Final answer:
During Emperor Qin's rule, the nobles likely had the best life, benefiting from privileges, wealth, and power, whereas commoners, merchants, and soldiers had more limited lifestyles and faced stricter state controls.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under Emperor Qin's rule, the group that most likely had the best life were the nobles. While commoners, who were the majority, held no special rank yet were respectable, and soldiers who were essential to the might of the Qin Dynasty, it was the noble class that often enjoyed the privileges of power, wealth, and influence. The strict hierarchy and legalist policies of the Qin Dynasty favored the ruling classes, and the merchants, despite their economic contribution, were often viewed with suspicion and could be consigned to military service on the frontiers. Additionally, the emphasis on a centralized bureaucracy under legalism provided greater control to the state which benefitted the nobility who were part of that bureaucratic mechanism.