Chapter 9 King of Jin

The Taihang Mountains lean down from the northeast to the southwest. In the winding direction, the peaks gradually became lower and the cold and rugged rocks were covered by thicker loess. The hard yellow men were eroded by the wind and rain for thousands of years and rushed out of countless gullies. From a distance, they seemed to be the vicissitudes of an old man. They stretched for hundreds of miles and were far away from the Luliang Mountains, which were also covered by thick loess. There was a flat basin between the two mountains. The Fen River, which stretched for more than 1,400 miles, flowed through the basin, nourishing the earth.

With the nourishment of the Fen River, this land is much fertile and abundant than the mountains on both sides. For more than a thousand years, an ancient city, Jinyang, is towering in the center of this basin. The headquarters of the Bingzhou General Administration of the Great Sui Dynasty and the Hebei Daoxingtai Shangshu Ling is in Jinyang. In the blink of an eye, King Yang Guang of Jin has been here for more than a year. More than a year ago, Yang Guang was only thirteen years old when he first took office as the King of Fan, and now he is one year older. The 14-year-old King of Jin has grown much taller than a year ago, and is even more heroic.

The first time he left his parents' management, he came to Chang'an, thousands of miles away, as the general manager of a state, and was also the Minister of the Hebei Daotai Shangtai. Yang Guang was not attached to Chang'an, but was only excited. Seeing that his eldest brother Yang Yong was only two years older than him, he led his troops to fight in the past few years, fighting in the east and west, and winning praise from the court. Yang Guang was somewhat dissatisfied. Leading troops to fight and govern the local area was not a difficult task. If he was given a chance, he could do it well.

It was only when Yang Guang really arrived in Jinyang that he realized that although he was the prince, he was the Minister of the Hebei Daoxingtai and the General Manager of Jinzhou, he actually didn't get much freedom.

Yang Jian was worried that his son was not old enough. Before Yang Guang took office, Yang Jian personally summoned Yang Guang in the west court of the palace and ordered him to stand in front of him, and asked Gao Bing and other ministers to lead Wang Shao from behind to meet Yang Guang, and ordered Yang Guang to worship Wang Shao as his teacher in front of the emperor and the ministers.

After the salute, Yang Jian told Yang Guang that everything was large and small, and that Wang Shao must be entrusted to Wang Shao's teachings. Yang Guang had to respond voluntarily and was uneasy. However, he thought that although he had become a disciple of Wang Shao, he was the prince after all, and Wang Shao had to be a minister. He did not dare to take too much care, so he became happy again.

Unexpectedly, Yang Guang made the wrong plan. Wang Shao was resolute and upright. After arriving in Jinyang, he treated Yang Guang as a strict teacher and acted according to the rules in everything, which made Yang Guang feel more uncomfortable than Chang'an. A few months ago, because the Turks had just retreated, Wang Shao went north to inspect the construction of the Great Wall, and Yang Guang felt relaxed.

At this time, a jingling sound came from the back garden of the King of Jin's Mansion. A large pit of five feet deep and several acres wide were being dug here. After digging it, water will be poured into a small lake. The digging soil will be piled up next to it to form a hill. When trees are planted, there will be mountains and water here, which will be like a real back garden of the King of Princess.

Yang Guang hates the bare mountain tops far away outside the walls of the palace. What kind of mountain is called a mountain? The beautiful mountains and rivers in the south of the Yangtze River and the green scenery depicted in the book make Yang Guang yearn for it. If he had a choice, he would rather enfeoff the place near Chen State on the edge of the Yangtze River. Now he can only do it himself and create a green mountain and green water around him.

If Wang Shao was there, he would never agree to him do this. Yang Guang would hurry up and do it before Wang Shao came back. Seeing that the lake and mountains were about to take shape under the hard work of recruiting civil servants, Yang Guang was proud and asked Zhang Heng, the head of the royal palace beside him, "Wang Shao will be back in a month, right?"

Zhang Heng was not Zhang Heng, who formulated the armillary sphere in the Han Dynasty, but he also came from a noble family. Zhang Heng's grandfather Zhang Yi was the prefect of Heyang in the Western Wei Dynasty and his father was the governor of Wanzhou in Zhou. Zhang Heng was smart since childhood and was still the chief supervisor selected by Dugu for Yang Guang.

