Chapter 67: The Most Driven

This founding emperor of the Sui dynasty, Yang Jian, had a Xianbei nickname "Naluoyan", meaning "Vajra Warrior", which sounds formidable.

His father, Yang Zhong, was a founding meritorious official of Western Wei and Northern Zhou, rose to the rank of Pillar State Grand General, and was ennobled as Duke of Sui.

Yang Jian entered the Imperial Academy at age 13 and was granted an official post at 17, a textbook second‑generation official.

But born in chaotic times and raised at the center of power, he learned from childhood to keep a low profile.

Emperor Wu of Zhou, Yuwen Yong, once had a fortune‑teller read Yang Jian's fate; the teller returned and reported, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this man will at most become a great general."

In reality, the fortune‑teller was Yang Jian's friend, covering for him.

Yang Jian's mouth twitched upward slightly.

Keeping a low profile in life, acting boldly in deeds—that is his way of navigating the world.

That fortune‑teller truly was his man; otherwise, given Yuwen Yong's suspicious nature, he would have died long ago.

Yang Jian rose through the ranks and married Du Gu Jialuo, the daughter of the prominent Xianbei noble Du Gu Xin.

It was a history‑shaping marriage—Du Gu Jialuo was not only his wife but also his business partner.

Later his daughter married Northern Zhou's Emperor Xuan, Yuwen Yun, making Yang Jian the imperial father‑in‑law.

But this son‑in‑law was a tyrant; once he even told Empress Yang, "Sooner or later I will wipe out your entire family!"

He summoned Yang Jian to the palace and ordered an assassin: "If his expression is off, kill him at once!"

Yet when Yang Jian entered, his demeanor remained calm, his banter lively, and he walked out alive.

Yang Jian's eyes turned cold; that Yuwen Yun brat truly deserved death.

Had he not died violently, Yang Jian would never have had the chance to usurp the throne.

It was a matter of timing, of destiny.

In 580, the 22‑year‑old Emperor Xuan of Zhou fell ill and died, and the 8‑year‑old emperor Yuwen Chan ascended the throne.

Yang Jian entered court as a maternal relative to assist in governance, beginning his "usurpation" path.

He quelled Wei Chi Jiong's rebellion, executed five royal princes of Northern Zhou, and in 581 accepted the abdication of Emperor Jing of Zhou, ascended the throne, and changed the dynastic name to Sui.

A surge of heroic spirit rose in Yang Jian's chest.

Usurpation? No, it was abdication! The world's heart turned to him!

He achieved a bloodless transition, a peaceful handover—how many in history have matched such method and bearing?

Just as he basked in satisfaction, a barrage of comments floated across the sky:

Zhu Di (Emperor Chengzu of Ming): @Yang Jian, honestly, you rank seventh among the "eternal emperors" ahead of me? I object!

A man who rose by oppressing an orphaned widow, yet he puts himself before me!

I, the Yongle Emperor, launched five campaigns into the northern deserts, seven voyages westward, moved the capital to Beijing—what isn't superior to you?

Because I rebelled to claim the throne, you also rebeled; why are you seventh and I eighth?

Yang Jian: "…"

His expression darkened instantly.

Zhu Di? That usurping rebel? How dare he claim I mistreated an orphaned widow?

My mandate came from Heaven; I obeyed Heaven and the people!

You, Zhu Di, what are you, worthy of being compared with me?

Just as he was about to retort, the screen shifted and began tallying his achievements:

Great Talent and Vision: The Most Driven "Koumen CEO" in History

After Yang Jian's accession, he began his 24‑year reign as the "King of Hustle".

Achievements: The Man Who Ended Three Hundred Years of Chaos

In politics, he instituted the Three Departments and Six Ministries system:

He abolished the Nine‑Rank Centralized System and created the Three Departments and Six Ministries— the Department of State History (decision‑making), the Chancellery (review), the Secretariat (execution), with the Secretariat overseeing the Ministries of Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works.

This system was fully adopted by the Tang dynasty, used through the Qing, and became the template for China's feudal administrative structure.

Yang Jian nodded slightly; the Three Departments and Six Ministries were indeed his pride.

Decentralization and checks, increased efficiency—this system is fit to endure for ages.

Another line of comments drifted across the sky:

Zhao Kuangyin (Emperor Taizu of Song): @Yang Jian, we of the Great Song also employ your system; it is truly effective.

However, your "Koumen" habit must be corrected; we emperors must be kinder to the people for the realm to endure.

Yang Jian's mouth twitched, bringing up "Koumen" again!

My restraint is not "Koumen"; it is frugality! Frugality is a virtue!

