The leisurely life of the Qin people

Chapter 347 The Newly Promoted People
The little princess ran away when she heard what the emperor said.

Tian An looked in the direction the little princess had left, a smile on his face.

Then the little princess took a ceramic cup, placed it on her father's table, and quietly left.

Whenever the emperor was handling state affairs at Gaoquan Palace, the little princess would always complain about him. Afterward, the little princess would always bring some snacks and tea and place them on the emperor's table.

The snow outside was heavy, and the little princess sat under the eaves watching the snow gradually accumulate on the ground.

The next day, just as dawn broke, a caravan from the Western Regions arrived at Xianyang Bridge. Leading the caravan was an old man from the Western Regions, whose white beard was matted from long neglect.

Many years ago, this old man also brought a caravan here, before the Xianyang Bridge was built.

The old man from the Western Regions also remembered that a long time ago, in this very place, a distinguished young man had bought garlic from him.

From then on, garlic became more and more abundant in the Qin state, and it is said that it is now found everywhere.

The old man came to the bridge and said to the guards watching over the Xianyang Bridge, "This is cotton that the emperor sent me to bring."

A considerable amount of snow-white cotton even spilled out of the bundles, and they were piled up in bags on the cart.

The guard looked at the cotton on the cart and went to report.

Li You, who was sheltering from the cold wind under the bridge, heard the report, looked up at the caravan, and lazily stood up.

Upon arriving at the caravan, Li You asked a few questions in the Western Regions language.

Having served as a border guard in the Hexi Corridor for many years, it was not difficult for Li You to talk to these people from the Western Regions.

Li You had people take over the cotton and allowed people from the Western Regions to buy and sell goods here.

When the cotton was delivered to Zhangtai Palace, Fusu was still looking at the list of promotions and transfers for this year, which included the transfer order for Lou Jing, the magistrate of Wuwei County.

Looking at the numerous annotations in the Prime Minister's office, Lou Jing has made meritorious contributions to the development of Wuwei County over the years and should be promoted to the Prime Minister's office as an advisor.

Furthermore, Sima Xin was promoted to the position of Vice Minister of the Imperial Treasury in the Prime Minister's Office.

These were the two most significant appointments this year. After a moment's thought, Fusu stamped his seal and approved the transfer.

Seeing that Tian An had two bags of cotton brought in, Fusu glanced at them for a moment and said, "Take them to make clothes."

"Yes."

The emperor continued to review state affairs as the cold wind outside grew stronger and night gradually fell.

After it was completely dark, Fusu finally finished dealing with these belated documents.

The snow fell for two days, covering almost the entire city of Xianyang. Fusu returned to Gaoquan Palace and began preparing dinner.

Where is Grandpa Tian?

Upon hearing his daughter's question, Fusu replied, "He has other things to do, so I'll cook today."

She had no choice but to go back inside and learn to read from her mother.

Fusu made three bowls of noodles, a plate of mutton, and a bowl of pickled radish. He also added some chopped green onions and celery to the noodles. This was the family's dinner.

The little princess was already hungry and was chewing the noodles vigorously.

However, she still loves eating meat the most; she can only truly enjoy a meal with a bite of noodles and a bite of meat.

There was no talking at the dinner table. The lady put some spinach into the little princess's bowl, indicating that she should eat vegetables.

"A letter from Lishan."

A palace maid came carrying a scroll of paper.

Fusu put down his chopsticks and opened the roll of paper.

Seeing his wife's gaze, Fusu said, "It's alright, but Father Emperor asked about our recent situation and when the war will start."

After the little princess finished eating, she put down her chopsticks and sat down on the side, seemingly waiting for her mother's judgment.

Only after the lady nodded did she happily leave to play in the snow outside the palace.

Three days later, Tian An arrived with several bulging pieces of clothing.

The little princess looked at the strange new clothes and asked, "Can I wear them?"

Tian An nodded and said, "The emperor ordered people to bring cotton from the Western Regions, saying it would be used to make clothes."

The little princess changed out of her outer clothes and put on this new dress.

At first, she didn't like these clothes, but she gradually got used to them.

Looking at his daughter in her new clothes, Fusu asked, "Was this dress easy to make?"

Tian An replied, "I'm a bit tired. Cotton is a good thing."

Fusu nodded and said, "The foot of the Tianshan Mountains is a good place to grow cotton."

Tian An nodded slightly.

"Father is thinking about state affairs again." The daughter, sitting in her mother's lap, looked somewhat displeased.

The lady then placed the little princess in the emperor's arms.

Fusu, holding his daughter, asked, "You're amazing! How do you know everything?"

She whispered, "Whenever I think about national affairs, my face gets all scrunched up."

As she spoke, she tried to squeeze her face with both hands.

Fusu said, "We're not busy with state affairs today. Shall we go to Shanglin Garden to pick some vegetables to eat?"

"Okay."

