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

Chapter 140: The Struggle Between Two Palaces, Gu Yu's Reforms (Two Chapters Combined, Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The curtain has been fully raised.

In fact, reaching this point today was completely unexpected by both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin.

In the past, Li Jiancheng would worry about Li Shimin's safety on the battlefield.

Li Shimin never thought about the so-called crown prince or the so-called throne; his goal was always to become the envoy for the ten directions.

The two are brothers.

But that's always been the way rights are.

Li Jiancheng was initially hesitant about this, but as those around him continued to speak up, his mindset gradually changed.

He can watch his younger brother grow stronger, but those who choose to invest in him are not so willing.

This has always been a life-or-death struggle.

In Gu Yi's view, regardless of the original history.

Given the current situation, as long as Li Yuan can handle the growing conflict between the two brothers, he can give Li Shimin something else even if he doesn't give him the position of the Ten Directions Expeditionary Commissioner.

Let him help Li Jiancheng create a golden age for the Tang Dynasty.

This is absolutely achievable.

Unfortunately, Li Yuan remained silent about all of this.

As Li Shimin began his counterattack, the relationship between him and Li Jiancheng became increasingly difficult to mend.

An unprecedented internal struggle erupted within the entire Tang Dynasty court, centered around the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Qin's residence.

Li Shimin's prestige was indeed too great.

He didn't need to do anything; he simply used the power to establish his own government that Li Yuan had already granted him to make acquaintances in Chang'an, which attracted many talented people and supporters to Li Shimin.

Li Jiancheng is simply no match for him.

The key is--

The attempts to win over Li Shimin's confidants were also very unsuccessful. Not to mention Gu Quan, even others were unwilling to betray Li Shimin.

Gu Quan would never participate in the struggle for the foundation of the nation.

Not to mention that Li Jiancheng only mentioned the marriage between Gu Yan and Princess Pingyang in his memorial.

Even if Li Jiancheng did something else, it wouldn't affect his judgment.

Family is what the Gu family members care about most.

Especially after the incident involving Gu Zhe in the past, all the Gu family members were extremely sensitive to all of this and would not participate in the struggle for the foundation of the state.

Under these circumstances, Li Jiancheng gradually changed his thinking.

If I can't have it, I'll destroy it.

In any case, it's impossible to leave these people to Li Shimin.

Li Jiancheng was, after all, the crown prince, and now he had also won over Prince Qi, Li Yuanji, as well as several of Li Yuan's favorite concubines.

Under these circumstances.

Li Shimin's right-hand men, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, were successively targeted.

Li Jiancheng first had people falsely accuse the two of instigating the Prince of Qin to rebel, but Li Yuan did not completely believe it. However, under the influence of his favorite concubine's bedside whispers, his suspicions gradually arose.

Finally, Li Jiancheng once again used a strategy of retreat to advance, directly getting Li Yuan to order the two men to be dismissed from the Prince of Qin's residence and prohibited from participating in military and political affairs.

Following them were military generals such as Yuchi Gong and Cheng Yaojin.

Li Jiancheng did not target Gu Quan.

Because offending the Gu family would have a huge impact, and most importantly, after so much contact, Li Jiancheng knew that the Gu family members would not participate in the struggle for the foundation of the state, so there was no need to target them.

His methods were more direct when dealing with other military commanders.

--rebellion!
This crime, which would have been a capital offense in any feudal dynasty, was directly pinned on Yuchi Gong.

Before this, he had even sent people to assassinate Yuchi Gong, but unfortunately, the attempt failed.

This time, Li Yuan had no choice but to take it seriously.

Unlike the civil officials, Yuchi Gong was a brave general and his reputation in the Tang army was not small.

Even if you know it's a false accusation.

He also needs to investigate thoroughly.

Yuchi Gong was immediately imprisoned, while Cheng Yaojin was transferred to be the governor of Kangzhou, continuously weakening Li Shimin's power in the capital.

This matter caused quite a stir in Beijing.

Finally, thanks to Li Shimin's staunch protection, Yuchi Gong was released, but was still directly demoted to a commoner.

In addition, it also includes Duan Zhixuan, Zhang Liang, and others.

Li Jiancheng used his position to target Li Shimin from all angles.

This was not only aimed at Li Shimin's subordinates, but also at Li Shimin himself.

Whispers in one's ear; allowing others to spread rumors and public opinion.

They used every means to undermine Li Shimin's reputation.

For Li Shimin

The situation is becoming increasingly dire.

Now, he has no illusions left.

He could sense that not only Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, but even Li Yuan was targeting him intentionally or unintentionally, wary of his unparalleled prestige.

