The Great Qin Empire---Qin Li

"My own son and close ministers have failed to shake the emperor's mind. Fortunately, I am not too involved."

On the way from Xianyang to the Linguang Palace in Ganquan Mountain, Heifu couldn't help but shake his head secretly when he recalled what happened in the Xianyang Palace the day before.

Qin Shihuang's decision to build palaces and gardens in Guanzhong and create a "heaven on earth" was firm. Not only was Youzhan neglected, but even Prince Fusu was affected. The only result of Fusu's remonstrance was that in mid-June, when Qin Shihuang went to the Linguang Palace for summer vacation, he took his sons with him, but not his eldest son.

Qin Shihuang was a prolific father. He had more than 20 sons, ranging in age from the eldest son Fusu, 18 years old, to the youngest son Hu Hai, 9 years old. According to the standard of "crown at the age of 20", all of Qin Shihuang's sons were adults. In addition, the emperor was a person who was relatively indifferent to family affection. Even though they were not far apart, he rarely met with his sons.

Therefore, Heifu did not have the opportunity to observe them closely, but only had some superficial understanding through various channels.

Among them, the two he cared about most were Fusu and Huhai.

A wise prince who was regretted by the ages, and Qin II who led the Qin Dynasty into the abyss, anyone would be curious.

Fusu's frank advice that day reminded Heifu of a poem he had heard Zhang Cang read.

"The toes of the unicorn, the prince, how alas, unicorn.

The determination of the unicorn, the prince's surname, how alas, unicorn.

The horns of the unicorn, the prince's clan, how alas, unicorn!"

Like the poem, Fusu gave Heifu the impression of a benevolent beast, the unicorn, who "does not step on living grass or insects". It walked leisurely in the green fields and forests, but suddenly flowed and turned into an elegant prince. The prince is like a unicorn, noble and kind, and the prince is like jade, as if spotless. This is Fusu's reputation among the people in Xianyang.

But on the contrary, the ministers in the court were not optimistic about Fusu.

One of the reasons was that Fusu's mother was a prince of Chu State and his uncle was the anti-Qin Changping Jun. Since then, the emperor has summoned Fusu less and less frequently. Fusu was concerned about the country and the people, and every time he met with the emperor, he would say something that Qin Shihuang didn't like to hear, so he became less and less favored.

The day before yesterday, after Fusu remonstrated with the palace in Xianyang Palace, Qin Shihuang even scolded Fusu on the spot: "Read less Confucianism and learn more about laws and regulations."

Qin Shihuang's words were meaningful, and in this way, Fusu became less and less likable.

Hei Fu thought to himself: "According to the clan law, Qin is the system of primogeniture, but Qin Shihuang did not have a queen before, and he did not have a queen after he became emperor. Since there is no legitimate son, he must choose a crown prince from more than 20 concubines, and the eldest son Fusu still has priority..."

But now, the emperor thinks that he is in the prime of his life and has no intention of appointing an heir. No one in the court or the public has the courage to suggest "appoint a crown prince early". Everyone is speculating that His Majesty may want to wait until the sons reach adulthood and then choose a wise one to appoint him.

"Maybe he thinks there is a chance of immortality and feels that there is no need to appoint a crown prince?" Hei Fu recently discovered that sorcerers and alchemists from Qi and Yan were often summoned by the emperor, and most of the things they talked about were not about the people but about ghosts and gods...

The country had no crown prince, which was a major hidden danger for the Qin Dynasty, but it was not something that Hei Fu, a mere official, could interfere with.

He turned his head on the chariot and could see Qin Shihuang's six-horse carriage from a distance, with several auxiliary carriages in front and behind, almost exactly the same. If you want to tell which car the emperor is in, the first is to look at the position of Zhao Gao, the car official, and the second is to carefully identify the children's laughter coming from the car...

This summer vacation trip to Ganquan Mountain will last from June to August and September. After the autumn harvest in September, there will be an activity of "Autumn Training of Soldiers for Hunting", which can not only show power through military review, but also allow the princes to learn military affairs through hunting. Except for Prince Fusu who disobeyed Qin Shihuang and was deliberately left in Xianyang to "learn law", the other more than 20 princes all went with him.

But among them, the only one who was brought to the carriage by Qin Shihuang was Prince Hu Hai.

When passing through Zhengguo Canal, it was getting dark. According to the plan, they would rest in the palace beside the canal for one night. When Heifu went to ask for instructions, Zhao Gao greeted him with a smile and lifted the curtain, but saw a surprising scene:

Qin Shihuang, who was always busy with work, was playing Liubo with his son like an ordinary father at this moment...

Hu Hai was only 9 years old. He was born with a delicate figure and had a long hair on his head. He was looking at the chessboard seriously. When he found that the carriages and horses stopped, he saw that Zhonglang Hu Ling Heifu was kneeling outside. He smiled mischievously and suddenly shouted:

"Zhongchefu Ling, why is it dark?"

