Daqin: My weak and virtuous minister

"Open it."

Ah Xiao opened the box carefully because he had seen what was inside.

When the box was opened, Ying Zheng saw what was inside. Not only him, but even Shi Yi, who saw it for the first time, couldn't help but open his mouth in surprise.

The box was covered with thick white fur, and the purple glass coral tree was crystal clear. Against the white fur, the coral tree looked even more dreamlike. Each of its branches shone with a mysterious purple light, as if it contained endless magical power.

Ying Zheng took a step closer and examined the glazed coral tree carefully, a flicker of wonder in his eyes. He had never seen such a beautiful and magical treasure before, and the thought of taking it for himself flashed through his mind.

The second box contained a set of nine glass horses, each one vivid and lifelike, seemingly ready to gallop at any moment. Their colors varied: passionate red, pure white, mysterious black, noble and elegant purple, fresh and tranquil blue, vibrant cyan, warm and energetic orange, brilliant yellow, and naturally harmonious green. These horses were not only vibrant in color but also in form: some held their heads high, others lowered to graze, some galloped by, and others paused to rest. Their fur was fine and soft, seemingly flowing in the wind; their eyes were bright and insightful, seemingly perceiving everything; their hooves were strong and powerful, as if they could crush mountains and rivers. The exquisite craftsmanship and exquisite craftsmanship of this set of glass horses were breathtaking.

The third box opened to reveal an exquisite glass statue of a beautiful woman, so lifelike that it seemed ready to step out of the box at any moment. The craftsmanship of this statue is exquisite, with every detail meticulously crafted. From the hair, clothing, to the face, it all appears incredibly realistic. Its vibrant and natural colors create a refreshing and refined feeling. This glass statue is a rare work of art that leaves one breathtakingly amazed.

The fourth box was carefully opened, revealing a collection of exquisite glass figurines depicting the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. These vibrantly colored and translucent glass pieces evoke a vividness, each animal imbued with its own unique vitality and personality. Some hold their heads high, others bow in contemplation, some lively and adorable, others majestic and solemn, all captivating the exquisite craftsmanship and artistic beauty of the piece. This collection of glass figurines is undoubtedly a precious work of art, not only of immense aesthetic value but also imbued with profound cultural and historical significance.

Even Ying Zheng, who had seen many rare treasures, had to admit that the treasures in his storehouse were not as exquisite as these. After carefully admiring them for a long time, Ying Zheng stood up and looked at Zhang Yuanqing: "How did Zhang Qing get these?"

"Your Majesty, these colored glazes were made by the Mohists at my command. They are not natural jade, but man-made."

!!!

Please forgive his ignorance, he never thought that human power could create such exquisite jade.

"Zhang Qing, are you serious?"

Ying Zheng said this a little anxiously.

Looking at Zhang Yuanqing, he still looked calm and composed.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. These are all made by human hands. If Your Majesty needs them, we can also have more identical ones."

Perhaps thinking that this wasn't enough of a stimulus for Ying Zheng, Zhang Yuanqing continued, "These are just a few I've selected. There are many more at the workshop. If your Majesty likes them, you can go pick some."

Look, look.

What a generous statement.

Instead of picking a few pieces, be direct.

It’s like the soil under your feet, and you can get a lot of it anytime you want.

After all, Ying Zheng was the king of Qin. He no longer looked like an inexperienced person. He sat back on the chair, looking extremely noble.

Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand and asked someone to close the box and go down.

"Your Majesty, I asked the Mo family to study the manufacturing method of this glass in order to make more money."

Ying Zheng listened carefully without expressing any opinion.

"Your Majesty, you intend to annex the six kingdoms, which will take ten years to complete. Our Qin was originally weak, and has only grown stronger since Shang Yang's reforms. However, if Your Majesty wishes to wage war for ten years, you will undoubtedly mobilize the entire nation. The people of Qin will then suffer for ten years. Even if Your Majesty finally unifies the world, it will only be a shattered empire. Therefore, we must begin preparations now. This colored glass is what I will use to prepare food and fodder for our Qin soldiers."

"Your Majesty has seen the exquisite beauty of the colored glaze. I intend to sell these finished products to nobles from various countries. A large amount of treasure will flow into our Qin State, which will mean a good harvest next year. When that happens, we will have no shortage of money or food, and this will mark the beginning of Your Majesty's unification of the world."

"cough cough cough cough"

I sounded a little excited, no, no, calm down.

The same is true for Ying Zheng.

When he heard that he could finally start his own great cause of unification, his eyes lit up.

"Zhang Qing, have some tea."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Oh, much more comfortable.

Zhang Yuanqing, you have to stay calm.

Seeing that Zhang Yuanqing was much better, Ying Zheng spoke.

"How does Zhang Qing plan to gather the wealth of the six kingdoms?"

"Your Majesty, some merchants have come to me these days, and I have selected three of them."

Thinking of the status of Qin merchants, Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help but sigh that it was really too low.

"The sale of paper has now been handed over to Fu Ke. He performed the task Liao Wu assigned to him earlier well and has passed my test. I plan to hand over the Liuli to Liao Wu and Li Yuji. Their families each have businesses in the six countries. It's not much, but it's enough."

"Your Majesty, if a country wants to be strong, scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans are all indispensable. Currently, our Qin State emphasizes agriculture over commerce, which may be acceptable for a while, but if this continues, chaos will surely follow. Your Majesty, we need to change this."

Improve the status of merchants!

Ying Zheng’s first reaction was no.

But he didn't say it immediately, but thought about it seriously.

But sometimes some cognitions are deeply rooted, and in the end Ying Zheng did not immediately adopt Zhang Yuanqing's suggestion.

Zhang Yuanqing also knew that this matter couldn't be rushed. "Your Majesty, there's no rush. The right path is to proceed slowly. Perhaps Your Majesty doesn't quite understand the true value of businessmen yet. Not only Your Majesty, but how many of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers truly understand it?"

This is arrogant and conceited.

But Zhang Yuanqing didn't care. He had to say it first so that the king would pay attention to it.

"A country becomes rich when its people are rich. The people are the common people. So how can the common people become rich?"

Zhang Yuanqing spoke slowly and paused after asking a question to give Ying Zheng time to think.

"Have ordinary people become wealthy since the Xia Dynasty?"

No.

“So who are the people who get rich the fastest?”

businessman.

Shang was the country that succeeded Xia.

Unconsciously, Ying Zheng's thoughts had slowly followed Zhang Yuanqing's.