In the Hu Mansion at dusk, the white silk silk was still hanging under the eaves, and the servants guarding the gate were still wearing white clothes.
The customs and habits of the Qin State were slightly different from those of the Central Plains. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the rites made by Confucius were prevalent, so it was said: The emperor will be buried on the seventh day and buried in the seventh month. The princes were buried on the fifth day and buried in the fifth month. Officials, scholars, and common people were buried in three days and buried in three days.
During the Warring States Period, with the disappearance of the Zhou royal family, funerals gradually became more popular.
"When a prince or noble is in mourning, the coffin must be heavy, the burial must be thick, the quilts must be many, the embroidery must be complicated, and the hills and dragons must be huge. If the dead are kept by ordinary people and sluts, the family will be exhausted. If the dead of princes are kept, the treasury will be empty. Mansion, then the gold, jade, and pearls will be as large as the body, and the strings will be economical, and the chariots and horses will be hidden in the kuang. There will also be many curtains, cauldrons, drums, wooden kettles, pots, swords, feathers, teeth, leather, sleeping and burying them, and you will be satisfied. . If someone marries his subordinates, it is said that the emperor and the princes will kill and martyre him, and the number of the common people will be several hundred, and the number of the few will be dozens. The general will kill and martyre the great ones, and the number of the number and number of the few will be several dozen."
In one sentence, it describes that thick burials became popular among the princes, and slowly developed, affecting the noble families in all the princes in the world.
In the Qin State, fortunately during the period of Qin Xiangong, Qin Xiangong completely abolished the practice of human sacrifice, so the practice of human sacrifice was not passed down. However, although there was no human sacrifice, this also resulted in the gentry having no choice but to bury alive people because there were no human sacrifices. Let’s start with the funerary objects in heavy burials, which has also led to more emphasis on funerary objects than before.
Hu Quan was a minister of Qin during his lifetime. After his death, Ying Zheng personally ordered a grand burial. Therefore, the excavation of the tomb and the burial objects were not yet ready.
In the eyes of the world, there is nothing wrong with waiting for Mr. Hu's coffin for so long. On the contrary, the longer the preparation time, the more people can appreciate the grandness and scale of Hu Quan's burial. This is something that many famous families have to do. Things that are desired but not achieved, after all, apart from financial resources, if you want to reach a certain scale, you need the permission of the king.
In the yard.
Sima Xing, Hu Jin, Bai Yu, Bai Bo and others were talking in the courtyard with the gentry who came to express their condolences, and also explained matters that the servants should pay attention to on their way to Luoyin.
Luoyin is Bai Yan's fiefdom. There is no need to worry about anyone daring to disrespect Mr. Hu's mausoleum. In addition, Hu Jin, Hu Wujing, Bai Yu, Sima Xing, and Sima Chang were all ministers of the Qin State. Mr. Hu is buried in Luoyin. , they can visit easily, neither the Bai family nor the Sima family are willing to let Mr. Hu go to a remote place for burial.
"came back!"
Suddenly, Hu Jin, who was chatting with others along with Bai Yu, saw a familiar figure coming from the corridor in the direction of the door in the distance.
Looking at that figure, Hu Jin's haggard face revealed a touch of relief.
Since the time when Korea was destroyed, that young man has unknowingly become a household name.
"That kid is finally back!"
Following Hu Jin's words, Bai Yu, as well as Uncle Bai, Sima Xing and others in the distance, also noticed the young man's figure. When the figure approached, Bai Yu showed a smile.
"uncle!"
Bai Yan raised his hand and saluted Bai Yu, Hu Jin, Sima Xing, Bai Bo and others in turn.
"Go and see Mr. Hu first."
When Bai Yu saw Bai Yan, he seemed to remember how Mr. Hu protected Bai Yan again and again in the court, facing the ministers who were admonishing Bai Yan, and his eyes turned slightly red.
"Before Mr. Hu died, he was still worried about you when he learned about your kid's assassination."
Bai Yu said, there is no need to say more, one sentence is enough.
Bai Yu's words made Bai Yan's heart tremble, and thinking of Mr. Hu's appearance, he felt full of guilt.
In the backyard of Hu Mansion.
"Eldest sister! Eldest sister, he is back, and father asked you to send him the 'five clothes'!"
Bai Yingxue hurriedly came to the room with her servants, came to the eldest sister Bai Junzhu who was chatting with Feng Hui, and said breathlessly.
"Um!"
Bai Junzhu was stunned when he heard what his younger sister said, but then he stood up and looked at Feng Hui: "Junzhu, please excuse me!"
