When Qin Wangzhu, who was teaching his grandson, learned that Zhu Xiang had frightened Chunshen Jun, he had no reaction to Zhu Xiang's sudden display of strategy, but was worried about Zichu, who had "learned bad things" from Lin Zhi and Zhu Xiang.
You are a prince of Qin State, and you disguised yourself as a servant to eavesdrop on the conversation between Zhu Xiang and Chunshen Jun of Chu State. If this gets out, will Qin State still have its reputation
"Zheng'er, you need to talk to your father." Qin Wangzhu said to Ying Xiaozheng, who was sitting upright on a chair and marking documents for him, "He is now the crown prince, and needs to be more calm."
Ying Xiaozheng put down his brush, sighed in a dignified manner, and said, "This will only allow Uncle and Uncle Lin to stay in different places. Even Uncle Cai was forced to join in the fun, and I can't do anything about it. Uncle and uncle are not even afraid of Xunzi's ruler."
Qin Wangzhu sighed: "I'm still too idle."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "I will be busy from now on. Didn't my uncle say that he would personally take action against the State of Chu?"
Qin Wangzhu hesitated: "Is he really okay?"
Ying Xiaozheng said: "Uncle will not promise something he cannot fulfill."
Qin Wangzhu smiled and said, "Then I will believe him. You should go back and rest."
Ying Xiaozheng frowned as he looked at the pile of documents in front of him.
Qin Wangzhu closed the document in front of Ying Xiaozheng and said, "Zhu Xiang is right. The most important thing for you now is to grow up healthily. Rest well and don't overwork yourself."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "Okay, I'll go and rest first. Grandfather, you should also have a good rest and go to bed early."
Ying Xiaozheng helped Qin Wangzhu tidy up his desk before leaving.
Looking at Ying Xiaozheng's back, Qin Wangzhu smiled and said, "Zhu Xiang has taught Zheng'er very well. He is smart and filial. I have dozens of grandchildren, but only Zheng'er can win my heart."
There was no one in front of Qin Wangzhu who could talk to him, and he did not ask anyone to answer his words. He just told the palace servants around him and asked them to pass this message to those who would ask him for information.
He is not like his father, the king, who only has one son left and needs to be disciplined all the time.
When Ying Xiaozheng returned to the palace where he lived, Xue Ji had already prepared sweet porridge with fresh milk and preserved fruits for him.
"Uncle hasn't come back yet?" Ying Xiaozheng asked after finishing his midnight snack.
Xue Ji said, "I came back, but was taken away by Lin Li again. I probably won't come back today."
After Xue Ji's status was raised, she no longer addressed Lin Zhi with honorific titles, but her tone was still respectful as always. She remembered that she and her husband could have the life they have now because the Lin family saved their lives, so she treated Lin Zhi as a benefactor.
Ying Xiaozheng was helpless: "What is Uncle Lin going to do now?"
Xue Ji said: "I didn't ask. But Lin Li will never harm your uncle, Zheng'er, don't worry."
Ying Xiaozheng was even more helpless. He knew that Uncle Lin would not harm his uncle, but he was worried that they would get together and cause trouble for his grandfather.
Uncle Lin knew that Uncle Zeng had originally asked you to appoint him as prime minister. Did the position of prime minister be lost because of his recent absurd behavior
Perhaps even if Uncle Lin knew about this, he would not restrain himself.
Although Ying Xiaozheng was worried, with his aunt supervising him, he could only go to bed on time and look forward to seeing his uncle tomorrow.
Who would have thought that Zhu Xiang didn't return to Xianyang Palace for three whole days.
Ying Xiaozheng had no choice but to ask Qin Wangzhu where his uncle was.
Qin Wangzhu said: "Ying Hou is ill, and Zhu Xiang is taking care of him. Didn't he tell you?"
Ying Xiaozheng shook his head.
Qin Wangzhu said: "He probably doesn't want you to worry."
Ying Xiaozheng muttered in his heart, what should I worry about
Although Ying Xiaozheng and Fan Ju had been together for a while, Fan Ju was very good to him and taught him many things, and he also sweetly called Fan Ju "Fan Weng", but his feelings for Fan Ju were not deep enough to make him sad to hear that Fan Ju was sick.
But obviously, Zhu Xiang and Xue Ji both thought that Ying Xiaozheng was a filial and affectionate child, who would definitely be worried about the illness of his elders, so they deliberately hid it from him.
