The next day, I went to work as usual. I brought the inspection team to inspect the various merchants to see if there were any merchants who were deceiving consumers for their own short-term benefits. I'm very satisfied with the results of the inspection. Everyone basically carried out the previous marketing plan without any fraud.
The sales in the mall were very good. Although there were many returns, they were all within a controllable range.
I was busy the whole day. When I got home at night and wanted to rest, Brother Nine contacted me with his consciousness and asked me to come to the control room of the universe. I'm now very familiar with it and can directly enter the control room to find Brother Nine.
Brother Nine said half-jokingly that this money should be quite a lot. This time, the funds should be enough.
I playfully said," Brother Nine, you don't know. The demand for money in my era is like the universe. There is no end to it. I have never heard anyone complain about having too much money." This sum of money was not small, but it was only enough for a well-off life. Will my next mission bring me closer to the super-rich?
I can't tell that you're quite ambitious, but I can tell you responsibly that we can't let you become a super rich man. That will affect your mission. However, you will have a few more earnings than this.
I let out a long sigh. I was satisfied. Brother Nine didn't call me here today to tell me this, right?
Brother Nine became serious. He paused and said," Of course not. Let's get back to the main topic. You know about the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, right? Just like in your history books, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty is divided into the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The Spring and Autumn Period began from 770 B.C. and ended in 476 B.C. The Warring States Period lasted from 475 to 221 B.C. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the first vassal to dominate was Duke Huan of Qi. He appointed Guan Zhong as prime minister and reformed internal affairs, making the country stronger and stronger. The last overlord was the King of Yue, Gou Jian. During the Warring States Period, the main vassal states were Qi, Chu, Qin, Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Han. This was history that everyone knew, but because this history involved many people and many countries, it was very easy for historical errors to occur. Every small mistake could lead to the chaos of history. Every once in a while, there would be some chaos in this period of history. This time, the chaos was a little ridiculous. Fortunately, my colleagues and I spent a lot of effort a few days ago to smooth out this period of history. However, there were still some problems with Shang Yang's reform in the late Warring States period. The position of the Qin monarch and ministers changed. Even Shang Yang's confidence was a little lacking. If he allowed it to develop, it would definitely cause the reform to die in the womb. Therefore, I want to send you to restore that period of history.
You mean to let my consciousness replace Shang Yang? I said in surprise.
No, you don't have the ability to implement the reform yet. We want to transfer your consciousness to the king of Qin, Duke Xiao of Qin. Duke Xiao of Qin is the key to the problem. Your mission is to encourage Shang Yang and remove all obstacles to the reform. Familiarize yourself with the situation in the State of Qin and have a sufficient understanding of the reform. We will send you over in a while.
To Brother Nine, this might be a simple task, but to me, this is simply wonderful. I can actually participate in China's greatest reform. This is too exciting.
Two hours later, I was teleported to the State of Qin. My body shook. I looked at myself again and realized that I was already Duke Xiao of Qin. I first calmed my excited mood and looked at my clothes. My clothes were dark red. The left side of my clothes was lengthened, and it was wrapped around the back to the right and then back to the front. The waist was tied with a belt, and it was sewn with yellow and black colors to increase the decorative and aesthetic effect. It looked much better than the clothes of the Shang Dynasty. The place I was in should be a bedroom. It was mainly made of wood. It wasn't luxurious, but it looked very comfortable.
There are a few palace maids beside me, male and female. I don't know their names yet. This is not part of my homework.
This was my first time here, so I still needed to have a preliminary understanding of my surroundings, just like the previous few times.
I pointed to a servant who seemed to be in charge and said,"Let's go out and take a walk." After the servant bowed and agreed, he led me outside.
This palace was huge and had many rooms. It was not like the Forbidden City, but rather like the Imperial Palace of Japan that Tokugawa Ieyasu had built.
I walked aimlessly along the corridor. This servant (I don't know if he's a eunuch) carefully asked me if the king was still worried about the reform.
I just wanted to lead the topic here, but he said it first. I nodded and asked him what he thought.
