Lu Zhixing came prepared today. Yesterday, his immediate superior, Lang Zhongling Weichu, had handed him all the information he could find about Zhao Gao. It is understood that Zhao Gao's ancestor was once a distant relative of a descendant of Zhao Guogong's family. Later, his family fell into decline and passed down to his father Zhao Wen, who could only manage to support the family by working as a humble grammar clerk.
When Zhao Wen died, thirteen-year-old Zhao Gao entered the palace and worked as a sweeper. Later, Zuo Shi took a liking to him, and he worked as a clerk in Tai Shi's mansion for several years. During this period, if he wanted to find an opportunity to become a disciple of a celebrity, it would be nothing more than a dream. If he had the chance to be the King's teacher, that would be that time. Later, when he heard that the king had returned to Qin, he immediately resigned from his post as a civil servant and traveled around the country without hearing who he wanted to be his teacher.
It's really ridiculous to say that one is a teenager and the other is an infant. At that time, the hair of the two dolls was not fully grown, so they could still have a teacher-student relationship? Just say that now, looking at the appearance of this pretty boy, someone must believe that he is the same age as the king. Moreover, looking at his delicate and delicate appearance, he feels very weak. How can he have the slightest poise of a king's teacher?
"I have something I don't know, can I ask you, sir?" Lu Zhixing asked Zhao Zheng, but it was Zhao Gao who was directed towards him. Zhao Zheng was very clear-minded, but it was impossible not to let others ask, so he looked at Zhao Gao openly, Zhao Gao understood, turned to look at Lu Zhixing, nodded slightly, and said solemnly: "Doctor Lu, please speak."
Lu Zhixing snickered in his heart, waiting to expose you and see if you can still laugh. As he thought about this, his face showed an upright look: "Sir, who did you study under?"
When Zhao Gao heard this, he smiled helplessly in his heart. Although there is a saying that goes well, "Heroes don't ask where they come from." However, this cliché has been inevitable in selecting and employing people throughout the ages. If you want to teach or become an official, people will inevitably ask you where you learned from. However, Zhao Gao himself taught the king of a country, and now he was planning to become an official, so his background attracted even more attention.
"Zhao Gao has no teacher." He said this calmly, but it aroused a sigh of relief in the court. Zhao Zheng looked at him calmly, and he felt his eyes looking back, and he immediately understood what Zhao Zheng meant.
These people were sure that Zhao Gao had no background, so they wanted to take advantage of this biggest weakness and stomp on it. But at this time, when Zhao Gao first entered the court, he had to argue with others in a high-profile manner, which was obviously inappropriate and not his temperament. Therefore, Zhao Zheng meant: Xiao Gao, this is the best thing for me, and you can watch it with peace of mind.
"Lu Zhixing, you are so concerned about where the teacher is from, but you are questioning whether the teacher has taught me well?" Zhao Zheng knew that with Zhao Gao's current identity and status, if he wanted to save him from being criticized, he could only use his own Being tied to him makes those who don't like him feel more or less afraid.
Zhao Gao's matter would never have been so troublesome if Xiong Qi hadn't brought it out in such a big way. But since an accident caused Zhao Gao to be pushed to the forefront, Zhao Zheng could only act tougher.
"The king is aware of it, but the minister dare not." Lu Zhixing is a talented person. Many people in Zhao Zheng's iron-fisted court have heard about it even if they have never seen it with their own eyes. Although he is usually very restrained and will not sacrifice easily. However, it does not mean that he does not have the ability, so many ministers did not dare to oppose Zhao Zheng in this way.
"Oh, you don't dare. Even if you don't dare, don't you ask this question that you shouldn't ask?" Although the words were not very polite, Zhao Zheng's tone sounded like an ordinary question, without any intention of blaming him. .
Immediately afterwards, Zhao Zheng raised his hand and leaned leisurely on the armrest, resting his hand on his chin, as if he was deep in thought. He lowered his hand for a moment and said, "Well, I know that you still have concerns about the identity of the teacher. But before that There is a saying that "the Tao of literature and martial arts is in people before it falls to the ground." The only difference is that "the sage knows its main body, and the unsage knows its small part [1]". Since there is Tao everywhere, where is the teacher? Learning? What’s wrong with taking all people and all things as teachers?”
These six words, "Teacher, there is nothing to learn from." These six words are sonorous and resounding. To the ears of a few people who got to know Zhao Gao early, they were really pleasing to the ears. Even Lu Zhixing was speechless. He didn't expect that the king's few words could turn the boy's biggest shortcoming into a sensible and reasonable strength, which was even higher than his obsession with where to learn from his master. He secretly regretted that he had made a wedding dress for others out of his own calculations.
Looking at the Qin kings in the past dynasties, Zhao Zheng is the only one who can grasp the words of Confucianism at his fingertips. It is said that since Duke Xiao, the Qin State has regarded Legalism as the authentic school of thought, and all the sons of the public family have practiced it. Zhao Zheng should also regard Legalism as the authentic source and avoid the fallacies of other schools. However, in recent years, although Zhao Zheng did not abolish the law, he often quoted the opinions of other factions.
There is another strange thing. Lu Buwei was involved in the Qinian Palace incident last year. Zhao Zheng had long-held hatred for Lu Buwei. Although he suppressed him with iron and blood and punished him as a crime, he still studied "Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals" day and night. Sui often mentioned the book in court. This attitude made people confused. However, the courtiers of the country were a little uncomfortable with it at first, but later on, they actually felt that it made some sense.
"Can you tell me what I just wanted to say, Lu Zhixing?" Zhao Zheng asked calmly, but Lu Zhixing's face turned a little pale. He saluted him and said in a low voice: "I have no intention of interrupting the king. , please forgive me, Your Majesty." Zhao Zheng replied "No problem" in a good-tempered manner, which made Lu Zhixing's hair stand on end and his eyelids twitched three times.
