Qin Official

Qin Shihuang was so happy that he vomited blood.

In the past thirty years, he had received countless memorials, many of which contained admonitions, but most of them were oblique. For example, Li Si's "Book of Remonstrance to Chase Guests" laid out the facts and slowly reasoned with him.

But there has never been a memorial that criticized him from beginning to end: You did something wrong and lost your way as a king!

"If it conforms to the festival, it will be regarded as trustworthy if it is different from the deed; if it is weighed by a weighing stone, it will be equal."

This old pharaoh from the countryside probably copied too many documents and wrote dryly. He was not as literary as Li Si, nor was he like Mao Jiao, who always got to the point of the topic and was extremely verbose.

But at the beginning of his article, he used the metaphor of weighing rice and the talismans that every Qin person had to do every day: the law is the talisman and the weighing stone, and Qin Shihuang is the person who controls them.

Therefore, the monarch is the source of law and government, just like the benchmark for measuring time, and the officials and the people are like the shadow of this benchmark. If the benchmark is upright, then the shadow will also be upright. If the benchmark is crooked, the shadow will also be crooked.

And Xi then told Qin Shihuang in a long speech: Your benchmark has been completely bent!

"Before the unification, Your Majesty was still able to respect the virtuous and entrust the powerful, without greed for profit, and everything was determined by the law. Then the officials and the people also worked hard and were happy when they heard about the war. They worked together as one, were loyal and faithful, and were careful about the way of the subjects."

But now, Your Majesty, what are you doing?

Xi pointed out the fallacy that Emperor Qin Shi Huang had made over the years: "Your Majesty used his strength and wisdom in the wrong place, thinking that people can really live forever, and blindly pursuing immortality. First, he trusted the magicians Fang and gave them a lot of money to refine silk. Make pills, and plan to take a boat to the Fairy Island regardless of the risk."

"If the monarch likes to be skewed and upside down, then the ministers and officials will take the opportunity to follow the evil and evil, and the officials will do what your Majesty wants, and they will fabricate gods and auspiciousness everywhere."

"In the end, it was discovered that they were just a group of swindlers. They all deceived them in a rage, but His Majesty did not give up and was obsessed with finding the Queen Mother of the West. He sent 100,000 people to build a road to the Western Regions, and one-third of the money from the Young Mansion , are all spent on it, and the remaining two-thirds are also spent on Lishan and Afang."

"Not only that, your Majesty is rich all over the world, but he doesn't think that all of it is the treasure of the people. He often builds large-scale construction projects, overhauls palaces and temples, pays more and more, rents and taxes become more and more heavy, and the corvee is endless every year. The monarch is passionate If they are greedy for wealth, then the ministers and officials will take the opportunity to take more and give less, so as to exploit the people without limit. The head of Guizhou in the world has been suppressed without any chance to breathe. In Shandong, bandits are everywhere, and in the border areas , I don’t know how many soldiers are fleeing, so the officials govern the country and ruin it.”

To sum up, there is only one sentence: "The king is the source of the officials and the people; if the source is clear, the flow will be clear, and if the source is turbid, the flow will be turbid."

What is good at the top must be bad at the bottom. The reason why the government is corrupt lies in you, Your Majesty!

Xi finally said: "The emperor's injustice is the most serious matter in the world, but all the ministers are silently accepting their promises and obeying blindly. Although the ministers are in a low position, they cannot know it and say nothing. If I don't say anything about it, what more can I say? So today I risked my life. I will be loyal to the end and hope that Your Majesty can change his mind and clear up his roots. If this can be done, it will be a blessing to the Qin Ancestral Temple, the country, and the country, and it will also be a blessing to the people of the world."

The last person who dared to scold Qin Shi Huang in this way was Gao Jianli.

The emperor finished reading the memorial, but after reading it, his face turned red and his ears were hot, and he was so angry that he vomited half a liter of blood on the spot!

"This is the person recommended by Hei Fu and Mao Jiao to join the capital? This Anlu Jingman dares to say that I am a crook?"

After regaining his breath, the irritable Qin Shihuang became furious. His first reaction was to arrest the old official and kill him!

