Poverty Alleviation in Qin: A Sky-High Review of "I Am the Female Prime Minister of All Time&qu

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

In Xianyang, a thousand miles away, the snow has just stopped.

The majestic palace walls were covered with a layer of white snow, solemn and serene, isolating them from all the extravagance and noise of the world.

The court assembly had just ended, and the officials bowed and took their leave. The vast Taiji side hall fell silent, with only the charcoal fire crackling and burning in the stove, providing warmth.

At this moment, Ying Zheng took off his heavy and formal court robes and put on a simple and elegant black casual dress. The bamboo slips piled high on his desk were like a small mountain, all of which were urgent official documents sent from various counties and prefectures across the country.

Since the unification of the six kingdoms and the return of the world to Qin, he has been doing this every day, rising early and retiring late, personally handling all affairs of state.

The land is vast, with numerous prefectures and counties, and countless official duties never cease.

Others only know that the emperor wields absolute power and controls the entire world, but they do not know that the King of Qin is immersed in tedious and complicated official documents year after year, and has long been exhausted to the point of numbness.

The man's fingertips twitched slightly as he casually picked up the top bamboo scroll, about to unfold it for reading, when his fingertips suddenly stopped.

The bamboo slip bears the inscription "Pei County" in clear characters.

Ying Zheng narrowed his long, narrow eyes slightly, a faint hint of contemplation flashing across them.

With thirty-six prefectures under his jurisdiction, encompassing hundreds of counties, it was impossible for him to remember the names of all of them.

Unfold the bamboo slips, and your gaze falls upon the first line of characters. Every stroke is a dignified and elegant seal script.

Unlike the rigid and inflexible official script commonly used in government offices, this calligraphy is fluid and graceful, with restrained strength. The horizontal and vertical strokes conceal a sense of structure, and the turns and hooks reveal the skill of the calligrapher. The characters are like finely carved jade.

"Such an outstanding calligrapher exists in such a small county."

The First Emperor was unaware that this official document was written by Zhang Liang, a former nobleman of the state of Han.

There was no other way; Song really didn't want to waste time carving, so he simply wrote it down and handed it to his mistress to copy.

Killing two birds with one stone, that's great!

Zhang Sanliang, the tool: "......"

Song Ye: (rubbing hands together)

Throughout the Qin Dynasty, official documents from prefectures and counties poured into Xianyang every year like snowflakes.

In the imperial court, whether it was a prefect or a magistrate, all they wrote were songs of praise and reports of good news, not bad.

Local governments, no matter how small the achievement, would go to great lengths to exaggerate and embellish it, trying to turn a small success into a great achievement. Everyone was thinking of using a splendid resume to win the emperor's favor and get promoted.

But Song Ye's official document is completely the opposite.

There was no empty praise, but rather an honest list of the reasons for Peixian's bumper harvest. The new farming methods, such as deep plowing, fertilization, and seed selection, were listed one by one. It was stated frankly that the effectiveness of these methods was limited and unstable, and could not guarantee a stable and bumper harvest every year. It was straightforward, without exaggeration or embellishment.

What made the First Emperor's expression gradually darken was the content of the second half of the official document.

The average number of days of corvée labor for the people of the county, the amount of statutory tax levied per household, and the amount of poll tax paid are all clearly recorded and traceable, laying bare the burden of the people of Pei County throughout the year in black and white, without any concealment.

The few words at the end of the article carry immense weight.

Although this autumn's harvest was bountiful, the people's resources are limited; if taxes are increased next year, there is fear they will run out of food.

[If food supplies are insufficient, the people's hearts will be unsettled. If the people's hearts are unsettled, I, your humble servant, dare not remain silent.]

Ying Zheng's slender fingertips gently landed on the four characters "the people's hearts are not at peace," remaining motionless for a long time, while a layer of coldness slowly settled over his eyes.

The emperor is far away, the country is vast, and there are thousands of prefectures and counties, ultimately separated by mountains and rivers.

