When the Qin State attacked Qianzhong County, a large army came from Shu County to the south, all the way around the border of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan in later times to Qianzhong County. The leader of the army was Zhang Ruo, the governor of Shu County at that time.
This military road still exists today.
It is more difficult to go upstream from Yunmengze and cross the Three Gorges to Chengdu. However, this route is also smooth, otherwise Du Fu would not have written that the port of Chengdu was filled with ships from Suzhou and Hangzhou.
But Zhu Xiang felt it was too slow. Even though he could guess that Zichu was fine, Zhu Xiang was anxious and wanted to see Zichu's safety as soon as possible. So he set out from the land, changing horses at post stations along the way, as if he was delivering an urgent military report from a thousand miles away. Except for resting at night, he hardly stopped every day, and even ate on horseback.
In just half a month, Zhu Xiang arrived in Chengdu at the expense of his poor horse.
I hope those tired horses that were replaced are safe and sound.
Zhu Xiang, holding the Qin King's token in his hand, rode his horse directly into Chengdu City, almost frightening the gate guard to death, thinking that something big had happened.
In order to keep an eye on Zichu, Li Bing deliberately did not go to the construction site.
When he learned that someone had rushed into the city with the token of King Qin, he was so frightened that he did not even have time to put on his official uniform and hurried to receive him.
Zhu Xiang rode horses during the day and fell asleep immediately at night because he was so tired that he had no time to wash up. Now, not only was his beard untidy, but his white hair had also turned into greasy gray. Li Bing did not recognize him at first sight.
Zhu Xiang threw the token to Li Bing who stopped him at the gate of the county governor's mansion, and was about to walk in. Li Bing immediately stopped him, his hand still on the long sword at his waist: "This is not the token of the King of Qin!"
Zhu Xiang paused and asked in confusion: "Huh?"
As soon as Li Bing said this, the guards at the county magistrate's office immediately became nervous.
"Is it an assassin?!" asked a guard.
The guards of the county magistrate's mansion immediately drew their swords and surrounded Zhu Xiang.
Zhu Xiang was not frightened by this scene. He leaned over and looked at the token in Li Bing's hand: "How could it not be? Li Bing, are you dazzled?"
Li Bing: “…”
He sheathed his sword and waved to the guards, "Stand back."
The guards of the county mansion held their swords, looking confused.
Li Bing looked helpless: "Zhu Xiang?"
Zhu Xiang said, "It's me. Didn't you recognize me? Can't you recognize me with my white hair?"
"Your hair is so dirty, who can tell it's white?" Li Bing breathed a sigh of relief. He also thought it was an assassin pretending to be the envoy of the King of Qin. "Your token belongs to the first lord!"
Zhu Xiang took the token from Li Bing, examined it carefully, and then felt around in his bosom: "Oh, I took the wrong one, this one."
Li Bing took the token from Zhu Xiangxin and said, "This is real... Why are you still carrying the token of the former lord?"
Zhu Xiang said embarrassedly: "I use it as a talisman."
Li Bing was speechless.
You used the token of the former lord as a talisman. Luckily I stopped you in time. Be careful that you might have been chopped off!
After hearing the conversation between Li Bing and Zhu Xiang, the guard sheathed his sword.
Zhu Xiang? Is it Lord Zhu Xiang of Changping? Did Lord Zhu Xiang return to Shu?!
The guards of the county magistrate's mansion opened their eyes as wide as copper bells.
"Xia Tong is in the prefectural governor's mansion?" Zhu Xiang stepped forward quickly. "Where is he? Lead the way."
Li Bing led the way and said, "How dirty are you? Hurry up and wash yourself before you go see the prince."
Zhu Xiang said, "I'll beat him up first and then take a bath."
Li Bing said, "He is the prince after all."
Zhu Xiang said: "After I beat him up, I will apologize to the Lord. I believe that after I apologize, the Lord will let me beat him up again."
Li Bing said hypocritically: "Don't go too far, he is really injured."
Zhu Xiang paused: "Are you really injured? Is the injury serious?"
Li Bing said, "It's not serious, the arrow just grazed his shoulder, and he has healed now. But he secretly went to Ba County a few days ago, and he was tired on the journey, so he got a minor illness when he came back."
Zhu Xiang sneered: "Are you well?"
Li Bing said: "Now I am fully recovered, there is no problem at all."
Zhu Xiang took another step: "That's good."
"Xia Tong! Come out and die!" Zhu Xiang came to the gate of the courtyard where Xia Tong lived.
