Xianyang City.
November 3rd.
Chang'an Jun Ying Chengjiao was dismissed from his posts as prime minister and lieutenant to the emperor. Jiang Shang, who was unknown anywhere in the world, rose to prominence overnight when he entered the court and was appointed prime minister by the First Emperor.
Li Si was dismissed from the post of Chief Justice, and Zhang Tu, who had served as Chief Justice longer than Li Si, succeeded Li Si as Chief Justice and was ranked one of the Nine Ministers.
Wang Xi, an old general who had made outstanding contributions to the Qin Dynasty, lost his integrity in his later years and was executed for gathering people to rebel. The Imperial Court entered his mansion and confiscated his property, seizing six gold and fifty-seven coins. The old general had no children and no servants at home, and his mansion was sealed and returned to the state.
After the rest day, all the staff of the Imperial Guards' Office came to the sealed-off mansion that originally belonged to Wang Xi. They cleaned up the bird droppings on the ground and caught seven little birds with a net.
An old man with half white hair, who worked at the Guowei Mansion and had an annual salary of 800 stones, suddenly had a mental breakdown, sat down on bird shit and cried loudly.
"Prince! I am a coward, a birdman, I am so sorry for you! I should have gone with you... wuwuwu!"
The old man named Kuo had just shouted a few words when his colleagues who were no younger than him covered his mouth tightly.
The city defense troops patrolling nearby heard the noise and saw the commotion. They hesitated for a moment and then walked along their original patrol route. After four steps, they turned around and walked over.
Under the unfriendly and panicked gazes of the officials of the State Guard, the city defense soldiers handed over the most precious white handkerchief sewn by their unmarried wife to the old man who was struggling and crying silently.
"You little kid, do you know the prince?"
The old man asked, covering his wide mouth with both hands and enduring the pain of his old friend biting his hands hard.
"Know."
The city defense army replied.
A hint of joy rose in the old man's sad heart, but before this hint of joy faded away.
"I have heard of the great name of Marquis Wucheng since I was a child."
The joyful expression turned into an even more intense sadness.
"You don't know the prince, so why are you showing favoritism?"
The city defense soldiers used handkerchiefs to wipe away Kuo's tears.
"Uncle Kuo, I'm so sorry."
The old man stared blankly, and the officials of the State Guardian's Office all stared blankly.
The city defense soldiers who have elders and close friends at home look at the officials of the National Guard Office who are all higher in rank than themselves.
"Please take Uncle Kuo away from the rebel's place. Although this rebel is not well-known, not many people care about him. But if he keeps crying like this, it may lead others to report to the authorities, and he may end up being guilty of the same crime as the rebel."
The old man closed his eyes and tears fell.
"Rebel? Boy, you should know that the owner of this place had done as much good as Lord Meng in the past. This mansion was personally given to Wu'an Jun by the former King Zhaoxiang when he granted him Wu'an Mansion based on his merits."
The city defense soldiers looked at the old man suspiciously and didn't quite believe it.
Duke Meng and Lord Wu'an were both famous generals of the Qin State who had made countless contributions. If the owner here was the same as them, how could he not know?
The old man covered his friend's mouth with one hand and pointed at the sealed door of the mansion with the other.
"Is it not famous? The threshold of this gate was broken by visitors seven times twenty years ago. Except for the residence of Marquis Wu'an in Xianyang, there is no other military residence more famous than this one!"
The city defense soldier hummed, thinking that the old man was talking nonsense. If it wasn't his uncle who was crying, he would have arrested him long ago.
The old man had covered Kuo's mouth with both hands before, but now he only had one hand left and the strength was not enough, so he struggled for Kuo to open his mouth.
Kuo cried loudly, his tears soaking the white handkerchiefs of the city defense army, making the overall color darker. Kuo's voice was dull and unpleasant, like the cry of an old crow.
"I forgot! I forgot everything! I forgot everything... wuwuwu!"
That night, Gan Luo was picked up by a group of noble family heads and was escorted to the new building. There were endless revelry in the new building day and night, and the sounds of obscenity were endless.
But with Gan Luo's forced intervention, no matter whether it was the pig in the jar of the Xi family, or the skinny horse and bitch of the Meng and Bai families, none died.
November 4th.
Lian Po, a former general of the State of Zhao, was famous among the princes for his courage. In the final battle, he focused on defense, and the old general Lian Po, who was so famous that Bai Qi, the Marquis of Wu'an, did not go to the battle, was appointed as the national commander by the First Emperor.
The First Emperor wanted to give him a mansion, but the new commander Lian Po refused it and regarded himself as a guest of Lord Chang'an, living in Lord Chang'an's mansion.
November 5th.
On the third day, Prime Minister Jiang Shang was on leave and was seen entering the palace of Lord Chang'an. Someone tried to persuade him indirectly, and Jiang Shang confessed that he was also a retainer of Lord Chang'an.
The prime minister, the lieutenant, and the highest officials of the government and the military of the Qin Dynasty were all guests of Chang'an Jun, and the court and the public were shocked. The nobles then realized that they seemed to be too happy too early. The young man did not leave the stage, but retreated behind the scenes. They were played by the two brothers with the most noble status.
