Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 249, Section 248: The Women of the Harem
The New Year's Day court ceremony was long and tedious.

Because the Zhou rites were followed, Ji Heng was highly involved in all the details during the process.

Meanwhile, Qin Shi silently memorized the results of his practice and followed in his footsteps, with Chi Nu carefully reminding him along the way, keeping his mind on edge the entire time...

After the incense offering was finished and the sacrificial ceremony was completed, thankfully nothing went wrong.

She breathed a huge sigh of relief.

As they stepped out of the temple, before Ji Heng could even reach out to help her, he felt a slightly cool hand grasp his.

Those were the Queen's soft hands, which had gradually lost their warmth from standing in the cold wind for too long.

He instinctively reached out and shook her hand, but after they got into the car, he asked considerately, "Are you tired?"

He had removed the plain clothes he wore for the sacrificial ceremony, and now, under his dark robes, his inner garments were slightly damp with sweat.

Qin Shi shook his head. Seeing that Chi Nu had brought over hot tea, he took it first, then handed it to Ji Heng, before shaking his head with a smile.
"No, it's just that I'm grateful to Your Majesty for treating me so well."

Ji Heng had previously said it didn't matter; she had never participated in the ceremony and genuinely believed that any mishap wouldn't be a problem.

But now that I've participated in a sacrificial ceremony, I realize the importance of being cautious.

Judging from the expressions of the Imperial Clan Court, the Grand Historian, and the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who all seemed to be on high alert, even the Prime Minister did not make a single mistake.

Amidst the grand music, the ritual of worshipping ancestors and deities must not be performed incorrectly, otherwise it will be considered unlucky.

Ji Heng never put any pressure on her.

Although no mistakes have been made so far, Qin Shi is still grateful for the other party's kindness.

Whether he genuinely felt the etiquette was irrelevant or it was a display of ambition that disregarded all things.

Ji Heng paused for a moment, understanding Qin Shi's meaning.

That's how elusive a woman's affections can be.

The former Queen of Chu, so noble and powerful, still had to grieve over her male favorite, whose life was clearly in her hands.

Ji Heng was unaware of the complexities of romantic love.

But in any case, he could always feel the Queen's sincere devotion.

So he took another sip of hot tea, and frowned slightly again:

"Now that the chill is rising, we will return to Ganquan Palace later. The Queen need not rush to receive everyone; let us rest for half an hour first."

As for the various health practices, such as applying hot salt to the legs, he need not go into details; the palace servants who are considerate of the emperor's wishes will naturally do so.

……

As the king traveled, commoners gradually gathered around the temple.

The New Year's Day court ceremony and the grand sacrifice to Heaven and Earth were among the few ceremonial events that these common people could participate in.

Even those from wealthy families could prepare offerings by the roadside to send to their ancestors.

Now that the sacrificial ceremony is over, according to custom, all the wine, meat, grains, and cereals obtained from the sacrificial ceremony at the temple must be distributed to the surrounding people.

In this chilly winter, it gives the poor a deep sense of hope.

Looking around at the expectant and smiling people, Qin Shi slowly exhaled.

The true depths of winter have yet to begin. Today, Mrs. Ba and Wuyou will also receive detailed data on the promotion of honeycomb briquettes.

……

When the Queen accompanies the King to attend the court ceremonies and sacrifices, the women of the palace also need to get up early to dress up, bathe and change clothes, and then confirm the gifts to be presented to the King and Queen.

Of course, the main recipient of their offerings this time was the Queen; strictly speaking, it was acceptable not to offer gifts to the King.

But, no, really?
Surely there aren't people who don't give anything in return?

Throughout the year, I can count the number of times I meet Your Majesty on one hand. On this New Year's Day, which coincides with Your Majesty's birthday, if I don't express my gratitude now, when will Your Majesty remember me again?

However, the people in the palace have different identities, and their current situations are also quite different.

Lady Zheng was in high spirits and got up early. It was only an hour earlier than when she had started practicing martial arts. Although she was a little tired, she was relieved to think that her children would be coming to the palace to have breakfast together.

after all……

Lady Zheng felt a little guilty, thinking that she should ask Wen'er to come up with a nicer blessing for the gift she had prepared for the Queen.

In contrast, Madam Chu swayed and staggered, her waist swaying gently, truly like a willow fluttering in the breeze.

However, her previous demeanor in front of the King was intentional, but now she was genuinely exhausted.

Who knows?
She seemed to have a slight edge over Lady Zheng, securing such a major publicity opportunity from the Queen!
Not only will she personally choreograph the king's grand event into a variety of theatrical performances, but her fame will also spread throughout the Qin Kingdom in the future.

Isn't this job more promising than Mrs. Zheng's vague and impractical prayers?

But to everyone's surprise, the arranged music was rejected twice by the Queen within just one month. Each time, she complained that it was too convoluted and difficult to understand. In the end, the Queen even became impatient and wrote a few lines herself.

It is straightforward and plain, lacking any literary flair or elegance, and contains many vulgar words that are difficult to describe.

Whenever Lady Chu thought of this, she felt a tightness in her chest, truly believing that the Queen might not have read many books.

If such a track were to circulate, wouldn't everyone in the world assume that she, the producer, is an incompetent person?
The queen is so cunning!
But now she could only obey the other party's orders, and the king no longer summoned her. She felt frustrated and hesitant, and she was still thinking about her own plans. In the end, she managed to put together the hundred performances.

When the king has time to feast with the women of the harem tomorrow, she will stage this play—after all, it is done according to the queen's orders, and if there is anything inappropriate, she will have to explain it to the king.

Thinking of this, Madam Chu rallied her spirits. Looking at her own pale face in the flickering firelight, and the dark patches under her eyes, she felt a wave of frustration wash over her.
"It's freezing cold, don't make Chenghu get up so early."

She probably couldn't outdo the Queen.

But with the king already at such an age, it's still uncertain whether the queen can give birth to a crown prince!

In short, although Madam Chu didn't dare to think too much, she could still manage to think about it a little bit.

But the maidservant serving nearby smiled and said, "Yesterday the Queen sent someone to give the order that princes and princesses under the age of ten can get up after 5 a.m.

"Furthermore, our prince has been practicing physical strengthening techniques with Yi Ming during this time. The Queen truly lives up to her reputation as a celestial envoy from Kunlun!"

The maid said excitedly, "This magic is really useful. The prince only needs to walk barefoot on hot stones for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn after breakfast every morning, and then slowly practice following along."

"Now, half a month has passed, and it has been a full 11 days since I last received the herbal medicine!"

Moreover, they eat four or five meals a day, which means they consume even more food.

Therefore, although Lady Chu still harbored some resentment, the palace servants who had also watched Cheng Hu grow up were genuinely happy for her.

No matter how bright the prince's future may be, having a healthy and long-lived body is of utmost importance.

(End of this chapter)