Chapter 44: A Peaceful Winter

Listening to the young master speaking ahead, Zhang Han walked behind, eating eggs all the way.

As he followed along, he still had one egg left, which he tucked into his bosom.

This was Xin Sheng’s first time here. When viewed from outside the village, it didn't seem particularly special, but upon walking into the village, he realized that this county was unusually clean. For a county with a population of three thousand, maintaining it in such a state was indeed a rare sight.

Ordinarily, a typical village or county would be permeated with all sorts of odors.

Yet this county... the paths that should have been muddy were now paved with fine, crushed stones. There was not a speck of debris on the ground, and even the thresholds of every household were kept remarkably tidy, with the furniture outside neatly arranged.

Xin Sheng had heard before that the young master’s household retainers adhered to extremely strict rules; well... viewed in this light, they were indeed rigorous.

The scene before his eyes now was likely tied to those rules.

Xin Sheng knew nothing about governance. In his understanding, the stricter the rules, the more desolate the people's livelihoods should be.

Yet here, the houses were arranged in neat rows, every single household was occupied, and there were plenty of children. Life here was thriving better than in any other county.

This contradicted Xin Sheng’s self-assumed common sense.

In other words, the situation here defied conventional logic: the rules of this county were harsher than those of anywhere else, and moreover, it was the private estate under the governance of Young Master Fusu.

Yet the actual governance and conditions here surpassed those of any ordinary county.

A drizzle cast a layer of mist over Mount Shangyan. While Zhang Han escorted the young master to report on the various affairs of Jingye County, the veteran General Xin Sheng, clad in armor, continued to wander through the village.

Whenever the young master decided to return to the palace, it would not be too late for him to head back and provide an escort.

Xin Sheng wanted to take in more of this place so that upon returning to the city of Xianyang, he could report these matters to the First Emperor.

Seeing children running past before his eyes and hearing the laughter of the women, Xin Sheng always felt a lingering sense of wrongness in his heart, though he could not quite put his finger on what was amiss.

After walking a few more steps, Xin Sheng arrived by the Jingye Canal. The canal water was flowing steadily, heading off toward the distant subterranean conduits.

He saw several men shouting loudly, and shortly after, a few more men came running hurriedly toward the other side of Mount Shangyan.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, and Xin Sheng instantly discovered the peculiarity of Jingye County.

If a county were merely tidy or neatly maintained, that could be understood.

In the past, having fought battles for half his life, Xin Sheng had seen many villages and countless people.

What gave him a sense of startling freshness was not just the cleanliness, but the fact that there were no idlers here.

In other villages and counties he had known before, there would always be one or two idlers wandering about the street corners and alleys.

But here, there were none—truly not a single idler to be found.

They had made the idlers disappear, driving all the able-bodied men off to dig ditches.

Meanwhile, external loafers dared not disturb this place because it was the territory of Young Master Fusu, watched over by General Zhang Han and men from the military.

Would any outside vagrant dare to come here and cause trouble? They wouldn't want their heads.

Having figured this out, Xin Sheng understood a fair bit. He then walked to the study at the foot of the mountain, where a squad of guards stood stationed, as the young master was currently inside the study.

Xin Sheng stood outside, his gaze still sweeping across the surroundings while his ears caught the sound of voices from within.

Zhang Han and Shusun Tong were reporting the recent conditions of the county to the young master. Xin Sheng found the voices somewhat dull, but gradually made out the gist of it.

They were discussing how many children had been born in the county recently and how much surplus grain remained this year.

Xin Sheng also vaguely caught mention of the allocation of farmland and cultivation plans for the coming year.

After just these few brief sentences, the voices stopped, and Xin Sheng stepped aside.

The study door opened, and Fusu walked out, continuing his conversation with Shusun Tong and Zhang Han. 2

Xin Sheng continued to follow behind the young master. The group paced through the county once more, flanked by an escort of troops who sheltered the young master in their midst.

Following in the rear, Xin Sheng listened to the instructions the young master gave to General Zhang Han, which made this young master appear all the more enigmatic.

It was said that this young master had shown extraordinary intelligence since childhood and had been eager to learn from a young age.

He had also heard that the young master frequently assisted the First Emperor in managing state affairs and was exceptionally filial.

Yet observing the young master's methods of governance, Xin Sheng felt that his talent was unfathomable.

What child of seventeen or eighteen would not seek amusement, or at least indulge in some mischievous antics?

