Qin Official

In the second month of the lunar calendar (the second month of the lunar calendar) in the 29th year of Qin Shihuang's reign, spring flowers were blooming by the Yunmeng River, and new shoots sprouted from the sugarcane fields that had been cut just last year. A long queue formed early in the morning outside a house surrounded by sugar cane fields on the outskirts of Anlu County.

The Anlu County Magistrate, County Magistrate, and County Lieutenant stood at the front, flanked by domestic slaves holding gifts. Behind them, in turn, were the chief officials, prison officials, Cang Shifu and other officials, from villages and towns far and near. The three elders, the stingy man, and even the local and county magnates from neighboring counties were all waiting outside the door, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

In Anlu County, there is only one person whose home has such a card, and that is Heifu, the captain of Beidi County.

It has been hundreds of years since Chu Ling Yin Ziwen. There has not been any big shot in the small place of Anlu. However, in recent years, a black man has suddenly emerged. From the head of Guizhou Province, he has become a high-ranking official in the border area, a high-ranking official worth two thousand shi! I heard that he is trusted by His Majesty the Emperor and can often see Tianyan.

The Heifu family is not only extremely expensive, but also rich. The wild sugarcane that Heifu moved home from Yunmengze many years ago has been improved with the sweetcane varieties left by the Chu royal family in Jiangling and Shouchun. Now it has spread throughout Anlu County, half of Nan County, and even the whole of Anlu County. The counties and counties along the river took root.

Many tidal flats that could not be cultivated for food were replaced by sugar cane forests. They absorb nutrients from the mud and are harvested in large tracts by officials and farmhands in winter. They are made into sweet brown sugar in the workshops. They are very popular in Jiangling, Shouchun, and Huaiyang. If they are transported to Xianyang, they will be even more popular. Selling for a hefty price.

This property worth millions belongs to Heifu's mother, an old woman who is respectfully called "Sugar Woman" by merchants. Some people even rank her below Wushi Luo and Ba Widow Qing, thinking that Sooner or later she will become the third richest person in the world.

With power and money, Heifu's family is complete.

Today, it is said to be the birthday of "Sugar Woman", and officials at all levels came to congratulate her. Even if there are people who feel that this is not necessary, they will go when they see their colleagues. If they don't go, it seems that they have a grudge with the Beidi County Lieutenant's family, so they can only go there.

"County Lord, if you don't make enough money today, how about sitting down in the hall?"

The chief official of Anlu County is Heifu's old subordinate. He volunteered to be the official responsible for today's banquet, although the host did not ask him to do so.

The county magistrate was noncommittal. At this time, the door, which had been closed for a long time and was guarded by more than a dozen diners, finally opened. Heifu's brother, Tian Shifu from Anlu County in soap clothes and black crown, walked out with sincerity and fear, and faced the county magistrate and The county captain and the county magistrate bowed down and said:

"I don't know who spread the rumor that today is my mother's birthday. However, my mother comes from a humble background. She doesn't know the year, month and day of her birth, and she has never celebrated her birthday. She actually disturbed three senior officials. It's my family's fault. My mother has limited legs and feet. We cannot welcome outside. I would like to express my gratitude to the chief officials and colleagues. My family will keep your kindness in mind, but my family will not dare to accept these gifts and congratulatory money..."

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. They didn't know who was the first to spread the news. Some colleagues asked Zhong, who was also a county official.

Although the county magistrate and others felt a little unhappy, it was too late for them to curry favor with the Heifu family, so how could they dare to offend them? They scolded the person who made the "rumor" together, and after a hearty negotiation, they had no choice but to return with gifts...

After sending everyone outside the door away, Zhong breathed a sigh of relief, asked the diners to close the door tightly, and went home to return his life to his mother.

Today was really his mother's birthday. The main hall was decorated with lights and colorful, and there were busy slaves everywhere. When Zhong passed by, they all saluted him respectfully.

