Daqin: My weak and virtuous minister

Chapter 207 Father and son talk

Although His Majesty's tone was calm, it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

But Zhang Yuanqing already understood it in his heart.

He chuckled softly, "That's because I know Your Majesty is a rare wise ruler in history, and he never kills his subjects indiscriminately."

"cough cough cough"

After saying that, Zhang Yuanqing coughed tiredly a few times, bringing a slight blush to his cheeks.

Only her lips looked a little pale and there was obvious fatigue in her eyes.

"Shi Yi, quickly send Zhang Qing back home to rest."

Seeing Zhang Yuanqing like this, Ying Zheng hurriedly ordered Shi Yi.

"promise."

Zhang Yuanqing was helped up by Shi Yi and left Zhangtai Palace with a bow.

Outside, Gao Yi and Dali saw the Marquis being supported out by the emperor's eunuchs, and hurriedly one of them stepped forward to support the Marquis on the other side, while the other hurriedly put the footstool in place.

After getting on the carriage, Shi Yi did not leave, but got on the carriage and sat next to the right prime minister.

Seeing the Right Prime Minister leaning against the carriage with a frown on his face, Shi Yi hesitated and said, "If the Right Prime Minister feels uncomfortable leaning against the carriage, you can lean on this servant."

Outside the carriage, Gao Yi and Dali drove the carriage away steadily to Xianyang Palace. Along the way, the guards saluted respectfully when they saw the right prime minister's carriage.

"Don't worry, Eunuch Shi Yi. I'm fine. I'm just a little tired today."

Listening to these weak voices, Shi Yi quietly closed his mouth and stopped disturbing the right prime minister's rest.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion.

"Shi Yi, please go back. His Majesty still needs your service."

"promise."

Seeing that the Right Prime Minister had returned home safely, Shi Yi left in a hurry.

After returning, Qingque was so scared when she saw Zhang Yuanqing like this that her eyes became moist.

He hurriedly made the bed, helped the Marquis take off his outer clothes, and covered him with a thin quilt. Only after seeing that the Marquis had fallen asleep did he carefully retreat to the door.

Zhangtai Palace

"Is everything alright after Zhang Qing's return?"

Seeing Shi Yi coming back, Ying Zheng asked.

"Your Majesty, the Right Prime Minister is tired. He is ready to rest when he does not need to come back."

Ying Zheng nodded and said no more. After a while, he stood up and left the main hall and went to the side hall.

"You don't have to go in."

"promise."

The door was closed again, and Ying Zheng stood in front of the map, looking at every inch of Qin's land.

It was not until late at night that Ying Zheng turned around and left.

A few days passed in a blink of an eye. Ever since Zhang Yuanqing made his suggestions to the emperor that day, he returned to his mansion and has not gone out since.

Every day I write some lessons to teach Prince Hu Hai, although Prince Hu Hai has not learned them yet.

In the afternoon, Master Hu Hai came to the mansion. The two of them either did some small experiments, or answered some of Master Hu Hai's imaginative questions, or asked Master Hu Hai to practice calligraphy.

After Prince Hu Hai left, Zhang Yuanqing would always take a rest. When he woke up, he would either sit in a daze or listen to music and watch singing and dancing.

Zhang Yuanqing lived a very leisurely life, which he had never dreamed of before.

But in Zhangtai Palace, Ying Zheng was not so leisurely.

Fusu clearly felt that his father was worried these days.

Or maybe there is something important that has not been decided.

Shi Yi was always very careful when serving His Majesty.

He heard what the Right Prime Minister said that day.

However, he did not dare to say much, let alone guess His Majesty's thoughts. He could only serve cautiously and carefully every day.

"Father, what has happened to you these days?"

Finally, Fusu couldn't help but ask.

Ying Zheng put down the pen in his hand, looked at Fusu for a long time, stood up, and said, "Come with me."

Fusu didn't ask any more questions and followed his father's footsteps.

The two of them came to a side hall. Shi Yi sensibly stood outside the hall and did not go in.

"Looking at this map, what do you think?"

Ying Zheng stood in front of the map and asked Fusu, who was almost as tall as himself.

"Father, I feel that the territory of our Qin State is still too small."

"Look here, here, and here. There's so much land that our Qin cavalry hasn't even reached yet."

"But, I also know that this can't be rushed. We need to develop and expand slowly."

"Just like our ancestors, successive generations of kings will carry on their aspirations. One day, our Great Qin will have a vast territory, and its people will live and work in peace and contentment."

Fusu expressed many of his thoughts in one breath.

He also had a map like this in his palace. Every day after he finished his work, he liked to look at the places on the map.

The teacher told me that there are many lands outside the territory on this map, but they are very far away and have not been drawn for the time being.

The teacher said that the place where they live is called the Earth, which is a round sphere.

On this planet, there are land and ocean, and the ocean divides the land into pieces.

Of course, the teacher said these words to Hu Hai, and he heard them from Hu Hai.

He had even seen the crooked earth drawn in Hu Hai's notebook.

After listening to Fusu's words, Ying Zheng paused for a moment and continued to ask: "Then tell me, how should we govern the Qin Kingdom after its territory expands?"

Fusu had considered this issue.

He looked at his father's expression and hesitated whether to say it or not.

"Speak. Why are you hesitating?"

"promise."

After receiving his father's order, Fusu carefully considered his words and finally spoke: "Father, Fusu feels that the territory of Qin is expanding day by day. It is difficult for one person to take care of everything."

"And many places are so far away that it can take months for messages to travel back and forth, which can seriously delay important matters."

"Furthermore, if an accident occurs on the road and the news cannot be conveyed, it will take a long time for both sides to know about it, which is not good for the country."

"Therefore, I have considered sending my brothers to govern the remote areas of Qin State."

"Just like the princes of the past, they are in charge of the political affairs of a place."

"Of course, if this is the case, it may cause the Great Qin to split up again in the future, but for now, it is the most suitable."

"There are pros and cons, but I think if some restrictions are set, the pros outweigh the cons."

Ying Zheng looked at the prince who was talking eloquently, his expression unchanged. He placed his big hand on his waist and rubbed it with his index finger a few times.

"Then tell me how to restrain it?"

Seeing that his father was not angry about this, Fusu was happy and told him everything he had been thinking about for a long time.

"Father, I believe there should be regulations on the amount of land controlled by the princes, as well as the population of the people under their rule. If the population exceeds the limit, it will be necessary to relocate the people. The number of soldiers under the princes should also be regulated, and the same applies to finances."

"Furthermore, the king can also regularly send trusted ministers to inspect the territories governed by the princes."

"In this way, the princes are subject to various constraints, and since they lack sufficient military strength, the threat they pose to the king is relatively small."

“Even if a powerful vassal state becomes powerful in the future, the king can quickly send troops to suppress it.”

Looking at Fusu, Ying Zheng was silent for a long time.

"Let's go, you haven't finished dealing with the memorials today."

After saying this, Ying Zheng did not respond to Fusu and walked out of the side hall with his men.

Fusu looked at his father's back, feeling confused.

Why is my father asking such strange questions today?