If Qin Shi Huang knew that Qin II had bankrupted the Qin Dynasty in just three years, he would have been greatly shocked and disappointed. As the first emperor to unify China, Qin Shi Huang made great achievements, and he definitely hoped that his empire would survive forever and become a prosperous dynasty. However, the opposite is true. This narrative will use the political, economic, and military events of Qin II's reign as clues to accurately reveal the reasons for the decline of the Qin dynasty and the thought process of Qin Shi Huang.
After succeeding to the throne, Qin II faced many challenges and dilemmas. First, he lacked the courage and leadership skills of his father, Qin Shi Huang. After Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he implemented centralized power by tough measures, while adopting a series of reform measures to consolidate and stabilize the country. However, during the reign of Qin II, he lacked interest in government affairs and pursued pleasures and lewdness. He connived at corrupt officials and ignored the suffering of the people, resulting in serious corruption. This leadership style caused the imperial court to lose discipline and efficiency, and political corruption became one of the main reasons for the decline of the Qin dynasty.
Secondly, Qin II also showed obvious military incompetence. He did not have the military talent and experience of victory like Qin Shi Huang, and lacked the determination and ability to expand abroad. Instead, he indulged in sound and horses, allowing the army to slack and corrupt. This demoralized the frontier defenders and were unable to cope with external troubles. At the same time, his attitude towards the Xiongnu was weak and indecisive, and he failed to effectively respond to the Xiongnu's aggression, which led to frequent problems on the border. Military defeat threatened national security and was one of the important reasons for the decline of the Qin Dynasty.
In addition, Qin II made major mistakes in economic policy. During the reign of Qin Shi Huang, a series of economic reform measures were implemented, including the implementation of the county system, the unification of weights and measures, and the unification of currency, which led to great development of the national economy. However, Qin II pursued some anachronistic policies, such as large-scale construction of luxurious palaces and gardens, and profligate them. These extravagant consumption not only cost a lot of financial and human resources, but also put the country's finances in trouble. At the same time, Qin II appointed incompetent people to important positions, leading to cabinet corruption and further worsening the country's finances. Financial difficulties and corruption bankrupted the state and were one of the important reasons for the decline of the Qin Dynasty.
In the face of all this, Qin Shi Huang will definitely feel disappointed and angry. He paid great efforts and costs to build a prosperous and stable world, but his son easily destroyed all this. Qin Shi Huang will reflect on his own way of ruling and consider whether he has deficiencies in educating and training Qin II. He may regret not better grooming and educating his successors to lead and govern during his reign.
In addition to self-reflection, Qin Shi Huang will also consider how to save the fate of the Qin Dynasty. He may seek ways to govern to make up for the flaws and problems left by Qin II. He may consider rebuilding a good political system, overhauling the military, and deepening economic reforms. He may make a series of changes to restore stability and prosperity to the country.
In short, if Qin Shi Huang knew that Qin II had bankrupted the Qin Dynasty in just three years, he would have been very shocked and disappointed. He will ponder the political, economic, and military defeats of Qin II and think about how to save the fate of the Qin dynasty. His reflections and actions may influence the course of history for future generations.