The tinkling sound resounded non-stop, and on the huge cliff of Zhifu Mountain, a stone carving was being carved bit by bit by countless craftsmen...
Heifu, who was in charge of supervising the work, looked up at the seal-engraved stones. The words were Li Si's. After completing the first phase of the task of "collecting the Book of the World" in Linzi, Prime Minister Li also came to Jiaodong, the first thing after arriving in Zhifu.
His main task was to write a stone-engraved document for Qin Shihuang. The words were powerful and simple, which made people praise him.
"In the 32nd year of the Wei Dynasty, it was Mengdong, and everything was in a state of death. The emperor traveled eastward, visited Zhifu, and shined on the sea..."
"In Yu County, we must obey the holy will. The ministers recited the merits, please engrave them on stones, and hang them in the usual way."
After reading this paragraph, Heifu looked at Zhang Cang, who was also assigned this boring job, and said: "Everywhere your Majesty goes, he likes to mark the stone as a memorial."
"It's not just your Majesty either."
Zhang Cang said: "My senior brother Han Fei once told a story that King Wuling of Zhao asked craftsmen to make a hook ladder, climbed Mount Bowu, carved a big footprint, and then wrote next to it: My father once traveled here!"
"After King Zhao of Qin heard about this, he also ordered people to use hooks and ladders to climb Mount Huashan, and built a huge chessboard out of pine, cypress and stone. The board was eight feet wide and the chessboard was eight inches long. On the side of the huge stone, there were inscriptions: King Qin once talked with the gods in the sky.
Let’s play chess!”
"Hahaha! Such a thing could happen?"
After hearing this, Hei Fu couldn't help laughing. Isn't this a typical "so-and-so is here for a visit"! It turns out that Master Zhao and King Zhao of Qin are the initiators of this practice.
Everywhere Qin Shihuang visited, he would happily send people to carve stones as souvenirs. So far, he has left three places in Hengshan, Yishan, and Taishan. Of course, Zhifu Island, which has beautiful scenery and strong yang energy, will not be missed.
"I remember that a few years ago, when the stone carvings were first being done at Hengshan, Prime Minister Li went to the "Discussion on Stone Carvings"."
Heifu recalled the not-so-famous article because he clearly remembered what Li Si said at the time...
"The five emperors and three kings of ancient times had different knowledge and teachings, and unclear laws. They pretended to be powerful to deceive ghosts and gods in distant places, but in fact they were not named, so they did not live long. While they were still alive, the princes became more rebellious and the laws were ineffective."
He also said: "Now the emperor has unified the sea into counties and counties, and the world is at peace. All the ministers recite the emperor's merits and deeds to each other, and engrave them on gold and stone as a representation of the scriptures"...
These paragraphs of Li Si explain the reasons for writing and engraving the inscriptions, that is, not to recite ghosts and gods, not to mention ancient kings, but only to respect the current emperor. This theme has been used from the Hengshan stone carvings four years ago to the Zhifu stone carvings today.
It is consistent and has never changed. There is not a single word in the stone carvings praising the ancient kings and ghosts and gods.
"So, what is Prime Minister Li's attitude towards ghosts and gods and Fang Xiandao, who wrote that memorial?" Heifu asked Zhang Cang.
"None of the disciples taught by Master believes in ghosts and gods."
Zhang Cang shook his head and said: "Master will tell each disciple a story. It is said that in the south of Xia Shou, there is a man named Juan Shuliang. This man is stupid and afraid of everything. Walking on a moonlit night, he lowers his head to see
I thought my own shadow was a ghost lying on the ground, and when I looked up at my hair, I thought it was a standing monster. I was so frightened that I turned around and ran away. When I returned home, I died of fright."
"The Master said that there are no ghosts and gods in this world. In other words, ghosts and gods do not exist in the world, but exist in the human heart!"
