HCT – Chapter 57 Chicken Drunk on Glutinous Rice Wine

After making a bit of a fuss with Lin Zhi, Ying Zheng properly paid his respects to Zichu, then immediately dashed off to the kitchen to watch Zhu Xiang cook.

Thanks to the gout-afflicted King of Qin’s love for comfort, tables and chairs were already widely used in Xianyang. Zhu Xiang’s household also used them when entertaining guests.

Ying Zheng sat on a small stool, cupping his chubby cheeks with both hands, watching his uncle busy at work.

Once Ying Zheng left, Lin Zhi had no choice but to accompany the King of Qin. Zichu couldn’t stand the awkward atmosphere and used helping in the kitchen as an excuse to escape.

Cai Ze soon followed into the kitchen. Judging by the look on his face, things out there must’ve been painfully cringey.

Not long after, Meng Wu also arrived.

“I’ll help chop the bones,” Meng Wu offered.

The kitchen assistants froze: “?”

“Alright, debone the chicken,” Zhu Xiang played along without exposing him. “Know how to debone?”

Meng Wu nodded. A general skilled in dismembering enemies could certainly handle a chicken.

“It’s too stuffy in here. Take your son out to play and stop getting in the way,” Zhu Xiang said to Zichu, noting how the heat was making him dizzy. “Zheng’er hasn’t fully recovered from his cold. Don’t let him get sick again.”

Ying Zheng glanced at his sickly father, whose face was covered in sweat, then reluctantly took his hand and left.

Clearly it’s Father who’s too weak, and Uncle just used me as an excuse.

“Father, are we going back to the front courtyard?” Ying Zheng asked, tilting his head.

Zichu recalled the awkward scene in the front and paled even more. “Let’s go take a nap. I’ll stay with you.”

Ying Zheng pouted even more. You clearly just want to rest. Well, with a father like this, what can I do?

Thinking of the dream version of his imperial father, then looking at this frail, stubborn one in front of him, Ying Zheng sighed like a little old man. “Alright, Zheng’er wants to nap.”

Zichu, satisfied, led him off to rest.

After chasing them off, Zhu Xiang also told Xue to go rest.

Since the King of Qin wouldn’t be seated with her, there was no need for Xue to exhaust herself over him. Eat when it’s time to eat, rest when it’s time to rest—do your own thing and stop worrying about the King of Qin.

Xue left the kitchen with a wry smile, but instead of resting, she went to the front courtyard to make sure the King had a steady supply of water, fruit, and snacks.

Zhu Xiang weighed the wine jar in his hand. After making the lotus-wrapped chicken, he still had some rice wine left. He decided to make another dish: drunken chicken.

Once Meng Wu had finished deboning the chicken, Zhu Xiang had him tenderize the meat with the back of a knife, then marinate it in salt and rice wine.

Meng Wu sniffed the wine. “Can this wine still be drunk after being used for cooking?”

Zhu Xiang replied, “I’ll make a rice wine fish soup later.” In truth, the alcohol would evaporate during cooking. He was just humoring Meng Wu, so the man wouldn’t sneak a taste of wine soaked with raw chicken and upset his stomach.

“I bet I could drink two big bowls!” Meng Wu declared.

“You probably won’t get the chance. Most of it’s for His Majesty, with a bit for Lord Bai and Lord Fan,” Zhu Xiang said.

Meng Wu’s expression dimmed.

“But we cooks get to sneak a taste first,” Zhu Xiang added with a grin.

Meng Wu’s eyes lit up again.

Cai Ze shook his head, smiling at the scene. This General Meng Wu is quite amusing.

Zhu Xiang had Meng Wu crush the chicken bones and cook them with star anise, bay leaves, red dates, and goji berries, adding salt, sugarcane syrup, and hai (a fermented meat and fish sauce) for flavor and color. He brought it to a boil, then simmered on low heat.

While Meng Wu watched the stove, Zhu Xiang moved on to the steamed dishes.

What he had prepared so far wouldn’t be enough for big eaters like the King of Qin, so Zhu Xiang thinly sliced tender cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, seasoned them, and layered them over bowls lined with green peas, sunflowers, pea shoots, radish slices, and potato slices. He then poured a mixture of hai and vinegar over everything and steamed it.

