If you die, I will be able to inherit your cultivation.

Zhou Ming smiled slightly, and the composure in that smile made Gongsun Gu's heart skip a beat for no reason.

He turned around, facing the assembled civil and military officials, and said loudly, "Lord Gongsun has asked a good question."

"The old system of the Great Xia Dynasty that the Ming Dynasty adopted was a complete set of old rules from the previous dynasty, and its accumulated problems can be roughly divided into three categories."

He raised the first finger, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present.

"Firstly, the policy of governing the country based on the principle of benevolent rule was intermittent and piecemeal. It relied on piecemeal new policies to repair the situation, which had little effect and could not keep up with the current trend of warlord struggle for hegemony."

A buzzing discussion began to rise inside the hall.

Some nodded, some shook their heads, and some exchanged quick glances with the people next to them while looking down.

Zhou Ming continued speaking in a loud and clear voice, each word ringing out, silencing all the murmurs around him:

"The prosperity of the previous dynasty was not due to the long-term effectiveness of legal systems, but entirely to Liu Jun alone! It relied on rule by man, not on the rule of law that was universally applied and upheld by generations!"

"Therefore, after Liu Jun, the Great Xia Dynasty suffered from political turmoil, chaos, and widespread poverty for several generations, ultimately being uprooted by the Sect of All Beings!"

These remarks were righteous, reasonable, and well-founded, directly dismantling the so-called "golden age" of the Great Xia Dynasty over the past few hundred years into fragments.

Gongsun Gu stood there, his face turning pale and then flushed, his chest heaving violently, his lips moving several times as if he wanted to refute, but he found himself unable to utter a word.

Zhou Ming was telling the truth. The strength of the Great Xia Dynasty never relied on a perfect legal system, but on the unparalleled deterrent power of its founding emperor, Liu Jun.

When Liu Jun is alive, the world is at peace; when Liu Jun declines, the world is in chaos.

Standing next to Gongsun Gu, Bai Chengsheng, the head of the Bai family, seeing his old friend speechless, glared at him, stepped forward, and asked with his hands clasped in greeting:

"We have learned from the first drawback. Now, we humbly request Your Excellency's insightful analysis: what is the second drawback?"

"Secondly," Zhou Ming raised his second finger, his voice becoming increasingly impassioned.

"The rewards and punishments in the court and among the common people are unfair! Aristocratic families can be exempted from punishment for their crimes, while commoners who have made contributions receive neither titles nor rewards!"

"Farmers toil diligently year-round, their granaries overflowing with grain, yet they still struggle to make ends meet and live in poverty."

"The soldiers fought valiantly on the battlefield, repeatedly achieving great feats, yet they remained lowly in rank, with little power, and without any official position or reward!"

"If this continues, the noble spirit of fighting bravely and loyally for the country will be completely unable to be upheld and promoted!"

Before he could finish speaking, a stern rebuttal suddenly rang out in the court.

Bai Chengsheng was the first to attack. He snorted heavily and pointed at several newly promoted young generals beside him:

"Nonsense! Which of you, civil or military officials, didn't rise through the ranks based on your merits?"

"If merit goes unrewarded, how can one be promoted? Lord Zhou's words are a slap in the face to everyone present!"

Following closely behind, Meng Xi, the head of the Meng family, took up the conversation, directly targeting those scholars from humble backgrounds who entered officialdom through recommendation:

"Even worse, many commoners with no merit were able to hold important local positions and manage local government affairs simply by virtue of a recommendation!"

"Isn't it absurd that talented and virtuous people from prominent families are repeatedly relegated to subordinate positions?"

Upon hearing this, several young officials from humble backgrounds standing on the right side of the main hall exchanged glances, their faces showing some embarrassment.

They were all recommended for office after Su Mingyue ascended the throne. They had no family background and only stood here because of their passion and loyalty to Su Mingyue.

Although Meng Xi's words were directed at Zhou Ming, they also hit their sore spots.

Gongsun Gu, who had just been rendered speechless by Zhou Ming's rebuttal, now seemed to have regained his confidence and loudly echoed:

"That's right! And you, Zhou Ming! Born a mere servant, with no military achievements or accomplishments in governing the country, you entered officialdom and were appointed Minister of Justice, given an important position, served as a councilor in court, and sat on the throne. By what right did you receive such honors?"

