Chapter 37: The Strategy of the First Emperor

Stepping out of the palace, Li Nian felt a chill on his back, sweat left over from answering those fatal questions just moments ago.

Silently lamenting once again that "serving a monarch is like sleeping with a tiger," Li Nian headed back to the Liuying Palace.

Inside the palace, after Li Nian's departure, Ying Zheng did not ask Meng Yi for his views as he had done the previous day. Yet, as a loyal minister, even when the sovereign remained silent, he ought to share his ruler's burdens.

Meng Yi was precisely such a fine minister. He took the initiative and asked, "Your Majesty, should we send men to investigate the Xiang clan, Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, and that Pei Gong?"

From what Li Nian had spoken of tonight, they had gleaned a wealth of useful information.

The Great Qin’s first uprising and rebellion would be instigated by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang; the founder of the Han Dynasty was known as "Pei Gong"; and even after the fall of Chu, the Xiang clan would still harbor unyielding ambitions...

After a brief moment of reflection, Ying Zheng shook his head and said, "There is no need to investigate the likes of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang for now. They are merely creatures of circumstance; even without Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, there would arise others of the ilk of Zhang Sheng and Wang Guang."

The First Emperor possessed profound clarity. Even if he were to locate Chen Sheng and Wu Guang right now and eliminate them in advance, as long as the fundamental problems of the Great Qin remained unresolved and history continued to unfold according to Li Nian's account, figures identical to Chen Sheng and Wu Guang would inevitably emerge.

"However, strictly monitor the nobility of the six former states. Report any developments to me immediately. As for that Pei Gong..."

As the founder of the Han Dynasty that would succeed his Great Qin, Ying Zheng felt an intense curiosity toward "Pei Gong." He desperately wished to know what kind of person he truly was.

What manner of man could establish a dynasty revered by future generations as the "Han," leaving behind records in historical texts such as "fearing only that Pei Gong might not become the King of Qin"?

What was his lineage, his appearance, his temperament, his scholarship, his age?

These were all questions that piqued Ying Zheng's interest.

A rather thrilling notion even crossed Ying Zheng's mind: he decided that upon finding this Gaozu of Han, Pei Gong, he would not kill him. Instead, he would subdue him and make him serve the Great Qin.

To have the future founder of the Han Dynasty toil in service to his Great Qin—the mere thought of it was immensely amusing. Moreover, when that Pei Gong eventually passed away, he would send someone to deliver this message to him: *You know, in the history that should have been, you were to establish a dynasty that replaced my Great Qin, and you were the founding sovereign of that dynasty!*

Could there be any greater satisfaction than having a founding monarch serve as a subordinate under one's own command?

Especially when this founding monarch was none other than the creator of the Han Dynasty that supplanted his Great Qin!

Naturally, all of this was conditional upon ensuring that Pei Gong remained securely under his control, posing no threat to the security of the Great Qin.

"Have him investigated as well, but do not startle or disturb him; I have other plans! Furthermore, dispatch men to scout the various regions..."

To scout what?

Ying Zheng paused briefly, not speaking at once. His gaze drifted beyond the palace, seemingly piercing through the night to encompass the entire realm of the Great Qin blanketed by darkness outside the royal city.

Taking a deep breath, Ying Zheng continued, "Inquire into the sentiments of the people of the six former states and our native Qin folk toward the Great Qin, and understand what truly lies within their hearts."

Hearing Ying Zheng's command, Meng Yi thought to himself: *Li Nian's words have exerted a tremendous influence on His Majesty!*

How could they not?

When even the native Qin people no longer supported the Great Qin, and the domestic base had been lost, the shock to the First Emperor can well be imagined.

At that moment, Ying Zheng conceived another idea, one that seemed increasingly viable the more he pondered it. He promptly ordered, "Fetch the maps! Bring me the maps of both the Great Qin and the various states!"

While the attendant went to fetch the maps, Ying Zheng thought of Li Nian and mused: *Since Li Nian comes from future generations, he surely possesses superior maps. When the time comes, I shall definitely demand that he draw them.*

Before long, the maps of the Great Qin and the various states were brought in. Ying Zheng had them spread out across the hall, examining them carefully, one by one. This left Meng Yi somewhat puzzled as to what His Majesty intended to accomplish at such a late hour.

Having finished reviewing the maps, Ying Zheng returned to his throne, picked up a brush, and began to write swiftly upon the bamboo slips. It was a flash of insight—a method he had devised to verify the truth or falsehood of Li Nian's claims.

