Chapter 58 Inspecting Sanchuan County
The imperial procession set off eastward along the Wei River, passed through Hangu Pass, and soon entered Sanchuan County.
The name Sanchuan County might sound unfamiliar, but Luoyang is a place that is well-known to later generations.
The governor of Sanchuan Commandery at the time was Li You, the eldest son of Chancellor Li Si.
Before the First Emperor's carriage even reached the Sanchuan Commandery, he had already ordered meticulous preparations to be made.
Since receiving the imperial edict for the First Emperor's eastern tour, the entire Sanchuan Prefecture has been like a wound-up machine, operating silently and efficiently.
Almost all the village heads and hamlet chiefs in Sanchuan County were tasked with admonishing and investigating the wandering knights within their jurisdictions. The imperial road was repaired again, with yellow earth laid on top, making it as smooth as a mirror. The palace where the First Emperor stayed was completely renovated, with new furnishings and curtains. The wine, meat, and provisions were made from this year's abundant winter wheat harvest.
Li You felt that everything was foolproof, but before dawn, he still got up to check it over and over again, personally inspecting it to ensure that nothing went wrong.
As the procession of black banners and carriages, symbolizing supreme power, slowly approached, the imposing presence of the six-horse-drawn golden chariot was immediately apparent.
Li You stood by the official road, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his black official robe perfectly in place in the morning light.
His heartbeat gradually synchronized with the muffled drumbeats coming from afar, but it was not fear, but rather the anticipation of everything being ready and waiting for inspection.
In middle age, one should be more composed. Li You was no stranger to the world. On the contrary, in his youth he witnessed his father Li Si's smooth career advancement in the Qin Dynasty, and he personally watched his father and the First Emperor expand the Qin territory step by step to encompass the six other states. Therefore, Li You deeply admired both of them.
He hoped the two of them would see a Sanchuan County with strict laws and a harmonious economy. He longed for recognition.
Xiao Shui glanced at Li You's solemn expression, and then looked at the expressions of the surrounding officials, which were no different from Li You's.
She straightened her official robes and gazed at the approaching procession, a sense of anticipation rising in her heart.
The Great Shaman and Qi are here too...
Over the course of a year, she established textile workshops in Sanchuan County, accommodating thousands of female textile workers. She actively improved the lives of her female workers, increased their literacy rates, and ensured that their children and parents had support in their old age and that the young received education. This allowed the female workers to focus on their work without distractions.
The increasing number of literate female workers also benefited the textile workshops.
Some female workers spontaneously summarized their experiences and learned about textile machinery from the Mohist artisans.
They astutely discovered that adjusting the warp tilt angle of the slant loom could make the shed clearer, allowing the shuttle to pass through quickly and reducing thread jamming.
In addition, some female workers who had mastered the knowledge of Mohism, which is essentially scientific knowledge, cleverly used the pinhole imaging principle they had learned to place copper mirrors above the loom to guide outdoor light to the warp area, creating a brighter, shadowless working surface that greatly reduced eye fatigue and error rate.
Such examples are too numerous to list.
The female workers' initiative significantly increased the productivity of the textile workshops in Sanchuan County. Xiao Shui compiled her findings into a book and sent it to Xianyang. Subsequently, Xiao Shui was promoted, and the female workers who made contributions were rewarded.
Therefore, in the procession of officials from Sanchuan County who were welcoming the First Emperor's eastern tour, Xiao Shui was positioned to the side and behind Li You.
Firstly, because of her relationship with Lin Fengzhi, and secondly, because of her significant contributions to the textile industry in Sanchuan County over a year after taking office.
Li You led all the officials in Sanchuan County to prostrate themselves in worship, their movements perfectly synchronized.
After the grand ceremony, the First Emperor did not dismount from his carriage, but had his prime minister Li Si, who was standing to the side, inquire on his behalf.
Li Si's gaze swept over his son, calm and unwavering, no different from how he looked at any other prefect.
"Prefect Li You of Sanchuan, Your Majesty inquires about the well-being of the prefecture?"
Xiao Shui saw Li You's body tremble slightly, as if he had taken a deep breath. Then he stepped forward, his voice clear and steady, neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the First Emperor in the Golden Root Carriage to hear clearly.
