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

Chapter 216 Zi Chen Ascends to the Throne, Gu Clan's Edge Resounds (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Gu Yi was extremely concerned about this matter.

Putting everything else aside, as time goes by and productivity continues to improve, the Gu family's influence will surely spread throughout the world.

This is for sure.

And the Gu Family Academy can definitely be considered a key part of it.

It not only demonstrates the influence of the Gu family, but also forms the foundation for the Gu family's future establishment in the world.

Regardless of how much help it can bring to the Gu family now, as long as it continues to develop at the current speed, how could the future development of the Gu family academy be inferior to that of the Confucius Institute?

This is a crucial moment for the entire Gu family.

Gu Yi couldn't help but have many thoughts, but he immediately suppressed them.

The most urgent task remains resolving the mess within Kyushu.

Dazhen Pass.

Gu Yi decided to send Gao Xianzhi to lead the navy to Liaodong.

—The liquidation of Liaodong is imperative.

Whether for the dignity of Kyushu or the glory of the Tang Dynasty, this is a step he must take at this moment.

The situation in Liaodong is currently very tense.

The struggle between the two factions has reached a complete stalemate. Since some people are loyal to the Nine Provinces, Gu Yi naturally wants to reassure them.

Gu Yi doesn't just want to retain the original territory of Kyushu.

Regardless of what will happen in the future, given the current glory of the Gu family, he will definitely give it a try since he has this opportunity.

This is for sure.

Gu Yi didn't take the matter to heart at all; the Liaodong region was no match for the Tang army.

The problem he faced was still an internal issue of the Tang Dynasty.

The first priority, naturally, is to restore the previous order.

This may seem easy, but it is actually quite difficult.

No matter when, once a system has encountered significant problems, restoring it will inevitably require tremendous effort, even if the Gu family's reputation is now extremely high.

Of course, this is only a secondary issue.

What Gu Yi truly cares about is still the entire Gu family.

Today's development has taken a completely different turn from the original historical trajectory.

In the original history—

After the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty declined from its peak. Although Emperor Daizong Li Yu completely quelled the rebellion, it also left behind many problems.

Whether it was the hidden danger of eunuchs or the three towns in Hebei that formed a separatist situation, it was all due to the presence of eunuchs.

Including Tibet.

These were all fatal problems that the Tang Dynasty faced in its later period in the original history.

And now?

Not to mention how much the casualties of the An Lushan Rebellion were reduced, whether it was Tibet, the three towns of Hebei, or even the eunuchs in the court, their path to rise has now been cut off by the Gu family.

Based on this alone, one can imagine the kind of pressure the Gu family will face in the future.

It might even be no weaker than the three great Han dynasties of the past.

This is what worries Gu Yi the most.

The Gu family had already endured far too much during the Three Revitalizations of the Han Dynasty. If it weren't for the Gu family's strong foundation and Gu Yi's intervention, the Gu family might have even faced the risk of disintegration.

What about now?

Gu Yi's foundation has indeed increased considerably, but it is impossible for him to exhaust all of it in a short period of time; this is inevitable.

The only advantage might be that it provides a fallback option for Ryukyu.

The Gu family has also changed its development direction, and in any case, it will not be trapped in the land of Julu like it was at the end of the Yan Han Dynasty.

But this matter still had to be taken seriously by Gu Yi.

Of course, even so, Gu Yi will not stop.

The wise consider this matter thoroughly for the sake of the Gu family's eternal glory, but the Gu family will never stop on this thorny path.

In the spring of the second year of the Zhide era.

Gu Xuan finally returned to Luoyang amidst much anticipation.

It wasn't that he was stalling for time, but there were simply too many things in the world that required his attention as Grand Tutor, so he had no choice but to wait until now.

Over the past few months—

Gu Xuan traveled to various places, partly to eliminate the remaining remnants of the army and bandits, and partly to appease the people in those places.

He traveled to the Jiangnan region, including Mingzhou, a key location for maritime trade.

The specific systems for the entire maritime trade were restructured.

The maritime trade involves far too many industries, which inevitably leads to the situation that occurred before. When problems arise in the maritime trade, the people who depend on it for their livelihood will become restless.

This is an inevitable situation under these circumstances.

Gu Xuan's administrative abilities were fully demonstrated under these circumstances. He even thought of some of the systems of the Song Dynasty and used more specific systems to manage the transactions during this period.

Simply put, it adds an obstacle to the process.

Involve the government.

This would naturally bring many benefits. If such a situation were to occur again, the government could also help the people dispose of their goods to avoid public resentment.

Of course, this system is not perfect.

The situation may be okay now, but problems will definitely arise over time.

The fact that officials can obstruct each other or collude with major merchants to drive down prices is enough to completely change the nature of the system.

However, there is no perfect system in the world.

Given the current level of productivity and the speed of information dissemination, this system is indeed in line with the current situation. To resolve the chaos brought about by the booming development of maritime trade, it is necessary to have government control.

This is currently the system that best suits the Tang Dynasty.

As for the rest, Gu Yi can't worry about that right now.

Luoyang City.

