Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 116 Liu Chen's Death

This road is destined to be long.

For the Gu family, to truly achieve a glorious legacy that will last for generations...

It is precisely because of this that generations of people continue to move forward.

Gu Yi could sense that Gu Ye also wanted to set an example for future generations through his own actions.

Time flies by.

The promotion of "Panyu Rice" has been very successful.

As more and more people from the Central Plains migrated to Lingnan, they also opened up more and more land, and the advantages of Lingnan became greater.

In the beginning, Lingnan needed the support of the imperial court.

But now.

The Lingnan region has already achieved basic self-sufficiency, and if this continues, it will only take a few short years.

The Han dynasty could then replenish its losses in the Lingnan region.

At the same time, sugar production and pepper plantations also progressed very rapidly.

This kind of thing is naturally government-run.

Gu Yi could never completely hand over this Poly Group business, otherwise it would definitely cause unnecessary trouble.

Everything was planned in detail.

By the time of the 29th year of the Qianji era, all of this had begun to show results.

With the completion of the canal construction...
The future urban planning of the Lingnan region has also been put into effect.

Everything is getting better slowly.

Although it has only just begun, the changes in Lingnan have already been earth-shattering.

But even in such a favorable situation.

The entire Lingnan region was gradually shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

Everyone was worried about Gu Ye's health.
He was extremely important to Lingnan.

No, it's not just Lingnan.

The same applies to the northern frontier.

No one could imagine what would happen to the entire Lingnan region if Gu Ye suddenly collapsed.

But what can others do even if they worry?

For whom can time stand still?
Gu Ling had been trying to improve Gu Ye's health, but his condition continued to deteriorate.

And in the thirtieth year of Qianji, in April.

News from Luoyang reached Lingnan once again.

No matter how much Gu Ye insisted, he had no choice but to return to Luoyang.

Liu Chen is seriously ill!
The glorious era is finally coming to a complete end.

Liu Chen was already a few years older than Gu Ye, and now he was also approaching the end of his life.

He sent an urgent imperial edict ordering Gu Ye to return to the court and stabilize the situation.

This time, Gu Ye had no choice.

Even though he knew that returning to Luoyang would be risking his life for his current physical condition, he still had to go back.

As the news spread...

This immediately stirred up a storm in Lingnan once again.

—Someone actually wanted to persuade the Gu family to establish themselves as independent!
Even Gu Yi never expected that someone would say these things to the Gu family.

These people were quite clever; instead of trying to persuade Gu Ye, the current head of the Gu family, they tried to persuade other members of the Gu family.

Among them were Han Chinese who had migrated there; there were also some Yue people.

Gu Yi understood.

Among this group must be loyal followers of the Gu family, who want the Gu family to lead them forever.

But no matter what, there will always be those with ulterior motives.

As time goes by, the benefits of Lingnan have gradually become apparent.

Such benefits can cloud many people's judgment.

When Gu Ye learned of this, he was furious.

This was the first time Gu Yi had ever seen Gu Ye display such a murderous expression.

But it's not his fault.
A person of his character would never tolerate anyone trying to bewitch the Gu family members and thus threaten the entire clan.

Gu Ye immediately wanted Wen Yang to slaughter all of them.

But Gu Yi controlled him in that instant.

He planned to see if any of the other members of the Gu family were willing to abandon the family's interests for their own ambitions.

This is a great opportunity!

An invisible storm raged across the entire Lingnan region.

Although Gu Yi understood.

Human hearts are unpredictable, and one should not try to test them.

But for the sake of the stability of the entire family, he had to minimize all risks.

The Gu family has paid a heavy price to get to where it is today.

If any member of the family truly harbors malicious intentions, the efforts of so many generations of Gu family members will vanish in an instant.

Different from before.

The current momentum and position of Lingnan truly demonstrate its ability to stand on its own.

Although such self-reliance cannot last.

But when ambition takes hold, people often lose all reason.

He simply had someone secretly keep a close watch on everything.

On the surface, Gu Yi was controlling Gu Ye's return to Beijing.

—The atmosphere changed abruptly!
Although everything happened in secret, Gu Ye's expression of his intention to return to the capital gradually changed the atmosphere in Lingnan.

Even Gu Yi's heart began to tighten.

Even though he had made thorough preparations, he still had a slight worry.

This is the inevitable situation that our family has faced in order to maintain its continued prosperity.

