At the beginning of April in the thirty-fourth year of Qin Shihuang, Prince Fusu established a city in a foreign land. He spent all night and night to eat and drink, and was looking for enemies to pursue him. However, the Xianyang Palace was in a leisurely and happy mood.
At a luxurious royal banquet, a young prince dressed in Zhu Xuan's deep robes and a far-traveling crown was standing in the middle of the banquet, talking eloquently with his hands behind his hands, as if he was reciting something...
"If you make one hole, the country will have many things; if you make ten holes, the country will have few things. If you keep one, you will have rule; if you keep ten, you will have chaos."
His eyes were bright and he was confident. What he was memorizing was the article "Weak People" in "Shang Jun Shu". Not only could he recite it, but he also expressed his own opinions.
"For example, the state of Chu is not small. The land of Chu is not small, the people are not small, and the armor, soldiers, and money are not small. It is impossible to win the battle and cannot defend it. This is the result of this helplessness..."
After saying this, Prince Hu Hai happily raised his hand to Qin Shihuang, who was sitting on the throne and was a few years older than a year ago: "Father, what do you think?"
Qin Shihuang always had a straight face when facing Fusu, but when dealing with his youngest son Hu Hai, he stroked his beard and smiled with satisfaction:
"It's a good recitation and a good point. If the ruler knows the law, the people within the territory have no desire to avoid sexual misconduct, the wandering people are forced to fight, and the people are tired of farming and fighting. This is what a strong country does! It is also Qin Neng's behavior.
The foundation of unity!”
After saying this, he pointed at Xi Mo's two older sons, Gongzi Gao, and Gongzi Jianglu said: "At least, they are much better than the two of you."
Prince Gao and Prince General Lu had just memorized the laws and regulations they had learned, but they were far less smooth than Hu Hai. At this moment, they were criticized by Qin Shihuang, who quickly stood up and said:
"What the father blames is that none of his sons and ministers are as smart as Hu Hai..."
The second son was trembling with fear. They were all a little afraid of Qin Shihuang. In the royal family, the most difficult relationship to get along with was between father and son... The emperor had more than ten sons, but there were only two who were not afraid of the emperor, the eldest son Fusu and the youngest son Hu Hai.
Compared with Fusu who dared to speak out and give advice, and there were often disputes between the emperor and his father and his son, Hu Hai was another type. When he was young and ignorant, he dared to pull the emperor's beard! The emperor was not angry and even lowered his head to let him
As he grew older, Hu Hai became more and more favored.
Other princes had the status of being ministers in addition to sons. But Hu Hai only had the family relationship of being a son, but not the status of being a minister. This was perhaps what the emperor liked the most about him.
At this moment, Qin Shihuang praised Hu Hai without hesitation:
"I don't know if Hu Hai is the smartest..."
"But he is the most serious. He has been fond of having fun since he was a child. He followed my orders to learn the laws and regulations from Zhongchefu, but he was also honest and honest. I once went to see Hu Hai in front of the case when Zhao Gao was explaining.
I scratched my head and scratched my head, looking around, wishing I could play outside in the spring, but in the end I was able to hold back and finish studying the law quietly..."
His words contained relief. Qin Shihuang looked at Zhao Gao behind Hu Hai: "Zhongchefu Ling, you taught well!"
Zhao Gao hurriedly came out and said: "I am just following orders. My son is very talented and can learn everything quickly."
In the Junan assassination that shocked the world, Zhao Gao was injured by a frightened horse in order to protect Qin Shi Huang, and lost one of his arms. From then on, he could no longer drive for Qin Shi Huang himself.
However, his position as CRRC Magistrate was retained and he could enter and leave the palace at any time. At the same time, he also got a new job: to be Hu Hai's teacher!
Calligraphy, legal order, and prison breaking are the basic qualities that a Qin official must have.
But in the Qin Dynasty, the prince must also acquire these skills and understand the importance of "law" to the empire!
The fact that Qin was able to produce six generations of virtuous kings was a matter of great luck, but it was also inevitable! No matter which prince became the new monarch, even King Qin Huiwen, who hated Shang Yang himself, could kill him, but he could retain his methods.
It's a pity that an outlier like Fusu came out. Qin Shihuang learned his lesson and strengthened the discipline education for his princes.
