Qin Official

In mid-November of the 25th year of the Qin Dynasty, in Yugan, more than 300 miles away from Pengze City, and at a mountain pass two miles away from the city, dry bamboo wood was stuffed into the stove. The stove was suddenly filled with smoke and dust. Flying around. .

Hundreds of Ganyue people with buns or broken hair are surrounding the smelting workshop. Like a relay, they pass a basket of collected nails and hair one by one to the swordsmith wearing a leather skirt. , and then poured it into the furnace. Suddenly the fire became more intense, and a burnt smell spread in the air.

"Cut off the hair, cut off the claws, and throw it into the furnace, where the gold and iron will be wetted, and it will become a sword!"

Led by a bare-chested young man with a bun in his hair, the Ganyue people raised their hands high and shouted loudly in their language.

The young man's name is Wu Rui (rui), the son of Wu Shen, the lord of Yu Cognac. His father is old and frail, and even fell ill after winter, so he will attend today's sword sacrificial ceremony on his father's behalf.

There are a lot of copper, tin and iron deposits in the Yugan area, and making swords is the old specialty of the Ganyue people. Three hundred years ago, at the same time that the Xu people crossed the south to Pengze, King Helv of Wu dominated the Jianghuai River and ruled this area. He ordered Qian Yue to donate swords and swordsmiths, so the general and his wife Moye were sent to Gusu. Forged swords for King Wu.

It is said that at that time, the King of Wu ordered thousands of people to collect the iron essence from the five mountains and the gold and silver from the river. He ordered three hundred boys and girls to make drums and load charcoal. Moye, the general, forged a sword, cut off his hair and claws, and threw them into the furnace. The gold and iron were wet. Then it became a sword. The yang is called Ganjiang and the yin is called Moye. It has become a famous sword in the world...

Therefore, the people of the Central Plains call the sword "the sword of Wuyue", and the people of Wu and Yue also call it "the sword of Qianyue".

At present, the Spring and Autumn Period of Wuyue has long disappeared, but the Ganyue people in Yuganshui continue the tradition of sword making from generation to generation.

The sword is the first wife of a Ganyue man. Every year, they use chicken divination to calculate the good days, cast a good sword, and present it to the king.

At this moment, hair and nails have been put into the furnace, and more than a hundred people began to blow the air to load the charcoal. After a whole morning of smelting, the copper and tin finally melted completely.

At this time, under the admiring gaze of everyone, Wu Rui strode forward, took over the work from the craftsman, and poured the gold liquid into the sword mold with his own hands!

Under the high temperature, sweat flowed on Wu Rui's bronzed skin, and the dragon and snake tattoos on his arms seemed to come to life.

After that, after a few days of cooling and solidification, the bronze sword took shape, but the quality of the sword is still unknown.

"I only hope that when this sword comes out, it can cut off cattle and horses on land, hit geese on water, and kill the enemy instantly!"

Wu Rui waved her arms and shouted, looking forward to it sincerely!

At this point, his mission is completed, and everything will have to be left to time and the blessing of ghosts and gods.

Wu Rui put on rough linen clothes and returned to the city with the Qianyue people who came to watch the sword making. The smoke was rising. It was already dinner time, and everyone seemed to have smelled the aroma of fish soup and rice at home.

The city of the Ganyue people is very unique. It was built directly on the edge of the Yugan River. Along the river, there are ganlan-style buildings built of bamboo and wood with thatch on top, which are very similar to the Dai houses of later generations. Several pillars support the main body of the house off the ground, with people living on top and livestock below. The land south of the Yangtze River is extremely hot, but this kind of building keeps you cool all year round.

The real city is adjacent to these bamboo houses. It is a small rammed earth town with a height of more than ten feet. This small town was built twenty years ago by Wu Rui's father Wu Shen and the local Ganyue people. It is also the first city on the Yugan River. Yap.

The Ganyue people we met along the way respected Wu Rui very much and bowed to him. Some old people held his hand and said with emotion: "Twenty years ago, we were still migrating along this water, and we often met other Yue people. The human tribes are attacking each other. Thanks to Wu Jun coming here, he taught us how to build cities and gather more than ten villages into one city. From now on, we no longer have to fear the plunder of other tribes!"

Yugan has become the largest tribe among the Qianyue people and is growing increasingly prosperous. Wu Shen is getting older day by day. Once he dies, Wu Rui will become the new king...

Most of the buildings in the city are built in the style of stilts, and even Wu Shen's mansion is no exception. Yue warriors were guarding outside with bamboo spears. When they saw Wu Rui returning, they all greeted him.

When he entered the largest hall, Wu Rui discovered that while he was out of the city, his father had welcomed several guests and was discussing things...

Qian Yue did not have as complicated etiquette as in the Central Plains. Wu Rui strode forward and bowed to his old father who rarely left the city: "Father, my son is back!"

Wu Shen has gray hair. Although he is a Chu man from Wu, his current dress is no different from that of ordinary Yue people: broken hair, tattoos, and the left fold of his arm.

After claiming to be the royal family of the King of Wu, he was originally from Jiangdong. Because he offended the powerful, he was exiled to Yu Ganshui. However, he did not die under the arrows of Man Yue. Instead, he relied on his intelligence and bravery to help Yu Gan through marriage. The Yue people defeated other tribes, built cities, and took the position of leader of Qianyue.

In order to make the Qianyue people surrender and not regard themselves as outsiders, Wu Shen changed their submission and followed their customs, dressing himself and his son as Yue people. He also explained: "The ancestors Taibo and Zhongyong fled to the barbarian Yue." , then we entered the country and followed its customs, tattooed our bodies with patterns and cut our hair like the local barbarians. Only in this way can we establish the Kingdom of Wu. Since we have left Xia, why not go beyond the customs?"

