Heirs of the Seven Swords of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 1981 The Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon (Twenty-Eight)

Although it is an astronomical figure for ordinary people, it is already a very low expense for Emperor Ying Zheng.

At least it's much cheaper than fighting a war or building a palace.

On this point, there is almost a consensus among the entire empire.

Of course, not everyone had a problem with the emperor's frequent tours.

For example, the local government or officials along the way were very unhappy.

The local emperor was doing well, but once Ying Zheng came, they had to pretend to be grandsons for a long time in fear.

For example, the court officials who accompanied Ying Zheng on his tour were also dissatisfied.

He was originally doing well in his office in the imperial capital, Xianyang, but suddenly he was dragged around the country by Ying Zheng. The key point was that he had to handle official business while running, and he had no time to rest at all.

Although the carriages of the patrol team are very high-end, it is still very tiring to sit in them for a long time.

However, the common people were unusually united in not criticizing the emperor on this matter.

Almost no one in the empire was satisfied with Ying Zheng. After all, he was almost tortured to death.

The only thing he had no objection to was Ying Zheng's tour.

After all, patrolling won't bother them.

Whether building palaces or fighting wars, they not only had to pay money (taxes) but also work hard (perform corvée or even garrison service) - of course, it was the latter that caused the most dissatisfaction.

For the illiterate people, paying taxes is not an idea they have, unless they can't even eat because of it, they don't care much - it's not that they are stupid, they just don't dare to, and they can't think of any problem with it.

But the hardships of serving in the army are real and personal experiences.

Corvée labor can tire people to death, not to mention garrison service. If you are not careful, you can die on the battlefield.

But to welcome the emperor on his tour, the most they had to do was run around the streets and pretend to show their loyalty and love for His Majesty the Emperor.

Just treat it as a show of excitement.

Secondly, business may have to be suspended for two days, but it’s not a big deal.

The only ones who are seriously affected are probably the beggars on the streets.

When the emperor arrives, these annoying people must not be allowed to stay in the city.

It is somewhat life-threatening for these beggars, but beggars are only a minority after all, and the vast majority of ordinary people do not care about their life or death.

Apart from these minor negative effects, Ying Zheng's tours basically did not cause any other harm to the people, and there were even some benefits - wherever the emperor passed through, the level of local administration would most likely be temporarily improved due to the emperor's visit.

Facts have proved that the mobile court plan is indeed effective in stabilizing the rule of the empire - although it only treats the symptoms and not the root cause, and the effect of treating the symptoms will even become worse and worse.

Ying Zheng knew it very well, but he could do nothing about it.

He was a master at playing politics, with strong tactics and deep scheming, but governing a country was not a one-man job, and reversing the existing defects of the empire was not something he, as a monarch, was good at.

As for the ministers in the court...if they stick to the framework of Legalism, the empire will never be able to correct its own ills.

Because the biggest flaw in the Legalist system is that it would create a supreme master, or an emperor with unlimited power.

Dong Zhongshu of later generations at least came up with the idea of ​​the connection between heaven and man to limit the imperial power... Although it was of little use, it at least gave court officials and the people an excuse to criticize the emperor.

But the emperor under the Legalist system is truly second only to God, and no one else can have his say except him.

Not only were there no restrictions, but everyone except the emperor did not even have the power to criticize or accuse the emperor. The only power they had was to devote themselves.

To sum it up in one sentence, the emperor’s kindness is still not over.

Anyway...there's nothing much to say.

Let’s get back to the topic.

The drama in the farmer's house is getting more and more intense and lively, but the key of the drama, that is, Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang, who are in the imperial mausoleum of Mount Li, is very desolate.

The war in Lingnan went too smoothly, resulting in a large number of manpower being withdrawn from there, and the empire did not do anything else, so there was no shortage of manpower for the time being.

In the absence of a shortage of manpower, the plan to deploy the prisoners in Mount Li was naturally shelved.

Although Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang were eager to cause trouble for the empire, they were not impatient about it.

But they were really anxious about not seeing Tian Guang for a long time.

The longer the time dragged on, the more doubtful they became about Tian Yan's promise - this was also normal, as it was hard not to be suspicious of a promise that was not fulfilled.

"Mr. Zhang, is 'Tian Yan' trying to fool us?!"

Still at Zhang Liang's residence in Mount Li, the rough, dark-skinned man Chen Sheng angrily questioned Zhang Liang, "Does she know the whereabouts of Boss Tian Guang?"

