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

If it were merely stealing grain from the Ever-Normal Granary, it would simply be a case of being blinded by greed.

He had long anticipated the greed of powerful families.

But they actually sold grain directly abroad. If that were all, Li Longji could tolerate it.

However, if the grain is sold directly to foreign border troops and used as military rations to attack the Tang Dynasty, it would be suspected of treason!

"No, not at all."

"The powerful families of the Central Plains look down on those foreign royal families to some extent, and it is unlikely that they can use their power to overthrow the Tang Dynasty."

"At most, it's just a vanguard for the king, or a way to deplete the Tang Dynasty's strength."

Wei Mai was subtly fanning the flames.

Hearing Wei Ye's words, Li Longji became even angrier.

"These aristocratic families all deserve to die!"

Li Longji quickly calmed down, and soon realized something, his gaze shooting towards Wei Mai like lightning.

"Brother Changyuan, please speak frankly."

"What I mean is to thoroughly investigate the Ever-Normal Granary matter."

Wei Mai stared directly at Li Longji, and the firmness in his tone startled Li Longji.

This means a direct clash with the powerful families of the world; the Wei family is clearly prepared for war.

Why?

Li Longji asked, puzzled.

Even with the strength of the Wei family, they would suffer heavy losses if they directly confronted the powerful families of the world.

Even he himself was confident that he could defeat these powerful families, but he felt that the loss was too great and not worth it.

Now that the two sides have joined forces, they are even less worried about the outcome.

But killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of their own, these powerful families are not to be trifled with.

Is such a huge loss worth it?

This world doesn't belong to the Wei family!

"Because of the people."

"The purpose of the Ever-Normal Granary is to regulate the balance between good and bad harvests, balance grain prices, provide disaster relief and famine prevention, and maintain stability and people's well-being."

"It plays a very, very important role in the survival of ordinary people."

"They crossed the line."

Wei Mai's cold voice rang out, tinged with a faint killing intent.

Because the Ever-Normal Granaries of the three prefectures of Huainan Road were embezzled by that group of powerful families in collusion with local officials, how many people in Huainan Road starved to death when the floods occurred?

If the Ever-Normal Granaries still existed, apart from those who died directly in the flood, those who reached a safe point could have survived thanks to the government's relief efforts.

"If you cross the line, you die. If you stick out your claws, they should be cut off."

Wei Mai said calmly.

Unlike his predecessors, Wei Mai was born with a greater empathy for ordinary people.

He felt that the heads of the Wei family throughout the ages had all been too mild-mannered.

When the time is right, strike hard and crush these rising powerful families.

After several generations, the current head of the Wei family will secretly cultivate a hero to start a peasant uprising like Zhang Jiao's, sweeping these aristocratic families into the dustbin of history.

This is how he raised his son; he sent him to the army, where he became decisive and ruthless.

He estimated that in two or three generations, all the powerful families in the country would disappear.

We'll have that person go according to the family genealogy; we'll make sure no one escapes.

He knew all too well how much these families valued their genealogies, and he was certain that no one would slip through the net.

Li Longji sensed the determination in Wei Mai's tone. Should he do it?

What are the benefits of doing it?

What's wrong with not doing it?

Li Longji fell into deep thought. If the Wei family wasn't involved, he could make any decision he wanted.

But now that the Wei family has been alerted, the situation has instantly become several levels more complicated.

However, this is also a good opportunity.

A glint of light flashed in Li Longji's eyes.

Everyone in the world knows that the Wei family's power is extremely vast, penetrating every aspect of the world, and that they are the only powerful faction in the world.

Just how powerful is the Wei family?

Apart from the Prince of Yan, no one could give a definitive answer.

Everything about the Wei family was shrouded in mystery and unclear to other forces.

The royal family, in particular, was even more curious about the true strength of the Wei family.

At the same time, it also made me feel the deepest sense of the unfathomable nature of the Wei family.

Whenever the royal family learns too much about the Wei family's background and thinks they have control over the Wei family's strength, they will soon find that what they have discovered is only a part of it, and there will always be forces that they cannot discover.

Now that the Wei family is going to take action against so many powerful families, he could simply go through the motions without actually contributing, forming an alliance with the Wei family on the surface, but only putting on a show.

This would allow the Wei family and other powerful clans to fight to the death, allowing the Wei family to reap the benefits.

He didn't believe that after the Wei family and so many other powerful families had fought, they would still have enough resources to contend with the imperial power.

Perhaps he can fulfill the dream of every emperor since Emperor Gaozu of Han: to completely control or eliminate the Wei family!

Thinking of this, Li Longji felt a surge of excitement.

If he could achieve this, he would be among the best in history, and in future historical records, Li Longji's name would be listed above that of many emperors.

Even Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor to unify the world and the greatest emperor of all time, or Emperor Gaozu of Han, who founded the Han Dynasty and laid the foundation for the Chinese nation, or Emperor Wen of Han, the most virtuous emperor after the Three Kings, who defeated the Xiongnu and dominated the world, Emperor Guangwu of Han, who had extraordinary luck and could summon meteorites from the sky, Emperor Gaozu of Qianlong, who founded the Great Qian Dynasty and said, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me," or even Emperor Taizong of Tang, who is known as the greatest emperor of all time and whose country received tribute from all nations, would be overshadowed by him!

Could any emperor resist such a temptation?

No!

Absolutely not!

Li Longji can guarantee this with his imperial reputation!

"Changyuan, what should we do?"

Li Longji asked impatiently.

"I will do my utmost to assist Your Majesty in investigating this case; all that is required is to uphold the law impartially."

"Your Majesty may directly mobilize the border troops, and the imperial envoys will conduct a thorough investigation."

"I will write to the Prince of Wu'an, ordering him to guard the frontier and prevent any unrest there."

"I will also, in the name of the Wei family, make Your Majesty's painstaking efforts public to set the record straight."

"I will also fully support Your Majesty while I am in court."

Wei Mai said in a deep voice.

"not enough."

Li Longji had fame, power, military strength, and wealth, but he was still not satisfied.

This was something the Wei family offered them up willingly.

Although the Wei family offered a lot, so much that Li Longji was already tempted, he still wanted more.

"What else does Your Majesty desire?"

Wei Mai asked, having anticipated Li Longji's greed.

"..."

Li Longji was surprised that Wei Mai had asked him to speak, and for a moment he didn't know what to ask for.

It was completely unexpected; who could have imagined such an opportunity?

This is really unexpected.

What do you want?

military power!

Li Longji was not an emperor who grew up in the inner palace; having experienced numerous coups, he knew best the importance of military power.

"The Wei family's protégés and former officials are all over the country. I must have them in every prefecture and county. I need their assistance. I need to control the military power in the prefectures and counties."

"Your Majesty is too kind. I am humbled."

"What disciples or former officials does the Wei family have? Aren't they all His Majesty's subjects?"

"With His Majesty's order, how dare these people disobey His Majesty's angels in their thorough investigation?"