Policy and the parade of "Princess Dog".
"...I'm asking you!" Banban panicked for a moment, glanced at the historian standing by the door, and quickly nudged his elbow to make him serious, "Stop talking, stop talking."
He didn't keep a diary, but he did establish a system of official historians. Presumably, in the future, whether it was a grand occasion or a daily morning court session or when receiving officials, there would be such an official historian by his side.
Ying Zheng didn't care about any of that. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms, then looked away and said to the historian, "These things are not allowed to be recorded."
The historian lowered his head, his expression unreadable, and said, "Yes."
With a slight smile, her eyes crinkled, and she felt completely relaxed. Oh, it's alright now.
She hooked her arms around his neck and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.
"Oh dear... there's a mark." She quickly pulled up her sleeve to wipe his face.
How could he let her adorable appearance go? He cupped her little face and kissed her hard before letting go, leaving her breathless and dazed.
She was filled with shame and indignation at his disrespect for the gods and ancestors.
Ying Zheng, however, said that they usually see too many serious people, so it was a good thing for them to take a moment to observe human emotions and love.
As the two walked out, Banban recalled the titles that Ying Zheng had bestowed upon the two children earlier, calling Ying Zhao the Crown Prince and Ying Xuange the Eldest Daughter, not a princess.
Ying Zheng said calmly, "The title of princess originally referred to a woman whose marriage was officiated by a duke or marquis. This specifically refers to the emperor's daughter, because the Zhou rites stipulated that the emperor could not personally officiate the marriage of his daughter, but could only have a duke or marquis preside over it on his behalf."
This was the first time Banban had heard this claim, and she couldn't help but wonder, "Why can't the emperor preside over his own daughter's wedding?"
"Naturally, it's because the Zhou emperor considered himself the ruler of all under heaven, possessing a transcendent status and sacred majesty. The princess's marriage partner was usually a feudal lord. If the Zhou emperor personally presided over the wedding, it would mean lowering his own status to be on par with the feudal lords, becoming in-laws. The emperor considered himself superior to all the feudal lords and would never have any direct, equal relationship with any of his subjects."
As he spoke, Ying Zheng sneered, "But the marriage between a princess and a prince is essentially a tool for political alliance, not a matter of personal feelings. The Zhou emperor married his princesses to the various feudal lords with the intention of using the princesses as a bond to tighten the contractual relationship with the feudal lords."
Did the Zhou emperor live up to the divine status he projected?
This is why he dislikes the title of princess. In his eyes, the word "princess" is just a tool to be manipulated, and does not reflect the dignity she should have.
Moreover, his daughter did not need dukes or marquises to preside over her marriage, so naturally she did not need the title of princess.
"The emperor's sons are princes, and his daughters are naturally princesses; no other embellishment is needed."
He wanted to change everything after he changed just one or two things.
If you don't like something, change it.
He originally wanted to change it to "Empress's Daughter," but after thinking it over, he realized that his daughter and son should be equally noble. "Prince and Empress's Daughter" would make it seem like the Empress's Daughter was ranked second, which wouldn't work.
Banban wholeheartedly agreed and smiled as she took his arm.
The ceremony concluded, followed by the formal morning court session. This time, Ying Zheng led her by the hand to ascend the high throne, and she did not refuse, turning around and sitting with him on the throne.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress!"
Indeed, sitting on the throne and facing the officials is a completely different experience from hiding behind the throne and peeking at them.
There weren't many things to discuss at the morning court session. In short, the memorial submitted by Li Si and Han Fei, proposing that the thirty-six counties be governed separately, was presented. Li Si gave a detailed explanation, and Banban took the memorial from Qin Ju and began to read it.
Li Si's words were clear and concise; one could understand them after reading through them. He divided local administration into a pyramid-shaped system with distinct levels.
The central government was the largest, followed by the thirty-six prefectures, each with a prefectural governor, a prefectural commandant, and a prefectural supervisor. These three positions were the same as those in the central government: Grand Commandant, Chancellor, and Imperial Censor.
The Prefectural Supervisor, also known as the Prefectural Censor, had the same duties as the Grand Censor, playing a supervisory role. He was naturally appointed directly by the central government and was responsible to the emperor, serving as the emperor's eyes and ears in each prefecture.
