Chunshen Jun finally got to see Zichu as he wished.
Zichu deliberately put powder on his face and pretended to be weak.
Chunshen Jun felt a slight headache when he saw Zichu's weak appearance.
The poor acting skills of the crown prince Zichu clearly told Chunshen Jun that he was faking illness. So did Chunshen Jun believe it or not
Zichu chatted with Chunshen Jun for a while, and then Ying Xiaozheng came in and advised Zichu to rest quickly, take care of his health, and not talk too much.
Zichu coughed a few times and saw the guest off with a hoarse voice.
After Chunshen Jun left, Zichu put some powder on his face and said to Ying Xiaozheng with a smile: "Do you think he believes it or not?"
Ying Xiaozheng said: "Whether he believes it or not, it makes no difference."
They just wanted to confuse Chunshen Jun's mind. As long as Chunshen Jun was shaken, their goal would be achieved.
Zichu sighed: "Why did Zhu Xiang make you so boring?"
Ying Xiaozheng was speechless. His uncle always said that he was too naughty, but he never said that he was boring.
Chunshen Jun returned to the courtyard where he was staying temporarily, with a worried look on his face.
The followers he brought with him discussed the matter very heatedly and could not make up their minds at all.
Crown Prince Zichu was definitely pretending to be weak, but was he really not injured, or was he pretending to cover up the fact that he was injured
Chunshen Jun originally thought that he could find out the truth by meeting Crown Prince Zichu, but now he is even more confused.
"Should we find out about the life of Crown Prince Zichu? If he is injured, it will definitely reveal clues." said the retainer.
Chunshen Jun thought it made sense, so he spent a large sum of money to bribe Zhu Xiang's servants and the retainers brought by Crown Prince Zichu.
It was a pity that Zhu Xiang did not recruit any retainers, and the old servants had followed him all the way from Zhao to Qin, so it was really difficult to bribe them.
The retainers of Crown Prince Zichu were somewhat more open-mouthed, but the information they received was still ambiguous.
Some of the retainers said that Prince Zichu was really injured, while others said that Prince Zichu's injury had healed long ago, making it difficult for him to tell the truth.
After Zichu discovered that Chunshen Jun was bribing the people he brought with him, he did not take any action. He watched coldly to see who would betray him.
Some people refused the bribe; some people accepted the bribe and reported to Zichu, asking Zichu what information he needed to reveal to Chunshen Jun; some people were not very clear about Zichu's situation, secretly accepted the bribe and gave Chunshen Jun a perfunctory response.
After Zichu saw that everyone around him had been tested by Chunshen Jun with money, he cleared out the people around him when Zhu Xiang left Wucheng for official business.
When Zhu Xiang came back, several of his old servants were missing.
After he asked, he sighed.
If they were just exiling or killing them, they wouldn't have to wait until I left to do it. I'm afraid these people were subjected to cruel corporal punishment.
He knew that Zichu had a deep sense of tyranny hidden in his heart. Zichu had a quick temper and he usually suppressed it. It had become a habit, so once he couldn't suppress it anymore, killing alone would not be enough to calm him down, at least he would start with being torn to pieces.
"Zheng'er was worried that I would get angry, and he almost got himself hurt because of it. This quick temper is inherited from you." Zhu Xiang said earnestly, "Being angry is punishing yourself with the mistakes of others. If you get yourself sick because of anger, you are not fulfilling other people's wishes..."
After being betrayed, Zichu, whose violent emotions had not yet subsided, covered his ears, and the bloodthirsty impulse in his heart gradually calmed down.
Zhu Xiang scolded him to death.
Ying Xiaozheng looked at his father, then at his uncle, and shrugged.
My uncle is my father's nemesis. Unlike me, I am my uncle's nemesis.
"That's right, my father is very easy to get angry, uncle, please be nice to him." Ying Xiaozheng complained, "I can't persuade him, but he won't stop! Uncle, please scold him!"
Zichu glanced at Ying Xiaozheng and thought that when he became the King of Qin, he would definitely drive this unfilial son Ying Xiaozheng away, as he felt annoyed just having him around.
Zhu Xiang threw the troublemaker Ying Xiaozheng out of the door and muttered to Zichu alone.
Zichu is a person who cares about his reputation, so he decided not to criticize him in front of his son.
Zichu continued to cover his ears and sigh.
Okay, he knows he was wrong. He will do things impartially next time. He won’t be angry anymore, absolutely not.
