Narrator: This historical story happened at the beginning of the Warring States Period, the battle of the Seven Chivalrous Men more than two thousand years ago. One day, in the palace of Qin State ... Qin Xiaogong (anxiously): Alas! Among the seven countries, Qin is located in the west, and its comprehensive national strength is the weakest. Recently, Wei seized my territory west of the Yellow River. In the long run, how can Qin protect it? Palace Butler: Your Majesty, the six eastern countries held a meeting to make a pact, and China was not invited to attend. Qin Xiaogong (furious): What? ! How cruel! This is a great shame, and I will try to overcome it. Somebody, post this order for virtue, and I want to tell the world that if anyone can figure out a way to make Qin rich and strong, I will let him be an official and give him the land. Shang Yang (depressed and happy): I think Sun Yang is very talented, but it's useless. Recently, I heard that Qin is recruiting talents, which is a good opportunity to realize my great ambition. I'm going to have a try. (In the hall of the palace) Shang Yang was introduced: Meet the King. Qin Xiaogong: Please get up, sir. what do you think? Shang Yang (smug): If a country wants to be rich, it must develop agriculture, so that people can live and work in peace and contentment, and food and clothing can be guaranteed. To be strong, a country must train its troops. Qin Xiaogong (nodding): Yes, sir! But how can we develop agriculture? Shang Yang (firmly): Admit that the land cultivated by the people is private and allow them to buy and sell, so as to arouse their enthusiasm for production. At the same time, rewards and punishments should be clear, and the people should work hard to produce. If there is more land reclaimed and more grain and cloth turned over to the state treasury, the corvee can be exempted; Those who are lazy and abandon agriculture for business, together with their wives and children, are all government slaves. Qin Xiaogong: In your opinion, how can we train the army to become strong? Shang Yang (firmly): Rewards and punishments should also be clear. The greater the meritorious military service in the war, the higher the title awarded, and the more land, vehicles, clothes and houses given. Without military service, the old nobles would not enjoy privileges. Qin Xiaogong (nodding): You are very insightful. Shang Yang: But this is not the most important thing. Qin Xiaogong: Oh! So, what do you think is the most important thing? Shang Yang: I don't know what to say. Qin Xiaogong: I want to know more! Shang Yang (looking firmly): The most important thing is to reform and innovate and get rid of the old system of our ancestors. However, your majesty, this will harm the interests of some nobles, and the dignitaries will resolutely oppose it. Due to the enfeoffment system and Shi Qing Shi Lu system, these nobles enjoyed the privilege from generation to generation, and they could occupy high positions and become big officials without hard work, so they were not enterprising, decadent and incompetent, which hindered the strength of Qin State. To achieve the prosperity of Qin, it is necessary to select people with real talent and learning to be officials and govern the country. Qin Xiaogong: You are absolutely right! But Mr. Wang doesn't know that in my state of Qin, the power of the monarch is not great! Shang Yang (slightly thinking): Then we should strengthen the power of the monarch. In my opinion, the state of Qin can be divided into 30 counties. The monarch directly appoints county magistrates and county officials to govern, and incompetent county officials are punished. At the same time, it is necessary to implement the rule of law and use the legal system to implement reform measures. I wonder if your majesty has this determination? ! Qin Xiaogong (happily): Sir, you are my bosom friend! Among the seven countries, Qin is the weakest. If I don't reform, I will see my elders in Jiangdong in the future, and I will be ashamed to see my ancestors. I have made up my mind, and I will support you wholeheartedly! Tomorrow morning, you and the ministers discuss it in detail! Shang Yang: Yes!

