When I was in Qin Dynasty, I lost contact with the wave

Chapter 650: Not returning home when you are rich and powerful is like walking in the night in fine clothes

The carriage drove into a lush green bamboo forest, and came towards them was a white-haired old butler, with maids and servants standing respectfully on both sides. They opened the door wide to welcome the master of the house who had not returned for many years.

"Old servant... Old servant..." The old butler looked at Zhang Ji, whose face had changed a lot compared to his former childish face. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes and he was about to cry. He knelt in front of Zhang Ji with sobs and could not even speak clearly.

"Uncle Zhong, get up quickly. You are my elder in terms of seniority. How can you kneel before a junior like me?"

Zhang Ji hurriedly helped the old housekeeper up. The old housekeeper's ancestors had served as housekeepers in the Anyi Zhang family since his great-grandfather's generation, that is, since the generation of his great-grandfather Zhang Yi's great-grandfather, they had settled in the Zhang family and served as housekeepers. The son has inherited his father's business until now, and six generations have served the six heads of the Anyi Zhang family.

So even if this old housekeeper was originally a commoner without a surname, since the generation of great-grandfather Zhang Yi, the name of the old housekeeper's great-grandfather was added to the family tree, and the old housekeeper was classified as a member of the Anyi Zhang family, and was given the surname Ji and the clan name Zhang.

Over the years, the old butler took his son to travel between the Weiwei Mansion in Xianyang, the Luonan Jun Mansion in Luonan, and this old house in Anyi. Ever since Zhang Ji confirmed that he would return to his hometown to worship his ancestors, the old butler Zhang Zhong returned to the old house in advance to arrange for cleaning.

Seeing that his young master had finally returned to this old house full of countless memories, the old housekeeper looked at the face that was extremely similar to Zhang Ji's father, and couldn't help but recall the past, recalled Zhang Ji's father, and recalled the decline of the Anyi Zhang family in the past.

Comparing him with Zhang Ji, whose reputation now even surpasses that of Zhang Yi, the old butler couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Yes, I am sorry for hindering the master and his ladies from entering the mansion."

Zhang Zhong was not happy that Zhang Ji addressed him as uncle or elder. Instead, he became even more respectful and humble, and lowered his posture even more.

This is the sense of propriety accumulated by six generations of old butlers. No one will ever forget his or her own identity because of the closeness of the successive heads of the family, nor will anyone think that he or she is superior to others just because he or she is on the genealogy of the Zhang family in Anyi. This is why the old butler's lineage has been recognized by the six generations of heads of the Zhang family for six consecutive generations and has never been rejected.

After crossing the threshold that has been repainted red and passing through the noble red door, what comes into view are pavilions, towers, ponds and waterside pavilions reflected among the green pines and cypresses, with rockery and strange rocks, flower beds and bonsai, vines and green bamboos dotted in between.

Even though the Anyi Zhang family had fallen into poverty, they had only fallen from the top nobility to the second-class nobility. Since Zhang Yi, no one in the Anyi Zhang family had served in officialdom for two generations, but they still maintained their status with their connections and financial resources.

The property that Zhang Ji sold were just those inconspicuous empty houses and fields. After he became successful in the Qin State, he bought those fields and houses back, and hired someone to renovate the old house and restore the original design of the house.

While Zhang Ji was touring his old house with his beautiful wife and concubines, the entire Qin court was busy trying to conquer the vast tracts of newly occupied land.

As soon as the news of the demise of Wei State reached Xianyang, Ying Zheng rarely put aside all government affairs and slept in the large study room of Zhangtai Palace for three days and three nights, while Gai Nie and Li Si were guarding outside the room, one holding a long sword and the other holding paper and pen.

Over the years, Gai Nie remained Ying Zheng's personal bodyguard, swordsmanship teacher and confidential adviser, and Li Si, the Minister of Justice, gradually handed over the affairs of the Ministry of Justice to Han Fei, the Minister of Justice.

