Yong Temple.
Fusu stood tall.
He kept slapping his palms with bamboo slips, his eyes flashing with sharp light.
He was thinking about how to persuade Ji Heng tomorrow. With Ji Heng's cold attitude, he probably didn't want to get involved in these things.
But what Zhang Cang said makes sense.
What Da Qin lacks now is time. If other officials are asked to do it, they can certainly do it, but it may deviate from what Ji Heng expected. It will take some time to make corrections in the future.
This is not what Fusu wants to see.
But how to persuade Ji Heng is a headache.
Fusu lowered his head, looked at the bamboo slip in his hand, put it aside casually, and said in a low voice: "My father also doesn't understand economics, but he is very familiar with the principles of the world, but he can see the strangeness after a few times."
"I've seen it so many times and I still don't realize it."
"The gap in insight is too huge."
"And the reason why my father told me not to submit it again is because I have already guessed that there is not everything in it, so I don't want to waste my energy on it."
"For my father, the results are more important."
"If you don't accumulate steps, you can't reach a thousand miles; if you don't accumulate small streams, you can't reach a river or sea."
"My father and Mr. Ji have told me these truths a long time ago, but I have not fully understood them. Even after listening to Mr. Ji's method, I am still a little eager for quick success. However, I have not seen the whole picture, so how can I just talk about it?"
Fusu took a deep breath, adjusted his mind, and regained his inner calm.
He no longer thought about it.
The next day.
The sky is as white as jade.
Fusu went alone to visit Ji Heng.
He was holding two bottles of wine in his hands.
When Fusu arrived at the small courtyard where Ji Heng lived, Ji Heng was cultivating land in the courtyard holding a chu.
See this.
Fusu asked curiously: "Mr. Ji, what are you doing?"
Ji Heng did not raise his head, still bent over, hoeing a small piece of land in the front yard.
Fusu looked embarrassed.
However, he knew that this was Ji Heng's temper, so he didn't take it to heart. Instead, he went to the courtyard and put the wine in his hand on the table.
His movements were slight.
But it all fell into Ji Heng's eyes.
Ji Heng looked at the two pots of wine on the table, cherishing the words like gold and saying: "Farming."
"Farming?" Fusu frowned.
Ji Heng's expression remained as usual, "I am alone, I have no talents, and I have no land in Xianyang. The five ordinary vegetables are not to my liking, so I can only borrow the fenced land in the courtyard to grow some wild vegetables."
"Just treat it as a daily relief."
"Besides."
"Fire, rice, oil, and salt will be settled by the court."
"I also want to try to improve my quality of life."
Fusu was thoughtful.
He had never actually worked in the fields. Although he did participate in farming with the First Emperor a few times during the Mengchun season, it was basically just a few hoeings with a leisi in his hands, nothing more.
He stood aside and said, "Mr. Ji, I came here today to ask for something."
"The iron salt matter was brought up by your husband. I want to ask you to come forward and interview the merchants. I know that you don't want to show up, but you also know that Daqin can't make any more mistakes now. This matter has exposed the world to everyone." The connection is tight and nothing can go wrong.”
“If it’s not handled properly, it could be counterproductive.”
"Sir, please take action."
Fusu made a long bow.
Ji Heng did not answer directly, but asked: "Have you ever had contact with traders, lackeys, or officials in the head of Guizhou?"
Fusu was stunned and shook his head.
Ji Heng put down the cypress in his hand and said to Fusu: "You can experience it now. As the eldest son of the Qin Dynasty, learning is essential, but only through books, what you learn is external after all. Only through down-to-earth hard work and practice can you develop your own way of doing politics."
"Whether it's princes, ministers, three religions, traders, or lackeys, their existence has been throughout the entire history of China. If we haven't had an in-depth experience, the breadth and depth of our vision are destined to be limited."
Fusu looked at the mud-covered crest with a trace of hesitation in his eyes. After pondering for a moment, he went over and took the crest in his hand. Following Ji Heng's example, he tiptoed on the ground and tried it on.
Ji Heng wiped the sweat stains with a sweat towel, sat leisurely on his recliner, and said seriously: "Those who achieve great things do not stick to trivial matters, but they must always learn to base themselves on the present and choose what is beneficial."
"If you have anything to ask, you can ask now."
"I have time now."
Fusu looked at the cypress in his hand, with a wry smile on his face, and said: "I actually don't have much to ask, I just want to ask your husband to take action in case things don't go as expected in the end."
"But it seems that what you provided is incomplete?" Fusu's eyes narrowed and he asked tentatively.
"It's not incomplete, just do what you can do first. As for what you can't do, even if you say it, what's the point?" Ji Heng held the wine bottle in his hand and looked up and down.
Fusu asked: "May I ask for details?"
Ji Heng glanced at Fusu indifferently, "Do you really want to know?"
Fusu nodded.
"Since you want to know, it's okay to tell you." Ji Heng chuckled and said slowly: "What I told you, the biggest problem is pricing. The court's pricing is actually no different from that of a franchise, except for taxation. It’s more hidden.”
"The biggest reason is 'official property'."
"It can also be said to be a civilian property."
"To me, there is not much difference between the two, but in fact they are both inaccurate. To be precise, those who produce salt and iron should be a collective, and then the merchants negotiate with the collective, and the court notarizes it."