But when Xizhen was arrested and put into Tingwei Prison, Qin Shihuang hesitated again. He suppressed his anger and read the memorial twice more. At one time he was furious, and at another he was thoughtful...

Until today, Zhao Gao's younger brother Zhao Cheng, who was in charge of the palace's household order, came to report that the eldest son Fusu requested an audience.

"I knew he would come."

Qin Shihuang put down the memorial and calmly asked the visitor to announce that the young master had entered the palace.

He knew very well that in the eyes of Xi, Mao Jiao, Meng Yi, and even Meng Tian, ​​he had been doing wrong things in recent years, and Fusu was the person who could remedy the "mistakes" in the future.

The emperor's anger turned into a cold evil fire in his heart.

"I will be the bad guy, and you will be the good guy, right?"

But the fact is that it’s not that easy to be a bad person, and the reputation of a good person is not that easy to earn!

"I want to see how you plead for this person!"

The emperor sat high on his couch, while Prince Fusu was introduced into the palace by Zhao Cheng and his visitors.

Qin Shihuang did not ask everyone to leave, and the palace maids and waiters were waiting at the door tremblingly. The emperor was in a bad mood today, and he could only pray that there would be no father-son conflict later.

Qin Shihuang's temperament became more and more surly. In the past six months, every few days in the palace, several eunuchs and maids who should not be seen and heard should not be obeyed disappeared from the world. It was really terrible for the young master Fusu Tiao to visit them at this time.

Fusu looked very much like his mother, Concubine Mi, when he was young, but now he is in his late thirties, has a beard, and the Chu-style aristocratic air revealed in his gestures always reminds Qin Shihuang of one person: Lord Changping...

However, after all, Qin Shihuang had not seen Fusu for two months since he began to keep his whereabouts mysterious, but Hu Hai was always with him.

He bowed in a decent manner, before and after approaching, Fusu bowed down five steps away:

"Fusu came here today to plead with Father to punish someone!"

He did not shout anything, "The Lord Ming and his ministers are straight, congratulations to my father for getting a straight minister", but it was beyond Qin Shihuang's expectations.

"Oh? Who offended the eldest son, who has always been kind and kind, who do you want to punish?"

Fusu raised his head and looked at his father, whom he had not seen for several months: "It's the Censor of the Censor's Mansion, congratulations!"

…

"Your Majesty assigns ministers duties based on their talents, and seeks results according to the duties of the ministers. If the results are in line with the duties of the ministers, and the duties are in line with the ideas, they will be rewarded; if the results are not in line with the duties, and the duties are not in line with the ideas, they will be punished."

Fusu explained why he believed Xi must be punished:

"Fusu heard that Han Zhaohou was sleeping during the day, and he was attended by two servants. One was Dian Guan, who was responsible for wearing his hat; the other Dian Yi was responsible for dressing up. Dian Guan saw that Han Zhaohou was cold while sleeping, so he covered him with clothes. Later, Han Zhaohou woke up and asked who built it. He replied: Dian Guan. So Han Zhaohou punished both Dian Guan and Dian Yi."

"Dian Yi is punished because he neglected his duties; Dian Guan is punished because he exceeded his duties."

"Now, as the imperial censor, Xi is supposed to be inspecting the officials, but instead he is doing the job of admonishing the officials and doctors, and reporting remonstrances to His Majesty. No matter what he says is reasonable or not, the harm of invading officials is worse than Han. Therefore, joy should be punished!"

Qin Shihuang said calmly: "Then how should I be punished?"

Fu Su said: "Laws and regulations have their own rules. Those who are in a minor position will be deprived of their positions, and those who are in a serious position will be banished."

"No matter what, the sin of joy will not lead to death, right?"

Qin Shihuang saw that Fusu was retreating in order to advance, which was very different from his previous strong remonstrance.

Qin Shihuang shook his head and said: "This is a quote from "Er Handles". Have you started watching "Han Feizi"?"

"yes."

"Didn't you always refuse in the past? Didn't you always hate what Han Fei said, thinking that it was hypocrisy and playing conspiracy and power, which was unbecoming of a gentleman and extremely disdainful?"

