Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 251

Fu Nian had been keeping an eye on the Jixia Academy and wanted to take in the students there, but the Xiaoshengxianzhuang was too small and specialized in Confucianism, so he thought of the Farmer's School.

After receiving Fu Nian's letter of invitation, Lu Wei accepted it without much thought: among these academy disciples, there may not be any famous figures now, but each of them is well-versed in a wide range of knowledge and can at least be used as grassroots talents.

After the surrender of Qi, Lu Wei did consider accepting these people, but his specific plan was to wait until the students among them had suffered in exile before subduing them, which would be easier.

After all, Lu had no academic achievements and had no way to attract disciples to the academy based on his reputation.

Now that Fu Nian has taken the initiative to ask him to subdue them, the balance of power has instantly shifted: Fu Nian begged him to accept those talents, and Fu Nian also wants to help the farmers persuade those people. Such a wonderful opportunity cannot be missed!

And it also means I've done Xiaoshengxianzhuang another favor~

Unlike the powerful Qin Dynasty, which didn't care about these academy disciples, Lu Wei always wanted as many people as possible who could help him!

Upon entering the academy, Song Yang, the academy's representative, had been corresponding with Fu Nian for many years. He knew in advance that Fu Nian had found a new employer for the academy, so he treated Lu Wei with respect and courtesy.

The chivalrous leader, who had done his homework beforehand, knew that this person was the successor of the Song-Yin school of thought.

The Song-Yin School originated from Song Xing and Yin Wenxue during the reign of King Wei of Qi. Both of these sages were scholars at the Jixia Academy who integrated the ideas of various schools of thought. Song Xing was even respectfully consulted by Mencius.

However, both of them were majors in Taoism, and their studies of Mohism, Confucianism, the School of Names, and novelists were all integrated into their Taoist thought. Some people have even classified them as belonging to the Miscellaneous School, but in reality, neither of them ever explicitly joined any of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

It is difficult for such a comprehensive school of thought to form a systematic theory. After all, there are many commonalities and contradictions among the various schools of thought. It is not easy to learn any one of them well, let alone to integrate them.

Song Yang's academic achievements were far inferior to those of his elder brother Song Xing, but he was recommended by the disciples of the academy as their representative to meet with Fu Nian and Lu Wei, which at least superficially showed that he could gain people's trust in interpersonal communication.

Lu Wei's attitude toward the Jixia Academy was simple: the agricultural community would certainly not support the Jixia Academy unconditionally like the State of Qi. These students had to do some things for the agricultural community, but they were not required to join the agricultural community. A de facto employment relationship could be formed between the two.

Meanwhile, the farmers in Dazeshan can build a small Dazeshan Academy for these students, so they can still gather together to discuss their studies.

The chivalrous leader only wants to coax the person back to the mountains first; he can plan what to do later as he sees fit.

Song Yang had no opinion on the first condition; he was more concerned about the second one, the "Dazeshan Academy matter"!

To be honest, even after these people left the Jixia Academy, they could still become retainers of powerful and wealthy people, and they could enjoy material comforts anywhere as long as they had the corresponding abilities.

While the academic pursuits of the academy disciples have not reached the heights of their former glory, their passion for learning remains as strong as ever: the most important thing is that they can gather in small groups, or even large groups of thirty to fifty, with like-minded individuals, engaging in lively discussions.

If the farmers can take them all in and fulfill their promise to build a new academy, then the academy's disciples will have no objections.

Without needing Fu Nian to say anything more, Song Yang decisively and enthusiastically began discussing the scale and architectural style of the 'Dazeshan Academy' with Lu Wei...

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Gai Nie has been having more and more free time lately, so he has more time to search for his friend Jing Ke's child.

He had already investigated the process of how the child was sent away during the assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang many years ago. The next step was to continue tracking this lead.

I remember that before Jing Ke went to the palace as an envoy, he said that he hoped the child would be named 'Tianming', but before he could tell Li Ji this news, the child had already been sent away.

However, the two lovers in this chaotic world were of one mind, and Li Ji even named the child Tianming.

The two longed for dawn, just as every ordinary person in this chaotic world longed for 'dawn'.

The Qin Dynasty should have been established at this dawn, but judging from the emperor's various actions, the dawn might not break so soon...

In response, the silent Gai Nie wanted to wait a little longer: it's normal for a newly established country to have many problems.

After all, the Qin Dynasty was not a brand new country; it still carried the old problems accumulated over hundreds of years from the Warring States period.

Those old parts are not so easy to cut off; they have grown firmly into the body of the Qin state. The Qin dynasty needs to peel away pieces of flesh bit by bit to rejuvenate itself.

This process of cutting off the flesh can only be completed by the first master of the country; subsequent heirs do not possess sufficient prestige.