King Qin Zhu could understand Zhu Xiang and Xue Ji's feelings, but he didn't think that this grandson who was very suitable to be the King of Qin would worry about such a thing, so he told Ying Xiaozheng the truth.
Although Fan Ju had been a powerful official in the Qin State for many years, his family did not have much influence in the Qin State because he was a guest official. When Fan Ju passed away, his family became ordinary nobles who were insignificant. If one had the ability, one might be able to inherit Fan Ju's political legacy.
However, Fan Ju did not seem to have any powerful offspring, so he asked them to stay in their fiefdoms and not come to Xianyang.
After his death in the future, his descendants will take him back to his fiefdom for burial, and then he will stay there as a wealthy man, waiting for a powerful person to emerge among his descendants before re-entering the court.
Although Fan Ju's title of lord would not be inherited, the land and house he received as rewards would be inherited. Now that he did not make a mistake as in history, his descendants would still have no problem enjoying wealth and honor for several generations.
Qin Wangzhu created an image of a generous king, so he would certainly go to visit Fan Ju in person. Ying Xiaozheng missed Zhu Xiang, so Qin Wangzhu took Ying Xiaozheng with him.
Xue Ji didn't go back.
Lady Huayang was a little overwhelmed as it was her first time raising a child. Although she had chosen a wet nurse, she was still worried about letting the servants take care of the child, and looked at Xue Ji eagerly.
Xue Ji felt sorry for Cheng Jiao because he had to leave his biological mother shortly after he was born, so she accompanied Madam Huayang to raise the child.
Although she had never given birth to a child, Zheng'er was only one year old when he came home, and was not much different from the current child.
Ying Xiaozheng was a little jealous at first, but when he saw his silly brother with saliva all over his face, he silently suppressed his awkwardness.
It’s better to let my aunt take care of him. Otherwise, if Cheng Jiao is really raised to be a fool, I will be the one who is upset.
Zhu Xiang left the palace to listen to Lin Zhi bragging about his son's intelligence and to prove that Lin Zhi's son Lin Dalang was definitely not as smart as his own Zheng'er.
After leaving the palace, he returned to the villa to visit his elders. He found out that Fan Ju was so sick that he couldn't get out of bed and had kept it a secret, so he stayed in the villa and didn't leave.
Fan Ju was originally in good health, but after King Zhaoxiang of Qin passed away, Fan Ju cried so much at the funeral that he fainted and fell seriously ill.
The imperial physician said that Fan Ju had a heart disease.
Zhu Xiang advised that the current emperor had just ascended the throne and needed the assistance of an old man. Fan Gong should take good care of the emperor for the former lord and not let him fall ill.
Fan Ju had just recovered from his serious illness, but after recovering, his health was no longer as good as before.
As the weather was getting colder, Fan Ju caught a cold and fell ill.
"Why did you come back? Go back to Xianyang Palace and look after the king!" When Fan Ju saw Zhu Xiang coming to take care of him, he was not grateful at all. He threw a medicine bowl at Zhu Xiang, trying to drive Zhu Xiang away.
Zhu Xiang moved flexibly like a snake: "Your Majesty is in good health and does not need my care. Lord Fan, I feel relieved when I see that you are scolding people with full strength."
Fan Ju was so angry at Zhu Xiang that he felt suffocated in his chest and turned over and ignored Zhu Xiang.
Zhu Xiang asked someone to clean up the debris on the ground, then walked over to sit next to Fan Ju and said, "The imperial physician said that Lord Fan should eat some minced meat. He cannot survive with only millet porridge. Even if you have to observe mourning for the former lord, according to etiquette, you can still eat meat while you are sick."
Fan Ju continued to ignore Zhu Xiang.
Zhu Xiang sighed, not knowing how to persuade him.
Fan Ju was determined to observe strict mourning for the old King of Qin and refused to eat meat. He was weak to begin with, and now that he was sick his body was even more exhausted. How could he get better
Everyone in later generations knows that it is important to supplement protein when you have a fever.
"If you don't eat meat, you can always eat dairy products?" Zhu Xiang said, "I will cook for you. If the Lord can eat, you must eat it. If you don't eat it, it means that the Lord is unfilial to the First Lord."
"Zhu Xiang!" Fan Ju was furious.
