Xianyang Palace.
Ying Zheng sat high on it, looking a little tired.
This period of time was a time when the imperial court was planning something, and he had more things to deal with. Now that he had just returned from the Yushi Mansion, he once again devoted himself to reviewing memorials.
At this time.
A eunuch said softly: "Your Majesty, the eldest son is asking for an audience outside the palace."
Ying Zheng frowned, his furrowed cheeks did not show any emotion or anger, he simply nodded.
soon.
Fusu entered the palace.
Then he said respectfully: "My son, I will help Su to see my father."
Ying Zheng said calmly: "If you have anything to say, just tell me."
Fusu took a deep breath and said what he had thought of.
"Report to the Emperor Father."
"My minister met with Mr. Ji today and discussed with him how to strengthen our foundation."
"Mr. Ji gave a very complete suggestion regarding the current situation of the Qin Dynasty. My son came here specifically to dedicate this suggestion to his father."
Said.
Fusu took out the bamboo slip from his sleeve and raised it above his head.
Under the high platform, a eunuch bent his waist and watched every move of the First Emperor.
Be quiet for a while.
Ying Zheng still nodded.
After getting the consent of the First Emperor, the eunuch walked lightly to Fusu, carefully took the bamboo slip with both hands, and then respectfully presented it to the First Emperor's case.
Ying Zheng glanced at the bamboo slips coldly and said indifferently: "Don't submit these in the future."
"You have to have your own opinion."
Hear the words.
Fusu's face changed slightly.
He lowered his head as hard as he could and explained: "My son is not very talented and I really don't dare to make the decision."
"Please forgive me, Father."
"The strategy proposed by Ji Heng this time is very clever in the eyes of the ministers. It uses salt and iron as inducements and merchants as a breakthrough to help the court increase commercial taxes and also takes the opportunity to provoke internal strife in Guandong."
"My son noticed the subtlety of this plan, so I sent it to my father for review."
Fusu bowed again.
Listening to Fusu's words, Ying Zheng opened the bamboo slips beside the case and scanned it quickly. Then he seemed to notice something and looked at it carefully again. After thinking for a while, his brows suddenly furrowed.
Finally, Ying Zheng said coldly: "Do you really think this is a good idea?"
Fusu was stunned.
He frowned, but he didn't know why the First Emperor asked this question.
He pondered for a moment and then said bravely: "My son is stupid and has not discovered the shortcomings of this idea. Please forgive me, father."
Ying Zheng sneered and said, "I'm not proficient in economics, but most of the principles in the world are similar."
"Most of Ji Heng's ideas were influenced by Guan Zhong. Guan Zhong's reform advocated a 'salt and iron monopoly'. In my opinion, the ideas put forward by Ji Heng are no different from Guan Zhong's ideas."
Said.
Ying Zheng threw the bamboo slips under the case.
The eunuch under the case leaned over to pick up the bamboo slips and handed them back to Fusu.
Fusu had a gloomy face, took the bamboo slips in his hand, and looked at them carefully several times, but still couldn't find the problem.
finally.
Fusu smiled bitterly and said, "My son is so stupid that he really can't see the problem."
"Dare to ask Father for instruction."
Ying Zheng stared at Fusu indifferently for a moment and said, "Teaching?"
"How can there be so much to teach in the world?"
"Without the ability to see the overall situation and the ability to judge the situation, no matter how much you talk or teach, you will still turn around and forget. It is up to you to think about it yourself."
After a moment of silence, Ying Zheng still said: "You call Ji Heng's idea brilliant, has Ji Heng ever admitted it?"
Fusu thought for a moment, shook his head and said, "I never said that."
"Ji Heng only said that his ideas were not complicated, and even a bit ordinary."
"Ji Heng is self-aware of his own thoughts." Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said calmly: "His thoughts are indeed not complicated, and they are a bit too vigorous."
"His thoughts are actually no different from Guan Zhong's."
"Ji Heng actually told you very clearly that his purpose is to gain business profits!"
"In today's turbulent current situation, if you are in a whirlpool, you are destined not to care too much about local gains and losses, but to care more about overall gains and losses."
"The whole here does not refer to the world."
"But your purpose!"
Hear the words.
Fusu frowned.
Didn't really understand what he said.
Ying Zheng didn't pay attention, and said patiently and calmly: "Ji Heng's idea is brilliant."
“It’s about taking all parties into consideration.”
"I guess I'm not wrong."
"He's laying the groundwork for the future."
"As for what you praise, using inducements to stir up Guandong is not worth mentioning at all."
"It's just a little stormy."
"Merchants have a low status in the world. They have no money but no ability to protect themselves. In the greedy Kanto, they are destined not to make much waves and will only be plundered quietly."
"Businessmen just use it to buy time."
"As long as the goal is achieved."
"It doesn't matter if it's a salt and iron franchise, or it doesn't matter if it's Ji Heng's reform."
"Those are all good ways."
"Go down."
"The truth behind it, think about it yourself slowly."
Ying Zheng fluttered his sleeves, looking a little impatient.
Fusu hesitated to speak, and finally did not dare to ask any more questions, so he could only bow and leave.
Out of the hall.
Fusu stood tall, his brows still furrowed.
He still didn't understand what was wrong with Ji Heng's reform. In his opinion, Ji Heng's method was very complete and brilliant.