Hearing Yang Guang's question, Zhang Heng hurriedly said, "Go back to the prince, Lord Wang has been out for half a month, so he will be back in about half a month."

Yang Guang patted his head: "Is it already a half months? I almost remember it as February. Alas, it seems that we must make the craftsmen and civilians hurry up and must complete the work before Wang Shao comes back." After Yang Guang finished speaking, he sighed immediately. After more than two months of relaxation, Yang Guang realized the value of freedom and was unwilling to be governed by Wang Shao again.

Zhang Heng said cowardly: "Prince, since the emperor ascended the throne, he has been extremely frugal and extravagant. Although he is noble in the prince, it is not too big to dig a small lake in the back garden. After all, it is carried out on Lord Wang's back. What if Lord Wang complains to the emperor after he comes back?"

Yang Guang laughed: "The emperor can build a new city by himself. Could it be that I can't build a small lake?"

Zhang Heng was shocked and dared not respond. In March of the second year of Kaihuang, Sun Pi, Secretary of the Ministry of Works, submitted a report to the emperor, saying that the palace in Chang'an City was broken, the wells were salty and brine, and the population was getting more and more crowded, and could not adapt to the future development of the Sui Dynasty, so he demanded the reconstruction of a new city.

Changsun Pi's memorial was immediately approved by Yang Jian. This memorial was actually Yang Jian himself signaling Changsun Pi to submit. Chang'an City was indeed too narrow, and the water source was also a big problem. For most people, the Wei River was too far away and they could only drink well water. However, after hundreds of years of drinking, the groundwater in Chang'an is no longer sweeter than the Han Dynasty. Instead, there was a bitter water. In the past, the drinking water of the royal family had to be transported in from outside the city, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive.

There is another reason why Yang Jian built a new city but it is inconvenient to announce it. Although he almost killed all the Zhou royal family, there were many nobles in Chang'an who sympathized with and missed the Zhou family. Yang Jian often felt that he could not do anything in Chang'an, so he wanted to build a new city.

Although the treasury of the Great Sui Dynasty is empty, it can be filled immediately after the summer harvest. The old Chang'an is indeed too crowded. As soon as Changsun Pi's remarks nodded, many people said in unison that the new dynasty would have a new dynasty. The opinions of a few oppositions were soon submerged, and the plan to build a new city was immediately confirmed.

The new city is located in Longshou Mountain not far from Chang'an. The rivers around Longshou Mountain are beautiful and the land is fertile. It can also attract water, water and Lushui into the city. There is no need to rely on the Kujing water for reference in people and animals like the old Chang'an. It is indeed more suitable for building a capital than the old Chang'an.

Yang Jian ordered Zuo Pushe Gao Yang and the Ministry of Works to serve as the chief and deputy construction company of Daxing City. Although Gao Yang was a regular construction company, it was only used as administrative supervision. In fact, all the standardization of Daxing City was completed by the Ministry of Works to wait for Lang Yuhuakai.

The design of the new city is magnificent and huge in scale. The city is 8,600 meters long from north to south and 9,700 meters from east to west, with a total area of ​​84 square kilometers. In early March of the second year of Kaihuang, Yu Huakai completed the design of Daxing City. Zuo Pushe Gao Bing, and will be the master craftsman Liu Long, Julu County Duke He Lou Zigan, Taifu Shaoqing Gao Longcha, Yuwen Kai and others led hundreds of thousands of people to build construction day and night in Longshou Mountain to start the construction of the new capital.

Judging from the emperor's impatient construction of a new city, Yang Guang keenly discovered that although his father always advocated frugality and hated luxury, he was actually not in line with his words. At present, the power of the Sui Dynasty had not yet recovered, and the emperor had to take the lead in making frugality. Once he could enjoy it, who would refuse? Yang Guang was at ease and digging lakes and piled up mountains while Wang Shao was away.

When Wang Shao comes back, the road is already done. He will not be able to report to the emperor at most. I may not report it to the emperor. Isn’t Wang Shao afraid of being accused of assisting the fault? Yang Guang thought beautifully, looking up at the sky: "Go back, I’m hungry."

