At first, Song Xie did not think highly of Liu Yuan.

This was only natural. The Qin dynasty had not yet fallen, and the emperor was still sitting in Xianyang. Although the uprisings were raging, and even Handan, the former capital of Zhao State, had been captured, the power of the Qin army was not to be underestimated. Although Liu Yuan had entered Yangdi and controlled Yingchuan Commandery, a great part of it was due to luck. He was neither a royal descendant of the Six States nor a member of a distinguished, hereditary official family. His status was inherently looked down upon. All he could rely on was the prestige of Chen Sheng's great army and the small number of troops he had under his own command.

Song Xie saw it very clearly. The less than ten thousand troops Liu Yuan currently had were more than enough to occupy Yingchuan, but if he wanted to go out and compete for territory with others, it would be another matter. If he wanted to go out, he would inevitably have to split off some of his forces to garrison Yingchuan to prevent his home base from being snatched away. In that case, the number of men he could take with him would be even smaller.

Ever since Liu Yuan stationed himself in Yangdi, many people like Song Xie had been observing him in secret, waiting to see Governor Liu make a fool of himself.

The results of their observation certainly did not disappoint them.

Never mind his background, this new Governor of Yingchuan Commandery was even a semi-illiterate. After so many days, he had no idea how to handle political affairs and had no one at his side to use. One of his men, Xu Zhongfang, was an illiterate just like him. The other, An Zheng, was slightly better, but he was also from a minor official's background and was still studying diligently, so he couldn't help at all.

Liu Yuan's family had been in Yangdi for a very short time. It was not difficult for anyone with a mind to it to inquire about news from the Governor's manor. When the matter of Madam Zhang dealing with the two maids spread, it nearly made people laugh their heads off.

What everyone ridiculed was not that Madam Zhang had accidentally caused the death of the two maids—in this era, the lives of slaves were not worth much anyway—but that along with the deaths of the two maids, the content of their private discussions about Madam Zhang also began to circulate.

How laughable! Even if he had risen from humble beginnings, he was now the protector of a region. Yet, as the family of a Governor, their dining etiquette was completely nonexistent. They made noises while they ate—that was something only ignorant country bumpkins would do. Truly a case of mud that couldn't be plastered on a wall!

As a result, the prominent clans of Yingchuan Commandery looked down on the Liu family even more, unanimously believing that Liu Yuan could not hold Yingchuan and would sooner or later have to hand it over. At this time, everyone also heard that the former prince of Wei, Lord Ningling, Wei Jiu, had been installed as the King of Wei. They all lamented that the land of Han had not produced a King of Han. Many were restless and prepared to go to Di County to seek refuge with the new King of Wei.

Song Xie had no intention of seeking refuge with the King of Wei, but he was also not prepared to serve the new Governor. Being an official in such times was really not a wise decision. No matter which side one chose, a single misstep could cost one's head, and the lives of the entire family would follow. Although Song Xie also had a heart for glory and wealth, after thinking it over, he still felt his own life was the most precious.

But right at this moment, Liu Yuan came to visit.

Without soldiers, without attendants, he came alone to pay a visit to Song Xie.

Song Xie couldn't figure out his intentions. The first time Liu Yuan came to his door, he directly avoided him. Later, he heard from his family that Liu Yuan had brought heavy gifts and had waited a long time before leaving in disappointment.

A few days later, Liu Yuan came again. This time, he came without prior notice, scaring Song Xie so much that he ran out through the back door. As it turned out, the man waited in his house for the better part of the day, making Song Xie almost afraid to return home to sleep that night. The one who came forward to entertain Liu Yuan was Song Xie's eldest son, Song Yu.

Song Xie was in his fifties this year, and Song Yu was about the same age as Liu Yuan. The two chatted for a long time, and Song Yu actually had a pretty good impression of Liu Yuan. When Song Xie returned, he said many good things about Liu Yuan to his old father.