Thinking of the young man's appearance in his mind, Bai Junzhu didn't know why he was so excited right now.
"Go!"
Feng Hui nodded.
Looking at the back of Bai Junzhu saying goodbye, Feng Hui was full of emotion, that is, only Bai Yan could make Bai Junzhu, who had always been calm in the past, look like this.
In the main hall.
When Bai Junzhu came to the main hall carrying the wooden tray and the 'five clothes', the first thing he saw was the young man kneeling in front of the coffin.
The five clothes are derived from five different kinds of mourning clothes in ancient times. For example, they are made of the thickest raw linen cloth with uncut edges on the outside. They are made of thicker linen cloth with neatly sewn edges. There are daigong etc. made of the thickest cooked linen cloth.
There are five different kinds of mourning clothes, so when the five clothes were passed down later, the linen was replaced by softer fabrics, but the name of the clothes still continued to be called the five clothes.
Bai Junzhu came to Bai Yan with the five clothes, slowly knelt down, put the wooden plate on the ground, and looked at Bai Yan's side face next to him. At this time, Bai Junzhu could clearly see the tears on the young man's cheeks.
Do not know why.
This scene made Bai Junzhu feel for the first time that young people also have moments of vulnerability.
Without saying any words of comfort, Bai Junzhu knew that the young man needed to be quiet at this time, so he silently reached out and took out five servings from the wooden plate.
Bai Yingxue also stepped forward to help at this time. If the eldest sister Bai Junzhu is Bai Yan's wife, then she is naturally the sister-in-law. Now the eldest sister cannot help Bai Yan put on the five clothes alone. As the sister-in-law, she naturally has to help.
"Thank you!"
It was also the first time for Bai Yan to put on the fifth suit. He raised his hand and after putting it on, he looked at Bai Junzhu gratefully.
"Um!"
Seeing Bai Yan's eyes, Bai Junzhu nodded slightly. After sorting out Bai Yan's five clothes, he left with his younger sister Bai Yingxue. At this time, Bai Yan needed to be alone and accept this fact.
In front of the coffin.
As Bai Junzhu and Bai Yingxue left, Bai Yan looked at the coffin in front of him. When he thought that the person lying inside was Mr. Hu who had protected him in the past, Bai Yan felt depressed and extremely uncomfortable.
Growing up, Mr. Hu was one of the few people who had always taken care of him. Although he was not a blood relative, he was like an elder, protecting him in the court all the time.
Tears had already flowed when he got the news, but Bai Yu's words made Bai Yan still tremble in his heart. At this moment, Bai Yan wanted to see Mr. Hu with his own eyes again, even if he could say it to Mr. Hu personally. A cry of gratitude.
It's getting dark.
Brothers Hu Jin and Hu Wujing asked Bai Yan to have dinner, and then went to rest. After all, Bai Yan had been traveling all the way back during this period, so it was not suitable to keep vigil.
Bai Yan did not refuse. This was not because Bai Yan did not want to keep vigil, but after learning that Mr. Hu's coffin would be buried in Luoyin in two days, Bai Yan had already planned to go to Luoyin to guard Mr. Hu's mausoleum for a period of time. , but this matter must be reported to Ying Zheng and obtained Ying Zheng's permission, and before going to Luoyin to observe filial piety, Bai Yan also has to report the affairs of Chu State to Ying Zheng.
Late at night.
In a room in the Hu Mansion, Bai Yan was writing on bamboo slips with a pen and ink under the candlelight.
A scroll of bamboo slips records in detail the forces of the Chu State, which ones are available, which nobles can cause chaos in the Chu State, who can instigate rebellion, the festivals between the nobles, and the approximate military strength that the Chu State can provide. If there is a war, Chu State will How many thousands of troops can the country's grain reserves supply, and how long can it last?
Bai Yan wrote all of this completely and accurately in a scroll of bamboo slips, and also attached a route for the Qin army to attack.
Don't underestimate the power of the gentry. If you think about Guo Kai back then, you will know that whether it is for profit or coercion, as long as there are people with power to act as internal agents, destroying the country will be more effective with half the effort.
The most important thing is that Bai Yan also analyzed very rigorously that the attack on Chu State must not be rushed. Chu State has a vast territory and many remote places. It has a vast territory and a large number of people. The power of the Chu State's gentry is deeply rooted. Unless Han and Zhao were comparable before, if the gentry of Chu State could not be destroyed, Chu State would not be destroyed.
The next day.
