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In 186 BC, Hu Hai, who had indulged in sensual pleasures, finally exhausted his life force in endless debauchery and died in the Afang Palace, a magnificent palace that had witnessed many absurdities.

During his long twenty-five years in power, Hu Hai only entered the court to handle government affairs a few times, which was tantamount to a formality. The operation of the entire Qin Dynasty's government almost entirely depended on the Prime Minister of Qin, Yi Huawei, who was respected as the Prince's father.

During these 25 years of ups and downs, Yi Huawei single-handedly carried the country and people of the Qin Dynasty. Under his careful governance, the territory of the Qin Dynasty expanded rapidly and now encompassed most of the Asian continent. From the shores of the vast ocean in the east to the depths of the majestic Pamir Mountains in the west; from the unbearably hot Baiyue wilderness in the south to the desert with howling northerly winds and yellow sand in the north, all were included in the ruling territory of the Qin Dynasty.

In this astonishingly vast land, there were already as many as 180 million Qin people living. With the powerful conquest and annexation of the three surrounding empires, the total population of Qin grew rapidly like a snowball, reaching nearly 240 million, making it the most populous and most powerful empire in the world at that time.

During Yi Huawei's administration, he vigorously implemented the far-reaching system of enfeoffment and equal distribution of land. In the matter of enfeoffment of princes, he demonstrated a superb political balance, which not only cleverly appeased the desire of the royal family for power and status, but also reasonably placed them in key areas such as the border, making them a solid force to protect the border of the Qin Dynasty.

The promulgation and implementation of the Equal Field System enabled countless people who had been struggling under the heavy pressure of land annexation to finally obtain the land they had longed for.

Yi Huawei did not hesitate to spend a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources to build a large-scale "craftsmanship institute" with complete facilities in Xianyang City. This scientific research hall that brought together talents from all over the world became the core engine of Daqin's scientific and technological progress.

In the metallurgical workshops, skilled craftsmen studied and explored day and night. With their infinite wisdom and tenacious perseverance, they finally pushed the bronze smelting technology to an unprecedented peak level. At the same time, they also made a series of breakthrough progress in the field of iron manufacturing.

The Qin army weapons made by their hands, whether they were extremely sharp swords or tough and heavy armor, all demonstrated terrifying power on the battlefield and became an important guarantee for the Qin army to defeat the enemy.

Inspired by Yi Huawei, the craftsmen were bold in innovation and experimentation, creating many more exquisite architectural techniques and structural designs. As a result, the palace architecture of the Qin Dynasty became more magnificent and majestic, demonstrating the supreme majesty of the empire; and the construction of the city became more solid and durable, with a reasonable layout, becoming a solid fortress to protect the people of the Qin Dynasty.

Yi Huawei adheres to the philosophy of governing the country with an open mind, tolerance and eclecticism. He is well aware of the profound significance of culture to a country and a nation. Although he does not fully respect Confucianism, he also keenly perceives the unique value of Confucianism's "education" in consolidating rule and rallying people's hearts.

Therefore, he formulated a special policy for Confucian students: if Confucian students aspire to serve as officials in the court and realize their ambitions, they must go to the remote areas conquered by the Qin Dynasty to serve as officials for ten years. During these ten years, they shoulder the important task of spreading the culture and etiquette of the Qin Dynasty, go deep into the local people, and spread the civilization of the Qin Dynasty in this unfamiliar land by opening schools and promoting etiquette. After the expiration of the term, they can return to the court and participate in the governance of the central government after undergoing strict assessments to prove that they have made achievements and contributions in the local area.

This move not only enabled Confucianism to spread widely in remote areas and take root, promoting the exchange and integration of different regional cultures, but also cultivated a group of compound officials who were familiar with Confucian classics and had a deep understanding of local customs and practices. As for other schools of thought, Yi Huawei also gave full respect and development space, encouraging them to show their strengths and let a hundred schools of thought contend on the land of Daqin. The mechanical art of the Mohist school shined in the fields of military defense and engineering construction, contributing countless fantastic ideas and exquisite skills to the construction of cities and the manufacture of military equipment in Daqin; the Taoist thought was like a trickle, which subtly influenced people's life concepts and health preservation methods to a certain extent.

The strength of its military is undoubtedly the solid pillar that enables Qin to stand among the world's powerful nations.

