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

Chapter 253 The Prosperous Era Begins, A Voyage Five Hundred Years Ahead of Schedule (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

This victory is unlike any of the previous ones.

This battle—

It is clear that what it will bring to the Song Dynasty will far exceed what it has ever done before, whether for the Song court or for Gu Jin.

What followed the war was not celebration.

Rather, it was the most tragic national mourning.

Kaifeng.

Gu Jin returned to the location almost immediately to take over the situation.

Zhao Dezhao was indeed unfit for important tasks.

He's too honest.

This can be seen from various historical records; he died by his own sword before Zhao Guangyi could even personally kill him.

Such a person can be called a benevolent and righteous gentleman.

But he could not be a good emperor.

Fortunately, Zhao Kuangyin had settled everything, so Zhao Dezhao didn't need to do anything; he only needed to wait for Gu Jin to return in person.

It is worth mentioning that Gu Jin entrusted the entire frontline military affairs to Yang Ye.

This is the general who knows the Liao Dynasty best.

Even though Gu Jin was unwilling, he had no choice but to return to the capital to stabilize the situation and also to properly arrange the rewards for this battle.

Kaifeng is a city of desolation.

As the founding emperor, Zhao Kuangyin's influence on the entire Song Dynasty far exceeded what others imagined.

In particular, in recent years, Gu Jin has once again launched reforms throughout the Song Dynasty, which has improved the lives of the people of the Song Dynasty.

All of these factors made Emperor Zhao Kuangyin even more beloved.

Now that the emperor has passed away, the impact is naturally enormous.

Gu Jin has been working to stabilize the overall situation.

This applies not only to those in the imperial court, but also to the hearts and minds of ordinary people in various regions.

Through the Censorate.

He spread the results of this battle throughout the land, hoping to use this great joy to wash away the great sorrow of the emperor's death.

This did indeed have some effect.

Especially after hearing that the Gu family had once again taken sole control of the court, the people throughout the Song Dynasty cheered with joy.

That stemmed from the fear brought about by Zhao Kuangyin's death.

Under these circumstances, it is getting weaker and weaker.

Without hesitation, Gu Jin personally organized Zhao Dezhao's coronation ceremony under these circumstances.

He did not treat the ceremony lightly as the Gu family's children had done in the past.

on the contrary--

This time, his coronation ceremony far surpassed that of previous ones.

It's not about saving face.

The real reason was also Zhao Kuangyin's death. In addition, he needed to explain to the world that the Song Dynasty was the legitimate successor of the Chinese nation.

The situation has changed.

Gu Jin had already clearly realized this.

The conflict between the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty was definitely not something that could be resolved in a short period of time.

Because both countries are experiencing a steady rise in national strength.

Moreover, those in power are all considered capable.

The struggle between the two countries is just like that of the Warring States period in the past. The rise of the Qin state and the continuous decline of the other states were achieved only after six generations of hard work.

At least under the current circumstances, he sees no opportunity for war between the Song and Liao dynasties!
This is also preparation for the future.

Zhao Dezhao would naturally not refuse anything arranged by Gu Jin.

Don't say it's him.

Even Zhao Guangyi was completely cooperative.

Under these circumstances.

In the third month of the ninth year of Kaifeng.

Zhao Dezhao officially ascended the throne in Kaifeng and changed the era name to "Tongyuan".

The meaning is "to unify the world and rule the four seas".

He granted a general amnesty and bestowed rewards upon his officials.

Time flies by.

The world was still in turmoil.

News of the war against the Northern Han has spread far and wide.

Under these circumstances, everything that the Liao generals had done in the past ultimately backfired.

Not only did it fail to affect the course of the battle.

This also elevated the prestige of the entire Song army and the Gu family to a new level.

Even so, none of this is of any use in the current situation.

Wang Yingchen deployed a large force throughout Yanmen Pass to prevent the Song army from crossing the pass.

He can definitely be called one of the beneficiaries of this battle.

Although the Liao Kingdom suffered considerable casualties.

However, Wang Yingchen had completely seized power, concentrating all the power of the Liao Kingdom in the imperial court, which was undoubtedly a great thing for him and even Yelü Xian.

For an empire.

—The unity of rights means the unification of government orders.

Wang Yingchen's next goal is also singular.

That is Liaodong.

This is also an inevitability of the times.

In fact, the Song and Liao dynasties were like two extremes.

The different terrains have led to completely different systems and approaches in the two countries.

The Song Dynasty—of course, prioritized commerce.

The long-standing commercial foundation of the Jiangnan region, including the prosperous maritime trade between Guangdong and Guangxi, dictated this outcome.

The Liao Dynasty, on the other hand, used its vast territory to greatly develop agriculture.

This is completely different from the original history.

In fact, considering the current level of productivity, if things continue as they are, the Liao Dynasty's model is more suitable for development.

Because there is a limit to what business can achieve.

In the present era, agriculture remains the foundation upon which people depend for their survival.

The State of Song also needed food.

At least for the current land, if things continue like this, the arable area will be far from enough.

But after conquering Northern Han, this is no longer a concern.

For the time being, these issues don't need to be a concern.

Gu Jin could take advantage of this time to develop the Northern Han territory, help the local people recover, and achieve an economic cycle within the country while carrying out land reclamation.

same--

He could also use the power of maritime trade to compete with the Liao Kingdom for Liaodong!
This is something he has to do.

From Guangdong and Guangxi to Liaodong, from Penglai to Liaodong.

