Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 209, Section 208: The System of Retinues
The queen has always been amorous and sentimental, and tonight she suddenly said she wanted to come and admire the moon.

Just like how she suddenly took this unconventional action again.

Ji Heng's upper body muscles tensed for only a moment before slowly relaxing. The area around the orchid pond was silent, save for the faint chirping of insects, and the moon in the sky gently veiled the water like a thin veil.

A gust of wind carries the scent of autumn.

He paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "That's for sure."

Being the Queen of Qin or the Queen of Ji Heng would naturally be the best choice.

Qin Shi pressed his forehead against his chest.

Ji Heng was not afraid of the cold, and her clothes were thin, so she could clearly feel the tension in him every time she approached him.

At night, she sometimes struggles involuntarily and can even touch the short sword under her pillow.

However, despite his wariness, he never refused her every attempt to get close.

His trust and high regard for the Queen were evident in his gestures and actions. Truly, he possessed the character of "loving someone so much he wants them to live, hating someone so much he wants them to die."

She smiled slightly, then suddenly had a mischievous thought and reached out to hug his waist.

I could also clearly feel the muscles under my hands tensing up.

Ji Heng's waist was not thick; he had a broad back and extremely long arms, but he did not appear bulky or bloated. Instead, he possessed a slender and powerful inner strength characteristic of the East.

When the two were intimate at night, as her arms caressed his back, each time they reached his waist, it would trigger his more forceful movements.

He... is actually very perceptive.

Because they are constantly surrounded by crisis, they are very perceptive of every action and the other party's emotions.

The Queen's sudden embrace was inappropriate, but Ji Heng could sense from her body language that she wasn't trying to be affectionate or clingy; she simply wanted to see his reaction.

This situation is quite novel.

He had never been in this situation before.

The faint scent of mugwort lingered in the air, more profound and meaningful than the subtle fragrance of orchids that one smells day and night.

At that moment, he remained motionless, letting the queen embrace him.

After all, the queen was always delicate and could not maintain this posture for long—where no one could see, he slightly curled the corners of his lips.

Sure enough, not long after, Qin Shi straightened up on his own.

Ji Heng was a martial artist; his lower body was extremely stable, his posture upright, and he exuded a faint warmth. His imposing physique, over 1.9 meters tall, formed a stark contrast with Qin Shi's.
When she wanted to be in his arms, it was as if she had snuggled into a very safe place.

If this continues, she'll probably just fall asleep.

The long procession began to move slowly again, and there was complete silence behind them. Everyone could sense the favor the Queen was receiving, and no one dared to disturb the King's peace.

Qin Shi was satisfied, feeling that Ji Heng had become even more tolerant of her, so she took his hand again and, while strolling, chattered about her plans:

“Now I’ve made some adjustments in small things.”

"Now that the national treasury is empty, if we want the people to live well, we must rely on merchants or the people themselves."

"Now that honeycomb briquettes have been widely distributed, I plan to promote the use of poultry so that people's lives can be a little better in the future."

Ji Heng listened quietly, without saying much.

The poultry in the Qin state today were quite different from the plump hens and ducks of later generations. They had colorful feathers, agile bodies, and were lean and powerful, able to fly over a hundred meters with their wings spread.

In later generations, rural chickens might occasionally glide such a distance in a moment of desperation, but nowadays, every chicken can do it.

"Let's try it out in the palace first."

With the widespread use of coal, every household could enjoy a warm winter. By early spring, they could use the fire in their kang (heated brick bed) to hatch chicks.

In this way, costs are greatly reduced, and the market will naturally form.

Afterwards, for those who raise chickens and ducks at home, if they are kept in enclosures, they can choose to lay a thick layer of chestnut husks on the ground and sprinkle on some spicy grass yeast balls to form a low-end version of a fermented chicken bed.

The chicken manure ferments inside, so it won't have a strong odor, making it easy to keep chickens in the yard, and it also has some antibacterial properties.

Large-scale farming is difficult to achieve nowadays, and the biggest fear is disease.

This method of scattering chickens and ducks among people's own homes, along with the use of fermented chicken beds, ensures that, if managed properly, the risk of disease is always lower than the probability of benefit.

In addition, after fermenting for a while and replacing the soil, the millet husks mixed with chicken manure can also fertilize the fields.

If there are no extra chestnut husks, the ground will do, but you'll need to keep it clean.

Chickens and ducks can have their feathers clipped after they grow up. With less movement and more food, it's natural for them to get fat.

Even if there are weight restrictions due to breed, there is still more meat than before.

There are also some scientific feeding methods that can make chickens lay more eggs...

