Ying Xiaozheng hated his uncle so much that he couldn't even last through the short time before bed.
Zhu Xiang only performed one magic trick for him, and Ying Xiaozheng kept circling around Zhu Xiang, constantly lowering his head and nodding Zhu Xiang with his little head wearing a hat, asking Zhu Xiang to perform another one.
The magic trick Zhu Xiang performed was the simplest one, "The beads disappeared." It could be done with quick hands and a little visual deception.
Farming and field work were boring, so Zhu Xiang learned a lot of strange tricks from watching videos. When he was giving lectures to students, he would occasionally use these tricks to attract the attention of sleepy students.
Regardless of how well he teaches, thanks to these little tricks, students gave him high scores when selecting courses and praised him for being lively, humorous and handsome.
“When Zheng’er’s birthday comes, uncle will make him a more powerful one!” Zhu Xiang rubbed his nephew’s round little head with a smile.
Ying Xiaozheng hugged Zhu Xiang's waist and legs: "Sure!"
"Sure." Zhu Xiang promised while stroking his nephew's little head.
Children are full of energy, but their energy is also exhausted very quickly. After making a fuss for a while, Ying Xiaozheng yawned continuously and was carried to sleep by Xue.
Li Mu, Cai Ze and Zhu Xiang were young and decided to stay up a little longer to celebrate the New Year.
Not long after eating the roasted whole lamb, the three grown men were hungry again. They moved to another place to light a bonfire and roasted potatoes while warming themselves by the fire.
When men get together, they always talk about national affairs. The three of them talked about Handan, the Xiongnu in the north, and the other six countries.
Zhu Xiang dipped some salt on the baked potatoes and said, "Do you think the war will end?"
Cai Ze said: "Only when the world is unified can the war end."
Li Mu said: "Anyway, the war will probably be difficult to end in my generation."
Zhu Xiang shared the potatoes between the two men and said, "What if I say that the war will end in our generation?"
Cai Ze and Li Mu looked at Zhu Xiang in surprise, as he hardly ever talked about state affairs and always turned any topic to farming.
Cai Ze smiled and said, "What, you finally stopped hiding your shortcomings? Tell me about it."
Li Mu was curious: "The seven kingdoms have been coexisting for hundreds of years. Why is Zhu Xiang so sure that the war will end in our generation? Is it a calculation?"
Zhu Xiang shook his head: "It's not a calculation. The war has pushed the civilians' patience to the limit. If a powerful country raises the flag of war with the goal of unifying the world, the morale of those who resist the unification of the world will definitely be very low. Although a powerful general may delay the time of unification, the general trend of the world is unstoppable."
He looked at the shocked expressions of the two and shook his head helplessly: "Just treat it as my nonsense. In this era dominated by aristocrats and scholars, saying that it is what the people want is just like a fool's lie."
Cai Ze and Li Mu fell into deep thought and did not answer immediately.
Zhu Xiang took a bite of the potato.
Baked potatoes are soft and delicious with a little bit of salt.
Actually… it’s not very delicious. How delicious can a baked potato with salt be? Diet meals are better than this. At least brush it with some oil, sprinkle some cumin, peppercorns and chili powder.
Zhu Xiang went through the delicacies of later generations in his mind and sighed in his heart. He really wanted to reproduce all the delicacies in his memory, but he didn't dare to, for fear that his reputation would spread far and wide and he would be forced to enter the palace.
"Your remarks are very interesting." Cai Ze was the first to answer, "According to your remarks, can common people also decide the outcome of the world's battles?"
Li Mu quietly looked at Zhu Xiang's face illuminated by the firelight.
"When the wars are fought by farmers instead of private soldiers of nobles, the common people can decide the outcome of the world. Among the seven countries, the country whose common people live the best will have the strongest fighting power." Zhu Xiang poked at the fire and said, "In fact, the common people of the seven countries all live badly, but there are always some who live worse than others. This is a world of comparison."
Cai Ze asked: "Why do you suddenly talk about this today?"
Zhu Xiang thought, because Li Mu was about to go north to fight the Xiongnu, and Cai Ze had already decided to join Qin. This was probably the last time the three of them would gather around the fire to eat roast potatoes.
"I just want to say that the trend of unification is unstoppable. You two will serve different monarchs in the future, right? If you encounter a situation where you are against the trend, don't be so noble. Do your best and then run away if you can. After the world is unified, we still have to figure out how to make life better for the devastated civilians, and we also have to annex the north to continue to guard against the Huns."
