Chapter 831

First Volume_Chapter 831: The History of Da Liang

The Chang Princess gazed at the Guanyin Statue just before her, her emotions tangled, silent for a long while.

As a member of the Li Imperial Clan, the Chang Princess understood better than anyone else the dark history of this nation.

The founding emperor once promised the four powerful clans: if they helped him seize Heaven, each clan would be granted a fertile land, to endure alongside Da Liang for thousands of generations.

Unfortunately, history always repeats itself with startling similarity.

Upon ascending the throne, the founding emperor naturally sought to consolidate his imperial position, firmly placing the entire nation under Li Clan control. Thus, any powerful family or individual became a latent threat to imperial stability.

When the rabbits are dead, the hunting dogs are cooked.

When the birds are gone, the fine bow is hung away.

This was an inescapable deadlock for every founding emperor—but the four clans were too powerful, and they had already sensed the approaching blade, so they banded together to stand against the Li Imperial Clan. In the first decade, countless bloody and brutal purges unfolded.

Both the four clans and the Li Clan paid a heavy price.

Eventually, both sides chose reconciliation: the four clans pledged allegiance to the Li Clan, and the Li Clan ceased their slaughter, ushering in a brief peace.

The succeeding generations of monarchs largely followed the founding emperor's policy, primarily appeasing the four clans.

But under the Liang Emperor's reign, the situation underwent a dramatic reversal.

Even as a Prince, the Liang Emperor had shown intense hostility toward the four clans; through his repeated petitions, the previous emperor issued several ultimatums to the clans: either surrender their military power or face a large-scale purge.

Just as war was about to break out, the previous emperor died, and Da Liang's state policy shifted from confronting the four clans to the power struggle between the Liang Emperor and the Ming Wang.

The Liang Emperor, once with slim chances, had already been granted a princedom, but at the final moment, he seized the throne by launching a Forced Palace Coup while the Ming Wang was visiting the Front Line to comfort the troops.

After successfully inheriting the Imperial Throne, the Liang Emperor ruthlessly suppressed the Ming Wang and carried out a Great Purge against ministers loyal to him.

Only after securing his throne did the Liang Emperor shift his focus from the Ming Wang to the former four clans.

Through a series of maneuvers and Divine Strategy, the four clans steadily crumbled, eventually being confined to Nan Jing, their influence no longer able to reach the Central Plains' rear area.

Despite launching multiple bloody Great Purges, over the years, public opinion of the Liang Emperor has remained largely favorable.

The Liang Emperor may not have been a good man, but he was a good monarch.

The Nan Jing powerful clans, led by the Nangong Clan, represented the old aristocracy, promoting slavery and bloodline superiority. The Liang Emperor, though also valuing bloodline, prioritized meritocracy, restoring the imperial examination system and providing a reliable channel for recruiting talent across the realm.

Moreover, under the Liang Emperor's suppression, local tyrants and armed militias who had once terrorized the countryside were significantly curbed.

The most direct benefit: prices fell, and the common people could at least eat their fill.

During the Liang Emperor's reign, there were only two major failures: first, his inability to counter the northern Di army's invasion.

This cannot be entirely blamed on him—after generations of emperors favoring civil over military affairs, Da Liang's soldiers' Combat Effectiveness had steadily declined, no longer comparable to the founding army's might; their primary strategic deployment against the Di was defensive, rarely launching Offensive Action.

The Di's frequent raids had indeed inflicted heavy losses upon the nation.

Second, to balance competing factions and consolidate imperial authority, he repeatedly postponed addressing the famine disaster, ultimately triggering catastrophe.

Had Qin Feng not gone to the Northern Border to restore People's Livelihood and absorbed vast numbers of starving refugees, this man-made disaster would have been even more horrific.

Aside from these two stains, the Liang Emperor devoted nearly all his attention to the nation's interests.

As monarch, he placed country before family—he went as long as half a year without returning to the Hou Gong, even though it lay just a stone's throw away.

The Nan Jing powerful clans understood all too well what such an emperor meant for them.

Thus, even when the Liang Emperor first revealed his hostility, they began secretly plotting, eventually placing Nangong Moru—the current Da Liang Empress—by his side.

The world knew the Da Liang Empress as gentle, devoutly vegetarian and Buddhist, kind and benevolent.

But the Chang Princess knew the Empress's hidden other face.

She once schemed to incite the First Prince to beat the young Qin Feng, prompting Qin's mother to appeal to the throne; after whispering in the Liang Emperor's ear, he decided to punish the First Prince by sending him to the Rong Border—officially a penalty, secretly a promotion. When the First Prince returned victorious, he would become Crown Prince.

But the First Prince was assassinated by the Empress's agents as soon as he reached the Border—dying before even engaging in battle.

The Empress successfully crushed the Lin Family, and the First Prince's mother, Imperial Consort Lin Wenwan, underwent a drastic change in temperament.

The feud between the Lin Family and the Qin Family was now fully sealed.

The Consort Shu, mother of Li Yuxiao, who accidentally uncovered the truth, was also silenced by the Empress; even Li Yuxiao has been relentlessly hunted by her ever since.

Even Wei Xiao, the final straw that crushed Li Qian, was arranged by the Empress.

With Li Qian's fall, Li Yong rose.

And today, Li Yong has once again become a sacrifice of the Empress—or the Nan Jing powerful clans.

This woman who feigned kindness was, in truth, a venomous serpent!

The Chang Princess could not help but sigh: "Empress Title, you have plotted and schemed—do you intend to exterminate the Li Clan entirely?"

"Even if the Li Clan perishes, Heaven will never fall into the hands of the Nangong Clan."

In response to the Chang Princess's accusation, the Empress shook her head, feigning virtue: "You misunderstand me—how could I ever watch the Li Clan perish?"

"On the contrary, I shall personally elevate the Li Clan, ensuring they forever sit upon the Da Liang Imperial Throne."

The First Prince is dead, Li Qian is banished to the Cold Palace, and Li Yong's fate is no better.

The three most capable princes of Da Liang have all become pawns under the Empress's conspiracy.

And now, the Empress dares claim she will support the Li Clan?

The Chang Princess finally understood the Empress's sinister intent.

"The First Prince, Li Qian, Li Yong—they fell not because they were weak, but because they were too strong, correct?"

The Empress offered no concealment, admitting outright: "Correct."

"The First Prince may have been crude, but he was decisive, backed by the Lin Family—if he ascended the throne, he would be no less formidable than the current emperor."

"Li Qian may have been shortsighted, but he was adaptable and skilled in strategy; though he lost to Qin Feng, he did not disgrace himself."