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

Chapter 188 Radiant Glory, Flawless Empire (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
—Li is ill!
This is undoubtedly a momentous event for the Tang Dynasty at present.

Although he still rarely interferes in politics.

But don't forget, he was still the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Moreover, Crown Prince Li Hong is still young.

Even the slightest mishap could be a major blow to a dynasty!

Gu Jing understood this as well, and had no choice but to put everything aside and immediately head back to Luoyang.

Luoyang.

An invisible gloom hung over the entire court, and Li Zhi's sudden illness seemed to have pressed the pause button on the development of the Tang Dynasty.

Fortunately, the current political system of the Tang Dynasty is indeed still at its peak.

Even the Censorate remains stable to this day.

This treasure became the minimum standard for the main hall, and did not cause any chaos in the Tang Dynasty.

To Gu Yi's surprise, Wu Zetian did not take advantage of this lull to make a move, and even refused the Wu clan members.

She was genuinely somewhat wary of Gu Jing.

Even when faced with such an opportunity, she dared not do anything, fearing that she would completely anger Gu Jing and cause further chaos.

It is no secret that Gu Jing now holds Li Shimin's imperial edict.

This is a divinely bestowed holy sword, hanging over everyone's head at all times.

How could someone like her not understand this?
August.

Gu Jing eventually returned to Luoyang and was able to meet Li Zhi.

Luoyang Palace.

Gu Jing slowly stepped into the hall, and a strong smell of medicine hit him, causing his expression to change slightly.

"His Majesty……"

He called softly as he approached the dragon bed.

Li Zhi, lying on the couch, instantly opened his eyes and abruptly turned his head at the sound. His bloodshot eyes lit up the moment they caught sight of Gu Jing: "Is it the Grand Tutor?"

"Has the Grand Tutor returned?"

His vision seemed to blur, and then a look of pain appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, I have returned." Gu Jing strode forward, disregarding all formalities, and tightly grasped Li Zhi's outstretched hand.

"Grand Tutor!" Li Zhi's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. He immediately gripped Gu Jing's hand tightly and sighed deeply, "With the Grand Tutor's return, my heart... is at peace."

He was genuinely afraid, afraid that something might go wrong in the Tang Dynasty during this lull.

It's different from what everyone else thinks.

Li Zhi was a person who was very sensitive to power.

Only someone like Gu Jing, who carries the name of his family for hundreds of years and is entrusted with the world by Li Shimin, can truly put his mind at ease.

"Your Majesty, it's more than that?" Gu Jing looked at Li Zhi, his expression extremely complicated.

He never imagined that Li Zhicai, at such a young age, would be in such a state of health, unable even to handle state affairs.

This was completely beyond his expectation.

This was a huge variable for the development of the entire Tang Dynasty.

He cannot afford to be careless.

Li Zhi also sighed deeply, but ultimately said nothing more. He simply grasped Gu Jing's hand and said, "Grand Tutor, I entrust this empire to you!"

He wants Gu Jing to handle state affairs.

This is completely different from what was originally thought to have happened.

In the original history, Wu Zetian took this opportunity to begin to develop her own power on a large scale, and eventually even completely sidelined Li Zhi.

But now, she no longer has that opportunity!

Gu Jing was not only a protector of the Li Tang imperial family, but also the biggest obstacle to preventing others from getting involved in core power!

Upon hearing this, Gu Jing nodded solemnly without the slightest hesitation: "Your Majesty, please rest assured and recuperate. I am here—"

His voice was deep and resonant, each word carrying immense weight:

"The Tang Dynasty will not fall into chaos."

The moment the words left his mouth, Li Zhi finally loosened his grip. He silently lay back on the imperial bed and closed his eyes.

Gu Jing remained silent.

He solemnly bowed to the king on the couch, then turned and strode out of the palace.

The situation changed abruptly.

Gu Jing's return was like giving the entire Tang Dynasty court a new backbone, as the impact of Li Zhi's sudden illness was almost instantly suppressed by him.

This was the first time Gu Jing had directly participated in court politics and taken the lead in guiding the development of the entire Tang Dynasty.

Gu Jing certainly wouldn't make any large-scale changes.

The Tang Dynasty's current foundation is already sufficient, as can be seen from this period of downtime.

All he really needed to do was stabilize the morale of the court officials.

Suppressing the ambitions of some individuals can also help maintain the balance of power in the court.

This was not unexpected for Gu Yi.

As things progress more smoothly, the systems that emerge from them will gradually improve over time.

