Chapter 99

【The sky screen dimmed for a while, then began to play the next one】

【Ninth Place on the List of Muddled Emperors—Tang Xuanzong, Li Longji!】

The image on the sky screen shifted, and a new name and image appeared.

It was the image of an emperor who was heroic in his early years, wealthy in his later years, and finally carried a look of panic and loneliness.

"Oh? Tang Xuanzong? Li Longji?"

The discussions of various dynasties rose again, but this time, many people cast their eyes toward the direction of the Tang Dynasty.

The Great Tang, during the Zhenguan reign.

Li Shimin, who was still immersed in the grief and indignation of the "century of humiliation," was stunned when he heard the name "Tang Xuanzong Li Longji."

"Xuanzong? Is this an emperor of our Great Tang's later generations?"

Li Shimin sat up straight, his face becoming extremely serious.

The previous Qianlong was a barbarian emperor, and he cursed him without hesitation, but now it's his own family's turn?

Important ministers like Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui also became nervous instantly.

Their own emperor is on the list? Although it is a later emperor, this face... is a bit too big to lose.

Cheng Yaojin scratched his head: "Xuanzong? This temple name... sounds quite mysterious, how did he become a muddled emperor?"

Qin Qiong whispered: "Zhijie, hush!"

【Reason for Tang Xuanzong Li Longji being on the list: An Emperor Through the Ages who single-handedly created the "Kaiyuan Prosperous Age," yet personally pushed the Great Tang into the abyss of the "An Lushan Rebellion."

His life was an extreme reversal from "wise emperor" to "muddled emperor," which can be called the most regrettable "spendthrift" in history.】

"Kaiyuan Prosperous Age?"

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, "Prosperous Age? It seems this Li Longji did well in his early years."

But hearing the second half of the sentence, his face turned black again,

"An Lushan Rebellion? Personally pushed into the abyss? Extreme reversal? Spendthrift?"

Wei Zheng was heartbroken: "Your Majesty! Born in worry, die in peace—this is a true saying!"

"This Emperor Xuanzong is a living example! Creating a prosperous age, he became complacent, arrogant, and extravagant, eventually destroying the country and the society in one fell swoop!"

"Tragic! Lamentable! A warning!"

Fang Xuanling also sighed: "From an Emperor Through the Ages to the ninth place on the list of muddled emperors... this gap is too big."

"I don't know how muddled this Emperor Xuanzong became in his later years."

Du Ruhui frowned: "An Lushan Rebellion... I don't know who it was that could shake the prosperous Great Tang and cause such a great chaos."

People from other dynasties showed expressions of "as expected" or "eating melons and watching the show."

Liu Bang crossed his legs,

"Yo, it's the Tang Dynasty? This Li Longji has something; being able to mix from a wise emperor to a muddled emperor, this contrast is more exciting than a play."

Liu Che snorted: "Forgetting oneself after creating a prosperous age—how many emperors throughout history have died this way. This Li Longji is just one of them."

Zhu Yuanzhang curled his lips: "An emperor of the Tang Dynasty?"

"Hmph, I remember the Tang Dynasty was very chaotic later on, with emperors being manipulated by eunuchs and feudal lords. It seems this muddled emperor is not the only one."

Zhao Kuangyin said to Zhao Guangyi,

"I have also heard of this Tang Xuanzong. He did have the appearance of a wise emperor in his early years, and the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age is well-deserved. Unfortunately, he failed to maintain his integrity in his later years."

The Great Ming, during the Yongle reign.

Zhu Di stroked his small beard, thoughtful,

"Tang Xuanzong... wise in the early years, muddled in the later years... this serves as a reminder to me that no matter how great the achievements, one must not be slack or complacent."

【The early Li Longji was a model emperor.

He strove for governance, employed wise ministers like Yao Chong and Song Jing, and created the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age.

At that time, the Tang Dynasty had ten thousand nations coming to pay tribute, and its economy and culture reached their peak, making it the undisputed center of the world.】

The sky screen showed the prosperous scene of Chang'an City during the Kaiyuan Prosperous Age, with envoys from ten thousand nations coming to pay tribute, markets filled with pearls and jade, households filled with silk and satin, poetry flourishing, and culture brilliant.

Seeing this scene, Li Shimin puffed out his chest with pride,

"Good! Worthy of being my Great Tang descendants, Kaiyuan Prosperous Age, ten thousand nations coming to pay tribute, center of the world, what a magnificent atmosphere!"

