Qin Official

In the thirtieth year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's reign, the world was at peace, and there were no major events throughout the year.

If we have to go into detail, there are two things worth talking about.

First, Qin Shihuang once again made a move that was different from history. He did not impatiently go to Guandong under the persuasion of Confucian scholars and alchemists. Instead, he chose the spring and summer to patrol the Bashu region.

The original intention of the hunting tour was that the emperor would lead the escort army to inspect the defense within the territory, make alliances with the princes, supervise political affairs, and worship the gods. Every hunting tour had a clear purpose: Qin Shihuang’s first hunting tour after ascending to the throne was on the 27th In 2001, he went on a tour to Longxi and Beidi counties, with the purpose of returning to the Qin people's hometown and reporting to their ancestors about the unification. Secondly, he could also visit the border areas and refer to the "Western Expansion" matter proposed by Heifu.

The second hunting tour was in the 28th year, and he went out to inspect Daibei and Shangjun. The purpose was to supervise the attack on the Xiongnu in northern Xinjiang.

In the twenty-ninth year, because the war against the Xiongnu was in full swing, the emperor did not go on hunting tours and stayed in Xianyang for a whole year.

Soon after the spring of the 30th year, the restless emperor could no longer rest, so he took a group of civil and military officials, a thousand guardsmen, and thousands of followers, crossed the Qinling Mountains, entered Hanzhong, crossed the plank road, passed through Shushan, and arrived in Chengdu. .

Bashu used to be an ancient Fang Kingdom, but it was destroyed by Sima Cuo during the period of King Qin Hui a hundred years ago. After that, Ba County was directly transformed into a county, but local tycoons such as Ba Shi had a great influence on the local area. In the Shu region, two Shu princes were first established, and they were twice dismissed by the King of Qin in the name of "rebellion."

Qin Shihuang's inspection of Bashu naturally had a clear purpose. Bashu had been incorporated into Qin for hundreds of years, and it also belonged to the "Qin land" in a broad sense. It was also the area where the theory of ancient gods and immortals in the Qin Dynasty was most prevalent.

One of the reasons why Qin Shihuang came here was because he heard that the Book of Mountains and Seas, which describes the Queen Mother of the West and the most bizarre things, was written by the Bashu witch Zhu Zhu. The West Queen Mother State is located in the snow-capped mountains to the west of Bashu, so it has a strong interest in this place.

But it was just out of interest. What really prompted him to set out was that after last year's attack on the Huns, most of the grain reserves in Guanzhong were consumed. This year, more than 100,000 soldiers and civilians stationed in the border areas will be continuously supplied with grain. Since the food from Guanzhong is constantly being transported to the north of the Great Wall, it needs to be transported from other places. Even if officials are promoting the method of fertilizing the fields, the food in Guandong and Nanjun is only enough for local use, so the imperial court can only make plans to go to Bashu.

This was the emperor's trip to Bashu. He was a person who liked seeing to believe. He had always heard that Bashu was the second granary of Qin. He wanted to see it for himself to determine its potential.

When passing the Shu Mountain, Qin Shihuang was surprised by the dangerous path connected with the stone stacks of the ladder to heaven. He also understood why Qin could not destroy Bashu for hundreds of years. It was because the road was too difficult to walk. But when we entered the Chengdu Plain, we saw that it was as rich and healthy as Guanzhong. More importantly, there were ditches all over the land, irrigating millet fields, and thousands of miles of fertile fields.

The emperor looked back at Shu Mountain and couldn't help but sigh: "Hey, I finally know why General Sima Cuo said when he attacked Shu, that the land he obtained would be enough to expand the country, and the wealth he took would be enough to enrich the people! It is not surprising that General Sima entered the Jingbian Temple. , although the beheading is not as good as that of Lord Wu An, but the land seizure is more than enough! Let him also enter the Xun Temple!"

This is the first time that a monarch has come since Bashu merged with Qin in a hundred years. However, the Qin people from Shu immigrated, but they were not very excited...

Bashu has always been the place with the highest concentration of exiles from the Qin State. During the Lao Ai rebellion, there were many other parties, and more than 4,000 families were seized by Qin Shihuang and moved to Shu. The same was true for Lu Buwei's family and party members. Shu was also the final destination for their exile. Place. This place is like the Thirteen British Colonies and Australia in later generations. Most of the locals are descendants of exiles, so naturally they will not have a deep sense of belonging to Qin.

However, under the organization of the officials, the city of Chengdu, which has the same shape as Xianyang, was still draped with brocade on the city wall to welcome the emperor. The emperor had a good first impression of Chengdu, but he did not like the taste of local food such as pepper and dogwood. .