Even he couldn't interfere.

Time flies by.

Countless undercurrents are churning in the shadows of Lingnan.

Gu Yi had been paying close attention to all of this, listening to those people's attempts to seduce the Gu family members.

Silently awaiting their decision.

finally--

Just before the day Gu Ye was to make his statement and depart, the group of Gu family members finally found Gu Ye.

night.

I heard a soft call from outside the door.

Gu Ye's body trembled slightly; he was also extremely nervous.

"Come in."

He took a deep breath before speaking.

With a creak—

The door was slowly pushed open, and several members of the Gu family walked in with solemn expressions. As soon as they entered, they bowed to Gu Ye.

"Brother!"

Today, the skin of these Gu family members has become much darker.

That sense of detachment I once had is gone.

Gu Ye's body was trembling slightly, but he still maintained a calm expression and asked indifferently, "What's wrong?"

He is not a person without family affection.

Gu Ye was also afraid that his brothers might say something they shouldn't have.

"Elder brother, I have something to report."

The group looked at each other, and finally, the eldest person hesitated before uttering the words.

"What is it?" Gu Ye's breathing suddenly quickened, and he immediately asked.

Gu Yi had been watching all of this without interfering.

Judging from the situation of previous generations of Gu family members, he would never have been so worried.

But things are different now.
The Gu family member didn't say much, but after hesitating for a moment, he slowly took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Gu Ye.

“Brother, this is the person your younger brothers have been recording these past few days.”

"They are inciting the Gu family to establish themselves as independent."

As soon as Gu Ye said this, none of them hesitated and immediately told him in detail about the cleanup they had done over the past few days.

Look at the people in front of you.

Gu Yi could clearly feel Gu Ye's body suddenly relax and let out a deep breath.

Compared to Gu Yi's feelings, Gu Ye was even more nervous.

These people are all his brothers.

If they were to make any choices that would be detrimental to the family, Gu Ye would certainly take action against them, no matter how reluctant he was.

But now, he can finally relax.

"good."

As the crowd's voices gradually subsided, Gu Ye looked at them with satisfaction and sincerely praised them, "As expected of the Gu family's descendants, you have not disgraced the Gu family."

None of them were fools.

Upon hearing this, she immediately realized that Gu Ye already knew about this.

Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately knelt down before Gu Ye: "Elder brother, although we are not talented..."

"But I also know how difficult it has been for the Gu family to get to where it is today."

"The heavy burden that generations of ancestors have carried on their shoulders throughout their lives."

“Even Mo Qing is willing to work hard for the family.”

"How could we possibly disgrace our family?"

The expressions on everyone's faces were extremely resolute.

Leading by example has always been the best way to educate.

Although these members of the Gu family had experienced mental and emotional problems in the past, they have all changed over the years through trials and tribulations.

Especially Gu Han's transformation and the achievements he later made.

This has already changed these people.

Silently watching the people in front of him, even Gu Yi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

obviously--

All that he did was ultimately worthwhile.

Just as Gu was about to step into a crossroads, he finally pulled her back once again.

The massive purge arrived as scheduled.

Gu Ye showed no mercy in dealing with these people.

Perhaps this also reflects an intention to establish authority.

Gu Ye wanted to intimidate those with ulterior motives before leaving.

Under his command.

Wen Yang led his men to various places, and regardless of the identity of the person, they were all executed immediately.

There was absolutely no mercy shown to them.

—A massive earthquake struck Lingnan!
Gu Ye cleverly refrained from directly revealing the crimes of these people, instead characterizing them as "having ulterior motives and disrupting Lingnan."

This had a significant deterrent effect on the entire Lingnan region.

And after this matter was resolved, in June.

Gu Ye eventually left Lingnan.

Heading towards Luoyang.

As he was about to depart, people from all walks of life came to see him off.

Among them were Han Chinese and Yue people.

They knew they couldn't interfere with Gu Ye's decision, so they could only pray for his safety in their own way at this parting moment.

Gu Ling originally intended to return to Luoyang with Gu Ye.

Her medical skills are now quite remarkable, and she will definitely be of use on the road.

But Gu Ye refused.

He sensed his impending doom.

Even if they were able to return to Luoyang, it would probably be difficult for them to return to Lingnan.

Gu Ling, however, is different.

Staying in Lingnan and continuing on her own path is the most appropriate thing for her.

