Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 254, Section 253: Summoning the People
It seems that rulers naturally possess such a magnanimous spirit.

Everything in this world is ultimately under the control and command of the king. The other party is best to obey and cooperate; otherwise, they should be regarded as an enemy.

Upon hearing Ji Heng's sigh, Qin Shi was stunned, but then he also thought: "As expected of him."

She didn't refute it. Ji Heng taught her the art of governing from the perspective of a powerful ruler, which was fine. It's just that everyone's personality is innate, and their environment is also different.

For her, it didn't align with her nature, and it was unlikely to last.

Therefore, he simply grasped Ji Heng's hand and said, "What Your Majesty says is quite right. There is no need to say anything more when dealing with those petty people who fear power but do not appreciate virtue."

"However, Mr. Wen is a wise man of our time, and now he is the first person to join my cause. Your Majesty, please allow me to show my appreciation by spending a fortune to acquire his talent."

The Queen was always kind and sincere, and she was the same way when it came to recruiting talent.

Ji Heng looked at her quietly, but what came to mind was the long record kept by the historian:

The Huang-Lao School of Thought

The Queen never took the initiative to inquire about many important matters of the court, but when she did speak, she had already prepared for the future national policies of the Qin Dynasty.

If the prime minister or the censor-in-chief were to propose such a national policy, Ji Heng would first and foremost be furious:

With the six states newly unified, the people's hearts were not yet with him. His western tour this year was also aimed at strengthening his rule and consolidating Qin's hegemony. However, allowing the people to rest and recuperate at this time would only lead to the people becoming difficult to govern and the national treasury becoming empty.

The immigrants from the six countries still have no intention of returning home. If we adopt the policy of non-interference as advocated by Huang-Lao (a Taoist philosophy), wouldn't that give those unscrupulous people an opportunity to develop their own interests?

The danger of nurturing bandits is imminent.

The Huang-Lao school of thought is absolutely unacceptable!

He should have been wary and angry.

But the queen didn't even mention it to him.

She expressed her thoughts to Wen Xun, but this expression was conservative and devout. From her attitude to her intentions, it showed that she absolutely supported Ji Heng's control over the Qin state.

This control was also what Ji Heng could not tolerate others interfering with, and the Queen did not break the rules.

But now...

He looked down at the Queen's delicate, white hand in his palm: "What does Your Majesty think of the laws of Shang Yang from back then?"

Qin Shi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Does Your Majesty know about my conversation with Mr. Wen?"

She replied, "The laws of Lord Shang are a sound strategy for strengthening the country."

[Abolish the well-field system and open up the fields] This recognized private land ownership, encouraged land reclamation, and increased grain reserves.

The implementation of the military merit system inspired the people to strive for excellence.

The prefecture-county system strengthened centralized power, while the collective punishment system stabilized social order.

In the Qin state at that time, this was a brilliant strategy for governing the country that completely reversed the balance of power among the seven states.

Her acknowledgment of Qin's national policy prompted Ji Heng to ask with a complex expression, "If it is a sound policy, why does the Queen mention Huang-Lao philosophy?"

Qin Shi pondered for a moment.

Ji Heng should have already seen her previous discussions with Wen Xun about the pros and cons. Bringing them up again now is just repeating the same points.

Therefore, she countered, "Your Majesty, what national policy Qin needs to implement depends entirely on what kind of power Your Majesty needs to wield."

"If we want to conquer all directions, then we should follow the methods of Lord Shang," said Han Feizi.

"If we want to recuperate and rebuild, we should follow the Confucianism of Huang-Lao and the Mohist philosophy of universal love..."

"Can a national policy be established by law and remain in place for eternity?"

"Naturally, whatever Your Majesty needs, we will use."

People's needs differ at each stage of life, and so does the functioning of society. To maintain its rule, the Han Dynasty, even after establishing Confucianism as the orthodox ideology, could switch back and forth between the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Lüshi Chunqiu.

At its core, everything boils down to what the rulers need.

Whether she speaks or not, she cannot change Ji Heng's will. It's just that the execution of this will might be somewhat mitigated.

She was still trying. She gripped Ji Heng's hot hand tightly, and looked down at the eunuch reporting:

"Mr. Wen, along with merchants from Pakistan and Ukraine, came to pay their respects."

……

Wen Xun was the first to be led into the hall.

Upon entering the hall, one sees King Heng of Qin and the Queen seated on the high steps—

Truly a master of his craft!

The man sat there upright, his imposing stature evident. His face was stern, his expression dignified. His long eyes gazed coldly, seemingly penetrating to the deepest recesses of the mind, yet carrying an aura of absolute authority.

It was a demeanor completely different from that of the queen beside him.

Wen Xun felt a chill run down his spine as that cold gaze swept over him.

He sighed inwardly: How could a ruler who could be so obviously powerful at a glance possibly value Confucianism?

He then bowed deeply.

"Your subject Wenxun greets Your Majesty and the Queen."

Ji Heng's personal audience with him already showed respect to this outstanding talent of the time, so he readily agreed.

"Lord Wen is a guest advisor to the Queen, so there's no need for such formalities."

Such a perfunctory and careless remark.

Although he didn't say it out loud, Qin Shi sensed it keenly.

She glanced sideways at Ji Heng, whose expression was displeased, thinking to herself that the king's tolerance and respect were not something everyone could offer. She also knew that he felt Wen Xun's failure to repay him with her full strength was a sign of disrespect towards her, the queen, which was why he hadn't adopted that attitude…

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile, giving Ji Heng a deep look before turning back:

"Lord Wen, please have a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

Wen Xun sat up and took a seat.

The tables and chairs favored by the Queen are now popular in Xianyang City, and he gradually got used to them after two days in the palace—he was getting old, and when he knelt down and got up, he inevitably needed his disciples to help him.

Although it takes some getting used to to this chair, one person can easily sit down comfortably.

This was perfect for someone like him who was still full of ambition and did not want to show his old age in front of the king.

Following him were Madam Ba and Wu Shang, who entered the hall with trepidation.

If they were nervous and apprehensive when they met the Queen before, this time, their minds went completely blank.

As they bowed and prostrated themselves, the two felt their entire bodies tremble. They barely managed to suppress their trembling, fearing that the king would see them and think they were unfit for the task…

When I bowed down, I didn't know how much time had passed, or perhaps it was just a fleeting moment—

"Get up."

Upon hearing a calm and steady voice coming from above, the two quickly straightened up, but kept their chins tucked in and their eyes looking down, not daring to look up even once.

Extremely cautious and apprehensive.

Ji Heng saw this and felt somewhat satisfied: although they were lowly merchants, they knew how to behave appropriately. With these two serving the Queen, she would surely be respectful and do her best.

His previously unwavering resolve eased slightly, and he asked again, "How much have you accomplished in the matters the Queen entrusted to you?"

Madam Ba and Wuyou tensed up, neither of them tacitly refraining from answering first. After a moment, Wuyou took a deep breath and replied in a low voice—

"Your Majesty, I have already visited Jiuyuan, Minxian, Hexi, Lintao and other places."

　They're here! They're here!

　　(End of this chapter)