Who else could act with such composure and speak with such methodical precision as Young Master Fusu?

There was an inexplicable aura about the young master that compelled one to listen involuntarily.

One even felt that whatever Young Master Fusu said must surely be right.

Xin Sheng considered himself a veteran of countless battles and a judge of men, yet he had never laid eyes on a child like the young master.

Take Li You, for instance—was not the Chancellor’s son exceptionally well-read?

His scholarship was indeed profound, standing out among his peers, but how did he compare to Young Master Fusu?

Xin Sheng smiled helplessly; the gap was far too wide.

Upon hearing the young master declare that the grain harvested next year could be kept by the Lishan retainers for their own use, Xin Sheng felt inwardly that this move was largely inappropriate. These fields ought to belong entirely to the young master, and the harvested grain should be his as well.

Yet the young master’s words continued.

"From now on, the farmland of Jingye County must only increase, never decrease."

Zhang Han bowed his head and said, "This subordinate obeys the command."

Logically speaking, the grain harvested by these retainers should be given to the young master, who in turn only needed to submit taxes to the state, leaving the rest as his own.

Thus, the retainers were solely accountable to the young master, while the young master was solely accountable to the state.

The crop that grew best in Jingye County was mulberry.

Zhang Han remarked that they would be able to harvest mulberries as early as next year.

Fusu smiled and nodded.

The county did have an income; its sole revenue came from the grain earned through Shusun Tong’s teaching, and all of that grain went into the county granary.

Despite Shusun Tong’s diligent teaching, he did not receive so much as a sliver of grain for himself.

What else could be done?

The retainers viewed grain as life itself and ought to guard it as fiercely as their lives. They might part with grain to dig the canals, but the grain they earned must never be casually given away.

Furthermore, the county had to sustain Shusun Tong’s food and drink, which likewise required grain.

Fusu felt that no matter how much grain was farmed in this county, it would never be enough; even if everyone ate their fill, it still wouldn't suffice.

Tian An dug up a few radishes on the mountain, chopped them into chunks with a small knife, washed them, and placed them into an earthen jar. After washing the mutton, searing it slightly, he added it to the jar as well.

Then he sealed the earthen jar tightly with a wooden lid.

A group of village women surrounded Tian An, watching how he delicately prepared the food.

Afterward, Tian An used mud to seal the rim of the wooden lid to prevent internal heat from escaping, allowing the mutton inside the jar to stew until tender.

He arranged firewood and grass around the earthen jar, set it ablaze with a single strike, and simply waited for the radishes and mutton to cook.

The women watching nearby broke into animated discussions.

Tian An’s movements and posture while cooking possessed a natural sense of ritual, yet it was not just for show—he truly possessed the ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

If they could make a delicious meal for their children and husbands, and help their little ones grow stronger, these women would have gladly taken Tian An as their master.

However, Tian An only allowed these women to watch; he would not teach them.

As for how much they could pick up, that depended entirely on their innate talent.

Following that, Tian An sat down by the fireplace, basking in the warmth of the flames while reading the book in his hands, enjoying the looks of adoration from the surrounding women.

The flames had died out, leaving only glowing charcoal to radiate lingering heat.

That lingering heat was precisely what Tian An wanted. He placed a stack of flatbreads nearby to warm up.

Calculating the hour, when noon arrived, Tian An finally stood up, put down his book, kicked away the cold charcoal on the ground, and dug away the sealing mud on the earthen jar's lid.

As the lid was lifted, an intoxicating aroma wafted out.

The women all raised their heads, breathing deeply to catch the scent of food in the air.

They wished they could widen their nostrils to the utmost, desperately trying to memorize this fragrance so they could replicate the flavor at home.

Seeing the guards protecting the young master approaching, the women prudently retreated.

Tian An poured the soup from the earthen jar into several bowls, scooped out the radishes and mutton with a wooden spoon into each bowl, and distributed them to the generals and Young Master Fusu.

Fusu accepted the bowl of soup along with a flatbread.

Sipping the soup and biting into the bread, occasionally enjoying a piece of mutton from the bowl, having a meal like this on a rainy day effectively warded off the chill.

It was truly most fitting.

Once everyone was eating, Tian An finally ladled himself a bowl of mutton soup. As he ate, he popped cloves of garlic into his mouth; the old man could no longer eat a thing without garlic.

