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

Chapter 558, Paying Homage to the Prime Minister!
"My beloved ministers, since the reforms of Shang Yang, our Qin state has gone through six generations of rulers, gradually building up to the glorious Qin we are today. However, beneath the brilliance of our prosperity, a hidden ailment is silently emerging in the shadows."

"Now, our Qin state is rich and powerful, with well-trained soldiers and sufficient provisions. We are at a critical juncture in our eastward expansion to unify the world. The more critical the moment, the less we should underestimate the problems that exist in our Qin state."

"Therefore, the Prime Minister of Qin must not only lead his ministers in governing the country, but also have keen insight to discover the shortcomings of Qin."

"Lord Zhaoming, Xu Qing, has made numerous outstanding contributions to Qin since he entered the state. Today, during the court meeting, he pointed out two shortcomings of Qin and offered suggestions for improvement. His proposed method of assessment has greatly benefited me. His iron smelting method has made an unparalleled contribution to Qin."

"Today, I hereby appoint Lord Zhaoming as Prime Minister to identify and address the shortcomings of the Qin state and to illuminate its path forward. Do any of you have any objections?"

With a solemn expression, Ying Zheng rose from his throne and looked at his ministers, speaking in a deep voice.

Having all received benefits and advantages, the civil and military officials had no objections whatsoever, and immediately bowed to Ying Zheng in unison, saying...
"We have no objection. It is a blessing for Great Qin to have a wise and enlightened ruler."

"Congratulations to the King, congratulations to the State of Qin, congratulations to the Prime Minister!"

After the courtiers finished congratulating Ying Zheng, they turned to Xu Qing and bowed again, saying...
"We pay our respects to the Prime Minister!"

"We pay our respects to the Prime Minister!"

The sounds of congratulations and salutations lingered in the Imperial Council Hall for a long time. Xu Qing stood in the center of the hall and looked around at the assembled officials who were bowing and paying homage to him.

From the Right Chancellor Xiong Qi, the Imperial Clan Member Wei Yangjun, General Meng Ao, and the Imperial Censor, down to the Nine Ministers and other court officials, all showed respect and bowed to Xu Qing.

Although he had not yet officially taken office, Xu Qing felt an unprecedented surge of pride. His ethereal and otherworldly aura gradually transformed into a dignified and authoritative presence, like the sun high in the sky, making people dare not look directly at him.

"Is this the thrill of power? It's truly captivating," Xu Qing thought to himself, looking at the crowd.

No wonder everyone is vying for power. Who can truly refuse such power, the authority to decide the life and death of others with a single word, and the rise and fall of a nation with a single decree?

After making a couple of remarks, Xu Qing looked at Ying Zheng on the throne.

Ying Zheng looked at Xu Qing with a smile, his face showing satisfaction and joy.

Appointing someone like Xu Qing, who has multiple complex identities, enjoys the support of civil and military officials, and is on good terms with the imperial family, as prime minister is something no competent monarch would do.

After all, if he were to exert himself in the position of prime minister, he could gather enough power to become a new powerful minister and even challenge the royal authority.

However, Ying Zheng did not develop any fear or suspicion towards Xu Qing because of this, because he had absolute trust in Xu Qing.

He believed that Xu Qing, who shared his ideals, did not seek petty power struggles, but rather the well-being of all people! He also believed in Xu Qing's character, that his mentor and friend's heart was not in the court, but in the tranquility of Mount Taiyi.

"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your trust. I will certainly live up to your expectations and fulfill my duties to the best of my ability."

Xu Qing immediately bowed and began to deliver his inaugural speech.

Xiong Qi listened to Xu Qing's ambitious speech and felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

His previous opposition to Xu Qing becoming prime minister was not only because he wanted to be prime minister himself, so that he could better leverage the power of Qin to strengthen his own position.

It was also because he believed that if Xu Qing served as prime minister, he could unite the entire Qin state to the greatest extent possible and make Qin stronger.

However, it was too late for him to say anything now. Xu Qing was already the Chancellor, and the second Chancellor in Qin history to receive the support of all factions in the court. This position of Right Chancellor was originally established by Ying Zheng to counterbalance Lü Buwei.

Now that Lü Buwei has abdicated and Xu Qing is deeply trusted by Ying Zheng, his position as Right Chancellor is about to end.

"No, we must find a way to keep the position of Right Chancellor, otherwise the court will likely face great difficulties in the future," Xiong Qi thought to himself.

He wasn't sure how Xu Qing viewed him, but based on recent events and Xu Qing's actions, especially the proposal of the Grand Assessment Method, his intuition told him that Xu Qing was definitely going to take action against the court.

As for who he would use as a scapegoat, and who he would use to establish authority, Xiong Qi was unsure.

However, he knew that this person absolutely could not be him. He had to find a way to appease Xu Qing and improve his image in Xu Qing's eyes. Only by securing his position as Right Chancellor could he continue to leverage the power of Qin to strengthen himself.

"It seems it's time to make a decision; the peasants' entry into Qin is imperative."

A resolute glint flashed in Xiong Qi's eyes. Between two evils, he had to choose the lesser. In order to protect his identity and status, he had to gain Xu Qing's trust.

His only chance to gain Xu Qing's trust right now is through the matter of the peasants entering Qin.

While Xiong Qi was still lost in thought, Xu Qing had already finished his inaugural speech, bowed to Ying Zheng again, and walked towards the position of head of the civil officials.

As Xu Qing passed by Xiong Qi, he glanced at Xiong Qi, who was bowing with his head down, out of the corner of his eye, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

His appointment as Chancellor marked the true beginning of his strategic maneuvering in Qin.