Zhao Gao replied: "Sir, the sun hasn't set outside, why do you say that?"

"If it wasn't dark, why can't I see the chessboard clearly?"

He pretended to grope in the dark, turned his head, pretended to see Heifu, clapped his hands and laughed: "Father, father, it turns out that Heifu is here, no wonder my eyes are dark!"

As soon as these words came out, Zhao Gao smiled and shook his head, and even the usually serious Qin Shi Huang was amused. Hu Hai was even more proud of himself when he saw that he had successfully amused his father, and the car was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Only Hei Fu cursed in his heart: "You smart dead brat..."

His first impression of Hu Hai was not very good. Although he looked innocent and cute in front of Qin Shi Huang, in Hei Fu's eyes, he was just a brat who only knew how to play and make trouble, and was the age that even dogs hated. Relying on being favored by the emperor, he liked to play tricks on the close ministers. He had laughed at Youzhan's short legs and secretly ridiculed Wei Zhuang's old age. After meeting Hei Fu the day before yesterday, he dared to make fun of his dark face.

It is a common problem for parents to love their youngest son. It is said that Qin Shi Huang's favorite woman was Hu Hai's mother. With his mother's early death, this feeling was also transferred to Hu Hai. They traveled in the same car and ate at the same table. The more he ignored Fu Su, the more he loved Hu Hai.

"It's really... a world of difference."

Although he was teased by Hu Hai, Hei Fu remained calm and laughed: "Your Majesty, Master, don't look at my face as black, but my heart is red!"

Hu Hai was even happier and laughed out loud. The Minister of the Central Chariot House Zhao Gao said with a fake smile: "The mouth of the Minister of the Central Chariot House is as sweet as brown sugar."

Hu Hai glanced at Zhao Gao: "Sweeter than you?"

Zhao Gao bowed: "I am not as good as you, not as good as you."

Hei Fu hurriedly said: "How dare I compare myself with the Minister of the Central Chariot House."

Hu Hai stopped playing Liubo at this time, but grabbed Qin Shihuang's hand and said: "Father, I heard that the Minister of the Central Chariot House was the first person to play Bingqiu. When will he bring the guards to play a game for me!"

Bingqiu was the game invented by Hei Fu after he modified rugby during the months of guarding the fortress in the war to destroy Chu. Two years later, it has been introduced to Guanzhong. The Qin people did not like the acrobatic individual Cuju of Qi and Chu, but they were obsessed with the collision of speed and passion of strong men. Bingqiu became a game often played by Qin soldiers in Guanzhong.

Hu Hai was also obsessed with it. He liked to watch the soldiers wearing heavy armor colliding with each other and falling with mud on their faces in order to fight for the small ball. It would be even better if someone broke his leg in the game!

Hei Fu bowed his hands: "If your majesty and the prince want to watch, Hei Fu will personally wear armor and go on the field."

To deal with this kind of leader's naughty child, you can't beat or scold him, doesn't he like to play? Hei Fu has a lot of small games that can cater to his preferences...

Qin Shihuang patted his son's head and said: "Nonsense, my officials, when they go home, they stay in the guard, and when they go out, they graze for hundreds of miles. How can they be used for games? The palace has arrived, let's go down and have a feast."

Hu Hai pouted until Zhao Gao said that there were fresh leopard fetuses to eat today, and then he smiled again.

Qin Shi Huang asked Zhao Gao to take Prince Hu Hai out, and then said:

"I haven't been to this canal for a long time. Tomorrow I will inspect along the canal to see how the composting method used by the internal historian this year works?"

Qin Shi Huang got out of the carriage and looked at the clear canal next to the palace. It was separated from the Jingshui River, flowed slowly eastward, and finally flowed into the Luoshui River.

Its appearance can irrigate the marshy land of 300 miles between the Jingshui River and the Luoshui River, and irrigate more than 40,000 hectares of farmland, making Guanzhong a fertile land. Ten years after the canal was built, there has been no bad year. Qin became rich and strong because of this. Qin Shi Huang was able to unify the princes and provide a steady supply of food for the army. Zhengguo Canal played a big role.

But then, the emperor turned his eyes to the north, as if he remembered another thing because of the Zhengguo Canal in front of him.

He asked Heifu, "Who will accompany the emperor to guard the palace tomorrow?"

Heifu said, "It's the turn of the cavalry commander Wang Li."

"Then you will be free. You can go to Yunyang County."

Yunyang County is a day's journey north of Zhengguo Canal and not far from Ganquan Mountain Linguang Palace. Heifu immediately pricked up his ears, wondering what the emperor wanted him to do.

Qin Shihuang stroked his beard and said slowly, "Go to Yunyang Prison and check for me. Is Cheng Mao still alive?"