"So, senior brother, where are you going?" Zhang Cang asked with a smile on his face.
"Traveling on the same track, writing on the same page, traveling on the same subject!" Li Si gave a long-ago answer with a smile on his face.
"Brother, you should know better than me how difficult it is to actually do these things." Zhang Cang shook his head.
These nine words are easy to say and easy to formulate a system, but it is not so easy to achieve them.
Objectively speaking, the Qin Dynasty was never completed throughout its life. The greatest achievement of the Qin Dynasty was to leave an incomplete path for future generations.
It points out the way forward and the direction for the world.
"What if there is a chance?" Li Si shook his head.
"That's not something that one generation can accomplish, senior brother." Zhang Cang said solemnly.
"If one generation can accomplish most of this and spread the Qin laws and Qin laws everywhere, from now on there will be no distinction between east, west, north and south, and people will not be divided into men, women, old and young, and they will all be able to live under the same rules and regulations..."
Zhang Cang had a headache looking at Li Si who was full of yearning.
Senior brother, what's going on?
What has found its home?
Objectively speaking, isn't this what everyone who understands the Dharma longs for?
Isn’t this what the teacher Xunzi admires and what he hopes for? Isn't this the same ideal as our brothers and sisters?
As a disciple of Legalism, Zhang Cang, like Han Feili, was naturally fond of Qin.
Oh my God, there is actually a country in the world, and the same set of rules and regulations are followed from top to bottom. No matter what you do, there are clearly stated regulations. Even the architectural format, the rhythm of music, and even walking, sitting, and lying, all have a set of regulations that can be followed... …
Objectively speaking, whether it is Zhang Cang, Li Si or even the late Han Fei.
Although the governance methods are different and the ideological concepts are different, the ultimate goal is to build the world into a country that is completely full of laws, to completely sort out the chaos, and to make everything legal.
The problem is, this is not the work of one generation.
Zhang Cang was deeply aware of this, but his senior brother was obviously a little crazy, so Zhang Cang couldn't help but stay away from Li Si.
"Cang, do you know what it means to be able to complete most of it in one generation?" Li Si looked at Zhang Cang seriously.
"It means that he will surpass all the sages of the past dynasties, he can be called a saint, he can write books and biographies, and he will be famous throughout the ages..." Zhang Cang gave the answer.
"That's it. Compared with these, what is power?" Li Si smiled.
"But senior brother has to tell me how to achieve it, right? Senior brother should know better than me. What Qin needs to do now is not to speed up, but to slow down. The world is so vast and the people are so numerous? This cannot be solved in a hurry. The problem is, if we just blindly enforce laws and regulations, it will be counterproductive." Zhang Cang said seriously.
Although he was caught, Zhang Cang still hoped to get a serious answer from Li Si.
"Look at this..." Li Si handed over a piece of white paper, which contained the general content of the moving order.
It is indeed convenient to have white paper. The bamboo slips that were inconvenient to carry now become as light as nothing.
There is no big problem in showing Zhang Cang the imperial order. Zhang Cang is Li Si's junior brother. Although Zhang Cang has a history of fleeing, Li Si knows that Zhang Cang has a good impression of the Qin State. Zhang Cang does not belong to the Six Kingdoms. The category of remnants of the country.
"This is..." Zhang Cang took the white paper handed over by Li Si and took it carefully. He saw three big characters on the white paper.
"Order of relocation..."
Zhang Cang frowned and continued to look down.
At first it was a bit relaxed, but the more I looked at it, the more serious the look on my face became. Some were suddenly enlightened, some were melancholy, some were smiling, and some were sad.
Zhang Cang's expression kept changing, and finally turned into a long sigh.
"Senior brother, do you want to imitate Mr. Shang?"
"But there is a big problem with this imperial relocation order. Killing alone cannot solve the problem..." Zhang Cang shook his head.
"The corvee in Qin is too heavy, the taxes are too high, and the people are full of resentment. Now if we put the sword at the head of the nobles, it may lead to catastrophe."
It's wonderful to move your order.
With Zhang Cang's level, he can naturally see the effect of the implementation of the Imperial Order at a glance.
Sweeping away the local nobles means that Da Qin's officialdom will go deep into the countryside, and local power will be widely concentrated in Xianyang.
In this way, no matter what laws Da Qin wants to implement, its speed and efficiency will be greatly improved.
This is also a great temptation for Zhang Cang. If the moving order can really be implemented, then the ideals Li Si said are not just empty words.
How is this Li Si’s ideal? This is the life ideal of almost all Legalist disciples.