This was an utterly hopeless situation for Li Shimin.

The family that was once together has come to this point. It's as if he's returned to the days in Taiyuan, where there's no going back, only death.

In reality, many times it's not that a person has to make a choice, but rather that the situation forces them to make one.

He also began to retaliate.

But from beginning to end, he never summoned Gu Quan.

After returning to Luoyang.

He only met the Gu family members once in the entire process, and that time he just wanted to tell Gu Quan that he had recovered.

This move is certainly puzzling.

Given the influence of the Gu family, coupled with the bond of shared hardships between Gu Quan and Li Shimin, this was a significant factor.

As long as Li Shimin can gain the support of the Gu family.

At that time, given the overwhelming tide of events, even if he couldn't become the crown prince, he would certainly no longer be in such a passive position.

But Li Shimin's response was very simple.

"How can I allow the Gu family to place all their wealth on my shoulders, building up a legacy spanning hundreds of years?"

"Don't let the Gu family get involved—"

"Even if I die alone one day, the world will eventually usher in a golden age."

No one could say anything more about this.

This is also a testament to Li Shimin's personal charisma.

The situation is becoming increasingly dire.

Even Li Yuan could clearly sense the increasingly difficult conflict between his two sons and the division within the entire court.

Under constant pressure, he has now genuinely developed a fear of Li Shimin.

But it's far too early to completely abandon Li Shimin.

As the situation in the government and the public spiraled out of control, he seemed to gradually realize the seriousness of the problem.

Under these circumstances—

To everyone's surprise, Li Yuan summoned Gu Quan.

Night, inside the inner palace.

After passing through layers of palace restrictions, Gu Quan finally stepped into the hall and met Li Yuan.

"Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects."

Gu Quan's expression remained as serious as ever, and he bowed respectfully with his hands clasped.

"Ziyuan," Li Yuan said, his expression complex, a hint of weariness in his eyes, clearly indicating that he too had been mentally and physically exhausted recently, "Now that the world is unified, I wonder if Lord Gu would be willing to serve in the court?"

"I'm still keeping the position of Grand Tutor for him in my Great Tang Dynasty."

—He mentioned Gu Yu again.

However, when Gu Yu is mentioned now, things are completely different from what they were back then.

Li Yuan didn't have any particular intentions when he wanted to invite Gu Yu.

But now, he wants to break the deadlock through Gu Yu.

Now that the court officials are all siding with either the Crown Prince or the Prince of Qin, Li Yuan has no choice but to think that he needs someone to keep everyone in check.

Gu Yu is the best choice among them.

Compared to politics, Gu Quan was more skilled in command and military affairs.

But as the eldest son of the Gu family, he was no fool and naturally understood the meaning behind Li Yuan's words.

However, his answer remained unchanged: "Your Majesty, I truly do not know my father's thoughts."

Li Yuan looked at him silently, and after a moment of silence, he finally waved his hand: "Very well, I will send someone to go there myself."

As he spoke, he slowly sat up.

His gaze grew increasingly complex. "Ziyuan, what's your opinion on the matter between the King of Qin and the Crown Prince?"

The atmosphere inside the hall changed instantly.

Li Yuan looked at Gu Quan with utmost seriousness and said in a deep voice, "Now there are only you and me, the sovereign and subject, in this hall. Ziyuan, you may speak to me."

Before he could finish speaking...

Gu Quan lowered his head and bowed to Li Yuan again, remaining silent throughout.

Upon seeing this, Li Yuan suddenly stopped speaking.

He sighed helplessly, then waved his hand again: "Alright, alright, you may leave now."

Li Yuan is still Li Yuan.

He asked Gu Quan this question hoping that, as always, someone would give him a push at a crucial moment so that he could make a good decision.

But that's precisely the unfortunate thing; he's always been himself.

When faced with his two sons, his hesitation was far greater than ever before.

Gu Quan would never have participated in all of this as a member of the Gu family.

Although it was a private summons.

However, the matter gradually spread with the help of various parties, but for the current Tang court, no one cared whether Gu Yu, the head of the Gu family, would come to the capital.

The Gu family exists outside the power struggle between the two palaces, so there's no need to pay them any attention.

No, it's not that nobody cares.

People like Pei Ji are quite concerned, after all, they are also afraid that Gu Yu's arrival at court will affect their authority.

Unfortunately, they couldn't stop Li Yuan either.

Li Yuan wanted to use Gu Yu to maintain stability in the court and ease the conflict between the two palaces.

This is something he inevitably has to do.

