Chapter 303 What kind of behavior is this!

Xiao Qidi's face darkened, and he also picked up a book and started reading.

The investigation revealed that the contents went far beyond what was mentioned above, even including words that blatantly slandered the unification measures of standardizing writing and cart tracks.

The book uses sophistry and brainwashing techniques to denigrate the relevant reforms to the point of being worthless. It also calls on readers to work together with many loyal ministers to maintain the old system in order to save the Great Xuan Dynasty.

"This isn't about saving Da Xuan at all; it's clearly these old fogies who are afraid of losing their former prestigious status!" Xing Lie bluntly pointed out the crux of the matter.

Xing Lie has grown up under the influence of new ideas since birth, and although he is young, he quickly saw the essence of things.

Xiao Qidi showed a hint of relief, tossed the book aside, and said lightly:

"Yes, they used to live a life of luxury in the various states, considering themselves superior. Now that they are to be made to sit on equal footing with ordinary people, they will definitely be uncomfortable. Moreover, they will lose the many benefits that their original status brought them. Ha, their pretense of upholding the monarchical system is nothing but their own selfish desire."

"As for saying that unifying all systems will destroy the Great Xuan..." Xiao Qidi paused slightly, his eyes already flashing with a cold light, "If we don't unify, are we going to leave behind a seed of disaster, waiting for China to split up again many years later? These people are despicable!"

"Mr. Xiao, what should we do?" the reporting official asked.

Xiao Qidi pondered, "I've already told them we'd have a meeting at noon, so let's talk about it after the meeting. Make sure you keep all the evidence safe."

"Yes, Mr. Xiao."

It was noon soon.

The luncheon was held in the main hall of the Great Xuan King's Palace.

This place used to be where ministers held court, but now it has been converted into a meeting hall by Xiao Qidi, and banquets are also held here on major national holidays.

Xiao Qidi removed the throne, and officials no longer had to go through complicated court ceremonies or kneel on the ground; instead, they were seated according to their rank.

Over the past fifteen years, Da Xuan's agriculture, industry, manufacturing and other sectors have experienced unprecedented explosive growth. Even the main hall has been equipped with electric lights, and commonly used items such as tables and chairs have been replaced with new materials that are more economical in terms of wood and more durable.

Xiao Qidi disliked extravagance and had all the gold-made items and decorations inside and outside the palace dismantled, clearing out more than ten tons of gold. Some of it was given to the research team, and some was deposited into the national treasury to develop people's livelihood.

Inside the conference hall, the large round table and chairs for the luncheon had been prepared.

Some officials from the capital city of Daxuan, invited by Xiao Qidi, also arrived one after another.

Some of them were former officials of the Great Xuan Dynasty and capable ministers from the other six kingdoms. However, they have adapted to the changes, especially since they are old and are genuinely happy that they no longer have to perform complicated kneeling rituals.

Otherwise, it would be quite painful for an old person like me to kneel back and forth like that.

"Gentlemen, please come in." There was a staff member at the entrance of the conference hall to greet them.

The former senior ministers of the Great Xuan Dynasty and the capable ministers of the six kingdoms all nodded happily in greeting. After hearing the title "Old Master" for so long, it was indeed more comfortable than being called "Your Excellency".

"Welcome, esteemed seniors."

"Come, come, senior, sit here."

Then several more enthusiastic voices rang out, and six tall figures walked towards them.

These are the heads of the six main departments of Da Xuan after the restructuring.

Qi Zhan from the Military Affairs Department, Mu Cheng from the Legal Affairs Department, Duan Wu from the Civil Affairs Department, Li Yao from the Public Works Department, Li He from the Human Resources and Social Security Department, and Lin Sui from the Civil Affairs Department.

Beside them were representatives from other state agencies such as the Cabinet of State and the Inspectorate.

It can be said that almost all the important members of Da Xuan were present.

These dozens of important figures were mostly pillars of the nation appointed by Xiao Qidi after the reforms. They were predominantly young people, with the oldest, Mu Cheng, being under sixty years old. Compared to the group of old officials who were generally in their eighties, they were indeed juniors.

The old ministers of the Great Xuan Dynasty couldn't help but feel emotional as they looked at the younger generation who were warmly welcoming them.

Duan Wu and Li Yao were Xiao Qidi's right-hand men who had been with him through thick and thin since Xitun Pass fifteen years ago. Later, they helped Xiao Qidi clear away obstacles in the court and seize power.

