Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 280

Yu Ziqi and Xiao Yu were both indignant, but they couldn't refute Lu Wei: the difference in strength was so great that the brother and sister could only acquiesce to what the leader of the chivalrous family said.

Shao Siming, having cultivated Yin-Yang techniques, was naturally aloof and did not react to Lu Wei's words; all she had to do today was stand still.

"The Yin-Yang School is also divided into factions, one of which is hostile to the Shu Mountain School, and another is hostile to the Farmer School."

“I know that Shushan has no ambition, only wants to find the Shushan treasures that once belonged to you. Your strength is weak. From this perspective, Shushan needs more friends, even if those friends are other Yin-Yang School disciples.”

"Then what can we do to help the farmers?" Yu Ziqi asked quietly after the other party finished speaking.

Just as Lu Wei said, Shu Mountain is too weak. Its strongest combat force is probably itself, and such strength is almost useless on the Mirage.

But now the farmers want to cooperate with us, which seems like Shushan is getting huge benefits for no reason.

As for the so-called other faction of the Yin-Yang School, the entanglements are too deep for Yu Ziqi to understand, so he will wait for now and first clarify the obvious agricultural issues.

Xiao Yu noticed that her brother's hand muscles were relaxing, and realized that her brother was actually interested in her.

After all, the current situation of Mount Shu is really bad...

Chapter 331 The Beginning of Sanghai

The help that Shushan could offer was indeed limited, but Lu Wei didn't need to do anything extra for them either.

The enemies of Shushan, the Yin-Yang School and the Empire, are all targets that Lu Wei wants to transform and eliminate. Therefore, regardless of whether Shushan exists or not, there are some things that must be done.

Now, by using these as incentives to gain favor with Shu Mountain, the future Shu region will become Lu Wei's loyal subordinate. Why not do it?

As for returning the treasures of Shu Mountain that Qin had seized, Lu Wei had no intention of going back on his word: he was not a collector and had been quite generous in rewarding his subordinates over the years.

The feudal system, which has existed for hundreds of years since King Wu of Zhou, still holds a place in the hearts of many people today. The fact that the Qin state did not practice feudalism is even considered a crime by some powerful figures.

Even if the title of fiefdom doesn't fall to me now, what about the future...?

Qin had both atrocities and achievements, but for Lu Wei, he and Ying Zheng were definitely in agreement on the issue of centralized power: even setting aside the inevitable development of the feudal system, from the perspective of power alone, Lord Xia Kui wanted to be a dictator.

Once he succeeds in this endeavor, there will likely be many voices advocating for enfeoffment, and some will probably even cite the Qin Dynasty as an example: the Qin Dynasty perished because it did not practice enfeoffment, therefore the new dynasty must practice enfeoffment.

However, in terms of prestige, as long as Lu Wei persists in suppressing these voices, they will not cause any major trouble: he is highly skilled, and with the help of Physician Nian Duan and Duanmu Rong to recuperate, if he doesn't mess around and lives to be a hundred years old, he can be emperor for seventy or eighty years and outlive all the meritorious officials.

However, since power cannot be divided, one must invest more in reputation, wealth, and treasures, using money to buy people's hearts.

Anyway, those treasures won't just disappear into thin air. Once the situation stabilizes, maybe they can be recovered after the confiscation...

"Ziqi," Lu Wei addressed Yu Ziqi with a subordinate's tone. He smiled and answered the other's question with a counter-question: "You brought those Shu people to Sanghai, and your biggest purpose was that Fusang Divine Tree, wasn't it?"

“That’s right. It’s the tree of faith for all of us Shu people, witnessing the birth, growth and death of countless generations of Shu people!” Yu Ziqi nodded emphatically.

"Then you should understand very well that what you should do is not to investigate the mirage, but to plead with His Majesty the Emperor of Xianyang."

Yu Ziqi understood Lu Wei's meaning: even if he could defeat the Yin-Yang School and retrieve the Fusang Divine Tree, he would still have no way to move it from the East Sea back to Mount Shu.

That requires a great nation to accomplish; Mount Shu alone is simply not enough.

Therefore, Yu Ziqi's original plan was to secretly lead all the Yu Yuan guards onto the ship, hide on the ship, wait for the Yin Yang School to find the immortal, and then use the Shu Mountain secret technique to influence the Fusang Divine Tree so as to make contact with the immortal first.

Finally, with the help of the immortals, the Fusang Divine Tree was able to return home and would never be stolen again.

This plan seems even more illusory than Donghuang's wish to restore the Zhou Dynasty with the help of immortals, because it still needs to undergo another test from the Yin-Yang School.

"..."

Yu Ziqi fell silent again.

