The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 22 The Down-and-out Doctor

Mao Heng was about the same age as Zhang Cang and Li Si.

There are too many people in this world who have a feud with Qin, not just Mao Heng.

In response to the young master's question, Mao Heng explained, "I serve you for the sake of inheriting the lineage of my master's teachings. It has nothing to do with any feud. I heard that you enjoy reading Han Fei's books, so I came to pay you a visit."

Fusu smiled and said, "I have read a lot of books, covering all the schools of thought. I really like Han Fei's books."

Mao Heng bowed and said, "I am a disciple of Xunzi. If you have any questions about Xunzi's classics, I can explain them to you."

By now, Fusu had met the third disciple of Xunzi, Prime Minister Li Si, Censor Zhang Cang, and the man in front of him, Mao Heng.

Originally, I came here today to see this mansion given by my father.

This is the legacy left by Lu Buwei. To be precise, this is just a building in Xianyang City, where Lu Buwei used to live.

I don’t know if it was intentional by the teacher, but the teacher’s home is right across from this mansion.

In the past, Li Si was a retainer of Lu Buwei, and now the prime minister of the Qin Dynasty was Li Si, so Li Si settled his home opposite Lu Buwei's old house.

After breakfast, Fusu came to take a look at this house, just to count his private property. He couldn't just ignore it.

And when the door here opened, Mao Heng was the first to arrive.

Fusu didn't want to stay here for long, as he was worried that more people like Mao Heng would come to pay him a visit.

In terms of identity, Mao Heng was indeed a disciple of Xunzi, but he was also one of the people who followed Doctor Qi and Lu to Xianyang. Prime Minister Li Si brought him here when he recruited famous people from all over the country, especially Doctor Qi and Lu.

This Mao Heng most likely entered Qin at the same time as Shusun Tong and his companions.

"If I have any questions about the classics, I can ask my other teacher, Zhang Cang, and he will always give me detailed answers."

Mao Heng nodded in understanding, and seeing the young master's scrutinizing gaze, he added, "I am not here for the so-called feud, and besides, I have always been estranged from my uncle."

As human beings, we should always unite with all those we can, so that we can have more friends and fewer enemies.

Fusu said in a clear voice: "Go to Shangyan Mountain. There is a general named Zhang Han. He will take you in. You can teach there first."

After being taken in by the young master, Mao Heng paid his respects again. Due to years of financial difficulties, his sleeves were a little old and even his clothes were torn.

Thus, Mao Heng felt so embarrassed that he smiled awkwardly.

Tian An handed him a wooden sign and instructed: "Since the young master has taken you in, you can take this wooden sign with you and go to Shangyan Mountain."

"Thank you, sir."

After the other party left, Fusu walked to the depths of the mansion. There was an open area in the mansion with several cushions piled on the side.

Fusu thought that this was probably the place where Lu Buwei's three thousand followers gathered, and at that time the three thousand followers might have written Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals here.

Fusu also saw the wooden plaques hanging on the wall. The ink on these plaques was blurred. Perhaps they were the names of the three thousand guests at that time?
Fusu looked up and saw that the roof of one of the houses was still leaking.

Tian An said: "Sir, we have arranged for craftsmen to come and repair it."

Walking along the back of the area, they arrived at Lu Buwei's library. Fusu opened the old wooden door and saw rows of bookshelves, each grid of the bookshelves was filled with bamboo slips of varying numbers.

This is a dusty place. Every step Fusu takes leaves a footprint in the dust.

Some of the bamboo slips still had wooden plaques hanging on them, and Fusu unexpectedly discovered the names of his teachers Li Si and Zhang Cang.

Fusu took a quick look around and was shocked. These remaining books were the complete picture of Lüshi Chunqiu.

All the books written by the disciples during those three years are here, totaling more than a thousand volumes of bamboo slips.

Lü Buwei died, but the Lüshi Chunqiu compiled by his three thousand followers remained.

This is undoubtedly a huge treasure. Fusu whispered: "Teacher, your intentions are good."

Tian An was still standing outside the house. This old eunuch had very strict requirements for a clean environment, which was why Gaoquan Palace was always kept very clean.

I believe that within a day or two, this old house will be transformed into a brand new look under Tian An's leadership.

Fusu walked out of the library and ordered, "Clean up this place properly. Don't move the bamboo slips on the bookshelf."

When walking out of the mansion, Fusu looked back at the gate of the mansion. This should have been the Prime Minister's Residence in the past, but now the opposite side has become the Prime Minister's Residence. It has been idle for many years and has no name.

Fusu thought for a moment and decided not to give the mansion a name. He returned to the palace under the escort of a team of guards.

