Chapter 101

【Tenth Place on the List of Muddled Emperors—Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang】

The golden light of the sky screen flowed, and a new name slowly emerged, with a strange label of "Infrastructure Madman" next to it.

The image flashed with the mighty Grand Canal and the majestic imperial examination hall.

Then it flashed with the miserable scene of laborers working under whips, bones piled up like mountains, and the scene of war with smoke rising everywhere.

"Emperor Yang of Sui? Yang Guang?"

Discussions arose in various dynasties, and many people cast their eyes toward the known Sui Dynasty period, especially—the Kaihuang reign of the Great Sui.

The Great Sui, during the Kaihuang reign.

The founding emperor, Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, had just finished a day of government affairs and was dining in the palace with Empress Dugu Qieluo. The couple was loving and discussing the studies of Crown Prince Yang Yong.

Suddenly, the sky screen descended again. When the characters "Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang" appeared, the jade chopsticks in Yang Jian's hand fell to the table with a "clang."

"Sui... Yang Emperor? Yang Guang?"

Yang Jian's pupils shrank suddenly, and a chill rushed from the soles of his feet to his crown.

Yang, this posthumous title, is not a good word!

Being good at internal affairs but distant from etiquette, going against heaven and abusing the people is called Yang!

How could his second son, Guang'er, get such a posthumous title? And be on the list of muddled emperors? Eighth place?

Dugu Qieluo was also shocked, and the bowl in her hand was almost unsteady,

"Your Majesty... this... Guang'er he..."

"Rebellious son!!"

Yang Jian stood up abruptly, his chest heaving violently. He stared fixedly at the sky screen, his face ashen.

"My Guang'er, intelligent since childhood, not fond of luxury, friendly to brothers, filial to parents, how could he be... how could he be Emperor Yang?!"

He refused to believe it, but the authority of the sky screen was unquestionable in the previous rankings.

The image of his good son who was "benevolent, filial, and frugal" began to crack in his heart.

【Reason for being on the list: Yang Guang is the most typical "Infrastructure Madman" and "Tyrant" in history.

Although he accomplished a few major things that benefited the ages, his methods were so brutal and the pace so urgent that he ruined a good hand of cards, eventually ending up with the destruction of his country and death.】

"Infrastructure Madman? What does it mean? Oh, does it mean engaging in large-scale construction?"

The Great Tang, Li Shimin frowned. He had complex feelings about this previous dynasty's emperor.

"Ruined a good hand of cards... destruction of country and death... perished in the second generation..."

He muttered these words, feeling awe in his heart.

How prosperous was the founding of the Great Sui? His father (Li Yuan) was once a minister of Sui, and he knew that the treasury was full and the armor was strong in the early years of the Sui Dynasty, but as a result... perished in the second generation?

Wei Zheng began to remonstrate again: "Your Majesty, this is a warning from the past, right before our eyes!"

"Those who govern, if they are impatient and rash, and abuse the people, even if they have the talent to cover the sky and earth, they will surely be backlashed."

"The Grand Canal and the imperial examination system are indeed good policies, but if the methods of implementation do not consider the people's strength, it is the way to disaster."

Fang Xuanling said: "That's right, everything should be in moderation. If Yang Guang could cherish the people's strength and proceed slowly, he might have become a wise emperor through the ages. Unfortunately, he was too urgent."

Du Ruhui said: "Benefiting the ages, but guilty in the contemporary era—this evaluation can be called hitting the nail on the head."

"It's just that the sins of the contemporary era are enough to make him die and perish, leaving a bad name for ten thousand years."

Cheng Yaojin scratched his big beard,

"This Yang Guang sounds like he can really toss about, digging rivers and opening examinations, but he didn't treat the common people as human beings? Then isn't that a complete disaster."

The Great Qin, Ying Zheng snorted coldly: "Eager for success, not cherishing the people's strength, this is a sign of a dying country."

"In the past, Shang Yang's reform also required step-by-step planning. This Yang Guang, only having ambition but no patience and benevolence, deserves to be defeated."

He thought in his heart, Grand Canal? Connecting north and south? This is a grand plan, if my Great Qin...

The Great Han, Liu Bang smacked his lips: "Perished in the second generation? Just like Hu Hai of the Qin Dynasty, this Yang Guang is a talent."

"But this word 'Infrastructure Madman' is quite interesting. In the future, when I build palaces and mausoleums, do I have to pay attention to the rhythm?"

After Liu Bang finished speaking, he glanced at Lv Zhi beside him with a guilty conscience.

Lv Zhi gave him a white look.

Liu Che focused on the two words "imperial examination,"

"Breaking the monopoly of aristocratic families and giving the poor a ladder to rise? This policy is very good!"

"However, as the sky screen said, there must be good methods to implement it. If one is as eager for quick success and instant benefits as Yang Guang, it will become a disaster."