Gu Yi originally thought that Gu Yu would not return to the capital at this time.

After all, for Gu Yu...

He was well aware of the internal struggles within the Tang Dynasty court, and even if he tried to avoid it, he would inevitably be affected by it.

To Gu Yi's surprise, Gu Yu actually agreed!

Even Gu Yi hadn't expected this, let alone the ministers within the court.

—A huge shock to the government and the public!
As the news gradually spread from Julu to all directions...

Whether within the Tang Dynasty court or among the people of all directions, this was a momentous event!

How many years!

How many years has it been since the head of the Gu family has appeared?

Although Gu Yuming has not done anything yet, he has already successfully won the hearts of the people of the world and increased their expectations for a prosperous era.

Of course—if a golden age does not arrive.

This may well be the last glory of the Gu family.

But Gu Yu remained completely calm throughout, showing no sign of worry whatsoever.

Li Yuan held a grand welcoming ceremony for Gu Yu.

Whether it was Li Jiancheng or Li Shimin, both of them followed Li Yuan to welcome Gu Yu.

This is a very serious matter.

Even the conflict between the two of them stopped at this moment.

Although it was destined to be extremely short-lived, it was still enough to make Li Yuan very happy.

At least in his view, a change has already occurred.

This scene is destined to be recorded in the Gu family history.

It has been silent for many years.

Gu Shi finally stepped out of Julu again and returned to the court.

Li Yuan had indeed made up his mind.

Although Gu Yu had only just entered the court, he handed over the position of Grand Tutor to Gu Yu.

The Grand Tutor of today is completely different from the one in the original history.

It was not a nominal position.

Instead, he has become a unique type of prime minister. Although he cannot officially command the court officials, he can participate in various departments.

This was a choice that Yang Jian had no choice but to make at the time.

At least at that time, he could not remove the power of the Grand Tutor, otherwise it would surely cause the people to lose their hearts.

The Tang Dynasty inherited the system from the Sui Dynasty, and the position of Grand Tutor was no exception.

—The situation has changed!
Gu Yu's arrival completely disrupted the current balance within the Tang Dynasty court, and consequently affected the struggle between the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Qin's residence.

The situation within the entire Tang Dynasty court suddenly became increasingly complicated.

As Gu Yu brought up the matter of overall reform, Gu Yi finally realized why Gu Yu had chosen to emerge from seclusion at this time.

This was absolutely the perfect time for him.

A power struggle between two palaces;

The power dynamics within and outside the government are extremely chaotic;

Li Yuan also needed him to maintain a series of balances.

All these circumstances could help him carry out reforms.

Besides that, it was also because of the Xiongnu.

Although many people impeached Li Shimin for his relationship with the Turkic Khan, they also valued the treaty with the Turks highly.

Li Yuan, now the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, had already established an alliance with the Turks.

But in Gu Yu's eyes, the Tang Dynasty and the Turks were destined to fight.

This so-called trade route was destined to never satisfy their appetites, and a war between Kyushu and them was inevitable.

He needs to make preparations in advance.

This is the most important reason why Gu Yu came out of seclusion.

The imperial court instantly erupted in chaos.

As Gu Yu formally proposed the reforms in the imperial court, everyone's attention was instantly drawn to him.

At times like these, even the power struggle between the two palaces is no longer so important.

Reform is bound to affect the interests of everyone.

This is the most urgent matter!
Tai Chi Hall.

Gu Yu stood in the hall, speaking to the assembled officials and Li Yuan about the reform plans he had conceived over the years.

First of all--

This is the Three Departments and Six Ministries system of the Tang Dynasty.

This system was already established at the beginning of Li Yuan's reign, and Gu Yu's reforms to it were not significant.

However, while defining the rights of each department, more specific benchmarks were set for this purpose.

If there was any real progress, it was the rudimentary form of the "Hanlin Academy." Gu Yu suggested that Li Yuan establish a special department to select capable people to enter the palace and draft confidential documents.

This is definitely a result of learning from the foresight of the Han Dynasty in the past.

This move was primarily intended to prevent the Guanlong aristocratic families from monopolizing all rights, which had emerged with Li Yuan's uprising.

This was also helpful to Li Yuan.

What can truly be described as sweeping and ambitious is the action taken against the entire world.

Gu Yu proposed abolishing the "General Administration Office" that had been arbitrarily established in the early years of the Wude era, eliminating redundant administrative levels, restoring the "prefecture and county system" established by the Sui Dynasty, and clarifying that prefecture and county officials would be directly appointed by the imperial court.

The faster the imperial court's orders are issued and implemented.

