People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 331, The Generous Ying Zheng (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)
The Qin state, Xianyang city.

As the final choice for the Qin state's multiple capital relocations, Xianyang possesses unique advantages. The mighty Wei River flows through the entire city of Xianyang, passing between palaces and nurturing this ancient city.

It also nurtured thousands of miles of fertile land and millions of people surrounding Xianyang.

The entire city of Xianyang covered an extremely vast area, stretching for over 300 li (approximately 150 kilometers). It was filled with pavilions, towers, and thousands of households. The roads were wide, with several main avenues running in all directions and connected by covered walkways and tunnels, making it the most prosperous capital city of its time.

Whether in terms of prosperity or population size, after the development of several generations of emperors, the Qin Dynasty is now undoubtedly the hegemon of the world, and Xianyang is the undisputed number one among the seven kingdoms.

Merchants from the six kingdoms came and went in an endless stream to Xianyang, creating a bustling and vibrant scene.

However, today, there were no pedestrians at the main gate of Xianyang. Instead, there were rows of soldiers and armor, dozens of black banners with black bird designs, and hundreds of officials dressed in black robes standing neatly outside the gate. Without exception, these people were all high-ranking officials of the Qin court.

At the very front of these people was a seat where a gaunt old man in fine clothes, with a dignified air, knelt, his eyes slightly narrowed as if he were dozing.

The hundreds of officials looked at the aged figure at the front, their eyes filled with fear.

On such an important occasion as welcoming the King of Qin back to the palace, the old man was still able to sit in front of all the officials, and even the other officials dared not utter a sound, simply because the old man was Lü Buwei.

Now, the Prime Minister of Qin, Marquis Wenxin, whose fiefdom spans ten thousand households, is the powerful and influential King Zhongfu of Qin.

A cavalryman galloped down the road, dismounted when he was dozens of paces away from the welcoming party, and ran quickly to Lü Buwei.

"Prime Minister, His Majesty is less than a mile from Xianyang and will arrive in an instant," the cavalryman said, bowing.

Lu Buwei, who had been feigning sleep, opened his eyes, flicked his sleeves, and, with the help of those on either side, got off his seat. The soldiers behind him quickly moved the seat away.

"Notify the palace that the King will be arriving soon," Lü Buwei said calmly.

"promise."

A palace attendant bowed and hurried towards the city to inform the Queen Mother in the palace.

As the eunuchs departed, the officials carefully began to tidy their clothes, preparing to welcome Ying Zheng. At the same time, these officials were all somewhat uneasy.

Previously, Ying Zheng claimed to be ill and did not leave the capital, leaving all state affairs to Lü Buwei. However, just when everyone was unaware of this, news came that Ying Zheng had suddenly appeared in Wusui.

Then came the Qin general Wang Yi's attempt to assassinate the King of Qin, but he was killed by Meng Tian, ​​the grandson of the veteran general Meng Ao. Meng Tian then took command of 100,000 Qin troops and the Pingyang Heavy Armored Army.

While the officials were still questioning the veracity of the news, Lü Buwei led them to welcome the King of Qin, indirectly confirming the news's authenticity.

Although everyone was curious about how Ying Zheng left the palace for Wusui and how he was assassinated by Wang Yi, what they were curious and uneasy about was Ying Zheng's attitude towards the court officials after his return.

Previously, Ying Zheng's coming-of-age ceremony was delayed for two years due to his lack of real power and the suppression he faced by Lü Buwei and Zhao Ji.

Now that Ying Zheng has 100,000 Qin soldiers at his command and the day of his coronation is drawing ever closer, everyone present understands that Ying Zheng will certainly not be as lenient as before.

But what changes Ying Zheng would make, and how tough his attitude would become, were the reasons for their unease.

Just as the Qin officials were still worried, a deep and resonant ceremonial music suddenly rang out, and a procession of over a hundred people appeared in everyone's sight.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Qin soldiers who were clearing the way stood on both sides of the road, and the carriages behind them moved forward.

As the carriage curtain was lifted, Gai Nie and Xu Qing stepped down one after the other, followed by Ying Zheng, who was dressed in white.

Seeing Ying Zheng alight from the carriage, Lü Buwei led the officials forward, cupped his hands, and called out loudly.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome you!"

Looking at all the officials bowing in respect, Ying Zheng felt no satisfaction, but rather a chill.

This trip to Korea made him see clearly the undercurrents beneath the calm surface of Qin. He wondered if these seemingly loyal ministers were secretly plotting to kill him.

Although a chill ran through him, Ying Zheng still showed a hint of joy and stepped forward to help Lü Buwei up, saying...

“Uncle Zhong, please rise quickly. How can I trouble you to personally greet me upon my return? You are the pillar of Qin. If you would trouble yourself to greet me, I would be terrified.”

"Your Majesty is too kind. As the Prime Minister, it is my duty to lead all the officials to welcome Your Majesty back to the country."

