Chapter 961: This Day

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Especially Li Huang, whose face turned deathly pale.

What kind of rhythm was this?

It was clearly supposed to be a debate!

But why had it turned into a speech by this Vice Minister Liu alone?

The key was, he only just realized now—good heavens, this kid had been digging a pit for him the whole time!

What "the ruler is the least important, the state comes next, and the people are the most important"!

What "the scholar-official represents the people"—from the start of this debate, he had been guiding it in this direction, and Li Huang had still been feeling smug, because the direction of their debate represented the legitimacy of the scholar-official in this era.

But

But

He did not expect this.

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Liu Zheng was going to strip everything away without any bottom line!

"This"

Li Huang panicked all of a sudden.

What was even more terrifying was

This time, the King, Li Tun, was also standing behind Vice Minister Liu!

This was absolutely subversive!

He panicked all of a sudden.

Human rights?

If these people had human rights, then the King would lose his royal power! And they, the scholar-officials, would lose their privileges!

Inherent Human Rights!

Natural Rights!

The civil and military officials also began to panic.

The surrounding masses were still going crazy, because Liu Zheng was using Vernacular Chinese, so they understood exactly what Liu Zheng's words meant.

In the Declaration of Independence, the concept of Natural Rights was formally confirmed. Subsequently, the Declaration of the Rights of Man enriched it once again.

While this group of feudal scholar-officials was panicking, in fact, at this moment, Li Tun was also stunned.

Listen, we common people have such high-level rights! In fact, whether it is the Declaration of Independence or the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the foundation of these theories is Natural Rights. The theory of Natural Rights originates from Greece. Aristotle pointed out in his famous Nicomachean Ethics that there are two kinds of justice: one is Natural Justice, and the other is Conventional Justice.

That is to say, humans are born with natural rights and conventional rights.

Inherent Human Rights.

Natural Rights.

Good heavens.

He had completely not expected that Liu Zheng had made so many theoretical preparations.

Li Tun took a deep breath.

Let him do it.

This was truly, every word, subverting history, subverting tradition; every word struck straight at the heart.

Not a single word was wasted.

Liu Zheng continued, his voice high-pitched and intense.

"The law should only provide for penalties that are strictly and obviously necessary, and no one may be punished except by virtue of a law established and promulgated before the offense and legally applied!"

Let him do it.

Let's see what kind of tricks he can pull in this Li Dynasty.

"The protection of human rights requires an armed force."

The whole crowd was stirred up by Liu Zheng's words.

"Everyone is presumed innocent until they have been declared guilty; even if it is deemed necessary to arrest them, no cruel treatment of the detainee is permitted, and this shall be sanctioned by law!"

"The opinions expressed by the people, provided they do not disturb the public order established by law—"

The civil and military officials could no longer shout. At this moment, the voices of the masses were already rising wave after wave.

Li Hang was also stunned.

It was over.

Li Huang knew that this time, the scholar-officials were truly finished; he began to slump in his chair, beads of sweat the size of peas streaming down.

For what?

Soon, he would know.

The King was making a big move this time, but why? Did he not even want his own royal power? This was the most baffling part. In this world, who didn't want power? Who didn't want to be supreme, who didn't want to rule the world?

Why on earth was he promoting these human rights?

"Long live the King, long live the King!"

"The King is wise! The King is wise!"

When Liu Zheng's "Declaration of the Rights of Man" ended, almost all of Hancheng was an ocean of joy; the common people were so excited they couldn't control themselves. For the first time, they felt their inherent rights, and clearly, their human rights were recognized by the royal family and had the approval of the King, Li Tun.

"Vice Minister Liu, Vice Minister Liu!"

Li Huang's debate, defeated.

Li Hang and the others were not held accountable.

Many people began to weep with joy, running to tell each other the news. What Li Tun had not expected happened just like that; he thought that by giving up the supremacy of royal power, he would lose his status, but he didn't. Because of this, he even gained more support from these people.

This day.

"What do they want to do?"

"Hm? What on earth do they want to do!"

Li Tun announced in public that he would formally acknowledge this Declaration of the Rights of Man to the Sovereign State Longyan, as well as to surrounding countries and the international community.

"Preposterous, absolutely preposterous!"

A high-ranking official like Zhang Xuan was killed just like that; everyone felt the unusual nature of this reform.

"It seems the King has been bewitched by this Vice Minister Liu to the point of losing his reason!"

Li Hang returned home, and a group of people were already waiting for him.

Only, among these people, Zhang Xuan was already missing.

These people were naturally filled with righteous indignation and unwilling to accept this. Just kidding, the royal authority was gone, their privileges were gone, and this Vice Minister Liu was going to smash the power distribution of the Li Dynasty to pieces! In their view, the Li Dynasty would also be smashed to pieces! At a time when the Wa army was invading, doing this was complete nonsense!

This Vice Minister Liu has ill intentions!

"No, it cannot be like this!"

"We scholar-officials should support the King, rather than watch the Li Dynasty be destroyed bit by bit like this!"

The group of people was also silent.

Even Li Huang stepping in was no longer an effective Method.

"But what other Method do we have?"

Li Hang suddenly sighed.

What should be done?

At this moment, they were already being held firmly in check.

And the Duqi they had always relied on were not even in their hands now?

That is right.

This matter received the attention of all sectors of Li Dynasty society.

Reform!

Li Tun had already announced that the policies for this Li Dynasty reform would be formally determined at tomorrow's morning court.

The next day.

In the court, this time it was a grand morning assembly.

On the streets of Hancheng, heads were jostling; everyone began to walk out into the streets. First, to cheer for this Declaration of the Rights of Man, which was absolutely the most progressive declaration among all the countries surrounding the Li Dynasty. Second, out of gratitude toward Li Tun; since ancient times, there have truly been few such monarchs willing to make such sacrifices. Third, they began to look forward to whether this morning assembly would bring them more surprises and bring the Li Dynasty a brighter future.

The Li Dynasty had not had a reform in several hundred years. This time, first the Declaration of the Rights of Man, then the reform. How could the people not be excited?

And so.

For Joseon, and even for Longyan, and for all of Asia, this would be a day that could be recorded in history and even influence human development.

This day.

This day.

It was indeed a very important day.

As for the Westerner Party and the Southerner Party, the concept of their original factions was completely gone. They were likely struggling to protect themselves; the civil and military officials who came to the court all looked incomparably haggard and distraught.

Li Tun

what is he trying to do again?

He wouldn't even strip them of their positions, would he?