"What's the name of the bird?"
Meng Ao cursed lowly, but his expression softened a lot, and the nerves that had been secretly tense relaxed.
He turned around and said to his curious grandson: "Jiang Shang, did you hear that? Ask me, ask a bird! If I don't teach you how to fight, why don't you ask?"
Meng Yi was trained in silence. He had already gotten used to it. He secretly wondered if there was anyone named Jiang Shang among his eldest father's old friends, but to no avail.
In the hall, Qin Chen was also thinking about whether there was any famous person named Jiang Shang in the world.
To be called by the first emperor's name and promised to be a ally, according to common sense, he is definitely not an unknown person.
The civil and military officials of the entire dynasty thought hard and meditated, but to no avail.
Except for Jiang Ziya and Jiang Shang who followed King Wu of Zhou and founded the Great Zhou Dynasty, there was no one named Jiang Shang in their memory.
[I don’t know whether this Jiang is a surname or a surname. Could he be a descendant of Jiang Qi? ]
After the First Emperor made his promise, he glanced at Yao Jia who was kneeling in front with his head down and his face expressionless.
"Yao Jia, if you can explain clearly, Prime Minister can also be with you."
Yao Jia looked up, his face full of disbelief.
The First Emperor nodded slightly, and Yao Jia was convinced that his ears had heard correctly, and his heart instantly changed from great sadness to great joy.
Compared with the prime minister who is superior to two prime ministers and has one person below ten thousand people, the position of a high minister is nothing.
When Dun was weak, Yao Jia Shang recognized him as an opponent. Both of them were unparalleled debaters who could divide the six countries.
Zongheng Hou Dun weakly ran away, and after a debate, Yao Jia thought he had no equal. Isn't this the prime minister who came to his door?
If he hadn't known the temper of the First Emperor, Yao Jia would have thought that the First Emperor was opening a back door for him.
Jiang Shang and Yao Jia have never heard of him. I wonder where this unknown person came from?
It's useless no matter how many arrogant words you say. The truth will eventually come out of your mouth.
"Your Majesty Yao Jia! I will not let you down!"
Overjoyed, Yao Jia stood up, tugged at the small tuft of goatee under his chin, and turned his thin cheek to see what someone who dared to be so rude to him looked like.
What he saw was not a human face, but a black scarf, and Yao Jia frowned slightly.
Judging from the fact that the First Emperor called the masked man by his name, the First Emperor must have known the speaker.
And in an important place such as the court meeting, the First Emperor allowed him not to show his true face to others, which was enough to prove that he was not a good person. The First Emperor's tolerance was very wide, and it changed with the intellectual talent of the object.
All the ministers in the palace sat down and waited to watch the political discussion.
The eyes he looked at Yao Jia were mostly encouraging and expectant.
He looked at the masked person with disgust and surprise.
They hope Yao Jia wins. Because the implementation of these two policies of traveling on the same track and traveling on the same road is not good for them and the noble families of the world.
When the masked man saw Yao Jia turning around, he laughed, his laughter full of contempt.
"You should be ashamed of yourself if you win a state by being your enemy."
Although Yao Jia feels that there is something wrong with him, there is absolutely no reason to look back at this point.
When he heard that the masked person was belittling him again, he immediately fought back not to be outdone.
"A few years ago, there was a man in the family who looked down on Jia like a king. His name was Han Fei. What Jia said to Han Fei was still engraved in his heart even after a few years.
"Han Fei said that Yao Jia carried pearls and jade as envoys to the four countries for three years. Those four countries may not have sincerely formed an alliance with Qin, but the jewelry has entered the palaces of the four countries.
"This is actually Yao Jia using Your Majesty's power and national treasure to secretly make friends with the princes, hoping that Your Majesty will be aware of it. It is also said that Yao Jia was originally the gatekeeper of Wei State and stole Wei people's belongings.
"Later, when he was an official in the State of Zhao, he was expelled from the country. His Majesty appointed Yao Jia, a gatekeeper, a thief of the Wei State, and a minister of the Zhao State to participate in the decision-making of national affairs.
"It's hard to motivate all the ministers by doing this. Han Fei said that Jia took it as a credit to deceive the emperor, and your majesty also rewarded Jia. The ministers would be chilled if they knew it.
"At that time, Jia was so embarrassed and angry that he didn't know how to deal with himself. Now Jia is still standing here, and Han Fei died because he didn't go to Qin. What's the difference between you, sir, and Han Fei back then?"
At the beginning, Yao Jia led a convoy of one hundred cars, carrying one thousand catties of gold.
Wearing clothes gifted by King Qin, wearing a hat gifted by King Qin, and wearing a sword gifted by King Qin around his waist, he went on a mighty mission to the four kingdoms.
In the past three years, he continued to use heavy sums of money to bribe powerful people in various countries. He also used the art of communication and a sharp tongue to lobby in the courts of various countries.
The four countries that were originally united to attack Qin each gave birth to their own ghosts, and they were all unwilling to send troops. Therefore, the so-called alliance to resist Qin naturally collapsed, and they made great contributions to Qin.