Zhu Xiang stoked the fire and said, "If you can avoid death, then don't die. You can do more things if you are alive."
Cai Ze was shocked, then burst out laughing: "So that's what you wanted to say? Do you think I look like someone who would die with His Majesty? General Li is indeed one of them."
Li Mu: "...Are you praising me?"
Zhu Xiang and Cai Ze nodded at the same time: "Yes, I am praising you."
Li Mu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I... Well, fighting to the death for a general is the destiny. I can't just abandon my soldiers and leave. But Zhu Xiang is right. The victory or defeat of a war now depends not only on the general, but also on morale. Only if you treat your soldiers well will they die for you. I'll remember this."
Zhu Xiang: "Ah, oh. Indeed, there is nothing you can do about dying in battle. If you are not going to die in battle, but some tyrant wants to kill you, you should run away if you can. It would be good to surrender to Cai Ze, who must be very good at protecting himself."
Cai Ze didn't blush at all: "Well, I only want to be rich and powerful. I am indeed the best at protecting myself among you."
Zhu Xiang pointed at himself and said, "No, I think I am the best at protecting myself. I don't even seek wealth and honor, but if I do, I will do it in danger."
Cai Ze frowned: "So, it is true..."
Li Mu almost choked from laughing.
As a military general, Li Mu should have hated people who were afraid of death, but when he heard his two friends comparing who could protect themselves better, not only did he not feel disgusted, he couldn't stop laughing.
"Your words must not be heard by Xun Qing, he will definitely be angry." Li Mu smoothed his chest which was hurt by laughing.
Cai Ze and Zhu Xiang looked at each other and each stretched out a hand to hold Li Mu's shoulders: "If Xunzi knew what happened tonight, it must be you who informed him!"
"Hahahaha, no way. Don't scratch me. I'm ticklish!"
The firewood in the fire crackled, and strings of sparks came out.
The new year has arrived.
Because the calendar was in chaos at that time, not many people were celebrating the Spring Festival that Zhu Xiang was celebrating.
Farming in the village mainly follows the Xia calendar, with the first day of the first lunar month as the New Year; the vassal states of the Ji clan still use the Zhou calendar, with the New Year being the first day of November; the Qin State uses the Zhuanxu calendar, with October as the first month, but October is still October and is not called the "first month"; other vassal states use all kinds of calendars.
The Zhao court held ancestral sacrifices on the first day of the eleventh month, while the rural people mostly held ancestral sacrifices on the first day of the first month. Official sacrifices not only forced a large number of common people to perform corvée labor to build the altar, but also required common people to avoid the sacrifices. This staggered practice was also a wise move for common people to avoid running into official sacrifices.
On the first day of the first lunar month, Zhu Xiang delivered boiled potatoes to every household. This was not only a relatively novel New Year gift, but also a way to use food to dispel their concerns about using idle wasteland to grow potatoes.
On the second day of the first lunar month, it was Ying Xiaozheng's birthday. Zhu Xiang made sweet bean paste and made peaches stuffed with bean paste for Ying Xiaozheng.
Ying Xiaozheng held a longevity peach in each hand, taking bites from the left and the right, until the corners of his mouth were covered with bean paste.
Zhu Xiang recalled that when the prince first came home, he was very careful when eating. He would lick his lips after every bite, and his little face was clean after eating.
He didn't know when it started, but his little nephew started eating more and more roughly, more and more like a normal child, with food all over his mouth and face, and he turned into a harlequined puppy more and more often.
Is this the case? If children are spoiled, they will become more and more naughty
"This peach is interesting." Lin Zhi took out a string of beads from his bosom. "It's the Dongzhu produced in Qi. Zheng'er, give the peach to Uncle Lin, and Uncle Lin will exchange the Dongzhu with you."
Ying Xiaozheng looked up at the Dongzhu in Lin Zhi's hand, then looked down at the half-eaten longevity peach. After a struggle between his conscience and his desires, he stuffed the eaten longevity peach into Lin Zhi's hand.
Lin Zhi: "... You can give me one I haven't eaten before."
Ying Xiaozheng opened his eyes wide: "Yes!"
"There are so many birthday peaches on the table. Do you have to grab the ones that Zheng'er has eaten?" Zhu Xiang snatched the Dongzhu from Lin Zhi's hand and stuffed it into the red cloth pocket on Ying Xiaozheng's chest. "Zheng'er, say thank you to Uncle Lin."
