Qin Official

"A boat drifting with the current, and a tough and thick stone, is this what Xunzi said about Li Si and Han Fei?"

In mid-March, the news of Li Si's death came. Hei Fu was both happy and sighing. He also heard Li Si's younger brother Zhang Cang talk about the past incident of Li Si and Han's grudges. Hei Fu couldn't help but sigh with emotion. As a teacher, Xun Qing He indeed had a unique vision, but it was a pity that he passed away more than 20 years ago and Heifu could not live for a while.

"It would be great if I could also worship him as my teacher." For some reason, Heifu suddenly came up with this idea, which lingered in his mind for a long time, as if it was a long-cherished wish from his previous life...

In short, Li Si became another apprentice who went to see his teacher. The victory between him and Han Fei cannot be simply evaluated, but at least so far, Xun Xue has achieved an overall victory in terms of ideology.

It is difficult to classify Xunzi into Confucianism and Legalism, because Xunzi originally integrated the learning of various schools of thought. Although he respected Confucius and advocated etiquette, he often talked about laws and regulations and hoped that etiquette and law could be used together. In addition, he also adopted the theories of Huang Lao and others, which can be said to be comprehensive. talent.

Therefore, the disciples he taught were also diverse. There were typical Legalists like Li Si and Han Fei. One focused on practice and the other focused on theory. There are also Confucian scholars such as Fuqiu Bo, Mao Heng and Gongsun Nizi who specialize in "Poetry", "Book", "Li" and "Music".

Um, and Zhang Cang, a mathematician? Natural scientist? In addition to mathematics, astronomy, calendar, wind and music, etiquette, and even Greek, he is a "master" who knows a little bit of everything.

And Heifu heard from Lu Jia that he had listened to Fuqiu Bo's lectures in Chu State, and Fengchang of Da Qin could be considered a disciple of Xun Xue.

If you think about it this way, in both the Qin Shihuang and Heifu dynasties, Xunxue disciples held real power or deeply influenced ideology. This is terrifying.

Confucianism has a saying about the "Taoist tradition" of saints: "From Yao and Shun to Tang, from Tang to King Wen, from King Wen to Confucius, each is more than five hundred years old. From Confucius to the present, more than a hundred years old, to the age of the saints, if It's not far away, it's close to the saint's residence, so it's even better."

It was Mencius who said this, and he implicitly regarded himself as the successor of Confucius. However, Mencius's learning was limited to Qilu, and his influence on the world was far less than that of his descendant Xunzi. As for the Confucian family, which claims to be orthodox in Confucius, he was the only one who got ahead. Disciple Shu Sun Tong, although Hei Fu uses him, he does not take his political views seriously.

Putting aside the dispute over orthodoxy for the time being, the death of Li Si, an old hamster who chose to be out to protect his family's wealth, has no impact on the political power. Now the entire Xianyang is running at high speed, spring plowing has ended, and large-scale conscription is beginning. Heifu We need to recruit 100,000 veterans who have experienced the destruction of six kingdoms or civil wars, and lead them eastward!

In the middle of the court, Wu was guarded by Xiao Tao and Ji Ying, and Wen was guarded by Xiao He and Zhang Cang, which were enough to stabilize the rear. However, the so-called "right prime minister" Chang Yan had no foundation in Guanzhong and was far away from Shu County. He could only choose to cooperate. , can't make big waves.

But Zhang Cang also expressed a concern, because Heifu's official system still lacks the last cornerstone.

"Now that all officials are available, only the imperial censor is vacant. Who should fill the position?"

In addition to supervising officials, managing important national atlases and classics, and drafting imperial edicts, the imperial censor also has one of the most important functions, which is legislative power.

Since it was so important, Zhang Cang thought it would be better to decide early.

But Heifu said: "There is no suitable candidate in the court. This position can only be left vacant temporarily, and Le will be appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng."

