Daily Life In Qin Dynasty

"South County Floods!"

After receiving urgent information from Nanjun, the expressions of Ying Zheng and Mo Jun, who had just returned to Xianyang Palace, changed at the same time.

Nanjun is located on a tributary of the Yangtze River. Although it has abundant water resources, it is also more vulnerable to floods. It's just that the residents there have already developed proficient coping skills for this, so logically speaking, it usually won't cause much consequence.

When Mo Jun took office in Nanjun before, he experienced a rise in water levels during the rainy season, but it did not cause much damage at that time.

"What's the damage?"

Ying Zheng and Mo Jun looked at each other, and then asked in a deep voice to the messenger in front of them.

The messenger said: "The flood in Nanjun happened half a month ago, when the crops were ripe. Many people had no time to harvest food, resulting in serious damage to the crops. Now there are signs of a food shortage in Nanjun."

Hearing this, Ying Zheng's expression changed again.

Food shortage.

This is definitely the word that successive monarchs of the Qin Kingdom least want to hear.

After all, it has been five hundred years since the founding of the Qin State, but food shortage has always been Qin's biggest problem.

Ying Zheng's face was a little gloomy. He obviously didn't expect that he had just come back from Bashu in a good mood, and in the blink of an eye, this natural disaster would hit him in the head.

"History of Xuanzhi Su Nei."

"yes!"

The guard below responded and quickly retreated.

The civil servants of the Qin State were divided into three public officials and nine ministers, and Zhi Su Nei Shi was one of the nine ministers, who was in charge of the Qin State's grain taxation.

The Qin State had encountered countless famines hundreds of years ago, and had already developed proficient laws to deal with them.

What's more, there is no other solution to things like disasters and famines. It is nothing more than providing disaster relief and food shortages.

However, one problem is that the current governor of Su Neishi is not an official of Yingzheng, but a person of Lu Buwei.

So when Zhisu Neishi, who had had a relationship with Lord Mo before, entered the Xianyang Palace, faced with Ying Zheng's order, he directly refused: "I am going to report to the king, I am afraid that I can't do anything about the relief, because now the national treasury There simply isn’t that much food inside.”

Ying Zheng's eyes darkened and he said in a loud voice: "There is no food? Where did the food tax collected by me go?"

Although the emperor was angry, he laid down millions of corpses.

However, in the face of the furious Ying Zheng, Zhi Su Neishi, who was almost at the age of knowing his destiny, his expression still did not change at all. He just responded calmly: "In recent years, the king has repeatedly launched wars with foreign countries, which has already drained the national treasury. Erjing, if the king doesn’t believe it, you can send someone to the treasury to check.”

Faced with Zhisu Neishi's unceremonious rebuttal, and even threw the blame on himself, Ying Zheng naturally became angrier. However, the angrier he became, the more rational Ying Zheng became. Just looking at Zhi Su Neishi's His eyes gradually became colder.

"I don't know what Zhi Nei Shi's plan is to deal with the floods in Nanjun?"

Zhisu Naishi bowed with a seemingly respectful gesture and replied: "I am sorry for my incompetence. Now the national treasury has no food. If you want to find a good strategy, I am afraid that the only way for the king to have a chance is to invite the prime minister again."

At this point, Zhi Su Nei Shi also had a hard time revealing his true purpose.

The goal is obvious.

He just wanted to take advantage of the Nanjun flood to threaten Ying Zheng to release Lu Buwei.

Hearing this, Ying Zheng's eyes became colder and he said: "I am a dignified governor of Su Neishi, but I am helpless in the face of the food shortage. Instead, I ask for help from the prime minister. So what use do I need from you, the governor of Su Nei Shi?"

Facing Ying Zheng's questioning, Zhisu Neishi still had the same calm expression. He just bent down and said respectfully: "I am incompetent."

Things have come to this point.

The attitude of governing Su Neishi is already obvious. He wants to provide disaster relief, but there is no food.

Unless Lu Buwei is allowed to return to the court, he can find a way to "raise" food.

The reason why Zhi Su Neishi dared to face Ying Zheng with this attitude was naturally not without confidence. He has two confidences:

One is Lu Buwei’s remaining forces;

These forces are now so intertwined between the government and the public that even Ying Zheng cannot solve them for a while. Just like the Zhi Su Naishi in front of him, he is also one of them.

The second is the law of Qin.

As the saying goes, do big things with care and be careful with small things.

In fact, people who truly reach high positions are often not afraid of so-called catastrophes. The reason is simple. Once these major disasters occur, they are often natural disasters.

In the face of natural disasters, even if manpower is powerless, it is reasonable.

We can't attribute the disasters caused by natural disasters to people. That would be too unfair to officials.

What's more, even if a catastrophe occurs due to man-made disasters, there are often more than one or two people involved behind the scenes. In this case, it is also very difficult to handle the investigation.

Therefore, facing the flood in Nanjun at this time, even if Zhi Su Neishi did nothing, it would be difficult for Ying Zheng to use the law to convict him.

Unless there is clear evidence that he was slacking off in his duties, or someone else took care of the matter but failed to manage Su Neishi, then Ying Zheng would have reason to attack him.

"Stay back!"

Ying Zheng, who was sitting behind the throne, clenched his fists and finally spoke coldly.

"I excuse myself."

A hint of sarcasm flashed across the corners of Zhisu Naishi's drooped mouth, then he bowed his head and exited Zhangtai Palace.

Until Zhisu Naishi left, the atmosphere in Zhangtai Palace was still solemn and silent. Behind the throne, Ying Zheng's eyes were lowered, revealing a bit of gloom under the dim candlelight.