The family didn't have so many rules originally, they were all established in the six months when Zhongdi's wife came here. At first I was not used to the life of this master, but gradually I got used to it.

"Where is the old lady?"

When we got to the backyard, there was no one in the vegetable garden where my mother loved to spend most of her time. He asked the concubine who was pouring manure in the field and was told that it might be at the chicken coop.

Zhi could only go to the chicken coop where hundreds of chickens and ducks were raised. Sure enough, he saw his mother. She was still wearing a simple Gebu clothes. She was holding a dustpan in her hand, collecting rotten vegetable leaves from the vegetable garden and mixing them with rice and wheat. Sprinkling the chaff to the chicken, showing a kind smile while spreading it...

"Mother."

Zhong hurried over to grab the dustpan: "You can just let the servants do these things!"

"I'm a servant, you're a master now?"

But his mother raised her hand to prevent him from touching it, and then asked, "Is the magistrate outside the door gone?"

"It took a lot of effort to persuade him to back out."

He smiled wryly: "Actually, they came to wish my mother a happy birthday, and they had good intentions."

"Good intentions? I can't bear it."

However, the old lady became more and more stubborn as she got older. She curled her lips and said: "Old lady, a few years ago, I had to bow down to any country man I met casually. Now I want officials like the county magistrate to kowtow to me and celebrate my birthday, not to kill me." Old woman! When the time comes, should I worship them, or should they worship me?"

He smiled disapprovingly and said: "Compared with Zhongdi's county magistrate, the county magistrate is considered a minor official. Besides, elders are respected, so of course they worship their mother."

Although he is an honest man, the tide has lifted all boats, and their family's status is now very different from what it was in the past.

"Yes, the reason why those people come to curry favor with me is because they are younger than my Zhongzi. When my family lived in a poor village a few years ago, why didn't we see them come to pay their respects on their birthdays?"

Although Heifu's mother's eyes were not functioning well, her heart was still bright.

She pointed to the chickens pecking on the ground and said: "Chickens need to be eaten many times a day. The reason why I don't let my concubines feed the chickens is because they find it troublesome and too lazy to run around, so I feed them a lot of rice, vegetables and leaves. Chickens are stupid." , No matter whether you are hungry or not, as long as there is something in front of you, you will eat hard, and you will starve to death!"

"People are like chickens. If you just accept the gifts that others bring to your door, I'm afraid they will be choked to death. By then, your eyes will turn white and it will be too late to regret."

She saved up a handful of rice and said sincerely: "Whether you are a human or a chicken, your stomach is limited, no matter how much money you have, I can only eat three meals a day, old woman. Now your brother-in-law is well in the north." As an official, your cousin takes care of the sugarcane field workshop. My family has enough food and clothing, and can also support the servants and concubines. I don't care about those gifts, live a good life behind closed doors, and don't cause trouble for your younger brother..."

People die for money, and birds die for food. Although my mother's philosophy of life is rough in words, it is not rough in theory, and I really respect it.

"What year will you sincerely wish to celebrate my birthday?"

The mother stopped spreading rice, looked at the four fluffy chicks nestled under the wings of the old hen, and said with some sadness: "Then the four brothers and sisters came back together and had a meal next to me. The old woman That’s enough…”

Right now, only Zhong and his second daughter Huan are at home.

Saying this, my mother started to cry.

Zhong hurriedly said: "I was surprised to get a leave from Xiu Mu. I should have taken a boat from Yuzhang County to Xiakou yesterday, and I will be able to get home in the evening."

In the past, her mother loved her youngest son the most, but now, she is more concerned about her second son, whom she has not seen for more than two years.

Zhong said again: "There is going to be another war in the north. As a county lieutenant, Brother Zhong has to guard the border for His Majesty the Emperor. I'm afraid he won't be able to come back, but he just sent back a letter..."