Looking beside him, Fusu saw Zhang Han eating the mutton while crunching down on a stalk of scallion.

Scallions grown in Guanzhong had always thrived, serving as a rare cold-resistant vegetable.

Noticing the young master’s gaze, Zhang Han chewed with his mouth full, picked up a clean scallion from the side, and offered it over.

Fusu waved his hand slightly, picked up a bulb of garlic from the side, and handed it to him.

Seeing this, Zhang Han took the garlic and bit right into it, juices splashing.

Fusu was slightly stunned, but seeing Zhang Han eating with an expression of utter normalcy, he silently looked out into the distance.

The meal passed in quiet tranquility. Fusu gazed afar; winter in Guanzhong was indeed desolate, with not a soul in sight for dozens of li during the cold season.

Even in the dead of winter, Fusu felt it shouldn't be quite this barren.

Guanzhong should support a much larger population. The Guanzhong of the present looked hollow, a state of affairs Fusu found thoroughly unsettling.

Having partaken of the midday meal, Fusu boarded his chariot and returned to the city of Xianyang.

Seated within the chariot, Fusu continued to peruse the case files brought from Jingye County.

The next day, at the break of dawn, Fusu woke up early and stretched his limbs.

The palace maids and attendants of Gaoquan Palace looked on with curiosity as the young master engaged in leg presses and waist bends.

Afterward, Fusu picked up a bronze halberd, repeatedly thrusting and slashing with it, frowning each time to gauge the change in balance. After practicing his forms a few more times, he felt it had become much smoother to handle.

Qin battle halberds were exceptionally heavy. Fusu recalled the iron halberds from the Han dynasty unearthed in later generations; if improved, could they be crafted into the shape of a lance for cavalry?

Cavalry equipped with such lances would undoubtedly elevate combat effectiveness to an entirely new tier.

Fusu set the halberd aside, sinking into deep thought once more, pondering every possible method to strengthen the Great Qin.

These methods aimed to enhance either Qin's soft power or its hard power.

"Young master, I hear that General Wang Bian has also sent men to investigate the military situation between the Xiongnu and the Western Rong."

Fusu sipped a bowl of hot water and nodded.

Tian An added, "General Wang Bian also sent word stating that once the Xiongnu move south from the river valley, he will notify the young master."

The Great Qin was still plagued by both internal and external troubles; this was yet another piece of good news Fusu had received following the winter hunt.

Once people had the chance to visit the fertile Hexi Corridor, they would never forget its bountiful wealth.

Fusu wiped down the great halberd, feeling ever more convinced in his heart that Guanzhong without the Hexi Corridor was incomplete and flawed, whereas Guanzhong with the Hexi Corridor would be whole.

It was much like the successive Central Plains dynasties; whenever a dynasty achieved unification, it invariably sought to unify the Western Regions as well.

In other words, without the Tianshan Mountains within the territory of the Central Plains, the domain remained incomplete.

Tian An said, "There is one more matter."

"What matter?"

"General Zhao Tuo has been invited to General Wang Bian’s residence. I hear they are drinking wine every day."

Fusu nodded and said, "Hunkering down for winter, then. Only with wine and meat can one properly weather the cold season."

Tian An smiled and nodded.

The winter passed peacefully, and Shangjun in the north was equally tranquil. Half a month ago, Meng Tian had sent word reporting that the Xiongnu had made no further incursions.

"Young master, this is the roster sent by General Zhang Han."

Instead of returning to the hall, Fusu walked as he scanned the roster. The document served no other purpose than to select the model laborers for the year.

A total of twenty individuals could be chosen.

Each of these twenty people would be rewarded with three small sheep for their households, making a total of sixty sheep. If they bred successfully, Jingye County would soon boast sheepfolds and a vast flock.

Had it been in the past, such a notion would have been unthinkable, for back then, grain was barely enough to feed people, let alone spare any for livestock.

There were households that raised sheep in Guanzhong, but they were wealthy families. Furthermore, households owning farmland in Guanzhong were numerous; nearly every family had one or two members serving in the military, and anyone who had been on the battlefield and achieved meritorious decapitations was rewarded with land.

Having finished reading, Fusu instructed, "Then distribute according to the roster. Are there any updates from Jian Lu?"

"Reporting to the young master, no news as yet."

As the Assistant Superintendent of the Lesser Treasury, one had to manage subordinate officials. Jian Lu currently served as the Director of Waterways, belonging under the Lesser Treasury and thus counting as an official under the Assistant Superintendent.