Small bowls of steamed food were both nutritious and delicious—and most importantly, easy to make.

Too bad there aren’t any chili peppers yet. This would be perfect with chopped pickled chili.

And this drunken chicken would be even better with Huadiao wine. Compared to glutinous rice wine, Huadiao has a richer flavor. Right now, the alcohol content in rice wine is still a bit too low.

By the time Zhu Xiang put the steamed dishes on the rack, the broth was nearly ready.

He strained the broth, set it in a basin to cool, then wrapped the marinated chicken tightly in muslin cloth and placed it in the steamer.

Once the chicken rolls were fully cooked, the broth had cooled down. Zhu Xiang poured rice wine into the broth, then cooled the chicken rolls further in cold water before slicing and soaking them in the wine broth.

“Really, it’s best to soak the chicken rolls in wine overnight. The flavor’s at its peak the next day. But we don’t have time for that now—thin slices will absorb flavor faster,” Zhu Xiang explained. “Come, have a taste.”

Cai Ze and Meng Wu immediately leaned in—perks of being in the kitchen.

Cai Ze squinted in delight. “Fragrant and flavorful—like sipping a fine wine.”

Meng Wu could only manage one word: “Delicious!”

“Take this to His Majesty as a drinking snack,” Zhu Xiang said, smiling. “Let’s hope he doesn’t get drunk.”

Meng Wu swallowed hard. “Fat chance.”

With such boozy chicken, how could one not want more wine?

“Oh, and make sure His Majesty knows Zheng’er can’t have any,” Zhu Xiang added. “It’s bad for kids to drink.”

Cai Ze raised a brow. “Zheng’er will definitely want some. Aren’t you afraid he’ll throw a fit?”

“If he does, I’ll write it down and show him when he’s older,” Zhu Xiang replied.

Cai Ze facepalmed. “Can you stop recording every embarrassing thing he does? He’ll resent you when he grows up.”

“I’m his only uncle. Why would he be mad at me?” Zhu Xiang said smugly.

Chunhua tried to kill him for a lover and a bastard child, and he still chose to forgive. I just record a few embarrassing childhood moments—what’s he going to do, kill me?

“Fine, fine,” Cai Ze gave up. If Zheng’er got mad, it’d be Zhu Xiang’s problem anyway.

Zhu Xiang, humming happily, poured the rest of the seasoned rice wine into the pot and began simmering fish soup.

Rice wine fish soup was said to be a traditional postpartum dish. Nutritionally, it wasn’t all that different from plain boiled fish soup—but the flavor made it worth it.

When the drunken chicken was finally served, Lin Zhi was at last saved.

Tearfully, he plated a portion for the King of Qin. “Your Majesty, please enjoy—wait, what’s this smell of alcohol?”

“The master said this dish is called drunken chicken,” Zhu Xiang’s old servant replied. “Young Master Zheng mustn’t eat it. Children drinking too early isn’t good for their health.”

The King of Qin chewed a piece of chicken and nodded. “You hear that, Zheng’er? Not for you.”

Having woken from a short nap and calculating the timing for dinner, Ying Zheng arrived with Zichu, looking righteous. “Zheng’er is already grown! And this isn’t even real wine—it’s just chicken with a bit of wine. Zheng’er can eat it!”

“No,” the King replied firmly. Looking at the limited plate of drunken chicken, he poured himself a drink and ignored Ying Zheng’s puffed cheeks, clinking cups with Fan Ju, Bai Qi, and Lin Zhi as they savored the meal.

Zichu led Ying Zheng to a seat. Watching the boy sit quietly, clearly dissatisfied but neither crying nor making a fuss, he found himself once again impressed by how precocious and composed his son was. Any ordinary child would probably be throwing a tantrum by now over not getting what they wanted.

Soon, the steamed dishes and fish soup were served one after another. By the time Zhu Xiang came in carrying several clay lumps, all the dishes had finally arrived.

Fan Ju sighed. “Zhu Xiang, you could’ve removed the clay before bringing it in.”

Zhu Xiang explained, “The moment the clay crust breaks open, the aroma of chicken and lotus leaves bursts out. That’s the happiest moment when eating lotus leaf chicken.”

