jdhmnovel Chapter 17 Obtaining the Token to Leave the Palace
Chapter 17 Obtaining the Token to Leave the Palace
Hearing Lan'er's words, Ying Wuyou was surprised. The Imperial Guards were very powerful, specializing in guarding the palace. They only obeyed the orders of the King of Qin. The King of Qin's use of the Imperial Guards was a clear expression of refusal, not giving these people any chance.
However, this would make her the target of public criticism. The King of Qin couldn't have been unaware of this, so there are only two possibilities: either he doesn't care, and bestowing a title doesn't necessarily mean he likes her, but is simply a reward; or this is a disguised test to see if she can handle these matters herself. If she handles them well, she passes the test and may have more opportunities. If she doesn't, she loses the privileges he has given her.
Regardless of the Qin King's possible attitude, Ying Wuyou was determined to overcome all difficulties since she had come to Qin and had the goal of protecting it for eternity. So what if she became a target of public criticism? So what if she was a woman? She wanted to step outside the palace to do more. If her brothers and sisters could get along peacefully, they could make money together. If anyone caused trouble, she would make an example of them!
Having figured all this out, Ying Wuyou stopped worrying about these things. His most urgent task was to find a way to get a token to leave the palace. He couldn't do anything in the palace at any time. He had to make money first, then leave the palace to build his own residence, and then gradually make his plans.
Ying Wuyou tidied himself up and, with Cui'er in tow, headed towards Zhangtai Palace. They arrived shortly afterward. Upon seeing Ying Wuyou, the guards at the palace entrance quickly went inside to announce his arrival, and soon came out to invite him in.
Ying Wuyou approached the King of Qin from a short distance away and bowed, saying, "Jiayang greets my father! Thank you for bestowing upon me the title and palace. Long live my father!"
Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's words, the King of Qin asked, "Does Jiayang believe that I can live for ten thousand years?"
Ying Wuyou inwardly cursed himself: [How could I have blurted out something I saw on TV? If I say "ten thousand years," I'll look like a turtle! I must be more careful with my words from now on!] But aloud he said, "Father, of course I hope you can live ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"
Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's inner thoughts, the King of Qin asked with some displeasure, "Alright, what brings you to me today?"
Ying Wuyou did not get up, but continued, "Father, I wish to leave the palace for a while. Please grant me permission!"
After hearing this, the King of Qin asked, "Oh? What do you want to do outside the palace?"
Ying Wuyou said, "Your Majesty, I wish to buy an estate to raise pigs!" (彘 is the ancient term for pig.)
Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's words, the King of Qin frowned and asked in a deep voice, "What kind of behavior is it for a princess of the great Qin Dynasty with a title to go out and raise pigs?"
Ying Wuyou hurriedly said, "Father, I have heard that the people of our Great Qin can only eat meat a few times a year. Cattle are livestock for plowing the fields and cannot be eaten. The price of mutton is too high for ordinary people to afford. I have heard that ordinary people can only eat pigs, but pig meat has a strong smell and is not very tasty. I want to try to see if we can remove the fishy smell of pig meat. If we can remove it, we can raise pigs in large quantities. Pigs have a high survival rate, are easy to raise, and have a short growth cycle, so a certain amount of meat can be supplied to the market in a short period of time."
Not only will ordinary people be able to eat it, but the pigs can also be processed into dried meat and other easily preserved forms to be transported to the front lines as supplies. Pig meat is very nutritious; if there is meat at every meal, it can reduce grain consumption. Meat is plentiful and highly nutritious, good for the body, and helps build strength. Then, the Qin soldiers will be even more valiant and invincible in battle. I humbly request Father's permission to leave the palace!
Hearing Ying Wuyou's words, the King of Qin's tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed. He understood that Jiayang did have a way to remove the fishy smell from the pig meat. As for what method? It was probably guided by the system. Overall, this was a good thing. Moreover, Jiayang seemed to be implying that the pig meat was very effective.
The King of Qin knew the benefits of eating meat, but the Qin Dynasty had been at war for years, and the national treasury was in dire straits, unable to guarantee that all soldiers would eat meat. If pig meat could truly be used as a resource, then the physical fitness of the Qin soldiers would undoubtedly improve significantly. At that time, Qin would truly be invincible, and the unification of the six states would be just around the corner. Thinking of this, the King of Qin was very excited. [However, it's certainly not advisable for Jia Yang, a young woman, to leave the palace alone.]
Seeing the King of Qin deep in thought, Ying Wuyou knew there was hope. The King of Qin valued the soldiers of Qin most, and he was willing to try anything to improve Qin's fighting strength. However, Ying Wuyou also understood the King's concerns, so she continued, "Father, do you think it's inconvenient for a woman like me to go out alone? Father, I can dress as a man. I will not reveal myself until I have done so. Even after I have, Father can announce to the world that it was my elder brother and his group who developed it. I don't care about reputation; I only wish for the Qin Dynasty to last ten thousand years!"
Hearing Ying Wuyou's firm tone in his last sentence, the King of Qin said, "If it succeeds, your merit will be yours alone. What does it matter if it's given to your elder brother? If your elder brother is capable, he should earn his own merit. Take this token! Leave the palace through the back gate. Don't let anyone discover you before you succeed. I will also provide you with several guards. You can leave the palace at any time, but you cannot stay overnight outside. Do you understand?" As he spoke, he took out a token, and Zhao Gao slowly stepped forward, took the token, and handed it to Ying Wuyou.
Ying Wuyou thanked the emperor, saying, "Thank you, Father. I will certainly not let you down!"
With the token in hand, Ying Wuyou was overjoyed. He could finally leave the palace. Once he was out of the palace, he could make money and then gradually realize his other plans.
Ying Wuyou held the token, looking at it from left to right, quite fond of it. Although the token's material didn't feel particularly special, it was an essential item for entering and leaving the palace; without it, one couldn't leave the palace.
Ordinary concubines in the harem had no right to leave the palace, while princes and princesses could occasionally request a favor to venture out. However, Ying Wuyou was previously unknown, so she had never left the palace even once, and had no idea what Xianyang City was like at this time. Was it bustling? What was life like for the common people? Ying Wuyou knew nothing about the outside world, but she was not afraid of the unknown; instead, she looked forward to it, hoping that she could make a difference in this world.
Now that he has this jade token, he can enter and leave the palace at any time. He is finally about to take the most basic and important step toward the goal of making the Qin Dynasty last for ten thousand years. How could Ying Wuyou not be happy and excited?