48: Chapter 48 Debate: I Want to Challenge Over a Thousand of You Alone

"There is no need for that."

Zhao Fusu said, "These Confucian Scholars are only petitioning. If we even kill for petitions, then our Great Qin would truly become the Tyrannical Qin."

"The Head of State is merciful."

Feng Quji couldn't help but remark.

Li Si also nodded.

Since Zhao Fusu took power, he had allowed nearly two million corvée laborers to eat three full meals a day. He also abolished the corvée labor system, so farmers no longer had to be conscripted to travel thousands of miles to the frontier to build the Great Wall.

In terms of mercy, in the entire world, if Young Master Fusu claimed to be second, no one would dare claim to be first.

"But if these thousands of Confucian Scholars truly want to petition to scrap the commandery-county system and restore the enfeoffment system, how should it be handled?"

Li Si said worriedly.

He was still afraid that Zhao Fusu would actually listen to the Confucian Scholars' petition and abolish the commandery-county system to restore the enfeoffment system; if so, his greatest political legacy would be gone.

Zhao Fusu glanced at Li Si.

Li Si was truly a formidable person.

The centralized commandery-county system he created did not end with the overthrow of Great Qin.

After Liu Bang became emperor, although he initially carried out enfeoffment and appointed eight kings with different surnames,

he soon began a purge.

Han Xin, King of Chu; Peng Yue, King of Liang; Ying Bu, King of Huainan; Zhang Er, King of Zhao; Zang Tu, King of Yan; Lu Wan, King of Yan; and Han Xin, King of Han—these kings with different surnames were all exterminated to the third generation under the pretense of rebellion or assassination attempts.

Only Wu Rui, King of Changsha, met a peaceful end.

After the kings with different surnames were eliminated, power was returned to the central government, and the Han Dynasty almost copied Li Si's commandery-county system exactly.

From then on, the commandery-county system influenced China for over a thousand years until the Provincial System appeared in the Yuan Dynasty.

"It's easy to handle."

"Don't they want to petition?"

Zhao Fusu said, "As long as they no longer have the desire to petition, won't they just disperse on their own?"

"It's quite simple, isn't it?"

However...

"Head of State, you still intend to bury them alive, don't you?"

Li Si nodded in praise. "Killing is the simplest and most effective way."

"Only dead people can keep their mouths shut forever."

Li Si's face was full of ferocity.

His features were naturally fierce to begin with.

Now, he could probably make a child cry just by looking at them.

Well...

Zhao Fusu looked at Li Si speechlessly.

You are a true devil.

"Killing is indeed the simplest and most effective way, but it also alienates people."

Zhao Fusu said, "They have gathered illegally and demonstrated without permission. Punishment is required, but they haven't committed any radical acts yet; it hasn't reached the point where they need to be killed."

The crime of illegal assembly and demonstration was a serious felony in modern times as well.

At the very least, it started at five years.

Even though Sun Daping was his nominal senior brother, he had gathered a crowd and demonstrated at Xianyang Palace without permission.

In Zhao Fusu's eyes, he had already earned himself five years of prison food.

Once he obtained a sewing machine through a check-in, he would have Sun Daping work on it.

The other Confucian Scholars who followed Sun Daping would also have to be punished, locked up for a few years, and assigned to labor reform so they would know that illegal assembly and demonstration is a crime.

At the same time, this would serve as a case to warn society: if you have something to say, say it properly; do not assemble and demonstrate without permission.

What Sun Daping and those scholars called a petition was, in reality, a demonstration.

Zhao Fusu naturally wouldn't be polite with them.

"Don't they want to say that the enfeoffment system is stronger than the commandery-county system?"

Zhao Fusu said, "Then I will hold a debate competition and debate with them."

"Head of State, you mustn't! These Confucian disciples are the most skilled at smooth-talking!"

Li Si quickly stepped forward to warn Zhao Fusu.

"No matter!"

Zhao Fusu naturally had his own confidence.

He was the president of the student union at Southeast University and a contestant in the National University Debate Competition.

He was very good at debating.

While they were talking, the carriage had already arrived in front of Xianyang Palace.

"Whoa!"

Deputy General Pang, who was driving, pulled the reins, causing the two horses pulling the carriage to slowly come to a stop.

Deputy General Pang immediately placed a carriage stool beneath the carriage.

After Zhao Fusu lifted the carriage curtain, he stepped onto the stool and descended from the carriage.

Li Si and Feng Quji followed behind Zhao Fusu, stepping on the stool to get off the carriage.

Zhao Fusu looked at the group of Confucian Scholars; they were sitting on the ground like hens hatching eggs.

Zhao Fusu also admired these people; they could sit like this for several hours.

Zhao Fusu walked toward Sun Daping, who was leading them.

Deputy General Pang led the Qin Army to guard Zhao Fusu.

These soldiers protecting Zhao Fusu's safety had already switched to steel sabers; it could be said their combat effectiveness had increased several times over.

Seeing Zhao Fusu approaching surrounded by the crowd, the people sitting on the ground all looked over.

"Young Master Fusu."

"Young Master Fusu."

...

When these people saw Zhao Fusu appear, they all stood up and bowed to him.

Zhao Fusu remained expressionless.

Did these people think that by being sweet-talkers, they could escape punishment? That was impossible!

Sun Daping also saw Zhao Fusu.

"Young Master Fusu."

Sun Daping placed his hands in front of him and bowed.

"Eldest Senior Brother."

Zhao Fusu looked at his nominal Eldest Senior Brother and greeted him.

The two had some acquaintance, but not much.

Perhaps because Sun Daping had been traveling around, he looked quite a bit older than the image in Zhao Fusu's memory.

But Sun Daping was extremely spirited.

His Confucian robe was kept very clean, giving him a somewhat transcendent air.

It was clear that Sun Daping was no simple person.

Zhao Fusu asked, "Eldest Senior Brother, you gathered a crowd privately to demonstrate in front of Xianyang Palace without permission. What are you trying to do?"

Sun Daping said, "To petition."

"Young Master Fusu."

"The price of grain in the Great Qin Empire is constantly rising, all because of the commandery-county system."

"In the past, the Zhou Dynasty implemented the enfeoffment system, and the people lived and worked in peace."

"Young Master Fusu, you should restore the rites of zhou, scrap the commandery-county system, and restore the enfeoffment system."

Sun Daping's eyes stared intently at Zhao Fusu.

Hearing this, Zhao Fusu showed an expression that said, 'as expected'.

This Sun Daping was indeed taking advantage of the peak grain prices to cause trouble.

Feng Quji looked at Sun Daping, his eyes full of anger.

Sun Daping causing trouble here at this time seriously delayed their efforts to bring down the grain prices.

Li Si squinted at Sun Daping, his gaze incredibly terrifying.

He really wanted to bury this entire group of Confucian Scholars alive!

Zhao Fusu then said, "I do not believe that the enfeoffment system has any advantage over the commandery-county system."

"How about this."

Zhao Fusu said, "Let's have a debate competition."

"I will challenge all of you alone."

"What!"

The Confucian Scholars were in an uproar after hearing this.

None of them expected Zhao Fusu to be so bold as to challenge over a thousand of them by himself.

"Young Master Fusu, are you certain?"

Sun Daping asked hesitantly.

"Naturally."

Zhao Fusu said, "As long as you can leave me speechless and unable to refute, then you win."

"Conversely, if I leave you speechless and unable to refute, then I win!"