Ying Wu chuckled: "Your Majesty, the harem has been vacated. It's time for Your Majesty to consider your own affairs. Your Majesty is already eighteen years old this year and is about to reach his prime. It's time to consider taking in a concubine."
I was startled. I didn’t expect that I could be forced to get married even if I became emperor in the Qin Dynasty...
He quickly made a haha: "It's still early, it's not too late to think about it after the crown is crowned."
Ying Wu wanted to say something else, so I quickly said: "I'm going to prepare to pray for rain. Zongzheng is resting, and I'm leaving."
After saying that, he seemed to be running away and left. Ying Wu looked at my back and smiled helplessly.
Ying Wu is a veteran minister and Zong Zheng. I may not be able to withstand his urging for marriage...
Back at the Sihai Palace, Taishi had prepared all the matters for praying for rain. The edict for praying for rain was sent to all counties and counties, and all the people in the world should pray for rain with me.
Early the next morning, after taking a bath, I took all the officials to the ancestral temple.
The ancestral temple is located in the southeast of Xianyang Palace. Although it is not independent from the palace wall, it is also a separate palace gate.
Then I fasted for three days. After the third day, I took all the officials to the southern suburbs of Xianyang.
Altars for offering sacrifices to heaven and praying for rain have already been piled up in the southern suburbs. People continued to join in along the way. When they arrived in the southern suburbs, they were already rubbing shoulders and crowded.
Along the way, the scorching sun was almost roasting me to death. However, one must be sincere when offering sacrifices to heaven, so of course one cannot hold an umbrella.
After boarding the altar, Taishi went through a process of welcoming the gods, saluting, entering the altar, first offering, second offering, and final offering. It took an hour, and I already felt a little dizzy.
Looking at the people under the altar, they were not afraid of the heat. They all prostrated on the ground and prayed for rain from heaven.
I resisted not falling down and used all my strength to salute to the sky.
"The great Qin Dynasty relies on the saintly virtues of Heaven, and the weather is smooth. However, there is a severe drought this summer, and the people are in dire straits. I am the emperor, and my private virtues have been ruined. I am not as good as all the people. All the people have ruined their virtues, and their sins are on me. I pray that the Haotian God will be merciful and grant rain and wetlands, and all living beings will be saved forever. Sacrifice the emperor!"
Seeing no movement in the sky, my heart gradually sank.
It seems that God will not take any special care of me just because I have traveled through time.
The people below were still lying on the ground, praying sincerely for rain.
Just when I was feeling hopeless and ready to return to the palace, suddenly there was a muffled sound of thunder rolling from a distance.
I quickly looked up and saw that the sky in the north had turned black, and it suddenly floated above my head. With a thunder, huge raindrops fell from thousands of miles above, hitting the ground and stirring up a cloud of dust.
The people began to cheer and excitedly welcome this gift from heaven.
I looked up at the sky. Is it true that I am given this kind of benefit just because I am a time traveler?
The cheers of the people below resounded through the sky, almost drowning out the rumbling thunder: "The rain is falling from the sky, Your Majesty! God bless the Qin Dynasty, and the Qin Dynasty will last forever!"
They all thought that my virtue was recognized by God, so it rained heavily.
Amid the cheers of the people, I took the officials back to Xianyang Palace. The altar is relatively high, there are frequent thunderstorms in summer, and it has already rained. I don’t dare to bet that God will not kill me just because I have traveled through time...
After returning to the palace and changing clothes, Li Si and Feng Jie also came over.
The two of them said with great joy: "Your Majesty's virtue moved the heavens, and the rain finally came down. Congratulations to your Majesty!"
I smiled, waved my hand and said, "My subjects of Great Qin are sincere, I cannot accept it."
Li Si smiled and said: "With this heavy rain, the crops can finally recover. Judging from the amount of rainfall, the production may be reduced this year, but I don't think it will be reduced too much."
I nodded: "There are reports from various places and they must be submitted in time. Although it rained in Guanzhong, I don't know what happened to other places."
The two said yes.
At this moment, Qi Wan hurriedly walked in and said with excitement: "Your Majesty, Mr. Zhang Gou's report!"
"Oh? Give it to me quickly!" I was overjoyed. After a year and a half, news finally came from Zhang Gou.
I quickly opened the report and saw that it detailed their experiences in the past year and a half. Not only did they travel to the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions, but they also brought back many things that I asked them to pay special attention to, including various fruits, crops, Most of the special products were found. The goods carried by Taoyao and Wu Shimu were all traded, and the two of them made a lot of money.
But there's bad news. For some unknown reason, the Dayue clan suddenly started a war with the Six Kingdoms of Cheshi, and Hujie from the north also began to frequently invade the Six Kingdoms of Shanbei. Deputy envoy Fang Ji suddenly contracted a serious illness and died. The mission of more than 300 people suffered dozens of casualties. Most of them died of illness because they were not adapted to the environment along the way or drank dirty water, and some died of exhaustion on the way.
I handed the report to Li Si and the two of them and said excitedly: "Zhang Gou has entered Dunhuang, and I estimate that he will be able to return to Xianyang in two months!"
Both of them knew that I attached great importance to the Western Regions. After reading the report, they congratulated: "Congratulations to Your Majesty! The rain has fallen from the sky and the mission has brought good news. God bless the Qin Dynasty!"
I laughed and said, "The report didn't make it very clear. Let's see what surprises he can bring to me when Zhang Gou comes back."
After saying that, I raised my head and glanced outside the hall, and then said: "You go and do your work. If you have anything, come to me at any time."
The two of them bowed their hands and retreated.
Meng He walked in.
"Your Majesty, Master Hu Hai has never left the harem. In addition to studying with his husband, he plays with a few princesses every day. He has not been found to have contact with anyone. In addition, there is no news about his hostility towards Confucianism."
I nodded: "I understand."
Since Hu Hai has never had contact with outsiders, it can only be Mrs. Zheng.
"This Mrs. Zheng is really... looking for death."
It is reasonable that no one dares to openly talk about Confucianism. If someone really advocates against Confucianism in a big way, I am afraid that we must first see if he is mentally ill.
"By the way, do you have any news about the person you asked to find?"
"Go back to Your Majesty. We have found it. We will arrive in Xianyang today."
I raised my eyebrows: "Oh? So fast? Is that person alone?"
"Back to Your Majesty, I have an older brother in Sanchuan County. The linen business they do is quite famous. You can easily find the clean room all the way south."
"Have you explained the matter to her? Is she willing?"
"I cried bitterly after hearing the news about the clean room. I am very willing!"
I sighed in admiration: "It's not easy. I know, wait until they arrive in Xianyang and settle down before reporting to me."
After Meng He withdrew, I thought for a moment: "Qi Wan, go call Li Si and Feng Jie back."
Li Si and Li Si had just walked to Xianyang Palace to leave the palace when Qi Wan quickly caught up with them.
"Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Feng, your Majesty has summoned them."
The two looked at each other, what's going on? I had just come out of Sihai Palace and it was still raining so heavily. Why did I have to go back? Without hesitation, the two of them followed Qiwan back.
Looking at the two of them, I said in a deep voice: "I will announce two things at tomorrow's court meeting, and let you two know in advance..."
After a long time, the two of them left the Sihai Palace with deep thoughts.
Feng Jie sighed softly: "We have to reach this point after all."
Li Si's face turned pale and he responded: "It's expected. Maybe it should have come two years ago."
