I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 154: How to Resolve the Soldiers' Suffering from the Cold?

After two days of meticulous planning and drafting, Ying Wuyou finally finished the army training plan. Overjoyed, she clutched the plan, a testament to her hard work and wisdom, tightly in her hand and hurried towards the Zhangtai Palace. Along the way, she felt both excited and nervous, eagerly anticipating presenting the plan to the King of Qin as soon as possible.

However, when she arrived at Zhangtai Palace, she was told by the guards on duty that the King of Qin was not there that day. Led by a clever young eunuch, she wandered through winding corridors and courtyards, and finally found the King of Qin strolling leisurely in a quiet garden.

Ying Wuyou strode forward, a bright smile on her face, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Jiayang greets Father." The King of Qin stopped upon hearing her voice, turned to look at Ying Wuyou, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Have you finished that army training plan?"

Ying Wuyou smiled and nodded, replying, "Yes, Father. I originally intended to go to Zhangtai Palace to report this matter to you, but I didn't expect you to be strolling leisurely here, enjoying the beautiful scenery in the garden."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin laughed heartily and said loudly, "Staying in that great hall all day dealing with state affairs is really quite tedious. I also want to come out for some fresh air and relax my mind and body."

Ying Wuyou quickly echoed, "Father is absolutely right. This garden is beautiful and the air is fresh. You can come here often to relax, relieve stress, and improve your health!"

The King of Qin smiled and said, "Yes, you're right. You don't need to give me your army training plan; go directly to General Wang Jian to take a look."

Ying Wuyou pouted and said coquettishly, "I was so happy thinking that Father would praise me after he saw it, but you didn't even glance at it." As she finished speaking, her big, watery eyes were filled with grievance and disappointment.

Seeing this, the King of Qin smiled slightly, reached out and gently stroked Ying Wuyou's little head, and said in a gentle tone, "Jiayang, if General Wang Jian can adopt the method you proposed and it really works well, then it will truly prove that your idea is brilliant. Only then will I have a reason to praise you properly."

Upon hearing this, Ying Wuyou pouted and muttered with slight dissatisfaction, "Oh dear, Father, this is the second time you've said something like this to me. You're just making empty promises."

The King of Qin looked puzzled and asked, "Jiayang, what exactly do you mean by 'drawing a big pie in the sky'?"

Ying Wuyou couldn't help but chuckle and explained, "Father, the so-called 'drawing a big cake' means that although the cake looks good, it's just a drawing; you can only see it but can't actually eat it. You always promise to reward me, but in the end, you might not be able to deliver. Isn't that just drawing a big cake?"

The King of Qin was amused by his daughter's innocent words and laughed heartily. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Haha, I see. But Jiayang, rest assured, I will not forget my promise to you."

Ying Wuyou blinked, nodded obediently, and replied, "Yes, of course I believe my father."

The King of Qin smiled with satisfaction, then asked, "By the way, how are those alchemists I asked you to arrange doing now?"

Ying Wuyou scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and replied, "Father, it's not all arranged yet. These past two days, I've been busy with military training and haven't had time to go to the estate to check on things. For now, we've just temporarily settled them there."

The King of Qin smiled and said slowly, "Hmm. The weather is getting colder and colder. Although ordinary people have heated brick beds to keep warm, the soldiers guarding the frontier still have to endure the bitter cold. Jiayang, do you have any good solutions for this?"

Ying Wuyou pondered to himself: "Making down jackets is impossible right now. While Qin has ducks, processing their feathers is difficult without machinery. As for cotton, there's no cotton in Xinjiang yet. Therefore, the most convenient and feasible solution is to use wool. Furthermore, several coal mines have been discovered, and honeycomb briquettes can be manufactured."

The King of Qin listened intently to Ying Wuyou's inner monologue, a look of doubt creeping onto his face. [Down jackets made of duck feathers? Duck feathers are stiff; while they may provide warmth, their effectiveness is questionable. Furthermore, what exactly is cotton? And what are those honeycomb briquettes? Wool can certainly provide warmth, but its odor is truly unpleasant. Giving wool to the soldiers would probably be inappropriate.]

Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou cupped his hands and said to the King of Qin, "Father, I need a group of people."

The King of Qin frowned slightly and asked with a suspicious look, "What do you need people for?"

Ying Wuyou, who was standing to the side, quickly stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Father, I wish to recruit some people to mine coal."

Upon hearing the unfamiliar term "coal mine," the King of Qin's eyes widened, and he asked with a face full of doubt, "Coal mine? I have never heard of such a mineral before. What does a coal mine look like? And what is it used for?"

Ying Wuyou quickly explained, "Father, you may not know this, but this coal mine is a type of mineral deposit that produces coal. After coal is burned, it can generate heat, which can be used for heating and keeping warm, bringing warmth to people."

The King of Qin nodded thoughtfully, but still somewhat puzzled, he continued to ask, "According to you, isn't this coal pretty much the same as the wood we use every day?"

Ying Wuyou smiled slightly and patiently explained, "Father, these two are quite different! Although wood can also be burned for warmth, it burns relatively quickly and provides only a limited amount of heat; coal, on the other hand, once ignited, can continuously release a large amount of heat energy, providing a more lasting warmth."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin suddenly realized his mistake. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Most of the people are currently unemployed and have nothing to do. Why not let them go out and work as laborers to mine coal?"

However, Ying Wuyou shook his head slightly and said with a solemn expression, "Father, coal mines are ultimately mineral resources, and their importance is self-evident. I believe that the specific location and function of coal mines must not be easily revealed. If ordinary people are involved in labor, there will likely be many safety hazards."

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin found it reasonable and nodded in agreement, saying, "In that case, let's select some prisoners from the prison to go there."

When Ying Wuyou saw that the King of Qin had adopted his suggestion, his face immediately lit up with joy. He quickly cupped his hands and praised, "Father is wise; this is truly a perfect plan!"

The King of Qin frowned slightly and asked again, "If this method is implemented, will it completely solve the problem of our Qin soldiers suffering from the cold on the border?"

Ying Wuyou gently shook his head and replied slowly, "Father, the only method I can think of is to use wool. First, weave it into yarn, then knit it into thick, warm sweaters, and distribute them to the soldiers on the border. This might alleviate their suffering from the cold to some extent, but to completely solve the problem, we probably need to consider other better solutions. As for coal, everyone can use it for warmth."

After listening, the King of Qin nodded thoughtfully and said, "Well, I'll leave this matter to you. If you need any assistance during the process, you can go to Wang Wan."

Ying Wuyou quickly bowed and expressed his gratitude, replying, "Thank you for your trust and support, Father. I will do my utmost to fulfill my mission."

Afterwards, the father and daughter talked for a long time about how to better improve the living conditions of the soldiers on the border. It wasn't until the sun set and its afterglow shone on the palace windows that the King of Qin rose to return to Zhangtai Palace. He patted Ying Wuyou on the shoulder, urging her to rest well and not to overwork herself. Ying Wuyou obediently nodded in agreement, and after seeing the King of Qin off, she turned and returned to Chaohua Palace.