Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 337, Section 336: Undercurrents in Xianyang
In Xianyang, many former Chu and Yue people were captured by soldiers and imprisoned.

The atmosphere that had just been hyped up by the auction suddenly fell silent, just like the freezing weather.

But some people believe that the more this is the case, the more valuable power becomes, and the more worthwhile it is for them to devote their entire clan's resources to it.

The powerful and influential people who gathered in the city were like a deep pool of water, clear on the surface but deep and bottomless in reality, enough to drown a person.

And it was in this atmosphere, like a dormant volcano churning underground, that the auction officially began.

At the end of the morning, the winter sky was still not yet bright, but in this street lined with inns, the various inns were bustling with activity and brightly lit.

The stables were in a flurry of activity.

Feeding them hay, adding beans, feeding them maltose, tidying up their luggage, cleaning the wagon, reinforcing the wheels...

The servants were working up a sweat.

The shop's servants were constantly on the move, carrying hot water or tidying up hay, their feet never touching the ground.

Nobles with some influence stayed at the post station, where they were served by servants. But the powerful merchants in these inns paid no heed to such things.

After a quick breakfast, I washed up and tidied myself up, making sure my clothes were clean so as not to be disrespectful to the adults.

This time, the auction house, which was hastily converted from a martial arts training ground, was opened to people of lowly status like them.

After today, will there ever be a day when they, who only exist in the legendary Zhangtai Palace, have the opportunity to enter the palace and meet the monarch?
With this mindset, everyone took a deep breath and patiently continued to wait.

As dawn broke, the sun slowly rose from the east.

The first rays of dawn shone on the ancient city's bluestone bricks, and the streets of Xianyang were open despite the previous restrictions.

For a time, peddlers, laborers, officials, nobles, donkeys, horses, cattle, and sheep...

The entire city of Xianyang seemed to be unsealed with a single click, and the hustle and bustle instantly filled the surroundings. Accompanied by the steam rising from the street food stalls, it was once again a vibrant scene of human life.

The merchants who had gathered from various places exchanged glances, then looked at the invitations clutched tightly in the hands of those beside them, and without hesitation—

"set off!"

……

Meanwhile, at the auction house.

The seats have been arranged, and Princess Wen was still reviewing her work late into the night. Now she can finally take a short rest.

She and the princes and princesses sat comfortably in a separate, fan-shaped area, waiting for the Queen to arrive and the auction to begin.

Looking inside, Cheng Hu was alright, as he rarely had the opportunity to see such things, and his eyes were full of anticipation.

The same applies to a clear mind.

She had previously shared a room with Qi Bazi, and if she took even a few extra steps, he would burst into tears.

Unlike now, when I suddenly moved away from my mother's palace, although I felt uncomfortable at times, I felt more of a strange sense of freedom.

She could command the servants herself, and could also follow the physician's orders to stroll and play in the palace. She could even order the servants to serve her food according to her own wishes.

Now, there is even a chance to leave the palace and watch the auction that the Queen and her elder sister are organizing together.

As for that thousand-word review, the word count sounds particularly astonishing, but she spends most of her time in the palace, and apart from reading and practicing calligraphy, she doesn't seem to have much else to do.

It's okay to write it down.

But looking at his elder brother, whose expression kept shifting between elation and blankness, and then at Chenghu's expectant face, he understood and secretly breathed a sigh of relief:
In any case, what she writes should be better than what her elder brother writes.

Princess Wen glanced at the time, feeling slightly annoyed:

"It's a pity the time is almost up, otherwise I would have taken you to the front of the auction house to see the name bestowed by Father himself, which would have been incredibly impressive! And all these decorations along the way..."

Wang Ziqian, whose mood was constantly shifting between broadening his horizons outside the palace and handling a massive amount of work, couldn't help but shift his attention upon hearing this: "Sister, even without looking at what's in front, the furnishings here are breathtaking."

"If you could borrow the dragon god from the zaju (a type of Chinese opera), you would surely make them all bow down in submission!"

The enormous head of the golden dragon appeared and disappeared amidst the swirling clouds and mist. Suddenly, it turned around, and its bright, black eyes seemed to be fixedly staring at him.

When he peeked from behind the curtain, he was so startled that he took two steps back, which made him even more eager to see what he looked like.

Princess Wen gave him a resentful look:
"How dare you mention the Dragon God, little brother?"

She went to Madam Chu to discuss lending the dragon, but she never expected that Madam Chu would mention that the dragon god had tens of thousands of parts, and each time it was disassembled, stored, organized, and reassembled, it would take three days.

"...They are going to start their performance in Xianyang City at an auspicious time the day after tomorrow, so they can't bother with me here today."

“Brother, as their guard, you can’t even handle such trivial matters. How dare you offer your opinions now?”

The siblings were already arguing before the auction even started.

Chenghu watched with envy.

Sometimes he thought, what if he could switch bodies with his elder brother...

No, the thought only flashed through his mind for a moment before he quickly dismissed it.

If his head were replaced with his elder brother's, he would absolutely refuse; he'd rather be a little weaker!

Looking at Prince Qian again, he not only wasn't angry, but instead said with a proud expression:

"How did you know that the captain ordered me to be in full charge of the escort operation for this performance in Xianyang City?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Wen could easily see the boastful intent in his words, and she felt even more annoyed.
"What's there to brag about?"

What an idiot!
This is Xianyang, heavily guarded! Countless armored soldiers patrol the streets.

If it is said that government orders are difficult to implement in other places, then Xianyang is definitely not one of them.

In this place, who would dare to rebel?

The captain entrusted the guards for the performance in Xianyang to his elder brother because he thought the matter was harmless and there was nothing to be proud of.
She took a deep breath and decided not to lower herself to the level of this fool.

However, Xinming spoke softly and gently, her eyes filled with envy:
"Sister, what is the Dragon God in that variety show? I wonder when it will be performed in the palace. I have never seen it before."

Riding the tiger, he nodded as well.

He has recently been placed under medical supervision to cultivate his mind and body, and is not even allowed to read many books.

My mother is in charge of this matter and is extremely busy. How can I, as her son, disturb her and add to her burden at this time?

Therefore, although Madam Chu was in charge of this zaju play, her own son had never even seen it.

Prince Qian immediately became smug:
"It had not been performed on a large scale in the palace before, but was only performed formally once in front of the King and Queen."

"But don't worry, for the first performance the day after tomorrow, your brother has already instructed that the best seats will be reserved for you."

His eyebrows danced with delight. Although he had only managed to steal a glance or two during rehearsals, he was already captivated by the fantastical elements depicted, and was now filled with smug satisfaction.

"I just want to tell your personal physician to prepare a calming herbal medicine first, lest you get sick from being frightened."

Xinming thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "The day after tomorrow? But the Queen said I have to submit a thousand-word reflection within three days..."

She'll need to prepare her thoughts carefully before watching the auction today.

Within three days?
Prince Qian's head suddenly started buzzing.

　Here it comes!
　　(End of this chapter)