But the ideal is very full, and the reality is very skinny.
The Qin State's image is now in a mess. The world is boiling with resentment due to heavy taxes and corvee labor. If the nobles are pushed to the opposite side, the story of the Warring States Period may be repeated.
Unless the First Emperor is willing to reduce the corvee and tax the people for good.
But the character of the First Emperor has always been that I want it all. According to Zhang Cang, there is a high probability that the First Emperor does not want to reduce corvettes and taxes, and he also wants to kill the old nobles of the Six Kingdoms.
In this way, the good medicine of moving your order may turn into poison because of the character of the First Emperor.
Now, there is no need to wait for the death of the First Emperor. Zhang Cang estimated that once the imperial relocation order is executed, the Qin Kingdom will immediately be turbulent.
The thought of running away suddenly occurred again.
"Then what if Your Majesty is willing to reduce the corvee and taxes?" Li Si looked at Zhang Cang with a smile on his face.
"Senior brother, can you convince your majesty?" Zhang Cang had deep doubts on his face.
Come on, admit it honestly, you are just the same tool person as me.
"If senior brother can convince Your Majesty, the current Great Qin will not be prone to chaos. We will have to rely on Your Majesty to patrol the world to suppress all directions."
………
The smile on Li Si's face weakened slightly, but Zhang Cang's words were still so straightforward.
"If senior brother only persuades me with this, then if senior brother lets me go, this moving order will not make senior brother's name go down in history. Instead, it will make senior brother infamy for thousands of years. Why bother to drag me along?" Zhang Cang said. Spread your hands.
"I don't want to be quartered..."
Just kidding, it would be light to dismember the body by five horses.
If he really could realize that dream, Zhang Cang might not be afraid of being cut into pieces by five horses, but he also didn't want to do something that was destined to have no chance of success.
"Then what if someone can convince His Majesty?" Li Si shook his head.
"Zhao Si?" Zhang Cang sneered.
"Have corvees been reduced? Have taxes been reduced? Have there been fewer bandits in the world because of this?" Zhang Cang asked rhetorically.
"I will do it later..." Li Si shook his head.
"Then it won't be too late for senior brother to come and persuade me when we surrender!" Zhang Cang said with a smile.
"Cang, you are very smart, but have you ever thought that the problems you can see can also be seen by your Majesty? When your Majesty appointed me to implement the eviction order, your Majesty had already already dealt with the corvee and taxation issues. Have you made a decision?" Li Si smiled.
Zhang Cang is a smart man, otherwise he would not have fled because he foresaw the demise of Qin.
But he is just too smart and stubbornly believes that the choice everyone makes is not the most correct answer.
Zhang Cang fell into silence...
Now, with an opportunity to realize the greatest ideal of Legalism in his lifetime before him, Zhang Cang fell into hesitation.
The danger is great. If you are not careful, you will be torn into pieces.
The difficulty was very high. Zhang Cang didn't think he could understand the thoughts of the First Emperor. After all, before this, the First Emperor's various behaviors revealed eagerness.
Li Si said that Zhao Si was the person who could reverse the will of the First Emperor.
But is it really reliable to place such hopes on a... young boy?
And, the most terrible thing is, can my senior brother really be intimate with Zhao Si?
After all, Li Si has a criminal record...
To be honest, even though Li Si had greater ambitions in his heart, Zhang Cang still couldn't trust Li Si.
Zhang Cang has met Zhao Si, and his eyes are full of clear stupidity. Such a person is related to the great plan of the next hundred years...
Zhao Si, when he and Li Si had differences, could he really play with Li Si?
Would the First Emperor really trust him unreservedly?
To put it bluntly, everything is based on the so-called favor of the First Emperor towards Zhao Si...
"Brother, will Your Majesty really trust Zhao Si like Duke Xiao trusted Shang Yang?" Zhang Cang asked.
Li Si's starting point is very novel.
That is to say, Zhao Si was able to communicate closely with the First Emperor and even reverse the First Emperor's decision-making ideas.
And it happened that Zhao Si was able to reach an agreement with Li Si.
To be honest, it's a bit sloppy.
Compared to distrusting Zhao Si, Zhang Cang also distrusted Li Si.
"Cang, you are too far away from the court..." Li Si sighed.
Zhao Si was the important bargaining chip he used to convince Zhang Cang, and even the important bargaining chip used by Li Si to convince himself.
In Li Si's deep voice mixed with resentment, Li Si recounted Zhao Si's unique grace.
From returning from the sea, to holding a halberd at the palace gate, to driving a chariot for the king, to accompanying the attendants every step of the way.