"Your Majesty, thanks to Your Majesty's divine might, the Sanchuan Prefecture has seen an increase of 37,000 hectares of reclaimed land and 8,000 households last year, with granaries stockpiled enough to last three years. In terms of criminal cases within the prefecture, since I took office, 900 cases have been closed, with none backlogged or delayed. Bandits have vanished from the territory, and no one picks up lost items on the road. All of this is due to Your Majesty's clear and effective laws; I have merely diligently followed them and dare not claim credit."
He didn't utter a single empty word; it was all solid numbers and facts. Behind every number lay countless days and nights of his diligent work and dedication.
After a brief silence, a calm yet penetrating voice came from inside the car, containing only one word: "Goodness."
Li You's heart sank, then was filled with immense joy. This single word, "goodness," weighed heavier than a thousand pounds. His tireless efforts day and night had been affirmed, and he prostrated himself in gratitude once more, his posture flawless.
The carriages did not stop and continued on their way. In the procession, when Prime Minister Li Si's carriage passed by him, there seemed to be a momentary, almost imperceptible pause. Li Si's gaze met his for a fleeting instant, and a barely perceptible hint of approval flashed in his eyes before disappearing.
Li You maintained a respectful farewell posture until the First Emperor's entourage completely disappeared at the end of the road.
He slowly straightened up, sunlight falling on his face. Officials from Sanchuan County gathered around, their faces filled with joy and admiration.
Before the carriage departed, Lin Fengzhi lifted the curtain and searched for Xiao Shui among the kneeling officials.
Among the group of men, Xiao Shui's figure was very conspicuous, and she was standing near the front, so Lin Fengzhi immediately locked onto her.
Her time spent training in Sanchuan County had made her appear much more mature. The girl who had questioned her when they first met had now transformed into a local official.
When Lin Fengzhi saw the female officials kneeling behind Xiaoshui, she realized that Xiaoshui had been transformed and had become a protector and role model for many more women.
Lin Fengzhi noticed the gaunt lines on her cheeks and sighed inwardly; she had lost a lot of weight too. These days must have been tough for her, Xiao Shui. I hope you've gotten what you wanted.
She never mentioned any difficulties she encountered at work in her letters, always reporting good news and never bad. Lin Fengzhi even learned about the predicaments she had faced from Qi. In fact, Xiao Shui's letters to Qi were also the same, only reporting good news and never bad. However, Qi and Li You's daughter, Li Zhao, were classmates, and Li Si intended to cultivate Li Zhao. He would more or less mention Li You's governance of Sanchuan County, and the parts involving Xiao Shui were also told to Qi.
The wind carried Lin Fengzhi's voice calling for Xiao Shui.
Xiao Shui seemed to sense something and looked up, seeing Lin Fengzhi and Qi waving at her.
Xiao Shui's restrained emotions were evident in her eyes; she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth to conceal the turbulent emotions within her.
Lin Fengzhi put her index finger to her lips and silently shushed him.
After the First Emperor and Lin Fengzhi left, the officials of Sanchuan County stood up one after another.
Amidst the solemn and dignified procession, Lin Fengzhi's call was clear and joyful. Those present were not blind or deaf, and seeing how close Lin Fengzhi's carriage was to the First Emperor, they naturally guessed that he was the most sought-after divine envoy of the Qin Dynasty in the past year.
Some officials looked at Xiao Shui with completely different eyes. They had long heard that the divine messenger could grant any wish, and was deeply trusted by the First Emperor, but they never expected that she would call out Xiao Shui's name in the midst of the solemn procession.
Li You turned to Xiao Shui and said, "His Majesty and the Divine Envoy may inspect the textile workshops later. If His Majesty has any questions, please ask Xiao Shui to answer them."
Xiao Shui nodded: "I will do my best to show His Majesty and the ministers of the court the new look of Sanchuan County."
She also showed the High Priestess how much she had grown over the year.
Li You had no time for pleasantries with Xiao Shui; he had been of great help to her over the past year. Other officials, however, hesitated to approach Xiao Shui to try and build a closer relationship, but Li You stopped them.
What good will it do to fawn over them now, when they used to ignore us? We shouldn't let this interfere with their work.
Li You quickly prepared a welcoming banquet and dispatched messengers to confirm the First Emperor's lodging arrangements at the temporary palace. He personally oversaw the procession to ensure the city's security and the supply of provisions were handled flawlessly.
