Chapter 27 "What?" Lin Fengzhi asked from her desk...
"What?" Lin Fengzhi looked up abruptly from the mess of bamboo slips and wooden tablets on her desk, her expression one of shock: "Say it again?"
Yong himself was also very surprised, and patiently repeated: "The people that Seungkwan wrote to invite have arrived. When they were talking, I heard them call Seungkwan the 'giant'."
"...The chances of finding a celebrity in a small place are quite high." Lin Fengzhi muttered to herself. How could she not know what "Juzi" meant? Juzi was the leader of the Mohist school, capable of commanding everyone in the Mohist community. She thought, Sheng Kuan is truly tight-lipped; he hasn't revealed a single detail from beginning to end. Then, as if thinking of something, she became excited: "How many people came?"
There were twenty or thirty people.
"So many?" Lin Fengzhi stood up abruptly. She remembered that only two days after Shengkuan sent the letter, twenty or thirty people had already arrived. With so many talented people in the Mo family who knew technology and manufacturing, once she won over and subdued this new batch, there was no need to worry about the rest not coming.
She was still envisioning the flower loom, the coarse salt filtration system, the keel tilting machine... wouldn't that be a piece of cake? She had already planned how many people to send to each project. Since they were on her turf, there was no reason for them to be idle.
Don't you see that after the farmers who were tricked into coming here finish their classes at the Keluoren Academy every day, they still diligently go to the experimental fields they have taken charge of to observe the growth of the plants?
In their spare time, they also summarize their experiences and compile the effective farming methods they have learned in the fields over the years into a book. After verifying them with each other, they gradually turn them into well-known rhymes, which are then gradually incorporated into farmers' farming practices.
When planting kudzu, they say: "Kudzu thrives on sunny slopes, its vines grow thick and long. Irrigate thoroughly and sparsely, scatter ash fertilizer along the sides. Dig it up in autumn, cut it in winter, leaving the old roots; in spring, new vines will cover the hillside again."
When planting rice, they say: "Prepare the seedbeds carefully, select strong seeds. Deeply plow and harrow to level the soil, reinforce the dikes and ensure smooth irrigation. Irrigate frequently with shallow water according to the weather, dry the fields and weed to strengthen the rice stalks. With sufficient base fertilizer and busy topdressing, the granaries will be full in autumn."
When planting ramie, they say: "Ramie is afraid of waterlogging at the roots, so it needs fertile and deep soil. Weed and cultivate it frequently, and the stalks will be strong and long. The first ramie will have seedlings, the second ramie will have chaff, and the third ramie will have frost."
Emphasis is placed on drainage, deep plowing and fertilization, and inter-row cultivation and hilling...
This short rhyme clearly explains all the key points of ramie cultivation. Site selection, planting, fertilization, management, and even the harvest time are all linked to the rice that the Keluo people have always cultivated.
The fertilizer left behind by the farmer's disciples has also yielded fruitful results. Manure, green manure, and wood ash are now being used in agricultural practices. This year's crop growth is visibly impressive.
How lush is it?
The Chu-Yue region has always relied on rice as its staple food and fish as its side dish. Under professional, correct, and scientific guidance, the rice grown in the Keluo people's territory has robust plants with good tillering and uniform growth, presenting a vibrant scene.
Not to mention the outsiders working in the land of the Koruo people who were eager to join them, the Zhao clan chief was also extremely tempted.
She had originally promised the Zhao clan chief that the Zhao clan could use the oblique loom a month after the great shaman challenge at Xiangjun Temple. However, seeing the popularity of the Keluo people, the Zhao clan chief never mentioned it again and kept his clansmen in the Keluo people's territory, also thinking of learning more about the unique methods of rice cultivation.
After discussing with his disciples, Lin Fengzhi handed over the formula and the compiled booklet to the county magistrate, who then arranged for some of his disciples to become agricultural officials in Qianling County and promote the program throughout the county.
As for the idea of the dragon bone overturning cart, it was derived from the problems encountered by the disciples of the Farmer School during the implementation process.
Some farmland is higher than the river, so the river can't reach it. When the farmland needs irrigation, farmers have to carry water up bucket by bucket, which is time-consuming and laborious.
The Xiang River basin has abundant water resources. After seeing the problems reported by the farmers, Lin Fengzhi immediately thought of the Dragon Bone Overturning Cart.
The original water-drawing tools included the lever and the windlass, but their efficiency was far inferior to that of the keel-loaded waterwheel. The keel-loaded waterwheel could draw a considerable volume of water at a time, making it suitable for irrigating large areas of farmland. By adjusting the length of the vehicle and the angle of inclination, it could also adapt to different water sources and height differences between farmland.
