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

"Have you ever read history books, my dear minister?"

Li Longji wanted to speak before Li Bai.

"I have read a few history books and have some understanding of them."

Li Bai said modestly.

Have you ever read Han Feizi?

Li Longji asked.

Han Feizi?

The Han Feizi was quite long, and for a time, even Li Bai couldn't figure out Li Longji's thoughts.

"I have read it briefly."

Li Longji nodded and continued, "In the first chapter of Han Feizi, there are nine eloquent essays, one of which is a dialogue between Duke Huan of Qi and Guan Zhong. Are you familiar with it?"

Li Bai's eyes lowered slightly, and the famous dialogue from "Han Feizi: Difficulty I" flashed through his mind.

Duke Huan of Qi asked Guan Zhong, "I have three great evils; can they still govern the state?"

Guan Zhong replied, "I have not heard of it."

Duke Huan said, "I am unfortunate to have a fondness for hunting. I often go hunting at night, and I only return after I have seen no birds. The envoys of the feudal lords have nowhere to send messengers, and the officials have nowhere to reply."

Guan Zhong said, "It is indeed evil, but it is not something that needs urgent attention."

Duke Huan said, "Unfortunately, I am fond of wine, drinking it day and night. The envoys from the feudal lords have no way to send it to me, and the officials have no way to report to me."

Guan Zhong said, "It is indeed evil, but it is not something that needs urgent attention."

Duke Huan said, "I have a shameful past and unfortunately, I am lustful. Some of my aunts and sisters are still unmarried."

Guan Zhong said, "It is indeed evil, but it is not something that needs urgent attention."

Duke Huan frowned and said, "These three are all acceptable, but can we still achieve hegemony over the feudal lords?"

Guan Zhong replied, "The only things that a ruler cannot do are being overly virtuous or incompetent. Being overly virtuous will lead to the loss of his followers, while being incompetent will prevent him from accomplishing his tasks. These three things are bad, but they do not necessarily lead to hegemony."

Li Bai glanced at Yang Yuhuan and understood what Li Longji meant.

Although he also had some criticisms of Li Longji's private morality, influenced by Wei Wen, he didn't really care much about these things.

He actually highly admired the system of a sage emperor who ruled by doing nothing, believing that the emperor should just be a good emperor and not interfere in government affairs, leaving them to virtuous officials, and the country would naturally function smoothly.

"A ruler should not be either overly virtuous or incompetent. Overly virtuous rulers will lose their followers, while incompetent rulers will fail to accomplish their goals. A fondness for women, wine, and agriculture will not prevent one from becoming a hegemon."

Li Longji clapped his hands and laughed, "My dear minister, you are indeed very knowledgeable."

"What is your opinion of the wise minister Guan Zhong?"

"good."

Emperor Taizong once said, "The inability to recognize talent is detrimental to a hegemon; the inability to appoint those talent to positions of authority is detrimental to a hegemon; the inability to trust those talent to positions of authority is detrimental to a hegemon; and the practice of having someone trusted but then allowing petty people to participate in the process is detrimental to a hegemon."

Li Bai then quoted a saying once made by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, to refute this, in order to point out that Li Longji had heavily relied on the treacherous minister Li Linfu and had not appointed virtuous and capable officials.

Li Longji smiled without saying a word. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was his idol, but having been emperor for many years and created a prosperous era, he naturally had his own insights into how to be an emperor.

Emperors valued authority over virtue, and controlling the court was of utmost importance; appointing virtuous ministers was secondary.

He didn't argue with Li Bai; he just needed Li Bai to acknowledge that the emperor's private morality wasn't that important.

Young people like Li Bai, unlike those old foxes who have been in the court for many years, are different. Once they say something, it's like a nail driven in; they will never go back on their word.

The affair between him and Yang Yuhuan was, by all accounts, a private matter, and could only be considered a matter of the emperor's private morality.

If Yang Yuhuan hadn't previously been the wife of Prince Shou, there would have been absolutely no obstacle.

Let the court officials criticize his private life as they please, as long as Li Bai doesn't lead the charge.

Li Bai's silence was the best help he could receive.

Li Longji laughed heartily, put his arm around Yang Yuhuan, and turned to leave.