However, Wu Shen has long lost his former youth and strength. He is weakly wrapped in a lamb fur blanket. He is afraid of cold in winter and hot in summer. This is in sharp contrast to Wu Rui, who was still wearing short clothes and walking barefoot in November. Really old.

"Ari, I've met this distinguished guest."

Although Wu Shen's body is getting weaker and weaker, his wisdom has not diminished at all, and he knows who he can't afford to offend.

Wu Rui looked at the visitors and found that one of them was a scholar wearing Chu-style robes. Wu Rui knew that his name was Xu Shu and he was from Pengzeyi. He had been to Yugan a few years ago and he could speak the language of Yue people.

"I haven't seen you for a few years. This little gentleman has grown up."

Xu Shu got close to him with a smile, but Wu Rui was more interested in the other person.

The man was wearing armor and had a trapezoidal crown on his head. He was sitting upright. His hair style and armor were something Wu Rui had never seen before on the generals of the Chu State who passed by Yugan. He couldn't help but take a closer look. Eye. This person was Li Xian, Hei Fu's subordinate, and he was also sizing up Wu Rui.

When Wu Rui sat down, the discussion between the three of them was coming to an end.

Xu Shu cupped his hands and said, "What Sima wants us to say has been conveyed to Wu Jun. What does Wu Jun think?"

Wu Shen said with a smile: "How dare you defy a big country in a small town? But let me think about sending troops. Although I have the name of being an elder of Yue, whenever there is a big event, I still have to ask the ministries first."

Li Xian spoke at this time: "Sima is impatient. The army is about to attack Fanyang. If Wu Jun does not become a subject of the Qin State, he will be the enemy of the Qin Army!"

This man dared to talk to his father like this. Wu Rui was furious and wanted to draw his sword, but Wu Shen glared back.

After the two left, he said rather dissatisfiedly: "Although Lord Fanyang sends people to collect ten good swords and fifty swords as taxes every year, those Chu officials also treat my father respectfully. This man But he directly threatened, why not kill him!"

After Wu Shenqi coughed for a while, he shook his head and said, "The thing you were worried about has finally come to pass. Do you know who the military officer is?"

"Is it someone from Qin that my father once told me?"

Wu Rui was born in Yuqian and had never traveled far, so everything about the outside world was relayed to him by his father.

Wu Shen said: "However, the Qin people promised that if I choose to surrender and send troops to assist Qin's Sima to attack Fanyang, Qin will recognize me as the lord of Yugan, and I can pass it on to my descendants, and follow Qin's old rules of ruling barbarians. , there are some tax exemptions..."

Wu Rui was unhappy: "This city was built by my father, who is the leader of the city. It is also supported by the local Qianyue people. When do you need others to recognize it? Lord Fanyang does not dare to threaten his father like this."

Wu Shen sighed and said, "I don't know, Lord Fanyang didn't dare to touch me in the past. That's because it was difficult to distinguish between Yu Gan and his power, but Qin is different."

Wu Shen was a native of Jiangdong Wu. He had been a guest of Lord Chunshen. It was not until Lord Chunshen fell that he was implicated and was exiled to Yugan by Li Yuan, the prime minister of Chu. Therefore, he had some experience and knew the state of Qin. of strength. He also understood that it was only a matter of time before the capital of Chu was suddenly destroyed and the small cities of Yugan fell under the rule of Qin.

"In the past twenty years, Fan Yangjun, Peng Zejun, Shangganjun, Xunjun, Yang Yue, Luling Meishi and I were just small fish and shrimps in the pond, with the same size. But now, there is a The big turtle (tuo) broke into the pond, disemboweled the whale of Chu, and devoured Jun Xun and Jun Peng Ze one by one. Next, it was Jun Fanyang's turn. And Qin's vassal was still Qin's. Enemy, Yu Gan must also make a choice..."

Xu Shu persuaded him kindly and brought gifts, but Na Lixian threatened him bluntly. The two of them were soft and hard, and he had to give in.

After much thought, Wu Shen decided to agree to Li Xian and Xu Shu's request and send a thousand Qianyue people to cooperate with the Qin army in attacking Fanyang.

According to the requirements of the Qin people, the two sides will lead their troops to meet at the confluence of the Ganshui, Fanshui and Yuganshui rivers on the first day of December in half a month to discuss the plan to attack...

Li Xian returned with satisfaction and reported back to Heifu who had set off from Pengze, while Xu Shu left behind contact information.

"I have been ill for a long time and it is difficult to leave the city, so you will go to meet the Qin Army Sima on my behalf."

On the day before leaving, Wu Shen told his son: "My son is young and full of blood, but my father is old. Sooner or later, you will have to take on the big responsibilities. Therefore, you must be careful when you go and don't be rash!"

Although Wu Rui promised well verbally, she was still a little dissatisfied in her heart. She felt that her father was really old, and she felt timid after being frightened by the two people's words.

He touched the sharp sword he had just taken out from the sword-making furnace. It was a rare and good sword, with bursts of cold light and the ability to break hair with a blow.

Wu Rui's pride and complacency, like this sharp sword, were forged by these twenty years of life. He didn't know how strong the Qin State was, he only knew that it was on the Yugan River and in the Qianyue River. Father and son say the same thing!

He secretly thought: "If the Qin people are really so powerful, why do they need to use our strength to defeat Fanyang? I want to see what is so great about those Qin people!"

Wu Rui didn't expect that during this trip, he would fully understand what it meant to have someone outside the world, and a sky outside the world...