Everyone in the Qin State praised him, and the First Emperor immediately worshiped him as a minister.
Just when Yao Jia was proud of his horse hoof disease and his life was at its most glorious, Han Fei jumped out and accused Yao Jia with the above remarks.
The criticism of Yao Jia's shortcomings is based on all aspects of Yao Jia's psychology, background, and past.
But the pragmatic First Emperor didn't care about this. What the First Emperor saw was the fact that the Four Kingdoms had collapsed and the Qin State was stable. This is credit and this is the reality.
Therefore, even the idol Han Fei was not believed by the First Emperor.
Yao Jia therefore harbored a grudge against Han Fei and added fuel to the flames before the First Emperor ordered Han Fei to be imprisoned in Xianyang.
Yao Jia, who didn't know that Han Fei wanted to die on his own initiative, always thought that Han Fei died under his own lips. Most of the courtiers who didn't know the truth also believed that.
Therefore, there was not a single curse word in this long speech from beginning to end. It seemed like he was telling his own embarrassing story, but it was actually a reminder to everyone present.
This man named Jiang Shang, none of the previous remarks that slandered him, Yao Jia, were true or to the point. They were all personal attacks.
Han Fei was recognized in the Qin State as someone who did not belong to Qin at heart. Yao Jia said that Jiang Shang was different from him and was just following a template.
Let the First Emperor understand that Jiang Shang's rhetoric was not about government affairs, but his heart was like Han Fei's.
The First Emperor valued Qin the most, and Yao Jia planted the seeds in his heart that his heart was not toward Qin. No matter how much the First Emperor valued Jiang Shang's talent before, he would find it intolerable later on.
No matter how talented Jiang Shang is, how can he compare to Han Feisheng who won the title of "child" in the world? If you are talented and don't go to the Qin State, it will be useless, just go to Xianyang Prison and kill him.
Jiang Shang, the masked man, was slightly frightened. He did not expect that Yao Jia, a famous man who became famous in Qin after he went fishing in Chang'an Jun's Mansion, could be so powerful.
The traps dug by these short words and the hidden opportunities made it difficult for me, who has been dealing with the government affairs of a country all year round, to see clearly all of them.
Attack, defense, frame-up, guidance, taking advantage of the situation...the words covered everything, completely dispelling the slightest hint of contempt that had just arisen in Jiang Shang's heart.
He couldn't help but sigh that under the great reputation, there are no good people, and there are many capable people under Ying Zheng. If this Yao Jia enters the palace, there will be one more person with a nickname in Chang'an Jun's palace.
The ministers are all human beings. From Yao Jia's words, even a stupid person can hear at least three meanings, and they all couldn't help but cheer in the dark heart.
Looking at Jiang Shang, who was sitting at the back of the seat, most of his eyes turned to joking.
[If it were the principles of heaven and earth, Buwei would have lost if he argued with Yao Jia at this moment. ]
[But this time it is a matter of human affairs rather than natural law. How can you break down the argument that I and Xiao'er have had for several years with just a moment of thinking? ]
[If your heart is not public but private, how can you defeat me, Lu Buwei? ]
Lu Buwei, whose pseudonym is Jiang Shang, straightened his back.
"It's not that I don't dare to tell the truth, but I'm afraid that if I tell the truth, not many princes in the court will be able to sit down peacefully. Since you want to listen, I will follow your wish."
As soon as he started talking, the hearts of all the ministers began to beat violently, their holes were enlarged, and they had a strong premonition of bad things.
This kind of scene is very familiar to them.
Their eyes involuntarily glanced at a political discussion, squeezing out Li Si, the Prime Minister of the Hu Dynasty, and the Prime Minister of the Left.
Li Si, who was only Tingwei six months ago, is very good at eloquence, but in the end he won not by his eloquence, but by daring to speak, relying on being crazy, relying on madness, and relying on not following the rules.
[Should I stop him...]
The ministers thought about this and looked at the two prime ministers, the nine ministers, and the generals who were in high positions in Qin.
Prime Minister Wang Wan on the right, Feng Quji and Zong Zheng, the imperial censors, Prime Minister Li Si on the left, veteran general Meng Ao, Nei Shi Mengyi, Feng Chang, Zhi Su Nei Shi Fu Zikang...
These people who stood at the top of Qin's official positions turned a blind eye to the looks cast by those in lower positions and did not give any explicit hints.
The person who guided the current situation last time was called Wei Zang. Although he was able to escape unscathed in the end, it was because of the mercy of the First Emperor.
Those who are familiar with the First Emperor do not think that the First Emperor, who was able to move Yao Jia to the throne with just one sentence, would still be so kind today.
"The width of wheels varies from place to place, and there is no fixed number. When Qin's chariots rush to Zhao, they need to replace Zhao's chariots. When Zhao's chariots go to South Korea, they also need to replace Korean chariots. Why do you need to explain this inconvenience in words? Those who have eyesight You will have seen it. Is your name blind? Why did you turn a blind eye?"
In ancient times, there were dirt roads. After repeated rolling by the wheels, two hard lanes with the same width as the wheels would be formed.