Fusu said: "Young Master Fusu was busy at that time. Later I found out that what Han Feizi talked about was not only skills, but also Dharma and momentum. Fusu also found a conversation between him and his father in the treasury..."

My conversation with Han Fei? That was a long time ago, right?

Qin Shihuang closed his eyes and recalled the interesting but difficult conversation. It was interesting because what Han Fei said was almost completely consistent with what Qin Shihuang wanted, but it was difficult because Han Fei was a stammer.

"I almost forgot, what did I say to him?"

Fu Su said: "My father once discussed the pros and cons of laws and techniques with Han Fei, and finally asked him, is it okay for the monarch to use Shen Buhai's techniques, while the government implements Shang Yang's methods?"

"Han Fei's answer is that Shen Buhai's skills are not perfect enough. He once said: 'Do not go beyond the scope of your authority, and do not say anything beyond your authority even if you know it.' Doing things without going beyond the scope of authority can be said to be abiding by one's duties. ; Knowing but not telling is not reporting a crime, which is contrary to the law. The Lord sees with the eyes of a country’s officials and people, so he sees most clearly; he hears with the ears of a country’s officials and people, so he hears most clearly . If everyone, hindering their authority, knows about it but doesn’t tell them, then whose ears and eyes can the monarch pretend to be?"

"Now Xiye is just telling his father what he heard and saw. How can he kill his own eyes and ears?"

"This is what is stated in the Law."

Qin Shihuang smiled and said: "You have read a lot. You must have also read "Speaking of Difficulties", otherwise why would you suddenly learn to retreat in order to advance."

"Han Fei writes well, but it is difficult to explain. Therefore, those who advise and talk about it must not ignore the owner of my likes and dislikes before speaking. Fusu, have you also started to think about my likes and dislikes, and then persuaded them? After all, I still want to keep my life happy."

Fusu bowed again: "My son, I dare not, but my father once told me that legalism is the basis of governance, and Legalism is the foundation of the Qin Dynasty. Therefore, for my father, magicians can be trapped, and Confucians can be expelled. The Mohists can be sparse, and those who promote excellence can be punished, but only legal officials, especially loyal and diligent legal officials, cannot be killed hastily!"

"Furthermore, my father only commended Guo Xi a few years ago and promoted him to Xianyang as an official. If he was killed for his crimes at every turn, I am afraid that the people in the world would say that my father Ye Gong is fond of dragons..."

Qin Shihuang looked at Fusu up and down as if he didn't know him.

He has really changed. He no longer has the innocent comments of the past, and no longer has the idiots to contradict him. His words have become reasonable and well-founded. This is also the first time in half a year that he has spoken out, right?

Is it because you became a father and started to become more stable and mature?

Fusu's marriage was not a prominent one. He had been married to the daughter of Duke Heng six years ago. They were a loving couple. Now, their second child has been born.

Or, you can take responsibility for yourself and realize something after your death.

Two years ago, Qin Shihuang was angry and helped Su become a remonstrator. He kicked him to Liaodong to lead troops and conquer Haidong. He experienced hardships and learned a lot from one of Qin Shihuang's most valued generals.

It’s not easy, the little featherless house sparrow can finally fly.

But in the eyes of Qin Shihuang, this little eagle with few hairs was flapping its wings, trying to teach an eagle to fly. It was so childish and ridiculous!

"From the moment I killed Han Fei, I was already Mr. Ye..."

What dissatisfied Qin Shihuang the most was that Fusu completely confused one thing!

He put the cart before the horse and did not understand the true meaning of the way of kings!

Fusu wanted to persuade him again, but Qin Shihuang interrupted him.

"And you're wrong, Fusu."

Qin Shihuang's face darkened, and he stood up. His tall body, illuminated by lamps and candles, cast a huge shadow, completely covering Fusu!

"Since Duke Xiao's reform in the Qin Dynasty, the first to die and the most to die are not the strategists, not the Confucian scholars, nor the Mohists or magicians. It is precisely this group of legalists and Qin officials!"