Xiao Shui immediately returned to the textile workshop outside the city.
She summoned all the artisans and stewards to clean and tidy up the official workshops inside and out with great efficiency, and displayed the latest improved spinning machines, looms, and the finest finished silk and linen fabrics in preparation for a possible imperial display.
Sure enough, in the afternoon a messenger came to deliver the order that His Majesty and the divine messenger would move to inspect the textile workshops.
When the First Emperor entered the official residence accompanied by Lin Fengzhi, Xiao Shui led the crowd in kneeling to greet him. After the ceremony, Lin Fengzhi quickly stepped forward, personally helped Xiao Shui up, and looked at her with eyes full of heartache: "Xiao Shui, you've lost weight, but... you look more energetic."
Qi stood to the side with a pen and paper, seemingly writing something down.
Xiao Shui raised her head and looked at the Great Shaman she hadn't seen in a long time. A thousand words were stuck in her chest, and in the end, they turned into a choked whisper: "Great Shaman, I'm fine. Look, this is the brocade we wove the new way you taught us... The female workers in Sanchuan County have also improved the slanted loom, making it even faster."
Lin Fengzhi held her hand: "I've read everything you wrote in your letter. Xiao Shui is capable of handling things on her own now."
During the subsequent inspection, Xiao Shui shed her earlier excitement and became calm and capable. She clearly explained to the First Emperor and Lin Fengzhi the increased efficiency of the new spinning wheel, the durability of the new dyeing process, and showcased the new silk products as beautiful as clouds. Her report was well-organized and based on solid data, even the accompanying officials nodded in approval.
After the inspection, the First Emperor was greatly pleased and bestowed rewards upon the emperor.
As night fell and official business was finished, Xiao Shui finally had the opportunity to meet Lin Fengzhi privately in her official residence.
Xiao Shui talked on and on about her experiences over the past year, the difficulties and achievements at work, and the trivial matters in her life.
Lin Fengzhi listened with heartache and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.
Qi continued to write and draw on the side.
Xiao Shui pretended to look, but Qi became extremely nervous and quickly closed the notebook and stuffed it into his sleeve.
Xiao Shui narrowed her eyes, as if she was about to get angry.
Lin Fengzhi smoothed things over: "He's been like this the whole way, even in the carriage. He wouldn't say anything when I asked, nor would he let me see anything. When he was free, he would go and discuss something with Liu Ji. Oh, and he would also ask questions to the teachers at Xianyang Academy."
Liu Ji was not originally on the list for the eastern tour; it was Meng Yi who added him. The tour might pass through Liu Ji's hometown. Liu Ji had helped Qin conquer the Baiyue region at a lower cost, and Meng Yi reasoned that, given Liu Ji's personality, it would be a great pity if he couldn't return home in glory and show off.
During the eastern tour, Liu Ji and Qi often whispered to each other, their conversations unreadable. Lin Fengzhi didn't interfere; children grow up and develop their own ideas.
Qi tightened his sleeves: "I haven't finished yet, but I'll show it to you when I'm done. The Great Shaman didn't say anything, so why do you insist on seeing it? Besides, the Great Shaman was also writing in the carriage, but he didn't let me see it either."
Lin Fengzhi touched her nose. She couldn't very well say that she was sorting out her assets and figuring out how to distribute them if she really left.
To be honest, she's really rich.
Not to mention her salary, the rewards that the First Emperor gave her during festivals were also quite substantial.
After she and Li Zhao finished decorating the library, they tallied up their private assets, which were so rich that even Lin Fengzhi, who was determined to return home, almost wavered in her resolve.
She would definitely leave a portion of her property to the Korlo people. Even though An said in her letter that the Korlo people's territory was now prosperous and thriving, their school was upright and full of culture, and gold was still being produced in the Gold Rush River, the Korlo people would surely be able to support themselves in the future.
Lin Fengzhi still decided to leave a portion of her assets to them.
After all, she took Qing's body, so she has to take responsibility.
As for how to allocate the remaining funds, Lin Fengzhi was still pondering it.
"You..." Xiao Shui said angrily, "Who said they wanted to see it? You were the one who was sneaking around and cowering!"
The two started arguing, but Lin Fengzhi just smiled.
It feels like we've returned to the land of the Korlo people.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
