We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real? - Chapter 359: Qin Kingdom's Reform

The postponement of the Third Princess’s marriage and the Second Prince’s wedding being held first made little difference to others.

In fact, because of these two joyous occasions, the entire Qin Kingdom could reduce taxes for several years, which was even better news. However, the Second Prince felt somewhat guilty that his own wedding had caused his sister’s marriage to be delayed, so he frequently visited the Frost Prince Manor or the Princess Manor to apologize.

Xiao Mo naturally received him with courtesy, but Qin Siyao was still somewhat angry in her heart.

Every time her brother came, Qin Siyao would pout.

If not for Xiao Mo insisting on receiving the Second Prince, the Second Prince wouldn’t even have tea to drink.

Even when the Second Prince finally sat in the courtyard drinking tea, Qin Siyao kept calling him “stinky second brother” and “bad second brother” from the sidelines.

This made the Second Prince Qin Jingyuan quite embarrassed.

“Siyao, my mother seems to be looking for you for something. Why don’t you go to the Xiao Manor first to check?” Xiao Mo said to Qin Siyao with a smile.

“Auntie Zhou?” Qin Siyao blinked, then glanced at the Second Prince again, “Stinky second brother, I’ll let you off today.”

The young girl huffed and turned to leave the courtyard.

“Second Prince, please don’t mind her. Siyao has this kind of temperament, she’ll be fine in a few days.”

After Qin Siyao left, Xiao Mo poured a cup of tea for the Second Prince and said with a smile.

“Hahahaha.”

The Second Prince Qin Jingyuan laughed and shook his head.

“What brother-in-law said, I naturally understand. After all, we watched Siyao grow up, and this matter is indeed my fault as her brother. I truly feel guilty, and I’m here to apologize to brother-in-law as well. I hope brother-in-law can forgive me.”

“Second Prince is too polite,” Xiao Mo nodded, “The marriage between two kingdoms is far more important than the marriage between Siyao and me. How would I dare have any objections?”

“However,” Xiao Mo said with some hesitation, “I wonder what second brother thinks of this Jin Kingdom marriage?”

“What else can I think?”

Qin Jingyuan sighed.

“We royal family members have never had control over our own marriages, whether it’s eldest brother or me. Now both Qin Kingdom and Jin Kingdom are great nations. If we can establish good relations between Qin and Jin through this marriage, it would naturally be a tremendously good thing, not to mention we just annexed Zhei Kingdom. Our soldiers are exhausted and need to rest, and Zhei Kingdom’s territory also needs time to be digested.”

“In comparison,” Qin Jingyuan looked toward the door, “Fortunately, Siyao met you, brother-in-law. Being able to marry someone you love is truly the rarest thing in the world.”

Xiao Mo only smiled without speaking.

“Forget it, forget it,” Qin Jingyuan waved his hand, “Let’s not talk about this anymore. I just left the palace. The reason I came here is that Father Emperor asked me to summon you. Brother-in-law, hurry and go, don’t miss the appointed time.”

“His Majesty is summoning me?” Xiao Mo was momentarily stunned.

“Yes,” Qin Jingyuan nodded, “Recently there seems to be talk in the court about implementing reforms, still exploring the idea. Father Emperor is probably summoning you for this matter.”

“…”

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Mo stood up and bowed.

“Thank you for conveying the message, Second Prince. I will immediately head to the palace.”

About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense later, Xiao Mo arrived at the imperial study.

“Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty.” Xiao Mo bowed.

“Xiao Mo, you’ve come. No need for such formalities, just sit down. We’re all family now, why be so polite?” The Qin Kingdom’s ruler said with a smile.

“Thank you for the seat, Your Majesty,” Xiao Mo sat to one side and asked, “I wonder what matter Your Majesty has summoned me for?”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler gradually restrained his smile, his expression becoming somewhat serious.

“Xiao Mo, although you are young, barely over twenty years old, in my view, you are far more stable than most ministers. Moreover, precisely because of your youth, you have more vigor. Therefore, there are some matters I want to ask your opinion on.”

“Your Majesty may ask freely. Your subject will certainly speak without reservation,” Xiao Mo stood and bowed.

“Alright, alright, I already said no need to be so formal,” The Qin Kingdom’s ruler pressed his hand downward, having Xiao Mo sit down again, “This is one thing about you that’s not so good. You should learn from your not-yet-married wife. She’s been nagging in my ear constantly these days.”

“Hehe…” Xiao Mo just laughed, warming the atmosphere.

Siyao was his daughter, so naturally she could be more carefree, but no matter what, he himself was a subject and dared not act recklessly.

“Take a look. After you’ve read it, tell me what you think,” The Qin Kingdom’s ruler handed the memorials on the desk to Xiao Mo.

“Yes.”

Xiao Mo took the memorials and read them carefully.

The more he read, the more serious Xiao Mo’s expression became.

These memorials all discussed reforms!

They involved military affairs, agriculture, commerce, and various other aspects but these reforms were all somewhat too conservative.

One could see that these officials very much wanted to make Qin Kingdom better, but these nobles were more interested in protecting their own interests!

“What do you think of these reforms, Xiao Mo?”

Seeing Xiao Mo put down the last memorial, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler asked.

“This…”

Xiao Mo looked at the Qin Kingdom’s ruler, his expression showing some hesitation.

“Xiao Mo, speak freely. Whether right or wrong, I will not blame you,” Seeing Xiao Mo’s concerns, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler said.

“Since Your Majesty has said so, then your subject will be bold.”

Xiao Mo organized his thoughts and slowly spoke.

