Sky Curtain: My Great Qin must have an aircraft carrier!

Ying Zheng gazed at the sky, lost in deep thought.

If the people of Qin were to judge them, what would they be?

He's probably a tyrant.

He believed that his achievements surpassed those of the Three Sovereigns and that his virtue was superior to that of the Five Emperors, and that everything he did was for the sake of the Qin Dynasty.

But would the people think that way? Would they feel proud of these achievements?

Probably not.

But why?

Ying Zheng closed his eyes, recalling the future generations of the new China in the sky.

That kid spends all his time in bed, and is only busy during class; otherwise, he's very leisurely.

But it was precisely this laxity that made Ying Zheng see a fact—

The people of later generations were truly proud of their country.

When the Yellow River became clear, the comments were full of praise and admiration.

Building dams, planting trees, and creating terraced fields—when later generations mention these projects, their tone is full of pride.

What about the Qin Dynasty?

Ying Zheng opened his eyes, stared at the crossbeams on the roof of the palace, and remained silent for a long time.

Most of the Qin people who were building the Great Wall were cursing him with the most vicious words.

Both are large-scale projects that require manpower, so what's the difference?

After a long silence, Ying Zheng finally spoke, "Li Si, what do the people think of me?"

Li Si's lips moved, the words rolled on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to say them.

How should he answer?

To say that the people support him is to lie through one's teeth.

The people of the six former states secretly cursed the tyranny of the Qin government, and even the old Qin people complained bitterly.

Thirty percent tax sounds good, but corvée labor can work people to death, so who cares how much tax you collect?

To say that the people are resentful is tantamount to courting death.

Ying Zheng glanced at him and waved his hand.

"No need to say anything, I know what I'm doing."

He wouldn't stop the construction of the Great Wall and the imperial highways just because of a few words from Tianmu.

With the Xiongnu eyeing them covetously in the north and the Baiyue people stirring up trouble in the south, how could the Qin Dynasty defend itself against foreign enemies without building the Great Wall or constructing roads?

The problem is, later generations also repaired and built, so why didn't the common people have such great resentment?

Ying Zheng pondered this question repeatedly, carefully comparing the lives of the people on both sides.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and everything became clear.

national power!

It's because of the difference in national strength!

In later generations, the new China was so powerful that constructing these massive projects required very little manpower.

The common people don't have to go through the same ordeal as the people of the Qin Dynasty, where every labor service was a matter of life and death.

With this realization, Ying Zheng calmed down.

The refined salt extraction method previously taught by Tianmu has already been promoted in various counties.

The Imperial Household Department reported that the salt tax had tripled compared to the previous month, and the people not only did not complain, but some even praised his wisdom in the streets.

It would be a lie to say that Ying Zheng wasn't excited when he was praised by the people for the first time.

Refined salt is just the beginning; there are many more wonderful things in the sky.

The phonetic symbols are already being implemented, and as literacy rates increase, more and more people will be able to use them.

Sweet potatoes and terraced fields can also be developed in Daqin.

The road is built step by step, and he can wait.

Ying Zheng sat back down at his desk, his brows much more relaxed than before.

"Li Si, do you really think those sweet potatoes can yield a thousand catties per mu?"

Li Si, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, quickly took over the conversation: "What Tianmu said has never been false. If we can find this item, the Qin Dynasty's food shortage can be largely resolved."

"Have the Imperial Household Department send men to search south along the coast, to search every corner of the world."

"promise!"

-

Inside the Weiyang Palace, Liu Che remained remarkably calm.

"I know what I am doing. I will never forget the humiliation of the Siege of Baideng."

"The Xiongnu are like a poisonous sore hanging over our heads; if they are not removed, the Han Dynasty will not be at peace."

He did not believe in the wisdom of later generations, nor did he believe in the benevolence of the Xiongnu.

This malignant tumor must be completely eradicated in his hands using the most ruthless methods!

