Unparalleled Evildoer

Chapter 125 Successful and Famous Entering Xianyang

More than two months have passed since Wuzhan came to the frontier with corvée labor. It was late spring when he came, and now it is midsummer. It is hot during the day and cool at night. Meng Tian was afraid that Wuzhan's body could not withstand the bumpy land journey, so he took a hundred people downstream by boat. When they were about to reach Xianyang, they changed to the official road. He left 20,000 infantrymen to guard Yanmen, and the remaining 120,000 were led by General Fan to take the land route back to the outside of Xianyang to station.

The distant mountains are azure, the nearby water is green, egrets are flying in groups, and the river breeze is refreshing. The water level of the Yellow River has risen. The breach in Jiuyuan must have been blocked by Bixia Yuanjun. The tower ship is sailing very steadily in the surging river. This tower ship is more than ten meters long and more than thirty meters wide. It has three cabins and can carry thousands of people.

Wuzhan sat in the cabin on the top floor, his long black hair fluttering in the wind. He looked at the towering mountains on the shore with a thousand thoughts in his mind. After waking up this time, his body no longer ached, but he was weak and powerless. Even the eight extraordinary meridians in his body had disappeared. He could not practice the "Yunyun Health Preservation Technique" and became a complete cripple. He didn't know if it was because he absorbed the soul of the Qilin or because he inhaled the wisp of white smoke sent by the mysterious Taoist priest. He didn't know how long he could hold on, what the substance in his brain was, and whether it was a blessing or a curse.

He tried his best to enter the court as an official. Faced with the civil and military officials in the court, can he gain a firm foothold in the court? Can the cultivators recruited by Ying Zheng allow him to exist? Can he break into the core and take back the five-colored stone? Can he avenge his parents?... all this is unpredictable.

……

The road outside Xianyang City was straight and flat, with lush green pines on both sides, thousands of acres of fertile fields, and undulating green waves. In the distance, there were villages scattered around with a prosperous population. Meng Tian rode the chestnut horse side by side with Wuzhe, sandwiched between a hundred-man cavalry team, and all the pedestrians they met gave way to him.

Along the way, Meng Tian introduced the important officials in the court and the Qin laws and etiquette to Wuzhan from time to time, and Wuzhan had already understood them.

Ten miles away from Xianyang city, a dozen people on horseback came towards them. Wuzhan saw that it was Meng Yi and several followers, so he quickly rode forward to meet them.

The two men met and dismounted at the same time. Meng Yi stepped forward and held Wuzhan's shoulders, saying excitedly: "My dear brother, I have finally got you here!"

Wuzhan said: "I have the general to accompany me, why bother my second brother to go out of the city to welcome me!"

"If I am not busy, I will go to Yanmen to pick you up!" He turned around and introduced: "Brother, let me introduce someone to you. This is the eldest prince, Master Fusu!"

Wuzhan saw the young man behind him wearing a black brocade robe, eight feet tall, handsome, dignified but not arrogant, about the same age as him, and he quickly bowed and saluted, "I am Wuzhan, the humble one, and I am honored to have your eldest prince!"

Fusu returned the greeting and said with a hearty smile: "The Taoist priest is extremely intelligent and proficient in magic arrays. He can save the Qin Dynasty from danger. I am the one who is lucky enough to meet him!"

Meng Yi smiled and said, "When the young master heard me tell you about my brother's deeds in Jiuyuan, he was full of praise and wanted to meet him for a long time!"

Wuzhan said: "I am just an ordinary person, why should the eldest prince value me so much?"

Fusu said: "Master, you don't have to be polite. Meng Yi and I are like brothers. His brothers are naturally my brothers."

Fusu and Meng Yi stepped forward again and saluted Meng Tian. After some polite conversation, they mounted their horses again and rode away happily.

Through the conversations along the way, Wuzhan discovered that the eldest prince was approachable, open-minded, and quite benevolent. He did not expect that Ying Zheng would have such a son, who behaved completely differently from Ying Zheng.

