Chapter Six: He Who Wins the People’s Hearts Wins the World

First Emperor Qin was slightly taken aback! Although this was the second time he had heard such treasonous words, he was still deeply shaken.

As for Meng Yi and Wang Jian, they were left completely stunned, staring at Fusu with expressions of profound shock. This... this was truly a man who dared to say anything!

Fusu felt he had no choice but to expose himself. He was bitter at heart; he did not want to be this radical, but his rivals gave him no chance to play it safe. He had originally come to discuss the burning of books and the burying of scholars, but before he could even bring it up, the charges regarding his drunken misconduct and the defilement of Consort Li had already been solidified.

With no other options, Fusu had to press on with his earlier topic and introduced the names of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang.

Upon hearing these specific names, the First Emperor could not help but study Fusu more closely. In truth, he was beginning to believe some of what Fusu said. He had summoned him today to probe further and see if he could extract more information, and to his surprise, the boy had actually delivered.

"Chen Sheng, Wu Guang?" the First Emperor asked with a frown. "And who are these two?"

Fusu immediately replied, "They were originally commoners from impoverished families. But when they were conscripted to guard Yuyang, they could no longer bear the oppression of the brutal Qin regime, so they raised their flags and launched an uprising."

"It was these two men who completely opened Pandora's box, leading to the total collapse of the Great Qin!"

"Your Highness, watch your tongue!" Meng Yi’s face changed drastically upon hearing this, and he hurried to interject.

Li Si, however, snapped, "Nonsense! A pack of lies!"

The First Emperor fell into deep thought. Over these years, he had relied heavily on the law, engaged in massive construction projects, and implemented the "people-dumbing" policies of Shang Yang. These were the very national strategies that had allowed Qin to build a formidable army and unify the six kingdoms! And now, Fusu was actually questioning these policies. Although Fusu had always advocated for benevolence, this time he seemed even bolder, even more reckless, as if he intended to shake the very foundations of the Qin state.

A flash of coldness crossed the First Emperor’s eyes as he looked at Fusu again. "Do you realize that if you cannot provide a sound justification for these words, even if you are my own eldest son, I will have you torn to pieces!"

Fusu raised his head and met the First Emperor’s gaze, unflinching. "Father, I know what you are thinking. It is true that since the reforms of Shang Yang and the implementation of policies to keep the people ignorant, our Great Qin has gained the strength to unify the world. But conquering the world and governing the world are two entirely different matters!"

"You are the Emperor of the Ages, the First Emperor who unified the six kingdoms; your achievements are naturally unrivaled. But have you ever considered how our Great Qin is to achieve long-term peace and stability after unification?"

Boom! A buzz echoed in the First Emperor’s mind. Long-term peace and stability... Meng Yi’s body trembled slightly, as if he too had been moved. Only Li Si immediately spoke up, "Your Majesty, by governing the state through law, our Great Qin can achieve long-term peace and stability and endure forever!"

"Heh!" Fusu laughed immediately. He pointed at Li Si’s nose and scolded, "A fine 'governance by law,' but is your law true justice? Before the law, everyone should be equal, rather than it being reduced to a mere tool for the monarch to control and manipulate his subjects!"

Seeing Li Si’s face darken, Fusu continued, "There are many things in this world that cannot be generalized by law alone!"

Seeing that Fusu was targeting him at every turn, Li Si felt no need to continue his charade. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Prince Fusu has said that before the law, everyone is equal. Since the Prince has violated ethics and broken the law, I ask that Your Majesty punish him severely to demonstrate the fairness and impartiality of our Qin laws!"

*Damn it!* Fusu stood there, dumbfounded. *Damn it all, how did I manage to trap myself? This old fox Li Si!*

The First Emperor did not seem to focus on that point. He looked at Fusu with a cold face and said, "Fusu, you speak with great eloquence. Tell me then, how can we ensure the long-term peace and stability of our Great Qin?"

Upon hearing this, Fusu’s spirits lifted. The opportunity had come again! After so much buildup, he was finally given another chance to express his views.

Fusu spoke off the cuff, "As the saying goes, water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it! To achieve long-term peace and stability, one must win the support of the people!"

"Now that the six kingdoms are unified, the people everywhere are slowly accepting Qin. If we can make them feel that life under Qin’s rule is better than before, only then will there be a possibility of long-term peace and stability!"

"Support of the people?" The First Emperor had never heard this argument before; it sounded somewhat similar to Confucianism, yet different.

Fusu continued his ramblings, "Father may not know this, but since ancient times, he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world! If a ruler does not win the hearts of the people, even if he seizes the world, it will not last long. Our Great Qin is a living example!"

"Father, you must cancel the various projects that exhaust the people and drain the treasury. We must rest and recover, allowing the people to live and work in peace. That is the most important thing our Great Qin needs to do right now!"

*Live and work in peace...* The First Emperor fell into deep contemplation once more.

Wait! The First Emperor recalled a term Fusu had used earlier: "brutal Qin." Yes, "brutal Qin"... and he had also called him the "Emperor of the Ages"... "Brutal Qin," "Emperor of the Ages"... The First Emperor fell into silence.

Suddenly, it dawned on him: this son of his was essentially calling him a tyrant! He just didn't dare to say it directly, so he called the state "brutal."

"Hmph!" The First Emperor looked as if he were asking, but there was a hint of anger in his voice. "Then tell me, what must be done to gain the support of the people?"

Fusu, however, threw caution to the wind. To survive, he had to keep exposing himself to the end. He gritted his teeth and blurted out, "Lighten the corvée labor and taxes, encourage agriculture and sericulture, practice frugality, appoint the capable, and remain open to remonstrance!"

A flash of disappointment crossed the First Emperor’s eyes upon hearing this. Such slogans were shouted every day, but how were they to be implemented specifically? And what would be the consequences if they were? As the first emperor of a unified nation, he was searching for various governing philosophies. It could be said that he had no predecessors to look to, and no followers to learn from. Because he didn't know what was right, he had continued with the theories of Shang Yang’s reforms, as it was those theories that had brought Qin its current glory.

At first, he had been pleased to see Fusu having different thoughts. But now, what he was saying was the exact opposite of Shang Yang’s "people-dumbing" policy.

Fusu seemed to see through the First Emperor’s mind and smiled. "Father, what are you worried about? If the Great Qin does not make changes, it will surely perish within five years! Instead of courting our own destruction, why not make changes and carve out a new path? What are you still hesitating for?"

"Your son dares to propose: the Epang Palace must not be built, and construction on the Lishan Mausoleum must be halted! However, work on the Great Wall, the Qin Straight Road, the Zheng Guo Canal, and the Lingqu Canal must not stop. We only need to reassign the workers from the Epang Palace and the Lishan Mausoleum to these locations and have them work in rotations!"