Man's calculations are not as good as God's calculations, and plans cannot keep up with changes.

The flood in Nanjun was undoubtedly an unexpected event. No one would have thought that Nanjun would encounter a food shortage at this time. As long as the flood came two years later, with the new rice seeds created by Mo Jun, Ying Zheng was sure to solve the famine.

But now, in the face of natural disasters, even if Ying Zheng is the king of a country, there is nothing he can do.

It is obvious that Ying Zheng cannot release Lu Buwei at this time.

Now that the situation is in Ying Zheng's hands, he only needs to wait for one more year, until one hundred thousand acres of new rice seeds mature, and Ying Zheng can use the situation to crush all the hostile forces in one fell swoop and take all the power of the Qin State into his hands.

Ying Zheng succeeded to the throne at the age of thirteen. It was not until Lu Buwei was put under house arrest last year that he truly began to take charge of the government. So there is no way he could fall short at this time.

Even if Nanjun is sacrificed for this, he will not hesitate.

A look of determination and cruelty flashed through his eyes. Just when Ying Zheng was about to make his decision coldly, suddenly, he heard Lord Mo take the lead and say, "Your Majesty, it's better to leave the affairs of Nanjun to my hands!"

Ying Zheng was stunned for a moment, and his gloomy expression suddenly disappeared. He looked at Lord Mo in astonishment and said, "Qing Mo, is it possible that you also know about disaster relief?"

Mo Jun shook his head and said, "I just understand a little bit."

Ying Zheng nodded and said, "I understand, and I have also heard that Mo Qing, apart from being a little proficient in farming, also knows a little bit about businessmanship, medicine, and all kinds of strange and obscene skills."

Mr. Mo was speechless.

Seeing this, Ying Zheng continued: "Since Mo Qing has this request, then the affairs of Nanjun will be left to Mo Qing. If something happens on the way, I can grant you the right to act expediently."

After Mo Jun presented the 'first generation improved rice seed', Ying Zheng's trust in him has also increased significantly, and the rights granted to him are now becoming more and more relaxed.

Before going to Bashu, Ying Zheng gave Mo Jun the right to "kill first and report later".

And now going to Nan County for disaster relief has given me the right to 'act expediently'.

These two seemingly simple sentences represent a completely different style of conduct for Mr. Mo.

Lord Mo bowed his hands and said, "Thank you so much, Your Majesty."

Finished.

Lord Mo then led Heiyu out of Zhangtai Palace.

After Lord Mo left, calm returned to Zhangtai Palace again.

After a while.

Only then did Gai Nie say: "The king is thinking about the reward for Lord Mo."

Ying Zheng glanced at Gai Nie and said: "That's right! Mo Qing is devoted to Qin, so I will naturally not hesitate to reward him. However, Qin's domestic troubles have not been eliminated. If Mo Qing is given a high-profile reward at this time, it may not be a good thing for Mo Qing. What a good thing!”

"But before that, Mo Qing has made great achievements many times, and I have never received a decent reward so far. If I continue to suppress him this time, I will be a little worried..."

Although Ying Zheng didn't finish what he said, the meaning was already obvious. If you want a horse to run, you can't deny it grass all the time!

After Gai Nie thought for a moment, he said: "Why don't the king write a volume of letters and give it to Lu Buwei?"

When Ying Zheng heard this, he immediately frowned and said, "What's the use of handing over a volume of my letters to this person?"

Gai Nie said: "Although Lu Buwei is greedy for fame and power, he is also devoted to Qin. I believe that he has nothing to do with Lao Ai's rebellion."

Hearing this, Ying Zheng's brows furrowed even deeper. He looked at Gai Nie with a deep gaze and said, "Mr. Gai Nie, could he be pleading for Lu Buwei?"

Gai Nie shook his head and said: "I just think that there may not be a third way between Lu Buwei and the king."

After listening to Gai Nie's words, Ying Zheng also fell into deep thought.

Even Ying Zheng had to admit that Gai Nie's words did make some sense. Lu Buwei indeed cultivated a large influence in the government and the public. In order to gain fame, he even recruited 3,000 disciples and compiled "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals".

However, Lu Buwei never showed ambition for the throne from beginning to end.

Maybe he was hiding it so well that he didn't notice it, but as of now, Lao Ai's rebellion is not at least closely related to Lu Buwei.

Even if Lu Buwei is now under house arrest, it is only in the name of continuing the 'investigation'.

This is the thought.

Ying Zheng also had some thoughts in his mind: "Maybe I really should have a good talk with him."

······

the other side.

Mo Jun did not know that Ying Zheng actually planned to negotiate with Lu Buwei.

At this time, he and Black Feather were riding in a carriage, rushing towards Nanyang.

Since Mr. Mo dared to take over the task of controlling floods in Nanjun from Ying Zheng, it was natural that he would not be unprepared at all.

In fact.

Even if there hadn't been this flood, Mr. Mo originally planned to find a day to return to Nanjun during this period.

There are two purposes:

The first is to move. After all, after this food donation, with Mo Jun's contribution, unless another figure like Lu Buwei appears, it is basically impossible for him to continue to stay in this remote place in Nanjun.

Second, since everyone is preparing to leave Nanjun, it is natural to eliminate some of the small troubles left by Nanjun. After all, Mr. Mo is very vengeful. He has never forgotten some of the small grudges he encountered in Nanjun.

It just so happened that this time, taking advantage of the flood problem in Nan County, Mr. Mo planned to take advantage of the opportunity to control the flood and simply do the two things together...

Will continue to update tomorrow