Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 67, Section 66: The Vast Sea and Wushan Mountain
Ji Heng was not pleased by Zhou Ju's advice and flattery.

He simply sighed with regret:
"Fate is unpredictable, and life and death are a matter of fate. I desire immortality, but I have yet to achieve it. If Minister Qin does not arrive, who will I appoint as crown prince during my western tour?"

This really stumped Zhou Ju.

Whom should be honored?

With the empire newly established, princesses without able-bodied sons to demonstrate their good health and the inevitable success of the dynasty would certainly have no chance.

What about Prince Qian?

Impulsive and reckless, with an empty mind.

If he were to become the ruler, either the Qin Dynasty would be controlled by Wang Fu and other high-ranking officials, or the loyal prime minister would be unable to stop him from making foolish decisions and expanding eastward and westward.

As for the prince riding a tiger...

The frail seven-year-old king was so vulnerable that even a common cold could kill him. There was no need for the ambitious Lady Chu to attempt to restore her kingdom; the remnants of the six states, hiding in various places, could seize this opportunity to rise up in rebellion.

If he were to encounter one or two more troubles in between, he fears he would be exhausted and die from weakness.

If Qin Qing hadn't suddenly appeared...

Zhou Ju thought about the consequences of the king's death during his western tour, and a shiver ran down his spine.

When mountains crumble, ambitious people rush in, hoping to seize more land. But what are the millions of lives buried beneath the rubble compared to the power they gain and the ambitions in their hearts?
As the prime minister, Wang Fu was still alive.

But as his daily attendant, he was certain to die.

But his expression remained unchanged, and he smiled again in an instant: "Therefore, I said that Minister Qin is the one whom the king has chosen by heaven!"

Looking at Ji Heng, who had long eyebrows and a handsome, imposing appearance, he suddenly had a thought that was bolder than ever before.

Ji Heng paid no attention to Zhou Ju's thoughts; at this moment, he lightly tapped his fingers on the table.

“My two sons are not very talented. If the Qin Dynasty does not have a successor, I fear that the world that we have finally unified will be in grave danger.”

He recalled what Prime Minister Wang Fu had said that afternoon—that the Qin Dynasty had no successor, and this worry was not only for him, the monarch, but also for the high-ranking officials and ministers below him.

Those underlying concerns permeated the entire court.

It's unavoidable, and there's no solution for the time being.

Therefore, he instructed: "Have the Minister of the Imperial Household select beautiful women—those who are healthy, literate, and not dull-witted."

Thinking of the women in his harem, he added, "If she has ambitions, I will allow it. As long as she has the ability."

Zhou Ju nodded in agreement, fully aware of the King of Qin's choice.

Once upon a time, Lady Chu of the harem was a popular candidate to become the next queen.

In terms of background, she was a descendant of a noble family from the State of Chu.

She entered the palace to accompany the king when he was still in power, and she came from the same country as the former queen.

As for intelligence and talent, Ji Heng simply didn't care, not that he couldn't see it. Lady Chu was ambitious and quite shrewd.

But what happened later...?

Everything changed once the king conquered the six kingdoms.

Now that the six kingdoms have been conquered, the nobles of those kingdoms must not be made queens.

The king himself suffered greatly during his youth, those years when he was severely controlled by the Queen of Chu. He would never leave such a great worry for his successor.

Then there's Lady Chu, who, even though she already had a son, still considered being thin to be beautiful.

The Qin state had a strong martial spirit, and dancers in the palace were all considered to be strong and healthy.

Such good health ensures that one's offspring will also be healthy.

Although Madam Chu was in good health and could dance for one or two hours at a time, which was quite impressive, she still tried her best to maintain her figure.

Once she became queen, she was like the king of Chu who loved slender waists.

If the superiors set an example, the inferiors will likely follow suit, and by then, women in Xianyang will probably gradually come to regard thinness as beauty.

Many women cannot engage in such exercise, and if they want to lose more weight, they can only endure hunger.