Gu Yi did not interfere with this.

He also had a "cure-all talisman" in his hand.

As long as Gu Ye doesn't die of old age, he is confident he can protect Gu Ye.

As for Wen Yang.

This time, she chose to return to Luoyang with Gu Ye.

He is no longer young.

Rather than staying in Lingnan, he would rather return to Luoyang with Gu Ye, regardless of whether he could hold out.

At least that's what he really wants to do.

As time goes by, everything has changed since they first entered Lingnan.

Whether it's Gu Ye or Wen Yang.

Even those Han soldiers who fell.

They have all left their mark on this land.

Even the surrounding mountains and rivers have changed.

But on their journey home, they still saw too many shadows of the past, reminding them of countless stories from long ago. Gu Ye grew increasingly silent.

Even Wen Yang has lost her usual carefree attitude.

Perhaps this is one of the characteristics of the Chinese people.

People tend to become more nostalgic as they get older.

He went to pay his respects to Zhong Hui.

They would stop at every battlefield in the past to commemorate the soldiers who fell on this land.

Gu Ye wasn't in a hurry for this trip.

Even though the road has been repaired, the journey is still very long.

He's not young anymore.

There's no use in being anxious.

It's quite possible that he'll fall before Liu Chen.

As far as the Han Dynasty is concerned.

At least one of the ruler and his minister must remain.

Gu Ye was very open-minded about this; if they could meet, the emperor and his subject would meet no matter what.

This journey is destined to be very difficult.

Gu Ye is still sick.

He had truly reached the age of marriage, and even walking on these repaired roads was ultimately too much for him.

Fortunately, Gu Yi was keeping a close eye on things.

They used the props on him immediately, which helped him get through the crisis.

But it is obvious that—

He didn't have much time left.

Luoyang.

After many years, Gu Ye finally returned to this city.

The welcome was the same as in previous years.

Although Liu Chen's hair had turned completely white and he was no longer as spirited as before, he still led his officials to welcome Gu Ye outside the city.

"His Majesty."

Seeing Liu Chen's appearance, Gu Ye's eyes instantly turned red.

He staggered down from the carriage.

As he spoke in a trembling voice, he was about to kneel down before Liu Chen.

But Liu Chen stopped Gu Ye directly, his eyes also slightly red, and said in a trembling voice, "Zhaode is the pillar of our great Han Dynasty, there is no need for this."

"His Majesty!"

Gu Ye grasped Liu Chen's arm.

The emperor and his minister stared at each other, saying nothing but conveying a thousand unspoken words.

For the two of them—

Being able to meet again is already a great blessing in life.

Among the wise rulers of the Han Dynasty and the virtuous ministers of the Gu family throughout history, there were indeed very few who were able to meet again in their later years.

"Let's go!"

Liu Chen grabbed Gu Ye's arm and, disregarding all etiquette, walked into the city.

Countless gazes followed.

Some people even uttered words of shock without realizing it.

But the two men didn't care at all, and led their officials slowly toward the city.

This day was destined to be extraordinary.

Liu Chen held a grand celebration banquet for Gu Ye, proclaiming his achievements in pacifying Lingnan.

The courtiers naturally accompanied him.

But for Gu Ye, there are hardly any familiar faces left in the court.

What truly caught Gu Yi's attention was Liu Jun.

He is also the current crown prince of the Han Dynasty.

Gu Yi had absolutely no recollection of Liu Chen's descendants in the original history.

The only impression I had was that they were killed by Liu Chen before the fall of Shu Han.

He naturally wanted to take a good look at it.

Unfortunately, perhaps out of fear of Liu Chen, Liu Jun did not show anything special and did not reveal anything extraordinary.

Throughout the banquet, Liu Chen was talking with Gu Ye.

The two, the emperor and his minister, could talk about anything.

In the end, Liu Chen even allowed Gu Ye to stay overnight in the palace.

To this-

Gu Ye did not refuse.

Liu Chen's health was indeed compromised; his face was noticeably pale.

He coughs every now and then.

Unfortunately, the "Cure-All Talisman" can only be used by members of the Gu family; otherwise, Gu Yi would have liked to save Liu Chen.

The two, the emperor and his minister, continued to recount the past years.

Although these matters had been mentioned many times in the letters, neither of them showed the slightest aversion.

Gu Ye slowly recounted the future plans for Lingnan.