This servant said that the king used to support the reform, but now that so many people are against it, Shang Yang has no idea. The king also said yesterday that he did not have enough confidence in the reform. Li Kui's reform in Wei and Wu Qi's reform in Chu did not have any good effects. It was a waste of money and manpower. I think...
When I heard this, I immediately stopped him and said that the various countries were all plotting reforms. Although the reforms would temporarily hurt them, they would definitely benefit Great Qin in the long run. I didn't want anyone to oppose the reforms.
The servant was clearly unprepared for my words and was even a little surprised. He continued to say,"Didn't the king say to Shang Yang yesterday? Before he could finish, I said," Yesterday is yesterday. You should immediately give Shang Yang an audience."
The servant said repeatedly and retreated. In that era, it was definitely impossible to find someone like in the modern era. I estimate that it would take at least one or two hours to find someone and bring them into the palace.
Just as it was time for dinner, I was led by another eunuch to another palace. This was obviously a place for eating or working. Just like in the TV series, there was a long table in front of me. The table was filled with dishes. The main dishes were meat. There were no staple dishes. I didn't recognize some vegetables. There were pears and dates.
I tried it and it tasted very good. The condiments were probably not modern, but it was very delicious with beef and mutton. The wine was also very delicious, unlike modern wine, which was not strong. I was afraid of drinking too much, but I didn't feel drunk even after drinking a lot. Only then did I remember that I was using the body of Duke Xiao of Qin. His alcohol tolerance must be very good. I finished it in about half an hour.
It was already afternoon, and the sun was in the west. The eunuchs removed the remaining seats.
At this moment, a servant reported to me that Shang Yang was here.
I motioned for him to come in.
Not long after, the servant led Shang Yang into the hall. Shang Yang was in his forties. He was dressed in green clothes and had a medium build. He wore a square hat and did not look honest. Instead, he appeared very aggressive.
This was the famous Shang Yang. He looked no different from an ordinary person. In fact, this was nonsense. The people in this world were similar to ordinary people. It was just that some famous people were augmented by people's imagination, which made them look a little mysterious. I don't care about this. After all, I'm the emperor now. I'll get straight to the point. Shang Yang, how confident are you in the reform?
Shang Yang was obviously a little surprised by my question, because Duke Xiao of Qin had already expressed his doubts about the reform yesterday. However, after hearing my question today, I quickly said that if Your Majesty still wants to make the country rich and the people strong, and let the State of Qin dominate, it must be achieved through reform. This is also the reason why I strongly advocate reform, but Gan Long and the others did not agree, giving Your Majesty great pressure. I think the greater the pressure, the more it proves the necessity of reform.
I saw hope and determination in Shang Yang's eyes. This is also what I hope to see. Hurry up and say, can you convince Gan Long?
Shang Yang showed an unexpected confidence and said, I am willing to debate the pros and cons of reform with Gan Long and the others.
I said,"Okay, we'll debate in court tomorrow. Prepare well. I hope you can win."
I looked at Shang Yang with anticipation. Shang Yang was indeed very touched and repeatedly said,"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will do my best to push forward the reform and make Qin truly rich and powerful."
I nodded and said, I hope so.
Shang Yang left the palace after kneeling.
Now that the lanterns were lit, the servants asked which "madam" to serve. My heart was in turmoil. I asked half-jokingly," What do you think?" The servant quickly said that he didn't dare to. I said that it was fine to say it. The servant said that it would be Madam Ning. She was young and beautiful. The king usually liked her the most. I quickly said yes.
I returned to the bedroom and soon Mrs Ning arrived. Mrs Ning was indeed very beautiful. She was dressed in red and had a slim figure. She wore all kinds of accessories on her head. Her skin was fair and her eyes were especially beautiful. She looked like a movie actress. Then, it was the next morning.
In the morning, I ate a simple breakfast and then came to the court with the help of eunuchs and palace maids. The court ceremonies here were much more formal than in the Shang Dynasty. I wasn't sitting on a dragon throne, but on a half-high platform with a luxurious desk in front of me.
