Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 178, Section 177: Ganquan Palace
Fang Palace.

Hot spring pool.

Ji Heng had just finished his archery and horsemanship activities for the day and was now soaking in warm water, feeling relaxed and satisfied.

Zhou Ju had someone serve him at the side, carefully observing his expression, and was quite pleased with himself.

The king is always self-disciplined, but he got up a little late today and didn't have time to go to the training ground to ride horses. So he rode all the way from Lanchi back to Fang Palace.

Thus, after spending half an hour in the training ground, he got up to take a bath.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh silently again.

Being in the king's harem is really too difficult!
At the same time, he did not forget to ask, "Your Majesty, should we consult the Queen before making any changes to the furnishings of Ganquan Palace?"

Ganquan Palace, which is closest to Fang Palace, has always been the residence of the queens and empresses dowager of Qin throughout the ages.

Since the harem is currently without a mistress, in order to better serve the king, Lady Chu and Lady Zheng have been ordered to reside in the side hall of Ganquan Palace.

It's really not worth mentioning that two ladies were crammed into this vast palace complex.

Now that a queen has been appointed, this place should be the main palace. Therefore, even before the imperial edict was issued, Ji Heng had already ordered the renovations to begin.

Otherwise, his queen wouldn't be staying at Lanchi Palace now.

Ji Heng opened his eyes, and after a moment's thought:

"Send someone to inquire of the Queen, and follow her advice in everything."

"Furthermore, the Xianyang Palace is cramped, and the living quarters are not spacious enough. I wish to rebuild a separate palace in the Shanglin Garden, thus combining the inner palace, the court, and the military exercises into one complex. Go and ask the Queen if she has a name she would like for this new palace complex?"

The queen's sincerity and passion led to an exceptionally enjoyable night of marital bliss for the two. Although he remained composed, he couldn't quite hide the slight air of relaxation that followed.

Even though he had already decided on the name of the Shanglin Garden Palace Complex in his heart, he was still willing to bestow this honor upon the Queen.

Zhou Ju listened silently, feeling a surge of excitement within him!
Indeed, the Queen and their King are a perfect match!

"Other……"

Ji Heng rose from the hot spring, letting his attendants tidy him up, but his brows furrowed slightly, and he hesitated for a moment before saying:

"I see that the Queen seems to love pearls, but the ones she uses are a bit too small. I will go to the storeroom and select another bushel of pearls, which I will bestow upon her."

Although the queen's attire was rather simple, the lustrous pearls adorning her dark hair made her especially captivating in the dim light outside the curtains.

"This……"

Zhou Ju hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, the treasures in the treasury, the largest and most round ones, were all gathered in one box and were bestowed upon us before the queen was made crowned."

In fact, the pearl that the Queen wore in her hair when she greeted the King outside the palace last night was as big as a longan, only slightly smaller than a quail egg.

Ji Heng frowned instantly.

"In that case, order the South Sea Commandery to select the largest and brightest pearls and present them to the emperor in the New Year."

"Go in person and tell the Queen to rest today and not to come to Zhangtai Palace again."

……

Qin Shi didn't have the energy to go to Zhangtai Palace today anyway.

Although I had a rich nightlife, I still managed to get four or five hours of sleep because it was still early when I went to bed.

Now, after finishing breakfast around eight o'clock, she has to meet with the Minister of the Imperial Household.

The Minister of the Imperial Household is in charge of the king's wealth, property, and taxes.

This includes public land, aquatic products, fishing taxes, salt and iron, etc.

She was also responsible for the King and the harem's various expenses, as well as the construction of palaces, food, clothing, and the manufacture of royal supplies. She also oversaw palace medical care, entertainment, and the issuance of imperial seals and tallies. All of this meant that it was now imperative to transfer the Queen's authority to her.

Qin Shi had long been looking forward to it.

At this moment, she cheered herself up, first taking out some parchment paper and drawing several simple tables, and then taking out a pencil to make corrections at any time.

When writing with a pencil, the color should be light and subtle. If you make a mistake, you can simply cross it out. This is much more convenient than using a brush to scribble a dark mess.

Then, square jade seals in the shape of dragons and tigers were placed on the table, with attendants holding cinnabar boxes beside them, ready to give her orders at any time.

However, she alone, along with two scribes, was far from sufficient, so she simply ordered Chi Nu and Wu Zi to kneel and sit at the table below the steps, and then record the events together.

As their own capable assistants, they should learn this skill of overall management sooner or later.

Before long, the Minister of the Imperial Household indeed came to request an audience.

He did not come alone; he brought with him several subordinates, including the Junior Chamberlain, as well as account books, a jade box, keys, and other items, which would be handed over to the Queen once she had a clear understanding of them.

Of course, the term "handover" doesn't mean the Queen will have to personally manage all these trivial matters from now on. Rather, it means the authority rests with the Queen, and she must have a thorough understanding of these matters.

From then on, items such as the jade seal and the talisman no longer needed to be reported to the king; the queen only needed to use the seal.

In a sense, the power she wielded was indeed part of the administrative affairs that Ji Heng had to handle every day.

These trivial matters were quite time-consuming. Even though Qin Shi was only the highest-ranking manager and only needed to understand the general outline, it still took him half a day to sort out, organize, and record them clearly.

If you want to remember everything clearly, you need to review your notes again later to deepen your impression.

Fortunately, the Qin state is now quite efficient, with departments operating in a structured manner.

Although there is still room for improvement, Qin Shi is new to the country and has many important matters to attend to, so he will simply follow the old practices and does not intend to make any major changes in such a hurry.

When I came to my senses again, before I could even rest, a eunuch came to report—

Zhou Ju has arrived.

Stepping into Lanchi Palace once more, Zhou Ju suddenly recalled the first time he met Qin Qing during his western tour.

Although the other person was calm and composed at that time, their eyes were clear and natural.

If you wish to meet the King, you will need his kind guidance.

In just over 20 days, the roles of the two sides have been reversed, a rapid improvement that was never imagined before.

Such a rapid rise in status is something even immortals couldn't catch up to.

He felt both wistful and joyful.

As a native of Qin, he shared the same deep pride in his country as the king, and his heart was always set on its prosperity.

The king is now of advanced age and still has no suitable successor, which is a cause for concern among his officials and ministers.

However, the king is strong and vigorous, no less than a young man, so this hidden worry is covered by a heavy layer of intimidation.

During the western tour, the king suddenly developed a persistent high fever, and his life was hanging by a thread.

The world could be turned upside down in the blink of an eye, and by then, he had already prepared to be buried alive with the dead.

And now...

At this moment, Zhou Ju entered the main hall with a smile. He first ordered the servants to put down the various rewards bestowed upon the king, and then unfurled a geomantic map:

"This is the layout of all the palaces in Gan Quan Palace, the residence of the queens of all dynasties. It has now been completely cleaned and is ready to be moved into after some minor renovations according to the queen's wishes."

(End of this chapter)