nucmednet Chapter 27 Moving
Chapter 27 Moving
The next day, the entire city of Xianyang was awestruck by a new item—paper! The news spread like wildfire, causing a great stir not only in the imperial court but also among wealthy families and young nobles who had left the palace to establish their own residences. They were filled with curiosity about this novel thing and eagerly inquired about where they could buy paper.
For a time, the high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and powerful figures of Xianyang City were all caught up in a frenzy for paper, each wanting to be the first to possess this magical item. The ordinary people, however, could only look on with envy; although they had heard of paper, they couldn't imagine when they would ever own such a luxury.
After discussions among the Prime Minister and others yesterday, they finally decided to set the price of paper at one qian per sheet. While this price might not be cheap for ordinary people, it was quite affordable for court officials and nobles. After all, the bamboo slips they usually used were of superior quality and expensive, while this new type of paper was not only of excellent quality but also relatively inexpensive, making it excellent value for money.
Today, the issue of paper prices, raised by the Prime Minister, was discussed in the court. One minister stood up and said, "Is one qian per sheet too low? At such a low price, I fear the paper industry will find it difficult to develop."
Another minister countered, "The people are poor; if the price is too high, how can it be popularized?"
At this moment, the King of Qin spoke up: "What my ministers have said is all reasonable. How about this, we divide the paper into three grades according to quality: the lowest grade will be for the common people, priced at three coins per sheet; the middle grade will be for the scholars, priced at five coins per sheet; and the highest grade will be for the officials, priced at one tael per sheet. What do you all think?"
The courtiers were silent for a moment, then shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"
This resolution took into account both the development of the paper industry and the affordability of the general public. As a result, paper gradually became more widespread.
However, in recent days, the curiosity and desire for paper among the people of Xianyang City has been increasing day by day. Some people have obtained paper from unknown sources and have begun to trade it privately for one or two taels of silver per sheet. This has caused the price of paper in the market to rise sharply, and some people with connections have even begun to hoard it, causing the price of paper to soar to an absurd level.
Some shrewd businessmen saw a business opportunity and began buying large quantities of paper on the black market, then secretly selling it to other countries at high prices.
Upon hearing the commotion caused by the papermaking process, the King of Qin realized he had to take measures to control the situation. He ordered strict supervision of paper production and sales, while also increasing the secrecy surrounding the papermaking method. These measures quickly calmed the uproar caused by the paper, and its production spread among ordinary people.
These past few days, Ying Wuyou has been in a very good mood. After handing over the papermaking task to the King of Qin a couple of days ago, she felt a great sense of relief. Now, she only needs to attend classes at the palace school every morning, and in the afternoon she can fully enjoy the comfort of sunshine and sleep.
Ying Wuyou was unaware of the commotion and noise outside caused by the advent of paper. She was particularly leisurely lately, and with nothing to do, she decided to move. With October approaching, Ying Wuyou had a sudden inspiration and set the moving date for October 1st. This date held special significance for her; she harbored deep patriotic feelings. The moment that should have been spent celebrating National Day was now impossible due to her time travel. Therefore, Ying Wuyou resolutely chose this day to move, so that she could celebrate it every year.
Ying Wuyou stood at the door, watching the maids busily moving things around. A hint of anticipation flickered in her eyes; this new courtyard would be the beginning of her new life.
"Princess, everything is ready," Cui'er reported.
Ying Wuyou smiled and nodded, then walked into the courtyard. She looked around, quite satisfied.
Ying Wuyou strolled in the courtyard, admiring the beautiful scenery. Everything in the courtyard was arranged according to Ying Wuyou's preferences. There was a large tree in the courtyard, and a swing under the tree. Ying Wuyou jogged over and sat on the swing, gently swaying.
A gentle breeze blew by, carrying a slight chill. Ying Wuyou closed her eyes, feeling the caress of the wind. At this moment, she forgot all her troubles and was immersed in this tranquility.
Just then, a butterfly fluttered over and landed on Ying Wuyou's fingertip. She moved slightly, and the butterfly, startled, flew away. Ying Wuyou watched the direction it had gone, stopped swinging, and decided to have hot pot.
Ying Wuyou sent Cui'er and Lan'er to the imperial kitchen to carefully select a variety of vegetables and meats. Ying Wuyou also specially brought out a copper pot that she had prepared beforehand, which she had specially commissioned to be made; it was exquisitely shaped and crafted.
Then, Ying Wuyou called to the maids and eunuchs in the courtyard to stop what they were doing and invited them to enjoy the sumptuous hot pot together. Upon hearing this, everyone showed expressions of surprise and delight, and happily sat together to enjoy this rare delicacy.
While enjoying hotpot and gazing at the sun on the horizon, Ying Wuyou silently made a wish: "May our country prosper and our people live in peace and happiness."
On this special day, Ying Wuyou expressed his love and blessings for his motherland in his own way.
Ying Wuyou thoroughly enjoyed the hotpot meal, and the maids and eunuchs were deeply grateful to her. The princess's actions made them feel incredibly warm and thankful. Normally, there was a strict hierarchy between masters and servants; servants could only stand aside to serve their masters and were not allowed to dine at the same table. However, Ying Wuyou treated the servants like family, giving them equal treatment. This behavior was truly touching to these eunuchs and maids; they felt respected.
After finishing their hotpot, the maids and eunuchs worked even harder. In the middle of the day, they had organized all of Ying Wuyou's belongings. Looking at the tidy room, Ying Wuyou nodded in satisfaction. She turned to the maids and eunuchs who had worked all day and said with a smile, "You've all worked hard today. I have a small gift for you." With that, she gestured to a maid beside her to hand her a plate filled with silver.
"This is a reward for you. Take it and buy something you like," Ying Wuyou said gently.
The maids and eunuchs were deeply moved and knelt down to express their gratitude. Ying Wuyou smiled, told them to rise, and said, "As long as you work diligently in the future, I will reward you even more."
Everyone responded in unison, "Thank you, Princess!"
Seeing their happy faces, Ying Wuyou felt a surge of joy in her heart. She knew that only by treating those around her kindly could she gain their genuine support. In this palace, cultivating good relationships would make things much easier in the future.