But immediately, his eyes dimmed again, and he muttered:

"Since it was such a prosperous age, why... why did it..."

Wei Zheng said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, when the moon is full, it wanes; when water is full, it overflows. Prosperity to the extreme often begins with slackness and indulgence at the peak."

Cheng Yaojin looked at the prosperous Chang'an on the screen, and his saliva was almost flowing out.

"My goodness, this Chang'an City is even more lively than our current Chang'an!"

"This kid Li Longji did a good job in the early years, why did he want to be a muddled emperor?"

Qin Qiong sighed: "Perhaps it was this peaceful and prosperous age that made him lose his original heart."

【The sky screen began to recount Li Longji's later years】

【In his later years, Li Longji was licentious and extremely muddled.

After Li Longji achieved success and fame, he completely "floated," as if he had become a different person.】

【One: Indulging in beauty.

He forcibly took his daughter-in-law Yang Yuhuan, and from then on, "the monarch did not hold morning court."

To please Consort Yang, he indulged the power of his relatives, letting Yang Guozhong control the government, leading to political corruption.】

【Two: Raising a tiger that causes trouble.

He favored An Lushan extremely, not only letting him serve as the Jiedushi (military governor) of three towns, holding heavy troops, but also recognizing him as a foster son.

This bottomless indulgence allowed An Lushan's power to expand rapidly, eventually becoming too big to control.】

"Forcibly took his daughter-in-law?!"

Emperors of various dynasties, especially those who prided themselves on being states of etiquette, almost dropped their jaws.

Ying Zheng looked disgusted: "Shameless! Disregarding human ethics, no better than a beast. With such conduct, how is he fit to be a monarch?"

Liu Bang was stunned at first, then stroked his chin, his expression a bit subtle,

"Robbed his own daughter-in-law? This Li Longji... plays quite wildly."

"But then again, how beautiful must Yang Yuhuan be to make the emperor lose even his face?"

Lv Zhi snorted coldly from the side, and Liu Bang hurriedly sat upright, pretending to be serious.

Liu Che scolded: "Muddled! Deluded by beauty, ignoring state affairs, indulging relatives! This is the way to disaster!"

"That Yang Guozhong, one can tell he is a treacherous official who harms the country, just like Tian Fen!"

Li Shimin was already trembling with anger, his face ashen,

"Forcibly took his daughter-in-law... forcibly took his daughter-in-law... my Li family... actually produced such... such a shameless beast!"

This made him feel even more humiliated than hearing Li Longji was a spendthrift!

The dignity of the royal family and the ethics of human relations were trampled to this extent!

"Your Majesty, calm your anger!"

Empress Zhangsun hurriedly comforted him, but she herself was also so angry that her face turned pale.

As a woman, she could better understand the baseness of this behavior.

Wei Zheng was heartbroken: "Your Majesty! This is a loss of virtue, a great taboo for a monarch!"

"If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked. If the monarch is like this, how can he demand it of his subjects? With Yang Guozhong controlling the government, how can politics not be corrupt?"

Fang Xuanling grasped the point,

"Jiedushi... serving in three towns, holding heavy troops... this is already a country within a country, and the momentum of being too big to control has already formed!"

"That An Lushan must be a person harboring evil intentions! Xuanzong actually recognized him as a son; it's really... really muddled!"

Du Ruhui shook his head: "Beauty, treacherous officials, border generals... the signs of a dying country have already appeared in three. This Xuanzong is digging his own grave."

Cheng Yaojin was stunned: "Robbed his daughter-in-law? And let treacherous officials and feudal lords harm the imperial court?"

"Is this Li Longji thinking the country is too stable? I, Old Cheng, have really opened my eyes!"

The Great Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the table and stood up,

"Scoundrel! Forcibly robbing a woman is a capital offense, let alone robbing one's own daughter-in-law!"

"It's simply my Li family... ah, bah, it's his Li family's shame!"

"And that Jiedushi, holding heavy troops, isn't this a feudal lord? The Tang Dynasty was destroyed in the hands of these feudal lords!"

"This Li Longji still thinks it's not enough, giving people promotions and titles, recognizing foster sons, stupid! Stupid to the core!"

Zhu Biao also frowned: "Indulging in beauty, ignoring state affairs, being close to petty people, staying away from virtuous officials, indulging border generals... he has almost occupied all the actions of a dying monarch recorded in history books."

Zhu Di sneered: "If such an emperor doesn't make the list of muddled emperors, who does?"