A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"And who is this enlightened ruler?"

Someone asked.

"In the present world, the decline of the Sui Dynasty is evident, and many heroes are rising up. Those who can contend for the world are none other than Dou Jiande of Hebei, Li Yuan of Guanzhong, Li Mi of Wagang, Wang Shichong of Luoyang, Du Fuwei of Jianghuai, and Lin Shihong of Jiangdong."

"Leaving aside Li Mi for the moment, the south has always been fond of its own corner and lacks the ambition to advance, making it difficult to resist the northern lords."

"In my opinion, the only ones who could win the world are Dou Jiande of Hebei, Li Yuan of Guanzhong, Wang Shichong of Luoyang, and Li Mi of Wagang."

"Li Mi was ungrateful and unworthy of being a wise ruler."

"Wang Shichong was treacherous and cunning, and was not a wise ruler."

"Dou Jiande of Hebei was quite benevolent and righteous, and had the ambition to conquer the world. Hebei has always been a rich and prosperous land with a strong army and horses. He also controlled part of the grasslands, making him a truly powerful ruler."

"Li Yuan of Guanzhong established the power of Western Qin. When he did not make a move, it was a momentous event. He controlled Yong and Liang and looked down on the world. He also controlled the most prosperous Silk Road and became a great ruler."

"These two are the ones who will surely gain control of the world."

Wei Zheng analyzed it step by step.

Most of the brothers were rough men who could only nod like chickens pecking at rice when Wei Zheng's analysis came to mind. They didn't quite understand it, but it seemed to make a lot of sense.

Qin Qiong and the others looked at Xu Maogong, who, apart from Wei Zheng, was the most cultured and intelligent person present.

Xu Maogong nodded, agreeing with Wei Zheng's opinion. He thought the same way, but he had one more piece of information than Wei Zheng, which made him lean more towards Dou Jiande and Li Yuan.

"I have a rumor that Li Yuan's eldest son, Li Jiancheng, and second son, Li Shimin, studied in Yanzhou and both became disciples of the Prince of Yan."

"Li Shimin was a disciple in name only, while Li Yuan's eldest son, Li Jiancheng, was a disciple in person."

Everyone was so shocked by the news that they stood up. "Then what's the point of choosing? Naturally, we should vote for Duke Tang!"

Cheng Yaojin shouted.

"Brother Yaojin is right, I, You Junda, will vote for Duke Tang."

"I agree!"

"I agree!"

Ultimately, all the brothers of Wagang unanimously voted to join Li Yuan, demonstrating the influence of being a direct disciple of the Prince of Yan.

"Since all of you brothers have made your decision, then we will pledge allegiance to the Duke of Tang."

"Next, I will ask Li Mi for permission to lead the troops with my brothers to garrison Shanzhou. Now that Lord Zhai has just passed away, if Li Mi does not want Wagang to split up, he will surely agree."

Wei Zheng stroked his beard and said.

With everyone's consent, Wei Zheng quickly went to see Li Mi to ask for permission.

Li Mi knew that Zhai Rang's death had alarmed these people, who were worried that he would take action against them. That's why they led their troops to garrison Shanzhou in order to protect themselves.

If he disagrees, these people will likely be terrified and might even raise an army to fight.

The important thing is that Li Mi did indeed have this idea.

After Zhai Rang was removed, the other brothers of Wagang became somewhat conspicuous.

Qin Qiong and his many sworn brothers wielded immense power, spreading throughout the entire Wagang forces, becoming his new greatest threat.

After eliminating Zhai Rang, if he could also get rid of these sworn brothers and recruit a few of the capable ones to his own cause, he would be able to completely control this force.

This idea has now been aborted.

With a smile on his face, Li Mi wrote down the order, pressed the imperial seal, and handed it to Wei Zheng.

"The safety of Shanzhou is now in your hands. You must keep Li Yuan at bay in Hedong."

"When I pacify the world one day, you brothers will all deserve the greatest credit!"