"Anyone who thinks there are ghosts must be in a trance and has an impression left behind when his mind is unclear. As for those who claim that they have been practicing since childhood, have seen gods, and can teach emperors the art of immortality, they are either stupid enough to deceive themselves.
, or they have bad thoughts and want to use the name of ghosts and gods to achieve their own goals!"
Xunzi also gave a new interpretation of sacrifices and divination: "The eclipses of the sun and moon are used to relieve people, and droughts bring relief. The divination and then the decision of major events are not done in the hope of seeking, but in the form of literature. Therefore, the gentleman thinks of literature, and the people think of gods. .Thinking of literature brings good luck, thinking of gods brings misfortune.”
He does not believe that praying for rain can make the sky rain, and divination can predict the future. The reason for holding sacrifices and divination is just for the sake of etiquette and ritual, and it is an educational activity. It is enough for the people to believe. If their meat is controlled Some people really believe that sacrifices and divination have mysterious effects, which will cause disasters.
That's why Han Feicai ridiculed the kings of Chu and Yan who believed in elixirs in his "Shuo Lin". In "Xie Xie" he satirized those who believed in tortoise shell divination and used these results for foolish actions in war decisions. He said with a smile: " Tortoises, ghosts, and gods are not enough to win, nor are they able to fight with their hometowns left and right. However, it is foolish to rely on them!"
Zhang Cang was the same. When the emperor Feng Chan was caught in the rain, he raised his head on the top of Mount Tai and loudly said that there is no God's will in this world.
Almost all Xunmen disciples are atheists. Even Fuqiupo only "respects ghosts and gods and keeps away from them" and rarely talks about strange powers and chaos.
In the same way, it is not surprising that Li Si could say something like "Fake power to ghosts and gods in order to deceive distant places." Legalists have always disbelieved in ghosts and gods, only in laws and regulations, and only in the rule of men.
"What kind of teacher will teach what kind of disciples." Heifu clapped his hands in praise, but then changed the subject and said:
"But the day before yesterday, His Majesty summoned An Qisheng, made him live in the palace, and kept him company. He asked him about the ghosts and gods in the fairy mountain. Prime Minister Li was by his side, but he didn't say a word..."
Speaking of An Qisheng, Hei Fu became angry. It is said that this old man is from Langya, and his teacher is the famous alchemist "Heshang Gong". He studied Huang Lao's learning and practiced the art of yin and yang. He is considered to be the most famous practitioner of "Fang Xian Dao" in the world. , it is said that he is over a hundred years old and possesses the magic of immortality. The magicians of Yanqi regard him as their leader and call him the "Thousand-year-old Man".
An Qisheng has been famous for a long time. In the past, several kings of Qi, Yan, and Zhao searched for An Qisheng, but his whereabouts were mysterious and he was never seen. After Qin Shihuang unified the world, he also sent people to invite An Qisheng to Xianyang, but he failed. It is difficult to find his trace. Some people say that he became an immortal, while others say that he traveled on a crane.
Who would have thought that this guy was actually hiding on Zhifu Island, pretending to be an inconspicuous old man guarding the temple, evading the investigation by the black husband, and suddenly revealed his identity!
The Taoist scholar who had been looking for him for a long time suddenly came to visit him. Qin Shihuang was very happy and asked An Qisheng to stay. That day, Hei Fu and Zhang Cang wanted to give some advice, but before they had time to speak, Qin Shihuang arranged for an immediate visit to Zhifu Island. boring errand...
Yes, the meaning is very obvious. I think they are bothering me with their talk, so I should leave early!
Li Si, who arrived at that time, saw this scene, but said nothing. Instead, he congratulated Qin Shihuang and seemed happy to see the matter come to fruition...
Zhang Cang shook his head and sighed: "The Prime Minister's advice has always been in His Majesty's favour. Your Majesty is now increasingly interested in seeking immortality and asking questions. How could the Prime Minister knowingly spoil His Majesty's interest?"
