Chapter Thirty-Two: Madame Yu

  Wei Feng Shang She, as Qin Yi Ren's largest creditor, has the right to demand repayment, the right not to lend, and even the right to drive Qin Yi Ren out. However, Wei Feng Shang She did not do so, but instead agreed to lend money, and it was a loan of 30 gold at once.

  Thirty taels of gold is equivalent to three hundred taels of silver in later generations, which is not a small amount. Meng Zhao's phrase "upholding righteousness" is the best compliment.

  Qin Yiren nodded slightly, and his expectations for this trip grew even greater.

  The sound of footsteps echoed, and the attendant turned around, rushing towards Qin Yiren with a smile: "Young master, I've already reported this matter to the superior, we...the manager wants to see you, please follow me." There was a slight hesitation in his words.

  "What's going on?" Qin Yiren's keen sense of awareness picked up on something.

  In the Warring States period, a guan shi was equivalent to a modern-day manager. If he wanted to see Qin Yiren, he should have followed the xing shi and come forward, but instead invited Qin Yiren in, which suggests that there is something hidden going on.

  Qin Yiren did not hesitate and followed the officer, with Meng Zhao following behind him.

  Passing through the hall and house, after passing three houses, Qin Yiren was even more surprised. Why is it so mysterious?

  "Please come in, sir." The servant stopped in front of a room and gestured for him to enter, but blocked Meng Zhao's way.

  "Meng Zhao, wait here." Qin Yiren was not afraid of being harmed by anyone. If someone really wanted to harm him, he was on their turf, and having one more Meng Zhao would be useless anyway.

  Meng Zhao responded with a single word and stood at the door.

  Qin Yiren stepped in and the servant closed the door behind him. Qin Yiren took a glance around, looking somewhat surprised.

  This is a fairly large house, but it's divided into two halves by a window, with a low table and stool in front of the curtain.

  "Please sit down, young master." A clear and pleasant voice, like a bright pearl hitting a jade plate, rang out.

  Qin Yiren listened to it in his ears, and was amazed by the sound. It was too good to hear, too moving to listen to. If he were to participate in a modern society's voice-related talent show, he would definitely become a big hit.

  "Excuse me for being presumptuous." Qin Yiren also didn't stand on ceremony, sitting down at the low table and saying: "How should I address you? Should I call you 'Miss' or 'Madam'?"

  "You may call me Madame Yu." A melodious female voice rose, without much courtesy, and went straight to the point: "The young master has already recovered his goods and is no longer imprisoned. His hardships are over. Why does he need to borrow so much gold?"

  "Alas!" Qin Yiren let out a long sigh.

  "Why did the young master sigh?" Madame Yu was somewhat surprised.

  "My lady, you don't know that I have been under house arrest for three years, suffering hardships and tribulations, living a life worse than death." Qin Yiren's voice was low and mournful, filled with endless grievances. "Although I've temporarily escaped from captivity and recovered my wealth, the enmity between Qin and Zhao has become a matter of life and death. Who knows whether there will be another outbreak of violence? If war breaks out again, how many more days do I have to live?"

  The great war of Changping, Qin and Zhao have become sworn enemies, not dead or rested. Heaven knows when the two countries will rise again with swords and spears? Once the swords and spears are raised again, the life of a strange person in Qin is hanging by a thread, who can say how many days he can live?

  "Huh!" A clear and magnetic voice came, Madame Yu was surprised: "What does this have to do with borrowing gold?"

  "If I'm going to die, why not die with a bang! I've decided that before I die, I want to eat well, drink well, have fun and enjoy myself. This requires money. But my wealth is limited, so I'll have to borrow some from you, madam." Qin Yiren's eyes gleamed with cunning as a sly smile spread across his face: "I want to buy a grand mansion, purchase thousands of beautiful women, wear gold and silver, and be surrounded by attendants..."

  Qin Yiren spoke with a resentment that reached the heavens, as if he had an immense grievance. Whoever heard him would be moved to sympathy and pity.

  "Bang!" However, a loud slapping sound came from behind the curtain. Qin Yiren was taken aback for a moment. If you want to borrow, just borrow; if not, don't make a fuss.

  "Young master, you are so self-destructive, it's a waste of being the son of a king." Madame Yu had somewhat of a "iron not becoming steel" tone.

  This time, it was Qin Yi's turn to be surprised.

  I'm a failure, what's it to you? Why are you so resentful that I didn't amount to anything? We're not even related, okay?

  "It's not that I'm giving up, but being in this situation, without seeing the light of day, abandoned by Qin country, what else can be done? Sooner or later I'll die, why not enjoy myself to the fullest before dying?" The glint in Qin Yiren's eyes flashed as he stared fixedly at the window. Unfortunately, the window blocked his view, and he couldn't see what was behind the curtain.