Amidst the deafening sound of drums and music, Li Heng, dressed in a dragon robe, personally led civil and military officials to respectfully welcome Gu Xuan outside the city. Thousands of people eagerly awaited his arrival, creating a magnificent scene.

This is an absolutely stunning scene.

Even Gu Yi was somewhat bewildered by this.

He had almost forgotten how long it had been since the Gu family had received such treatment.

It seems that since the fall of the Han Dynasty, even if a member of the Gu family has made great contributions, it has been difficult for them to return to the capital in their lifetime.

Gu Quan did come back.

Unfortunately, his status meant he was destined to never receive such treatment. Li Shimin was not stingy, but Gu Quan would never accept it.

For the Gu family, this was an unprecedented honor they had not seen in many years.

Unfortunately, Gu Yi didn't like Emperor Li Heng and didn't feel much about it.

The carriage slowly made its way to the emperor's presence and came to a steady stop.

Gu Xuan immediately got up and got out of the car, about to bow to Li Heng.

"Grand Tutor, please don't do this!" Li Heng stepped forward and quickly supported him, grabbing Gu Xuan's hand as he spoke.

He gazed at Gu Xuan's face, which was slightly darkened by the wind and frost, and said in a slightly choked voice, "Grand Tutor, you have truly worked hard for the sake of our Great Tang Dynasty!"

This scene would be described by anyone as a wise ruler and virtuous ministers.

But under Gu Yi's influence.

Gu Xuan wasn't too bothered by Li Heng's behavior. He simply went through the motions with Li Heng for a while before following the others into the city.

The current political situation in the court is extremely complex.

Those who helped Li Heng rise to power were naturally given important positions.

However, the rift between them and Li Heng could not be completely erased. To put it bluntly, they were Li Longji's subjects, not Li Heng's own confidants.

Li Longji placed too many restrictions on Li Heng, which inevitably led to the current situation.

Li Heng always harbored a slight resentment towards these people. Of course, he wouldn't choose to directly take action against them at this time.

Although Li Heng was not considered a wise ruler.

However, he also possessed some political skills. As the situation gradually stabilized, he continued to fight against the old foxes in the court, promoting many people in the process.

Including his trusted eunuch, Li Fuguo.

Gu Yi didn't care at all about these power struggles in the imperial court.

Holding Emperor Taizong's last edict and having contributed to suppressing the An Lushan Rebellion, Gu Yi need not pay too much attention to people like Li Fuguo, or even Emperor Li Heng.

Even if he was unwilling to expose the Gu family to the public.

However, given the current situation of the Gu family, there are many ways to change the entire Tang Dynasty in an instant.

This time, I returned to Luoyang.

There was only one thing facing the Gu family—reform and change!
The Tang Dynasty must change. Since the Gu family is destined to bear a huge price, it might as well go all the way and at least give the Nine Provinces and the Gu family another hundred years of development.

Luoyang Palace, Zichen Hall.

Inside the magnificent hall, incense smoke curled gently.

On the dragon throne, Li Heng's face had lost most of the enthusiasm he had shown when he was being greeted in the suburbs, replaced by deep doubt and a hint of barely perceptible vigilance.

Civil and military officials lined up on both sides.

Former officials of Emperor Xuanzong, such as Miao Jinqing and Wang Yu, remained calm, but their eyes held a scrutinizing gaze. The new favorites promoted by Li Heng, including the eunuch Li Fuguo, were more inclined to ponder and observe.

"Your Majesty," Gu Xuan's voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the silent hall, "Although the An rebels have been quelled, the land is scarred and the treasury is devastated."

"Although Hebei has been pacified, hidden worries have not been eliminated; although Tibet has submitted, its hearts have not yet turned to Tibet."

"This is not a situation that can be resolved by ordinary relief and recuperation. If we simply follow the old ways, I fear that the foundation of the prosperous Tang Dynasty will eventually crumble."

"Your Majesty, I request reform and change of the system!"

Gu Xuan's voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the silent hall. Every word was like a stone thrown into a deep pool, stirring up layers of undercurrents.

"Reform and change?"

Li Heng repeated it almost subconsciously, his voice dry with disbelief. He stared intently at Gu Xuan, his fingers unconsciously clenching the cuffs of his dragon robe. "Grand Tutor, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Our Great Tang Dynasty has been established for a hundred years and has its own laws and regulations."

"An Lushan's rebellion was a man-made disaster, not a result of illegal and corrupt practices. It is only thanks to the protection of our ancestors, the bravery of our soldiers, and the divine might of the Grand Tutor that we have been able to restore order to the country."

"At this time when the people's hearts are at peace and the nation is recovering, would rashly changing the system be tantamount to shaking the foundation of the country?"

"With the world now at peace, people yearn for tranquility!"

Li Heng's words expressed the sentiments of the vast majority of court officials in the hall.

Although they did not yet know what Gu Xuanji was thinking, many ministers immediately nodded in agreement.

—The reform has brought about too many changes.

Regardless of the current situation in the Tang Dynasty, these people don't have much time for such things; they are mostly focused on their own interests.

Supporting Li Heng's ascension to the throne has already brought these people far too much.

If a reform is truly implemented, it will be difficult for them to remain unaffected.

