Once, I wanted to be a good person
Chapter 912 - 237. Interrogating Dahei Jialuo again!

Chapter 912: 237. Interrogating Dahei Jialuo again!

Fang Ze’s question was actually very cleverly asked.

Although he was asking Emperor Li, he was actually also indirectly inquiring about the intelligence on those Outer Realm Demigods in Tuoya State.

However, unfortunately for him, Dahei Jialuo, who rose to power through intrigue and cunning, did not fall into Fang Ze’s trap. On the contrary, he keenly sensed Fang Ze’s careful probing.

Thus, Dahei Jialuo, without changing his expression, pondered for a moment and then spoke unemotionally, "Emperor Li. He is certainly an extraordinary figure."

While waving his four black arms, Dahei Jialuo slowly spoke, "As the Monarch of Tang Country, before he ascended to the throne, the entire Tang Country had been established for over 300 years, was at the end of the dynasty, and was crumbling under the tide of the era. New ideas from other countries constantly spread to Tang Country, impacting its political and economic environment."

"Yun Lan Country and Tuoya Country were watching like tigers, also placing the decaying Tang Country in internal and external distress."

"At that time, the Tang royal family was already considering abandoning their country and decided to follow the example of other monarchical countries, such as Xida Country, by adopting a constitutional monarchy."

"But he did not agree with this decision. Relying on his genius royal status, he gained the support of the old emperor, ascended to that position, and carried out substantial reforms on the country: rooting out corruption, opening trade, training the army, and implemented reforms against the tide of the times: centralization, centralization, and more centralization!"

"He believed that democracy required the right environment, that peacetime needed democracy, but in times of internal and external troubles, democracy was not what was needed! Moreover, the so-called democracy of other states was merely a way for politicians to vie for power, not much different from the feudal imperial system."

"What they call democracy is fundamentally just elitism, just a play. They treat the common people like monkeys, making them feel involved in controlling the fate of the country. But in reality, the country is still in the hands of a handful of people."

"This system not only fails to represent the interests of the people but also tends to entangle the decision-making echelon of the country in bickering and blame games, hindering the execution of various policies."

"In that case, why not let him himself take control of the country? He can also govern it very well!"

"At that time, his idea was very against the trend, and many people didn’t believe in it. As a result, surprisingly, he managed to save the crumbling Tang Country and revived the country’s mountains and rivers, extending Tang Country’s life by several decades!"

"Until the federation was established, Tang Country retracted into states, but the political system remained an imperial one. The federation merely set up offices there, with representatives joining the cabinet, the six departments, and local officials of Tang State to manage Tang State affairs."

After quietly listening to Dahei Jialuo’s information, Fang Ze had a preliminary understanding of Emperor Li.

However, although he gained this valuable intelligence, Fang Ze was not fooled by Dahei Jialuo.

He looked at Dahei Jialuo and then continued to ask the question he initially posed, "This should be your own opinion, right? What do your other accomplices think of Emperor Li?"

Possibly not expecting Fang Ze to hold onto this question, Dahei Jialuo’s expression froze for a moment, and he ambiguously said, "Everyone admires Emperor Li greatly."

Fang Ze looked deeply at Dahei Jialuo and asked, "Have you ever thought about inciting Emperor Li to defect?"

Upon hearing Fang Ze’s words, Dahei Jialuo smiled slightly, "Emperor Li is loyally devoted to the Human Race, making it difficult to incite him to defect."

Fang Ze nodded slightly and then sorted through the intelligence revealed within Dahei Jialuo’s mind.

Although Dahei Jialuo kept praising Emperor Li, in reality, he somewhat looked down on Emperor Li. He regarded Emperor Li as a man of extraordinary talent but stubbornly self-willed and power-hungry.

Such people might be wise and brave in their youth, but once they age, they become the most muddle-headed of all.

Additionally, Emperor Li is now gradually showing signs of muddle-headedness.

At the ripe age of 80, he still occupies the position of Tang State’s emperor. His son has been Crown Prince and Prince for no less than sixty years, and during these decades, several of his sons attempted to seize the throne multiple times, only to be captured and deposed by Emperor Li, then reappointed, then rebelled again, captured again.

Elsewhere, there are ministers who served multiple dynasties; in Tang State, Emperor Li has survived countless generations of royals and ministers.

He can be said to be one of the few remaining public figures among that batch of demigods back in the day.

Thus, the Outer Realm demigods generally evaluate him as: powerful, but power-hungry, refuses to acknowledge age, and a suitable candidate for subversion.

Because such a privileged person, due to their noble birth, usually believes that their life is more precious than thousands of others, such people tend to be more afraid of death as they age, making them easier to control.

Moreover, Emperor Li’s great power makes him a qualified enforcer. Thus, the Outer Realm demigods have long begun infiltrating Emperor Li’s close circle, attempting to subvert him. And indeed, Emperor Li did not immediately reject their olive branch and is still hesitating.

After sorting through Dahei Jialuo’s internal voice, Fang Ze felt genuinely troubled.

Although enemy evaluations cannot be taken as fact, they can serve as an important reference: often, how an enemy views us may be more precise than how we view ourselves.

Moreover, realizing that out of the two Absolute Pinnacle demigods overseeing the large administrative region, one has already defected, while the other has shown intent to do so, Fang Ze feels as if he might go bald from the stress.