The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 289: No one is born to like bullying others. Qin Wangzheng beats the drum for the second battle

"I don't deserve Yingzi's praise." Fuqiu Bo looked ashamed.

The shadows of the pine trees under the corridor swayed gently on his blue shirt. When he lowered his head, a strand of hair on his forehead was lifted by the draft, revealing the red tips of his ears.

This kind of scene where the two sons met, praised each other and said "thank you" to each other was very common to Ying Chengjiao. He had been accustomed to it as early as when he was in the Jixia Academy.

Today, he was slightly stunned and forgot to continue speaking for a moment.

[This Fu Qiu Bo... seems to be really ashamed?] The young man thought, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade ring on his waist.

He was not sure whether what he saw was the real Fuqiubo or the Fuqiubo that Fuqiubo wanted him to see.

Could the leader of the Six Masters of Xunzi, who surpassed Han Fei and Li Si, be a simple-minded person?

Confucianism of Confucius, Confucianism of Mencius, and Confucianism of Xunzi.

From the perspective of later generations, Ying Chengjiao believed that the Confucian scholar who was best at governing a country was Xunzi.

Among Confucian scholars, Xunzi is the most worldly.

Those who enter the world should blend in with the world.

"Heh." The young man suddenly chuckled, mocking himself for having investigated in vain.

[What is the relationship between Xunzi's worldly knowledge and Fuqiubo, a man who has left the world?] The birth of this idea meant that Ying Chengjiao had a tendency in his heart.

Prince Chengjiao said nothing, and Fuqiubo also did not speak.

With a look of shame on his face, he faced Yingzi, the most hypocritical person in the world as his teacher had said.

[There are certainly some fake ones, but there are more real ones.] Fu Qiubo thought about it for a while, and then said:

"The teacher once said that Yingzi is the most hypocritical person.

“When I saw this, I thought that the teacher’s words were biased.

"If the master goes west, he should know that Yingzi's sincerity is more than a pretense."

Ying Chengjiao was stunned for a moment, and then the same guilty look as Fu Qiubo appeared on his face. He bowed and said:

"I don't deserve your praise, sir."

The boy really thought he was unworthy.

"Come in for a chat?" The young man turned half of his body, made an inviting gesture with his arm, and stirred the mellow aroma, which was the calming incense he lit before opening the door.

"Good." Fuqiu Bo responded and also stretched out his arm: "Yingzi goes first."

The two entered the house.

The two cranes stood at the door like two guards, one on the left and one on the right, and did not follow him in.

Seeing that Fu Qiubo was about to close the door and lock Shuanghe outside, Ying Chengjiao said at the right time:

“Although the house is small, it can accommodate two cranes.”

With a slight "bang", the door closed.

"I am sorry to bother you by showing up." Fuqiu Bo said, bowing deeply, his long straight black beard reaching the ground. "I am ashamed of you, Yingzi."

As soon as Fuqiu Bo's door was closed, Ying Chengjiao smelled the faint bitter scent of mugwort.

He looked at Fu Qiubo's long beard and thought of Guan Yu, the bearded man with a beautiful face. He had the urge to go up and touch it.

As soon as Fuqiu Bo bowed, the young man turned aside, refusing to accept the greeting. His quick steps caused the jade pendant on his waist and the sword to clash:
"Sir, what do you mean?"

"I have been in my junior fellow's room and could have come to visit Yingzi earlier. I have just arrived now because I wanted to see how long Yingzi could wait for me and observe Yingzi's character. I should apologize for my mean heart and actions." Fuqiu Bo did not stand up.

"Sir, please get up quickly." Ying Chengjiao walked around Fuqiubo and came to his side.

"If that's the case, then I should apologize." The young man held Fu Qiubo's arm and exerted a little force: "I have known for a long time that you are in Tonggu's room and have not come yet. I also want to see how strong you are and how long you can endure. Let's call it a draw!"