Zhang Cang knows the personalities of his two senior brothers very clearly. The biggest difference between Han Fei and Li Si is probably that one is dark in books and the other is dark in heart. One has his own principles, while the other has no principles and no Bottom line.
For Li Si, as long as he satisfied the emperor's desires and maintained his status, everything could be compromised.
"Prime Minister, he has forgotten."
Zhang Cang felt a little sad: "Master once taught us that if you obey orders and it benefits you, you are called obedience; if you obey orders and it does not benefit you, you are called flattery! Blindly flattering your superiors is not good for the country."
Not only the matter of cultivating immortals, but also the Emperor's great construction projects, Li Si also obeyed his orders and never dared to argue about anything, even when he was a court lieutenant. But now that he is the prime minister, if he is so perfunctory and flattering, he may be ruined.
State affairs.
"When a prime minister is appointed, he should obey the Tao rather than the emperor." Zhang Cang was not very satisfied with Li Si's actions after taking office, and talked about the correct way to serve as a minister in Xunzi's opinion.
"If someone is able to give advice to the king, he can use it and discard it if he doesn't use it. He is called a remonstrating minister."
"If you are able to advise the emperor, you can use it, but if you don't use it, you will die. This is called fighting for ministers."
"Those who are able to lead a group of ministers and hundreds of officials, and then help the king to support him, even though the king is uneasy, can't help but listen, so he can solve the country's serious troubles, eliminate the country's serious harm, and respect the king and secure the country, he is called an auxiliary minister."
"Those who can resist the emperor's orders, steal the emperor's important things, rebel against the emperor, save the country from danger, eliminate the emperor's humiliation, and make achievements that can bring great benefits to the country are called Fu ministers."
"Therefore, those who advise, fight, assist, and persuade are the ministers of the country and the treasure of the king!"
"Ji Zi can be said to be an admonisher to Yin, Zixu can be said to be a contender to Wu, Pingyuan Jun and Xinling Jun can be said to be assistants to Zhao and Wei, and Yi Yin and Zhou Gong can be said to be ministers to Shang and Zhou."
After Zhang Cang finished speaking, he looked at Hei Fu: "I, Zhang Cang, would like to be a remonstrator. Where is Hei Fu?"
Hei Fu just looked at the carved stone and said nothing...
"I still do not know!"
…
By the next day, the Zhifu Carving Stone had been carved, and Hei Fu and Zhang Cang finished their work and returned to Xianxian County on the other side of the sea by boat.
At the palace in Heixian County, Heifu heard a bad news from Ziying, the fifth master who accompanied the emperor.
"Your Majesty and An Qisheng have been chatting for three consecutive days! Yesterday, they even talked at length into the night. Your Majesty went to the table several times, so that An Qisheng could get within three steps."
"Three days!"
Zhang Cang was shocked: "Then what did An Qisheng tell His Majesty?"
Ziying said: "It's nothing more than a matter about Sanxian Mountain. I once heard a few words from the sidelines. An Qisheng said that there is a large ravine in the east of Shaohai, named Guixu. In it are Daiyu, Yuanjiao, abbot, and Yingzhou.
, Penglai Five Immortals Mountain. When he was young, he practiced Taoism with He Shanggong, and he once traveled to the sea to seek it. He went north to Shamen Island, south to Haizhongzhou, and reached Zhuya. That year, he was boating in the East China Sea and encountered a strong storm, destroying his boat and injuring his body.
Capture his soul. When he wakes up, he sees an immortal, only to find out that he is rescued by a divine turtle and reaches the Penglai Immortal Mountain..."
"An Qisheng said that the Penglai immortals all have skin like ice and snow, and are as soft as a virgin. They do not eat grains, inhale the wind and drink dew, ride on the clouds, ride on flying dragons, and swim across the four seas. All the animals on the mountain are white.
, building palaces with gold and silver, everything is similar to the mortal world but different at the same time.”
