156: Chapter 156 A Historic Opportunity: If You Don't Seize It, You'll Suffer the Consequences!

"Father, since you have seen the map of the whole world, you understand that this world does not only consist of our Great Qin as a powerful nation."

"Besides the Xiongnu Kingdom, the Mauryan Empire, the Seleucid Empire, the Kingdom of Macedon, the Roman Republic, the Parthian Empire, and the Ptolemaic Kingdom all occupy extremely vast lands."

"The strength of our Great Qin might be stronger than any one of them, but if they were to unite, our Great Qin would simply be no match for them."

"The entire world is so large; could it be that you, Father, are truly satisfied with our Great Qin occupying only such a small piece of land?"

"Among the Seven Warring States, our Great Qin was able to laugh last because we dared to be the first in the world to adopt Shang Yang's reforms, suppress the interests of the old nobility, and implement a highly centralized wartime planned economy, converting all social resources into war resources."

Shang Yang's reform philosophy emphasized governing the country by law, strict punishments and harsh laws, and rewarding farming and warfare.

In his early years in the Wei State, he wanted to promote his ideas, but they were not adopted by the Wei State.

The Wei State was a powerful nation in the early Warring States period, with a relatively complex political environment, powerful old noble forces, and deeply entrenched interest groups.

Under these circumstances, implementing large-scale reforms faced enormous resistance, making it difficult for Shang Yang's talents to be fully utilized and for his reform proposals to receive strong support.

Duke Xiao of Qin, out of a desire to strengthen the country, wanted to rapidly enhance the nation's power through strict laws and reward mechanisms, and thus adopted Shang Yang's reforms.

From then on, Qin grew strong, laying the foundation for Qin Shi Huang to conquer the six states.

"Father, our Great Qin has once again encountered a period of historical opportunity."

"What Heaven bestows, if not taken, will lead to blame; when the time comes, if not embraced, one will suffer the consequences."

Zhao Fusu said, "If our Great Qin Empire wants to destroy the Xiongnu Kingdom, the Mauryan Empire, the Seleucid Empire, the Kingdom of Macedon, the Roman Republic, the Parthian Empire, and the Ptolemaic Kingdom, we must again dare to be the first in the world to adopt a constitutional monarchy, limit the Emperor's power, and let 'all under heaven be for the public'!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The concept of "All Under Heaven for the Public" proposed by Zhao Fusu once again brought forth rounds of thunder.

The First Emperor also widened his eyes.

The proposal of the idea that "all under heaven is for the public" was to completely trample imperial power underfoot.

Originally, the entire world belonged to their Ying imperial clan; Zhao Fusu's words were too bold, as he wanted to hand the world over to the people of the world to control.

In that case, their Ying imperial clan's share of the world would be only a tiny bit.

"Rebellious son!"

"You are too bold!"

Zhao Fusu's remarks were, in the eyes of the First Emperor, treasonous and immoral.

The First Emperor glared at Zhao Fusu, looking like a man-eating tiger.

Zhao Fusu was not surprised by the First Emperor's reaction.

He also knew how advanced the idea of "All Under Heaven for the Public" was for this era; for imperial power, it was intolerable!

This might also be the reason why the system had him sign in to obtain the Thought Steel Seal.

He had to forcibly control military power, otherwise, he would surely be suppressed by the First Emperor leading an army.

Without military power, no matter how dissatisfied the First Emperor was, he could only stare back at him.

"This is the only way for our Great Qin Empire to defeat the Western powers!"

Zhao Fusu said with a powerful, resonant voice.

From the perspective of civilization levels, the reason ancient Huaxia could lead the West for a long time was that while the West was still in a feudal slave society, Huaxia civilization had already evolved into a patriarchal landlord autocratic society.

Huaxia civilization gradually fell behind Western civilization when the sprouts of capitalism appeared in the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty; constrained by the national character of the Huaxia People, capitalism—which focuses on individual interests above all else—did not suit the overall values and thoughts of the Huaxia People, leading to a mismatch between the Huaxia People and capitalist society.

In contrast, Western civilization upgraded from an agricultural feudal slave society to a capitalist society based on industrial civilization.

At the level of civilization, industrial civilization fighting agricultural civilization is a dimensional strike.

This is what late Qing politicians called the "great change unseen in a thousand years."

The Huaxia People also went through over a hundred years of exploration before finding a path that suited them.

If primitive society is the T0 version, slave society is T1, feudal society is T2, patriarchal landlord autocratic society is T3, and capitalist society is T4, then their current society is the T5 version.

Using a T5 version to fight a T2 or even T1 version is like a university student bullying kindergarteners and elementary schoolers; it is truly far ahead!

Zhao Fusu said loudly, "If our Great Qin imperial family wishes to endure for ten thousand years and be passed down for ten thousand generations, there is only, and only this path to take!"

"Great Qin belongs to the people of Great Qin."

Zhao Fusu's eyes were fixed on the First Emperor as he said, "It does not belong to our Ying Clan, nor to the Liu clan; it belongs to the common people!"

He said this firmly and beyond doubt.

His national policy could not be changed!

His will could not be shaken, even by the First Emperor.

Even the First Emperor could not change the path he was going to take!

The First Emperor stared blankly at Zhao Fusu; it was the first time he had seen such a forceful side of him.

Was this still the elegant and refined Fusu, like a gentleman from the countryside, in his memory?

The other's forceful personality was as if carved from the same mold as his own.

"Why have you become like this?"

The First Emperor finally asked this question.

"Father..."

Zhao Fusu suddenly said, "You had that dream, and I dreamed it too!"

"I dreamed even further than you."

"I dreamed of two thousand years later!"

"What did you say?"

When Zhao Fusu said this to the First Emperor, the First Emperor was completely stunned.

"Two thousand years later!"

"That's right."

Zhao Fusu said with a grave expression, "Two thousand years later, after those Western powers beheaded their emperors, they implemented a constitutional monarchy."

"They began the industrial age and developed a capitalist economy."

"Through the expansiveness of capital, they continuously expanded their territory across the whole world—Africa, the Indian South Continent, the Yindian North Continent, the Southern Continent where kangaroos are abundant, and they even invaded the Asian Continent where our Great Qin Empire is located."

Zhao Fusu's tone was full of resentment as he said, "They forced our Great Qin's descendants to cede territory and pay indemnities, bringing humiliation to our nation!"

"Cede territory and pay indemnities?"

The First Emperor's eyes widened, and he scolded, "These Western powers are too arrogant! They dare to make our Great Qin's descendants cede territory and pay indemnities!"

"It has always been our place to bully others; how dare they bully us? They've revolted!"

The First Emperor realized, "So, Fusu, the reason you are so radical is to emulate those Western powers, using the expansiveness of capital to conquer the entire world?"

He finally understood the reason for the drastic change in Zhao Fusu's temperament.

It turned out that he, too, had had a dream.

And what the other saw in his dream was even further than his own!