nycdaug Chapter 433 Young Master
Chapter 433 Young Master
The King of Qin smiled as he looked at his daughter, growing more and more pleased. Remembering his promise from last year, Ying Zheng slowly said, "Last year I said that if this year it was proven that your inventions of the curved plow, stone mill, and water mill were effective, I would certainly elevate your rank. This year, it seems your contributions are considerable. How about I elevate your rank to Junior High Official?" The historian was so startled that he dropped his brush.
An uproar immediately erupted below the steps. According to the Qin system, the highest rank a woman could attain was the fifth rank of nobility. Last year, Ying Wuyou had already been promoted several ranks, and this year she had even jumped two ranks, now reaching the fifteenth rank of nobility. This clearly demonstrated the Qin king's high regard and reward for Ying Wuyou.
Ying Wuyou was overjoyed; she hadn't expected her father to be so generous. She immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Father. Your son will certainly live up to your expectations and contribute my humble efforts to the Great Qin."
The King of Qin slowly descended from the high platform and walked to Ying Wuyou's side. He then unfastened the gold and jade belt hook from his waist, a treasure he had obtained from the Zhao kingdom after conquering Handan. He personally tied the belt hook around his daughter's waist.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall became lively. Prime Minister Feng Quji stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty is wise, and Princess Jiayang is exceptionally intelligent. This series of reforms has not only made the people prosperous, but also made our Great Qin's national strength flourish." The other ministers echoed his sentiments, and praises rose and fell.
Outside the palace, a refreshing autumn breeze blew, and the city of Xianyang was already abuzz with excitement. Farmers held their newly harvested wheat grains, weeping with joy; merchants calculated grain prices and planned their business for the year; even the soldiers guarding the border were greatly encouraged by the news—abundant provisions naturally boosted morale.
On this day, the people of Qin finally believed that the new policies were not a pipe dream, but a tangible reality of prosperity. Ying Wuyou gazed at the falling leaves fluttering outside the palace, silently thinking: [This is only the beginning.]
The sky above Xianyang was dyed orange-red by the setting sun, its afterglow spilling over the majestic palaces and shrouding the ancient capital in a veil of mystery. Inside the Qin Palace, Ying Wuyou stood with her hands behind her back, gazing into the distance, pondering the future of the Qin Dynasty. At this time, the Qin Kingdom was undergoing an unprecedented wave of change, and she was the core driving force behind this transformation.
That year, Ying Wuyou proposed holding the imperial examination, a move that caused a great stir. The news sent shockwaves through the six states, and Qin was also abuzz with discussion. The imperial examination broke the tradition of hereditary official positions held by nobles, opening a door to officialdom for talented individuals from all over the land. Upon hearing the news, scholars from humble backgrounds across the land flocked to Xianyang.
Ying Wuyou still remembers the day of the examination. Xianyang City was bustling with people, and the candidates' expressions were filled with anticipation and nervousness. This imperial examination was undoubtedly a success. It selected a large number of talented people for the Qin Dynasty. They brought new ideas and vitality to the Qin officialdom and brought a new atmosphere to the development of the Qin state.
Following this, Ying Wuyou hosted a medical exchange conference. This conference brought together physicians from all over Qin and the other six states to exchange medical techniques and share experiences. At the conference, treatments for various difficult and complex diseases were discussed, and new medical concepts and technologies were disseminated. This not only improved the medical standards of Qin but also made more people aware of the necessity and importance of medicine.
Subsequently, the establishment of the Great Qin Academy, the Great Qin Medical College, and the Great Qin Women's Academy, though not yet officially operational, demonstrated to the world the Great Qin's determination to cultivate talent. Most importantly, the Women's Academy broke with traditional notions, giving women the opportunity to receive education. In the future, the status of women will continue to rise.
Next came the exhibition held in Xianyang, a veritable feast of commerce and culture. The exhibition not only showcased various rare treasures and exquisite handicrafts from the Qin state, but also featured specialty goods from other countries. In just one month, the exhibition resulted in a significant increase in tax revenue, enriching the Qin treasury.
Most importantly, taking advantage of the exhibition, Ying Wuyou published the newspaper, and the effects of the newspaper on this era will become more and more obvious in the future.
Furthermore, the invention of printing revolutionized the way culture was disseminated in the Qin state. With printing, all of Qin's classic texts could be printed in large quantities. Damaged or lost books would no longer be lost to history.
The establishment of the library further provided people with a place to learn. Its collection of tens of millions of books, covering various fields such as history, philosophy, literature, and medicine, attracted numerous scholars and students to borrow and study them.
The successful production of glass brought Qin's handicraft industry to a new level. Transparent glass products were not only beautiful and practical, but also became important export commodities for Qin, earning the state a great deal of wealth.
Moreover, in that year, Ying Wuyou also changed the bureaucratic system of the Great Qin, simplifying the complex and cumbersome bureaucratic system and making them mutually supervised, thus preventing corrupt officials and unqualified officials from occupying official positions.
Building on this foundation, Ying Wuyou also defeated Wang Wan and Li Si, two historically significant figures. Following this, Ying Wuyou established an official evaluation system, implemented new policies, and carried out sweeping reforms of the Qin bureaucracy. A large number of corrupt and incompetent officials were punished, and the new officials, motivated by the evaluation system, were proactive and ambitious, laying a solid foundation for the development of the Qin state.
That year, the Qin state also enjoyed a bumper harvest. Grain production doubled compared to the previous year, while taxes were reduced by 10%, and exorbitant levies were waived by 23%. The implementation of this series of policies benefiting the people made them deeply grateful to Ying Wuyou, and at the same time strengthened the stability and harmony of the Qin state.
Looking back on this year, every reform and every step forward taken by the King of Qin was inseparable from Ying Wuyou's wisdom and courage. Her name was sung throughout Qin and even the other six states. People talked about her achievements and looked forward to a brighter future for Qin.
However, Ying Wuyou knew this was just the beginning. The road ahead remained fraught with challenges, and the six states' covetous eyes on Qin never ceased. But she was fearless. She believed that as long as Qin was united and continued to reform and innovate, it would surely achieve the great cause of unifying the world. In the days to come, she would continue to strive for the development of Qin and create even more miracles.
Ying Wuyou sat by the window, gazing into the distance, her mind replaying the events of the past year. Those experiences and people played out in her mind like a movie, causing her thoughts to drift away.
Time passed slowly, and the sky outside gradually darkened. Night fell, and a round moon hung in the sky, casting a silvery glow. Ying Wuyou quietly admired the beautiful night scene; the moonlight, like water, gently bathed her, as if draping her in a thin veil.
However, in this quiet night, a strong sense of homesickness welled up in Ying Wuyou's heart. She thought of her home in the 21st century. She wondered how her parents were doing now? Did they, too, sometimes gaze at the moon on a night and think of her?
A pang of sorrow welled up in Ying Wuyou's heart, and she couldn't help but sigh. This longing for home made her feel somewhat lonely and helpless.
After sitting for a while, Ying Wuyou stood up, walked to the washbasin, and quickly washed up. Then, she climbed into bed, pulled the blanket over herself, closed her eyes, and prepared to drift off to sleep.
In his dreams, Ying Wuyou might return to his 21st-century home and take a distant look at his parents.