Ying Fusu

Later generations often said: The Han dynasty inherited the Qin system, but it was just a change in form without substance.

There's nothing wrong with that.

The more complete and detailed historical records of the Liu Han system can also help later generations to deduce the Qin system to some extent.

Take the most typical example: the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system.

The Three Dukes, consisting of the Chancellor, the Grand Commandant, and the Imperial Censor, were the same in both the Qin and Han dynasties.

The same applies to the Nine Ministers, headed by the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who also include the Commandant of the Guards, the Commandant of Justice, the Grand Master of the Palace, the Grand Master of the Imperial Household, the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan, the Grand Master of the Palace, the Grand Master of the Imperial Treasury, and the Grand Master of the Palace.

If there were any subtle differences, it would be that the duties of some of the Nine Ministers—such as Fengchang and Neishi—did differ slightly in the Qin and Han dynasties, as well as in their importance and ranking among the Nine Ministers.

The most typical example is Fengchang.

In the Han dynasty, the Grand Master of Ceremonies was nominally the head of the Nine Ministers, but in reality, his power and responsibilities were only at the bottom, on par with the Director of Foreign Affairs and the Director of the Imperial Clan.

The reason for this can be summed up in the phrase "the collapse of rites and music".

—From the founding emperor down, they have openly and honestly acknowledged the collapse of the social order and the decline of morality!

In such a dynasty, the department mainly responsible for the system of rites was obviously not very important.

But the Qin Dynasty is different now.

After Qin Shi Huang unified China and established the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system as the core of the central bureaucratic system of the Qin Dynasty, the Minister of Ceremonies was undoubtedly the head of the Nine Ministers.

Firstly, the Qin Dynasty had only recently unified the country, so the culture and customs of the six former states still had a large remnant in the Guandong region.

To consolidate the achievements of unification, the Qin court had to focus its efforts on ideological and cultural unification after achieving military and territorial unification.

Therefore, Fengchang, who was in charge of ancestral temple sacrifices and rituals, as well as education, naturally became the head of the Nine Ministers.

Secondly, as one of the Nine Ministers of the Qin State during the Warring States period, Fengchang's authority was already quite extensive.

Qin official system: Fengchangqing, with a rank of two thousand shi.

It has six subordinate officials, each with a salary of 1,000 shi (a unit of grain), namely: Taiyue (Grand Musician), Taizhu (Grand Sacrificer), Taizai (Grand Steward), Taishi (Grand Historian), Taibu (Grand Diviner), and Taiyi (Grand Physician).

These six subordinate departments encompassed all affairs of the Qin Empire, including rites and music, prayers, sacrifices, historical records, divination, and medicine.

During the Warring States period, the Qin state clearly placed less importance on these matters than on people's livelihood, development, and, crucially, military affairs.

However, after the country was unified, the importance of the above matters naturally increased significantly.

Furthermore, after unification, the crucial matter of education and culture led to the rise of the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who was primarily responsible for the system of rites, to become the head of the Nine Ministers within the Qin Empire's bureaucratic system, second only to the Three Dukes.

Let's get back to the present.

With the First Emperor dead and the matter successfully settled, Fusu's seemingly abrupt question to the "official in charge of rites and ceremonies" was certainly not a random, impulsive act.

As the department in the Qin court primarily responsible for sacrificial rites and rituals, the First Emperor's funeral arrangements were handled entirely by Feng Chang, from beginning to end.

Looking at the bigger picture, when Fusu escorted the coffin back to Xianyang, the whole country was in mourning, and the Fengchang (a high-ranking official) needed to take charge.

In the immediate future: how to settle the First Emperor's affairs and how to bring him back to Xianyang are also inseparable from the guidance of the rites and regulations of the Imperial Household Department.

Don't think of this as a trivial or insignificant detail!

In this era when belief in ghosts and gods was rampant and the lines between monarchical and divine power were blurred, anything that could be associated with the concept of "rites" was considered a matter of great importance concerning the foundation of the nation.

Didn't you see Fengchang, who left behind the Shaofu, Neishi, and other war machines, and became the head of the Nine Ministers of the Qin Empire?

Especially now, with the First Emperor dead in exile and Fusu about to ascend the throne.