Ji Heng was starved while serving under the Queen of Chu.

It felt like a fire was burning inside my stomach, scorching my body. Even sitting there was painful and irritating, as if there was a giant maw inside my body.

At this point, no more matters of national importance could be thought of, so all that remained was torment and endurance. The very last and most fatal moment was yet to come.

Her son, Prince Chenghu, was born weak.

If we count them in this way, apart from the women of Qin, there was no other descendant of the nobles of the six states in the entire palace who could attain the position of Queen.

Now that the king needs an heir, it is only right to select a beautiful woman.

only……

Zhou Ju pondered this in his heart, and did not speak rashly at this moment.

This brief conversation between the emperor and his minister went unnoticed by anyone except for the ever-unremarkable censor in the corner.

But when the three dukes and nine ministers came to discuss politics, these mixed thoughts were put aside again.

As night fell, a eunuch came to report:
"Qin Qing requests an audience."

Zhou Ju specially greeted him under the eaves.

He was often so polite, and Qin Shi never paid any attention to it.

Seeing that Zhou Ju was still scrutinizing her, she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy: "Did Your Majesty have a good time today?"

If she's unhappy, she'll avoid going out of her way to avoid bad luck.

Zhou Ju looked at her carefully.

Outside the corridor, a bonfire blazed, illuminating Qin Guang's flawless, clean-shaven face.

She rarely wears makeup, so her elaborate dressing up yesterday was clearly a way of expressing her gratitude to the King.

Now that all that fuss is over, and with the hot summer weather, you can see the rosy glow on her face even more.

Moreover, his voice is full of energy, clear and resonant, and he is in excellent health.

As for reading and writing...

Just by looking at her current residence in Lanchi, one can tell that she truly has no flaws!
No.

It's not without its flaws.

She was not from the Qin region after all, and her identity remained unclear...

But Qin Shi had already stopped in his tracks, and then touched his face:

"Why does Magistrate Zhou look at me like that?"

She didn't think it was her beauty that was amazing, because both Lady Chu and Lady Zheng in the palace had remarkable looks, and their temperament was even more outstanding.

Could it be that with her youthful skin now, she still needs the same foundation as yesterday to show the difference?
Zhou Ju laughed and then asked, "Qin Qing loves beautiful women, but the ten beauties that His Majesty bestowed upon you have not yet been enjoyed. Could it be that the selection was not good?"

How can you say it was a bad choice?
The young master even went to great lengths to select additional special skills.

But she doesn't have a career to rely on yet, so she can't just live off the money she's earned from offering medicine and then squander the King of Qin's favor, can she?

But this is something we all know in our hearts, yet it's not easy to say aloud.

Therefore, he smiled, his expression very sincere:

"Once you've seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant; once you've seen the clouds of Wushan, other clouds seem pale in comparison." I once heard someone recite this poem. I don't fully understand its various meanings yet, but the surface meaning is quite well expressed.

"Having seen the vast ocean and the Wushan Mountains, all other waters and clouds pale in comparison."

"Similarly, with a hero like Your Majesty, the beauties selected by the Imperial Household Department are like fireflies under the bright moon, so dim that I can hardly see them."

Her heartfelt intentions were evident, and she believed her flattery was particularly smooth.

If this story were to reach the ears of the King of Qin, how pleasing it would be to hear the sincerity and praise of this third-party account!

Still holding on!

I'm a decent person!

【旦旦而伐: From Mencius, Gaozi Part 1, meaning to cut down trees every day, later used as a metaphor for continuous damage or consumption.】

Example sentence: Excessive overtime and staying up late are like a knife to the heart, causing great harm to the body.

[Having seen the vast ocean... no longer are the clouds: This comes from Yuan Zhen's "Five Poems of Parting Thoughts, No. 4" (唐，元稣《离思五首·号四》): A person who has experienced the boundless ocean finds other waters unappealing; except for the magnificent clouds of Wushan, other clouds pale in comparison.]