Bai Junzhu knocked on the door, but no one responded, so he opened the door. What caught his eye was Bai Yan, who was sleeping soundly on the wooden table. On the wooden table beside him, seven books were placed neatly. Eight volumes of bamboo slips.
Bai Junzhu came to the wooden table and looked at the sleeping Bai Yan lying on the wooden table. Only then did he realize that Bai Yan had not slept all night.
Seeing the tired look on Bai Yan's side face, Bai Junzhu couldn't bear to disturb him, but thinking that Bai Yan hadn't eaten for so long, he still gently reached out and pushed Bai Yan's shoulder.
"Um?"
When Bai Yan woke up in a daze, he opened his eyes. After seeing Bai Junzhu, he quickly sat up and looked around, then looked out the window.
"Uncle Hu asked you to go over and have lunch! Come back and rest after eating!"
Bai Junzhu said to Bai Yan.
At dawn, Bai Junzhu came from Bai Mansion to Hu Mansion, and heard his father and uncle saying that Bai Yan might have been too tired from the journey and hadn't woken up yet, so he wanted Bai Yan to rest more, so he didn't ask anyone to call Bai Yan. She got up to eat, but Bai Yan was nowhere to be seen until lunch. Her uncle and uncle were worried, so they asked her to come over and have a look.
"Okay, please tell uncle that Bai Yan still has some trivial matters. When they are sorted out, Bai Yan will go to have a meal!"
Bai Yan endured his sleepiness, shook his head, and said to Bai Junzhu, then reached out to pick up the brush on the wooden table, dipped it in ink, and continued to write word by word on the bamboo slips in front of the wooden table.
Bai Junzhu's grandfather, Bai Zhong, will take Uncle Bai, Bai Yan and others to Luoyin in advance tomorrow.
There isn't much time left.
Mr. Hu was kind to him and always regarded him as a junior. He was not in Xianyang before, but now that he is back, he will go to Luoyin no matter what.
"Let me help you sharpen your ink!"
Bai Junzhu looked at Bai Yan's persistent look and hesitated with her beautiful eyes for a while. She didn't persuade her any more, and she didn't leave in a hurry. Instead, she came to Bai Yan's side, knelt down, looked at the ink that was almost dry, and stretched out her hand to gently help Bai Yan grind it. ink.
Bai Junzhu's move made Bai Yan look aside. Although he was a little surprised, Bai Yan did not refuse.
I don’t know how long it took.
After Bai Yan finished writing the bamboo slips one by one, the sun was setting outside the window again. Under Bai Junzhu's worried eyes, Bai Yan was still concentrating on writing the bamboo slips.
Perhaps it was because Bai Junzhu and Bai Yan stayed in the room for too long. Just when Bai Yan was about to finish writing, footsteps were heard outside the room. Then Bai Yingxue, wearing white mourning clothes, suddenly came to the study door and met Bai Junzhu's feeling. The cold eyes were different. Bai Yingxue's big eyes looked curiously at the eldest sister in the room, and then focused on Bai Yan.
Before Bai Yingxue could say anything, behind Bai Yingxue, except for the maid, Hu Jin and Bai Yu had already walked into the door.
"uncle!"
When Bai Yan heard the noise and saw Hu Jin and Bai Yu approaching, he put down his brush and stood up to salute them.
"uncle!"
Bai Junzhu also stood up and stood beside Bai Yan.
"Why are you in the room all day?"
Hu Jin, who was wearing mourning clothes, frowned, looked at Bai Yan's eyes that were already bloodshot, and asked with concern.
There was also some anger on Bai Yu's tired cheeks at this moment. He glanced at Bai Junzhu with some dissatisfaction, then looked at Bai Yan with a hint of anger, and then looked at the bamboo slips on the wooden table with some confusion, and slowly Step forward, pick up a roll and look at it.
At this moment, Bai Yu wanted to know what Bai Yan had been doing in the study all day since last night, and why he had endured such a hard time.
Hu Jin looked at the bamboo slips in Bai Yu's hand. As the two of them looked at each other, his expression suddenly became serious. Especially when he saw Bai Yan's analysis of the Chu State and his advice on attacking the Chu State. I don’t know, but it seems that Bai Yan’s trip to the border of Qin and Chu was not as useless as everyone imagined.
Hu Jin stood next to Bai Yu. After reading the bamboo slips, he changed his appearance and looked at Bai Yan solemnly. Then he stepped forward, picked up another rolled up bamboo slips, and opened it to read.
"Were these all found during this trip?"
