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

How to Offend Everyone in One Sentence

Apart from Meng Yi and Wang Jian from the neutral party, the faces of the other conservatives, Legalists, and aristocratic families present were as black as the bottom of a pot.

What does it mean to tear apart conservatism, the party, government, and legal system, and to massacre the aristocracy?

Does that mean everyone who gets along with Song Ye has to die?

"..."

The faces of the ministers from the three factions instantly turned ashen and ugly.

In particular, the faces of the major aristocratic families were stiff with disbelief.

On the other hand, those low-ranking officials who had no faction and no one to rely on were all huddled in the corner of the queue, their lips tightly pursed, struggling to hold back their emotions.

Having spent many years mingling in the lower echelons of the imperial court, they were most aware of the deep-seated problems within the court and the daily conduct of these powerful families and factions.

Nepotism in the imperial court, prioritizing relatives and cronies for promotion, monopolizing official careers, and exploiting resources have long been the norm.

Tianmu's words precisely exposed the unspoken sordidness among them. They were secretly delighted, but dared not show it at all. They could only suppress their upturned lips and pretend to be solemn and serious.

Hahahaha, these people finally got what they deserved!

In the dead silence, the first to break down were the old ministers of the powerful families of Qin.

They were elderly, had been loyal to the Qin Dynasty for generations, and had deep roots in the state. They never imagined that they would be so crushed and purged by the younger generation.

A group of veteran officials stepped forward, their bodies trembling slightly, their voices filled with fear and grievance. They clasped their hands and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty! We are terrified! We beg Your Majesty to make the decision!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes turned to the high platform, waiting for the First Emperor to speak up and quell the turmoil caused by this earth-shattering prophecy.

On the high platform, Ying Zheng remained calm and composed, his gaze fixed on the subtitles on the sky, completely ignoring the kneeling ministers below.

"..."

What he was thinking was: a wise and capable minister could break the old abuses of the feudal system, reform for the benefit of the people, shake up the deep-rooted problems of powerful families, and navigate the complexities of the court...

The only drawback is that this virtuous minister seems to be quite fierce and unruly, and his temper is not exactly gentle.

The entire court held its breath and waited, but what came was not the emperor's thunderous wrath, but only a long and oppressive silence on the high platform.

"..."

In the queue, Li Si stood at the head of the civil officials, his fingers hanging at his sides clenching quietly, his heart sinking deeper and deeper.

Song Yeren had not yet entered the court, had not yet established a firm foothold, and had not even made any real achievements in Xianyang. Yet, with only a few prophetic words from the heavens and a few new policies that benefited the people, he had already occupied such a special place in His Majesty's heart.

What if she truly takes root in Xianyang and establishes herself in the central government?

She was favored by the heavens, possessed unparalleled foresight, and had a vision and insight far surpassing that of ordinary court officials.

She dedicated herself to the local community for four years, working diligently and benefiting the people, earning their genuine love and respect, and maintaining a clean and upright reputation.

Now, he has gained the appreciation and favor of His Majesty the First Emperor.

Those who hold the reins of power, popular support, and the emperor's favor have a bright future.

The balance of power in the court, the checks and balances among factions, and the existing power structure of aristocratic families will likely be overturned and rewritten because of her alone.

Thinking of this, Li Si felt a chill run down his spine.

At this moment, he completely placed Song Ye in the list of the most formidable and most cautious figures.

...

At the same time, inside the county government.

Song had no idea that his future "good colleagues" were badmouthing him to the boss.

Instead, she was thinking: Tianmu really dares to say anything, as if she's afraid she hasn't attracted enough hatred.

It's easy to foresee that after this exposure, once she officially settles in Xianyang, her path will be fraught with difficulties and she will be surrounded by political enemies.

So, she needs to think carefully about how to get her "good colleagues" to retire early and enjoy their retirement...

High emotional intelligence: Encouraging colleagues to retire early and enjoy their lives.

Low emotional intelligence: Dragging colleagues down with him.