He set his own system, appointed officials, and enforced strict laws, attempting to control the counties and prefectures with centralized power. However, the chaos of officials outwardly complying but inwardly resisting, embezzling benefits, and exploiting the people never ceased.

What one sees in Xianyang is all a facade of prosperity; very few people dare to report the hardships of the people and the problems in the region truthfully.

All the officials in the court reported good news, but only a small county magistrate dared to speak the truth and expose the hidden dangers.

"Someone, summon Li Si."

Soon, Li Si rushed over.

"Do you know the magistrate of Pei County, Sishui Commandery?"

After a moment's thought, Li Si calmly replied, "Your Majesty, there are many prefectures and counties in the world. Pei County is located in a remote area and has a small territory. I usually pay more attention to the important affairs of the prefecture level and have never paid attention to such low-level officials."

Ying Zheng gently placed the bamboo slips he was holding on the imperial desk, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Investigate for me." Then, his gaze returned to the official document from Pei County, lingering for a long, long time on the last signature...

—Song Mou.

"..."

A Name That Doesn't Touch:

Song Ye: Did everyone watching this learn something? This is called applying what you've learned.

(Note: Teacher: Comrade Zhang Liang)

......

Li Si moved extremely quickly.

The reason why he was able to hold the position of prime minister under the First Emperor and oversee all the affairs of the country was never because of seniority or luck, but because of his extreme meticulousness, efficiency and ability to judge the situation.

In just three days, the background of Zhao Kang, the prefect of Sishui, was thoroughly investigated.

Zhao Kang was originally a former official of the Qin state. He served as the governor of Sishui County for several years. He had neither made any great achievements nor committed any major mistakes. His official performance was mediocre, and there was not a single obvious fault to be found.

To outsiders, he was a law-abiding and well-behaved local official.

But the truth that Li Si uncovered was far more glaring than it appeared on the surface.

This man maintained secret relationships with several powerful figures in the court for many years. During festivals, he was constantly showered with gold, silver, precious objects, and exquisite gifts, relying on these personal connections to secure his official position and maintain his local dominance.

During his years in Sishui, he took the opportunity to acquire land on a large scale, building up fertile fields and beautiful houses. He kept hundreds of servants and guests in his mansion, indulging in extravagant and wasteful lifestyles that far exceeded what a prefect's legitimate salary could support.

The most fatal problem lies in the county government's accounts.

The Sishui Commandery governs several counties. Every year after the taxes are paid, the commandery's accounts will have an inexplicable "surplus".

The amount of money and grain accumulated year by year, but its whereabouts were vague and unclear. The accounts were sloppy and chaotic, and could not withstand any scrutiny, with loopholes everywhere.

Li Si meticulously reviewed all the discrepancies in the accounts he had investigated, compiled them into a complete document, dismissed his attendants, and personally delivered it to the inner palace, presenting it to the emperor's desk.

Ying Zheng lowered his head and read through the document word by word, his face expressionless and calm, revealing no emotion.

A single question sealed Zhao Kang's fate: "When did I ever authorize the prefects of my counties to levy additional taxes?"

Li Si bowed his head and remained silent.

The imperial court had clear laws and regulations. Tax quotas were all approved and recorded in the law by the imperial court. Local governments only had the responsibility to collect and remit taxes, and had no right to arbitrarily increase taxes or impose additional levies under various pretexts.

Zhao Kang's so-called "people voluntarily pay more" is, in essence, an abuse of power, a violation of the law, and a predation of the local people.

"With great power comes great responsibility." Ying Zheng's lips curled into a slight smile. "He's quite quick to learn the principles of governing the country and managing his ministers."

Upon hearing this, Li Si dared not utter a sound.

"Summon the High Minister to an audience."

Before long, Meng Yi entered the hall to receive the imperial decree.

"Investigate thoroughly and execute the offender on the spot, then select another capable official to take over the post."

Meng Yi accepted the order and set off for his post that very day.

Song was unaware of all of this.