After Hu Jin read the bamboo slips in his hand, his face changed from solemn at first to shocked later, and his tone was a bit unbelievable.
"What happened? Where did your kid go this time?"
Bai Yu was not much better than Hu Jin. He looked at Bai Yan. At this moment, Bai Yu knew why Bai Yan had to write these bamboo slips even if he endured physical pain. For such an important thing, if they hadn't come here, they wouldn't have done it. Know.
What puzzles Bai Yu even more is how did this boy Bai Yan learn about such an important and very obscure matter. It would be difficult for even Yao Jia to know most of the contents in this bamboo slip. This boy Where do you know it from?
"This matter cannot be known to others. For now, I forgive Bai Yan for not being able to explain it!"
Bai Yan looked at Bai Yu and Hu Jin, raised his hands and said, indicating that there were many people in the mansion and the news would spread if they were not careful.
When Bai Yu heard Bai Yan's words, he saw that there were maids and servants behind him and even outside the door. Moreover, there were people coming and going outside, so it was really not appropriate to talk. He looked at Hu Jin. At this time, both of them were aware of the importance. Seeing Hu Jin After Jin nodded,
"You will stay in Xianyang during this trip."
Bai Yu turned around and spoke to Bai Yan, since Bai Yan had such an important matter.
"No, Bai Yan must go to Luoyin for this trip!"
Bai Yan shook his head and spoke before Bai Yu finished speaking. Although his face was a little haggard, his bloodshot eyes were more determined than ever before, with a hint of sadness and stubbornness.
Bai Yan's appearance caught the eyes of Bai Yu and Hu Jin. Listening to Bai Yan's words, they thought of Bai Yan's actions from last night to now, and his purpose was to go to Luoyin.
For a moment, both Bai Yu and Hu Jin fell silent.
Hu Jin thought of his father, and then looked at Bai Yan.
"How long will it take? If you can continue writing, my uncle will take you to the palace later!"
Hu Jin asked.
Bai Yu looked at Hu Jin in surprise, but did not refute. This matter was too important, and it would be too long to delay.
"Just a little while longer!"
Bai Yan said, then returned to the wooden table again, picked up the pen and ink, and started writing in front of the wooden table.
inside the room.
Bai Yan continued to write, slowly completing the subsequent analysis and advice on Chu. On the other side, Bai Yu and Hu Jin also took this opportunity to look at the scrolls of bamboo slips. The more they looked, the more they read. The person's face became more solemn, his eyes were extremely shocked, and his breathing became faster and faster.
Looking at the bamboo slips, there are details about all aspects of the Chu Kingdom.
The two of them had never thought that Bai Yan would gain such an important result from his trip. If they had known about it yesterday, they would not have let Bai Yan come to Hu Mansion first.
"Sister, what's going on? Why did uncle and the others look serious when they saw the bamboo slips, as if they saw something terrible."
Bai Yingxue quietly came to Bai Junzhu and asked softly. She looked at the bamboo slips with extremely curious eyes, but she didn't dare to look at them without permission. She could only place her hope on the eldest sister. After all, the eldest sister was helping Bai Yanzhu research just now. Mo, I must have seen something written on the bamboo slips.
"Do not ask!"
Bai Junzhu did not answer Bai Yingxue.
"I'm just curious~! Why does it look like you, eldest sister, have an ordinary face? You are nothing like my uncle or the others."
Bai Yingxue held her mouth shut and started muttering as she spoke, looking at her eldest sister aggrievedly.
After Bai Junzhu's beautiful eyes glanced at Bai Yingxue, she ignored the little girl.
Of course she had seen what was written on the bamboo slips just now, and she also understood why her uncle and uncle Hu Jin were so solemn. As for why she was not surprised at all, thinking of this, Bai Junzhu looked at the scene in front of her and sighed slightly.
When the uncles in front of them and Hu Jin saw these bamboo slips and saw the hope of destroying Chu, they had already done this. If the two uncles knew about it, it would spread throughout the world that the bamboo slips in the hands of King Qi were all Bai Yan's. What will happen if I write it?
Under night.
Outside the gate of Xianyang Palace, a carriage drove slowly to the gate and stopped. Then under the watchful eyes of the palace guards, Hu Jin, wearing Qin official uniform and white clothes, stepped out of the carriage with Bai Yan.
After Bai Yan came to the palace gate and revealed his identity, he said that he had something important to present to the king.
As the palace guards went in to report, Bai Yan and Hu Jin stood patiently outside the palace gate waiting under torches.
