A thunderous roar echoed throughout the hall, lingering for a long time.
A deathly silence fell over the hall.
The officers' eyes were red with tears as they shouted in unison, "Great Commandant, you are so kind! We admire you! On behalf of the thousands of soldiers, we thank you for your compassion!"
"What are you saying? As a fellow military officer, how could I not care about the lives of my soldiers?"
The wicked man sighed, his expression and tone filled with sorrow, "How can there be a situation where the powerful and wealthy enjoy prosperity while ordinary people suffer death?"
“That’s absolutely right!” The elder Feng Jie stood up, his tone firm. “If the court doesn’t consider the people’s suffering, how can it bring peace and stability to the country?”
As a veteran official, he had witnessed countless tragedies over the decades. Otherwise, why would he act like a mad dog, biting people indiscriminately throughout the court?
It was simply out of a sense of urgency, an eagerness to urge diligent governance and usher in a peaceful year so that the people could have some rest.
Everyone in the hall nodded in agreement.
Ying Zheng walked back to the high platform, his face solemn. He knew the weight of these words. His gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials, and although his voice was not loud, it carried an undeniable authority.
"The foundation of a nation lies in its people!"
"Do you have any suggestions on how to care for soldiers who have been injured or disabled? Please speak up!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to the wicked man standing in the center of the hall.
The evil man took a deep breath. "Being a soldier is not easy, but we can't be impatient. Everything is developing in a good direction now, and in the future there will definitely be more and more vacancies that can be filled by wounded and retired soldiers."
"At least... even if we can't give them wealth and luxury, we should at least give them a roof over their heads, food to eat, and their families and children to enjoy some special privileges."
"As for the specifics, after the court session, I will return and compile a detailed plan to present to Your Majesty. What do you think?"
Ying Zheng nodded slightly, "Then let's leave it to the Grand Commandant. Don't let a little money hurt the hearts of my Qin warriors."
Qin's current policy towards its soldiers is already the best among all the states, but in the eyes of the wicked man, it still falls short.
A one-time buyout will eventually run out of resources, necessitating adjustments to benefits across various aspects. Then, starting with specific cases, adjustments should be made to the benefits of all officers and soldiers nationwide.
After this incident, the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat somber. Ying Zheng was also in no mood for anything else, so he simply announced the end of the court session and left.
"My fellow officers, would you please come to my residence for a visit? Let us pool our wisdom and seek a better future for the men of Qin." The wicked man turned to the generals, a warm smile on his face.
"That's only right!"
"Let's go, I've been wanting to visit the Grand Commandant's residence for a long time."
Everyone responded enthusiastically, saying that after years of military service, who hadn't led some soldiers?
Of course, they want to participate in and witness such a wonderful event!
Feng Jie suddenly stepped forward and said, "Hey, Grand Commandant, I want to go too. Without a civil official to assist us, this matter might not be very proper."
He wasn't wrong. The military generals were a bunch of roughnecks. If they didn't have a civil official to assist them, they would probably come up with all sorts of absurd suggestions.
It should be understood that although this is a military matter, it still cannot bypass the civil service departments and requires their cooperation and support to be implemented.
Since the military officers had no idea about the civil administration, his presence was especially important.
"Hmm, old man, you've got some sense!" The wicked man grinned, put his arm around Feng Jie's shoulder, and headed out of the hall.
Feng Jie whispered, "Grand Commandant, I'll help you this time. You said I'd be of great use to you... heh..."
"rest assured!"
"I will never forget you!"
Speaking of this, the wicked man's lips curled into an evil smile. He wasn't just trying to appease Feng Jie; he genuinely had something important to do.
As the Imperial Censor, Feng Jie could barely manage matters recorded in history. Once the adjustments to his treatment were finalized, he planned to address those matters.
In some areas, the Qin state was indeed somewhat inferior to the Han state.
He's preparing to recreate that iconic moment!
After leaving Xianyang Palace, the group walked to the residence of the wicked husband, attracting a large crowd of onlookers who greeted them, making the scene exceptionally lively.
"Haha, Grand Commandant, which country are you planning to attack this time?!" someone shouted with laughter.
Some elderly men also chimed in, saying, "If we were to fight the Zhao state, I'd like to join the army too... Don't underestimate me just because I'm old; I'd fight the Zhao state to the death!"
The wicked man paused, then burst into laughter, "It seems the elders and folks are eager to destroy the Zhao state as soon as possible. Very well, next time we'll destroy the Zhao state first!"
In this atmosphere, Evil Husband and Feng Jie led a group of military officers to his residence.
Zhang Erhe, who had returned earlier, was standing at the entrance of the mansion waiting. Upon seeing her husband return, she quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Grand Commandant, I have already ordered the mansion to prepare a meal, but we will have to wait a while."
The wicked man nodded slightly and asked in return, "Did you use the refined salt we extracted?"
"Don't worry, of course we'll use it. Once you've tried refined salt, who would want to eat the old kind?!" Zhang Erhe chuckled.
The two didn't lower their voices during their conversation, causing the people standing behind them to strain their ears to eavesdrop. When they heard that the wicked husband had already prepared fine salt and food, they were overjoyed.
"Please come inside, everyone. Don't just stand there like idiots at the gate!"
The group filed in, and the once large and somewhat deserted house suddenly became lively.
Lobby.
"Gentlemen, let's eat first. We can discuss the specifics after we've eaten!"
After everyone was seated, the wicked husband, who was the host, quickly raised his hand to greet them.
The group were all old acquaintances. As the saying goes, rough people don't care about etiquette. Without saying a word, they picked up their chopsticks, eager to try out how delicious the food tasted after being served with refined salt.
"Awesome, this roast lamb...delicious!"
"Hmm? What kind of dish is this? It tastes so delicious."
Hearing the exclamations of the crowd, the wicked man was overjoyed and immediately explained, "That's called grasshopper vegetable, a very common wild vegetable in the fields."
"Wild vegetables?!"
Everyone was surprised, and the outspoken Yang Duanhe voiced their hesitation, "Could this be poisonous?!"
It's no secret that the wicked husband has a gluttonous appetite; he's said to always try things that no one has ever eaten before, which makes them genuinely afraid of getting poisoned.
"You can eat it without worry!"
"You guys are just ignorant. Come to my house for a few more meals when you have time, and I guarantee you'll want to come back again and again!" The wicked husband sighed, his disdainful gaze sweeping over the group of country bumpkins.
To be honest, you can't blame them. People in this era lived a very hard life. It was good enough to have food to eat, and they rarely put much effort into satisfying their appetites.
Their staple foods consisted mainly of five grains: millet, sorghum, wheat, hemp, and rice. The vegetables they commonly ate were also called the "five vegetables," which consisted only of sunflower, broad bean, garlic, scallion, and leek—a truly monotonous diet.
The minced meat, hailed as an unparalleled delicacy and favored by high-ranking officials and nobles, is, in reality, just lean meat porridge... which shows how ignorant they are.
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