Of course, if Ying Zheng wanted the country to break free from the old habits of the Warring States period, he himself had to first undergo a self-revolution, shedding those old habits from that era...

Gai Nie believed that His Majesty the Emperor was capable of doing so, but whether he wanted to do it... Gai Nie didn't know.

Often, not knowing means the answer is already there...

Chapter 291 Fu Nian's Change

Gai Nie gripped the Yuanhong in his hand tightly, and the Yuanhong trembled slightly as his emotions changed.

As a sword saint, Gai Nie never restricts himself to any particular sword.

A sword is a sword, double-edged, straight, and pointed, but Yuanhong is somewhat different; this sword has a special meaning.

Whether it was the original owner of the sword, Canhong, or the words spoken by His Majesty the Emperor when it was handed over to him after being reforged, both indicate that the story of this sword is far from over.

As he lowered his hand, the trembling of the Yuanhong sword immediately subsided. Sensing something, he looked up and gazed at the red-haired Zhao Gao walking towards the emperor. Gai Nie had always been able to sense that this was a dangerous person.

Zhao Gao seemed to have reported some important news. Ying Zheng waved him away and quickly left the hall. Just as Gai Nie was waiting for a while, preparing to follow and continue his covert protection duties, he was stopped by Zhao Gao at the door:

“Mr. Gai, Lord Yunzhong is entering the palace today to demonstrate his alchemy skills to His Majesty the Emperor. Therefore, you need not accompany him.”

"...Thank you for informing me, Lord Zhongchefu. I will wait outside the Alchemy Hall."

Gai Nie nodded and answered in a deep voice. Yun Zhongjun was a figure highly trusted by the emperor among the Yin-Yang School. When this person came to the palace to pay his respects to the emperor, he would probably report some things that outsiders were not in a position to hear. Therefore, it was understandable that he could not closely follow him.

But just in case, Gai Nie still wants to continue fulfilling his identity in a reasonable position.

"You're too kind, sir." Zhao Gao smiled, but his eyes were filled with malice as he stepped aside, spreading his palms to make way.

Just as Gai Nie walked past him, Zhao Gao suddenly spoke again:

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I forgot to tell Mr. Gai..."

"After the empire destroyed Qi, the Quicksand organization became more and more active in the Jianghu (martial arts world), and even their activities were felt in Guanzhong."

Zhao Gao knows that Wei Zhuang, the master of the Quicksand Gang, and Mr. Gai are mortal enemies, so Mr. Gai should be extra careful in the future.

This warning clearly hides a deeper meaning; the word "be careful" shouldn't be used on the Sword Saint, who is always openly present in the palace...

Gai Nie's eyes sharpened, and after thanking Zhao Gao again, he strode away.

...

Inside the alchemy hall, Yun Zhongjun channeled his inner energy into the furnace, keeping the flames burning while simultaneously monitoring the state of the medicinal liquid within.

Any character who excels in a unique skill possesses an unparalleled passion for that skill.

Yun Zhongjun's appearance is not good, and he is also a bit too old, which is very different from the ethereal cloud god described in Nine Songs.

However, since his alchemy skills were recognized by the emperor and he nominally held the top position among the five elders of the Yin-Yang School, his image was a minor matter.

He gathered his qi and extracted the elixir, then solemnly presented it to His Majesty the Emperor on a golden platter.

Ying Zheng witnessed the entire alchemy process firsthand, and the elixir only passed through the hands of Yun Zhongjun and himself, so naturally he had no doubts and took it without hesitation.

As the pill entered his throat, His Majesty the Emperor felt a warm sensation slowly spreading through his body and limbs, instantly dispelling all the fatigue accumulated within him.

"This pill is even more effective than the one you offered before."

His tone carried a hint of praise. Ying Zheng was confident that he could completely control Yun Zhongjun: Of course, this man had ambition in his daily behavior, but that was a normal thing.

Being able to get so close to the emperor, without revealing her ambitions, would only arouse more suspicion in him.

The most obvious example is Gai Nie: Ying Zheng's own cunning deepened over time, but he found it increasingly difficult to understand his swordsmanship instructor.

Gai Nie never actively sought rewards or official positions, and the fact that people with no material needs closely followed him represented a certain uncontrollability.

As a disciple of Guiguzi, aside from his martial prowess, Gai Nie possessed all the necessary abilities to serve as an official in the court. If he wished, Ying Zheng believed he would certainly provide him with a sufficiently suitable position.

But judging from the current situation, this character who has been by his side for many years is ultimately going down a different path.

According to clues gathered by Luo Wang, he seemed to be searching for something behind everyone's back, and had even left the palace alone several times. This made Ying Zheng very suspicious, and he instructed Zhao Gao to investigate and report back carefully.