In February this year, the climate in Guanzhong was rainy. Before the arrival of warm spring, the entire Guanzhong was wet, and there was continuous rain and snow.

This continuous cloudy, rainy and snowy weather will probably end in mid-March.

As soon as the sun rose, Gaoquan Palace became busy.

Fusu was pulling noodles. A lot of wheat was planted in Shangyan Mountain last year, and the wheat left now was enough for his servants and himself to eat.

The water in the earthenware pot was boiling. Fusu put the noodles into the pot and then steamed the buns.

Fusu poured out the clear and shiny mutton soup from the earthenware pot, and then picked a few newly sprouted green onions from the potted plant next to him.

Use a knife to chop the green onion, and then fry some mutton fat.

There are three stoves in front of the young master, all burning at the same time, and he can actually use the three stoves in an orderly manner, changing the temperature, changing the clay pot, and adding water in the process. All of this is so skillful that it is deeply... incredible.

Soon, Fusu had prepared four bowls of mutton oil noodles, sprinkled some minced mutton on them, and paired them with a bowl of clear and shiny mutton soup and more than ten mutton buns.

This year, there were many sheep in Xianyang. Meng Tian defeated several Xiongnu tribes in the north and sent the harvested sheep to Xianyang, which resulted in the mutton in Xianyang not being eaten up.

There was also a lot of frozen mutton in the palace, and no one knew how to eat it.

Fusu said: "Today, you should all eat more mutton. You must find a way to eat it all."

Upon hearing this, all the palace maids bowed and said in unison, "Thank you, young master."

Fusu also asked Tian An to prepare food boxes, and gave the other three bowls of mutton oil noodles and mutton soup, and mutton buns to his father, Prime Minister Li Si, and Censor Zhang Cang respectively.

Unlike the young master's fine food, the palace servants roasted the mutton and shared it, eating it simply.

If everyone ate like the young master, they felt they would probably die of exhaustion.

Before dawn, when the young master just woke up, he began to prepare this delicious meal, and he enjoyed it.

But the palace servants in Gaoquan Palace are different. They have a lot of things to do every day.

Now, it is a very happy thing for the palace maids and eunuchs of Gaoquan Palace to occasionally eat the cakes or noodles rewarded by the young master.

They were used to eating simple food, and they all agreed that what the young master ate was the most delicious food in the world.

Tian An watched the three eunuchs leave with the food boxes, then walked back into the hall and said, "Sir, General Zhang Han has sent me news."

Fusu said, "Just let you say it."

Tian An opened the bamboo slips and read the contents. He smiled as expected and whispered, "Mao Heng complained of poverty when he arrived at Shangyan Mountain." Fusu took a sip of mutton soup and whispered, "Haha... If someone can't endure hardship, what's the point of me coming here?"

Tian An nodded in understanding. The young master wanted someone who could endure hardships, like Zhang Han.

After a pause, Tian An continued, "When Mao Heng entered Shangyan Mountain, he first had a meal: three pieces of bread, a bowl of pickled radish, and a basin of mutton, before going to sleep... General Zhang Han said that he looked skinny, but his appetite was incredible."

Fusu remembered meeting Mao Heng yesterday, who was dressed simply.

He should be considered the most down-and-out one among the Dr. Qilu.

But when it comes to appetite, perhaps Xunzi's disciples all have their own unique abilities and are gifted?

Fusu believed that he did not understand Mao Heng, Mao Sui, or Chunshen Jun. It might be that after being defeated by the Qin army, Mao Sui's clansmen had not had a good life.

If I didn't know that he was also one of the former nobles of the six kingdoms, I would have thought he was from a poor family.

Tian An, still looking at the report from Shang Yanshan, added, "Mao Heng fell asleep after a full stomach, and muttered in his sleep late at night, cursing Prime Minister Li Si."

Fusu slowly turned his head to look.

Seeing this, Tian An hurriedly bent down and lowered the bamboo slips in his hand so that the young master could see clearly that this was indeed what General Zhang Han wrote.

Fusu was a little surprised at first, but then he saw with his own eyes that Zhang Han really wrote it. He looked at the cloudy sky and said, "There are too many people in this world who curse Prime Minister Li Si. I think the teacher wouldn't mind one more person cursing him."

Tian An whispered, "Early this morning, Zhang Han dragged Mao Heng to teach the children. Mao Heng refused at first, but then the Prime Minister sent a letter to Shang Yanshan."

"Oh? There are more twists and turns?"

Tian An nodded and explained, "The Prime Minister sent a letter saying...if Mao Heng doesn't serve you, General Zhang Han can beat him severely."