Ying Xiaozheng touched the red cloth bag on his chest and said, "Thank you, Uncle Lin."
"Just spoil him. Sooner or later, your nephew will get spoiled." Lin Zhi didn't despise him and stuffed the half-eaten birthday peach into Ying Xiaozheng's mouth. "Delicious!"
"I'll write the recipe for you. Go back and ask your chef to make as much as you want." Zhu Xiang reached out to Lin Xiangru behind Lin Zhi and said, "Mr. Lin, Mr. Lin, Mr. Lin, where is Zheng'er's birthday gift?"
Lin Xiangru first took out his ruler and hit Zhu Xiang's open palm hard, then he took out a scroll from his bosom and said: "This is my experience of reading the Book of Songs. You should learn the Book of Songs."
The Book of Songs is the diplomatic rhetoric of the Spring and Autumn Period. When diplomats visit other countries, they rarely speak directly, but always quote the Book of Songs directly. The Book of Songs is diplomatic jargon.
Although after the Warring States Period, diplomats no longer spoke in a tactful manner, and there were more and more diplomats like Lin Xiangru who were ready to fight the other king with swords in hand, the importance of "Book of Songs" in diplomacy was still very high when it did not involve fighting.
At this time, learning "The Book of Songs" does not mean becoming a great poet who writes poems and couplets in later generations, but learning the customs of various countries and diplomatic rhetoric from "The Book of Songs", which is a necessary accomplishment for scholars.
Lin Xiangru was highly valued by the State of Zhao for his mission to the State of Qin. His main subject was diplomacy. His experience in studying the Book of Songs could be regarded as his family's unique learning.
Zhu Xiang immediately said: "This gift is too heavy!"
Lin Xiangru rolled his eyes at Zhu Xiang and said, "No one in my family can read the Book of Songs, and neither can you. Are you not giving it to Zheng'er, but leaving it to me as a burial object?"
Zhu Xiang said, "Alas, Lin Li is too useless. It seems that only my son Zheng'er can inherit Mr. Lin's legacy. Zheng'er, say thank you to Mr. Lin!"
Ying Xiaozheng tried to stuff the letter into the red cloth bag: "Thank you, Mr. Lin."
"This can't be stuffed in. Let me keep it for you first." Zhu Xiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Ying Xiaozheng reminded Zhu Xiang: "Uncle, remember to keep the accounts!"
"I remember, I remember." After Zhu Xiang put away the letter, he looked at Xun Kuang eagerly.
The despicable uncle who took advantage of his nephew's birthday to "make money" did not dare to be beaten by Xunzi, so he could only use his eyes to urge Xunzi to give the gifts quickly.
Xun Kuang glanced at Zhu Xiang and said, "Isn't it just a letter? I'll give Zheng'er a whole cart of it, enough for him to read for several years."
Xun Kuang said, "You didn't treat a book as a waste, but how can I treat a cart of books as a waste?"
Seeing that Lin Xiangru and Xun Kuang seemed to be about to quarrel again, Zhu Xiang quickly raised Ying Xiaozheng to bow and stop the "war" between the two old men.
For the sake of today’s “birthday boy”, Lin Xiangru and Xun Kuang snorted coldly and decided not to argue with each other.
Zhu Xiang never celebrated his own birthday. He and Xue would only celebrate each other's birthdays quietly at home. It was the first time that he had a big banquet at home for Ying Xiaozheng's birthday.
He hoped to have a grand banquet to make Zheng'er, who was abandoned by his parents, happy.
There was no way to make up for the dark childhood, so Zhu Xiang wanted to make Zheng'er laugh every day of his childhood from now on. If his childhood was happier, maybe Zheng'er would be a little more kind to the people after he became the first emperor.
Zhu Xiang was always cautious and never accepted gifts from common people.
Today was Ying Xiaozheng's birthday, and it was the first time he accepted a gift from someone else. But he would only accept a small amount, and would return most of the things.
Seeing that Zhu Xiang was finally willing to accept the gift, villagers from all over the place hurried over.
A basket of millet, a few eggs, pheasants that were shot, fish caught in the river... In addition to these simple foods, there were also handicrafts such as cloth scraps, straw sandals, and baskets. Someone also invited someone who could write to write a blessing for the health and longevity of Zhu Xianggong's little nephew.
When Ying Xiaozheng saw the mountains of gifts, he was so surprised that his mouth opened wide.
