Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 114, Section 113: The Way of Choice
Wang Xueyuan was manipulated by his wife, and his emotions fluctuated wildly, but he did feel guilty about what happened to Uncle Jiang.

At that time, the selection of officials relied heavily on recommendations from others. For example, the Taoist priest Mao Sheng was recommended by Cao Dan, the then-regent. Of course, because Mao Sheng was not favored by the king, the regent had already become a wandering official.

Wang Xueyuan, after marrying his wife, was able to meet the emperor only after she patiently pleaded with his uncle.

Such a great kindness is truly difficult to repay, and he was deeply grateful, wanting to do something for his uncle...

but.

King Heng of Qin ascended the throne at a young age, possessing an innate majesty; whatever he set his mind to, he would surely accomplish.

He quickly grasped the general temperament of this young and brilliant ruler, and thus, like a harmonious bird, he did exactly what the other party said. Even his advice was only offered in a more subtle and tactful way in the last two years when he had grown bolder.

But Uncle Jiang Lu was different.

He was gentle yet stubborn, and studied Huang-Lao philosophy. At that time, the Queen of Chu held power, and everything was done in a vague manner.

But at that time, the king already had the ambition to unify the world.

After hundreds of years of conflict, the military strength and population of various countries were clearly insufficient. In order to ensure sufficient fighting power and sufficient supply of materials, the country implemented the laws of Shang Yang, with harsh punishments and oppressive policies.

Only in this way can the internal strife be forcefully suppressed, and then all available resources be used to conquer the six kingdoms.

The philosophy of Huang-Lao (a school of thought in China) advocates a relaxed and natural approach to everything...

If we let things take their natural course, will ordinary people end up serving in the military?

This is a matter of political incompatibility, and there is absolutely no possibility of reconciliation between the two unless someone steps down.

Even if the Queen of Chu hadn't made any moves, the King wouldn't have been able to tolerate it for more than a few days.

Later, the queen was confined to the deep palace, and the king began to purge his followers, but the uncle still refused to bow down...

Like Jiang Lu today, he couldn't understand the King of Qin's heart.

They assumed the other party was a former monarch, domineering and tyrannical, yet also receptive to advice and careful to maintain his reputation.

That's not true at all!

King Heng of Qin didn't care about public opinion at all; all he wanted to do was control!
This country has unprecedented, complete control!
From him down, no one is allowed to disobey any of his orders.

From him upwards, he is the highest point!

With the king's order issued, he only had two choices:

Plead for mercy, and ask to die with your uncle.

He didn't plead for leniency; he simply focused on being an official.

He chose the latter, and now he has both life and official position, but he also feels deeply ashamed.

Wang Xueyuan sighed slightly, then sat down and said in a low voice, "I am bound to be demoted this time. Will this relieve the resentment in your heart for so many years?"

Jiang Lu's smile gradually faded, and then she murmured, "My husband is loving and respectful to me, and my uncle also told me not to resent him. But I still hate myself so much..."

When the King of Qin first ascended the throne, he had the grand ambition of conquering the world. He even summoned the wives of his ministers and officials to inquire about matters concerning women officials.

She was taught by her uncle, and when she heard the young king speak, she secretly laughed at his naivety, and thus asked:
"Your Majesty, women are not as physically robust as men, and they must carry on the family line. May I ask Your Majesty, if an official commits a crime, will Your Majesty use punishment?"

"Is this punishment the same as that for men?"

"If the punishment is the same, and the woman experiences difficult childbirth after being flogged, or is pregnant but unaware of it, how can we appease the officials?"

At that time, the Qin state was facing a severe population shortage and was in dire need of manpower. Even today, family reproduction remains of paramount importance.

King Heng of Qin frowned in thought, and finally gave up.

The matter of female officials in Xianyang Palace was only temporarily stipulated in the "Great Qin Code" and did not involve the imperial court.

Later, after her uncle was executed, she would often wake up in terror from her dreams, repeatedly recalling the scene when the young king questioned her. Even now, she bursts into tears.

"My lord, I have failed my uncle and caused great suffering to the women of the world!" If it weren't for my lack of ambition and the absence of female officials in the court, and the fact that my uncle was in trouble and I couldn't even enter the Xianyang Palace, I would have had to rely on my lord.

But the husband also has the husband's family!
Wang Xueyuan frowned: "Madam, there's no need to torment yourself! What you asked is a question that should and should be asked. Even if you hadn't asked, would it not have happened?"