Lu Buwei remained expressionless, holding Ying Zheng's hand and speaking calmly.

Xu Qing watched the harmonious scene between the emperor and his ministers and couldn't help but think to himself, "As expected, those who work in the imperial court are all actors."

Ying Zheng, supporting Lü Buwei, looked at the officials and spoke loudly.

"No gift."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After the officials stood up, they looked at Ying Zheng and quickly realized that this king was different from the previous one.

Compared to before, this king seemed much more confident, and his imperial aura had also become much stronger.

"This old minister has heard that Your Majesty's trip this time was to seek out talented individuals for the Qin state, is that right? May I ask if this great sage returned with you?"

Lu Buwei looked at Ying Zheng and said with a gratified smile.

Upon hearing this, a hint of helplessness flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes. Although he had long known that Lü Buwei's main purpose was to welcome Xu Qing, Ying Zheng still felt a little regretful about giving up this opportunity to make a name for himself in history.

"That's natural. On this trip, I have invited a great sage to serve my Qin state."

Ying Zheng chuckled and turned to look at Xu Qing, his voice a few decibels louder as he spoke.

"This is the great sage I have invited, the deputy head of the medical family, Mr. Xu Qing!"

"Sir, this is Lu Buwei, the Marquis Wenxin of Qin, my uncle."

Upon hearing this, all the officials looked at Xu Qing, who was standing with Gai Nie, in surprise. After their initial surprise, their expressions became somewhat complicated.

They had naturally heard of Xu Qing, except for information about his medical skills and talent.

But more recently, there have been various news reports about Xu Qing being forced to leave South Korea, among which the most talked-about issue is her affair with the Korean king's favorite concubine.

Although it has been proven that this was a frame-up by Ji Wuye to exclude loyal officials, the matter of having an affair with the harem was still quite alarming in the Qin state.

After all, one of those present was actually having an affair with the Empress Dowager. Lü Buwei also looked at Xu Qing, his aged but still bright and sharp gaze fixed on him, scrutinizing him from head to toe, his eyes flashing with an unreadable contemplation.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Xu Qing stepped forward and bowed to Lü Buwei.
"Xu Qing has met Marquis Wenxin."

"Mr. Xu is indeed as rumored, young and promising, with a dignified appearance and extraordinary temperament. The country of Korea is small and its ruler is foolish, failing to recognize a great talent, causing you to waste your potential."

“But Qin is different. Qin has always valued talented people, especially great sages like Mr. Xu. Now that you have entered Qin, Qin will certainly seek justice for the humiliation you suffered in Han!”

Lu Buwei released Ying Zheng's hand, helped Xu Qing up, and said with a smile on his face.

At this moment, Lü Buwei was just like a person who was eager to find talented people and finally got them. Even though he was much greater than Xu Qing in terms of status and reputation, he still addressed Xu Qing with respect and gave him a lot of face.

Looking at Lü Buwei's enthusiasm, Xu Qing was filled with emotion. If he were treated like this by the standards of this era, he would definitely have burst into tears and pledged his loyalty on the spot.

Unfortunately, he had already sold himself to Ying Zheng, and could only maintain a calm expression as he spoke.

“Your Excellency is too kind. I am a sinner, but Your Majesty did not consider me a sinner to be lowly and personally went to invite me. I am grateful for this and have agreed to serve Your Majesty.”

"However, battles between two armies often result in bloodshed. If we were to send troops to punish them based on rumors, and this resulted in the loss of my Qin soldiers, I would be filled with shame."

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, Lü Buwei understood what he meant, and voluntarily released Xu Qing's hand, saying with a smile.
"Sir, you are indeed as rumored, a physician with a benevolent heart. Your service to the King in Qin is a great blessing for our Qin state."

Ying Zheng felt a surge of satisfaction as he watched Lü Buwei being rejected. In the past, when scholars from the six states came to Qin, they were almost all there for Lü Buwei, and hardly anyone thought of him, the King of Qin.

Now that Xu Qing had rejected Lü Buwei in front of all the officials, he truly felt a sense of pride and satisfaction. He stepped forward and stood between Xu Qing and Lü Buwei, saying...

"It is enough that you, my lord, can understand your benevolence. However, you are a great talent of our time. Now that you have come to serve my Qin state, I have decided to appoint you as the Chief Physician, concurrently as the Palace Attendant, and as a Grand Master, and bestow upon you the title of Right Grand Master."

What do you think?

Lu Buwei looked up at Ying Zheng, his smile vanished, replaced by a thoughtful expression, and remained silent for a long time.

As the officials watched Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei clash over Xu Qing, their hearts grew even more uneasy.

Before Ying Zheng had even entered Xianyang, he had already begun to openly oppose Lü Buwei. Moreover, the official position he gave Xu Qing, Imperial Physician, was not a big deal and was actually suitable for Xu Qing's identity as a physician.

