Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 252, Section 251: Presenting a Gift to the Empress
No one knows the Queen's true feelings.

Everyone was preoccupied with doubts about whether their gifts would please her, but for now, only Madam Zheng was full of confidence.

After all, she offered up her favorite eyebrow pencil.

This is top-quality stone ink mined in Yuyang, which is then carefully polished and shaped by craftsmen.

Each time you draw your eyebrows, simply grind it into powder beforehand, mix it with fragrant dew or spring water, dip your brush in this stone ink paste, and gently draw your eyebrows, carefully outlining them...

Damn!

Even Madam Zheng couldn't resist asking her maid to bring out the bronze mirror again so she could admire it herself.

Her eyebrows were drawn thick and long today, and the powder on her face was a smooth, even white, and then there was that bright red lipstick...

So spirited, so beautiful!
This stone ink is so easy to apply; the Queen must love it!

……

She offered up her own treasures, which surprised Qin Shi somewhat.

Don't underestimate this small piece of stone ink; just considering the price, such a small piece would cost more than ten gold coins.

Because of its rich color, even ink, easy grinding into fine powder, and resistance to flaking and smudging, it is highly praised.

Although the stone itself is not that valuable, mining such a high-quality ore requires luck, and Madam Zheng's willingness to give it away cannot be judged solely by its monetary value.

Qin Shi felt this sincerity and smiled.

Madam Chu was not so confident.

She had long since noticed from the smallest details that the Queen did not care much for dressing up—

That's a misunderstanding.

Just by looking at the fact that she had a bag of cosmetics in her suitcase when she returned to her hometown with a terminal illness, you can tell that Qin Shi still cares about her personal image.

Sometimes, she simply discards some parts for the sake of convenience.

But for such a grand celebration as today, she not only wore her hair in a bun, but also adorned one side with a flower made of gold foil, and eight other hairpins were evenly placed in the bun at the back of her head. No matter whether you looked at her from the front or the back, she looked exceptionally dignified, elegant and beautiful.

The celebration was too tiring, so she took it off as soon as she returned to the palace. Now, she simply gathered her hair up and wore some common pearl and jade hairpins.

Looking at the gifts presented by Madam Chu, it's clear that they were not without sincerity.

This is a rare collection of folk songs about flowers and birds that she brought from the State of Chu. It is full of folk songs from Chu that she collected. Now that the State of Chu no longer exists, this bamboo scroll, written by a great calligrapher in the court, is naturally extremely precious.

When Qin Shi saw it, she indeed liked it very much.

Although I don't have an artistic talent, these are definitely historical materials that can be passed down to future generations!
Therefore, the first person she thought of was the young lady of the Imperial Household Department, who was still diligently following her instructions and inscribing the bronze tripod with both small seal script and clerical script.

Chen Qi.

When the Red Maiden saw that her eyebrows were slightly raised and her expression was happy, she immediately understood.

At this moment, he instructed the palace servants to keep it safe, and then the rest of the people confidently presented their own prepared gifts.

After all, whether it's Lady Chu's bamboo slips or Lady Zheng's eyebrow pencil, the price can vary greatly, and their value is entirely up to the individual.

If that's the case, it wouldn't seem beneath those of lower rank to give handmade gifts, would it?

Everyone had their own thoughts, and Qin Shi offered a few words of encouragement and reassurance to show his approval. The atmosphere in Ganquan Palace was harmonious and cheerful, which boosted the morale of Dan and Feiqing, who were about to present their gifts. However, compared to the others, their gifts were remarkably simple and down-to-earth—

It was a fluffy, creamy-yellow ball of fluff, fifteen or sixteen of different sizes clustered together, looking both cute and lively.

Qin Shi had a guess in his mind.

Sure enough, the two replied:
"The Queen is tolerant and trusting, entrusting us with important responsibilities, which we will always remember."

"Now, the chickens and ducks in the farm are two months old, and their down has completely fallen out and they have grown their plumage."

There were no casualties during this period, all thanks to the various secret methods and breeding requirements given by the Queen. The two of them recited them late into the night, not daring to forget even the slightest detail.

Even if you don't understand something, you can immediately see the benefits by trying it out on a small scale.

Therefore, although I find the adorable chicks' molting period a little unsightly, I think that after raising them for a few more months, I can harvest a lot of eggs...

Oh!

Who cares if a chicken's feathers are pretty or not!
Right now, the two of them were both confident and nervous, and the gift they presented indeed made Qin Shi happy:
"The people take food as their heaven."

"Whether it's planting trees or raising chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep, all of this is so that the people of Qin can have a little more to eat and fill their stomachs."

"You two have achieved such results, which can save countless lives and will be remembered for generations to come. Do not slacken your efforts."

Dan and Fei Qing were speechless with excitement. The Queen had said similar things to them before, but now that all the palaces were gathered, the Queen emphasized it again, which showed that she truly regarded it as a major event!

Madam Chu calmly glanced at the two men again, wondering why the former chief clerk and junior clerk, who were even less of a background figure than the background figures, had been given such an important task after being promoted so quickly.

But then she thought again, how could a dignified queen consort of the King of Qin be engaging in such shameful acts of prostitution? If word got out, wouldn't she become a laughingstock?
Even if a task is assigned to her, she can't bring herself to do it properly...

The thought had barely crossed his mind, and before a faint sense of superiority had even fully formed, he heard the Queen above give another order:
"Promoting the methods of raising chickens and ducks is not something that can be done overnight. It just so happens that Madam Chu still has a play that has not been finished. You should communicate more and incorporate the details and tips into the play, making sure it is detailed and easy to understand."

"In this way, when Zhou goes on a national tour, we can try to let more people know about this method."

The stall was enormous, clearly showing that the Queen cared about the people's livelihood and was always making arrangements.

Dan and Fei Qing happily agreed.

Lady Chu almost pointed at herself: Me?
She was stunned and thought: What's the difference between this and raising chickens and ducks herself?

Riding a tiger, Mother has truly lost her dignity!

He glanced at the Queen above with a hint of resentment:

The Queen is so cunning!
The king had previously summoned her to watch the dance, but now he doesn't even mention it.

Finally, there might be a chance to bump into him by chance, or perhaps he could use the repertoire he has prepared to showcase to the king...

In short, it is essential to make the king remember him again.

But if I want to incorporate chicken and duck into my music later, won't it just be linked together forever?
Does this mean that from now on, whenever the king thinks of her, he'll only think of these flying chicken and duck feathers and the remnants of the five grains?!
Madam Chu was extremely aggrieved.

She picked up the fragrant milk tea on the table, quietly took a sip, and then looked at Dan and Fei Qing's joyful expressions, secretly pondering:

The original song was already simple and down-to-earth enough. Now, with the addition of chickens and ducks, how should it be arranged to fit in perfectly?

　I'm here! It's a bit late! Sorry, I fell asleep while writing...

　　(End of this chapter)