The King of Qin, intrigued, beckoned eagerly. “Quick, bring one to Us.”

He took the small hammer Zhu Xiang handed over and gently cracked open the clay shell. Just as Zhu Xiang had described, the previously odorless clay lump released an explosion of fragrant steam as it cracked open, making everyone’s mouths water.

The King of Qin’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, then he smiled. “Sir, when it comes to food, it seems we should indeed trust Zhu Xiang. You try it too!”

Fan Ju took the hammer and cracked open one himself. Although he had already smelled the aroma once, doing it himself still felt different. He didn’t exactly feel “blessed” as Zhu Xiang described, but it definitely stirred up his appetite.

Zhu Xiang had used young roosters to make the lotus leaf chicken, each about half-grown and not too large, so even Ying Zheng had one portion to himself. With the lotus leaf chicken filling their stomachs, the rest of the dishes were enough for these hearty eaters to enjoy to their hearts’ content.

The King of Qin was even more taken with the drunken chicken than with the lotus leaf chicken. When he learned that the dish would be even tastier if the chicken were soaked overnight in wine, he immediately ordered more wine to be brought and asked Zhu Xiang to make extra.

Zhu Xiang said, “I’ll copy the recipe for Your Majesty’s royal cooks. If the chicken is soaked in the palace ice cellars, the flavor will be even better. If it travels from my home to the palace, the taste will surely change.”

The King of Qin accepted the recipe but still sent fine wine to Zhu Xiang as a gift.

After the meal, the tipsy King grasped Lin Zhi’s hand and took him back to the palace for an intimate conversation.

Zhu Xiang, Zichu, and Cai Ze watched Lin Zhi leave with a stiff, helpless expression. As soon as the carriage disappeared from view, the three of them doubled over with laughter.

“Lin Li’s expression just now—absolutely priceless!” Zhu Xiang laughed, clutching his stomach and slapping his thigh.

Zichu leaned on the doorframe, laughing so hard he couldn’t straighten up. “I didn’t expect His Majesty to like Lin Li so much.”

Cai Ze laughed until he coughed. “Lin Li is always so unruly in front of Lin Gong. Seeing him act so proper for so long—it’s hilarious.”

The three of them laughed heartily.

Fan Ju rubbed his ears. He wanted to scold these three young men, but seeing how joyful they were, he could only sigh and walk back to his own courtyard. Out of sight, out of mind.

Bai Qi, who had been observing quietly, looked down at Ying Zheng, who was holding onto his sleeve. “Zheng’er, why aren’t you over with your uncle?”

Ying Zheng huffed. “He wouldn’t let me eat the drunken chicken. I’m ignoring Uncle.”

Bai Qi chuckled.

In the end, Ying Zheng still didn’t get to eat the drunken chicken. He made a silent vow that once he grew up, he would have the royal cooks make it for him every single day.

Though… would Uncle scold him and say that drinking every day is bad for his health? Ying Zheng pondered seriously—he’d just send Uncle and Aunt traveling around the world in his place. With both of them out of the house, no one could stop him from drinking every day.

He didn’t realize that his current thoughts were just like those of a mischievous, naive child.

When Zhu Xiang returned home, the house became lively again. And when Lin Zhi finally escaped from the palace, the household grew even more boisterous.

Ying Zheng followed Lin Zhi around every day causing trouble. His cold quickly improved, but his studies suffered a little.

Fan Ju, having endured it for a while, finally couldn’t hold back and used his status—as someone with a supposed old connection to Lin Xiangru—to scold Lin Zhi sternly.

Lin Zhi grumbled internally. Like hell there’s an old connection. More like an old grudge.

Zhu Xiang and the others enjoyed a few peaceful days. The King of Qin seemed to be very busy and hadn’t yet issued any instructions regarding the report Zhu Xiang had submitted.

Only when Lin Zhi’s official appointment was finalized was Zhu Xiang summoned alone to the palace.

The King of Qin sat in a wide, comfortable chair, holding a scroll in his hand. Zhu Xiang had only just returned from Zhao, and already the palace looked completely different—he barely recognized it.

The Qin state’s efficiency was astonishing.

