Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 196, Section 195: The Fire-Wearing Weaver Girl
Despite the stunning gift from Lady Bartholomew, it failed to win the Queen's favor.

Wuyou knelt to the side, feeling not joy, but rather growing increasingly uneasy.

Merchants of such low status could never enter the Xianyang Palace without an imperial edict.

But nowadays, they can't quite grasp the preferences of those in power, which is really not a good thing for them as businessmen.

Nevertheless, when the Queen's gaze indifferently shifted to the box he had presented, he rallied his spirits, cupped his hands, and said:
"My business is sloppy, and I often travel to the grasslands of the Western Regions, so I have not been able to collect any remarkable gold, jade and gemstones."

The servant opened the box and slowly took out a gray, very heavy cloak-like garment.

Qin Shi was somewhat surprised—why would such a simple design and such an unremarkable color be presented as a treasure?

Her gaze was fixed on it, clearly quite interested.

Wu You perked up and quickly explained:

"I did manage to obtain a fire-resistant garment woven by a goddess from the king of a small kingdom in the Western Regions after much effort—"

What he said didn't seem particularly rare, but that was just his way of being modest and reserved.

Judging from Madam Ba's expression, this fire-resistant garment was clearly a priceless treasure.

Previously, it was recorded in "Liezi: Tang Wen" that King Mu of Zhou launched a major campaign against the Western Rong, and the Western Rong presented him with a sword made of Kunwu and fire-resistant cloth.

Therefore, when Wuyou spoke of this item, he didn't need to praise it with words; simply mentioning it casually would have been enough to make the Queen happy.

I think so.
He quietly observed the Queen's expression, only to find that she was slightly frowning, her expression indistinct, but clearly not in a joyful state.

Panicked, she added fuel to the fire and explained, “Legend has it that this fire-resistant cloth is made from the skin of fire rats in the Great Wilderness. Because of its magical properties, the weaver will be punished by heaven when she sews it, and will suffer excruciating pain in her ten fingers.”

"Once the garment is finished, if it gets dirty, there is no need to wash it with water. Simply place it in a fire and burn it for a while, and it will be as clean as new."

Qin Shi frowned even more.

The raw material for this fireproof cloth is not the skin of a fire rat at all, but clearly asbestos!
When she was building the refractory blast furnace, she even asked the king to send convicts to mine it. Asbestos does indeed have many veins in the Western Regions, and the pain of asbestos fibers piercing a person's skin is beyond description.
They even went so far as to make clothes from these fibers.

The person who created it must have suffered countless torments and pains; just thinking about it sent chills down her spine.

However, since the other party treasures this and presented it to us on special occasion, it's not appropriate to use something they were unaware of to accuse us of wrongdoing.

Qin Shi frowned and spoke only faintly:
"Such a treasure..."

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "The merchant from Wu is very kind, but such a treasure is nothing special to our Great Qin. Let's take it back."

Although she did not accuse him, she returned the gift that had been offered. Wouldn't that be even more terrifying than accusation?

Wuyou immediately bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

He was deeply terrified, his mind racing with thoughts, one moment wondering: Could it be that the Queen doesn't like such dull and unbright things?
He then thought that he had previously probed other nobles with words, and they had also shown great interest in fire-resistant cloth.

Or perhaps the queen was gentle and kind, and therefore couldn't bear to see the weavers suffer.
Damn!

He had no time to express his deep regret; he simply lay trembling on the ground, his heart filled with sorrow.

Qin Shi comforted him, saying, "Get up. I'm not blaming you."

"It is clearly not the right way to obtain such a treasure by abusing the people, and my Qin state does not covet it."

If you really want to protect against fire, this fire-resistant garment, due to its design, doesn't actually offer much protection.

After all, commoners who are at risk of walking on fire have no use for such rare items, while nobles are served by many people every day. If a fire really breaks out, would they have time to open their treasury to find this garment?
Just useless.

It serves no real purpose other than to fill treasuries and promote fame. Even if given to a blacksmith, this not-so-soft fabric, though treated to prevent fibers from pricking the skin, would still be a hindrance and prevent him from working.

It will probably be abandoned as well.

Wu You was covered in cold sweat.

He stood up shakily, feigning utter panic.

Madam Ba, standing to the side, also clasped her hands tightly in her sleeves, as if afraid that the other party would sigh "a waste of manpower and resources" when looking at the glass tree.

Qin Shi sighed inwardly: "The journey to Xianyang was not easy."

“I can already sense your intention to serve me.”

"But I don't care about these things, so I'd like to ask, if I need your help, how should we discuss this deal?"

The two men immediately bowed and said, "It is an honor for us if the Queen gives any instructions. How can this be considered a transaction?"

Lady Ba quickly replied, "Although I am of humble status and limited strength, if Your Majesty has any needs, my family will do everything in its power to fulfill them."

Qin Shi smiled and shook his head, and the two golden hairpins carved with black birds holding pearls on his hair swayed slightly.

Madam Ba glanced at it only once and knew that such a large South Sea pearl must be a rare treasure in the national treasury, which made her even more terrified.

Just by looking at the things the queen carries with her, you can tell that she must be extremely favored by the king!

Now that the important person has given the order, her words were not flattery, but rather words from the heart.

But Qin Shi shook his head: "The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for profit."

"Interpersonal relationships are all based on mutual benefit. If I give you any instructions today but they are not commensurate with your benefits, then next time I give you instructions, I'm afraid your efficiency will be greatly reduced."

"This humble servant would never dare!"

The two were filled with trepidation, yet their minds were simultaneously replaying the Queen's words from earlier—

What a fine example of "profit-driven transactions"!

These mere 16 characters encapsulate the essence of their business dealings.

So insightful and sharp, this queen is certainly not the superficial person they imagined!
Qin Shi, however, did not think so—Qin was a rather early period in history, lacking not only many species but also many familiar sayings.

Her sixteen-character phrase "profit from profit" comes from the Records of the Grand Historian, and no one has said it yet.

Therefore, they assumed that the merchants' current low status was the reason for the two men's anxiety, and thus took the initiative to boost their partners' confidence:
"You two don't need to do that."

As the Guanzi states: "Where there is gathering, there is market; without market, the people will suffer. When commerce is open, goods will flow freely."

"You shall promote the circulation of goods and balance surpluses and shortages. This will enrich the nation and the families. Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—no one in our Great Qin can be without you."

"Therefore, I have made this request today. Only you can help me achieve my goal quickly."

Qin Shi sat upright on the high platform, smiling slightly:
"If you two are confident that you can accomplish this for me—Red Maiden, I will reward you with two gold hairpins, and I will specially order the two merchants to wear them as a sign of my sincerity."

　Power can compel businessmen to follow the rules.

　　But enough benefits can make the other party offer countless possibilities.

　　This is exactly what is needed now, which is why we should treat the virtuous and talented with respect when we are young.

　　(End of this chapter)