During this period of time, the two brothers have been urging this matter, but Zhang Liang's responses have always been almost the same, or rather, the responses from 'Tian Yan' that he conveyed on his behalf have always been almost the same - I'm checking it again and again, and it will take time.

It was really hard for them to judge whether Tian Yan was just trying to fool them with this kind of words, or whether he had really been investigating but had no results yet.

So the two of them prefer the former.

Firstly, Tian Yan was not a very reliable person to the two of them.

Secondly, Tian Yan's reply to them was too perfunctory.

If you are really investigating, please at least give some further explanation and some specific information!

The two were definitely not willing to accept this kind of perfunctory treatment, so they came to Zhang Liang to ask for an explanation - after being perfunctorily treated again and again, they even began to doubt Zhang Liang's position.

Facing Chen Sheng's somewhat bad attitude, Zhang Liang put on a gentle smile and calmly replied:

"I understand that Master Chen Sheng is anxious, but that's how the hero Tian Yan replied to me, so I can only reply to you two in the same way."

Wu Kuang took a step forward and said in a steady voice, "If that's the case, please ask Mr. Zhang to tell Tian Yan that we may consider giving up this cooperation."

"She repeatedly gave us brothers a perfunctory response, and her attitude towards cooperation was very questionable. We can no longer trust her."

Zhang Liang remained calm after hearing this. He nodded slightly and said, "I understand your concerns. I will definitely convey your message."

"But I must remind you two that the reply from the hero Tian Yan may not satisfy you."

Chen Sheng's eyes widened. "Doesn't she know the whereabouts of Boss Tian Guang?"

In Chen Sheng's opinion, both of them have used the cooperation as a threat, so shouldn't Tian Yan reveal the truth?

She went through all this just to let them take the blame for her, so could she just give up halfway?
Unless, she simply couldn't fulfill her promise.

Zhang Liang shook his head. "As far as I know, if nothing unexpected happens, Hero Tian Yan may have already found out the exact whereabouts of Hero Tian Guang."

"What!?" Chen Sheng frowned and shouted in surprise.

Wu Kuang was much calmer and didn't make a fuss, but his brows were also furrowed.

They originally thought that Tian Yan had deceived them and could not fulfill his promise, but if what Zhang Liang said was true, then Tian Yan deliberately did not want them to meet Tian Guang.

What? If they meet Tian Guang, will it be disadvantageous to Tian Yan?

Although their identities as heroes may lead to power conflicts, there is no need to go to this extent, right?
After all, Tian Guang had been missing for many years and was negligent in his duties. It was reasonable for the Six Halls to select a new leader. Even if Tian Guang came back, he could not shake Tian Yan's position out of thin air. Is it necessary to guard against them?
This problem does not sound serious at first glance. Whether Tian Yan is preparing for a rainy day or is just being overly suspicious, there must be a suitable reason. But if you think about it carefully, it makes people have some wild thoughts.

Zhang Liang looked at the two people's reactions, as if he saw nothing, and continued with a smile, "You two, listen to me."

"From what I can judge, Xia Kui Tian Yan is not trying to stop you from meeting Xia Kui Tian Guang. She seems to just want to postpone the time of this happening."

"In other words, she just doesn't want you to meet now."

"Why?" Chen Sheng asked directly.

Zhang Liang smiled and shook his head, "I don't know about that."

"Maybe she has some concerns, or maybe she has other ideas. There are many possibilities."

"Concerns? What concerns?" Wu Kuang asked.

"For example..." Zhang Liang gave a possibility, "She is worried that the two of you will regret after meeting Tian Guang Xia Kui, and then she will have no bargaining chips."

"Ridiculous!" Chen Sheng angrily retorted without thinking, "Once a man has spoken, there is no reason to regret it!"

"'Tian Yan' is really too contemptuous to think like that!"

Zhang Liang quickly comforted him, "This is just a possibility, the truth may be something else."

"In short, I suggest you two stay calm."

"Even if we want to give up cooperation, there is no need to rush. If Tian Yan, the leader of the group, still doesn't give you a satisfactory answer before the plan is officially implemented, it won't be too late to consider parting ways."

"What do you think?"

After Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang looked at each other, they did not immediately respond to Zhang Liang's words.

At first glance, there is nothing wrong with what Zhang Liang said.

If Tian Yan was just stalling for time and didn't want them to see Tian Guang too early, then it would be useless for them to threaten her with breaking up.