"Read it." Zhao Zheng looked at the eunuch on the side and gave a brief instruction. The eunuch unfolded the edict he had prepared early in the morning and read it loudly. After the edict was read, many people just felt dazed or in disbelief. Just because the content is not about entrusting the authority to the new teacher Zhao Gao to the Qin Dynasty, but the king met a boy on the street that day. When talking with him, he felt that the text was complicated and wasted time and things. He wanted to simplify his country's text, and wrote a new letter to Taishi Ling Hu. Wu Jing, Keqing Li Si, and Xinbei Keqing Zhao Gao created new characters and thought they would be used by Qin [2].
After the court meeting was over, the courtiers came out of the State Hall in twos and threes. Many of the courtiers who had not finished speaking could not help but speak without restraint:
"So, I just gave it to a guest? Not to mention I gave it to a prime minister. I am also one of the nine ministers. Who knows, but I have the word "Qing" in it, but I am just a small guest. And what to do? Just Make that half-dead change..."
Before he finished speaking, someone interrupted: "Be careful what you say."
This was what Zhao Gao and Zhao Zheng had discussed early in the morning. Don't expect Zhao Zheng to let Zhao Gao be a guest and do the work of simplifying the text with the other two people. But once he succeeds and these words written by him are promoted throughout the country, Zhao Gao's reputation will be different from what it is now.
Moreover, the position of guest minister can be great or small. It is normal for Zhao Zheng, as the king of Qin, to ask guest minister for advice. When Zhao Gao first entered the Qin State, his foundation was not stable. Taking too big a step was not a good thing, so the best choice was to be a guest minister. As long as the time was right and he gradually accumulated enough qualifications, it would be a matter of time for him to be promoted to the top. .
Several courtiers at the court meeting today deliberately raised Zhao Gao's affairs in a high-profile manner, but Zhao Zheng withstood the pressure and put it down in a low-key manner. How does this ups and downs feel in the heart? There are only some who have other thoughts. Only people can realize it, but more people don't take it seriously and gradually forget about it.
Guowei Mansion.
"I didn't have time to ask yesterday. I have always been curious, how did my little friend and the king know each other?" In the past, Wei Liao would not bother to inquire about people's private affairs. Even though they had been together for two years, he only knew that Zhao Gao was in the Kingdom of Zhao. I have been a civil servant for several years and know nothing else. But because Zhao Gao had tricked him for this matter, Wei Liao changed his temper and acted like he wanted to get to the bottom of the matter.
Zhao Gao didn't hide anything from him, and immediately and generously solved his doubts. At that time, the two of them were drinking together under an old locust tree. When Wei Liao heard what he said, he sighed: "No wonder he respects you so much." Zhao Gao shook his head thoughtfully, and after a while he said calmly: "It's not like I respect him."
The next day.
The creation of new characters was led by Hu Wujing, and his office was in Taishi Mansion. Looking at the majestic palace in front of him, Zhao Gao couldn't help but smile. Things in the world are unpredictable. He seemed to be very destined to Taishi Mansion. Whether he was in Qin or Zhao, he could not do without this place. It's just that after ten years of separation, they have moved to another place, and have changed their identities, their moods are slightly different.
Here I not only saw Hu Wujing, the senior I met that day in Liyang, but also someone that Zhao Gao was looking forward to meeting - Li Si. This man is already in his forties. At first glance, he looks as calm and steady as Zhang Xian, but upon closer inspection, there are many differences. This is because there is a persistent and fierce energy hidden in this man, although he can't hide it. It was excellent, but Zhao Gao felt it when he took out the handwritten copy of Xiaogong's "Order for Seeking Virtue" and put it on his case as a warning.
I heard that the affairs of the State of Zheng were causing a stir in the past few days. Many Qin officials said that the Qin people should expel all the guests. At that time, Zhao Zheng had not returned and the attitude was not clear. Li Si was afraid that his future would be hindered, so he wrote a letter in advance. The "Book of Remonstrance and Chasing Guests" is prepared at the side. If Zhao Zheng didn't mean this, this thing should be a useless volume, but before that happened, this matter had quietly spread and reached Zhao Zheng's ears [3].
Then Zhao Zheng came to take a look and saw that both the article and his words were fascinating, so he silently remembered it in his heart. In fact, Zhao Zheng may not have been unaware of how this thing was spread, but this small trick is harmless. Not only does it not affect Zhao Zheng's appreciation of this person, but it makes Zhao Zheng feel that he is agile and worthy of a heavy responsibility. So Zhao Zheng didn't forget to mention him because of Zhao Gao's incident yesterday.
After meeting their elder Hu Wujing first, Zhao Gao and Li Si looked at each other again.
"Lee Si."
"Zhao Gao."
Such a simple and straightforward meeting ceremony made Zhao Gao very comfortable. Li Si did not flatter Zhao Gao or look down on him because of his relationship with Zhao Zheng. He had a calm attitude from beginning to end, which was very suitable for his temperament. In addition, I have read the "Book of Remonstrance and Expulsion" from Zhao Zheng. Compared with the past when I read history books mentioning him in a few words and expressed indifference to him, now I sincerely admire him.
The work of creating new characters is complicated and delicate. Although it sounds easy and mundane, it will take some time to promote it nationwide, sooner rather than later, so it is a real energy-consuming task. For many days after that, Zhao Gao was so busy that he rarely went out of the palace. As a result, Wei Liao had to live alone in Guowei Mansion all day long. When he entered the palace, he saw Zhao Gao and complained about it. Several times.
