A6.71
Now that the Second Emperor has ascended the throne, people all over the world are craning their necks to see what he will do. People who feel cold look for clothes, and people who are hungry look for food. The outcry of the people over the world are the motivation for their new master. This means that the wishes of the toiling masses can be easily satisfied with benevolent policies. If the Second Emperor had the ability of an ordinary monarch, he would appoint loyal and virtuous ministers. And together with his ministers, he would focus on national affairs, correct the mistakes of the previous emperor, grant land to the descendants of meritorious officials, establish vassal states, govern the country with courtesy, pardon prisoners and reduce killing, abolish the punishment of confiscating official slaves and defiling people's bodies, allow the prisoners to return to their hometowns, open the treasury and distribute the wealth, and help the lonely and poor, reduce taxes and corvée, help the people out of their difficulties, and reduce the criminal law to continue the previous policy, so that the people can start a new life, improve their conduct, and each carefully restrain themselves, meet the wishes of the people, and then use power to govern the world, and the world will be stable. Within the four seas, everyone will live and work happily, and the only fear will be the unrest. Even if there are cunning people, they will not have the idea of betraying the emperor. Then the lawless treacherous ministers will not be able to cover up their plots, and the evil deeds of violence can be stopped. The Second Emperor did not adopt this method, but became more tyrannical and unjust, destroyed the ancestral temples, harmed the subjects, and began to build the Afang Palace. He formulated harsh laws and severe punishments. Officials handled government affairs very harshly, rewards and punishments were inappropriate, taxes and corvée were unlimited, and there were many things in the world that officials could not handle. The people were poor and the monarch could not appease them. After that, treacherous and deceitful people rebelled at the same time, and the whole country concealed each other. More and more people were convicted, and the people who were punished and killed blocked the roads, and the people of the world suffered greatly. From the king and ministers to the common people, everyone felt that they were in a dangerous situation, in poverty and suffering, and could not be at ease in their positions, so they were easily shaken. Therefore, Chen She did not need to have the talents of Shang Tang or King Wu of Zhou, nor did he need to have the status of a Duke. He only raised his arms in the Township of Daze, the Great Lake, and the people of the world responded in unison. This was because the people felt that they were in a dangerous situation. This is how the ancient sage kings were able to see through the changes and developments of things to know the key to the survival of the country. Therefore, the way to rule the people was to keep them stable. Even if there were a few ministers who did evil things, they would definitely not get any respond from the people. So it is said that "people who live a stable life can be promoted to benevolence and righteousness, while people in dangerous situations are easy to do evil with them." This is the reason. The emperor is the son of heaven and has the world's wealth, but he himself cannot be saved from being killed, it is precisely because he failed to correct mistakes and uphold justice in a timely manner! This is the mistake of the Second Emperor.
今秦二世立，天下莫不引领而观其政。夫寒者利裋褐而饥者甘糟糠，天下之嗷嗷，新主之资也。此言劳民之易为仁也。乡使二世有庸主之行，而任忠贤，臣主一心而忧海内之患，缟素而正先帝之过，裂地分民以封功臣之后，建国立君以礼天下，虚囹圉而免刑戮，除去收帑汙秽之罪，使各反其乡里，发仓廪，散财币，以振孤独穷困之士，轻赋少事，以佐百姓之急，约法省刑以持其后，使天下之人皆得自新，更节修行，各慎其身，塞万民之望，而以威德与天下，天下集矣。即四海之内，皆讙然各自安乐其处，唯恐有变，虽有狡猾之民，无离上之心，则不轨之臣无以饰其智，而暴乱之奸止矣。二世不行此术，而重之以无道，坏宗庙与民，更始作阿房宫，繁刑严诛，吏治刻深，赏罚不当，赋敛无度，天下多事，吏弗能纪，百姓困穷而主弗收恤。然后奸伪并起，而上下相遁，蒙罪者众，刑戮相望于道，而天下苦之。自君卿以下至于众庶，人怀自危之心，亲处穷苦之实，咸不安其位，故易动也。是以陈涉不用汤武之贤，不藉公侯之尊，奋臂于大泽而天下响应者，其民危也。故先王见始终之变，知存亡之机，是以牧民之道，务在安之而已。天下虽有逆行之臣，必无响应之助矣。故曰“安民可与行义，而危民易与为非”，此之谓也。贵为天子，富有天下，身不免于戮杀者，正倾非也。是二世之过也。
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