Inside the courtyard, Lü Shizhi listened with great excitement, his eyes filled with admiration. He exclaimed sincerely, "This Magistrate Song is truly a rare talent! No wonder he is favored by Heaven!"

The eldest brother, Lü Ze, beside him nodded slowly, deeply agreeing.

Only the younger sister, Lü Zhi, looked at her second brother's sincere and excited admiration, and a glint of light flashed in her eyes that no one else noticed.

It seems she's discovered her second brother's secret...?

-

Above the heavens, the First Emperor stood majestically, his gaze sweeping over the officials below. His voice, deep and resonant, echoed throughout the palace: "Where is Minister Song?"

The words were spoken, and the entire hall fell silent.

The officials instinctively turned their heads, and countless gazes converged on the young and upright figure at the very end of the line.

Li Si's eyes narrowed slightly, his guard instantly on full alert, as he and the other court officials watched this newcomer who was about to stir up the political situation.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Song calmly stepped forward.

Facing the scrutiny of a hall full of high-ranking officials, he showed no timidity or restraint, and calmly accepted the scrutiny of all eyes.

Ying Zheng looked down at the county magistrate who had come from the remote Chu region, his eyes filled with clear approval.

First, he publicly recounted Song Ye's achievements in governing De'an for four years, including reclaiming wasteland for the benefit of the people, regulating household registration, and being diligent and caring for the people, all of which were real achievements in governance.

He then emphasized the papermaking innovation, praising it for breaking with the old and establishing the new, simplifying documents, benefiting the country and the people, and bringing lasting benefits to the nation and future generations. He called it a groundbreaking achievement that benefits the present and future generations.

After the lavish praise, Ying Zheng immediately issued an edict, bestowing upon the emperor exceptionally fertile land, mansions, gold, silver, and silk as a reward.

Finally, the imperial court issued its final edict—

The new papermaking technique was entirely entrusted to Song Ye, who was responsible for its nationwide implementation, regulation of the process, and supervision of its widespread adoption. All counties and prefectures across the country were required to cooperate and obey his orders.

With a single imperial edict, power was laid to rest.

From then on, this new technique was put into the hands of Song Ye alone.

Upon seeing this, the expressions of all the officials in the hall changed drastically, and no one dared to underestimate this young new minister who had just entered the court.

In an instant, undercurrents surged within the hall.

The new papermaking policy may seem like just an improvement to writing implements, but in reality it involved the nation's education, governance, and the profits of workshops, making it a truly lucrative and powerful position.

Such immense benefits and power did not fall into the hands of the highest officials or meritorious veterans, but instead were given to a newly promoted minor official who had just entered Xianyang, had no connections, no qualifications, and was almost unknown in the court and among the people.

The veteran officials were immediately filled with mixed emotions and found it difficult to agree.

Before the First Emperor could speak, Li Si stepped forward and respectfully addressed him: "Your Majesty, the nationwide implementation of papermaking is a matter of great importance to education and culture for all ages, as well as to the administration of counties and prefectures. It is a crucial matter for the nation and a foundation for a thousand years to come."

"Song is young and newly appointed, and has just entered the court. He has not been experienced and has suddenly taken over the power of the new national policies. I am afraid he will not be able to coordinate the overall situation and is not up to the task."

Following closely behind, Feng Jie led a group of senior officials from the imperial clan and former officials of the previous dynasty to step forward and second the motion.

"What Prime Minister Li said makes sense."

"Major national policies should be entrusted to experienced and prudent ministers with extensive experience."

"Newcomers taking on such heavy responsibilities are inexperienced and may make mistakes that could jeopardize new policies."

Everyone was of one mind—

The Qin Dynasty court has always valued seniority, experience, foundation, and years of service.

Such a lucrative and powerful position, with immense potential for future achievements, should have been filled by senior officials and supervised by high-ranking ministers. It was hardly the place for an unknown young man from a small local county.

They simply felt that the newcomers were not good enough.