Seizing the High Ground of Public Opinion

Having addressed how to deal with the nobles of the six conquered states, the primary issues facing the Great Qin were largely covered. Summarizing all problems, they boiled down to internal troubles and external threats.

External threats were insignificant. The Great Qin had only recently subjugated the six states, and its martial vigor was at its peak. Would the Xiongnu in the north dare to invade, or the Yue tribes in the south dare to cross the borders?

The main concern was internal trouble. The Great Qin collapsed from within, not from without; the same held true for the Great Han. Although warlords contended for supremacy in the late Eastern Han dynasty, weren't they still capable of crushing foreign tribes?

Li Nian stated, "Regarding the 'Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars,' the truth is that Your Majesty and the Great Qin failed to grasp the power of public opinion. 'Public opinion' refers to the voice of the masses. While it may seem trivial, the collective gossip of three men can create a tiger, and mere words can kill."

"Currently, the power of public opinion in the Great Qin is largely held in the hands of Confucian scholars and alchemists. Consequently, they can criticize imperial policies and disparage Your Majesty, while the common people have no way to distinguish truth from falsehood. Over time, Your Majesty's and the Great Qin's reputation among the populace naturally comes to be viewed with the dread reserved for venomous serpents."

The Donglin Faction in the late Ming dynasty consisted of a similar group of people. They loved to gather in cliques to attack the imperial court's decrees, acting as though they were speaking up for the common people and seeking justice for them, each one posing as a supremely loyal subject. In reality, when the Manchu forces arrived, they surrendered faster than anyone else. That notorious scholar who declared the water too cold was none of other than a leader of the Donglin Faction.

These individuals controlled social opinion and created immense obstacles to the implementation of imperial decrees in the late Ming dynasty. When the Ming dynasty fell, the Donglin Faction certainly bore a share of the blame.

As Confucianism was a prominent school of thought among the hundred schools of the era—though it had not yet reached the point where all subsequent dynasties practiced it exclusively—Confucian scholars were exceptionally numerous compared to other schools. Under such circumstances, they naturally controlled the majority of social opinion.

Li Nian continued, "As the saying goes, 'Blocking the people's mouths is more dangerous than blocking a river.' Trying to muzzle everyone and forbidding speech is unfeasible, because some people genuinely offer constructive advice for the betterment of the country. However, letting everyone speak entirely without restraint is equally unfeasible, because malicious actors will fabricate rumors, plunging the populace into panic and the state into turmoil."

"Therefore, to avoid the fallout of the 'Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars,' Your Majesty must regulate public opinion and establish a mouthpiece belonging to Your Majesty and the Great Qin. This mouthpiece should not serve to offer advice to Your Majesty, but rather to speak to all the subjects of the realm on behalf of Your Majesty and the Great Qin."

"Regulating public opinion means making the populace understand what can be said and what cannot be said. The primary objective is to eradicate rumors by enacting relevant laws so that those who wish to spread falsehoods know the consequences and dare not do so again. Establishing a mouthpiece for Your Majesty and the Great Qin is meant to seize the high ground of public opinion..."

Hearing this, Ying Zheng smiled and remarked, "That phrase again—'If we do not occupy the high ground of public opinion, the enemy will'? From whose mouth does this saying originate?"

This question caused Li Nian to pause in silence for a moment before he replied, "That person was one of the founders of the future nation from which this subject hails!"

One of the founders? Doubtless the most important among them, no doubt. I wonder if this founder of the future nation ever left an assessment of me? What would it be?

Ying Zheng thought to himself, though he did not ask for the moment. He listened as Li Nian went on: "If Your Majesty and the Great Qin do not seize it, others will capture it instead, using rumors to ruin the state and mislead the people."

In the future era from which this subject hails, there are means of public communication such as television, the internet, newspapers, and radio. Given the conditions of the Great Qin, newspapers could perhaps be published once paper is successfully manufactured. However, since few among the common people of the Great Qin are literate, the effectiveness might be limited. Instead, imperial officials or specially designated individuals can be dispatched to lecture to the masses."

"They can explain the benefits of the Great Qin's policies to the people, clarify certain rumors, and then even if figures like Scholar Hou and Scholar Lu emerge, the populace will not easily place their trust in them."

