The aristocratic families and powerful people have countless money and food, and their population is also countless...
What is the support behind all these seemingly powerful things?
Network!
Over hundreds or even thousands of years, they used marriage and other means to extend the family's roots outward and closely connect them with other families.
This is called alliance.
If you are fine, you can't cut off chicken heads and burn yellow paper for fun, right?
The purpose of alliance is profit.
Everyone joins forces to reap the benefits.
Moreover, after joining forces, the higher-ups have to be a little wary if they want to touch us.
These roots of family units spread underground to every corner of the Tang Dynasty.
From temples to rivers and lakes, their roots are everywhere.
It's like the spider webs form a huge network, and the one trapped in the middle is the emperor.
Spiders were gnawing at the Tang Dynasty's body with their blood-red eyes. The emperor was trapped in the middle, and if he struggled occasionally, he would be suppressed.
There have been countless imperial 'riots' in history, but the final results were not satisfactory.
Some emperors fell into the water inexplicably, some emperors died of illness inexplicably, some emperors died inexplicably... on the dragon bed, some emperors led armies on expeditions, but were deprived of food and grass inexplicably...
The vastness of this network frightened the emperor.
With the lessons learned from those emperors, the subsequent emperors were all very well-behaved. Even if they wanted to make a career, they would still negotiate with those spiders...
At the beginning of the founding of the country, the land was vast and sparsely populated. Even if it was eaten by spiders, the dynasty still had excess resources to feed the people.
The people had filled their stomachs and shouted for prosperity.
This is why the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China are often known as the prosperous times.
In the middle and late stages, there is less land and more people, and the appetites of the rich and powerful are getting bigger and bigger. But there are only so many resources, what to do? They will take it from the hands of the people.
As a result, the people were displaced.
Then there is the well-known routine: the people are in dire straits, and the people rise up in rebellion!
There is internal chaos, and foreign enemies take advantage of the situation to invade...
The killing was full of heads, and the killing area was vast and sparsely populated.
Well, the foundation for a prosperous age has been laid once again.
"...This is reincarnation, a reincarnation created with the flesh and blood of the people. As a father, I want to stop this reincarnation."
The emperor and his son were walking in the palace.
Qin Ze followed with his people from a distance, not daring to listen to what the supreme being said.
Ah Liang asked: "Ah Ye, then...can't those people be less greedy?"
"The human heart!" The emperor pointed to his chest, "It is a bottomless pit. Ah Liang, you must remember that the human heart is never satisfied."
"Does it mean that people's hearts have no clue?"
"Yes. Just like Yang Songcheng, the Yang family in Yingchuan has been inherited for thousands of years and has endless wealth. Is that enough?"
"That's enough."
"But the Yang family still colluded with Li Mi, who was still a member of the clan, and wanted to obtain greater benefits through speculation. The Yang family even turned her family into a descendant clan by marrying off her daughter. Yang Songcheng suddenly transformed and became the head of the country. Posthumously.
A bunch of thugs. That should be enough, right?"
"Well...that's enough!" Ah Liang felt that it was enough.
"But Yang Songcheng was very ambitious and wanted to go further. Li Mi was luring the wolf into the house. He wanted to kill the wolf, but he found that what he was holding was a hemp pole."
The emperor smiled and said: "When Yang Songcheng's power was at its strongest, he could compete with the false emperor Li Mi. If there are no subsequent changes, after Li Mi, the Li family's empire will inevitably end and be replaced by the Yang family's empire."
"The human heart... is so scary!" A Liang shook his head.
"Therefore, as an emperor, you must know your boundaries and let your ministers and forces know your boundaries. If anyone takes a step beyond the realm of possibility, don't hesitate and take action immediately!"
The emperor looked at his son and said, "A-Liang, you have to remember, rules are rules."
"Yes!" A Liang nodded vigorously.
"His Majesty!"
Wang Laoer trotted over, "They're setting off."
"good!"
The emperor waved, "Where's the dried meat?"
"Yes!"
"Let's have some fun, Ah Liang, do you want it?"
"want!"
The three of them squatted beside them and chewed dried meat.
"Your wife is not pregnant yet?" the emperor asked.
"I didn't ask." Wang Laoer said carelessly.
"Did Mr. Tu not rush you?"
"Urgent, I said if you keep urging me, I will go to Northern Xinjiang."
"grass!"
In the distance, several maids said: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince, and General Wang must be discussing state affairs!"
"Well! Your Majesty is diligent in his work..."
…
More than ten riders galloped all the way and arrived at Zhangzhou.
Yan Wei, the governor of Zhangzhou, led his people to greet the envoy.
The messenger is a chamberlain.
"Your Majesty has ordered a population census in various places. Anyone who violates the law and becomes a slave will be expatriated." The envoy looked at Yan Wei and others and said solemnly: "Your Majesty has said that officials in various places must stand in the right place. Anyone who violates the law will be punished.
Those powerful and powerful families are working together to protect them... The official system of the world has been in disrepair for many years, and Your Majesty is short of manpower."
Yan Wei was shocked, "But...but what if the local powerful families cause trouble?"
A population census means cutting off the roots of those people, right?
Are those people bad?
Once you take action, everything will be shaken!
The messenger laughed, and the chamberlain's characteristic shrill laughter echoed outside the lobby.
"Rebellion? His Majesty said that he would build a palace under the throne, but now he is short of heads!"
The messenger had to continue delivering orders, asked for dry food, and then left.
Yan Wei said with a livid face: "Your Majesty is far away in Chang'an, but you don't know how ruthless those powerful families are. No one can touch their roots, not even Ye Niang!"
Someone said: "Your Majesty, let's..."
