Ying Fusu

Autumn goes and winter comes, and all things wither.

In just a few months, the vast city of Xianyang has undergone earth-shattering changes.

—Not only the fallen leaves on the streets and alleys, but also the scattered snowflakes covering them;

Both inside and outside the imperial court, earth-shattering changes have taken place without anyone realizing it.

Once upon a time, the First Emperor, who silenced everyone in the court, has been successfully buried in the Mausoleum of the First Emperor at Mount Li.

There's even been talk among the public that the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin at Mount Li should be simply called "Liling".

When the Second Emperor Fusu ascended the throne, the First Emperor's wife, Lady Mi, was honored as Empress Dowager and lived in a separate palace.

The original wife of the eldest son, Lady Li, was made empress and moved to the Jiaofang Palace.

Rumors have spread throughout the court and beyond that the eldest son, Ying Piao, is about to be established as the crown prince.

Of course, all of this was predicated on the following: as the sun set on the 30th day of the ninth month of the 37th year of the First Emperor's reign, the Qin dynasty ushered in a new chapter in its history.

—The time came to the first day of the tenth month of the first year of the Second Emperor's reign.

According to the Zhuanxu calendar currently in use by the Qin Dynasty, October is the beginning of the year and September is the end of the year;

The arrival of the new year also signifies that the Qin Dynasty, now in the reign of the Second Emperor, has officially entered the year in which its collapse began in history.

However, the beginning of this year deviated significantly from the historical trajectory...

"Your journey, young master, is long and arduous."

"Take care of yourself."

Twenty-mile Pavilion, on the eastern outskirts of Xianyang City.

Inside the stone pavilion on the north bank of the Wei River, the Second Emperor Fusu, dressed in casual clothes and wearing a tall crown, bowed slightly as he spoke.

Then, sitting opposite him, Zhang Han, the Junior Steward of the Imperial Household Department, stood up in response and respectfully returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"Your Majesty, do not worry."

"On my trip to Xingyang, I will surely clarify the accounts of Ao Granary and take stock of the grain stored there before the beginning of spring."

"Once the troops from Guanzhong arrive after the spring, I will carry out Your Majesty's instructions..."

He was only halfway through his sentence when Zhang Han glanced around instinctively, and ultimately didn't finish his sentence.

—Walls have ears, and too much talk leads to mistakes.

This matter concerns the vital interests of the nation and the military, and Zhang Han cannot afford to be careless.

Seeing Zhang Han's attitude, Fu Su was clearly aware of the seriousness of the situation and felt somewhat relieved.

With a faint smile, he raised his hand, gesturing for Zhang Han to sit down again, and then said with a touch of melancholy, "This year may be very difficult."

"Not just Guanzhong—the entire world will endure an incredibly difficult year."

"But as long as we get through this year, our Great Qin will see the light at the end of the tunnel."

"The road ahead will be much easier."

Sensing the solemnity and expectation in Fusu's gaze, Zhang Han felt the burden on his shoulders grow even heavier.

He showed no hesitation, and said solemnly, "Your subject understands."

"Some time ago, I dispatched a hundred or so capable officials to Xingyang ahead of time."

"In addition, a dozen or so of my servants disguised themselves and went to the Chu region."

"The men His Majesty has ordered should be brought to Xianyang no later than the turn of spring and summer..."

"—Please."

Before Zhang Han could finish speaking, Fusu quickly corrected him.

"Please return to Xianyang."

"Xiao He, the clerk of Pei, and Cao Can, the prison clerk, are both outstanding individuals that I have found for the Crown Prince."

"Han Xin, the swordsman of Huaiyin, is a future general left to me by the late emperor."

As he spoke, Fusu pretended to be angry and put on a stern face: "If the Minister of the Imperial Household really 'escorts' these people into Xianyang, causing the nation to lose such a talented person, this crime is no less serious than bringing disaster to the country and its people."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Han took a deep breath and reluctantly bowed, indicating that he knew he was wrong.

Deep down, however, Zhang Han still harbored resentment towards Fusu's serious attitude.

—One chief clerk, one prison clerk;

Although they were all senior officials, they were department heads in the local county government.

The former received 200 shi (a unit of dry measure), while the latter received 200 shi—together they amounted to an annual salary of only 322 shi.

Zhang Han couldn't remember the last time he saw a subordinate of rank below 400 shi.

These two nobodys were not only promoted directly from the local county government to Xianyang, but were even to be sent directly to the Crown Prince's side.

If these two men had the surname Ying, were members of the royal family—or even members of the royal family of the former six kingdoms, or even renowned ministers—Zhang Han would feel much better!

These two are alright, at least they were Qin officials.

Without knowing the other party's abilities, Zhang Han did not completely deny their talents, but felt that the promotion was too drastic—almost a leap from soldier to general, which was really exaggerated.

But Zhang Han simply couldn't accept the so-called "Han Xin, the swordsman of Huaiyin".

