As the council's approval of the water wheel spread throughout the capital, Li Wei found himself walking a fine line. The nobles began to speak cautiously of his reforms, while the commoners started whispering his name with hope. Yet, not all was well. Resistance lurked in the shadows, and Li Wei knew that his victories would come at a price.
One afternoon, as Li Wei reviewed reports in his study, Old Zhang entered, his face grim. "Your Majesty, we've received troubling news from the northern provinces."
Li Wei set down the parchment he'd been reading. "What's happened?"
"There's unrest," Zhang replied, his voice low. "A group of nobles is refusing to pay their taxes. They claim your reforms are robbing them of their wealth, and they've started rallying other landowners against you."
Li Wei frowned, his mind racing. "How many nobles are involved?"
"Enough to cause concern," Old Zhang admitted. "If this spreads, it could turn into open rebellion."
Li Wei stood, pacing the room. "We can't let this escalate. If they gain momentum, it'll be harder to stop them."
"Agreed," Old Zhang said. "But you must tread carefully. Crushing them with force could alienate other nobles who are watching closely."
Li Wei nodded, a plan forming in his mind. "Then we'll take a different approach. I'll send an envoy to negotiate and remind them that these reforms benefit everyone. If they refuse… we'll deal with that when the time comes."