The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 1232: Ambitious
Chapter 1232 Ambitious
Bai Jintong had already told Bai Qingyan in the letter about Sima Mingdao’s visit to Yanwo, but she didn’t expect that Sima Mingdao came to see Qin Shangzhi.
“Some small changes… cough cough cough!” Qin Shangzhi covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves, coughed a few times to calm down, and pointed at a few points on the drawing. “These small changes in a few places can make the Guanghe Canal more effective, but… it will cost more manpower and resources.”
Bai Qingyan nodded: “In your opinion, Lord Qin, is it worth it?”
Qin Shangzhi was startled, pursed his lips and said: “In my humble opinion, judging from the current situation of the Great Zhou, it is not worth it for the time being.”
“Tell me about it!” Bai Qingyan held Chunzhi’s hand and sat down on a small stool beside her.
Qin Shangzhi coughed violently for a while before saying, “Your Majesty wants the whole world, not just the Great Zhou. Once the world is unified, the Guanghe Canal can be repaired not only in this section, but also extended to the territory of Yan State. If so, Your Majesty can not only turn Yanwo into the granary of the Great Zhou, but also connect Qingbi City in Yan State and extend all the way to Jinghe River. Think about it, Your Majesty… all these lands can become the granary of the Great Zhou!”
Speaking of this, Qin Shangzhi’s eyes lit up, as if he had already planned it, and his words revealed his ambition and eagerness to try.
Bai Qingyan has long known that Qin Shangzhi is a versatile person.
Bai Qingyan tapped his fingers on the table from time to time. After a while, he smiled and said, “Then… this matter will still be left to Lord Qin.”
Qin Shangzhi was startled, and after coughing violently a few times, he took two steps back and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty, Qin Shangzhi once said that he would leave after repairing this canal to accompany the deposed crown prince of the Jin Dynasty. I have promised the deposed crown prince… that I will be the teacher of the deposed crown prince’s descendants of the previous dynasty. Your Majesty can entrust the repair of the canal to Sima Mingdao, the grandson of Mr. Sima Sheng.”
“Mr. Qin is a man with great ambitions. I didn’t force Mr. Qin to abandon the deposed crown prince of the Jin Dynasty and follow me! It’s just… Mr. Qin has already planned how to build the canal after the unification of the world, doesn’t he want to build it himself?” When Bai Qingyan heard Qin Shangzhi change his way of addressing himself, she also smiled and changed her way of addressing Qin Shangzhi, calling him Sir. After a while, she said, “Of course, I won’t force Mr. Qin.”
Bai Qingyan supported Chunzhi’s hand and stood up: “If Mr. Qin is willing, when the world is unified, he can come to preside over the canal construction, and I will definitely ask the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works to help! If Mr. Qin is unwilling, as Mr. Qin said… there is still Mr. Sima Sheng’s grandson!”
“Building the canal will benefit future generations and leave a name for eternity. As long as the canal is here…someone will remember that there was once a man named Qin Shangzhi in this world! But if you don’t want to, then you will just be an insignificant speck of dust in the vast history. After a hundred years…hundreds of years, who will remember you, a loyal and righteous man?”
Bai Qingyan smiled and looked at Qin Shangzhi: “The person in charge of the construction of Guanghe Canal is Mr. Qin. If Mr. Qin thinks that Sima Mingdao can be used, then use him! I said that Mr. Qin is fully responsible for the construction of the canal, and the court will cooperate! Mr. Qin can decide who to use by himself, and there is no need to ask for instructions on everything!”
Qin Shangzhi couldn’t help coughing a few times and bowed: “Yes, thank you for your trust, Your Majesty!”
“Sir Qin, the Guanghe Canal has not been completed yet. We still need you to repair it. If you are not feeling well, you should rest more. Otherwise, if you fall down, it will delay the work.”
“Yes! I’ll remember that.” Qin Shangzhi said, then looked at Bai Qingyan and asked, “Your Majesty, do you want to meet this Sima Mingdao?”
When Qin Shangzhi met Sima Mingdao, he seemed to think highly of himself because he was a descendant of Sima Sheng. He said that he did not want to take a shortcut by going to the capital city in the name of his grandfather, so he came to Yanwo.
But Qin Shangzhi thought that Sima Mingdao was indeed a real talent and was willing to introduce him to Bai Qingyan.
“He asked you to see him?” Bai Qingyan asked.
“No, this Master Sima is capable and naturally a noble person. He would never ask a humble minister to see Your Majesty.” Qin Shangzhi said.
“Then I will disappear.” Bai Qingyan answered straightforwardly, “When he really makes great achievements and lives up to Mr. Sima Sheng’s reputation, we will see each other again! Lord Qin should go back and have a good rest. Wei Zhong and the guards will accompany me to walk around the dam and take a look.”
“Your humble servant… cough cough cough, your humble servant will better accompany Your Majesty! I can also tell Your Majesty a few things along the way, cough cough cough…” Qin Shangzhi couldn’t help coughing.
“Sir Qin, you should go back and have a good rest. We will still have to rely on you for the canal construction in the future! This old servant and the guards will accompany Your Majesty for a walk, and we will also set off back to the capital city. You don’t have to worry.” Wei Zhong said with a smile.
Qin Shangzhi was coughing so hard that his face turned red. After a while, he felt that he was not in a good condition to accompany Bai Qingyan, so he accepted the order and left.
Bai Qingyan held Chunzhi’s hand and walked around the embankment with Wei Zhong. Then they prepared to set off back to the capital city. Xiao Rongyan’s letter also arrived.
In the carriage, Bai Qingyan opened the letter.
“Abao, my wife, I am writing to you…”
When Bai Qingyan saw the first four words, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curl up.
Perhaps it was because Xiao Rongyan saw that her letter was sincere and her attitude was very good. He said that he understood that Bai Qingyan always had an extraordinary grasp of the battle situation. He was concerned but also really worried, because no matter how powerful Bai Qingyan was, to him she was just his pregnant wife.
Xiao Rongyan also said that they had reported to the heavens and bowed to heaven and earth, and they were already husband and wife. As a husband, he should protect Bai Qingyan from the wind and rain. Now that he is in two countries, there are many things that are beyond his control, but he still hopes that Bai Qingyan will not take risks with himself and the children.
In the end, Xiao Rongyan did not hide the current situation in the capital of Yan State. He said that he planned to give Queen Dowager Yan a reassurance first, and said that after the matter of Xiliang was settled, he would let Queen Dowager Yan hold a banquet. If he found a girl he liked, he would tell Queen Dowager Yan and let her make the decision for him, but this Meng Zhaorong could not be accepted.
Moreover, Xiao Rongyan had someone take the script back to Queen Mother Yan to show her, and told her that he did not want to become the subject of other people’s gossip.
This shows that he did not abduct Meng Zhaorong.
And he had planned well that once the war in Xiliang was over, A Li would propose a merger of the two countries after he returned. At that time, Xiao Rongyan would ask Queen Mother Yan to persuade A Li to withdraw his decision, and then say that he was not in the mood to think about his lifelong affairs. Besides, Queen Mother Yan would also be annoyed and would never cause trouble for Xiao Rongyan’s marriage.
First update: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, my little ancestors!