"Are these all for me?" Ying Xiaozheng asked again and again, pulling his uncle's sleeve.
Zhu Xiang rubbed Ying Xiaozheng's head and asked, "Besides Zheng'er, who else is celebrating his birthday in our family today?"
Ying Xiaozheng was puzzled: "They don't even know me, why would they give me gifts? Are they trying to please my uncle?"
Zhu Xiang tapped Ying Xiaozheng's head gently: "They want to make me happy, but not to please me. Zheng'er, even if they don't give me gifts, I will teach them how to farm."
Ying Xiaozheng frowned.
Zhu Xiang picked up Ying Xiaozheng and said, "Zheng'er, last time you picked the most beautiful potato flowers and gave them to your aunt, were you trying to please her?"
Ying Xiaozheng hugged his head, a little confused, not knowing whether he should nod.
Zhu Xiang said, "You wanted to make your aunt happy, but you didn't think of exchanging the beautiful potato flowers for anything, right?"
Ying Xiaozheng seemed to understand a little bit, he said: "They just want to make uncle happy, they don't ask for anything?"
Zhu Xiang said: "Some relationships involve the exchange of interests, but not only the exchange of interests. Zheng'er, watch and learn slowly. You are still young, so there is no rush."
Ying Xiaozheng nodded, not quite understanding.
Zhu Xiang asked, "Are you happy to receive the gift?"
Ying Xiaozheng nodded vigorously.
Zhu Xiang smiled and rubbed Ying Xiaozheng's face: "Just be happy! Come, uncle will help you write down the gifts in the little notebook. How about using the gifts Zheng'er received to treat the neighbors to a good meal today?"
Ying Xiaozheng was a little reluctant to give them away. It was the first time he received so many gifts.
But he looked at Zhu Xiang's smile and nodded as if possessed by a ghost: "Okay, Zheng'er will treat you."
Zhu Xiang lifted up Ying Xiaozheng and shook him, saying loudly, "Today my family will treat all the neighbors to a big dinner! Anyone who is free, come and help! We will set up a few tables at the door, and everyone who comes will have a share!"
Immediately, some villagers raised their hands to offer their help, and some wealthier villagers even ran home and asked to bring some more food.
Xianghe squeezed over and said, "I made a lot of tables and stools. Let's try to let them sit on the stools today so that their clothes won't get dirty."
Zhu Xiang looked at Xun Kuang.
Xun Kuang snorted coldly and said, "It's up to you."
Xianghe took out a jade chain from his bosom: "Birthday gift."
The jade chain with two interlocking rings was a favorite toy of nobles and scholars. The jade used to make the jade chain was green jade, which was not Lantian jade, but it was very consistent with the aesthetic taste of the Qin people.
Ying Xiaozheng couldn't let it go and started playing immediately.
Xun Kuang narrowed his eyes, snorted coldly, and ultimately did not expose Xianghe's identity in front of Lin Xiangru.
Xun Kuang put away his contemptuous look and looked at a middle-aged farmer who was helping Zhu Xiang pick up the gifts that the villagers had placed on the ground.
The farmer hesitated for a long time, fumbled in his arms for a long time, gritted his teeth and took out a scroll: "Duke Zhu Xiang, can you accept this scroll?"
"Oh, okay." Zhu Xiang had no doubts about how a farmer could suddenly pull out a book, and immediately put the book in his arms. "By the way, are you called Xu Ming?"
Xu Ming was puzzled: "Yes... Why did Duke Zhu Xiang suddenly mention my name?"
Zhu Xiang said: "Nothing, I just suddenly remembered that someone called you Xu Ming, so I just asked a question."
He observed for a long time and guessed who Xu Ming was who contributed the good seeds to him. It turned out to be the "Old Xu" who had once asked him if he was a "farmer".
When Lao Xu said "farmers", he thought it referred to people who worked on the farm, and he never thought about the various schools of thought.
Since Lao Xu’s name is on the system’s favorability list, he might be from the “farmer family” and his status is probably not low.
But he still had no clue about the man called "Juzi". No one around him had the word "Ju" in their names, so could it be that he was some unknown big shot who heard of his reputation
Zhu Xiang scratched his head and put this doubt aside. It was not important anyway.
In folk culture, holding a ceremony for a child to celebrate the first birthday of the first month of the lunar calendar is a major happy event that the whole village will come to attend. The villagers knew that Zhu Xiang had no children, and now Zhu Xiang adopted a nephew, which meant he adopted someone who would take care of him in his old age and see him to the end of his life. If he didn't hold a big ceremony, it would make people wonder about the identity of this nephew. Zhu Xiang made it a lively occasion this time.
