nucmednet Chapter 610 Prince Xi of Yan's Despair
Chapter 610 Prince Xi of Yan's Despair
"Furthermore," Li You added, "we should allocate a portion of the Qin goods we brought to the wealthy merchants and nobles of Linzi. We should especially take care of those who are at odds with Hou Sheng. Let them know that if they submit to Qin, they can continue doing business and making money as usual."
"Your humble servant understands."
After Wang Ben withdrew, Li You stood alone by the window, gazing at the night view of Linzi.
This city is beautiful. Thousands of lights illuminate the city, bustling with activity, a scene of peace and prosperity. But how long can this prosperity last? If war breaks out, a deafening thunderbolt will reduce it all to ruins.
He recalled Ying Wuyou's words before his departure: "Director Li, this journey is not to surrender, but to save people. To save the people of Linzi, to save the culture of Qi, and to save the wealth accumulated over eight hundred years. Unification is inevitable, but how to unify is a choice we can make."
Yes, there is a choice. To unify by sword or by wisdom? Li You chose the latter.
He hoped that his choice was the right one.
March 20th, Xianyang.
Discussions about the King of Qin declaring himself emperor have spread from the imperial court to the common people.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of History have drafted three alternative titles: "Emperor," "Heavenly Emperor," and "Taiwanese Emperor," each with its own supporters.
Chunyu Yue and other Confucian scholars revered the "Taihuang" (泰皇), believing that the character "Tai" represented the highest, greatest, and most stable, which conformed to the Confucian ideal of "as stable as Mount Tai." Moreover, the "Taihuang" had existed since ancient times, being one of the Three Sovereigns, and had a historical lineage.
The Legalists, led by Meng Tian, advocated for the title "Emperor," believing that "Emperor" signified "greatness" and "beauty," while "Emperor" represented "the title of ruler of the world," combining the two to convey both nobility and authority. Furthermore, the two characters "Emperor" were concise, powerful, and easy to disseminate.
Another group of veteran officials suggested using "Emperor," meaning "Son of Heaven," to emphasize the divine right of kings.
The three parties argued endlessly, and none of them could convince the others.
At the princess's residence, Cui'er asked Ying Wuyou curiously, "Princess, which title do you think is best for the King?"
Looking at the curious eyes of Cui'er, Lan'er, and the other maids, Ying Wuyou thought for a moment and replied, "There is a saying: 'If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper; if the words are not proper, things will not be accomplished.' The title is important, but it must be worthy of the title. If one is called 'Emperor,' one must have the responsibility of an emperor; if one is called 'Emperor Tai,' one must have the steadiness of Mount Tai; if one is called 'Emperor Tian,' one must have the magnanimity of the heavens."
Cui'er and her maids listened thoughtfully. Yes, a title is not just a nice-sounding word, but also a responsibility.
"Princess, you must have had this idea for a while, right?" Cui'er asked Ying Wuyou curiously.
Ying Wuyou nodded: "I think 'Emperor' is the best. It's concise, powerful, and unprecedented. Father is going to create an unprecedented unified dynasty, so naturally he should use an unprecedented title. 'Taihuang' is too old-fashioned, 'Tianhuang' is too vague, 'Emperor' is just right."
"Then why doesn't the princess speak?"
“It’s not the right time yet.” Ying Wuyou sipped her tea. “I need to wait until they’ve argued enough and are tired of arguing before I bring it up and make a final decision. Besides… there’s something else I need to wait for.”
"Wait for what?"
“Wait for news from Qi and Yan.” Ying Wuyou’s gaze was distant. “If we can unify the world before declaring ourselves emperor, then this ‘emperor’ will truly be worthy of the title. Otherwise, declaring ourselves emperor before the world is at peace will be somewhat unworthy of the title.”
Cui'er nodded: "The princess is very farsighted."
Just then, Shunzi rushed in: "Princess, Lu Dianji from the Ministry of Rites requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report."
"Let her in."
Empress Lü entered quickly, bowed, and said, "Princess, according to the statistics from the Ministry of Personnel, more than 40,000 people have registered to take the exams in various places. Among them, more than 800 are women, far exceeding expectations."
"That's great!" Ying Wuyou said with a smile. "It seems the Li family's example has worked."
