"Finally, it's over. Being an emperor, especially a good one, is indeed not easy. I need to find capable people as soon as possible."
After his declaration, Daniel Davis didn't dismiss the officials immediately. Instead, he began meeting them one by one. The reason for these individual meetings was not only to understand their situations better but also to make it easier for him to take action.
After all, he was a newcomer with no prior reputation, and he had already made powerful enemies like Ci Hang Jing Zhai, Ning Daoqi, and Jing Nian Chan Yuan. Under such circumstances, relying solely on Wang Shichong and the Dugu Clan to smoothly implement his reform plans in Luoyang would be difficult.
These officials didn't even need to actively resist him. Simply by being uncooperative, they could cause him significant trouble, and some might even secretly betray him.
Rather than dealing with problems as they arose, wasting manpower, resources, and his own time, it was better to nip potential issues in the bud.
For officials who leaned toward the Buddhist sects or noble families, Daniel Davis used his Double-Full Hand technique to control them. The Buddhist sects always claimed that no one was beyond redemption and had even developed martial arts techniques to alter people's minds. Given this, Daniel Davis felt less constrained in his actions.
"Enlightenment," in general, refers to guiding and enlightening others, helping them find clarity and understanding. However, for the Buddhist sects, enlightenment also meant forcibly converting people to Buddhism, such as the legendary 3,000 mortals from the Jie Sect who were "enlightened" and joined Buddhism.
The reason the Buddhist sects were so powerful was largely due to their inheritance of most of the Jie Sect's legacy. Of course, these events were far removed from Daniel Davis's current reality. However, in the world of Twin Dragons, the Buddhist sects indeed possessed martial arts techniques that could alter people's minds. One such technique was the "Heart Buddha Palm," practiced by one of the Four Holy Monks, Master Zhihui.
In the original story, Master Zhihui had attempted to use the Heart Buddha Palm to "enlighten" one of the Twin Dragons. Of course, achieving this effect wasn't easy, especially since martial arts experts in this world had high mental resilience. To truly "enlighten" someone, it would cost the practitioner their life.
"Young Master, what should we do with them?"
After all the officials had left the palace, Sulia gestured toward the last person remaining—Prince Yang Tong. Now that Daniel Davis had officially declared himself king, Prince Yang Tong was no longer useful.
According to standard practice, Daniel Davis should have first elevated Prince Yang Tong to the throne, as the Li Clan, Yuwen Huaji, and even Wang Shichong in the original story had done. After a period of time, he could then use some pretext, such as abdication, to reclaim the throne.
The fate of those who lost the throne was usually grim. Now that Sulia brought up the matter, she was clearly suggesting that Daniel Davis deal with them. However, even though Daniel Davis knew that such actions were considered normal in this era and no one would fault him for it, he still hesitated.
For members of the royal family, fratricide was a common occurrence. If an ordinary person committed such acts, they would be considered heinous criminals. But for the royal family, as long as the person later became a good emperor, their actions could be justified. If they were a tyrant, they would be labeled as incompetent and cruel—this was the difference between Emperor Yang Guang and Li Shimin.
"Let him leave with those who are still loyal to him. Don't interfere with where he goes. Even if he leaves Luoyang, it's fine." Looking at Prince Yang Tong, who was hiding behind an elderly eunuch, Daniel Davis spoke calmly.
"Young Master, you're being too soft-hearted."
"If I were to fear a child, how could I talk about unifying the world?"
As Daniel Davis spoke, he walked toward the rear of the palace, the imperial harem. Although this was also a palace, strictly speaking, it was more of a temporary residence. The true imperial palace was in Chang'an. The palaces in Luoyang and Yangzhou were merely places where Emperor Yang Guang stayed during his tours.
However, perhaps because Yang Guang had once considered moving the capital, both the Luoyang and Yangzhou palaces were built with great extravagance, complete with pavilions, towers, and corridors.
Even though Yang Guang might not visit these palaces more than once a year, hundreds of eunuchs and maids were stationed here to maintain the daily operations of the palace.
"Thank you, King of Tang." As Daniel Davis and Sulia walked toward the harem, the elderly eunuch beside Prince Yang Tong pulled him down to kneel toward Daniel Davis's retreating figure.
"With great power and a harem of three thousand beauties, no wonder so many people are desperate to sit on that throne."
People often describe someone's power as "one person above, ten thousand below." But for an emperor, there is no "one person above"—only "ten thousand below."
As for the so-called harem, strictly speaking, it refers to the part of the palace where the emperor lives. Because so many concubines lived there, over time, the term "harem" took on a different meaning in modern times.
