EBE Chapter 99 The Death of King Han An
Chapter 99 The Death of King Han An
After capturing Xinzheng, Wang Jian began to pacify the people. He ordered his soldiers not to disturb the people or plunder their property. At the same time, he also dispatched officials to manage the affairs of the city and restore order.
Under Wang Jian's rule, Xinzheng gradually regained its former prosperity. The people were deeply grateful to Wang Jian and praised him as a wise general.
News of Wang Jian's pacification of the rebellion in Xinzheng reached Xianyang, and the entire palace was filled with joy. King Ying Zheng of Qin was overjoyed and praised Wang Jian's military achievements. However, a disagreement arose in the court regarding how to deal with King An of Han.
Some ministers believed that King An of Han, as the ruler of Han, should be given a certain degree of respect and treatment to demonstrate Qin's magnanimity and tolerance. They advocated placing King An under house arrest in Xianyang, providing him with some financial security so that he could live out his remaining years in peace.
Other ministers argued that King An of Han was a doomed ruler of the state, and his continued existence could incite rebellion and discontent among the people of Han, posing a threat to Qin's rule. Furthermore, the King of Qin had previously given King An opportunities, but King An failed to appreciate them and instead conspired with the Han nobles to rebel. They advocated for King An's execution to prevent future troubles.
King Ying Zheng of Qin listened to his ministers' opinions and fell into deep thought. He knew that the handling of King Han An was crucial to the stability of Qin's rule and the country's image. He needed to weigh the pros and cons and make a wise decision.
Soon, King Han An was escorted to Xianyang, where King Qin interrogated him in the court.
King Qin sat high on the throne, his face grim and his eyes piercing. King Han An was escorted to the front of the hall by guards; his face was pale, and his eyes revealed despair and fear.
King Qin looked coldly at King An of Han, his voice low and authoritative: "King An of Han, do you know your crime?" King An of Han trembled as he replied: "This guilty subject knows his crime, and begs Your Majesty to spare my life." King Qin snorted coldly: "I have already given you a chance, but you did not cherish it and dared to collude with the nobles of Han to launch a rebellion. You should have thought about the consequences of failure."
King Han An cried out in despair, "Your Majesty, this sinful subject is willing to surrender, I only beg Your Majesty to spare my life." King Qin was unmoved. He stood up and waved his hand, "Guards, drag King Han An out and execute him!" The guards responded in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty!" Immediately, King Han An was dragged out of the court.
With a scream, King An of Han's life ended under the sword of King Qin. King Qin looked at King An's corpse without a trace of pity. He knew all too well that to unify the six states and establish a powerful empire, he had to eliminate all obstacles.
Ying Wuyou has been incredibly busy lately. Having just finished dealing with the emergency medical personnel, she now has to immediately throw herself into the task of composting. With the weather gradually warming up, the composting work is becoming increasingly urgent. So, she quickly walked into Zhangtai Palace.
When she stepped into the hall, she found that the King of Qin was not focused on reviewing memorials as usual, but was sitting at his desk deep in thought. Ying Wuyou quietly walked forward and stood not far from the King of Qin, waiting quietly for him to return to reality.
Hearing footsteps, the King of Qin slowly came to his senses, his gaze shifting from the distance to see Ying Wuyou standing not far away, smiling at him. The King of Qin's lips curled slightly, a hint of indulgence flashing in his eyes, and he said with a smile, "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived? What were you standing there for?"
Ying Wuyou smiled gently, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and replied softly, "Father, I noticed that you seem to be deep in thought, and I was afraid of disturbing you, so I waited quietly here."
The King of Qin chuckled and shook his head, stood up, walked to Ying Wuyou's side, patted her head, and teased, "Little girl, you're quite considerate. However, I wasn't thinking about anything just now; I was just clearing my mind. What brings you here today?"
Ying Wuyou smiled gently, her eyes firm and bright. She earnestly said to the King of Qin, "Father, I have noticed that the weather is getting warmer these past few days, and something has suddenly come to mind. I have a method that can increase grain production."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin's previously calm face instantly lit up with intense interest and anticipation. He hurriedly asked, "Oh? What method? Tell me quickly!"
Ying Wuyou took a deep breath and said, "Compost!"
"Compost?" the King of Qin repeated doubtfully. "What is compost?"
Ying Wuyou smiled and explained, "Father, composting is a method of fermenting waste. We can pile up human and animal excrement, straw, weeds, etc., add an appropriate amount of water, and let it ferment naturally. After a period of time, these wastes will become a fertile fertilizer."
Upon hearing this, a hint of curiosity flashed in the King of Qin's eyes: "What are the benefits of composting?"
Ying Wuyou continued, “Father, composting has many benefits. First, it can increase soil fertility and improve crop yields. Second, composting can improve soil structure, making the soil looser and more aerated, which is beneficial for crop growth. In addition, composting can reduce waste emissions.”
After hearing this, the King of Qin nodded repeatedly: "I see. This method of composting is quite ingenious."
Ying Wuyou continued, "Father, I believe we can find some ordinary farmers and try using the composting method on a smaller scale first. If this method is indeed effective, then we can promote it nationwide next year so that more people can benefit from it."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin was overjoyed and agreed, ordering, "Very good, this matter will be entrusted to you."
Ying Wuyou looked troubled and replied, "Father, I don't know those farmers."
The King of Qin laughed and comforted him, saying, "Hahaha, I will send a few people to assist you in handling this matter."
Ying Wuyou was overjoyed and quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Father." The King of Qin smiled and waved his hand, "Alright, if there's nothing else, you may leave now."
Ying Wuyou respectfully replied, "Your subject takes his leave." Then, he turned and left Zhangtai Palace.
In the days that followed, Ying Wuyou visited the estate almost daily. There, she met several farmers sent by the King of Qin. The leader of these people was named Xu Xing. When Ying Wuyou heard this name, she was slightly surprised. She knew Xu Xing very well; he was a famous representative of the peasant school during the Qin Dynasty!
Xu Xing advocated that "the virtuous should till the land and eat the same food as the common people, and govern together." Ying Wuyou found this view somewhat difficult to evaluate. Leaving aside whether this idea was too idealistic, it was certain that this person was truly naive and simple-minded. After all, whether in feudal or modern society, it was impossible for officials to farm and eat the same food as ordinary people.