The situation has been set in motion, so the effects of the previous casual moves will naturally come into play, and the first to be affected is Xiong Qi, the Lord of Changping.

Feeling a dark shadow loom over him, Xiong Qi's heart tightened. He snapped out of his daze and looked up at Xu Qing, only to find that Xu Qing had already taken the position of Prime Minister.

Two eunuchs approached him carrying two trays, removed Xu Qing's outer court robes, and replaced them with the court robes and hair ornaments representing the Prime Minister. However, Xu Qing had not yet donned the crown, and his hair was not entirely tucked into it, with two strands left out.

"You two also contributed to the iron smelting technology presented by the Prime Minister this time. Now that the positions of Chief Ironworker and Assistant Chief Ironworker are vacant, you two are hereby appointed as Gongshu Dafu and Xiangli Dafu, and will be responsible for supervising the manufacture of weapons and agricultural tools for our Qin state."

Ying Zheng looked at Xiangli Guan and Gongshu Chou and said.

The Iron Official Chief and Iron Official Assistant were subordinate officials under the Inner Historian, in charge of metallurgy and the manufacture of agricultural implements.

The people who originally held these two official positions were involved in Lao Ai's rebellion and joined the rebellion with the Inner Historian. They were beheaded by Xu Qing at the execution ground on the banks of the Wei River the day before yesterday.

Xu Qing contributed a mature method of iron smelting, and once the iron farm tools and weapons have been tested, large-scale manufacturing will begin.

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

Gongshu Chou and Xiangli Guan bowed excitedly.

Although they held the title of Grand Master, they did not hold any official positions. They were respected in the Imperial Workshop only because of their status within the family, but in reality, they were no different from the other disciples.

Now they hold official positions, and these positions are even below the Nine Ministers, which is a huge leap for them.

"The official positions vacated due to Lao Ai's rebellion must be filled as soon as possible to avoid affecting state affairs. The specific appointments will be entrusted to the Chancellor," Ying Zheng said to Xu Qing.

"Your subject obeys," Xu Qing said, cupping his hands in greeting.

He knew that Ying Zheng had entrusted him with the task of filling official vacancies so that he could take the opportunity to cultivate his own confidants and thus gain control of the court.

This is a good job, but also a very challenging task.

Upon hearing this, the courtiers couldn't help but steal a glance at Xu Qing out of the corner of their eyes, a hint of nervousness flashing in their eyes.

They could naturally see Ying Zheng's intentions. Since he was having Xu Qing cultivate his own people, he was bound to reshuffle the court. This was an inevitable process after every monarch assumed personal rule or the prime minister was replaced.

The Chu nobles became somewhat uneasy. They had just explicitly opposed Xu Qing's appointment as prime minister, and if Xu Qing held a grudge against them and made things difficult for them, they simply couldn't bear it.

Although Yao Jia and other members of the scholar faction were also nervous, they did not feel too uneasy. After all, Xu Qing was also from a scholar background, and even if they did not use them, they would not make things too awkward with them.

Although the imperial clan members felt regret, they silently accepted the outcome, considering that the Chancellor was Xu Qing, with whom they had a good relationship. With Xu Qing as Chancellor, although they couldn't eliminate all the scholars at once, they could gradually regain control of the court by cooperating with Xu Qing.

"Next, I have something to say."

After the order was read out, Ying Zheng continued the court discussion. As the prime minister, Xu Qing could no longer slack off as before and had to express his views and opinions on every matter.

As the sun reached its zenith, the first grand court assembly after Ying Zheng's coming-of-age ceremony came to an end, and the officials left the assembly hall as the bells rang.

Meanwhile, inside the Marquis Wenxin's residence.

Despite losing his official position and title, Lü Buwei showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, dressed in a simple long robe, he sat on a small couch, admiring the scenery in the courtyard.

He held a wine glass in his hand, taking small sips every now and then, his face full of enjoyment.

Although the courtyard was still bare, Lü Buwei was still enjoying the view.

From merchant to Marquis Wenxin and Prime Minister of Qin, he personally trained Qin into a qualified monarch with lofty ambitions and outstanding abilities, leading Qin to new heights.

Now that he has achieved his goal, he can retire with one of his greatest achievements, "Lüshi Chunqiu," and his immense wealth to enjoy life. He will no longer be burdened by official duties, nor by the petty squabbles of the court, and he will no longer have to worry about life, death, or the future.

What more could Lü Buwei possibly want? In any case, his legendary experiences will surely be recorded in future historical books.

"Stealing half a day of leisure from a busy life, I only truly understood what real enjoyment is when I got old," Lü Buwei sighed.

Seeing that Lü Buwei had completely relaxed, Lü Yi started talking about the retainers in the mansion.

“Father, Lord Zhaoming has been appointed Chancellor, and Yao Jia and the others have sent their visiting cards to your residence, hoping to see you again. Do you wish to see him, or will you refuse to see him as before?” Lü Yi asked.

"The outcome is decided, and it's time for this old man to step down. Before I do, I should say goodbye to the rest of us."

"Summon Yao Jia and the others. Also, gather the retainers in the manor. I have something to announce."

Lu Buwei looked at the barren courtyard and spoke calmly.

Now that Xu Qing has secured his position as prime minister, he will proceed with the agreement to dismiss his retainers, giving Xu Qing ample room to maneuver and access to talented individuals.

This was the last thing he could do for the Qin state and Ying Zheng.

(End of this chapter)