Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

In the Central Plains of this world, history and the present world are surprisingly similar.

From primitive tribes consuming raw meat and drinking blood, to the shackled slave era, to the strict laws of today's feudal dynasties, the evolution of civilization has been punctuated by endless struggle and integration. When the last slave-owning dynasty collapsed amid internal strife, the warring states, like beasts freed from their cages, launched a centuries-long bloody annexation. Finally, a wise and capable monarch, with ruthless determination, brought an end to the chaotic world, establishing the unified "Daqian Dynasty" and earning the title "First Emperor." From then on, the Central Plains had a supreme "Son of Heaven," ushering in the era of centralized imperial power.

However, the prosperity of the Great Qian Dynasty did not benefit all citizens. Founding heroes and former feudal lords transformed themselves into a new aristocracy, seizing fertile farmland and monopolizing salt and iron production, controlling the nation's lifeline, wealth, and power. Extravagant palaces sprang up, but heavy taxes weighed heavily on the people. Daoism, a school of thought that had gained strength during these turbulent times, keenly sensed an opportunity. They advocated the lofty ideal of "divine right of kings," attempting to crown the emperor with "heaven's mandate," thereby securing their place at the center of power and a share of coveted resources. However, Emperor Qian, deeply attached to Confucianism and Taoism and advocating benevolent governance and rituals, scoffed at the Daoist doctrines and rejected them from the imperial court.

Simmering resentment, like a raging fire, boiled under the relentless oppression of the Qian Dynasty nobles. Years of devastating droughts left vast expanses of barren land, and the dead teemed with starving people. Desperate refugees held only the fervor of survival. The Daoists, neglected by the imperial court, now ignited a prairie fire. They no longer prayed for favors, but instead raised the banner of "acting on behalf of Heaven," turning the theoretical weapon of "divine right" against them, declaring that the Qian Emperor had fallen from grace and the Mandate of Heaven had been overturned! Countless desperate "mobs," under the command of the Daoist leader, coalesced into a torrent, sweeping across the prefectures and counties. The once-mighty Great Qian Dynasty collapsed amidst a wave of anger and internal decay. The Daoist leader donned the yellow robe, established his rule in the Central Plains, and named his nation "Huang," thus becoming known in history as the "Huang Dynasty."

Sadly, the Huang Dynasty, which was founded on the "Tao", quickly slid into the abyss of going astray.

The ruling Daoist elite were obsessed with the illusory art of immortality, their alchemy furnaces blazing day and night. What the superiors desired was often even more so among the subordinates. The Five Stones Powder, the so-called "elixir," was a cult favorite, with everyone from royalty and nobles to the common people vying to consume it, seeking a sense of ethereal ecstasy. Little did they know that it was a substance that could erode the bones and soul, leaving the body emaciated and the mind demented. Government was neglected, military preparations were slackened, and the treasury was empty. The entire empire was shrouded in a morbid, decadent fog, its power utterly weakened.

The Huang Dynasty's weakness, like prey dripping with blood, attracted the wolves that had long been lurking around it. On the northern grasslands, the fierce cavalry of the Rong people swirled clouds of dust; in the western Gobi Desert, the scimitars of the Hudi people flashed a cold light; in the malaria-ridden lands of the south, barbarian tribes were ready to make a move; and in the vast eastern seas, cunning and brutal pirates, sailing in fast ships, attacked the coast like a thorn in their flesh. For a time, "barbarians invaded from all sides, and the Central Plains was in turmoil." The glorious Huang Dynasty was on the brink of extinction.

In this moment of shattered territory and precariousness, the Sima clan, a prominent family entrenched in the Guanlong region, stepped forward. Far from a vested interest in the Huang Dynasty, they stood by and watched its decline. The Sima clan leader, assessing the situation, rallied his forces, citing the slogan "Heaven's Mandate returns to benevolence, saving the drowning and the burning," and rallied his forces. They quickly united the remaining local armed forces and concerned scholars, raising their banners and sweeping away the vulnerable remnants of the Huang Dynasty, obsessed with elixirs. A new dynasty was born amidst the flames of war and hope. Its name, "Tian," signified "accepting the will of Heaven and recreating the world," and its capital, Xianyang (later Chang'an), nestled in the heart of Guanzhong. It became known in history as the "Heavenly Dynasty" or the "Great Heavenly Dynasty."

The newly born Celestial Empire faced a devastated country surrounded by powerful enemies. The founding emperor Sima, known for his pragmatism and iron-fisted approach, and his successors demonstrated extraordinary courage and wisdom.

Knowing the threat posed by the Rong cavalry was a formidable enemy, the Celestial Empire mobilized its entire nation to connect, expand, and reinforce the previous dynasty's discontinuous border walls in the northern empire, leveraging the rugged mountain ranges. Ultimately, the "Great Wall of the Northern Frontier" stretched thousands of miles. This mighty wall, forged with the blood and sweat of countless civilians and the loyalty of countless soldiers, became the most sturdy barrier against the storms of the steppes. Linked by beacon towers and manned by elite troops, it firmly kept the Rong troops at bay.

To eradicate the rampant pirates, the Qing Dynasty vigorously built shipyards along the prosperous southeastern coast, particularly at the mouths of the Yangtze River and in important harbors. Sailors were recruited to form "Water Defense Battalions." New warships were equipped with powerful crossbows, and the naval officers and soldiers were diligently trained. They patrolled and apprehended pirates, employing both suppression and appeasement. Gradually, the rampant pirates were either annihilated or driven from the coastal waters, restoring peace to the coast and safeguarding vital maritime trade and grain transport.