It wasn't hard to understand, really. In this era, when a superior showed courtesy to a worthy subordinate, it had always been an effective way to gain favor. Take the Four Lords of the Warring States period; the reason their fame was so great was largely due to currying favor with their retainers. Although Liu Yuan was a nouveau riche, he was now a Governor with military power in his hands. He could have ignored everyone in Yingchuan Commandery, yet he came to visit Song Xie alone, with a respectful attitude and a posture of humble inquiry. Being turned away the first time was one thing, but he didn't mind and came again a second time. And from the looks of it, there would probably be a third and a fourth time.

Song Xie hadn't thought much of it, but the thin-skinned Song Yu felt a little embarrassed. He then advised his father to meet Liu Yuan. The other party had been so courteous; we couldn't be impolite, could we?

Persuaded by his son, Song Xie also felt that doing so was a bit improper. After all, his whole family was still in Yangdi. If Governor Liu got upset, became angry from the embarrassment, and had them arrested and beheaded, that would be terrible.

Thus, when Liu Yuan came to visit for the third time, he no longer avoided him.

Two days later, Liu Yuan did indeed come to visit again. He knew that Song Xie was intentionally avoiding him and was mentally prepared to try ten or eight times. Unexpectedly, he met Song Xie in person on only the third attempt.

This was a pleasant surprise.

As he was asking for a favor, Liu Yuan respectfully paid his respects to Song Xie, saying, "I ask that you teach me, sir."

Song Xie was unmoved and said, "Governor, you speak too seriously. I am but an old man waiting for death; how would I dare to speak of teaching?"

Liu Yuan did not hide his difficulties for the sake of face. He directly explained his current predicament and then said, "My current situation is no different from walking on thin ice. A step forward or a step back, both lead to a bottomless cliff, a deep abyss. Other than you, sir, no one can save me!"

This kind of scholarly language was a bit awkward for Liu Yuan. He had wracked his brains for it and, adopting a posture of sincere inquiry, performed the kowtow ritual to Song Xie, begging him to take up the post of Commandery Assistant of Yingchuan and assist him.

If the previous words were not enough to sway Song Xie, Liu Yuan's subsequent action of kneeling and kowtowing could not fail to move him.

In ancient times, the kowtow was the grandest of the nine rites of bowing. One could only use the kowtow when worshiping heaven, earth, the ruler, ancestors, and parents. It was highly particular. If you randomly used it on someone, others would only think you were being reckless. And out of dignity, an ancient person would absolutely not kowtow to a stranger casually. The solemnity and meaning of this etiquette lay precisely in this.

Now that Liu Yuan was kowtowing to Song Xie, it was clear that he meant to respect him as a teacher. A teacher is like a father, so using the kowtow was also acceptable.

Liu Yuan was only uncultured, not ignorant of common sense. That he could go this far moved even Song Xie a little.

Once moved, his attitude softened. Liu Yuan seized the opportunity and added more fuel to the fire, saying, "I am also a native of Yingchuan, so of course I hope that Yingchuan Commandery will be free from the calamities of war and live in peace. But if another person were to become Governor, they might not think as I do. The world outside is very chaotic now, and no one knows what the future will hold. I only wish to do my best to maintain peace in Yingchuan. If you are unwilling to be an official, sir, I am willing to honor you as my teacher. I only wish for you to give me some advice."

With things said to this extent, Song Xie also softened and went with the flow, agreeing to his request. He would not be the Commandery Assistant, but he could stay by Liu Yuan's side and help him with planning and strategy.

Liu Yuan was naturally overjoyed and treated Song Xie with even greater reverence, truly regarding him as a teacher. To put it in one sentence, he had never been this attentive even to his own father, Liu Xin.

Since there were many official documents waiting to be processed at the Governor's manor, Song Xie accompanied Liu Yuan there. This was the reason Liu Zhen saw Song Xie here.