Yi Huawei carried out a comprehensive and in-depth reorganization and reform of the Qin Army, carefully establishing different arms and a rigorous and scientific military organization system.

The Meng family, which had made great military achievements in the history of the Qin Dynasty, made great contributions to the stability of the Qin Dynasty's borders and territorial expansion in the early days. However, with the evolution of the power structure and the adjustment of national strategy, the Meng family was gradually deprived of power due to excessive concentration of power.

Yi Huawei deeply realized the extreme importance of military power to the stability of the state regime. On the premise of ensuring the absolute loyalty of the army to the Qin Empire and the central government, he firmly controlled the core vein of military power.

Under his command, the Qin army was like an indestructible steel lion. It went on many expeditions to the border, quelled rebellions in various places, expanded territory, and shocked the world.

With the death of Hu Hai, Crown Prince Zhao Tong successfully succeeded to the throne, opening a new chapter in the history of the Qin Dynasty.

Yi Huawei continued to assist the young monarch wholeheartedly. During the three years when Zhao Tong first ascended the throne, Yi Huawei worked tirelessly day and night, imparting his years of experience and profound wisdom in governing the country without reservation. From the handling process of court affairs to the formulation and planning of national strategies, from the selection and appointment standards of officials to the implementation details of people's livelihood policies, he patiently taught him everything, no matter how big or small.

Three years later, under Yi Huawei's careful training, Zhao Tong has gradually grown into a mature and steady monarch.

After twenty-five years of hard work, Yi Huawei finally laid the thousand-year foundation of the Qin Dynasty and completed his own stage mission. So he resolutely decided to return the military power to Zhao Tong. At the same time, he recommended Xiao He to Zhao Tong as the prime minister. Then he retired after achieving his goal and bid farewell to the prosperous and noisy court.

Xiao He, a talented person who was well-known for his outstanding ability to handle government affairs and far-sighted political wisdom in the early Han Dynasty, was entrusted with the important task of prime minister under the strong recommendation of Yi Huawei. After taking office, he gave full play to his expertise and quickly sorted out and rectified the internal affairs of Daqin in a comprehensive and detailed manner. He carefully formulated and implemented a series of efficient and reasonable administrative management systems and fiscal and taxation policies, making Daqin's internal affairs more orderly, the cooperation between government departments at all levels more smooth and efficient, and the national fiscal revenue has also achieved significant growth and stability. In the court, under the overall coordination of Xiao He, officials performed their duties conscientiously, and the scene was busy and orderly.

Han Xin was appointed as the general, shouldering the heavy responsibility of leading the Qin army. Xin Sheng and other experienced and brave generals also played an irreplaceable and important role in the army. Some of them were responsible for training new soldiers, passing on the martial spirit and superb military skills of the Qin Dynasty from generation to generation; some focused on military strategic research and tactical innovation, always maintaining the leading position of the Qin army in military technology and tactical concepts; and some generals were stationed in frontier fortresses for a long time, guarding every inch of the Qin frontier territory with flesh and blood and iron will.

Zhang Han, a general who had emerged in the chaotic times of the late Qin Dynasty with his tenacious fighting spirit and outstanding military command ability, was entrusted with the important task of guarding the capital under the new military system of the Qin Dynasty. He trained the garrison troops of the capital, formulated a strict and comprehensive defense strategy and emergency plan for the capital, and ensured the safety and stability of the capital Xianyang. During this period, a unique and beautiful landscape appeared in the court of the Qin Dynasty - the rise of female officials.

As the second female official after Yilan, Lu Zhi successfully stood out with her intelligence, wisdom and decisiveness, and became the first "Chief Justice" of the Qin Dynasty and one of the Nine Ministers.

She was impartial and selfless in handling all kinds of judicial cases. No matter whether they were high-ranking officials or common people, they were all equal in front of her and had to accept the fair judgment of the law. This attitude of fair law enforcement and outstanding judicial ability not only won the heartfelt support and love of the majority of people, but also established a lofty prestige and a good example for the judicial system of Daqin.

Under the positive influence and promotion of the two, a large number of outstanding female officials emerged in the Qin Dynasty. They were involved in various fields. Some served as female historians in the palace, responsible for recording important contents such as palace events, national laws and regulations, and the emperor's words and deeds, leaving precious historical materials for future generations; some left the palace and went to local positions to actively participate in the management and education of local people's livelihood affairs.