Fusu pondered for a moment before saying, "Now that Jian Lu has gone south, Li You is currently in Shu. Li You has scouts under his command who can travel south. Send someone to find Li You, and have his men locate Jian Lu to inquire about the latest progress of the southern expedition."

Tian An bowed and assented, adding, "General Xin Sheng went to Zhangtai Palace early this morning."

Fusu said, "I, too, shall go pay a visit to His Majesty."

Meanwhile, in Zhangtai Palace, Xin Sheng was reporting his observations from Jingye County.

Ying Zheng held a scroll in his hand—the exact report written by Xin Sheng after his visit to Jingye County.

Xin Sheng saluted and said, "This subordinate only knows as much."

Ying Zheng carefully perused the report. Agriculture was the lifeblood of Guanzhong, a lifeline that had to be carefully nurtured to this day. Who could have imagined at the outset that Young Master Fusu opening a canal could yield such massive returns?

"Fusu is a child of precocious intellect. From a young age, he has possessed insights far surpassing his peers; do not view him with the mindset one has toward ordinary youths."

Xin Sheng nodded.

Ying Zheng’s thoughts drifted back to the colossal skeleton currently housed in Xianyang Palace, recalling the words Fusu had spoken: even such a massive beast would one day die, and no matter how miraculous a sacred turtle from overseas that lived for thousands of years might seem, it was ultimately just an animal.

Recently, Ying Zheng had frequently pondered this statement. Could it be that Fusu had contemplated the question of life and death long ago, or had the boy already seen through mortality itself?

Ying Zheng knew that everything Fusu did was under his watchful eye, to the extent that every move he made could be tracked.

If necessary, Ying Zheng could even find out what books Fusu read every day and what words he spoke.

Fusu’s Jingye County could provide Guanzhong with a colossal granary. If that granary yielded a bountiful harvest next year, Ying Zheng would have absolute confidence whether launching a southern expedition or a northern campaign.

The Zheng Guo Canal had transformed the state of Qin of old, and now the Jingye Canal would bring tremendous changes to Guanzhong.

"Your Majesty, the young master has arrived."

Hearing this, Ying Zheng laid the report aside and signaled that Xin Sheng could withdraw.

Fusu walked before Zhangtai Palace, encountered the veteran General Xin Sheng just emerging from the grand hall, and offered a slight bow.

Xin Sheng also bowed in return, then lowered his head with a twinge of guilt, praying the young master would not find out that yesterday's escort to Jingye County had doubled as an investigation.

At his advanced age, he intended to retire soon, Xin Sheng thought to himself, hoping he wouldn't incur the young master's suspicion before his retirement.

Fusu first bid farewell to the veteran general outside the hall, then removed his shoes and entered.

Ying Zheng sat holding a document in one hand and a piece of flatbread in the other, chewing while his gaze remained fixed on the text, completely silent.

As Fusu stepped into the hall—which stood entirely empty whenever court audiences were not in session—he said, "Your son hears that news regarding the southern expedition has arrived recently. As the Assistant Superintendent, your son wishes to see if there is any word from the Director of Waterways, Jian Lu."

Ying Zheng motioned to an attendant beside him, and shortly after, a chest was brought in.

Fusu opened the chest and pulled out several scrolls, confirming that they pertained to Shu and the southern expedition, and the entire chest was filled with them.

His Imperial Father's general intent was for him to look through them at his leisure.

Fusu simply seated himself at a nearby desk. Looking at His Imperial Father, he saw the familiar sight: chewing on a flatbread while gazing fixedly at the documents in silence.

Fulling through the scrolls in the chest, he picked out a few bearing labels, among which was the official report from the Director of Waterways, Lu.

There were three documents from the Director of Waterways. Following the dates, Fusu opened the first scroll, dated after the onset of autumn this year. It recorded that General Tu Ju led troops across a river, encountered an ambush by local stockade dwellers, successfully counterattacked, and achieved victory.

There were few losses, and the enemy surrendered swiftly, with all prisoners of war sent off to Shu.

The second scroll stated that Jian Lu and Tu Ju were ambushed at night by a band of barbarian tribesmen, after which the Qin army counterattacked and won.

These, however, were only small-scale skirmishes as they advanced down the Xiang River.

The third scroll reported encountering heavy rains and frost; men within the army fell ill, forcing them to pitch camp along the Xiang River.

