The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

The next day,

The sunlight once again shone through the clouds onto the Zhangtai Palace, adding a bit of solemnity to this magnificent building.

In the hall, the ministers stood on both sides and the atmosphere was solemn.

Chunyu Yue stepped out from the crowd, bowed, and spoke loudly, "Your Highness, although we have carefully considered the policy discussed yesterday, I still believe that enfeoffment is a sound ancient practice. This will not only make our relatives and meritorious officials feel a sense of belonging, but will also enable them to defend the imperial family and ensure the enduring power of the Qin Dynasty. If we only grant them titles and land without actual fiefs, I am afraid it will be difficult to win their hearts. I hope Your Highness will reconsider and implement the policy of enfeoffment to demonstrate the great grace of our Qin Dynasty."

Fusu sat upright in the hall, glanced at the ministers, and then slowly said, "Yesterday's discussion has been resolved. This is a decision made after weighing the pros and cons. Now that the Great Qin has just been established, the most urgent task is to consolidate the central government. If we wantonly grant fiefs to the princes at this time, it will probably cause many disasters and will be detrimental to the long-term stability of the country."

Seeing this, Meng Tian also stepped out of the group and replied in a deep voice, "Lord Chunyu, Your Highness is quite right. While enfeoffment has its benefits, it also carries hidden dangers that must be carefully considered. Once the power of the princes grows, they could pose a threat to the central government and even trigger civil unrest."

Chunyu Yue was obviously not convinced by Fusu and Meng Tian's words, and he still wanted to argue.

At this moment, Meng Yi stepped forward, smiling and speaking calmly, "Mr. Chunyu, your Highness's plan truly takes into account the interests of all parties. I hope you will prioritize the greater interests of the Qin Empire and refrain from being stubborn."

Chunyu Yue saw that everyone was opposed to his proposal, and knew that arguing any further would be futile, so he had no choice but to retreat back into the queue.

Calm returned to the court. Fusu once again emphasized that the established policy could not be changed, and a debate about enfeoffment was suppressed again.

Seeing this, Lu Ao, Fu Sheng and others looked at each other.

At this moment, Fusu, seated in the great hall, slowly began to speak, "Now that the Great Qin has just been established, after years of war and chaos, talented people have dwindled, and much remains to be rebuilt. In addition to students at the Imperial Academy, I would like to issue a call for talented individuals from all over the world to enrich the court. What do you think?"

Fusu's voice was not loud, but it echoed in the hall and was clearly heard by everyone.

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Tian bowed and said, "Your Highness, this is a very good move. The Great Qin is in urgent need of talents and is in urgent need of all kinds of talented people. Issuing a call for talents will allow all the talents in the world to enter the Great Qin's grasp and be used by the Great Qin. This will surely help the Great Qin prosper."

Meng Tian's words were agreed by many ministers.

Li Feng also stepped out and nodded in agreement, saying, "General, what you said is absolutely right. With talented people assisting us, the Qin Empire will surely be even more powerful and reach new heights."

All the ministers expressed their agreement. For a moment, there was a lot of discussion in the hall, and everyone expressed their support for Fusu's proposal.

Fusu nodded and continued, "The order to seek talents must clearly specify the categories of talents sought, such as those in governance, military affairs, farming, and water conservancy. Each has its own strengths and can be utilized by the Qin army. Furthermore, this order must be widely publicized so that everyone knows that the court is eager to recruit talents. This will help attract more talented people to come."

However, at this moment, Xin Sheng stepped forward and said solemnly, "Your Highness, while seeking talented individuals is important, we must also be wary of those with ulterior motives who might take advantage of the situation to infiltrate the court and disrupt government order. If we fail to identify them, there could be consequences."

Fusu's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. He said slowly, "Lord Xin is right. This matter will be handed over to Prime Minister Xin with full responsibility. Teacher Chunyu and General Meng Yi will assist in drafting the order to recruit talented people. We must strictly control the assessment process to ensure that the talents recruited are truly worthy of the title."

Upon hearing this, Xin Sheng, Chunyu Yue, and Meng Yi did not dare to be negligent. They hurriedly bowed and saluted, and responded in unison: "We obey your command!"

Seeing this, Fusu continued, "I have been thinking deeply these past few days. Since my father, the Emperor Longyu, passed away, the world has been in turmoil, with many heroes rising up. This is not the fault of Hu Hai alone. Perhaps the current system can also be improved.

Today, I would like to discuss with you the official system of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers. You are welcome to speak freely."

Before Fusu finished speaking, all the ministers present were shocked.

In this era where "sons do not talk about their fathers, and ministers do not talk about their kings" is emphasized, Fusu's move was undoubtedly earth-shattering.

You must know that Fusu has been influenced by Confucianism since he was a child, and has always taken benevolence, righteousness, morality, etiquette and law as his principles.

However, today he openly proposed to discuss the official system of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, which is very different from his previous image.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

Even Meng Yi, standing by, was taken aback. He thought to himself, "What's wrong with Fusu? He's even considering something as important as restructuring? Is it really true, as the saying goes, 'One should not meddle in matters outside of one's authority?'"

Left Prime Minister Xin Sheng calmly led the way out of the procession, bowed respectfully, and spoke firmly, "Your Highness, the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system has endured many trials and tribulations since its establishment. The Prime Minister assists the Emperor in handling state affairs, the Grand Marshal oversees military affairs, and the Imperial Censor oversees all officials. Each of the Nine Ministers performs their duties, ensuring the orderly functioning of the court and the smooth implementation of government orders. In my humble opinion, this system should not be rashly altered, as doing so could undermine the foundations of the nation and trigger unnecessary social unrest."

As soon as Xin Sheng finished speaking, many ministers nodded, expressing their agreement with his point of view.

At this moment, the young Lu Ao stepped out from the crowd, clasped his hands, and said sincerely, "Your Highness, the Prime Minister's words are indeed reasonable, but the world is like chess, and times change. During the reign of the previous emperor, he attached great importance to punishment and strict administration of officials, which indeed established authority in troubled times. However, now that the rebellion has been quelled and society has begun to stabilize, continuing to use harsh laws and punishments does not seem appropriate for the governance of the Qin Dynasty. I believe that our country should currently be based on benevolence, focus on education, and guide the people to be good.

Therefore, the responsibilities of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers could be adjusted to better prioritize people's livelihoods and promote education. For example, among the Nine Ministers, a position specifically responsible for education could be created to cultivate and select talent, which is crucial for the long-term development of the country. Such reforms would both appease the people and cultivate future pillars of state, ensuring the long-term stability of the Qin Dynasty.

Xin Sheng frowned, appearing somewhat displeased. He retorted bluntly, "Lu Ao, the empire has just been stabilized, and the foundations of the country are still unstable. The most important thing right now is to allow the people to recuperate and consolidate the foundations of the country. Adding more official positions now might not only increase the burden on the people, but where will the new positions be filled? And how can we ensure that these new officials are competent for their duties?"

Lu Ao remained calm and responded, "Prime Minister, Daqin is vast and populous, and there is no shortage of talented people among them. We can select truly talented and virtuous people to serve in these new positions through recommendation and other means. As for the burden on the people, if the newly established officials can effectively promote education, so that the people understand etiquette and morality and abide by the laws, then in the long run, this will not only promote the prosperity of Daqin, but also reduce the burden of governance."