Traveling through the busy farmland of a peasant girl

The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the warm atmosphere of the previous night still lingered in Yiyun Palace.

Empress Shen Li stood up from the embroidered couch, while her sidekick Chu Fengmian was still sleeping soundly.

As soon as she made a slightly larger movement, Chu Fengmian immediately opened his eyes, his eyes full of tenderness and concern. He gently picked up the clothes beside him, considerately buttoned them for Shen Li, and said softly: "Li'er, don't work too hard."

Shen Li turned her head and placed a kiss on his cheek, with a bit of determination and eagerness between her eyebrows: "You also know that I am quite anxious. I plan to work hard in the next few years to rectify what needs to be rectified, develop what needs to be developed, support what needs to be supported, and build what needs to be built. When I give birth to the prince, we will raise him well. When he grows up, I will give up the throne, and we can all have a easier time!"

Chu Fengmian couldn't help but chuckle, and reached out to gently scratch Shen Li's nose: "Li'er, it's rare that you have thought so far now, I will definitely cooperate with you to the fullest!" After that, he also kissed Shen Li back and urged: "Li'er, go quickly."

Shen Li's eyes revealed an eagerness that was hard to conceal, and she hurried out of the hall.

Last night's lingering time hadn't allowed her to forget the worries at court. Numerous reform ideas were swirling in her mind, desperate to break through. She knew that to implement these changes, she would first need to find a capable person to discuss them with, and ideally someone who could publicly support her at court.

The image of Prime Minister He Changting emerged in Shen Li's mind. She recalled how the retired emperor had commented on this man's extraordinary talent. He was the second prince Xuan Heng's grandfather, having served as an official for decades, diligently working for the country and the people. However, he had always wanted his grandson to ascend the throne, so when he ascended the throne, he was heard to have strongly opposed it.

But Shen Li firmly believed that anyone who could sit on the position of Prime Minister was definitely not someone who could not distinguish right from wrong. Now that China was unified, there was no reason for him not to support any reform that was beneficial to the country and the people.

The morning court was held in a solemn and dignified atmosphere. Ministers took turns to report on government affairs in various places, and arguments and requests were heard one after another in the court.

Shen Li sat upright on the dragon throne, listening intently to every topic, her resolve for reform growing stronger. Those outdated systems seemed inadequate in the face of real-world problems, and she desperately wanted to change them all.

The morning court session ended, and the ministers gradually withdrew. Shen Li did not immediately stand up and leave. She sat upright on the dragon throne, her eyes slowly sweeping across the empty court. She took a deep breath and instructed the eunuch beside her, "Go, summon Prime Minister He Changting to the imperial study to see me." Her voice was not loud, but it revealed unquestionable majesty.

After receiving the order, the eunuch hurried away, and the sound of his footsteps gradually faded away on the long palace road.

Inside the imperial study, the flickering candlelight cast the figures of Empress Shen Li and Prime Minister He Changting on the wall. Shen Li, dressed in gorgeous robes, bore an expression of eagerness. Having recently ascended the throne, she was consumed by the desire to change the current state of the court.

"Prime Minister He, corruption is rampant in the court, and people's livelihood issues need to be addressed urgently. I am determined to reform the laws, rectify the government, and implement new policies. These advanced legal concepts are all what my master Xuanfeng Sanren saw during his travels, and I believe they can be used in our dynasty." Shen Li's voice was crisp, but revealed an unquestionable firmness.

He Changting frowned slightly, naturally resisting these new policies. After all, he believed that the laws passed down by his ancestors had been passed down for many years and could not be easily changed. However, he still bowed respectfully and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, reform is a matter of great importance, affecting the prosperity and decline of the country. The regulations passed down by our ancestors have ensured the stability of our dynasty for many years. If we rashly change them, I fear chaos will ensue."

Shen Li took two steps forward, his eyes blazing. "The first priority is to eradicate corruption. I intend to establish an independent commission directly under my jurisdiction, independent of other departments, with multiple investigation teams under it to monitor by region and official level to ensure there are no blind spots. Prime Minister He, what do you think?"