"The immortal kept him for a few days, and then asked the turtle to take him back to Qi. After An Qisheng landed, he realized that several years had passed. It turned out that one day in the dangerous situation was equivalent to one year in the mortal world! After that, An Qisheng
Qi Sheng went to look for Sanxian Mountain several times, but found that he could no longer go up. In fact, the distance to Sanxian Mountain was not that far. The difficulty was that when he was about to reach the side of the mountain, the sea wind would blow the boat away from the mountain. Before reaching the mountain,
Looking at the past, it looks like a white cloud; when I come closer, I see that Sanshen Mountain is under the sea water. If you want to climb the mountain, you will be blown away by the wind every time, and you will never reach it."
"Does your Majesty believe such a weird thing?"
Zhang Cang became even more anxious, while Hei Fu nodded silently, thinking to himself: "Maybe he encountered a mirage. He can't prove that he has been there, but no one can prove that he hasn't been there..."
Ziying said: "After entering Qidi, there are often hundreds of alchemists talking about gods, monsters and strange alchemy techniques, but none of them are detailed. Your Majesty yearns for the immortals who do not eat the fireworks of the world, are not afraid of water and fire, can fly in the clouds and mist, and can come and go freely.
.In addition to Sanxian Mountain, An Qisheng also told the story of the Yellow Emperor casting a cauldron and riding a dragon to heaven. Your Majesty will listen to it..."
"What did you say?" Zhang Cang asked.
Ziying looked around and whispered: "Your Majesty said, I am as sincere as the Yellow Emperor. Although I see my wife as if I had taken off my ears, I still don't want to abandon the world..."
Shoes are shoes. Chen Ping is right. If he is in good health, who would be so afraid of death? Hei Fu has heard that as his body ages and his illnesses worsen, Qin Shihuang's midlife crisis has reached this point.
Already?
And what he is reluctant to abandon, is it the world or the common people?
Will Qin Shi Huang, who wants both fish and cake, end up empty-handed in the end?
"As for the rest, I don't know that Your Majesty shielded you and had secret talks with An Qisheng." Ziying said and left.
At this time, the magicians Lu Sheng and Han Zhong passed by and saluted everyone.
Although their attitude was still respectful, when Han finally looked at Hei Fu, the small pride in his eyes could not be concealed. Lu Ao also had a meaningful smile on his lips. They were betting that they were right if they invited An Qisheng to use this move.
Already.
This time, he is indeed a difficult character to deal with. When everyone else chooses to please the emperor and refuses to say anything when they see through it, Heifu, how should you deal with it?
After there was no one around, Zhang Cang stamped his feet and said:
"Your Majesty is so superstitious about Fang Xian Dao that you go so far as to do this!"
After Zhang Cang turned around a few times, he looked at Hei Fu who was silent and became even more angry. He pointed at him and scolded him: "Hei Fu, why did Prime Minister Li not say a word when His Majesty favored Warlock Fang?
, isn’t it the same for you! Qiao Mincheng said, being good at getting favors is the best, and you are a minister. If we just sit back and do nothing, what is the difference between us and Prime Minister Li and the magicians? You are talking!"
But Hei Fu just stared at the inner room of the palace, which was still brightly lit in the middle of the night. Qin Shihuang was probably still talking with An Qisheng about the way to immortality and immortality.
"It's pitiful that the front table is empty in the middle of the night."
Hei Fu sighed, which stunned Zhang Cang. There seemed to be countless regrets in his words, and he didn't know whether he was regretting people or things.
"Don't ask the common people, ask ghosts and gods!"
Heifu turned around and smiled at Zhang Cang, who was shocked by his sentence: "Brother Zihu, didn't you ask me, admonish, fight, assist, and fuzhichen, what kind of job do I want to do?
Soon, you will know!"
…
ps: I drank too much yesterday and I just returned to Kunming from the imperial capital. There is only one chapter left today.