"It's a draw..." Fu Qiubo smiled and nodded, then stood up with the help of the young man.

Among all schools of thought, Mohism is the most martial, followed by Confucianism.

If you can't win with reason, then use physics. Fighting among Confucian students was commonplace, and the custom of swordplay continued from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period.

This was not the first time Fu Qiubo had heard the word "tie", but it was the first time he had heard it in such a context. The Xun Sect's eldest disciple, who was extremely reluctant to fight with others, stroked his long beard:
"I heard that Yingzi's lectures are very interesting and can make words come alive. The rumors are true."

"That's right." Ying Chengjiao nodded: "This praise is worthy of you!"

Fu Qiubo also smiled, and felt that Ying Zi was more and more sincere. His originally pessimistic mentality had a positive change, and he thought that this journey to the west was really worthwhile.

Two white cranes stood guard outside the door from day to night.

The door opened.

At night, the cold wind broke open the window frames, and the snow on the eaves fell down.

On the occasion of parting.

The smile on Fu Qiubo's face was obviously more friendly, and he said to Ying Chengjiao who was seeing him off:
"Although Yingzi does not have a deep understanding of the Book of Songs, his self-created five-character, seven-character, quatrain and regular verse, with its level and oblique rhymes, do sound somewhat novel and can be called new poetry."

"What I got in the dream was not created by me." Ying Chengjiao made an excuse and did not take any credit for it.

"Zhuangzi dreamed of being a butterfly, and the butterfly dreamed of Zhuangzi. I also want to have this dream." Fuqiu Bo said sincerely.

With one hand he soothed a white crane, his fingers lingering on its feathers for a moment, then stroking them unconsciously.

The Xun Sect's senior disciple stood for a while, then suddenly said:

“In fact, when I was talking with my junior fellow apprentice, I had a feeling that this trip might be worthwhile.

"I heard from my junior fellow student that the rule of not allowing students to take textbooks out of the academy was made by Ying Zi alone. Ying Zi took advantage of the evil in human nature.

“When people are born, their nature is evil.

“Except for my fellow apprentices, few people agree with the concept proposed by the master.

"Xunzi and his teacher share the same ideals and principles."

It is not yet late at night, the stars are sparse and the moon is dim.

"I don't want to argue about whether one is good or evil." Ying Chengjiao said softly, "I only know that no one is born to like bullying others."

"What's the explanation?"

"Words are useless, facts speak for themselves."

"Okay!" Fu Qiubo responded heavily.

Crouching down, holding two white cranes in his arms, his head buried in their feathers:

"Let's go."

The two white cranes covered Fuqiubo with their wings, just like a person hugging him with their arms.

They called softly, again and again.

The cry of the cranes on Zhangtai is startling during the day, but at night even the frost and snow on the trees cannot be called down.

"Let's go." Fu Qiubo said again.

Flutter~!

Two cranes took off and circled three feet above Fuqiubo's head.

"Let's go!" Fu Qiubo raised his voice slightly and waved to Shuanghe.

This is a farewell.

Two cranes cried out and flew away from Zhangtai.

crane.

A noble spirit, a companion to the world beyond.

People who are worldly are themselves tainted with vulgarity, so they should not defile the cranes.

"I have just arrived at Zhangtai and don't know the rules. Please give me some advice." Fuqiu Bo bowed his hands and bowed slightly. There was a crane feather that had just been glued on to his hair.

"Okay." Ying Chengjiao responded, and did not avoid it this time.

Li Si cannot represent the Xunzi school, and Han Fei cannot represent the Xunzi school either.

Fuqiu Bo can.

After Xunzi, Fuqiu is the first.

Two cranes fly eastward, and Xunmen advances westward.

As February approached, the number of students in the Imperial Academy of Jixia Academy increased by 31. During this nearly 20-day period, Qin Wang Zheng, relying on the financial support of the Bashu Chamber of Commerce, got rid of the financial shackles of Lu Xiang and started the second round of the dispute between the king and the prime minister.