This will be more beneficial to the people.

This was also the scene Gu Yu saw when he traveled thousands of miles back then.

However, everything was different from the system during the Sui Dynasty.

Gu Yu suggested that each prefecture should have three positions: governor, deputy governor, and chief secretary. These three positions should be independent of each other and report directly to the corresponding department of the imperial court.

The governor holds administrative power;
He was given the power of oversight.
The Chief Secretary held military power;
To put it simply, this is the system of "separation of powers".

This can absolutely be called a groundbreaking reform, and the "Inspiration Card" played a significant role in it, enabling Gu Yu to conceive of these fundamental reforms through various appearances.

This move may seem to increase the number of officials.

But the actual benefits it could bring to the court and the people were unimaginable.

These three directly correspond to the imperial court.

It can not only improve the speed of implementing the government's decrees, but also strengthen centralized power through the separation of powers and control officialdom.

In fact, Gu Yu's thoughts went far beyond these.

Gu Yi once saw that Gu Yu even had the idea of ​​dividing the power of the "Ten Directions Expeditionary Envoy" into a special department to curb the power of the emperor.

However, this idea is impossible to implement in the current context.

It could even bring utter destruction to the Gu family.

Therefore, Gu Yu compromised and changed his mind.

But the progress made is equally remarkable.

Separation of powers.

The prototype of this system can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and the progress required to evolve from the original system to the separation of powers was equally unimaginable.

To put it in the most direct way...

This spans several hundred years.

This shows just how significant the impact of this matter is!

Besides these, there were some military ideas, but compared to governing local areas, Gu Yu was not particularly bold.

The Gu family is no longer what it used to be.

Although the Gu family now wields considerable influence in the Tang Dynasty court thanks to the influence of Gu Quan and other members of the Gu family, this influence is still insufficient.

Gu Yu wouldn't touch too many people's interests, lest the Gu family become a public enemy.

In addition, it also includes some reforms to specific systems, including the imperial examination system.

But the most crucial element is still the location!
The Gu family needs a golden age right now!
And the local area is the key!
Even so, this matter still caused a huge uproar within the entire imperial court.

The Tang Dynasty definitely needed reform.

Now that the world is completely unified, reform is even more urgent.

After all, Li Yuan did not inherit the Mandate of Heaven from the Sui Dynasty, but rather established his own Mandate of Heaven. He could not maintain the system left by the Sui Dynasty indefinitely.

The entire court began a series of discussions surrounding this matter.

This is something that cannot be decided in a day.

Gu Yu wasn't in a hurry. After bringing these things up, he didn't do anything else.

However, this also helped Li Yuan alleviate the internal conflicts within the court.

But how long can this last?
Li Yuan was naturally aware of this. Although he understood that the Gu family would not be involved in these matters, he still met with Gu Yu privately to ask for Gu Yu's opinion on the current situation of the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Qin's residence.

The imperial bedchamber in Chang'an.

This was absolutely the most central place in the entire palace. Li Yuan even dismissed all the servants for it, leaving only Gu Yu.

"Grand Tutor, now there are only the two of us, ruler and subject, in this palace."

"I can also guarantee—"

"The words spoken between you and me, sovereign and subject, today will be known to no one else. I wonder if the Grand Tutor can enlighten me? What should I do with the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Qin's residence?"

Li Yuan looked at Gu Yu intently, his expression extremely serious.

This is already an excessive level of trust.

Only the reputation that the Gu family had accumulated over the centuries could have convinced Li Yuan to make such a decision.

Gu Yu's expression remained unchanged. He first bowed to Li Yuan, then replied softly, "That depends on what kind of world Your Majesty desires."

What kind of world?

Li Yuan immediately frowned and asked, somewhat puzzled, "What do you mean by that?"

"Does Your Majesty truly believe that the Tang Dynasty is at peace?" Gu Yu still did not answer directly, but instead posed another question.

Li Yuan's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, but he remained silent.

Gu Yu waited for a moment before explaining, "In my opinion, there will definitely be a major war between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks within a few years. This is something that the Tang Dynasty cannot avoid under any circumstances."

"Your Majesty should imagine—"

"If we were to fight the Turks, who in the Tang Dynasty could be the commander-in-chief if the Prince of Qin was not capable enough?"

Gu Yu spoke very directly.

He had nothing to hide about all of this.

As the current head of the Gu family, all he needs to do is ensure that he does not directly participate in the struggle for the foundation of the nation.

Li Yuan has already gone to such lengths; if he were to remain an outsider, it would be rather foolish.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's expression changed slightly.