In May of the tenth year of Yonghui, another batch of caravans returned.

Merchants from overseas also arrived in Kyushu.

They gathered in Panyu.

Although Gu Jing's domestic affairs skills were not top-notch, his vision was excellent. After the ministers discussed the matter, he quickly finalized the decision.

Establish foreign settlements throughout the entire Panyu area.

They also developed a detailed system for foreign businessmen, allowing them to do business in Panyu.

This includes the implementation of a tariff system.

The Maritime Trade Office also played a significant role in this.

This series of systems represents a significant advancement for the current Tang Dynasty's maritime plans.

Merchants who can travel to the Nine Provinces are no small merchants; the capital they carry is not insignificant, which can bring extremely high revenue to the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, there are limitations to this.

Whether it was prohibiting intermarriage with Tang Dynasty people, prohibiting them from preaching, or requiring them to fully abide by Tang Dynasty laws and exchange their currency for Tang Dynasty currency, all of these were restrictions.

Gu Jing's oversight of these foreign merchants far exceeded what was originally known.

This was just Gu Yi interfering, using the Spirit Jade to interfere with some of Gu Jing's ideas.

His desire to develop maritime trade stemmed not only from a desire to further expand the Gu family's influence, but also from a desire to make Kyushu the first to see the world and the hidden benefits within it.

Instead of harming the entire Kyushu.

Gu Yi remembered it very clearly, in the original history.

Especially during the late Tang Dynasty, these people caused great trouble for the Tang Dynasty, whether in terms of economy or in terms of heretical customs, including buying official positions and colluding with pirates.

Although all of this seems to have changed now.

The development of maritime trade in the Tang Dynasty far exceeded its original history, and its national strength was also very strong. However, with every advantage comes a disadvantage.

He did this to guard against these things.

The Tang Dynasty may seem very powerful now, but who can know what will happen to it in the future?
No dynasty lasts forever, and the Tang Dynasty could not guarantee its eternal prosperity.

Gu Yi had to make thorough preparations to avoid any major changes in the future. Time flew by.

Perhaps because Gu Jing returned to the capital so quickly, the development of the Tang Dynasty was not affected in the slightest, and with the introduction of foreign merchants...

The entire Panyu district has once again ushered in a large-scale development.

Especially the ports.

The speed of development has even exceeded Gu Yi's expectations, and the impact is not limited to these aspects.

Once everyone recognized the benefits that maritime trade could bring.

Even if the imperial court stops developing, the people will naturally continue to develop in the direction that the imperial court has already set out.

In places near the sea, such as Mingzhou and Donglai, merchants have begun to spontaneously organize the construction of ports.

From every perspective, the entire Tang Dynasty once again presented a thriving and prosperous scene.

This series was created by Gu Ye back in the days of the Han Dynasty.

Then, the journey, which had been set since the beginning of the Zhenguan era, finally blossomed into a riot of colors and bore abundant fruit as time went by.

This change even stirred up a feeling that was hard to describe in Gu Yi's heart.

It is the result of the efforts of generations of people.

It was only then that this plan, which had taken so long to complete, was finally able to be put into practice. How could he not be filled with emotion?

Although from a modern perspective, none of this is worth mentioning.

However, as long as we focus on long-term development.

The impact of all this on Kyushu is unimaginable. The fact that it has developed to its current state is already extremely remarkable!
The imperial court would certainly not relinquish its oversight of these ports.

When Gu Yi was controlling Gu Ye, he had already considered the potential drawbacks of the large-scale development of Hai Shang Mao Ye, and left behind a lot of information.

Gu Jing wholeheartedly agreed with all of this.

He had been overseeing everything, controlling everything through the Censorate to ensure the stability of the entire Tang Dynasty.

It is worth mentioning that—turmoil has once again broken out within Tibet.

Although Gu Jing's deterrence plan was not fully successful, the internal conflicts and divisions within Tibet were finally ignited after he sent Gu's banner.

This is also inevitable.

Tibet was originally a tribal alliance, and the relationships between the various alliances were inherently very complex.

When facing a behemoth like the Gu family in the Tang Dynasty.

Naturally, the ideas of different tribes also differ.

In addition, the pressure of external expansion always loomed over the entire Tibetan Empire, and amidst these differences of opinion, internal conflicts were the first to erupt.

The great defeat that occurred in history did not happen at all, which even exceeded Gu Yi's judgment.

But this also brings with it concerns.

Many major battles in history were completely avoided, including the fact that Wu Zetian still has no chance to rise to power, and even Gu Yi feels that she has no chance of rising to power at all.

