What Kind of Type-Moon Is This!

Bai Ming's words nearly made Fusu choke, but upon careful consideration, Fusu found nothing particularly wrong with them. After all, the Confucian knowledge Grand Supreme Emperor Taiji had taught him was quite different from what scholars like Chunyu Yue and other Confucian doctors taught.

"Could it be that they took the wrong path?"

"They never intended to take the right path from the start," Bai Ming sighed. "Let me ask you, if you had a method for immortality, would you use it on yourself or on someone unrelated to you?"

"If it were someone unrelated to me, then it would definitely be myself," Fusu replied. After answering, he seemed to understand something. "Master, are you saying all those Confucian scholars and alchemists were frauds?"

"Not entirely. Lu Sheng and Xu Fu possessed genuine skills, and the method for immortality does exist. It's just that your father, the Emperor, was not destined for it, and Xu Fu and Lu Sheng were also not fated for immortality."

Bai Ming waved his hand and walked towards the courtyard exit. Fusu followed closely. Bai Ming suddenly stopped, turned to look at Fusu, fumbled in his embrace for a moment, and tossed a small booklet at him. "By the way, you weren't destined for immortality either, but you ran into me, your teacher. I guess you've been a good kid, always gentle and virtuous, accumulating good deeds. You can study this thing yourself for fun. Don't bother me for a while; I'm contemplating some matters."

Fusu peered at it. The booklet had no definitive title, only the words "Gazing at the Heavens, Knowing Fate's Numbers." He then accepted it.

[You started staring at Consort Yu again. Consort Yu today is not silent.]

Consort Yu asked, "Why are you staring at me again?"

Bai Ming replied without hesitation, "Because you're beautiful, and I want to know what you're thinking."

Consort Yu inwardly cursed him, her face flushing as she rebuked, "Shameless!"

Hearing this, Bai Ming merely shook his head. "When I first met you, the clothes you wore weren't exactly indicative of much shame."

[Consort Yu fell silent again, but you know she isn't angry. She's just reminding you that Zhao Gao harbors treacherous ambitions and needs to be guarded against. You nod in agreement.]

[Fusu has learned the Art of Life and Death Calculation, which allows him to predict a person's original lifespan and make some changes through intervention. Thus, Fusu calculated his own original fate, his mind becoming enlightened.]

[Fusu inherited a degraded version of your trait, gaining the characteristic "Pleasure-Seeker." Fusu has a certain chance of acting as eccentrically as you do.]

[In 215 BCE, the First Emperor summoned Meng Tian and ordered him to lead a 300,000-strong army to attack the Xiongnu in the north. The Great Qin's war was about to begin. As you had nothing else to do, you requested leave from the First Emperor, intending to travel and sightsee with Consort Yu. Before leaving, you left Fusu a military strategy and later wrote him a cautionary message about breaking and then establishing.]

[The First Emperor knew that you and Consort Yu were true immortals. Although he understood your desire for longevity, he had no intention of assisting you. Thus, he solemnly saw you and Consort Yu off, and personally wrote two imperial edicts for you.]

[One edict granted you the authority to command troops freely wherever you went and ordered civil and military officials in all prefectures and counties to execute anyone oppressing the common people without prior report.]

[The other edict stipulated that even if the Great Qin could not be preserved, the bloodline of the Ying clan of Zhao must be preserved for future generations.]

[Talent: Seven Killings, Encounters Emperor Transforms Authority, Completed.]

[The Star of Punishment and Slaughter, Oversees Life and Death.]

[You were deeply moved. After leaving, you took advantage of the First Emperor's rest at night to place a pill beside him, along with a note detailing the method of consumption, its effects, and precautions.]

[One Rejuvenation and Soul Return Pill. If taken before death, it grants another life. The body will revert to a state just before reaching its peak physical condition. However, one must stay far away from the imperial throne and the destiny of the dynasty, as the Great Qin's destiny is limited. To bear more would only lead to a swift death.]

[When the First Emperor awoke and saw your handwriting, he was deeply touched. However, an idea that would never have existed in a normal historical timeline began to swirl in his mind. This Soul Return Pill could allow him to truly resurrect once. But what if he sent his good son Fusu to train with Meng Tian, and then faked his own death...]

[The First Emperor decided to pull off a grand stunt.]

[Zhao Gao was overjoyed upon hearing of your resignation and felt fortunate that he hadn't had the chance to cause trouble for you yet. Otherwise, the grass on his grave would be as tall as that of the noble families.]

