Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 62: Xiangli's Ink

“This is my new look.”

"From now on, you will be a ghost official in the underworld, helping to judge the sins of the newly dead."

After everything was over, He Bo explained to Xi.

Although Xi was surprised at Guishen's sudden job change, his advantage was that he never objected to He Bo's arrangements.

Xi was just worried about his lack of experience, “I have never studied the law, can I take on such a responsibility?”

"It's okay, I'll let Ximen Bao help you!"

So Xi felt relieved, "With the magistrate of Ye here, I feel relieved!"

"But there are still some things you need to do."

He Bo thought about it, and then said to Xi, "The laws of the world are ultimately inadequate."

"If you want to judge impartially, you should go out into the world more often and ask what is feasible and what is not feasible."

Xi then became worried again, "I can't walk in the outside world for too long, and can ghosts and humans talk to each other more?"

The living and the dead,
There is a natural gap.

Xi realized this the moment he breathed his last, and he never worried about it.

It was only because of the grace and favor from the gods and ghosts that Xi's experiences after death were more complicated and exciting than when he was still a human.

He Bo waved his hand, "It's okay, I'll help you!"

At worst, let Xi sneak into the dreams of people on both sides of the Zhangshui River and conduct interviews and investigations in their dreams.

Anyway, He Bo himself is too lazy to do it——

Before there were cattle and horses, I conducted polls through my own dreams;

After having cattle and horses, I still conduct polls through dreams.

Then wouldn’t it be a waste to recruit all these cattle and horses?

"When you have asked almost all the questions, you can ask Ximen Bao to help you determine the severity of the punishment."

"Okay!" Xi agreed happily.

Only Ximen Bao, who was reconciling accounts with Liu Ping about how much income had been increased from selling new food during this period and how to divide the profits, suddenly felt a chill on his back.

"I think it's the transition from summer to autumn and the change in the weather. I feel a little unwell." Ximen Bao said to Liu Ping who was looking over.

Liu Ping also said with concern, "The county magistrate should take care of his health. The tens of thousands of people in Ye County are all on his shoulders."

Now that the Liu family has established a firm foothold in Ye County by cooperating with Ximen Bao's administration, they need to develop slowly at this time. How could any unexpected changes occur?

"I know." Ximen Bao nodded.

……

As autumn deepens, the temperature gradually drops.

Ximen Bao was busy with government affairs, Gongzi Chao was busy reading from a script, trying to do some serious work, and Xi, on the other hand, hid during the day and came out at night to sneak into the dreams of strangers to conduct interviews and statistics.

He Bo didn't want to disturb them.
So I continued to lie quietly in the Guanhe River to make progress. I felt very happy watching the progress bar move forward every day.

In Yangyi of Wei State,
Xiang Liqin and other Mohist disciples were discussing in the city where to go next.

"This late summer, Zhao, Wei, and Han attacked Chu and reached Sangqiu, but ultimately failed and returned. The three families blamed each other, and the dispute intensified."

Xiang Liqin was kneeling upright, wearing simple cloth clothes, with a sharp weapon hanging around his waist, and was discussing the current situation with his fellow disciples.

"Han's capital was attacked by Zheng, and the relationship between Wei and Zhao only appears to be peaceful... We felt these things very clearly in Yangyi."

Yangyi,

Like Wei Ting, it was a historical legacy caused by the division of Jin State among the three families, and it was a place completely surrounded by Zhao State.

In recent years, with the step-by-step pressure from Wei State, the relationship between Zhao and Wei is no longer as harmonious as it was when Jin was divided.

With Zhao's national strength, there was no need for it to obey Wei's orders.

The Marquis of Wei established Ye County to prevent the State of Zhao from advancing into the Central Plains. It was difficult for Zhao to deal with it for the time being, but it was still possible to deal with Yangyi, Zaotai and other Wei cities surrounded by Zhao.

Now that the relationship between the three families has further deteriorated, it is impossible for Yangyi to be preserved in the inevitable turmoil that will follow.

The Mohist disciples who had come here because of the split in their school were very aware of the hidden turmoil.

After all, under the leadership of Mozi, the Mohist school had personally experienced many disputes among princes, and even single-handedly prevented two countries from going to war.

But after Mozi died,
Although the Mohist school is divided into three factions and is still active in China, its strength has indeed weakened a lot.

Mozi of Xiangfu believed that one should study Confucianism, study classics carefully, and summarize the various viewpoints put forward by Mozi when he was alive, in order to promote the process of "universal love and non-aggression" in the world. At this time, he had been recruited by Tian family of Qi State, which provided prestige for Tian family to replace Qi State.

