These arguments were all too familiar to her—so familiar that she could recite them without needing to listen carefully.
Were it not for her hope of gleaning future variables from the sky screen, she would have no patience for repeatedly hearing content already etched into her memory.
Though others didn’t know it, Ying Qingyue had possessed a photographic memory since childhood.
In her previous life, she had been a liberal arts top scorer, achieving full marks in history during the national college entrance exams. To understand the patterns of dynastic rise and fall, she had immersed herself in historical studies, repeatedly examining the details of various dynasties from their founding to their collapse.
Her passion for history had once been her most distinctive trait.
Yet the clearer she saw, the heavier the chill in her heart grew…
Throughout history, so-called dynastic changes were merely superficial shifts without substantive transformation.
When the dynasty prospered, the people suffered; when it fell, the people suffered.
The game of power and the logic of rule had never truly changed.
During university, this profound understanding had plunged her into nihilism. She became obsessed with trivial details, feeling that all efforts were futile against the wheel of history.
Later, she forced herself to break free from this fixation, channeling all her energy into her career. With exceptional ability, she became a renowned female entrepreneur at a young age.
She thought her life would end there, but unexpectedly, after a serious illness in middle age, she opened her eyes to find herself reborn into Great Qin.
When she realized this was the era of grand ambition yet iron-fisted ruthlessness, Ying Qingyue’s gaze finally swept past the palace halls to settle upon the Dragon Throne—the symbol of ultimate power.
This time, she might be able to try rewriting something.
With this thought, Ying Qingyue patiently continued listening to the sky screen’s narration.
[“The Prince” states: Ideally, a ruler should be both loved and feared.]
[But these two are difficult to coexist.]
[If forced to choose between them, being feared is more important than being loved.]
Qinghe didn’t understand, her heart filled with confusion: Wouldn’t genuine popular support be better than people fearing their ruler?
Her subtle expression didn’t escape Ying Qingyue’s notice beside her.
Ying Qingyue merely pursed her lips slightly, her voice soft yet clear as it reached Qinghe’s ears, “Combine kindness with severity, so they fear yet respect you.”
Whether people remember your kindness when you treat them well depends entirely on them.
But making people feel fear—this control lies in your own hands.
Qinghe’s heart shuddered violently, a chill creeping up the back of her neck.
[As a ruler, you must control others, not be controlled by them.]
The sky screen’s voice rang out again, each word striking like a hammer on a Bronze Cauldron. Both officials and common people tensed nervously.
[Therefore, for a ruler, being feared is safer than being loved.]
[The extremely harsh penal laws in Qin at that time were meant to intimidate everyone, using excessive costs to restrain people from daring to commit crimes, thereby reducing crime rates among the populace.]
[But here’s the problem: How should those who committed offenses not warranting death penalties be dealt with?]
Shi Jin deliberately paused before revealing the answer:
[Well, our First Emperor had long wanted to construct some marvels to display national prestige.]
[These disobedient people who couldn’t be directly executed by law—aren’t they perfect expendable resources?]
“Clang—”
Ying Zheng’s knuckles suddenly tightened, his sword scabbard scraping lightly against his waist. Though he didn’t roar with anger, his gaze sank like a frigid pond.
According to the actual Qin System, convict laborers were essentially a form of “state-owned slaves.” As recorded in the Shuihudi Qin Bamboo Slips – Statutes on the Minister of Works, convict laborers were required to undertake public works such as city construction, canal digging, and road repair.
This was an established practice of atoning for crimes through labor, viewed by the Qin people as a fair application of the law.
Yet the sky screen’s use of the term “consumables” twisted this established legal principle into a depiction of reckless disregard for human life?
This not only slandered Great Qin Law but also questioned the legitimacy of his unification of the realm and stabilization of the empire!
Behind him, Li Si almost instantly bowed. “Your Majesty, please calm your anger! The sky screen’s remarks truly disregard the Qin System!”
Raising his head, his tone demonstrated familiarity with the law: “According to the Qin Statutes – Statutes on Corvée Labor, convict laborers have fixed quotas: those building walls must construct three feet daily, those digging canals must excavate one cubic unit of earth per day. Upon completion, these count toward reducing their sentences.”
“Moreover, during the cold winter months, thirty percent of labor duties are reduced, and coarse hemp clothing is distributed. This punishes wrongdoing without cruelty—how could it be termed ‘consumables’?”