The ministers wore court clothes that were mainly gray and black. The current court clothes should not be called "black clothes". That was the name after Qin Shihuang. The hats on their heads were very similar to those of the later Qin Dynasty. They all wore mountain crowns, Dharma crowns, or martial crowns.
Looking down, there were quite a number of officials who had come today because someone had already told them yesterday that they would be debating the reform in the court today. Today, everyone seemed to have come prepared.
Everyone first kowtowed to me. This feeling of being kowtowed to made me dizzy. I tried my best to calm down and briefly explained the agenda of today's court meeting before directly handing the right to speak to Shang Yang.
Shang Yang had my backing and I let him speak first, so he was obviously more confident. He explained the pros and cons of some of the reforms in a clear and organized manner. I listened to the gist of it. In any case, I had to support him. As for the rest, I didn't care.
I nodded many times in agreement, which surprised the other ministers. This was also the result I wanted, but it was obvious that a few old ministers were very dissatisfied with my performance and even a little angry.
I didn't care about this. My mission today was to support Shang Yang. When Shang Yang finished speaking, I even revealed a satisfied expression without any fear.
Shang Yang saw my expression and even started to feel proud.
At this moment, Gan Long stood out. He was obviously very angry, saying that he did not agree with the reform and wantonly announced the various drawbacks of the reform. Most of the officials in the court clearly agreed with this statement, and they would occasionally cast approving looks.
However, I didn't think much of it. I obviously didn't agree with Gan Long's words. Actually, I want to say, do you all read history? Without Shang Yang's reform, how could the Qin Country be strong? How could it unify the six states? I really should take you to see the history after the reform, but unfortunately, I can't.
Without waiting for me to speak, Shang Yang stood up and said," Smart people can foresee the outcome before doing things. Stupid people might not understand what is going on even if they do things well. Most of the commoners are not cultured and have their own opinions. There is no way to discuss with them about things like reform in advance. I might as well let them do it directly. When it is done, I will let them enjoy the benefits."
Shang Yang's words were clearly a little personal, but I didn't stop him.
Of course, Gan Long also heard the sarcasm in it and angrily raised his objections. He believed that smart people would govern the country according to traditional customs. In that way, they could learn from the successful experience of the past. The people who governed the country were also proficient, and the common people were also used to it. Therefore, they must not reform.
Shang Yang refuted Gan Long at that time,"What you said can't stand scrutiny. Of course, this isn't your fault. Many people are like this." It was possible for such people to be officials, but it was impossible for them to make the country rich and powerful with their methods of governing the country. The founding monarchs of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties all used different systems to achieve their achievements. The five tyrants of the Spring and Autumn Period all took different measures to dominate the world. Therefore, smart people made rules, and stupid people could only abide by the rules. If a country wanted to be strong and develop, it should carry out reforms.
It seemed that Shang Yang was really a little aggressive.
Gan Long also continued to say," Many countries have implemented reforms, but the effect is not obvious. I think the most important thing now is to better govern the country on the basis of the original system. I think the system left by our ancestors is already very good. The country is stable and the people live and work in peace and contentment. We can continue to implement it seriously and work hard." If the reform is carried out rashly, not only will it waste money and manpower, but it is also likely to harm the country. Can Mr. Shang think of the disadvantages of the reform?
Shang Yang wanted to continue. I stopped him, not because I thought he would win or lose, but because I felt that there was no point in continuing this debate.
Moreover, even if I forcefully support Shang Yang's reform now, when I return to the real world, the debate will continue. I didn't just sleep last night. I have already thought of a countermeasure with Ninth Brother. Now is the time for me to lead the reform, so I ended this debate and announced the dismissal of the court.
After the court session ended, I left Gan Long and Shang Yang behind and brought them to the back study room, because the countermeasures below couldn't have too many people participating.
I dismissed all the palace servants and guards. Shang Yang and Gan Long did not know what I was up to and could only stand there and observe my every move.