Wei Qing stood below the steps, his face filled with worry. "Your Majesty, what about the national treasury..."

"I know," Liu Che interrupted him, "I will not repeat the same mistakes."

With the canopy, he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Wei Qing, how is Huo Qubing doing?"

When Huo Qubing was mentioned, Wei Qing's expression became somewhat subtle.

"Your Majesty, I don't know how to describe it."

Wei Qing thought for a moment, then chose a word: "Beast!"

"That child was born for war; calling him a natural-born general wouldn't be enough, he's more like a beast of the battlefield!"

"What a beast!"

Liu Che burst into laughter, his tone filled with satisfaction: "Then let this beast grow its tusks for another two years."

"By imperial decree, the large-scale campaign against the Xiongnu shall be suspended until Qubing has grown up."

"The nationwide implementation of refined salt production and terraced farming policies will allow the people to recuperate and build up strength for the Han Dynasty."

"When the time is right, I will finish the job in one battle."

Wei Qing was deeply shaken, looking at the young emperor before him as if he were seeing him for the first time.

He knelt on both knees, his voice choked with emotion: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Liu Che helped Wei Qing up, his gaze returning to the sky, and he thought to himself:

In this way, future historical records can no longer condemn me for being a warmonger, right?

The story told through the celestial canopy continues.

There's no need to get hung up on the title. A tyrant doesn't mean someone is incompetent; he just doesn't care about the lives of the people.

The Republic of China, where the teacher lived, was a time of warlordism and widespread suffering. Whether a ruler was a tyrant or a wise one, anyone who could end the chaos was considered a good emperor.

The chaotic era that Emperor Taizu of Song faced was known as the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Arrogant and fierce soldiers kill each other, changing countries every ten years or so, leaving society in constant turmoil.

People may not have a concept of this, but the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period lasted for 72 years, and even cannibalism became a custom.

Without morality and law, murder and massacres are commonplace.

It's hard for people to imagine that people back then could no longer be called human, but were completely like wild beasts.

To the common people, Zhao Kuangyin, who ended the chaotic era, was practically a saint in the world.

You said feudal dynasties were ruthless and cruel; back then, you had to survive before you could even think about being oppressed.

"72 years of chaos?"

Li Shimin was deeply shocked, having witnessed the revelry of the rebel army after breaching a city.

After conquering a city, they would first plunder its gold and silver treasures, and then rape the women.

Once the arrogant and fierce soldiers below have had their fill of playing around, some ruthless commanders will order the massacre of the city.

Massacres of entire cities are not simply about killing everyone in sight; there is a great deal of skill involved.

The soldiers first rounded up the wealthy households and ordinary people in the city, and then openly demanded money to buy their lives.

Once they had looted everything, replenished their ranks with able-bodied men and prostitutes, they would then go and kill the civilians.

A massacre can last from three to five days to more than ten days.

Li Shimin still remembers that when the Tang army captured Luoyang, the troops declared they would massacre the city to celebrate.

The blood of the people of Luoyang must be used to wash away the weariness of the long siege.

To appease the bloodthirsty soldiers, Li Shimin personally paid out of his own pocket to save the lives of all the people in the city.

This was still because the Tang army was still bound by military discipline, and the commander-in-chief could still speak up.

If it were the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms mentioned in the sky...

Li Shimin estimated that he would probably lose his head as soon as he was about to take out his money.

The soldiers would first chop him into pieces, loot all the valuables, and then continue to massacre the city.

This is not because Li Shimin was pessimistic.

Turning the pages of history books, the absurd records of the Northern and Southern Dynasties are vividly displayed.

Zhao Kuangyin was able to end the chaos, imprison the bloodthirsty soldiers in the military camp, allow the people to farm in peace, and restore morality and law to the right track.

Based solely on this achievement of reshaping the order, Zhao Kuangyin certainly deserves to be ranked alongside himself!