Qi Zhan, Mu Cheng, Li He, and Lin Sui—these four all made extraordinary contributions that will be remembered for eternity in the history of the Great Xuan Dynasty's expansion of territory, conquest of various states, and eventual unification.

"The younger generation is truly formidable..." an old minister exclaimed. "Seeing you all, and recalling the tremendous changes of the past fifteen years, I believe that with your concerted efforts, the Great Xuan can become even better and stronger!"

Other veteran officials also expressed their deep agreement and sighed with admiration.

What's even more commendable is that they all upheld Xiao Qidi's style; even though they held high positions, they were neither arrogant nor pretentious, and were able to greet these retired old folks with such warmth and friendliness.

This deeply moved the veteran officials.

As everyone gradually took their seats, the conference hall became increasingly lively.

"How can you be so noisy and disrespectful in this royal palace? What kind of behavior is this!" A reprimand suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked towards the door with different expressions.

There stood an old man with a long beard, dressed in an old-fashioned official robe, who was puffing out his beard and glaring.

"Sir, gentlemen, please come in." The receptionist at the door gestured for them to enter without changing his expression.

The long-bearded old man and the dozen or so people behind him, all dressed in the old-style official robes, all wore angry expressions.

"You rude thing! What are you shouting about!" the long-bearded old man roared. "I am Sun Yunzheng, the former Prime Minister of the Bo Kingdom! I am the head of the Sun family, the noble family of the Bo Kingdom! Even if I had submitted to the Great Xuan, I would still be someone you cannot look up to! You, a mere palace servant, should kneel and greet me!"

The receptionist said neither servilely nor arrogantly, "Sir, nowadays, not only is there no longer a Bo Kingdom, but even the ancient official position of Prime Minister is gone. In the Xuan Kingdom, everyone is only different in position, there is no distinction of rank."

"Insolence!" An old man beside Sun Yunzheng shouted, stepping forward and slapping the receptionist. He angrily yelled, "Back in the day, how could we have allowed a man like you, who wasn't castrated, to serve in the palace! Did you really think you could look at us as equals just because we weren't castrated?!"

The receptionist was stunned by the slap and covered her face, at a loss for what to do.

Then an old man said arrogantly, "The one who slapped you just now was Lord Meng Xiao of the Meng family, a noble family of You Kingdom. Why don't you kneel down and kowtow to apologize to Lord Sun and Lord Meng!"

Kneel down!

"Kneel down and apologize, quickly!"

A group of elderly, stubborn people spoke up, their tone leaving no room for argument.

This scene caused everyone in the conference hall to turn pale.

Now, Da Xuan has implemented comprehensive reforms, and the vast majority of people throughout the country are actively carrying them out. Only a group of old nobles who cling to the old system and refuse to let go are still in a stalemate and resisting.

Duan Wu and the other five got up almost simultaneously, all wanting to personally teach those stubborn old-fashioned people a lesson.

It's fortunate that they've all become more composed now, otherwise, the six of them would have already struck and killed the old geezers the moment the slap landed.

"Uncles, let me do it." Xing Lie's voice suddenly rang out.

The six people exchanged a smile and then sat down again.

Xing Lie strode over to the receptionist, glanced at his swollen left cheek, then looked at the man who had just struck him and said indifferently, "Your name is Meng Xiao, right? Which hand did you use to hit me?"

Faced with Xing Lie's aura, Meng Xiao was quite intimidated and couldn't help but shiver.

But considering that Xiao Qidi had never been tough on them and had even invited them to the banquet, they felt even more confident.

So he arrogantly replied, "I hit him with my right hand! So what? This lowly servant doesn't know his manners; it's his honor that I hit him!"

Snap!

Xing Lie slapped him across the face.

A seemingly casual slap knocked Meng Xiao to the ground, instantly splitting his lip and knocking out several teeth.

"You!" Sun Yunzheng exclaimed in shock, pointing a finger at Xing Lie's nose. "How dare you—"

Before he could finish speaking, Xing Lie glared at him and shut him down.

The others behind him were also angry but dared not speak out.

Ignoring their expressions, Xing Lie bent down and lifted the dazed Meng Xiao up, saying to the receptionist, "Come on, return the slap you just received."

The receptionist said in a panic, "No need, Captain Xing, you've already taught him a lesson."

Xing Lie smiled brightly and said, "I was teaching him a lesson for hitting someone, which is my duty. But since you were hit, of course you should fight back. Hurry up, the banquet is about to start, don't waste time."

The receptionist rubbed her throbbing cheek, exhaled a breath of stale air, her gaze hardening. Then, she aimed at Meng Xiao's face and swung her arm to slap him.