As he got older, Qin Shihuang's hearing loss in his left ear became more and more serious, and his stomach was not in good condition.

After staying in Chengdu for a few days, Qin Shihuang, accompanied by the county guard, went to inspect "拔勋" (treacherous péng), which is Dujiangyan.

At this time of the year, the water in the Minjiang River is at its largest, but the Minjiang River is divided into two parts. Instead of causing floods, countless acres of surrounding fields can be irrigated by ditches, killing two birds with one stone.

Qin Shihuang has always attached great importance to water conservancy. Back then, he overcame all objections to allow Zheng Guo to complete the Zheng Guo Canal. The large weir in front of him seemed simple, but it turned the unruly Minjiang River from a great harm to a great benefit to Shu County, irrigating thousands of miles of fertile fields. From then on, there were floods and droughts in the Chengdu plain, and the people were unaware of hunger. A steady stream of food was sent along the river to Nanjun, and then to the Central Plains to serve as military food for the Qin army.

The emperor issued a new order: Although Li Bing, the governor of Shu County, is not qualified to enter the Xun Temple, he can be included in official sacrifices in Chengdu and Dujiangyan to make it popular.

He also met with the ditch official of Shu County, Li Bing's grandson Li Ling.

The governor reported to Qin Shihuang: "It was a great achievement to cross the Shixi River to the south of the Minjiang River, connect it to the Wenjing River, pass through Linqiong and Mengxi River to separate the Baimu River, and separate the Yangmo River from the Nian Embankment..."

Qin Shihuang nodded and looked at Li Ling, who was wearing a bamboo hat on his head and straw sandals on his feet. He personally went into the water to inspect the water and said: "Now that the sea is unified, ditches need to be built in many places. What the Qin Dynasty lacks most is officials like Li Bing's three generations! There is a place for you to use your talents everywhere!”

He asked Li Ling a few questions. If it were not Bashu, but other places, could ditches be built according to local conditions?

Li Ling only agreed. As soon as he was happy, Qin Shihuang promoted Li Ling and appointed him as the "Capital of Shanghe Farmers" with a rank of 600 stones. He was asked to report to Helan Mountain from Xianyang around the autumn to help the Beidi County Captain. Heifu built canals locally to irrigate the newly opened fields...

Just before the First Emperor of Qin was about to leave Chengdu and return to Guanzhong, Chang Wei, the captain of Shu County, and Bazhong, the great merchant of Ba County, met with the emperor and told him something.

"Your Majesty, Bazhong sent people to explore the trade routes southward. After several years, they have gained a lot. In the southwest of Bashu, there is a southwestern Yijun who is dozens of years old. His name is Qiongdu, Yelang, Mimo, and Dian. , all of them were engaged in farming, and there were settlements with populations ranging from tens of thousands to one hundred thousand. Among them, the Dian Kingdom was located 1,500 miles south of Chengdu, and was founded by the general Zhuang Qi of the Chu Kingdom..."

"oh?"

This is something Qin Shihuang never knew: "Are there also remnants of the Chu Kingdom in the southwest Yi land?"

Chang Yan then reported about the Dian Kingdom: "That Zhuang Qiu was originally a Miao descendant of the old King Zhuang of Chu. Some people say that during the time of King Wei and King Huai of Chu, he was ordered by the King of Chu to attack the southwestern Yi. He passed through Qilan and arrived at Dian Lake, Dian Lake is three hundred miles across, with flat land beside it, thousands of miles of fertile land!"

"After Zhuang Qi captured the land of Dian, he wanted to repay the king of Chu. At that time, General Sima Cuo captured Chuba and central Guizhou. Zhuang Qi was blocked and could not return to Chu, so he led thousands of soldiers to stay in Dian Lake and changed his situation. Obey, follow the custom, and call yourself the King of Dian for more than fifty years..."

Chang Yan expressed his worries: "Although the Chu Kingdom is now destroyed, many remnants of the people have fled to the barbarian lands. I heard that the Chu remnants of Chu Ting in South Vietnam continue to instigate rebellions among the Yue people in Changsha and Yuzhang. The Dian Kingdom Originally built by the Chu people, they are the most powerful among the southwestern barbarians. If they want to restore Chu and coerce the southwestern barbarians to harass the south of Shu County, they may be in trouble. In my opinion, it is better to send merchants to the southwestern barbarians and then build it. The road goes directly to all the states, recruiting them to return to Qin, and attack the Dian Kingdom together!"