Moreover, the dragon-bone waterwheel is very easy to operate. In summary, since its invention by Bi Lan in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the dragon-bone waterwheel has made an indelible contribution to the development of ancient agriculture.
Lin Fengzhi had initially thought that only she and Shengkuan could manufacture it, Yong could barely be considered a semi-technician, and the dragon bone overturning machine might be relegated to the back of the list. Now, however, things were different. The group of people closest to science and most knowledgeable in technology of this era had arrived. Regardless of whether they were from Chu Mo, Qin Mo, or Qi Mo, as long as they were capable, hardworking, and able to alleviate the burden on the working masses, they were good disciples of the Mohist school.
She was quite excited and quickly asked Yong, "Where are they now? Have they been settled in? Are there any extra houses for them? If not, build them now."
In fact, as more and more people from other ethnic groups came to work in the territory of the Keluo people, the county magistrate conscripted laborers early on, built a road connecting the county town to the territory, and also dispatched relevant officials to assist in the management and collection of taxes. This place had essentially become a workshop that could accommodate nearly a thousand people.
Lin Fengzhi knew that industry had a powerful capacity to absorb people, so she had reserved many houses well in advance, and there were plenty of empty rooms. Not only that, but in order to ensure that the Keluo people lived well, she also allocated three-thirds of the profits from selling cloth to decorate the Keluo people's houses.
Looking at the residential area alone, it's impossible to imagine that just a few months ago, this was a barbarian tribe struggling to survive.
"They first went to the weaving room, and then Shengkuan took them to the river to see the water-powered millstone." Yong thought for a moment, recalling the reactions of the others, and felt both amused and proud. He said, "They were saying things like 'How could this be?' and 'The wise find joy in water,' and they were curious about what kind of person could make such an ingenious machine. They were even saying they wanted to come and find the Great Shaman."
Yong's statement is somewhat conservative.
Some of the Mohist disciples were so excited that they immediately took out tools to measure the dimensions of the millstone and impeller, and leaned to the side to try to calculate the angle.
They watched the operating watermill with near-fanatical intensity, unable to resist analyzing the momentum conversion as the water flow impacted the turbine.
"Rushing forward swiftly, driven by the will of the body."
They whispered among themselves, discussing on the spot whether they could further optimize the gear meshing or adjust the water turbine tilt angle to suit different flow rates.
Sentimental people were moved to tears. They thought of how the water-powered mill could liberate countless laborers from pounding rice, and exclaimed, "If this machine were to spread throughout the world, the strong could farm and fight, and the young could learn righteousness. Would this not be the way of universal love?"
For the disciples of Mohism, the water-powered millstone was not merely a spectacle, but a symbol of the perfect combination of natural power and human wisdom, benefiting all living beings. As the surging river propelled the millstone to its roar, they heard the echo of Mozi's "universal love and non-aggression."
When they heard from Sheng Kuan that Lin Fengzhi had countless ideas to benefit the people, they could no longer contain their excitement.
So, before Lin Fengzhi could even go to see them, Sheng Kuan arrived with the Mo family disciples.
At first, both sides were a little reserved, until Lin Fengzhi pulled out a piece of silk with a picture of a water-powered spinning wheel drawn on it from the messy desk.
Since they could research water-powered millstones, Lin Fengzhi wondered if they could also research water-powered spinning wheels.
The water-powered spinning wheel was a product of the Song and Yuan dynasties. The Song and Yuan water-powered spinning wheel could drive 32 spindles at the same time. Given the current technological level of the Qin Dynasty, such a sophisticated machine would have been almost impossible to achieve.
But Lin Fengzhi thought that she wasn't trying to replicate it exactly. She wanted to see where the limits of the Mohist school of thought in the Qin Dynasty lay, and also to see if she could further improve the lives of the common people. If the water-powered spinning wheel could be implemented, she could at least ensure that everyone in the Xiang River basin had clothes to wear.
Her design was, of course, not yet finished, and what she presented was somewhat whimsical.
“What you’re saying about operating thirty-two spindles simultaneously is simply impossible; it’s even more difficult than using a flower loom,” Sheng Kuan said patiently, knowing that Lin Fengzhi wouldn’t do anything unprepared.
"How about less? Five spindles?" Lin Fengzhi knew it would be very difficult, so she directly reduced the number of spindles to a fraction.
"The wooden gears are simply not enough to support the operation of the spinning wheel. As you can see, we've already replaced two gears in the past few days just for the operation of the water-powered mill."
