Unparalleled Evildoer

Chapter 127: War of words in the court

Wuzhan knew that Prime Minister Wang Wan's theory came from "Lüshi Chunqiu". This book is based on Confucianism as its main body and Taoist theory as its foundation. It melts various schools of thought into one. It is profound and extensive. It is the way of governing the world according to the Huang-Lao school, advocating the widespread use of virtue and righteousness and ruling by inaction.

"This old minister has an objection!" The state commander Wei Liao said, "What the prime minister said is wrong. Without a strong army, how can the country stabilize the four seas and stabilize the mountains and rivers? Without laws to rely on, how can we eliminate violence and protect the good and make the people abide by the law? There have been countless cases of unruly people and riots since ancient times. How can we convince them with virtue and righteousness? The prime minister only talks about the actions of saints and uses the past to talk about the present. Let me ask, is the country today the same as it was in the past? The disadvantages of the feudal system are obvious. What the prime minister said is nothing more than a group of despicable people who lobby in the name of the people's will and the will of heaven in order to seek fame and fortune among the princes. Is it for the people or for themselves?" After Wei Liao finished his passionate words, the hall was silent. Those court officials who supported the feudal system looked at each other.

"Chun Yu Yue has an answer!" A handsome doctor stepped forward and said, "The theories of the Hundred Schools of Thought are the result of hard exploration in the troubled times, in order to find the way to survive, the way to save the world, and the way to become a sage. May I ask the Captain, did Laozi and Zhuangzi seek fame? Did Confucius and Mencius seek fame? Did Guiguzi seek fame? Why are they said to be lobbying? Remember the past and learn from it. What's the point of abandoning history and keeping it in the court?" The atmosphere in the court was aggressive.

"Your son has something to say!" Fusu stepped forward, "Your son believes that the Qin Empire was won with the blood and tears of the Qin people of all generations. It was not easy to come by. If we divide the land into different fiefs, we will inevitably repeat the same mistakes. The Book of Lord Shang has become the foundation of our Qin Empire and cannot be shaken. Your son advocates the implementation of the county system!"

Although Fusu was just 20 years old, he was the eldest prince. Fusu's words carried a lot of weight, and the atmosphere in the court eased a lot. After hearing this, Ying Zheng laughed and said, "Fusu, you are still immature. You should listen to the opinions of the old ministers and don't make rash judgments. But your spirit is commendable!"

Li Si, who had been silent all this time, stepped out and said loudly: "Without rules, there can be no square or circle. This is also the teaching of Confucius and Mencius. The three generations of feudalization all perished. How can the feudalization last long? The division of systems in various places, the different political orders, the rise and fall of some, how can the people balance? Since the implementation of the Book of Lord Shang, our Great Qin has survived from desperate situations, enriched the people and strengthened the country. People and people of lofty ideals from various countries have flocked to it. How many people in this court have their ancestral home in the Great Qin? Why? Because the Great Qin has laws, we can feel at ease. Because the Great Qin has no princes, we are united and can live in peace. Our Great Qin has followed the will of heaven and has won the world. If we implement the division system again, it will be tantamount to tearing the people's world apart and splitting our Great Qin. The feudalization will surely perish. This is the blood and tears lesson of thousands of years. We have only just come out of the war of nearly 500 years. Why should we return to the old path? The way of heaven and earth is always new. This is the Taoist theory. Today is different from the past. Our Great Qin should open up the world and take the road that our predecessors have not taken."

"Cheers!" Ying Zheng was the first to cheer, and people in the court followed suit and cheered again.

Wang Wan said sternly: "Does the court know what the people of the world think now? Heavy taxes and corvée labor are imposed on millions of people, and there are starving people everywhere. The people are living in misery. How can the people be united? If the feudal system is divided, why do we use so much manpower, material resources, and financial resources to build the Great Wall, the highway, the canal, and the Afang Palace? The "Lüshi Chunqiu" collects the teachings of the sages, takes the essence of hundreds of schools of thought, removes the dross, and wins the hearts of the people with virtue. It does not mean abandoning the law and using both kindness and force. The way of the sages is that our Great Qin uses military force to win the hearts of the people. The School of Law and the School of Law won the world, which is the way of troubled times. However, if you want to stabilize the country, you should follow the way of Taoism and Confucianism, which is the way to govern the world. If you attack without virtue, you will not survive for long. The teachings of the saints must be observed. If you do not examine history and blindly explore, you will not know the wrong way. The court official holds the Book of Shang Yang and thinks it is the way to govern the world. I dare to ask where Shang Yang died? What's more, you say that the present is different from the past. In my opinion, it is like carving a boat to find a sword and holding on to your own opinion.