The barrage of questions and sharp, pointed remarks instantly brought the atmosphere in the court to a fever pitch.

Gongsun Gu, Bai Chengsheng, and Meng Xi spoke with hidden meaning and veiled implications.

It's a lie to say that Zhou Ming received a reward without merit; what he was truly dissatisfied with was Su Mingyue's favoritism towards those from humble backgrounds and her suppression of aristocratic families.

The main hall was so quiet that you could hear everyone breathing.

On the dragon throne, Su Mingyue sat calmly and composedly, observing the overall situation without making a sound.

Her gaze swept from Gongsun Gu's face to Bai Chengsheng, and then from Bai Chengsheng to Meng Xi.

Finally, the gaze fell on Zhou Ming, containing scrutiny, expectation, and a very faint trace of worry.

This is a crucial moment that tests Zhou Ming's magnanimity and eloquence.

Zhou Ming's gaze was open and frank as he answered calmly, his words clear and forceful:

"Rewards for meritorious service have existed since ancient times, but there has never been a system to protect commoners and lowly soldiers from advancing in rank through merit!"

"If the three gentlemen can provide precedents from the past few centuries in which commoners and servants have been rewarded with titles, salaries, and promotions for meritorious service, I, Zhou, will immediately bow down in submission!"

Silence fell over the hall once again.

Gongsun Gu, Bai Chengsheng, and Meng Xi looked at each other, their lips moving several times, but they couldn't come up with a single name.

For hundreds of years in the Great Xia Dynasty, there were only two paths for commoners to rise above others.

Either die on the battlefield, or be recommended by a prestigious family.

If you think you can change your social class through military merit or political achievements while you're still alive, sorry, that's impossible.

Zhou Ming gave them no chance to catch their breath.

He looked at Gongsun Gu, a half-smile playing on his lips:

"As for the claim that Zhou received undeserved rewards, that is a grave mistake!"

"Military generals on the battlefield don armor to fight the enemy and protect the country's territory, thus making contributions to the nation."

"The strategists of the imperial court, through their planning, reforms, and efforts to safeguard the nation, have also made significant contributions to the stability of the country!"

"And I..."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, his gaze sweeping over the faces of Gongsun Gu, Bai Chengsheng, and Meng Xi.

His gaze was calm, yet it sent a chill down the spines of all three of them.

"Hehe... Don't you all know?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three people changed simultaneously.

Zhou Ming didn't say it outright, but his nonchalant "Don't you know?" was more chilling than any threat.

Everyone present knew what he was talking about.

Six months ago, in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, he pointed at a deer and called it a horse, and not a single court official dared to stand opposite him.

Those aristocratic families in Yuyang County who did not send him gifts were all exterminated and their families confiscated on the grounds of "disobeying the imperial decree." Even the threshold stones were pried up and taken away.

Which official in the court doesn't remember these things?

Gongsun Gu swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. His previous aggressive aura deflated visibly, like a ball with a hole punched in it.

Bai Chengsheng took a deep breath, suppressing the chill in his heart, and asked again with his hands clasped in respect:

"May I ask, Your Excellency, what is the third major flaw in the old laws of the Great Xia Dynasty?"

Zhou Ming withdrew his gaze from Gongsun Gu's face, swept it over the assembled civil and military officials, and his voice grew increasingly deep and resonant:

Thirdly, he was powerless due to fear of the people and lacked authority in governing the country!

"If the new unified law is implemented throughout the country, with strict enforcement of orders, clear division of powers and responsibilities, severe punishment for crimes, and rewards for meritorious service!"

"At that time, there will be no corruption or favoritism among officials in the court, and no selfishness or laxity among the common people. Everyone will strive to make meritorious contributions, bravely protect the country, and serve the public without fear of punishment!"

"With a righteous spirit cultivated throughout the court and the country, the Ming Dynasty naturally commands national prestige without resorting to force!"

"Furthermore, it is complemented by the profound, resilient, diligent, and martial nature of the people of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"One day, our Great Ming Dynasty will surely rise above all others in the world!"