Ying Zheng had originally believed that these ministers could help him resolve his worries.
Although many of these ministers had met their end on the battlefield, they should still possess loyalty.
Therefore, Ying Zheng thought someone should step forward voluntarily and try the sweet potatoes and potatoes that had been brought back.
Unexpectedly, although all the ministers voiced their opposition one by one, not a single one actually took action.
They were unwilling to even try eating the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
This situation was beyond Ying Zheng's imagination and allowed him to see clearly the true nature of many of them.
"From today onwards, each of you will be fined three months' salary!!"
"At the same time, issue an order to prepare for the imperial examinations. Our Great Qin needs more talent from the examinations, not people who occupy official positions but do nothing productive!!"
Upon hearing this, all the ministers were shocked.
They had never imagined that Ying Zheng would say such a thing.
If it were just a fine, they could have accepted it.
With their current financial resources, they did not care about three months' salary.
However, Ying Zheng preparing for the imperial examinations was entirely different.
Ying Zheng's preparation for the imperial examinations clearly indicated his intention to select more outstanding talents.
Once more outstanding talents were selected, they would inevitably be replaced.
And once they were no longer officials of Great Qin, all their power would vanish.
At present, they appeared very dignified, holding power in their hands, and could be considered as people above others in the entire Great Qin.
No matter where they went, others invariably regarded them with awe.
They had long since become addicted to such power.
Under these circumstances, how could they allow others to replace them?
Therefore, at this moment, these ministers spoke out one after another:
"Your Majesty, this cannot be done! Our Great Qin has already conducted the imperial examinations multiple times; it is truly not suitable to hold them again!!"
"Indeed, Your Majesty! The imperial examinations are only a temporary matter; Great Qin cannot continuously hold them! Once there are too many officials, Great Qin will descend into chaos!!"
"Your Majesty, if the imperial examinations are truly held repeatedly, then very few of our Great Qin's common people will engage in labor. At that time, it will affect our entire Great Qin!!"
At this point, these ministers wanted to persuade Ying Zheng through such means, urging him not to hold the imperial examinations again.
And certainly not to hold them multiple times.
Because the more times Ying Zheng held the imperial examinations, the more likely they were to be replaced.
At the same time, the opportunities for their descendants would also become increasingly scarce.
Under these circumstances, it was more beneficial for them not to hold the imperial examinations.
Therefore, they painted the imperial examinations in a negative light.
For this reason, they spoke ill of holding the imperial examinations.
However, Ying Zheng showed no reaction to their words, but Lin Tian laughed.
"Hahaha! What you say is truly laughable!!"
"Holding the imperial examinations repeatedly will only bring more talent to our Great Qin and allow our Great Qin to enter a better virtuous competition!!"
"As you said, holding the imperial examinations will affect the common people's engagement in labor – that is even more absurd!!"
"Even if ordinary common people want to participate in the imperial examinations, they will not forget about their livelihood. The imperial examinations will not become the entirety of their lives!!"
"Only you people, who regard being an official as your entire life, will have your lives affected by the imperial examinations!!"
"Your saying such things is nothing more than fearing that if those people participate in the imperial examinations, it will affect your status!!"
"However, you have not considered that if you were truly good officials, then they could not possibly affect your status!!"
"If you cannot even be a good official, then what is the use of remaining in your official positions??"
Lin Tian was also extremely dissatisfied with these ministers.
He knew that many of these officials had inherited their positions from their families.
Among them, there were only a few with genuine talent.
The majority, however, seemed to be mere placeholders.
For the current Great Qin to grow stronger and become even more powerful, it naturally could not keep these placeholder individuals.
Therefore, Lin Tian had already made plans earlier.
When he ascended the throne as emperor, he would 'refresh' Great Qin, allowing more talented individuals to serve as officials of Great Qin.
He simply did not expect that before he could implement this idea, these officials would become impatient.
In such a situation, Lin Tian acted even more ruthlessly than Ying Zheng.
"Guards!"
"Arrest all the officials who just voiced their opposition, strip them of their official posts, and investigate their past!"
"Anyone found to be corrupt, taking bribes, or violating the laws of Great Qin, do not let any of them go; handle them all according to the law!!"
"Yes!!"
As Lin Tian issued this order, soldiers immediately began to carry it out.
Many ministers' expressions changed at this moment.
For them to have reached their current positions, they naturally could not be entirely clean.
Even if they had not engaged in corruption or bribery, they must have violated the laws of Great Qin.
Not only them, but even those who were not arrested were in the same situation.
Because of this, countless people began to beg for mercy at this moment.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, this is not appropriate! They are all people who have made contributions to our Great Qin!!"
"Indeed, Your Highness the Crown Prince! The extent to which Great Qin has developed to this point is also inseparable from these officials! Even if they have no merit, they have toiled hard! Your Highness the Crown Prince, you cannot be so heartless!!"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, we were wrong, we were truly wrong, please do not kill us, please do not kill us!!"
They seemed to have foreseen their end, so at this moment, they began to beg for mercy.
However, it was too late for them to start begging for mercy now.
Lin Tian heard their words but paid them no attention.
Instead, in front of everyone, he turned and left.
As he left, he said to Ying Zheng:
"Father Emperor, sweet potatoes and potatoes are not eaten like this; they must be cooked before they can be eaten!!"
"Come, I will prepare some staple foods and side dishes, and we can taste the deliciousness of sweet potatoes and potatoes together!"
"Moreover, there are several other delicious dishes among them, we can have a food banquet!"
After saying this, Lin Tian pulled Ying Zheng away.
He paid no attention to the ministers' pleas at this moment, no matter how they begged.
Not only Lin Tian, but even Ying Zheng was the same.
However, Ying Zheng was not as fond of killing as he was before, so he did not immediately take action against these people.
...