The little princess's eyes lit up immediately at the mention of going out to play.

When the snow stopped, the emperor and his family left Xianyang and went to Shanglin Garden.

Although there are no vegetables in Shanglin Garden on the surface, you can actually see vegetable seedlings by clearing away the snow. The vegetables don't grow very well in winter, but it's enough to eat.

The vegetables in the palace all come from here.

The chief guard on this trip was still Zhang Han. He followed beside the emperor, his face stern and his eyes sharp.

Fusu pushed open the warehouse door and saw that most of the items piled up there were garlic or other crops.

As he walked past the warehouse, Fusu handed him a piece of clothing.

Zhang Han took the thick yet lightweight garment. "This is..."

"There is a crop called cotton in the Western Regions. I had a caravan from the Western Regions bring some back. Tian An tried to make clothes from it, and the clothes are very good at keeping warm."

Fusu then said, "Try it on."

"Yes." Zhang Han quickly put on his outer garment.
After walking for a while, Zhang Han replied, "It's very warm."

Fusu then said, "This cotton is precious, but picking and planting it requires a lot of manpower."

Zhang Han said, "This humble general is willing to lead troops to the Western Regions."

Fusu shook his head and said, "It's too early to talk about these things."

The emperor and his minister walked in silence for a while.

Seeing that Zhang Han was about to take off his clothes, Fusu said, "Wear them, they are a gift to you."

Zhang Han nodded and continued to wear it.

The irrigation canals used to irrigate the fields of Shanglin Garden were still frozen, and apart from the sound of the wind, one could also hear the laughter of a daughter coming from not far away.

"My father once wrote to me asking if we were going to send troops to war. I replied that I did not plan to send troops in recent years."

Zhang Han knew that the emperor wanted to continue to build up the country's strength, and even now... the emperor still felt that the population was insufficient.

Not to mention sending troops to fight; the Qin army would not have advanced westward unless necessary.

The emperor and his family stayed at Shanglin Garden until night, and Tian An even prepared hot pot.

During the meal, Suqiu asked, "Does Father pray for blessings here every year?"

"Yes, pray for blessings with me next year."

The little princess looked expectantly at her mother beside her.

Seeing that the lady nodded, she was much happier. After the family had eaten hot pot, they returned to Xianyang Palace.

At the palace gate, Fusu said to Zhang Han, "Take a good rest after you go back."

"Yes."

The implication is that the emperor will not be traveling this winter, and General Zhang Han can arrange his guard duties in advance.

This was a very worry-free emperor; he wouldn't build palaces in a grand manner, nor would he drastically change the system.

Even for everyday outings, everything is planned and prepared in advance.

Just like now, the emperor would instruct Zhang Han to take a proper rest.

In the middle of January of the seventh year of the new emperor's reign, an official rode into Xianyang City. There was still some snow on his shoulders, indicating that he had braved the snow to come again.

The man who arrived was Lou Jing. He straightened his clothes and waited for the officials at the city gate to verify his identity.

Lou Jing strode into the city only after the other party allowed him to pass.

As soon as Lou Jing entered the city gate, he saw a familiar face; it was Chen Ping.

"Haha!" Chen Ping laughed loudly and said, "Brother Lou, it's been many years!"

Lou Jing was taken aback when he saw the other person, then sneered, "You still remember me?"

Chen Ping sighed, stepped forward, put his arm around Lou Jing's shoulder, and said, "Let's drink!"

Lou Jing said, "I need to go to the Prime Minister's residence first..."

"They're still on holiday. People won't be on duty until February, so there's no one there now."

As they were talking, Lou Jing was led into a tavern by Chen Ping.

"I haven't had a drink for some time."

Inside the warm room, Chen Ping poured him a bowl of wine and said in a low voice, "It's rare for us to get together, how about just one bowl?"

"Very well." Lou Jing took a deep breath, nodded, picked up the wine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

Then a group of women from the Western Regions entered the house.

The room became lively as well.

Lou Jing was drinking when another person walked into the room. He asked, "This is...?"

Chen Ping explained, "This is the Minister of Justice, Feng Jie."

Upon hearing this, Lou Jing's expression tightened.

Chen Ping'an reassured him, "It's alright, the Minister of Justice and I have been close friends for many years."

Feng Jie said, "Zhang Cang went back early this morning, leaving me alone to drink."

As they spoke, Feng Jie poured Lou Jing a bowl of wine and asked, "A stranger, who is he?"

Lou Jing was originally the magistrate of Wuwei County.

After saying this, Feng Jie looked knowing and said, "You are the county magistrate who has been guarding the border for several years. I have heard that you have contributed the most to the Western Regions this time... Chen Ping said so."

Lou Jing saw Chen Ping's sincere smile. Over the years, the two of them, one in the Hexi Corridor and the other in Xianyang, had cooperated to plot against the Western Regions.