“Zhu Xiang, you’ve now observed Our country. What have you seen?” The King set down the scroll and asked with the demeanor of a kind elder.

Zhu Xiang had always maintained a candid approach with the King. He first praised Qin’s emphasis on agriculture.

Before seizing the Zhou royal lands, Qin’s farming had been underdeveloped. Only after Shang Yang’s reforms did they begin to value agriculture. Now, Qin’s commitment to farming had reached a point where it was out of sync with the other six states.

While the other states prioritized iron for weapons, Qin deliberately allocated some for farming tools. Where the others focused solely on training warhorses, Qin had officials promote and manage oxen for plowing. Qin even invested heavily in irrigation infrastructure, willing to delay military campaigns for the sake of agricultural development.

Take now, for example—upon gaining Zhu Xiang’s service, the King was willing to pause his conquests and have him first inspect and improve Qin’s farmlands before resuming the quest for unification.

“In terms of military strength, Qin isn’t vastly superior to the other states. Zhao’s cavalry and Wei’s armored troops can rival Qin’s in battle. But it will still be Qin who unifies the world—because Qin’s national power is stronger than all six combined,” Zhu Xiang said.

“They lose one war and take years to recover. Qin needs just a year or two to regroup and strike again. War is ultimately a contest of economics.”

The King of Qin smiled. “You must also have criticisms.”

Zhu Xiang replied, “Yes. The punishments are too harsh, and the laws too detailed—this will eventually hinder further development. Even if harsh laws are necessary in troubled times, when throwing ashes on the street carries the same punishment as murder, such severity becomes meaningless.”

He wasn’t exaggerating—under Qin law, even scattering furnace ash could warrant brutal corporal punishment.

The King smiled on. “So, when do you think I should reduce corporal punishment?”

Zhu Xiang pondered this and sighed. “Leave it to the next King of Qin. Or to the King after unification. Shall I write a formal proposal for Your Majesty?”

The King of Qin laughed. “Zhu Xiang, oh Zhu Xiang. You’re finally willing to do something beyond agriculture for Us?”

Zhu Xiang said seriously, “I’ve always been willing.”

The King waved his hand with a smile. “Then when the time is right, you should become Chancellor.”

Zhu Xiang hesitated. “Your Majesty, it’s not that I’m unwilling… I’m just not capable…”

The King said, “Then wait until you are. I heard from Meng Wu that you’re trying to bring Lian Po and your friend Li Mu to Qin?”

Zhu Xiang took a deep breath. The King had finally brought up the matter. He had intentionally leaked the idea to Meng Wu, waiting for the King to ask. The wait had nearly driven him mad.

“I have a way,” Zhu Xiang said. “Lian Po and Li Mu might not serve Your Majesty, but once they leave Zhao, the state is essentially finished. The only ones who can hold off the Qin army are them—especially Li Mu. His military skills may rival Lord Bai himself.”

King of Qin straightened his posture, pulling away from the back of the chair. “Li Mu has yet to establish any military achievements, and yet you speak so highly of him?”

Zhu Xiang replied, “Li Mu does have military achievements, only they lie in resisting the Xiongnu. Though I only know how to discuss warfare and not conduct it myself, I can still tell a good general from a bad one. An average general only needs to fight bravely himself. A competent general must know how to train troops. But a great general requires talent. Li Mu has the talent to become a great general.”

The King of Qin looked at him with a half-smile. “So you’re recommending someone else to me again? By your account, Li Mu is another Lord Ma Fu of Zhao?”

Zhu Xiang shook his head. “No. Li Mu is Zhao’s Lord Wu’an.”

The King’s expression shifted slightly. Still half-smiling, he said, “Would you dare say that in front of Lord Bai?”

Zhu Xiang replied, “I would.”

The King sighed. “So by your logic, if I want a successor to Lord Bai, I won’t find one in Qin but have to go to Zhao and get Li Mu instead?”

Zhu Xiang hesitated for a moment. “Not necessarily…”

The King leaned forward. “Have you found a new ‘Lord Wu’an’ here in Qin too? Is it Meng Wu?”

Zhu Xiang hesitated again, then finally said, “Wang Jian.”