Fortunately, the First Emperor had said in court that he would not pursue the fault of selling abandoned weapons. The noble families were only upset and angry, but not panicked.
November 7th.
The aftereffects of the killing of the three great families began to appear. After the officials from , the government affairs became a little stagnant. Although the cities near Xianyang could still share the extra government affairs with other officials, this was not a long-term solution.
And as time goes on, arrest warrants are issued. The children of the three major families who served as officials in the city far away from Xianyang and deep in Guanzhong were arrested and fled, and such problems will also arise.
The farther away from the power center of Xianyang, the fewer officials there are in the city, and the greater power each official holds. Government affairs will continue to expand with the distance from Xianyang.
The First Emperor, who had been waiting for Ying Chengjiao's so-called solution, finally couldn't wait any longer. He rode in a four-horse carriage and broke into the Chang'an Palace with great fanfare to question the emperor. Before driving away, the First Emperor made up his mind that if he didn't get a satisfactory answer today, he would solve the problem in his own way.
The First Emperor met Xunzi, who was temporarily the lord of the Chang'an Jun Mansion, and was known as the best teacher in the world and the teacher in the Chang'an Jun Mansion.
The First Emperor, who had always been determined to follow the Legalist approach to governing the country, wanted to appoint Xunzi, the most famous and prestigious Confucian who considered himself a great Confucian, as the prime minister after they had a discussion. However, Xunzi refused.
The First Emperor raised his eyes in displeasure and said in a deep voice:
"I think Xunzi is not like a great Confucian but like a great legalist. Your disciples Han Fei and Li Si both served in Qin and thought Qin was beautiful. I wonder how Xunzi views Qin."
Xunzi stood up, the green scarf on his head shaking slightly. He took a book from the bookshelf beside him, turned to page 7 and handed it to the First Emperor.
"Your Majesty has already asked about this. Please compile your Majesty's daily conversations into a book for your majesty to read."
The First Emperor lifted his chin, which had dropped in astonishment, and silently took it, feeling a little bewildered and a little proud.
[Does that boy have this ability? Can his words and deeds be a book for Xunzi? ]
The Confucian classic "The Analects of Confucius" is a collection of quotations compiled by the disciples and their disciples of Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, recording the words and deeds of Confucius and his disciples.
[Ying Zi said: What do you think of the Qin State? ]
[Your Excellency said: The terrain is favorable, the people are simple, the officials are respectful, the scholars and officials are wise and fair, and the court makes decisions on all matters without delay.]
【Ying Zi said: Please discuss this in detail.】
【You said: The geographical advantage is the superior terrain. Qin has a strategic location, magnificent mountains and rivers, and rich natural resources. It has the Hangu Pass, the first pass in the world, and Bashu behind it. The Guanzhong Pass is the world's grain storage. It can advance eastward to attack other countries, and retreat to lock the pass. One man can defend it, and ten thousand men cannot open it.】
【Your Excellency said: "The people are simple, which means that the people are simple and have no distractions. After entering Qin, I saw that the people in various places in Qin had simple customs, appropriate music, and decent clothing. 】
【Your Excellency said: All officials are solemn and awe-inspiring, which means that officials do not harm others. Officials in all places are serious and cautious, and all of them are humble, frugal, honest and prudent.】
【Your Excellency said: The scholars and officials are fair and just, and even those in high positions do not have strong selfishness. Entering Xianyang, I observed the scholars and officials of Qin. They go to the government office when they leave their homes, and return to their homes when they leave the government office. They have no private affairs or personal relationships, and they do not form cliques or keep secrets. They are wise and honest in their work.】
【You said: The court does not delay any decision, which is the virtue of the King of Qin. You have observed the court of Qin. After the officials came to court, they handled government affairs very efficiently and in an orderly manner. The King of Qin did not leave any affairs overnight.】
The First Emperor couldn't help but look at Ying Chengjiao's reply below, and looked up at Xunzi in confusion.
"Xunzi spoke so highly of the Qin State, so he was obviously not a corrupt scholar. Why didn't he want to serve the Qin State?"
"In such a huge Chang'an Palace, there must be someone to guard the house."
The First Emperor was stunned and speechless.
"ha?"
Then he laughed and said:
"Xunzi, are you kidding me? Lü Buwei and Lian Po were both prime ministers and lieutenants. Their service as officials in Qin does not conflict with what Xunzi said."
"Yes." Xunzi looked at the face of the First Emperor and said, "I am here to advise the Lord, and I entered the government to advise Your Majesty. The Lord and Your Majesty have different ideas, and I will rebel against the Qin government. This is disloyalty."
The First Emperor pointed to the two words "Ying Zi" written by Xunzi on the paper.
"Xunzi can advise me, but he is worthy of being called Yingzi for his knowledge, but he is not fit to be a king. He is just like those corrupt scholars that Xunzi despises, kind but fake, and can accomplish nothing. Chang'an is too small, and Qin is too big. It would be a pity for Xunzi not to put his knowledge to good use."
Xunzi shook his head.
"Your Majesty is a man who is unique in both his studies and his governance. If Your Majesty is really as Your Majesty said, then why did Your Majesty come to look for you today? The bloodstains of the three great families are still in front of the Court of Justice. The color has changed from red to black, and it has not yet dried."