There was a lot of discussion in the hall, and the voices supporting the feudal system were getting louder and louder. The court officials who were still hesitating also leaned towards the feudal system. Ying Zheng looked as pale as death, and Li Si and others were speechless. Meng Yi stood on the high steps and winked at Wuzhan, wanting him to step out, display his eloquence and overwhelm the court officials.

Wuzhan pretended not to see anything. He did not listen to what people around him were talking about. In fact, he was still hesitating. What the old Prime Minister Wang Wan said was indeed the way to save the world, the way of a sage. He had seen the suffering people and the devastation in various places in the past year. If it could be implemented, the people of the world would be able to live in peace. He had deep feelings when he entered the court this time. There was no mediocre person in the court, and Ying Zheng was not as cruel as imagined. The court officials expressed their opinions, which were contrary to his original intention, but he still endured it, which showed his magnanimity. The reason why Qin destroyed the six states in Shandong was due to the contributions of these people. It would not be easy for such a big country to perish. If it perished, the world would be in chaos. If it did not perish, how could the people get rid of their suffering? In fact, no matter how these ministers argued, Ying Zheng's ambition would not change. He was just testing the ministers' ideas, who could be reused and who could resolutely implement his decrees. Even if Wang Wan's arguments were reasonable, as long as they went against the emperor's will, they were unreasonable and went against the trend.

"Wuzhan, what kind of governance do you support? I want to hear your thoughts." Ying Zheng actually took the initiative to ask Wuzhan. The entire hall suddenly became quiet, and everyone's eyes were fixed on this wise and talented man, wondering what he could say.

Wuzhan knew that Meng Yi had passed on his political views to Ying Zheng. Ying Zheng wanted to test him with this, so he lowered his head and stepped out of the line, saying calmly: "Your Majesty, ..., Your Majesty dares to speak frankly in front of an expert. Today, the world has just been settled, and there are many things to be rebuilt. Local customs are different, rituals and laws are mixed, restoration forces are surging, and foreign races are invading. Although the feudal system can quickly stabilize the world, I think it is by no means a long-term plan. First, the production is different. Our ancestors lived in caves, used fire to drive beasts, and used stones to hunt. Now the people sleep in greenhouses, use copper tools to cultivate fertile fields, and strong crossbows can shoot wolves a hundred feet high. Second, the territory is different. The ancient Yanhuang lived in the Deshui area, and the four seas The land is barren and inaccessible to foreigners, so we expand the territory. Now China has many fertile lands and is surrounded by many dangerous places. Foreigners often invade and every inch of land is worth a lot of money. Third, the humanities are different. In ancient times, people were mostly connected by blood, and their thoughts were simple. They were at peace without laws and ruled by abdication. Now, blood is distant, people's hearts are unpredictable, and they are obsessed with profit. Without laws, there will be chaos. Fourth, the current affairs are different. The world has been in chaos for a long time. People have the heart of a small country and the heart of division. The feudal system cannot be eliminated, but has increased instead of reduced. Although the county system faces some problems at present, it is the present. As long as we follow the will of heaven, face difficulties together, continue to explore, and improve the laws, we will be able to achieve long-term peace and stability. "

After a pause, he changed his words and said with a guilty conscience, "Shang Yang used his own body to prove the law, but the Prime Minister said that he was tying himself up in knots. This is really chilling. May I ask the Prime Minister, if there was no "Book of Shang Yang", how could there be the unification of the Qin Dynasty today? The Prime Minister said that the court judge held "Book of Shang Yang" and carved a boat to look for a sword. Then the Prime Minister strongly praised "Lüshi Chunqiu". Is it stubborn? Taoism is detached from the world and governs by inaction. But if the world is governed by inaction, there is no restraint, and it breeds at will, what will be the outcome? The people are hungry, how can they be detached? Officials may not be detached. How can the people be afraid of death? If the people do not believe in Taoism, how can they be convinced by Taoism? Confucianism claims to be the holy way of the world and the way of being an official. I would like to ask how many saints have appeared in Confucianism, why they are saints, what are their achievements, and what disasters have they solved? They claim to be people-oriented and to treat people with courtesy. In fact, punishment does not apply to officials, and courtesy does not extend to common people. People can be made to follow it, but they cannot be made to know it. Their words and deeds are both wrong and foolish. They do not shame the emperor or humble the officials. They are not willing to tolerate small things, which will ruin big plans. They are flattering and talking big, trying to figure out people's hearts, seeking personal desires, and getting promoted. Have they ever thought about benefiting the people? They are just hypocrites who are lazy and do not know the difference between grains. How can they be open and honest? The prime minister said that this is the way to govern the world. I would like to ask where it is?"