Deep within the clouds, Consort Yu let out a sigh of relief. Leaving human society had unexpectedly given her some feelings.

Consort Yu asked, "What will you do next?"

Bai Ming replied, "I've had enough of being an official. Next, I'll wait for the rebellion. From now on, don't call me Bai Ming or Bai Qing. Just call me Xiang Yu."

Consort Yu: "?"

[Talent: Outsider in a Cycle, Activated.]

[You want to pull off a grand stunt. After all, in your opinion, the Han Dynasty might be established in the end, but the process cannot be confined to the original historical trajectory. If it's just the original historical trajectory, what's the point? Let you, the master, give your good disciple Fusu a grand graduation assessment.]

[However, your good disciple is even more of a showman than you and the First Emperor.]

[In mid-215 BCE, Fusu submitted a memorial to the First Emperor, requesting the rectification of current chaos and the implementation of appropriate assessments for Confucian scholars and alchemists. The First Emperor readily agreed.]

[Without waiting for Xu Fu and Lu Sheng to return from overseas, and without waiting for Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng to mock the First Emperor, Fusu, behind the First Emperor's back, carried out a burning of books and burying of scholars. Afterward, the First Emperor sent Fusu to resist the Xiongnu in the north with Meng Tian.]

[Zhao Gao's ambition increased significantly.]

[The First Emperor left a will for himself and faked his death, hiding in Wang Jian's residence and watching the Great Qin descend into chaos.]

[The news reached you. You reacted and realized that both the First Emperor and his son were pulling stunts, so you began your own stunt.]

[Relying on the two imperial edicts, you and Consort Yu directly descended upon Pei County and became its magistrates. Liu Ji was serving as the Sishui Pavilion Chief here. Afterward, you hosted a private banquet for Liu Ji. He had participated in corvée labor in Xianyang, during which he had freely viewed Xianyang, seen Qin Shi Huang, and seen you. He had heard of your great reputation.]

[You raised a toast with Liu Ji. After getting drunk, Liu Ji introduced you to the famous local strongman and butcher, Fan Kuai. After Fan Kuai joined the feast and got drunk, you took Liu Ji and Fan Kuai to rent a peach garden and performed the Oath of the Peach Garden, with Consort Yu serving as a witness to the scene.]

Chapter 93: When Three Men Get Together, Things That Are Difficult to Control Often Happen

[Liu Bang, the idle wandering swordsman, became the boss. Xiang Yu, the arrogant and self-important one, meaning you, became the second. Fan Kuai, the butcher of Pei County, became the third.]

Liu Bang didn't understand why you insisted on elevating him to the position of Da Ge (big brother), but under your persistent requests, he agreed.

[Consort Yu, standing by, couldn't understand what kind of mischief you were up to. However, considering that the First Emperor, who had the Soul Return Pill, could still die once, and your flashy disciple could carry out a burning of books and burying of scholars, she suddenly felt that your act of suddenly taking sworn brothers was quite normal.]

[Meanwhile, after you, Liu Bang, and Fan Kuai took the Oath of the Peach Garden, the Great Qin's Xianyang was in unrest.]

[The First Emperor was prolific in fathering children, having a total of thirty-three offspring: twenty-three sons and ten daughters.]

[With Fusu away, the First Emperor's "will" deliberately did not name a successor. At this time, the twenty-two sons, excluding Fusu, all harbored ambitions.]

The news of the First Emperor's death quickly spread. Meng Tian, who was in the northern territories, rushed into Fusu's camp to deliver the news.

Fusu calculated with his fingers, a look of amusement on his face. His father was faking his death for amusement. He immediately said to Meng Tian, "General Meng, there's no need to worry about such matters. Father is fine; he's just faking his death for fun. Let's continue studying the Grand Duke's Art of War left by my master."

"My Lord, is His Majesty truly alright?"

Meng Tian was full of worry, but Fusu nodded and said, "Of course, I'm fine. Anyway, Father sent me to this northern border to temper myself in the army and to learn military strategy and tactics. General Meng and I hold thirty thousand troops. So what if the court rebels? So what if the thirty thousand troops can't quell the rebellion? When all else fails, I'll ask my master to come. If my master doesn't come, I'll ask all my uncles and senior martial brothers. There's always a way."