Li Mi painted a big picture, but the picture was poorly drawn and didn't look real at all.

"Yes, sir!"

Wei Zheng bowed and ignored Li Mi's cake.

In the fourteenth year of the Daye era, Dou Jiande and Li Mi joined forces and crossed Luoyang, their military might advancing directly towards Jiangdu.

They planned to first destroy the Sui dynasty, and then establish themselves as kings.

Wang Shichong also discovered this matter. Having established himself in Luoyang for many years, he had long lost all respect for the Sui Dynasty and even harbored ambitions to replace it.

The fact that Li Mi and Dou Jiande joined forces to attack Jiangdu made him realize that this was his opportunity.

He was originally a Sui official and had previously served in Jiangdu, so he was naturally very familiar with the city.

If he could profit from the chaos and find the Imperial Seal of the State ahead of time, he might also be able to rule as a sovereign.

The Wagang people in Shanzhou were also informed of this news by Li Mi, who ordered them to lead their troops to Jiangdu.

After discussion, the generals of Wagang prepared to go out in full force.

They wanted to pledge allegiance to the Duke of Tang, and they needed a sufficiently impressive gift; they thought the Imperial Seal of the State would be a good choice.

If one can present the Imperial Seal of the State, one will surely be able to join the Duke of Tang's ranks smoothly, and will not be excluded because of this merit.

Just as they were besieging Jiangdu, a momentous event occurred that shocked the world:

Yuwen Huaji murdered the emperor!

In the Jiangdu Imperial Palace, Yang Guang sat upright on the dragon throne, displaying his imperial majesty.

"Why are you all so indifferent? What have I done wrong?"

"Where were you when I was young, fighting battles in the south and north?"

"I have pacified the world, where are you?"

"Since I ascended the throne, I have built the Great Wall, constructed the Eastern Capital, opened the Grand Canal, and laid railways to connect the north and south."

"I have promoted Mohism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and established the imperial examinations."

"I have conquered the Western Regions and repelled a hundred other kingdoms."

"I have established diplomatic relations with the seas and promoted trade and culture."

"Hahahaha, all nations come to pay homage!"

"When I ascended the throne, I boasted that my achievements would surpass those of ten thousand generations, and I have not broken my promise. Since my ministers are pressuring me, tell me, what crime have I committed to deserve this?"

By the end, Yang Guang's tone was full of bewilderment.

It's one thing if others rebel against him, but he has never neglected any of the officials or nobles in the court. Why would they rebel against him?

Below the court, a minister stepped forward and pointed at Yang Guang with his ceremonial tablet:

"Your Majesty, you have destroyed their ancestral temples, toured endlessly, waged wars abroad, and indulged in extravagance and debauchery at home."

"You have made officials fulfill their duties to the fullest extent, while women and weak children have been thrown into ditches. The four classes of people have lost their livelihoods, thieves have risen in power, and you have appointed only sycophants and false accusations. Do you still not know your crime?"

"Oh, for the people!"

Yang Guang stroked his small mustache dismissively and looked down at the assembled officials.

"Hahaha, you all truly rebel against me for the sake of the people?"

"Very well, I have indeed failed my people. However, you are my subjects, and I have treated you with high positions and generous salaries year after year. Have I ever wronged you?"

"For the sake of the people, are you willing to do such a rebellious act?"

"Today's events are all for you!"

The minister turned around, drew the guard's sword, and was about to step forward.

"The grievances are universal; it's not just one person's fault."

"You dare to challenge me?!"

With a roar, Yang Guang's powerful imperial aura intimidated all the court officials. The minister who was holding the sword staggered two steps and almost lost his grip on the sword.

Yang Guang reigned on the throne for many years, and all his actions came from the heart. His imposing presence was comparable to that of only a handful of emperors, such as Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Guangwu of Han, throughout history.

"You poor, pedantic scholar, you dare to brandish a sword and fight? Get out of here!"