Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 341 Chapter 340. The duty of an minister
The carriage slowly came to a stop.

The silent driver loosened the reins and quietly dismounted, while the attendants lined up to guard him and slowly placed the steps in front of the carriage.

Then Wang Xueyuan and the Prime Minister got off the carriage.

Ji Heng sat comfortably in the carriage, and seeing the Queen standing there with a smile, he suddenly felt a little surprised:

I don't know why she laughs so much.

To this day, Ji Heng thinks back carefully and realizes that he has never even seen her angry or furious.

As he stepped out of the carriage, his tall figure bathed in the faint light of day, and as he slowly descended the steps to take the Queen's hand, he asked about the matter, seemingly oblivious to everyone else:

Why is the Queen so happy every day?

His queen, who belonged exclusively to the Qin Dynasty, was not an ordinary woman who was ignorant of court politics.

The other person loves wearing flowers, fine jade, and elegant clothes, and can discuss important national and family affairs with him, and their words are meaningful.

Furthermore, his experiences in later generations often offer profound insights.

Such intelligence suggests she is no ordinary woman who is foolish and only knows the pleasures of the inner palace.

So why is the Queen so happy every day?

The Imperial Censor and the Prime Minister lowered their heads slightly, taking a step back, deeply feeling that their humble status had become even more coarse.

Qin Shi didn't just brush off the question; he gripped Ji Heng's hot hand tightly and then pondered for a moment:
“Because every day when the king wakes up, he is healthy and will live a long life. I am also healthy and I will also live a long life.”

Ji Heng was taken aback.

But then he saw the Queen slightly turn her head, look up at him, her expression focused and gentle. These words were indeed spoken with utmost devotion.

Ji Heng fell silent.

For some reason, he suddenly remembered the sudden, raging high fever he had experienced on his western tour, which left the imperial physicians helpless.

He was a Qin soldier who could use heavy crossbows to catch giant whales at sea. He had great strength and had personally led his army to conquer other countries.

Even if they are injured, they can grit their teeth, tighten the wound, and be ready to charge into battle again, handle government affairs, or recover quickly after resting and recuperating.

The 120 jin of bamboo slips that Zhangtai Palace produced daily spoke volumes about his strength and peak condition.

However, during that high fever, his body felt incredibly heavy, as if even the thin blankets on his body were weighing down by a giant cauldron.

The high fever was accompanied by burning hot breaths, making even breathing painful, and his vision was blurred, making it difficult to focus for long. Furthermore, his mind was filled with chaotic thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate. Even when he tried to think about the successor of the Qin state, he felt a splitting headache and could not maintain his focus.

At that moment, the carriage stopped on the road, and with a slight jolt, he felt as if he had knocked on the gates of the land of the dead.

But just as this thought subsided, Prime Minister Wang Fu rushed in to report that a celestial master had come to offer medicine.

In that instant, the world turned upside down, and he drifted into a deep sleep, his consciousness blurred, yet within a very short time, he suddenly sensed the medicine taking effect...

He quickly regained his peak energy and physical strength.

At this moment, facing the Queen's extremely subtle yet uncontrollable source of joy, he suddenly fell silent, then slowly exhaled a deep breath.

Then he grasped Qin Shi's slightly cool hand in return:
"What the Queen says is true, and I should be happy every day."

The Prime Minister and Wang Xueyuan behind him stopped in their tracks, tensing up to avoid tripping.

During this pause, the two of them were caught off guard and looked up ahead, only to see the tall figure of the King of Qin walking hand in hand with the Queen.

For a moment, it was hard to tell whether he was their great monarch who unified the six kingdoms or a mediocre ruler whose mind was bewitched by a beautiful woman...

