Chapter 350: He has been able to come to the fore, and Zhao Gao has taken all the advantages!
Chang'an Jun Mansion, next to the pond.
The breeze rippled the autumn water in the pond, and the Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the water first rippled and then became blurred.
"Tang Bing, Cui Guang, Wu Shi, and Zhou Shu also used that idiot's punctuation marks?"
The First Emperor took the letter delivered by the carrier pigeon, shook it twice, and expressed deep doubt.
"Absolutely."
Zhang Han, who delivered the letter, bowed his head and gave the First Emperor a positive reply.
“Not promoting virtuous people can prevent the people from competing with each other. If you don’t learn, you won’t do anything extra. Not doing anything extra is the greatest achievement.
"These two sentences were said by Laozi himself and written in the Tao Te Ching. Have they forgotten them? They pretended to be deaf and dumb in my hands. Once they go to Han, they can do anything."
The First Emperor was slightly dissatisfied, and his words were mostly sarcastic.
Zhang Han lowered his raised hands slightly and said in a deep voice:
"Han Ke can go and kill him!"
These doctors who were obsessed with studying classics in the Doctoral Office suddenly became talented people in governance when they arrived in Han, which made Zhang Han very angry.
Qin law stipulates that on the battlefield, if a soldier with a rank of the fourth rank or above did not kill anyone, he would be stripped of his title and severely punished.
Shang Yang, who compiled this law, believed that the elite soldiers who could be promoted to the fourth rank must be the best among the Qin army - killing an elite soldier is the first rank in Qin, and being able to accumulate to the fourth rank means that such elite soldiers must be the elite among the elite.
Such a powerful warrior didn't kill a single enemy on the battlefield. He could have done something but didn't. This kind of vile behavior is treason and cannot be tolerated!
In the eyes of the military general Zhang Han, the behavior of the doctors who resigned was no different from that of the fourth-class soldiers who did not kill anyone, both of them were traitors!
"Your Excellency has a great murderous nature."
Wearing a black towel, with a kind face but extremely sharp eyes, Xun Qing pushed open the gate and walked into the courtyard.
Zhang Han immediately put down his hands, put one hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, and said coldly:
"Trespassers will die!"
"Don't be rude."
The First Emperor immediately reprimanded Zhang Han, who bowed his head slightly to show that he had made a mistake, and then moved to stand behind the First Emperor. He raised his head and stared at Xunzi with a strong sense of oppression, as if he was interrogating a prisoner.
"Eavesdropping on others, is this what Confucianism does?"
The First Emperor said sarcastically.
"This is the Chang'an Palace, not the Xianyang Palace."
Xun Qing responded without changing his expression. Zhang Han's sharper gaze could not shake his mood at all.
"That's an interesting logic. If a guest is in the host's house, is it legitimate for the host to eavesdrop on the guest's conversation?"
"When a guest lives in a foreign land and speaks to others about things that are not beneficial to them, he is a bad guest. To reason with good people and punish evil people is the principle of Confucianism."
Zhang Han's face was filled with murderous intent. He waited for the First Emperor's order and then rushed forward to chop off Xunzi's head!
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The First Emperor did not get angry but laughed instead.
"Since I became king, Xunzi is the first person who wants to punish me. Interesting, really interesting!"
Xunzi waited until the First Emperor had laughed enough before he said calmly:
"Your Majesty, what do you think is interesting?"
"Isn't King Fajia's body interesting enough?"
"Dharma, why can't it be added to the king's body?"
Looking at Xunzi's face without a smile, the First Emperor realized that Xunzi was not joking. His expression gradually became serious, and his majesty gathered from between his furrowed brows.
“Law is the tool used by the king to govern the world, just like chopsticks used for eating and wine bottles used for drinking.
"When the law is imposed on the king, it is like the tool backfiring. I don't quite understand what Xunzi said."
The murderous intent in Zhang Han's eyes behind him was as real as day.
If the First Emperor had not been present, and he had come alone to Chang'an Junfu and heard Xunzi's remarks, the sword at his waist would have been drawn long ago.
"Your Majesty, haven't you been asking, what is the difference between you and the Lord? This is one of them.
"The law is the law, and under the law, all beings are equal."
The Emperor's expression turned obviously worse, he squinted his eyes and said indifferently:
"Xunzi wants to usurp my country?"
"I don't dare."
Xunzi lowered his head, his eyes full of disappointment.
"Xunzi didn't become the state teacher because he knew that teaching me would put his life in danger?"
Xunzi remained silent.
The First Emperor was not in the mood to fish today. He stepped past Xunzi and left with Zhang Han.
Just before leaving the gate of Chang'an Jun Mansion, Zhang Han no longer gripped the hilt of the sword - he had been waiting for the First Emperor to ask him to kill Xunzi.
Xunzi, who had saved his life, smiled bitterly.
"I can't persuade you. I can't persuade you."
Taking the fishing rod that the emperor used to fish, Xunzi knelt on his knees by the pond.
The fat koi in the pond looked very unfamiliar when they saw the people on the shore, and they squeezed closer, shaking their heads.
