The video takes us to ancient times; Li Er transforms into the Tongtian Emperor of Shu Han.

"Your Majesty, please take back your order!"

Rewarding soldiers for their military achievements has been a tradition since ancient times.

This wouldn't normally be anything to be alarmed about, but that's where the problem lies.

The rewards that military merits could earn were truly bizarre.

The reward from the imperial court for beheading just one person is enough to support an ordinary family!

It's said that we receive enough rations for five people each month, but if it's distributed without any skimping, and people eat sparingly, it's enough to feed ten people!

Not to mention that as time went on, the greater the merit, the more unbelievable the rewards became.

It even gave those peasants the opportunity to become officials in the imperial court!

If that edict is carried out as it is, it probably won't be long before a large number of their colleagues are replaced by peasants!

Why does Your Majesty want to rescind your order?

Zhao Shen was unwilling to face such a scene, or rather, unwilling to say much to these people, so he rushed over. Standing before the officials was Yue Fei.

"This move is pushing our Great Song Dynasty into a fire pit. Once this method is truly implemented, it won't be long before the court is running out of money. The Jiangnan region alone cannot support so many people who do not farm and do not pay taxes!"

"If this continues, even without the Jurchens invading the south, our Great Song Dynasty will perish at the hands of treacherous officials!"

An official shouted.

These words were not spoken to Yue Fei, but rather shouted to Zhao Shen.

The villain mentioned in the words is naturally Yue Fei.

When there was no conflict of interest, even after Qin Hui lost power, they didn't hesitate to speak up for Yue Fei and plead his case.

But now, an imperial edict has put their own interests in jeopardy.

General Yue, who was once loyal to his country, has become a villain in their eyes!

"Oh? The Jiangnan region has always been prosperous, and the imperial court is not short of money and grain. How could it not be able to support those people?"

Yue Fei looked coldly at the person who had just spoken.

"If we don't cultivate the land and pay taxes, the court will be unable to make ends meet. If we want to support so many people, we will certainly not be able to make up for the annual tribute from the Jurchens. If the border is lost, we will not even have any bargaining chips to negotiate peace!"

Yue Fei: "..."

"You mean you'd rather use that money as annual tribute to the Jin people than use it to reward the people and inspire the soldiers?"

Doesn't this mean we have money to pay reparations, but not enough to fund military expenses?

Can you say that again?

"...That's how it is. Does General Yue really have absolute confidence in defeating the Jin Kingdom? What's wrong with leaving yourself a way out?"

The official stubbornly refused to admit it.

"A way out?"

"If the only way out is to submit to the Jin Dynasty in a humiliating manner and give away the money and grain that should have strengthened the Song Dynasty, then I would rather have no way out at all!"

"I, Yue Fei, hereby declare: in this battle against the Jin, if we do not win, we will die!"

"Anyone who dares to mention peace talks, reparations, or submission and tribute will be the first to die!"

For a moment, many people shrank back.

They could sense the murderous intent in Yue Fei's words.

If anyone dares to disagree at this point, he will really make an example of them.

But that doesn't mean they'll just obediently accept all of this.

Taking money and grain from the national treasury to feed those peasants, although it made them dissatisfied, did not cross their bottom line.

What they really wanted to resist was the promise behind the edict that military merit could be exchanged for titles and official positions!

Their current status is not only due to their own abilities, but also largely due to their family background.

The imperial examination system was indeed fair in a certain sense, as it gave students from poor families a chance to change their fate.

However, the term "humble family" never describes ordinary people.

What is meant by "poor family background"?

They were once a prominent and prestigious family, but declined for certain reasons, which is why people call them a poor family.

Giving opportunities to people from humble backgrounds is something all officials would like to see, since no one can guarantee that their family will always prosper.

Giving opportunities to students from underprivileged backgrounds now may be leaving their families a chance to turn their lives around in the future.

This aligns with their interests, and students from humble backgrounds who are truly talented will be selected by them as soon as they begin to show their abilities.

It was ostensibly to preserve a semblance of teacher-student relationship, but in reality, those who obeyed were promoted all the way up, while those who disobeyed were simply forgotten within a few years.

From beginning to end, the highest level of power has always been held by a minority faction.

However, the edict issued by Zhao Shen and Yue Fei had already affected their most fundamental interests!

This merit-based military system gave every peasant who joined the army a chance to share in their power.

It's even possible that some people from humble backgrounds could climb higher than them and surpass them!

This is their bottom line, and it is absolutely non-negotiable!

"General Yue, if it's just about improving the treatment of soldiers who have made military achievements, we can barely accept it."

"Letting them exchange military merits for titles is already the greatest favor. How can we let those peasants who have never read a book become officials?"

"Which of us colleagues didn't study hard for decades, only to have the opportunity to enter the court and become an official after passing the imperial examination?"

"Now you're suddenly asking us to travel with a bunch of illiterate peasants? Doesn't Grand Commandant Yue think this is an insult to us?"

"And what makes them think they have the ability to govern the Song Dynasty well?"

Upon hearing this, Yue Fei smiled.

That's what's making these people so anxious.

"If someone truly makes a great contribution and chooses to enter the court as an official, His Majesty will select a Grand Secretary from the Cabinet to carefully instruct him, and at the same time select a suitable person from the candidates for the imperial examinations and the jinshi examinations of previous years to assist him."

"Therefore, you gentlemen need not worry about this. They are qualified and capable of governing the Song Dynasty well."

"If you really care so much about your background and are unwilling to serve in the same court as them, you can resign. I can grant His Majesty's request for you to retire and return to your hometown!"

Upon hearing these words, the expressions of all the officials changed.

Retire and return home?

It's fine to threaten His Majesty occasionally, but when it really comes down to it, who would be willing to give up their power?

"Grand Commandant Yue, haven't you gone a bit too far?"

"His Majesty does indeed rely on you, and you made great contributions when you led the Yue Family Army on the Northern Expedition. But that does not mean that you can act recklessly in the court!"

"Can you really bear the consequences of making us all retire and return to our hometowns?"

If Yue Fei had only targeted a few people, they might have been more wary of him.

But his words, and the meaning expressed in that edict, challenged the interests of everyone.

At this point, threats no longer work on them!

At worst, they could resign and go into seclusion, while they could go directly to Zhao Gou and help the retired emperor to be restored to the throne!

"My lords, I know what you are thinking."

"Do you think I would dare to threaten you so blatantly if I hadn't made any preparations?"