Ying Xiaozheng walked away with his hands behind his back. While his father was being scolded by his uncle, he went to talk to his father's followers to find out if his father had done anything to let down his uncle and himself when he was not around.
Even though Ying Xiaozheng now has a good relationship with Zichu, he does not completely trust Zichu.
Apart from his uncle and aunt, he only trusted himself. So Ying Xiaozheng also kept a hand on Zichu and planted spies around him.
He had already done this when he was still nestling in the arms of King Zhaoxiang of Qin and playing with his great-grandfather's beard.
Chunshen Jun met with Zichu several more times. Zichu pretended to be sick, but he just said that he was not used to the local climate and felt unwell, which had nothing to do with the injury.
Zichu and Chunshen Jun met several times afterwards, and they always talked about the feudal lords of Chu State.
Zichu lamented that Wu Qi and Qu Yuan died unjustly and that the King of Chu was not a wise ruler. He then persuaded Chunshen Jun to consider himself.
Look at our Qin State, it is very suitable for Chunshen Jun to come.
Look at how much the group of Zhao people around Changping Jun were valued and trusted by the King of Qin after he entered Qin. Doesn't this show that the King of Qin was eager to seek talents
"Back then, Chunshen Jun was also valued by the previous king and Ying Jun. If Chunshen Jun had not returned to Chu, he should have been made a king in Qin." Zichu sighed, "I heard that Ying Jun has returned to Xianyang. If Chunshen Jun wants to enter Qin, now is the perfect time."
Chunshen Jun said solemnly: "I will never betray the king's trust."
Zichu sighed and shook his head, saying, "Of course I know that Chunshen Jun will not let the King of Chu down, but will the King of Chu let you down? When Chunshen Jun was in Wujun, how many people in the capital of Chu whispered slanderous words about you to the King of Chu?"
Chunshen Jun said: "Your Majesty trusts me very much and will not believe those people's slander."
Zichu said, "Really? I don't believe it. Why don't you go back and see if the King of Chu still trusts you?"
Zichu's tone of voice was very calm, but Chunshen Jun inexplicably felt a surge of anger in his heart.
Ying Xiaozheng, who pretended to be a filial son and served Zichu, glanced at his father silently.
"Really? I don't believe it." Isn't this what my uncle often says to annoy my father? My father really follows suit.
"You came here just to check if I was really injured." Zichu coughed a few times and smiled weakly, "You should have come to the conclusion that it's time to go back, Chunshen Jun. I hope that when I become the King of Qin, you will still be Chunshen Jun of Chu."
Ying Xiaozheng almost laughed out loud.
This "blessing" is also what my uncle often uses to make my father angry.
Although my uncle often told my father not to get angry easily, he often deliberately made him angry.
Chunshen Jun could not stand the weirdness that even Zichu could not stand.
However, the person opposite him was the Crown Prince of Qin, and he was still on Qin's territory. He could not get angry with Zichu, so he could only swallow his anger.
And what Zichu said was right. If he didn't return to Chu, the King of Chu might really doubt him.
The King of Chu had already suspected and ignored him once. Once there was a first time, there would be a second time. Chunshen Jun himself did not trust the King of Chu.
Zichu's words completely hit Chunshen Jun's soft spot.
Chunshen Jun somewhat regretted his mission to Wujun.
If he had been like other feudal lords of Chu, he would not have made mistakes if he had just guarded his fiefdom and did nothing.
He was already one of the most powerful men in Chu State, and he could have taken no more risks and just been Chunshen Jun. Why did he want to wade into this muddy water
When Chunshen Jun left Wujun, Zhu Xiang took the time to send Chunshen Jun on board.
The two had a drink on the boat.
After getting a little tipsy, Chunshen Jun told Zhu Xiang about his feelings.
Chunshen Jun has realized that this trip is not only useless, but may also put himself in danger.
He should have realized this before he set out.
So why did he travel? Why put himself in danger
"Probably because you are Chunshen Jun." Zhu Xiang half-jokingly said, "You are Chunshen Jun of Chu State, and you want to do more for Chu State, that's all."
"I am Chunshen Jun of Chu." Chunshen Jun chewed on these words, and then, perhaps because he was really drunk, he actually shed tears, "I am Chunshen Jun of Chu, I am Chunshen Jun of Chu."
Zhu Xiang watched Chunshen Jun weeping quietly.
Chunshen Jun was a smart man.