Before Lin Fengzhi could come up with any new ideas, the Mohist disciples who had come with Shengkuan gathered around and chattered, passing the silk around and pushing Yong aside.
"Let's try bronze first. If the model works, we'll switch from bronze to iron."
"Could the anti-tangling part be secured with hardwood and silk rope?"
"No, doing it this way will result in a very high breakage rate. Why not try bamboo instead? It's also more durable."
"Leaving aside where the iron comes from, the toughness of pig iron is not that great. Pig iron is not as good as bronze; it is extremely brittle and easy to break. Even wrought iron is not as good as bronze."
Lin Fengzhi listened to the others' quick rebuttal and reconstruction, and let out a soft "Ah." She had forgotten that in the Qin Dynasty, fuel temperatures were insufficient, making iron extremely prone to cracking, and it was only used for critical components. In contrast, people in this era had used bronze for many years and were well aware of its properties. If they simply wanted components with good toughness, bronze might be more suitable than iron, whose properties were still not fully understood.
But Lin Fengzhi knew how to turn pig iron into wrought iron and how to improve the toughness of iron.
She instinctively said, "Let's do it first, I can find a way to solve it."
Sheng-kuan wasn't surprised that Lin Feng-zhi could solve the problem, but he was curious why she was so insistent on using a water-powered spinning wheel.
Lin Fengzhi explained, "If water-powered spinning wheels are feasible, the amount of linen yarn produced may be equivalent to that of ten female workers."
Sheng-kuan seemed to understand something; Lin Feng-zhi always had a strong preference for technologies and machines that could improve lives. Many of the things she proposed were aimed at using the power of nature to replace human labor. For example, tofu, water-powered millstones, and the water-powered spinning wheel of today.
One of the Mohist disciples eagerly inquired, "What method?"
This person was the Mohist disciple who had just spoken eloquently about raw iron and wrought iron.
Lin Fengzhi heard Sheng Kuan call him Chi Su.
Lin Fengzhi smiled and said, "We'll have to wait until the iron ore promised by the county magistrate arrives before we know for sure."
Since accepting the olive branch extended by the county magistrate, the magistrate has been working like a man possessed, providing money, manpower, and resources. Not to mention the already booming weaving industry, Lin Fengzhi had previously worried about insufficient silk and hemp reserves, but the very next day the magistrate brought dozens of cartloads of silk and hemp from the neighboring county. It's unclear what kind of deal was reached with the neighboring county magistrate.
Lin Fengzhi had been longing for the iron ore, and she only mentioned it briefly to the county magistrate. He immediately agreed to prepare several cartloads and send them to her without even asking what she wanted to do with them.
Lin Fengzhi later learned that there were no iron mines in Qianling County. This may also be the reason why iron farm tools were not widely adopted in Qianling County.
I don’t know where the magistrate got the iron from.
Lin Fengzhi was certainly aware that cast iron, as mentioned by Chi Su, was extremely brittle and easily broken. The Qin Dynasty was a crucial transitional period in the history of ancient ironware development. During this period, iron products were widely used in military and agricultural fields, but weapons were still mainly made of bronze.
The reason is simple: the Qin Dynasty used vertical furnaces for iron smelting, and the furnace temperature was not high. In addition, they had not yet mastered efficient decarburization processes such as wrought iron and cast iron. The high carbon content of the iron resulted in iron that was hard but extremely brittle.
Lin Fengzhi looked around and saw pairs of eyes yearning for knowledge.
She chuckled inwardly, but still explained: "Using pig iron as raw material, heating it to a semi-molten state, and then continuously stirring it, the resulting iron has a higher toughness than iron produced by current methods. Of course, this requires building a blast furnace and blowing equipment, which is not something that can be done overnight."
Current steelmaking technology cannot resolve the contradiction between hardness and toughness; pig iron is hard and brittle, while wrought iron is tough and soft, resulting in extremely low production of high-quality steel.
Lin Fengzhi was referring to the frying method of steelmaking during the Western Han Dynasty. This method involved digging a jar-shaped furnace in the ground, coating the inside with refractory clay, and placing a lid on top. During smelting, pig iron was heated to a molten or semi-molten state, then blasted with air and stirred to produce wrought iron, or, under controlled decarburization conditions, low- to high-carbon steel. Traditional steelmaking processes still employ this method today because it uses pig iron as raw material, which is inexpensive and readily available, and has high productivity, giving it significant advantages.
Based on the steelmaking process, more advanced composite processes—the hundred-refining steelmaking and crucible steelmaking processes—were developed, further improving the quality of steel.