At worst, we can break up now and restart the cooperation when Tian Yan thinks the time is right.

As long as Chen Sheng, Wu Kuang and others want to see Tian Guang, and as long as they are willing to resist the empire, the cooperation can still be achieved.

It’s better to continue waiting quietly for a while.

As for falling out, you can do it at any time.

If Tian Yan fails to fulfill his promise, they will be in the right even if they fall out the day before the execution of the plan.

But all this is based on one foundation - what Zhang Liang said are accurate facts.

What if 'Tian Yan' didn't want to delay the time for them to meet Tian Guang, but didn't want them to meet?
Or maybe Tian Yan has other plans and just needs to delay their time?
Previously, the two of them judged that Zhang Liang was a middle-man who would not help either side, but because of the perfunctory treatment they had received during this period, they began to doubt Zhang Liang's position.

If what he said before was all deliberate lies to them, then listening to him would be exactly what he wanted.

Even if Zhang Liang was not from Tian Yan's side and had no intention of deceiving them, it could not be ruled out that Zhang Liang himself might have been deceived.

In short, the two of them still need to think about this matter.

As for the threatening notice they asked Zhang Liang to convey to Tian Yan, the two did not choose to revoke it.

As I said, as long as the two parties want to cooperate, they can naturally reach cooperation anytime and anywhere.

Even if they fall out now, it won't prevent them from cooperating again in the future.

In this case, why not make your attitude clear now and see how Tian Yan reacts.

Zhang Liang didn't care about it.

He said these two extra sentences not to deceive Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang, but because he hoped that they could calm down before the plan was officially implemented and stop doubting this and that all the time.

Although he and A Yan did have bad intentions towards the farmers, what they were planning had nothing to do with what Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang suspected.

These two are just doing something for no reason.

Zhang Liang was also very busy, so naturally he wanted to reduce some meaningless work for himself.

Unfortunately, it didn't work, and Chen Sheng and Wu Kuang were still on guard.

Zhang Liang was too lazy to bother with it and didn't want to argue with them.

So be it.

………………

Deep in the East China Sea, the mirage was still sailing steadily on the sea, just as it had been a few months ago, like a moving city flowing on the sea.

However, the atmosphere on the boat was completely different from when we first set out to sea.

Everyone on the boat had a visibly dejected look on their faces, and they looked like zombies.

The reason is simple - days at sea are really too exhausting for one's will, and no one can stand it.

I don’t know where I came from, where I’m going, what time it is today, or where the future will end. As soon as I open my eyes and rack my brain, all I see are unknown days that stretch as far as I can see. It’s really torturous.

In the bedroom of the sisters of Lady Xiang, the elder of the Water Department, Gu Xun was still lying on Ehuang's bed, as if he had not moved for several months.

His usually clean and tidy face now looked much rougher, as if he had not taken good care of it for many days. His eyes were dull and lifeless, looking like a salted fish lying there.

On the other side, lying on Nvying's bed were the sisters Ehuang and Nvying.

Their mental states were not much different from Gu Xun's, they were both depressed and distracted.

Ehuang no longer had the majesty she had when she challenged Gu Xun before. She lay on the couch hugging her sister, her face pale, like a sickly beauty.

"When will we get to this damn fairy mountain?"

She cursed in a weak and hateful voice.

However, her weakness was not physical, but mental.

If she needs to fight someone, her strength will not be diminished at all.

Gu Xun was lying on another couch, his eyes half open as he replied, "I guess it will take some time."

"The light of the Imperial Star is getting dimmer and dimmer, but it will take some time before it is completely extinguished."

Ehuang managed to perk up a little after hearing this, frowned and replied, "That sounds like what the Moon Goddess said."

"Astrology is not unique to you Yin-Yang School. Can't I know it?" Gu Xun retorted lazily.

Ehuang didn't argue with him about this issue, but asked, "What does visiting the immortal mountain have to do with whether the light of the Emperor Star is dim?"

"Hehe!" Gu Xun chuckled twice and replied calmly, "I guess that unless this imperial star is completely extinguished, you Yin Yang family may not be able to find the immortal mountain."

"You also know?"

"Just a guess." Gu Xun replied with a smile.

"So, as long as Ying Zheng is not dead, Mirage will never return?" Ehuang didn't care whether this was a guess or not. She only cared about how long she would have to drift on this damn sea!