Chapter 53: Counting back three generations, who was not a commoner?
In the next ten days, nothing major happened. The promotion of the curved plow and the study of papermaking went on smoothly.

There are also abundant reserves of mineral salt, limestone and other materials.

During this period, Ying Heng also specially invited Lu Ban and gave him the design drawings of the three-piece war horse suit, asking him to guide the blacksmith to make samples and prepare them for Wang Ben to observe.

At the same time, he also released Sun Simiao, handed him the Compendium of Materia Medica and the special-effect wound medicine, asked him to study it first, and assigned a small team of Jinyiwei to assist him in searching for herbs and try to imitate some of the effects of the special-effect wound medicine.

Even if it can only replicate one-tenth or two-tenth of the original drug's efficacy, it can still play a huge role.

Ying Heng has always been particularly concerned about people's livelihood issues such as food, housing, and medical treatment.

Although it is not practical to set up medical clinics in all major cities at present, the relevant preparatory work can be put on the agenda.

In addition, the production of cement should also be taken into consideration. Since limestone resources are available, the production of cement is not difficult.

He planned to entrust this task to Mo Ningshuang.

I just need to wait for the right time to reveal my identity to her and explain the whole story.

At present, it seems that there is no urgency for this matter.

In recent days, the first batch of rice, potatoes and sweet potatoes have already broken through the soil and sprouts are beginning to appear.

The court was also working intensively on the draft of a system to abolish all schools of thought and respect Confucianism alone.

At the same time, 1,500 Jinyiwei from the Qin territory sent back the first batch of intelligence.

[Descendants of nobles in various places secretly released grain for relief, and the famine situation has eased to some extent. There is no phenomenon of starving people everywhere for the time being. Summary of the White Tiger General Report.]

[Han Cheng, the grandson of Prime Minister Han, brought Zhang Liang to Chuzhuang to meet Xiang Liang and Xiang Chu. After half a day of secret discussion, the two hurriedly left. Afterwards, the nobles of Chu, Han, Qi, Wei and other countries strengthened their control over grain. The Thirteenth Jinyiwei of Chu reported this.]

[Liu Bang, the head of the Sishui Pavilion, has not made any unusual moves. Report from B27 of Kuaiji County.]

[Pei County Prison Officer Xiao He has not made any unusual moves, and Han Xin has not yet been found. Pei County reported on Bing 15.]

[The northern border is peaceful and calm. Fusu and Meng Tian are still unaware of the news of the Emperor's death. Ding Twenty-Seven, a border guard in the northern border, reports.]

【The Baiyue region remains stable as usual.】

【Penglai Fairyland remains peaceful.】

[A young hero has emerged from the Xiongnu tribe, named Maodun, and his cultivation is estimated to have reached the level of a half-step heavenly being. He has great talent and strategy, and has the potential to unify the prairie. Report from the Northern spy Zero Three.]

【.】

To sum up, Ying Heng had a rough assessment of the world situation.

The news of the First Emperor's death had quietly spread among a few high-ranking officials. However, because the nobles were forced to open their granaries and release grain, a peasant uprising was temporarily avoided.

The game between the remnants of the six kingdoms and Xianyang was like a chess game stretching across thousands of miles.

They held on to the bargaining chip of grain control, perhaps waiting for natural disasters to strike or famine to ravage, or coveting the granaries and arsenals that Zhao Gao had secretly accumulated.

However, Ying Heng sneered in his heart. If someone really touched those old rice and rusty armor and weapons, he would have his own clever plan to deal with it.

Everything was as he expected.

As for Maodun, the newly emerged figure among the Xiongnu tribe, Ying Heng had heard of him in later generations.

This man once conquered twenty countries in the Western Regions in one fell swoop and created an unprecedentedly powerful Xiongnu Empire.

In response to this, Ying Heng sneered, but was actually happy to see it happen.

Once Maodun unified the west, he could take over and save himself a lot of trouble.

Early that morning, Li Si brought news that the draft policy of abolishing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone had been completed, and asked Ying Heng to review it.

So, Ying Heng walked into the court leisurely with two little maids.

The last time this strategy was proposed in the court, the civil servants were still in a confused state. Although the discussion on how to govern the country was extremely heated at that time and some consensus had been reached, the specific details had not yet been explored in depth.

After they returned, the civil officials and the Qin nobles behind them suddenly realized the core of the problem. This move of abolishing all schools of thought and respecting Confucianism alone seemed to be able to alleviate the current difficult situation of the Qin Dynasty, but in the long run, it undoubtedly constituted a fatal blow to the power base of these noble tycoons!
The reason why they can sit firmly in high positions and live without worries is entirely due to the exploitation of the lower-class people.

If this traditional system is overturned by new policies, especially in the future there may be many outstanding talents from common people entering the royal and aristocratic class.

Then, the power of the hereditary nobles will gradually weaken.

This is something that is intolerable to any of the old Qin nobles.

At the policy-making level, many subtleties need to be explored.

For example, during a court meeting, a civil official made a suggestion.

"I think it is the best policy to draw on the wisdom of hundreds of schools of thought to establish schools, to use farming, commerce, and the techniques of Mohism to revitalize the country, and to consolidate the foundation of the country based on the thoughts of Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and Guiguzi."

“However, if we advocate that everyone can attend the academy and study the knowledge of all schools of thought, it is not a wise move.”

"Our Great Qin was founded by the bloody battles of successive generations of nobles. Such precious knowledge, which may serve as a threshold for official careers, should not be accessible to common people."

"The new crops and agricultural tools we have developed are a blessing for ordinary people to be able to enjoy these scientific and technological achievements."

"They are not qualified to learn such valuable knowledge that is related to the lifeblood of the country."

As soon as these words came out, several ministers immediately agreed: "I agree."

"I second the motion."

"I agree to this proposal!"

These people believed that the Thirteenth Prince must obtain their approval before implementing reforms.

In order to gain the support of all the civil and military officials in the court, it is reasonable for the Thirteenth Young Master to make certain compromises.

What's more, these reforms were tantamount to shaking the fundamental interests of princes and nobles.

Any sane person would make a trade-off in this situation.

However, to everyone's surprise, after these people finished speaking, before Ying Heng even took the stage to express his opinion.

As a key figure among the civil officials, Meng Yi suddenly turned around and refuted sharply:
"Nonsense! Where does the term 'untouchable' come from?"

"Do you think you are the only ones who can be called nobles?"

"Counting back three generations, your ancestors were commoners!"

"The people are the foundation of the country. If the foundation is solid, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe. Have you ever thought about this?"

"If you are in a high position and don't care about the suffering of the people, how can you expect the people far away to care about you?"

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!"

"How can you be considered well-read if you are completely ignorant of these principles?"

Meng Yi suddenly became eloquent and criticized those ministers fiercely, shocking everyone in the audience.

Would not it be?
"Lord Meng, could it be that your Meng family, as the most prominent noble family in the empire, has now even disregarded its own interests?"

"Everything we say is out of long-term consideration for maintaining the aristocracy!"

Unexpectedly, Meng Yi's attitude at this moment was firm, as if he had put his family's private interests aside.

As for the military generals, they did not think deeply about this.

For one thing, straightforward thinking does not take into account the long-term.

Secondly, they were able to be promoted to generals because they fought bravely in the wars that wiped out the six kingdoms in recent decades.

Even if we go back thirty years, how many people were not of “lowly origin” origin?

(End of this chapter)