How did Li Linfu lead to the downfall of the Tang Dynasty What did he do

The river of time flows endlessly, and history continues to develop. Let the editor of History Encyclopedia take you through the fog of history, back to the era of swords and shadows, and see the story of Li Linfu.
Li Linfu, who was recognized as a treacherous minister by later generations, was hailed as the most capable official in Chinese history. He was jealous of the wise and the capable, blocked the path of speech, and monopolized power, leading to disorder of discipline. However, he held the position of prime minister and remained steadfast for 19 years. What did Tang Xuanzong really like about Li Linfu? In his later years, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was no longer as diligent in political affairs as he was in his early years. He spent his days playing with his noble consort, indulging in music, and had long neglected political affairs. He was also tired of the endless nagging of his courtiers all day and night. He needed someone who could understand his intentions and serve him according to them. Li Linfu, who wielded the Honey Sword with his mouth and belly, was very skilled at deciphering the thoughts of the king, which was also the most genuine reason why Emperor Xuanzong allowed him to do so.
At the end of the 24th year of Kaiyuan, Zhang Jiuling and Pei Yaoqing were both dismissed in November,
Li Linfu succeeded Zhang Jiuling as the Central Secretary, and appointed Niu Xianke as the Minister of Works and a third rank official under the Central Secretary. The vacancy left by Pei Yaoqing made Li Linfu an undisputed prime minister. The first spark of the new prime minister was to summon remonstrators to deliver speeches. We know that the establishment of remonstrators by the court was originally intended to express different opinions, but the example set by the Prime Minister for them was the ceremonial horses in the palace guard. Although these tall and large horses are exceptionally beautiful, their mission is just to stand in front of the hall without saying a word.
Li Linfu said, have you seen those horses? All they receive is third class treatment. But if you make a loud noise, then there’s nothing left. Nowadays, the sage is wise and unparalleled. Why do you need to talk so much? Do you want to become famous as a warhorse. Everyone. See for yourself. It is said that there was no longer any opposition from the court, making it difficult to distinguish the authenticity of this matter. Because Li Linfu was demonized in history, later generations even said that his character was as sweet as honey, which gradually gave rise to the idiom ‘honey in the mouth but a sword in the belly’ in the Affiliated Middle School. Unfortunately, Li Linfu’s colleagues, including Zhang Jiuling and Pei Yaoqing who were overthrown by him, did not say so. But there is no doubt that he served as prime minister for the longest period of time. Previously, prime ministers usually served for three years, with the longest being nine years and five months. Only Li Linfu served for 19 years and was a dictator for 16 years, which is unprecedented.
During the An Lushan Rebellion, Li Longji, who had already become the Supreme Emperor and sought refuge in Chengdu, once said a very precise sentence to those around him when commenting on the former prime minister of Shu, Li Linfu. Alas, this person’s jealousy and envy of talent are unparalleled in the world. People around him asked. If that’s the case, why did Your Majesty take so long to use it? Li Longji remained indifferent. This silence is often understood as Xuanzong knowing that he was wrong, or as proof that he had become foolish during the time of Li Linfu.
Actually, it’s not like that. He varies from person to person, each taking their own strengths. So what did Emperor Xuanzong of Tang like about Li Linfu? Being sensible and having strong execution ability. Li Linfu is indeed sensible. He knows what to say and what not to say, as well as how to say it. When to say it, it is often seen as cunning. But from a different perspective, it can also be said that one understands the rules. Rules were very important in ancient Chinese political life. Whether one understood the rules or not, or even whether one had political qualities, Li Linfu had a natural talent in this regard, which was why he won the favor of the emperor. More importantly, among all the prime ministers, Li Linfu was the best at understanding the thoughts and ideas of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. For example, he deeply understands that His Majesty’s concern for border warfare is not just about achieving great success and resorting to military tactics, but also based on a comprehensive consideration of the entire international environment.
He also knew that a strong army must first enrich the country. Without sufficient fiscal revenue as a strong backing, it is impossible to win the war. Therefore, he fully supported Emperor Xuanzong’s decision and put it into action, without any academic enthusiasm, but he would never act recklessly. This is also a rare trait of Li Linfu, as he was able to observe and comply with the emperor’s will while also acting in a reasonable and lawful manner. As modern historians have pointed out, Li Linfu was a shrewd and capable administrative official, as well as a true expert in institutions. He is more concerned about the efficient and orderly operation of the national machinery than his predecessor, and personally serves as an engineer and programmer. Due to his reforms, administrative procedures were greatly simplified, governance costs were greatly reduced, and the burden on both the empire and the people was alleviated.
In his later years, Emperor Xuanzong was arrogant, extravagant, and debauched. He was tired of court affairs and did not listen to honest advice. Even as early as the age of 60, he proposed to leave all the affairs of the world to Li Linfu to cultivate himself, but was dissuaded by Gao Lishi. However, after dispelling His Majesty the Emperor’s thoughts, Gao Lishi dared not speculate on court affairs anymore, and as a result, Li Linfu succeeded once again. Therefore, even if it was not intentionally encouraged by Li Linfu, it was him who added fuel to the fire. This directly resulted in serious consequences, and the biggest mistake was to use the sword of the Korean Lakers’ expert to expand An Lushan’s power blindly. No one expected that this decision would turn the empire’s border troops into anti-government armed forces, almost overthrowing the dynasty’s An Lushan, who is also the Korean Lakers. At that time, Li Linfu was concerned about how to consolidate his power, while Tang Xuanzong was solely focused on running to hot springs with his beloved woman. you ‘re right. This woman is Noble Consort Yang Yuhuan. From then on, the An Lushan Rebellion was on the brink of erupting.