Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 27 Visit
"I heard that if you want someone to teach you, you need to pay a gift."

He Bo said to Ximen Bao, "Dan Xi is old and a ghost, so he can't catch the wild boar. I have no choice but to bring him to you with a smug look on my face."

Bunch of repairs,

In this era, the tuition fees paid to teachers are the rules set by Confucius, the founder of Confucianism.

Generally speaking, the amount of dried meat in a bundle is ten pieces.

The price may be a bit high for ordinary people.

But at this time, knowledge is more valuable than anything else.

What's more, Confucius was the first person to start "private education".

Before that, even if you want to pay ten times the tuition, you are not worthy of it.

From another perspective, there are fewer people and more land at that time, and wild animals are everywhere. It is possible to find ways to set traps and catch some prey.

unfortunately,

Xi can't do it.

He is a ghost.

Others cannot touch him, and he cannot touch others.

As for asking He Bo to prepare a gift for him, that made Xi extremely frightened.

Fortunately, Xi has a son who is good at hunting.

"His son is a brave and heroic man, and also a filial gentleman. If you wish, I will find a way to have him move to Ye County to help you."

In such troubled times, husbands who are good at fighting are welcome everywhere.

"By the way, you can ask him to pay the tuition for his old father."

Although Xi had agreed to have less contact with the living, this "xiu" was a black pot that fell from the sky for Yu, but He Bo had already made up his mind, so let him bear it!
After all, He Bo had given away the opportunity to go down in history with Doctor Ximen!

"Since he can be praised by He Bo, he must be a brave man!"

"If you can come to Ye County, I will definitely welcome you!"

So, after such a conversation, Yu, who was far away in Pingyang, Zhao State, was inexplicably moved to Ye County, Wei State.

Fortunately, the two places are not too far away.

"So you want to learn to read now?" Ximen Bao looked at the reserved Xi and asked the ghost who was in charge.

"No," He Bo shook his head, "Today is New Year's Day. I'm here to visit a friend. I won't do anything as sad as this."

I still work overtime during the Chinese New Year.
This is really terrible!

Ximen Bao didn't know why such a beautiful thing as reading and writing would be "sad".

But since Ha Bo refused, he would not mention it again.

"Come and play Go with me!"

When He Bo saw a chessboard in the room, he became eager to try it.

He comes from the hereafter,

In terms of entertainment, the only things that are relevant to people today are probably a few ancient games like Go.

Ximen Bao then took out the chessboard, and he and He Bo each held the black and white pieces. Xi came to watch the count and started playing Go.

But it didn't take long before Ximen Bao's expression changed.

He lost the calmness and composure he had maintained when facing ghosts and gods, and his sitting posture was trembling out of control. His hands could not help but reach into the wooden box containing chess pieces, picking up and putting them down again, making a "clang clang" sound as the chess pieces collided.

"...I'd better go and teach Xi to read."

After persisting for a while, Ximen Bao finally couldn't help but speak.

He Bo wondered, "Isn't it good to play chess?"

"You and I are evenly matched. After this match, I feel my chess skills have improved a lot!"

"Yes, this is so beautiful, just like a painting."

Xi looked at the chessboard with black and white keys in disorder and said it sincerely.

Ximen Bao was silent.

When his wife heard that a distinguished guest had arrived, and thinking of her husband's wounds, she thought of sending a few more fur mats.

At that time, the society was open-minded and there was no rule that "wives and daughters were not allowed to see outsiders". So his wife came in, first marveled at He Bo's handsomeness, then looked at the chessboard and burst out laughing.

"Why is this chess game such a mess?"

"My dear, you haven't practiced for a long time, your chess skills have become sluggish!"

"..."

Ximen Bao lowered his head and played on the chessboard without saying a word.

He Bo looked at what he had ordered and wondered, "Am I really a wimp?" Then he gave up struggling and said, "Forget it, let's talk about something else!"

His wife served the guests hot meat soup and did not forget to wrap Ximen Bao's face with soft fur.

When she finished, she smiled and walked away.

"Your wife is very virtuous." He Bo said to Ximen Bao.

"This is my blessing." Ximen Bao also sighed softly, "She is the daughter of a scholar, and I am born a commoner. I am very happy to be able to marry such a woman."

"So, this is why you are in such a hurry to do things?"

He Bo said, "If you can have a good harvest and get the money accumulated by the local gentry, you will probably be able to gain the attention of the monarch next year, right?"

Getting promoted nowadays is both difficult and easy.

In places where the remnants of the aristocratic system are serious, it is difficult to become an official unless you are of noble blood, and even if you have a thick chest, you will not be valued.

But in Wei, as long as one has the ability, he can be appointed by King Wei Si.

After all, the Spring and Autumn Period had passed and the Warring States Period had just begun, and Wei Si was the first monarch to launch reforms.

He made important use of capable ministers such as Li Kui, Wu Qi, and Le Yang, and implemented the policy of "rewarding those who work and rewarding those who have made contributions, rewarding those who are capable and punishing them appropriately". He vigorously promoted talents regardless of their background.

He also ordered people to formulate the "Law Code", "Teaching to Make the Most of the Land", and implement the equal purchase and sale law, defeating the Qin State in the west and destroying Zhongshan in the north...

In general,

It was under his leadership that the State of Wei became the overlord of the early Warring States Period and laid a solid foundation for his grandson to become king.

Under such a monarch, as long as one proves one's ability, it is easy to ascend to the throne and change one's fate.

Ximen Bao had always been favored by the king, and now he only needed to lay the foundation for success by achieving some achievements. He would be able to accomplish something that was difficult for ordinary people to do thousands of years ago.

"That's right." Ximen Bao also said frankly, "I won't stay in Ye County for too long."

"After making it prosperous in a year or two, I will seek a way to return to Hedong County."

"A man's ambition is naturally far-reaching. How can he be confined to a county?"

He Bo appreciated Ximen Bao's words very much, but he still felt a little regretful.

"But when you are about to die, can you come to the Zhang River?"

Ximen Bao looked puzzled.

He Bo pretended to be sad, "I already regard you as a friend, but ghosts and gods do not know time. I am worried that after you return to Hedong, I, the River Lord of Zhangshui, will never be able to see my friend again."

Ximen Bao was deeply moved. Seeing that even ghosts and gods missed him, he almost shed tears.

Until Xi suddenly coughed beside him.

Ximen Bao suddenly realized what was going on, and then his expression changed, "After I die, will He Bo also take my ghost away?"

It turns out that there is no true friendship between you and me!

"A talented warrior should change the world while alive and assist the gods and ghosts after death!"

He Bo laughed and didn't feel that he was exploiting others.

Ximen Bao pretended to be angry for a while, then sighed, "In fact, I am eager to return to Hedong within the next two years, and it is also related to the age of the king."

"The king...is old after all."

It has been forty-five years since I ascended the position of head of the Wei family.

It has only been three years since the State of Wei was officially listed among the vassal states.

Ximen Bao was worried that if he carried out construction in Ye County slowly, he would not be able to wait for the king to promote him, and would have to wait until the old king passed away and the new king took over.

He did not dare to bet that the crown prince who succeeded to the throne would still make use of the talents selected by his father, nor did he dare to bet that the crown prince who succeeded to the throne would be a monarch who was as broad-minded as his father and committed to persisting in reforms.

Therefore, Ximen Bao wanted to climb up a bit before the old monarch died, so as to avoid the tragedy of "a new emperor, new ministers" in later generations.

　Thanks to book friend 20231113052307232, book friend Jingshui Qianche, and book friend Fu Bo 137 for their monthly tickets (*︶*)
　　
　
(End of this chapter)