The wicked man nodded in satisfaction. “Wang Tian, ​​now that Linzi has fallen, I, the Grand Commandant, would not mind further enhancing your achievements. You will lead your troops alone to pacify Jiaozhou, Jimo, and other places, and take over all of Jiaodong.”

Linzi was located in the very center of the State of Qi. You could say that Qi was destroyed, and you certainly would. But if you really examine it closely, the other half of Jiaodong was not completely destroyed, so it can't be considered truly destroyed.

In this way, half of the credit for destroying the country went to him, while the other half went to Wang Jian, and the wicked husband was essentially just a supporting character.

"Grand Commandant, this...this is not acceptable." A look of gratitude flashed in Wang Tian's eyes. He knew in his heart that the wicked man was actually sacrificing his own honor and merit to benefit him.

The wicked man sneered, not taking it seriously at all, and even scolded Wang Tian, ​​"We martial men should act swiftly and decisively, how can we whine like women?"

"Grand Commandant, I will forever remember your kindness. I will live up to your expectations, pacify Jiaodong, and take all of Qi's territory into my hands." Seeing this, Wang Tian no longer declined, clasped his hands in a salute, and spoke with a firm tone.

The wicked man smiled with satisfaction, knowing he had made the right judgment. This Wang Tian was not only brave and skilled in battle, but also grateful and a promising talent. He waved his hand, signaling Wang Tian to step back and prepare for the expedition.

Wang Tian turned and left, secretly calculating how to complete the task in the shortest time and at the lowest cost, so as not to disappoint the Grand Commandant and to do the job perfectly.

......

"Fellow villagers, you must remember this: the Qin laws are strict, and you must never break them. The law is impartial, and no one can easily overstep it!"

"These people are the powerful and wealthy who used to piss and shit on your heads. Your miserable lives are all thanks to them."

The wicked man stood on the city wall, shouting at the top of his lungs, then pointed to the mountain of gold and silver treasures, "Look at this, how can an official obtain gold and silver treasures that do not match his salary?"

"Isn't it all because we trampled on your bodies, sucked your blood and bones, and obtained this ill-gotten wealth?"

Immediately, whispers and discussions arose from the crowded streets of the city.

"These gold and silver treasures are evidence of their exploitation of you, symbols of their ill-gotten gains!" the wicked man continued, his voice filled with anger and a sense of righteous indignation. "Think of the oxen and horses toiling in the fields; in their eyes, your diligence and your efforts are all accumulating wealth for them!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd to make sure everyone was listening. "The Qin laws are harsh because they aim to uphold fairness and justice, protecting every citizen from oppression. The Qin government may be strict, even tyrannical, but it will never allow others to bleed the people dry!"

The words of the wicked man echoed on the city wall. His words revealed his firm belief in the new order and the future policy direction of the Qin state. He was also trying to appease the former people of the Qi state who had just experienced the destruction of their country.

These words, supported by evidence, stirred up the anger of the former people of Qi. What began as hushed discussions gradually escalated into a deafening rant and curses.

Seeing that he had already provoked the anger of the people of Qi, the wicked man immediately said, "The King of Qi is foolish and fails to punish or investigate, but my Qin state cannot do the same!"

"Bring them up!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than the once-imposing nobles were driven over by Qin soldiers like pigs and dogs. Their hair was disheveled and their clothes were tattered, a far cry from their former elegance and nobility.

"Your crimes are too numerous to count, and there is no need for trial. Execute them!" The wicked man glanced at them sideways, too lazy to say another word.

At the wicked husband's command, those former nobles were swiftly executed amidst the angry glares and curses of the common people.

This scene made everyone present feel the ruthlessness and decisiveness of Qin law, and at the same time made the people of Qi feel a complex emotion of both fear and dependence on the new ruler.

The wicked man stood on the city wall, witnessing all of this, and understood in his heart that this was not only a purge of the old forces, but also a declaration and establishment of authority for the new order.

He knew that in order to truly win over the former people of Qi to Qin's rule, in addition to strict laws, time was needed to gradually eliminate their resentment and distrust before they could truly submit.

When the Qin state unified the six kingdoms, why were there constant assassins and resentful people in various regions who harbored ulterior motives and were not truly convinced of its superiority? They took advantage of the chaos to rise up and eventually led to the Qin state's rapid demise. Wasn't this precisely because the Qin state overlooked this point?

"From this day forward, you will live under the protection of Qin and enjoy the order and peace brought by Qin's laws." The evil man's voice rang out again, trying to appease the people. "Qin's rule will bring you prosperity and stability, and will ensure that your descendants will no longer suffer from the ravages of war."

"The Zhou dynasty has been fragmented for hundreds of years. How many fine young men have died needlessly under the swords of their own people? They never got to see the magnificent landscape of China, and some didn't even get a full meal before they died. How tragic!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight commotion began to stir among the crowd in the city. Some people started whispering, while others looked thoughtful.

Evil Fu knew that changing the hearts and minds of the people was not something that could be done overnight, but he believed that, over time, the former people of Qi would gradually accept and appreciate the changes brought about by Qin.

"Now, all you need to do is abide by the Qin laws and live a good life as soon as possible. Soon, Qin officials will come to take over, and they will read out the Qin national policies to you. I guarantee you will be satisfied," the wicked man said at the end, his voice filled with boundless confidence and power.

Suddenly, someone mustered up their courage and shouted, "Grand Commandant, could you... perhaps reveal a little something to us so that we can be prepared?"

have to.

It seems they still harbor some suspicion towards the Qin state.

“Then I’ll say something!” The wicked man didn’t get angry at this and said with a smile, “The Qin state is now implementing the policy of 'integrating the poll tax into the land tax,' which means that the population will not be increased. The aim is to simplify tax collection and inspection procedures and reduce the burden on people who have no land or little land.”

Seeing the puzzled looks on the faces of many people, he immediately said bluntly, "To put it bluntly, no matter how many children you have, the tax will only be levied based on how much land you own, not on the number of people."

This statement caused an uproar.

"Really?" Qi Min asked incredulously.

The wicked man smiled and nodded, "Furthermore, with the fall of the State of Qi, the land that was originally held by the powerful and lawless will be released to the people. I guarantee that every household will be allocated land that produces enough grain, ensuring that they will have enough to eat and wear."

"This plan has only just been implemented. The Qin state is vigorously encouraging commerce. Once commerce develops in the future... this agricultural tax may be completely abolished."

The people seemed shocked by his words, falling silent and their eyes appearing somewhat vacant.

The pie was already drawn, and the wicked man smiled, saying nothing more, turning and leaving them to digest it themselves.