"The decree has been issued. If it doesn't move, Your Majesty will move me!"
Yan Wei gritted his teeth and said, "Send people to various powerful families in Zhangzhou to tell them to clean up their families. Just say...if they don't clean up, I will bring people to clean up."
The officials who left were as heroic as if they were gone forever.
A few days later, feedback came from everywhere...
"The Chen family is making a fuss, saying that the emperor is stupid..."
"The Sun family said this was a rebellion forced by the government and the people."
"Where's Ding?" Yan Wei asked.
The Ding family is the largest clan in Zhangzhou, with the largest population, the most fields, the most money and food, and the most connections.
Known as Ding Siduo.
The official who went to the Ding family came back with bruises on his cheeks. He became angry and said: "Your Majesty, Ding Fan slapped the official a few times and said that this was a disorderly life. If the government forced the Ding family, the Ding family would seek justice for themselves.
.”
"This is a rebellion!"
someone exclaimed.
"what to do?"
"The Ding family has such a large population, they can form a big army when gathered together!"
"..."
Yan Wei said anxiously: "We are all thinking of ways."
"Your Majesty, the best we can do is defend the city. I'm afraid everything outside the city will be lost."
An air of depression enveloped Zhouse.
Someone came in and reported, "Your Majesty, an army is coming."
"Where did it come from?"
Yan Wei's eyes lit up.
People have already entered the state.
"Zhao Yong, I have met Lord Yan!"
Zhao Yong has long since lost his youthfulness. He looks steady but sharp, and his eyes are shining brightly as he turns.
After some mutual introductions, Yan Wei said happily, "How many people did General Zhao bring with him on this trip?"
"Two thousand!" Zhao Yong said.
"Two thousand? Too little!" Yan Wei said: "If Zhangzhou's powerful families impose their will, at least it can create a population of 100,000. Two thousand... is not enough!"
Zhao Yong said calmly: "In my eyes, a hundred thousand people are nothing more than local chickens and dogs!"
…
"If the foolish king doesn't give us a way to survive, then we will let him know the consequences of angering everyone in the world!"
Ding Fan stood outside the lobby with his sword in hand. Below him were the heads of several wealthy families in Zhangzhou, as well as some powerful men.
"Without the population, what do you and I have?" Ding Fan said: "That is our root. Whoever wants to cut off my root will make me sworn in with him. How do you wait?"
"The emperor is stupid, let's rebel!"
"Yes, rebel!"
Amid the excitement, Ding Fan said: "Who said we want to rebel?"
"Uh! Mr. Ding, is there a better way?"
Ding Fan pointed in the direction of Shu, "Don't forget, there is an emperor there, and that emperor is really nice to us."
"Yes!"
"Your Majesty is in Shu!"
Ding Fan pressed his hands and said: "We don't call this rebellion, we call it...!"
"It's wonderful to treat others the same way you treat them."
Ding Fan said: "We can have at least 20,000 troops in total. The Zhangzhou garrison is less than 3,000. Many of them are related to us..."
"Capture Zhangzhou and fight to Chang'an!"
"!"
…
The newly formed army of 20,000 people set off.
Morale is high.
Yan Wei has been feeling uneasy.
Zhao Yong was at ease.
Scouts kept bringing news.
"General, there are 20,000 people led by the Ding family, and they are coming this way."
Yan Wei looked at Zhao Yong, "What should we do? What should we do?"
"The troops will stop us, and the water will only cover us!"
Zhao Yong said calmly: "Is there anything unusual in the military camp?"
"Yes, several generals are discussing secretly!"
"Get them first!"
Zhao Yong led hundreds of cavalry into the military camp, and more than ten people below the captain were captured. After some torture, they learned that the Ding family and other families had already been in contact with them, and they only waited for the troops to approach the city to launch an attack. They cooperated internally and externally to break the city.
"He's actually a traitor?" Yan Wei was terrified after learning the confession.
"Your Majesty said that the network of connections between the rich and powerful is complicated, and the first thing to be wary of is not the rioters, but the traitors!"
Zhao Yong suppressed the garrison, and the rebels also arrived.
The 20,000 rioters look a bit like they are, at least the array is not chaotic.
It's just that the weapons are a bit mixed. A few people have swords and guns, and others have wooden spears or various knives.
Less armor.
"They're coming."
On the top of the city, Yan Wei and others had earth-colored faces.
"Open the city gate!" Zhao Yong said.
"What?" Yan Wei said, "Just wait patiently for reinforcements!"
"No reinforcements needed!"
Under the city, Ding Fan pointed his long knife at the city head and shouted: "The false emperor is going against the grain and will inevitably die a good death. If you wait until the door opens to surrender, it's still too late! Otherwise, if you break the city, you will die without a burial place!"
The city gate is open.
Everyone was ecstatic.
"Ding Gong is indeed very majestic! With just a few words, he ordered the defenders to surrender."
"If this continues, we'll be able to reach Chang'an soon!"
"No, what is that?"
The city gate is wide open.
Two thousand cavalry rushed out.
"God!"
Yan Wei couldn't help but close his eyes as he watched the two thousand cavalry charge towards the mob.
There were screams in my ears, followed by exclamations from around me.
"Come in!"
"Ah! Those rioters couldn't stop them for a moment?"
"Ding Fan ran away!"
"Two thousand to twenty thousand, so powerful!"
"Long live your Majesty!"
Yan Wei opened his eyes and saw that 20,000 people had herded their sheep and fled in all directions.
Two thousand cavalrymen chased with ease, constantly shouting for surrender.
Those who were slaves yesterday were kneeling everywhere.
"This is so damn... this is so damn good!"
Yan Wei was so excited that he raised his arms and shouted.