"That's true... Master Bai's magic is incredibly skillful, and his alchemy is unparalleled in the world."

Meng Tian nodded, then looked at Fusu's heroic and stylish attire, sighing, "It's a pity Master doesn't like to socialize. Otherwise, I'd really want to ask for a set from him."

[On the other side, remnants of forces wishing to restore the chaotic warfare of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods began to quietly gather throughout the Qin empire.]

In a dark secret room, a few nobles gathered. An old noble from the state of Yan asked, "Is that tyrant really dead?"

"I'm not so sure," a noble from the state of Han replied. "Zifang, what do you think?"

The refined man called Zifang shook his head and said softly, "We should wait for the scouts to report back. Three years ago, I intended to assassinate that tyrant at Bolangsha, but my master warned me not to, lest I perish. Not to mention that young master Fusu, who was originally a Confucian disciple, has now become a being who combines Yin-Yang, Daoism, Legalism, Confucianism, and Militarism. I believe there must be a master in the Xianyang Palace stirring up trouble."

"You're just afraid of trouble," a hot-tempered noble from the state of Chu immediately cursed. "Zhang Liang shows fear before battle, dampening our morale."

To not use his courtesy name and call him by his given name was clearly an insult, and Zhang Liang shook his head.

As a disciple of Chisongzi and Huangshi Gong, he knew some of the inside story.

Immortals could observe the past and future in the river of time (the River of Stars), so Zhang Liang's master had repeatedly warned him not to provoke Bai Ming, otherwise, even invoking the names of Chisongzi and Huangshi Gong wouldn't save him.

That's why Zhang Liang didn't go to Bolangsha to assassinate Qin Shi Huang in 218 BC.

Among these residual nobles and retainers, some disciples of Guiguzi and some Yin-Yang school sorcerers also knew some of the inside story, but they couldn't say anything.

Most nobles, however, only had a superficial understanding, or no understanding at all, of Daoism, alchemy, and other mystical arts. Therefore, they could only assume that Zhang Liang was here to undermine their morale.

After the noble from Chu finished his tirade, Zhang Liang spoke, "As long as you're happy. If you're so capable, why aren't you killing your way through those thirty thousand troops by yourself, instead of barking here like a dog with its tail stepped on and its legs broken?"

At some point, some sarcastic and disgusting words were transmitted through this ideological network, along with a comment: "This Daoist won't scold you or hit you; this Daoist's Dao heart is unstable."

Those with slightly higher permissions, like Zhang Liang, could easily access this information. The person who uploaded the insulting words was none other than Bai Ming, who made Zhang Liang feel uneasy.

Seeing the face of the Chu noble instantly turn red, Zhang Liang thought to himself, "I must say, this gentleman's ability to curse without using vulgar language is top-notch."

Then Zhang Liang got up and walked out of the secret room, leaving his words to echo within: "The Master said, 'Rotten wood cannot be carved.' Sometimes I truly worry for your parents... Sorry, I forgot, when your parents were killed by that tyrant's son, you were still indulging in the embrace of dancers. If filial impiety is one thing, a lack of intelligence is another."

The Chu noble immediately kicked a table and chairs in the secret room with a thud, wanting to fight Zhang Liang to the death. However, Zhang Liang turned and ran.

With his intelligence and wisdom, Zhang Liang had already guessed that Bai Ming was observing his situation in real-time and teaching him how to attack the other party on the spot.

Zhang Liang decided to find Bai Ming, so after leaving the secret room, he asked, "Master Bai, this junior greets you. May I know where I can find you?"

A voice drifted over with the wind, and Zhang Liang immediately headed towards Pei County.

[While Zhang Liang was heading straight for Pei County, you were still messing around.]

Pei County was a place that produced many talents, including Liu Ji, Xiao He, Cao Can, and Fan Kuai.

Liu Ji was generous and hearty. Ever since Bai Ming arrived and they became sworn brothers, he treated Bai Ming and Fan Kuai with utmost sincerity. The three were inseparable, to the point where Consort Yu, who always followed Bai Ming, felt a bit redundant.

Coincidentally, the Lü family of Shanfu moved to Pei County to escape their enemies. Their patriarch, Lü Gong, was a friend of the former Pei County magistrate. Thus, when the heroes and officials of Pei heard that the former county magistrate had distinguished guests, they all went to congratulate him.