Their scales were sparkling with colorful light, and they scrambled to emerge from the water, as if they wanted to see clearly the appearance of the old man on the shore.
"Even if he is as lazy as you, even if he was as kind as you in the past, he is still different from you.
"He is the king, the god, the heaven, and the first emperor who sees himself as different from ordinary people. It doesn't make sense.
"If the King of Qin doesn't change, the world will never change."
Xunzi came here today to tell the First Emperor the second half of the sentence on the note. From the reports and movements of the disciples in the court, Xunzi knew that the First Emperor would be on tour soon.
There is no need for the First Emperor to change his mind. As long as the First Emperor is not so strong today and shows signs of change, Xunzi will tell him the half sentence he had hidden.
However, the First Emperor is the First Emperor, not the Lord of Chang'an.
…
Zhangtai Palace.
After the eunuchs of Afang Palace were killed, Zhao Gao asked the First Emperor for permission to teach the Eighteen Princes in Zhangtai Palace.
The reason is that Zhangtai Palace was where the First Emperor conducted affairs all year round and it had a literary atmosphere that was profound and profound.
The Eighteenth Young Master will be deeply influenced by his studies here and will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort.
The First Emperor, who had been slacking off recently, had no use for the Zhangtai Palace, so he agreed to it casually. Afang was the first to tell the First Emperor that Ping'er had killed the eunuch.
The First Emperor didn't care about these things, after all, they were not a big deal.
Zhao Gao squatted beside Ying Hu Hai, pointed at the words on the bamboo slips, and said softly:
"Eighteenth Young Master, have you memorized it?"
This piece of bamboo slips is the "Corvée Law" in the "Qin Law".
The boy shook his head.
"Teacher, Hu Hai hasn't finished reciting yet."
"No hurry, no hurry. When Gao was the Eighteenth Young Master's age, he was just learning to read."
Zhao Gao tried to comfort him with words, but there was a flash of anxiety in his eyes.
What he needed was not an Eighteenth Young Master who followed the rules, but an Eighteenth Young Master who stood out from the crowd. At least, he had to look outstanding.
[Even if Your Majesty sees that I am using a shady method, I can't care! Your Majesty is leaving Xianyang soon, and time is running out! ]
Zhao Gao stroked Ying Hu Hai's head, as if he was comforting his own student , very naturally.
"Take a short rest."
Ying Hu Hai's eyes suddenly opened wide, revealing deep fear. Just as he was about to say "I don't want to sleep", he became dizzy and fell into Zhao Gao's arms.
There were no palace maids in the room, only eunuchs, all wearing half-silk close-fitting eunuch uniforms. They were all eunuchs from the Jingshifang.
They worked together to make the bed for the Eighteenth Young Master, cover him with a quilt, take off his clothes and slippers, and carry him to lie on the wooden bed. It took them a while to finish.
"Everyone get out."
Zhao Gao stood beside the wooden bed, facing the Eighteenth Young Master, without raising his head or opening his eyes.
"only."
"only."
"only."
“…”
The temple servants took the order respectfully, with the same humble look as their Lord Chariot Officer, and walked out backwards in small steps, bending their waists and bodies.
Zhao Gao placed his palm on the student's head, and his five fingers were faintly bloody.
"If the imperial court issues a conscription, but the conscription is delayed, the fine shall be two armors. If the conscription is delayed by three to five days, the fine shall be one shield; if the conscription is delayed by six to ten days, the fine shall be one shield; if the conscription is delayed by more than ten days, the fine shall be one armor..."
He was muttering to himself, talking about the contents of the bamboo slip on the table - the "Corvée Law" in the "Qin Law".
If someone were to compare it with what was written on the bamboo slips, they would find that what Zhao Gao was reciting was exactly the same as what was written on the bamboo slips.
Zhao Gao, the Minister of the Imperial Chariots, knew the Qin Code by heart, and this was true for every law in the Code. When the First Emperor was reviewing memorials, if he had any questions about the Qin Code, he did not need to look it up in the book, but only to ask Zhao Gao.
The only two people in the whole court who had such ability were Li Si and Zhao Gao.
The fact that he was deeply favored by the First Emperor and stayed by his side for more than ten years was far from being a life-saving favor to the First Emperor - there were many guards who saved the First Emperor, but only Zhao Gao stayed by his side.
Even if it was the Sword Saint Gai Nie, he would not have caught the eye of the First Emperor if he had not been recommended by Ying Chengjiao.
The First Emperor favored Zhao Gao because of his outstanding abilities—he was a perfect writer, could recite Qin laws by heart, could give advice, had good judgment, and was extremely loyal.
If others can get one of them, they can already stand out, and Zhao Gao has them all!
The First Emperor, who was angered by Xunzi, had just stepped into the Zhangtai Palace when he heard Zhao Gao's loud recitation.
He glanced at the monks with his imposing eyes.
"Why don't you accompany Hu Hai to study?"
There was some unexpressed anger in his voice. Although it was not much, it made the monk, who was highly skilled in martial arts, feel uneasy.
