Chapter 65: The Second Five-Year Plan, A New Era

Chapter 65: The Second Five-Year Plan and a New Era

The Second Five-Year Plan, also known as the Great Qin Second Five-Year Plan, outlined the objectives the Great Qin was to undertake over the next five years and the strategic direction of the entire nation. It served as the guiding manual for the empire's development!

Various departments of the Great Qin had also held overnight meetings upon returning, formulating long-term plans for the next five years along with the budgets required for their implementation, awaiting the grand imperial court session.

Today's Qilin Hall was the venue for the major court assembly held once every seven days. The hall was already packed with civil and military officials standing in small groups, whispering to one another.

Ying Zheng was also holding a thick plan book, earnestly reading through it.

After reading for a moment, Ying Zheng closed the plan book, raised his head, and asked his ministers, "My esteemed ministers, how has the discussion gone? Who shall begin first?"

The main purpose of this court assembly was to finalize the core contents of the Great Qin Second Five-Year Plan, as the New Year was fast approaching. This matter needed to be settled as soon as possible to facilitate prompt execution.

"Fellow colleagues, this old minister shall go first."

Wei Zhuang, in his forties, took out his booklet and stepped forward first.

"You old scoundrel, utterly devoid of decency!" Wang Wan muttered under his breath, watching Wei Zhuang seize the lead.

"Your Majesty, esteemed colleagues," Wei Zhuang began, "Ever since this old minister took charge of the Ministry of Education, county and commandery schools across Great Qin have flourished. Through the tireless efforts of our subordinates within the Ministry of Education, the common folk throughout Great Qin have vied to send their children to study. Even in the most isolated households, the parents were personally persuaded by this old minister and others to send their children to school.

To date, the enrollment rate of children in Great Qin remains stably above eighty percent. The remaining children who have yet to enroll mostly reside in remote regions. Among the forty-four commanderies currently possessed by Great Qin, forty have already established commandery schools. The six commanderies of Jiuyuan, Liaodong, Liaoxi, Youbeiping, Beidi, and Jibei have temporarily not established commandery schools due to their location along the northern border and the vast grasslands. These six commanderies plan to establish county schools first, and upon graduation, students will proceed to the commandery schools in adjacent commanderies for further studies.

The first batch of students from the Great Qin Imperial University, Medical College, and Military Academy will also graduate next year, ready to contribute their value to Great Qin. In view of Great Qin's future—the increase in students, the large-scale launch of infrastructure construction, the high-speed development of all industries across the empire, the increase in military commanders, and the large-scale deployment of military physicians—this old minister proposes that over the next five years, the enrollment scale of the Imperial University, Medical College, and Military Academy be expanded. We should additionally establish a Normal College to cultivate a massive number of teachers to resolve future shortages in teaching staff; additionally establish a College of Science to cultivate research talents for our Great Qin; and additionally establish an Engineering College to cultivate technical talents such as intermediate and senior artisans for Great Qin, thereby accelerating all construction projects of the empire."

Holding his booklet, Wei Zhuang reported item by item to Ying Zheng and the assembled courtiers. This was directly related to the subsequent departmental budgets, and not the slightest negligence could be afforded.

As everyone knew, at this time every year, various departments fought tooth and nail for the following year's budget.

"What Minister Wei said is entirely correct. The changes in Great Qin over these past few years are all witnessed by Us," Ying Zheng said. "In the past, the philosophers of the Hundred Schools of Thought propagated their respective doctrines, and there were institutions like the Jixia Academy that allowed people to pursue advanced studies. However, those who could study with peace of mind were still the offspring of royalty and nobility; the true common masses of the world struggled merely to avoid starving to death. The rulers of various states exhausted every trick in the book merely to recruit a single talent.

Ever since Great Qin established educational institutions to cultivate talents for our nation and gave the children of commoners the opportunity to study and advance, it has not only enlightened the people's minds but also nurtured a multitude of talents for Great Qin.

Someone once told Us that enlightening the common people's minds was detrimental to the stability of the imperial court. We pondered this for a long time until the State Preceptor enlightened Us. Enlightening the people's minds liberates their thoughts; talented and capable individuals emerge endlessly among the populace, which not only pools the wisdom of all the people under heaven but also promotes national development. Furthermore, it enables the common folk to understand what a state and a nation are, uniting the hearts of the populace, thereby strengthening the country and the nation.