Lü Gong had three daughters and two sons. His eldest son was Lü Ze, his second son was Lü Shizhi, his eldest daughter was Lü Changxu, his second daughter was Lü Zhi, and his third daughter was Lü Xu.

And through a series of coincidences, Liu Bang met the second daughter, Lü Zhi, and became absent-minded every day.

One day, Consort Yu was drinking tea nearby, quietly watching the three big men gathered around a table with serious expressions. She knew that when three men got together, things that were difficult to control often happened, so Consort Yu was really worried that these three brothers were going to do something extraordinary.

"Second brother, third brother, I met a woman. Ever since I saw her, every time I close my eyes, I see her face. Thinking about it, second brother, you are married. Do you know what your elder brother is thinking?"

Liu Bang's words were sincere. Bai Ming sighed, "Elder brother has a heart ailment. As the saying goes, a heart ailment requires a heart cure."

Fan Kuai's voice was loud, "I know too!"

The words made Consort Yu, who was listening nearby, get goosebumps. These three were definitely going to do something. The sworn brothers of Taoyuan had set their sights on the Lü family who had moved in.

Regarding surnames

I'll put up a disclaimer first. I am a graduate student majoring in Chinese Literature and cannot avoid studying pre-Qin culture. I have researched it specifically.

Let's take the First Emperor as an example.

The Grand Historian said: The ancestors of Qin were of the Ying surname. Later, they were enfeoffed, and their states became their surnames, such as Xu, Tan, Ju, Zhongli, Yunyan, Tuqiu, Jiangliang, Huang, Jiang, Xiuyu, Baiming, Feilian, and Qin. However, Qin, due to its ancestor Zao Fu, was enfeoffed in Zhao City and became Zhao.

The Ying surname and Zhao clan did not originate solely from his mother being Zhao Ji.

According to the Records of the Grand Historian, Volume 5, Annals of Qin, "King Mu enfeoffed Zao Fu in Zhao City, and Zao Fu's clan thus became the Zhao clan." It also states, "Marquis Shen then said to King Xiao, 'In the past, my ancestor, the daughter of Li Shan, was the wife of Rong Xuxuan, and gave birth to Zhongju. Due to their close relationship, she returned to Zhou and guarded the western regions, which remained peaceful due to their connection. Now I have married the wife of Luo, and gave birth to the legitimate son Cheng. Shen and Luo were married, and all the Western Rong submitted, thus serving the king. May the king consider this.' Therefore, King Xiao said, 'In the past, Boyi served Shun as his livestock manager. His livestock multiplied, so he was granted land and the surname Ying. Now his descendants also raise horses for me, and I will divide the land among them as vassals.' He granted them the city of Qin, allowing them to continue the sacrifices of the Ying clan, and they were called Qin Ying. He did not abandon Shen Hou's daughter as Luo's legitimate wife, in order to pacify the Western Rong."

In the pre-Qin period, women were referred to by their surnames, and men by their clan names. [According to Tongzhi, Volume 25, Genealogy, Section 1: Before the Three Dynasties, surnames and clan names were distinct. Men were referred to by their clan names, and women by their surnames. Clan names distinguished between nobility and commoners; the noble had clan names, while the commoner had a name but no clan name.]

When Qin Shi Huang was born, his father was not yet the heir to the Qin state, so Qin Shi Huang had the Ying surname and the Zhao clan, and was called Zhao Zheng or Zhao Zheng. Otherwise, why would the Western Han Dynasty's "Book of Zhao Zheng" not be called "Book of Ying Zheng"?

According to the ritual system of the Eastern Zhou period, the King of Qin was the main lineage of the Qin state. The royal families of the vassal states did not use clan names; they were directly referred to by their rank + given name. Rulers were called King/Duke So-and-so + given name, and the ruler's sons were called Young Master So-and-so + given name. This is why historical records state "Young Master Fusu" and "Young Master Huhai." The ruler's grandsons were called Grandson So-and-so + given name. After Qin Shi Huang's father recognized Lady Huayang as his mother and changed his name to "Chu" (some say Zi Chu), becoming King Zhuangxiang of Qin, only then did the term "Young Master Zheng" appear.

Furthermore, to the person I discussed history with in Chapter 92, after much thought, I must say that Huhai's surname was not Hu.

For relationships with the ruler, clan names were adopted only outside the Three Dynasties. For relationships within the Three Dynasties, clan names were not adopted. Coupled with Qin Shi Huang's unification of the six states and the subsequent reforms after the end of the Warring States period, surnames and clan names began to merge. Therefore, his descendants, according to the unearthed texts and documents, were all of the Ying surname and Zhao clan, with the given names Fusu and Huhai.