Smart people know that Qin is now much stronger than Chu. Chu has only territory, but has actually been divided into small countries. The King of Chu is like the King of Zhou. When Chu unites, it will probably be the time when Chu will perish, and those feudal lords of Chu will no longer be able to be feudal lords.
But it was too late to unite by then. At most it would cause some trouble to the Qin State, but it would not change the outcome.
Chunshen Jun could see the situation clearly. He could see the situation of both Qin and Chu.
He could also see the difference between the King of Qin and the King of Chu, and clearly saw that the King was not a wise ruler.
He saw everything clearly, and as soon as Qin Guo used a condom, he took the initiative to get in.
Even if the possibility was extremely slim, Chunshen Jun wanted to seize it, to seize the opportunity for the State of Chu to become strong again.
This is not something that can be solved simply by having a desire for power.
So Zhu Xiang said that the only reason could be, "You are Chunshen Jun of Chu State."
Chunshen Jun did place too much emphasis on power and status, so sometimes he seemed to be too compromising with the Chu nobles. But in his heart, he considered himself a Chu citizen.
"Zhu Xiang, what will I face when I return this time?" Chunshen Jun cried, "I can't find the way. Where is the way to Chu?"
Zhu Xiang said: "The way forward for Chu is probably to take advantage of the fact that Qin has no plans to attack Chu for the time being, and produce another Wu Qi or Qu Yuan, so that those feudal lords will no longer be independent and truly become subjects of the King of Chu. But this is impossible."
Zhu Xiang poured another glass of wine for Chunshen Jun.
"Even if you give up protecting yourself and are willing to be the third person to sacrifice himself for the State of Chu, since the two previous people did not get the support of the King of Chu, you will not get the support of the King of Chu either. In the end, you will just die in vain."
Zhu Xiang also poured himself a glass of wine.
"Oh, that's it. That's it." Chunshen Jun picked up the wine glass and looked at the clear wine in the glass blankly.
Zhu Xiang also picked up the wine glass: "Let's drink."
Chunshen Jun was stunned and said, "Yes, drink, drink."
The two men drank the wine in their glasses, then bowed to each other and said goodbye.
"This is probably the last glass of wine he and I will have." Zhu Xiang felt very complicated when he saw Chunshen Jun's avatar with a heart-shaped favorability that suddenly appeared in the favorability list.
Chunshen Jun unlocked his favorability towards him, but at the same time, they both knew that they were mortal enemies.
Zhu Xiang had long known that favorability was not equal to friendliness, but it was the first time that a complete "enemy" appeared in his avatar list.
When Zhu Xiang looked at Chunshen Jun's avatar in the favorability list, he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable and even guilty.
If the plan he and Zichu had planned succeeded, the best outcome for Chunshen Jun would be exile, and the worst outcome would be an unhappy death.
"There are so many heroes in the six kingdoms, and they will all become enemies of Qin." Zichu said, "Don't be sentimental, or you will be sentimental forever."
Zhu Xiang thought to himself that he would not feel emotional for those heroes he did not know. After all, Chunshen Jun gave him a heart when he left.
Zhu Xiang rubbed his hair and said, "Okay, do what you need to do. Don't stand by the river and get blown by the wind. You..."
"You are not in good health, you can't stand the wind." Zichu said unhappily, "Stop reading, no wonder Zheng'er said you are becoming more and more long-winded."
Zhu Xiang said unhappily: "You should reflect on yourself and why you make others worry about you."
Ying Xiaozheng put his hands behind his back and sighed in an air of old-fashionedness.
He said that his father and uncle together could not be more than five years old.
If Uncle Lin continues to act recklessly, their age will probably have to be lowered.
"Father, when will you return to Xianyang? Go back quickly. I must be very worried about you." Ying Xiaozheng began to drive the guests away.
Zichu knocked on Ying Xiaozheng's head and said, "I will go back after the implementation of the New Land Law of Southern Qin. Maybe in another two months."
He wanted to know more about the new land law and the grassroots conditions in the lands that Qin had just occupied.
After becoming the King of Qin, he no longer had the opportunity to see the true side of these lowest-level officials.
If he wanted to avoid being deceived by the officials, he needed to understand all the ins and outs of the officialdom from top to bottom. Following Zhu Xiang and being taught by him about the grassroots situation was the best way for him to understand all of this.
Moreover, Zichu also liked to walk in the fields with Zhu Xiang and Zheng'er.
This makes me feel much more relaxed than when I was in Xianyang.