Chen Ping did indeed repeatedly mention Lou Jing's contributions.

That's why Lou Jing was promoted this year.

After downing several bowls of wine, Lou Jing, his nostrils reeking of alcohol, slammed his hand heavily on the table and said, "Chen Ping, do you know how miserable I've been in Wuwei County?"

"I know, I know." Chen Ping poured wine for Lou Jing.

As he drank, Lou Jing sniffed again and said, "Back then, a few of us went to the Hexi Corridor together. More than ten years have passed. I wonder how Ju is doing now."

The first group of people to go to the Hexi Corridor were just a few of them. Now, Chen Ping and Lou Jing can still drink together, but the child Ju is nowhere to be seen.

Chen Ping explained, "I went to see his grandfather. The boy is now teaching in Sichuan and I heard he has even started a family there. He probably won't be coming back."

"You're married?"

"After you finish this meal, write a letter to Ju, and I'll arrange for someone to deliver it."

Even though Lou Jing was somewhat drunk at this moment in Xianyang, he was still mentally clear.

Judging from the conversation between Chen Ping and Feng Jie over drinks, it seems that Chen Ping has already established a good network of connections in Xianyang.

Lou Jing inquired, "After I am transferred to Xianyang, does the Prime Minister's office have any other arrangements for Wuwei County?"

Chen Ping swallowed the mutton he was chewing and said, "Yes, Han Xin, the Grand Master of the Palace, is concurrently serving as the magistrate of Wuwei County. This was arranged by the emperor."

"Hmm, this Han Xin is indeed quite capable," Lou Jing replied, swallowing a mouthful of wine.

"How is the construction of Jiayuguan progressing?"

"It's still under repair." Lou Jing held up two fingers and said, "It will take at least another two years to be completed."

Chen Ping didn't know much about Han Xin, which was the only thing he wasn't sure about lately, as he was completely unfamiliar with Han Xin.

Moreover, prior to this, he was able to collaborate with Lou Jing to plan for the Western Regions to send spies to gather intelligence and even sow discord among the states.

But now that someone else has taken charge of Wuwei County, Chen Ping has temporarily lost control of the Western Regions.

As for Han Xin, the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud, he not only controls the horse administration in the Hexi Corridor, but also oversees the livelihood of the people in Wuwei County. Fortunately, he does not have military power.

Currently, military power in the Hexi Corridor is in the hands of General Shejian and General Zhangjing.

The three men drank wine and talked about many things in the Western Regions.

In Weinan, today Sima Xin handed over the official robes and seal of the prefect to Gongzi Li, and from now on, the governance of Weinan Prefecture will be entrusted to Gongzi Li.

The emperor was very fair to the two brothers. Once Xiao He left, Weibei would be handed over to Prince Heng.

The two brothers later took charge of Weibei and Weinan respectively.

Gongzi Heng has already begun to assist Xiao He in managing affairs in the counties north of the Wei River.

After completing the handover, Sima Xin led his family out of Tongguan City, and from then on, Gongzi Li became the prefect of Weinan.

The carriage traveled through the snow, leaving two tracks in the snow, until it reached Jingye County, where Sima Xin went to visit Zhang Han.

On a snowy day, Zhang Han was practicing his sword in his own courtyard.

Upon seeing Sima Xin arrive, Zhang Han stopped his sword dance and asked, "I heard you've been transferred to the Prime Minister's office?"

Sima Xin bowed and said, "Yes, I would like to take my family to Xianyang to stay first."

Zhang Han sheathed his bronze sword, patted Sima Xin on the shoulder, and said, "This is what you deserve."

Sima Xin stroked his beard and said, "Now, Weinan Prefecture can finally be handed over to someone else."

Weinan Commandery was initially in the hands of Zhang Han, when the emperor was still a prince.

Afterwards, when various construction projects were about to be carried out in Weinan, it was Sima Xin who made the arrangements.

These two men watched as Weinan went from having nothing to being prosperous.

"It's a pity that Xiao He is leaving."

Zhang Han said, "The emperor visited him before the holiday this year, and it seems he had entrusted him with an important task."

Sima Xin said in a low voice, "Nowadays, there are more and more capable people. Sometimes I feel that I am not capable enough. I am not even sure about this position of Taifu Cheng."

The two parted ways once again, and this time Sima Xin finally headed towards Xianyang City.

After seeing Sima Xin off, Zhang Han continued to practice his sword in the snow.

In February, at the Qin court's New Year's court assembly, there were many new faces this year, with the Prime Minister's Office, the Censorate, and the Grand Commandant's Office all having many new members.

This year, the emperor issued a new decree to redistribute and inspect land.

The decree required that every household must have farmland to cultivate, and that all farmland must be registered and recorded.

In other words, all the land belonging to the former nobles of the six states had to be redistributed equally, with clear divisions of the land and precise records of the location of each acre.

(End of this chapter)