"It seems His Majesty the Emperor is unwilling to listen to the wishes of the Shu people, so you can only solve the problem in your own way." With his legs crossed, Lu Wei tapped the table heavily twice with his fingers: "Then why not address the root cause of the problem?"

"The source?" Yu Ziqi's eyes widened.

The root of the problem lies in the First Emperor's pursuit of immortality; in other words, the source lies with the First Emperor himself...

------

October arrived, just after the New Year. Li Si met Fusu on the road after court.

"Lord Li," Fusu greeted Li Si in a refined manner.

This eldest son of the empire was one of the few in the court who advocated recuperation and rest, for which he was reprimanded by His Majesty the Emperor on several occasions.

In terms of his studies, Fusu was indeed exposed to a lot of Confucian thought, but to say that he was a Confucian believer would be a bit of a misinterpretation.

In terms of education, Fusu was exposed to Legalist ideas more than Confucian books. After all, he was the most likely successor to the empire in terms of law and reason. The reason he preferred a particular school of thought was simply because he believed that school of thought could better maintain the empire's rule.

The oppression that ordinary people face today is far too severe.

To give a simple example, the emperor could not possibly live in all the palaces surrounding Xianyang. The more palaces built, the greater the expenses for their maintenance, all of which were meaningless wastes.

For a son to advise his father, or a subject to advise his ruler to reduce the construction of palaces, is inherently taboo...

"Young Master." Li Si was always impeccably polite. After he finished bowing, Fusu asked with a smile, "Is Lord Li heading to Sanghai?"

"Indeed." The whole court knew about this matter. As the prime minister, he and the eldest son Fusu were supposed to handle the mirage together. So Li Si smiled and said, "The Gongshu family and the Yin-Yang school have confirmed that all the problems with the mirage have been resolved. I am about to set off to take charge of allocating the necessary supplies for the mirage."

"Lord Li, you have worked hard. I am under orders from my father to travel to Sanghai after inviting Master Xiaomengzi of the Daoist school."

Fusu was in high spirits: "Will General Meng Tian also be traveling with Lord Li this time?"

“Indeed, although the Mo Family’s Mechanized City was destroyed some time ago, the core figures of the rebellion of the six kingdoms in the Jianghu are still at large.” Li Si’s expression became slightly more solemn: “The Mirage is related to His Majesty the Emperor’s important affairs, and it will surely become the target of these rebels. General Meng’s mission is arduous.”

"The rebellion must indeed be quelled more quickly." Fusu nodded.

"However, I heard that Lord Li's entourage also includes Gongsun Linglong, a descendant of the Gongsun family? Are they heading to Little Sage Village?"

"Confucianism holds an unshakeable position among the various schools of thought. Engaging with them appropriately is also for the long-term stability of the empire."

“What you say is correct, my lord. That is exactly what I intend to do.” Li Si did not reveal the emperor’s order. What should and should not be said was very important to Ying Zheng, and he would not make such a small mistake. “The three heroes of Qi and Lu from Xiaoshengxianzhuang are renowned talents throughout the world. If we can invite them to serve as officials in the court, it will be of great benefit to the empire.”

"Lord Li is indeed devoted to the country, and I have also considered this matter." Fusu smiled and said, "The three heroes of Qi and Lu are highly respected. Lord Li, please go first, and I will also visit Xiaoshengxianzhuang."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of unusual emotion flashed in Li Si's eyes, which had remained impassive: "Don't worry, young master."

In the side corridor of the side hall, Hu Hai watched with a sinister expression as the eldest son of the empire and the prime minister walked away, chatting and laughing. He gripped the corridor handrail tightly.

“My lord, there’s no need to rush.” Zhao Gao, who was serving by his side, smiled slightly at Hu Hai’s behavior: “The Prime Minister is someone we can win over. Since the time of Marquis Wenxin, the Prime Minister has been good at choosing sides, and I’m sure this time will be no exception.”

"Given the close relationship between Li Si and Fusu, would he still become one of us?"

Hu Hai was very impatient. He was young and of high status, and rarely hid his true nature except in front of Ying Zheng.

This is naturally partly due to the enticement of a trap.

"Don't worry, young master. Even if the Prime Minister wants to get closer to Prince Fusu, the eldest prince already has Meng Tian by his side."

“As long as the eldest son’s trust in the prime minister cannot surpass that of Meng Tian, ​​he is destined to stand on the son’s side.”

"What about the mirage?" Hu Hai asked, his anxiety growing. "What if the Yin-Yang School really used the mirage to bring back the elixir of immortality for Father?"

"...My lord, the owner of the elixir of immortality can only be the master of this empire." Zhao Gao's lowered voice was like a scarlet temptation, causing Hu Hai to freeze for a moment before his expression immediately returned to blankness...