In fact, on the way to the Governor's manor, Song Xie had cheekily asked Liu Yuan a question, "If I had still refused to come with you today, what would you have done?"

In response, Liu Yuan gave a cunning smile and said, "Weren't your family members planning to leave the city to visit relatives today? The world is not peaceful now, and I was afraid they might encounter misfortune, so I have already sent people to escort them to the Governor's manor to keep my wife company. You need not worry, sir. I will send them back in a few days, guaranteed to be unharmed."

At that moment, Song Xie was utterly flabbergasted. So it turned out that while Liu Yuan was playing the soft hand with him, he had a hard hand waiting in the wings!

But he dared not say anything, because in this matter, it was indeed Song Xie who was in the wrong first. He had indeed intended to secretly send his family away first, but he hadn't expected Liu Yuan to have already sent people to block them there, all while holding his tongue and persuading Song Xie to willingly agree to assist him.

After this incident, Song Xie dared not underestimate Liu Yuan anymore. This man's actions could truly be described as being able to bend and stretch, using both soft and hard tactics. He was not at all an ignorant brute who understood nothing. Therefore, despite his displeasure at his family being detained, Song Xie also felt a genuine admiration for Liu Yuan.

In the Governor's manor, after exchanging pleasantries, they quickly got to the point.

Liu Yuan had already spoken of his current predicament at the Song residence. Even if Liu Yuan didn't say it, many people, including Song Xie, knew about it. Song Xie got straight to the point: "I have already seen the previous proclamation. You let everyone follow the old rules. This intention not to disturb the people is commendable, but the method is very inappropriate."

Liu Yuan was receptive to good advice: "Please teach me, sir."

Song Xie asked, "Does the Governor wish to establish himself as king, or to attach himself to others?"

The question was direct, and Liu Yuan's answer was just as frank: "With my meager strength, how would I dare to establish myself independently?"

It was "dare not," not "wish not." Song Xie glanced at him and said, "In the current state of the world, the only force that can rival the Qin court is the great army of Zhangchu. If the Governor does not wish to establish himself independently, he should issue a new proclamation in the name of Zhangchu and Chen She."

This viewpoint was identical to what Liu Zhen had said earlier. Liu Yuan couldn't help but glance at his daughter, then nodded and smiled at Song Xie, saying, "What you say is very true, sir. What should be done next?"

Seeing his sincere desire to learn, and that he was not just putting on an act, Song Xie felt much more at ease and did not hesitate to guide him further: "Governor, in your opinion, why did Zhangchu rebel against Qin?"

Liu Yuan said, "The tyranny of Qin was without principle."

This was a catch-all phrase. Song Xie was not very satisfied and asked again, "In what way was it without principle?"

Liu Yuan thought for a moment: "The laws of Qin are harsh, taking human life lightly, and the people cannot bear its bitterness. Wicked and corrupt officials run rampant, and taxes are heavy, causing the people to flee into the mountains and forests, gather in groups as bandits, and in turn become a scourge."

Although Song Xie did not have the courage to rebel, it did not mean he lacked political wisdom. Hearing Liu Yuan's words, he shook his head and raised a finger: "All those words are tedious; it's better to hit the nail on the head with one phrase."

Liu Yuan asked, "Which phrase?"

Song Xie said, "The people could not bear their suffering."

Liu Yuan: "What is the meaning of this?"

Song Xie: "The reason why the Emperor of Qin was able to unify the Six States and extend his might over the four seas back then, in the final analysis, was nothing more than four words: following the trend of the times! At that time, the Zhou royal house was in decline, the states were fragmented, and wars raged for years. The people could not bear their suffering. Therefore, Qin Shi Huang rose with the tide, and with the accumulation of several generations of a strong Qin, he finally won the world. Although the various states curse the tyrannical Qin, if there were no Qin State, the world today would still be a scene of smoke and flames, with the fires of war spreading everywhere!"

Sitting at the side, Liu Zhen stirred, hiding the astonishment in her heart.