However, there are many things to consider when building a blast furnace, such as furnace height, furnace belly diameter, furnace body tilt angle, etc.
“I’ve worked on blast furnaces and smelted ironware. The Grand Master said that you made that water-powered millstone.” Chi Su spoke again, his face full of doubt: “I’ve worked on both pig iron and wrought iron. I’ve tried the method you mentioned, but the iron I smelted was even more brittle.”
Lin Fengzhi glanced at him, but wasn't angry at the other party's doubts. It's normal for new technologies to face skepticism when they come to the forefront. She simply said calmly, "Whether it succeeds or not, time will tell. Since you have relevant experience, you will be responsible for the initial preparation of the blast furnace and the refining process. Is that alright? However, you must follow the drawings I give you."
Lin Fengzhi felt that Chi Su must have used a method similar to the steelmaking process, but failed because the furnace temperature, refractory materials, and air supply system could not be improved.
Chi Su stopped talking and focused on watching Lin Fengzhi draw the shape of the blast furnace on the silk, silently comparing it in her mind.
The blast furnace was larger in length, width, and height than any he had ever used before, and the original cylindrical furnace body was changed into a slightly tilted cone shape.
She also wrote down the key points for firing each part on the side.
The moisture-proof layer was made of lime and clay, the furnace base was rammed in layers, and the top was embedded with stone slabs to resist high temperatures... As for the construction of the furnace body, Lin Fengzhi drew a five-pointed star to indicate the importance of the task.
Add ground ceramic shard powder.
Chi Su was puzzled, but seeing that Lin Fengzhi was not angry at his question, he boldly asked, "Why add pottery powder?"
"Improve fire resistance."
In addition, Lin Fengzhi reserved four ceramic air nozzles, in preparation for placing them here to supply air once the water pump was completed.
Lin Fengzhi glanced up and saw that all the Mohist disciples sitting around the desk were eager for scientific knowledge.
She then proceeded to explain the purpose of each part of the design to everyone while simultaneously refining the pattern on the silk.
"...I'm leaving this to you. This isn't an easy task. I'll assign a few other people to you. You can ask me any questions along the way." Lin Fengzhi handed the silk to Chi Su and then instructed Yong, who was standing nearby, to call the magistrate's trusted confidants who had stayed in the Ke Luo tribe's territory to work with Chi Su on the blast furnace.
Iron ore and charcoal were both controlled by the government. The smelting of ironware naturally required the involvement of the county magistrate. This was also to keep the client informed of the project's progress.
Chi Su was extremely excited, as if he could already see a blast furnace slowly rising on the riverbank, spewing out a continuous stream of steel.
As the sun began to set, the people in the small building heard someone shout loudly, "Dinner's ready—dinner's ready—"
Lin Fengzhi touched her stomach and realized she was starving. She immediately called to the Mohist disciples to go to the canteen run by Ke Luoren for a meal.
"You're quite fortunate," Sheng Kuan said to the unimpressed Mohist disciples. "The food here is not only delicious, but it also has meat." He continued, "The tofu, rice noodles, and noodles made from the water-powered millstone just now..."
Sheng Kuan's gaze slowly swept over the faces of the Mo family disciples, who had suddenly become expectant, and he said slowly, "...Don't you want to give it a try?"
Someone stepped forward and tugged at Seung-kwan's shoulder, chuckling, "Big Brother, let's go together."
The canteen has been expanded again, and many people are lined up in the open space in front of it.
As Lin Fengzhi walked over, people kept calling her name, her face beaming with a pure smile.
"Great Shaman!"
"Great Shaman, the canteen has roasted pig meat today, it's delicious!"
"There's also a bowl of chicken soup and a piece of chicken."
Lin Fengzhi nodded in greeting to each of them.
Lin Fengzhi always believed that life boils down to two things: food and clothing. Food is the most important thing for people, and eating is of paramount importance. Apart from the share she gave to the Keluo people and the wages she paid to her workers, she used almost all of her profits from weaving to improve their diets.
Because of the large population, the daily consumption of rice, flour, soybeans, and meat also increased. This unexpectedly spurred the development of an entire industry chain. The people of Keluo even sent people specifically to handle procurement.
People within a radius of a hundred miles all know that chicken, duck, fish, and meat can be sold to the Keluo people.
An privately advised Lin Fengzhi that she didn't need to be so kind to everyone, even providing a meal for outsiders working there. Lin Fengzhi appreciated An's kindness, knowing she meant well. But for Lin Fengzhi, no matter how much money she earned, it was meaningless if she didn't spend it.
Besides, she has countless ways to make money, and even if she spends a fortune, it will come back again. She doesn't care about temporary gains or losses.