"This time, several rare herbs from Yue were added to the elixir, making it three times more expensive than the last one, but the effect hasn't met expectations..."

Yun Zhongjun bowed and clasped his hands, and instead of taking credit for the emperor's praise, he took the initiative to apologize.

"It's just three times the amount. Lord Yunzhong can just use this new formula to refine the pills from now on. I will allocate more funds to the Alchemy Hall." His Majesty the First Emperor always demanded the best of everything he used: as long as it was effective, what did it matter if it was thirty times or three hundred times the amount?

This is perfectly reasonable and a legitimate request from the empire's ruler. Moreover, compared to the newly built palaces that have little practical use, the act of simply taking elixirs is indeed not an expensive expense, and given the empire's vast size, it is not difficult to support them.

Moreover, the elixir he took could restore his physical fatigue, and only an energetic emperor could better govern the country.

"Yes," Yun Zhongjun replied with a secret delight, bowing even more deeply. "Your Majesty, if we could add one more herb from Mount Shu, the effect of this pill would be even greater."

"Shushan?" Ying Zheng glanced at Yun Zhongjun, fully understanding the other's thoughts.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang was well aware that some of the resources he allocated would be embezzled by Yun Zhongjun. The more the empire invested, the more Yun Zhongjun would embezzle. But these were ultimately minor matters.

He didn't take it seriously and instead brought up another matter: "I remember that the mirage also needs the Fusang Divine Tree from Mount Shu?"

"Your Majesty is wise," Yun Zhongjun replied with a smile and a nod. "The Shu Mountains have a unique and independent environment, which is very different from that of the Central Plains. Therefore, many rare and exotic plants only grow in the Shu Mountains."

"The sacred Fusang tree they protect has a history of over a thousand years and is said to have been a gift from the immortals."

"Such a divine object can only play its proper role in His Majesty's hands."

Faced with the flattery, Ying Zheng remained unmoved. In his view, what Yun Zhongjun said was the truth: "According to the Moon Goddess's report, the Fusang Divine Tree needs to be moved to the Mirage. How many more years will it take for the construction of the Mirage on the Sanghai side?"

"Due to the modification of the blueprints, at the current pace, it should take another ten years and four months." Yun Zhongjun is the designated captain of the Mirage Ship. He came to the palace today on the orders of Lord Dongjun for the sake of Mount Shu and the Mirage Ship, so he was familiar with all the relevant data.

"Ten years!" Ying Zheng frowned. Four years ago it was said to be ten years, and now it's still ten years.

His Majesty the Emperor did not want to wait that long, so he asked directly, "How much more manpower is needed to complete the project according to the initial estimate?"

"This..." Yun Zhongjun pretended to have been calculating in his mind for a long time before cautiously giving the answer he had already calculated: "I'm afraid we'll need 100,000 people..."

"I will give you 150,000 coins. All other building materials will be supplied by Li Si with priority. The Gongshu family will also fully cooperate in the construction of the Mirage. At the latest, the Mirage must be able to set sail within four years!"

"In addition, I will send Meng Tian to attack Shushan next year, and the Yin Yang School should be prepared."

The First Emperor made a swift and decisive decision and set forth his conditions. The investment he made far exceeded the expectations of Yun Zhongjun and the Yin Yang School behind him. Yun Zhongjun was overjoyed and hurriedly kowtowed to accept the order.

"However, if the Mirage voyage cannot bring me a satisfactory result, then the Yin-Yang School need not exist." His Majesty the Emperor narrowed his eyes and said coldly.

Ying Zheng only desires the elixir of immortality or more definitive instructions from an immortal; as long as hope remains, he is indifferent to the cost. However, if the opposite is not true, at this stage, no one, no organization, can withstand the Emperor's wrath.

Upon hearing this, Yun Zhongjun solemnly replied, "The Yin-Yang School will certainly not betray Your Majesty's trust."

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Fu Nian believed that he was the main reason for inviting Lu Wei to Linzi, but he did not play a significant role in resolving the Jixia Academy issue.

The head of the Little Sage Manor took this in stride. After a brief chat with his old friends from the academy, he and Lu Wei did not stay at the academy for long, but instead stayed at an inn outside.

As the head of Xiaoshengxianzhuang and the leader of the Farmer's School of Chivalry, their equal status, in addition to resolving matters concerning the Jixia Academy, also allowed them to discuss many other matters privately.

When Lu Wei went to Sanghai last time, Fu Nian advised him to obtain the position of Xia Kui as soon as possible and stabilize the internal affairs of the Farmers.

While the matter was being forcefully accomplished under the impetus of the Luo Wang organization, Fu Nian also heard some rumors about the Luo Wang organization's actions.

Luo Wang wasn't very active in Sanghai, but Fu Nian still investigated the organization.