A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

Using virtuous ministers like Zhang Jiuling to govern the country was to prove that he was willing to accept advice, to prove that he knew how to appoint people to positions, and to create a prosperous era.

The reason for heavily relying on Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong was that he believed he could firmly suppress the maternal relatives and treacherous ministers, and use them to balance the powerful families and check the civil official group.

Even when faced with a powerful minister like Li Bai, who held the Ministry of Personnel, was supported by the Qingliu faction, and had the backing of the Prince of Yan, he remained certain: Li Bai was still a pawn in his hands. No matter how prestigious Li Bai was, he was ultimately not the Prince of Yan, but a subject, and he could easily manipulate him with a little political maneuvering.

He believed that the most brilliant political maneuver was to have the powerful relatives of the emperor, represented by Yang Guozhong, the upright officials from humble backgrounds, represented by Li Bai, and the powerful aristocratic families in the court check and balance each other.

What's even better is that there are military governors guarding the borders, so even if the court loses control, they have the ability to restore order.

With the forces within the court and the border officials checking and balancing each other, his throne was as stable as Mount Tai.

As long as no force can threaten him, he can sit back and enjoy all the wealth and glory of the world.

The world is now in a prosperous era, and the people are wealthy; all of this is thanks to him.

Now it's just a matter of these people spending some money so that his beloved concubine can eat fresh lychees from Lingnan. What's the big deal?

It is an honor for us lowly commoners to be able to contribute to my beloved concubine!

They should be crying and clamoring to thank the Emperor's brother-in-law for giving them this opportunity!

Among the hundreds of millions of people in the world, who dares to rebel? Who can rebel?!

It's laughable that Du Fu dared to say that the world would be in great chaos!

It seems Du Fu had already decided to die!

"Has Your Majesty forgotten the roar of Dazexiang?"

"Whether we perish now or launch a grand plan, we will still die. Since we are going to die anyway, is it not better to die for our country?"

"Where would the common people come up with ten strings of cash? Wouldn't that be taking their lives?"

"Of the more than one hundred post stations from Lingnan to Luoyang, does Your Majesty know how many people are still alive?"

"There were fewer than a thousand households; the rest had all fled."

"If there were outstanding figures like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang among them, raising their banners and rising in rebellion, would kings and nobles be born with their titles?"

"Does Your Majesty believe the world will respond in unison?"

Du Fu countered with a question.

"absurd!"

"Under my rule, the weather is favorable, the country is prosperous, and the people live in peace and tranquility. How could the people rebel? How dare they rebel?"

"I'm telling you, even if Chen Sheng and Wu Guang really do appear, they won't be able to stir up any trouble. I will immediately send a large army to suppress them, and it will be quelled in less than a month."

Li Longji said disdainfully.

What was the scene like at the end of the Qin Dynasty? What was the scene like under his rule? How can they be compared?

When Qin Er Shi ascended the throne at the end of the Qin Dynasty, he was completely outmaneuvered by the eunuch Zhao Gao, and even cut off his own arm by killing almost all the capable generals of the court.

The country had only just been unified, and the power of the nobles in various states was still enormous. The laws of the tyrannical Qin were extremely harsh, and the corvée labor was heavy, causing unbearable suffering to the people. The people of the whole country could not survive.

Even so, the Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprising was still quelled, thanks to the support of the remnants of the six former states.

Now that the Holy Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is in power, the court has many capable generals, and there are also regional military governors stationed in various places. How can the two be confused?

Moreover, Du Fu actually compared him to Qin Er Shi, which was a death sentence.

"His Majesty can easily pacify the people in just one post station area with a flick of his hand."

"But what if there are thousands or tens of thousands of places?"

"If the world is engulfed in war and rebellions break out everywhere, what will Your Majesty do then?"

Upon hearing Du Fu's words, the entire court fell silent.

This is a direct accusation against Li Longji, suggesting he will become a ruler who brings about the downfall of his country.

"Du Fu, do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

Li Longji said angrily.

"In the twenty-sixth year of the Kaiyuan era, Yang Guozhong was initially in charge of the Ministry of Revenue. Without the joint signature of the Secretariat and the Chancellery, he privately withdrew 1.2 million strings of cash from the national treasury's regular tax revenue, which he then deposited into his privately established Yang family treasury. He falsely claimed it was for purchases for the imperial harem. The Ministry of Revenue's archived records of the expenditure allocation are numbered 713, and they contain Yang Guozhong's handwritten vermilion approval order. This money was later used to purchase a large estate and gold and silver artifacts in the southern market of Luoyang, with half of it distributed to Yang's sisters and relatives."

