The first day of the new year.
First visit close relatives.
Although Xiao Mo's current status was like that of a legitimate son, and Zhou Ruoxi was no longer a concubine but no matter what, Xiao Manor's First Madam Xia Qingke was still the Xiao Manor's mistress and according to Qin Kingdom customs, Xiao Mo still needed to pay a visit.
After Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao ate breakfast in the courtyard, the two went to visit the Xiao Manor's mistress.
"Mo pays respects to First Mother."
"Siyao pays respects to First Mother."
Arriving at Xia Qingke's courtyard, Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao bowed in salute.
"Why must the Frost Prince and Princess be so formal? Both of you, please sit." Seeing Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao, Xia Qingke quickly ca forward and helped them up. "Huanying, quickly bring so tea and snacks."
"Yes... Mistress."
Huanying quickly withdrew and brought out pastries from the room.
Xia Qingke personally made tea for the two.
Xiao Mo looked at this large courtyard. There were only Xia Qingke and maid Huanying.
Xiao Mo thought Xia Qingke was quite pitiful.
Although she was the Northern Pacification Prince's consort with special status, her second son had departed from this world, her eldest son now devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation and hadn't even been able to return for the New Year, only sending letters.
And the Northern Pacification Prince often guarded the frontier. Every ti he returned, it was in great haste.
Xiao Mo looked at Xia Qingke again.
The young woman from before now had so white hairs among her strands.
"First Mother, we prepared so New Year goods. We hope First Mother won't disdain them."
Xiao Mo gave Qin Siyao a look. Qin Siyao smiled and placed the gift boxes on the table in the courtyard.
"The Frost Prince is too kind." Xia Qingke poured tea for Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao. "Is your mother's health still well?"
"Thank you for First Mother's concern. Mother's health is still good."
Xiao Mo nodded and exchanged pleasantries with Xia Qingke.
Xia Qingke asked about so small matters in Xiao Mo's recent life and asked about Qin Siyao's father emperor and mother empress.
Xiao Mo and Xia Qingke both deliberately avoided discussing matters about Xiao Yishe.
After chatting for less than one incense stick's worth of ti, Xiao Mo found an excuse and took his leave.
Leaving the Xiao Manor, Xiao Mo held Qin Siyao's small hand and walked toward the imperial palace.
On the road, Qin Siyao lowered her head, looking dejected and disappointed.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Mo gently stroked her hair.
"Husband..." Qin Siyao raised her head, looking at Xia Qingke. "I feel First Madam is so lonely. Her children aren't with her, the Prince isn't with her. She can only spend the New Year alone."
"Yes." Xiao Mo also sighed lightly. "She still has to handle matters between relatives, maintain connections in the capital. Big and small matters are all handled by First Mother. It's truly not easy."
Looking at the woman beside him, Xiao Mo guessed what Qin Siyao was worried about and said with a smile, "Don't worry. After we're married in the future, whenever I have free ti I'll co back. Moreover, once the world is pacified and there's no more war, I'll retire from military service. You and I will travel the world together, accompanied by mountains and rivers."
"I'm not worried about that..."
Qin Siyao shook her head.
"Although First Madam is lonely, I feel when First Madam does things for the Northern Pacification Prince, she should also be very happy.
If Xiao Mo you go on campaigns in the future, I'll also properly manage household affairs for you and won't let you worry.
This is a wife's duty.
I'm just thinking... if First Madam had given birth to a few more children, wouldn't the courtyard be less cold and quiet now?"
"That's possible. Then shall we have five in the future?" Xiao Mo asked.
"Who... who wants to have five with you..." Qin Siyao's small face flushed red as she lowered her head, muttering, "I haven't even crossed the threshold yet."
Xiao Mo smiled gently, only pulling Qin Siyao's hand and continuing forward.
Walking into the imperial palace, Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao paid respects to the Qin Kingdom’s ruler and Empress Shi.
Xiao Mo had thought the Qin Kingdom’s ruler would be in the rear palace garden or the bedchamber.
Unexpectedly, on the first day of the new year, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler was still handling governnt affairs in the imperial study, with Empress Shi accompanying him.
After seeing Xiao Mo arrive, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler pulled Xiao Mo into a lengthy discussion about governnt affairs.
Empress Shi also knew that two grown n discussing political matters was very boring and shouldn't be disturbed, so she took her daughter and withdrew, planning to teach her daughter more about the way of being a wife.
After all, her daughter was truly too lively. Moreover, she had been spoiled since childhood by His Majesty and her two brothers. When the ti ca to marry, she couldn't still be like a little girl requiring Xiao Mo to take care of her.
Before long, the First Prince and Second Prince also ca to the imperial palace with their respective wives.
Around noon, Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao stayed, and the family ate a al together.
In the afternoon, everyone took their leave. The two of them went to the First Prince's place for tea, then visited the Second Prince.
By the ti Xiao Mo and Qin Siyao returned to the Frost Prince's Manor, it was already evening.
On the second day of the new year, Xiahou Nan brought Lian Li to the Frost Prince's Manor to pay New Year respects to Xiao Mo.
At this ti, Lian Li had no place to stay and was living at her uncle's residence.
After Xiao Mo ate a al with Xiahou Nan, they discussed so matters.
Finally, Xiao Mo decided to buy a four-courtyard compound next to the Frost Prince's Manor. If there were matters that needed discussion, they would gather in that courtyard.
Ti passed day by day.
Before one realized it, the New Year atmosphere gradually dissipated. After the Lantern Festival ended, this year was truly over.
