Qin's military merit system mainly includes two contents:
First, "Those who have made military achievements will receive high rankings based on their leadership."
This means that anyone who has achieved military merit, regardless of their family background, class or class, can enjoy the title and salary.
Military merit is the most necessary condition for receiving rewards.
Secondly, "the clan cannot be a vassal unless it has military merit."
This is to abolish the hereditary privileges enjoyed by the clan nobles.
They are no longer able to obtain high-ranking officials, generous salaries, titles, and fiefdoms just based on blood relations, that is, "family status" as in the past.
The purpose of Shang Yang's establishment of the military merit system was to motivate soldiers by rewarding military merit, thereby improving the combat effectiveness of the army.
Zhang Yi once described the scene of the Qin army's battle, "holding heads on the left and prisoners on the right", which is very exaggerated.
In addition to the warlike nature of the Qin people since ancient times, the military merit system also played an important role in the overthrow of the Six Kingdoms.
Although the system of military merit and nobility enabled the Qin State to rise rapidly in a short period of time and eventually destroy the six kingdoms, its system of "recruiting officials based on military merit" and "conferring titles based on the first" has been deeply criticized by later generations.
About military merit and official appointment.
Han Fei once proposed that people promoted by military merit only have courage but lack wisdom and cannot serve as administrators.
Although the military merit system can inspire the combat effectiveness of Qin soldiers, it can also inspire strong resistance in hostile countries and cause unnecessary killings.
It is precisely for this reason that the Qin State destroyed the six kingdoms and killed as many as 1.86 million people.
This is only an incomplete statistic.
So, why does this military merit reward mechanism greatly stimulate the enthusiasm of the Qin people to fight and make meritorious deeds?
There are two main points.
First, the title can save lives at critical moments.
Since Shang Yang's reform, the Qin State has implemented harsh punishments, focusing on light sentences and heavy punishments, and also engaged in consecutive sentences.
So I don’t know when I will be convicted.
If you happen to have a title at this time, you may be able to escape the disaster, but the price is that the title will be waived.
To put it simply, this is a trade that balances merits and demerits.
Second, military merit can be inherited.
This means that even if you die in battle, your military merits can still be remembered by your family.
Moreover, descendants can inherit titles above the third level, but they will be downgraded.
But military merit can also be waived. If you avoid fighting or show cowardice during a war, you will be punished, including those on the same team.
It can be seen from this that the influence of the military meritocracy on the Qin people is not insignificant.
To implement this system, there must also be strict implementation methods and procedures, which is what people often call rewards based on merit.
But what did the First Emperor do after unifying the six kingdoms?
Except for the titles and fiefdoms of the upper-class nobles, there were no rewards for the lower-class nobles, including those who were newly crowned.
Who can bear this? !
It’s not that the First Emperor was stingy, but the emperor’s family didn’t have any food left.
But there is no surplus food, so you have to give me an explanation, right?
result.
You don't say anything and let it go.
Who would feel comfortable?
Therefore, after the death of the First Emperor and Hu Hai's accession to the throne, the old Qin people began to act.
Even in the end, I didn't even want to act anymore and just opened the door to welcome "The King of Chuang".
Of course, this does not mean that the main reason for the demise of Qin was the unkindness of the First Emperor.
But there must be reasons for this.
When Zhao Hao heard Wei Liao raise the issue of military merit, he couldn't help but set his sights on Ying Zheng.
Ying Zheng frowned and said with some displeasure: "What are you looking at me for? Didn't you ask me to postpone the southern expedition to Baiyue for a year or two? You should also consider this issue carefully for me!"
"Ah!"
Zhao Hao snorted and sneered: "Father, you are really free and easy. You actually asked me, a kid, to help you figure out a solution to the mess you made!"
"What did you say!?"
Ying Zheng frowned and scolded, and said with a sullen face: "Is your skin itchy again? Don't worry...go find me a stick!"
"Am I wrong?"
Zhao Hao frowned and retorted; "We are all brothers who fight together to conquer the world. You get the benefits and reputation. When it comes time to reward you for your merits, forget about it if you don't give it. You pretend to be confused for everyone, what's the national justice... ....”
"presumptuous!"
Ying Zheng angrily slapped the table and cracked it until it was cracked.
"This..." Dun Rui opened his mouth and let out two ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, as if he wanted to ask if he could find the stick, but the sound seemed to be locked, so he couldn't help but swallow it back.
There is a sense of "Don't dare to speak loudly for fear of frightening the people in heaven".
When he thought about it, this Young Master Hao was like a heavenly being, saying things that no one dared to say.
It’s so respectable and admirable!
Not only was Dun Weak, but even Wei Liao looked at Zhao Hao with his mouth agape, saying in his heart that you are so courageous... You dare to say such things!
Although I usually like to reply to the First Emperor, he will not really kill me, but if you are as brave as you, the grass on my grave will probably be tall.
I have to say that if this disciple wants it, he will really ask for it, and he will really say what he has to say.
I have accepted this disciple of Young Master Hao!
"Why."
Zhao Hao sighed softly, sat upright, raised his head and looked directly at Ying Zheng: "The world may not be able to understand the greatness of my father, but my sons and ministers can understand it, but what's the use of understanding?"
"Although our Great Qin has unified the six kingdoms, this newly established empire is like a castle in the air, illusory. Why is this?"
"Because of my father's actions, the cohesion accumulated by our people over the past hundreds of years is almost gone!"
"When a country has no cohesion, it is not far from destruction. This is like the Zhou Dynasty. King Zhou You played with the princes, causing the cohesion of the Zhou Dynasty to suddenly collapse, so that it gradually declined and eventually perished."
"Bold! How dare Shuzi compare me to King Zhou You?!"
Ying Zheng shouted violently, stood up suddenly, and glared at Zhao Hao.
Zhao Hao's expression changed and he said in a deep voice: "My father asked his son to help you solve the mess. Then my father should understand his own problems and give him what he deserves. Shouldn't he give it to him?"
"Give it! How to give it? You kid said it's easy! If I can give it, will I not give it?!"
Ying Zheng said angrily: "If rewards are based on military merit, not only those high-level titles, but also those low-level titles, I, the Qin Dynasty, will not be able to reward them!"
"If there is no reward, then there is no need to reward it? The rules have been set!"
"Treason!"
Ying Zheng took a big step forward and was about to perform "Father is kind and son is filial" again.
Seeing this, Dunwei quickly stepped forward to dissuade Ying Zheng.
However, he was scared away when Ying Zheng yelled "Go away".
Seeing Ying Zheng take action as soon as he said it, Zhao Hao couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness in his heart. He thought to himself, I can't bear it anymore, and said quickly:
"If my father doesn't want to break his promise, then issue national bonds so that everyone can have hope!"
"National debt?"
Ying Zheng paused, narrowed his eyes and asked, "What is national debt?"
"In the name of the imperial court, we give an IOU to those who have been awarded the title. For example, if there is no reward for the land and grain that should be rewarded, we can provide a certificate. When the country is rich, we will make up for it!"
"no!"
Ying Zheng's face darkened and he shouted: "If we follow this policy, where will the majesty of the imperial court be?!"