The King was startled. “Who is that?”

Zhu Xiang replied, “A young friend Meng Wu once mentioned. He brought Wang Jian to dine at my home. The feeling Wang Jian gave me is similar to that of Li Mu. Lord Bai also liked him, said he would surely become a formidable commander one day.”

The King sighed. “Young, is he? Hah. Any others?”

Zhu Xiang said, “Meng Wu’s son, Meng Tian, is also promising.”

The King sighed even louder. He held his head. “Meng Tian, is it? I’ll have him serve as an attendant to Zheng’er then. As for Wang Jian, he can serve as an attendant to Zichu. Anyone else?”

Zhu Xiang shook his head. “No one else.”

The King said, “Seems I really do need to figure out how to bring Li Mu to Qin.”

Zhu Xiang said, “Your Majesty, after Li Mu enters Qin, he may not be willing to lead troops… but if Your Majesty assigns him to defend against the Xiongnu, he will certainly agree.”

“Then he shall fight the Xiongnu,” said the King. “I’ll have him build the Great Wall.”

Zhu Xiang nodded enthusiastically. “That’s something he excels at.”

The King, seeing Zhu Xiang’s eager expression, couldn’t help laughing. “But how do you plan to get him into Qin?”

Zhu Xiang said, “I want to use Chunhua. She is Zheng’er’s mother. Though she abandoned him, that is only my side of the story. Perhaps she was forced to leave him at my door because of some danger. She and Zheng’er are bound by blood. Though I’m his maternal uncle, if she returns to Qin, Zheng’er will surely side with his birth mother.”

The King’s expression became extremely strange, his mouth twitching. “Go on,” he said, indulging him.

Zhu Xiang continued, “I am the Zhao King’s greatest worry, and my status in Qin—though I am a mere commoner—stems from my ties to the royal family…”

“Stop, stop,” the King waved his hand. “Your status comes from being kin? You’re Qin’s Lord Changping! You were granted that title not because of your family ties!”

Zhu Xiang smiled. “That’s true. But to the other six states—though they’ve heard of my reputation—they’ve never seen what I’ve accomplished. To accept that a farmer’s son became a great sage and is now highly valued in Qin? They’d rather believe I gained favor from Your Majesty through Zheng’er.”

The King’s mouth twitched again. He rubbed his forehead. “Go on.” Keep talking nonsense.

Zhu Xiang said, “If the King of Zhao wants to undermine my status, the best way is to send Chunhua—who bears a grudge against me—into Qin. I believe Li Mu is the best person to escort her.”

The King asked, “You plan to detain Li Mu in Qin?”

Zhu Xiang sneered. “If the Zhao King appoints Li Mu to escort Chunhua into Qin, it’s a clear sign he’s abandoning Li Mu. To make the Zhao King discard Li Mu, we must use Lord Lian. Your Majesty, the cities Zhao gave up under the Changping pact—Qin hasn’t managed them well anyway. Could they be exchanged for Lord Lian? If the Zhao King forced me out, then forced out Lord Lian, how can he keep Li Mu?”

The King said generously, “Agreed. But only five cities to get Lord Lian?”

Zhu Xiang nodded. “It’s enough. Lord Lian’s campaign against Yan didn’t just earn him Yan’s hatred—none of the other five states dare support him now. He also offended the ruling aristocrats in Zhao. Why do all of Zhao’s newly promoted officials make such foolish decisions as planting in winter? They want the farmers’ fields to fail, so they can buy up good land at the lowest price!”

The King straightened again. “So that’s it? There’s such a reason behind Zhao’s foolish policies?”

He repeated, “So that’s it,” a few more times, then chuckled. “Lord Lian cut off their path to profit—they must loathe him. But the Zhao King isn’t completely foolish anymore. He’s conferred a noble title on Lord Lian—that shows he intends to protect him. He knows Lord Lian is the only one he can rely on.”

Zhu Xiang said, “Zhao’s failed harvests were the Zhao King’s fault. Why should Lord Lian take the blame? Spread the truth across the six states. Let everyone know that Lord Lian’s harsh actions were driven by the Zhao King’s stupidity. The cruelty lies with the Zhao King, not Lord Lian. The hatred from Yan lies with the Zhao King as well. Naturally, the Zhao King won’t dare protect Lord Lian anymore.”

