Leaving the palace, Li Nian felt a chill on her back, the sweat from answering those crucial questions just now.
Sighing internally again, "Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger," Li Nian turned back towards the Six Ying Palace.
Inside the palace, after Li Nian left, Qin Zheng did not ask Meng Yi for his opinion as he had done the day before. However, as a subject, even if the sovereign does not say so, one should share the burden of the sovereign.
Meng Yi was such a good subject. He volunteered, "O King, should we send someone to investigate the Xiao family, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, and the Xiang Lun?"
From the words Li Nian spoke tonight, they gathered many useful information.
The first "rebellion and chaos" in the Great Qin was carried out by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. The founder of the Han dynasty was called "Pai Gong," and after the fall of Chu, the Xiao family still harbored rebellious intentions...
Thought for a moment, Qin Zheng shook his head and said, "There is no need to investigate those like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang at present. They are just fortunate enough to be at the right time. Even without them, there would still be others like Zhang Sheng and Wang Guang."
Qin Shi Huang is wise enough to understand that even if Chen Sheng and Wu Guang are found and killed now, as long as the problems of the Great Qin are not solved, the historical development will still lead to the emergence of people like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang.
"Regarding the nobility of the Six States, closely monitor them and report to me promptly if there is any situation. As for that Pang Gong..."
As the founder of the Han Dynasty after the Qin Dynasty, Qin Zheng is very curious about "Pang Gong" and wants to know exactly who he is.
Only then can he establish the "Han" that the people of the future will respect and admire, and leave a record in history saying "Only fear that Pang Gong will not become the king of Qin."
What is his background, what does he look like, what is his temperament, what are his scholarly attainments, and how old is he?
All of these are what Qin Zheng is curious about.
Even more exciting, Qin Zheng had a rather stimulating idea in his mind. He decided that even if he found that Han Gaozu Pang Gong, he would not kill him but instead bring him to submission and make him serve for the Great Qin.
The thought of having the future founder of the Han Dynasty serve under his Great Qin is intriguing. Moreover, when that Pang Gong passes away, he intends to send someone to inform him: "You, in the history that should be, will establish a dynasty that will replace my Great Qin. You are the founding emperor of that dynasty!"
Is there anything more satisfying than having an opening emperor serve under your own authority?
Especially since this opening emperor is the founder of the Han Dynasty that will replace his Great Qin!
Of course, the premise is to ensure that that Pang Gong can be controlled under his rule and will not threaten the safety and stability of the Great Qin.
"Also investigate, but do not disturb. I have other plans! In addition, send people to investigate throughout the various regions..."
What are they investigating?
Qin Zheng paused for a moment, not speaking immediately, and his gaze turned to the outside of the palace, as if seeing the entire realm of the Great Qin covered in night.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Zheng then continued, "Investigate the opinions of the people of the Six States and the old Qinites on the Great Qin, and understand what they truly think in their hearts."
Hearing Qin Zheng's command, Meng Yi thought in his heart, 'Li Nian's words have a great impact on the king!'
Can it not be significant?
The impact on Qin Shi Huang can be imagined.
At this point, Qin Zheng had another idea, which he pondered over and over again and found to be feasible. He then ordered, "Bring the maps here. The map of the Great Qin as well as the maps of other countries are all needed!"
While the eunuchs were fetching the maps, Qin Zheng thought of Li Nian, and he mused, 'Li Nian comes from a later era and must have better maps. I will definitely make him draw them then.'
Not long ago, the maps of the Great Qin and other countries were brought in. Qin Zheng had them spread out in the hall and carefully examined them one by one, leaving Meng Yi confused as to what he was doing at this late hour.
After finishing the maps, Qin Zheng returned to the throne, took out his brush, and started writing quickly on bamboo slips. It was a sudden inspiration of how to prove the truth or falsehood of what Li Nian said.
After finishing, Qin Zheng checked several times to make sure there were no mistakes, then looked at Meng Yi and pointed to the bamboo slips on the table: "Meng Qing, please take a look at these!"
Meng Yi went over to take a look, and what he saw on the bamboo slips was a political strategy. Qin Zheng had selected several counties in the Qin territory and several counties in the Six State territories, then instructed local officials to govern them with two different Qin laws: one was the current Qin law, and the other was the modified Qin law.
From the content of the bamboo slips, it could be seen that the modified Qin law was much more lenient than the current Qin law. For instance, it abolished cruel corporeal punishment and replaced it with other methods of punishment, and also relaxed many requirements for the people under its rule.
If Li Nian were to see these Qin bamboo slips, he would undoubtedly exclaim that this is nothing but a reform experiment pilot program.
These selected trial counties will serve to verify the problems with the Qin laws, as well as the truth of what he said.
One cannot underestimate the wisdom of the ancients. They just had limited knowledge, not that they were foolish!
Meng Yi also understood the intention behind the political strategy written on the bamboo slips and said, "I think Your Majesty's method can be used, but it must be carried out secretly, and suitable people must be arranged to do it. If this is known to certain individuals, it may destroy this method."
Meng Yi did not explicitly mention who would be destructive, but Qin Zheng knew in his heart that certain people in the Legalist faction would definitely oppose it.
Because Legalism advocates harsh laws and wants to put even the hair of ordinary people under lock and key, Qin Zheng made some relaxations in the modified Qin law.
If the counties governed by the modified Qin law performed better in this trial, what would that mean? It would imply that their Legalist system has problems.
Even if this is just a possibility and may not necessarily occur, it cannot be allowed. In the terminology of cultivation world, this involves a struggle for the Dao, and some people who firmly believe in Legalism will interfere and disrupt it.
Qin Zheng nodded and said, "Meng Qing is right. This matter cannot be done by the high-ranking officials in the court. Only those with unknown reputation but loyal and capable can be used. That Li Nian is also like this, he only talks about the defects and shortcomings of my Great Qin, calling them traitors, but he doesn't tell me about any loyal ministers."
After blaming Li Nian, Qin Zheng continued, "I have thought of someone to carry out this law, but I am not sure if this person is loyal to the Great Qin."
Meng Yi said, "If Your Majesty wants to know, it might be better to summon Li Nian again tomorrow and ask him."
Qin Zheng shook his head and said, "No, I have made a five-day appointment with him. A king should not play around with his words. How can I change it at whim? Since I learned that Li Nian comes from the future, I have too many things I want to know, such as how the succeeding dynasties after the Great Qin were established, how the Han Gaozu founded the Han Dynasty, how posterity evaluates me, and what shape this world is in and how other countries are doing..."
"I wish I could know everything all at once, but I also know that haste makes waste. From the ancestors to me, over several centuries, it was only after the Great Qin achieved its great achievements. And is what Li Nian said necessarily true? Not that he dares to deceive me, but the information he learned from the future is not necessarily accurate? The Great Qin and that future are separated by over two thousand years!"
"If everything depends on Li Nian's words, who is the true ruler of the Great Qin, him or me?"
As soon as he spoke, Meng Yi and the guards inside the hall knelt down on one knee.
Meng Yi said, "Naturally, it is the king who is the ruler of the Great Qin. The king's vision is far-reaching and his concerns are profound, which we cannot match!"
"Get up, I have no intention to blame you all!"
Just as Meng Yi got up, Qin Zheng spoke again, "Huang An, tomorrow arrange for some chickens and mice to be brought. Feed them with the pills made by the alchemists according to what Li Nian said. This matter must be kept secret. If others learn of it, you know what will happen."
Huang An is an eunuch who serves Qin Zheng. Upon hearing the king's instructions, he hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, please be assured, I will definitely see to this matter!"
