Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 255, Section 254: Omnipotent

Wuyou started his business by trading cattle and horses, so his people and their groups were more adept at going to the border regions.

Although the Queen gave him a short timeframe, he was still more efficient than Lady Bartholomew in terms of territorial coverage.

However, Mrs. Ba was no less impressive.

They traded cinnabar year-round, and the "Salt and Cinnabar Road" was forged by members of their tribe at the cost of their lives.

However, as the weather grew colder and the roads became increasingly blocked by heavy snow, the clansmen, though not spread so far, had visited almost all the counties in the cold regions.

One of them radiated outwards, while the other focused on meticulous cultivation nearby. Now, as they come to report, each has a complete draft in mind.

Unfortunately, the King of Qin was too imposing. When he asked a question, Wu Shang immediately showed his weakness. The carefully prepared speech that his retainers had prepared could only be uttered dryly, and he was unable to continue.

His forehead was covered in cold sweat. He remembered that the Queen had ordered someone to take away the silk scroll they had recorded before entering the palace. He figured that the King and Queen must have already read it by now, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Heng had indeed seen it.

To be honest, the data was somewhat unexpected.

In just a month and a half, both families mobilized their entire forces to wholeheartedly implement the Queen's decrees.

Nowadays, except for those extremely cold and desolate places that are truly uninhabitable, all the nearby border camps and mountainous areas of the Central Plains already have coal briquette plows and wheelbarrows!

Even though the news hasn't spread to every corner yet, it's been passed down by word of mouth among the villagers, and more than 60% of them know about it.

Such efficiency in ensuring the smooth implementation of government orders is comparable to what he could achieve by rallying officials in the Xianyang Palace and having military officers cooperate.

Then I remembered the Queen's gentle nature and fondness for offering many benefits. Indeed, a generous reward will surely attract brave men…

The thought raced through his mind, and without even thinking, his instincts had already dissected it.

Ji Heng's brows relaxed as he saw Madam Ba gracefully bow: "I have also ordered my clansmen to spread this throughout the twelve prefectures..."

"good."

He looked at Qin Shi, who was staring at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to praise his appearance today, and his heart relaxed.

After a pause, he finally spoke up to praise her: "You two have served the Queen diligently and devoutly, and I should reward you accordingly."

Upon hearing this, Madam Ba and Wuyou trembled all over, and a look of joy suddenly appeared on their faces. They felt that their previous efforts were all worthwhile!

Damn!

We should work harder and put in more effort!

Wen Xun sat quietly to the side, and seeing how the king had made the other party so grateful and eager to serve him with all his heart with just a few words, he once again marveled at the power of the king.

He slowly stroked his beard, thinking to himself that it was good he had listened to the Queen's advice and stayed.

Otherwise, if we wait another few decades, even if the Qin state truly begins to adopt Confucianism, it's unlikely they will be using the theories of our late master.

What classics are the Confucian scholars in the Qin court studying now? And whose doctrines do they advocate?

Lady Ba and Wuyou bowed again, their words of gratitude trembling as they struggled to express themselves. Seeing that Ji Heng was frowning and deep in thought, Qin Shi smiled and said:

“I am well aware of your devotion to the country, but this is not something that can be accomplished overnight. If there are enough people in the clan, we need to continue this work into the new year. There are also new seed drills in the palace that can be used to spread this knowledge.”

"As for the reward," she smiled, "although it was promised to the two of them at the Orchid Pool Palace, now that His Majesty has said there will be a reward..."

With a single glance from her, the woman bowed and withdrew.

Before long, two rows of maids walked orderly outside the hall, each carrying a box: "Lady Ba presented the glass tree, which the Imperial Censor greatly admired and has already been bestowed upon him. Now, we wonder if these glass utensils could be sold to the Western Regions during the New Year?"

Cups, plates, bowls, goblets, wine vessels, glass lamps, hairpins, and pendants.

This exquisite glasswork, crafted with the combined aesthetic sensibilities of artisans from seven countries, now shines with an indescribable brilliance under the soft glow of the lights in Ganquan Palace.

In an era when gem-cutting techniques were not yet advanced, such dazzling brilliance was irresistible not only to noblewomen but also to men.

Madam Ba had previously acquired a precious crystal tree, which she solemnly presented to Lanchi. Now, seeing these before her, she was so stunned that she almost stopped breathing!

The two were silent for a moment before excitedly saying:

"This thing is used by all the Rong, Di, Hu, Qiang, and Western Region countries!"

Although the small kingdoms in the Western Regions were also harsh and cold places, the harshness and coldness had never been a concern for their rulers.

The poorer the country, the more those in power indulge in luxury items.

The two men said that this thing was all-powerful, which may be an exaggeration, but there was some truth to it.

In comparison, the coal business that the Queen had previously promised seemed to offer very little profit.

But the two of them had their own judgment.

It is obvious that only those who are good at the coal business are qualified to manage this treasure.

Therefore, they felt no disdain, but rather resented that their clansmen's development was too small, so that the Queen could not place such heavy burdens on their shoulders!

If these glass treasures are so stunning, then what must those salt, sugar, and tea items the Queen mentioned earlier be like?!

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Qin Shi also smiled and said:

"Literature can be appreciated but not eaten. If the harvest is bad in the Western Regions, its value will be greatly reduced."

"In that case, if you two make further contributions, then a share of the Qin state's supply of Snowflake Salt can also be allocated to you two..."

Firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea: the seven necessities of life.

Firewood includes honeycomb briquettes, and rice, given the current ability of people to withstand natural disasters, the planting area still maintains millet as the main crop.

All I ask is to experiment with high-yield scientific planting methods at the [Su Su Manor] bestowed upon me by the King, and then promote them throughout the country.

All of this requires establishing a comprehensive network for coal promotion in order to be implemented effectively.

As for making soy sauce and vinegar, there are many good methods, which can be arranged when the season is right next year.

As for tea, which is still very important today, it can be grown in many mountainous areas, and various harvesting and processing methods, including black, red, yellow, green, white, and oolong teas, can be found throughout the country.

Currently, there is not enough population or manpower, so it can only be temporarily shelved.

The benefits are substantial, so we need to conduct more assessments and selections after the new year, and send them out to gain experience in various places, so that we won't be short of personnel when we need them in the future.

Qin Shi had his own thoughts, while Ji Heng listened from the side without interfering.

—Although the Queen is overly lenient in her dealings with people, she is fair in her rewards and punishments, and the results of her management are not bad.

With these channels in place, and in the future, in conjunction with the post stations in various places, wouldn't that further enhance the efficiency of communication and order transmission throughout the Qin state?
Thinking of this, a sense of triumph, as if he had been ordained by fate, welled up within him!
If it weren't for destiny, how could a queen possessing such a powerful remedy for strengthening the nation have come before me?!
In the future, when we worship the gods and perform sacrifices at the ancestral temple, we still need to offer more elaborate sacrificial offerings.

　Coming!
　　(End of this chapter)