He Changting's frown deepened, and his tone became more anxious. "Your Majesty, this move is well-intentioned, but the Independent Commission Against Corruption has such great power, and it reports directly to Your Majesty. What if this power gets out of control and breeds new corruption? What will we do then?"

Shen Li's expression froze, and he said seriously, "I have considered this a long time ago. On the one hand, I will clarify the scope of the supervisory officials' powers. If they abuse their power and frame others, they will be punished with the same crime. On the other hand, I will give the people the right to supervise and report. If the people find that the officials of the public office have neglected their duties or accepted bribes, they can directly submit a secret report to me. In this way, internal and external supervision, a two-pronged approach, will definitely prevent the abuse of power."

A flicker of surprise flashed in He Changting's eyes. He hadn't expected His Majesty, at such a young age, to be so thoughtful. His resistance subsided slightly, and he bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is thoughtful. I, however, am a bit narrow-minded. With this two-pronged approach, the supervisory system will indeed be more fair and effective."

Shen Li turned and walked to the desk, picked up a file, unfolded it, and said, "Punishment must also be reformed. According to the amount of corruption and the circumstances, we will divide the punishment into different levels and set sentencing standards. For example, if someone embezzles less than 100 taels of silver, he will be beaten with 80 sticks and exiled to the frontier for one year; if he embezzles between 100 and 500 taels of silver, he will be sentenced to 3 years in prison and his property will be confiscated; if he embezzles more than 500 taels of silver, he will be sentenced to death and his entire family will be implicated."

Upon hearing this, He Changting hurried forward and offered his advice, "Your Majesty, such a severe punishment may deter corruption, but it's far too harsh to punish three generations of officials. Officials are already skeptical of the new policy, and this will likely cause panic in the court and unsettle the people."

Shen Li frowned, his eyes firm. "Prime Minister He, corruption is harmful to the country and its people. How can we eradicate this evil trend without severe punishment? Punishing three generations of officials is to make them understand that the price of corruption is not only for themselves, but also for their families. This is to fundamentally protect the country and its people. Moreover, for those with less serious offenses, I have also introduced 'community service punishment' to give them a chance to reform."

He Changting was silent for a moment, his mind deepening with a deeper understanding of His Majesty's resolve. He cupped his hands and sighed, "Your Majesty is wise and sage, combining benevolence and authority. This is truly a sound policy for governing the country. I am limited in my knowledge and have failed to grasp Your Majesty's profound intentions."

Shen Li sat back in the main seat, looked at He Changting, and said seriously, "The assessment mechanism must also change. In addition to the traditional assessment, a new 'anti-corruption risk assessment' will be added. The risk level will be assessed based on position, power, and past performance, and supervision of high-risk officials will be strengthened."

He Changting frowned slightly and asked, "Your Majesty, isn't this risk assessment too subjective? How can we ensure its fairness and objectivity? If it's exploited by someone with ulterior motives, wouldn't that disrupt the order of the court?"

Shen Li smiled confidently and explained, "I will set up a special evaluation agency and select fair, rigorous, and experienced officials to be responsible for it. The evaluation process will be based on specific facts and data, combined with the officials' actual performance at work, rather than subjective assumptions. In addition, the evaluation results will be made public and subject to supervision by all parties. Those who have objections can appeal for review."

He Changting nodded repeatedly, his admiration for His Majesty growing even more. He said sincerely, "Your Majesty has been so thoughtful. This method will surely prevent corruption in advance. With Your Majesty's dedication, how can we worry about the morale of the court being corrupted?"

Shen Li raised her chin slightly, with a hint of anticipation: "Public supervision must also be upgraded. A special reporting reward fund should be established. Those who report true cases will be rewarded with bonuses, land, and even priority recommendation for official positions based on the severity of the case."

He Changting's face was filled with worry, and his tone was urgent: "Your Majesty, with such a large reward, I'm afraid someone might maliciously report for personal gain and disrupt the order of the court. This new policy has just been implemented, and we can't allow any chaos."