The King of Qin fell silent for a long time, sizing Zhu Xiang up. He felt a little uncomfortable.

Even if what Zhu Xiang said was true, the bluntness with which he laid the blame on the Zhao King—and absolved Lord Lian—made him uneasy.

In this world, the king’s mistakes were to be borne by his ministers. Zhu Xiang’s disrespect for the Zhao King—was it directed only at him, or at all kings?

The King disliked Zhuangzi precisely because of his irreverence. As a king, he ought to be above all others. Yet Zhu Xiang’s attitude seemed to suggest that a king was just another man.

Still, he had once bowed repeatedly to Fan Ju, pleading for his aid. As long as Zhu Xiang’s schemes worked, he could stomach the discomfort. He continued, “So, you plan to force a rupture between the Zhao King and Lord Lian?”

Zhu Xiang nodded again. “Yes. If rumors spread throughout the six states that the Zhao King orchestrated the Yan affair, those around him who hate Lord Lian will say: if you keep protecting Lord Lian, you’re basically admitting it was your idea. Then, when Qin offers cities in exchange for Lord Lian, he not only gains from the deal, but also offloads Lord Lian’s infamy onto Qin.”

The King muttered, “That infamy means nothing to Qin. You’re sure this will bring Lord Lian to Qin?”

Zhu Xiang cupped his hands. “I’m willing to go and persuade him myself.”

“Don’t even think about it,” the King replied. “You’re staying in Xianyang. You think you could come back if you went to Zhao?”

Zhu Xiang pointed at his white hair. “I can disguise myself as an old man. They wouldn’t recognize me.”

The King waved him off. “I’ll discuss it with my advisor. Zhu Xiang, if this scheme succeeds, Lord Lian and your friend may both end up hating you.”

Zhu Xiang said, “I’m willing to bear their hatred.”

The King laughed. “Then don’t tell them it was your doing. If Lord Lian won’t lead troops, he can train others. If Li Mu won’t fight Zhao, he can fight the Xiongnu. They’ll still be valuable to Qin.”

Zhu Xiang hesitated. “But hiding the truth…”

The King rose to his feet, and Zhu Xiang immediately followed.

“Sometimes a small lie benefits everyone,” the King said as he walked to Zhu Xiang and clapped him on the shoulder. “Have you thought through the trouble you’ll face once Chunhua enters Qin?”

Zhu Xiang answered calmly, “I’ll have no trouble. Xia Tong will take care of everything. If he can’t even manage his own inner court, Your Majesty should give up on him.”

The King burst into laughter again. “Fair point. But you’re bringing Chunhua back just for Li Mu?”

Zhu Xiang said, “It’s also for Zheng’er’s sake. According to the Crown Prince, many people have been urging him to find a foster mother for Zheng’er. But Zheng’er doesn’t need one.”

Zheng’er wasn’t like Xia Tong—he was still just a child. If he had a foster mother, he would have to be separated from Zhu Xiang, go live with her, and be subjected to her control. But Zheng’er had never had a mother, which also defied proper ritual codes, so the best option was for his biological mother to return.

Even if Chunhua was foolish, as long as Xia Tong didn’t give her the chance to act foolishly, there wouldn’t be a problem.

And even if Xia Tong couldn’t control Chunhua, Zhu Xiang was still here.

“You’re basing all of this on the assumption that Zheng’er will definitely trust you and won’t turn to his birth mother,” said the King of Qin. “Aren’t you afraid she’ll win him over?”

Zhu Xiang smiled smugly. “Zheng’er would never. He’s incredibly clever!”

The King of Qin thought of Zheng’er’s expression and couldn’t help but smile too. “That’s true.” He also found it hard to imagine Zheng’er being won over by the mother who had abandoned him.

Others assumed Zheng’er, still so young, wouldn’t remember much of his early years. But the King of Qin had asked him about his childhood before, and Zheng’er remembered events from even before he turned one. Chunhua would never be able to deceive him.

“I can’t believe you’d resort to such scheming,” the King of Qin said. “What other tricks do you have?”

