svetikya Page 299
Page 299
This was an era that placed great importance on the continuation of bloodlines, especially for royalty.
There are three types of unfilial piety, the greatest of which is not having offspring.
Yang Guang never imagined that he, as the emperor of a country, would end up with the tragic fate of having no bloodline to carry on.
The system collapsed instantly, providing Chen Yan with 7,000 collapse points...
Why, why is this happening?
Why is this happening?!
Since I ascended the throne, I have enjoyed much pleasure, but my contributions have been equally enormous.
The Grand Canal, the imperial highways, the imperial examination system, the standardization of weights and measures... which of these measures wasn't a great thing that benefited the country and its people?
Why is my future so tragic!
Even my empress and my descendants all met tragic ends.
I am not satisfied!
I don't understand!
"I... refuse to accept this!!"
"What are you complaining about!"
Seeing Yang Guang's bloodshot eyes and ferocious expression, Chen Yan retorted without mercy.
Why are you unwilling, confused, and unconvinced?
You think you're doing a great job as emperor.
Admittedly,
The Grand Canal, imperial highways, and the imperial examination system were all beneficial to the country and its people.
But as a member of the royal family, you, who have been high above others since childhood, have overlooked something extremely important and fundamental.
That is... any measure taken must be based on benefiting and improving the people!
Only when the people are prosperous and strong can the country be prosperous and strong.
How could you, in your high and mighty position, possibly know how much manpower and resources were used to build the Grand Canal?
How many innocent people ultimately died?
Now I'll tell you, the construction of the Grand Canal involved millions of able-bodied farmers!
These millions of young and middle-aged farmers are the pillars of their families. Their conscription affects tens of millions of people!
Finally, the Grand Canal was completed.
Three to four hundred thousand laborers died from overwork, disease, or starvation!
This doesn't even take into account how many families lost their breadwinner and indirectly starved to death because of the construction of the Grand Canal...
At that time, every family wore mourning clothes, and the sound of wailing was constant in every village!
What a tragic scene this is!
Even if building the Grand Canal would benefit the people, it would only be a benefit enjoyed by a small group of people in the future. Now, you are making the entire Sui Dynasty suffer with you. Who would respect you?!
Furthermore!
The Sui Dynasty was already severely weakened by the construction of the Grand Canal. Your four campaigns against Goguryeo and your forceful implementation of the imperial examination system further hastened the Sui Dynasty's demise!
The four campaigns against Goguryeo further depleted the already weakened Sui Dynasty, bringing it to the brink of collapse.
While forcefully implementing the imperial examination system did benefit the common people, it deeply offended powerful clans and aristocratic families.
Now, the common people and powerful families are all unhappy with you and want to rebel against you. How can your Great Sui Dynasty not perish!
Yang Guang was thoroughly scolded by Chen Yan, but he felt only shock and fear.
Yes.
(The benefits of money) He only saw the merits, but selectively ignored the costs.
Everything has two sides.
It will bring benefits, but it will also inevitably have losses.
The construction of the Grand Canal depleted the national strength of the Sui Dynasty.
The four campaigns against Goguryeo further shattered the Sui Dynasty.
Forcibly implementing the imperial examination system offended powerful clans.
Through a series of actions he considered incredibly wise, he squandered the vast fortune left to him by Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian.
An emperor.
When you have no cards left to play and are facing the raging anger of the entire world, it's no wonder you're overthrown...
"If you take too big a step, you'll eventually run into trouble."
The meal must be eaten one bite at a time, and the road must be walked step by step.
Yang Guang, you were too eager for quick success, too ambitious, too self-righteous, and you showed no regard for the common people and powerful families...
Therefore.
Your downfall was sealed the day you ascended the throne!
Chen Yan closed his folding fan and stared at Yang Guang with indifferent eyes.
Yang Guang can by no means be considered a completely incompetent and useless person.
but,
His stubbornness, self-righteousness, and disregard for the lives of the people make him infinitely more terrifying to them than a tyrannical ruler!
Chapter 224 Yang Guang's Dejection: His Inevitable Fate!
"Do we have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time?"
Will taking too big a step lead to injury?
He heard Chen Yan's cold rebuke, which sounded like a wake-up call.
Yang Guang was struck dumb, his eyes glazed over, his face, flushed from excessive indulgence, shifting between pale and yellow...
in fact.
It wasn't that no one had tried to analyze this issue for Yang Guang, but at that time, Yang Guang was full of vigor and wouldn't listen to anyone's advice.
Moreover, those who advised him were all his subjects, so he would not take their words to heart.
Now that both he and the Sui Dynasty were on their last legs, and the person who rebuked him was Chen Yan, who also stood at the pinnacle of the Nine Provinces, he was able to take those words to heart and truly listen to them...
He listened to these words and...
Finally realizing the enormous mistakes they had made over the years,
The pain, sadness, and frustration in my heart reached their peak.
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, tears and snot streaming down his face, looking utterly pathetic and ugly...
"His Majesty!"
Upon seeing Yang Guang's appearance at this time.
Empress Xiao and the others exclaimed in surprise and went to help him up.
But he snapped at her, "Don't touch me! Let me have some peace and quiet!"
Empress Xiao and the others were taken aback and stopped a few steps away from him, their faces showing pain.
Yang Guang, however, knelt on the ground in a daze.
He couldn't remember the last time he had knelt down.
Even when kneeling, they carried a sense of pride in their hearts.
He hadn't felt the sensation of truly setting aside his imperial status and having his knees intimately connected with the earth for far too long.
"So this is what it feels like to be down-to-earth. Only by setting aside the emperor's status and airs can one listen to the voice of the earth and the voice of the people..."
Only by adhering to the principle of 803 can we truly stay connected with the masses and govern the country well...
at this time.
I seemed to hear the earth's lament, and the painful groans of the people of the Sui Dynasty.
It must be because of all the wrongdoings I've committed over the years.
My mistake is unforgivable, but I just hope I can have another chance!
If, if I were given another chance, I... I would definitely love my people as my own children and be a good and competent emperor..."
Think of this.
Kneeling on the ground, Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, finally calmed his restless mind, and a strong desire suddenly arose in his heart!
This desire was so strong that it mobilized his energy and spirit, making him feel as if he had been reborn, radiant with vitality.
Get up.