Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 315, Section 314: A Meteor Falls from the Sky
what? !

As soon as Danpu said this, all the craftsmen in the glass workshop immediately perked up their ears.

The craftsman who specially crafted glass shards for Mo was particularly earnest: "Aren't we going to be sold together?"

Although Danpu was young, he was particularly good at imitation. Now, mimicking the calm and composed demeanor of the Prefect, he smiled slightly and said:

"Our Queen has always cherished talent. Whether it's farming, carpentry, pottery, blacksmithing, or glassmaking, she values ​​them all."

"As the saying goes, it is not easy for our Qin state to cultivate such talents, how can we just trade them away to others?"

"The many rewards you all receive after presenting your glasswork are all bestowed by the Queen herself. With such high regard for you, how could she possibly bear to trade you artisans away?"

Seeing the craftsman's delighted expression, he whispered another instruction:
"Everyone should use their brains when making glass. If you have any new skills to report, you might be richly rewarded."

"Furthermore, the craftsmen who are carefully selected and sent over by various tribes in the future will surely have their own unique skills. By exchanging knowledge and skills, we might even learn some of their secret techniques."

The craftsman instantly understood and laughed heartily, "Of course!"

Oh dear, I wonder when this auction will take place, and which wealthy family will be able to buy it!
If we send the same craftsmen from our clan, let's see if he doesn't join forces with everyone to drain them dry.

On second thought, glassmaking isn't something ordinary people can do. If the person who sent it is skilled in pottery and blacksmithing, we could ask them more questions and see if the ironworks needs it!

Everyone's minds were racing, and thinking of the Queen who always gave out rewards, their confidence soared.

Before long, two more craftsmen who had finished their work came over and asked, "What kind of glass pieces did Master Mo want? We can make a few more sets together."

Others were busy:

"The Queen wants a fine set of glassware, which must be heat-resistant and fire-resistant... but this thin tube just can't be blown out of it no matter what..."

With everyone's questions focused on one point, they gathered together to discuss and resolve issues, greatly boosting the morale of the entire glass workshop, which was no longer as methodical as before.

Danpu, observing this, also fell into deep thought.

The Queen values ​​talent, but there are many like him in the palace who have been trained for many years. How can he stand out from the crowd?
He looked at the ink again, and his spirits lifted even higher:

“Lord Mo, sometimes just thinking about things can lead to oversights. If needed, how about I transfer some honest craftsmen skilled in woodworking and pottery from the Imperial Household Department to serve you? If you want to do something, just have them do it immediately… Would that be alright?”

Mo's eyes widened: "Is it okay?"

The Queen had mentioned before that there is a type of two-wheeled vehicle called a "bicycle," which operates by turning a hinge; he already has a clue!
Danpu felt much more at ease and said with a smile, "I will inform the Chief Secretary, and it will certainly be possible!"

……

Meanwhile, in Ganquan Palace, Qin Shi also awaited the arrival of Lady Chu.

In order to promote Ji Heng's reputation and reduce public resistance to Qin's policies, she ordered Lady Chu to choreograph a drama—or more accurately, a combination of opera, drama, and song and dance.

Previously popular song and dance performances were simply dances accompanied by music.

Such innovation truly piqued Lady Chu's interest, yet also caused her to rack her brains.

Of course, any hobby can become a miserable job, especially when it goes from being highbrow to commonplace. Madam Chu felt a tightness in her chest just looking at the lines and the synopsis.

Fortunately, it's finally starting to look decent!

When she came to report, she was both smug and uneasy. When she saw the Queen, she had originally wanted to say something sarcastic, such as "I've worked so hard while the Queen sits alone on the high platform," or "I've never seen such vulgar lyrics before."

But then I thought, the physician had just gone to treat her father, and the queen was calling herself Fangxi...

Then look at the queen, whose appearance is still youthful, yet whose expression is quite calm and composed.

Humph.

She thought to herself with a mixture of pride and unease: After all, the Queen had been kind to her, so this time... this time, let it go.

Although she thought that way, she couldn't shake off her usual sharp tongue, and now she frowned slightly and said softly, "I've put in a lot of effort, and I've finally lived up to the Queen's expectations... but the lyrics were really vulgar... alas!"

The beauty frowned, her small face, no bigger than a palm, seemed to hold a hidden unspoken message. Qin Shi couldn't help but look at her again and again before finally speaking sincerely:

"Mrs. Chu, you've worked hard."

But she disagreed that the lyrics were vulgar.

It just didn't use as many obscure words, so how is that vulgar?

Therefore, he said, "Are all the props, sets, and actors ready tonight? Have the lead actor come over and take a look."

"If it is indeed without flaws, I would like to invite Your Majesty to appreciate it together."

Lady Chu thought sourly: She had put a lot of effort into choreographing the songs and dances, but the king only watched them during his leisure time.

Now, a performance of opera lasts for more than half an hour, yet the Queen can so casually invite the King to come and watch.

I'm still reading this kind of poorly written stuff.

Humph.

Her slender, white fingers were twisted into a knot, but as she raised her pointed chin, the pride on her face was particularly evident:
"Of course, we have already made preparations. Please, Your Majesty, move to our residence."

To be honest, although Qin Shi had given all the instructions, she was too busy and only gave a brief outline of the story and some corresponding lines. The rest was left to her subordinates to figure out and improvise on their own.

The script has been approved by her, but we haven't seen the actual footage yet.

But since we're inviting the king to watch, we naturally need to check it out first.

Now, having made a special trip to the side palace, I saw that the stage had been set up according to the simple description from the Qin Dynasty, with thick layers of curtains and a wide performance stage.

To be honest, it's already very close to a stage set for traditional Chinese opera.

"good."

She nodded slightly: "Just pick any scene to act out."

"clang--"

The chime bells rang out, and the surroundings fell silent.

On both sides of the curtain, the sounds of sheng, xiao, drums and other instruments began to play slowly, and the melodious music echoed throughout the side hall, instantly calming people down.

The attendants following beside him also watched carefully—

Act One: A Meteor Falls from the Sky!

Chi Nu's heart trembled. She still remembered the king's fury when she accompanied the queen to Zhangtai Palace. Now, hearing this terrifying title, she felt a cold sweat break out all over her body.

At first, Madam Chu was also trembling with fear when she heard it, but now that she has heard it so many times, her face is just numb.

The next moment, a wisp of white smoke swirled around the platform. This was carefully prepared by the alchemist. Although the smoke was thick, it was not pungent.

Because the wind direction was carefully controlled, the queen and others sitting below did not smell it.

Behind the white smoke, the curtain slowly rose, revealing a massive, majestic, and profound golden dragon head—

"good."

Qin Shi nodded: "There are many skilled craftsmen nowadays. The cloud and dragon image she pulled up from her phone was traced by Hei Mu, then assembled by Mo family craftsmen, and a huge sum of money was spent to cover it with gold leaf..."

very good!

　Coming!
　　(End of this chapter)