Zhu Xiang thought for a moment. “Well… if I go to Changping, maybe people from the Three Jin states would swarm to join Qin?”

The King of Qin gave a helpless look. “Don’t even think about it. You want all the Jin states to send troops to arrest you?”

Zhu Xiang said sheepishly, “I’m not that important. But Qin is wealthier and stronger than the other six states. Even without moving our armies, we can still attract many commoners and scholars. Some cities might surrender without a fight. I’ll go draft a document for His Majesty.”

“You mean your teacher Xunzi’s idea of the ‘righteous and benevolent army’?” asked the King of Qin.

Hearing the words “righteous and benevolent army” from the King of Qin gave Zhu Xiang chills, but he still nodded. “Yes. Qin is now strong enough to unify the Six States. All that remains is time. So now, we should prepare a just cause for that unification.”

The King of Qin sighed. “That ‘matter of time’—is it a few years, or a few decades?”

Zhu Xiang replied, “Anyway… it shouldn’t take more than thirty years?”

He didn’t believe that Qin would take longer to unify the states after he arrived than before.

The King of Qin looked at him strangely. “You mean to say, under Zichu’s or Zheng’er’s rule, Qin will unify the realm?”

Zhu Xiang nodded vigorously. “Definitely!”

The King of Qin sighed again. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

Would it really happen that soon? He wasn’t entirely convinced. Qin had been strong before, yet the Six States combined were still formidable.

Could Qin really unify the realm within just thirty years?

So long as any of the Six States had a powerful ruler, Qin wouldn’t be able to do it.

But Zhu Xiang had shown many divine signs, and the palace diviners all claimed he was like Jiang Ziya—sent by Heaven to assist Qin in uniting the realm.

Maybe Zhu Xiang’s predictions were truly Heaven’s mandate.

The King of Qin lowered his gaze to his own hand, dry and wrinkled like tree bark, then shook his head with a smile.

He patted Zhu Xiang’s shoulder. “Didn’t you want to farm? Go plant the cotton seeds Lin Zhi brought.”

Zhu Xiang was stunned. “Your Majesty, are you sending me away?”

The King of Qin shook his head. “Your real talent lies in the fields. You’ve offered so much good counsel today—more than enough. Now, go focus on the land, and help Qin grow more food and make more clothes.”

Zhu Xiang knelt. “I accept the order!”

The King of Qin helped him up and said no more.

He dismissed Zhu Xiang and returned to his chair, sitting in silence for a while.

Today, Zhu Xiang had shown genuine care for Qin, truly willing to serve the state.

The King was pleased.

Still, best to let Zhu Xiang keep farming.

He hadn’t expected himself to be so benevolent. But this brief kindness—he found it didn’t feel too bad.

“Even Master Lian has begun to see Zhu Xiang as a junior. It’s getting hard for me to treat him harshly,” the King of Qin sighed. “Zhu Xiang really is a remarkable person.”

As Zhu Xiang left the palace, he sneezed hard.

He glanced at his system interface and was surprised to find the King of Qin’s favorability rating had risen to a full heart.

Zhu Xiang was genuinely shocked. Apparently, the King’s favor had grown faster than expected. He had thought he’d need to toil for a long time to see any increase.

He tallied his current favorability ratings and organized his seed inventory.

He had recently erased Lin Zhi’s four-heart favorability rating since he’d returned to Qin. The rewards from Lin Zhi’s favorability levels were just as weird as the man himself, leaving Zhu Xiang speechless.

Lin Zhi’s one-heart gift was vanilla. Two hearts gave him black pepper. Three hearts: chili peppers. Four hearts: rice seeds.

Zhu Xiang felt like he’d drawn from a bad gacha pull.

Look at what Xia Tong gave at three hearts—potatoes!!

And others at two hearts—wheat!!

And you’re giving me seasoning at three hearts, and just a single rice variety at four hearts? Have some shame!

Zhu Xiang had hoped Lin Zhi would offer something like sweet potatoes or corn. But rice? Just rice?

Granted, current rice was low-yield and had poor taste, so having improved rice seeds would help develop the southern regions. But still—Zhu Xiang felt Lin Zhi was trolling him.

He was so annoyed, he cooked duck—Lin Zhi’s least favorite—for three days straight.