When Xue Ji came back, he and Zhu Xiang walked behind and chatted, while Xue Ji took Ying Xiaozheng to play in the front.
He and Zhu Xiang laughed at Zheng'er for having grown his hair but still acting like a naughty child, playing and acting coquettishly with his aunt.
If Li Mu was there, he would always turn his face away and mutter that he and Zhu Xiang did not set a good example.
All this made him very comfortable.
At this time, he was still Xia Tong.
"Zhu Xiang, after I return to Xianyang this time, I will be completely Zichu." Zichu said, "But I still hope you can call me Xia Tong in private."
Zhu Xiang said, "Call me that for a few more years. After a few years, I will also have to call you Lord or King of Qin."
Zichu said: "In a few years, you can also call me Zichu."
Zhu Xiang rolled his eyes at Zichu and said, "It doesn't matter whether you care or not. I don't want to cause trouble because of a title. When Zheng'er becomes the King of Qin, I will still call him Lord or King."
Ying Xiaozheng ran over and shouted, "Call me Emperor when the time comes! I don't want to be the King of Qin, I want to be the Emperor!"
Zichu said, "The title of Emperor is good, I want it."
"Go." Ying Xiaozheng raised his leg and kicked Zichu, then ran away.
Zichu patted the footprints on the hem of his clothes and cursed, "This unfilial son! Zhu Xiang, what kind of child did you raise?"
Zhu Xiang said, "Those who only care about giving birth but not raising children should shut up."
The two quarreled and finally got into a fight.
Zhu Xiang found that if he did not give in to Zichu, Zichu might not be able to beat him.
No wonder.
Zhu Xiang was still as strong as ever, but Zichu no longer had time to practice swordsmanship.
Zichu spent most of his time learning how to be the Crown Prince and King of Qin. His swordsmanship had deteriorated a lot, and he could no longer make up for the difference in strength between him and Zhu Xiang with his skills.
However, Zhu Xiang and Zichu were still evenly matched.
Winning or losing no longer matters, they just enjoy the act of competing.
When Zichu became the King of Qin, this kind of exchange probably would no longer exist.
Zichu is still Xia Tong now. He has given face to his close friends and has always been Xia Tong before he became the King of Qin.
But Zichu cannot always be Xia Tong.
He even changed Yiren's name, and Xia Tong can only be a beautiful memory.
He should be a complete Zi Chu.
"Zhu Xiang, when I return to Xianyang this time, the next time I see you will probably be as the King of Qin. You must take care of yourself." On the eve of Zichu's departure, he and Zhu Xiang climbed onto the roof to look at the stars.
There was no moon that night.
They also specially called Li Mu to come. Li Mu was lying on the roof, not wanting to talk to the two friends who had shaken him out of bed in the middle of the night.
Zhu Xiang said: "I have always taken good care of myself."
Zichu said: "When the time comes, you must take care of yourself and don't trust me as much as you do now."
Zhu Xiang was silent for a while, then sighed and said, "Okay."
Zichu said to the lying Li Mu, "You too."
Li Mu replied perfunctorily: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
Zichu said, "I'm serious! A general like you who leads many soldiers will easily be suspected by the King of Qin."
Li Mu said helplessly: "Okay, I will pay attention. After the world is unified, I will give up my military power and come to Xianyang to handle the paperwork for you. How about that?"
Zichu said: "That's not bad."
Zichu said that Zhu Xiang was long-winded, and at this time he was also quite long-winded.
He kept talking about how his friends should take care of themselves and not conflict with him if he changed after becoming the King of Qin.
Zhu Xiang could hear Zichu's fear from his nagging.
Neither he nor Li Mu were afraid yet, but Zichu was afraid first, afraid that he would hurt his current friends.
Zichu was afraid that after becoming the King of Qin, he would become someone he did not recognize now and would hurt the people he cared about most.
Zichu was really scared.
Zhu Xiang patted Zichu's shoulder and did not stop him from chattering.
He echoed Zichu's words, promising that he would take care of himself and protect other friends.
Zhu Xiang said, "As long as I don't covet power, you won't be afraid of me. Look, the First Lord couldn't do anything to me. Can your suspicion be stronger than the First Lord's?"
Zichu was stunned for a moment, then he held his forehead and laughed: "You are right."
Zhu Xiang asked, "Are you relieved now?"
Zichu laughed: "I'm relieved. It seems I don't have to worry about your safety."
