Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 242 241. Treating internal history of millet
When the wise men arrived, the queen neither showed any courtesy nor treated them as honored guests, which is certainly not the style of those in power today when recruiting talented individuals.

However, this was intentional on Qin Shi’s part.

Xunzi was a close relative of Xunzi. Although she had never heard of him, given his illustrious reputation, she naturally regarded him as a highly talented individual, comparable to Li Si and Han Feizi.

As for recruiting top talent—unfortunately, she didn't even have HR experience, let alone the commanding presence of Ji Heng, who could command authority with just a few words and make subordinates weigh the pros and cons and then smoothly win their hearts.

Especially the learned scholars of this time, unlike those of later generations who humbly served the emperor, displayed particularly noble character.

If one refuses the monarch's summons due to ideological differences, it will be a good reputation.

Therefore, during the brief waiting period, Qin Shi could only do his best to showcase his strengths.

Although she lacks experience, she is particularly good at theoretical discussions because of her database.

Summoning the Minister of Agriculture at this moment, and having Yan Cong and Wen Xun listen in, is just the right time.

Liao He, the Minister of Agriculture, is also currently very busy.

On New Year's Day, while officials were already on holiday, he had to take stock of the fields, tally the grain yields, formulate next year's farming plans, and work with the Grand Astrologer to determine the celestial conditions.

The agricultural calendar will be published in spring so that the common people can cultivate the land without missing the opportune time.

Now, the grain tax for the middle of the month has just been deposited into the treasury, and he is already dizzy from dealing with all the figures, when the Queen summons him at this moment...

He recalled the news that had been circulating in the palace, and seeing that the Queen finally had time to listen to his report, he quickly said:
"Your Majesty, I have heard that many people in the palace now enjoy eating wheat flour. If we were to encourage the entire country to grow more rice and wheat next year, that would be extremely inappropriate!"

He earnestly said, “Rice cultivation requires abundant water. If it is to be cultivated, only the best fields in the Guanzhong River basin are suitable. However, for the common people, it is far less susceptible to hunger than millet.”

"The same applies to wheat. Moreover, wheat grown in the Guanzhong region needs to overwinter, depleting the soil's fertility. By the time millet is planted the following June, the yield is simply insufficient..."

Moreover, compared to millet, wheat rice is not only harder to swallow, but also less likely to keep you hungry.

If it were ground into wheat flour, nobles and royalty could enjoy it, but commoners would never have the leisure to grind wheat.
"Compared to millet, rice and wheat are more susceptible to pests and diseases. If they are not properly cared for, the entire harvest may be lost in one season, and the whole family may starve to death."

This worry had been lingering in his mind for a long time, so much so that he blurted it out now.

His words were earnest, his expression respectful, and he prayed fervently as he knelt down.

Qin Shi: ...She hasn't actually said a word yet.

He quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, only the King and I in the palace enjoy eating rice and wheat. The tributes from all over the country are more than enough. How could kings and generals dare to compete with the people of the world for food?"

I have no intention of interfering with next year's work plan.

The official in charge of grain production visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

The hall was warm, and he was both excited and nervous; a light sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead. He then respectfully inquired, "And what has the Queen summoned...?"

Qin Shi laughed and said, "Next spring, I will arrange a thousand acres of farmland in Guanzhong. The land does not need to be concentrated; it can be farmland of all grades, from high to low, or even wasteland."

In addition to tributes from various regions, Ji Heng's private treasury also contained land and farms exclusively belonging to the Qin royal family.

Now that the mountains, rivers, and lakes belong solely to the king, these seem rather insignificant. Not to mention that it's just a mere thousand acres, and it doesn't even need to be a large, continuous expanse of top-quality farmland.

Qin Shi only asked for this reward, but Ji Heng, upon hearing it, ordered Zhou Ju to rearrange the treasures again that very night and rewarded him once more.

Nowadays, nobles and powerful families can easily acquire thousands of acres of land by simply seizing it.

The territory required by the Queen was far too small.

He had offered a larger and more expansive estate as a reward, but Qin Shi refused it.

"Your Majesty, I will launch the experimental field project next spring, which is closely related to the grain production of my Qin state. However, I have no prior experience and can only impart some basic methods, hence the term 'experiment'."

"If the fields are too large and mismanaged, and the harvest is poor, wouldn't that be a waste of the lives of the common people?"

You have to eat one bite at a time, and take one step at a time.

A thousand acres of fertile land is enough for her to initially allocate some manpower for concentrated experiments.

Hearing that it was about such a vital product as grain, Ji Heng was overjoyed once again:
"This is a matter of great importance to the nation. If Your Majesty requires anything, please summon the Minister of Agriculture."

"If any of my subordinates disobey, regardless of their official rank, they shall be executed on the spot."

This was a conversation between a husband and wife at night, and no official edict has been issued yet.

Liao He, the Minister of Agriculture, had never heard of this before, and was taken aback upon hearing the request.

However, he was skilled in construction and had always memorized all the data on land acreage.

Therefore, after a moment's thought, he said, "I remember there is a farm in Guanzhong called Su Su Zhuang, which is now under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department."

All of the king's private property was placed under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department. He had visited the area when he surveyed the fields in Guanzhong.

However, due to the mismanagement of the Imperial Household Department, from a distance, the common people appeared to be starving and emaciated, while the crops in the best fields were plentiful, yet the Imperial Household Department officials did not claim a bumper harvest.

Now I strongly recommend:
"Among them, there are more than 1200 mu of fertile land, two ponds, each about 15 mu, and about three to five hectares of gentle mountain slopes..."