"My way of employing people should also learn from this."

The Great Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang slapped his thigh,

"Right! That's the reason!"

"Why do I repeatedly emphasize cherishing the people's strength and reducing taxes? It's because I'm afraid that the officials below will learn from this Yang Guang, and for the sake of political achievements, toss the common people to death!"

"If the common people can't live, why don't they rebel? This Yang Guang is a living example!"

Zhu Biao deeply agreed: "Father Emperor's words are very true. Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. Yang Guang's defeat lies in treating the people like grass."

Zhu Di was more interested in the "Grand Canal": "Connecting north and south, benefiting the ages."

"If it can be used well, it will be of great benefit to the country and the people. It's just that this Yang Guang... alas, a waste of a good idea."

【Fault One: Benefiting the ages, but guilty in the contemporary era.

Yang Guang did indeed accomplish two major things that influenced China for a thousand years:

Dredging the Grand Canal, connecting the north and south, which is still an important traffic artery today.

Creating the imperial examination system, breaking the situation where aristocratic families monopolized the officialdom, and giving the children of poor families a channel to rise.

But the problem is, he was too urgent!

In order to complete these grand plans in a short time, he conscripted millions of laborers, disregarding the lives of the people, leading to "the world dying in service."】

The sky screen showed the spectacular scene of the excavation of the Grand Canal.

But the camera shifted, and it was the laborers struggling in the mud, dying under the whips of the supervisors. The thousand-mile canal seemed to be paved with white bones.

On the other side, the imperial examination hall was solemn, and poor scholars were writing hard, competing with aristocratic children in the same field.

"Millions of laborers? The world dying in service?"

Yang Jian saw this and only felt his vision go black, his body swaying.

He governed the country with frugality and cherished the people's strength, knowing the suffering of the people.

He couldn't imagine that the son he had high hopes for would abuse the people's strength so much and treat human life like grass!

"Guang'er... you... how could you do this!"

Yang Jian was heartbroken. He seemed to have seen the sea of corpses and blood, and heard the wailing of the people.

Could the Great Sui he founded collapse because of his son's tyranny?

Dugu Qieluo tightly grabbed her husband's arm, her face pale, eyes filled with tears.

She also advocated frugality, hated luxury, and had strict requirements for her sons.

Yang Guang had always been filial and frugal in front of her! Could it be that it was all a disguise?

"What a Grand Canal! What an imperial examination!"

Li Shimin praised, then shook his head and sighed,

"It is indeed a great achievement that benefits the ages. If it could be implemented with benevolent government, it would surely be a wise emperor through the ages."

"Unfortunately, unfortunately! The world dying in service... behind these six words, how many broken families, how much blood and tears, Yang Guang, you are muddled!"

Wei Zheng said sternly: "Your Majesty! This is the disaster of being eager for quick success and instant benefits!"

"Those who govern, should know (governing a big country is like cooking a small fish), slow fire stewing, only then can you get the taste. Fierce fire attack will only burn!"

"Yang Guang's defeat is not defeated by his ambition, but by his actions! Tyrannical and lawless, how can it last long?"

Cheng Yaojin grinned: "Millions of laborers? My goodness, how many people died?"

"Digging a river until the people are gone, this emperor is even more ruthless than the King of Hell."

Ying Zheng had a solemn face: "Conscripting millions... disregarding life... this is not governing the country, this is driving the people to death."

"In the past, Qin built the Great Wall and repaired the roads, also conscripting the people's strength, but it was not so cruel."

"If the hearts of the people are lost, even if there are ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers, it is like a tower gathered on sand, falling at a single push."

He seemed to think of something, his eyes dimming.

Liu Che stared at the two words "imperial examination" with burning eyes,

"Breaking the monopoly of aristocratic families... poor families rising... this policy is very good!"

"Employing people according to their talents can make the best use of them. This Yang Guang gave me a reminder."

"However, the methods must be gentle and proceed slowly, and we must not be eager for quick success and repeat the same mistakes."

Liu Bang scratched his head: "This canal sounds like a good thing, it's just that it was dug too ruthlessly."

"This imperial examination... letting common people be officials? This idea is good, saving those few families from monopolizing the government."

"This Yang Guang has a lively brain, but his heart is too black and his hands are too ruthless."

Zhu Yuanzhang said to Zhu Biao: "Biao'er, look, the idea is good, but the heart is bad, and any good scripture can be read crookedly."

"Why do I repeatedly emphasize cherishing the people's strength and reducing taxes? It's because I'm afraid that the officials below will learn from this Yang Guang, and for the sake of political achievements, toss the common people to death!"

"Yang Guang is a living example, if he doesn't perish, who will?"

Zhu Di pondered: "Canal... if used to transport troops and grain, connecting north and south, it will be of great use to national defense and the economy."

"This Yang Guang... alas, a waste of a good idea."