Although Wuzhan's voice was not loud, it made the court silent. The Confucian disciples of the Doctoral Academy stared at Wuzhan with vicious eyes, wishing they could eat him alive.

"Great!" A loud voice suddenly rang out in the court, and Ying Zheng stood up and praised.

"You..., a bunch of..., poof...!" Wang Wan pointed at Wuzhan, spitting out a mouthful of blood mist, staggering, and was supported by several ministers, "Prime Minister! Prime Minister!"

"You're new here, and you dare to contradict the Prime Minister!"

"How dare you disrespect the court, speak rudely, and insult the holy scriptures!"

"A stinking Taoist priest, after winning a battle, he is so arrogant that he is showing off his power here!"

……

Those Confucian disciples who could not hold back started cursing. Wuzhan lowered his head with a cold look. He did not expect that his words would make Wang Wan so angry that he vomited blood. He knew that he was a good official and felt deeply guilty, but there was nothing he could do. Ying Zheng just wanted to use his mouth to refute Wang Wan. This was the will of the emperor. There was no need to pay attention to those curses. This was just the beginning.

"You are the ones who are disrespecting the court!" Ying Zheng slammed the dragon table and scolded.

The court was immediately silent, and everyone looked at the furious Ying Zheng. Ying Zheng said, "I have already issued an oral order, and you can say whatever you want. How dare you act rashly in the court? Come on, clear them out of the hall!"

Before the doctor came forward, a dozen Confucian disciples flicked their sleeves and walked out of the hall on their own initiative.

Ying Zheng asked, "Now that the pros and cons of the two governance systems are clear, it is meaningless to continue arguing. I will make a decision today and implement the county system. Do you have any objections, my dear ministers?"

"I have no objection!" Li Si was the first to agree.

"Your son has no objection!"

"I have no objection!"

……

Several leaders who advocated the feudal system were cleared out of the palace. The court officials understood this and supported it one after another.

"Okay, since all the ministers have no objection, then starting today, the Qin Empire will fully implement the county system, and this matter will be handed over to the Prime Minister!"

Wang Wan looked haggard. He trembled as he took out the bamboo slips from his sleeve. He slowly walked towards His Majesty, presented them with both hands and said, "I am old and frail, and my thoughts are too pedantic. I am not qualified to be the Prime Minister. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to retire and return to my hometown to enjoy my remaining years!"

Ying Zheng knew that Wang Wan had written his resignation because he expected him to implement it in the counties. If he did not resign, it would certainly hinder the implementation. Such a heart for the country can be seen by heaven and earth. With tears in his eyes, he said: "Prime Minister, you are my most trusted minister. Now is the time to use you. How can you leave me!"

Wang Wan shook his head and sighed, "I am stubborn and stubborn, and I am drifting away from Your Majesty. I should have resigned long ago!"

"The Prime Minister has assisted Ying Zheng for more than ten years, working day and night for state affairs, and his achievements are no less than those of Wu Chenghou. How can you be angry with Ying Zheng just because of a disagreement on governance!"

Wang Wan smiled bitterly and said, "How could I? Your Majesty is a man of great talent and strategy. I would be grateful if I could share your worries in this life. But now, not only can I not share your worries, but I am causing trouble for you. I am really ashamed. I beg your Majesty to let me have a few days of leisure!" After saying that, he knelt on the ground.

The court officials shouted, "Prime Minister, please don't do that!"

Ying Zheng stared at Wang Wan for a long time, "Approved!" Two lines of tears flowed down his cheeks.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your help. Long live Your Majesty!"

Ying Zheng wiped away his tears and sat back on the dragon chair. "Little Gaozi, record my edict. Prime Minister Wang Wan will wait for him to return home. The Neishi Prefecture will follow the law every year!"

"Your Majesty!..." Wang Wan burst into tears and fell to the ground, shouting in a trembling voice.

Many old ministers were trying to shed tears, and sobbing sounds could be heard from time to time.

"Dismiss the court!" Ying Zheng stood up, waved his sleeves, got on the carriage and left, leaving behind all the court officials in the hall.

(End of this chapter)