Zhong took out the letter from his arms that had just been delivered by the knight outside the door, who was in the north. Before he could read it, he smiled. This was the surprise he had given his mother: "This is the letter Zhongdi gave to his mother." A birthday gift, my mother will love it!"

"Show me quickly!"

Mother quickly wiped her hands on her clothes as usual and took the letter.

In the past, family letters were just a hard wooden tablet, with both front and back written on it, and not many words could fit in it.

Today's letters are just pieces of thin hemp paper. There are many more words and things that can be said on them. This is the reason why my mother likes paper the most. Not only because it is produced by Heifu. thing.

As a mother, if she is afraid that her son will never be heard from again, how can she think that he talks too much?

After touching the handwriting written by her second son with her wrinkled hands, as if she could touch him in this way, the mother handed the letter to Zhong again and said with a straight face: "The old woman is illiterate! Read it to me. I listen!"

"only."

Zhong supported his mother and went to the back hall. He also asked his wife to call his sister Huan, son Yang and daughter Yue. Whenever Heihu wrote a letter, they would listen to it together as a family.

After Zhong opened the letter, he couldn't help but look happy and stopped reading. He said concisely and concisely: "Brother Zhong said that my brother-in-law gave birth to a baby safely in Yiqu City last month, which was the tenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. Son! Weighs seven pounds and four ounces!"

"Mother and son are safe?" the mother asked excitedly.

"Mother and child are safe!"

The mother secretly calculated the date of Ye Zijin's delivery. She had already guessed that it must be for this reason. Just now, she held Zhong's wife's hand tightly, and was so nervous that she did not dare to let go for a moment.

After hearing that mother and son were safe, her tense body relaxed, she patted her chest with her hands, and smiled again.

When she regained her breath, she took her grandchildren and took them to the yard. She knelt down in the direction of Yun Mengze and kowtowed: "Young Master, please give me your blessing. It is not in vain that I pray to them for the smooth delivery of my daughter-in-law..."

Shao Siming is the god of life worshiped by the Chu people and is also in charge of the descendants of the human world.

The mother decided that in a few days, she would invite the witch Zhu from the county to kill pigs and sheep by the Yunmeng River to fulfill her wish.

But then she became worried again: "Seven pounds and four ounces, isn't it a little light?"

Zhong's wife nodded: "When Yang was born, he weighed it by looking inside and outside, and it weighed seven catties and nine taels."

"No!"

The mother then murmured: "The old woman wants to build a shrine for Shao Siming by the lake, build a statue, and offer incense and worship every year, so that Shao Siming can always protect Zhongsun..."

This has also been my mother's wish for many years. She has always felt that it is a miracle that she can raise three boys and one girl and survive all the epidemics and wars without losing any of them. She must be blessed by the gods.

"One more thing."

But before he finished speaking, after the family members calmed down, he held the letter and said with trembling hands: "Brother Zhong also said that when His Majesty the Emperor heard that he would have an heir, he gave it to him, which can be regarded as giving our family a surname. !”

"Brother uncle, what did you say? The emperor ordered his clan!?"

When the whole family was shocked, a startled sound came from the door. As soon as he returned home in high spirits and stepped into the threshold, he was shocked by these words. His legs softened and he fell to his knees with a plop!

No one could believe this was true, and my mother even felt her ears buzzing. God, this birthday gift was too scary.

"Surprise, these words are too hard to pronounce. Just read them."

Zhong couldn't hold himself still, and hurriedly handed the letter to Jing, who finally stood up. He sat behind the case and drank water, gasping for air.

For their little family, the emperor and the sky are almost synonymous. In my mother's words, he is like the aunt Donghuang Taiyi, the most respected aunt of the people of Jingchu. One day, he suddenly spoke to me, how can it not be scary...

After swallowing several times in shock, he finally stammered and recounted what Qin Shihuang said to Hei Fu two months ago.

"When the emperor builds virtue, he is given a surname because of his birth, and the family is named after the land. The princes use the surname as a posthumous title because they are a clan. If an official has merit in the world, he will have an official clan, and the same goes for the city."