Li Bai gave a bitter smile. Ever since he went up to Ziyun Tower, everything about him had been under Li Longji's control, and he had been at a disadvantage in every aspect.

Is this His Majesty?!

Li Bai stared intently at Li Longji's retreating figure; he would catch up soon.

Li Longji suddenly felt a chill down his back and couldn't help but turn around to look at Li Bai, only to see Li Bai gazing at the scenery below in a daze.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Yang Yuhuan also turned around and looked, only to see Li Bai turning his head with a puzzled look.

"It's nothing."

Li Longji withdrew his gaze and said reassuringly.

"Soon we'll be able to stand together openly and honestly."

Li Longji was in a great mood, and Yang Yuhuan also showed a faint smile, making Ziyun Tower instantly much brighter.

Will she finally become Li Longji's official concubine?

If she becomes Li Longji's official concubine, will she be able to fight for power in the harem, become empress, and no longer be at the mercy of others?

However, this top scholar is really handsome.

I heard that he is a famous poet from Luoyang, with outstanding literary talent, and also a disciple of the Prince of Yan, making him of noble status.

If she had married Li Bai instead of Prince Shou, would everything be different now?

Yang Yuhuan's heart stirred, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What is it, my beloved concubine?"

Li Longji even called his beloved concubine by her name in front of Li Bai.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that the top scholar is a renowned poet in Luoyang. I humbly request that he compose a poem?"

Yang Yuhuan nestled in Li Longji's arms, her face flushed with shyness, her voice seemingly captivating Li Longji to the core.

Li Longji readily agreed, and turned to look at Li Bai, asking with a smile, "Would it be alright for you, my dear minister?"

Li Bai shook his head slightly, "Your Majesty has given the order, how dare I disobey?"

"However, it's not appropriate for His Majesty to disclose his relationship with this person publicly at this time?"

"There are only us here, no outsiders. What's wrong with that?"

Li Longji didn't care at all; apart from Li Bai, there were no outsiders present.

"Please compose a poem, my dear minister!"

"My beloved concubine, go and change your clothes."

Li Longji said to Yang Yuhuan.

Yang Yuhuan went to the next room, took off her Taoist nun's robe, and changed into the solemn attire of a noble consort with the help of palace maids.

This time, Gao Lishi did not rush forward impulsively. Instead, he went over to grind ink for Li Bai after receiving a signal from Li Longji.

Li Bai picked up the imperial wine on the table and drank it all in one gulp, pot after pot, displaying the demeanor of a wine immortal.

As the effects of the wine began to take hold, Li Bai's eyes became hazy. He slightly opened his robe, revealing his loose, moon-white brocade shirt and an air of arrogance and unruliness!

Yang Yuhuan, having changed her clothes, pushed open the door and walked out of the room, unaware that the wine from Li Bai's pot had spilled onto her neck.

She had a voluptuous and beautiful figure, skin as smooth as cream, like a pear blossom soaked in spring dew, eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, eyes sparkling with water, and a touch of rouge at the corner of her eyes. With a smile, she exuded a thousand kinds of tenderness.

Her black hair was piled high like clouds, and a red-gold phoenix hairpin with tiny pearls hanging down. When she walked, the pearls and jade trembled and shimmered.

She wore a pomegranate red wide-sleeved silk dress with gold trim, the dress was embroidered with black peonies intertwined with branches, and the flowers and leaves were outlined with gold thread, which shimmered in the sunlight;

The inner lining is a soft, moon-white silk bodice, the waist is tied with a coral and jade belt, from which hangs a delicate jade chime, and the skirt trails three feet to the ground, embroidered with silver thread and flowing clouds.

A snow-white shawl, as thin as a cicada's wing, was draped over her shoulders, fluttering gently in the wind, making her skin appear radiant and fair, like a fairy descended from heaven.

"Please, Your Highness, begin your dance."

Li Bai looked at Yang Yuhuan and said.

Yang Yuhuan was slightly taken aback and looked at Li Longji.

After she married Li Longji, she never danced with outsiders.

Li Longji nodded slightly. She had heard of Li Bai's talent and naturally hoped that Li Bai's poems could record Yang Yuhuan's most beautiful appearance.