"Master Yushi, I want to leave this position to one person, at least, I hope I can leave it to him."

"Same as Han Fei, no..."

Heifu smiled:

"A rock harder than Han Fei!"

"A real 'Qin official'!"

…

More than three thousand miles west of Xianyang is Yumen Pass, the Qin Dynasty's gateway to the Western Regions.

Yumenguan City is far away and isolated, with thousands of miles of yellow sand and white grass. Although the conditions are not as bad as in later generations, and some wild gazelles are migrating on the grassland, the spring breeze of the Central Plains has not yet blown here. The air is dry and slightly cold, blocking the Silk Road. Guancheng is not big, and with the surrounding barriers and beacons, it can only house 500 people. They have to rely on hunting to supplement their food, so it cannot provide food for tens of thousands of people.

Only Dunhuang, more than a hundred miles east of Yumen, as the westernmost small town of the Qin Dynasty, had a lot of military rations, which could barely satisfy the hunger of the army.

Densely packed footprints left Yumen, passed through the grasslands and Gobi, and arrived at Dunhuang, which is open in all directions. They were the Western Expeditionary Army who had expedition to Daxia in the past. Now they have pitched tattered tents around Dunhuang City.

More than a year ago, at the entrance of the Congling Valley leading to Daxia, Li Xin made a decision. Those who wanted to follow him crossed the valley and headed towards the unknown world. Those who wanted to go home were led by several captains, Sima Jijun was brought back.

Fifteen thousand people began the arduous journey back east. Along the way, their biggest test was not the visible enemy, but thirst, hunger, and increasingly low morale.

The people turned back from the valley in the far west of the Western Region, and passed through a series of small states such as Shule, Qiuci, Cheshi, etc., and moved back bit by bit.

That's right, we can only move, five thousand miles, one year and five months away!

In addition to the brutal battles against the North Dao city-states along the way - battles caused by Qin's soldiers looting food, the Western Expeditionary Army was also constantly attacked by severe cold and plague. Due to battle casualties, disease problems, and starvation attacks, the army was greatly reduced. Some people I lost confidence in whether I could return to the Central Plains.

When they entered Dunhuang, they were already one-third less than when they were there. Some were damaged along the way. Because of illness and fear of the long journey, they felt regretful and stayed in Kucha and drove some of them. Those thousands of people became The first batch of settlers from the Central Plains in the Western Regions.

For those who returned to Dunhuang, the future was not so optimistic, because they had just arrived and heard the news from the Central Plains: about the civil war, about the black husband...

"Wu Zhonghou led the Southern Expedition Army into Xianyang."

"The Second Emperor is dead!"

"Heifu is now the regent and has sole power..."

This resulted in extremely unstable military morale. The Western Expeditionary Army was mainly composed of bad boys, but the officers were mostly from good families in Guanzhong. They were worried that their families would be affected and liquidated in the civil war, and they even disputed the legality of Heifu's usurpation of power and the establishment of a self-regent.

For a time, the Western Expeditionary Army fell into a huge split. Some people wanted to go home no matter who was in power, and no one could stop them! Some people think that since the situation in the Central Plains is unstable, they might as well stay in Zhangye County for now.

More worrying news continued to come: many years ago, Prince Yuezhi, who was defeated by Li Xin and defected to the Huns, became the "right virtuous king" of Modun Shanyu. He led thousands of cavalry, colluded with the Qiang people, and attacked fiercely. Zhangye County has fallen into Xiutuze after the beginning of spring, and Zhaowu City is in danger.

As a result, the voices advocating staying in Dunhuang and other places became more popular. They even formed gangs and blocked the entrance of the camp to loudly advocate. Seeing that division and bloodshed were about to happen, all this was interrupted by a determined voice.

"What's going on with all the noise?"

No matter how domineering the military officers and veterans were, no matter how loud they were just now, they all stopped and took a step back.

