Simultaneous travel: City, infinite evolution

Chapter 252 Betrothal and House Purchase [Bonus Chapter for Recommended Votes]

Lu Gong was bewildered. "What are these things? What are they used for? I've never heard of them before!"

Chen Hong smiled and explained, "These are all medicines that I have refined."

"The Yijing Dan is made by collecting century-old ginseng, Polygonum multiflorum, Cordyceps sinensis, deer antler, century-old Ganoderma lucidum, and seventy-two kinds of medicinal herbs, and refining them with the magical power of medicine to boil stones."

It has the effect of replenishing vital energy and strengthening the body, making weak and aging people strong and less prone to illness.

It can be used by the elderly to improve their health.

"The Bone-Nourishing Pill is used to nourish bones and replenish qi, supplement bone components, strengthen bones, and make people strong and powerful like an ox."

Its efficacy is so great that it can even cure childhood skeletal deformities.

It can heal comminuted fractures within seven days and is considered a holy medicine for trauma surgery.

This will strengthen the bones of the two elderly people, allowing them to walk briskly even in their old age.

"Shengji San is a holy medicine for promoting tissue regeneration after external injury. When applied to the wound, it can promote tissue regeneration and stop bleeding. The wound will heal within three days."

It can heal wounds from weapons and is a sacred medicine coveted by military strategists.

This can be used as a backup for family members or nephews when they go to war.

"Scar removal cream is remarkably effective in removing scars, acne, and moles, and can restore the skin to its original state."

It is a beauty elixir sought after by beauties.

Even scars from weapons or burns can be completely healed.

My nieces and nephews will surely like it.

Lu Gong was stunned, and the crowd of onlookers outside the door who were eavesdropping were even more stunned.

"What a miraculous medicine this is!"

"It's priceless, priceless."

Instead of keeping it as a family heirloom, they're using it as a betrothal gift?

"What a spendthrift!"

“For ordinary families, millet, hemp cloth, a wooden comb (symbolizing “tying the knot”), and a live chicken (instead of a goose) are enough for a betrothal gift.”

Even in the homes of nobles and high-ranking officials, fine leather garments and jade artifacts were considered luxurious.

"This young master is quite something, actually using such a legendary divine medicine as a betrothal gift."

"Isn't this a bit too extravagant?"

"Is this the significance of Young Master Fusu personally coming to propose marriage?"

"Just who is this young master Chen Hong?"

"I really want to marry this young master. He is handsome and generous. He must value his bride very much and must be a good husband."

Even young women among the onlookers are experiencing a stirring of spring fever, with an urge to remarry.

Lu Gong, however, felt that it was too precious and a bit too hot to handle. He was afraid that accepting it would damage his reputation, so he repeatedly waved his hands to decline.

“Nephew, this kind of miraculous medicine is too precious. You should take it back.”

"I will only accept a bundle of leather and silk to fulfill the proper etiquette."

Chen Hong smiled slightly, "Master Lü, as you know, these things are extremely precious to others."

But for me, it's nothing special.

These were all made by myself, without costing a penny.

Please accept this small token of my appreciation; don't refuse it.

"This this……"

Lu Gong hesitated. He knew that Chen Hong was telling the truth, and he had also heard his two daughters say that Chen Hong was an immortal.

After thinking about it, he realized that refusing would be disrespectful to Chen Hong.

I gritted my teeth and accepted it anyway.

"In that case, I shall respectfully accept your offer, though I am unworthy to do so."

"From now on, we are all one family."

"If my son-in-law needs anything, he can ask me for help."

"Although I am not very talented, my family is large and prosperous, and I can do my part."

"Of course, of course." Chen Hong nodded, not wanting to offend his father-in-law.

In this era, kinship ties were very strong, and helping each other was taken for granted.

"Keeping secrets from relatives" is a rule universally acknowledged by the whole society.

If they don't keep their relationship secret, they will be subject to moral condemnation.

Both Chen Hong and Lü Gong were required to write a list of betrothal gifts on wooden slips (bamboo slips).

Then, with Fusu acting as the matchmaker, he would sign and affix his seal, which would then serve as proof of the marriage.

Once this process is completed, the marriage becomes legally binding, and neither party may break off the engagement.

If the groom breaks off the engagement, he cannot reclaim the betrothal gifts.

If the woman breaks off the engagement, she must return all the betrothal gifts.

The principle is that whoever breaks off the engagement suffers the loss.

After finalizing the betrothal, Chen Hong thought about it and realized that the final step of the wedding—the wedding procession—would be too far to go from here to Shouyang Mountain.

Moreover, Chen Hong also needed a place to stay in Xianyang.

It's really inappropriate to stay at my father-in-law's house every time I come to Xianyang.

So Chen Hong bid farewell to Lü Gong and, with Gao Yao in tow, went to Xianyang City to buy a house.

After touring the entire city of Xianyang and carefully considering various options, Chen Hong finally settled on a luxury residence located on the outer edge of the city center, near the Wei River.

It's located right on the edge of the commercial district of Zhicheng.

With mountains and water, the environment is beautiful, the mansions are large, and they are not too expensive.

The mansion covers an area of ​​1500 square meters and is equipped with courtyards, pavilions, ponds and other facilities. It has a well-organized layout and a magnificent presence.

With flowers, trees, birdsong, and fragrant blossoms, it's a quiet and comfortable place to live.

It's very convenient to go out and shop at the supermarket without having to walk far.

The living environment is quiet and convenient, it's simply perfect.

It's perfectly adequate as a place for Chen Hong to stay in Xianyang.

Moreover, it was relatively cheap; Chen Hong only spent five hundred gold coins to acquire the entire mansion.

