"Though the First Emperor of Qin committed brutal acts, he unified the Six States, ended the long-standing fragmentation under feudal lords, and achieved the first great unification of China!"
"He standardized writing, made carriage axles the same width, unified weights and measures, standardized the script, built the Great Wall to fend off foreign enemies, implemented the commandery-and-county system, effectively strengthened central authority, and much more!"
"These deeds had a profound impact on later generations, and his achievements cannot be erased. That is why later generations ranked him first among emperors for the ages!"
"Moreover, when judging whether a ruler was good or bad, one should not use one's own subjective imaginings, personal likes, or dislikes as the standard!"
"No one is perfect. Everyone has flaws and faults. Though the First Emperor of Qin grew superstitious of immortality-seeking sorcerers in his later years, none of that can conceal the tremendous contributions he made to this land of China—contributions unmatched by those before him and unsurpassed by those after!"
"When later generations evaluate an emperor's merits and abilities, they mainly look at what deep and lasting impact he had on the nation's development, the people's lives, and the course of history during his reign!"
"The First Emperor of Qin achieved unification and carried out many groundbreaking measures, greatly advancing the course of history. That is why later generations ranked him first among emperors for the ages!"
After hearing this, the white-haired old minister's expression softened somewhat, yet the persistence in his eyes remained!
"Then what about Emperor Wu of Han? He waged war without restraint, causing the nation's population to plummet and the people to suffer in poverty. How could he deserve to be called an emperor for the ages?"
"Emperor Wu of Han drove back the Xiongnu, expanded the Han Dynasty's