Chapter 80 Killing two birds with one stone!
At the same time, deep in the Zhangtai Palace, the air was filled with the aroma of dragon incense. Ying Zheng sat alone on the emperor's couch, his eyes as bright as the cold moon, staring at the mountain of bamboo slips on the desk.

These were all contributed by young men of various ethnic groups. Between the lines, there was a passion in their hearts to expand the territory for the Qin Dynasty and make a name for themselves.

However, the laws of our ancestors are like a mountain, which restrain their talents and make it difficult for them to realize their ambitions. Their helplessness is beyond words!
On one of the tablets was a note that read: "I am the son of the Qi family. I have inherited the art of war from my family. I am willing to lead the army for the Qin Dynasty, pacify the six kingdoms, and unify the country."

"But the family rules of our ancestors are so strict that I cannot take office without permission. I am very worried!"

Another brief statement: "I am a descendant of the Gong family. I have studied literature since I was young. I want to offer my long-term strategy to Your Majesty to help our Qin State prosper. However, due to the restrictions of my family rules, I cannot go beyond the boundaries. I am worried day and night..."

Ying Zheng read the bamboo slips carefully, his heart was overwhelmed with emotion and he could hardly control himself.

Looking at these young men, they are all treasures of the Qin State and pillars of the country, but they are bound by the laws of their ancestors, like birds in a cage, unable to flap their wings and fly.

You must know that the clan's patriarchal system has been strict since ancient times. Without the clan's permission, the children are not allowed to take up official positions on their own, let alone offer good advice to the Qin court.

The hope of a career in officialdom depends only on selecting talented people from within the clan. Others, even if they have extraordinary talents, can only spend their entire lives within the clan, living in mediocrity and wasting their time.

When Ying Zheng thought about this, he couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

These young men are full of talent, but they are buried because of the laws of their ancestors. It is really a pity for the Qin Dynasty!
He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and swore to himself, "I will break this old custom and let all the talented people in the world return to the Qin Dynasty to join us in this great cause and unify the country!"
Thinking of this, Ying Zheng's mouth curled up into a deep smile, and he said to himself coldly: "Ye Chi, Ye Chi, you really lived up to my expectations. This strategy can not only test the sincerity of the children of each clan, but also provoke conflicts between them and the clan law. It's brilliant! Brilliant!!!"

If this continues, the children of all ethnic groups will respond enthusiastically and write petitions one after another, then...

Just wait until the time is right, and then you can implement the Enfeoffment Order in one fell swoop! !
Ying Zheng was overjoyed, clapped his hands and laughed, his voice shaking the palace, and said: "Ye Chi, you are really my loyal and loyal minister, both wise and brave. With you by my side, why should I worry about the destruction of my clan and the unrest in the world?"

"Send an order! Have Li Si come to see me immediately!"

The eunuch took the order and left in a hurry.

Ying Zheng once again stared at the mountain of bamboo slips on the desk, his mind filled with thoughts. The smile on his face grew more intense, as if he had already seen the scene of the clan's demise.

Inside the Zhangtai Palace, the aroma of dragon incense filled the air, filling the room.

The fragrance seemed to become more rich and intoxicating as Ying Zheng became happier.

He sat upright on the imperial couch, his heart full of lofty ambitions, waiting for Li Si to come and discuss major plans to decide the outcome in one fell swoop.

After half a cup of tea, Li Si walked over, stepped into the palace gate respectfully, and bowed deeply.

Ying Zheng's eyes were sharp, and he immediately asked, "Li Si, how is Ye Chi doing?"

Its voice is majestic and should not be taken lightly.

Li Si heard this with a bitter look on his face, and reported helplessly: "Your Majesty, Ye Chi seems to have not paid much attention to the Enfeoffment Order these days. He has been busy in the Ministry of Works all day long, and his actions have nothing to do with the Enfeoffment Order."

"Your Majesty, there is no other way..."

