92: Chapter 92 The Nobles: Thank God for sending us a sugar daddy!

Inside Xianyang Palace, the nobles attending the feast included not only the Qin Nobility but also the Nobles of the Six Lands, who had been forcibly relocated by the First Emperor after he conquered their states.

These Nobles of the Six Lands sat together at one table.

Their table was placed in a rather remote corner; it was clear at a glance that they were being marginalized.

The Qin Nobility, as the victors who had seized the world, sat at their own tables, talking loudly and laughing freely with one another.

The Nobles of the Six Lands, forcibly relocated as the defeated party, were confined to Guanzhong. After years of reclaiming wasteland in the region, their lives—while not as grand as they had been in the Six Lands—were still far superior to those of the commoners living on coarse greens.

However, these Nobles of the Six Lands still could not hold their heads high in front of the Qin Nobility. They appeared restrained and cautious everywhere, terrified of offending the Qin elite.

Their gazes shifted about, each harboring their own small schemes. They intended to petition Zhao Fusu after the summer harvest to return to the Six Lands to worship their ancestors. By doing so, they hoped to be far from the reach of the central authority, no longer subjected to the cold shoulders and exclusion of the Qin Nobility.

They believed that Prince Fusu was benevolent and would agree to their request.

Xianyang Palace was lit with a vast number of oil lamps that evening.

Thirteen oil lamps were lit atop each bronze lighthouse.

One bronze lighthouse after another was placed in every corner of Xianyang Palace for illumination.

Specific palace maids were responsible for tending to these lighthouses.

If the oil in a lamp burned low, they would refill it promptly.

If a wick burned out, they would replace it.

Under Zhao Fusu's arrangements, thirty tables were set for the evening banquet.

They were similar to modern banquet tables, all being circular in shape.

Ten chairs were arranged around each table.

These tables and chairs were, naturally, not products that could have existed in the Qin Dynasty.

Zhao Fusu had ordered the carpenters to craft them as extra pieces while they were making his desks, specifically for use at banquets.

The round tables were covered with red cloths, looking very formal.

Wine, bowls, and chopsticks were set upon the tables.

The beverages provided were Li wine and Qing wine.

Li wine was a sweet wine with a short brewing time and low alcohol content. It was common at Qin Dynasty banquets and suitable for all guests.

Compared to Li wine, Qing wine involved a more complex brewing process; it was clearer and had a richer, more mellow taste, making it a fine vintage for hosting honored guests at state banquets.

The chopsticks of the Qin Dynasty were nearly identical in shape and function to modern ones, serving as an essential eating utensil for the people of that era.

"His Majesty the Head of State has arrived!"

Xiao Weizi announced in a sharp, high-pitched, drawn-out tone.

"Your Majesty!"

All the nobles stood up in unison to welcome Zhao Fusu's arrival.

Many of the nobles looked at His Majesty the Head of State with curiosity.

Lately, His Majesty had been constantly stirring up the winds and rains in Xianyang, becoming the focal point of everyone's conversation.

They were all curious about what His Majesty actually looked like.

The moment they saw Zhao Fusu, they indeed saw that he was exceptionally heroic and handsome, bearing a striking resemblance to a young First Emperor.

A large number of soldiers were stationed inside Xianyang Palace, each with a steel saber at their waist and a look of grim determination on their faces.

Zhao Fusu was still surrounded by a large contingent of soldiers.

He remained as cautious as ever, strictly preventing anyone from sneaking in to assassinate him.

"Good evening, everyone."

Accompanied by his soldiers, Zhao Fusu took his seat at the head table.

The soldiers stood right beside Zhao Fusu, their hands resting on the hilts of their steel sabers, looking ready for action at a moment's notice.

While the Qin Nobility were accustomed to seeing so many soldiers in Xianyang Palace, the Nobles of the Six Lands were like quails, pulling in their necks and hanging their heads low.

