In the thirty-fifth year of Qin Shi Huang, at the beginning of December, outside Jimo City, a group of officials were bidding farewell to their colleagues.

The leader is the newly appointed Zuo Shu Chief, Gong Cao Peng Chen Ping, and the soldier Cao Peng Cao Shen, and the person who is about to travel far away is Xiao He, a "little official" who was dragged into the water by Heifu......

The farewell banquet has been eaten, and it has multiplied several times more than when it was first unified, and it is also stuffed with Xiao He's luggage.

Finally, when it was time to say goodbye, everyone stepped forward to say goodbye one by one, and when it was Cao Shen's turn, he looked at Xiao He and stopped talking......

When he was an official in Pei County, Xiao He was the first in everything, and Cao Shen was the second in ten thousand years, so it was inevitable that he would have thoughts in his heart. But in the four years that Jiaodong has been an official, it is Cao Shen who has been a black man, and he often presses Xiao He, which can be regarded as raising his eyebrows!

At present, when Heifu left Jiaodong, he neither brought his henchman Chen Ping, nor did he let Cao Shen, who was both civil and military, go south, but he only ordered Xiao He to accompany him, and many people were quite puzzled.

Regarding Lao Xiao's new errand, Cao Shen is not envious at all. He heard that there are many pit vipers and beasts in the Baiyue forest, the weather is hot and rainy, and in the summer and summer, the disease of cholera is frequent, and most of the soldiers of the southern expedition did not die from the battle, but from the miasma, Xiao He is in his forties, and it is really auspicious to go......

Although the two have competition, they are old friends from the same township after all, and Cao Shen is worried about Xiao He from the bottom of his heart.

Xiao He also had a sad look on his face, and took the initiative to say to Cao Shenzuo: "If Xiao He dies in the south, my three sons, Xiao Lu, Xiao Tong, and Xiao Yan, I still hope that Brother Cao will teach him, and the Xiao clan will also ask the Cao family to help one or two......

The Chu people believe that in addition to the barbarians tattooed and cannibal flesh in the south of the Five Mountains, there are countless demons and monsters, huge foxes are everywhere, and male snakes with nine heads devour people's hearts, even if they are dead, their souls should not go south, let alone the living! Xiao He also felt that he was afraid that he would be more auspicious and less auspicious, and he was so pessimistic that he had to explain the future in advance.

A thousand years later, in the Tang Dynasty, most of the people who were thrown to Lingnan to be officials had to cry bitterly, say their last goodbyes to relatives and friends, and write countless poems to complain, as if they had entered the ghost gate, not to mention the Qin Dynasty.

"Definitely, definitely!"

Cao Shen nodded heavily, with tears in his eyes, the friendship between the two has indeed reached the level of being able to entrust his wife.

Chen Ping laughed out loud on the side.

"This is a meritorious trip, how can the two of you make it seem like life and death? With the body of the daughter of the Marquis of Changnan, he has not yet avoided dangers and obstacles, and goes south first, isn't he afraid of the epidemic miasma? There is always a way to solve things, Brother Xiao doesn't have to worry too much, since you are afraid of the miasma ghosts in the south, then ...... like this"

As he spoke, Chen Ping ran to the side of the road, broke off a willow branch from the bare tree, and pretended to circle around Xiao He, chanting words in his mouth, holding the willow branch in both hands and giving it to him.

"This willow will definitely be able to shelter Brother Xiao! Ghosts and miasma are not close! ”

At that time, people regarded the willow tree as the wood of evil spirits but ghosts, and pedestrians brought willow branches, at least they could make the ghosts fearful, stay away, ensure the safety of the journey, and fold the willow to give farewell, which is a good luck for the safety of travelers......

This move was witty, the sad farewell atmosphere suddenly disappeared, Xiao He and Cao Shen were a little embarrassed, their actions just now were indeed a little timid.

Xiao He couldn't cry or laugh, so he had to cross the willow branch and said: "Thank you Chen Junzhi willow, Xiao He will definitely be like this wicker, no matter whether it is cold or hot, wherever it is inserted, where it will live!" Say goodbye, I just hope that there will be a day to meet! ”

Chen Ping, Cao Shen and others also bowed their hands to him: "Precious! ”

……

After sending Xiao He away, Chen Ping returned home and came to Jiaodong for four years, Chen Ping's family also moved to Jimo, and as his title and position continued to rise, he no longer had to live in Heifu's house as he did in the north, and also lived in the Gaomen compound, which was extraordinary.