Snap!

Another crisp slap rang out.

Although the receptionist's slap was far less powerful than Xing Lie's, Meng Xiao's left cheek was already broken by Xing Lie's slap, and the second slap almost made him faint from the pain.

The two slaps were not just physical pain, but also a direct blow to the hearts of these people.

"Alright, let's continue the banquet." Xing Lie released Meng Xiao and said to the receptionist, "Go and rest, and apply some medicine."

The receptionist, having vented her anger, left happily, leaving Sun Yunzheng, Meng Xiao, and their group with increasingly grim expressions.

Xing Lie coldly reminded them, "If you still want to get through this door, you'd better behave yourselves, or get out of here."

The group lowered their heads slightly and said nothing more.

Xing Lie then made way for them.

A group of elderly men dressed in traditional official robes stepped over the threshold one by one and entered the conference hall under the watchful eyes of everyone inside.

Although their clothing and hairstyles were out of place with everyone else, making them appear old-fashioned and eccentric, they not only didn't feel uncomfortable, but instead held their heads high and cast disdainful glances at the others.

Upon arriving at the center of the conference hall, Sun Yunzheng and the others did not follow the signs to their seats, but instead stood in several rows according to their so-called hierarchy.

Sun Yunzheng and Meng Xiao were clearly the most distinguished among the group. They stood side by side in the front row, facing the direction where the throne had once been placed.

"Alas... What a disgrace, what a disgrace!" Sun Yunzheng sighed with a face full of sorrow, "Even the throne is gone, and now any Tom, Dick, or Harry can sit together, alas..."

Despite the pain in his cheek, Meng Xiao chimed in, "If things continue like this, the ruler will cease to be a ruler, the ministers will cease to be ministers, and the country will cease to be a country. We still have to rely on ourselves to save Da Xuan!"

While the two were discussing, Xiao Qidi arrived at the conference hall.

“I’ve arranged seats for you all, so please don’t stand here,” Xiao Qidi said directly.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Sun Yunzheng immediately took the lead in kneeling and bowing.

Meng Xiao and the others immediately knelt down, bowing and shouting, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

This scene made everyone else shake their heads in disbelief.

Duan Wu frowned and muttered, "For many years, whenever we incorporated a region into the Xuan Kingdom, we would assign special personnel to do ideological work with the locals and ensure that everyone could truly feel the benefits of the new system. Although there were quite a few stubborn conservatives, after so many years, they have basically kept up with the pace of development. But I never expected that there would be anyone this stubborn."

Li Yao said softly, "These people kneeling in worship are the most conservative of the conservatives. If I remember correctly, the last one among them to undergo ideological reform has been reformed for at least half a year. The staff we assigned have put in a lot of effort, really tried every possible method, but with very little result..."

“This is not just a little effective, it has absolutely no effect on them,” Li He sneered. “In the end, it’s not that they can’t see the explosive development of our Xuan Kingdom after a series of reforms, they just refuse to accept that the noble status no longer exists. If you ask me, we should have just killed them during the conquest of the six kingdoms.”

Qi Zhan and Mu Cheng remained silent, but their expressions revealed their approval of Li He.

Lin Sui looked solemn and said while thinking, "Since we are constantly reforming and creating new countries, we can no longer kill people at the drop of a hat like before. Otherwise... what is the difference from before the reform? Fairy Jinli left us with thousands of years of historical data about the Chinese nation in a parallel world. We cannot repeat the same mistakes."

His words made the other five people's expressions also become more serious.

Li He slowly uttered, "But our current situation is quite special, and there are no precedents to refer to, right? Special times call for special measures. When it's time to kill, we still have to kill, don't we?"

Lin Sui was slightly taken aback, opened her mouth, but didn't say anything more, and began to think seriously while touching her chin.

"All of you, get up!" Xiao Qidi roared. "And all of you, take your seats!"

The conservatives kneeling on the ground remained motionless. Sun Yunzheng spoke up, "Your Majesty has lost even the throne. How dare we, your subjects, sit here haphazardly like those who do not know the rules? They do not understand the etiquette between ruler and subject, but we, your humble subjects, dare not be ignorant of it."

Xiao Qidi's eyes twitched, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Alright, in that case, you can sit however you like."

After Xiao Qidi finished speaking, he went directly to the table where Duan Wu and the others were sitting and sat down with them in a very natural and open manner.

Upon seeing this, Sun Yunzheng and the others exchanged glances, and then, following the old customs, sat down on the ground behind the main hall, adopting an attitude of respecting hierarchy.