That small courtyard was where Zhu Xiang and Ying Xiaozheng once lived. The door was half-open, and a figure could be seen playing the piano in a small thatched pavilion built in the courtyard.
Zhu Xiang raised his foot and kicked the gate open.
The figure who was playing the piano suddenly jumped up and ran in the opposite direction.
Zhu Xiang rushed over: "Why are you running? If you have the guts to be stabbed, you have the guts to take my attack!"
Zichu, who had just finished a bath, looked like a banished immortal, with long hair draped over his shoulders, a wide-sleeved robe, and a white fluffy cape on his shoulders. He ran wildly around the thatched pavilion holding up the corner of his robe, "What do you mean by being assassinated? I'm not trying to assassinate myself!"
Zhu Xiang sneered: "If you were careful enough, you would be assassinated? And how come you were injured? I don't believe that with your caution, you can still be injured. Stop right there!"
Zichu looked back as he ran: "It was really an accident! Even horses can accidentally miss a step sometimes, so why is it strange that I miscalculated a move?"
Zhu Xiang asked, "Really? Then why are you running?"
Zichu said: "Put down the stick in your hand first!"
Zhu Xiang said: "This is not a wooden stick, it is wrapped in cotton cloth. It can't hurt you. Don't run!"
Zichu cursed, "I knew that, that's why I ran!"
Zhu Xiang actually took out this thing, which means he really wants to beat him!
When they were in Xianyang, they would take this out whenever they had a fight, because they could really hit the opponent with it!
If Zhu Xiang had a sword, he would not have run away, and I believe Zhu Xiang would not have dared to really chop him with the sword.
Li Bing stood at the gate and watched for a while. When he found out that Zhu Xiang was really going to beat Crown Prince Zichu, he hesitated for a moment whether to dissuade him. Then he turned around and left, closing the door behind him.
Li Bing dismissed the guards: "Zhu Xiang is sparring with the crown prince, you all should go away."
The guards brought by the prince: "..."
They looked at the head of the prince's guards. This... is really dispersing
The head guard poked his head in.
Li Bing was speechless: "Do you still want to watch?"
The head guard smiled sheepishly.
This head of the guards is also a nobleman of the Qin State, and he wants to become the prince's confidant in the future.
It's just that he has been with the prince for a short time and hasn't had much contact with Zhu Xiang. So when he saw Zhu Xiang beating up the prince today, he couldn't help but want to take a look.
"Everyone, go away. You didn't hear or see anything, understand?" the head guard said. The prince's guards looked at each other, then at the closed gate, and listened to the sound of someone being beaten coming from the gate, and left silently.
Li Bing did not leave.
He waited for the noise inside to die down, then pushed the door open and went in, watching Prince Zichu fighting with Zhu Xiang with a sword.
At this time, Zhu Xiang dropped the stick wrapped in cotton cloth and fought with Prince Zichu with a sword.
The two fought in good form and were evenly matched.
It seems that Crown Prince Zichu did not suffer much of a beating and at least still had enough strength to fight Zhu Xiang.
Seeing Li Bing coming in, Zhu Xiang threw away his sword and said, "Is there any hot water? My body and hair are itchy."
Zhu Xiang lowered his head and smelled himself, then said with disdain, "It stinks worse than a day of working in the fields."
Zichu took back his sword and said with disdain, "Dirty."
Zhu Xiang sneered, squatted down, dug a piece of mud from the ground, and then pounced towards Zichu.
Zichu yelled in horror, "Get lost!"
But Zhu Xiang had already pounced on him and smeared all the mud on his head.
Zhu Xiang burst into laughter: "Hahahahahaha."
Zichu was so angry that he kicked Zhu Xiang: "Have you lived like a dog? Zheng'er is not as childish as you!"
Zhu Xiang smiled and said, "When Lin Li came to see me, he threw mud on me. This is the etiquette when friends meet."
Zichu scolded, "You actually learned this from Lin Li?"
Zhu Xiang said to Li Bing, "Would you like to have some?"
Li Bing immediately backed out of the courtyard, rejecting this kind of meeting etiquette between friends with his expression.
Zhu Xiang laughed again.
Zichu cursed a few times, but couldn't help but laugh: "Didn't you say you were uncomfortable with being dirty? Why don't you go take a shower?"
Zhu Xiang said, "Li Bing, help me prepare some clothes. I didn't bring any spare clothes!"
Li Bing outside the courtyard gate: "Okay."
Zhu Xiang put his arm around Zi Chu's shoulder and went to take a bath together. Zi Chu struggled all the way, disliking Zhu Xiang's stench.