Act II: Consideration of reform

Narrator: In court, Qin Xiaogong pretended to be worried. Qin Xiaogong: Dear ladies and gentlemen, I intend to reform the rules left by my ancestors, but I am afraid that everyone in the world will laugh at me. What should I do? Shang Yang: Your Majesty, people with original ideas are always laughed at by ordinary people. As long as it can make the country rich and strong, there is no need to follow the old system and the old rules! Qin Xiaogong (approvingly): What a good statement! Conservative Party Minister Gan Long (eagerly): Your Majesty, the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed, otherwise it will be regarded as unfilial! Shang Yang: Lord Gan, this statement is poor! At present, the prosperity of Qin is more important than anything else. Why should we stick to the rules on such an important matter? ! Gan Long: If the old law is adopted, officials will be familiar with it, the people will be stable and the world will not be chaotic! Shang Yang (contemptuously): This is just a secular statement! A conformist is content with old customs and has no innovative spirit. When you talk about tradition, are we going to abandon agriculture today, learn from Shennong and taste a hundred herbs from scratch, or even wear clothes to hide, or are we going to climb a tree hole in our house? Can this tradition remain unchanged? Conservative Party Minister Du Zhi (eagerly): Without a hundred benefits, we can't reform, and following the ancient system won't lead people astray! Shang Yang (firmly): There is no eternal way to govern the country. To govern the country, we must make new laws according to the changes of the times. Otherwise, why did Shang Tang and Zhou Wuwang change the ancient law and become kings, while Xia Jie and Shang Zhou perished without changing the old system? Gan Long: Well ... Your Majesty, my title and official position are hereditary. My land was divided by my former king, and the slaves who cultivated my land were handed down by my ancestors. All these things are not allowed to be harmed in the slightest. Shang Yang: Times have changed. Your slaves have lost their enthusiasm for production, right? ! They ran away, broke tools and kept fighting. How can I keep my property? Only by recognizing the private ownership of land can we mobilize the enthusiasm of workers for production and increase the national fiscal revenue. Gan Long and Du Zhi (stuttering, looking at each other, then turning to Qin Xiaogong): Well ... Your Majesty, the laws of your ancestors cannot be changed. Look before you leap! Qin Xiaogong: Stop it. I've made up my mind. GongSunYang, I call you Zuo Shu's sister. From tomorrow on, I will be in charge of political reform! Narrator: Sun Yang criticized the conservative ministers through parliamentary reform, and his thoughts were known by more people inside and outside the imperial court. Qin Xiaogong supports reform more firmly!

Act III Standing on a tree to win trust

(Shang Yang's official residence in 356 BC) Shang Yang: Has the first issue of the Notice of Reform been posted? Interior Minister (hesitating, trying to say but afraid to say): This ... old Zuo Shu! Shang Yang: Is there any problem? Interior Minister: No! My Lord, a few people don't believe you. They think you're joking and won't take it seriously. Shang Yang: Oh! Let's go and have a look at the south gate. By the way, don't forget to bring 50 gold. There is a group of people in front of the south gate notice, and several soldiers are maintaining order. Interior Minister: Zuo Shu has grown up! Shang Yang (everyone told him to get out of the way and stand on the platform in front of the notice): Ladies and gentlemen, I always keep my word. Please believe me! (People look at him suspiciously) People A: Mrs. Zuo, in the first "mowing order", those who produce more food are exempt from corvee. Can it be implemented? Everyone: Yes! Can other projects be implemented? Is it true?/You don't say. /You don't say. ! Shang Yang (finding a log 30 feet long): Ladies and gentlemen, whoever can move it to the north gate will be rewarded with 10 gold coins. Everyone (inexplicably, no one dares to try): Is Mrs Zuo joking with us? ! Shang Yang (raising his voice): Whoever can move it to the north gate will be rewarded with 50 gold. Person B (bravely standing up): Move, it's just a little effort, it's no big deal! Shang yang (when person b returns to the south gate with the flow of people): reward 50 gold. Ladies and gentlemen, the reform is expensive because rewards and punishments are clear and law enforcement is like a mountain. Act according to the law, you will soon be rich, and Qin will soon be strong! Narrator: In this way, Shang Yang won the trust of the people, thus ensuring the smooth implementation of the new law among the people!

The fourth act is a mountain of law enforcement.

Narrator: More than a month later, in the palace of the King of Qin ... Shang Yang (eagerly): Your Majesty, I have something important to report. Qin Xiaogong: Yes, sir. Shang Yang (sadly): Prince-Qin Xiaogong: What happened to him? Shang Yang: He broke the law! Qin Xiaogong (surprised): The prince is still young. How could he ... Shang Yang (silent for a while, speaking slowly): Yes, the new law stipulates that "those who have no military merit have no privilege". Those noble royalty will lose many privileges in the past if they don't participate in the war and make meritorious deeds; After "sitting together" practice, they can't do whatever they want. So they tried their best to undermine the political reform, which is why the new law can't be implemented! Qin Xiaogong (silent): ... Shang Yang: The prince is the heir of the monarch, so it is inconvenient to punish him. But if the new law can be violated at will, it will not be implemented in the future. Qin Xiaogong (embarrassedly): What should we do? Shang Yang said: I have made it very clear that the prince broke the law because of his teacher's instigation and they should be punished. Qin Xiaogong: Let's do as Teacher Zuo says! Shang Yang (to the attendant): Give an order-the prince broke the law because the teacher didn't teach him well! Life: cut the nose for the prince's teacher, childe Qian, and Gong Sunjia stabbed his face. Narrator: In this way, the conservatives saw that Qin Xiaogong and Shang Yang were so determined that they dared not oppose the new law.