"Such are this subject's methods for resolving these issues. However, this subject's words are mere empty talk; Your Majesty and the worthies of the Great Qin must make the final decision based on the actual circumstances of the realm."

Ying Zheng nodded. In truth, there were still many matters he wished to ask Li Nian about, especially the procedures for proclaiming himself emperor and how to reform the imperial official system.

These were topics he had recently been discussing with his ministers, and he eagerly desired to gain references from Li Nian to see how future generations handled them.

The six states were destroyed, and the realm was unified. The various commanding generals had either already returned to Xianyang or were on their way. Many were waiting for him to declare himself emperor so they could receive titles and rewards for their achievements.

However, seeing that the sky outside the palace had grown late and Li Nian wore a look of exhaustion, Ying Zheng said, "You are fatigued today, so take your leave and rest. In five days' time, I wish to learn how emperors of future dynasties succeeded to the throne, and how the official systems of those dynasties were structured."

Hearing this, Li Nian understood that Ying Zheng was not far from officially proclaiming himself "Emperor." To think that he would actually participate in such a monumental historical event and wield a profoundly significant influence upon it!

*I wonder if, a thousand or ten thousand years from now, the history of this world will still bear my name?*

Li Nian answered, "This subject obeys! There is one more matter this subject wishes to report to Your Majesty. The 'Healthy Living Precautions' that this subject previously promised to write for Your Majesty have been completed and brought today. May Your Majesty deign to peruse them!"

In the current Great Qin, if anyone desired the First Emperor to live a long life above all else, it was undoubtedly Li Nian. He genuinely cared about the First Emperor's health.

Because Li Nian was acutely aware that in the Great Qin, his life was bound to that of the First Emperor. If the First Emperor lived, he could survive; if the First Emperor died, he would likely be dragged down and executed along with him.

As a modern man, he hardly relished the sensation of having his life manipulated and controlled by others, yet he had no power to resist right now; instead, he had to depend on the First Emperor. Such was the reality of a feudal dynasty!

"Since you have brought them, where are they now?"

Knowing that alchemists could not grant him eternal life and that no elixir of immortality existed in the world, Ying Zheng attached great importance to Li Nian's discourse on healthy living. He wished to live a little longer.

Upon hearing Ying Zheng's command, two palace attendants immediately entered carrying trays laden with a pile of bamboo slips. Ying Zheng picked up one roll and unfurled it. Written upon it were crooked characters that were not particularly pleasing to the eye.

The handwriting was not hideously ugly—being that of an adult, it was certainly better than that of a young child just beginning to learn, but it still fell short of those who practiced writing the Qin Lesser Seal script year-round.

Ying Zheng examined the bamboo slip in his hand, glanced at the even greater stack resting on the tray, and nodded, saying, "You have put thought into this. Go and rest for now!"

After bowing to the First Emperor, Li Nian took his leave of the Zhangtai Palace.

Watching Li Nian depart, Ying Zheng cast another glance at the bamboo slips on the tray. "He has indeed put much thought into this!"

Meng Yi chimed in, "To have written so many bamboo slips in the span of a few days demonstrates his utter sincerity."

Li Nian had not been learning Seal script for very long, so writing it was already no small feat. On top of that, he had to translate concepts from future generations into language that Ying Zheng could understand, which was even more difficult. They were unaware that Li Nian possessed a search engine in his mind capable of online conversion, requiring him only to edit and copy the resulting text.

Even so, the workload was substantial—though not as overwhelming as they imagined. This endeavor earned him immense favor in Ying Zheng's heart!

As he perused the bamboo slips, Ying Zheng casually asked, "Lord Meng, whom do you deem fit to be the heir apparent?"

Even though the Meng family enjoyed the utmost trust of Your Majesty, Meng Yi still felt the oppressive weight of the question. Yet, since Your Majesty had asked, how could he not reply?

Furthermore, at such a moment, it was best not to be ambiguous or brush the matter aside; one had to express one's stance firmly.

After today's conversation between Your Majesty and Li Nian, Prince Huhai was probably finished. Among the remaining princes, Prince Fusu stood the greatest chance. Meng Yi spoke with solemn earnestness, "This subject believes Prince Fusu is fit to be the heir apparent!"

Ying Zheng merely glanced at Meng Yi, shook his head, and said nothing more.