frightfiction Chapter 410 The Trade Fair Begins
Chapter 410 The Trade Fair Begins
Before the system could reply, Ying Wuyou said to his attendant, "Let's return to the palace. There's still a lot of preparation work waiting for me."
The much-anticipated trade fair finally began. On that day, the sun shone brightly, and the city of Xianyang was deserted as everyone flocked to the streets.
From dawn, people flocked to the trade fair in the east of the city. At the entrance stood a tall archway, the seven large characters "Great Qin Trade Fair" gleaming in the sunlight. On both sides of the archway stood soldiers in armor, not to intimidate the people, but to maintain order and ensure the smooth running of the event.
Dressed in his finest attire, Ying Wuyou stood on the main exhibition platform, gazing at the bustling crowd below, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment. Inside the venue, hundreds of stalls were neatly arranged, with merchants from all over Qin and even neighboring countries displaying their goods: silk from Shu, salt and iron from Qi, horses from Zhao, lacquerware from Wei... a dazzling array of products, everything imaginable.
"Princess, the time has come," Zhang Qian whispered a reminder from the side.
Ying Wuyou nodded and walked to the front of the stage. With her appearance, the noisy venue gradually quieted down.
"People of Great Qin, guests from afar," Ying Wuyou's voice was clear and powerful, "Today, we gather here to witness the opening of the first Great Qin Trade Fair!"
She briefly reviewed the preparation process for the trade fair, thanked everyone for their support, and then solemnly announced: "On behalf of the King of Qin, I hereby declare the first Qin Dynasty Trade Fair officially open!"
With the sounding of horns and the fluttering of colorful flags, the trade fair officially opened. People entered the various exhibition areas in an orderly fashion, and merchants enthusiastically introduced their goods, instantly making the entire venue lively.
Accompanied by her guards, Ying Wuyou began to tour the various exhibition areas. She first arrived at the Shu brocade exhibition area, where the largest crowd had gathered. The exquisite Shu brocade shimmered with a captivating luster under the sunlight, drawing gasps of admiration from the onlookers.
"Princess, please look, this is our latest 'Seven-Colored Cloud Pattern Brocade'," a merchant from Shu proudly displayed a shimmering piece of silk. "It's woven using seven different colored threads through a special technique, making it unique in the entire world!"
Ying Wuyou gently stroked the smooth brocade, exclaiming in amazement, "Truly exquisite craftsmanship! Such skill should be widely disseminated."
She turned to the accompanying historian: "Write this down. I suggest the court invite weavers from Shu to Xianyang to teach their skills and improve the quality of Qin silk."
In the salt and iron exhibition area of the State of Qi, Ying Wuyou was attracted by a new salt-making technology. The traditional method of boiling salt is time-consuming and laborious, while the "sun-drying method" demonstrated by the Qi merchants can utilize sunlight and wind power to crystallize naturally, greatly improving the yield and quality of salt.
“If this method can be promoted along the coast of Qin, salt production can at least double.” Ying Wuyou immediately reached an agreement with merchants from Qi, inviting them to send technicians to Qin to teach the technology.
What surprised Ying Wuyou the most was the Mo Family Craftsmen Exhibition Area. It showcased a batch of books newly printed using movable type printing—including classics such as the *Classic of Poetry* and the *Classic of History*, as well as practical agricultural and medical books. These books were inexpensive and affordable for ordinary people, attracting crowds of onlookers eager to purchase them.
Sunlight streamed onto the trade fair booths, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves. Lü Zhi approached with light steps, a contented smile on her face.
“Princess, movable type printing has already begun to change the way knowledge is disseminated,” Lü Zhi said softly as she walked to Ying Wuyou’s side.
Ying Wuyou raised her head, her gaze falling on a copy of "Agricultural Book" in Lü Zhi's hand. She took the book, carefully examining the clear printed characters inside, and a wave of emotion welled up in her heart.
"Yes, with it, book production has become much more convenient, and the cost has been greatly reduced. In time, books will no longer be the exclusive domain of nobles; ordinary people will also be able to own their own books," Ying Wuyou said with emotion.
Lü Zhi nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for the future.
Ying Wuyou continued to peruse the "Agricultural Book," which detailed various agricultural knowledge and techniques, knowledge that was crucial to the lives of ordinary people.
"Are you looking forward to more and more people becoming literate and educated in the future?" Ying Wuyou suddenly asked.
Empress Lü smiled and replied, "Of course. I believe that the popularization of knowledge will bring about tremendous changes to society, and people's lives will become better as a result."
Ying Wuyou also laughed. She and Lü Zhi smiled at each other, their hearts filled with hope for the future.
Just as Ying Wuyou was basking in the joy of the trade fair's success, Qingliu rushed over and whispered a few words in her ear. Ying Wuyou's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Sister Lü, please tour the place first. I have urgent business to attend to," she said softly.
After a while, Ying Wuyou saw the King of Qin approaching from afar. She did not expect that the King of Qin would come to the trade fair incognito. At this moment, he was not alone, but also accompanied by Wang Wan, Li Si and several other ministers.
Ying Wuyou approached, quickly bowed, and said, "Father! Your subject was unaware of your arrival..."
The King of Qin waved his hand, gesturing for her to rise: "I had a sudden urge to go and see what this trade fair was all about; there's no need for such formalities."
Ying Wuyou breathed a sigh of relief: "Father may certainly visit the trade fair, but with so many people around, your safety is of utmost importance."
The King of Qin shook his head. "It's alright. There are plenty of guards here. This was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Apart from you, no one will know I'm at this trade fair. Besides, I just want to see what's really going on here. Why don't you accompany me for a walk incognito?"
Ying Wuyou could only agree, and then accompanied the King of Qin to tour the trade fair. Without the intimidation of the royal entourage, the King of Qin was able to observe the interaction between merchants and common people up close and listen to their true thoughts.
"This Shu brocade is reasonably priced, 30% cheaper than in city shops!" a middle-aged woman excitedly told her companion.
"I heard it's because the artisans come directly from Sichuan, eliminating the middlemen and their markups," my companion replied. "This trade fair is great! I hope it happens every year!"
At the salt and iron exhibition area, several farmers gathered around a salt, discussing: "This salt looks whiter than ours. I wonder what it tastes like? The price is about the same as regular salt. Should we buy some to try?"
The King of Qin listened silently, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. Moving to a relatively quiet corner, he finally spoke: "Jiayang, you have done very well. This trade fair has indeed benefited the country and its people, far exceeding my expectations."
Ying Wuyou felt a warmth in his heart: "Thank you for your praise, Father. I merely provided a platform; the real brilliance lies in the talent and hard work of these merchants and artisans."
The King of Qin said meaningfully, "A platform is very important. A good platform allows talent and resources to find their proper place and flow smoothly. Perhaps this is the way to govern a country."