Immediately, a minister stepped forward and loudly echoed, "Your Majesty is wise! The Grand Tutor's achievements are unparalleled, but the key to governing a country lies in prudence!"

"The system of rent, labor service, and corvée labor, as well as the system of military service, were established by Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong, and they were effective."

"Although there have been losses due to war, we can recover in time by reducing taxes, reducing corvée labor, and encouraging agriculture and sericulture. If we rush into reforms, we may cause unforeseen changes!"

“Exactly!” another official chimed in, his words subtly targeting Gu Xuan’s authority. “The Book of Rites says: ‘If the benefit is not a hundredfold, do not change the law; if the merit is not tenfold, do not change the tools.’”

"The matter of reform is so complex that it affects the whole situation from the slightest movement."

"Grand Tutor, you are loyal to the country, but this matter is of great importance and should be handled with utmost care. We need to gather wisdom from all sides and proceed gradually. How can we make a decision in a single sentence?"

"."

Voices of opposition instantly resounded throughout the hall.

There were indeed people who supported Gu Xuan's idea, but they were always in the minority compared to the opponents.

Of course, this is also due to the Gu family's reputation.

If it were an extremely cruel person, these people would probably be more cautious, but given the reputation of the Gu family, at least their advice wouldn't invite retaliation from the Gu family.

Listening to everyone's comments, Li Heng's expression became increasingly complicated.

His thoughts differed from those of the other ministers.

He genuinely felt that reforming the system at this time was indeed somewhat urgent.

Of course, there were also some thoughts that I had internal resistance to.

Perhaps it was precisely because he knew how hard-won his position as emperor was that Li Heng's desire for power far exceeded that of ordinary people.

Whether it's the power held by the court officials or the power held by Grand Tutor Gu Xuan.

He wanted to keep everything firmly in his own hands.

Even though he knew that the Gu family would not affect his throne, there was still a thorn in his heart that he could not control.

Gu Yi was not surprised at all by this.

No matter the time, reform and restructuring are never easy. Not to mention the people in the original history, what about the reform that Gu Xi wanted to implement back then?
This is not something that can be rushed.

After the ministers had finished speaking, he then manipulated Gu Xuan to say calmly, "Your Majesty and your colleagues are saying that people are thinking about peace and stability."

"However, those who yearn for peace are yearning for the peace of the Kaiyuan era?"

"Or is the peace of the Zhenguan era still the best?"

"Or perhaps it was before the An Lushan Rebellion, when the regional warlords were growing powerful, border defenses were lax, officialdom was becoming increasingly corrupt, and the treasury was gradually emptying?"

A simple sentence instantly plunged the entire hall into deathly silence.

Gu Xuan stood still and glanced at the astonished crowd, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Li Heng again: "Your Majesty is concerned about the foundation of the nation."

"However, the foundation of a nation does not lie in adhering to old rules, but in ensuring the stability of the state and the well-being of its people."

"The reforms are not for the sake of being unconventional, but to forge a true and unchanging foundation for our Great Tang Dynasty!"

"I have already drafted a detailed proposal, which will be presented to Your Majesty for review tomorrow."

"This matter concerns the fate of the nation; we urge Your Majesty to make a wise decision as soon as possible!"

Before Li Heng could respond, Gu Xuan cupped his hands and said loudly, "I am exhausted from my journey back to the capital. I must take my leave now!"

Having said that, he turned around without hesitation, his sleeves fluttering slightly, and strode straight toward the majestic palace gate.

Although the entire process was not impolite, the unquestionable and resolute attitude carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

The entire Zichen Palace seemed to be instantly silenced.

Everyone—from Li Heng on the dragon throne to the civil and military officials—froze in place.

Li Heng's expression changed rapidly. He opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing, but in the end, he couldn't utter a single word.

The courtiers looked at each other in disbelief, some speechless, others bowing their heads.

The vast hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only Gu Xuan's steady and clear footsteps echoing until his figure disappeared outside the hall's doors.

In stark contrast to the frozen shock in the hall, Gu Yi's heart was completely calm at this moment.

All of this was, of course, something he did intentionally.

It wasn't because he had any ulterior motives. Gu Yi, who had just entered the game, had no interest in the throne, let alone now that he had grown up.

His purpose in making his ministers choose sides was also to demonstrate his stance to the entire world.

The Gu family is no longer the same as the Gu family of the Former Han Dynasty.

The Gu family members are willing to die for a country, but only if the one sitting on the dragon throne is worthy. Otherwise, the Gu family only cares about the whole country.

Whether it was Li Heng's own thoughts or those of the court officials, it didn't matter.

Gu Yi could see it.

In the past, he might have chosen to fight these people.

But at least for now, he has absolutely no intention of doing so.

The Gu family has never been a pushover. The news sent from Ryukyu made Gu Yi gradually realize a problem that he had never paid attention to before.

Even a family like the Confucius family of Qufu, which could adapt to foreign rule and ensure the continuation of its lineage under the iron heel of foreign invaders, has managed to survive peacefully in history.
Why can't the Gu family do the same now?

(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes! Please support me, brothers! I'd be extremely grateful.)
(End of this chapter)