Shen Li waved her hand and said firmly, "So we need to improve the reporting process. After receiving a report, a dedicated person will conduct a preliminary investigation. Once corruption suspicion is confirmed, a formal investigation will be launched. If malicious reports are found, the reporter will be severely punished to regulate reporting behavior. At the same time, the anonymous reporting system will be improved to ensure the safety of reporters and relieve the people of their worries."

He Changting excitedly bowed, "Your Majesty's strategy is far-reaching. This plan can both inspire the people's enthusiasm and avoid chaos. Your Majesty's new policies are truly a blessing for the people and a blessing for the country!"

Shen Li stood up and paced slowly. "Integrity education is equally important. There are anti-corruption academies across the country that regularly organize closed-door training for officials. The content covers Confucian integrity, case analysis, and legal knowledge."

He Changting nodded in agreement, but then raised a question: "Your Majesty, strengthening ideological defenses through education is indeed a long-term solution. But can academy training alone truly instill the concept of integrity in people's hearts?"

Shen Li gazed into the distance, full of anticipation: "The Integrity Academy is a key link, systematically cultivating officials' awareness of integrity. At the same time, we will also widely promote the culture of integrity among the public through posting notices, street storytelling, and opera performances. From top to bottom, we will create an atmosphere of national anti-corruption and make integrity a social trend."

He Changting bowed and praised: "Your Majesty's plan is grand. This will surely make the concept of integrity take root in the court and the people. Your Majesty is so young, yet he has such great talent and strategy. It is truly a blessing for our dynasty!"

Shen Li changed the subject and talked about people's livelihood: "The foundation of a country lies in people's livelihood, and agriculture is the top priority. We will establish a Royal Agricultural Science Academy to recruit agronomic talents, cultivate high-quality seeds and distribute them to farmers free of charge, and send technicians to guide new planting techniques, such as reasonable planting density and crop rotation and fallow."

He Changting's face was filled with joy, but also with some concern. "Your Majesty, this move benefits both the country and the people. However, cultivating high-quality seeds at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences requires a great deal of manpower, material resources, and time. Results may be difficult to see in the short term. How can we solve the current food problem?"

Shen Li spoke calmly, "Cultivating improved varieties is a long-term strategy. For now, we will promote the existing high-quality varieties. At the same time, we will increase food allocation to the disaster-stricken areas to ensure the basic needs of the people. In addition, we will dispatch technicians to guide farmers in adopting new planting techniques. This can increase food production under the current conditions and solve the urgent problem."

He Changting's face was filled with admiration, and he said excitedly, "Your Majesty has a comprehensive and thoughtful approach to the overall situation, which is a blessing for the people. Your Majesty cares about the world and will surely lead our dynasty to prosperity!"

Shen Li looked at He Changting and asked, "Industrial development cannot be left behind. We should establish a Workshop Department in the Ministry of Industry to support workshops and artisans, providing them with space, funding, and technical support, encouraging innovation, and rewarding outstanding artisans, granting them the title of 'Royal Craftsmen.'"

He Changting thought for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, supporting workshops and artisans is certainly good, but investing so much resources in this way would be a waste if there's no market for the industrial products."

Shen Li was full of confidence and smiled as she said, "I have ordered people to research market demand and guide the workshops to produce marketable products. At the same time, I will personally sign trade agreements with neighboring countries, lower tariff barriers, and expand overseas markets. I will also hold industrial product exhibitions in China to promote domestic trade exchanges. In this way, there will be no worries about the products not being able to sell."

He Changting bowed, his face full of admiration: "Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision. Industrial development is just around the corner. Under Your Majesty's guidance, our dynasty's industry and commerce will surely flourish!"

Shen Li looked focused and said seriously, "Water conservancy is the lifeline of agriculture. We should establish a water conservancy planning institute to plan water conservancy facilities according to the terrain, climate, and water resources. We should build reservoirs upstream, dredge the river in the middle and lower reaches, strengthen the embankments, and dig irrigation channels."

He Changting added, "Your Majesty, the construction of water conservancy facilities is a massive and costly undertaking. There are also numerous challenges that may arise during construction, such as land acquisition and technical difficulties. How will we address these challenges?"