Perhaps it was due to proper management, or perhaps it was due to generous rewards. Lin Fengzhi saw that the people who came to work were full of enthusiasm and hope for life.
Lin Fengzhi thought that most people knew how to be grateful. She was kind to them, and in return, they gave her neatly stacked bolts of cloth in the weaving room, rows of over-completed slanted looms in the empty room, crops meticulously tended to in the fields according to the guidance of farming apprentices, and children studying diligently in the school...
It was the clothes she wore, made by the best embroiderer in the weaving workshop; it was the cook who prepared special meals for her every day just because she said it was delicious; and it was the care she put into collecting bamboo slips and ancient books for her.
Perhaps because her soul remained that of a modern person, she didn't have a strong desire to possess the wealth available in the Qin Dynasty. She preferred to use it practically rather than hoarding it. Money is something you can't take with you when you die, so she didn't need to worry about it.
Lin Fengzhi accepted the delicious meal the cook had prepared for her and found a corner to enjoy it. The cook's skills were getting better and better; no longer worried about making a living, she had more energy to improve her culinary skills.
Sheng Kuan silently sat down next to her, and while eating, he discussed with her: "I see that the disciples of the Farmer School are doing very well in your school. What do you think of our Mohist School?"
Lin Fengzhi was surprised by Shengkuan's question, but when she realized what he meant, she was overjoyed. She had long wanted Shengkuan to teach the children at the school. Before, he had been the only one there, making millstones and researching water power, and Lin Fengzhi felt embarrassed to trouble him any further.
Now that he has brought it up himself, how could Lin Fengzhi possibly disagree?
This is a good thing for children, so that when they see a slanted loom and a water-powered millstone at a young age, they won't just say it was a gift from Xiangjun.
In her opinion, she still hasn't learned enough!
“That would be wonderful.” Lin Fengzhi swallowed a mouthful of crispy and tender chicken. “They have learned quite a few characters now. I heard from Qi that they have probably finished learning the Cangjie Pian and are now learning Qu Yuan’s works.”
"Let's make it clear beforehand that I'll send someone to teach them. It's not like I'm taking them on as apprentices; it's just teaching them for a period of time."
"good."
Lin Fengzhi didn't ask why. During this time, she had also been reading many classic works of the Mohist school. The Mohists advocated "universal love" and did not value social status when accepting disciples; most disciples came from the lower rungs of society. As long as one agreed with Mohist thought and was hardworking, they were accepted. Even Mozi himself came from a craftsman's background.
Mozi divided his disciples into three categories and assigned them responsibilities according to their respective strengths. Those who were good at debating debated, those who were good at storytelling told stories, and those who were good at practical work did practical work.
It truly is a case of teaching according to aptitude, making the best use of everyone's talents.
Disciples of the Mohist school were required to serve their leader, the Grand Master, for life and abide by the laws of the Mohists. Through strict organization, economic constraints, and moral selection, the Mohists built a highly cohesive group. The Mohists were also the only school of thought during the Warring States period that could rival Confucianism. The election of the Mohist leader, the Grand Master, was also interesting; generally, the previous Grand Master would appoint a virtuous and capable successor, and this position was for life.
However, by the Qin Dynasty, the official ideology was dominated by Legalism, and Legalists were the majority of people in the court. The status of both Confucianism and Mohism declined rapidly.
Confucianism failed to embrace the olive branch extended by Qin Shi Huang, choosing the feudal system over the prefecture-county system, and its Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai was a complete mess. It could only participate in politics on the periphery with limited influence.
After the Mohist school split into three factions, Xiangli Mo actively went to Qin, contributing many defensive weapons and improving the Qin army's combat effectiveness. However, Xiangli Mo did not achieve great success in the political arena; he existed primarily as a technical assistant.
It's no wonder that Sheng Kuan gets angry when he mentions Xiang Li Mo; he's really angry at his lack of ambition.
In fact, Lin Fengzhi felt that it wasn't a matter of whether Xiangli Mo fought for it or not, but rather that the core of Mohist thought, with its populist characteristics and anti-war stance, ran counter to the rulers' ideas.
If changes are not made soon, it will become a thing of the past, just like the original history, with the fall of the Qin Dynasty.
In her heart, Lin Fengzhi did not want the Mohist school to fall into such a state, so she could only offer subtle reminders.
During the Western Han Dynasty, Confucian scholar Dong Zhongshu made Confucianism the official doctrine of the Han Dynasty, advocating "dismissing all other schools of thought and exclusively honoring Confucianism." The price paid was the alienation of the self; under a unified autocracy, a school of thought often had to pay the price of its own demise to survive.