Zhu Xiang said: "It's good that you know."
Li Mu thought about Bai Qi, who served under King Zhaoxiang of Qin, and compared himself to him. He said, "If I follow Bai Gong's example, I should be able to enjoy my old age in peace."
Zhu Xiang said: "Mr. Bai is still very dangerous."
Li Mu said, "Who should I learn from? I think Lord Lian is also quite dangerous."
Zhu Xiang said: "You should learn from me, who can take and let go, and does not care about these powers."
Li Mu sighed: "Okay, I'll study hard."
Zichu laughed so hard that he couldn't straighten his back: "Okay, let's all learn from Zhu Xiang."
Ying Xiaozheng stood in the courtyard with his arms folded, looking up at the three bastard elders who had disturbed his sleep.
"Aunt, I'll get you a stick, and we'll beat those three down!" Ying Xiaozheng said with his cheeks puffed out.
Xue Ji put on Ying Xiaozheng's coat and said with a smile, "Your father is going back to Xianyang, let them chat for a while. Zheng'er is sleepy, come to sleep in your aunt's yard."
Ying Xiaozheng sighed, "Their voices are so loud, I can hear them anywhere. Ah, I will build a huge palace in the future so that I can sleep well even when my uncle sings on the roof."
Xue Ji said: "We must not waste time and money, we must be economical."
Ying Xiaozheng said: "No, I want to repair it."
Xue Ji tapped Ying Xiaozheng's forehead and said, "Don't be willful. It's fine as long as it's big enough to live in. If the place is too big, it will look empty and uncomfortable."
Ying Xiaozheng touched his forehead and said, "That's just enough for my uncle to sing on the roof without me being able to hear him."
Xue Ji laughed: "Okay."
Neither Xue Ji nor Ying Xiaozheng thought about how Zhu Xiang could be singing on the roof of the palace when Ying Xiaozheng lived in the palace.
In their hearts, family members will never be separated, no matter where they live.
Zichu was in good health this time. He stood on the rooftop in the breeze for half the night and was fine.
Zhu Xiang brought a lot of food onto the boat for Zichu, and asked Bian Que to distribute medicine to Zichu.
Zichu said, "Don't bother. Going upstream is slower and I won't get seasick."
Zhu Xiang said: "Really? I don't believe it."
Zichu’s fists hardened.
Whenever he heard Zhu Xiang say this, he couldn't help but get angry.
Even though he kept telling himself afterwards that Zhu Xiang was the bastard and that he was playing into his trap when he got angry, he still couldn't help it.
"Wait for me to return to Xianyang." Zhu Xiang said, "I will be back soon."
The King of Qin issued an edict urging Zichu to return to Xianyang, and Zichu left Wujun a month in advance.
Zhu Xiang had a bad feeling.
But he couldn't leave Wujun immediately, he had to finish the task at hand.
Chu's trade war has already shown results, and now is the most critical time.
Wujun's water-powered spinning machines and looms were like monsters, constantly spitting out cotton and cotton cloth.
In the Warring States period, cloth was more common and more valuable than gold, silver and copper coins. Even after the Qin Dynasty unified the world, "cloth coins" and copper coins were still circulated together. Qin law stipulated that shops could not refuse to accept cloth coins and copper coins.
So after Qin swallowed up Chu's cotton and started the "money printing press" with full force, Qin cloth circulated in Chu in large quantities, and every household had Qin's "cloth currency".
At this time, the "cloth currency" should have depreciated, but the Qin State not only "printed money" but also used the power of the entire country to provide the Chu State with the goods that the Chu people wanted at a fair price.
With grain, silk, spices, pearls, gold, silver, and fur products from the Baiyue and Rongdi, the Chu nobles had never felt so wealthy.
As a result, not only did the lives of the nobles become more and more luxurious, but the common people were also affected.
They sold cotton to get cotton cloth, and then used the cotton cloth to buy food, which was much more cost-effective than growing food. Although most farmers still planted their own food and were still self-sufficient, as long as someone was affected, the land for growing food in Chu would gradually decrease.
Furthermore, after securing their own land for growing grain, some greedy nobles needed more land to grow cotton in order to gain money. The land of self-cultivating farmers was gradually encroached by the nobles, exacerbating land annexation.
After the Chu State abolished the reform, the position of the self-cultivating farmers was already very delicate. The feudal lords seized the land of the self-cultivating farmers to grow cotton without any obstacles.
(End of this chapter)