It’s not that Li Si changed his temperament and no longer loved power, but that Li Si’s status gradually rose. He repeatedly participated in the highest military and political meetings of Qin State as the Minister of Justice and participated in the formulation of national policies.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that Li Si, a favorite of the King of Qin who had come from Lu Buwei's prime minister's mansion, would be one of the strong candidates for the two prime ministers in the future.

In today's Zhangtai Palace, the inner hall belongs to Ying Zheng, and one third of the outer hall belongs to Li Si, who is responsible for assisting Ying Zheng in handling many government affairs.

Ying Zheng was soundly sleeping and continued to let Li Si handle government affairs. It was obvious that he was cultivating Li Si's ability to take charge of things on his own. Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Ying Zheng was so tired and happy that he ignored this issue.

The country that the old Qin people hated the most, apart from Zhao, was Wei. In terms of hatred, Zhao was nothing compared to Wei.

The hatred between Qin and Zhao started during the reign of King Zhao of Qin. After the Battle of Changping, Qin and Zhao became irreconcilable.

But the State of Wei was an old enemy with accumulated grudges for hundreds of years.

Before the successful reform of Qin State, Wei State had been the most powerful force suppressing Qin State for nearly a hundred years, two and a half generations (Wei Wenhou, Wei Wuhou, and the early period of Wei Huiwang). It can be said that all the crises of Qin State in the early Warring States Period came from Wei State.

Therefore, from the reign of King Huiwen of Qin to the early reign of King Zhao of Qin during the reign of Queen Dowager Xuan, Qin's main rival in its eastward expansion had always been the State of Wei. Even though the Hexi area that had been forcibly taken by the State of Wei was recovered as early as the reign of King Huiwen of Qin, this could not change the situation.

After the rise of Zhao, Qin and Zhao fought fiercely since the failure of the first attack on Zhao (the Battle of Yanyu) by Qin, and Qin's hatred for Wei gradually faded. As Wei continued to decline and then became a vassal of Qin, the old Qin people actually turned their hatred for Wei into contempt.

Despite this, the final outcome of the Wei Kingdom reminded the old Qin people in Guanzhong of many past events. After expressing their feelings, they naturally celebrated greatly, drinking in wine shops, singing in the streets, and dancing to community fires.

But after the celebration, Ying Zheng and his court officials had to face many problems concerning the State of Wei.

First, how many troops should Wang Jian’s army leave behind before he can return to the capital with peace of mind?
Second, repair the Central Plains gap.

Third, the Qin army's border troops were transferred south and west, and the grassland wolf tribes such as the Donghu and Xiongnu on the border were ready to move and had the intention of invading.

Fourth, the counties in Wei were redivided.

Fifth, the appointment of officials in Wei.

Because of these five problems, almost all the court officials of the Qin State were in a state of panic.

But a good cook cannot cook without rice. Other problems are easy to solve, but the appointment of officials for the State of Wei is really difficult.

The Qin State simply could not afford so many officials. If it were not for the shortage of officials, the Qin State's generals would not have to learn the means of governing the local area in addition to the art of war.

Despite the output of talent from the Great Qin Academy, it was still short-lived and not enough to fill the huge gap in the shortage of officials in various places in the Qin State.

These days, Li Si's mental state has become a little bad because of this incident, so much so that when he came to attend Xiao Yang'er's full moon banquet on behalf of Ying Zheng some time ago, Li Si looked at those leisurely disciples of the Hundred Schools with a bit of horror in his eyes, as if... he wanted to send all these people to various places to fill official vacancies.

This gave Master Xun a shock. Those people were either the leaders of the Hundred Schools of Thought or the direct disciples or even successors of the leaders. If Li Si directly took action to keep them all, whether they were voluntary or not, Li Si would be divided into five equal parts by the Hundred Schools of Thought.

So he hurriedly began to enlighten this disciple whom he had neglected in the past, but suddenly he realized that there was something wrong with the look in Li Si's eyes when he looked at him.

broken!

This traitor is plotting against me!
(End of this chapter)