"In the 28th year of the Kaiyuan era, the national household tax revenue was normally 2.1 million strings of cash to be deposited into the Left Treasury. Yang Guozhong intercepted 1.8 million strings of cash, with only 300,000 strings going into the national treasury. The remaining silver was transported to the Yang family's ancestral home in Puzhou in batches over three years for storage. The Ministry of Revenue checked the accounts and found a clear discrepancy between the receipts from various prefectures that year and the records of deposit into the Left Treasury. The 1.8 million strings of cash shortfall had no official expenditure item."

"In the twenty-ninth year of the Kaiyuan era, a severe drought struck Henan. The imperial court allocated 970,000 strings of cash for disaster relief, but Yang Guozhong embezzled 540,000 strings, distributing only 430,000 strings to the prefectures and counties. The embezzled funds were used to build the Yang family's Xiangshan villa in the suburbs, forcing more than 30,000 laborers to work without pay. The joint petition from the prefects of twenty-three prefectures and counties in Henan was sealed in the archives, but it was suppressed by Yang Guozhong's confidants and never reached the palace."

"Jiangnan Canal: The entire canal from Runzhou, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou to Luoyang;"

"Central Plains Canal: Yellow River canals connecting Bianzhou, Songzhou, Caozhou, and Zhengzhou;"

"Guanzhong Canal Transport: The Guangyuntan Wei River canal transport, all canals, granaries, and wharves were under the control of Yang's trusted confidants."

"The imperial court saved 300,000 strings of cash in transportation costs annually. Yang Guozhong added layers of exploitation, charging an extra 30% on each shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice. He then embezzled the entire difference, making an annual profit of 400,000 strings of cash, all of which went into Yang Guozhong's pocket."

"The two major salt lakes in Jie County and Anyi County of Hedong, totaling 13,700 hectares, originally belonged to the state. Yang Guozhong ordered his servants to take over the salt lake's harvesting and sales. The government only received 40% of the salt profits, while 60% went into the Yang family's private treasury. The annual amount of salt profits they embezzled was equivalent to 200,000 bolts of silk."

"Coastal sea salt production areas: 420 salt pavilions along the coast of Cangzhou, Laizhou, Dengzhou, Yangzhou, and Taizhou, and 21,000 hectares of coastal tidal flat salt fields;"

"Southwest Salt Wells: There are more than 570 salt wells in Dongchuan and Xichuan, Jiannan, all of which are managed by members of the Yang clan."

"The national treasury should have received 600,000 strings of cash annually from salt revenue, but after Yang Guozhong monopolized it, the national treasury only received 170,000 strings, while 430,000 strings flowed into Yang's private coffers."

"They monopolized the benefits of mountains and lakes, and controlled the forests, copper mines, silver mines, and fishing grounds in Guannei, Shannan, and Jiangnan; seventy-two logging sites in the Qinling and Zhongnan Mountains; and sixteen copper and silver mines in Xuanzhou and Runzhou. All the output of the forests and minerals was not subject to national taxes and was sold privately by the Yang clan, generating an extra profit of 120,000 strings of cash annually."

"Since Yang Guozhong became the Right Chancellor, he has been placing members of the Yang clan in various wealthy prefectures and counties."

"Including thirty-six important official positions such as Chief Administrator of Yangzhou, Prefect of Runzhou, Chief Administrator of Shuzhou, Prefect of Suzhou, and Military Governor of Jiannan Circuit."

"In addition, they suppressed dissidents and persecuted loyal officials."

"In the twenty-ninth year of the Kaiyuan era, Guanzhong suffered from floods. Li Xian, the Prefect of Jingzhao, truthfully reported the disaster and refused to cooperate with Yang Guozhong in whitewashing the situation. As a result, he was demoted to Prefect of Changsha."

"Cui Yao, the Prefect of Bianzhou: During his investigation into corruption in the Grand Canal transport system, he discovered that a servant of the Yang family had embezzled canal fees. He was then falsely accused of 'embezzling grain reserves' and dismissed from office, with his family property confiscated."

"Pei Kuan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel: Adhering strictly to the regulations for personnel selection, he rejected Yang Guozhong's recommendation of a mediocre member of the Yang family and demoted him to Prefectural Assistant of Qianzhou;"

"Seventy-two officials who spoke frankly in court and refused to submit to the Yang family were demoted to remote and desolate prefectures."

"Secretly impeaching Yang Guozhong for corruption, 29 people were dismissed from office and imprisoned on fabricated charges."

"The Ministry of Personnel conducted a fair selection process, refusing to promote members of the Yang family, resulting in the reassignment of 46 individuals to remote and impoverished prefectures and counties."

"Border generals refused to withhold military pay to bribe Yang Guozhong, resulting in the stripping of their military power and the demotion of 18 people."

"A total of 165 upright officials were suppressed."