Over the past five years, Great Qin has established various academies, commandery schools, and county schools, providing a steady stream of talents across all industries for Great Qin. The common people can now read the imperial court's various policies, better comprehending the meaning of governmental decrees and preventing malicious individuals from confusing the public. The increase in the literacy rate has allowed military and national construction to achieve established goals more rapidly and efficiently, raised the combat effectiveness of the army, and promoted the progress of Great Qin.

The State Preceptor once said: 'It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate a person!' In the future, Great Qin must pay even greater attention to investment in education, providing more talents for the prosperity and flourishing of our Great Qin."

"Meng Yi!"

"This minister is here!"

Meng Yi, the Minister of the State Council and Minister of Finance who was listening to Ying Zheng's speech below, hurriedly stepped out of the ranks.

"In the coming period, financial investment in education can be appropriately increased. This year, Great Qin achieved a great victory over the Xiongnu, so the state treasury must be amply stocked!"

Thinking of the harvests of Great Qin this year, Ying Zheng was exceedingly magnanimous when it came to spending money. Five years ago, Great Qin had to stretch every single coin into five, with money needed everywhere. Although there were still numerous projects requiring funds now, there was no longer that niggardly stinginess. It seemed, after all, that plundering was the fastest way to acquire wealth!

*Hmm! Once court is dismissed, I shall check the map to see which region is wealthier!*

"This minister obeys the imperial decree!"

Meng Yi had originally wanted to point out that while the state treasury had funds, expenses were also massive. Moreover, the New Year was approaching; officials needed rewards, the army required comforting rewards, and all these were projects requiring vast sums of money—not to mention large-scale engineering projects such as building the Great Wall, constructing straight roads, building the imperial mausoleum, and dredging waterways. However, reflecting that Great Qin's future required the construction and protection of the children, education was indeed a matter that could not be treated lightly.

With Wei Zhuang taking the lead, various departments successively began their respective reports and planning for the next few years.

To summarize, they included:
Increasing investment in education, opening new mines, and expanding output.
Expanding the scale of various workshops and manufacturing plants to raise the production capacity of military, civilian, and other supplies.
Accelerating the construction, replacement, and updating of straight roads and city fortifications across the country.
Accelerating military re-equipment and troop training.
Increasing trading partners and expanding the variety and volume of trade with neighboring tribal nations.
Accelerating the breeding and cultivation scale of new crops such as sweet potatoes to resolve the food and clothing problems of the common people as soon as possible.
Launching a new round of national population and land censuses...

And a series of other issues concerning people's livelihood and national construction.

This grand court assembly lasted a full three days, conducting detailed discussions and planning regarding the existing problems and future development of Great Qin.

The Second Five-Year Plan was also known as the Great Qin Rise Plan. This plan laid the cornerstone for Great Qin to initiate its high-speed development mode.

The Second Five-Year Plan also marked the entry of Great Qin into a state of fury, officially stepping into an era of annexation and expansion.

At this time, the world's Maurya Empire, Roman Empire, Seleucid Empire, Macedonia, Carthage, and other nations were still oblivious to the earth-shattering changes the world would undergo five years later.

The mysterious realm from the East would suppress all races with invincible grace!

*(Note from the author at the conclusion of the chapter: As of today, this humble writer has composed 140,000 words in half a month. Thank you to the lovely readers who have silently supported me all along. A thousand words cannot express my gratitude to you all; thank you for your recommendation votes and bookmarks. Seeing dozens of new bookmarks and recommendation votes every day still brings me immense joy. However, due to personal reasons, I must offer my apologies. Because of my profession, I am unable to update multiple chapters every day, and that is my fault—please forgive me! Today, the prologue of this book temporarily concludes, and tomorrow we shall officially enter the main plot. If there are any inappropriate elements within the text, I sincerely hope you will not hesitate to offer your guidance! This humble writer also hopes to grow together alongside the growth of this book, and I shall work even harder! Bowing with clasped fists!)*

*(End of Chapter)*