When the news came out, the top leaders of the Qin State were all shocked.

The Bashu Chamber of Commerce was originally a branch of the Xiangquan faction, and was helped by Lu Buwei who went to Bashu in person.

Most of the 517,000 gold coins came from the Bashu Chamber of Commerce.

The Bashu Chamber of Commerce abandoned King Xiangtou, making everyone focus their attention on King Zheng of Qin for the first time.

Qin Qi, the chief of the imperial clan who had been in Yongcheng, returned to Xianyang as soon as possible.

The king was able to resolve this crisis independently and prove himself, so there is no reason for the royal family not to stand by the king.

After Zong Zheng returned, the two empress dowagers who had been dormant for a long time also began to exert their strength.

There are only two major foreign relatives in the Qin court today, the Chu family of Queen Dowager Huayang and the Zhao family of Queen Dowager Zhao.

The combination of the two foreign relatives and the power of the Zongzheng actually won one-third of the seats in the Qin court, forcing the prime minister's faction to retreat step by step.

King Zheng of Qin used the manpower of Bashu to defeat the god Ju Mang sent down by Prime Minister Lu and beat the drums of counterattack.

The morale of the royal power faction was high, while the morale of the prime ministerial power faction was low.

Lu Buwei thought he had overestimated the king's disciple, but he actually underestimated him - the king had fought on his own strength without the help of Prince Chengjiao.

Zhao Dashu, whom he had been keeping a close eye on, had long since left the Qin State, and Ba Guafu Qing, who had always been under his nose, had run towards the king at some point in time.

If other people under Lu Buwei's command surrendered to the king, he would still have a way to make amends.

The widow of Ba, the Bashu Chamber of Commerce... Lu Buwei summoned his followers to discuss the issue for three days, but the situation was irreversible.

The Bashu Chamber of Commerce's base is in Bashu, which is too far away for either the prime ministerial faction or the royal faction to reach.

The last time Lu Buwei was able to take over the Bashu Chamber of Commerce, it was because of the military support of Li Bing, the prefect of Bashu.

When the two factions fought for the first time, Lu Buwei sent three letters to Li Bing.

Li Bing did not return.

Lu Buwei knew that his disciple, the king, had also sent a letter to Li Bing.

Li Bing replied, very officially.

Li Bing, the governor of Bashu, did not intervene in the struggle between the king and the prime minister, and the Bashu Chamber of Commerce had absolute autonomy and voice.

Lu Buwei, who was concentrating on planning for the three old Qin nobles, Meng, Xi and Bai, was caught off guard by the forces of the two queen mothers and the royal family. He carefully reviewed the situation and determined that the Bashu Chamber of Commerce had already stood behind the king, and did not just stand there.

The royalists' attack was extremely rhythmic and definitely premeditated.

The power of the prime minister's faction was all in Xianyang, and they could do nothing to the widow Qing who had returned to Bashu.

But what could they do to the other rebel - Li Si, Li Tonggu.

No one knows what promises King Zheng of Qin made to Li Si that caused Li Si, who was deeply favored by the Prime Minister, to rebel.

Just like Ba Guafu Qing's rebellion, Li Si's rebellion was also so sudden.

The reaction of the prime minister's faction to Li Si's rebellion was particularly strong, much stronger than that to Ba Guafu Qing's rebellion.

The Bashu Chamber of Commerce itself is one of the six major chambers of commerce and has its own power. The relationship between it and Prime Minister Lu is more like cooperation than joining forces.

Li Si is different.

When Li Si first came to Xianyang, he was nothing.

Li Si’s current status was all thanks to Prime Minister Lu.

Why do you betray Prime Minister Lu?
Everyone thought that Lu Buwei would take ruthless measures against Li Si, punishing him severely and making an example of him.