At such a delicate juncture, any oversight—especially regarding the system of rites—could become a hidden arrow aimed at Qin Er Shi Fusu in the future.

Unfortunately, Fusu had considered everything thoroughly.

However, when the First Emperor was about to leave Xianyang for his eastern tour, he did not consider things so thoroughly.

Or rather, it's a matter of being unwilling to consider all aspects.

"Well……"

"Young Master."

"this……"

When Fusu asked the question, the crowd remained silent for several breaths before Li Si had no choice but to step forward.

But once I open my mouth, I don't know what to say.

Seeing Li Si's demeanor, Fusu immediately understood.

"In Shangjun, I often heard people from Xianyang say that in recent years, the late emperor has become increasingly averse to matters of life and death."

"Even the word 'death' was something the late emperor utterly loathed; seeing or hearing it would send him into a rage?"

Fusu offered a way out, and Li Si readily accepted, bending his back even deeper.

"My lord, you are wise..."

...

"On this eastern tour, His Majesty specially brought along the officials of the three departments of Grand Sacrificer, Grand Steward, and Grand Diviner to accompany him for the purpose of sacrifices and divination."

"His Majesty is unwilling to bring either the Imperial Musician or the Imperial Historian."

"The Grand Historian, who was supposed to accompany the Emperor and record his daily activities, was also forced to remain in Xianyang by His Majesty."

"If it weren't for the repeated advice from the court officials, His Majesty would not have wanted to bring the imperial physicians with him in the first place..."

Upon hearing this, Fusu slowly nodded, but felt a sense of helplessness in his heart.

—This fascinating ancestor was self-deceivingly certain that nothing would happen to him during this eastern tour.

They are even less willing to prepare in advance with "what if something goes wrong" as a precondition.

Naturally, it would be impossible to bring along the official in charge of rituals, who would be responsible for matters related to the imperial procession, to accompany the emperor on his tour of Guandong.

Fortunately, Fusu was already mentally prepared.

This question is merely to confirm whether there are truly no officials in charge of rites available.

Now that this has been decided, it's understandable that some "expedient measures" are being taken.

"If no officials were present to accompany the emperor, then the officials in charge of rites, such as the Grand Sacrificer and the Grand Minister, would be responsible for cleaning and preparing the late emperor's body."

"What does Prime Minister Li think?"

Upon hearing this, Li Si feigned hesitation for a moment.

Then, as if utterly helpless, he let out a long sigh, cupped his hands, and said, "As a matter of expediency, this is the only way."

With the eldest son, the future emperor, speaking up, and the Left Chancellor, the highest-ranking official accompanying the emperor, nodding in approval, the matter was settled.

With nothing else to do, the accompanying officials, ministers, and guards all dispersed.

—Most of the officials and ministers headed toward the imperial carriage to discuss how to handle the First Emperor's remains under the supervision of the Grand Sacrificer and the Grand Minister.

To be more specific, it involved determining how to clean the body, what kind of mourning clothes to dress it in, and what kind of coffin to put it in before bringing it back to Xianyang.

The imperial guards, under the command of their commander, raised their defense level by one grade without waiting for Fusu to speak.

Previously, it was during the reign of the First Emperor when he was still alive that the emperor made a normal eastern tour;

But now the emperor has passed away, and the eldest son is escorting the coffin back to Xianyang—the transfer of power is taking place.

Since His Majesty is in the former territory of the six kingdoms of Kanto, it would be best to be cautious for the sake of safety.

For minor issues that require a "general meeting" for discussion, there are already established procedures.

Next, naturally, we'll have a 'small meeting' to discuss some big issues.

For example: When will you depart to return to Xianyang?

Which road should we take?

Should we send troops to protect the emperor?

Should they return quietly and quickly, or should they hold a funeral, observe mourning, and return in a grand procession through the city?

These issues all require an elite-level "small meeting" to set the rules.

This meeting was indeed quite 'small'.

Only Prince Fusu, General Meng Tian, ​​and Left Chancellor Li Si were qualified to participate.

In addition, Meng Tian took the initiative to say: "I am a military general and not skilled in this kind of work."

Thus, this "small" meeting became a meeting between Fusu and Li Si.