Shen Li said firmly, "Regarding land expropriation, we will provide reasonable compensation to the people and ensure effective communication. Regarding technical challenges, we will recruit water conservancy experts from around the world and pool their wisdom. At the same time, we will establish a strict project supervision system to ensure project quality and progress. We will severely punish acts that damage water conservancy facilities, and formulate water resource allocation regulations to protect water sources."

He Changting said respectfully, "Your Majesty is so far-sighted. The water conservancy project will surely proceed smoothly. Your Majesty is working for the well-being of the people, and they will surely be grateful!"

Shen Li said with concern: "The people's housing problem must be solved. Affordable housing should be built in urban and rural areas. The government will fund planning and design. Poor families can live in it for free, and middle-income families can buy or rent it at a low price."

He Changting agreed, but then asked, "Your Majesty, building affordable housing is a good deed, but how can we ensure its quality? We must avoid cutting corners."

Shen Li said seriously, "We will establish a building quality supervision office and develop detailed standard procedures for everything from the selection of building materials to construction techniques and house acceptance. We will severely punish builders who violate regulations, and those with serious offenses will be held criminally liable. At the same time, we will carry out overall urban planning, divide functional areas, build public facilities, and encourage diverse architectural styles."

He Changting nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty cares about the people, and they will surely live and work in peace and contentment. Your Majesty's virtue is respected by all the people!"

Shen Li's eyes were firm as she said, "Road construction is also crucial. We need to formulate a national plan, build official roads with the capital as the center, use new road-building materials and techniques, repair rural roads, and plant trees along the roadsides."

He Changting looked troubled and asked, "Your Majesty, the cost of road construction is high, and maintenance also requires continuous investment. Can the government afford it?"

Shen Li responded calmly, "Although road construction is a major project, in the long run it will promote economic development, boost trade flows, and increase tax revenue. The government will increase investment in the early stages, and later on, we can collect a certain amount of road usage fees to cover maintenance costs. At the same time, we will encourage private capital to participate in transportation construction and jointly promote transportation development."

He Changting nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty has foresight and vision. With smooth transportation, the country can be expected to prosper. Your Majesty's new policies will benefit the present and future generations!"

Shen Li finally mentioned the livestock farming industry: "The livestock farming industry is important to people's livelihood and economy. We have set up a 'Special Fund for Animal Husbandry', managed by the Taifu Temple, to provide low-interest loans to livestock farmers. The amount is determined by the scale and species, with a maximum of 500 taels. Special funds are allocated annually for disaster emergency relief."

He Changting added, "Your Majesty, although it's good to lend money to livestock farmers, some of them may lack the breeding technology. Even if they have the funds, it will be difficult for them to raise livestock properly. How can we solve this problem?"

Shen Li affirmed, "In terms of technology and talent, each region will set up 'Animal Husbandry and Breeding Technology Promotion Stations', send professionals to the countryside for regular training, and compile manuals for free distribution. We will recruit talent and reward those who innovate. We will build an epidemic monitoring network, with monitoring points set up in prefectures and counties, and report suspected cases within 12 hours. The court will build vaccine workshops, distribute vaccines free of charge, and provide guidance on vaccination. We will also establish a 'Animal Products Price Control Department' to regulate prices, hold trade fairs, and open up sea and land trade routes."

He Changting saluted respectfully and spoke in a resounding voice, "Your Majesty's wise policy is magnificent. If successfully implemented, our dynasty will surely prosper. I will fully assist Your Majesty! From now on, I will follow Your Majesty's footsteps and devote my life to the implementation of the new policy!"

Shen Li looked at He Changting calmly, and seeing that he was convinced, the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose, revealing a determined smile.

She knew in her heart that the Prime Minister played a very important role in the court, and his students and former officials were spread all over the country. If she could convince him, it would be equivalent to gaining the right to speak in half of the court.

Moreover, every decision he made was the result of countless days and nights of careful consideration and repeated weighing of the pros and cons. From legal reform to people's livelihood construction, every one of them was for the long-term stability of China and for the people to live and work in peace and contentment.

Now, He Changting has changed his attitude and fully supports the new policy. This great reform cause has been half successful. Next, it is time to advance it in a big way.