Back in the front hall, Zhang Heng said, "The prince is waiting for a moment, and I will immediately order the meal to start."

After a while, several servants brought the food. Yang Guang picked up the chopsticks and looked at the food on the table. He frowned. The good mood of inspecting the backyard just now disappeared and he threw the chopsticks on the table: "What kind of food? I am the King of Jin. I only eat these melons, beans, green vegetables for three meals a day. It's so delicious that you won't make some meat such as chickens, ducks, etc."

Zhang Heng said cowardly: "I have thought about improving the food for the prince many times, but only according to His Majesty's edict..."

Yang Jian was afraid that his four sons would develop a luxury when they were enfeoffed to the place, so he made strict regulations on the daily food and clothing of each royal palace. Unless on the birthday or on the day of celebration and sacrifice, the princes and subordinates usually mainly eat plain food, and they are not allowed to drink alcohol. These expenses are controlled by the royal palace general manager. If there is any violation, the princes and the princes first take action.

Yang Guang recruited civil servants to start ground in the backyard, but Zhang Heng could not control it. If Wang Shao came back, he would be the first to attack him. Facing Wang Shao's selflessness, Zhang Heng would not dare to violate it.

Seeing Zhang Heng's timid appearance, Yang Guang picked up the chopsticks again: "Forget it, don't make things difficult for you, I'll eat whatever you do."

"Thank you for your understanding!" Zhang Heng was a little moved. Not to mention being a prince, even if he was born in the governor's mansion, his family would not be cut off. At such a young age, it is really difficult to eat vegetarian rice that had been around for more than a year.

After all, Yang Guang was growing up. Although he had no appetite at first, he still ate several large bowls before he was full. After eating, he sighed: "I would have been in Chang'an."

When he was in the Duke's Mansion, Yang Guang had not eaten vegetarian food. When Emperor Xuan of Zhou asked his ministers to bathe and fast for three days when they saw him, Yang Jian was suspicious and wanted to see the emperor almost every day. In order not to get the political enemy to catch the problem, his family usually vegetarian food, which also implicated their brothers.

However, despite this at home, Yang Guang followed his elder brother Yang Yong out of the mansion almost every day, enjoying all kinds of delicacies on the street. In the end, he had to take some back to steal food for a few younger brothers and sisters. Although his parents soon discovered it, they did not interfere. During that period, it was the time when Yang Guang was the happiest to eat. Now that he thinks of these days, Yang Guang still misses him quite much.

More than ten days later, Wang Shao returned to Jinyang with great utmost care. He did not inform anyone to welcome him and went home directly. Wang Shao was ordered to inspect the construction of the Great Wall for several months. During this period, he was tired and hard. However, when he returned to Jinyang, Wang Shao was still very happy. The construction of the Great Wall was very smooth and his mission was complete.

What made Wang Shao even more happy was that under his guidance, King Jin grew up very fast. Not only did he learn about his articles and knowledge, but he also became more and more exquisite in riding and shooting skills. He was also quite respectful of his teachers and respectful of the Tao. He was willing to eat simple food for more than a year and did not have any cheating behavior. For this reason, every time he reported to the emperor about the progress of King Jin, he would be commended by the emperor.

When Wang Shao asked his wife at the dinner table what she had done in the past three months, the wife told her about Yang Guang's digging of lakes and mountains in the back garden of the royal palace. Wang Shao was so angry that he slapped the table, almost shaking the food on the table: "Madam, what you said seriously?"

Mrs. Wang Shao secretly regretted that her husband had just entered the house and shouldn't have told him this. He was still breathing and he was uneasy even with a hot meal. He had to stammer: "It's rare for a wife to go to the Prince of Jin's Mansion once, maybe he heard it wrongly."

Wang Shao was walking around his own hall. He knew that his wife was not a person who provoked trouble and did not go out very much. Since it had already reached his wife's ears, it was probably true: "Madam, you say, the King of Jin shouted in front of me, extremely obedient. Who knew that he was so extravagant and vain just a few months away. Could it be that he would deliberately pretend to be in front of me?"