After hearing this, Ying Zheng seemed not to hear what he said, but smiled even more. He asked, "Oh? What did Ye Chi do in the Ministry of Works?"

"What about the research and development of farming, firearms, etc.?"

Li Si was at a loss, thinking to himself: "Didn't Your Majesty order me to implement the Enfeoffment Order? Why am I now like Ye Chi, not caring about it at all, and instead asking endless questions about farming matters and firearms?" In desperation, Li Si had to report to Ying Zheng in detail what Ye Chi had done in recent days in the Ministry of Works.

He said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, as far as I know, a batch of new curved plows have been produced in the Ministry of Works. These plows are exquisitely crafted, with smooth lines. They are really a great tool for farming. Ye Chi once personally inspected them and was very impressed by them. He said that they will definitely help farming and increase the productivity of the people."

Ying Zheng nodded to show that he understood, and then asked, "How is the progress of firearms and other things?"

Li Si replied, "Your Majesty, firearms and other items are also being developed intensively. Ye Chi has selected a group of skilled craftsmen to study day and night, and has achieved initial results. However, he once said that such sharp weapons must be handled with extreme caution to avoid leaking the secrets."

After hearing this, Ying Zheng showed satisfaction on his face and said, "Good! Ye Chi really lived up to my expectations. You need to continue to pay close attention to the movements of the General's Office. Once there is any progress, report it to me immediately!!"

When Li Si saw this, his doubts grew even stronger, as if he was lost in a fog, unable to understand what it meant.

He raised his head and looked at Ying Zheng, only to see the king's face smiling deeply, making it difficult to discern his true thoughts.

Ying Zheng laughed, breaking the silence in the air, then took a memorial from the table, handed it lightly to Li Si, and motioned him to look at it carefully.

Li Si took the memorial, and although he was extremely confused, he did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.

He hastily unfolded the memorial and read through it at a glance, but his expression changed more and more as he read, and finally he turned pale with shock, and there was an expression of disbelief in his eyes! !
"I issued an order to implement the Enfeoffment Order. He knew that there would be many obstacles, but he was not impatient. Instead, he started from within the clan and cleverly led the clan members to fight for power and kill each other!"

"He took the opportunity to go to the Ministry of Works and supervise the manufacture of curved plows, firearms and other items, with the intention of improving the productivity of the people and making them self-sufficient."

"As a result, the conflict between the clans and the people will inevitably intensify, the clans will become the target of public criticism, and the people will lose their support!!"

"Ye Chi's move really kills two birds with one stone. It not only solves my urgent needs, but also paves the way for the implementation of the Enfeoffment Order in the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Si was as if awakened from a dream and was amazed!!!

He was shocked beyond words!

I never expected that Ye Chi could come up with such a vicious plan!

This is simply dancing on the edge of a knife. If you are not careful, it will lead to the annihilation of the whole clan! !
However, he also knew that since His Majesty agreed to such a plan, he must have thought it over carefully.

Moreover, in the long run, this is indeed a permanent solution.

He was originally quite puzzled by Ye Chi's actions, but after listening to Ying Zheng's explanation, he realized the far-reaching nature of Ye Chi's plan.

Thinking of this, Li Si couldn't help but admire Ye Chi's courage and strategy...

He couldn't help but sigh: "Ye Chi is a man of extraordinary wisdom and strategy, which is beyond the reach of us. He was able to come up with such a vicious plan to shift the conflict between the people and the clan, making the clan the target of public criticism. It is truly a stroke of genius!!"

Ying Zheng nodded and smiled, "Yes, Ye Chi's talent is indeed extraordinary. He can see through people's hearts and use power and strategy well. He is really my right arm. With him, why should I worry about the troubles of the nobles and aristocratic families?"

At this moment, there was silence in Zhangtai Palace.

Li Si deeply agreed with this, and he felt a great admiration for Ye Chi...

(End of this chapter)