Regarding the barbarians in the southern jungles, the Celestial Empire adopted a strategy of "appeasement." Through marriage alliances between the imperial family and influential southern clans, supplemented by mutual trade and the teaching of agricultural techniques, the Celestial Empire transformed hostility into friendship, gradually bringing the turbulent southern border into the effective governance and cultural influence of the empire, making it a stable rear base.

Facing the Hudi and Di tribes of the Western Regions, the Celestial Empire established protectorates to safeguard merchants and travelers, exchanging fine silk, porcelain, and tea for fine horses, jade, and other rare treasures. This thriving trade not only brought wealth but also fostered understanding, divided potential hostile forces, and neutralized the threat from the West.

Well-aware that the aristocratic monopoly on officialdom was the root cause of the previous dynasty's ills, the Qing Dynasty resolutely implemented the far-reaching "Imperial Examination System." Regardless of their humble background, anyone could enter the officialdom through fair examinations based on their proven ability and knowledge. This move undoubtedly affected the interests of the powerful, leading high-ranking officials to accept humble candidates as their protégés. Successful admission to the imperial examinations guaranteed them a position in the court. Repeated failures led to expulsion, and even the dismissal of those whose loyalty wavered, as was the case with Gao Jiong.

One hundred and twenty years have passed since the Sima family established their rule in the Central Plains.

One hundred and twenty years of development had clothed the entire Central Plains in a splendid brocade. However, beneath this splendor, a force capable of tearing the empire apart was growing stronger: the imperial family, growing like a vine of greed within the empire.

Since the founding of the empire by Taizu Sima, to reward meritorious officials and consolidate imperial power, the royal family granted numerous descendants in strategic positions across the country, bestowing them with royal titles and granting them fiefdoms (vassal states), a hereditary system. After a hundred and twenty years of recuperation and population growth, the royal family expanded to an astonishing size. These nobles, born into the royal family, were granted the title of prince, with vast fiefs and numerous retainers. They did not need to study for the imperial examinations like ordinary scholars, nor did they have to fight like soldiers on the frontiers. Simply by virtue of their bloodline, they enjoyed the empire's most abundant resources.

Their palaces resembled miniature imperial courts, lavishly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, brimming with extravagance. They maintained thousands of retainers and private soldiers. Weddings and funerals often cost the imperial treasury vast sums. A "routine" visit to the capital required the prefectures and counties along the way to offer generous tributes, leaving their passage swarming like locusts. Even more terrifying, they exploited their privileged status to madly acquire land, monopolizing the profits of the local salt, iron, and grain transport industries, allowing large numbers of people to evade taxes and labor service. Like a floodgate, the treasury's silver and granaries' corn poured endlessly into the bottomless pits of these imperial families. The heavy burden of taxes and labor service was ultimately passed on to the already overburdened common people, leaving popular resentment simmering like a smoldering underground fire, waiting for an outlet.

The then Prime Minister, Shi Jinchao, rose from humble origins, ultimately rising to the highest rank thanks to his exceptional talent and learning, overcoming obstacles and passing the imperial examinations. He understood the imperial examinations as fundamental to the empire's survival and the struggles of its people, and he felt a deep understanding of the suffering of the common people. He was consumed by the vexing problem of the imperial family, a persistent problem. The treasury was strained year after year, with funds needed for repairs to the Great Wall in the north, maintenance of the southeastern navy, and disaster relief efforts. The imperial family's expenses consumed nearly 30% of the annual revenue! He was even more alarmed by the fact that several princes, each commanding a powerful vassal state and commanding elite armies, were increasingly separatist, often ostensibly disobeying the central government's orders.

Shi Jinchao knew that reducing the power of the feudal lords was a dangerous move, like cutting flesh to heal a wound, but he believed that a short pain was better than a long one. Over the past two years, he overcame all objections and began to implement a series of "new policies" aimed at weakening the privileges of the royal family and strengthening the central government.

Reduce rice salaries to fill granaries; limit private soldiers and recruit guards; clear farmland and equalize taxes; all reports on vassal affairs must go through the central government.

Once this order is issued, it is like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake!

The most powerful princes in several towns reacted most violently.

Especially the eldest one - King Jin of Hedong!

The situation in the imperial court suddenly shifted. The previously peaceful atmosphere was gone. Every court meeting became a battlefield for the "dispute between the prime minister and the vassal states." The reformist officials, led by the prime minister, quoted from classics and delivered impassioned speeches, excoriating the abuses of the imperial clan and emphasizing that reducing the power of the vassal states was essential for enriching the country, strengthening the military, and ensuring long-term stability. Meanwhile, the opposition, led by the representatives of the vassal states in the court (mostly members of the imperial clan or members of noble families with deep ties to their interests), launched a wave of attacks. They accused the prime minister of "sowing discord among the royal family, a crime worthy of death"; some exaggerated the dangers, claiming that reducing the power of the vassal states would drive the vassal states into rebellion, leading to a recurrence of the "Seven Kingdoms Rebellion" and providing an opportunity for barbarian invaders; and some attacked the prime minister himself as "autocratic and domineering, with no regard for the emperor," attempting to draw the emperor into suspicion of the prime minister.

The "dispute between the prime minister and the vassal" has spread from the debate in the court to every corner of the Celestial Empire.