Outside Xianyang Palace, Chu Nan Gong had been staying in Xianyang for several years. Although he would occasionally visit other places in Guanzhong, he spent most of his time observing the core upper echelons of the empire from the Yin-Yang School and the Prime Minister's residence.

He is no longer a free spirit, but a disciple of the Yin-Yang School and a retainer of the Prime Minister, carrying some missions with him.

A few years ago, he was summoned by His Majesty the Emperor, but the conversation was rather ordinary.

To be fair, the monarch and his ministers of this country are far more capable than those of the six fallen kingdoms. His Majesty the Emperor finishes reviewing official documents late into the night every day, which is extremely rare in terms of diligence.

The emperor was diligent, so his ministers could not slack off either. As a result, the whole country spent a lot of time on government affairs. Logically, the country should have become better and better.

But what is rare is that, despite their diligence, the kings and ministers spent far more resources on pleasure than the six kingdoms combined: even though they had no time to actually enjoy it, it did not stop them from manufacturing things and displaying them.

Perhaps the outcome they achieved was already the most enjoyable experience for them...

Moreover, the hardships endured by the people are plain to see, yet the memorials submitted by the court officials are filled with empty praise and falsehoods: "The Emperor's might is unparalleled, his virtue surpasses that of the feudal lords, and peace has been established from the very beginning. City walls have been demolished, river defenses dredged, and dangerous obstacles removed. With the land stabilized, the people are free from corvée labor, and the world is at peace. Men enjoy their fields, women cultivate their occupations, and all affairs are carried out in an orderly manner."

They also wanted to inscribe the eulogy, "No one can live in peace and contentment," on a stone tablet so that it would be passed down for generations.

I wonder if the craftsmen who inscribed the ode 'No Corvée Under Heaven' were the very people sent to Mount Li for corvée labor...

Chu Nan Gong slightly raised his head and looked at the majestic Xianyang Palace. A glint of light flashed in his cloudy eyes: He wanted to go to Sanghai with Li Si.

'Now that I've gone to Sanghai, perhaps this old man will be able to enjoy his later years in Sanghai City~'

...

On Mount Taiyi, Xiaomeng, who had just emerged from seclusion, was extremely displeased with the invitation from the eldest son of the empire.

She couldn't refuse this invitation as the new head of the Heavenly Sect.

Whether she wanted to refuse or not, the fact that she couldn't refuse already deviated from Xiaomeng's pursuit of harmony between humanity and nature.

Everything in this world has its constraints, whether it's a fish, a bird, or a human.

Even when writing the calligraphy of "do as you please", the four characters "do as you please" must be confined to the surface of the paper.

Realizing this, Xiaomeng immediately put down her brush, turned her back to the disciple who had reported the arrival of the eldest son, and nodded slightly.

Having cultivated the Heavenly Sect's philosophy of transcending shackles, she herself had already been bound by a layer of constraints imposed upon her by the sect.

Even her master, Bei Mingzi, could not transcend this point...

'A mirage in the Sanghai Sea, huh? Then let's go take a look.'

'And then there's Lu Wei from the Farmer's Clan. He's already become the leader of the Farmer's Clan. According to Master, the Farmer's Clan is not peaceful...'

'I will meet him on this trip.'

'And there's Xiaoyaozi.'

Chapter 332 Big Warm Pool

The Moon Goddess emerged from the Eastern Emperor's secret chamber, walking aloofly past the Yin-Yang School disciples who bowed to her on both sides of the corridor.

Previously, after she brought the Illusionary Sound Box back and presented it to the Emperor, the Eastern Emperor was very satisfied.

However, a few days later, Donghuang, whose research results on the Illusionary Sound Box were still unknown, gave the item back to the Moon Goddess and asked her to take it to the Chu region to meet with Hebo and the Mountain Spirit. The three of them were to escort the Ji family's heirloom treasures back to the Mirage of Sanghai.

The Moon Goddess once tempted Lu Wei with these Zhou Dynasty royal treasures. However, at that time, she did not have the opportunity to come into contact with the treasures. Although theoretically, the Moon Goddess could send a message to Lu Wei in advance to ambush him halfway, coordinate with him from the inside and outside, and kill Hebo and Shangui to steal the treasures, she did not do so.

The treasures are secondary; the biggest problem for the Yin-Yang School lies with Donghuang Taiyi himself. Attacking Hebo and Shan Gui now will surely alert them.

These things will eventually be transported to the mirage, and the Eastern Emperor will also eventually ascend to the mirage. Suppressing greed and waiting for the final battle is the most strategic approach.

In the current Yin-Yang school, Dongjun has completed the Mohist strategy and is probably still cultivating in the mountains and forests surrounding the ruins of the Mechanized City.

Xinghun returned with Yunzhongjun some time ago. He was to accompany the Yin-Yang School's entourage as a representative of the Yin-Yang School on their journey to Sanghai.