This includes the speed of development of various systems.

All of this has changed so much now, so how much pressure will the Gu family have to bear?
Although none of this has yet been demonstrated.

But Gu Yi could sense that this pressure might be no less than the impact Gu Chen had back then, and this was something he had to pay attention to.

time flies.

Driven by these major events, the Tang Dynasty's national strength rose like the morning sun, growing ever stronger.

This is precisely what makes the Chinese nation extraordinary.

Once the borders are pacified and all industries flourish, the inherent talents of this land will blossom brilliantly.

Agriculture remains at its core, but beyond agriculture, the creativity of the Chinese nation is equally astonishing, and it is inclusive and tolerant of all cultures.

Although the development of the maritime industry is still in its initial stage and has not yet been fully realized.

But this is enough to stimulate all aspects of Kyushu!
People from all over the world always bring different things. Although their countries are inferior to the Tang Dynasty in many ways, they always bring something new.

These things will be quickly absorbed by the entire Kyushu region and improved upon to create even more extraordinary things.

All of this is enhancing the strength of the Tang Dynasty.

The most alarming thing is the population.

Although it has only been a few years, the population of the entire Tang Dynasty has increased to nearly 40 million.

This is an absolutely astonishing number.

Compared to the original history, it has even doubled.

Of course, this is not solely due to the efforts of Gu Jing's generation; the very existence of the Gu family had already saved the entire Nine Provinces from many disasters.

This is the result of generations of inheritance.

The courtiers were naturally overjoyed by all these changes.

The atmosphere within the entire Tang Dynasty court was even affected. Although it couldn't compare to the spirit of remonstrance during the Zhenguan era, it was still generally positive.

This is the impact of different macro-environments.

No scholar would be unwilling to be remembered in history. When a prosperous era has fully unfolded and there is still oversight, the officials will naturally show different attitudes.

This is for sure.

Many examples from history show that many treacherous officials who are infamous in history had a reputation for virtue before they actually entered the core of the court.

It was only after entering the imperial court that he was influenced by the overall environment and his life changed.

And as this atmosphere of prosperity becomes more and more apparent.

Another matter will naturally be brought up.

—The Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai!
In fact, many ministers had already raised this issue as early as the Zhenguan era, but Li Shimin's ambitions were too lofty, and he believed that everything had not yet reached its peak.

Therefore, he was unwilling to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.

But now things are completely different; the various major events set forth during the Zhenguan era have begun to unfold.

The court officials had no idea what else might happen that could affect the Tang Dynasty.

And naturally, the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai would be brought up!
------

In the autumn of the ninth year of the Yonghui era, the emperor fell ill and issued an edict ordering Grand Tutor Gu Jing to take charge of the government.

The following year, ships flocked to Panyu, foreign merchants gathered, and treasures piled up like mountains.

He inherited his predecessors' aspirations and established a grand framework: clarifying the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, managing the benefits of maritime trade, and consolidating the foundation of the nation.

His policy was widely adopted, and merchants and people from Ming, Lai, Quan and other prefectures followed suit, building their own ports and ferries, with thousands of sails setting sail.

The vast coastal region was transformed into a golden trade route, yielding unprecedented annual revenues.

Foreign goods and exotic techniques from overseas flowed in, and all crafts were improved as a result.

At this time of great maritime trade, internal strife broke out in Tibet, with various tribes attacking each other. The western border was peaceful for a long time, which was also due to the strategic planning of Jing and the wisdom inherited from generations of people.

During Jing's reign, the Tang Dynasty reached its zenith.

Farmland was everywhere, but the millet was rotting and decaying.
Exquisite tools from workshops, rare and precious items from ships at sea;
The population is abundant, exceeding forty million.

The treasury was full, and the armor and weapons gleamed in the sun.
The rulers of the four barbarian tribes, with their officials and carriages in a continuous stream, requested to become vassals and submit to the government.

The treatise states: Yonghui's prosperity in both land and sea was unparalleled in ancient and modern times. He oversaw the key affairs of the state, pioneered new paths and accomplished great things, bringing benefits to the world while safeguarding the foundation of China.

Tracing its origins, it inherited the brilliance of Marquis Zhaolie Gu Chen of the Yan Han Dynasty and the strategic planning of Marquis Jingxiang Gu Ye. Over several hundred years, it finally achieved great success.

The Gu family's contributions to protecting China are illustrious and will be recorded in history.

—From the Biography of Gu Jing in the Book of Tang

(End of this chapter)