I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 140 Wei Agrees to Cooperation

Watching Chunyu Yue's departing figure, King Jia of Wei let out a long sigh of relief. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Qin's proposal is indeed tempting, but we must also be wary of their underlying intentions. If we accept it, we risk falling into their trap; if we refuse, we risk missing a golden opportunity. Do any of you gentlemen have a good plan that can both protect the interests of Wei and ensure a proper relationship with Qin?"

Duan Ganchong cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should not be taken lightly. Qin has always been cunning, and this move may be an attempt to lull us into a false sense of security so they can seize greater benefits. Everyone knows that Qin is a wolf in sheep's clothing; why would they be so kind? There must be some conspiracy involved."

A minister with gray hair retorted, “Your Majesty, I disagree. Our nation is currently weak and needs such an opportunity to revitalize its economy. Qin’s willingness to build roads demonstrates its sincerity. If we miss this opportunity, we may never have a chance to recover. Moreover, cooperating with Qin can also help us resist the threats from other powerful states.”

Jin Bi said, "Your Majesty, the Qin state is very powerful. If we cooperate with them, we may gradually be controlled by Qin and lose our autonomy. We cannot disregard the long-term interests of the country for the sake of short-term gains."

The minister who supported the cooperation quickly responded: "That is not true. The establishment of the economic zone will bring prosperity to trade, increase national revenue, and improve the lives of the people. We can gradually strengthen ourselves through cooperation and may not necessarily be controlled by Qin."

The ministers expressed their opinions one after another, and the debate raged on.

Wei Ziyuan stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I believe we should first send an envoy to Qin to ascertain their true intentions. If Qin is indeed sincere, we can then discuss the details of cooperation; if they harbor ill intentions, we can take precautions in advance.”

King Wei nodded slightly and said, "This plan is excellent. However, we must not let our guard down while the envoy is still away. We must strengthen our border defenses to prevent Qin from taking advantage of the situation to launch an attack."

The ministers responded in unison, "Your Majesty is wise."

In this era of rapid change, King Jia of Wei and his ministers must make careful choices in order to lead the State of Wei out of its predicament and rise again.

These days, King Jia of Wei did not summon Chunyu Yue again. He was not in a hurry. He believed that Wei had no choice but to cooperate with Qin. In a relaxed mood, he wandered aimlessly through Daliang City. He strolled slowly through the streets and alleys of Daliang City, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the buildings that had withstood the test of time and still stood firm, as well as the familiar but slightly old streets.

Compared to what it looked like ten years ago, there didn't seem to be any significant changes. Yet, I couldn't help but think of Xianyang City, where the Qin Dynasty had undergone tremendous changes in just two short years.

Under Princess Jiayang's influence, many of the original single-story buildings in Xianyang, a city once known for its ancient simplicity and solemnity, have quietly begun to rise to two stories. Among these emerging two-story buildings, only the Qin First Tower stands out as a three-story structure, proudly becoming a landmark of the entire city of Xianyang.

Not only that, but in the past two years, the Qin Dynasty has also built wide and smooth cement roads. These have transformed the previously bumpy and difficult roads into wide and flat ones. The speed of carriages traveling on these roads has been greatly increased. Such an astonishing change has occurred in just two years. Chunyu Yue couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Princess Jiayang is truly remarkable. It's a pity she's a woman; if she were a man, Prince Fusu would probably be outshone."

Several days passed, and news came back from the Wei spies. The news confirmed that the economic zone was indeed a key project that the Qin state was going to build. Moreover, it was not limited to the area bordering Wei; its planned scope even extended to the areas bordering Chu and Qi.

When this shocking news reached the Wei court, it truly put the entire Wei state at ease, as if a heart that had been hanging in suspense had finally found a place to rest.

King Jia of Wei sat down with his ministers, and after a heated discussion, weighing the pros and cons, they unanimously agreed to Qin's plan to build an economic zone. This decision was undoubtedly a major one for Wei, as it meant both potential economic opportunities and inherent risks.

King Jia of Wei sat high on the palace throne, his expression solemn. After discussing with his ministers in the capital, King Jia had decided to cooperate with the State of Qin, but Qin was too powerful, which made Wei also fear Qin.

At this time, Qin envoy Chunyu Yue was summoned again by the King of Wei. Dressed in Qin attire, Chunyu Yue, with an imposing presence, entered the palace and respectfully bowed to the King of Wei. Although the King of Wei had many thoughts in mind upon seeing Chunyu Yue, his face was full of respect. He knew that Chunyu Yue was a key figure in this negotiation with Qin.