These three are exactly what Zhao Gao is good at, and he also has a method that the fun-loving Hu Hai can learn obediently.
With all the compliments, Hu Hai became the protagonist of the banquet, and the emperor also agreed that Hu Hai could drink a few more drinks today.
Hu Hai was naturally happy and stood up to toast Qin Shihuang on his birthday. After drinking, he asked a question like a studious child.
"Father, although I have read the laws and regulations thoroughly, there is still one thing I don't understand."
Qin Shihuang no longer drank as much as before, he just took a sip, held back his cough, and asked: "What's the matter?"
Hu Hai said: "It is said in the book of Lord Shang that if you make one hole, the country will have more things; if you make ten holes, the country will have less things. That's why the Qin Dynasty wanted to suppress merchants and promote their own industry. But recently I heard that Jiaodong was established
A 'Haidong Trading Company' encouraged thirteen major merchants in Qi to do business. This matter was allowed by my father, but it was different from what Lord Shang said. Why is this?"
Qin Shihuang smiled, pointed to the jewelry on Hu Hai's waist and said, "What is that?"
Hu Hai picked up the gorgeous pendant on his waist: "This is the luminous wall."
Qin Shihuang pointed to the hairpin on his head again: "What is the hairpin on his head made of?"
Hu Hai smiled and said: "Father, this is an ivory hairpin."
Qin Shihuang continued to ask: "Where is the cup in your hand?"
Hu Hai lowered his head and glanced: "The Cup of Rhinoceros Horn."
Qin Shihuang nodded: "Do you know where these objects come from?"
Hu Hai couldn't answer now, so Qin Shihuang asked Zhao Gao to answer for him.
Zhao Gao was knowledgeable and said: "The luminous wall comes from Suixian County in Jianghan, the ivory hairpin is produced in Yuzhang, and the rhinoceros horn cup is a tribute from Changsha County."
Qin Shihuang nodded: "Not only these objects, but the Junliang hairpin that I asked you to pick out from the outer stable just now is from the north of Saibei. Look at the palace maids around. The Ajin clothes on their bodies are from Xuejun, Jibei, and the Wanzhu hairpin."
, comes from Nanyang, and the brocade ornaments are produced in Shu."
"In addition, there is gold and tin from Jiangnan and Danqing from Bajun. All the above are products shipped from all over the world. But Hu Hai, do you know who shipped most of the rest except some of them as tributes?"
?”
Hu Hai thought for a while: "Could it be... a merchant?"
Qin Shihuang said: "Yes, they are merchants. The above things are all luxurious things that nobles like. Most of them were transported to Xianyang by merchants. In addition, there are grains, mulberry and hemp, livestock, and furs, which are used for people's clothing, food and clothing.
Where did the things that are necessary to maintain health and survive death come from? Eat them when they are farmed, emerge from danger, build them by craftsmanship, and finally trade them!"
"If merchants cannot come out, the three treasures will be destroyed. I deeply believe this. Therefore, merchants can be suppressed, but they cannot be eliminated! Therefore, outside the fortress, in the southwestern barbarians of Bashu, there are also merchants from the Wushiluo and Baqing families who transport wealth for the government."
Shang Yang lowered the status of merchants in the laws and imposed heavy taxes on them to suppress this kind of people, as if to tell people: merchants are all cheap, cunning and do not do their jobs properly, they are not good people, so don't become merchants!
But Qin Shihuang had a different understanding. He felt that the key point was whether merchants could be controlled by the government and whether they would be of use to the country...
As a monarch who personally supported and respected two wealthy businessmen, Qin Shihuang knew very well, are businessmen harmful to the country? Yes, they are harmful and can easily weaken their own industry. But are businessmen beneficial to the country? It is also beneficial. Not only whether there is a transaction, but also using Utopia from the early years.
During the Qing Dynasty, Qin Shihuang discovered that letting merchants do the work of cultivating goods would not only make more profits, but also make things easier.
Especially for the barbarian and Rongdi lands, Qin Shihuang handed over the northwest trade to the Wushi and the southwest to the Bashi. Near the Great Wall in the north, a merchant named Ban Yi recently emerged to trade with Donghu for Mengtian, while the remaining
The east side of Haidong, the land of Haidong, seems to have something to do...