Looking at the two of them, arm in arm like brothers, walking towards the bathhouse with disdain for each other, Li Bing couldn't help but smile and sigh.
"Zhu Xiang really hasn't changed at all." Li Bing laughed, "I really don't know if Zheng'er has changed a lot. Zheng'er should have changed a lot, it's time to tie up his hair."
Zhu Xiang rubbed several layers of mud on his body before taking a bath.
When rubbing the mud, Zhu Xiang couldn't reach his back, so he asked the Crown Prince of Qin to help him rub his back.
Zichu almost scraped the skin off his back, and Zhu Xiang scolded Zichu for wanting to take revenge on him.
Zichu pointed at the bruises on his body caused by the beating with the cotton stick and cursed back.
When Li Bing came to deliver the clothes, he sighed again. How could these two not even take a bath in peace
After taking a bath and changing their clothes, Zichu and Zhu Xiang finally returned to the state of the banished immortal times two.
Zhu Xiang wiped his hair and said, "You almost scared me to death."
Zichu said, "I didn't expect that my father would actually spread the news that I was seriously injured."
In order to make their hair dry faster, Li Bing placed several stoves for them and surrounded them in the middle.
Although it was almost autumn and the weather was not very hot, Zichu opened his clothes to reveal the red marks on his shoulders.
Zhu Xiang glanced at the red mark on Zichu's shoulder and said, "This mark... Xia Tong, did you make it yourself?"
Zichu didn't hide it: "How did you know that?"
Zhu Xiang laughed and scolded, "You can tell by looking at the mark. How could an arrowhead leave a mark that points diagonally upward? Did you perform a backwards falling motion when the arrow was shot at you?"
Zichu said seriously, "When I saw the arrow coming, of course I fell back immediately."
Zhu Xiang said: "Ah!"
Zichu looked down at the red mark on his shoulder and asked, "Is it really that obvious?"
Zichu touched the red mark on his shoulder and nodded silently.
Zhu Xiang continued to wipe his hair.
The two of them were silent for a while. When Zhu Xiang's hair was no longer dripping with water, Zhu Xiang finally spoke: "You forced the Lord to do it. If the Lord is too sad and falls ill because of this, will you regret it?"
Zichu asked, "If I don't regret it, will you be disappointed?"
Zhu Xiang said honestly: "I don't know."
Zichu smiled bitterly.
The two were silent again for a while, and Zichu said, "When I said I did this, I didn't think that my father would get sick because of it. Do you believe me?"
Zhu Xiang said: "I believe it."
The two were silent for a while.
Zichu sighed deeply and said, "I shouldn't have regretted it, but now I really regret it in my heart."
Zhu Xiang said, "In fact, if you don't regret it, I probably won't be too disappointed. Because the fight for the throne is probably like this. If the king doesn't take action against Ziqi, you will do it. But I believe you really regret it."
He smiled bitterly and said, "If you didn't regret it, you wouldn't be waiting for me here."
Zichu said, "I waited for you to come to Chengdu. What does it have to do with whether I regret it or not?"
Zhu Xiang said: "If you didn't regret it, you would come to Nanjun as originally planned. You don't dare to come to see me, which is a manifestation of regret."
Zichu was stunned, then turned his head to the side uncomfortably.
Zhu Xiang revealed the secret thoughts in his heart that he dared not admit. Even before Zhu Xiang revealed it, he deliberately ignored it.
However, there was no need for Zichu to hide anything from Zhu Xiang.
"Yes, I don't know how to face you." Zichu spoke with difficulty, analyzing his true feelings, "You have deep feelings for your father and the emperor. Zheng'er... Zheng'er is the same, right?"
Zhu Xiang said, "You are not heartless to the Lord in your heart. Although the friendship may not be comparable to that between father and son in ordinary families, if the Lord and his father get into trouble because of this matter, you will definitely regret it. Have you written a letter to the Lord?"
Zichu said, “When I learned that my father asked me to pretend to be seriously injured, I wrote the letter.”
Zhu Xiang asked, "How does your Majesty respond?"
Zichu said, "My father only told me to take care of myself."
Zhu Xiang said: "That's all right. Now we just need to complete the task that our Lord has assigned to us, and then go back to see him in style."
He paused and comforted her, "Don't feel too bad. You were also passive in this matter. It was Ziqi who did it. No matter what you thought, he would have assassinated you. You just put this matter out in the open, revealing a layer of hypocritical brotherly warmth. This is not your fault."