At this point, Li Si paused, then cited a historical precedent from the Qin court: “During the construction of the Zheng Guo Canal, hundreds of convict laborers who made meritorious contributions in water control were petitioned by the Commandant of Justice for pardon, and were even granted one qing of farmland and a residence. This was widely known among the common people of Guanzhong!”
This was no fabrication.
No sooner had Li Si spoken than Zhao Gao immediately stepped forward, his face adorned with an ingratiating smile, yet his voice deliberately raised with clarity. “Minister Li speaks most rightly! This subject also found the sky screen’s words utterly absurd!”
Zhao Gao hunched his body, hands clasped over his abdomen, his tone dripping with flattery: “Your Majesty, consider this—since you unified the realm, building the Great Wall was to block the Xiongnu cavalry, allowing northern common people to farm in peace.”
“Digging the Magic Canal was to transport grain to Lingnan, enabling tribes there to submit to Great Qin. Were any of these not for the stability of the empire?”
“Those convict laborers originally broke the law. Your Majesty granting them the opportunity to atone through labor is already immense grace. How could the sky screen label them ‘consumables’?”
Having spoken, Zhao Gao deliberately glanced at Li Si, as if issuing a silent challenge.
A flicker of disdain passed through Li Si’s eyes—he truly despised this eunuch who only knew how to flatter and curry favor.
Ying Zheng ignored Zhao Gao’s sycophancy, instead turning his gaze toward Chief Minister Meng Yi among the crowd, his expression softening slightly as he inquired, “What is Chief Minister Meng’s perspective?”
Chief Minister Meng Yi stepped forward, neither rushing to refute like Li Si nor deliberately flattering like Zhao Gao. He simply bowed to Ying Zheng with composed courtesy, his tone measured:
“Your Majesty, regarding the sky screen’s mention of ‘consumables,’ this subject observed a tone of playful mockery—not necessarily a direct accusation that Great Qin Law recklessly disregards human life…” He paused, then glanced at Li Si, his tone adopting greater diplomacy,
“Minister Li’s account of the Qin System and historical precedents are factual. Convict laborers atoning through labor, with meritorious service leading to pardons and rewards—this demonstrates the fairness of Great Qin Law, witnessed by the common people.”
“Perhaps the sky screen’s use of ‘consumables’ merely described the scale of convict labor in projects, without delving into the considerate aspects of our Great Qin Law.”
Meng Yi shifted his approach, neither rejecting the sky screen’s statement nor refuting Li Si’s defense: “After all, the sky screen’s narratives are often spatiotemporal commentaries, inevitably containing omissions and exaggerations. They may not genuinely intend to undermine Great Qin’s foundations.”
His words offered Ying Zheng a graceful exit while preserving Li Si’s dignity.
As for Zhao Gao…
No one paid him any mind.
Ying Zheng nodded slightly. “Minister Meng’s words hold reason.”
Li Si’s expression softened slightly upon hearing this, as he too was inwardly concerned that the words from the sky screen might shake the foundations of the law.
Meng Yi’s remarks not only affirmed the Qin System but also downplayed the aggressiveness of the sky screen, which aligned perfectly with his intentions. Seizing the opportunity, he added, “Minister Meng speaks wisely! The sky screen observes from a distance, unaware of the intricacies of our Great Qin Law, hence this misjudgment.”
“In Great Qin, we punish convict laborers for their offenses but never torment them—such slander as treating them as expendable resources is utterly unfounded!”
Zhao Gao’s smile stiffened for a moment before he quickly plastered it back on, chiming in agreement, “Yes, yes! Minister Meng is absolutely right! It must be that the sky screen wasn’t clear enough, leading to a misunderstanding!”
“His Majesty is wise and sagacious! Naturally, such a minor misunderstanding would not disturb His Majesty’s composure!”
[For instance, projects like the Great Wall, the Magic Canal, and the roads connecting Xianyang directly to the entire nation, once completed, will greatly showcase Great Qin’s national prestige and make the common people feel in their hearts that they are citizens of Great Qin.]
[At the same time, the costs of these projects can also serve as a means to intimidate the common people.]
[You wouldn’t want to be caught for petty theft and end up buried beneath the Great Wall, would you?]
“……”
As these words fell, the common people below instantly panicked.
Those who had been sizing each other up moments ago now had only wariness in their eyes, lowering their heads one after another to avoid each other’s gazes. They feared that their neighbors might actually harbor some crime, which could end up implicating them.
The crowd fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of wind rustling clothing hems, like countless anxious hearts swaying uneasily in the air.