Qin Feng, a modern man with three years of military service and three years of experience ghostwriting graduation theses, transmigrates to an ancient parallel world after a car accident. His father, a commandant, dies on the battlefield, and his mother takes her own life in despair. In a single night, he is an orphan.
Qing County lies on the frontier, plagued by war and bandits. It is the poorest corner of the empire. After the previous magistrate dies in the fighting, no one is willing to take the post. Emperor Qing hears of Qin Feng's misfortune and learns that he can read and write, so he appoints him magistrate on a whim. From then on, the empire forgets Qing County.
Using his modern knowledge and distinctive vision, Qin Feng leads the people in building workshops, promoting commerce, constructing waterworks and high walls, and developing technology. In just a few years, Qing County transforms from a ruined backwater into an imperial miracle, its streets crowded with merchants and its people living in peace and prosperity.
But the good times do not last. The Third Prince sets his sights on Qing County's wealth and technology. He even conspires with the Xiongnu, manufacturing a border crisis, destroying a reservoir, and blocking the roads. He forces Emperor Qing, who is on an inspection tour, to change course and visit Qing County incognito, hoping to use the emperor to eliminate Qin Feng for “overstepping his authority.”
When Emperor Qing arrives, he is deeply moved by Qing County's prosperity and the happy lives of its people. Inspired to pursue a new vision for the empire, he values Qin Feng's talent all the more, grants him Qing County as a fief, and summons him to the capital to help realize that vision.
But amid the ruthless struggle for imperial power, Emperor Qing is unexpectedly killed. Qin Feng is betrayed, and nearly all his loyal followers are killed or wounded. Seeing his companions sacrifice themselves for the political slogan he had casually coined, “serve the people,” Qin Feng is overcome with grief and rage. He takes up the great ambition of the fallen and embarks on a path to build an empire that will dominate the world...
"Xin Dynasty County Magistrate" Chapter One: County Government New Deal In the year X Zhao Jingwen is the new county magistrate of a county in Jiangnan. He was originally just a scholar. Because he was good at pen and ink and familiar with the books of sages, he was favored by the superior officials and elected as the county magistrate. With a transfer order, he stepped into the county government office from his humble home in the countryside, vowing to devote himself to the country and govern the place. The county town is not big, the city walls are dilapidated, the streets are deserted, and the people are in ragged clothes. The account books left by the former county magistrate show that taxes have not been paid, granaries are empty, and banditry has not been quelled. Everything seems to be telling that the aftermath of the troubled times is still lingering. Zhao Jingwen knew very well that the most important thing at this time was to feed the people and restore vitality to the county. So, he held a county government meeting and announced his new political program—— "The people are the foundation, the national treasury must be replenished, and county administration needs a new style." Article 1: Land equalization system. All land is uniformly measured by the county government and distributed according to households to ensure that people can make a living by farming. Article 2: Commercial tax reform. In the past, merchants had to pay exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes to the yamen, but now it has been changed to "government-business joint operation" - the county government cooperates with merchants, and the yamen controls the order of transactions. Article 3: Culture and education make the country prosperous. A county school is set up to recruit children, who are funded by the county government to study and cultivate future talents. As soon as this order came out, there was a lot of discussion in the county. Some businessmen were dissatisfied: "Isn't this a blatant profit grab?" Some gentry were dissatisfied: "Equalize the land? But where will my ten thousand acres of fertile land go?" Some farmers secretly rejoiced: "The county magistrate is a good official!" Zhao Jingwen ignored the opposition and resolutely implemented the New Deal. But what he didn't know was that his actions had brought together Yuanwai Li from the east of the city, Mr. Sun from the north of the city, and several civil and military squires... Chapter 2: Restructuring Troubles Three months after the New Deal was implemented, the people gradually benefited and the market gradually prospered. However, Zhao Jingwen began to feel inexplicable pressure—— Official rations were often robbed, tax dollars disappeared during transportation, and even government officials were assassinated in the middle of the night. Some people secretly spread rumors in the city, saying that the county magistrate's move was to compete with the people for profit and to deprive the gentry of their "ancestral property." Zhao Jingwen knew very well that this was an invisible battle. He personally went on a tour incognito, visited the market, and finally discovered that the man behind the scenes was a local powerful man. They have been entrenched in the local area for many years, monopolizing livelihoods, bribed officials, and even set up their own armed regiments outside the county. Zhao Jingwen was furious and ordered the arrest of the culprit behind the scenes. However, just the night before he was about to take action, a secret letter was sent to him in front of the case: "Sir, don't push people too hard. Be gentle in everything. If you insist on doing something, I'm afraid it will hurt your harmony and ruin your future." Zhao Jingwen was shocked, remained silent for a long time, and finally crushed the letter. The next day, he still ordered the arrest, but in a different way—— He invited the supervisor of the state capital, invited the governor, and even used some "Beijing-China relations". On the surface, he wanted to suppress the bandits, but in fact he was telling everyone: "This is not the decision of me, Zhao Jingwen, but the will of the imperial court." Officer Li was imprisoned, Mr. Sun's property was confiscated, and the squires dispersed overnight, as if they had never existed. However, Zhao Jingwen knew that what he won was just a small victory. Chapter 3: New Order Five years later, the county has a completely new look. Business taxes are stable, farmland has good harvests, and people live and work in peace and contentment. Zhao Jingwen's political achievements were appreciated by the imperial court, and he was transferred to the state capital and promoted to one rank. However, when he left the county town and looked at the bustling market, he couldn't help but frown. "The restaurant in the west of the city is still run by the Sun family's old team." "The silk and satin shop in the north of the city has changed its sign. The owner is still the Li family." "Even the descendants of those squires have now entered the official ranks and become a new generation of gentry." Zhao Jingwen suddenly understood something—— The reforms he implemented only overthrew the old "landlords", but a new class of powerful people was quietly rising. The people he once defeated changed their names and identities, and continued to control the lifeblood of this city. He was silent for a long time, and finally gave a wry smile and got into the carriage. ——The wheel of history rolls forward, but the ruts left behind may just be the traces of yesterday. (Over)
Thank you to the author for writing such an easy-to-understand article, and it is very natural to connect with modern times. If you have any suggestions, it would be better to make it more interesting to surprise Emperor Qing.
Very good time travel novel The target is Rogue Imperial Master Fang Zhengyi
Very interesting Very nice