Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 220, Section 219: Long-Term Training
Ji Heng discarded the Golden Elixir Secret Technique like trash, but he used it to lure alchemists, turning them all into sycophants.

For example, the group of people waiting outside Xianyang City today.

They included men and women, elderly people in their eighties and bright young minds. Now, holding the silk scroll sent by Mao Sheng, they looked at it again and again, unable to help but ponder it:

"The methods of external and internal alchemy practice that the queen spoke of certainly seem quite sophisticated!"

"Could he really be a celestial messenger from Kunlun?"

The elderly man at the head of the group remained silent.

He didn't know if there were any Kunlun Immortals in this world; he only knew that none of the golden pills his sect had consumed had led to immortality.

Or perhaps it's because the other party's body underwent disintegration, and he, an ordinary mortal, couldn't tell...

However, everyone knows that Laozi (Li Er) rode a green ox westward out of Hangu Pass and became an immortal.

The Daoist Chongxu, Lie Yukou, was able to ride the righteousness of heaven and earth, control the six qi, and was skilled at riding the wind, which is also documented in historical records.

Peng Zu was also skilled in health preservation, breathing exercises, and sexual techniques, which was well known among Taoists. He lived to be over 800 years old.

Countless historical anecdotes record the successful attainment of immortality with a single golden elixir.

Therefore, their inability to become immortals is due to insufficient cultivation, not the absence of Kunlun!

In that case, they cannot miss the Queen's method of alchemy, even if it means risking imprisonment or execution!
……

Qin Shi was unaware that the people outside Xianyang Palace were already filled with a tragic and heroic spirit, reminiscent of the tragic sacrifices made in the pursuit of the Dao.

As the New Year approached, although she had delegated the affairs of the six palaces, there were still many matters that required her decision.

Putting everything else aside, Madam Chu's newly staged play requires her to come and watch it.

This was the Queen's top priority, and although Lady Chu was full of resentment, she gritted her teeth and persevered.

In short, even Madam Zheng has a task that is neither too big nor too small, so she absolutely cannot fall behind others!

The queen is so powerful, I can only hope that she will take pity on me for my hard work and tell Chenghu to stop playing those games and take on some serious duties like Prince Qian!

Qin Shi did not appreciate her maternal love. She was only looking at the play that she had outlined, which was then compiled by Madam Chu and staged. At this moment, she frowned.

Lady Chu knelt to the side, and seeing the Queen frown, she felt a little aggrieved, and at the same time, slightly resentful:

"But what has this concubine done wrong that has displeased the Queen?"

Qin Shi ignored the lawsuits she mentioned.

Instead of pondering these things, she should go check on the chickens raised by the two seventh sons. At least the chicks are fluffy, and even in their awkward stage, they're cuter than people.

Therefore, it was said:
"It's too convoluted and difficult for most people to understand. It's unacceptable."

Lady Chu was greatly encouraged, her eyes sparkling with affection on her fair, oval face: "Does the Queen find it difficult to understand?"

Qin Shi sat on the high steps, glaring at her with a stern expression.
"I don't care what you think, I care what the people of the world think."

"You have to write the kind of lines that people who are illiterate and have never read books will understand."

"Which noble, powerful, or minister in the world is unaware of Your Majesty's illustrious achievements? Do we need to emphasize them? I made it clear from the beginning that this play is meant to be performed for all the people of the world."

It was all classical Chinese and allusions. She found it extremely difficult to understand; what good was the stage design if it was so elaborate?

If you don't understand, it's all for nothing.

Let's rearrange it.

She gave the order casually.

"Everything else is beautiful, but the lyrics need to be completely changed."

"If you cannot find a suitable lyricist, then ask the folk acrobats kept in the royal palace to come and cooperate."

Madam Chu was instantly enraged!

But she was merely a lady, while the queen held military power. In her anger, she only vented it briefly.

Therefore, he said with resentment:

"What use is it for those illiterate commoners who are not even qualified to participate in the Zhou rites?"

Qin Shi picked up his teacup:

"If you can't do it well, then I'll replace you."

Madam Chu immediately shut her mouth.

Then, bowing respectfully from afar, he said obediently:

"Yes, I understand."

Qin Shi didn't even glance at her, only instructing her:

"Call Chenghu over."

Lady Chu was on edge, but the chief secretary of the Queen's palace was already standing by her side, respectfully inviting her to leave the Orchid Pond.

She was torn with conflicting emotions, but ultimately she left.

After a long absence, Chenghu appeared much calmer than before.

He stood quietly at the foot of the steps, his young body still frail, with faint blue veins visible beneath his pale skin.

However, as far as Qin Shi was concerned, he was not stronger than before.

She had even been sick again just seven days prior.

She sighed, her voice gentle: "Chenghu, you have always been frail. The King does not wish to trouble you, so I had a chart of promotions made for you. I wonder if you find it interesting?"

Cheng Hu cupped his hands and said in detail, "This chart of promotion contains the principles of being an official, being a person, and governing a region. Your son has studied it for a long time and finds it quite profound."

Qin Shi: ...

You've got the priorities backwards, child!
She felt a great headache, so she simply stopped talking and gave the order: "I have methods for strengthening the body, such as the Diamond Sutra, the Guiding Exercises, and the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Some people in the Imperial Medical Academy have already mastered them. If you can practice them diligently for a month, according to your ability, I will entrust you with the important task of stabilizing the country after the New Year."