"Both the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin are capable men, which is a blessing for Your Majesty. Your Majesty only needs to handle the situation well, and both the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin can bring a golden age to the Tang Dynasty."

"."

Gu Yu spoke again, telling Li Yuan his judgments about the two men, but he still did not offer a choice.

Li Yuan listened very attentively.

He is now just as helpless as ever about his two sons.

After hearing what Gu Yu said, he already regretted it a little. If he had known this would happen, he would have just given the title of "Ten Directions Conqueror" to Li Shimin.

Continue to maintain the attitude of Li Jiancheng in charge of internal affairs and Li Shimin in charge of external affairs.

If he could simply impose restrictions and set limits on Li Shimin, perhaps that would be enough to resolve everything.

But now it's already a bit too late.

With his silence, the conflict between the two men, or between their subordinates, has gradually escalated to an irreconcilable point.

He couldn't reconcile them either.

But Gu Yu didn't say anything more.

Afterwards, the two discussed the reform in detail. Gu Yu explained the benefits it could bring, and then left the palace.

The atmosphere in Chang'an became increasingly complicated.

In the following days, many people came to visit Gu Yu.

This naturally includes Li Jiancheng.

He did not show any intention to win over Gu Yu; he simply sought Gu Yu's advice on the reform, including his ideas on governing the country.

Li Jiancheng is indeed a capable person.

In Gu Yi's opinion, if Li Jiancheng had become emperor, even if the Tang Dynasty had not achieved the "Prosperous Era of Zhenguan" in later generations, it would have definitely ushered in another golden age.

Gu Yu readily shared his knowledge.

It wasn't until he had a long talk with Gu Yu that Li Jiancheng fully understood why Wei Zheng described Gu Yu as "unfathomable".

Gu Yu's insights into the rise and fall of the world far exceeded what others could imagine.

His foundation was already quite good, and with the addition of the "Inspiration Card" and the "Luoshu Harmonizing Device" as props...

Having truly witnessed the world's rise and fall, Gu Yu's insights had completely transcended his era.

Although it was just a simple discussion.

However, Li Jiancheng was completely convinced of Gu Yu's attitude.

As for Li Shimin, the two had a similar conversation, except that Gu Yu also told him about the various costs that would be required to create a prosperous era.

This also greatly benefited Li Shimin.

During this period, Li Shimin met Gu Quan again.

The two had not seen each other for a long time.

After the power struggle between the two palaces began, Li Shimin never went to see Gu Quan again.

They didn't even say much during this meeting.

The two seem to have grown a little distant, and how could outsiders possibly know the depth of their feelings?
Gu Mansion.

Watching Li Shimin's departing figure, Gu Quan's expression grew increasingly complex, struggling with countless emotions.

"You want to go and help the King of Qin?"

Gu Yu looked at him calmly and spoke indifferently.

“Father!” Gu Quan shook his head almost instinctively. “As the eldest son of the Gu family, I will never put the family in danger.”

Before Gu Yu could speak, he emphasized again, "Absolutely not!"

Looking at Gu Quan in front of him, Gu Yu couldn't help but shake his head.

How could he not understand his own son?

Li Shimin was right; Gu Quan was a person who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

Within the clan.

He would protect his brothers from the wind and rain.

Externally, he would also give everything for those he felt were worthy.

Gu Yu did not say anything more.

He believed that his son would make the right decision and would not let the family down.

The discussion in the court did not last long.

This is where Gu Yu's brilliance lies. Even though he never held court, he still managed to grasp everyone's interests and demands.

This reform will not fundamentally affect the interests of anyone.

This doomed the reform to success.

The key is--

The real beneficiaries of this matter are also the royal family. As long as Li Yuan makes his stance clear, everyone else will naturally be greatly affected.

March of the seventh year of the Wude era;
A vigorous reform officially began throughout the Tang Dynasty.

Prior to this, Li Yuan held a sacrificial ceremony, and subsequently, various policy adjustments began in Chang'an and quickly spread throughout the country.

The four directions are constantly changing.

Sudden reforms are bound to cause a series of upheavals, which is true in any era.

However, given the current power and influence of the Tang Dynasty, all this turmoil could not ultimately stop this reform.

Rebellions that appeared in various places were quickly quelled as soon as they appeared.

The people of the whole world have high expectations for the future; this is the overwhelming trend!
but--

With the reforms officially finalized, the struggle between the two palaces reignited, and this time the struggle was even more intense than before, as they fought for their own interests during the reforms!
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes! Please support me, brothers! I'm begging you so much, thank you so much!!!)

(End of this chapter)