In military affairs, unifying north and south (the conquest of Chen).

In 588, Yang Jian dispatched 510,000 troops in three armies to attack Chen.

The following year, Sui forces entered Jiankang, captured the Chen emperor Chen Shubao, ending a near‑three‑century division that had persisted since the end of the Western Jin.

He also struck north against the Turks, forcing their split into eastern and western factions; the Turkic Khagan honored him as "Sage Khagan".

Yang Jian's heroic spirit revived, unifying north and south, ending three centuries of chaos—his lifelong achievement.

The title "Sage Khagan" was well deserved.

In economics, Yang Jian forged a golden age, the Kaihuang Governance (grain abundant beyond consumption).

He implemented the Equal‑Field System, lightened labor and taxes, and decreed, "At fifty years of age, one is exempt from corvée and levies."

He also instituted the Great Survey and Transfer Registry, uncovering 1.65 million hidden households.

The result: Sui granaries overflowed with grain.

Li Shimin later reflected, "Calculating the empire's reserves, they could supply fifty to sixty years."

Exaggerated perhaps, but the Sui were indeed dripping with wealth.

Yang Jian stroked his beard and smiled; under the Kaihuang governance, the people lived peacefully and worked happily, the state treasury was full, and this prosperous age was created single‑handedly by him.

As for that kid Li Shimin's claim of "fifty or sixty years," it is exaggerated, yet it also indirectly shows how wealthy the Sui dynasty was under his rule.

However, a bullet screen immediately floated across the banner:

【Zhu Yuanzhang (Founder of the Ming): @Yang Jian Lao Yang, I heard your granaries are piled like mountains, yet you won't give food to the people in years of famine? That's unprincipled.】

I, too, come from poverty and know the feeling of an empty stomach.

Why do you store so much grain? Waiting for a baby, perhaps?】

Yang Jian's old face flushed; Zhu Yuanzhang? Who are you? Dare you lecture me?

I store grain to prepare for war and famine, to keep the realm everlasting! What do you know!

He was holding his breath as the banner continued:

【Culturally, restore Han surnames.】

He ended Yuwen Tai's Xianbei‑assimilation policy, restoring Han surnames to Han officials who had been changed to Xianbei surnames.

He himself also changed from "Pu Liu Ru Jian" back to "Yang Jian".

This marks the full restoration of mainstream Han culture.】

Yang Jian nodded; restoring Han surnames and revitalizing the Han lineage were his cultural achievements.

【Territorially, unify the map.】

The Sui dynasty's territory stretched east to the Liao Sea, west to the Western Regions, south to Jiaozhi, and north to the great desert, laying the foundation for the Tang dynasty's expansion.】

【Legally, the Kaihuang Code.】

He ordered a revision of the "Kaihuang Code," abolishing several cruel punishments and establishing a review system whereby a death sentence is decided only after three submissions.】

Yang Jian's face showed approval; the Kaihuang Code, with its lenient and simple penal policies, exemplified his benevolent rule.

After tallying his achievements, a slew of words of praise floated across the banner.

Yang Jian was in high spirits, stroking his beard and looking on with a smiling gaze.

Yet the good times did not last; the banner's tone abruptly changed:

【Chapter of Faults: Stinginess reaches the heavens, choosing an heir blinds the eyes】

【Yang Jian, in his personal character, is stingy and overly suspicious.】

Yang Jian is historically known as a famously stingy emperor.

Once, a department prepared some cloth bags to give to the palace; he deemed it wasteful and ordered them repurposed;

Another time, Crown Prince Yang Yong wore a slightly finer set of armor; Yang Jian saw it, was deeply pained, and scolded his son, saying:

"Since antiquity, no emperor who indulged in extravagance has endured long."

The problem is, he is stingy not only with himself but also with the common people.

In the 14th year of Kaihuang, a great drought struck; grain piled like mountains in the granaries, yet he could not bear to open them for disaster relief, forcing the people to seek food elsewhere.

Li Shimin later complained: "Emperor Wen of Sui cared not for the people but cherished the empty granaries; by the end of his reign he had calculated a national reserve enough to supply fifty or sixty years."

Storing grain for fifty years while refusing to feed disaster victims is truly baffling.】

Yang Jian: "……"

The smile on his face froze, then faded little by little, finally turning a steel‑blue.

Stingy? Suspicious? Unwilling to open the granaries for relief? This immortal, what does he understand!

It's strategic reserves! Do you understand strategic reserves!

Once war breaks out, once a great disaster occurs, that grain becomes lifesaving food! If we casually use it in peacetime, what will we have in wartime?!

He was so angry his chest rose and fell, and his fingers trembled.