Thoughts are subservient to power.
-
The fifth day of the fifth lunar month is the anniversary of Qu Yuan's death.
Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River, a tributary of the Xiang River, and the place of worship was naturally chosen to be on the banks of the Miluo River.
When Lin Fengzhi arrived at the Miluo River, dusk had soaked into every ripple of the river, and the water shimmered with a faint phosphorescence in the last rays of daylight. Thankfully, she had eaten plenty of animal liver, and her night blindness was now cured; otherwise, she might have tripped and fallen in front of the many Qu clan elders.
Looking around, she saw that the Qu clan had already built a high platform on the riverbank using bamboo and wood, covered with diamond-patterned brocade, with calamus and mugwort inserted at the four corners. On the platform were bronze vessels holding sacrificial meat, pottery dou (a type of ancient Chinese vessel) holding fragrant herbs, and lacquer ear cups containing wine.
Lin Fengzhi thought to herself, "Inserting calamus and mugwort is truly a custom that has been passed down for thousands of years."
Lantern boats float on the river, meant to guide souls back to the underwater realm.
Everyone was dressed in plain clothes and adorned with fragrant herbs, kneeling and sitting on the riverbank. Lin Fengzhi, being a distinguished guest, and Qi were seated in a relatively forward position.
Her clothes were equally simple, except for a phoenix with outstretched wings tattooed on her sleeve.
Qi leaned closer, looking slightly uneasy, and whispered, "Great Shaman, why do I feel like some people's eyes aren't so friendly?"
Lin Fengzhi looked up and happened to meet the gaze of someone who hadn't had time to look away. The other person quickly forced a smile.
"Ignore him." Lin Fengzhi chuckled. What was there to fear from someone who wouldn't even look her in the eye? The magistrate had sent a troop of soldiers to wait for her outside, but they hadn't come in out of respect for the Qu family. Besides, Lin Fengzhi touched the gunpowder hidden in her sleeve; that was her true source of security.
As the sun completely disappeared into the water, torches were lit one after another on the shore. The wind pushed the river, wave after wave eroding the cliffs. The firelight from the altar on the opposite bank danced on the plain linen robes of the Qu clan members.
Qu He was dressed in a dark robe, the cinnabar dragon pattern on it shining brightly in the firelight like the rising sun. Her face was smeared with yellow mud, and her forehead was adorned with star patterns.
Suddenly, she struck the Tiger-shaped Phoenix Drum.
"Thump—"
The sound of drums heralded the start of the sacrificial ceremony.
"The Yuan River has angelica, and the Li River has orchids; I think of my lord, but dare not speak."
Vast and boundless are the waves, my soul wanders aimlessly.
Riding a red leopard, followed by a civet cat, I drive a blue dragon back to my hometown!
The river churned beneath their feet, not roaring, but murmuring. A deep, melancholic sob rose from the deepest depths, sending shivers down their spines. The Qu clan members knelt silently along the shore in an arc, their plain linen robes billowing in the wind like clumps of reeds that had lost their support. There were no cries, only the soft rustling of the river as it gnawed at the earth.
Lin Fengzhi's mood also became solemn as she quietly watched this thousand-year-old sacrificial ceremony for Qu Yuan.
A wisp of blue smoke rose from the bronze cauldron in the center of the altar.
Eight dancers twirled and spun with their unique and unconventional steps, their deep robes and wide sleeves stirring the air. The air was filled with the aroma of roasted millet, the sweet and pungent smell of sacrificial blood, and a certain crisp and piercing scent of herbs—the cool fragrance of orchids thrown into the fire.
With each swing of the bronze sword in Qu He's hand, the air itself seemed to cleave through the air. The pig's ears, scorched and curled by the flames, were stained black by the dripping grease, their sizzling sounds mingling with the eternal sobs of the river. As the Qu clan members bowed in worship, the muffled thuds of their foreheads touching the earth resonated together, as if echoing drumbeats resounded from the depths of the earth.
"White rice dumplings, steamed with fragrant herbs."
Let the cassia wine and pepper liquor be poured into this cold river!
Doctor! Doctor!
Let us feast on this sincere meal, and savor this cup!
Qu He's chant suddenly rose in pitch, like a crane's cry piercing the clouds. The Qu family members bowed their heads in response once more. Lin Fengzhi's gaze, however, involuntarily followed the sound to the center of the river. There, three oil lamp boats floated, their faint light bobbing on the black jade-like surface of the river, like stars falling into a deep well.
It was as if Qu Yuan's spirit had truly come to the world with the sacrificial ceremony.