A wisp of smoke curled from the bronze incense burner on the desk, and Liu Chen's originally pale face flushed red. He lightly tapped the table with his fingertips: "Truly worthy of Zhaode! If such a layout could be achieved, our Great Han would surely shine for eternity!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stopped, gazing at the withering sycamore leaves outside the window, his smile fading into a sigh, "But I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to witness this magnificent scene."

"Your Majesty, please be careful with your words!" Gu Ye suddenly stood up. "Your Majesty is in good health, and there is plenty of time ahead. Why do you say such things?"

Liu Chen waved his hand, and the wide sleeves embroidered with gold dragons slipped down, revealing the dark patterns on his wrists. "Why should Zhaode comfort me? Since our ancestors, the descendants of the Liu family have never been afraid of life and death."

His gaze pierced through the gauze curtain and landed on Gu Ye. "To see you return on my deathbed, I have no regrets."

With Zhaode in power, the Han Dynasty has nothing to worry about.

As he spoke, Liu Chen took out the imperial edict that he had prepared beforehand.

The above content is very simple.

That is to appoint Gu Ye as Grand Tutor and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

Looking at the contents of the imperial edict, even Gu Yi was momentarily dazed.

After Gu Xi.

The title of Grand Tutor seems to have been elevated.

Although nominally he is still inferior to the prime minister, he has surpassed the prime minister.

Take Yanhan as an example.

Since Liu Bei ascended the throne and became emperor, no one has ever held the position of Grand Tutor.

Whether in the imperial court or among the common people.

The position of "Grand Tutor" has acquired a completely different status.

Gu Ye's body trembled instantly, and he looked at Liu Chen with a complicated expression, saying, "Your Majesty, why have you gone to such lengths?"

“The Crown Prince is more benevolent than ruthless.” Liu Chen leaned against the dragon-patterned cushion, his voice growing weaker. “I have paved the way for his future, but I still can’t rest easy… Only when you take charge of the court can I die in peace.”

His tone was very calm and composed.

Gu Ye's lips moved slightly, but he ultimately couldn't say anything.

The hall fell silent.

The two, the emperor and his minister, sat facing each other without the slightest air of superiority.

Liu Chen had already felt exhausted, but he still forced himself to keep looking at Gu Ye silently. He remained silent for a long time before speaking again.

He introduced the current court officials to Gu Ye.

He explained it in great detail.

They described in detail their backgrounds, personalities, and talents.

Gu Ye listened very attentively.

Gu Yi is one of them.

Although Gu Ye was completely unfamiliar with these people, he did hear some familiar names.

Until the end——

Liu Chen then brought up another topic.

"Zhaode, why do you not allow members of the Gu family to rule the court?"

Liu Chen stared intently at Gu Ye.

This was what puzzled him the most; the Gu family had changed a lot since then.

Although many members of the Gu family held official positions in the local areas, Dao Ye was a prominent figure.

However, Gu Ye is the only one at the core of the court, and he is no longer young.

He had mentioned more than once that he wanted to promote members of the Gu family.

But Gu Yi refused them all.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yi could no longer stand by and watch, and immediately manipulated Gu Ye to say, "Your Majesty, the Gu family members are not capable enough to shoulder this heavy responsibility."

Liu Chen shook his head slightly and sighed helplessly, "So that's how it is."

He didn't know how to express his thoughts at that moment.

This is what distinguishes the Gu family from other aristocratic families.

To be frank, this kind of behavior is something that an emperor would find very gratifying.

After all, this alone is enough to prove the innocence of a noble family.

But the situation was somewhat different for the emperors of the Han Dynasty.

Without the Gu family ruling as regent, it seems that something was ultimately missing for the Han dynasty.

But what could he say?

"The name of the Gu family should be engraved on the Liu family's tripod."

He could indeed fulfill this vow, but would forcibly promoting members of the Gu family really be good for the Han Dynasty?

If the Gu family were to fall into the same category as other aristocratic families because of this action...

What kind of impact will this have on the Han Dynasty?
Liu Chen had thought about this question countless times, but he could never come up with a good answer.

Time is relentless, and history always moves forward.

Even Gu Yi had to admit it.

As the descendants of the Gu family gradually become mediocre, the glorious era of the Yan Han dynasty is inevitably coming to an end.

He could take a gamble and use the lottery to obtain items to cultivate talent.

