The three of them were somewhat bored while waiting for Feng Jie to arrive.

Perhaps to ease the tense atmosphere, Ying Zheng laughed and said, "You little rascal, I really want to crack open your head and see how many strategies for governing the world are stuffed inside."

"You can even come up with ideas about farming and sericulture; you really have the air of a man of both literary and martial talents."

These words of praise made the wicked husband blush slightly. He was nothing but a nobody. If it weren't for the inexplicable superhuman strength he possessed, the nine years of compulsory education he received in later generations, and the advanced internet and TV dramas, he would have been completely incompetent.

He's utterly worthless!

Take the policy of merging land tax and poll tax, for example. It was a product of Emperor Yongzheng. He was just plagiarizing it. How could he accept praise so readily?

"Your Majesty...you flatter me." The wicked man waved his hands and said in a low voice, "I know a little, just a little, it's not worth Your Majesty's praise."

Upon hearing this, Li Balang looked completely bewildered and subconsciously stroked his long mustache.

Goodness.

Did they copy all their own catchphrases?

"I know a little bit, hahaha, what a fine 'a little bit'!" Ying Zheng laughed heartily, his clear laughter carrying far and wide.

Feng Jie, who happened to be walking briskly over, heard the laughter and stopped in his tracks, wondering what was wrong with Ying Zheng, that he was laughing so happily and unrestrainedly.

This is truly contrary to the etiquette expected of a monarch!

We must submit a petition to him later, otherwise who knows what might happen in the future.

Ying Zheng stopped smiling and was about to continue teasing his wicked husband when he heard a series of hurried footsteps approaching.

The three of them instinctively looked towards the palace gate.

A middle-aged man dressed in coarse linen clothes came panting as if he had some urgent matter to attend to.

"Your Majesty, as the ruler of Qin, how can you be so disrespectful in front of your subjects?" Feng Jie began to berate Ying Zheng before he could even catch his breath, his fierce and cold expression extremely valiant.

"General!"

Li Balang secretly reached out and tugged at the sleeve of the wicked husband, lowering his voice to ask, "Are all Qin officials always this brave?"

The wicked man shook his head and said in a low voice, "I used to think that I was the only one who could be so awesome, and that the Qin state would not allow such a powerful person to exist."

Talk is talk, and make a fuss is make a fuss.

"You're really something else, lecturing my brother Zheng right in front of me?"

The wicked man muttered something, then flashed in front of Feng Jie, looking down at him and raising his hand to slap him hard.

"You wicked man, stop right now!"

Seeing that things were not going well, Ying Zheng quickly walked to his side and grabbed his raised hand.

If that slap really landed, Feng Jie's little head would be smashed!

"This is Imperial Censor Feng Jie. I was indeed somewhat rude just now." Ying Zheng forced a smile and quickly winked at his wicked husband.

You can't just take action against someone because it's their duty; otherwise, those censors will be furious and criticize you.

He didn't want his wicked husband to stir up a hornet's nest and then have to bear this undeserved disaster for him.

"Feng Jie, what's wrong with Feng Jie? Doesn't Feng Jie need to abide by the etiquette between ruler and subject?"

The wicked man wore a disdainful expression, then a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Feng Jie, do you believe me if I make you undergo tribulation?"

Did he not know that this was the Imperial Censor Feng Jie?

He didn't really intend to kill Feng Jie; he just wanted to scare him and give him a warning so that he wouldn't cause trouble for himself later.

Besides, he was annoyed by these censors.

Its existence is nothing more than a form of monarchical formalism.

One moment the emperor commands the subject to die and the subject has no choice but to die; the next moment, they create these idle censors to boast about themselves.

If the censors were truly useful, where would all those incompetent rulers and treacherous officials come from?

Instead of employing so many people who just sit around doing nothing and spout nonsense all day, we might as well save that money and use it for something else!

Even if all else fails, building a few Red Mansions would at least increase revenue, wouldn't it?

Feng Jie was terrified by that cold, ferocious gaze, feeling as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His back was already soaked with cold sweat, and he thought to himself that this kid's murderous intent was indeed not light.

"Hmph, I've long heard that the Commandant of the Guards is decisive in killing and acts that incur the wrath of both gods and men. Doesn't he fear divine retribution?!"

To be fair, Feng Jie was a formidable fellow. Despite his involuntary fear of the wicked husband, he refused to yield an inch. His eyes were fixed on the wicked husband, his body ramrod straight, like a warrior about to face his execution.

"Oh?"

"A tough nut to crack?"

The wicked husband exchanged a glance with Ying Zheng, then nodded slightly. "Are you really not afraid of death?"

"Afraid of death? Others may not know, but I, Feng Jie, am not afraid of you." Feng Jie's face showed disdain, and he coldly rebuked, "As a subject, General Evil is worthy of being called a subject of his sovereign."

"However, I still have to give you a piece of advice: do not commit murder without authorization. Whether you listen to me or not is up to you."

The wicked husband shook his head and chuckled, "My name is Wicked Husband. Just from that name, you can tell how wicked I am!"

Feng Jie sneered, utterly disdainful of her husband's sophistry.

"The so-called cycle of cause and effect is only effective when one is not evil enough. When one is evil to a certain degree, even ghosts and gods would have to bow their heads before me. Do you think there will still be retribution then?" The wicked man smiled coldly, and as he spoke, a chilling murderous aura began to spread.

Feng Jie was so angry that his face turned red. Wasn't this guy just arguing for the sake of arguing?

He flicked his sleeves, too lazy to continue dealing with the wicked husband, and only said: "If you want to kill me, then come on, don't delay my work for the king."

Then he looked directly at Ying Zheng and asked, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?"

Ying Zheng glanced at Feng Jie, then at his wicked husband, and suppressed a laugh as he said, "Feng Jie, just now your wicked husband proposed changing the agricultural and sericulture taxes. I think this is feasible."

"This is the person in charge... After much thought, I think you are very suitable."

Feng Jia was taken aback upon hearing this. He glanced instinctively at his wicked husband who was picking his nose, and then angrily rebuked him: "Your Majesty, agriculture and sericulture are the foundation of the nation. How can you arbitrarily interfere with them?"

"I admit that the Commandant of the Guards is a skilled warrior, but matters of agriculture and sericulture should not be discussed lightly. In the past, when Shang Yang reformed the laws, our Qin's agriculture and sericulture flourished several times. Why should we need to reform again?"

Ying Zheng was not surprised by his attitude; he had already anticipated it. It was not difficult to see the views of all the officials in the court from his attitude.

"Don't be impatient, listen to what this matter has to say first. I remember you served as the magistrate of Taicang for a few days before, so you should be quite familiar with this."

As he spoke, Ying Zheng winked at Li Balang.

Li Balang hurriedly came to Feng Jie's side and told him everything the wicked husband had said about the land tax reform.

After a long while.

Feng Jie exhaled a deep breath, his hesitant gaze falling on the wicked husband.

As the saying goes, a true expert's skill is immediately apparent.

Having served as the magistrate of Taicang for a period of time, he was so shocked by this plan after a little thought that he was speechless.

"This plan is ingenious and far-reaching; if it succeeds, it will bring great fortune to the people."

"However, its internal difficulty..."

Feng Jie looked at his wicked husband with a face full of despair and said, "Did you really come up with this, you brute? I don't believe it..."

"Old man, whether you believe it or not, it's all my idea. If you're so capable, then you try it!" The wicked husband seized the opportunity to ridicule him, all in order to teach him a lesson.

Feng Jie was speechless and fell into deep hesitation.