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

Inside the Luoyang court, after consolidating the court for a period of time, Li Heng decided to start targeting the regional military governors in order to enhance his own prestige and maintain the stability of the court.

He summoned his confidants to the palace, including Gao Shi, Cen Shen, Du Fu, and Wang Wei.

"I have inherited the throne and continued the legacy of the Kaiyuan era, and I wish to restore the old system established by our ancestors."

The regional military governors, who control personnel, finances, and military forces, are like states within a state, and their harm is immense!

"I believe that the best policy is to have the personnel of the local military governors under the Ministry of Personnel, the finances under the Ministry of Revenue, and the soldiers rotated every three years. Each governor shall not appoint private officials, withhold tax revenue, or keep hereditary private armies."

"However, the regional warlords have become too powerful to be controlled. If we act hastily, we fear that uprisings will break out in various places. Although the court may be able to quell them, the whole country will inevitably be engulfed in war, the people will suffer, and there will be great loss of life. This is truly a bad strategy."

"What can you all teach me?"

During Li Bai's absence, Li Heng bore immense pressure alone. His former gentle demeanor vanished, and he visibly matured considerably.

Gao Shi stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty is wise. According to the ancestral rules, foreign officials were not allowed to enter the capital region, and regional military governors were not allowed to monopolize military power. Since the late emperor brought An Lushan into the capital, the laws and regulations have been broken. The various regional military governors have coveted the benefits of power and have become arrogant and difficult to control."

"Now that the world is at peace, the local warlords are showing signs of independence. They appoint officials beyond the reach of the imperial court, local taxes do not go into the national treasury, and local troops only recognize their military governors and do not recognize the imperial court."

"The position of Jiedushi has been established for more than ten years, almost a generation."

"If the power of the feudal lords is not reduced, they will be divided into separate territories within ten years, and the world will be in chaos within twenty years, with feudal lords rising up everywhere."

"Rather than being caught off guard, we might as well strike first."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to lead troops to sweep away the regional military governors and eliminate any future troubles, so as to restore the prestige of our Great Tang Dynasty."

"I second that proposal!"

Cen Shen stepped forward and echoed, "The regional military governors are now obeying orders but not summons, and have the power of feudal lords. They will certainly not sit idly by and wait for their doom."

"We can swiftly and decisively take down the military governors who have close ties with An Lushan and Shi Siming, making an example of them. Once the military governors see the strength of the court, they will naturally dare not disobey it again. Your Majesty can then issue an edict to gradually reclaim the power of the military governors in various regions."

"If any military governor dares to rebel, a general can be dispatched to lead troops to suppress him, thus increasing the power of the Tang Dynasty."

"After the rebellions of An Lushan and Shi Siming, and the purge of treacherous officials and eunuchs by the court, although the Tang Dynasty was not fundamentally damaged, it appeared to outsiders to be much weaker."

"This opportunity can also be used to deter the hundred countries and prevent them from colluding with the regional military governors, which could cause great harm."

"No."

Du Fu stepped forward to stop them, saying, "Now is a sensitive time for the regional military governors."

"I suggest we start by taking over the financial power of the various regions and recovering their taxes. This will not only replenish the national treasury but also weaken the power of the regional military governors. Without money, they cannot support their armies. We can gradually weaken the major military governors by slowly weakening them."

"If it is possible to avoid war, it is best not to."

Wang Wei also stood up to echo Du Fu, feeling that Gao Shi and Cen Shen's statements were too radical.

"Your Majesty, seizing power without cause and imposing harsh laws without cause will only drive the people into chaos and force the regional military governors to take desperate measures."

"Is there any concrete evidence to support the claim that the regional military governors colluded with An Lushan and Shi Siming?"

"If there is no concrete evidence, and the reason for reducing the power of the princes is simply because of their close relationship and past dealings, I cannot agree with it."