Zichu held his forehead and smiled bitterly: "I didn't expect you to comfort me."
Zhu Xiang said: "Ziqi assassinated you, and you just took advantage of the situation to expose this matter. You are the victim. Should we blame the victim for not being patient?"
Zichu felt relieved: "Okay, that's what you would say."
When Zichu learned that the King of Qin might be ill, he was indeed very panicked.
Although his feelings for the King of Qin were not very deep, he was not without them. Moreover, he knew that Zhu Xiang and Zheng'er both had deep feelings for the King of Qin, and Zichu was worried that Zhu Xiang and Zheng'er would be dissatisfied with him after learning about this.
Now Zhu Xiang turned around and advised him that it was Ziqi who did it, and it was Ziqi who made the King of Qin sad and sick, not Zichu who was assassinated.
Could it be that Zichu was to blame for not keeping the assassination a secret? That didn't make sense.
Zhu Xiang knew that Zichu felt truly guilty, and he realized that the assassination was truly initiated by Ziqi, and not a false accusation by Zichu.
This is enough.
Zhu Xiang changed the subject and talked about Ying Xiaozheng's growth in Wujun, and then talked about the new land law that Lin Zhi wanted to implement in Wujun.
"After Qin unified the world, I suggest that military merit titles and land grants can be passed down even if one does not die in battle. This can alleviate some of the public resentment when the military merit system collapses." Zhu Xiang said, "In fact, we can change it slowly. If we wait until Qin unified the world to change it, there might be problems if there are too many changes."
Zichu thought for a moment and said, "No, we should wait until Qin unifies the world before making any changes. After Qin unifies the world, many new laws will be promulgated, and the common people will not be used to them, and they will definitely feel resentment. Allowing military merit titles to be inherited normally is a gift, and a gift can calm some resentment."
Zhu Xiang thought for a while and said, "You think it clearly."
Zichu said: "Now we are focusing on promoting the standardization of wheel gauges, writing, and Qin's weights and measures. This time when I left Xianyang, I investigated in Ba County and Shu County. The people are very angry about the standardization of wheel gauges, writing, and weights and measures, but due to the strict laws of Qin, the news has not yet reached Xianyang. If we wait until Qin is unified and then implement it all at once, I am afraid it will cause great chaos."
Zichu told the results of his investigation.
Standardizing the writing system, the wheel gauge, and the weights and measures sounds simple, as if a single decree could solve everything.
But when Zichu inquired among the people, he found out that these three things could actually arouse so much resentment among so many people.
Originally, Zichu thought that some people who disobeyed Qin were deliberately rebelling without reason. After careful study, he found that this was not the case.
Many of those who opposed this were ordinary people who had no intention of defying the Qin State.
The same writing system means that many scholars who have learned the writing systems of other countries have wasted all their previous studies and have to learn all over again.
The standardization of the tracks for all cars means that people who previously had cars in their families must discard their cars and buy and build new ones, which is a huge loss;
Standardizing the weights and measures would make the common people, who have followed the original weights and measures for generations, feel at a loss and cause great inconvenience in their lives.
"Besides, whether it is buying and selling or farming, they are all based on weights and measures. The sudden change in weights and measures has caused great losses and inconvenience to merchants and farmers." Zichu said, "If it weren't for the Qin army suppressing them, perhaps some people would have rebelled because of this."
Zhu Xiang asked, "In fact, some people have rebelled because of this, right?"
Zichu sighed, "There was some minor chaos."
Zhu Xiang asked, "In Ba County?"
Zichu nodded.
Ba County was originally a barbarian land with its own set of weights and measures. Now that it was suddenly changed, the local tyrants were very dissatisfied and many of them started a riot.
Zhu Xiang said: "We can work together with Nitta Ryu to do these things."
Zichu asked, "Do you mean to use the new weights and measures to divide the land among the people, so that the common people can gradually get used to the new weights and measures?"
Zhu Xiang said, "There is also tax collection. We can temporarily relax the management of private transactions, but as long as we use the new weights and measures when dividing land and collecting taxes, the people will gradually get used to the new weights and measures."
"As for the writing system, as long as the laws and decrees are written in Qin's writing system, those who want to be officials in Qin will gradually adapt." Zhu Xiang smiled and said, "Scholars study and practice martial arts to become famous. If they don't show it to the monarch, it's meaningless. Once the monarch holds a few more examinations and recruits talents, the Qin writing system will be popularized quickly."
Zichu asked, "What about the tracks?"
Zhu Xiang said: "Perhaps we can use rewards to guide local tyrants to gradually change their cars?"