If fed well, a chicken can lay one egg a day. If you raise several chickens, you can save up enough for the whole family to exchange for other daily necessities or to nourish their bodies.

After Qin Shi finished speaking, all the palace servants behind him listened attentively. Apart from convicts, most of them were from impoverished families.

People who are starving and poor are most sensitive to these things.

Ji Heng did not seem impatient with this.

He was not a monarch who had never experienced poverty, and he dared not slack off on matters of state and family. He also had to understand these matters concerning people's livelihood and logistics.

In the past, in the palace of the King of Chu, she was often punished and starved, and she also secretly climbed trees to steal bird eggs.

He simply found this feeling exceptionally novel.

Because everything the Queen said was substantial, her plans were sound, and it concerned the state of Qin.

If every walk consists of these kinds of conversations, then it's not a waste of time; it's just a change in how you handle tasks while sitting.

Therefore, his expression softened, and although he did not reveal his true feelings, he was already able to make people feel relaxed.

only……

"The Queen is too concerned about the common people."

"My Qin state needs not only to strengthen its national power, but also to have a strong army. Otherwise, if the people of the country are content with their basic needs, they will be nothing more than food for the enemy if a powerful enemy comes to invade."

Qin Shi did not refute, but smiled and said, "Your Majesty, if you want the horse to give birth to a strong foal, the mare must be well fed, and the stallion must be a strong breed."

"The same applies to people."

“Ding Nan doesn’t have that much corvée labor, so he has the time to farm and cultivate the land for his family and support them. Naturally, he can also support himself.”

“Women will not have to perform corvée labor, their children will be cared for after birth, and they will be fed and fed... With such care, the nation’s strength will surely double in less than ten years.”

"At that time, even if Your Majesty points your sword at the Far East, you will not have to worry about not having anyone to use."

ten years?

Ji Heng frowned, but then thought that he would be in his prime ten years from now, so he gave up on the idea.

"Moreover, the national treasury is now empty. Forcibly levying taxes can only solve the immediate crisis and may even shake the foundation of the nation's strength."

"When the people have leisure time and surplus assets, they will naturally want to trade with others. In this way, resources circulate, money flows, wealth is stored among the people, and taxes are collected from the state..."

“If a commoner has ten Qin Banliang coins, the government will levy a tax of one coin. Although he feels the pain, he has no choice but to pay it.”

"But if he only has one, and the government wants that one, his whole family will starve to death without them. In that case, he will have no choice but to fight for his life."

During the Qin Dynasty, he patiently and meticulously explained these principles.

Ji Heng was not unaware of this; he even knew to cherish the people's strength and not to push them to the brink of despair.

He is not the kind of person who preys on ordinary people.

Unfortunately, given the current educational philosophy, in the eyes of all the nobles, these commoners are not even considered human beings.

They weren't even entitled to their own surnames, so how could they be considered ordinary people? They were nothing more than commoners, artisans, merchants, slaves, criminals, and convicts.

Since they're not human, why should we care what they think?

Herdsmen treat sheep like sheep; those who disobey are simply whipped or killed.

He remained unmoved, still feeling that the queen was being overly indecisive.

But Qin Shi knew the other person had already listened, so he gently shook his hand and then said softly:

"Your Majesty's previous suspension of some corvée labor was already a show of support for me, and I understand that perfectly well. Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

Ji Heng stared at her, always feeling that the Queen was quite charming when she said "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty" with a smile.

……

With all the trivial matters arranged, Qin Shi should now consider how to deploy the four remaining private armies under his command.

Referring to the books she already had, she was not without a way to train a formidable army.

However, the advancement of the times is not only about technological innovation, but also about the progress of individual physical fitness.

For example, nowadays, soldiers are not entitled to eat meat at every meal; they may only get to eat meat once every two weeks or once a month.

If there is no war for a long time, even this meat will be unavailable.

Under such dietary conditions, pushing a person beyond their physical limits would consume their own lifespan.

Furthermore, nighttime training is included in many tactical maneuvers and operations designed to hone soldiers' willpower.

But today's soldiers do not have night vision capabilities.

If one needs to travel at night during wartime, there are plenty of torchbearers on both sides.

Nowadays, apart from those with exceptional talents, the common people of Qin are basically night-blind.

Night blindness, however, remained unsolved in the Qin state before carrots were introduced.

After all, there aren't that many animal livers available for them to eat.

The Wei Wuzu (Wei Warriors) of the Wei Kingdom disappeared because, although they were capable of building a formidable army, it was also incredibly expensive. When the royal palace could no longer afford the expenses, this type of soldier naturally disappeared.

