Not long after, someone brought Zhang Liang in and also shackled him to a chair.
I looked at Zhang Liang carefully. Today, Zhang Liang is only 29 years old. When Bolangsha assassinated Ying Zheng, he was only 21 years old. He looks like the young Zhuge Liang in movies and TV shows, but he also suffered a lot of torture and was so weak that he could hardly sit still. .
Zhang Liang saw me staring at him, and then saw Xing Zhong standing beside him. A smile appeared on his face and he said to Xing Zhong, "We meet again. If it weren't for you, Ying Zheng would have died long ago."
Xing Zhong was expressionless when he heard this.
Although Zhang Liang was never seen in Xingzhong, Zhang Liang must have been deeply impressed by him since he saved Ying Zheng while hiding in the dark.
Seeing that there was no reply from Xingzhong, Zhang Liang turned to look at me again, looked up and down, and said, "I guess this is the second emperor, right?"
I nodded: "To be able to plan the assassination of the late emperor at the age of 21 is indeed very witty."
Zhang Liang still had a faint smile on his lips: "I heard that the second emperor is only 15 years old this year. He must have met Xiang Yu. With such courage, the second emperor should not be underestimated."
I didn't answer and asked instead, "Are you hungry?"
Zhang Liang responded: "What good people eat is the thought of rebelling against Qin. The emperor does not have to worry."
I waved my hand and said to Xing Zhong: "Prepare two meals. Zhang Liang and I will eat together."
Xingzhong handed over and went out to prepare, and soon came back with food.
I ordered Zhang Liang's torture instruments to be removed and arranged for two tables to sit across from each other.
Zhang Liang looked at me and asked, "Isn't the emperor afraid that Liang will be violent and hurt the emperor?"
I smiled and said, "I heard that you are a brilliant strategist and that you know all the tricks. I'm sure you won't do something that has no chance of winning. Besides, if I cherished my life so much, I wouldn't come to see you and Xiang Yu today."
After hearing this, Zhang Liang cupped his hands and began to eat without ceremony.
I looked at Zhang Liang and asked, "Why did you want to assassinate the late emperor?"
Zhang Liang did not raise his head: "The Qin Dynasty is unethical, all because the Qin Emperor is tyrannical and everyone wants to punish him."
I shook my head: "No, you are doing it for your motherland and your noble status. If the world belongs to you, South Korea, and you, Zhang Liang, are among the three nobles, would you still assassinate the Korean emperor?"
Zhang Liang looked up at me and said angrily: "If South Korea unified the world, we would definitely not cause resentment among the people like Qin. If the king of South Korea were so tyrannical, Liang would not see the people living in fire and water. , I will definitely risk my life to remonstrate."
"You said that South Korea would not be like me, Great Qin, so why couldn't South Korea unify the world?"
Zhang Liang was startled.
Although South Korea is small, it is known as "Strength Korea". Although it failed to achieve the same thorough reforms as Qin in several reforms, it still injected a lot of fresh blood into South Korea, but South Korea is still ranked first among the six countries. A country that was wiped out.
Zhang Liang said: "The king is too ignorant to accomplish great things."
I smiled: "Then how can you guarantee that the kings of South Korea or other five countries will not still be stupid after they unify the world? Isn't the reason why the Six Kingdoms perished because they were inferior to me, the Qin Dynasty? If it were replaced by kings of the Six Kingdoms to govern the world, it might not be possible Is there Qin Guoqiang?"
"I once heard a saying that 'the one who destroys the six kingdoms belongs to the six kingdoms, not Qin. If the six kingdoms love each other, it will be enough to conquer Qin.' I wonder what you think of this sentence?"
Zhang Liang pondered: "The emperor means that it was because the Six Kingdoms did not care for their own people that they perished?"
I nodded: "If the kings of the Six Kingdoms really treat their own people better than Qin, as you said, how can a country that is loved by the people be easily defeated? You know, the Six Kingdoms were destroyed in just one Less than ten years.”
Zhang Liang retorted: "The six kingdoms may not have been so kind to the people before they were destroyed, but compared with the harsh rule that Qin treated the people after it unified the world, isn't it that Qin's rule is more tyrannical? The emperor has heard that 'tyranny is fiercer than a tiger' '?"
"What you said makes sense." I said, "However, since the Qin Dynasty unified the world, many wastes have been waiting for improvement. The current legal system of the Qin Dynasty is unprecedented, and there must be some unreasonable laws."
"But do you think the measures such as the system of prefectures and counties and the unification of weights and measures implemented by the Qin Dynasty were good or bad for the people of the world? I still say the same thing. Maybe some laws are too strict, but compared with the legal system of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, and even the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Qin's laws Isn’t it more suitable for a unified world?”
Zhang Liang was thoughtful.
Seeing Zhang Liang's expression, I continued: "Besides, now I have started to reduce the corvee and amend the "Qin Code". The decree that will be issued soon will stop the construction of Afang Palace, Zhidao and other palaces. Lishan Mausoleum will also be built in early spring. I will carefully discuss the unreasonable laws and make changes as soon as possible."
"I am willing to give you a chance to stay by my side and make suggestions for me, no, for the people of the world, so that the people of the world can live and work in peace and contentment. If one day you think that I can't do it, you can leave at any time, and I will never Will block it.”
Zhang Liang looked up at me and asked in disbelief: "The emperor really knows how to reduce the corvee? I once assassinated the First Emperor, will you trust me to follow you?"
I smiled and said, "If you have any doubts, you can stay with me for a while, and we will find out through actual actions."
"However, because your identity is too sensitive, I cannot give you an official position. I can only let you stay with me as a minor official of the Visitor."
"In addition, I will wipe out the assassination of the late emperor for you and declare to the outside world that Xiang Yu faked your identity and planned it. I will give you one day to think about it. If you decide to follow me, just tell Meng Yi."
If you decide to resist to the end... you must not leave such a man with outstanding strategy behind. With Zhang Liang's intelligence, there is no need to speak too clearly.
Seeing that Zhang Liang was thinking, I stood up and said: "I have said what should be said, and I have also made it clear to you what should not be said. I hope you can consider the people of the world. Of course, if you are really against Qin for People of the world.”
Zhang Liang said: "Let me think about it."
Seeing that I was about to leave, he asked again: "What does the emperor plan to do with Xiang Yu?"
I turned around and walked out the door: "Every man has nothing to offer."
————
Early the next morning, Meng Yi brought Zhang Liang to Sihai Palace. I asked Xing Zhong to settle him down before going to court.
At the court meeting, I announced to everyone the decision to deal with Zhang Liang and Xiang Yu: Xiang Yu should be executed and Zhang Liang should be retained.
There was another quarrel over Zhang Liang's retention. Although I asked Xiang Yu to take the blame for Zhang Liang's assassination of Ying Zheng and the Kuaiji rebellion, many people still had doubts. However, seeing my firm attitude, everyone had to give up.
After so many days of discussions, the court meeting finally determined the details of reducing corvee labor: the construction of Afang Palace was suspended, the construction of the straight road was slowed down, and the Lishan Mausoleum was capped in early spring...
At the same time, major revisions were made to the corvee laws, which greatly reduced the people's corvee burden, and Da Qin finally began to get on the right track.
I just hope that the uprising army that is about to break out can be stabilized. It is also time to deal with these leaders of the uprising in the late Qin Dynasty.