One must know that although the Qin State was powerful during the Warring States period, its reputation was not good. When it was poor, it was called "Poor Qin." Later, when it became rich, people felt that the Qin State was full of border folk from the western frontier, incomparable to the people of the Central Plains, and called them "Crafty Qin." Anyway, it was all sorts of regional discrimination. Now, naturally, the name had changed again, to "Tyrannical Qin."

The measures taken by Qin Shi Huang after unifying the Six States were too hasty, leading to the people of the former Six States having no sense of belonging to the Qin dynasty. Everyone complained a lot in private. Whenever it was brought up, it seemed as if the Qin dynasty was bad in every way. When they rebelled, they also had a high-sounding official reason: the tyranny of Qin was without principle.

This view was not a minority one at the time. As the momentum of the rebel armies grew larger and larger, if a scholar didn't say a word or two about the "tyranny of Qin," they would seem out of step with the times.

But Liu Zhen had never expected that a former Qin local official, forced into retirement, would have such an unconventional view. It was clear that there were hidden dragons and crouching tigers among the common people, far too many experts. Even those not recorded in the history books could not be underestimated.

Neither Liu Yuan nor Song Xie paid any attention to Liu Zhen's expression. The former was completely captivated by the latter's speech. Song Xie's words were not convoluted and were easy to understand. Liu Yuan nodded in agreement: "Indeed!"

Seeing him humbly receive the lesson and listen attentively, Song Xie felt a little proud. A faint smile appeared on his face: "Although the Qin Emperor's unification was following the trend of the times, times have changed. The Six States are not like the land of Qin. The land of Qin has been accustomed to Qin law since Shang Yang's reforms, but the Six States are not. In addition, among the taxes—the poll tax, the household tax, the land tax, corvée labor, military service—all of these were unbearable for the common people. Confucius said, 'To be fond of bravery and hate poverty will lead to chaos. If a man is not benevolent, and his misery is extreme, it will lead to chaos.' This is precisely the principle."

At the end, he couldn't help but show off his literary knowledge again.

Liu Yuan let out an "Oh," and said blankly, "What does your last sentence mean, sir?"

The corner of Song Xie's mouth twitched, and he quickly reined in his slightly proud heart: "Although the common people are weak and not much to be feared, once they are pushed to the extreme and can bear it no longer, they will rise up in rebellion. Once there are too many such common people, the world will naturally fall into chaos."

Liu Yuan was enlightened. Wasn't it so? Not long ago, he too was one of these "common people"!

"Please continue, sir."

Song Xie: "Therefore, the new government decrees must start from this point. For example, the original Qin law stipulated a land tax of one-tenth. The Governor only needs to be slightly more lenient and stipulate a tax of one-twelfth, and that will be enough to make the gentry and commoners grateful. Furthermore, now that Yingchuan Commandery is no longer under the jurisdiction of Xianyang, things like corvée labor can all be abolished. Third, the Qin State valued agriculture and suppressed commerce. Since Qin's unification, the various restrictions on commercial taxes have become increasingly harsh. The Governor only needs to grant exemptions for one or two of them, and he will cause merchants from all over the world to admire his name and flock to him. When commerce flourishes, why worry that Yingchuan will not prosper?"

Liu Yuan was overjoyed and bowed, saying, "Thank you for teaching me, sir!"

In the past, as an official of the Qin dynasty, it was of course inconvenient for Song Xie to do these things. Now that someone else was in charge, he only needed to offer advice from the sidelines, feeling absolutely no pressure. Seeing the other party so receptive, Song Xie himself felt quite smug. He suddenly felt that cultivating an illiterate person to be a Governor brought a greater sense of accomplishment than being an official himself.

He stroked his fine beard, in the manner of a great master, and helped Liu Yuan up: "Since the Governor treats me with sincerity, I will naturally be frank with the Governor!"