Waited for a long time.
Han Yezhe, accompanied by several maids and eunuchs, arrived outside the palace gate just now.
"Han Yezhe!"
Bai Yan bowed his hands in greeting to Han Ye.
"General Bai, General Hu!"
Naturally, Han Yezhe, Bai Yan, and Hu Jin were old acquaintances, and they were not at all restrained when they met. However, at this moment, Han Yezhe looked at the two people in front of him very curiously. After all, it was rare for people to come to present things after dark.
"Is there something wrong with the two generals?"
Han Yezhe asked.
"May I ask Han Ye, is the king still in the study?"
Bai Yan raised his hands and asked. Although it was in the night, the light of the torch still showed the tiredness of Bai Yan's eyes.
Han Yezhe nodded slowly while being curious.
Then, under Han Yezhe's gaze, Bai Yan turned back to the carriage, took the package containing the bamboo slips, and turned around to bring it in front of him.
"I hope Han Ye will be able to give this thing to the king for Bai Yan!"
Bai Yan said.
When Han Yezhe heard Bai Yan's words, he looked at the package in Bai Yan's hand with some surprise, and then looked at the two of them curiously. What on earth was this? It was worthy of Bai Yan and Hu Jin. Even after dark, they even went out of their way to Come and submit.
In the study room of the palace.
"Your Majesty, dinner has been prepared, it's time to eat!"
Princess Mi was behind Ying Zheng and stretched out her hand to gently rub Ying Zheng's head. She saw that every day, two stone-heavy bamboo slips were handled by Ying Zheng himself. She was busy until dark every day. Even Princess Mi didn't know. Why does Ying Zheng have to work so hard?
Ying Zheng closed his eyes and before he could speak, rapid footsteps sounded in the study.
"Your Majesty, General Bai Yan and General Hu Jin just came to the palace and said they were presenting this object to your Majesty for your inspection!"
Han Yezhe's words echoed in the study.
Upon hearing the word "Bai Yan", Ying Zheng slowly opened his eyes and looked at Han Yezhe. Then he noticed the large package in Han Yezhe's hand, which seemed to be filled with bamboo slips.
"Bai Yan?"
Ying Zheng was a little confused as to why Bai Yan had to deliver the bamboo slips late at night, and why he still presented such a large package.
"Your Majesty, it's already late at night, how about we go have a meal first?"
Princess Mi frowned slightly and said softly. Then she raised her eyes and saw that Han Yezhe seemed to want to say something, so she quickly winked at Han Yezhe.
"Your Majesty has reviewed the two stone memorials today!"
Princess Mi said.
Following Princess Mi's words, Han Ye was also a little embarrassed. Just now, he had not expected that Princess Mi would be in the study. Now that Princess Mi is here, it is easy to say that there are two volumes of bamboo slips for Ying Zheng to take a look at.
But what Bai Yan presented this time was a large package of bamboo slips.
There were so many bamboo slips that Han Ye did not dare to speak easily.
"Han Ye, your Majesty has not even had dinner yet!"
Princess Mi said softly to Han Yezhe.
Ying Zheng hesitated for a moment and looked at a large package in Han Yezhe's hand. From going to court to noon, then discussing with Li Si, Wei Liao and others how to attack the Wei State, how to guard against the Chu State during this period, and then back to I also reviewed the bamboo slips weighing two stones, and I was indeed a little tired at this time.
"Is Bai Yan still outside the palace?"
Ying Zheng asked.
Han Yezhe shook his head when he heard Ying Zheng's inquiry.
"When I returned to the king, I saw that General Bai looked exhausted. After presenting this thing, he had already left with General Hu."
Han Yezhe answered truthfully.
"Your Majesty, that shouldn't be an important matter. It's mostly related to Mr. Hu's burial. It doesn't hurt that your Majesty will take a look at it tomorrow!"
After hearing this, Princess Mi stood aside and said to Ying Zheng.
Hearing this, Ying Zheng nodded.
"I'll take a look at it tomorrow."
Ying Zheng sighed, stood up slowly, and walked out of the study, with Princess Mi following behind.
Seeing this, Han Yezhe could only put this package of bamboo slips next to the wooden table, among the wooden boxes containing boxes of bamboo slips, and wait until Ying Zheng has time tomorrow to interact with the bamboo slips in those wooden boxes. Check it out together.
I'm not feeling well, I don't know if it's Fuyang again, and my head is feeling dizzy. I started working on the manuscript at 7pm and now it's almost 5am. I'm sorry.
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