“These reforms, in your subject’s view, seem to have no great impact on the nobility.”

“Hahaha, you still phrase it so tactfully.”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler stood up, clasping his hands behind his back as he paced in the imperial study.

“I know what you mean. Indeed, as you said, these fellows’ reform proposals are overtly and covertly fighting for benefits for their own families. Hereditary succession without replacement, noble titles passed down through generations, this is what gives these nobles the most peace of mind. But after so many years, these nobles who rely on their ancestors’ blessings have become increasingly bloated. For ordinary people to climb up, how easy could it be?”

“Common people remain common people their entire lives, as if birth determines everything, with no end in sight. How can such a Qin Kingdom annex other powerful nations? Only by letting people see hope, only by giving everyone a chance to change their fate against heaven’s will, will the entire Qin Kingdom not become stagnant water! So…”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler turned around, his eyes directly facing Xiao Mo.

“I want to implement reforms!”

“Your Majesty’s ambition, this subject deeply admires,” Xiao Mo bowed.

“Alright, alright, no need for pretty words. Continue telling me your thoughts.”

“Your subject does have some immature ideas.”

Xiao Mo rubbed the memorials, and finally decided to speak out and try.

“Your subject believes we should abolish the hereditary system of nobility and replace it with a ‘merit-based nobility system.’ All Qin people, regardless of birth, who kill one enemy head in battle will be granted the rank of ‘Public Scholar,’ receiving one qing of farmland and nine mu of residential land. Accumulated military merit can advance one’s rank step by step, up to the rank of marquis. However, noble titles can only be passed down for two generations. If no new merit is achieved in two generations, the rank will decrease. This measure can prevent noble children from relying comfortably on ancestral protection, while giving common warriors hope of changing their family status.”

“Furthermore, Qin Kingdom is currently divided by provinces, and below the provinces are all enfeoffed territories and cities. The administrative span is too large. Your subject believes we should implement a prefecture and county system. Under provinces establish prefectures, under prefectures establish counties. Prefecture governors and county magistrates should all be directly appointed and dismissed by the court, evaluated based on four criteria: ‘cultivated land, population, criminal cases, and grain taxes.’ Evaluation every three years, with excellent performers promoted and poor performers removed. Nobles receive salaries but cannot interfere in government affairs, only receiving grain, silk, and stipends according to their rank.”

“Regarding farmland, we should implement a ‘land allocation system’ and ‘abolish boundaries.’ Take back land excessively occupied by nobles and return it to state ownership, allocating land by household. All able-bodied people can apply for one hundred mu, of which twenty mu of perpetual land can be passed to descendants, and fifty mu of allocated land must be returned to the state in old age. Those who cultivate wasteland are exempted from taxes for three years. Those who produce more grain are rewarded with one rank advancement. At the same time, strictly manage land transactions to prevent powerful families from seizing land.”

“Finally, your subject has been idle recently and has reviewed Qin Kingdom’s laws. I feel that Qin Kingdom’s legal provisions are too vague, and supervision is not strict. Your subject suggests revising the ‘Qin Code’ and engraving the punishment and reward provisions on city gates and township pavilions so that women and children all know them. Establish ‘Surveillance Censors’ to inspect law enforcement in various places. Especially establish a ‘Military Merit Verification Department’ to specifically verify battlefield kills and eliminate false claims of merit. All officials who commit fraud will have their punishment increased threefold.”

“Lastly, our Qin Kingdom should attract talent from various states and appoint them as guest ministers. Your subject’s idea is to temporarily divide guest ministers into three ranks. Upper guest ministers: those who offer nation-toppling strategies will be granted residences, permitted to attend court sessions, and receive an annual salary of ten thousand shi. Middle guest ministers: those proficient in law, agriculture, or water management will be appointed as deputy positions in prefectures and counties for trial. If successful after three years, they become permanent. Lower guest ministers: those with extraordinary strength or who excel in unusual skills will enter the ‘Director of Works’ or ‘Elite Soldiers Camp.’ They can be promoted upon establishing merit.”

When Xiao Mo’s words finished, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler frowned and sat on the soft couch in silence.

After a long while, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler raised his head and looked at Xiao Mo, “Xiao Mo, do you know how those ministers and nobles will view you if your reforms are spread?”

“Your subject knows.”

“Then do you know that such reforms are equivalent to taking half the lives of those nobles?”

“Your subject knows.”

“You are now the Frost Prince, enfeoffed with Zhei Kingdom’s territory. Such actions are equivalent to not considering your descendants. Do you know this?”

“Your subject also knows.”

Xiao Mo raised his head.

“But your subject is even more clear that now all the states eye our Qin Kingdom with hostile intent. Now Your Majesty works diligently day and night to achieve today’s success, but if after several generations, descendants are like the ruler of Zhei Kingdom, what then? If Qin Kingdom is annexed, how can there be any ‘hereditary succession without replacement’ or ‘lasting for thousands of generations’?”

“…”

Hearing Xiao Mo’s words, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler stroked his beard, thinking for a long while.

Finally, the Qin Kingdom’s ruler shook his head and sighed, saying, “Today’s discussion of reforms is known only to you and me. Do not speak of it to others. During this time, rest peacefully in the capital and spend more time with Siyao.”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler turned around and waved his hand, “My dear minister, you may withdraw.”

Xiao Mo’s mouth opened slightly, wanting to say something more, but in the end, Xiao Mo only bowed, “Yes, your subject takes his leave.”

After Xiao Mo left the imperial study, Xiao Mo’s previous words echoed in the Qin Kingdom’s ruler’s ears, unable to dissipate for a long time.