His eyes glanced at Liu Nan and Liu Zhen, who had been acting as invisible people for half the day, and he smiled: "Have Ah Nan and Ah Zhen been given courtesy names yet?"

As soon as he said this, Liu Yuan knew that the other party intended to bestow courtesy names upon his son and daughter. He quickly followed up: "They do not have courtesy names yet. I have read few books. I beseech you, sir, to bestow courtesy names upon them!"

A junior's courtesy name could generally only be bestowed by parents, teachers, or close elders. Once this courtesy name was given, the relationship between Song Xie and the Liu family would be very difficult to sever. If Liu Yuan failed, and Song Xie was arrested, no one would believe him if he said he was not Liu Yuan's accomplice.

So it could be said that Song Xie had also made a considerable resolution. If it weren't for seeing that Liu Yuan had potential and a bit of a heroic and ambitious nature, plus the fact that his own family was in the other's hands, he would not have boarded this boat.

Song Xie looked at Liu Nan and said, "Although this son is young, he has a valiant air. Why not call him Boyong."

Then he looked at Liu Zhen: "The wise are active; the benevolent are still. Let's call her Renjing."

Liu Yuan had no objections: "Excellent!"

Liu Nan and Liu Zhen hurriedly bowed: "Thank you, sir, for bestowing upon us our courtesy names!"

After auditing the class for half the day and getting courtesy names, the two were then kicked out by Liu Yuan.

Next, Liu Yuan had to inquire in detail about the trivial matters of administration, which was not for them to hear.

Liu Nan had long been sitting impatiently. If his father hadn't been there, he would have jumped up to stretch his muscles long ago. Even so, he couldn't help but grimace and make several funny faces.

In comparison, Liu Zhen was much calmer.

It was clear that the courtesy names Song Xie gave them were not chosen randomly.

Liu Zhen advised him, "Brother, you should listen more to what Sir Song and Father were talking about just now. It will be of great benefit to you."

Liu Nan waved his hand dismissively: "I just like swords, spears, and staves; I don't like studying, just like Father. It's not like you don't know. If you let me go to battle, I'd be a hundred times willing. As for what Sir Song said, Father will worry about that, we don't need to trouble ourselves! Look at Father, he clearly doesn't like those things either, yet he has to pretend to listen seriously to Sir Song's ramblings. Haha, how miserable!"

Liu Zhen sighed. Seeing that she couldn't persuade him, she stopped trying.

It seemed she was not destined to have a brother skilled in both literary and martial arts. However, in chaotic times, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Having troops meant having a voice. Liu Nan's way of thinking couldn't be said to be wrong. In any case, their father was currently just a Governor whose position was not secure. There was no need to think so far ahead.

Ever since Song Xie had a long talk with Liu Yuan, the situation had changed significantly.

Not only did Liu Yuan personally escort Song Xie's family back to the Song residence, but he also went to visit the former Censor-in-chief's home as a guest. Song Xie also changed his previous silent style, frequently entering and leaving the Governor's manor, and gave Liu Yuan plenty of face in public, prioritizing him in all matters and placing himself in a supporting role. Liu Yuan, of course, returned the favor, always addressing him as "sir." Within a few days, the whole of Yangdi knew that the current Governor had taken the former Governor as his teacher.

With Song Xie's endorsement, everyone began to gradually change their attitude of passive resistance. Liu Yuan also decisively issued a series of government decrees. In addition to reducing commercial and land taxes, he appointed the former Censor-in-chief as the Commandery Assistant, An Zheng as the Censor-in-chief, and Xu Zhongfang as the County Commandant.

From then on, Liu Yuan gradually got the hang of the various affairs of Yingchuan Commandery, and his authority became increasingly firm.

As for Madam Zhang and Liu Zhen, Liu Yuan did not forget his promise. He soon got the original head steward of the Governor's manor from Song Xie, and through Song Xie's recommendation, hired a female tutor for Liu Zhen and Liu Wan.