People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 561, They were all loyal ministers, but none of them were good people.
"Thank you for your kindness, Prime Minister, but I am of mediocre talent and shallow knowledge, not even one ten-thousandth as good as you, Master."

"If I were to accept your recommendation before I have completed my studies, I fear that I would delay state affairs, harm the people, fail to live up to your expectations, and tarnish my teacher's reputation."

"Please forgive me, but I cannot accept this!"

Without even considering it, Zhang Cang rejected the highly sought-after recommendation and bowed respectfully to Xu Qing.

Seeing Zhang Cang's decisive refusal, Xu Qing couldn't help but feel a little regretful. After all, Zhang Cang was a wise minister known as the "Minister of Planning" and posthumously honored with the title "Wen" (meaning "literary").

If such a person were to enter officialdom to assist him, it would greatly reduce his work pressure. Moreover, having Zhang Cang enter officialdom would be a good opportunity to further send a friendly signal to Confucianism.

However, since Zhang Cang was unwilling, Xu Qing could not force him.

“Even so, I will not force you. If you ever have the idea of ​​becoming an official in the court in the future, you can come to me again,” Xu Qing said regretfully.

"Please don't find it unpleasant then," Zhang Cang said with a smile.

It wasn't that Zhang Cang was disrespectful to Xu Qing; it was just that Xu Qing's current ambition was not to become an official.

Although most Confucian disciples aimed to become officials and rise to high positions, there were always a few whose ambitions lay elsewhere, such as him, especially as an official in the Qin state.

The laws of Qin were the strictest, and they applied not only to commoners but also to officials, who were often punished. This was clearly unbearable for Zhang Cang, who was naturally free-spirited and somewhat lazy.

Moreover, like Xu Qing, he has not yet come of age and has plenty of time to spare. Rather than wasting his precious time on handling government affairs, he would rather use that time to enjoy delicious food, read good books, and be with beautiful women, especially delicate widows.

“Then I’ll wait for you,” Xu Qing said.

Zhang Cang nodded slightly, then, holding the bamboo slips in his arms, bypassed Xu Qing and headed towards his room in the Doctor's Palace.

Xu Qing watched Zhang Cang's departing figure and revealed a meaningful smile. How could he let such a talent go so easily in Qin?

It was merely to give Xunzi and the Confucian school some face, and not to openly use force.

"Don't worry, it won't be long before you come to find me."

After muttering to himself, Xu Qing turned and walked out of Zhangtai Palace.

The following day, in Xianyang.

The news that Lü Buwei had dismissed and expelled all his retainers in a single day, and severed ties with his retainers who served as officials in the court, stirred up even greater turmoil in Xianyang, which had just been thrown into turmoil by Xu Qing's appointment as prime minister.

Inside the study of Changping Jun's residence.

Xiong Qi put down his brush, picked up the bamboo slips on the table, blew on them gently, and then carefully examined the contents. After confirming that everything was correct, he put them aside and waited for the ink to dry.

Previously, the Chu state's foreign relatives openly opposed Xu Qing's appointment as prime minister in court. In order to prevent himself from becoming one of the three targets of Xu Qing's new appointment, he had to show his attitude and prove that he was close to and supported Xu Qing.

The best proof is helping Xu Qing complete the entry of the peasant school into Qin, and helping him fulfill the national policy of Qin to bring all schools of thought into Qin.

Even if Xu Qing wasn't a relative of the Chu state, he would still be close to them in the absence of a powerful faction, which would greatly reduce his danger.

"Alas, things are truly not going as planned. Could it be that the Qin state is indeed destined by Heaven?"

Xiong Qi looked at the bamboo slips and sighed absentmindedly.

His goal was clearly to strengthen himself by leveraging the power of Qin and weaken Qin, but now he was forced to make Qin powerful, and he had to fulfill his duties. He couldn't even tamper with things himself.

Just as Xiong Qi was lost in thought, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Chang Wenjun walked in.

“Brother, have you heard? Marquis Wenxin, Lü Buwei, dismissed all his retainers yesterday, and today there is new news that he has also severed ties with his retainers who are officials in the court. The scholars and officials in the court are in mourning, and their morale is completely shattered.”

Before Xiong Qi could ask, Chang Wenjun spoke first about the information he had gathered, his face beaming with excitement.

For years, the Chu state's foreign relatives and the scholar-official faction have been fighting in the court. Now that Lü Buwei has fallen from power, the scholar-official faction has been implicated in Lao Ai's rebellion, and Xu Qing, a double-crown member of the Qin King's party, has been appointed as the prime minister. It's easy to imagine what will happen to Lü Buwei's retainers and officials next.

Once these people lose their backers and are targeted, as long as they can maintain their key positions before Xu Qing's faction is formed, their relatives outside Chu can still take advantage of Xiong Qi, the Right Chancellor, to seize the opportunity.

They were indeed loyal to the Qin state, but they still fought each other as before. What about Lü Shang and the Duke of Zhou? They were both top-notch capable and loyal ministers in history, but what was the result? After King Wu of Zhou died in three years, didn't the two of them also fight fiercely among themselves?
That's how the imperial court works. If you're not part of my faction, I don't care if you're a loyal minister or not. If you don't stand on my side, you either have to step down or die.

