Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 246, page 245. Exhausting time and effort
The day before the New Year's Day court ceremony, in comparison to the Qin Dynasty, should be comparable to Lunar New Year's Eve.

But it's not.

The New Year's Day is the main day, and all the busy preparations beforehand are for that day. Therefore, even though Zhangtai Palace was sealed at noon, for some reason, Ji Heng still returned at dusk.

At that time, Ganquan Palace had been sealed for a long time.

Today, Qin Shi rarely lets himself go. He washes his hair, gets a massage, takes care of his skin, enjoys the scenery, takes a short nap, and sits in a daze... taking the idleness to the extreme.

She was even lounging lazily on the sofa in only a dark robe. At this time, even the servants, including Chi Nu and Wu Zi, were given a day off, with only their shifts to be arranged.

This is against the rules.

However, they only have two days off per month, and they are especially busy on New Year's Day. The addition of bonuses and a few days off in lieu of half a day is already a sign of Qin Shi's sincerity.

It feels so good to steal half a day of leisure from a busy life.

This good mood was not affected in the slightest even though Ji Heng did not come back to dine with them.

—She said such shocking and potentially policy-shaking things today, so she should keep a low profile and behave herself.

It's alright if the king doesn't come to Ganquan Palace, he's busy with his own things.

But Ji Heng still came.

By the end of September, Xianyang had already entered winter.

In later generations, those accustomed to the international calendar would now be around the end of October or November.

The air was bitterly cold after nightfall, but the sky was crystal clear.

Even in the dead of night, if you look up, you can see those huge and bright stars in the deep, dark sky.

Since Qin Shi had nothing to do, he stood under the corridor to wait when he heard the announcement.

The newly promoted second-class maid prepared a thick cloak for her, made of pure fur, which was windproof and warm, as instructed by the official in charge.

It's heavy.

Those who are slightly thinner or smaller find it difficult to even hold up this cloak.

This made her look forward to meeting Mrs. Ba and the Ukrainian merchants in the future: wool and cashmere are also a vast market!

But for now, the king, who has just stepped off the carriage, is more important.

Because of his busy schedule before New Year's Day, Ji Heng had not visited Ganquan Palace for several days, and the two of them hadn't even had a chance to speak.

If Qin Shi hadn't also held the imperial seal and had his own career to manage, one could truly understand what it means to be a resentful woman in the deep palace—spending all day in one place, you could hardly find two novels to read about it, what's the point?

Fortunately, she was also very busy and couldn't afford such leisure. So, she happily carried her heavy cloak down the steps and greeted Ji Heng by hand:
"Your Majesty!"

Her palms were warm, her eyes were bright, her face, without any makeup, had fair and even skin, and her lips were slightly red. When she spoke, a faint mist appeared on her face, but her smile remained joyful.

It seems they have already been suppressing their longing.

Ji Heng stared at her quietly for a moment, not even noticing her disheveled hair, and in a daze, he felt a great sense of astonishment.

—A queen like this.

He could say that everyone in the world is driven by profit, and he believed that Huang-Lao philosophy was the best policy for governing the country. He could also win over Xunzi's top disciple with just a few words, without even offering him high-ranking official positions or generous titles.

His slightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, and a soft, slightly warm hand was placed into his hot palm.

Ji Heng let out a soft breath, then subconsciously gripped it again. He then walked up the steps hand in hand with the Queen, still hearing her light and cheerful voice in his ears: "Your Majesty is so strong and healthy, even wearing so little, your hands are still burning hot—I'm wearing this cloak, and it almost crushed my shoulders!"

Ji Heng turned to look and saw that the Queen was wearing a cloak made of the finest sable fur. He glanced at her and immediately a servant bowed and followed, then gently lifted the hem of the cloak with his hand.

Zhou Ju hurried to catch up beside her, his eyes lowered, but he sighed inwardly: the queen, who even felt the weight of her mink cloak, now also carries the weight of national affairs on her shoulders!
The servants and maids in Ganquan Palace were indeed too lenient.

Fortunately, the king's temper had improved and it was nearing New Year's Day; otherwise, according to past customs, a beating would have been unavoidable.

At this moment, the group had already entered the annex of the Ganquan Palace's sleeping quarters.

This was also an incidental addition during the renovation of Ganquan Palace.

After all, historically, the "baoxia" (抱厦) type of architecture didn't appear until around the Song Dynasty.

But now, Qin Shi felt that while the square palaces were spacious and grand, they lacked a transitional space like an entrance hall.

As a result, many of the halls and pavilions of Ganquan Palace were reconnected.

For example, if a eunuch comes to deliver an order, one can wait in the annex regardless of the sweltering heat or freezing cold. Maids and servants can also be placed here to await orders.

Just like now, when stepping from the warm and cozy inner palace into the frigid outdoors, there is a similarly warm annex as a transition, which not only helps to adapt to the temperature better, but also provides a place to change clothes, making it much more convenient.

Ji Heng did not comment on this.

Although this disrupted the original square layout, causing him to frown slightly, it undeniably had its own advantages in practice.

On the day the Ganquan Palace was completed, he even took time out of his busy schedule to visit it.

They discovered that there were covered walkways in all four directions, serving as temporary passageways and, in some cases, near coal-burning areas, storing large quantities of firewood, charcoal, and coal briquettes, thus demonstrating their practicality.

Zhou Ju's thoughts raced, his steps never faltering, all in the blink of an eye.

Qin Shi didn't notice anything.

A maidservant came forward and gently removed her cloak, helping her change her clothes and shoes. Ji Heng glanced at her briefly, allowing Zhou Ju to serve her while she lowered her eyes and gave instructions:
"The Queen is also busy with political affairs, and her daily life is inevitably neglected - after tomorrow, transfer more servants from the Imperial Household Department."

Zhou Ju bowed his head in agreement.

Qin Shi was somewhat bewildered: she certainly didn't realize that she felt the cloak was "heavy," which was unusual for a noblewoman.

He just pondered silently: Could it be that Ganquan Palace had left too few servants before?
But it's clear that Ji Heng also enjoys having the two of them settled in the palace!
So she simply put the matter aside and sweetly took his arm again, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Ji Heng did not mention anything that the historian had recorded during the day.

Qin Shi didn't ask any questions, but said with slight nervousness, "Your Majesty, I have never participated in such an important court ceremony before. If anything goes wrong tomorrow..."

Ji Heng didn't care: "I am the sovereign and father, and the Queen is the mother of the Great Qin. Everything we say and do is in accordance with the rules."

"To offer sacrifices to Heaven, all that is needed is sincerity. If there are any oversights, the rules can be adjusted during next year's court ceremony."

Qin Shi was taken aback, but then suddenly felt relieved.

That answer was indeed very impressive.

But he still asked with a smile, "Shouldn't Your Majesty urge me to practice diligently and do my best in such an important matter?"

Ji Heng looked at her with surprise: "The Queen has already done a lot for Qin. I have heard of this and have also conducted several drills."

"If there is any further failure, it is not because the Queen is dishonest, but because the rules are too complicated and require too much mental and physical effort."

"The Queen's actions were perfectly executed."