The fifth act: enriching the country and strengthening the country

Narrator (happily): Eight years later, a farmer's home was covered with lanterns and colorful decorations. The host was busy welcoming guests, and the neighbors congratulated him. Do you want to know what they are talking about? Zhang San: Congratulations, you have made great contributions in the battle with Wei. The county magistrate gave you a second-class merit and a 9-mu farmland house. In the past, only nobles were entitled to enjoy these. I really envy you. Moderator (beaming): Congratulations! Last year, you turned over so much food to the state treasury and were rewarded by the county magistrate! Lisi: Ladies and gentlemen, since the new law, our people have been farming with peace of mind, supporting their families, not scavenging, and there are no thieves in the mountains, and their lives have improved a lot! I bought a few acres of fertile land this year, and there is more food than I can eat. Master: Qin is not only rich, but also a powerful country among the seven countries. I have been struggling for ten years, and only in these years have I been truly proud and returned home in triumph again and again! Wang Wu (proudly): Qin Jun not only recovered the land of Hexi, but also seized the territory of Wei, and the territory of Qin became larger and larger. I heard that the six eastern countries also invited Qin Xiaogong to a meeting to make a covenant and worship him as the king of the vassal states! Master (excitedly): Yes, they all sit up and take notice of Qin. Ladies and gentlemen, let's drink to the prosperity of Qin! Everybody: cheers!

Act VI Life with Blood and Tears

Narrator: In 338 BC, Qin Xiaogong died of illness, and Prince Qin Huiwen succeeded him. One day, in the palace of the new king, Gong Ziqian, Gong and the new king were plotting how to counter Shang Yang's counterattack ... Gong Ziqian (coldly): Your Majesty, I have lived under the mask for more than ten years, and I hate it. I am your majesty's teacher for nothing! Please avenge me! King Qin Huiwen (thinking briefly): What do you think? Gong (eager and cruel): We have thought about it. There are several servants in Shang Yang's family. We will arrest him for "rebellion" and make him die a natural death! King Qin Huiwen (insidiously): Do it! Hum! Narrator: On a dark rainy night of a month, Shang Yang was reading a book under an oil lamp. Suddenly, a black shadow flashed and disappeared. A dagger was inserted in the window of Shang Yang's study. Shang Yang (nervously): Who? My Lord, I found a dagger and a piece of paper. Shang Yang (opens the paper): "Urgent! ! Gong ziqian has already started to act! Go! " Shang Yang (orders the courtiers to lament): Hurry! Pack your things! Alas! My reform has made Qin rich and strong, but Qin has no place for me! Narrator: In this way, the Shang Yang family left the official residence, braved the heavy rain and walked towards the border with one foot deep and one foot shallow. Late at night, they came to an inn and woke up the owner ... Owner: It's so late, why? Home Secretary (eagerly): We want to stay. Shopkeeper: Please show me your identification. Interior Minister: I was in a hurry when I left. We stayed overnight before I got the voucher. Shopkeeper: Impossible! Sir, according to the new law of Shang Jun, you must bring your certificate when you go out, and you are not allowed to stay without it. Shang Yang: I am Shang Jun! Shopkeeper (firmly): No one can stay without a certificate! Otherwise, I will be punished by "sitting together" You'd better go back and get the voucher and come back! Home Secretary (reluctantly): You ... Shang Yang (stop the retainer): Stop fighting and let's go home! Interior Minister (surprised): Isn't that going back to trap yourself? ! Shang Yang (calm and happy): Don't change the law if you are afraid of death! I am relieved that the new law is so deeply rooted in people's hearts. I will die without regret! Narrator: In this way, Shang Yang returned to the station, waiting to be captured. A few days later, King Huiwen of Qin split Shang Yang's car on charges of "rebellion" and died.