The Mohists of Dengling believed that they should follow the practices of Mozi during his lifetime and use the military force of Mohism to stop the unrest among the countries. They were active in the Chu State in the south at that time. The Mohists of Xiangli in Yangyi advocated Mozi's idea of "diligence, thrift and virtuousness". They believed that no matter how good the words were, it was not as good as doing things to make the people live better, so as to strengthen the power of Mohism from the bottom up.

"Yangyi is an enclave of Wei State, and it is not as large as Wei State's Dongjun. It is very easy for Zhao State to infiltrate and seize it."

"We should probably find another place."

Although the Mohists advocated "non-aggression", they did not blindly throw themselves into opposing all wars in the world.

Given Yangyi's geographical location, it was certain that it would fall into the hands of Zhao unless Wei directly seized all the land in the western part of Zhao and directly governed the enclave.

Xiangli's Mo was often suppressed because it emphasized supporting the common people and resisting the tyranny of the nobles.

Unlike Xiangfu's Mohism, his research has shed the original aggressiveness of Mohism.

It is also not like the Mohism of Deng Ling, which completely retained the aggressiveness of Mohism. However, it was precisely because it was too complete and the internal system of Chu was still divided into many parts, with each local government ruling independently, that no one wanted to compete with Deng Ling.

Xiangli's Mo's knowledge is not as profound as the former's, and his martial arts is not as strong as the latter's. Faced with such a situation, he can only choose to retreat like the wind.

"I heard that Gongzi Chao of Niecheng is a wise gentleman."

One of Xiang Liqin's disciples said, "Niecheng is not far from Yangyi, and Gongzi Chao is the son of the ruler of Zhao State, so there shouldn't be any war there."

Gongzi Chao likes to be straightforward when speaking and doing things.

If he said he didn't like it, then he really didn't like it.

I said I would do it, but I procrastinated and yet I actually did some things.

Although Gongzi Chao was often tired, exhausted, gave up, walked, and slept, how many people were like him who did not stick to their status as nobles, were willing to interact in a friendly manner with the common people, and even engage in labor?

Moreover, in the eyes of the villagers of Niecheng, Gongzi Chao is young and studious, but he does not have the energy to do things and is not persistent enough... which is normal!
therefore,

Gongzi Chao was set off by various nobles of the time, and his reputation gradually spread far and wide.

"Also, I heard that the River God appeared in the Guanhe River of Niecheng. He is a giant divine turtle!"

"Gong Zichao often went to the river to study and communicated with ghosts and gods."

Although He Bo concealed his figure,
But there was no prohibition on Gongzi Chao and others from telling others about their own affairs.

then,

When Gongzi Chao was riding in his car back to the city, he was often stopped by brave villagers and asked, "Gongzi, why do you go to the river every day?"

The young master said proudly, "I went there to read to the ghosts and gods!"

"The River God of Guanhe is now my teacher!"

The villagers were immediately filled with awe when they heard this, and they immediately asked Gongzi Chao what the ghosts and gods looked like. They had already made up their minds about what they were going to offer sacrifices to.

As for whether it is true?
joke!

Gongzi Chao looks very pure, would he lie?

The custom of sacrificial offerings in Gaolang's land is already rampant. When the villagers see a mountain, they worship the mountain god; when they encounter water, they worship the water god; and when someone dies, they worship the earth god.

Precisely because there are too many beliefs and the competition is fierce, this place is not like Ye County, where many talented witches and wizards emerge who can directly mobilize the entire city's people to obey their orders and work hard without complaint.

"It's a divine turtle!"

Gongzi Chao became even more proud. He propped himself up on the carriage, knelt with his hands behind his back, and boasted for He Bo, "The divine tortoise understands human language. There is nothing in heaven and on earth that He doesn't know!"

The villagers were even more awed, "It turns out that this is such a powerful ghost!"

"It seems that because our sacrifices did not please the ghosts and gods, the ghosts and gods have not appeared."

"A gentleman's study is thought to please the gods and ghosts, and this is what makes the gods and ghosts appear holy!"

The villagers immediately reflected on the shortcomings of their own sacrifices, and felt that they should capture some scholars and take them to the riverside to recite various scriptures for the ghosts and gods. This was the sacrifice that could truly please the ghosts and gods!

Damn it!

Where can we find scholars who can read?

"I see!"

Gradually understanding everything, the villagers bowed to Gongzi Chao, then turned and left, as if they had made some kind of decision.

Gongzi Chao looked at the other party's resolute back, puzzled, "What did he know?"

The attendant was also confused, "I don't understand."

then,

The news that Gongzi Chao was favored by the gods and ghosts gradually spread in Nie City. Along with the actions of Gaolang's country folk trying to abduct the down-and-out but literate scholars, the news spread further and further until it was heard by Xiangli Shi Mo.

(End of this chapter)