Daqin: The Greatest Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

"Please enjoy your meal first. After you have finished, I will slowly introduce the food to you." Ying Zheng was delighted to see their eager eyes.

No one in the court could resist the temptation of delicious food!

After getting the King of Qin's approval, everyone present began to eat with relish. Generals like Meng Ao, Li Xin, and Wang Jian ate until their mouths were full of oil, and not even a drop of soup was left.

Changping Jun looked at the potatoes and sweet potatoes and understood everything.

Since he couldn't stop it, he decided not to worry about it. He put the potato into his mouth. The soft and glutinous texture mixed with the spicy soup made him squint his eyes in enjoyment.

Really fragrant!

At this moment, he suddenly felt that being the right prime minister of the Qin Dynasty was actually quite good.

"What do you think of these two things?" Ying Zheng asked with a smile on his face.

"It is really delicious. May I ask where it comes from, Your Majesty?" The left prime minister Wei Zhuang replied.

"Your Majesty, do you have more of this? Can you give some to me as a reward?" Nei Shi Teng asked.

"Hur! This stuff tastes really good. After eating a bowl of it, I actually feel full." Meng Ao was still unsatisfied. "This kind of food is definitely a good choice to bring with you on the march."

......

Everyone present expressed their admiration.

When Ying Zheng saw this, his smile deepened, and he said frankly, "This thing is called potato, and it comes from overseas. The yield per mu can reach 1,000 kilograms. If it is a fertile land, it can even produce 2,000 to 3,000 kilograms!"

"Everyone, what do you think of this thing now?"

"What! Such a high yield! If this product is promoted, no one in the world will suffer from hunger anymore!"

"My lord, I wonder how many seeds there are? How long does it take to grow?"

"How can there be such a miraculous thing in the overseas land? My king, I wonder where it is produced? Such a precious land should belong to our Great Qin!"

......

"This is something Mr. Su Xuan got by accident. After several years of cultivation, the potato seeds we have now can be used to plant hundreds of acres of fertile land, and we can produce two crops a year!" Ying Zheng said loudly, "It only takes one year to promote this product to all the people of our Great Qin!"

"Your Majesty, the farming family inherited the skills of the ancient Shennong and is proficient in farming techniques. We can give part of the crops to the farming family's disciples for planting, so that they can witness it with their own eyes and promote it in the future." Changping Jun made a suggestion with a twinkling eye.

"Yes." Ying Zheng agreed directly. At this time, he had enough trust in Mi Qi.

"This is a matter of great importance. We must have the farmers take good care of it." Ying Zheng added, "Teacher has experience in growing this plant. If the farmers don't understand something, let them ask you for advice."

"Yes." Changping Jun nodded in response.

After giving instructions on the planting matters, Ying Zheng dismissed the court meeting and everyone left.

ps: Ask for a free gift

Chapter 143 Changes

In Xianyang City, hundreds of people gathered together to look at the contents on the notice board and discuss the matter.

"Wonderful! The imperial examination system is really wonderful! With the imperial examination system, we will have a chance to come to the fore!" Some people could not help themselves and even danced with joy.

"You don't have to be proficient in all subjects when setting up schools and offering them. As long as you are proficient in one subject, you can enter a specialized functional department and serve the country! Then if I am only proficient in mathematics, can't I also become an official and receive a salary? There is such a good thing?"

"A summit of all schools of thought? As long as the selected ones can establish a discipline and promote it nationwide? Oh my God, this is such an important matter, I have to go back and tell the headmaster!"

"Any skilled craftsman or person who is proficient in machinery can apply to work in the Institute of Gewu and receive a salary. No, this salary is too generous, isn't it? It is several times higher than the market price. Moreover, as long as you come up with a good idea and it is adopted, you can get a hundred gold coins."

"My God, the Qin State has gone crazy. It's fine if they just collect all the taxes, but they keep the taxes so low! They've reduced it from two-thirds to one-third. Isn't this damaging the country's strength?"

A middle-aged man with a simple face and shabby clothes came up to him quickly, his eyes red and his lips trembling with excitement, "Sir, are you telling the truth?"

"Of course it's true." The man covered his mouth and nose, frowned secretly, answered and distanced himself from the man.

After getting the accurate answer, the farmer named Zhao Si counted on his fingers over and over again.

There are five people in his family, him, his wife, two children, and his elderly mother.