"Although the ancestors of today's Heifu do not have a family name, and they do not have land titles, they still have official positions and are Beidi Wei. They can imitate the Liang people in the past. Their official names were surnames and they were given 'wei'!"

"Lieutenant!"

After reading it in surprise, he burst out laughing. He had been in the officialdom for a while and was often troubled by his lack of clan. Now, with his brother's help, he had solved this big problem!

He pointed to the tip of his nose and said: "From now on, I will be called Wei Jing!"

"Brother's name is Wei Zhong!"

Jing then patted his nephew on the shoulder and said, "Remember, your name will be Wei Yang from now on!"

"As for Brother Zhong, his name should be... Wei Heifu!"

…

"Wei Heifu..."

At the same time in Yiqucheng, Beidi County, Heifu was pushing the cradle bed made by craftsmen while complaining to Ye Zijin, who was still a little weak after giving birth:

"I am very grateful to His Majesty for giving me a surname. But Wei Heifu always sounds a bit strange! With Wei as his surname, Wei Liaozi sounds much more pleasant..."

Having said that, Heifu recalled Qin Shihuang's narrow smile, which almost scared him to death. He thought that the emperor was going to randomly give him some weird things like "public toilets, dogs, and silence".

Fortunately, Qin Shihuang did not force him to rebel. He found the ceremony officer, looked up the ancient process of bestowing clans, and gave him a stable "wei"...

Well, Sima and Sikong, these clans also came from ancient official positions.

Hearing what Hei Fu said, Ye Zijin was so full of smiles that his lower abdomen, which had finally recovered, hurt from laughter. He also woke up his sleeping son and made him cry.

In the end, she had no choice but to say to her husband: "My beloved, it's not that I am rude, it's just that my husband's name is easy to pronounce on its own, but no matter which surname it is paired with, it is a bit difficult to pronounce..."

Hei Fu heard what his wife didn't say, but he said seriously: "I can be named Yi, but I don't want to change my name."

It is easy for people from ancient times to the present to change their names. Zhao Yang could be renamed Zhao Zhifu, Liu Ji could be renamed Liu Bang, Zhu Chongba could be renamed Zhu Yuanzhang, Mao... well, forget it.

But the name Heifu means something extraordinary to him.

After he comforted his son and fell back to sleep, he said softly: "I took off my brown clothes, threw away my straw shoes, smoothed away the calluses, healed the scars, and left my hometown."

"Sometimes when I look at the man in the bronze mirror, I even feel strange when I see him wearing fine clothes and fine food, holding great power, entertaining guests and building tall buildings."

"If I even change my name, I'm afraid I will really forget...who I am!"

He is a time traveler and a black husband. Heifu's ancestors were eight generations of barbarians and three generations of Guizhou heads. He was the second son raised by a peasant woman and the Weaver Girl with all kinds of hardships. With one body after the fusion of two souls, he stood up from the land of suffering, threw away the farm tools in his hands, and worked hard to climb up in this cruel era where people were killing people and life was like a piece of grass.

Initially it was to survive and provide a good life for the family, and later it was to bring the township party subordinates home so that they could avoid historical disasters. It wasn't until he entered Xianyang, standing at the center of the world, looking up at the crown of power, that he began to want to do something for this era, this country that would suffer reincarnation and suffering in the future.

These cannot be forgotten.

History is changing, but his original intention cannot be changed.

"I know it, and I will never mention it again."

Ye Zijin listened solemnly. Although he didn't quite understand why Heifu was so stubborn, he felt that his husband must have his reasons.

After a moment of silence, Heifu smiled again.

"However, you cannot admonish those who have gone by, but you can still pursue those who have come."

Hei Fu touched his wife's hair, then looked at the sleeping baby in the cradle, his eyes full of love, and said with a smile: "I have no choice, but fortunately I have given my son a catchy name." !”