I pretended to think for a while and then said that there was no point in arguing too much now. I think we still have to go back to the original point of the debate, which is whether our current system is really good. Now Shang Yang said that the current system has many drawbacks, while Gan Long said that the current system can allow the country to maintain long-term stability. I think we have no right to speak without investigating.
Shang Yang and Gan Long simultaneously looked at me with strange gazes. Only then did I remember that this was a famous saying from thousands of years later. Saying it now might be a little too advanced, but it was very suitable for this debate.
I ignored their strange gazes and continued. I believe that the answer to this debate will not be in the Imperial Court, but in Great Qin's people. Today, I want to go out with you to find the answer. We can't let too many people know about this, so I dismissed the officials. In order to ensure that the results of this inspection are true and reliable, other than a palace servant who arranged for us to leave the palace gate, no one else knows that we are going out in disguise. I also didn't inform the guards.
Shang Yang immediately said," Your Majesty, although there hasn't been any war in our country recently, there are still some places where the people's lives are tough. I'm afraid it will be dangerous for us to go out like this."
However, Gan Long said in disdain,"Mister Shang is too cautious. This isn't the courage of someone who actively reforms. Our Great Qin is currently peaceful, so how could there be any danger? Could it be that Mister Shang is afraid?"
Shang Yang replied,"I don't want to be quick with my words. I'm just worried that if I encounter any mishaps, it will be detrimental to Your Majesty."
I immediately said, Mister Shang is worrying too much. I also don't believe that three ordinary people would be in danger on our Great Qin Dynasty's territory.
Shang Yang didn't stop me when he heard what I said.
I didn't let the palace servants do it, but took two sets of folk clothes from a shelf in the study. The looser one was given to Gan Long, and the slimmer one was given to Shang Yang.
I turned around and went behind the screen to change into folk clothes. I was still not used to wearing ancient clothes. It took me a long time to change.
After I changed, I turned around and went to the other side of the screen. Gan Long and Shang Yang had already changed their clothes. The style of their clothes was similar to mine. Although the colors were different, they were all gray.
When I arrived in front of them, they were about to bow when I stopped them.
I said, we are here in the name of a business friend. We are equal in status, so from now on, there is no need to be formal. I've also thought of our names. I'll choose Ren Tianxing as the best. I'll be called Qin Ren, Gan Long will be called Gan Tian, and Shang Yang will be called Shang Xing. Can you two take a look? Shang Yang and Gan Long naturally had no objections.
Although visiting in civilian clothes only appeared in novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was not something new in the Qin Dynasty or even earlier.
Yesterday, the palace servant that I arranged in advance led us through a few unguarded gates and finally stopped at a corner gate. The palace servant had already dispatched the guards to another place. He carefully opened the door and looked outside. After making sure that no one was paying attention nearby, he came to the three of us and bowed deeply. He said,"Your Majesty, you can leave the palace from here. You must be careful on this trip."
I waved my hand to dismiss him and told him not to let anyone know about this, or he would be killed without mercy.
The palace servant quickly agreed. The three of us left the palace, and the palace servant closed the corner gate at the right time.
As for the route, Brother Nine has already planned it for me. I brought the two of them to the streets of the Qin Dynasty. After all, this was the capital of the Qin Dynasty, and it was very close to the palace. The streets were still very lively. From the expressions of the merchants, the business of the shops was also very good.
Gan Long immediately whispered in my ear with a little pride,"Your Majesty, our people live and work in peace and contentment. I don't know what reason can change such a peaceful atmosphere."
I ignored him and expressionlessly gestured for him to continue walking.
Shang Yang said that this was the core area of the capital, so it was naturally more prosperous. It was not necessarily the case for other places.
I quickly interrupted their argument and said,"Let's not debate the pros and cons of the reform as soon as we come out. Let's take a walk first."
We walked about two miles before leaving the capital's core business district. It had to be said that the core business district here could be considered prosperous. Just looking at this place, there was indeed no need for any reform.