The hierarchy decreases downwards, and the same applies to counties, while the ranks of prime minister, pavilion, and village are much simpler.
Upon seeing the character "亭" (ting), Banban's gaze paused. She knew that the Chu-Han Contention referred to Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, and that Liu Bang had once served as a pavilion chief. When she thought of Liu Bang, she had people search for him throughout the country.
Unfortunately, after searching four or five times, I still couldn't find a single one that matched.
It can't be that it hasn't been born yet, right?
While she was pondering how to find some famous figures she vaguely remembered, Ying Zheng had already implemented several new policies. He first spread the word that he wanted to use the nobles left over from the six states to serve him, and specially set up seventy doctoral positions. However, he hesitated because he was afraid that they would not obey his rule.
Then, regardless of what the nobles of the six states thought, they were allowed to let things ferment on their own for a while.
The first important new policy was personally promulgated by him. Banban also went there that day and heard him say: "I have received the mandate of Heaven to unite the six directions and bring the four seas under one family. Considering the years of war and the exhaustion of the people, I hereby promulgate this new policy."
Everyone expected him to say something, but his first statement was to establish Qin script as the official script and prohibit the use of the scripts left over from the six states in formal occasions; his second statement was to unify weights and measures, remeasure the land, unify the currency, and collect the currencies left over from the six states to melt down and make new coins.
These are all mandatory and cannot be resisted; otherwise, one will be punished according to Qin law.
Immediately, his tone softened, "Reduce land rent to one-fifteenth of the original tax, exempt newly reclaimed land in Guanzhong from taxation for three years; change border defense to a rotation system, with one in five able-bodied men conscripted, rotating annually without end."
His subjects, who had initially considered him a tyrant, were stunned for a long time. The common people wept with joy and forgot all about the coercive measures he had previously issued.
Ying Zheng originally intended to burn all the culture, writing, and history books of the six states and force them to submit to Qin. Xiao Heng said that day that it was only a temporary solution, and he accepted that. However, he felt uneasy about not doing it at all, so he angrily warned, "If you want to use it, don't use it in front of me, otherwise you might (definitely) be beheaded."
Subsequently, a series of activities were launched to subtly coerce them into learning the Qin script and language.
These policies were finalized after he and Xiao Heng debated them for six or seven days.
Banban bumped into Xiao Heng at Chengzhang Hall. He was arguing with Ying Zheng until they were red in the face and their necks were thick. To be specific, it was Banban who was red in the face and their necks were thick, while Ying Zheng looked very impatient, his face clearly saying, "I'm going to kill you."
It's quite funny, actually. On the day of his coronation ceremony, Xiao Heng was in the crowd when he saw that the King of Qin and the Queen were Ji Changyue's brother and sister-in-law. He immediately fainted.
Later, he became like a mouse before a cat. Ying Zheng waited for him at the teahouse twice, but he dared not come out. Since he wouldn't come out, Ying Zheng ordered his men to search him and eventually brought him out.
He was practically begging on his knees, crying his eyes out, saying he had no respect for someone as important as him.
He was terrified for two main reasons: first, he had insulted the King of Qin in front of him; second, he had coveted the King of Qin's mother in front of him.
Regardless of the first point, just considering the second point, it's enough to make him die eight hundred times over without any turning back.
Unexpectedly, Ying Zheng didn't hold it against him and didn't mention the Empress Dowager's matter at all. Since he didn't mention it, Xiao Heng dared not mention it either.
Gradually, he discovered that the emperor was not quite what he had imagined.
"This guy gets all worked up over the smallest gesture," Ying Zheng said, looking annoyed. "If I don't bother with him, he'll just try to get on my good side!"
Specifically, this manifests in:
Xiao Heng: "Your Majesty cannot burn the books of the six kingdoms! Do you intend to become a tyrant?"
Ying Zheng scoffed, "As long as he's not a tyrant, that's fine."
Xiao Heng hugged the corner of the table: "If you're going to burn books, burn me first today!"
Ying Zheng was furious: "So what if it's burned? Am I going to destroy the country?"
Xiao Heng replied righteously, "It's hard to say."
The next moment he was imprisoned.