Zhu Xiang said, "Lord Fan, please don't force me to ask the emperor to issue an edict to allow you to eat meat."
Fan Ju was so angry that he pulled out a pillow and threw it at Zhu Xiang. Zhu Xiang caught the pillow and stuffed it back under Fan Ju's head.
Fan Ju was so angry that his eyes turned black and he lay on the bed groaning. But when Zhu Xiang brought him goat milk, he still drank it.
Bai Qi looked several times and was terrified when he saw Fan Ju throwing things at Zhu Xiang. When Fan Ju compromised, he was relieved.
Although his relationship with Fan Ju was not good, and Fan Ju even tried to hold him back out of jealousy, after the death of the old King of Qin, Fan Ju was the only person with whom Bai Qi could freely talk about the glorious and depressing past. Bai Qi hoped that Fan Ju could live a few more years.
But Zhu Xiang was too... Can you just say that your Majesty is unfilial to the first lord? Bai Qi was very worried and taught Zhu Xiang a lesson for a long time.
Zhu Xiang listened to the instructions as usual and promised not to make the same mistake again.
Bai Qi became even more worried.
When Xunzi and Lian Po came to visit Fan Ju, Bai Qi expressed his worries to them respectively.
Zhu Xiang was beaten up by Xunzi and Lian Po respectively, and Bai Qi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
With a lesson of this magnitude, Zhu Xiang should have become more sensible.
When Zhu Xiang was taking care of Fan Ju, his three friends naturally came to help, but Zhu Xiang quickly drove them away to stop causing trouble.
Moreover, I am an idle man and can stay in the villa every day, but these three people are the pillars of the country, they have to work and don't think about being lazy.
When Fan Ju heard this, he threw a pillow at Zhu Xiang again, scolding him and saying that he should go to the court and do his job properly instead of wasting his time like this.
Huang Xie was able to return to Chu thanks to Fan Ju's advice to the King of Qin. On the surface, Fan Ju was indebted to Huang Xie. So when Huang Xie heard that Fan Ju was ill, he also came to visit Fan Ju.
As soon as he arrived, he heard Fan Ju scolding Zhu Xiang for having no ambition and being unwilling to do his job properly.
"Lord Chunshen, please wait a moment." When Zhu Xiang saw Huang Xie coming, he nodded to Huang Xie and continued to feed Fan Ju.
Fan Ju glanced at Huang Xie, probably because there were outsiders present, so he gave Zhu Xiang some face and did not continue to scold him.
After feeding Fan Ju, Zhu Xiang wiped Fan Ju's mouth and combed his hair. Then he straightened the pillow behind Fan Ju before leaving with the dishes.
Huang Xie looked at Zhu Xiang's skillful movements and again felt confused.
"Zhu Xiang is very caring. When the first lord was still alive, he was worried about the health of Bai Qi and me, so he let Bai Qi and I live in Zhu Xiang's house." Fan Ju said lightly, "Chun Shenjun should have heard of it."
Huang Xie smiled bitterly and replied: "I did hear about it, but I didn't expect that it was Changping Jun who took care of it personally."
Fan Ju said, "If he doesn't take care of her personally, what's the difference between me going home and letting my children and grandchildren take care of her? It's not like I can't afford servants."
Huang Xie: “…” So you treat Lord Changping as a servant? No matter how you think about it, it doesn’t make sense, right? If Zhu Xiang was your descendant, you could still be considered filial, but Zhu Xiang doesn’t seem to have anything to do with you.
Could it be that Zhu Xiang wanted to please Ying Hou and Wu An Jun, so he humbled himself and served as a servant to Ying Hou and Wu An Jun
Fan Ju knew that Huang Xie had misunderstood. He said, "Some people are born to take care of others, and Zhu Xiang is such a person. It's normal that you don't understand. It's hard for ordinary people to understand. I heard that you were frightened by Zhu Xiang?"
Scare... Huang Xie's face looked a little ugly.
Didn't he and Zhu Xiang have a secret conversation that day? How come even Fan Ju, who was lying on the sickbed, knew about it
Huang Xie asked, "Does Yinghou have any advice?"
Fan Ju said, "I left the court a long time ago and am now bedridden due to illness. What advice can I give you? I just want to remind you that you are not from a high-ranking family in Chu. Even though you have done a favor to the King of Chu, the King of Chu may not be able to keep you safe. You and I have a long history and I am not dead yet. If you come to Qin, I can help you make a recommendation."