A young boy was pushed to the altar, his hands trembling as he held the earthenware beans. The beans were filled with green glutinous rice, the rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and tied with thin ropes made of water plants. His childish voice pierced the night mist: "Doctor, eat glutinous rice—"
The river wind whipped up his linen sash, and he threw the millet dumplings into the river.
The sound of the millet ball falling into the water was very soft, a soft splash, like the heartbeat of the earth. The river silently swallowed his millet ball.
Suddenly, Lin Fengzhi saw countless hands reaching out from the shadows. The chapped knuckles of an old woman with white hair, the bulging tendons of a young man's arms, the mud-stained hem of a woman's skirt... countless hands threw millet dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river.
The bamboo leaves that were thrown into the whirlpool were floating on the surface of the water, like countless verdant stars falling into an abyss.
Lin Fengzhi bent down and, following the others' movements, threw the millet dumplings she had prepared into the river.
A thousand years later, on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the rivers are filled with dragon boats carrying remembrance. Lin Fengzhi gazes at the millet dumplings that drift away with the waves. She thinks of how people back then threw millet dumplings wrapped in reed leaves into the water, and how children tied colorful silk ribbons around their wrists.
Qu Yuan's name is etched into every ripple, flowing with the river across every inch of land.
On the 2300th anniversary of Qu Yuan's death, his descendants held a grand sacrificial ceremony for him at the Miluo River. It was quite a spectacle, and Lin Fengzhi also went to witness it. The number of participants at that time was even greater than it is today.
In addition to traditional activities such as thousands of people reciting Qu Yuan's famous lines on the riverbank, a live performance of Qu Yuan's martyrdom, ringing a long bell, and burning sacrificial texts, new elements such as "Digital Qu Yuan" and drones displaying Qu Yuan's poems have been added.
Lin Fengzhi remembered it vividly.
She thought, this river can swallow flesh and blood, but it can never digest these millet grains wrapped in bamboo leaves. They will be pushed by the current to more distant mudflats, pecked at by fish, buried by silt, and then sprout green shoots somewhere on a damp bank. Thousands of years later, when people peel back the similar green leaves and their fingertips touch the warm millet, they will surely remember a name.
The bronze bell in Qu He's hand resounded for the last time.
"The mighty Yuan and Xiang rivers flow in two streams."
The road is hidden and difficult to traverse, and the journey is long and uncertain.
With a heart full of sincerity and affection, I am unparalleled.
With Bole gone, where can the steed find its way?
People's lives are governed by fate, and each has their own faults.
With a calm mind and broad vision, what have I to fear?
Knowing that death is inevitable, I wish not to love.
I openly declare to gentlemen, "I will take this as my own!"
Qu He's voice pierced through the vast night, reaching straight to the heart of the river.
The Qu clan members began to chant "Huai Sha" in a low voice, the sound like a tide washing over the riverbank. The voice was not sorrowful, but rather carried the resounding clang of metal striking stone.
"...Knowing that death is inevitable, I wish not to be loved. I clearly tell you, gentlemen, that I will follow your example."
Lin Fengzhi loosened her tightly clenched sleeves, and the sharp edges of the bamboo scroll of "Li Sao" that she had personally written were imprinted on her palm.
This ritual deeply moved her.
She turned her head to look and saw that Qi was completely immersed in the ritual.
Qu Yuan's name ripples across the water, spreading into countless undying waves. From the day he died for his country, his name, like the roots of orchids, has taken hold in every inch of this land, flowing through the bloodline of China with the river. Though dynasties rise and fall, though the river changes course, there will always be those who, at dusk in May, walk to the water's edge, gently entrusting their piety, wrapped in green leaves, to the waves.
Because some fall in order to ascend to the eternal heavens.
"Great Shaman. How was the sacrifice?" A clear voice sounded beside him. Qu He had come down from the altar at some point and was now standing quietly among the reeds. The yellow mud painted on his face from the sacrifice had not yet faded, and the star tattoo on his forehead shone faintly in the twilight.
Lin Fengzhi replied as instructed, "Of course it is excellent. The shaman's steps are in harmony with the rhythm, and the offerings suit the doctor's preferences."
Her gaze fell on Lin Fengzhi carrying the bamboo slips of "Li Sao" and the orchids, and her eyes softened for a moment. Qu He thought to herself, "The Great Shaman also knew in advance what the Doctor loved in his lifetime."
“Good.” Qu He nodded and led Lin Fengzhi toward the dim light at the edge of the altar. “When the doctor was alive, he loved the freshly picked tiger lilies and angelica by the river. He will surely like the hand-carved bamboo slips and orchids you sent.”