After three cold, hard nights, Ying Zheng released the man again. "...I did not intend to forgive you. If it weren't for the Empress Dowager intervening on your behalf..."
Yes, yes, yes, it's all thanks to the Empress Dowager's words that you have no regrets.
Xiao Heng seized the opportunity and began fawningly kowtowing.
Ying Zheng was able to calm down not because he was truly good-tempered, but because he knew that the Qin state had indeed perished after only two generations. If he hadn't learned this from his wife, Xiao Heng would already be dead.
"Ultimately, it's because my cousin wants to use him." Banban patted his chest in a fake manner, "Don't be angry, don't be angry."
Ying Zheng grasped her hand. "I want him to be Zhao'er's tutor. What do you think, cousin?"
“Xiao Heng mainly studies Confucianism and Taoism, and knows a little about the others as well. He can be considered a eclectic scholar. He has pride but can also be humble. He is smooth but not worldly. Of course, he is good.” Banban had no objection to this.
He also had a candidate for the position of tutor to Xing Shu, and the first one he chose was Li Si.
He had not yet met a minister he particularly liked, so for the time being he taught the princess Zhishi, using Legalism as a foundation, and gradually building on other schools of thought. In short, according to his thinking, although the miscellaneous schools of thought could be learned, Legalism should still be the main focus.
Unifying the world requires not only the unification of policies, land, writing, and culture, but most importantly, it requires making the subjects feel a sense of belonging.
This is a long process and cannot be forced.
Ying Zheng was naturally warlike, and once the country was relatively peaceful, his attention naturally turned to the Baiyue in the south and the Xiongnu in the north.
Banban advised him, perhaps forgetting the King Zhou Di Xin he mentioned, "At least let everyone rest before continuing. It's not good to continue large-scale military campaigns. Cousin, didn't you want to build roads? These all require money. You've also reduced corvée labor and taxes. Where will the family get extra money for war?"
Ying Zheng remained expressionless: "I should have known better than to reduce corvée labor and taxes."
Banban pinched his mouth shut, preventing him from talking nonsense. That was his nature; once reason outweighed desire, he could control himself.
Therefore, the sentence above was just a grumbling about 'knowing it's impossible'.
When it came to road construction, he said that construction would actually begin, and that people would be recruited to work together. Unlike the Zheng Guo Canal construction, which involved full-scale efforts, this time he allowed shift work. He also increased the monthly allowance by 20% and provided monthly holidays, which were also in shifts, to ensure that someone was working every day without overworking anyone.
Meanwhile, those who worked for the country building roads received their daily dinners from the government.
This was also proposed by Banban. Occasionally, she would personally go there to check on things at dinner time, and she also sent her own people to supervise the area every day, not allowing anyone to deceive or embezzle the money she allocated for the workers' dinners.
That evening, as she did her calculations, she rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought, "How can I legitimately rob the powerful and wealthy..."
Ying Zheng said, "Just find a fault and confiscate their property."
Banban: "..." It's reasonable, but it's a bit too cruelly reasonable.
"If only the rich could pay more taxes and the poor less, but these are two completely different ways of collecting taxes." She rubbed her cheeks and leaned on the table.
Ying Zheng couldn't come up with a suitable solution either, so in the end he found a few reasons to confiscate the property of many powerful and influential people who refused to cooperate with his new policies.
Now the nobles of the six kingdoms realized that if they cooperated, they could get an official position in the new dynasty, and the talented could even be promoted reasonably, while those who did not cooperate lost all their wealth.
Moreover, he reduced taxes, and it is said that the empress proposed a land reform policy, which in turn promoted the standardization of weights and measures, winning the hearts of the people. The vast majority of commoners were willing to make a living under the Qin people, so who would still be willing to follow the nobles of the six states in fantasizing about that unreliable 'war of restoration'? Nobody wanted to fight.
The examination system has been established, and schools have been set up all over the country. The main purpose is to teach people to learn the Qin script and to tell them that there are many official positions needed in the thirty-six counties. If they study well and do well in the exams, they will have the opportunity to become officials. The top students can even go to the Xianyang Palace and be tested by the emperor himself.
