At the tender age of eight, he was hastily dragged out and made emperor!

Liu Chen left, departing from Daxing Palace with a myriad of thoughts swirling within him.

Once upon a time, Liu Chen fantasized about what kind of position he would have in the officialdom of Dayu if he had not married Princess Shangwu An and become the son-in-law of Dayu, but instead chosen the path of taking the imperial examination.

That's just how people are; what they can't have always seems more alluring.

After enduring repeated suppression and turmoil, Liu Chen only realized how terribly wrong he had been when he finally came into contact with a certain social circle!

The more he came into contact with him and the more he learned about him, the more fortunate Liu Chen became that when Emperor Taizu was alive, he had been appointed as the son-in-law of the Prince Consort of Wu'an.

If it weren't for this special identity, given his personality, he would definitely have done something. But if that were the case, he might have died during the reigns of Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, or even the brief reign of Emperor Xuanzong.

Because this temple is too cold.

Do you think Liu Chen is capable of taking on this important task?

Inside the Daxing Hall.

Leaning against the soft cushion, Chu Ling rubbed his temples and spoke to Li Zhong, who was serving him.

"This servant dares to believe that the Prince Consort of Wu'an will take on this important responsibility."

Li Zhong hurriedly bowed and said hello.

"Oh?"

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Zhong, asking, "Then what is the basis for your judgment?"

"Because His Majesty appreciates it."

Li Zhong replied, "Without His Majesty's appreciation, the Prince Consort of Wu'an might have already died when the rebellious prince committed suicide to atone for his sins."

"Haha."

Chu Ling laughed and shook her head, then pointed at Li Zhong, "You dare to say anything, don't you?"

"This servant is His Majesty's household servant. I have always known only one thing: to do my duty faithfully." Upon hearing this, Li Zhong suppressed his fear and bowed.

"As for the Prince Consort of Wu'an, he is not only a member of the imperial family of the Great Yu Dynasty, but also a subject of the Great Yu Dynasty. If he cannot even understand this simplest of principles, then he is not worthy of this honor!"

"Yes."

Chu Ling sighed softly, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, and said, "But in this world, too many people have forgotten how they obtained everything they possess."

Li Zhong lowered his head and remained silent.

Li Zhong's cleverness lies in knowing when to speak and when to keep quiet, which is why he has been able to stay by Chu Ling's side.

“Take this central government as an example, there are always some self-righteous people.”

Chu Ling seemed to be speaking to himself, or perhaps to Li Zhong, “I feel that I have seized this great opportunity and gathered a lot of power in one fell swoop. So the next step should be to press on and bring down the powerful minister Xu Chu.”

"After all the previous turmoil, Xu Chu has been passively accepting all the changes. Such a person does not seem to pose any threat to me."

"Heh, the most hateful people in this world aren't the bad ones, but the self-righteous ones. The mess that exists in the Great Yu Dynasty today is all because of these people!!"

Li Zhong lowered his head even further.

"But little do they know, what I truly care about are not these open rivals." Chu Ling narrowed his eyes, staring at the thick stack of memorials on his desk, and said in a low voice.

“Even if the opponents on the surface are strong, at least I know they exist. Knowing this, I can gradually break through their so-called shackles and constraints.”

"What I should really be concerned about are the adversaries lurking in the shadows. Perhaps they have intricate connections with certain groups in the central government and with certain groups in the local areas, or perhaps they have no connection at all!"

"Just like the Six Doors that were shut down, some of them were involved in smuggling. But besides the Six Doors, there are other groups that have not yet been identified. They are like parasites, huddled in some corner, sucking the life force of the Great Yu state while constantly growing stronger."

Even if I were to drag them all out and exterminate their entire clan, the damage I would have caused to the Great Yu Dynasty would still be there!

The decision to reopen border trade was made by Chu Ling after careful consideration, and under the current special circumstances, he chose to have Liu Chen initiate it.

Without him.

Because the current situation is on his side.

Once you've decided to do something, you can't be indecisive or hesitant, especially when it involves huge interests. If you dare to hesitate even slightly, then visible and invisible opponents will open their jaws and launch a counterattack.

Taking someone's money is like killing their parents.

What about the emperor?

When faced with numerous vested interests, some people are willing to do anything.

Even without using the national treasury's reserves, Chu Ling could easily support this emerging group using his personal funds, particularly the police and military headquarters.

Three to five years is no problem at all.

But Chu Ling did not do that.

Because this is a matter of national importance!!

Since it is a matter of state, it must be treated with impartiality and a clear distinction between public and private matters. This is something Chu Ling will continue and maintain in the future. Only in this way can the resolution of some messes be elevated to a certain level and handled with a sense of righteousness.

Appointing Liu Chen to concurrently head the Customs Administration was a grand strategy devised by Chu Ling, and under this meticulously planned scheme, Liu Chen had virtually no choice.

With great power comes great responsibility.

Since Liu Chen has enjoyed certain privileges and entered the core circle of the Emperor's Party, no matter what choice he makes, he cannot go against Chu Ling's will.

Because everything he has now is based on Chu Ling's appreciation. Without this premise, Liu Chen would have long since become a victim of the power struggle.

“Some people think that because they are being discreet, no one can find out anything,” Chu Ling said with a sharp look in his eyes and a half-smile.

"No matter how careful you are, once you do it, you will always leave some clues, and what I have in abundance is time and patience."

"I'd like to see just how many people are hiding in the shadows, doing things only rats would do. Send an order to Xia Wang and the others; it's time for the investigation to be launched."

"The slaves obey the orders!"

Li Zhong, who had been as still as a wooden stake, suddenly came to life and immediately bowed and paid his respects.

For Chu Ling, to govern the vast Great Yu, he had to be able to see in all directions and hear from all sides. The Plum Blossom Guards were his eyes and ears, the Embroidered Uniform Guards were his eyes and ears, and the Hidden Dragon Guards were his eyes and ears, but these eyes and ears covered different areas.

After all, there are too many things in this world that cannot be accomplished by an organization or system alone.

Therefore, whether it's the open or covert front, Chu Ling needs sufficient strength. The Investigation Department was created for border trade, and given the wide scope and numerous interests involved, Chu Ling needs a professional team to secretly investigate matters while Liu Chen's Customs Administration is drawing attention, until all the hidden groups are exposed...