They tried their best to hide their figures in the shadows where the oil lamps couldn't reach, hoping Zhao Fusu wouldn't notice them.

Despite the rumors of Prince Fusu's benevolence, Zhao Fusu had dared to launch a military coup. They were terrified of provoking him and being cut down by the fierce, wolf-like soldiers standing behind him.

"Everyone, please do not be nervous,"

Zhao Fusu said with a smile to the Nobles of the Six Lands.

"We aren't nervous, we aren't nervous at all,"

The Nobles of the Six Lands replied, though they were using their sleeves to wipe away bean-sized beads of sweat from their foreheads.

"Begin the feast."

Zhao Fusu looked toward Xiao Weizi.

"Understood."

Xiao Weizi signaled the eunuchs to begin serving the dishes.

A large number of eunuchs began serving food to the Qin Nobility and the Nobles of the Six Lands.

The first items brought out were steel gui vessels.

Ever since learning that bronze contained high amounts of heavy metals like lead, which is harmful to the human body, Zhao Fusu had replaced all bronze kitchenware with items made of steel.

These vessels were filled with steamed rice.

Rice was very precious in Xianyang, but since Zhao Fusu was treating the nobles to a meal, he naturally wouldn't serve them common millet.

Next, steel basins were brought out containing meat paste. A selection of meats from cattle, sheep, elk, and deer were pounded together into a paste, roasted, and then seasoned with spices.

Then, eunuchs brought out steel plates containing meat cakes—minced beef and mutton sandwiched between two rice cakes and fried until cooked. This could be seen as the primitive ancestor of modern Shaanxi Roujiamo.

The vegetables served were Chinese cabbage and Laifu, which is white radish.

The variety of dishes couldn't compare to later generations, but compared to those eating coarse greens, the nobles' diet was still excellent.

"Everyone, I would like to discuss the matter of grain..."

Zhao Fusu got straight to the point and began talking to them about the grain issue.

The amount of grain he needed to purchase was simply too massive.

Three million laborers on corvée labor consumed a total of 7.2 million catties of grain every day.

The Qin Dynasty used a staged transport method for grain. A grain station was set up every five hundred li, and laborers worked in relays, with each transport cycle lasting about five to seven days.

Based on a seven-day delivery cycle,

Zhao Fusu needed to raise 50.4 million catties of grain every seven days.

No single noble family had the capacity to provide such a vast amount of grain on their own.

Therefore, after some discussion, the nobles decided to unite and supply grain to Zhao Fusu collectively.

Zhao Fusu's side would handle the grain payments in a unified manner.

Then, the nobles would distribute the payments among themselves based on the amount of grain each family provided.

With the grain problem solved, Zhao Fusu was happy.

The nobles were also happy.

Everyone was in high spirits.

"Your Majesty, this old man toasts you!"

"Your Majesty, this old man toasts you as well!"

...

The Qin Nobility all raised their cups one after another, competing to drink with Zhao Fusu.

They were toasting Zhao Fusu from the bottom of their hearts.

If Zhao Fusu hadn't opened up the grain trade, how else would they have been able to sell their grain?

Zhao Fusu's demand for grain was so terrifyingly high that it allowed them to earn a massive amount of money; how could they not be excited?

The way they looked at Zhao Fusu was no different from how one looks at a sugar daddy.

They were so grateful to the heavens for sending them such a benefactor.

At this moment, even if the First Emperor were to jump out and want to be Emperor again,

They would tell the First Emperor to get as far away as possible.

As for that fool Hu Hai, they simply acted as if he didn't exist.

Naturally, it was impossible for Zhao Fusu to drink with each of these nobles and kinsmen individually.

There were over three hundred people here; there was no way he could drink with them one by one.

He raised his cup and said, "If there is money, we shall all earn it together; if there is wine, we shall all drink it together."

"Come!"

"Drink!"

"Let's all drink together!"

As soon as Zhao Fusu finished speaking, he took the first drink.