……

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the sunset glowed like fire. The wall of the north gate of Xianyang City was towering, colorful flags were fluttering on the city tower, the city gate was open, and people coming and going lined up in a long queue, waiting to be inspected and passed. When the guards saw that it was Meng Tian and others, they hurriedly bowed and let them pass.

In the city of Xianyang, tall buildings stood in rows, every household was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, and there was an endless stream of pedestrians. The city was prosperous and bustling. Some people recognized Meng Tian and others, and hurriedly shouted, "The general has returned in triumph!" After this shout, people on the street, merchants, officials, and nobles flocked to the city, lining the streets to admire them, shouting, "The general is mighty, the general is mighty,..." This scene has appeared many times in the city of Xianyang and has become a way for the people in the city to celebrate their victory.

The young girls and ladies all focused their attention on Wuzhan and Fusu, whispering to each other, asking questions in low voices, their hearts fluttering and their faces blushing. The extraordinary battle in which Wuzhan helped Meng Tian and Meng Yi defeat the Huns had been widely circulated in the city as a myth, and everyone knew about it.

Wuzhan recalled that when he was young, his father returned triumphantly and all the family members went outside the house to greet him, leaving only him to read a boring book. Would that scene be as grand as this one? That time was Handan and this place is Xianyang.

As he walked to a busy street, he suddenly heard the sound of a desolate piano coming from the attic. Wuzhai's heart trembled. He looked and saw a luxurious teahouse. A woman was leaning on the balcony looking at him. It was Luoyan.

The music of the piano stopped, and a graceful figure appeared behind Luo Yan, as charming as in a dream, and they looked at each other across the water.

The horses’ hooves were hurried, the streets were noisy, Wuzhai quickly withdrew his gaze, and the team had already passed Qingya Pavilion.

……

When they arrived at the gate of Meng Mansion, Meng Tian sent someone to report to the palace and took Wuzhan and others into the mansion. The mansion had magnificent buildings and spacious courtyards, with ancient trees and colorful flowers. Meng Yi had arranged everything in advance. After a sumptuous dinner with Fusu and a little welcoming wine, the four of them went to the council hall for tea and got down to business. Meng Yi asked, "My dear brother, if you want any position, I can ask for your majesty's permission at the court tomorrow morning."

Wuzhan said: "I am afraid I am not up to the task. The court is full of talented people. I only hope that after seeing His Majesty, you will let me go!"

"No, now that China is unified, there is a lot of work to be done, the political system is not yet determined, and there are many different opinions. The remnants of the six kingdoms are still alive, and foreign invasions are continuous. Although there are loyal ministers and generals working day and night for the country, they are too busy to do anything. It is really a time to use people. Talents like you are hard to find. I have been thinking about it for the past few days and would like to ask Your Majesty to appoint you as a counselor. Although you have no real power, you can make suggestions for the country and display your talents when the time comes. What do you think?"

Wuzhan said calmly, "It's all up to my second brother."

Meng Tian, ​​Fusu and others were delighted after hearing this. Meng Yi smiled and said, "That's great. To be honest, the Great Qin is now facing a major decision. I'm sure someone will make a report after tomorrow's morning court to discuss merits and rewards. Since Your Majesty became emperor, the dispute between feudalism and counties has never been resolved. Not only do the ministers in the court hold their own opinions, but the common people also have their own opinions. Now the argument is almost to the point of being incompatible. If we don't make a decision, I'm afraid the court will be divided and the people will be uneasy."

Wuzhan asked, "What do you think, second brother?"

"Each has its pros and cons. The feudal system is conducive to stabilizing the situation. The system of division of power among different regions can appease the world, expand the territory, and allow the relatives and meritorious officials to belong to the country. The princes can protect the emperor and quell rebellions in time. However, in the long run, blood ties will be alienated, the princes will split up, the land will fall apart, and wars will continue. The county system implements the Book of Lord Shang, with a unified army, a unified legal system, and a unified official system. It is easy to gather national strength and unify the world. The disadvantage is that it is not hereditary, and the relatives and meritorious officials will inevitably be unhappy. The officials are of varying quality and may not try their best for the sake of profit. The customs of different places are different, so it is difficult to unify. If something unexpected happens, it will be out of reach. The invasion of the Huns and the three countries this time is a proof of this. Brother is also hesitating."