What Huaiyin swordsman?

That sounds nice!

He's just a lazy, wandering knight-errant who lives by begging!

Such people, even during the Six Kingdoms period, could still maintain a facade of "chivalry and justice," and were occasionally fed and supported by powerful figures.

After the Qin Dynasty unified China, it strictly controlled weapons, and even fighting was a serious crime, so there was no longer any environment for such people to "act chivalrously".

Thus, these once awe-inspiring heroes, admired by young men, became the most despised lazybones among rural farmers.

Zhang Han also specifically investigated Han Xin.

—A native of Nanchangting, Huaiyin County;

He came from a poor family and was of bad character.

He had been offered opportunities to become an official, but these were all rejected due to issues of his character.

Being poor is bad enough, but it also adds to the problem of a lack of ambition.

Instead of working to improve their family's situation, they frequently go to other people's homes to freeload.

It's not just a day or two of freeloading; it's been a lifelong habit of freeloading food and drinks since childhood!

It can be considered a kind of alternative "growing up on the charity of many families".

If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad.

—During the centuries of war in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, how many poor people were there in the world?

It's understandable that a poor child like Han Xin, who grew up without a father's guidance and often went hungry, might have poor character.

But Han Xin's resume was so difficult that Zhang Han couldn't understand it: how did the current second emperor, Fusu, take notice of this person?

How could someone like that possibly catch Fusu's eye?

He was both poor and wicked, always freeloading off others, and was despised even by people in his hometown. He couldn't even afford to pay for his mother's funeral when she passed away.

Alone and with hands and feet, he didn't even think about finding a job—in his self-destructive way, he actually found a cemetery to live in!

Why?

嘿；

They say they're waiting for someone to come along, since wealthy families bury their elders in that graveyard, and maybe they'll have a chance to become a gravedigger...

"A talent fit for a general..."

"well……"

"Your Majesty is still too young..."

"—Even someone as outstanding as Zhao Kuo was given the derogatory title of 'armchair strategist'."

"Such a scoundrel probably can't even read properly, and has never even read a military treatise. How could he possibly possess the talent of a general?"

"Bearing the title of 'swordsman,' he's probably never even seen blood. He'd be scared to death on the battlefield..."

Despite his inner turmoil and complaints, Zhang Han reluctantly accepted the task assigned by Fusu.

Fusu's feigned anger also dissipated.

—That's one good thing about Zhang Han;

Whether it's complaining or having opinions—even knowing it will fail, they will still obey orders first.

This is enough.

For Fusu, that was enough.

What Fusu lacked most was talent like this: someone who was willing to unconditionally accept instructions regardless of whether they understood or accepted them.

As for the other party not understanding or accepting it?

Fusu believed that in the near future, Zhang Han would surely understand that Xiao He, Cao Can, and Han Xin were by no means as useless as he thought.

—The first two are a logistics talent and a promising regional official with both literary and military skills;

The last Han Xin was a military genius, a rare talent seen only once in a century!

With these three people, Fusu had suitable candidates for many of the things he needed to do.

Even if we take a step back and assume that these three great talents who will be remembered throughout history did not achieve rapid success under Fusu's guidance, it wouldn't really matter.

So what if we leave it to the next generation?

With these three people in hand, even if the crown prince Ying Piao were another Hu Hai, Fusu believed that the Qin Dynasty would not be doomed.

Of course, it would be best if Fusu could use these three people himself...

"Oh, right."

"Some time ago, I asked Prime Minister Feng, Physician Feng, my teacher, and the Chief Physician to find a Left Prime Minister for me."

"In the end, Prime Minister Feng recommended Zhang Cang from Yangwu."

"Has the Minister of the Imperial Household ever heard of Zhang Cang?"

Inside the stone pavilion, Zhang Han was feeling indignant about the "Han Xin, the swordsman from Huaiyin";

Upon hearing Fusu mention a new name, he could no longer help but frown.

"His Majesty."

"Isn't Li Xiang the most trusted minister of the First Emperor?"

"Not to mention foreign officials—even among members of the royal family and former ministers of Qin, almost no one was more trusted by the First Emperor than Li Si."

"This person is incredibly talented!"

"Your Majesty, why are you unwilling to appoint Prime Minister Li?"

These words made Zhang Han's brows furrow more and more tightly, until finally, he wished he could twist them into a knot.

Fusu smiled faintly and said vaguely, "It's not that it's not used, but rather that it has another purpose."

"Young Master, tell me about Zhang Cang."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Han had a bellyful of complaints again, but he forced them down.

After forcing herself to calm down, she recalled that slightly blurry face, and her originally gloomy expression finally eased a little.

"Your subject remembers Zhang Cang."

"After the First Emperor unified the country, he entered Xianyang from Yangwu. Because of his teacher and learning, he was appointed as the Imperial Censor by the First Emperor and was in charge of writing books in the Imperial Library."