The First Emperor ordered them to accompany the eighteen princes to study. If they did not accompany them, they would be considered to have abandoned their duties. Their worst fate could be execution.
Plop, plop~
All the monks knelt on the ground, lying like toads.
"Your Majesty, the Eighteenth Young Master has fallen asleep."
The First Emperor listened attentively and said:
"Then why is Zhao Gao reading the Law of Corvée?"
"Your Majesty, the Lord of the Chariot House has been doing this for a long time. Whenever the Eighteenth Young Master falls asleep, the Lord of the Chariot House recites the Qin Law beside him."
Thump thump thump
The First Emperor ignored the eunuchs lying on the ground, strode towards the side hall and pushed open the door.
The scene that came into his eyes was just as the monks outside had described.
My youngest son was lying on the bed, sleeping soundly.
Zhao Gao held the bamboo slips in both hands and read the "Corvée Law" on them to Ying Hu Hai word by word.
When Zhao Gao heard the noise, he turned around and saw that it was the First Emperor. He hurriedly threw the bamboo slips on the table, not caring whether the clattering sound of the bamboo slips falling on the desk would wake up the students.
This seemingly unintentional but actually intentional little action was his way of showing the First Emperor that he, Zhao Gao, would always put the First Emperor first and was nice to the Eighteenth Prince because he was the First Emperor's son.
Zhao Gao would not miss any detail.
He bent over, hunched his back, leaned forward, and said humbly:
"Your Majesty."
"What are you doing?"
The First Emperor pointed at the bamboo slips on the table.
"Why did you recite the Yao Law when Hu Hai was asleep?"
"I once heard a Chu person say: 'When you are in deep sleep, your spirit is still awake. If you listen to a book at this time, you can remember the content in your mind.' So I read to the Eighteenth Prince when he was in deep sleep."
The First Emperor looked at the bloodshot eyes of Zhao Gao and knew that his childhood friend probably had not had a good night's sleep in these days and was seriously sleep deprived.
The First Emperor was deeply touched by the fact that Zhao Gao, a martial arts master who could catch up on sleep anytime and anywhere, became like this in order to teach his youngest son.
"Thanks a lot."
A qualified teacher is one who teaches students seriously when they are awake and supervises them to study seriously.
Zhao Gao's teaching method is something that even teachers themselves may not be able to achieve.
Zhao Gao said in a trembling voice:
"Gao is atonement for his sins. Concubine Hu died because of Gao. Gao is suffering and tired, hoping that his guilt will be lessened in the eyes of His Majesty."
The First Emperor closed his eyes and patted Zhao Gao on the shoulder.
Zhao Gao's words reminded him of Concubine Hu who committed suicide for unknown reasons, the large glass bead that was as red as blood, and the Eighteenth Prince Ying Hu Hai, whom he had rarely visited.
"It's not your fault."
The First Emperor said softly.
The First Emperor, who was angry, depressed, and guilty, did not want to continue this topic. He wanted to say something to show that he really did not care, so he made small talk:
"You have memorized the Qin Code long ago, so why are you reciting it on bamboo slips?"
"Gao is afraid that I may have made some mistakes and failed to teach the Eighteenth Young Master well, thus betraying His Majesty's trust."
"I believe you."
The First Emperor said.
On the bed, Ying Hu Hai suddenly sat up, his face full of fear and pale.
The First Emperor frowned and walked quickly forward.
"But there's a nightmare?"
Ying Hu Hai turned his head in the direction of the voice, his movements were somewhat wooden, as if he had not yet fully awakened. The light in his eyes was slightly dull, and he stared at the First Emperor for a few breaths.
Feeling guilty, the First Emperor showed an anxious look on his face and he grabbed the boy's arms on both sides.
"Hu Hai! Hu Hai!"
After shaking twice.
The Eighteenth Prince Ying Hu Hai focused his eyes on the First Emperor's face, burst into tears, and threw himself into the First Emperor's arms.
The First Emperor felt a little uncomfortable. Many of his princes and princesses would not do this, including the eldest prince Ying Fusu.
The bond between father and son made him lower his arms, hug his son, and speak gently in his usual majestic voice:
"What happened?"
“Woo woo woo, woo woo woo…”
The young man lay in his father's arms and cried.
The First Emperor did not know how to coax children, but he waited patiently for his son to stop crying.
There was obvious anger in his eyes as he looked at Zhao Gao, who had been very grateful just now.
The First Emperor had no evidence to prove that his son's crying was related to Zhao Gao, but at this time, as a father, he instinctively suspected Zhao Gao, who was closest to his son.
This suspicion gave rise to many doubts that were not doubts at all.
[Why did he ask all the temple staff to leave when he was reading the law to Hu Hai? Did he do something shameful to Hu Hai? ]
[Why couldn't he teach Hu Hai in the Afang Palace, but in the Zhangtai Palace? Afang didn't like the eunuchs, so he killed one of them. What does this have to do with him teaching Hu Hai? ]
[When I reviewed memorials, I recited the laws and regulations. Why do I have to hold bamboo slips and speak on them now? Is the purpose really what I said? ]