Gan Long was also very proud along the way. Sometimes, he would look at Shang Yang with some contempt. Shang Yang did not continue to talk and just walked forward silently.
At this moment, there was a tea stall in front of us. Of course, at this time, tea was not called tea yet. It should be called "Ming" or "Yi". According to my and Ninth Brother's plan, I suggested that we go to the tea stall to have a cup of tea before leaving. Gan Long and Shang Yang agreed.
The three of us walked into the tea stall and found a table near the outside to sit down. The waiter wiped the table and asked us what we needed. I said that we would bring three bowls of the best tea and nothing else. The waiter agreed and left. In a short while, he brought three bowls of tea on a tea tray.
Shang Yang and Gan Long didn't dare to make the first move. I signaled for them to be more casual so that others wouldn't see through their flaws. Only then did the two of them relax and drink their tea. The tea was obviously very light. It tasted a little bitter, but it still had a faint fragrance.
We were drinking tea when an old man with a walking stick came from afar. It was better to say that he was rubbing against us because this old man had a crippled leg and could only drag himself underground. When he got closer, he saw that the old man was wearing tattered clothes and holding a broken bowl in his hand. He kept saying New Year greetings. Every buyer and seller wanted food or money. Every buyer and seller was used to it. A good buyer might give three or two copper coins. At this time, it was not half a liang of money in the late Qin Dynasty, but just ordinary copper coins. The bad merchants directly drove the old man away. Some even said bad things. The old man didn't care and continued to ask for tea from one shop after another. Soon, he arrived at the tea stall.
Perhaps the old man knew that a tea stall didn't have much profit, so he didn't come here to ask for money like other sellers. Instead, he wanted to go around it. When I saw it, I quickly stopped the old man and asked,"Can the old man come here for a while?" I asked very sincerely.
The old man's body obviously trembled. He looked around and saw that there was no one else. He looked at me in disbelief and pointed at himself. Are you calling me?
Of course, I said kindly.
The old man was still a little surprised.
I stood up and didn't mind that the old man was dirty. I directly pulled the old man's hand and pulled him to the table to sit down. The old man was obviously a little embarrassed and said,"If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to be so polite. I won't sit here if I'm dirty." After saying that, I stood up.
I pushed him back to his seat and said,"Don't stand on ceremony, old man. There's nothing special. I just want to chat with you."
What's there to talk about with someone like me? The old man said with a bitter smile.
I quickly waved my hand. The old man must have had his own special life experience. Can you tell us about it? We love to hear about it. I won't let you say it for nothing. Here are ten old coins.
After saying that, I took out ten change that I had prepared in advance and gave it to the old man. The old man was obviously a little flattered and quickly declined, saying,"If you pity me, just give me two old money. I can buy five vegetarian buns. I won't be hungry for the next two days. There's no need to give me so much."
It seemed that the old man that Ninth Brother had arranged for me must have a very good background. Usually, beggars would not delay when they see others giving money. From this etiquette, this old man should also be a person with a story, which aroused my interest even more.
I pressed down the old man's hand that was pushing the money and said,"Old man, this is what you deserve. You haven't eaten today, right? I'll buy some food for you now. Let's talk while eating."
After saying that, I pulled the old man to a nearby restaurant. Shang Yang and Gan Long followed behind.
This restaurant wasn't very big, but it was very clean. The waiter saw me coming in and called out very enthusiastically," Please come in, sir." But when he saw that the old man was also following behind, he immediately stopped smiling and said to the old man," Why did you follow me in? Go, go, go. Don't delay our business."
When I heard that, my face immediately darkened. This is my friend. He's been down and out recently. Why isn't he welcome?
The waiter was obviously a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say. Shang Yang stepped forward and said," Buddy, find us a good table. You're doing business. We'll just pay you."
The waiter agreed and didn't say anything else. He let the four of us sit at a table by the window. The waiter wiped the table and asked us what we wanted to eat. Gan Long said that you should prepare whatever you are good at. We are not afraid of spending money. The waiter agreed and left.
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