Chunyu Yue calmly and slowly spoke, "King Wei, by summoning your foreign ministers here, do you mean you have already decided to embark on this cooperative endeavor with my Great Qin?"

A faint smile appeared on the fake face of the King of Wei, and he slowly said, "Your Excellency, my Wei Kingdom is indeed willing to join hands with Qin Kingdom. However, how should we properly handle the currency issue? Furthermore, the weights and measures of my Wei Kingdom are very different from those of Qin Kingdom. If we are to build roads to facilitate travel, the accounts will be very difficult to calculate accurately."

Chunyu Yue remained calm and continued speaking slowly: "King Wei, this economic zone is located within the territory of our Great Qin, so it should be calculated according to the standards of our Great Qin. As for the weights and measures to be considered for road construction, they should also follow the regulations of our Great Qin. The specific implementation of this matter will be undertaken by our Great Qin with all its might, so as to ensure that everything is done in an orderly and smooth manner."

He paused, a glint of wisdom flashing in his eyes, and continued, "Moreover, our Great Qin has always been known for its strict laws and regulations, with detailed and rigorous provisions for such matters. By following the standards of our Great Qin, this cooperation will surely be twice as effective and bring tangible benefits to both countries." After speaking, he slightly cupped his hands, awaiting the response from King Wei.

King Wei pondered for a moment and said, "The matter of taxation and currency involves several countries. I have heard that Qin will establish economic zones along the borders of Qi and Chu. Therefore, in my opinion, we still need to discuss the issues of currency and taxation further."

Chunyu Yue thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I need to consult the King of Qin about this. Does the King of Wei still have any concerns?"

King Wei pondered for a moment and said, "This matter of road construction still needs to be discussed."

Chunyu Yue asked with doubt, "Is there anything about the road construction that needs to be discussed? Please speak frankly, Your Majesty."

Wei Ziyuan said, "If the funds required for road construction are entirely borne by the State of Wei, there is no problem. However, the State of Qin has a large number of craftsmen. If there are hidden traps during the road construction process, which could be detrimental to the State of Wei in the future, what should we do then?"

Chunyu Yue said, “This sir is overthinking it. Qin and Wei can discuss the allocation of manpower for road construction. As for the mechanical devices you are worried about, Qin is a country that values ​​integrity and would never do such an unjust thing.”

Wei Ziyuan frowned slightly and said, "Even so, if Qin intends to favor itself in the road construction route planning, putting Wei at a strategic disadvantage, what should we do?"

Chunyu Yue said, "The route planning will definitely be discussed jointly by both countries, based on the principles of fairness and impartiality. We will also fully consider the interests of Wei and will never allow Wei to be put in a disadvantageous position."

Wei Ziyuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Furthermore, how can the quality of the road construction be guaranteed? If the Qin craftsmen are perfunctory and the road soon deteriorates, who will be responsible?"

Chunyu Yue said, "Rest assured, Qin will dispatch its most skilled craftsmen to carry out the construction strictly according to high standards. Furthermore, a special supervisory body, composed of personnel from both countries, can be established to oversee the entire road construction process. If any quality issues arise, Qin will certainly take full responsibility."

Wei Ziyuan was still uneasy and asked, "What if the Qin state uses the pretext of road construction to actually gather intelligence? How should we deal with that?"

Chunyu Yue said, "Qin's cooperation this time is full of sincerity. There will absolutely be no espionage. If you are still worried, you can strengthen the management of Qin craftsmen during the road construction process to ensure information security."

Wei Ziyuan nodded slightly and said, "I hope it is as you say."

Chunyu Yue said, "Qin will uphold integrity and abide by agreements. This cooperation is an opportunity for both Qin and Wei, and we should cherish it together."

After Wei Ziyuan and Chunyu Yue finished their discussions, King Wei solemnly said, "In that case, our great Wei Kingdom has decided to accept the economic zone plan proposed by the Qin Kingdom. Once the timeline is set, our two countries can formally sign a cooperation agreement."

Chunyu Yue nodded slightly, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes, and then slowly said, "Yes, this is the trend of the times. I hope that our Great Qin and the State of Chu will join hands and move forward together for mutual benefit."

Then, the two engaged in in-depth and meticulous discussions on the numerous details of the soon-to-be-signed cooperation agreement. From economic terms to resource allocation, from personnel deployment to market development, every aspect was repeatedly considered and scrutinized. Chunyu Yue sometimes frowned in deep thought, sometimes picked up a pen to take notes, as if trying to memorize every detail of the agreement. Only after all the key issues were clarified and a consensus was reached did Chunyu Yue stand up, bow to the King of Wei, and then turn and stride away. His figure gradually lengthened in the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving a resolute mark.