They went deep into the people, cared about the sufferings of the people, opened girls' schools, taught cultural knowledge and production skills, and made positive contributions to improving the status of women and promoting local social development. At the same time, female writers and artists also emerged on the cultural and artistic stage of Daqin like mushrooms after rain, blooming with colorful light.

They recited poems, painted, and composed music, adding a unique and brilliant touch to the cultural prosperity of the Qin Dynasty with their unique delicate emotions and keen perspectives. Their works either sang praises to the magnificent mountains and rivers of the Qin Dynasty, or praised the great achievements of heroes, or expressed their personal emotions and thoughts, leaving a strong and colorful mark in the cultural treasure house of the Qin Dynasty.

In the same year, a few months before Yi Huawei resigned, the concubine dowager who had spent nearly thirty years quietly in the deep palace also "died of illness".

………………

The abdicated Prime Minister Yi Huawei quietly set out on the road to Wulan County with a sense of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of the court. The only people traveling with him were Yu Shu, Chen Xi, Qiu Ju, and Cai Yu.

During this trip, Yi Huawei was extremely low-key and did not make any publicity. He did not even mobilize the Black Dragon Guards who had always been loyal to him.

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When the train slowly stopped at the platform of Ulan County, a strange and vibrant atmosphere hit us in the face.

Yi Huawei was the first to get off the train, quickly scanning the busy crowd and unfamiliar scenery around him, then walked to the car rental station nearby and rented a spacious and simple carriage. The coachman was a local old man. Yi Huawei briefly exchanged a few words with him, told him the destination, and then took the women on the carriage and drove towards Wutuo City, the county seat of Wulan County.

The carriage moved slowly forward, and the wheels made rhythmic sounds on the cobblestone road.

Through the car window, Yi Huawei saw the bustling streets outside, with people coming and going. The scene here was obviously different from that in the inland areas of Daqin. People of all kinds of clothing and skin colors intertwined together, forming a colorful and exotic picture.

The further west you go, the more obvious the ethnic diversity becomes, because this is the frontier area where exchanges and collisions between the Qin Dynasty and Western countries are most intense. Cultures blend here, economic trade flourishes here, and the hustle and bustle of commercial activities and the occasional smell of gunpowder coexist here.

There are Arabs, who wear unique clothes, their loose robes fluttering in the wind as they walk, and occasionally talk in a strange but rhythmic language; the Persians have an innate elegance and refinement, their clothes are embroidered with exquisite patterns, and their eyes reveal a keen observation of everything around them; the Thracians are tall and strong, with hearty and heroic laughter; the Phoenicians, Aramaeans, Medes, West Asians, and Macedonians also each have their own unique style and temperament, either calm, or passionate, or mysterious.

Even black people from the African continent, as well as those shrewd and sneaky Jews, can be found in the counties of Ankang, Anle, Anbei, Dongzhou, Zhongzhou, and Xizhou in the western border of the Qin Dynasty. They often come in groups of two or three, with shrewd eyes but a slightly sneaky style of behavior. They always talk in low voices and make quick calculations in the corners of the market and the dark corners of shops.

The Qin Dynasty adhered to the national policy of treating all foreigners equally, giving all visitors equal opportunities to survive and do business. No matter where they came from, they could find a place to settle down and trade freely in this land.

However, the Jews were an exception. They had to pay three times more business tax than people from other countries. Whenever taxes were collected, Jewish merchants were always reluctant and complained. In front of the tax collectors, they either cried about the difficulty of doing business, or tried to bargain, and some even threatened to leave Daqin and go to other countries to look for opportunities.

But in fact, even in the face of such high tax pressure, a large number of Jews still poured into the Western Frontier of the Qin Dynasty. Because the business potential here is huge and the market demand is strong, as long as a few big deals are made, the profits are still considerable. They are attracted by the rich resources of the Qin Dynasty, such as silk, tea, porcelain, etc. These commodities are highly sought after in the Western world, and they can get huge price differences between resale. At the same time, the huge consumer group of the Qin Dynasty also provides them with a vast dumping market, and all kinds of luxury goods such as spices and jewelry from foreign countries are not worried about sales here.

Therefore, despite their constant complaints, they never stopped and continued to look for business opportunities in the western border of the Qin Dynasty. Amid the contradiction between the temptation of commercial interests and policy pressure, they sought development arduously and tenaciously.

(End of this chapter)