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

In November of the 28th year of King Zheng of Qin's reign, the pedantic Confucian scholars, represented by Chunyu Yue, were ousted from power by Song Ye. The vacant key positions in the court were filled by his own trusted confidants.

[The first to be affected were Xiao He, Cao Can, Ren Ao, and Zhou Bo, who had followed her since Pei County.]

The four men were once insignificant minor officials in Pei County, of humble origins, born in the countryside.

As soon as he finished speaking, hushed whispers arose from all around.

Several officials from aristocratic families, well-versed in literature and poetry, looked disdainful and scoffed, "Why are you recommending such lowly country bumpkins to the court? The court is the most important place for governing the country; it has always been a place where one can establish oneself based on knowledge and genuine talent. It's not a place where one can just step in casually!"

Others echoed this sentiment, their words filled with disdain, clearly looking down on the lowly officials from Pei County.

Upon hearing this, Li Si, who stood at the head of all officials, frowned slightly, instinctively feeling that this matter was far more complex than everyone thought.

So he remained silent and waited for Tianmu to continue explaining the whole story.

He realized that this Song was no ordinary person, and the people who could follow him were probably extraordinary as well.

In the corner, Zhao Gao's lips curled into a contemptuous smile as he sneered to himself: "As expected, he comes from a rural background, has a narrow perspective, and is hardly fit for high society."

"Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I'm unsure whether I should..."

"Song is indeed a man of great talent for governing the country, and his policies that benefit the people are countless, as we have all witnessed. However, the court is concerned with the major policies of the nation; how can we appoint people based solely on personal relationships?"

After he finished speaking, another person stepped forward, his brow furrowed, and loudly advised, "The people Tianmu mentioned are merely minor officials from the countryside. If they are summoned to the court to hold important positions, it would be incompatible with the system, and I fear it would be difficult to win the hearts of scholars throughout the land!"

"I urge Your Majesty to reconsider and not indulge Song Ye's selfish desires!"

All the officials held their breath and waited for His Majesty's wise decision.

After a long silence, Ying Zheng, standing on the high platform, had a slightly cold look in his eyes. His tone was indifferent but carried a chilling authority, "Since you know it's something you shouldn't say, then shut up."

The two officials who filed the complaint: "......."

As the sky shifted, a portrait slowly unfolded, depicting a robust middle-aged man.

Xiao He was the chief clerk of Pei County.

In the scene, Xiao He is dressed in the blue official robe of a low-level official in Pei County, with a black leather belt around his waist. He has a rustic and unsophisticated air about him, completely lacking the refined elegance of a scholar-official.

The perspective shifts, and another figure appears.

Cao Shen was a prison clerk in Pei County.

Cao Shen was dressed in the same light blue official's uniform, which fit him well and neatly. He stood tall and straight, with his face upright. His sleeves were rolled up halfway, which made him look like a low-level official who was rooted in the county.

Let's shift our perspective again.

Ren Ao, a prison official in Pei County.

Until the very end.

Zhou Bo was a minor official in Pei County.

When these four first entered the court, they were met with disdain from both the court and the public. Everyone assumed that Song Ye had entered Xianyang alone, with shallow roots and no powerful family to rely on, so he could only forcibly pull in his rural cronies to maintain appearances.

No one took these minor officials from Pei County seriously. In their eyes, these uneducated, unqualified peasants were nothing more than sycophants clinging to Song Ye and currying favor with the powerful. Their entry into the court was merely a pretense, destined to be swept away by the tide of change.

[And it was precisely this group of country folk, whom they looked down upon, ridiculed, and despised, who overcame countless aristocratic families and literary figures to become the ultimate winners.]

As soon as the words were spoken, the camera panned around again.

All anyone could see was the woman standing alone in the center of the hall, with Xiao He, Cao Can, Ren Ao, and Zhou Bo standing behind her.

The four were like chess pieces she had carefully arranged and firmly controlled, each unique in their own way.

Just then, the camera slowly panned down and landed on her young and beautiful face.

Song Ye slowly raised his eyes, the corners of his lips slightly upturned, and gave the camera a calm yet confident smile, as if looking at his opponent behind him from across time.

The camera then shifts to look at the opposite side of the main hall.

Immediately, two camps were clearly distinguished.

On one side were civil officials led by Li Si, their expressions extremely solemn.

On the other side were the old-guard conservative courtiers led by Wang Wan, their expressions complex.

At this point, the imperial court consisted only of the Legalists, the Conservatives, and a new generation of pragmatists.

That year, Song was 21 years old.

Inside the side hall, Chunyu Yue, who had just regained consciousness, had just sat up when he heard Tianmu's last words, and his mind went blank for a moment.

He felt his vision go black, his body went limp, and he fainted again.

Seeing this, Fusu, who was about to offer some advice, swallowed his words and remained silent: "..."

The teacher's mental fortitude is really too poor.

Could it be, as Lord Song on the screen said that day, that he was just getting old...?

...

Meanwhile, at the county government gate.

Xiao He, Cao Can, and the others looked up at the sky and clearly heard their names being called out. For a moment, they were at a loss and showed a rare moment of unease.

"This, this..."

Xiao He, who was usually calm and composed, was now sweating slightly and so nervous that he could not even finish a sentence.

Cao Can, a burly man standing to the side, scratched the back of his head, his dark face filled with barely concealed excitement and joy.

Ren Ao and Zhou Bo, standing behind the two, were equally surprised and reserved, glancing at each other from time to time, unable to hide their excitement.

Song took in their reactions and laughed, "What are you all shy about? Just be proud. Don't refuse to be the main character when it's your turn, and be content to be a supporting character when it's your turn."

Accept criticism and praise openly and generously.

Upon seeing this, Cao Can and the others also bowed and said that if it weren't for Lord Song bringing them along, how could they possibly have a place in Xianyang?

After speaking, Xiao He was stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said earnestly, "Thank you for your kindness and promotion, sir. I will follow you with all my heart and will never fail your guidance in the future!"

Upon seeing this, Cao Can, Ren Ao, and Zhou Bo quickly followed suit, bowing with their hands clasped in gratitude.

Cao Can spoke in a gruff voice: "We were originally just insignificant minor officials in Pei County. If it weren't for your kindness in helping us, sir, to look down on our humble origins and guide us along the way, we country folk would never have dared to dream of setting foot in Xianyang and having a place to stand!"

The others nodded in agreement, their words filled with sincerity.

The crowd gathered at the entrance of the county government building, seeing the group's flustered yet grateful expressions, immediately burst into laughter and started teasing them.

Someone shouted jokingly, "Chief Xiao and Clerk Cao are going to be high-ranking officials in Xianyang someday, so don't forget your fellow villagers from Pei County!"

A woman selling cloth nearby chuckled and chimed in, "You all seemed so composed and well-behaved before, but when roll call came, you were all so shy you couldn't lift your heads. You can't be this timid when you meet those high-ranking officials in court!"

After he finished speaking, a young man stepped forward and egged them on: "From now on, our Pei County will produce some great people! If anyone dares to say that country bumpkins are useless, we'll use you as examples to shut them up!"