Ying Zheng displayed the Earth's map not for the purpose of enlightening his subjects, but to inform them that beyond Qin, there were even broader lands. He intended to convert some internal problems of Qin into external issues.
Although Emperor Qin had not read any books from later dynasties and was unaware of the concept of "transformation of internal contradictions into external contradictions," the method he is now playing with the globe is exactly that!
After unifying the world, in the nine provinces of Qiu, Qin has no opponents. Not only will the military merit system become ineffective, but the officials and courtiers will gradually start to compete with each other. After all, without foreign enemies, those in the court are now considered enemies.
There are indeed some reasons for Wang Jian and his son Wang Ben to want to boldly retire to their hometowns, to enjoy honor and return home, no longer involved in court affairs. They certainly do not lack such reasons. After all, the contributions they have made to Qin are enough for them to enjoy a life of wealth and honor. Why should they continue to attract hostility from others in the palace?
Retiring in time will not only leave a good impression on the King's heart, but also on the hearts of the many court officials of Qin. They can remember them well and take care of the remaining grandchild, Wang Li.
Ying Zheng showing the world's vastness to his officials through a globe was to turn these internal problems around.
To maintain the cooperation among the ministers who tend to attack each other, it is necessary to inform them that they should stop internal conflicts as there are even more extensive territories awaiting our conquest.
Allow those who wish to retire like Wang Jian and his son, to stay, without worrying about overshadowing the ruler; the world is vast, there is ample room for merit, and there can be numerous rewards.
At the same time, let those who wish to advance through the military merit system or reduce sentences know that the military merit system is still useful.
Li Nian suggests that the military merit system can be replaced by the imperial examination system established in Qin, but the establishment of the imperial examination system requires time. What should we do during this period when the imperial examination system has not yet been established?
The solution offered by Ying Zheng was to keep the military merit system in effect. In his vision, there were three steps: the first step was to maintain the validity of the military merit system while the imperial examination system was not yet established, and to begin setting up the imperial examination system.
The second step is that when the imperial examination system has been established, it will not be immediately abolished, but will instead coexist with the military merit system. He believes that Qin will still have many wars to fight.
The third step is when there are fewer wars and the imperial examination system has matured to the point where the military merit system will be abolished.
Both are wise men, and Wang Jian and Wang Ben understood Ying Zheng's intentions. It was clear that the King wanted them to stay. The father and son did not immediately give an answer, but they were already somewhat moved by the thought.
Looking at the other parts of the ball except for the black areas, there are so many unknown places and conquering territories. The blood of the heroes burns once again. Why should men not carry Wu Hook, conquer fifty provinces in Guanshan, ride into the East Sea, and stand tall on Kunlun Mountain, overlooking all the countries of the world.
Moreover, these places are definitely different from the Qin and the six states. What kind of army will people there organize, what weapons will they use, what tactics will they employ, and are there any famous generals who can stand up to them?
All of this is unknown, and for a legendary general like Wang Jian, the unknown armies and unknown enemies are what present him with a challenge.
Wang Jian chose to withdraw from the Qin court and army for another important reason: Li Mu had died, and he could no longer find an opponent worthy of his skills.
I have a sword, but there are no opponents in the world that can match me with my sword!
Now, with so many countries outside of Qin, perhaps he could find an opponent worthy of his skills. He was eager to see the armies of foreign countries and gain that experience.
Noticing the changes in the expressions of Wang Jian's father and son, Ying Zheng was very satisfied. His purpose had been achieved.
Regarding Meng Tuo's question, Ying Zheng said, "That person said we could sail across the sea, go around in a circle and return, calling it 'global circumnavigation'."
Meng Tuo looked at the globe and said, "From this globe, it seems feasible to sail across the sea, but more than six-sevenths of this globe is water, how vast it is! If one were to sail on it, how large a ship would be needed and how much food must be prepared to complete a circumnavigation?"
Ying Zheng heard the interest in Meng Tuo's words and asked, "Does your Excellency have an interest in this global circumnavigation?"
Meng Tuo said, "Your Majesty, if the world we live in is indeed a globe as we think, I am willing to explore for the King. When I was in Qi, I once saw the sea and saw its vastness and boundlessness. It was so wide that I often wondered what could be found on the sea. Could there really be a place called Guixu as people say?"
If Li Nian were here, he would surely say: General Meng, you are a heavenly navigator! I have a sextant and a navigation manual; the future of the Qin navy is now in your hands!
Ying Zheng said, "If you truly have this desire, I will definitely not hesitate to give you the opportunity!"
Ying Zheng remembered the giant ship he had seen in the strange object from his phone. In the future, there must be a great deal of importance placed on the ocean. Although Qin could not build such giant ships, he hoped to achieve as much as possible.
Looking at the globe, the vastness of the ocean areas shows that many places can be reached by sea. In the future, the Western countries will rise, possibly due to the ocean. Qin naturally cannot ignore it.
His Qin empire must become a maritime power earlier, an empire that never sets sail. He not only wants to show its dominance on land, but also on the sea. He wants to achieve greater achievements than what Li Nian knows from history.
Meng Tuo said: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
At this moment, Prime Minister Wang Wan said, "This globe has reminded me of something. It is rumored that during the Shang Dynasty, an army of unknown origin invaded the Shang Empire and was defeated by Wu Ding's consort, Wu He, who led the army."
Wang Wan's words caught the interest of Ying Zheng and the other officials. "It is said that these people have tall stature, golden hair, and blue eyes, which are different from our Qin and six states. The weapons they use are also very strange. At the beginning of the battle, the army of the Shang could not understand their tactics, and suffered a defeat."
“It was not until Wu He brought the best troops of the Shang army that she strategized brilliantly and was brave enough to lead from the front, defeating this mysterious army, causing them to flee far away. This army might well have been composed of foreign tribesmen!”
Feng Jie's father, Feng Qujie, who was also present in the court, said, "I have also heard this story. Although there are some discrepancies with what the Prime Minister has said, the general outline is similar."
In the Qin court, there were many cases where fathers and sons, brothers, or even cousins served as officials and held high positions together. For example, Meng Xin and Meng Min were brothers who served as officials in the Qin court and held high positions. Similarly, Wang Jian and Wang Bin were father and son who served as officials in the Qin court and held high positions. Furthermore, Feng Qujie and Feng Jie were father and son who served as officials in the Qin court and held high positions.
Li Si frowned and said, "If they can cross the borders to wage war, these foreign people must be from a strong country. Although the Shang was defeated by Wu He, it may not be out of the question that they will come again in the future. Qin must make early preparations."
Wang Wan's words saved Ying Zheng a lot of trouble, and he was quite pleased in his heart. He wanted to openly praise Wang Wan: Wang Wan, you did well; you truly deserve to be the Prime Minister of mine, as you have made all the officials believe that there are foreign countries outside of Qin!
Seeing that the officials no longer argued about whether the world was a ball or not, their attention focused on enemies who could pose a threat to Qin, Ying Zheng said, "Exactly so, foreign countries that can cross borders to pose a threat must not be weak. As the saying goes in military strategy, 'know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be in peril; know yourself but not your enemy, you will win one battle and lose one; know neither yourself nor your enemy, and you will be in danger in every battle'..."
Ying Zheng's gaze swept over the officials: "Although my Qin has conquered the six states and unified the world, we must not be arrogant because of victory. We must remember that the world is vast and not just our Qin. I and my ministers should remain true to our hearts and treat everything with caution!"
The officials all straightened up and bowed together to Ying Zheng: "Yes!"
