binnovel Chapter 291 Ying Wuyou and Li Si argue in the court
Chapter 291 Ying Wuyou and Li Si argue in the court
After Li Si finished speaking, the King of Qin did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, his brows furrowed, as if he were deep in thought. The entire court fell silent for a moment; everyone held their breath, quietly awaiting the King's next words.
After a long while, the King of Qin finally raised his head slowly and said, "Minister Li's proposal is indeed unique and innovative. If this system can be successfully implemented, it will greatly benefit the long-term stability and prosperity of our Great Qin Dynasty. However, no reform is easy, and this matter still needs to be discussed and deliberated in depth with all of you ministers to weigh the pros and cons before a final decision can be made."
A heated debate ensued in the court. Some ministers considered Li Si's ideas too radical, fearing the reforms would cause turmoil in the court; others praised the power checks and balances mechanism, believing it would effectively prevent the abuse of power. Li Si argued his case forcefully, responding to the ministers' questions one by one. His voice was firm and powerful, echoing throughout the court.
The King of Qin stared intently at Li Si, who was fiercely debating with the crowd and holding his own against them. A wave of emotion surged within him, making it difficult for him to remain calm. To be honest, the King of Qin truly held a deep reliance and appreciation for this talented and resourceful minister.
Li Si had always been able to accurately grasp the thoughts and intentions of the King of Qin, as if there was an unspoken understanding between them. Many times, the King of Qin even felt a sense of perfect harmony, believing that Li Si was the right person to help him achieve his great ambition of becoming a hegemon.
However, not long ago, the King of Qin unexpectedly overheard from Jia Yang that Li Si would one day alter the imperial edict! Although this had not yet actually happened, the mere thought of betrayal, once it arose, was like a small pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples and causing a tiny crack in what was once an unbreakable bond of trust. And this crack, however small, was enough to make everything unrecognizable.
At this moment, the King of Qin slowly turned his gaze to Ying Wuyou beside him and asked, "Jiayang, in your opinion, what is the system proposed by Li Tingwei?"
Ying Wuyou frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and replied, "While Li Tingwei's idea is indeed ingenious, its shortcomings are also obvious."
Upon hearing this, Li Si quickly stepped forward, bowed, and eagerly asked, "Princess Jiayang, please tell me, what exactly is this so-called defect of mine?"
Ying Wuyou looked at Li Si and said, "The advantages of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system advocated by Li Tingwei are self-evident, such as clear division of labor, checks and balances of power, and the ability to ensure the relative stability of the Qin Dynasty. However, we cannot ignore the many hidden drawbacks. First, this system seriously lacks democratic elements, making it difficult for the voices of the people to reach the court; second, the lack of detailed division of responsibilities among departments leads to a significant reduction in work efficiency, often leaving the system inadequate to cope with emergencies; third, the entire system lacks flexibility and is difficult to adapt to the changing times and the needs of national development. Most importantly, the power held by the Prime Minister and the Grand Commandant is far too great, which will inevitably lead to a series of thorny problems in the long run."
Upon hearing Ying Wuyou's words, the court officials exchanged glances and whispered among themselves. Each of them wore a serious expression, as if they were secretly weighing the weight of these words.
Meanwhile, Li Si stood quietly to the side, silent. His brows were slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed on the distance, lost in deep thought. The more he pondered Ying Wuyou's words, the more he found them to be true. In truth, deep down, Li Si harbored a selfish motive. He naturally hoped to maintain the supreme authority of the Prime Minister's position and did not want to see its power divided or weakened. He knew that once the Prime Minister's power was dispersed, the position might no longer be as prestigious and illustrious as he desired.
Thinking of this, Li Si coughed lightly and slowly said, "The questions raised by Your Highness are all hypothetical at present. After all, the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system has not yet been formally implemented, and it is impossible to be certain that the various situations described by Your Highness will definitely occur in the future."
Ying Wuyou frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "What Li Tingwei said is quite reasonable. However, reforming the bureaucratic system is a fundamental plan concerning the Qin Dynasty, and it cannot tolerate the slightest negligence or mistake. Therefore, once a problem is discovered, it must be corrected immediately. We must not turn a blind eye or ignore it just because it has not yet caused a major mistake."
Upon hearing this, Li Si was taken aback. He had never expected Ying Wuyou to refute him so bluntly, and his expression turned somewhat ugly. After all, he had personally conceived this bureaucratic system, and now that someone had pointed out its potential hidden dangers to his face, he felt somewhat embarrassed.
Just then, Li Si subtly turned his gaze to Wang Wan ahead. It's important to understand that although this bureaucratic system originated with Li Si, the biggest beneficiary was undoubtedly Wang Wan, the Prime Minister. Wang Wan keenly sensed the gaze from behind. He slowly turned his head, his eyes meeting Li Si's. In that instant, Wang Wan understood the profound meaning conveyed in Li Si's eyes.
In fact, even Wang Wan himself hadn't expected that this entirely new bureaucratic system would be entirely beneficial to him. He had always known that Li Si coveted his position as prime minister, but he never imagined that Li Si would not only fail to weaken or divide his power, but would instead use the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system to further consolidate and strengthen his authority as prime minister. Thinking about this, Wang Wan pondered for a moment, gradually understanding the true intention behind Li Si's arrangement.
Although Li Si currently only holds the position of Minister of Justice, Wang Wan is perfectly aware that the King greatly favors and appreciates Li Si. If things continue this way, it's only a matter of time before Li Si ascends to the position of Prime Minister. Since the situation is clear, the two naturally formed an alliance.
After thoroughly considering all of this, Wang Wan stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system advocated by Li Tingwei is truly an ingenious plan. Admittedly, Princess Jiayang's concerns are not without merit and there is indeed a possibility that they might occur. However, for the present moment, this system is undoubtedly beneficial to the Qin Dynasty in every way! As for whether the situations Princess Jiayang described will actually occur in the future, if they unfortunately come true, we can then make appropriate revisions and improvements based on this system."