When he finished writing, Ying Zheng checked it over several times to ensure there were no errors. Then, looking toward Meng Yi, he pointed to the bamboo slips on the desk: "Minister Meng, come and look at this!"

Meng Yi stepped forward and read it. What was written on the bamboo slips was a political strategy. Ying Zheng had selected several counties each from the region of the Three Qians and the lands of the six former states, instructing the local officials there to govern using two different versions of the Qin laws: one being the current Qin laws, and the other being a modified set of Qin laws.

Judging from the contents of the bamboo slips, the modified Qin laws were considerably more lenient than the current ones, abolishing brutal corporal punishments in favor of alternative disciplinary measures and relaxing many of the stringent demands placed upon the common people.

Had Li Nian laid eyes upon this collection of bamboo slips, he undoubtedly would have cried out in astonishment: *Isn't this simply a reform pilot program?*

Through these selected experimental counties, the flaws in the Qin laws would be tested, and simultaneously, the veracity of his own words would be put to the test.

One must never underestimate the wisdom of the ancients; the ancients merely lacked exposure, they were not fools!

Meng Yi also grasped the intent behind the political strategy on the bamboo slips and said, "I believe His Majesty's method is viable, but it must be carried out in strict secrecy, and entrusted to appropriate individuals. Should certain people catch wind of this, I fear they might sabotage this endeavor."

Meng Yi did not explicitly state who might seek to disrupt it, but Ying Zheng knew full well in his heart that certain factions among the Legalists would resolutely step forth in opposition.

For the Legalists advocated harsh laws and severe punishments, yearning to shackle even the very hairs of the common people, yet Ying Zheng had introduced leniency into the modified Qin laws.

What would happen if, under this strategy, the counties governed by the modified Qin laws exhibited superior outcomes?

That would be disastrous! Would it not imply that the doctrines of the Legalists were flawed?

Even if this was merely a possibility and not a certainty, it could never be tolerated. In the parlance of the immortal cultivation worlds, this touched upon a struggle over orthodoxy, and certain fanatical adherents of Legalism would inevitably interfere and disrupt it.

Ying Zheng nodded and said, "Minister Meng's words are entirely correct. Therefore, this matter cannot be handled by senior ministers of the court; we must employ obscure yet loyal and pragmatic individuals. As for that Li Nian, he merely points out this flaw and that deficiency in our Great Qin, labeling everyone he speaks of as rebellious subjects and treacherous villains, yet he fails to name a single loyal minister for me."

After mildly reproaching Li Nian, Ying Zheng continued, "As for the person to execute this decree, I have already thought of someone, though I know not whether this individual remains truly loyal to our Great Qin."

Meng Yi replied, "If Your Majesty wishes to know, why not summon Li Nian again tomorrow to inquire?"

Ying Zheng shook his head. "No, I made a five-day pact with him. A sovereign does not break his word; how can it be casually altered? Moreover, ever since I learned that Li Nian hails from future generations, there are far too many things I wish to know: how the successive dynasties following the Great Qin fared, how that Gaozu of Han established the Han Dynasty, how future generations will judge me, what this world truly looks like, and how the other nations fared..."

"I yearn to know everything instantly, yet I also understand that haste makes waste. From our ancestors down to myself, it has taken hundreds of years for our Great Qin to achieve its present hegemony. Besides, are Li Nian's words necessarily the absolute truth? It is not that he dares to deliberately deceive me, but are the accounts he learned from future generations certain to be accurate? The Great Qin and that future era are separated by more than two thousand years of time!"

"If we were to heed Li Nian's every word, is he the master of the Great Qin, or am I the master of the Great Qin?"

Upon hearing these words, Meng Yi and the guards within the hall instantly dropped to one knee.

Meng Yi declared, "Naturally, Your Majesty is the master of the Great Qin! Your Majesty's vision is so far-reaching and your deliberations so profound that we are simply incomparable!"

"Rise. I harbor no intention of blaming any of you!"

Just as Meng Yi stood back up, he heard Ying Zheng say, "Huang An, tomorrow dispatch someone to procure some chickens and rats, and administer the alchemical pills refined by those alchemists to them according to the method Li Nian described. This matter must be kept strictly confidential. If others come to know of it, you are well aware of the consequences."

Huang An was an attendant serving closely by Ying Zheng's side. Hearing the directive, he hastened to reply, "Your Majesty may rest assured, I shall handle this matter flawlessly!"