According to the taxes in previous years, the head tax for adults was 120 coins, and for children over three years old, it was 20 coins each. The total head tax for their entire family was 380 coins.

The household tax was sixteen coins per household per year, and although the tribute was not payable by them, it was still levied on them by the county and state, at ten coins per household per year.

The tax on straw was sixteen cents per year, and in addition one stone of straw had to be paid every year for the use of the county.

All the miscellaneous expenses added up to four hundred and thirty coins a year.

This year his youngest son turned three years old and he needed to pay a head tax of twenty cents.

But his family had no money left, and even owed a lot of debts. He went around to raise money, but no one was willing to lend him money.

Because the situation in other people’s homes is not much better.

And without money to pay taxes, there is often only one result, which is to kill and bury the child personally.

In order to save his children, he worked day and night. After finishing farming, he did odd jobs and sold woven bamboo hats at the market. He did everything he could, but the money he needed was still not enough.

Everything seemed to be calculated. The money earned every year was just enough to fill one's stomach, and after paying taxes, there was nothing left.

That is to say, since the curved plow was promoted this year, he has reclaimed more land, and perhaps the harvest next year will be higher.

But he couldn't wait until that time. As the day approached, every time he went home, he didn't dare to look at his wife and children's eyes. His heart ached like a knife.

He didn't know why the world was like this, even though he had tried very hard.

The illiterate man checked with others several times and after getting the correct answer, he looked at the contents on the notice and burst into tears.

He was just happy that his youngest son finally survived and he began to have hope for the future.

......

Mo Shi is a disciple of the Mohist school. He was born in a poor family and has depended on his mother since childhood.

After joining the Mohist school, he adhered to the philosophy of "universal love and non-aggression", doing good deeds every day and helping others when he saw them in need, but God did not seem to see what he did. His mother fell seriously ill, and after asking the doctor Master Nian Duan to treat her, she still needed to continue to use precious medicinal herbs for treatment. After taking them for several years, the stubborn illness was completely cured.

This requires a huge sum of money, at least hundreds of gold per year.

The Mohist School did help him a lot, but he was just an ordinary disciple. How could the Mohist School invest such a large sum of money in him?

He understood what the Mohists did, but inevitably, he began to waver in his belief in the idea of ​​universal love and non-aggression.

Because if the family of the leader of the Mohist School was sick, would the Mohist School do this?

Obviously not!

Thinking it is better to rely on oneself than on others, he started to find ways to make money on his own. However, since he had no connections and not much demand, the money he earned was a drop in the bucket compared to his mother's medical expenses.

Looking at his mother's increasingly thin body and touching his empty pockets, he began to feel confused and desperate.

Who could help him? He looked around but could not find anyone.

What did he have? Apart from being good at mechanical construction, he didn't know anything else.

Just when he was completely hopeless and had nowhere else to turn, he saw a creative bounty posted on the bulletin board.

At this moment, he was like a drowning man who grabbed the last straw.

This is his only chance and he must seize it.

After asking the official who posted the notice about the location of the Institute of Gewu, how to submit papers, and how long it would take to get the results after submission, he strode away without looking back.

He had a lot of ideas in his mind for improving tools and increasing efficiency. What he had to do now was to draw the blueprints as quickly as possible.

When he passed by the Violet Chamber of Commerce, he went in and bought some paper.

Using paper to draw blueprints is much more convenient than using cloth in the past.

......

After reading the decree, most people were overjoyed, and many even told others about it. At the same time, there were also some spies from the six countries who, after seeing the contents of the notice, looked solemn, cursed inwardly, and immediately passed the news to the monarchs of various countries.

Zi Nu and Su Xuan stood not far away and watched this scene.

"We have taken a big step forward towards our goal." Zi Nu felt an inexplicable sense of accomplishment in her heart. Thanks to their efforts, the world is truly changing.

Maybe one day, they will be able to realize their original common ideal.

Thinking of this, Zi Nu couldn't help but glance at Su Xuan and clenched her hands a little tighter.

"How is the publicity for this matter?" Su Xuan scratched the back of her hand with his fingers and asked with a smile.

"We had someone print the official bulletin urgently last night. We also hired a group of people to pass on the message orally to the farmers' children." Zi Nu paused, and then said, "As for the people of the six countries, it will take some time for them to get the news."

Su Xuan nodded lightly, with a smile on his face.