Fusu finished the mutton soup in the bowl and put the bowl aside.

"Zhang Han stood up with his whip in hand, but before he could strike him, Mao Heng begged for mercy. He then pointed angrily at Xianyang and called Prime Minister Li Si a sinister and treacherous man."

"After Zhang Han inquired, he was found to be well versed in the Book of Songs and Xunzi's scholarship."

After saying this, Tian An closed the bamboo slips again and whispered, "Sir, that's all."

Fusu asked, "Did Mao Heng have any deep hatred with the teacher in the past?"

Tian An replied: "I don't know, there are too many people in this world who hate our Prime Minister..."

"Yes, there are too many." Fusu asked again: "Is it related to Han Fei?"

"I don't know either. Should I send someone to ask?"

Fusu waved his hand and whispered, "No need."

In front of the hall, the master and the servant were talking in low voices. The young master was sitting against the pillar behind him, sometimes frowning when he spoke, sometimes showing a look of understanding.

Tian An bowed and answered every word the young master said.

The palace maids were curious and had no idea what the young master and Tian An had said.

Fusu was just watching the scene. It seemed that Mao Heng and Li Si had a grudge against each other, and Zhang Cang should be a centrist and would not get involved in the dispute.

In this era, there are many past events that are kept secret and difficult to sort out.

The cold wind blew, and it was still so cold that people had to shrink their necks.

Another eunuch came quickly, greeted the young master, and said, "The Imperial Eunuch has received the Emperor's order to inquire about the method of cooking mutton soup."

Tian An said: "Don't bother me, sir. I can just go there."

After breakfast, Fusu went to the Censorate to continue looking through the documents.

Today, Cheng Miao was still the only one in the Censorate. As the weather got warmer, he continued to study calligraphy.

In his spare time, Fusu looked at his calligraphy and had to say that Cheng Miao was indeed a master of calligraphy. Although these characters had many strokes, each one was very neat.

"Isn't this small seal script?"

Hearing the young master's question, Cheng Miao replied, "Young master, this is the writing of Zhao."

Fusu held the document he wanted to read in his hand, looked at Cheng Miao's desk, and asked again, "What kind of text is this?"

"Sir, this is the writing of the Chu people, and this is the writing of Yan, Zhao, and Wei."

Fusu looked at each character carefully and asked in surprise, "You can write all these characters?"

"I usually enjoy studying characters." Speaking of characters, Cheng Miao was at his best. He explained, "The characters of the Six Kingdoms appear complex, but they actually share many similarities. The Chu characters tend to be long and thin, beautiful to look at but complex to write. The Wei characters appear simple, but not as beautiful as the Chu characters."

Cheng Miao said, "This is the small seal script that Your Majesty admires. It used to be the Qin seal script, which was left over from the Zhou Dynasty. The scripts of the six kingdoms all evolved from it."

Fusu looked at these words, his expression moved, and he sighed: "It is really mysterious."

Cheng Miao felt quite accomplished and stroked his beard with a smile.

Fusu withdrew his gaze and continued to look at his documents. In fact... he didn't hear much of what Cheng Miao had just said.

In order to avoid making people feel that his words were in vain and would inevitably disappoint the other party, Fusu just sighed.

It is true that I sigh, but it is probably impossible to reach the level of calligraphy of this person just by listening to his words.

I don't understand this and won't comment on it. Fusu thinks that concentrating on reading is the right way.

In the afternoon, there was a brief glimpse of sunlight outside, but by evening, the sunlight was hidden behind the dark clouds again.

At this hour... it's getting dark very quickly and the wind is very strong.

February was about to pass, and people were looking forward to March being warmer. A military report was delivered to the Xianyang Palace.

Tian An walked up the steps in front of the hall and entered the hall. "Sir, there is a military report."

Fusu was still admiring the calligraphy of Cheng Miao he had brought from the Imperial Censorate when he asked, "What military report?"

"General Wang Jian has arrived in Luoyang."

The old general is still more than a hundred kilometers away from Hangu Pass. Even if a large army comes, it will probably take at least ten days or half a month to enter the pass.

"Before the old general even reached Hangu Pass, several of the vanguard troops returned and brought a large number of people into the pass."

Fusu was still looking at Cheng Miao's calligraphy. The characters in this copybook were neither Qin seal script nor the old characters of the Six Kingdoms, but a more convenient official script.

This is the prototype of Lishu, the appearance of Lishu when it was first created.

Fusu felt that as long as he stayed in the Xianyang Palace and was good at exploring, he would be able to witness history frequently.

Among the many fonts that have continued to later generations, the retro official script is still often talked about by people two thousand years later.

(End of this chapter)