Qin Shihuang did not speak, but glanced at Ba Zhong next to him, and suddenly said: "I heard someone say that Ba's family has recently been engaged in the business of zuo horses, bo boys, and fashionable cattle. Together with sugarcane fields and brown sugar, it has become a big business. A new source of wealth for Bashi?"

"My lord..." Ba Zhong fell to the ground, sweating profusely.

Qin Shihuang looked at Chang Yi again: "Ever since the Jingbian Temple was established, and since the three generals Meng Tian, ​​Li Xin, and Hei Fu defeated the Xiongnu and traveled to Xianyang with awards and praises for their merits, my generals have been very envious. They have no The generals of Yuyang may say that they will attack Donghu, the generals of Liaodong may say that they will attack Jizi Korea, the generals of Kuaiji may say that they will capture Ouyue and Minyue, and the generals of Changsha may say that they will capture Lingnan. Di...Chang Yan, if you want to open up the southwestern barbarians, do you also want to be rewarded and enter the Jingbian Temple?"

"I, I don't dare..."

Chang Yan also knelt on the ground, speechless. It was true that the Dian Kingdom was founded by the generals of the Chu Kingdom, but their attempt to restore the Chu Kingdom was completely nonsense.

Bazhong was clearly in urgent need of seizing Bo children as slaves for the rapidly expanding Bashu sugarcane plantations, and war was the fastest way to gain population. The other wants to break new ground and gain credit.

Although their intentions were seen through, Qin Shihuang still agreed to the matter after a slight nod.

"I once asked a music official to compose the "Ode to Qin", praising: Within Liuhe, there is the emperor's land. To the west is the quicksand, to the south is the northern household. To the east is the East China Sea, and to the north is Daxia. Wherever people go, there are all ministers."

He looked towards the vast south: "Not long ago, Li Xin and Hei Fu sent people to establish the westernmost outpost of the Qin Dynasty in Juyanze, west of the Quicksand Desert, and planted the mysterious flag of the Qin Dynasty. The westward crossing of the Quicksand Desert is Yes, but what about the south and the north? We still have to rely on the generals in the south."

After wiping out the Xiongnu, the emperor's ambitions expanded even more! Apart from anything else, the Haikou boast to everyone in the world must be fulfilled!

Qin Shihuang said grandly: "You don't need to look for excuses, just go. Just like dealing with the Huns, merchants will explore the way, civilians will clear the way, and soldiers will follow! I will set up officials to govern the southwestern Yi states. As long as there are human traces, , those cities and towns must all be subordinate to the Qin Dynasty! Wherever the sun and moon shine, and where the wind and rain come, everyone must obey!"

…

At the end of summer, Qin Shihuang ended his inspection of Bashu. At the same time, Shu Commandery Commander Chang Yan and Ba Zhong also began to build a road called "Five Roads" in the mountains and forests south of Shu Commandery. The path of the ruler...

This is one of the two most noteworthy things in the thirty years of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's life.

The second thing, which is somewhat related to the first thing, is the farming in Saibei.

Li Bing's grandson Li Ling, who had just been appointed "Captain of Shanghe Farmers", also started his long journey after reporting to Xianyang. After more than a month of trekking, he arrived in Beidi County in the east of Dahe in early August of the 30th year of Qin Shihuang. The newly established "Fuping County" was established on the shore.

Fuping County, located to the north of Qingshan Gorge, is a fertile land. Since Li Xin led his troops to burn a big fire south of Qingshan Gorge the year before last, the Xiongnu have migrated completely, and there is no longer a person or an animal.

Last year, Li Xin and Heifu, the captain of Beidi County, met here again in victory. Now they have built a small town. Because they hope that Helan Mountain will be prosperous and peaceful from now on, it is named "Fuping".

With the beginning of spring this year, a large number of immigrants from Guanzhong moved in, and settlements were slowly built around the city. This land that had been deserted due to the migration of the Huns became lively again...

When Li Ling first arrived in Fuping, what he saw was a scene of millet harvesting in full swing.

What left the deepest impression on him was not only the tanned Beidi County Lieutenant who worked in the fields with soldiers and farmers, but also a sign on the edge of the field that read Fuping County and Helan Mountain. The slogan of all the soldiers and civilians in the field:

"living comfortably without anybody's help!"

ps:

1. Thirty years, nothing happened. "The Chronicles of Qin Shihuang"

2. This chapter takes place more than half a year after the previous chapter.

3. Fuping County was indeed originally located in today's Ningxia. For details, please search "Fuping Three Moves".