Moreover, at that time the king had not yet assumed personal rule, and even if he issued an order, the Queen of Chu would not allow it. Jiang Lu's question, on the contrary, already implied that women were to be appointed as officials!
Wang Xueyuan had no particular thoughts on this—the former Empress Dowager Xuan had single-handedly controlled the military and political affairs of Qin, doing no less than any previous ruler. And Qin women were strong and capable; there was nothing wrong with them serving as officials.

In any case, before the king, everyone is just a tireless, year-round workhorse, always ready to be summoned at any time.

Since they are all cattle and horses, what difference is there between a mare and a stallion?

If all female officials could be like Jiang Lu, able to control his life, fortune, emotions, and future so at will, then...

Wouldn't the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers all be overshadowed?

……

Inside the carriage, Ji Heng pondered for a moment before feeling a slight headache.

She was so delighted when Qin Qing herself said that he didn't need to associate with Qin Meiren, which shows how deeply she loves her.

In the past, the Queen of Chu was furious because the late king favored other ladies. Servants in the Ganquan Palace were constantly in trouble, and even he was summoned and reprimanded twice.

Qin Qing is now in charge of the Ironworks and claims that the Great Qin will produce divine soldiers.

The book-making office is still pulping and making paper; in the future, all the scholars in the world will flock to Xianyang.

There was also a magical artifact called "black powder"...

According to a report from a palace maid, she rarely has any free time, from morning till night.

If one were to become queen, one would harbor resentment towards other women, like the scheming Queen of Chu...

Will he still be able to use his divine weapons to attack Baiyue next year?
He also wanted to take on the territory in Henan occupied by the Xiongnu as soon as possible.

He frowned, weighed his options several times, and thought again about the princes and princesses in the palace who were not up to the task, as well as the bloodlines of the ladies who were holding him back...

That’s all!

He frowned and said, "Zhou Ju, order the Minister of the Imperial Household to suspend the selection of beauties. The affairs of the six palaces can be handed over to the Queen tomorrow."

Zhou Ju was taken aback, then bowed and agreed.

Qin Shi was somewhat surprised: she had never heard of the selection of beauties, but it was clear that the King of Qin wanted to create a side account.

Why was it suddenly canceled now?
Remembering what he had just said about "handing it over to the Queen," Qin Shi was speechless: Could it be that once she became Queen, she would have to select beauties for the King?
Imagine yourself commenting on a beautiful woman like a traditional auntie: "Hmm, not bad, this big butt is good for childbearing... This one gave birth to two sons before, she'll definitely give the king a son this time too..."

Qin Shi took a deep breath.

She had never encountered such a predicament in the workplace before!
Therefore, after careful consideration, he asked, "Is Your Majesty not selecting beauties at this time, or is the Queen to be chosen instead?"

Ji Heng gave her a complicated look, and then said, "Why wait to be chosen?"

Then, with pride and arrogance, she said, "How can ordinary women inherit my bloodline? Besides, what difference is there between a thousand broken jade pieces and a single bright pearl?"

"I wish for my Great Qin to last for a thousand years, ten thousand years; these trivial matters of children only add to my worries..."

As he said this, he sighed softly, as if he had already made a decision:
"...That's fine then."

I changed Wang Lu's surname. Although Wang Xueyuan is a male character whose surname is Chen and clan name is Wang, and he and Wang Lu do not fall under the category of not being allowed to marry someone with the same surname, I'll still adjust it.

What Jiang Lu described was indeed one of the dilemmas faced by ancient imperial courts. She wasn't lacking in knowledge; in fact, one could say her insight was far broader than most. She simply lacked a positive mindset. I hope everyone can view each character objectively.

Throughout ancient times, politics has always revolved around the concept of "population." Some readers may not understand this and may think that everything is about having children, having sons, and the desire to reproduce. However, this was indeed a dilemma of the times, and every dynasty encouraged childbirth in this way.

Once society transitions to an agrarian society, the reliance on men will increase, which is unavoidable.

The female protagonist can't change the population, but she will strive to make life more humane for men and women at the bottom of society, and to give women a greater voice. Just watch and see, everything will come in time, don't be impatient.

The Qin Dynasty did indeed have female officials, namely, Shangguan (尚冠, head of hats), Shangyi (尚衣, head of clothing), Shangshi (尚食, head of food), Shangmu (尚沐, head of bathing), Shangxi (尚席, head of mats), and Shangshu (尚书, head of books). Although these roles seem unrelated to the court, they were regulations from thousands of years ago.