"Now that the late emperor has passed away and Your Majesty has ascended the throne, the regional military governors are all awaiting Your Majesty's decision."

"If they see His Majesty so resolute, won't the regional military governors all feel insecure and band together to defy the imperial decree?"

"Wouldn't the imperial court lose face then? If we don't fight, the people's hearts will be scattered, and the imperial court will be forced to launch a war to quell the regional warlords!"

"Now that the national treasury has just recovered and people's livelihoods have just begun to stabilize, we cannot afford another upheaval in the government and among the people!"

"Reducing the power of regional princes is a benefit for generations to come, but hastily reducing their power is a disaster for the present."

"Your Majesty, I implore you to proceed gradually, first nourishing the people's livelihood, then consolidating the foundation of the nation, and slowly withdrawing the control of the local warlords. Treat the ailment with gentle water, not with strong medicine that harms the root!"

Without Li Bai mediating and leading the way, even former friends began to argue due to their differing beliefs.

Gao Shi and Cen Shen were both military officers, and their styles of conduct were more radical than those of Du Fu and Wang Wei.

Du Fu came from a distinguished family, while Wang Wei was mild-mannered and advocated for conservatism.

The court generals also had their own interests and interests. Military officers naturally hoped to start a war, because only with war could they gain military merit and have the opportunity to be promoted and ennobled.

Civil officials naturally hoped for a peaceful resolution, to maintain stability and ensure the well-being of the people, and to proceed gradually, avoiding the use of force if possible.

After all, every time they mobilized troops, it was an opportunity for the military commanders to take advantage of them, and naturally they were unwilling to do so for their own benefit.

Military officers overwhelmingly supported Gao Shi and Cen Shen, while civil officials supported Du Fu and Wang Wei, each holding their own opinion.

Li Heng hesitated for a moment, unsure which option to choose.

Finally, the words of Li Bai flashed through his mind: "Don't rush, take it slowly, and prevent the regional military governors from rebelling at the same time."

"Then, as you all command, order the regional military governors to reduce local taxes by 70% and hand them over to the national treasury, while keeping 30% for themselves."

"At the same time, Gao Shi and Cen Shen were ordered to lead troops north and south respectively to intimidate the regional military governors."

The imperial decree arrived in various military governorships via steam-powered vehicles, and with the exception of a few loyalists, the other governors all chose to refuse.

Even though Gao Shi and Cen Shen had already led their troops north and south, the troops of the regional military governors were also being mobilized; they would not sit idly by and wait for their doom.

When the news reached Luoyang, Li Heng solemnly summoned his key officials once again.

After being separated from Li Bai's wing, Li Heng realized just how much pressure it would be for one person to support the empire!

This incident also taught Li Heng a lesson: an emperor cannot only be kind and cunning, but also have courage and military strength, and be decisive in killing.

Unconditional kindness will only make people take advantage of you; sometimes you have to use force to establish authority.

This wasn't just directed at these military governors, but also at officials of the imperial court.

"The fact that the regional military governors in various places simultaneously chose to refuse to pay taxes to the imperial court must mean that they had colluded together."

"We must never allow them to become a state within a state."

"By my decree, all regional military governors are to hand over control of personnel, taxes, and military forces within one month. Those who fail to do so will be punished for disobeying the imperial edict and plotting rebellion!"

"Issue my order to mobilize border troops across the country and prepare for war at any time."

"King Chungmu once said, 'A single punch can prevent a hundred more.'"

"While I do not wish to fight, I am by no means afraid to fight!"

"The Tang Dynasty can only have one voice, only one court. I will never allow the Tang Dynasty to split in my hands!"

After this transformation, Li Heng stood up completely in the face of adversity, no longer hiding under the protection of others, and officially took over the broken yet prosperous Tang Dynasty.

Benevolence is the way to love the people, and firmness is the way to govern the country; gentleness can bring peace to the world, and firmness can turn the tide.

The Yongtai dynasty truly began from this point onward.