Xianyang Palace, the inner palace, under the garden pavilion.
The setting sun had not yet completely faded, and the golden-red afterglow spilled onto the exquisitely manicured garden.
Ying Zheng stood beneath the pavilion, his gaze fixed on the composed man before him, a hint of inquiry in his eyes, and slowly spoke: "The policy proposal you put forward in court today was even more radical than Shang Yang's reforms back then. No one could have predicted the consequences. Are you so confident?"
The wicked man sighed slightly, but did not rush to answer.
He took out a simple tobacco pipe from his pocket, plucked some finely cut tobacco, and lit it by the candlelight on the table.
As the sparks flickered, he took a deep breath, the thick smoke billowing from his mouth and nose, like the unknown future, or like the unpredictable human heart.
"Cough cough..."
Ying Zheng coughed lightly, choked by the unfamiliar smell, while his wicked husband continued to inhale and leisurely exhaled smoke.
The wicked man lowered his eyes, his voice hoarse yet steady: "Big brother, my dear big brother..."
"Currently, the court is filled with officials from powerful and wealthy families. Your Majesty is in the prime of your life, and with foreign enemies keeping you in check, they occupy important positions because of their backgrounds. The situation is not yet stable, so the conflicts are not too obvious, and everyone is working hard to accomplish the great cause."
"But when the land is unified and there is no war, and people are in a peaceful and prosperous era, their spirits will be low. At that time, corruption, collusion among officials, and other corrupt practices will truly begin to emerge."
He paused, raised his head slightly, and his eyes grew even colder: "Moreover, these people all come from the same social class. They treat ordinary people like dirt and only care about clinging to the power in their hands."
"You have achieved great things and become a great emperor for all time, and with my cold-blooded blade assisting you, you can temporarily suppress them. But what about later... when we are both old, and the new ruler is a muddle-headed and mediocre person?"
"When these people gain power and become influential families, with their sons spread throughout the court and the country, controlling all the wealth in the world, won't the world descend into chaos?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ying Zheng's smiling face froze instantly. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and dripped down his temples.
He glared at the wicked husband—his sharply defined face appearing and disappearing in the smoke.
Just now in the imperial court, it's no wonder that the wicked man was so determined to promote the score-based assessment and elimination system, along with the policy of popularizing the imperial examination system; it turns out that this was all for this purpose.
After a long silence, Ying Zheng turned his gaze to the newly pruned flowers and trees in the garden. A gentle breeze blew, and the petals fluttered, much like the ups and downs of a chaotic world.
"In that case, if we don't implement new policies, it will eventually sow the seeds of disaster. But if we really make sweeping changes, it will inevitably affect the interests of countless people. At that time, the court will be in turmoil, the local areas will be unstable, and it will inevitably provoke a huge backlash..."
After hearing this, the wicked man silently extinguished the embers on his pipe and said softly, "Brother, you have to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time. First, stabilize the situation, and when the time is right, you can gradually take control."
"Although we are feeling our way across the river, if we don't do it sooner, there will be more trouble in the future. You know this in your heart."
Ying Zheng took a deep breath, as if trying to calm the turbulent waves in his heart. He was not unaware of his husband's worries; on the contrary, he had witnessed countless powerful families controlling the court, forming alliances, and causing many ambitious men to fall.
The Qin Dynasty is now at the final stage of conquering the six states, a crucial moment for consolidating its foundation. If such a bad trend develops, it will one day suffer the same fate as the other states that were destroyed.
After a long pause, he suddenly straightened his back, his voice regaining its usual cold and authoritative tone: "Fine, since we've chosen this path, let's continue down it."
"Instead of letting future generations pick up the pieces from the ruins, let's lay a solid foundation for them first. Shang Yang was able to establish trust by setting up a log, so why can't you and I do the same? Do whatever you want."
After saying this, he stepped away from the pavilion, leaving behind a simple yet weighty instruction: "Just remember, regardless of success or failure, the Qin dynasty must be stabilized. Even if it cannot last for a thousand generations, it must at least last for ten generations."
The setting sun cast its last rays upon Ying Zheng's turning figure, as if draping him in golden armor. He walked forward, never looking back.
The wicked man stood still, watching the receding figure, his expression complex. "My brother, if you knew that your Qin Dynasty...died after only two generations, wouldn't you be furious?"
........
As evening fell, the daytime clamor outside the palace gates gradually subsided. The wicked man left the palace and immediately took Zhang Erhe with him, galloping towards the workshop district south of Xianyang City.
This workshop area is inconspicuous, with narrow alleys but bustling with activity, and is a gathering place for Mohists and craftsmen.
Because these people were all fervent researchers, the entire street resounded with clanging and hammering day and night, and was brightly lit.
Especially those courtyards at the very back, which are said to be "research and development rooms" personally renovated by Xiang Lihe and his Mohist disciples, have tightly closed gates and are always guarded by several burly men outside.
The wicked man dismounted, tossed the reins to his attendant, and strode to the door. He immediately saw Mohist disciples moving in and out, busy with something.
"Grand Commandant!" Upon seeing the wicked man arrive, everyone immediately bowed and paid their respects, while others ran to announce his arrival.
Before long, hurried footsteps came from inside the door, and Xianglihe came out to greet them.
Xiang Lihe had been working almost day and night for some time, and his eyes were bloodshot. "Grand Commandant, I was just about to go and look for you, but I didn't expect you to come in person."
Although he looked exhausted, he couldn't hide his excitement. He pointed inside and said, "Please come in quickly. We've made a few sheets of thin paper. They may not meet your expectations, but at least we're starting to see some progress."
"Oh? Take me there quickly." The wicked man waved his hand and walked into the courtyard side by side with Xiang Lihe.
Upon entering the courtyard and walking into the large room on the right, one could see a dozen or so Mo family apprentices busily working, some steaming and stirring the pulp, others arranging bamboo curtains, and several sturdy workers operating the paper press mechanism. The air was filled with a faint dampness and the mixed scent of grass and wood.
"These raw materials are made by mixing tree bark, hemp fibers, and cloth scraps, steaming, grinding, and then filtering through a fine sieve. You see—"
Xiang Lihe led the wicked man to a large vat, where the white pulp shimmered faintly in the firelight. "We consulted many craftsmen and conducted hundreds of experiments before determining that these coarse materials were more suitable for making paper pulp. However, the finished product is still somewhat rough, and the texture is not very good."
The wicked man picked up a piece of freshly dried test paper, ran his fingertip over it, and felt that the paper was thin, but the fibers were unevenly distributed and the edges were jagged.
"Although it is rough, it is much lighter than bamboo slips and silk books. If the process can be improved to make it flatter and less prone to breakage, it can be used on a large scale."
He gently shook the paper, a satisfied look appearing on his lips. "When the papermaking method is promoted throughout the world in the future, people will no longer need expensive silk books to learn to read. Only then can the imperial examinations and new policies truly become widespread."
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