Chapter 1233: 1227: Ambitious Aspirations

Chapter 1233: Chapter 1227: Ambitious Aspirations

The matter of Sima Mingdao coming to Yanwo was already mentioned by Bai Jintong in the letter to Bai Qingyan, but he didn’t expect that Sima Mingdao was looking for Qin Shangzhi.

“Some small modifications… cough cough cough!” Qin Shangzhi used his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose, coughing several times before calming down, pointing to a few spots on the blueprint, “These small changes in a few places can actually enhance the impact of Guanghe Canal, but… it will require more manpower and resources.”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “According to Master Qin’s view, is it worth it?”

Qin Shangzhi paused and pursed his lips before speaking: “In my humble opinion, considering the current situation of Zhou, it’s temporarily… not worth it.”

“Tell me about it!” Bai Qingyan supported Chun Zhi’s hand and sat down on a small stool beside.

After another bout of violent coughing, Qin Shangzhi finally said: “What His Majesty desires is the entire realm, not just Zhou alone. Once the realm is unified, Guanghe Canal can be constructed beyond just this segment and extended into Yan Kingdom’s territory. If so, His Majesty can not only turn the Yanwo area into Zhou’s granary, but also connect it through Yan Kingdom’s Qingbi City all the way to Jinghe. Imagine, all these lands could become Zhou’s granaries!”

Speaking of this, Qin Shangzhi’s eyes shone, seemingly having long planned this, with ambition and eagerness evident in his words.

Qin Shangzhi is a person of versatile talents, Bai Qingyan has long known.

Bai Qingyan tapped her finger on the table intermittently, finally smiled and said, “Well then… let Mr. Qin continue to oversee this matter.”

Qin Shangzhi froze, coughed violently several times, then retreated two steps and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty, Qin Shangzhi once said that once this canal was done, he would bid farewell to accompany the deposed Crown Prince of Jin. I have promised the deposed Crown Prince to become the teacher of his successor. Your Majesty can delegate the canal construction to Sima Sheng’s grandson, Sima Mingdao.”

“Mr. Qin is a person of great ambitions, I am not forcing Mr. Qin to abandon the deposed Crown Prince of Jin and follow me. However… since Mr. Qin has already planned how this canal should be built after unifying the realm, isn’t there a desire to personally complete it?” Bai Qingyan heard Qin Shangzhi changing his self-address and also smiled, changing the way she addressed Qin Shangzhi, calling him Mr., and after a pause, she continued, “Naturally, I will not compel Mr. Qin.”

Bai Qingyan supported Chun Zhi’s hand to stand up: “If Mr. Qin is willing, when the realm is unified, please come to oversee the canal construction; I will surely have the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works assist strongly! If Mr. Qin is unwilling, as Mr. Qin said… there is still Sima Sheng’s grandson!”

“Constructing a canal is a benefit for the ages, an achievement that will be remembered throughout time. One could say that with the canal, people will remember that once there was someone named Qin Shangzhi! If Mr. Qin is unwilling, he will merely be a tiny speck in the vast, sweeping history; a hundred years… or hundreds of years later, who will remember this noble man?”

Bai Qingyan smilingly looked at Qin Shangzhi: “The one overseeing the construction of Guanghe Canal is Mr. Qin. If Mr. Qin thinks this Sima Mingdao is useful, then use him! I’ve said that the canal construction matters are fully the responsibility of Mr. Qin, the Imperial Court will cooperate! Mr. Qin can decide who to use himself, no need to ask for instructions on everything!”

Qin Shangzhi couldn’t help but cough a few times, bowed deeply: “Yes, thank Your Majesty for your trust!”

“Master Qin, as the Guanghe Canal is not yet complete, we still rely on Master Qin for the construction; if Master is unwell, more rest is needed, otherwise if Master falls ill, things will be delayed.”

“Yes! I will remember.” Qin Shangzhi finished speaking, then looked at Bai Qingyan and asked, “Would Your Majesty like to meet this Sima Mingdao?”

Qin Shangzhi saw this Sima Mingdao, seemingly because of being a descendant of Sima Sheng, he holds himself in high esteem, saying he doesn’t want to take a shortcut using his grandfather’s name to go to Dadu City, so he came to Yanwo instead.

However, Qin Shangzhi thought, this Sima Mingdao indeed has some real talents, and he is quite willing to introduce him to Bai Qingyan.

“Did he entrust you to arrange a meeting?” Bai Qingyan asked.

“No, this Master Sima has skills, and naturally has some pride, he would never ask me to arrange a meeting with Your Majesty.” Qin Shangzhi said.

“Then there’s no need to meet.” Bai Qingyan replied straightforwardly, “Wait until he truly achieves great merits without disappointing the reputation of Mr. Sima Sheng, then we’ll meet again! Master Qin should go back and have a good rest; Wei Zhong and guards will accompany me to stroll on the dyke and have a look.”

“I… cough cough cough, I should accompany Your Majesty! I can also explain along the way, cough cough cough…” Qin Shangzhi couldn’t help coughing.

“Master Qin should really go back and rest well; future canal construction still relies on you! We will accompany Her Majesty to stroll, and also depart for Dadu City, no need for concern.” Wei Zhong said with a smile.

Qin Shangzhi really felt unbearable from coughing, his face flushed red, after a while he too felt he couldn’t accompany Bai Qingyan, and thus took leave.

Bai Qingyan supported Chun Zhi’s hand, and in Wei Zhong’s company, she circled the dyke briefly before preparing to set off back to Dadu City as Xiao Rongyan’s letter also arrived.

In the carriage, Bai Qingyan opened the letter.

“My dear Kid, seeing this letter is like seeing you…”

Upon reading these first four characters, Bai Qingyan couldn’t help but smile.

Perhaps Xiao Rongyan, seeing her previous letter’s sincere words, had a very good attitude, said he understood Bai Qingyan’s extraordinary grasp of the battlefield, he was concerned but also truly worried, because no matter how strong Bai Qingyan appeared to be, to him she was still his wife bearing a child.

Xiao Rongyan also said, they have reported to Heaven, prayed to the Earth, being husband and wife, as a husband, he should protect Bai Qingyan from the wind and rain, now caught between two countries with much beyond his control, he still hopes Bai Qingyan won’t risk herself and the child.

In the end, Xiao Rongyan didn’t hide the current state of the Yan Kingdom’s capital, he said he plans to reassure Empress Dowager Yan, indicating that once Xiliang’s matters are settled, let the Empress Dowager host a banquet, and if there’s a favored young lady, he would inform the Empress Dowager to let her make decisions for him, but Meng Zhaorong would not do.

Moreover, Xiao Rongyan had someone take back the spoken tale to show Empress Dowager Yan, telling her he doesn’t want to become a gossip topic.

By doing this, he clarified he did not abduct Meng Zhaorong.

He also calculated that once the war in Xiliang is over, upon returning, Ah Li would propose the merger of the two countries, then Xiao Rongyan would request Empress Dowager Yan to persuade Ah Li to retract the decision, and further claim he isn’t in the mood to consider lifelong matters, thus Empress Dowager wouldn’t trouble Xiao Rongyan with marital issues.