Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng discussed together and said, "The First Emperor was a man of strong and stubborn character. He raised up the princes and unified the world. He thought that no one in ancient times could match him. He only trusted the prison guards, and the prison guards were favored by him. Although there were seventy doctors, they were specially reserved and not used. The prime minister and other ministers were all entrusted with tasks and relied on him for their opinions. The Emperor enjoyed using punishment and killing to intimidate people. People under the emperor were afraid of crime and wanted to keep their salaries, so no one dared to be loyal to him. The Emperor did not hear of his mistakes and became more arrogant, while the people were frightened and deceiving him to gain his favor. The Qin Dynasty's laws prohibited the use of two kinds of magic at the same time, and those who failed to get the results would be sentenced to death. However, there were more than 300 people who were fortune-telling the stars and clouds, all of them good people. They were afraid of the taboo and all were flattering the emperor in a tactful way, no one dared to point out his mistakes. All matters in the world, big or small, were decided by the emperor. The emperor even used scales to measure books, and made reports day and night. He could not rest if his reports were not up to standard. He is so obsessed with power that we cannot find an elixir for him." So they fled. When the First Emperor heard of his escape, he was furious and said, "I had previously collected all the books in the world and removed all the useless ones. I summoned many scholars of literature and alchemy to bring peace to the country. The alchemists wanted to practice to find a miraculous medicine. Now I heard that Han Zhong left without reporting, and Xu Fu and others spent millions of dollars but still could not find the medicine. Every day, only some villains report to me for their own benefit. I have given Lu Sheng and others great honors and gifts, but now they slander me and emphasize my lack of virtue. I have sent people to investigate all the students in Xianyang. Some of them made false statements to confuse the people." So he sent the imperial censors to investigate all the students. The students reported to each other and removed themselves. More than 460 people who violated the ban were all killed in Xianyang to let the world know and punish them in the future. More people were exiled to the border. The eldest son of the First Emperor, Fusu, advised, "The world has just been settled, and the people in distant places have not yet gathered. All the students recite Confucius. Now the emperor has severely punished them. I am afraid that the world will be in turmoil. I hope the emperor will investigate it." The First Emperor was angry and sent Fusu to the north to supervise Meng Tian in Shangjun.
侯生卢生相与谋曰：“始皇为人，天性刚戾自用，起诸侯，并天下，意得欲从，以为自古莫及己。专任狱吏，狱吏得亲幸。博士虽七十人，特备员弗用。丞相诸大臣皆受成事，倚辨于上。上乐以刑杀为威，天下畏罪持禄，莫敢尽忠。上不闻过而日骄，下慑伏谩欺以取容。秦法，不得兼方不验，辄死。然候星气者至三百人，皆良士，畏忌讳谀，不敢端言其过。天下之事无小大皆决于上，上至以衡石量书，日夜有呈，不中呈不得休息。贪于权势至如此，未可为求仙药。”于是乃亡去。始皇闻亡，乃大怒曰：“吾前收天下书不中用者尽去之。悉召文学方术士甚众，欲以兴太平，方士欲练以求奇药。今闻韩众去不报，徐巿等费以巨万计，终不得药，徒奸利相告日闻。卢生等吾尊赐之甚厚，今乃诽谤我，以重吾不德也。诸生在咸阳者，吾使人廉问，或为訞言以乱黔首。”于是使御史悉案问诸生，诸生传相告引，乃自除。犯禁者四百六十余人，皆阬之咸阳，使天下知之，以惩后。益发谪徙边。始皇长子扶苏谏曰：“天下初定，远方黔首未集，诸生皆诵法孔子，今上皆重法绳之，臣恐天下不安。唯上察之。”始皇怒，使扶苏北监蒙恬于上郡。
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