She pointed to the scattered white flowers on the riverbank: "Look at those herbs, they wither and flourish year after year, but does anyone remember what a particular plant looked like in a certain year?"
Lin Fengzhi followed her gaze and saw the night wind swirling delicate petals, scattering them across the river's surface. Illuminated by the firelight, the pure white blossoms bobbed and sank with the waves, disappearing in an instant into the undercurrent.
“But Qu Yuan’s poems shine like the sun and moon,” Lin Fengzhi said, her fingertips tracing the indentations carved on the bamboo slips. She didn’t write with a brush, but slowly carved them into the bamboo. She looked at the vanished blossoms and whispered, “The Chu Terrace has collapsed, but the fragrant herbs are reborn year after year for one person.”
Qu He stopped abruptly. On the altar, the shaman was ringing a bronze bell, its clear, metallic tremor piercing the twilight. She turned to look at Lin Fengzhi, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames and the setting stars: "In later generations... will they still offer fragrant herbs to the high official?"
A sudden gust of wind swept across the river, carrying wisps of smoke from burning artemisia that brushed against Lin Fengzhi's face.
Lin Fengzhi suddenly realized something. In Qu He's eyes, she was Xiang Jun's envoy, and her words, in a sense, could even represent the will of the gods.
She said that the Chu Terrace collapsed, but the fragrant herbs were reborn year after year for one person.
Isn't this saying that everyone will use fragrant herbs to commemorate Qu Yuan in the future?
On the opposite bank, the Qu clan members began chanting "Huai Sha" in unison, their voices like waves washing over the mudflats. Lin Fengzhi gazed at the dark, jade-like river surface and saw the flickering, colorful firelight.
"The physician was of pure character and noble spirit, and his body was his soul. He was unyielding for the prosperity of the State of Chu, and his concern for the country and its people remained unchanged despite all the changes." Lin Fengzhi said, explaining why people have been so fond of Qu Yuan for more than two thousand years: "The people nurtured by this land and this river will always remember him and worship him."
Qu He placed a bunch of freshly picked eupatoriums into Lin Fengzhi's palm, their cool fragrance filling her lungs: "Great Shaman, next month is the big day for the sacrifice to Xiangjun and Xiangfuren in the Xiang River basin. I wonder if the Great Shaman has memorized the prayers and dance steps by now?"
Lin Fengzhi snapped out of her slightly melancholy mood and felt like a student who hadn't done her homework and was being checked by the teacher, her heart pounding: "Haha, how did we get to this? I, of course I've been taking notes."
Qu He raised an eyebrow, offering no comment on Lin Fengzhi's words.
"I heard from Qi that the Great Shaman is very curious about the Qu family's culinary recipes. Today's sacrificial ceremony is a grand event for our clan. Therefore, we have prepared many exquisite, secret dishes." Qu He smiled slightly: "Great Shaman, please come with me."
-
"Your Excellency, the pantheon of the Chu people is complex, with three main gods: the gods of the Xiang River, Xiang Jun and Xiang Furen; the goddess of Wushan, Yao Ji; and the supreme god, Donghuang Taiyi." Liu Ji tilted his head back and took a sip of water, finally relieving his dry mouth. "Besides the three main gods, there are other important deities, such as Yun Zhongjun, Dong Jun, Da Siming, He Bo, and Shan Gui, among others."
Meng Yi truly hadn't expected that there would be so many deities on this trip to the southwest. He frowned slightly and asked, "Which one is closest to us right now?"
Liu Ji pointed to the city walls that were faintly visible in the distance: "There is a temple of the supreme god Donghuang Taiyi in Shouchun."
Shouchun was the former capital of Chu. Although the Qin army occupied this place, one can imagine how deep the hatred and hostility of the Chu people there were towards the Qin.
I thought the First Emperor's mission would only begin after we left Shouchun; how clever of me.
Meng Yi gripped the railing of the warship, recalling the excitement he felt four years ago when he read his father's letter in Xianyang about the successful conquest of Chu.
Four years earlier, his father, Meng Wu, had served as Wang Jian's deputy general, leading an army of 600,000 to attack the State of Chu. In that battle, the Qin army killed Xiang Yan, a famous general of Chu, captured King Fu Chu of Chu, and completely destroyed the State of Chu.
He thought that he would also clear all obstacles for the First Emperor, just like his father.
No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead.
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Author's Note: *Volume 4 of *A General History of China* - Medieval Period - Qin and Han Dynasties (by Bai Shouyi)
*Nine Chapters: Embracing the Sand*
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