As if being separated by some force, the crowd gave way to both sides, revealing a thin military judge wearing a soap coat, a Xiechi crown, and gray hair. He was short in stature and was obviously from the south. He walked slowly from Dunhuang City. He came forward with an expressionless face, like a stone statue.

Everyone lowered their heads:

"Xijun."

"It's Xijun!"

As the commander of the Western Expeditionary Army, Xi looked at everyone and asked slowly:

"What happened?"

"Xi Jun, we got news from the Dunhuang garrison that the second emperor is no longer here and was killed by Hei Fu!"

"I know it."

Xi, however, acted very calmly: "We are in a foreign land and have little information. It is difficult to know whether it is true or not, let alone whether what happened in the Central Plains is right or wrong."

Calmness was an illusion. When Xi first heard the news, he was even more shocked than the soldiers. He even stood at the top of Dunhuang City and shook his head. Many emotions appeared in his eyes looking towards the distant east:

The disbelief of the drastic changes, the doubts about the news, the regrets about the current situation, the confusion about the future, and the attitude towards the old friend Heifu, swinging between disappointment and trust...

But in the end, they all disappeared, leaving only one: perseverance!

Besides persisting, what else can he do?

"I only know that the Qin Dynasty is still there, and the Qin Law is still there!"

Xi singled out the officials who had taken the lead in making trouble one by one, sentenced them in accordance with military law, and asked them to give them dozens or twenty sticks as punishment, and then asked them again.

"Wait, are you still a Qin official? Do you still want to go home?"

"Yes..." the military officials choked up. They had traveled 20,000 miles. Over the years, they had been far away from home for too long.

Xi's face was slightly gentle: "Then, everyone returns to their respective positions and performs their duties!"

There is something in this world that is more important than who is in power.

That is order.

In this huge world, when there is chaos at the top, people at the bottom will die? Having a hard time? Worrying about the current situation all day long, not even eating or sleeping?

No matter how the central power changes, someone at the grassroots level must continue to do things. For decades, Ruxi has been copying slips silently and fulfilling his duties as a jailer and judge. The incidents of Lu Buwei and Lao Ai have not had any impact.

These hard-working and unknown Qin officials are the cornerstone of the empire.

The same is true today. Even if he is exiled and left behind, he still remembers his duty. No matter what happens in Xianyang or the Central Plains, they are far out of reach in the northwest and have more urgent things to do:

Restore order in the northwest frontier.

"Zhang Ye is the arm of Zhang Guo."

After following Li Xin in his western expedition, Xi Ye gradually understood Qin Shi Huang's great desire: he wanted a great empire to break away from its birthplace and break out of its shell.

This new empire stretched its arms to the east, holding the narrow sea east with one hand across the sea. It stretched its arms to the west, opened up the vast and desolate Western Region, and learned that a larger world existed. Stamp your feet further south, knowing that the sea water there is warm and as far as the north.

It's a pity that the feet stepping on Lingnan fell into a big quagmire, and the empire's last strength was exhausted in the struggle.

Although the First Emperor's ambition was not realized, it also opened a new era and some new possibilities.

"In order to fulfill my duties, in order to open up a way home in the future."

Xi returned to the city and expressed his attitude to several captains and Sima:

"We must do our best to guard this new arm and protect the country!"

"But Xijun, if Heifu usurps the throne and the Qin Dynasty is gone, even if we defend Zhangye, what's the use?" A Sima said pessimistically. He was a distant relative of the Pinyang Wang family and was full of concerns about what happened in the Central Plains. despair.

"Of course it works." Xi said firmly:

"It will be useful to more than 10,000 soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army. At least we have a place to stand."

"It is also useful for the hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the Central Plains in Zhangye County. They do not have to die in Hu Chen. As for the survival of Great Qin..."

The voice of joy is decisive and tenacious, like a rock that will never waver:

"Depressedly dressed."

"It's Zhongxia."

"Where the law goes."

"Since we are the Great Qin!"