My subjects are too rebellious!

Qin Chuan turned his gaze to Su Shi who was standing beside him.

"Su Qing."

Qin Chuan said with some concern in his tone, "How is the overseas migration going? Have the civilians and scholars been properly settled?"

Upon hearing this, Su Shi hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Majesty, the overseas migration is progressing smoothly. So far, three million people have been relocated to the newly opened overseas territories. They have started a new life there and gradually adapted to the environment. As for the remaining personnel, I have made careful arrangements and plans, and it is estimated that it will take another year to complete the migration."

Qin Chuan nodded slightly, expressing his recognition of Su Shi's work efficiency and results.

Then he asked, "Did those civilians and scholars who were relocated go there voluntarily?"

Su Shi heard this and replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured that this migration is completely voluntary. At the beginning of the preparations, I widely consulted the opinions of the people and scholars, and explained to them in detail the environment and conditions of the overseas territories, as well as the opportunities they might face after the migration. After careful consideration, they all expressed their willingness to go overseas and seek a new life."

After hearing this, Qin Chuan said with satisfaction: "Su Qing has done a great job. I am very pleased. I hope you will continue to work hard and complete this task successfully."

Su Shi quickly bowed his head and accepted the order, saying that he would live up to the emperor's grace and continue to do his best to promote the overseas migration.

..........

Qin Chuan's eyes swept across the court, and finally he spoke slowly.

"I have decided to grant Li Si, Fan Li, Lu Su, Liu Bowen, and Zhuge Liang the title of Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and to give them the salary of the second rank."

Qin Chuan seemed to see through the thoughts of the ministers. He smiled slightly and continued, "I know you may have doubts in your hearts. Although the position of the cabinet minister is high and powerful, it is actually only an advisory position. They will give me advice and assist me in handling major events of the Wu Dynasty. They are my indispensable think tank."

At this point, Qin Chuan's tone became serious: "However, the powers and responsibilities of the cabinet ministers must also be clearly defined. Although they can offer suggestions, the final decision-making power is still in my hands. The cabinet ministers must abide by their duties, not exceed their authority, and not interfere in politics. I hope that you can all learn from this and jointly maintain the harmony and stability of the court."

The five people were deeply moved by the emperor's grace, and they all knelt on the ground and saluted respectfully.

Li Si spoke first, saying, "I, Li Si, am grateful for your grace. Your Majesty is right. The cabinet ministers should focus on state affairs, fulfill their duties, and never overstep their authority. I will follow your instructions, help your Majesty solve problems, and work together for the prosperity of the Wu Dynasty."

Then, Fan Li slowly said: "Your Majesty is wise, and I am grateful to you. Although I am not talented, I will do my best to give you advice and assist you in government affairs. I know that the responsibility of a cabinet minister is heavy, and I will not dare to slack off in the slightest. I will strictly abide by my duties and live up to your majesty's high expectations."

Lu Su was always steady and said, "Your Majesty, I, Lu Su, am willing to guarantee with my life that I will be loyal to Your Majesty and the Wu Dynasty."

Liu Bowen responded: "Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision, and I deeply admire you. I will live up to your trust, use wisdom as a spear, loyalty as a shield, and clear the way for your Majesty to move forward. Although the power and responsibility of the cabinet minister are heavy, under your Majesty's wise leadership, we will be able to overcome the difficulties and create brilliance together."

Finally, Zhuge Liang looked at Qin Chuan, his eyes seemed to have a gleam of light, and said: "Your Majesty, I, Zhuge Liang, am willing to use my life's learning to serve Your Majesty and the Wu Dynasty loyally. I will take the rise and fall of the Wu Dynasty as my own responsibility and live up to Your Majesty's trust."

After the five people finished speaking, they knelt down again to show their absolute loyalty and respect to Qin Chuan. Qin Chuan was very pleased to see this. He knew that with the assistance of these wise men, the future of the Wu Dynasty would be brighter.

Qin Chuan watched this scene, his face showing no emotion.

But he was already beaming with joy in his heart.

Then he held his hands up in the air and said, "My dear ministers, I wish you a lifetime!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

..............

After the five people stood up, Qin Chuan called out their names and said, "Li Siqing, as the master of Legalism, how do you view and practice the concept of 'Confucianism with Legalism'?"

Li Si was slightly startled when he heard this.

Then he gathered his thoughts and replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, the Confucianism and Legalism are actually a concept of governing the country that combines the Confucian idea of ​​benevolent government with the Legalist spirit of rule of law."

"In my opinion, to achieve this, we must first base ourselves on the benevolence of Confucianism, pay attention to people's livelihood, sympathize with the people, and make the Wu Dynasty's policies win the hearts and minds of the people. At the same time, we must also learn from the strict laws of the Legalists, strengthen the Wu Dynasty machinery, ensure that the government policies are unimpeded, and maintain social order and stability."

"Specifically, in the process of legislation and law enforcement, we must consider both the fairness and efficiency of the law and the warmth and care of humanity, so that the law can become a powerful weapon to protect the people and promote development."

Qin Chuan nodded in agreement, then turned his gaze to Fan Li and said, "Mr. Fan Li, you are well-known for your wisdom and have rich experience in politics and business. What do you have to add?"

Fan Li smiled and replied calmly, "Your Majesty, I think what Mr. Li Si said is absolutely right."

"The key to the relationship between Confucianism and law is balance and integration. We should not only pay attention to the rigidity and authority of the law, but also pay attention to the value orientation and humanistic care behind it."

"I have traveled extensively and know the sufferings and needs of the people. Therefore, I believe that when formulating and implementing policies, we should fully consider the actual situation and the wishes of the people, so that the policies are closer to people's livelihood and in line with public opinion. At the same time, we should strengthen the selection and training of officials to ensure that they can not only deeply understand the essence of Confucianism, but also master the Legalist state governance strategy, so as to truly achieve the combination of Confucianism and Legalism, and the combination of firmness and flexibility."

After hearing this, Qin Chuan showed a look of satisfaction. He thought that Li Si and Fan Li's insights were profound and to the point.

Then he asked again.

"Mr. Fan Li, please also talk about how to make merchants prosper, how to effectively constrain their behavior, and about the collection and standards of commercial taxes."

Upon hearing this, Fan Li nodded slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he replied: "Your Majesty, the prosperity of merchants is an important pillar of the Wu Dynasty's economy. To make merchants prosperous, we must first create a fair, open and orderly market environment."

"This includes strengthening infrastructure construction, such as roads, bridges, ports, etc., to facilitate the circulation of goods. At the same time, formulating and maintaining unified measurement standards to ensure fair transactions. Furthermore, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of merchants, cracking down on illegal activities such as bullying and forced buying and selling, so that merchants can operate with peace of mind."