Huang Xie said, "Thank you, Marquis Ying, but I will not betray the State of Chu."
"Oh." Fan Ju's expression remained calm. "Then you can try to fight with Zhu Xiang."
Huang Xie was puzzled: "Did Ying Hou just want to tell me this?"
Fan Ju said, "Yes."
Huang Xie asked, "Marquis Ying doesn't want me to be an enemy of Duke Zhu Xiang?"
Fan Ju said calmly, "You are not an enemy of Zhu Xiang, but of the State of Qin. However, you should not die at the hands of the Qin people, but at the hands of the Chu people. None of the powerful officials in your State of Chu who wanted to help the King of Chu had a good end. It's not that the Qin people are too powerful, but that the King of Chu is not good enough. That's why I persuaded the First Lord to let you and your servant return to the country. Do you think I am the kind of person who lets a tiger go back to the mountains?"
Huang Xie bowed but did not answer.
Fan Ju coughed twice and said, "Think about it carefully. The princes of Chu are all serving as officials in Qin. Why can't you come to Qin?"
After saying this, Fan Ju stopped talking to Huang Xie.
Huang Xie greeted Fan Ju a few times, but seeing that Fan Ju did not respond, he had to leave.
After Huang Xie left, Fan Ju said to his servants, "The conversation between Chunshen Jun and I must be spread out."
The servant bowed respectfully and then quietly withdrew.
Fan Ju snorted coldly.
When Huang Xie was leaving, he met Zhu Xiang again.
In the past, when he wanted to meet Zhu Xiang, he always couldn't find a chance to meet Zhu Xiang. Now that he doesn't want to meet Zhu Xiang, he sees Zhu Xiang more often.
"Lord Changping, what are you doing?" Although Huang Xie wanted to pretend he didn't see it, he couldn't help but ask when he saw Zhu Xiang flipping a pot of stones with his sleeves rolled up.
Zhu Xiang looked up and said, "I'm frying chestnuts. They'll be done soon. Chunshen Jun, wait a moment. I'll pack a bag for you."
Chestnut
Huang Xie moved his nose and smelled a sweet fragrance. When he got closer, he saw that there were chestnuts in the pot in addition to stones.
Zhu Xiang used a small iron spatula to stir the food vigorously in the pot. It was very strenuous to stir the pot full of stones and chestnuts. The muscles in Zhu Xiang's arms bulged, and he looked very powerful.
Although Zhu Xiang appeared to be thin and tall, as if he could be blown away by a gust of wind, when he rolled up his sleeves, he could see that his arms were full of solid muscles.
Men who farm always have a lot of strength.
"Okay!" Zhu Xiang let out a long sigh, shook his arms, and asked the servants to help him pack the chestnuts.
The servants had already been frying for a while, and the final seasoning and heat were controlled by Zhu Xiang, so he was not too tired.
Huang Xie looked at the paper bag of chestnuts that Zhu Xiangzhen gave him, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.
Zhu Xiang thought Huang Xie was afraid that it might be poisonous, so he peeled a chestnut and put it in his mouth, then peeled another chestnut and handed it to Huang Xie.
Huang Xie hesitated for a while, then took the chestnut and ate it: "Is honey added?"
"It's sugar." Zhu Xiang said, "Zhejiang, do you know it?" Zhejiang is sugarcane juice.
Huang Xie said, “I know.” Zhejiang is one of the specialties of the Chu State, how could he not know that.
Sugar-roasted chestnuts are delicious. Huang Xie looked at Zhu Xiang's kind face, and his heart was beating fast.
Zhu Xiang had threatened to kill him before, so why was he so friendly to him now? This person was really hard to figure out.
"Lord Changping, we were at loggerheads with each other before, why are you suddenly so friendly to me now?" Huang Xie knew that Zhu Xiang was not the kind of person who would beat around the bush, so he didn't bother to use noble language and asked directly.
Zhu Xiang said, "We are enemies because of our different positions. Now that you come to visit my elders, how could I be rude to you?"
Huang Xie was speechless. You, the Lord of Changping, personally roasted chestnuts for me. Isn't this another kind of disrespect
However, Zhu Xiang's answer made Huang Xie feel a little more comfortable.
