Chapter 100

【It was precisely Li Longji's muddled state in his later years that directly led to the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion.

This eight-year rebellion not only turned the prosperous Chang'an City into scorched earth but also caused the Tang Dynasty's population to plummet and its national power to fall from its peak.

From then on, the Tang Dynasty turned from prosperity to decline and could never recover its former glory.】

In the picture, the flames of war spread across the beautiful landscape, the prosperous Chang'an City groaned under iron hooves, and the people were displaced, with corpses strewn across the fields.

The lingering sound of the "Rainbow Feather Garment Dance" seemed to still be in the ears, but it had already turned into the sad song of "The country is broken, the mountains and rivers remain; the city is in spring, grass and trees are deep."

Silence.

A deathly silence shrouded the imperial court of the Great Tang during the Zhenguan reign.

Li Shimin stared blankly at the scene of flames and broken city walls on the sky screen, watching the Chang'an City that once symbolized supreme glory burning in the flames of war,

He seemed to have all his strength drained in an instant, collapsing on the dragon throne, two lines of turbid tears sliding down silently.

"Chang'an... turned into scorched earth..."

"Population plummeted..."

"National power fell from its peak..."

"Turned from prosperity to decline, and could never recover..."

Every word was like a poisoned knife, piercing his heart fiercely.

That was the Great Tang he created with his own hands, the foundation he dreamed of being immortal for ten thousand generations, the magnificent prosperous age under his glory as "Heavenly Khan"!

Yet in the hands of his descendants, because of beauty, because of muddledness, because of indulgence, it was just... destroyed?

"Puff—!"

Li Shimin suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staining the imperial desk in front of him red.

"Your Majesty!"

"Er-lang!"

The ministers and concubines were so scared that their souls flew away, and they hurriedly surrounded him.

Li Shimin waved his hand, signaling that he was fine, and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

His eyes stared fixedly at the sky screen, his voice hoarse, but with a kind of heart-palpitating determination,

"Li Longji... what a Li Longji, what a 'monarch who does not hold morning court,' what a 'raising a tiger that causes trouble'!"

He stood up abruptly, although his figure was a bit shaky, his eyes were like torches, scanning the civil and military officials below the hall, scanning his sons, his voice not loud, but clearly transmitted into everyone's ears:

"You have all seen it, you have all heard it clearly. This is the consequence of indulging in pleasure, being close to petty people, staying away from virtuous officials, and indulging border generals!"

"This is the consequence of putting the ancestral foundation and the people of the world behind one's head, only caring about one's own pleasure!"

"I, Li Shimin, swear here! I also want you all to witness it with the people of the world!"

"Any of my Li descendants, emperors of later generations, if they dare to imitate Li Longji, indulge in beauty, waste state affairs, favor treacherous officials, and indulge feudal lords—"

Li Shimin pulled out the sword at his waist with a "clang," the cold light chilling:

"The world will attack them together, and everyone will have the right to punish them! After death, they shall not enter the ancestral temple, their names shall be removed from the genealogy, and they shall never be allowed to call themselves descendants of the Li Tang!"

"Your Majesty is wise! Your subjects will keep it in mind!"

Led by Wei Zheng, all the civil and military officials, princes and grandsons, knelt down in unison, their voices choked with sobs, but incomparably firm.

The shock and humiliation brought by the sky screen had already penetrated into their bones.

Cheng Yaojin, this rough man, also had red eyes at this moment, and said in a muffled voice,

"Your Majesty, rest assured! Although I, Old Cheng, am a rough person, I also know how to be loyal to the monarch and love the country! In the future, whoever dares to learn from that unfilial descendant, without Your Majesty having to do it, I, Old Cheng, will be the first to chop him down."

Generals like Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong also kowtowed heavily.

Other dynasties were also filled with sighs.

Ying Zheng sighed: "Starting a business is difficult, but maintaining it is even harder. The descendants are unfilial; even if they have ten thousand miles of territory, it is like building a tower on sand."

Liu Bang put away his playful face, his expression complex,

"This Li Longji, it's a pity. A hero in the first half of his life, a bear in the second half..."

"It seems this emperor is really not something a human can be; if you are not careful, you will leave a bad name for ten thousand years."

Liu Che was silent for a long time, and said to Wei Qing and Huo Qubing:

"Do you see? Under the prosperous age, there are crises everywhere."

"If one day I also... you must be my Wei Zheng, speak directly and dare to remonstrate, and never let me become the second Li Longji."

Wei Qing and Huo Qubing said solemnly: "Your subjects will never dare to forget Your Majesty's words today, even if we die!"

Zhu Yuanzhang said to Zhu Biao and Zhu Di,

"Look, this is a warning from the past. Why am I so harsh on corrupt officials?"

"Why strictly forbid the harem from interfering in politics and eunuchs from manipulating power? Why abolish the feudal lords? It's because I'm afraid that the descendants of our Zhu family will also become like this. You all, keep yourselves vigilant!"

"Your sons obey the decree!" Zhu Biao and Zhu Di were awed.