Lian Po was not interested in the child's birthday at first, he just had someone send a gift.
When he heard that Zhu Xiang was going to hold a grand banquet in the village, he couldn't sit still and immediately rode over to join in the fun, but was again given the cold shoulder by Lin Xiangru.
Li Mu's family had many cattle and sheep sent from Yanmen County. He said that he would leave Handan soon, so he simply brought all the cattle and sheep to Zhu Xiang's house as a birthday gift for Ying Xiaozheng.
Cai Ze found a sharp iron sword from somewhere and gave it to Ying Xiaozheng. Zhu Xiang hung it around his waist, and Ying Xiaozheng pouted.
"Uncle, remember, this is mine!" Ying Xiaozheng reminded.
Zhu Xiang: "Okay, remember, come, Zheng'er, your uncle will perform a sword dance for you!"
Xun Kuang said disdainfully: "Don't embarrass yourself, go cook."
Li Mu smiled and said, "Zheng'er, do you want to see sword dancing? I'll dance for you."
Lian Po tightened his belt and said, "What's the point of dancing with swords? Come, let's fight."
Li Mu: "Ah? Hey? Wait..."
Ying Xiaozheng sat on a high chair, kicked his short legs in the air, and looked at the lively birthday party. His body and little head couldn't help shaking back and forth.
At the entrance of the village, Pingyang Jun Zhao Bao's carriage stopped under a big tree. He stood on the carriage frame, looking at the bustle in the distance.
"My Lord, why don't you let Lord Lin come to receive us?" the coachman asked in confusion.
Zhao Bao shook his head: "I won't bother him anymore, alas."
The coachman didn't understand why his master would drive to Lin Xiangru's fiefdom, and he didn't understand why his master would sigh as he watched the excitement ahead from afar.
"Go back." Zhao Bao sighed a few more times and decided not to disturb Lin Xiangru.
Not only did Lin Xiangru celebrate his birthday as a hostage of Qin, but even Lian Po and the Li family members who lived in Yanmen County came to the banquet, which made him very worried.
Or, did this matter have nothing to do with the Qin hostage, and was it really because Lin Xiangru regarded the man named Zhu Xiang as his nephew
But how could Lian Po and Li Jiazi disregard their status and come to a commoner's home to celebrate the birthday of the commoner's nephew
And these villagers, are they going to please Zhu Xiang just for the sake of their master Lin Shangqing
Zhao Bao recalled that Lin Xiangru had recommended Zhu Xiang to the emperor many times, but flatly refused when the emperor was finally willing to let Zhu Xiang enter the palace as an official.
"Is it because Lin Xiangru didn't want Zhu Xiang to become a temple servant, or is he dissatisfied with the emperor for not rewarding Zhu Xiang for increasing farmland production but for cultivating rare and precious herbs?" Zhao Bao said to himself.
He rubbed his brows and said to the coachman, "I'm not going back home. I'm going to look for Lord Pingyuan."
The coachman obeyed.
Zhao Bao sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, thinking.
Zhu Xiang had become a member of the noble family because of his status as the uncle of the Qin King. At this time, recommending Zhu Xiang to be an official was reasonable to other people in the court.
The king trusted his elder brother, Lord Pingyuan, more than him. Lord Pingyuan also liked to keep retainers, so it would be more appropriate for Lord Pingyuan to recommend Zhu Xiang.
Zhao Bao sighed, "Zhu Xiang is not important, but we cannot let Lin Xiangru and Lian Po become alienated from the emperor."
Zhao Bao had long ago persuaded King Zhao to give Lin Xiangru some face and grant Zhu Xiang an idle official position.
Lin Xiangru never asked for an official position for his family members, they all worked hard for it. Now Lin Xiangru rarely asks for an official position, even if he is a commoner, as long as Lin Xiangru recognizes him as his son or nephew, this status does not matter.
But the favorite ministers around King Zhao were unwilling to do so.
After the death of the previous king and his successor, the favorite ministers around the King of Zhao hoped to replace the positions of the old ministers of the previous dynasty such as Lin Xiangru and Lian Po, so naturally they opposed them in everything.
Although Zhao Bao knew the twists and turns in this matter, he had always been cautious and did not want to expose it.
(End of this chapter)