The next day, early morning.
Before dawn, the sound of horses' hooves broke the silence of Xianyang.
People dressed and came out to watch, wondering what major event had occurred.
Speaking of which, ever since the King assumed personal rule, the messengers in Xianyang have been extremely busy.
At this moment, in a corner of Xianyang City.
"Quickly, send more people to ensure the message reaches all counties as quickly as possible."
"Has the messenger from Yelang set off yet?"
"......."
People came and went in the mansion, each with a solemn expression and hurried steps.
In the middle of the courtyard, the wicked husband sat imposingly, with a large wooden table in front of him, which appeared to be newly made.
In this era, there were only low tables and chairs, and people preferred to sit upright, which was neither convenient nor comfortable for actually doing business. Therefore, he had Xiang Lihe make this table and chair overnight.
"General!"
"The soldiers sent to the various prefectures have already set off!"
Feng Jie strode over, and despite being quite old, he exuded a spirited and energetic aura.
"Have you notified Xianyang yet?" The wicked man didn't even lift his eyelids, but kept stroking the hilt of the long sword at his waist.
Feng Jie shook his head and said in a low voice, "Xianyang is a special case. I would appreciate it if the general could personally go to the city to oversee the situation!"
As the central city of Qin, Xianyang had a population of up to one million, and the surrounding farmland was in the hands of high-ranking officials and nobles. The influence was extremely wide, and his prestige was insufficient to suppress it.
If this causes a mutiny, it could lead to a major disaster!
The wicked man didn't say anything, got up and strode out of the house, with Feng Jie quickly calling for people to follow.
In the middle of Xianyang City.
The wicked man sat on the high place, still sitting in that same chair.
Before long, the people in the city who had received the news flocked to the streets and moved toward the center of the city.
Even the people living outside the city flocked to the city, eager to hear the new policies being promulgated.
The wicked man looked up at the vast crowd in the distance and ordered, "Wait, wait until all the people have arrived before making the announcement."
Meanwhile, powerful local gentry who had received advance notice also came in person.
"May I ask, Your Excellency, what new policy has the King issued?" asked a burly man at the front.
He was one of the most powerful families in Xianyang, holding considerable land and having a marriage relationship with a high-ranking official in the imperial court.
He had known about the land tax reform policy for a long time, and the high-ranking official had repeatedly warned him not to show his face or commit any illegal acts.
However, this was all the wealth he had painstakingly accumulated throughout his life, and he was unwilling to give it away like that.
Right now, his question is intended to provoke resistance from the wealthy families.
Feng Jie glanced at the fat man and whispered in his ear, "A wealthy family in Xianyang, they have some connection with the Grand Master of Cerebro."
The wicked man nodded, continuing to close his eyelids and rub the hilt of the sword at his waist.
When the fat man saw that his wicked husband was ignoring him, he was filled with rage. Even if his wicked husband had three heads and six arms, he didn't believe he would dare to kill all of them, these wealthy people.
Based on this, the fat man's subsequent irrational behavior almost made officials like Feng Jie and Li Si burst out laughing.
“We are all people of Qin. If the country is in trouble, we will certainly help generously. Why should we share the property we have worked so hard to acquire?”
These words immediately drew a chorus of jeers from many wealthy families.
Some people even took advantage of the chaos to shout, "Even the king can't be unreasonable. If we unite to resist, even the king will have to think twice."
"Who do you think you are, to presume to make decisions for us and divide our inheritance?!"
Li Si and the others smiled knowingly. The last person to speak to a wicked husband like that was probably already buried with grass growing over ten meters tall.
The wicked man's lips curled into a cold smile. See? This is how money can move people's hearts; to preserve their wealth and status, they can even forget fear.
Keep in mind, this was during the Warring States period!
Commerce was underdeveloped, far less so than in dynasties like the Tang and Song. Yet these merchants dared to act this way. No wonder that for thousands of years, those in power have been trying their best to suppress merchants in all aspects.
Just like Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, who decreed that merchants throughout the land should not wear brocade and fine clothes, so as to avoid creating bad trends.
The policy of suppressing commerce and prioritizing agriculture may not simply be due to the fear that no one would grow food.
"presumptuous!"
Seeing that these people were becoming increasingly audacious and showing such contempt for their general, Zhang Erhe roared with murderous intent.
With a 'whoosh', his battle sword was drawn, pointed at these wealthy men, and he said coldly, "Sitting before you now is the Commandant of the Guards, General Qianniu, one of the Nine Ministers of Qin, Lord Evil!"
"He personally quelled Lü Buwei's rebellion, eliminated Lao Ai's plot to rebel, and assisted the King in assuming personal rule."
"Those who dare to lead three thousand soldiers to fight in the north and south!"
"How dare you be so rude! Are you truly not afraid of death?"
Upon hearing this, the noise immediately vanished.
How could they not know who the wicked husband is?
Who in the entire city of Xianyang didn't recognize that handsome young face?
The reason they did this was to give him a warning, so that the matter of merging the poll tax into the land tax could be implemented later.
However, they underestimated the ruthlessness of the wicked husband and Ying Zheng's determination, and they did not expect that the entire court had already compromised on this matter.
"kill!"
"Those who insult their superiors shall be executed."
"To defy the king's orders is punishable by death."
"Those who obstruct the Qin state's path to eternal prosperity shall be executed!"
“All of these crimes are serious, and one should implicate one’s relatives, friends, clansmen and in-laws.”
Li Si took over the conversation, his face icy cold, and he uttered a series of chilling, icy judgments that sent shivers down one's spine.
As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of Qin soldiers rushed out from both sides of the street.
"puff!!"
Before the obese man could react, his fat head had already rolled to the ground.
Amidst the flashing blades, the Qin soldiers showed no mercy, slaughtering all those who had joined in the commotion.
Before they arrived, they received military orders not to kill only the ringleaders, but to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free!
They thought the bloody scene would frighten the people, but to their surprise, many people burst into laughter, their laughter filled with unrestrained joy.
"Class conflicts can never be resolved; as long as the interests of the majority are protected, that's fine."
The wicked man sighed inwardly. In truth, what these wealthy people said wasn't wrong. From their perspective, their vast fortunes didn't come from thin air; they were the result of a lifetime, or even generations, of hard work and sweat.
In this kind of situation, it's not a matter of who's right and who's wrong; it's simply a matter of perspective.
As a monarch, Ying Zheng desired a prosperous and powerful nation, and to achieve the title of an emperor.
For the wicked man, his purpose in traveling through time was to ensure that everyone had food to eat, to exterminate all foreign tribes, and to eradicate their entire lineage, so as to guarantee the peace and tranquility of China for generations to come.
For the poor and the rich, they are actually the same; all they are doing is trying to survive and to survive better.
However, the majority of them were poor, so they had to be sacrificed.
If the situation were reversed, with the wealthy holding the majority, it would be uncertain who would ultimately be the victim.
The words may be harsh, but the reasoning is sound.
Ultimately, this is the food chain. Whoever stands at the top sets the rules and regulations, and those below must make way for their dreams and plans.
Anyone who gets in the way dies!
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