How can the reputation of Qin's benevolence and righteousness be praised only in Qin? Of course, the people of the six countries must all know Qin's benevolence and righteousness!

What people fear most is comparison. It's fine when everything is the same, but now the people of Qin are eating and drinking well, while the people of the six countries are still struggling to make ends meet. Can they bear this contrast? When the time comes, bribe a few people, pretend to have gone to Qin, and then spread the word. Then the people of the six countries will surely rush to Qin.

The Qin State enacted policies to settle them down, and they naturally became the subjects of the Qin State.

This is a naked conspiracy!

Weaken the national strength of the six countries and strengthen our Great Qin. At the same time, promote the name of benevolence and righteousness and spread the name of Ying Zheng as a wise and virtuous king. When we attack the six countries in the future, won’t the people of the six countries all welcome the royal army?

This means, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.

ps: Ask for a free gift

Chapter 144 Farmhouse

Little Sage Village.

In his secluded place in the bamboo forest, Xunzi was concentrating on reading the letter sent by Su Xuan.

In the letter, Su Xuan first recounted his experiences in recent times, and then brought up the main business, which was to ask Confucianists for people to serve as officials in the Qin State.

He and these Confucian disciples came from the same Xiaoshengxian Manor, so they had a closer relationship, which made it easier for him to build his own power. The Confucian disciples, on the other hand, had the opportunity to enter the court and realize their ambitions. It could be said that this was a win-win cooperation.

This brat really knows how to make use of the resources around him!

Xunzi stroked his beard, smiled and shook his head.

He nonchalantly poured himself a cup of tea. As he poured it, white mist rose. Before he even picked up the cup, the refreshing tea aroma hit him in the face.

The name of this tea is Snow Top Silver Shuttle. It was sent by Su Xuan a month ago. It is not very precious. It is just a rare tea known to all the people in the seven countries.

Before this, Su Xuan had sent him many things, including white jade chopsticks made of ivory, glass teacups and teapots, a rare copy of the Go chess manual, and even the mirror sent by Su Xuan was placed in the room where he rested.

As for the entire Confucianism, thanks to his "filial piety", the living standards of food, clothing and daily necessities were elevated to a higher level.

In comparison, the other two disciples were much more dull.

Han Fei and Li Si were not partial teachers. Everything they did was for Confucianism.

He did not make a direct decision, but waved his hand to call a boy over and asked him to pass the letter to the Confucian leader Fu Nian.

As the head of Confucianism, he knows what to do to benefit Confucianism.

After reading the letter, Fu Nian thought about it for a while and made a decision.

Confucianism has always had the tradition of "Confucianists not entering Qin".

Confucianism governs the country with rites, advocating rule by rites, rule by virtue, and rule by man, while the Qin State governs the country with laws, and its people are tough and do not follow rites and laws. The two philosophies of governing are contradictory and they are naturally incompatible.

This phenomenon has continued from the time of Confucius to the present day, until his uncle Xunzi proposed the theory of human nature being evil and advocated the combination of rites and laws. Only then did Confucian scholars change their views on the Qin State, and gradually some people began to serve in the Qin State.

Fu Nian agreed with Su Xuan's proposal in his heart.

The students in Xiaoshengxian Manor came from all over the seven countries. Among them were many nobles and people of prominent status, but there were also people whose families had fallen on hard times and who were unable to realize their ambitions. For them, entering and leaving the Qin court was indeed a rare opportunity.

He publicized this matter while giving lectures in school.

Those who have their own ideas in their hearts will naturally fight for a future. As for those who dislike the Qin State, no matter how much you say, it will be useless.

......

Seven days later, farmhouse, Daze Mountain.

"Greetings, His Excellency the Prime Minister." Situ Wanli bowed respectfully with a look of emotion.

Even though everyone knew that Su Xuan was no ordinary person, who could have imagined that he could go from being a commoner to a powerful prime minister in just a few months?

He regretted it deeply. If he had bet more on Su Xuan and taken his relationship with him a step further, the benefits he would have gained would be more than ten times greater now.

But it's not too late.

Looking at the head of Shennong Hall, Zhu Jia, and the steward Zhu Zhong who were following Su Xuan, his eyes flashed, and he thought that he must not let them get ahead of him.

"Master Situ, long time no see." Su Xuan nodded slightly and responded with a smile.