Emperor Xia Ling thought he was the emperor but lived a life of meager resources. He wanted to do something but was hindered by lack of funds. Meanwhile, those noble families lived in opulence, indulging in whatever they desired. Why should they, these ministers, be wealthier than him, the emperor, and live a better life?
If the noble families had money, they should all hand it over to him. If not, then they would die.
At that time, Emperor Xia Ling directly demanded money from the noble families. Of course, under the pretentious guise of tribute. If the noble families did not give money, he would not spare them.
Led by the Xie family, the noble families were all plundered by Emperor Xia Ling. Seven to eight tenths of their wealth were taken away by him.
At that time, the Xie family and the Wang family thought about resisting, and they did resist, but to no avail. They couldn't deal with Emperor Xia Ling; instead, they were dealt with ruthlessly by him.