Those were the only three scrolls from the Director of Waterways.

The most recent third scroll had been sent half a month ago. Judging by geographical location, Jian Lu was now very close to the site where the Lingqu Canal was to be excavated.

When Fusu looked up again, his father had departed unnoticed. He stood up as well, preparing to leave, when an attendant hurried over.

"Young master, this way, please."

Fusu asked, "Is it His Majesty..."

The attendant nodded and added, "His Majesty commanded this old slave to wait here, yet instructed me not to disturb the young master."

Fusu followed him all the way to the rear hall. The skeleton had been placed here, and His Imperial Father was standing before these bones, lost in thought.

"Imperial Father."

Ying Zheng said, "Once the bitter winter passes, Tu Ju will send another battle report; there is no need for you to rush."

"Your son understands."

Ying Zheng sighed again, "On the other hand, the construction of the Jingye Canal must be expedited. I have already sent someone to inquire of the Chancellor."

There were even more fossils now than when they had first been delivered; many more had been unearthed during the excavation of the subterranean conduits and sent into the palace.

Ying Zheng picked up a fossil from behind him. It was the size of a fist, with rock encasing a fossilized object shaped like a tooth.

"What do you suppose it looked like when it was alive? How many years did it live?"

Fusu replied, "No matter how many years it lived, it is now nothing more than a handful of dust. Colossal beasts are destined to die."

Ying Zheng set the stone down and asked, "When your great-grandmother passed away, did you wish for her to live forever?"

"I did, but your son could not achieve it..."

Reaching this point, Fusu continued, "Precisely because human life spans but a few decades, life can be lived with such brilliance."

Ying Zheng nodded slightly, turning away from the bones. His expression grew somewhat more solemn, as if emerging from an initial bewildered state to find a renewed surge of inspiration.

The feeling was akin to realizing that though immortality might be unattainable, one could perhaps live more brilliantly while it lasted.

"As the Assistant Superintendent of the Lesser Treasury, you must oversee the construction of the water canals. The Chancellor will assist you."

"Your son understands."

Half a month later, this winter brought another half-month of continuous snow. It was said that the north was even colder, with countless sheep and warhorses freezing to death, alongside a great many people who perished from the cold.

For Guanzhong, perhaps gritting one's teeth and enduring would see them through.

Yet for the nomadic tribes of the north, this was a natural disaster.

Fusu looked over the letter sent by Meng Tian: taking advantage of the freezing weather, several detachments of troops had been dispatched to scout the Xiongnu, capturing a thousand prisoners without shedding a single drop of blood—all of them nomads who had survived this natural disaster.

Meng Tian had incorporated all these prisoners into Shangjun as labor to reclaim wasteland, setting the captured nomads to farm the land and speak the Guanzhong tongue.

Having finished reading Meng Tian’s letter, Fusu asked, "Has the military report from Shangjun been delivered to Zhangtai Palace?"

Tian An replied, "It has been sent."

Gaoquan Palace was bustling with activity. Since the First Emperor had commanded Young Master Fusu to oversee the construction of the water canals, the young master had to leave the palace once again to supervise the project.

Within a grand hall of the imperial palace, Young Master Gao was recounting stories of the old Qin people to his younger siblings, focusing on the deeds from the era of Duke Xiao of Qin.

These very stories were currently circulating in Jingye County.

Noticing Young Master Huhai attempting to crawl out stealthily to play, Young Master Gao exchanged a glance with his sister.

Yinman, catching her older brother's cue, rose quietly and walked to the hall's entrance.

Yinman scooped up the much younger Huhai by his ear and hauled him back.

Still feeling unsatisfied after dragging him back, Yinman delivered two kicks to him for good measure.

Huhai pursed his lips in grievance, finally sitting back down obediently to listen to his elder brother Gao's lecture.

Young Master Gao nodded in satisfaction and resumed his lesson.

At that moment, an attendant hurried over and whispered a few words into Young Master Gao's ear.

The attendant from Gaoquan Palace informed him that his older brother Fusu had gone to supervise the construction of the water canals, and asked him to take good care of the fish, potted plants, and trees in Gaoquan Palace.

Gao felt that being able to help his elder brother—even in the smallest way—filled him with a profound sense of accomplishment.

Helping to look after Gaoquan Palace was not all; he would also be able to read books there, which made him the happiest of all.