I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 60 Preparing for the New Year

After buying the restaurant, Ying Wuyou did not immediately begin renovations.

There are two reasons: First, the end of the year is approaching, the weather is cold and the ground is frozen, which is not suitable for construction at all; second, Ying Wuyou also hopes to enjoy this special New Year, after all, this is her first Spring Festival since she transmigrated to this world!

Ying Wuyou had actually thought about setting off fireworks on New Year's Eve. That would surely shock the entire city of Xianyang and might even be remembered for a thousand years, becoming a legendary tale!

However, Ying Wuyou later abandoned the entire idea for two reasons: First, she currently lacked sufficient manpower to implement the plan; second, even if she successfully manufactured fireworks, she dared not set them off lightly. She knew the wisdom of the ancients should not be underestimated; once the fireworks were displayed, gunpowder, such a novel substance, would inevitably attract the attention of the King of Qin and his court officials. Once these people began to pay attention, given their intelligence, the possibility of them developing bombs was extremely high. After all, from the King to the common people, everyone in Qin was passionate about war. While others might find new things interesting and fun, the old Qin people were more inclined to consider whether they could be used in war and whether they could help the Qin army.

Since the King of Qin had not yet unified the six states, Ying Wuyou naturally did not want to see weapons of mass destruction like bombs appear on the battlefield. Even if Qin's unification of the six states was a historical inevitability, ultimately, whether they were the six states or the barbarian tribes, they all belonged to the Han Chinese nation. Ying Wuyou did not want too many Han Chinese to die in war. After all, the lethality of cold weapons was vastly different from that of firearms. Therefore, she planned to wait until after conquering the six states before developing gunpowder.

Since fireworks were prohibited, Ying Wuyou could certainly find other ways to celebrate. The New Year was all about being together, so Ying Wuyou had a sudden inspiration: to rehearse a unique cultural performance to enhance the festive atmosphere. She felt this would not only bring joy and happiness to people but also strengthen the cohesion of the Qin Dynasty. Thus, Ying Wuyou began planning the banquet.

First, Ying Wuyou had his mother, Lady Wang, invite some of the concubines from the harem.

As the concubines, dressed in magnificent attire, with their beautiful faces and light steps, arrived at Lady Wang's palace, Ying Wuyou was overjoyed. With a smile on her lips, she bowed to them and then explained her plan: "Ladies, with the New Year approaching, I would like to hold a banquet and invite all civil and military officials and their families to celebrate the New Year together."

Without hesitation, Madam Wang spoke first: "Jiayang, just tell us what you need us to do." The others echoed her, letting Ying Wuyou speak first.

Ying Wuyou nodded and looked at everyone, then began to explain: "I want to organize a unique New Year's program, showcasing the prosperity and profound cultural heritage of our Great Qin through performances, music, and dance. We will invite all civil and military officials and their families to celebrate the New Year together. In addition, we can select several representatives from the common people to participate in our activities, so that the people can deeply feel the care and warmth of our royal family."

After hearing Ying Wuyou's words, Madam Wang frowned and asked him softly, "Jiayang, is this inappropriate?"

Ying Wuyou looked at her mother with a puzzled expression and asked, "Mother, is there something wrong?"

Lady Wang's face showed a hint of hesitation and worry. She slowly said, "We are all the King's concubines. How can we show our faces in public and sing and dance in front of outsiders? This is beneath our dignity!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Wuyou understood her mother's concerns. She was worried that doing so would affect their reputation and status. Ying Wuyou couldn't help but laugh and explained to Lady Wang, "Mother, you misunderstand. I don't mean for you ladies to perform yourself. I mean for you to help me think of some programs. If you can come up with some interesting and novel programs, it will surely add a lot of color to this banquet. If it's done well, I'm sure Father will reward you handsomely."

After listening, Lady Wang nodded thoughtfully, but still hesitated. Ying Wuyou continued, "Mother, this will not only showcase the talents of Qin women, but also improve relations among court officials, enabling Father's decrees to be implemented more effectively. Moreover, we can use this opportunity to let other states see the culture and style of Qin, which will greatly help enhance the image of Great Qin."

After listening to Ying Wuyou's words, Madam Wang found them quite reasonable and finally nodded in agreement. Ying Wuyou smiled and said, "What do you ladies think?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Li's face lit up with delight, and she hurriedly asked, "Jiayang, your idea is wonderful! But what can we do?"

Madam Zhao then asked, "Yes, someone as skilled in singing as Sister Li can offer guidance and advice, but I don't know anything about singing. How can I possibly help them?"

Ying Wuyou smiled and replied, "My idea is that we can first select some excellent programs from the musicians and dancers in the palace, and then select the remaining programs from the common people. At that time, all the ladies can provide support according to their own abilities. If you have the financial means, you can contribute money; if you don't have the financial means, you can also offer some valuable opinions and suggestions. What do you all think?"

Ying Wuyou's voice was full of passion and anticipation. Her eyes were fixed firmly on each of the concubines, hoping to gain their support and help.

The concubines all agreed with Ying Wuyou's words, believing it to be a great idea that would bring the people closer to the royal family and strengthen the cohesion of the Qin Dynasty.

Amidst laughter and cheerful conversation, Ying Wuyou began discussing the specific program arrangements and details with the concubines. Ying Wuyou listened attentively to everyone's opinions, continuously refining her plan.

As the discussion deepened, a wonderful New Year's program gradually took shape. Ying Wuyou believes that this program will become an unforgettable event in the history of the Qin Dynasty, bringing endless joy and emotion to the people.