But for the Gu family's long-term plan...

Gu Yi could not possibly make that choice.

There are no dynasties that last forever.

The achievement points are props that help Gu Yifu prevent the collapse of the Gu family empire, not so-called icing on the cake.

That night, the emperor and his minister slept together at the same table.

From this day forward.

Gu Ye appeared in the imperial court once again.

The Han Dynasty is indeed thriving. The peace on the borders and the absence of any major natural disasters have allowed the Han Dynasty's strength to develop rapidly.

The achievements of the imperial examination system were equally remarkable.

Liu Chen was indeed capable, keeping the entire Han Dynasty firmly on the right path of development.

Gu Ye didn't even need to interfere much; he only needed to keep an eye on the court.

Liu Chen has indeed reached the end.

After returning to the capital with Gu Ye, he seemed to have fulfilled his last wish, and soon collapsed.

This day came sooner than I had imagined.

The thirty-first year of the Qianlong reign, the day of Xinwei in the second month;
Liu Chen died with a smile on his face in the Northern Palace of Luoyang;

On his deathbed, he entrusted all state affairs to Gu Ye.

Crown Prince Liu Jun ascended the throne.

His posthumous title was Mu;
The word "Mu" refers to upholding virtue and righteousness; it also refers to revealing one's true feelings through one's appearance; and it signifies being virtuous, honest, and trustworthy.

He was Emperor Xiaomu of the Han Dynasty.

Crown Prince Liu Jun ascended the throne.
------

"Emperor Xiaomu, whose personal name was Chen, was the grandson of Emperor Zhaowu and the son of Emperor Xiaoren. His mother was Empress Gong, née Chen. He was intelligent from a young age and was well-versed in the Classic of Filial Piety, the Analects, and the Gu School."

In the first month of spring in the first year of the Qianji era, Emperor Xiaoren died, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, granting a general amnesty. In the second month, he visited the Gao Temple.

Emperor Jianji, inheriting the imperial examination system established by Emperor Xiaoren, issued an edict in the third year of his reign to add two new subjects: Mathematics and Agricultural Policy. Once, while examining the candidates in the imperial court, he said to the Chamberlain, "Governing a country is like tuning a zither; too slow and it makes no sound, too fast and the strings break. The imperial examinations should now select those who are knowledgeable in worldly affairs."

He then ordered the Imperial Academy to add courses on land administration and water management.

That year, the prefectures and counties recommended 47 people who were good at calculations and 63 people who were good at agricultural strategies, and all of them were given official positions in accordance with their abilities.

In the second year of the Qianji era, chaos broke out in the northern frontier.

The emperor ascended the platform and appointed Gu Ye as Grand General Ye, bestowing upon him an axe and halberd. Ye marched out of Youzhou, defeated the bandits in a single battle, and the three barbarian tribes all surrendered.

In the seventeenth year, Ye again descended upon Lingnan, crossed the ancient Meiguan Pass, and captured Panyu. The emperor bestowed upon Ye his Zhanlu sword, declaring, "General's achievements are comparable to those of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing."

The emperor was frugal and simple by nature, and often wore hand-washed clothes.

The Commandant of the Capital Region petitioned to repair the Southern Palace, but the Emperor replied, "Now that Henan is suffering from famine and Nanyang is flooded, how can we spend millions of taels of silver to build a palace for me?" So the matter was dropped.

Whenever there was a natural disaster, he would dress in plain clothes and avoid the palace, and send envoys to travel through the prefectures and kingdoms.

One night, while reading the *Discourses on Salt and Iron*, I came to the chapter on "Virtuous and Learned Men" and sighed, "The teachings of Sang Kong ultimately cannot compare to Chao Cuo's *Memorial on Valuing Grain*."

On the day of Xinwei in the second month of the thirty-first year, the emperor died in the Xuan Room of the Northern Palace at the age of fifty-nine.

The will stated: "The funeral arrangements shall be simplified and the days shall be replaced by months. All princes shall return to their fiefs and shall not leave without permission." That evening, a white rainbow pierced the Big Dipper, and the Luo River suddenly froze for three days. On the day of Gengyin in the third month, he was buried at Xianling Mausoleum on Mangshan Mountain.

His posthumous title was Mu.

—From the Annals of Emperor Mu of the Han Dynasty (Yan Han Shu)

(End of this chapter)