But since the First Emperor said this, he must have a reason.
It's just that I haven't realized it yet.
Fusu looked at the bamboo slips in his hand and thought about the First Emperor's words, but he still couldn't figure it out.
Just when I thought of the First Emperor's words that "merchants are used to buy time," I suddenly remembered what Ji Heng said. When faced with something that cannot be accomplished overnight, you can try to divide the matter into several small tasks that can be completed, and then Do it step by step.
He felt that the two seemed to have similar approaches but similar effects.
Thought for a long time.
Fusu looked back at Xianyang Palace, then at the palaces around him, sighed, and said: "My understanding of world affairs is still too shallow. I have already passed by, but I am still like a child learning for the first time, unable to see clearly the true nature of the facts. , still dreaming of letting others help clear up the doubts."
"How sad is this?!"
"It's still a wasted time after all."
Speaking of which.
He suddenly remembered what Ji Heng said last time.
Use history as a mirror.
Learn from history.
He closed his eyes slightly and said solemnly: "I have now reached the age where I can take charge of my own affairs, but I have fallen behind a lot. From now on, I should work harder to make progress, so that I can live up to my father's expectations."
He took a deep breath and turned to leave.
Not long after.
Fusu returned to Yong Palace.
He said to Wei Sheng, the eunuch who was serving him: "You will go to the Yushi Mansion later and get some history books for me."
Said.
He seemed to have remembered something, and took off the black black bird jade pendant he was wearing from his waist, handed it to Wei Sheng, and continued: "Find someone else to go to Nei Shi Mansion and ask Nei Shi Teng to arrange a few officials to go there. Investigate the past situations of the major salt and iron merchants in Guanzhong."
"The clearer the investigation, the better."
"No." Wei Sheng bowed and carefully held the jade pendant in his hand, not daring to be careless at all.
After Wei Sheng left, Fusu took out the bamboo slip from his sleeve, looked at it deeply for a few times, opened it again, and looked at it again. He still wanted to find out what his father had learned from this bamboo slip. Things that I didn't realize.
Half an hour later.
Wei Sheng came back panting.
He held a large stack of bamboo slips in his hand, almost higher than his head.
The Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed the vassals, and there were too many historical records left by various countries. Even though a lot of them were lost due to wars, the history books left behind during the 800 years of the Zhou Dynasty are still vast.
He only got back a small part this time.
that's it.
Wei Sheng was almost half dead from exhaustion.
Fusu offered his hand and put down the bamboo slips.
Wei Sheng was out of breath and said: "Young Master, there are too many bamboo slips related to historical records in the Censor's Mansion. I don't know which ones to take. I asked the Censor Zhongcheng and chose Zhao Weihan on my own."
"Please forgive me, sir."
Fusu waved his hand and said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter."
"I am using historical books to hone my insight. I have no requirements as to which vassal state it comes from or when it was established."
"This trip is really hard for you."
"Go down and rest first."
Wei Sheng took a deep breath, tried to speak as calmly as possible, and said, "Don't worry, sir, I'm not tired. I'll be around to serve you."
Said.
Wei Sheng raised his hands high and handed over the jade pendant.
Fusu glanced at Wei Sheng and finally nodded.
He took the jade pendant and put it on the case without putting it down.
Fusu sat on the table.
Putting the bamboo slips brought back by Wei Sheng at his feet, he took out one copy in order and began to read it carefully.
Ji Heng's idea was not urgent.
Now the palace is carrying out a plan, and a large number of officials are unable to get away. Moreover, the Neishi Mansion has to be given some time to investigate the past of the major salt and iron merchants in Guanzhong, which will also take a few days.
He didn't dare to relax.
Take advantage of the free time now and start filling in your knowledge.
As for the things that Ji Heng couldn't figure out in his method, he didn't insist on thinking about them and just threw them behind him.
There is no need to go to extreme lengths when your abilities are insufficient.
You just need to calm down and study with concentration. When you have accumulated enough, you will naturally figure out the reason. Why bother with mediocrity?
Several days in a row.
Fu Sudu stayed in the study room and read.
In the first few days of October, the imperial court's annual accounting meeting finally came to an end.
Some of the officials present were happy and some were sad.
As this large-scale meeting came to an end, the sounds of carriages and horses in the city increased again. One team after another, teams of cars and horses drove out of Xianyang, returning along the old road just as they came.
When they return to their respective counties, they have to convey the court's instructions.
In remote counties like Wu County and Liaodong County, a round trip takes at least more than a month.
Just as the county officials were leaving, Fusu finally received the bamboo slips from the Nei Shi Mansion. After five or six days of investigation, the Nei Shi Mansion had basically figured out the details of the major salt and iron merchants in Guanzhong.
After reading the bamboo slips sent by the Neishi Mansion, Fusu's eyes showed a cold look.
It was exactly as Ji Heng expected.
None of these merchants are really clean.
Many merchants also have inextricable connections with officials in the DPRK and Central China.
Fusu closed the bamboo slips, snorted coldly, and said: "If you really abide by the law, I would still feel a little bit unbearable, but since you all have shady secrets, don't blame Fusu for being ruthless."
"Great Qin cannot tolerate you insects, ants, snakes and rats!"
(End of chapter)
