When Wu Qi was in Wei, he led the Wei Wu Battalion into battle and crushed Qin.
The loss of two million old Qin soldiers left the already weak Qin even weaker.
From then on, Qin sank into a low point.
During the reign of King Xiao of Qin,
Qin welcomed a young man.
Shang Yang.
A disciple of the Legalist School who had traveled across the Nine Provinces.
He was exceptionally capable and brilliantly talented.
Determined to reverse Qin's long-standing weakness, King Xiao of Qin still placed great trust in Shang Yang!
Shang Yang's reforms began.
Politically, Shang Yang abolished the well-field system, opened up land boundaries, established private land ownership and allowed land to be bought and sold. He encouraged farming, prioritized agriculture over commerce, implemented the county system, and standardized weights and measures.
Militarily, Shang Yang introduced a system of noble ranks based on military merit. He encouraged the killing of enemies, made rewards and punishments clear, and granted titles according to military achievements. Even nobles could not pass down their ranks without military merit.
This reform gave commoners a chance to rise and curbed the privileges of the nobility.
The battlefield was Qin soldiers' finest ladder for advancement!
Killing one enemy counted as one military merit!
As long as they killed enough, and killed quickly enough, becoming a marquis or prime minister would be within reach!
The decree sent Qin's young and able-bodied men into a frenzy!
A wave of enlistment swept through all of Qin.
Even toothless Old Men carried hoes over to sign up for the army.
All in all, once this decree was issued, Qin soldiers' morale +1000! Bravery +1000! Cohesion +1000! Fearlessness of death +1000!
Qin's military strength surged throughout the nation!
In criminal law, Shang Yang established harsh punishments, and the