What Zhu Xiang meant should be that although they are destined to become enemies because of their different positions, if they put aside their positions, they can still become friends.
The friends recognized by Zhu Xiang were all great sages, and Huang Xie felt that he was recognized.
As he left, he sighed again: "Although you said that the people I sent were a lot late, I still regret that you didn't work with me."
Zhu Xiang smiled and shook his head: "Chun Shenjun, if I came to Chu, you might deal with me. The soil of Chu cannot accommodate two powerful officials from non-native noble factions, unless the King of Chu dares to take action against the nobles and make more positions vacant. The King of Chu did not seize the opportunity given by Wu Qi, nor did he seize the opportunity given by Qu Yuan. He has no chance now."
Zhu Xiang washed his hands and bowed: "Have a safe journey, Chunshen Jun."
Huang Xie felt a lump in his heart and suddenly felt very embarrassed.
He handed the sugar-roasted chestnuts that Zhu Xiang handed to him to the servant, shook his sleeves, did not return the gift, and left very rudely.
"Uncle, why did he want to deal with you when you went to the State of Chu?" Ying Xiaozheng suddenly appeared and spread his hands.
Zhu Xiang was puzzled: "When did you come? Peel it yourself. You are so old, do you still need your uncle to help you peel chestnuts?"
Qin Wangzhu emerged from behind the wall with his hands behind his back: "Chu has no chance? Chu doesn't look too bad now, is it really no chance?"
Zhu Xiang was upset. After Prince Zhu became King Zhu of Qin, he still liked to hide and eat melons secretly. Should he send someone to Rongdi to ask if anyone brought back melon seedlings from the Western Regions
Zheng'er has been led astray by the Lord!
Zhu Xiang packed two paper bags of sugar-roasted chestnuts for Qin Wangzhu and Ying Xiaozheng, and the three of them walked towards Fan Ju's room while eating chestnuts.
"Huang Xie is not a broad-minded person. He was born in a humble family and his position was hard-won. He attached great importance to power and was very worried that someone would replace him. So my reputation in Chu State was too high, and he was the first one to exclude me." Zhu Xiang lowered his voice and said, "He is like the former Fan Gong."
Qin Wangzhu and Ying Xiaozheng, with their mouths full of sugar residue, looked surprised.
Oh, Yinghou of Chu, I understand.
Zhu Xiang said: "As for the chances of Chu... Chu's political system is completely copied from Zhou, and the feudal lords are extremely powerful. King Chu Sheng, the father of King Chu Dao, was killed by thieves in the capital. Your Majesty and Zheng'er should have heard of it."
Ying Xiaozheng licked the chestnut residue on his lips and said, "I know. It is said that he is not a thief, but a assassin."
Zhu Xiang nodded: "A thief is someone who kills people and steals their property. How can they attack the king in the capital? They must be assassins. There were more than 60 feudal lords in Chu at that time, and the royal power was divided among them. The King of Chu was just like the King of Zhou, and the royal power had completely fallen to others. King Sheng of Chu wanted to reform this situation, but he was stabbed to death in public in the capital."
The most direct reason why King Dao of Chu appointed Wu Qi to brutally suppress the nobles was the death of King Sheng of Chu.
Wu Qi ordered that the feudal lords could only inherit the title for three generations and moved the great nobles to southern Chu to open up wasteland. This not only dealt a heavy blow to the power of the nobles, but also allowed the Chu State to finally utilize the conquered land.
"After King Mourning of Chu died, Wu Qi returned to the capital knowing that he would die, hoping to continue his reforms. Like Shang Yang, his policies will not disappear after his death. He used his own life to complete the last plan of his life." Zhu Xiang sighed, "He knew that the Chu nobles would assassinate him in the mourning hall, so he threw himself on the body of King Mourning of Chu."
Qin Wangzhu wiped his mouth and said: "Anyone who places a beautiful soldier on the king's corpse will have his entire clan executed."
Zhu Xiang said: "With Wu Qi's last trick, King Su of Chu exterminated more than 70 old noble families. The power of the old feudal lords in Chu was almost wiped out, and the power of the King of Chu was unprecedentedly concentrated. All obstacles to reform were cleared, but..."
Zhu Xiang sneered and said, "King Su of Chu abolished Wu Qi's new policy."
(End of this chapter)