Mrs. Wang Shao did not dare to answer her husband's words, so she could only say, "Husband has just arrived home and has not been washed away. It's time to have a meal first and have a good rest. If there is anything, it's not too late to talk about it tomorrow."

"No need, I'm not in the mood to have a meal. Come on, tie me up."

Hearing Wang Shao's words, the two masters who came in responded were stunned. Wang Shao glared at the two masters: "Did you hear it? Go find a rope to tie the master."

Two servants stumbled out to look for ropes, wondering if their master was so tired after going out for months, and there was no reason to find someone to tie him up.

The lady was also shocked: "Husband, why are you?"

Wang Shao said sadly: "The emperor gave the King of Jin to me. I thought I could live up to the emperor's entrustedness, but I didn't expect that the King of Jin was so inconsistent. I am sorry to the emperor and want to go back to Chang'an to apologize."

The lady was shocked: "You want to tie it back to Chang'an, how can you make this thousand miles away?"

The two servants had already found the rope and were a little at a loss when they stood aside. Wang Shao shouted: "Tie."

The two of them started to tie up slowly, but they didn't dare to tie them up. After they tied them up, Wang Shao said, "Help me to the King of Jin's Mansion, I want to say goodbye to the King of Jin."

The lady breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that she wanted to go to the King of Jin's Mansion first. In order to facilitate the disciplinary treatment of Yang Guang, Wang Shao's mansion was not far away from the King of Jin's Mansion. Although it was almost dark, it didn't matter much.

When Yang Guang learned that Wang Shao was back, he was a little uneasy. After all, he had been under Wang Shao's control for more than a year. When he was thinking about how to deal with Wang Shao tomorrow, Zhang Heng came to him: "Your Majesty, it's not good, Lord Wang is here."

Yang Guang was shocked. It was getting late now. Yang Guang thought he would meet Wang Shao tomorrow. Unexpectedly, Wang Shao would come over at night and quickly ordered his side: "Hurry up, take me to welcome his mentor."

When Yang Guang walked out of the yard, Wang Shao tied up his hair and stumbled in. Yang Guang was shocked: "Master, what's this? Who is so bold and dares to tie up my mentor?" After saying that, he shouted sternly: "Come here!"

Wang Shao stopped Yang Guang from continuing to call: "The prince doesn't need to call anyone anymore, it was the old minister who asked him to tie him up."

Yang Guang wondered: "Why did the mentor tie himself up?"

Wang Shao said: "The old minister was ashamed of the emperor and did not educate the prince well. So the prince dug a lake to build mountains after the old minister left. It was so extravagant that the old minister was incompetent in teaching. The old minister should resign from the prince and return to Chang'an to apologize to the emperor!"

Yang Guang was shocked. Although he expected Wang Shao to scold him for this, he never expected that Wang Shao would resign. If Wang Shao really asked him to sue him in Beijing, he would have to be severely punished by his father. He quickly untied the rope on Wang Shao's body with his own hands: "Mr., I know that what I did is really inappropriate. My teacher should not be so anxious. I will obey my teacher's teachings in the future and must not leave me behind."

Seeing that Yang Guang was ashamed on his face, Wang Shao's expression calmed down. He thought that King Jin was young and had a certain mind. As long as he knew he had made a mistake, he could correct it. He said earnestly: "Prince, Bingzhou has been a must-see for the country since ancient times. The emperor entrusts the important responsibilities of the governing office to the prince. You can imagine the expectations for the prince. The prince should be humble and work hard to govern. No mistakes are made. Otherwise, he will not only be ashamed of the emperor's heavy trust, but also be sorry to the people of Bingzhou."

"What my teacher said is exactly. The king immediately sent an order, and the project of the royal palace back garden was stopped immediately. In the future, we should obey the teachings of our father and our teacher and stop all wasteful behaviors."

"Okay, the prince can correct his mistakes, and he has great potential in the future."

Yang Guang looked embarrassed: "Mr., I don't want my father to know about this."

If the emperor knew about this, Wang Shao would be blind and said, "Since the prince has changed his mistakes, he naturally does not need to disturb the emperor."

Yang Guang said: "I am not afraid of my father's fault, I have to worry that my father will be angry when he learns it."
Chapter completed!