Xiao Mo still cultivated daily. In his leisure ti, he read books and went fishing, quite giving off a retirent feeling.
Ever since Xiao Mo entered Nascent Soul realm, Qin Siyao also began cultivating diligently.
Qin Siyao's cultivation talent was truly not low.
Moreover, Qin Siyao's Dao heart was clear and bright. She knew what she was cultivating for. Combined with Qin Kingdom's resources being at her disposal, very quickly Qin Siyao entered the late Dragon Gate realm.
After the New Year, because the Second Prince's wedding date was drawing nearer, Qin Kingdom's imperial capital gradually beca lively again after the Spring Festival.
The matter of Qin Kingdom widely accepting guest ministers also gradually spread throughout the nations.
More and more people of insight ca to Qin Kingdom, hoping there would be a discerning patron to recognize them as a thousand-li horse and realize their lifelong ambitions.
Among these people, there were those who sought fa and reputation.
There were incompetent people who just wanted to try their luck but there truly were quite a few talented people who hadn't t the right opportunity.
There were even nations that took this opportunity to send so of their country's talented people to Qin Kingdom as spies.
Qin Kingdom would naturally investigate the backgrounds of these guest ministers strictly but so people's talents really reached the point where one couldn't bear to let them go.
For example, a guest minister nad Li Bin.
Li Bin was well-read in poetry and books. Moreover, he read everything. Although his learning was miscellaneous, he had quite a few specialties.
Moreover, Li Bin extrely emphasized "practice yields true knowledge." He was pragmatic and could make different judgnts based on different problems.
Qin Kingdom had annexed the Shu region for fifty years already.
The Shu region relied on natural barriers and was extrely prosperous, absolutely a treasured land but the Shu region suffered from floods.
Previous Qin Kingdom’s rulers had all wanted to govern this land well and build it into a "heavenly granary" and strategic rear area to support unifying the world but Qin Kingdom had tried countless thods with little effect.
At this ti, Li Bin directly presented a water control strategy.
This water control strategy was sothing Li Bin had spent three years personally going to the Shu region to investigate and wrote based on actual conditions.
After the Qin Kingdom’s ruler heard about it, he invited him for lengthy talks through the night.
Although Li Bin was found to be a spy sent by the Zheng Kingdom ruler, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler still acted as if he didn't know.
He only felt that if he didn't use this person, he would be unworthy of being a ruler.
After lengthy talks with Li Bin for several days, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler finally decided to have Li Bin go to the Shu region for water control.
After Li Bin took office, with "water diversion for irrigation, flood prevention and sand discharge" as the core principle, he organized the common people of the Shu region to begin water control.
Li Bin constructed the Fish Mouth Water-Dividing Levee. This levee was shaped like a fish's mouth and could divide water four-to-six based on river terrain and water flow inertia.
In spring during the dry season, when the Min River's water volu was small, about sixty percent of the river water flowed into the inner river, ensuring irrigation water.
In sumr during the flood season, when the water volu was large, about sixty percent of the river water was discharged through the outer river, and forty percent entered the inner river.
This avoided floods on the Chengdu Plain.
Additionally, Li Bin built the Flying Sand Weir overflow channel located between the inner and outer rivers behind the Fish Mouth.
Its height was carefully designed. When the inner river water level was too high, excess water flow would carry large amounts of sand and stone over the Flying Sand Weir and discharge into the outer river.
Utilizing the principle of curved channel circulation, it could also discharge eighty percent of the sedint entering the inner river, achieving "secondary sedint discharge," effectively solving the problem of sedint accumulation in the irrigation area.
Additionally, Li Bin built the Bottle Neck water intake.
Li Bin and his son led people using the thod of "fire burning and water pouring" to chisel out a mountain gap about 20 ters wide and shaped like a bottle neck in the hard rock of Yulei Mountain.
This gap could control the main gate for water volu entering the Sichuan-Shu Plain. Because of its narrowness, it could limit excessive floodwater from entering the irrigation area, serving as a "control gate."
The six-character water control formula "deep channel dredging, low weir construction" was Li Bin's summary of water control. Li Bin carved it on stone for later generations to take as a lesson.
For anything Li Bin requested during the water control process, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler personally reviewed and approved everything, almost granting every request. The treasury provided enormous support. If any official didn't follow Li Bin's orders, they would be directly kicked out of the Sichuan-Shu region.
The Qin Kingdom’s ruler even summoned rogue cultivators from throughout Qin Kingdom. If these rogue cultivators could assist Li Bin in constructing the great weir, they could all receive heavenly material and earthly treasure rewards.
Thus, in just half a year's ti, the great weir Li Bin constructed had initially taken shape, but there were still larger projects to follow.
Even with tens of thousands of rogue cultivators assisting, complete construction would likely still require another year but for this great undertaking that benefited the present and would profit future generations for a thousand years, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler would not allow it to be affected in the slightest.
During this half year or so, apart from Qin Kingdom widely accepting guest ministers, so other matters also occurred.
Second Prince Qin Jingyuan was enfeoffed as the Jing Prince. His fief was located in Lu Province and Jin Province adjacent to Jin Kingdom.
When Xiao Mo learned of this appointnt, he suspected he had heard wrong.
Lu Province and Jin Province were Qin Jingyuan's fiefs, but Qin Jingyuan was still Jin Kingdom's son-in-law.
If Qin Jingyuan had any ideas, it was equivalent to Qin Kingdom's doors being wide open to Jin Kingdom.
Could it be the Qin Kingdom’s ruler wasn't worried his own son would rebel?
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