Regarding Heifu's proposal, Qin Shihuang did not refer to the law and categorically rejected it. Instead, he agreed to let him try it in the "special zone" of Jiaodong. After all, Heifu guaranteed that he could make more money than Suanmin.
And those thirteen merchants are just objects used by the government and can be abandoned at any time, or the goose that lays the goose can be killed!
"What's more, Shang Jia of Qi is indeed somewhat different from Guanzhong. Didn't Shang Jun also say that if you don't follow the same rules in governing the world, you don't need to follow the ancient laws to benefit the country. If you stick to the old laws, won't you become Qianlong and Du Zhi?"
"What your Majesty said is true!"
Qin Shihuang finished his explanation, and all the ministers were stunned. Is this still the emperor they knew? If other princes had asked the question, the emperor would probably have given them a cold look and told them to go back and figure it out for themselves. Only towards his youngest son Hu Hai, would he be so kind and cheerful?
So much to say...
"Your Majesty is indeed very different from Young Master Hu Hai."
The minister who saw this scene inevitably had such thoughts.
Hu Hai also looked as if he suddenly realized something, raised his palm and said: "I see, so to speak, General Wei is really a capable official according to local conditions!"
The discussion about Hei Fu ended here. Qin Shihuang stroked his beard and talked about today's topic.
"In the ancients, the crown was crowned at the age of twenty. In the Qin system, the prince had a square crown and a sword. But I think of the seventeenth Fu family in Guizhou, so the crown ceremony of the prince is also the same as that of the head of Guizhou, to show that under the law, both the prince and the common people are
You must respect it!”
All the ministers knew that there were three people who were crowned in advance this time: Young Master Gao, Young Master Jiang Lu, and Young Master Hu Hai. They were 20, 19, and 18 years old respectively. It seemed that they were to allow Young Master General Lu to be crowned in advance so that he could marry according to the covenant.
The princess of North Korea, but in fact, the protagonist of this wedding banquet was completely Hu Hai.
Young Master Gao and Young Master Jiang were not very happy when they married in advance. Adulthood is not necessarily a good thing. Once they reach adulthood, they will completely leave the palace and live in their own mansion.
What to do after the crown has become a big problem that troubles the young masters.
After all, Qin Shihuang had made up his mind not to reverse the course of feudalism and allow his sons to become princes, so the Confucian scholars criticized him as saying, "Your Majesty now has an empire, but his sons are just men."
According to the laws of Qin, a clan cannot be a vassal without military merit. Although as the emperor's direct clan, it still has a high status and enjoyment, but once the mountains and mausoleums collapse, these former princes will often lose their wealth and honor quickly.
Why? If you are respected but have no merit, if you are generous but have no hard work, you will not end well.
Legally speaking, as long as the princes have no meritorious service, they are still "commoners". They cannot obtain titles or hold corresponding official positions, such as being in charge of the army. The eldest son Fusu also became a slave because he accompanied Heifu to the north to conquer the Xiongnu as a supervisor.
A wave of big heads were given special care and became "Left Concubine Chiefs", and they were qualified to lead the army.
Therefore, the princes and the crown princes will always try their best to find something to do. At least they must have a reason to be promoted to a title by the emperor, so as to avoid the rapid disappearance of wealth.
Gongzi Gao requested, saying that he hoped to go to the Yushi Mansion. Recently, Zhang Cang was compiling the "National History" under the orders of Qin Shihuang. Gongzi Gao had liked reading history books since he was a child and wanted to take a look.
The young master, General Lu, has his own mission, marrying the Korean princess and becoming the link to maintain this sectarian-vassal relationship.
Qin Shihuang was most concerned about Hu Hai and asked him alone:
"Hu Hai, what about you? What do you want to do?"
This question was asked as if Qin Shihuang would happily agree to whatever Hu Hai said.
The ministers glanced at the young master Hu Hai secretly. This young man with a bright face smiled naturally and said:
"Father, Hu Hai doesn't want to do anything. He just feels that life in this world is like riding a six-horse express train through a gap, passing by in a blink of an eye. I don't ask for anything, I just hope that I can exhaust the taste of my ears and eyes while I am alive.
Is it okay to enjoy everything you set your mind to and wait until the day your life span runs out?"
Everyone at the banquet was shocked. Hu Hai's words were undoubtedly a public announcement: "My dream is to be a waste who just eats and waits to die!"