Lin Zhi was utterly confused, having no idea what he’d done to offend Zhu Xiang.

And it wasn’t just Lin Zhi. All the others’ favorability draws had also failed to yield anything good.

So far, Zhu Xiang had gotten garlic and scallions, but not a single one of the vegetables he really wanted—cucumbers, tomatoes, winter melon, pumpkin—let alone any fruit.

By right, the system should include fruits. Were they harder to get than grains? Or were the rewards also tied to the personality of the giver? Like how Lin Gong’s parting gift had been so unusual?

If that were the case… then Lin Zhi deserved another three days of duck.

At this time, fruits were extremely limited in variety. The ancestral form of the apple, nai, was hardly eaten. In the north, people mostly ate dates and chestnuts. In the south, it was mainly oranges and pomelos. The “oranges of Jiangpu” and the “pomelos of Yunmeng” were considered the most delicious and high-class fruits of the time.

Peaches, plums, and apricots were also grown, but they were mostly too sour to eat raw and were often made into preserves or juice for flavoring.

Vinegar was a rare condiment, only made by skilled brewers. Until the Wei-Jin era, vinegar remained a luxury. So for sour flavors, most households relied on juices from plums, peaches, or apricots.

Because the Yangtze region was so far from Xianyang, the oranges and pomelos that made it to the capital were no longer fresh. The King of Qin generously gave some to Zheng’er. Zhu Xiang tasted them—completely inedible without sugar. He had to cook them or make preserves.

In fact, the King of Qin also ate them that way.

Zhu Xiang desperately wished for the sweet, juicy fruits of later eras. How could it be summer without watermelon?

“Lin Zhi is absolutely useless,” he cursed again.

A four-heart favorability level—“friends who would die for each other”—was a once-in-a-lifetime bond. Zhu Xiang had placed such high hopes in Lin Zhi, and was utterly let down.

Time for roast duck tonight.

When Zhu Xiang returned home, he shared the palace news with his household.

He said to Fan Ju, now quite familiar with him, “Lord Ying, can’t I help out too?”

Fan Ju shooed him away like a mosquito. “Go farm your land.”

Bai Qi agreed.

Zhu Xiang wanted to say more but held back.

The once-feared Lord Wu’an, whose name made enemy children cry, was now just Fan Ju’s echo in their house?

“Lord Bai, do you want to move to the countryside and farm with me?” Zhu Xiang asked.

Bai Qi paused, then nodded. “Sure.”

With another round of scheming ahead, Fan Ju would be returning to court. Bai Qi, with nothing else to do, might as well keep following Zhu Xiang.

When Zhu Xiang moved his household to the Qin king’s estate outside Xianyang, Cai Ze, Lin Zhi, and Zichu did not accompany him.

They were all busy. Lin Zhi was now serving the King as an internal officer. Cai Ze was involved in the plan to sow discord between Lian Po and Li Mu. Zichu, as a Qin prince, was being sent to negotiate a new alliance with the northern Rongdi tribes.

Zichu taking the King’s place in such a meeting made Crown Prince Zhu’s other sons so jealous their eyes nearly bled.

After Crown Prince Zhu scolded Prince Zixie, the others became more restrained. But now they were growing restless again.

Qin’s succession system wasn’t based on primogeniture. This was one reason the other six states viewed Qin as barbaric. In Qin, succession followed the principle of “the brave and capable take the throne,” and “no fiefs for sons, no titles for kin.”

Although “bravery” now mostly meant the King’s personal favor, any prince without merit still received no reward.

Crown Prince Zhu had over twenty sons. Zichu had earned so much credit that he stood out like a sore thumb. Even those uninterested in the throne wanted some title. Zichu had taken it all.

Zichu’s strong backer—Lord Changping, Zhu Xiang—had become their number one target.

They didn’t dare strike at Lord Changping directly, but they could try to drive a wedge between him and Zichu. So they brought up the matter of bringing Zheng’er’s birth mother, Chunhua, into Qin at court.

When Ying Zheng heard this, he was so furious he ate two full bowls of rice.

Zhu Xiang stroked his chin. Was this also a ploy by the King of Qin and Lord Ying?