  "Please listen to me, young master. Don't give up. Strength can turn into weakness and weakness can also turn into strength. Just because things are not going well now doesn't mean they won't go well in the future. You absolutely mustn't abandon yourself just because of a temporary setback." Madame Yu's voice became calm and encouraging.

  "What you said makes sense, but what can be done about it? For someone who cannot see hope and is in darkness, even if they don't give up, they will still have to give up." Qin Yiren's mouth curled into a smile, his eyes widening further.

  "The young master is the grandson of the king of Qin, and it can be known that from Duke Xiao downwards, the state of Qin has gone through four generations of rulers: Duke Xiao, King Huiwen, King Wu, and King Qin. Each of them had to endure hardships and difficulties. The lady's words were even more encouraging, saying: 'If they were like the young master, who gives up when faced with setbacks, would there be a strong Qin today? Would the six states in Shandong fear the state of Qin?'"

  The tone is not high, but it's shocking and thought-provoking, making people vigilant.

  Qin Yiren's eyes suddenly widened, and his divine light burst forth, more dazzling than the fierce sun in the ninth heaven, and even more intense. His gaze was like a knife or a sword, as if he wanted to cut through the curtains.

  Madam Yu is right. Since Duke Xiao of Qin, the state of Qin has had four rulers: Duke Xiao, King Huiwen, King Wu and the current King Zhao. Before ascending to the throne, each of these four rulers experienced hardships and narrowly escaped death multiple times.

  Duke Xiao of Qin joined the army at the age of 12, fought in many battles, was wounded multiple times and narrowly escaped death. More importantly, during his reign, it was the most difficult period for the State of Qin, with large tracts of land being taken away by the then hegemon Wei State, even the Hangu Pass was lost to Wei State, and the State of Qin had reached the brink of destruction, on the verge of being destroyed by Wei State at any time. What's more, Wei State's general Pang Juan advocated for the destruction of Qin.

  Taking over such a Qin state, Qin Xiao Gong's anxiety, hardships and problems are self-evident.

  Duke Huiwen of Qin opposed Shang Yang's reforms, so he was punished and his son Fu was sentenced to facial mutilation. Even then, Duke Xiao did not forgive him, demoting him to a commoner and letting him fend for himself for over a decade. During this time, Duke Huiwen traveled extensively throughout the mountains and rivers of Qin, experiencing the hardships of the people and facing death threats multiple times.

  Until the late years of Duke Xiao of Qin, there were no more sons, so he had to bring him back and reinstate him as crown prince. It was precisely because he understood the hardships of the people and saw with his own eyes the great changes in Qin from the lowest level that he tore apart Shang Yang but still implemented "Shang Jun's laws".

  Moreover, he did something that Duke Xiao of Qin and Shang Yang wanted to do but couldn't: thoroughly eliminating the forces of restoration. Those restorative forces thought that since he had torn Shang Yang apart with chariots, he would certainly abolish Shang Yang's laws, and they jumped out recklessly; however, what awaited them was the ruthless butcher's knife of King Huiwen of Qin.

  Qin Wu Wang was sent to the army for training by King Huiwen of Qin when he was still a crown prince.

  The training of the Qin state was vastly different from that of the six states in Shandong. The princes and young masters of the six states would go through the motions, making a big show of their arrival, with people calling out to announce their presence, as if they were afraid others wouldn't know about it. In contrast, the training of the Qin state was conducted in secret, with only a handful of people knowing that the crown prince was among the troops. Moreover, there would be no special treatment; whatever conditions the soldiers endured, you had to endure as well. Even if you died on the battlefield, your commander wouldn't be held responsible.

  Qin Wu Wang participated in Sima Cuo's war to destroy Ba and Shu, because of his immense strength, he led the way forward, and together with a group of brave warriors, they carved out a "plank road" through the mountains. The hardships involved do not need to be mentioned.

  The current King of Qin, King Zhao of Qin, had a similar experience to that of Qin Yiren. He was also a hostage by birth. When he was young, he was sent to the State of Yan as a hostage by King Huiwen of Qin, coinciding with the "Zi Zhi rebellion". Several times he narrowly escaped death, without food or clothing, competing with birds and beasts for food, digging bird nests and mouse holes, hungry for one meal, full for one meal, experiencing hardships.

  Qin Wu Wang was lifting a tripod in Luoyang when he broke his leg, and died in agony. Before his death, he passed the throne of Qin to him, and only then was he able to return to Qin.

  "This woman is not simple! Extremely not simple!" Qin Yiren quickly made a judgment, ordinary women can't say such insightful words.