When the horse-drawn carriage is transported over long distances, keeping the wheels on the hard roadway and running smoothly can significantly reduce animal power consumption and axle wear, just like modern vehicles walking on asphalt roads.
If you don't change the local car halfway, the rut will not be matched. This will cause serious wear and tear on the vehicle, causing it to travel slowly, causing all kinds of harm and no benefit.
After hearing what Lu Buwei said, Yao Jia found that what he said was not what he thought. He lost his panic and whispered leisurely.
"Spring, summer, autumn and winter, the scenery of the four seasons is different. Bashan and Chushui, the customs and folk customs are different. The carriage tracks in different places are different. This is the color of the world.
"There are chariot and horse shops all over the country that make a living from this, and they specialize in changing carriages. When people are tired from traveling, they go to a post station to rest, and the carriage has been changed by the next day. Those who benefit from the chariot and horse trade maintain their health, what is the disadvantage of this? "
Lu Buwei's eyes exposed outside the mask were as cold as ice, and Yao Jia's brows that had just relaxed were frowned again.
“The carriage and horse shops everywhere are opened by the remnants of the Six Kingdoms. Merchants transport goods in all directions and have to pay for the change of carriages.
"This kind of banditry is actually a good thing in your mouth. Zhuzi said that my heart is not towards Qin. I think you just want to raise money for the remnants of the six countries to restore the country."
Although these words were vicious, Yao Jia didn't take it to heart. His contribution to Qin was to alienate the six countries. He would not think of revenge from the six countries.
He was about to list his past achievements to refute Lu Buwei, but he didn't expect that Lu Buwei would absolve him of the crime first.
"My knowledge of these words is not enough to prove it. Shuzi's mission to the Four Kingdoms was witnessed by all. But you must know that words and doctrines should not hurt others, and a daimyo should not take killing people as his own responsibility.
"You have made great contributions to the establishment of the Qin Dynasty. The fiefdom your Majesty has given you should be a big deal. Today, your Majesty has taken down the official position of Shangqing. I guess if you can't argue with me today, you should go to the fiefdom.
"I wonder how many horses are needed to pull your carriage in the fiefdom?"
[Here we come...this madman is really going to shake things up! ]
The ministers' hearts suddenly lifted.
Yao Jia looked solemn and felt a little thump in his heart, secretly thinking it was not good.
He said in a deep voice: "One."
The First Emperor had already changed the system and required the royal chariot he rode to be drawn by four horses.
How dare the carriages of other ministers use more horses than the First Emperor's royal carriage, at least not in Guanzhong.
Lu Buwei sneered.
"Is this really so? I will try my best to save you, a hypocrite. I guess after you return to the fiefdom, the carriage you will ride in will have no less than six horses!"
Yao Jia, the officials, the noble families, and the nobles all cursed Lu Buwei in their hearts.
In the past, the number of horses pulling a carriage symbolized the status of the nobility.
In their respective fiefdoms, nobles dared to pull carts with up to eight horses to show their noble status.
In Xianyang City, the First Emperor knew that these nobles would only dare to pull a cart with two horses at most.
But when he returned to the fiefdom, which was beyond the reach of the First Emperor, no one cared about the six-horse or eight-horse carriage. Otherwise, how could he show that he was different from those untouchables?
A few horse-drawn carts are nothing in the eyes of modern people, but in this era, the difference between an eight-horse cart and a one-horse cart is like the difference between a luxury car worth tens of millions and a scooter worth tens of thousands.
A status symbol.
"False words without evidence."
Yao Jia, who was arguing, said in a deep voice.
"I haven't finished speaking yet. The carriages on the same track will fix the ruts. You are not allowed to ride six or eight-horse carriages. You can only ride one horse or two carriages. You will not like it."
Cars drawn by six or eight horses weigh differently than carts drawn by one or two horses, and their wheels are also different.
If the implementation of cars on the same track continues, rut fixing is equivalent to track fixation, and carriages with six or eight horses will damage the track.
"During the Zhou Dynasty, all the chariots in the world were on the same track. Why are the wheels and track widths different when countries are separated? This is for defense! The ruts are different. Qin's chariots cannot run on the Zhao Avenue. However, Zhao's chariots can charge and transport goods on the ruts. , you should be able to occupy the advantageous position on your own land. Today, under the unification, you don’t want to keep the ruts of the fiefdom on the same track. Who do you want to guard against? Your Majesty? Da Qin? "
The faces of the officials could still remain unchanged, but the person involved, Yao Jia, immediately turned pale and shouted angrily.
"Absurd! Ridiculous! I am absolutely loyal! Please provide real evidence!"
Lu Buwei ignored Yao Jia who asked him to provide real evidence. The political commentary was not a review. It was just a guess. To put it nicely, it was called a outlook.
"The Daqin enactment of the law on the same track for vehicles will enable roads across the country to be converted into hard lanes of the same width within a few years. Not only will it reduce the cost of transporting goods and passengers, but it will also help the imperial army have the ability to quickly bring supplies with them. To any county in the country. This is of course not good for you. You are afraid that the Xianyang army will arrive at any time and your fiefdom will not be able to have its own independence."