According to Gu Yanwu's "Collection of Tinglin," Volume 1, "On Surnames": Men are referred to by their clan names, and women by their surnames. Clan names can change after a few generations, but surnames remain unchanged for thousands of years.

Surnames and clan names officially began to be used interchangeably during the Han Dynasty. As for the distinction between the Ying surname Qin clan, Ying surname Zhao clan, and even Qin clan and Zhao clan, I don't want to elaborate. This is a problem caused by the Grand Historian's conflation, not my problem.

However, if we are to be precise, we should follow the principle recorded in "Tongzhi," Volume 26, Genealogy, Section 2: "When a state is destroyed, its name becomes the surname." Considering that Liang Yacheng's "Doubts in the Records of the Grand Historian," Volume 4, records that "Qin and Zhao share the same ancestor, and later generations may refer to each other," the Ying surname Qin clan and Ying surname Zhao clan are actually not very different. Ying Zheng, Zhao Zheng, and Qin Zheng are all recorded in historical texts.

However, Surnames originate from the ancestors, while clan names distinguish the descendants.

So, the First Emperor's ancestors were surnamed Ying, and their fief was in the Zhao region, thus they were the Zhao clan. How could they possibly be the Ying clan?

To further elaborate on the view that Qin was the Zhao clan, the Records of the Grand Historian, in the "Biography of Li Sheng and Lu Jia," states, "Qin relied on its laws and punishments without change, and ultimately destroyed the Zhao clan." The "Biography of Wu Wuzi" states, "Chen She called out to the Chu marshes, and in his close proximity, incited rebellion. Both inside and out, they attacked, and the Zhao clan had no cooking fires." I'll just state this simply and leave it at that. I don't want to get bogged down in it anymore. I won't be debating this next time.

Chapter 94 Liu Bang: Second Brother, take a concubine back and put some pressure on your sister-in-law.

[You, along with Liu Bang and Fan Kuai, headed to Lord Lü's housewarming banquet.]

[When it came time to present the gift money, you had no gold or silver trinkets, and Liu Bang was penniless. Even though Fan Kuai had considerable wealth, he didn't have it on him at the moment.]

[You also heard that Xiao He was helping to collect the gift money and acting as the manager, seating those whose gifts were less than a thousand gold coins downstairs. The three of you brothers exchanged glances, a plan forming in your minds. You decided to try bluffing your way in and also give Xiao He, who was taking on side jobs, a bit of a grilling.]

Liu Bang: "Liu Ji, gift money: ten thousand."

Bai Ming: "Xiang Yu, gift money: eight thousand."

Fan Kuai: "Fan Kuai, gift money: eight thousand."

The three voices carried inside, causing Lord Lü to turn pale with shock. He quickly got up to greet the three at the door.

[Lord Lü had always been fond of judging people by their appearance. Upon seeing the countenances of you three brothers, he showed you great respect, personally escorting you to sit in the main hall. The three of you then casually took seats in the honored positions, showing no intention of yielding.]

"Lord Lü, Liu Ji here is always full of big talk and rarely accomplishes anything. When the new county magistrate arrived, for some reason, Liu Ji became infatuated with him and was made his sworn brother. As for Fan Kuai, he is a well-known butcher in Pei County."

After hearing this, Xiao He immediately introduced you to Lord Lü, but Lord Lü paid no mind.

When Liu Bang heard Xiao He's words, he took the opportunity to mock the other guests. The other guests, seeing the two burly men behind Liu Bang, dared not speak out in anger. Bai Ming walked towards Xiao He, "It's quite interesting, Master Clerk Xiao, gossiping behind people's backs."

Bai Ming's words immediately made Xiao He's expression turn sour.

Even though Xiao He was a Master Clerk, a powerful official in the county, the man before him held an imperial decree from the First Emperor. Even though the First Emperor was dead, his residual influence could still be felt for about ten years. With just a word from this man, his life could be forfeit.

Furthermore, according to unofficial rumors, although the man before him had left the Great Qin court, the First Emperor had not revoked his positions as Imperial Sorcerer and Guard Captain. Coupled with the two imperial decrees he held, he could raise an army at any time and march into Xianyang to protect the emperor and purge corrupt officials.