The two exchanged a glance, their eyes conveying the same message:

Your Majesty! Do you think the Queen can fool you with such words?!
If that's the case, then who was it that scolded the Taipu official who was dragged away from Zhangtai Palace this morning?
But as soon as this thought crossed his mind, after following the King and Queen up the long, high steps and into the auction hall, the Prime Minister fell silent at the sight of the hanging luminous pearls and the enormous, indescribably dazzling emerald-green glass screen wall.

—If all queens of past dynasties had this ability, the king would be easily seduced, and he would be happy to see it happen.

Looking at the Imperial Censor, he was clutching his heart and frowning, resembling Xi Shi (a legendary beauty).

He was clearly heartbroken. The queen, as if sensing something, suddenly stopped and turned to look at him:
"Lord Wang."

She asked gently, "Are you feeling sad?"

The Imperial Censor said painfully, "Yes, my heart is broken."

Even Ji Heng couldn't help but slightly curl the corners of his lips again.

Qin Shi also sighed slightly: She really did try to persuade her repeatedly back then.

However, if someone happily brought home the Shang and Zhou Dynasty giant beast statue only to find out it was last week's Ultraman, they would probably be heartbroken.

She immediately comforted him, saying, "Lord Wang, there's no need to be sad. The Glazed Tree doesn't need to be treasured in the future; you can simply place it in the hall as an ornament."

"After the auction concludes successfully, I will arrange for the glass workshop to create a complete set of bowls, plates, cups, and saucers for you as a consolation prize."

The Imperial Censor's eyes immediately lit up.

The queen paused in her speech:

"There is something I need your help with, Lord Wang."

Wang Xueyuan immediately perked up.

It's easy to imagine that since the secret technique of glassmaking can be auctioned off, everyone who gets their hands on it will cherish it, and the glass will definitely fetch a high price.

Thus, his crystal tree naturally didn't fall short of its status. In addition, there were cups, plates, and bowls used to entertain guests…

OK OK.

This young imperial censor, who loved to flaunt the glory of his household, was now flushed with excitement.

"Your Majesty, please give your orders!"

Qin Shi laughed and said, "The Imperial Censor is in charge of the state's documents, laws, household registers, and maps. In this auction, wealthy merchants from all over the country may not be able to raise enough gold, pearls, and jade artifacts, so they will have to pawn some of their land and estates."

"Since Lord Wang has this ability, please help to identify and appraise it fairly."

Only in this way can the auction proceed smoothly, so as to avoid losses to both the national treasury and the king's private treasury.

Ji Heng watched from the side without saying a word.

The reason he brought the Grand Censor and the Prime Minister with him today is precisely because the Queen has this need.

The emperor and empress had a tacit understanding. Now that the empress was smiling, the king of Qin naturally relaxed his expression and remained silent.

There's just one regret about the Qin Dynasty:
Unfortunately, the Minister of Agriculture is currently busy preparing the various planting improvement methods she provided, and cannot attend to this matter for the time being.

Otherwise, it would be appropriate for him to handle matters such as inventorying the land and money.

Wang Xueyuan simply loves to show off; she's not oblivious to the king's thoughts.

After a brief pause, he bowed respectfully without hesitation, his face beaming with pride, and said:

"Serving the King and Queen is my duty."

As they were speaking, the servant pushed open the door in front of them.

This is a separate area within the auction house, where only two attendants stand quietly, with aromatherapy tea and refreshments already prepared.

Qin Shi then asked, "To make it easier to hear the conversations of the wealthy merchants from all over, the prince and princess have been placed on the other side. Your Majesty, would you like them to come along as well?"

Ji Heng frowned slightly. At this moment, he couldn't help but think of Prince Chenghu's clever mind—thanks to the Queen's efforts, the other party had not been ill for a long time.

But then, Wang Ziqian's face, bearing the emptiness of his mind, suddenly flashed back, and Ji Heng clenched his fist.

After a moment he sighed:
"It is sufficient to have a scribe record their words and actions; there is no need to summon them."

Happy Lantern Festival everyone! Wishing you good health, longevity, and happiness!