The nobles of the six states were vying for the seventy doctoral positions. Seeing that after the Qin state established itself, it no longer solely adhered to Legalism, and everyone else had a chance, they fought tooth and nail for them.
After these policies were promulgated, Ying Zheng did not know whether they could be implemented at the local level or to what extent they could be enforced, so he decided to begin a nationwide tour.
As the empress, Banban should naturally follow.
She could take this opportunity to check on the progress of road construction across the country.
On the day of their departure, Ying Zhao held Xing Shu's hand and waved goodbye to them, telling them to go home soon.
Walking on the smooth road, Banban felt slightly dazed. Lifting the curtain of the carriage and looking out, he had a strange feeling that he was on a highway.
However, this road was not like the roads of later generations. Instead, the land was leveled and then rolled into uniform ruts. This made it smooth and bump-free, but the uniform ruts made it look just like the tracks of later generations.
Humans are just full of all sorts of wonderful ideas.
Now you can not only travel outside, but also travel all over the country.
Banban immediately laid out the food she had brought. Because the carriage had been converted to a six-horse carriage, the interior space was unprecedentedly large, and Banban could lie down and roll around everywhere. To prevent her from being uncomfortable, the cushions inside were filled with the finest goose feathers.
"Is this dried watermelon?" Ying Zheng picked up a piece of the fruit and examined it closely.
"Yes, the pulp was soaked in citrus juice, dried, and then sprinkled with a layer of fine sugar. It's sweet and sour and appetizing. Cousin, have a taste." Banban nestled beside him and laid out the rest of the food.
"This is watermelon sauce!" Banban held it up high. "It's salty, savory, and sweet; it's also delicious as a dipping sauce for pancakes."
She also had a lot of chicken feet, chicken wings, duck feet, duck wings, duck necks, etc. braised with plenty of seasoning. After they were air-dried, they were put into jars, and you could sit on the carriage and take a piece to gnaw on for a long time.
"..." Ying Zheng reminded her, "Cousin, be careful with your teeth." He didn't understand if it was still edible after being dried.
"I'm eating carefully," Banban said, half-heartedly, as she was happily munching on a duck neck.
When it was time for lunch, she lit a fire and ate the meal packs that had been prepared for her. The so-called meal packs were the fast food she was familiar with. She even kept the bones she had gnawed on in the car. The aroma soon attracted a small country dog.
When Rui Shi saw that the Queen wanted to play with the puppy, he hesitated, unsure whether he should chase it away.
Ying Zheng gave them a look, signaling them to leave.
Banban tossed out a bone, and the puppy ate it. Immediately, it wagged its tail and rubbed against the dog, making whimpering sounds.
Ying Zheng had a hard time explaining: "They wag their tails when given some benefits; they're incredibly easy to fool."
Banban immediately covered the puppy's ears, saying, "Puppy, don't listen to those vicious words."
Ying Zheng frowned slightly, pulled her hand away and held it in his palm. "Teasing is fine, but don't do this. What if she bites you?"
Despite knowing his mistake, he said, "My cousin said it's easy to fool, so why are you still making such assumptions about it?"
Ying Zheng took a handkerchief and wiped her fingers, his expression unchanged. "Being easy to fool doesn't mean you're not aggressive, like you."
Dead memories assaulted her mind; he seemed to have once described her as a "little puppy" in his diary.
"??? You insulted me."
"You think I'm so easily fooled, wagging my tail when I offer you some favors!"
"...Listen to me."
Banban: "You say it."
Ying Zheng froze slightly, unsure of what to say: "..."
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Author's note: There was a variety concert in Luoyang these past two days, and I really like two of the singers, Angela Chang and Fiona Sit, so I went... Good heavens, it's gotten so cold in Luoyang lately. I caught a fever the night I got back from the concert, and last night the temperature even dropped to five degrees Celsius (I'm currently a pathetic, runny nose...).
Just wanted to say that extra chapters will resume this Thursday. I'm a little free today, so I'll fix some bugs from the previous chapters tonight. Don't worry about the update notifications~
The main story still has about 40,000 to 50,000 words left to finish, so I can write for another two weeks (at least). I've seen some readers saying they want to see modern-day side stories, and I'll write those too! I've listed the side story content in the author's notes in previous chapters, so let's go all in!
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