In order to save Li Si's life, King Zheng of Qin proposed that he go to Bashu to supervise the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

You, Li Si, previously supervised the flood control work of Zheng State, and now it is just a perfect match for you to supervise the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

He would not leave Xianyang unless Li Si left.

Lu Buwei had a talk with Li Si, and then Li Si was kicked out of the prime minister's mansion.

This beating was the price Li Si paid.

The prime minister's power faction all said that Prime Minister Lu was too kind, and even many people from the neutral faction and the royal power faction said so.

Lu Buwei himself knew that he was not merciful, he just wanted to grab everything he could grab... everything!
The Prime Minister's Mansion, the main hall.

Lu Buwei was wearing a thick coat and kept coughing.

On the table in front of me, the pine tree that should have been evergreen had already died on half of its side.

Across the table, the young master Cheng Jiao, who was called over, had a stern face and said stiffly:
"If you are sick, just take a good rest. Why are you trying to show off?"

He twitched his nose calmly and smelled the scent of Sophora flavescens from the medicinal fragrance in the air.

"It's nothing." Lu Buwei coughed twice again and forced a smile: "It's just a cold."

"A cold can kill you." Young Master Chengjiao said coldly, noticing that the other party's fingers holding the pen were pale and blue: "Master Xiangbang is too weak. If this winter is longer, I doubt that Master Xiangbang will survive."

Once a person becomes weak, many minor illnesses can become fatal.

Lu Buwei forced a smile again.

He casually grabbed a scroll of bamboo slips and handed it to Master Chengjiao.

Gongzi Chengjiao didn't answer, and didn't even look down, his tone was still very bad:

"What?"

"Take a look and give me your opinion." Although his power had been reduced, the Prime Minister, who was still very powerful, shook the bamboo slips in a flattering manner.

The boy lowered his head and fixed his gaze.

The commander's hands stopped shaking and were trembling uncontrollably.

"My brother wanted to see it but you wouldn't let him. I didn't want to see it but you forced me to. You are really sick!" The young man cursed and snatched the bamboo slips: "Go find Li Yue and have a look later!"

Lu Buwei smiled and didn't say anything, he just kept smiling.

After many years, he finally understood King Xiaowen's feelings.

"What a joke!" The young man smashed the bamboo slips: "You don't understand what I'm saying, right?"

"Okay, okay, I'll go find the imperial physician right away. Ahem, young master, please take a look first." Lu Buwei covered his mouth with his hand.

"Hand out!"

"what?"

"Nai Gong said to stretch out your hand!"

"Oh." Lü Buwei smiled and stretched out his hand to cover his mouth, scratching it playfully a few times: "Don't worry, sir, there's nothing."

Ying Chengjiao took a glance and snorted coldly:
"What a shame, I thought there would be blood."

The young man opened the bamboo slips, which were full of people's names.

He saw many familiar names here, many of which he had seen in history books in his previous life.

These names have one thing in common, they are all people of royal power.

"What do you mean?" The boy raised his eyebrows.

"My lord, you have good taste." Lu Buwei raised his chin and said, "Pick 30% of them to be officials."

"No way, is the Prime Minister going to do this?" Ying Chengjiao sneered, "He has started to arrange for my brother's people to be officials in batches? Has the situation gotten so bad?"

Lu Buwei laughed so hard that he fell backwards.

There were a lot of coughing sounds mixed in with the laughter. He was laughing and coughing, coughing and laughing, and in the end, it was unclear whether he was laughing or coughing.

"Don't you see! A sick body can also determine the fate of the world!" Lu Buwei has been unusually high-spirited in recent days, and his clothes fell to the ground with a "rustle".

After just a moment, he smiled awkwardly at the boy's cold gaze, picked up his clothes and put them on:

"You have good vision, Wang Jian, Your Majesty, it's not the same... Please take a look, take a look."

"Why did the Prime Minister arrange people for my brother?" The young man said with a cold expression.

He wanted to know what his brother had done to make the commander retreat so quickly!

(End of this chapter)