AWB Chapter 191 The Kings of Qi, Chu, and Wei on their Mission to Da Qin
Chapter 191 The Kings of Qi, Chu, and Wei on their Mission to Da Qin
Today, Xianyang City is bustling with activity, filled with people and noise, its streets teeming with carriages and pedestrians. This is because the King of Chu, the King of Qi, and the King of Wei are all arriving.
As they approached Xianyang, the first thing that caught their eye was the wide and flat cement road. Although they had heard of the Qin Dynasty's cement roads many times before, this was the first time they had seen them in person.
The cement road stretched out like a giant silver dragon, its surface smooth as a mirror, without the slightest bump or unevenness. The carriage traveled on it, the wheels making a soft rumbling sound as they touched the ground, yet the carriage remained as steady as a mountain, without a single jolt. The onlookers couldn't help but marvel.
And so, the group slowly made their way along the cement road, and soon arrived at the city gate of Xianyang. There, Qin's Prime Minister Wang Wan, along with a host of influential officials, had been waiting for some time. Originally, according to the itinerary, these feudal lords were supposed to arrive at Xianyang at different times; however, unexpectedly, they seemed to be of one mind, waiting for each other in perfect unison until the three parties met before proceeding together towards Xianyang.
Upon seeing the Prime Minister of Qin personally come to greet them, King Jian of Qi, King Fuchu of Chu, and King Jia of Wei were all overjoyed. Previously, they had feared that Qin harbored a conspiracy, but now they deeply felt the King of Qin's sincere sincerity in this meeting. The three exchanged glances, all showing satisfaction.
Wang Wan greeted the magnificent carriages with a smile, bowing and saying, "Your subject pays respects to the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei. My King of Qin has prepared a sumptuous banquet and has specially ordered your subject to welcome you all here."
King Fuchu of Chu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over King Jian of Qi and King Jia of Wei beside him, before he spoke, "Prime Minister, you are too kind!" His voice was loud and resonant, exuding an aura of royalty.
With a smile on his face and a slight bow, Wang Wan gestured to the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei, and said loudly, "King of Qi, King of Chu, and King of Wei, please follow me!"
Upon hearing this, the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei exchanged glances, their eyes seemingly conveying some unspoken message. Then, they all turned their gaze to Wang Wan, who was standing in front, and replied in unison, "Then please lead the way, Prime Minister."
Wang Wan did not refuse and gracefully boarded the carriage. The coachman flicked the reins, and the steeds began to move slowly forward. The King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei followed closely behind in their respective carriages drawn by tall horses. In this way, the group slowly made its way along the wide street toward the Zhangtai Palace.
As we traveled along, the bustling scene of Xianyang City unfolded before our eyes. Shops lined both sides of the road, people came and went, and shouts and calls of vendors rose and fell; the street stalls were filled with a dazzling array of goods, making it hard to take it all in.
However, unlike the others, King Wei's mood was exceptionally heavy. Gazing at the prosperous city before him, he couldn't help but think of his own state, Wei. Once upon a time, Wei had also enjoyed such glory, but now it was in decline, a world apart from Qin. Especially when he saw those who had once belonged to Wei, now living under Qin rule like the people of Qin, each one spirited and confident, King Wei felt an indescribable pang of sorrow welling up within him.
In contrast, King Qi did not show much surprise or admiration at the prosperity of Xianyang. However, when he noticed the young women coming and going on the streets, a look of novelty immediately flashed in his eyes. These women all had skin as white as snow, graceful figures, and exuded a captivating fragrance with every move. They walked in groups, chatting and laughing; or strolled alone, their eyes sparkling with charm. These beautiful and moving scenes captivated King Qi, who was almost mesmerized, his eyes practically glued to the viewer.
King Fuchu of Chu stood at a distance, his gaze fixed on the towering building in Xianyang, which could be seen at a glance. He was filled with astonishment and shock. Although he had already learned from his spies that this magnificent building was a restaurant built by Princess Jiayang of Qin, he was still speechless when he saw its majestic appearance with his own eyes.
King Fu Chu shifted his gaze from the towering building to the street scene, and couldn't help but sigh: "The streets of Xianyang are so clean and tidy! And the vendors' stalls are arranged so neatly, as if meticulously planned."
The streets were bustling with pedestrians, yet this did not impede the passage of the carriage; everything appeared orderly. He recalled how, when his royal entourage appeared on the streets of Chu, the people knelt in reverence, filled with awe and fear.
But looking at the Qin people before him, who merely stared at him with curiosity, showing no respect whatsoever, King Fu Chu of Chu thought to himself with contempt: "These Qin people are utterly uncouth and rude. The Qin people are indeed as rumored—they only know how to use brute force, simple-minded, simply a bunch of reckless and ignorant brutes! Compared to the people of my great Chu, they are far inferior."
On the wide streets of Xianyang, a bustling crowd thronged, their eyes drawn to the luxurious carriages that slowly passed by. These carriages were exquisitely decorated, their curtains fluttering in the breeze, revealing glimpses of figures seated inside. The people whispered amongst themselves, curiously peering at the passengers, speculating about their identities and purposes.
Suddenly, someone pointed to the carriage at the front and shouted, "Look! That must be the King of Qi! I recognize him clearly in his Qi attire!" Hearing this, everyone turned their attention to the carriage, their eyes filled with curiosity.
Immediately afterward, someone else chimed in, "That's right, that's right! The one sitting in the middle carriage must be the King of Chu! Judging from his appearance, he should be the oldest of the three." As this person finished speaking, more people's eyes shifted to the middle carriage, seemingly trying to get a clear look at the king's face through the windows.
At this moment, someone in the crowd casually remarked, "Judging from this, the last one must be the King of Wei, right? But the carriage the King of Wei is riding in is quite inferior to the previous two."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a rebuke came from the side: "Stop talking nonsense! Since they have come to our Great Qin, they are our honored guests. We cannot disgrace Great Qin, and we must not gossip about others behind their backs." The speaker was an old woman carrying a vegetable basket, who glared sternly at the person who had just spoken out of turn.
Upon hearing this, the man immediately looked ashamed and nodded hastily, saying, "Yes, yes, madam, you are absolutely right. I misspoke. I will definitely be careful with my words in the future and never make such a mistake again, so as not to bring shame to our Great Qin."
Seeing his sincere attitude, the old woman's expression softened slightly, and she continued to admonish him: "Just remember that, and don't be so rude again."
At that moment, King Wei, sitting in the last carriage, overheard this conversation and was deeply moved. He never imagined that even an ordinary vegetable vendor on the streets of Qin possessed such high awareness, knowing the importance of upholding the dignity of Qin. Thinking of this, King Wei couldn't help but secretly admire the quality of the Qin people.