After entering the door, Chen Ping found that his wife Zhang had set up a statue of a god in the courtyard and was worshipping and worshipping, which made the whole family miserable......

Chen Ping frowned, he was the most unbeliever in evil, otherwise, he would not have accepted his wife Zhang when he had married five husbands in a row and all five husbands died. Isn't it okay to turn out to be? His career is soaring, fame and fortune are rolling in, and the fate of ghosts and gods is illusory.

He believes that things are done by man!

So Chen Ping was quite displeased and reprimanded: "What is this? ”

Zhang turned her head, she was slightly older than Chen Ping, the years had left traces on her face, the former first beauty in Yangwu County, and now she had crow's feet in the corners of her eyes.

Chen Ping's love for her gradually faded, and after returning from Jieshi last month, he also accepted two concubines at a very fast speed - Zhang didn't know, this was Chen Ping's order to find a suitable excuse for himself to stay in Jiaodong.

Although the Zhang family was angry, she was helpless, and the middle-aged woman who had lost her husband's favor could only turn her interest to praying to gods and ghosts, and worshipping the gods of Qidi......

Chen Ping asked, and she said confidently: "This is the Yin Lord of the Three Mountains, who can shelter people when they come and go, and the concubine once prayed to the Yin Lord for the safety of her beloved." Now the beloved man has been promoted to the head of the left house, and he is a county official, no longer a guest, and he does not have to go to the dangerous Lingnan. The concubine thought that the blessing would be fulfilled, so she sacrificed here to repay the vow, and the beloved, you also came to worship......"

"Ridiculous."

Chen Ping scolded his wife and asked her to quickly remove these messy things.

Zhang was very aggrieved, crying and crying, and after removing the statue of the god lord, he muttered: "The others are very happy to recover their freedom from the diners, but the lover is depressed, could it be that he still wants to continue to follow Changnanhou?" He went to the south without a good person, for the good of the good person, to love you, anyone can see that the south is dangerous, nine deaths and one life......"

"Enough!"

The more his wife talked, the more crooked it became, and after Chen Ping returned to the study, he was annoyed and helpless.

Of course, he understood that his wife was for his good, and like Cao Shen, Zhang thought that most of the people who went to the south would die there, and he was glad that Chen Ping was spared this catastrophe.

But he was angry at the woman for talking nonsense.

"What does she know, the reason why Junhou left me in Jiaodong is to guard this cave!"

This series of plans, only the two of them are clear, Heifu feels that Chen Ping's reputation is too great, if he is transferred three times and follows three times, even if Qin Shi Huang is not suspicious, he will give the truth to the villain.

Therefore, after Qin Shi Huang promoted Chen Pingjue, he let him get off the donkey, end the relationship with Heifu's chief minister, and stay in Jiaodong to make a meritorious contribution, which is equivalent to the organization minister of the provincial party committee in later generations.

The new Jiaodong county guard will soon come to take up his post, but whoever comes, he will have to rely on Chen Ping. As Heifu's agent, Chen Ping controlled everything about the new policy in Jiaodong, and in Haidong Trading Company, Farmhouse, and Qingdao Port, he was much more useful than the local officials, which was a network accumulated after four years of hard work.

Heifu took Xiao He away and kept Cao Shen, also out of this consideration: Cao Shen has completely surrendered to Heifu, served as a soldier Cao Peng, in charge of military affairs, and Chen Ping, who is in charge of personnel, Jiaodong's military and political affairs, will not be able to bypass the two of them, once the situation changes, Chen Ping will do something, there are also helpers.

Chen Ping decided to sleep in the study tonight, he turned on the lamp, and wrote a poem on a piece of hemp paper with a pen.

It was three years ago, when Heifu welcomed the farmer into Jiaodong, he wrote (chāo) in order to win the favor of the farmer leader Ye Lao.

"At noon on hoeing day, sweat drops into the soil

Who knows that Chinese food is hard work. ”

At that time, this poem won great praise from the farmers, who believed that the county guard of Jiaodong was worthy of being born in Qianshou and understood the hardships of the peasants, so he took root in Jiaodong. After several years of bitter Yun, at the suggestion of Heifu, the farmer planted cabbage, ground soybean milk and tofu, and turned the excess beans into bean sprouts......

But in October, when Chen Ping left Jieshi, Heifu told him: "This "Compassion for Nong", in fact, there is still the second half of the song, I will only show you alone. “

Thinking of the unreserved trust of the prince, Chen Ping's pen became stronger, and he no longer used Qin seals, twenty Wei characters, and jumped on paper!

