I Want to Be Emperor.

Summary

Liu De returns to the palace and reviews drafts by Ning Cheng, which highlight the historical suppression of merchants in unified empires. He notes the negative traits of merchants, such as exploitation and collusion with officials, and recognizes the public's disdain for them. Liu De finds Ning Cheng's proposals excessively punitive, fearing they may alienate the scholarly community and local officials. He revises the draft to emphasize governance through virtue rather than punishment. Zhang Tang and Ji An, upon reviewing Liu De's changes, express their admiration for his benevolence, indicating a desire to follow the path of the deceased Emperor.

Full content