When Ying Zheng called out "Summon someone," everyone tensed, awaiting his command.
However, some officials revealed smiles. These were the officials associated with the great scholars. They were still lost in their own thoughts, imagining that Ying Zheng would, according to their wishes, execute Lin Tian, who was invincible against ten thousand men. The thought made them happy. If they could have Lin Tian killed, they would be more powerful than an army of ten thousand.
But before they could fully rejoice, Ying Zheng's order left them stunned.
"Summon someone!"
"Drag all these officials out and have them beheaded!!"
"Anyone in their families who dares to defy this, their entire clan will be exterminated!!"
"How dare they provoke my authority??"
"Those great scholars dared to arbitrarily fabricate the Rites of Zhou, attempting to deceive me with them. General Lin was right to kill them!"
"Anyone who has any dissenting opinions on this matter, I don't mind sending them to die alongside those great scholars!!"
Ying Zheng was not a benevolent person to begin with. With so many people stepping forward demanding Lin Tian's execution, he naturally showed no mercy. He intended not only to kill these individuals but also to deny their families any chance of pleading for mercy. This was undoubtedly the most despairing news for these people.
Those who had been laughing internally were now experiencing a drastic shift in their emotions; they were bewildered, terrified, and filled with dread. They had never imagined that after so many of them demanded Lin Tian's death, Ying Zheng would ultimately decide to kill them instead.
This caused these disciples of Confucianism to look around in bewilderment. They then noticed that other Confucian disciples were also looking bewildered. The look of astonishment on their faces told them that what they had heard was not an illusion; it was all true.
Thus, after a brief moment of stunned silence, many of them immediately fell to their knees, begging for mercy.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I was wrong. I shouldn't have believed their slander. I shouldn't have listened to them say General Lin deserved death. They taught me to say these things!"
"Your Majesty, don't kill me, don't kill me! It was all them forcing me! They forced me to do this!"
"Ah! I don't want to die! I never intended to kill General Lin! I think Your Majesty and General Lin are doing the right thing. Those great scholars truly deserved to die! I, I was just momentarily confused and stood on the wrong side!"
"Your Majesty, I also stood on the wrong side! I also stood on the wrong side!"
Hearing that they were about to die, these people were immediately terrified. Thus, they begged for mercy without any backbone.
However, such pleas fell on Ying Zheng's ears without causing any ripple. These were the same people who had just pressured him to kill Lin Tian. These people dared to try and kill the hope of Great Qin, dared to try and kill his son. If Ying Zheng hadn't officially revealed Lin Tian's identity yet, he would have loved to have these people boiled in a cauldron, making them truly taste the agony of death.
Therefore, hearing their pleas, Ying Zheng merely waved his hand.
Immediately, these individuals were dragged away. Their screams soon reached the ears of the ministers. The successive screams sent a shiver down the spines of many ministers. Many ministers felt a lingering fear at this moment. Fortunately, they had held firm. Had they joined those ranks at the request of the Confucian disciples, they might not have returned today. In fact, their families might have died as a consequence.
However, the fact that Ying Zheng executed so many officials at once was also something no one had anticipated. Many wondered if Ying Zheng's ruthless methods were a bit too severe. Yet, these people were completely unaware that the Ying Zheng of history was even more ruthless. The burning of books and burying of scholars was an event that would be remembered for millennia. Therefore, what Ying Zheng was doing now was a minor matter.
After executing those men, Ying Zheng calmly spoke again:
"Li Si!!"
"Your subject is here!!"
"I wish to revise the Rites of Qin based on the Rites of Zhou, and I intend to perform the Feng Shan ceremony at Mount Tai in a few days. You will be in charge of this matter!!"
"Yes, your subject obeys the decree!!"
Hearing Ying Zheng's words, Li Si's entire body trembled. Revising the new Rites of Qin was undoubtedly a matter of immense significance that would influence the entire realm. Its impact was perhaps no less than that of revising the Qin Law. For Li Si, this was an unparalleled opportunity for merit. If he succeeded, his name, Li Si, would surely be passed down through the ages. Especially when he thought of future generations adhering to the Rites of Qin in their conduct, it would be even more extraordinary.
This caused Li Si's face to involuntarily flush with excitement. He was too overcome with emotion. He never expected that by merely speaking a few good words for Lin Tian, such a great opportunity would fall into his lap. He knew he couldn't be considered a disciple of Confucianism; he was a Legalist. He wasn't very knowledgeable about the Rites of Zhou, and revising the new Rites of Qin would certainly require more than his own talent.
This was something not only he knew, but Ying Zheng was also aware of. However, under such circumstances, Ying Zheng still assigned this task to him, and the implication was very clear. Especially the mention of performing the Feng Shan ceremony at Mount Tai in a few days made Li Si understand even more clearly whose influence he should align himself with and who he should primarily serve! He was already contemplating how to make the Feng Shan ceremony at Mount Tai a grand and successful event.
Ying Zheng was unaware of Li Si's thoughts. But seeing Li Si's demeanor, Ying Zheng knew that Li Si would surely handle the matter well. Therefore, this matter was temporarily put aside.
"Regarding the deceased officials, their positions will all be filled by their subordinates. Those with ability shall take them!!"
"Furthermore, as Great Qin grows stronger, many regions are left unmanaged, which is highly disadvantageous to Great Qin!"
"Therefore, I have decided to hold another imperial examination in three months!"
"This imperial examination will be open to all subjects of Great Qin!"
"I especially wish to encourage our old Qin people to actively participate in the imperial examination!"
"After suffering for so many years, everyone should be able to manage their hometowns through their own capabilities and improve their lives!"
In fact, Ying Zheng's last sentence was a hope that more old Qin people would participate in the imperial examination and become officials in Great Qin. However, the entire world was now Qin territory, and the people who originally belonged to other states were also subjects of Qin. Therefore, Ying Zheng could not state this explicitly or treat people differently. But once these words were spoken, intelligent people would understand.
...