Even the various suggestions made by Zhao Si, the small details that Li Si saw in his eyes and remembered in his heart...
Zhang Cang was convinced...
If this is not close...then I am afraid that nothing can be considered close. Even Zhang Cang could hear the deep resentment in his senior brother's tone.
However, Zhao Si is still a person who does not know how to be blessed despite being blessed.
"Your Majesty's closeness to Zhao Si is as close as a human minister can get." Li Si gave a pertinent evaluation.
"So, Cang, are you still unwilling to help me?"
Zhang Cang was certainly moved at this moment.
In fact, as a Legalist, Zhang Cang truly loved everything about Qin. This was the dynasty most likely to realize the Legalist Utopia in the world.
If there is a chance, if someone can really pull Da Qin's out-of-control carriage back on track, they can even widen the road and add various safety measures to the carriage.
Then Zhang Cang is of course willing to give it a try.
He is not a person who is afraid of death, but he is unwilling to engage in meaningless struggles with no results.
Li Si sent an invitation to Zhang Cang to divide his body into pieces.
But Zhang Cang chose to refuse.
"Senior brother, I can't promise you." Zhang Cang shook his head.
Li Si's expression became visibly silent, and then became filled with confusion.
"Why is this? Cang, you are not a timid person..." Li Si was a little anxious.
He knew Zhang Cang's talents, and more importantly, Zhang Cang and he were from the same sect. They had the same roots. To realize the Legalist utopia and other big plans, Li Si needed Zhang Cang's help. This was not something he could do alone. Things done.
He was eager to demand Zhang Cang, the talented person of Wang Zuo.
The so-called inability to tolerate others and the desire for power need to be compromised on this path.
"It's Minister Zhao who wants to support me as his disciple. Of course I have to refuse, Senior Brother." Zhang Cang smiled and shook his head.
"How old is that boy Zhao Si... You have long been famous, and your official title has been prominent..." Li Si suddenly realized something in the middle of speaking, and then looked at Zhang Cang solemnly and spoke.
"There is no difference, Cang. We all have to walk together on this road. If the reform fails, we will also suffer the punishment together. No one can be alone."
Zhang Cang smiled and shook his head.
"Of course there is a difference. I am a retainer recruited by Minister Zhao."
…
Zhang Cang is a smart man. Now that he has made a decision, there is nothing to be afraid of.
It is normal for Li Si to avoid Zhao Si.
After all, Zhang Cang is Li Si's junior brother and was recommended by Li Si. The most important thing is that although Zhao Si has some reputation now, compared with Zhang Cang, one of the three masters of Legalism, he is not qualified yet.
To be honest, just in terms of status.
Zhang Cang accepted Zhao Si's support and became Zhao Si's retainer, which was an act of lowering his status.
Talents like Zhang Cang, even if they are kings, must be greeted with courtesy. Li Siben could have thought that Zhang Cang would directly become an official, but he did not expect that Zhang Cang would care about such trivial details.
He must label himself a guest of Zhao Simen.
He had to surrender his status to accept Zhao Si's support.
Could it be that Zhang Cangjing's clear behavior was a distrust of himself?
"Hey..." Li Si sighed in the end. His butt was dirty and mud was stuck in his crotch. Who could blame him?
"It's up to you... As long as you are willing to serve as an official and don't leave without saying goodbye, that's great." Li Si chose to accept the reality.
Zhang Cang, who was fair and fat, just smiled kindly and looked at Li Si with narrowed eyes.
Xunzi believed that human nature is inherently evil.
Zhang Cang has not forgotten the lessons taught by the teacher.
Zhang Cang only has a one-sided relationship with Zhao Si, so there is no so-called loyalty. However, now that the construction of the Legalist ideal country relies on Zhao Si to be the key link, he must pay attention to Zhao Si.
It is true that his senior brother has a new path and greater ambitions, but after all, he has a criminal record.
Zhang Cang still had to guard against his senior brother.
Zhao Si...
It was too clear. If the senior brother really had something on his mind, Zhang Cang thought that Zhao Si would not be able to guard against it.
So the top priority is to be clear about the differences.
This does not affect everyone walking hand in hand on this road.
Zhao Si is not capable of protecting himself, so Zhang Cang must protect Zhao Si.
After all, the resentment and envy in the senior brother's words were not concealed at all.
Not only himself... but also Zhao Si's current and future political power must also have clear boundaries with his senior brother.
(I owe one, I will have a chest X-ray, and I will make up for it tomorrow)
(End of chapter)