"It is rumored that during the years he spent at Shiqu Pavilion, Zhang Cang memorized every single word of the classics and historical records of the ancient states collected there."

"Emperor Qin Shi Huang also summoned him for questioning, and he indeed had an exceptional memory."

...

"Li Xiang~"

"I've grown somewhat distant from this person."

"The two men were from the same school, both having studied under Xunzi at the Jixia Academy in Qi."

"And unlike Li Xiang, who was a 'nominal disciple'—Zhang Cang studied at the Jixia Academy for decades as a direct disciple, receiving instruction in the Spring and Autumn Annals from Xunzi."

"After unification, the First Emperor established seventy scholars and also intended to appoint Zhang Cang as a scholar of the Spring and Autumn Annals."

At that time, Zhang Cang was still young, just over thirty years old.

"A seventy-year-old doctor is someone who is over sixty years old."

"The First Emperor originally intended to let Zhang Cang remain in obscurity for a few years before giving him a more important position."

"But before the First Emperor could give him an important position, Zhang Cang himself ran into trouble, becoming involved in a major case and fleeing to avoid punishment, his whereabouts unknown..."

As Zhang Han finished speaking, Fusu seemed to be deep in thought.

After a long pause, he finally said, "A major case?"

Zhang Han silently shook his head: "It can be considered a secret case."

"At that time, Li Xiang was still the Minister of Justice, and the First Emperor entrusted this case to Li Xiang for full handling."

"There was no word, either inside or outside the court, about what exactly happened."

"All that was known was that it was a major case, and the First Emperor was extremely furious."

Fusu fell silent again.

A major case that occurred during the reign of the First Emperor.

Moreover, this occurred after unification.

All Fusu could think of were a few major events recorded in history, such as the burning of books and burying of scholars alive, and the meteorite book.

These events, however, had nothing to do with Zhang Cang, who at that time was merely a censor of the Shiqu Pavilion—that is, a librarian.

Unable to come up with a solution, Fusu simply stopped thinking about it.

He then asked Zhang Han about his opinion of Zhang Cang.

"In your opinion, what is Zhang Cang's talent, learning, and character like?"

"Would you be willing to serve as the Left Chancellor of my Great Qin?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Han's expression turned strange once again.

Why not use the perfectly good Li Si instead of replacing him with a new Left Chancellor?

—Why not change him? Why insist on changing him to Zhang Cang, who is from the same school as Li Si but has always been at odds with him?

Zhang Han always felt that Fusu's prejudice against Li Si was a factor in this.

However, due to the hierarchical relationship between the ruler and his subjects, it was ultimately inconvenient to say more.

Furthermore, Zhang Han and Li Si didn't have much of a personal relationship in the past...

"Judging solely from his talent and learning, Zhang Cang might be qualified to be a prime minister."

"I am not referring to the present moment, but rather that Zhang Cang has the potential to become the Prime Minister of our Great Qin someday in the future."

"As for the present situation..."

"Judging by his age, he's only in his early forties, so he's probably still quite young."

"He only served as an imperial censor; he never governed a region, nor did he ever hold a position in the imperial court."

"To suddenly appoint someone as prime minister is probably premature."

...

"His character... I can't comment."

"I have never had any dealings with this person. I only know that he is exceptionally skilled and talented, and that he was once taught by Xun Qing."

"Apart from this, I have no knowledge or understanding of this person."

"However, he was, after all, a criminal who was implicated in a 'major case' and fled to avoid punishment."

"If Your Majesty wishes to employ it, I fear..."

Fusu was no longer listening to those last few sentences.

The so-called "major cases" are mostly the prelude to the burning of books and burying of scholars.

After all, Zhang Cang was, in a sense, a Confucian scholar.

"I understand."

...

With a casual remark, Fusu brought this informal dialogue between the emperor and his minister to a close. He finally rose from his seat, smiled, and cupped his hands in greeting to Zhang Han.

"It's getting late, Young Master, let's go."

"I will arrive after the matter in Xianyang is settled."

As Fusu spoke, Zhang Han also stood up again, his face solemn and slightly melancholy as he cupped his hands.

"Your Majesty, please take good care of yourself."

"Your Majesty's words last night have been carefully remembered by me."

"General Wang Li, I will handle this carefully."

Fusu nodded again: "Mm."

"Just remember that."

...

"With so many complications, Your Excellency, please do not be hasty."

"There will eventually come a day when the young master will awaken from his dream and realize the truth."

Zhang Han merely smiled faintly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

After saying goodbye, Zhang Han did not hesitate any longer, got into his carriage, and headed straight east.

Once he leaves, he will not know when he will return to Xianyang.

What will Xianyang look like then?

"In any case, it won't be the Qin Dynasty that only lasted two generations."

"It certainly wouldn't be my Great Qin, which, in the blink of an eye, has passed to the head of three emperors, yet is now merely a remnant of Qin, teetering on the brink of collapse..."

Watching Zhang Han's departing figure, Fusu thought to himself.