Wuzhan asked again, "What does your majesty mean?"

"Your Majesty has not yet made a decision. Please allow the court officials to make their own decisions!"

"Which style of governance do most court officials support?"

"Only a few people, including Li Si, the Minister of Justice, Dun Ruo, the Lieutenant General Yang Ruihe, the National Commander Wei Liao, and Wang Ben, support the county system. More than half of the court officials follow the Prime Minister Wang Wan in advocating the feudal system. Some, like me, are still hesitating."

Wuzhan smiled and asked, "Who rules the world today?"

"Your Majesty is a man of great talent and vision, and you have unified China. If this world is not yours, then whose is it?"

"Since you know that the world belongs to your majesty, why are you hesitating, second brother? Isn't your majesty's meaning clear? Which of the two ways of governing will give your majesty greater power?" He paused and said, "The reason why we haven't made a decision is that we are waiting for more ministers to stand up and advocate the county system, because your majesty wants a real world and to be an unprecedented sage monarch for thousands of years."

Fusu asked: "Since the implementation of Shangjunshu, the various drawbacks of the county system have become apparent. If this continues, how can the country be stable and the people's grievances be appeased?"

Wuzhan said: "The eldest prince is wrong. It is the Book of Lord Shang that can stabilize the country, not the feudal system. King Tang lasted only 600 years, and the Western Zhou Dynasty lasted only 300 years. The Eastern Zhou Dynasty declined and existed in name only. The feudal system can no longer be used. The reason why the county system has exposed its drawbacks is that the laws are not yet sound. As long as they are remedied and revised, the drawbacks can be eliminated."

Fusu said: "Since the Book of Lord Shang can be revised, why can't the feudal system be revised? Moreover, the Spring and Autumn Annals of Lü Shi is a collection of the strengths of hundreds of schools of thought, advocating the implementation of benevolent governance, which can bring peace to the world."

Wuzhan said: "The strengths of hundreds of schools, when combined, may not be the best. Imitating the ancient sages and following the rules may not be suitable for the present. When people change places, they should follow the trend of the times and open up new paths. If they stick to the old rules, they will inevitably repeat the same mistakes."

Meng Tian said, "I know the Lüshi Chunqiu very well. Since the rebellion of Lao Ai was quelled, Your Majesty has been tired of implementing benevolent policies. As the Taoist said, Your Majesty wants an unshakable power and a long-lasting dynasty." He then said to Fusu, "Prince, you must consider this matter carefully and do not let others take advantage of you."

Fusu said, "Thank you for your reminder, General. I have a clear mind now." He then said to Wuzhan, "I have benefited a lot from listening to your words. Your wisdom is well-deserved. It is a blessing for the Qin Dynasty that you are willing to serve as an official!"

Meng Yi said with a smile: "Don't call me Taoist priest, Taoist priest, it's too strange. Besides, my brother doesn't look like a Taoist priest at all. After the court tomorrow, he will be a minister. If we don't change our words now, do we still expect him to continue to be a Taoist priest?"

After hearing this, Fusu and Meng Tian laughed and changed their words. Wuzhan did not reveal his real name, so Fusu changed his words to call Wuzhan "brother Zhan", and Meng Tian and Meng Yi also changed their words to "virtuous brother!". After discussing the specific matters of the court tomorrow, Fusu said goodbye and returned to the palace.

Meng Yi arranged Wuzhan, Jinxingzi and Lingkongzi in the quietest room in the mansion, and sent people to bring warm water for Wuzhan to bathe. He also delivered two loads of books that Wuzhan wanted to read, "The Book of Lord Shang" and "Lüshi Chunqiu".

After taking a bath, Wuzhan changed into the gorgeous clothes prepared for him by Meng Yi, and began to read the scrolls in the room by light.

The moon was dim, summer insects were chirping, and the next door was snoring like thunder. Wuzhe finished reading the entire scroll in less than half an hour. He placed the scroll on the table, smiled slightly, and whispered: "The one who destroyed Qin was Shang Yang!"

(End of this chapter)