Zhao Kuangyin said to Zhao Guangyi: "Brother, this throne is the heaviest burden in the world, and also the most poisonous knife."

"Once you sit on it, you can't be slack for a moment. Li Longji was slack, so he was finished."

Zhao Guangyi bowed deeply: "Imperial Brother's teachings, your younger brother will always remember."

【Summary: Li Longji proved he was a wise emperor in the first half of his life, but proved he was a muddled emperor in the second half.

His story tells us: Born in worry, die in peace.

No matter how powerful an empire is, it cannot withstand the wanton squandering of its supreme ruler.】

The image on the sky screen gradually dimmed, but the phrase "Born in worry, die in peace" echoed like a great bell in the hearts of every emperor and general watching the sky screen.

The Great Tang, during the Tianbao reign.

Lishan Huaqing Palace, the hot springs were misty.

The sixty-something Tang Xuanzong Li Longji was drinking and having fun with his beloved consort Yang Yuhuan, enjoying the Rainbow Feather Garment Dance.

The music was pleasant, the beauty was like jade, a scene of a prosperous and carefree age.

Suddenly, the sky screen descended again.

When he heard "Ninth Place on the List of Muddled Emperors—Tang Xuanzong Li Longji," the glass cup in Li Longji's hand fell to the ground with a "snap" and shattered.

The comfortable smile on his face froze instantly and turned deathly pale.

"Your... Your Majesty..."

Yang Yuhuan was also so scared that her face lost its color, and she snuggled up to him.

"Nonsense! A pack of lies!"

Li Longji pushed Yang Yuhuan away abruptly and stood up. Because of drunkenness and anger, his body swayed a little. He pointed at the sky screen and shouted sternly,

"I created the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age, the four barbarians submitted, ten thousand nations came to pay tribute, I am a wise emperor through the ages! Who dares to slander me as a muddled emperor?!"

"An Lushan? Shi Siming? Two barbarian children, how dare they rebel?"

"I have already sent Geshu Han and Feng Changqing to suppress the rebellion, and they will be wiped out in a few days!"

"This monster screen actually dares to alarm the public here and disturb my army's morale. What is the crime!"

The eunuch Gao Lishi, the prime minister Yang Guozhong, and others on the side also hurriedly echoed,

"Your Majesty, calm your anger! This is a monster's illusion, it cannot be believed, Your Majesty!"

Li Longji became more and more excited as he spoke. The glory of the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age made him unable to accept the mistakes he might have made in his later years, and even more unable to accept the evaluation of "muddled emperor," especially when listed alongside that Qianlong who was struck by lightning!

"What forcibly taking daughter-in-law? Yuhuan and I are truly in love, a match made in heaven."

"What indulging relatives? Guozhong is prime minister, conscientious and diligent!"

"What raising a tiger that causes trouble? Lushan is loyal to me, how could he rebel? This monster screen is turning black and white, confusing the public, I..."

Just as Li Longji was cursing with spit flying, trying to use his voice to cover up the panic in his heart.

"Boom-Crack—!!!"

Another merciless silver thunderbolt tore through the sky and accurately struck the exquisite jade floor of the Huaqing Palace, less than five feet in front of Li Longji.

Bang!

Gravel flew everywhere, and the water in the hot spring was shaken up, splashing all over Li Longji, Yang Yuhuan, Yang Guozhong, and others.

The dust dissipated, and a charred pit, larger and deeper than the one in front of Qianlong, appeared there. The jade at the edge of the pit was melted, sizzling.

The dancers and musicians screamed and fled in all directions. The Huaqing Palace, which was just singing and dancing, instantly fell into chaos.

Li Longji stood stiffly in place, his crown crooked, his dragon robe wet, his face stained with mud and water. All his anger and roaring were stuck in his throat, leaving only boundless fear and coldness.

The power of that thunder was so close, and the shadow of death was so clear.

Yang Yuhuan was so scared that she fainted.

Yang Guozhong and Gao Lishi collapsed on the ground, trembling, their crotches wet and hot.

The cold voice of the sky screen continued the final summary without emotion, as if it were ruthlessly mocking his embarrassment.

Li Longji looked at the charred pit emitting blue smoke, then looked up at the sky screen that was still hanging high, indifferently stating his "merits and faults." His legs went soft, and he collapsed on the damp and cold ground as if his bones had been removed.

Kaiyuan Prosperous Age... An Lushan Rebellion... Chang'an scorched earth... from prosperity to decline...

Could it be... could it all be true?

Am I... really a muddled emperor?

No...

Boundless chill instantly swallowed him.

And the heavens and all worlds, after experiencing the "comedy" of Qianlong being struck by lightning and the "tragedy" of Li Longji being struck by lightning, the atmosphere became a bit strange.

Everyone understood one truth:

This sky screen not only ranks people, but also strikes them!

And it specifically strikes muddled emperors who are on the list and still talk back!

Therefore, everyone was even more looking forward to (schadenfreude) the subsequent rankings.

I don't know which "talent" will be the next unlucky one... ah no, the next one to be on the list of muddled emperors?

The golden sky screen flickered slightly, as if it were preparing to reveal the next person on the list...