Five hundred jin in the Qin Dynasty meant a solid five hundred jin (in Qin system) of gold, not copper coins or other metals. Chen Hong spent five hundred jin, which is roughly equivalent to 250 jin of gold in modern times.

Chen Honggang received 1800 jin of small yellow croaker (with a purity similar to that of gold circulating in the Qin Dynasty, not modern high-purity gold).

So after buying the luxury house, Chen Hong still had 1550 jin of small yellow croakers left.

With a mansion comes the need for servants to maintain its operation.

So Chen Hong went to the slave market to buy servants.

Chen Hong bought 50 servants, ranging from the most ordinary menial servants and maids to guards, coachmen, craftsmen, and cooks—basic necessities were all provided.

It cost a total of four hundred taels of gold, which is equivalent to 12.5 jin of gold in modern terms.

Therefore, Chen Hong still has 1537.5 jin of small yellow croaker left.

After bringing the newly purchased servants back to the mansion, assigning them positions and responsibilities, the job was basically done.

Gao Yao then became Chen Hong's personal head chef and temporary housekeeper.

He achieved a position of power second only to the emperor, above thousands of others.

Aside from Chen Hong, Gao Yao doesn't stand up to anyone. Even if Qin Shi Huang came, he wouldn't be afraid.

That's what Gao Yao said.

Chen Hong went to see Fusu and had Fusu sign and affix his seal to the betrothal gift list. Fusu then said:

"Sir, the Emperor has entrusted me with full authority over the printing workshop."

This is a document authorizing the Lü family as the only officially designated printing workshop and sales merchant by the government.

With this document, apart from the imperial court, only the Lü family, a private merchant family, was authorized to operate a printing workshop and corresponding bookstores.

Chen Hong hadn't expected Fu Su to be so generous; it seemed he intended to make the Lü family a private printing monopoly.

Apart from government workshops and shops, only the Lü family had the printing and sales rights.

This is naturally extremely profitable.

The Lü family could make a fortune just from this.

If the Qin Dynasty hadn't fallen and printing rights hadn't been re-established, the Lü family would have lived off the profits generation after generation, never declining.

Of course, this is impossible.

Regardless of whether the Qin Dynasty collapsed or not, the trend of printing development is bound to be more and more widespread, flourishing everywhere.

Even if the Lü family wanted to monopolize the market for generations, Chen Hong would not allow it.

What he wanted was for a flourishing of diverse styles, greatly increasing book printing output so that more people could afford to read books.

Chen Hong took the document and sighed.

"Thank you for your kindness, young master."

“I know what you seek, sir.”

"Very well, I also have a request."

"How about this, I may enter the court to compile the 'Great Qin Law,' but I will not participate in court politics."

When he finished compiling the "Great Qin Law" and was about to retire, the court could not stop him.

Furthermore, I demand that all the books in the Qin Dynasty be made available to me.

I want to study.

Upon hearing this, Fusu pondered for a moment and then sighed.

"I understand your aspirations, sir."

"Very well, since you dislike the power struggles in the imperial court, I will not force you."

"Fusu promised you, sir, that he would never force you to become an official."

We humbly request that you, sir, assist the Qin Dynasty to the best of your ability.

Chen Hong nodded: "Okay!"

"In that case, Fusu thanks you."

Fusu bowed respectfully to Chen Hong.

This is the tacit understanding reached between the two sides: Chen Hong will only handle the work of the upper-level structure, and will not get involved in the lower-level execution and politics.

Chen Hong also wanted to use this opportunity to hone his wisdom.

Amending the law involves many aspects and is the greatest test of wisdom.

A truly great legal code must be designed from a high-level perspective, taking into account the actual social situation and understanding human nature, while also filling in many loopholes.

It can be said that a great legal code can reveal the level of wisdom of a country.

Chen Hong estimated that once he finished studying the "Great Qin Law," his wisdom would increase by at least one level.

The revision of the legal code was merely an opportunity; Chen Hong's true purpose was to collect these pre-Qin wisdom classics that had long been lost to later generations.

This includes the works of various schools of thought from ancient times and ancient classics.

Unfortunately, most of the ancient books in the Western Zhou Dynasty's library have been lost in the flames of war.

The books that Lao Tzu, the librarian, read are now nowhere to be found.

Otherwise, Chen Hong would really be interested in what books Lao Tzu had read to be able to write such a brilliant classic as the Tao Te Ching.

Moreover, the Tao Te Ching was written when Lao Dan was stopped by Yin Xi, the gatekeeper of Hangu Pass, when he was heading west out of Hangu Pass. Yin Xi insisted that Lao Dan write a book to spread his teachings.

Lao Tzu initially refused, believing that "books should not be written lightly," and that if later generations misinterpreted his meaning, it would be better not to write them at all.

Unable to get enough of Yin Xi's persistent nagging, she had no choice but to casually recite the "Five Thousand Words of Tao Te Ching" to fool him and get him to let her out of the pass.

In other words, the "Tao Te Ching" is not the complete wisdom of Lao Tzu, but merely a collection of his casual remarks.

This shows just how amazing Lao Tzu was; he had a unique understanding of the great principles of heaven and earth, the wisdom of life, and the governance of a country.

Clearly, Lao Tzu had thoroughly grasped the wisdom of his ancestors and forged his own path.

Although many ancient books from the Qin Dynasty have been lost, many classics that were lost in later generations still exist, and Chen Hong naturally wanted to take a look.

Chen Hong wanted to see not only the books in the Qin Dynasty court's collection, but also the books in the private collections of the six kingdoms.

"It seems that we can use the power of the Qin Dynasty to collect these ancient books scattered in various places."

Chen Hong stroked his chin, deep in thought.

"We want those nobles and gentry who own private book collections to obediently hand over their collections."

It seems I need to lay some bait to lure them out and offer their books.

(End of this chapter)