"This is nothing unexpected. With the King assuming personal rule and Lü Buwei being demoted to a commoner, today's events were inevitable," Xiong Qi said calmly.

Lü Buwei and Ying Zheng have reconciled. All that is happening now is just for show, to silence public opinion and allow Lü Buwei to enjoy his old age in peace.

"Now is the time for us, the foreign relatives of Chu, to show our true colors."

Chang Wenjun was full of ambition, ready to make his mark. Before Xiong Qi could say anything, there was a knock on the door, and a servant entered the room. After bowing to Chang Wenjun, he quickly went to Xiong Qi's side and whispered something in his ear.

Upon hearing the servant's words, Xiong Qi's calm expression gradually turned serious, and his brows furrowed, as if he had encountered something bad.

Seeing Xiong Qi's reaction, Chang Wenjun's smile faded.

"You may leave now," Xiong Qi said, nodding to the servant.

"promise."

After bowing, the servant turned and left, closing the door behind him.

"Brother, what happened?" Chang Wenjun asked immediately.

"News has come from the palace that Lord Zhaoming went to the Palace of Scholars yesterday and announced that he would select people from among the scholars in the Palace of Scholars to fill the vacant official positions in the palace," Xiong Qi said with a somber expression and a heavy tone.

"Isn't this normal? Lord Zhaoming is the prime minister, so he must cultivate his own faction. Moreover, there are no other people in Qin, so he can only choose from among the scholars of the Hundred Schools of Thought," Lord Changwen said dismissively.

Xiong Qi glanced at Chang Wenjun, his brow furrowed, and said with a still grave expression.

"The situation is dire. This matter is not as simple as it appears on the surface. You must immediately arrange for someone to find a way to reignite the conflict between the imperial family and the scholar-officials."

As he spoke, Xiong Qi rolled up the dried ink on the bamboo slips, took them, and prepared to leave.

"Huh? Brother, where are you going? What's the rush?"

Chang Wenjun looked at Xiong Qi, who was in a hurry to leave, and asked with a puzzled expression.

“I suspect Xu Qing might be trying to protect the scholar faction. Although I’m not sure, we should prepare in advance and try our best to dispel such thoughts,” Xiong Qi stopped and told Chang Wenjun his guess.

"How could this be? Does he have a death wish?" Chang Wenjun said incredulously.

Legality was the most important thing in the court. Under the Qin law, the principle of collective punishment applied. Lü Buwei, who recommended Lao Ai to the palace, was also guilty of a serious crime. Even though he managed to save himself thanks to his merits over the years and his success in suppressing Lao Ai's rebellion, those associated with him were not so lucky.

Xu Qing's insistence on protecting the scholar-official faction was undoubtedly a challenge to Qin law and a denial of the very foundation upon which he was to become prime minister; it was a challenge to the rationality of the law.

Moreover, how can the new king's authority be proclaimed without eliminating the previous powerful minister's faction to establish his authority?
Xiong Qi glanced at Chang Wenjun but didn't say anything, his index finger and thumb clenched tightly under his sleeve.

Under normal circumstances, a change of dynasty would not be like this, but he knew that Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei had already reconciled, and all that had happened in the past few months was just an act for Lao Ai's benefit.

Now that Lü Buwei has withdrawn unscathed and disbanded his retainers, his political legacy, including retainers and officials, will naturally not be labeled as a failure or an enemy, and can be fully inherited by Xu Qing.

Furthermore, Xu Qing's decision to select officials from among the scholars in the Imperial Academy further demonstrates that he positions himself as the leader of the scholar faction.

If Xu Qing becomes the leader of the scholar-official faction, and he has good relations with the imperial family and military generals, then the only remaining source of authority to establish his prestige will be the Chu state's foreign relatives.

Thinking of this, Xiong Qi's expression turned even more grim, and he said in a deep voice...
"Don't worry about these things for now. Just do as I say. If the imperial family and the scholars fight, we won't suffer any losses."

"it is good."

Although Chang Wenjun was still in a daze, Xiong Qi's serious expression made him realize that this matter was of great importance, and he nodded in agreement.

"I'll go to the Prime Minister's residence first."

Xiong Qi gripped the bamboo slips tightly in his hand. Whether he could dispel Xu Qing's suspicions and protect the Chu family's relatives depended entirely on the matter of the peasant family entering Qin.

Today is Xu Qing's first day as prime minister, and he has to go and flatter him.

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiong Qi strode into the study, and the mansion's steward quickly came to greet him from outside.

"Your Majesty," the steward said, bowing.

"Arrange a carriage. I need to go to the Prime Minister's residence. I need to be quick," Xiong Qi said in a deep voice.

"Did Your Majesty go to see Lord Zhaoming? According to our reports, Lord Zhaoming was not at the Prime Minister's residence, but went to the residence of Marquis Wenxin," the steward continued.

Xiong Qi was taken aback for a moment, then his face darkened, a strange light flickering in his eyes. He clenched his fists tightly and muttered something.
"Are you still a step too late?"

Xu Qing's visit to the Marquis of Wenxin's residence at this critical juncture further confirmed Xiong Qi's suspicions: Xu Qing was definitely going to integrate scholars from various schools of thought and Lü Buwei's retainers to establish a new faction of scholars.

(End of this chapter)