"Plant a grain of millet in the spring, and harvest 10,000 seeds in the autumn.

There is no idle land in the four seas, and the farmers are still starving to death! ”

Heifu's gift poem made Chen Ping completely understand the intention and determination of the prince! The farmer starved to death, this is the status quo of the world!

I thought that after the unification of the four seas, I would be able to stop the war and forge a sword into a plowshare, however, Qin Shi Huang deceived everyone!

Chen Ping said to himself: "What is said on the stone carvings is that Li Shu has no line, men are happy, and women are cultivating their careers, it is all a lie...... In fact, in the past ten years, there has been no war! ”

Even if Heifu and them encouraged agriculture and mulberry farming in Jiaodong, the benefits of these new policies to the head of the Qiansan were not worth the heavy forced labor and taxes, but the wealth created by Jiaodong to the imperial court was continuously invested in new conquests by Qin Shi Huang.

Chen Ping only felt that what Heifu was doing in Jiaodong was like fighting a fire with a salary, and the salary was not exhausted, and the fire was not extinguished!

He recited the whole poem several times, and then immediately threw it into the charcoal basin and burned it to ashes, watching it be swallowed up by the tongue of fire little by little, and Chen Ping's eyes were also reflected in the flames.

"This fire that constantly licks the world is not the fields of Qidi, not the nobles of the Six Kingdoms, not the light chivalrous and evil boys, and not the soldiers who fled into the mountains and forests to avoid harsh government."

"This fire is the Qin Dynasty's own harsh government, and it is the endless desire of Qin Shi Huangdi!"

The heart of a single husband is becoming more and more arrogant, and the whole world, 30 million people, have to revolve around him: 300,000 on the Great Wall in the north, 100,000 in the west, and 200,000 in the south, but they are not as good as the palaces and tombs in Guanzhong and Lishan, and there are 700,000 prisoners......

The young and strong laborers of the appropriate age are almost all running on the road, how can they have time to farm well, and everyone is tired after more than ten years of continuous rotation.

Chen Ping was sure that soon, this fire would burn this Kyushu into a white ground.

"The southern expedition is a quagmire, I am afraid that another two or three hundred thousand will be added to it, and over the years, the soldiers are tired, and there is no food, so that men are not allowed to cultivate trees, women are not allowed to spin and weave, Ding Zhuang is in the army, the old and weak are paid, the dwellers have no food, and the walkers have no food. The people are suffering from the war, and those who flee will be numerous. ”

"At that time, there will be a commotion inside and outside, the people will be in ruins, the walkers will not return, the past will not be opposed, they will not make a living, they will flee and obey each other, the group will be thieves, and the last one will be out of control. When Emperor Qin dies, the Central Plains will be in chaos......"

The fire will also spread to the seven temples of the Qin Dynasty, the pillars will be crooked, and the building will fall!

Just like, what Chen Ping saw more than ten years ago, Daliang City collapsed!

The paper burned to ashes in the charcoal basin, and Chen Ping also showed a smile full of anticipation.

Sure enough, compared to the Taoist Huang Lao, it is more suitable for him to engage in conspiracy.

"And the prince will go home with hundreds of thousands of people who are eager to return to their hometowns, and whoever dares to stop the return of the husband will be their enemy! Chang Nanhou, he will be the Gan Lin who will save the world after this fire! ”

……

At the same time, Heifu and his party, who had traveled south all night, also came to Ye County, Nanyang County.

In the biting cold wind, Gong Ao was ordered to hold the festival in front of him, shouting "Changnan Hou Zhi, everyone avoids!" ”

Heifu galloped wildly in the back, making the streets and alleys fly! It's like a villain.

Snowflakes fell from the dark sky, sprinkled with water, and fell on the whole body.

Hef's hand was so cold that he lost consciousness.

But he didn't have the slightest intention of slowing down, he was in a hurry, and the hills in the distance seemed to be the back of the ghost uncle, which was the same destination as Heifu's, and it was the Ye family's old mansion.

It is necessary to catch up with it, to overtake it!

For the first time, Hefu prayed to the gods in his heart, pleading with the Great Priest to stop and smoke a cigarette?

"Old man Ye, old man Ye."

Heifu gritted his teeth, and the spurs on the side of his boot kicked the mount again: "You have to hold on, son-in-law, and I have an important word to say to you!" ”