Therefore, Qin Shi had given careful consideration to the most powerful force he possessed.

But before making any arrangements, she still needs to meet with the person in charge.

Meanwhile, the private soldiers, having waited for a long time in Xianyang City without being summoned by the Queen, were also somewhat uneasy.

The Qin state now operates under a system of private troops, who are the queen's private soldiers, and according to the law, each unit consists of only 2000 men.

In the border army, one unit could have as many as 20,000 men.

However, while border troops were not allowed to enter Xianyang, the Queen's private army could come and go without hindrance. Therefore, in terms of status, they were actually given a slight advantage.

After all, being the queen's private army is much safer than fighting on the battlefield, but correspondingly, it is difficult to be promoted or exempted from taxes.

Now, when people talk about it privately, Lin, the captain of the detachment, sighs:

"If I had known that the Queen had no plans yet, I should have gone to Bohai County with Yan Langjun some time ago."

Each unit had a captain, and so Captain Yan sighed, "I heard that we're going to Bohai County to manage salt production. Salt workers have a tough job, and we'll suffer just as much..."

"Shouldn't we, your private soldiers, be stationed in Xianyang City at the Queen's beck and call? Why have we been sent to Bohai County before we've even had a proper audience with her..."

That being said, how could the queens of past dynasties have any control if they did not rebel?
Those private soldiers who followed the Queen of Chu in their rebellion are probably all gone by now, their bones rotted away.

In that case, I would really prefer to be sent to various places.

However, when asked to find a way to transfer them, the group absolutely refused.

after all……

Someone whispered, "I've already inquired about it. When the Queen first entered Xianyang Palace, she was showered with wealth and favors. Now, everyone praises her for her benevolence and kindness. She's also a Kunlun Immortal Envoy, possessing a secret method for making all directions submit..."

In short, when the ruler is powerful, his subordinates naturally share in the glory.

not to mention……

"Your Majesty has unified the six kingdoms, and the world belongs to our Great Qin! We heard that our Queen is also from Qin, so she has arranged for us to be her private soldiers. I must be loyal to her."

Transferring him is impossible.

The king has decreed that if they show even the slightest dissatisfaction, their heads will roll.

Upon hearing this, everyone tacitly pledged their loyalty.

The next moment, a eunuch announced: "By order of the Queen, all the four colonels and their subordinate officers are to enter the Orchid Pond..."

……

Qin Shi was looking at the current system of retainers.

One of the officers was a colonel, in charge of several musical instruments.

A person who commands a thousand men with a single song is called a military commander.

The four private armies now have four captains and eight military officers.

He had sixteen "Five Hundred Leaders" under his command, along with several "Hundred Chiefs," "Squad Leaders," "Ten Leaders," and "Squad Leaders," all with very straightforward names.

For example, a centurion manages 100 people, and a village head manages 50 people...

So... how should we adjust it?
She gently twirled the pencil in her hand, deep in thought.

Looking at the configuration of these five soldiers, given Ji Heng's personality, since he was bestowing rewards, he naturally wouldn't do anything superficial.

These private armies were particularly well-equipped.

There were as many as three heavy crossbows among them.

It may not sound like much, but these crossbows were key to Qin's victory in war.

Just by looking at the huge stone whale image behind Lanchi Palace, one can tell that if one has enough strength and accurate aim, it is possible to hunt whales in the sea.

There were also standard crossbows, with 10 units per unit.

There are two types of armor: leather armor and rattan armor.

The weapons were mostly spears, halberds, swords, and tridents.

However, Qin's iron manufacturing technology was generally poor, and iron was brittle and not durable, so their standard weapons were made of bronze.

This truly demonstrates Ji Heng's magnanimity.

In the initial stages of getting to know them, Qin Shi did not intend to make any major changes.

She had no intention of rebelling. With King Ji Heng around, even if she were desperate, her five private armies would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Their presence was primarily to demonstrate the queen's authority.

Therefore, Qin Shi should have a plan to train them well so that they could become a formidable army and then open up the Silk Road for her.

Far away, to the Rong and Di tribes, the Western Regions, and the ports of the Baiyue...

This long journey can only be undertaken by those with great will, courage, and ability.

What she needed to do was first improve the usability of this group of private soldiers.

Start by changing the duties in the military, and then provide better food.

With such a balance of tension and relaxation, when the mission to the Western Regions takes place next year, a private army will inevitably need to accompany them.

　Millet, also known as foxtail millet, is drought-resistant, can thrive in poor soil, is easy to store, and has high calorie content. It was the main staple food that the Qin Dynasty could not replace.

　　(End of this chapter)