She was seriously ill before and used many traditional Chinese medicine methods to enhance her qi and blood and regulate her body.

Therefore, all of these things mentioned were actually practiced during the Qin Dynasty.

With the detailed explanations and illustrations in the materials, once you've done it once, Yiming can memorize the information based on the illustrations, then practice with the other doctors in the Imperial Medical Academy, explaining each other's methods and comparing their diagnostic skills...

Now, they have achieved some success.

Since Chenghu's mind is constantly thinking, she can't force her to stop.

For intelligent people, the confinement of the mind is more unbearable than the imprisonment of the body, and therefore they can only rely on this—

Hopefully, it will have some effect.

Chenghu did not understand the Queen's inexplicable health regimen.

He was born weak and overthinks things. The imperial physician had told his father several times that his body was too frail to handle important matters.

But now, the Queen keeps asking him to take care of his health...

He was exceptionally intelligent and well-versed in literature; at that moment, he understood:

In the Queen's eyes, the things her mother worried about were never her focus.

The reason she was chosen by her father was because, like her father, the Queen only had the fate of the Qin Dynasty and the well-being of all its people in her heart.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile; his usual docile nonchalance vanished considerably. Then, he solemnly bowed to the Queen:
"Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations. Next year, I will also help our Great Qin resolve its troubles."

……

After all this was settled, Qin Shi also needed to provide the young princesses in the palace with precious jewels, furs, and silks.

New Year's gifts are one thing, but new clothes, shoes, and jewelry are equally essential before the New Year.

After finishing all these trivial matters, she stretched, checked the sky, and then gave the instructions:
"Let's go check on Dan and Fei Qing."

The two sons now have proper jobs and are incredibly excited every day.

Although the palace has been moved to a more remote location, the Queen still lives in the secluded Lan Chi Palace, where they can enjoy peace and quiet without disturbing others.

Every day, he only needed to strictly follow the Queen's instructions to his servants to raise a large flock of chickens. The thought that one day, even the poor people could eat a chicken every few days filled him with immense passion.

When Qin Shi moved from Lanchi to this side hall, the palace gates were tightly closed, and the attendants were waiting outside, strictly adhering to the rules.

She didn't ask anyone to announce her arrival, but simply had someone open the gate and go inside. There she saw a large, square area enclosed by a high bamboo fence, where chickens were raised.

A wooden frame of varying heights was also built along the edge of the fence, allowing the still-wild chickens to jump up and rest and sleep after their feathers have been plucked.

However, these chicks are still young and it is not yet time to trim their feathers and pay taxes. Therefore, what we see in the Qin Dynasty is the awkward molting period after the chicks have been raised for a month.

And on the ground of this chicken coop, just as Qin had instructed, there was a thick layer of millet husks, wheat husks, rice husks, and even some filthy chicken droppings.

You can smell it, and the whole chicken farm doesn't have much of an odor.

It is evident that the two of the Seven Masters have indeed put in a lot of effort in this regard.

"queen!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Inside the hall, Dan and Fei Qing rushed over.

The two men were much older than her, but the respect on their faces was genuine.

Compared to the past when they spent their days and nights weaving in the palace to while away the hopeless hours, now, with the chattering of poultry and the various promises made by the Queen, life has become more hopeful.

As a result, they became even more respectful and meticulous.

Qin Shi smiled and said, "It's very clean here. You've done a great job."

Dan then smiled shyly.

"It was all done according to the Queen's orders."

"A lot of yeast was added to the millet husks, rice husks and wheat husks below. During the day, the chickens would forage in them, stir them up and pick them up. Although you could see that they were getting rotten, there was really no strange smell."

"The only inconvenience is when it rains. I was just about to ask Your Majesty if we could build a roof over this courtyard. We'll probably be raising these chickens for quite some time to come."

Qin Shi nodded:

"Since you are so attentive, you should have reported back sooner. These instructions—Chi Nu, go and find the people in the Shaofu Palace to carry them out immediately."

Otherwise, raising chickens would be inconvenient in the harsh winter.

Dan felt much relieved!
Fei Qing then laughed and said:

"In addition, as the Queen instructed, I frequently sprinkled lime powder into the cages. However, since this is our first time undertaking such an important task, we dared not be greedy and only raised 500 chickens. Now, a month has passed, and only twelve have died..."

She seemed to be recalling the past; her eyes were slightly red, but her expression was unusually cheerful.
"The Queen's methods can now be extended to all people."

After all, in the process of poultry farming, apart from some injuries and diseases, the most difficult period is the growth of chicks.

The fact that only 500 birds died is a remarkable breakthrough given current breeding techniques.

Qin Shi smiled, trying to soothe her anxiety:

"Whatever you and I need in the palace, the King will support us. We don't need to be bound by money and wealth."

"As for the common people outside, every ounce of Qin tael and every time spent catching an insect are unavoidable costs in their lives."

"If we are going to promote it, we must make sure that the methods are comprehensive and that we can minimize their losses and burdens as much as possible."

She smiled gently, her expression calm and unhurried:
"These things take time and can't be rushed."

(End of this chapter)