Fortunately, since Yang Guang had been staying in Yangzhou, the harem in Luoyang's palace only housed maids, with no concubines present. Concubines Yang Guang didn't like would remain in Chang'an and not come to Luoyang.
"Red Queen, begin scanning the entire city of Luoyang."
In the imperial study, Daniel Davis ordered Red Queen to start working. The study had been transformed into a research lab, with a holographic display system in the center. Through the invisible Quinjet aircraft above and numerous drones, the entire city of Luoyang could be monitored.
With such advanced technology at his disposal, even if it couldn't be widely promoted due to the era's limitations, Daniel Davis could still use it himself.
"Medical academy, educational academy, paper mill, cement factory, disaster relief, legal reforms, newspapers... No wonder Naruto was so exhausted after becoming the Seventh Hokage. There's just so much to do."
It wasn't physical labor that caused exhaustion but the mental and emotional strain.
"I don't have enough trusted personnel. It seems I'll have to see if there are any capable individuals among those who came from Fei Ma Ranch."
"Next is meeting the leaders of Luoyang's major factions. The Sha family is quite impressive. No wonder the Yin Kuai Sect planted spies in their household. Hmm, skilled in making firearms? I'll have to win them over."
The Sha family of Luoyang was a renowned military-industrial family. They had started with mining and became famous nationwide for their metalworking. They owned over a hundred weapon factories across the country and were one of the Sui Dynasty's major arms suppliers.
The Dongming Sect couldn't compare to the Sha family in this regard. The reason noble families like the Li Clan purchased weapons from the Dongming Sect was mainly because those weapons were smuggled goods. Buying such weapons from the Sha family would easily be reported.
For such a major merchant family, it was no wonder that Wang Shichong in the original story had let them go, allowing them to join the Li Clan. It was clear why Wang Shichong lost to the Li Clan.
"Let's take it step by step."
---
"No marriage alliances, no reparations, no ceding territory, no tributes. The emperor guards the nation's borders; the ruler dies for the state. What boldness!"
In a private room at Dong's Restaurant in Luoyang, Song Lu, Song Shidao, and Song Yuzhi of the Song Clan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration after hearing Daniel Davis's declaration in the palace hall.
Under Song Que's leadership, the Song Clan had always been dedicated to revitalizing the Han people. They looked down on the Li Clan, which had mixed blood with the Hu tribes, and especially despised Li Yuan for submitting to the Turks.
"No wonder the clan leader wants to meet him in person."
"If Father wants to meet him, what about Yuzhi?"
Song Lu's words made Song Shidao glance involuntarily at his sister across the table. Although Song Lu didn't finish his sentence, Song Shidao understood the implication.
If Song Que and Daniel Davis met and reached an agreement, there was no doubt that Song Yuzhi would be used as a marriage alliance.
Seeing Song Shidao's gaze, Song Lu sighed inwardly. Song Shidao was undoubtedly a rare talent among the younger generation of the Song Clan, excelling in both martial arts and intellect, with a keen investigative mind. However, he had no ambition to contend for the throne and was infatuated with a Goguryeoan woman, even though she had already passed away.
This outcome left Song Que and Song Zhi of the Song Clan deeply frustrated. If Song Shidao had even a fraction of the ambition of Li Jiancheng or Li Shimin of the Li Clan, the Song Clan would have already risen in rebellion.
The saying that "only the north can unify the south, not the other way around" held no weight with Song Que.
The Song Clan was known for its passionate members, and in this regard, Song Shidao had undoubtedly inherited Song Que's genes. If Fan Qinghui had been willing to set aside her ambitions back then, she and Song Que might have had a chance. But Fan Qinghui was a career-driven woman.
If Fan Qinghui hadn't been associated with Ci Hang Jing Zhai and the Buddhist sects, Daniel Davis might have considered recruiting her, just like Zhu Yuyan. For Daniel Davis now, he wasn't afraid of his subordinates having ambition—he was afraid they lacked ability.
"Brother, don't worry about me. As for this King of Tang, while he has boldness, he seems to have made too many enemies. Aside from Ci Hang Jing Zhai and the Buddhist sects, even Ning Daoqi won't let him off easily."
When speaking of Ci Hang Jing Zhai and the Buddhist sects, Song Yuzhi's tone was filled with disdain, a far cry from her previous respect. Before Daniel Davis and Yang Guang exposed the true nature of the Buddhist sects, Song Yuzhi had held a favorable opinion of them. But after learning the truth, her perception had drastically changed.
As the legitimate daughter of the Song Clan, Song Yuzhi still retained a sense of innocence, particularly her aversion to war. Compared to Li Xiuning and Dugu Feng, Song Yuzhi was somewhat lacking as a noble family's daughter.
