In the golden autumn season, the wicked man returned to Xianyang with the talents he had found.

Ying Zheng has been busy these past three months.

He implemented sweeping reforms, rectified officialdom, and eradicated corruption, giving Xianyang a completely new look.

From initial hardship and helplessness, the people have now settled into a peaceful and prosperous life, and their hearts have gradually become more stable.

When the wicked man and his entourage entered the city, the people on both sides of the street recognized him and knelt down to pay their respects, shouting "Long live King Wu!"

"It seems that the lives of the people under Your Majesty's rule have improved," Wang Wu remarked.

The wicked man nodded: "Yes, but that's far from enough. For Great Qin to restore its former glory, we need to work together."

Upon arriving at the palace, Ying Zheng was already waiting for them in the main hall.

Seeing the wicked husband bring back a group of unfamiliar faces, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Old brother, it seems you've had quite a haul on this trip!"

The wicked man bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have found a group of descendants of former meritorious officials and my former comrades, and each of them is a promising talent."

Ying Zheng became interested: "Good! Introduce them to you one by one."

The wicked man pointed at Wang Wu first: "This is Wang Wu, a descendant of Wang Jian, who is currently the governor of Nanyang. He is an honest and upright official who cares about the people's plight. He has reduced taxes many times to alleviate their suffering, even at the risk of offending powerful figures."

Wang Wu stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your subject Wang Wu pays respects to Your Majesty! I am willing to die for the Great Qin!"

Ying Zheng carefully examined him and nodded in satisfaction: "Good! Wang Jian is one of my most trusted generals, and I'm sure his descendants will not disappoint me either."

Then, the wicked man introduced Meng Hu: "This is Meng Hu, a descendant of Meng Tian. He is skilled in cavalry warfare and has made many military achievements in the northern border. He has also preserved a compilation of his family's experience in fighting against the Xiongnu for generations."

Meng Hu respectfully presented the booklet: "Your subject Meng Hu greets Your Majesty! The book of our ancestors has finally returned to its true owner today."

Ying Zheng took the booklet, flipped through a few pages, and couldn't help but sigh, "Meng Tian, ​​Meng Tian, ​​since you left, the borderlands have never had a general as good as you..."

Afterwards, the wicked man introduced several other descendants of meritorious officials: Han Yue, Li Xiao, Qin Ming, and others. Ying Zheng met with them one by one, inquired about their strengths, and offered encouragement.

Finally, the wicked man led Chunhui and Niuqiang forward: "Your Majesty, these two are the descendants of my former comrades. Chunhui is the grandson of Chunning, and is learned and upright; Niuqiang is the descendant of Erniu, and is exceptionally brave and skilled in military strategy."

The two men stepped forward to pay their respects, and Ying Zheng received them with exceptional warmth: "Your ancestors were sworn brothers of the wicked man, that is, my loyal ministers. It is very kind of you to see each other today."

After the introductions, Ying Zheng was very satisfied and immediately issued the following order: "From this day forward, Wang Wu shall be appointed Minister of War, in charge of military affairs; Meng Hu shall be appointed Vanguard General, to assist E Fu in conquering the northern frontier; Chun Hui shall be appointed Grand Counselor, to participate in court affairs; and Niu Qiang shall be appointed General of the Imperial Guard, to command the Imperial Guards."

"The rest of you have also been appointed, and your specific positions will be discussed later. In short, I need you, the sons and daughters of Great Qin, to work together to save Great Qin from this dire situation!"

The crowd responded in unison, "Your Majesty, we will certainly live up to your trust!"

That evening, Ying Zheng hosted a banquet for these newly appointed ministers. During the banquet, he sat side by side with his wicked husband, watching the scene of the princes clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, and couldn't help but sigh, "My wicked husband, you have truly made a great contribution on this trip. Among these people, there are many pillars of the state."

The wicked man nodded: "Your Majesty has a discerning eye. Although these people each have their own strengths, they all have one thing in common: loyalty. Their ancestors all made great contributions to the Great Qin, and this loyalty is ingrained in their bones."

Ying Zheng pondered for a moment: "That is true, but people's hearts are unpredictable. I will trust them for now, but I will also observe them for a period of time before giving them important positions."

The wicked man wholeheartedly agreed: "Your Majesty is wise. I believe we should first entrust him with a minor task, observe his performance, and then gradually promote him to a higher position."

Ying Zheng then asked, "During the search, were any noteworthy developments discovered?"

The wicked man's expression hardened: "Indeed, there are a few things. First, Chunhui once mentioned that during the late emperor's reign, treacherous officials held power in the court, and his father was falsely accused of treason for remonstrating, which led to the misfortune of his entire family."

"Secondly, the reactions of officials and common people in different regions to Your Majesty and my return are varied. Most people are overjoyed and see it as the hope of Great Qin; while some local officials are terrified and see it as a monstrous flood."

Ying Zheng sneered: "These corrupt officials are naturally afraid that we will disrupt their comfort zone. In that case, I will implement sweeping reforms!"

After the banquet, Ying Zheng summoned several key ministers, including Efu, Li Ping, and the newly appointed Wang Wu and Chunhui, to discuss state affairs.

"The Xiongnu in the north are currently stirring up trouble and must be quelled as soon as possible." Ying Zheng went straight to the point, "You wicked husband, when do you plan to set out on the expedition?"

The wicked man replied, "Your Majesty, I am fully prepared and will depart as soon as the provisions and weapons arrive."

Wang Wu added: "I have already counted the troops. We can gather 30,000 elite troops near Xianyang, plus the 5,000 men that General Meng brought from the northern border, for a total of 35,000 men, which is enough to deal with the Xiongnu."

Ying Zheng nodded: "The troop strength may seem small, but under the command of the wicked man, it is sufficient. However, several preparations still need to be made before the battle."

He looked at Chunhui: "Doctor Chun, you are well-versed in classical texts, do you have any good strategies for governing the country?"

Chunhui cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I believe there are three urgent tasks: first, to reassure the people; second, to unite the people's strength; and third, to consolidate the foundation of the people's livelihood."

"To reassure the people means to give them hope and make them believe that the court can lead them through the difficulties; to unite the people's strength means to concentrate the nation's resources to jointly resist foreign enemies; and to consolidate the people's foundation means to ensure the people's basic livelihood and strengthen the nation's foundation."

Ying Zheng nodded approvingly: "Well said! How exactly should it be implemented?"

Chunhui elaborated on his plan, which included measures such as tax reduction, light levies, and land reclamation for grain storage. Ying Zheng listened and nodded repeatedly, finding it feasible.

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