"The imperial court has only performed the functions of supervision and tax collection from beginning to end."
"It does not participate in any production and transportation management."
Fusu frowned.
He doesn't understand what 'collective' is?
Is it an official? Or the people?
But he did not hesitate and asked: "Then why didn't you explain it at that time?"
Ji Heng said: "Because it can't be done."
"Nowadays, the Qin Dynasty cannot even stabilize the world, so how can we aim high and high? It is certainly a good thing to have high-minded ideas, but it must be combined with reality, and people must be down-to-earth."
"Become the people."
"Da Qin still has a long way to go."
Hear the words.
Fusu's pupils narrowed.
He looked at Ji Heng sharply, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
He had realized that the reason why Ji Heng was willing to take action was not really to save Qin, but to try to use Qin to complete what he called the 'world revolution'.
Fusu's eyes were slightly cold: "Sir, you've gone too far."
Ji Heng chuckled, took a sip, and said calmly: "You don't have to be so nervous. The changes I want are different from the past reforms. I don't want the world to be turbulent, only peace and tranquility. Some of the things I want to do, Only then can we have the opportunity to realize it.”
"My purpose and yours are now the same."
"Does the First Emperor know?" Fusu asked.
"When you presented this idea, didn't you already know the answer?" Ji Heng chuckled.
Hear the words.
Fusu was stunned.
But he didn't understand that there was no answer.
He looked deeply at Ji Heng, but Ji Heng had no intention of saying anything more and just drank by himself.
Fusu frowned, recalling the scene of meeting the First Emperor in his mind. After recalling it several times, he suddenly raised his head and realized the problem.
Bamboo slips.
That bamboo slip written by myself!
That's the problem.
Although the above content was written word by word by himself, it might not be that Ji Heng was using his own hands to inform the First Emperor of the matter.
This is not actually telling.
But a test.
Ji Heng and the First Emperor seemed to have agreed on something when they first met. However, Ji Heng seemed to be worried, so he deliberately used some "inappropriate" content to conduct a test in order to test the First Emperor. Real attitude.
The First Emperor's attitude was very firm.
When he went to meet the First Emperor, before he presented the bamboo slips, the First Emperor directly told him not to tell anything related to Ji Heng in the future.
The First Emperor later said it bluntly.
As long as the purpose can be achieved, it is a good method.
Think of this.
A trace of bitterness appeared on Fusu's face.
He already figured it out.
The "major political reforms" that his father told him at the beginning were not meant for him, but for Ji Heng. From the beginning to the end, he was just the go-between between his father and Ji Heng.
It’s just that I take myself too seriously.
It doesn't matter what Ji Heng said, nor does it matter what is written on the bamboo slips.
What matters is the attitude of the First Emperor.
It's trust!
When he took the incomplete content, met the First Emperor, and then took the initiative to ask Ji Heng to take action, Ji Heng already understood the First Emperor's attitude.
From beginning to end.
It was just Ji Heng and Shi Huang talking.
It has nothing to do with yourself!
The first emperor's request for himself was not to turn the tide, but to learn to be down-to-earth by Ji Heng's side, and not to rely on the knowledge in books all day long.
Fusu's expression changed again and again. Finally, he put down his hair and bowed respectfully, "Fusu is rude. Please forgive me, sir."
Ji Heng nodded slightly.
He waved his sleeves and asked Fusu to continue hoeing.
Fusu looked at the hoe at his feet, smiled bitterly, held it in his hand honestly, and started hoeing the ground calmly.
Ji Heng said slowly: "I can take action, but there is a condition."
"I want one ten thousandth of the commercial tax on salt and iron as a reward."
"But the money will be kept by you. When I need money, I will ask someone to ask you for money."
"If there is any balance at the end of the year, the rest will be given to you."
Fusu nodded in agreement.
He actually didn't expect it to go so smoothly.
Now that I heard Ji Heng agreed, I couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
Immediately, he said: "Mr. Ji, we have collected all the information about the major salt and iron merchants in Guanzhong. I will send someone to deliver it as soon as I return."
"As long as you have those things, bring them with you when you agree to meet with the merchant. I don't need to look at them." Ji Heng shook his head.
"That's fine." Fusu nodded and said, "I wonder what identity Mr. Ji is planning to reveal to others?"
Hear the words.
Ji Heng hesitated uncomfortably.
He looked around himself, and saw that he was already covered in the worldly atmosphere of the world, and had long since lost the cynicism and hatred that a young man should have.
If it were his first life, he would shamelessly call himself 'Comrade', 'Davarish', and even proudly call himself 'Desai', combining the title of Mr. De and Mr. Sai.
But now, he no longer has the courage and courage.
I really don’t dare to offend.
Even less qualified.
Ji Heng raised his head, looked at the pure and flawless sky, and murmured: "In this ever-changing situation, I, Ji Heng, am not as good as the superiors, but more than the inferiors. I have wasted endless years, and I have barely mastered the mediocrity."
"in this way."
"Just call me Mr. Zhong."
"If you can realize your lifelong ambition, you will die in this world."
"If you can't, you will die for yourself."
"Mr. Zhong" Ji Heng chewed it several times in his mouth, finally nodded with satisfaction and said with a happy expression: "This is a very good name."
"Very good!"
Er Yang is almost done, I will start updating the 10,000 words tomorrow.
(End of chapter)