In the original story, Kou Zhong's decision to give up his ambitions had many reasons, but it was certain that Song Yuzhi's attitude played a significant role. If it had been Li Xiuning or Dugu Feng, they would have undoubtedly supported Kou Zhong in unifying the world, rather than advocating for peace by handing over their power.
"If he dares to do this, he must have something to rely on. Now that the Yin Kuai Sect seems to be on his side, even if Ci Hang Jing Zhai wants to do something, they'll have to think twice."
"Cooperating with the Demon Sect might give Ci Hang Jing Zhai an excuse to cause trouble." Song Shidao spoke slowly.
"If it were before, they might have had the prestige to do so. But now? Hmph." Song Lu snorted coldly. Among the four great clans, the Song Clan was the least tolerant of hypocrisy.
"The problem is that it's not just them. His declaration might not sit well with those two, who may not want such an emperor to emerge in the Central Plains." Song Shidao's words made Song Lu fall silent.
As the next heir of the Song Clan, Song Shidao was no less capable than Li Shimin. With the education of a noble family, Song Shidao knew everything he needed to.
"This King of Tang is a madman to dare say such things."
The next day, a stone tablet was erected in front of the palace, inscribed with Daniel Davis's declaration: "No marriage alliances, no reparations, no ceding territory, no tributes. The emperor guards the nation's borders; the ruler dies for the state." This instantly set the entire city of Luoyang abuzz, with almost every martial artist and scholar discussing it.
Some praised Daniel Davis's boldness and courage, while others mocked him as a fool for pushing so many factions into opposition. These factions naturally referred to those who had submitted to the Turks.
Many foreign factions in Luoyang, upon hearing this declaration, immediately turned cold. The Turks, in particular, began to clamor loudly.
During this period, the Turks were exceptionally arrogant. While the upper echelons might not feel it, the common people bore the brunt of their arrogance. If conflicts arose, even if lives were lost, as long as the incident wasn't too major, the Turks would rarely face consequences.
On one hand, the Turks were indeed powerful—after all, even Li Yuan had submitted to them. On the other hand, Confucian ideals played a role, as it was considered proper to show the magnanimity of a great nation to foreigners.
Both Luoyang and Chang'an had designated streets to accommodate these foreigners.
"Fortunately, there's precedent from the Qin Dynasty. Otherwise, things would be even more troublesome. Now, it's finally coming together." Looking at the freshly printed "Great Tang Daily," Daniel Davis nodded in satisfaction.
In terms of literary talent, Daniel Davis had no particular gift, but this wasn't a concern. Luoyang had plenty of talented individuals, such as the so-called "Eight Scholars of Luoyang." These men were highly skilled but unfortunately deeply influenced by Confucian ideals.
The very next day, they approached Daniel Davis to challenge him. The reason was simple: Daniel Davis hadn't followed the proper procedures. What procedures? Naturally, the procedures for abdication.
According to standard practice, Daniel Davis should have first elevated Prince Yang Tong to the throne, as the Li Clan, Yuwen Huaji, and even Wang Shichong in the original story had done. After a period of time, he could then use some pretext, such as abdication, to reclaim the throne.
Don't underestimate the significance of this difference. It represented the influence of Confucianism. In response, Daniel Davis simply slapped the loudest of the Eight Scholars, reducing him to a mist of blood.
After turning the second scholar, who had called Daniel Davis a tyrant and compared him to Yang Guang, into another bloody mist, the remaining six immediately fell in line. However, Daniel Davis didn't stop there. He used his Double-Full Hand technique to alter their memories and kept them around to write articles for the newspaper.
Once the newspaper was up and running, with reporters and editors in place, he would deal with them.
"Your Highness, something has happened." As Daniel Davis was considering the content for the first issue of the newspaper, Dugu Feng entered to report.
"What is it?" Daniel Davis asked calmly.
"It's the Turks causing trouble." Dugu Feng quickly summarized the situation.
"So they're targeting me? How bold. Perfect, I was just looking for a target to make an example of. They'll do."
"Kill them all. Leave none alive."
In front of a mansion on Luoyang's East Street, facing a group of Turks who had gathered to cause trouble and had injured or killed several locals, Daniel Davis didn't waste any words. He immediately took action.
After a volley of arrows and crossbow bolts from the imperial guards, the survivors were all skilled fighters. Unfortunately for them, they were facing Sulia and Dugu Feng.
"It seems I have the material for the first issue of the newspaper." Looking at the pile of Turk corpses, Daniel Davis suddenly had an idea.
(End of Chapter)
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