Zichu thought for a moment and said, "When the governors of various places are on good terms with the local tyrants, can they give them vehicles in their personal capacity?"
Zhu Xiang said, "That's probably how it should be done. The King of Qin and the Crown Prince can also send a car."
When local tyrants received cars as gifts from dignitaries, they would certainly drive them out to show off, and gradually a fashion of driving Qin cars would be formed.
Later, perhaps without mandatory promotion, they will replace their old vehicles.
Those who could use horse-drawn carriages were all local tyrants, and the common people had little to do with the order to "make all carriages the same track". As long as the tyrants were willing to change carriages, there would not be much of an obstacle.
"An order is not as good as a reward, I have learned that." Zichu said with a smile, "You are more than qualified to be the prime minister. It's a pity that you are too lazy and don't even want to go to the court."
Zhu Xiang tied his half-dried hair behind him and said, "In life, if you don't live a leisurely life, and deliberately seek hardship, isn't that stupid?"
Zichu laughed: "This is not what Zhu Xianggong, who works hard in the fields, should say. If we were to ask who is the least leisurely, who could compare to you?"
Zhu Xiang said, "All the common people are more tired than me. As for the nobles, Xia Tong, isn't the King of Qin more tired than me? I heard that after you became the King of Qin, you also couldn't sleep until the third watch. I am really worried about your future."
He half-jokingly said, "Xia Tong, if you are really too tired, why not pass the throne to Zheng'er in advance."
Zichu smiled and shook his head: "Zhu Xiang, you know me well."
Zhu Xiang sighed and said, "Let's not talk about this. What do you think about the three families dividing Chu? I guess after I leave Wujun, Lin Zhi will go to Chu himself."
Zichu gasped: "Is he crazy?"
Zhu Xiang shrugged: "Isn't he crazy?"
Zichu: “…”
He couldn't deny it right away.
Lin Zhi's usual behaviors were really a bit too crazy. But things always developed as Lin Zhi wanted, so people would ignore his madness when doing things.
"With Lü Buwei here, why would he go alone? What if he encounters danger?" When Zichu finished speaking, he saw Zhu Xiang's sarcastic expression and cursed, "Don't you like taking risks yourself? Who went to the land of Manyue to farm before?"
Zhu Xiang: “…”
Then the two looked at each other and looked away at the same time.
The eldest brother doesn't talk about the second brother, they are all the same.
"Only Cai Ze is relatively safe." Zichu sighed somewhat awkwardly.
Zhu Xiang said unhappily, "Cai Ze is safe? Have you forgotten how Cai Ze used the art of vertical and horizontal tactics in the first place?"
Zichu thought about it. Cai Ze was a man who went to Zhao State in person and used a strategy of sowing discord in front of the other party.
Oh, this talent also went to Yan State, and took Yan State's soldiers to fight against the Northern Hu together with Li Mu.
Zichu asked, "Is there anyone among us who doesn't like adventure?"
Zhu Xiang thought for a moment and said, "Li Mu should not be counted. Because he will not be the vanguard himself, but will lead the army to attack."
Zichu was speechless again.
So among these non-blood-related brothers, Li Mu, who led the troops to fight, should have been the most dangerous, but Li Mu was the only one who didn't like taking risks.
"Let's change the subject." Zichu said, "Let's talk about Zheng'er. How tall is Zheng'er?"
Zhu Xiang said, "I'm almost surpassing you, Xia Tong, little dwarf."
Zichu cursed, "Get lost! I'm not short!"
Zhu Xiang sneered: "Shall we compare heights?"
Li Bing came in with some fruit, ready to ask the two whether they wanted to go out to the restaurant to eat or whether Zhu Xiang wanted to cook for himself, but he saw Zichu and Zhu Xiang fighting again.
Li Bing was speechless.
How old are you two? Are you younger than Zheng'er
Is this what the future rulers and ministers of Qin will look like? I'm beginning to despair.
"Stop fighting, come and eat some fruit." Li Bing sighed and tried to stop the fight. "When are you going to Wu County?"
Go away, please go away quickly!
Li Bing originally missed Zhu Xiang very much, but after seeing Zhu Xiang fighting with the prince, he stopped missing him.
Even though he was Zhu Xiang's friend, he felt that watching Zhu Xiang fight with the future King of Qin would put his future in jeopardy.
Zhu Xiang and Zi Chu looked at each other and said in unison: "Let's go to Ba County first."
Li Bing's face immediately turned dark.
(End of this chapter)