Qin Shi thought for a moment, then nodded: "Agreed!"

Upon hearing this, the woman beside her hurriedly wrote it down, and a eunuch then forwarded it to the Zhangtai Palace.

Given the king's trust in the queen, a royal decree will likely be issued within an hour.

Yan Cong sat in a small side hall, where Wu Zi had prepared hot milk tea and various snacks. The warm aroma made him drowsy, which soothed his tiring journey. Wen Xun, on the other hand, listened with great concentration.

From the Minister of Agriculture requesting the planting of millet, to his ability to effortlessly describe the existing fields as if they were his own treasures... and then there was the exceptionally amiable Queen, who made it clear she wouldn't interfere.

He slowly sipped his milk tea.

Sweet, caramelized, and rich.

It was this slightly caramelized sweetness, a taste of maltose he had never tasted before—could it be some kind of wasteful and extravagant concoction?

He frowned, feeling that the Queen was quite a contradictory person.

In the main hall, the Minister of Agriculture was somewhat puzzled:

"This is the King's private treasury. The Queen only needs to give instructions to the Minister of the Imperial Household. Why then have you summoned me here?"

He was in charge of the country's land; surely it couldn't be that the Queen disliked the Shaofu's mismanagement and wanted him to take on this responsibility?
Blurring the lines between public and private matters is a major taboo!

Qin Shi shook his head: "The Inner Historian is well-versed in agricultural matters, which is why I summoned him here, hoping that after New Year's Day, he can come from all over Qin—"

“Whether the land is vast, fertile, bitterly cold, barren, or arid, I shall select some skilled farmers for me.”

"All travel expenses will be covered by my private funds and then centrally managed in [SuSu Village]. I will personally select the location closest to my hometown to be responsible for them."

She said slowly, "I have a secret method for growing millet, but I don't know if it's suitable for today's times."

"The Inner Historian is familiar with the Tian family, so I dare to ask: 'Are they trustworthy? Can they follow my arrangements in everything?'"

The Minister of Grain Management frowned: "May I ask, Queen, did you personally plant millet?"

Qin Shi shook his head: "No."

“Then…” he cupped his hands in apology, “Please forgive me, but I cannot agree.”

“The affairs of the farmers are a matter of national importance. I travel every year to survey the fields and have obtained more than three to five hundred secret methods. But if we blindly follow and believe all of them, eight or nine times out of ten we will end up with no harvest at all.”

"Although the land in Su Su Manor is not much and belongs to the King, there are still tenant farmers and starving people to feed. If there is no harvest for a while, the Queen and others will have enough to eat and wear, but the common people below will starve to death."

His caution was so great that he could be described as conscientious and responsible. If Ji Heng were to meet him in person, he would probably praise him highly.

but……

Qin Shi thought to himself: We should at least give scientific planting a try, right?
Why was your refusal so firm?

Could it be that the secret methods mentioned by the Inner Historian even included details such as when to worship and which local earth god to offer sacrifices?
The other party's expression was resolute, clearly indicating that he was capable of holding onto such an official position and was certainly not the kind of person who would blindly flatter his lord.

Qin Shi was helpless; he could either use force or gentle persuasion to list the reasons one by one, but she didn't have the time for that.

So he simply and decisively said in a low voice:
"This is the secret technique of Kunlun."

The Minister of Agriculture's expression wavered: "This..."

Everyone in Xianyang knew that the Queen was a celestial messenger from Kunlun.

Not to mention that some reclusive people came seeking the Dao, saying: "If I hear the Dao in the morning, I can die content in the evening!"
It is evident that the Kunlun Secret Method is handled with utmost care.

In addition, not long after the conferment of the title, a divine weapon appeared in the Qin state. It is said that the Taiwei Tianshi Sword to be worn by the King and Queen tomorrow can cut hair in two and cut iron like mud, far surpassing the Tai'a Sword made by the master craftsman Ou Yezi in the past!
There are also several palace secrets.

These events and possibilities have made everyone secretly hopeful.

Now that it is a secret method from Kunlun, the Minister of Agriculture is seriously considering its application.

only……

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. This is a matter of great importance, and I have no choice but to take on the responsibility. However, Guanzhong is far from Xianyang, and I am burdened with many official duties, so I am truly unable to spare the time."

"But I will take care of summoning the field stewards from all over the country immediately after New Year's Day."

His words were sincere, not an attempt to shirk responsibility, and this was ultimately the only result Qin Shi wanted.

She nodded in agreement: "In that case, I would like to request the Grand Secretary to oversee this matter. I will make other arrangements for the talented individuals in charge of the experimental fields."

……

In the side hall, Wen Xun's expression kept changing.

Sometimes he frowned, sometimes he smiled, sometimes he looked deep in thought, and sometimes he clearly showed resistance...

"Using the name of Kunlun to conduct Tian family business is not a long-term solution and should not be adopted!"

He sighed, "If this succeeds, and ordinary people learn the planting method in the future, whose name should they use to gain the trust of others?"

Just then, the Red Maiden came to invite him, and upon hearing this, he couldn't help but cover his mouth and smile:
"Sir, you are joking."

"If any commoner makes an invention that benefits our Qin state, there is no need to use the name of gods or immortals. As long as there is concrete data and physical evidence, the Queen will reward them handsomely."

"However, there is a shortage of talent these days, and it is difficult to spare manpower for the time being."

"If your relatives and friends are truly talented, they should be invited to participate in the Queen's examinations and selection of talents next year. We, the sons and daughters of Qin, should use our knowledge to serve our country."

　Coming!
　　(End of this chapter)