Moreover, everyone in the Qin court knew that Xu Qing's entry into Qin meant that Qin was going to reconcile with physicians, thereby changing the situation of having no good doctors in the country and few military doctors in the army.

Therefore, there is no problem in granting Xu Qing, who has no military merits, the eleventh-level noble title and the official position of Imperial Physician.

However, the positions of Zhongchangshi and Daifu are worth pondering. Zhongchangshi's task was to attend to the king and be available for consultation, while Daifu had the power to participate in court affairs.

This clearly shows that Xu Qing is being treated as a confidant. In addition, given Xu Qing's importance to the Qin state, there are some things that Ying Zheng cannot say in court, but Xu Qing can say, so neither Lü Buwei nor anyone else can easily object.

In martial arts, there was Meng Tian; in literature, there was Xu Qing; and in internal affairs, there was Gai Nie.

Ying Zheng had barely returned when he couldn't wait to show his fangs, making them realize that the undercurrents in the court would likely soon be out in the open.

Among the assembled officials, Right Chancellor Xiong Qi, standing at the very front, looked at Xu Qing and Ying Zheng with an exceptionally complex gaze, his hands slightly clenched beneath his sleeves.

Seeing Lü Buwei remain silent, Ying Zheng appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was becoming somewhat uneasy.

The others also turned their attention to Lü Buwei, ready to see how this Marquis Wenxin, who had served as regent for many years, would react to Ying Zheng's attempt to seize power.

“Your Majesty, how can my Qin state be compared to Han? Mr. Xu is a man of great talent. In my humble opinion, he should be directly granted the title of Grand Master of Works,” Lü Buwei said with a meaningful smile.

Upon hearing this, not only were the assembled officials stunned, but Ying Zheng and Xu Qing also looked at Lü Buwei with some surprise.

The title of Grand Master of Ceremonies was no ordinary one. Although it was only the sixteenth rank among the twenty ranks of military merit in Qin, before Shang Yang reformed the military merit system, the Grand Master of Ceremonies was the highest official position in the entire Qin Dynasty, holding both military and political power, and was second only to the emperor.

Following the reforms, the position of the Grand Master of Ceremonies was lowered, but its significance and status actually increased.

From the time of Shang Yang to the present day, only a handful of people have been appointed as Grand Master of Works.

Examples include Shang Yang, Jiu You, Gongsun Yan, and Bai Qi.

Which of these people did not make great contributions to the Qin state? Xu Qing, the deputy head of the medical family, entered Qin and, although he could be said to have made contributions to the Qin state, he only changed a small aspect and could not be compared with the Grand Masters of the past.

For a moment, the way people looked at Lü Buwei had a different meaning, and Ying Zheng's heart began to pound, wondering what his uncle was up to.
Was this significant title bestowed to win over Xu Qing and send a friendly signal to the medical community?
If that's the case, then the title of Grand Master of Ceremonies is unnecessary.

"Your Majesty, what do you think of my decision?" Lü Buwei asked, stroking his beard.

Ying Zheng glanced at Lü Buwei, then at Xu Qing. Even though he suspected Lü Buwei of having ill intentions, he still smiled and said...

"It was I who was petty. Your suggestion is excellent. I will bestow upon you the title of Grand Master of Ceremonies, and appoint you as Imperial Physician, Palace Attendant, and Grand Master of the Palace. You will participate in court affairs, serve me, and be allowed to move about in the palace."

"A separate residence will be granted, which the Director of Works may renovate at will, and a grant of gold will be bestowed upon it."

The Grand Master of the Palace was the highest official position among the Grand Masters.

The string of rewards left Xu Qing dizzy. In the state of Han, all his hard work and effort had only earned him the position of Imperial Physician and attendant to the King of Han. But upon entering the state of Qin, he had gone directly from a commoner to a nobleman, which was quite significant.

After regaining his senses, Xu Qing cupped his hands in greeting to Ying Zheng and said...
"Your Majesty, I am very grateful for your reward. I will do my best to serve Your Majesty and the State of Qin from now on."

"Congratulations on becoming the Grand Master," Lü Buwei said indifferently.

"Your Majesty, we congratulate you on acquiring such a worthy man! We offer our congratulations to the State of Qin and to the Grand Chancellor!" the ministers shouted in unison.

Since both Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei had agreed to it, they dared not voice their objections, even if they had any. Moreover, Xu Qing was related to the improvement of the relationship between Qin and the medical community. Although the position of Grand Master of Ceremonies was of special significance, no one could find fault with it.

At least he was better than that eunuch Lao Ai, who was granted a title and even a fiefdom simply by pleasing the Empress Dowager.

"It's getting late, and my mother is still waiting for me in the palace," Ying Zheng said.

"Your Majesty, return to the palace!"

Chang Feng shouted loudly, and the officials and soldiers turned around and made way for the road into the city.

Ying Zheng led Gai Nie and Xu Qing back to the carriage, and escorted by officials and armored soldiers, headed towards Xianyang Palace.

(End of this chapter)