“Yes, but a problem has arisen.” Lü Zhi said with a serious expression, “There is a serious shortage of female examiners. Two hundred women were selected and sent to the examination venues, but now that the number of examinees has increased, at least five hundred are needed to keep up. However, there are only three or four hundred literate women in Xianyang, and many of them are officials’ wives who are unwilling to travel far.”
This is indeed a difficult problem. Few women are literate to begin with, and even fewer are literate enough to leave home. As for the daughters of officials, sending them to the border regions to supervise examinations? Probably no one would be willing.
“A generous reward will surely attract brave men.” Ying Wuyou pondered, “Improve the treatment, reward the examiners with ten strings of cash for one month of invigilation, and let the previously selected female examiners conduct selections in various counties.”
"Ten strings of cash?" Lü Zhi exclaimed in surprise. "This...this is higher than the prefect's monthly salary."
"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," Ying Wuyou said.
Empress Lü Zhi suddenly understood: "I understand. I'll take care of it right away."
“Furthermore,” Ying Wuyou called after her, “the matter of women proctoring the exams should be properly reported by the Da Qin Xin Bao. Not only should their deeds be reported, but also stories of women studying diligently in various places. We need to create an atmosphere where it is a matter of course for women to study and take exams.”
"promise."
Liaodong, Xiangping City.
This place was once a border town of the Yan Kingdom, and now it has become the last refuge of King Xi of Yan. The city is simple, the houses are dilapidated, and the streets are muddy. Thirty thousand remnants of the Yan army are stationed here, along with their accompanying nobles and families, totaling less than fifty thousand people.
King Xi of Yan stood on the city wall, gazing at the distant white mountains and black waters, feeling a deep sense of desolation.
Three years ago, he was the powerful King of Yan, ruling over Ji City with 200,000 armored soldiers and tens of thousands of archers. But the Qin army came from the east, their thunderous roar shaking the heavens, and Ji City fell in three days. He fled north in panic, suffering heavy losses along the way, and finally arrived in this harsh and cold land.
Liaodong was a miserable place. Winters were long, with heavy snow blocking the mountains; summers were short, with mosquitoes swarming. The land was barren, yielding little food; the population was sparse, making it difficult to recruit soldiers. Thirty thousand remaining troops were already the limit.
"Your Majesty, it's windy, let's return to the palace," the Prime Minister, Li Fu, said in a low voice. This old minister had followed the Prince of Yan all the way north, and now he was haggard and worn out.
"Return to the palace?" The Prince of Yan smiled wryly. "Can that even be called a palace?"
The so-called "palace" was merely the largest residence in Xiangping City, a three-courtyard complex, ten times smaller than the Prince's Mansion in Jicheng. It was drafty in winter and leaky in summer, and didn't even have decent furniture.
Li Fu remained silent. Yes, this was no palace; it was clearly a prison.
"Where is the Qin envoy?" King Xi of Yan suddenly asked.
"We're almost in western Liaoning," Li Fu said. "The leader is... Xiang Yan."
"Xiang Yan?" King Xi of Yan was startled. "Xiang Yan of Chu? That famous general who resisted Qin?"
“It is him.” Li Fu sighed. “Last year, when Qin attacked Chu, Xiang Yan held out for two months. However, due to the King of Chu’s suspicion, he did not send reinforcements. When his food and supplies ran out, he had no choice but to surrender to Qin. Now… now he is serving Qin.”
King Xi of Yan closed his eyes. Xiang Yan, the Chu general who had once given the Qin army a headache on the battlefield, had now surrendered. With even someone like him surrendering, what hope did the Yan state have left?
How many men did he bring?
"The delegation consists of a hundred people, and there are ten cartloads of gifts—not gold and silver jewelry, but grain, cloth, and medicine." Li Fu paused, "These are exactly what we need most."
King Yan smiled wryly: "King Qin is... using diplomacy before resorting to force."
“Your Majesty,” Li Fu lowered his voice, “Xiang Yan’s experiences are similar to ours. Perhaps he… can understand our situation.”
"What good is understanding?" King Xi of Yan shook his head. "Will understanding prevent the downfall of the country?"
The two remained silent. The cold wind howled, whipping up the snow accumulated on the wall, stinging their faces.