Winzheng asked, "What changes?"
Wang Wanding said, "The Grand Secretariat has already mentioned that we should alleviate the severity of punishments, reduce taxes, and allow the people of the six states to compare them with the current Qin laws."
Both Ying Zheng and the ministers understood the meaning. It turned out to be this, to lighten the current Qin laws and then hand them over to the people of the six states, letting them discover: Ah, Qin law is not so harsh and terrifying after all? No, the previous Qin laws were strict, but now we use ones that have been reduced.
This must be a deliberate reduction by King Qin for our sake. From this perspective, King Qin doesn't seem as ferocious as the rumors would suggest. He's willing to modify the Qin laws for us, making him quite a decent king!
Wang Wanding continued, "However, we must grasp the right balance. We cannot let it surpass 'lenient punishments and light taxes' for the elderly in Guanzhong. Otherwise, the elderly of Qin will become dissatisfied."
"Surely they feel that they are the elders of Qin, who have contributed much to the unity of the Qin state, and how can the people of the six states be equal to them?"
Ying Zheng pondered, "It is not a worry of equality, but rather the concern that their contributions have not been met with corresponding rewards?"
Wang Wanding said, "That's right. Human nature is like that. However, the elderly of Qin have indeed made great contributions to the unification of the Qin state. They deserve rewards."
"I think we can make such changes, the 'lenient punishments and light taxes' for the elderly in Guanzhong in the first place, and then sort out the rest of the places according to the number of years since the unification of Qin. Let's fix a year, like five or ten years, and when the time is up, unify the whole world into a single 'lenient punishments and light taxes'."
If Wang Wanning proposed in history that enfeoffment was the gradual implementation of the Qin state's system, then what he is discussing now is a progression in the legal system, taking steady steps towards implementation.
The other officials nodded in agreement. Wang Wanning's method not only could soothe the elderly Qin and make them feel that they had gained benefits and preferential treatment, without any complaints, but also make the people of the six states feel that they had gained benefits. Even if they were not as good as the elderly Qin for a time, if they saw a bright future, they could also be calmed down.
Everyone has a bright future!
But this method requires time, and it depends on whether the Great King will agree.
Feng Jie said, "I think the method proposed by the Prime Minister is very good and is especially suitable for the Grand Command Platform. It can not only highlight the achievements of 'lenient punishments and light taxes' to the whole world, strengthening Your Majesty's prestige; but also take advantage of this opportunity to persuade Your Majesty and the Qin state that it is difficult to achieve what they have. It can alleviate their difficulties."
In the second point, Feng Jie did not say it all, "saying that it is difficult for the king and the Qin state to achieve what they have, and alleviating the difficulties of the Qin state" is aimed at buying time for the Qin state to make changes or fully control the world.
But he was unsure of Ying Zheng's true thoughts and could only speak in vague terms. What if Ying Zheng had no intention of amending the Qin laws and instead was urgently seeking to control the entire world?
Afterwards, another minister spoke up, emphasizing that the root of Qin must be maintained and not lost.
Upon hearing the ministers' speeches, Ying Zheng felt quite annoyed. So many ministers could see the problem, yet the historical self that Li Nian spoke of had done exactly the opposite.
"The Qin dynasty perished in just two generations, and I bear the main responsibility for its downfall. It's not an injustice!"
Ying Zheng and his ministers debated for a long time about how to respond to the hopes of the old Qin people that war was over and life would improve. They then established a framework within which they could fill in the details, forming a concrete and feasible policy.
Looking at the figures of the ministers leaving one after another, Ying Zheng squinted his eyes. This time, summoning the ministers was indeed due to his sense of crisis in the Qin state; he wanted to obtain opinions from them. At the same time, it was also an opportunity for him to observe their reactions and plant a preparatory seed in their hearts.
From the current situation, the result seems to be good. These people are very smart. They have already understood his intention - he wants to modify the Qin laws, or more accurately, modify the laws of the Qin state!
In the face of the query on the unification of Qin, its downfall and its governance, suggestions on establishing an heir, setting up a Grand Command Platform, and presenting a globe have been raised in succession. Now the elderly Qin fathers are reminded of their contributions through bamboo slips.
If the ministers aren't foolish, they can all see that their king has realized the crisis in the Qin state and wants to undergo reform!
It's true. Now is the best time for the six states to be unified and the world to be established. The king's prestige has reached its peak, and it is most convincing. Although there are still some remnants of power in the six states, they dare not act too recklessly at the moment.
If we wait five or ten years to make the changes, it won't be as easy. By then, trying to reform and save the Qin state from its downfall in just two generations would be twice as much work for half as much result. Because the old Qin people wouldn't believe in the Qin state anymore!
Currently, although the old Qin people are living in hardship, due to the victories of conquering the six states and unifying the world, they still hold expectations for the Qin King. The people of the six states feel the same way. While they are suspicious and anxious, since it has not actually affected them yet, they still hold onto the idea that Qin law may not be as terrifying as rumored.
In the original history, the expectations of the old Qin people were disappointed, and the panic of the people of the six states was confirmed. Yes, our Qin state was like that!
Ying Zheng knows that he cannot do it alone, nor can he do it with Li Nian. He needs the assistance of all the ministers in the Qin state. His previous attempts were to let the ministers accept his intention to reform and be willing to follow him.
During this process, Ying Zheng's thoughts are also gradually changing.
At first, when Ying Zheng heard Li Nian say that the Qin dynasty perished in just two generations, he was quite shocked, but he did not actually think the problem was as serious in his heart. He even suspected whether Li Nian was lying to him.
But the bamboo slips returned today made him feel that if he didn't make any changes, his Qin state was indeed going to perish.
Meng Yi, who was standing by, suddenly heard Ying Zheng say, "Li Nian is not deceiving me!"
Why did the king suddenly say that?
Meng Yi was taken aback, and before he could understand, Ying Zheng spoke again, "Where is Zhang Huan?"
"He has been in the palace for a long time, waiting for Your Majesty's summons."
While Ying Zheng issued the order, he said "Don't rush to summon Zhang Huan." But Meng Yi knew that the king's intention was not to not summon Zhang Huan, but rather to wait for a moment before doing so. Therefore, Zhang Huan had already entered the palace at this time.
"Let him in!"
Zhang Huan entered the palace carrying a sack of bamboo slips, bowed to Ying Zheng, and said, "Minister Zhang Huan has paid homage to Your Majesty!"
After receiving Ying Zheng's secret appointment, Zhang Huan did not leave Yan'an City immediately. Instead, he was recruiting his own hands and writing down his arrangements for the pilot plan.
Especially the latter, which was a proposal to Ying Zheng, only by getting the boss's approval could he swing into action and show off his skills.
Upon hearing the summons from Ying Zheng, Zhang Huan thought that Ying Zheng was about to make the final decision, so he immediately brought along the bamboo slips he had written and hurried to the royal palace.
"Please stand up!"
Ying Zheng looked at the sack of bamboo slips that Zhang Huan was holding, nodded and said, "It seems that you have been putting your heart into it these days."
Zhang Huan replied, "Serving Your Majesty, how could I dare not put my heart and soul into it?"
Ying Zheng said, "You have presented me with bamboo slips, and I have some bamboo slips for you as well. We can discuss them together."
The eunuch immediately brought two piles of bamboo slips to Zhang Huan, and another eunuch took the bamboo slips that Zhang Huan had brought and placed them in front of Ying Zheng.
There were two piles of bamboo slips. One pile contained the words of the elderly Qin people from Guanzhong, and the other pile was a record of the discussions between Ying Zheng and his ministers just now.