The sea routes are no longer an issue, and the connections between Ryukyu and the Gu family, among other things, have given the Song state the possibility of competing for control.

Gu Jin would never give up this opportunity.

To say which place is the worst

That would mean Gu Jin was completely bound to the imperial court.

But all of this is something he has to bear.

National Affairs and War
All of these things require his coordination.

The good news is that although this generation of Gu family members is not particularly outstanding, they are still capable people.

In particular, with the addition of various materials passed down through generations of the Gu family, as well as the ideas put forward by ancestors in the past, although not all of them are usable, they still have considerable merit.

—Work relief, tax reduction and exemption, and land reform.

All of these measures laid the foundation for the rapid recovery of the Northern Han territory.

In addition, Gu Jin also made use of the Gu family's resources.

The Gu family was instructed to operate a money exchange in the Northern Han territory, providing loans to local merchants and people.

The Gu family's wealth was undoubtedly the greatest in the world at that time.

The profound heritage accumulated over thousands of years.

This gave the Gu family a strong sense of confidence.

Similarly, leveraging Gu's foundation is also stimulating economic revival.

To Gu Yi's surprise, this generation of Gu family members had actually set up a special "workshop district" in the Northern Han territory.

In the name of the Gu family and the imperial court.

As a result, factories specializing in fur processing and iron making, with local characteristics, sprang up throughout Taiyuan.

While hiring ordinary people.

Develop the local economy through official channels and maritime trade.

This was completely beyond Gu Yi's expectations.

Even though he had already determined that the current commercial development of Kyushu had far exceeded its original historical level, he never expected that this situation would occur so early.

What is this?

The nascent form of capitalism?

Gu Yi didn't have any other thoughts; he was just habitually continuing to think along this pattern.

well known-

The first industrial revolution was initiated by the "power bottleneck" in industry and transportation.

The inherent limitations of coal mining and handicraft workshops, including textiles and metallurgy, made it impossible to support large-scale, centralized factory production.

Finally, it was a burst of inspiration.

Through generations of iteration, the steam engine was finally developed.

Could this be considered the beginning of the Industrial Revolution?

Gu Yi was also unaware of this.

But it is clear that once the Gu family takes this step, they will face this problem sooner or later.

After a moment of hesitation.

Gu Yi did not interfere with any of this. Although it could potentially have a significant impact on the integration of Kyushu, things are never static, and besides, he still had the opportunity to make corrections.

The Gu family's path was destined to be full of hardships, and they would inevitably encounter setbacks at every turn.

He cannot suppress a development because of the ideas of future generations.

In addition, Gu Jin also established a long-term development system for the entire Northern Han Dynasty.

Besides building the Gu Family Academy to emphasize the orthodoxy of Chinese civilization.

Through generations of Gu family members traveling the world and gaining knowledge and control over the terrain of various regions, they designated certain areas to promote cash crops such as cotton and mulberry trees, forming an industrial chain with the textile industry in Jiangnan.

There are many reasons for doing this.

He cannot allow all the people to cultivate mulberry trees.

Such behavior would have a devastating impact on food prices.

He simply defined the regions by geographical location.

In some areas, the terrain is not suitable for growing crops, but planting mulberry trees is perfectly feasible.

In addition, policies centered on tax exemption,

All of these systems are powerful tools for economic recovery.

Of course, many problems arose during the implementation process.

Whether it's malicious individuals inciting public protests, or corrupt officials and local powerful families secretly manipulating the situation for personal gain,
These kinds of things happen all the time.

Fortunately, the Censorate still exists.

It is worth mentioning that Gu Jin further strengthened the supervision of the Censorate, making it a core institution centered on the Gu family and supervising the entire country.

If it were anyone else, these actions would probably have already led to their death.

But this is the Gu family—

She was Lady Gu, to whom Zhao Kuangyin entrusted the empire!

This is Gu Jin's greatest source of confidence.

Their generation was born alongside new ideas, and their thoughts and actions have long surpassed those of previous generations.

They had no fear whatsoever.

Once you've decided that something is right, you won't hesitate at all!

Time flies, the years are like a shuttle.

In a blink of an eye——

It was already the fourth year of the Tongbao era.

Kaifeng at this time was no longer what it used to be.

Although it has only been a few short years, the entire city has been revitalized as if by a gentle spring breeze and rain.

The streets and alleys are bustling with people, and accents from both the north and south mingle, making it a veritable hub of international influence.

The canal was lined with boats and piled high with goods, with silk from the southeast, rice from the south, furs from the northwest, and spices from the south all converging here.

The dock was filled with shouts and the porters loading and unloading goods, creating a scene resembling a moving "Grand Canal Transport Map".

Shops lined the streets, their banners fluttering in the breeze.

The morning market opens at dawn, the night market lights stay on all night, laughter and chatter come from the taverns, and the aroma of tea wafts from the teahouses.

Inside and outside the city gates, carriages and horses came and went in an endless stream.

Modern four-wheeled carriages carried merchants at high speed, while ornate sedan chairs moved slowly along the way. Willows lined the roadside, and buildings rose in staggered rows, their green tiles and red eaves gleaming in the sunlight.

No matter who is new to Kaifeng.

Everyone would be stunned by the sight before them.

At this moment, in the Grand Tutor's residence.

"Brother!"

"Brother!"

Several urgent and joyful shouts suddenly rang out.

Gu Jin, who was engrossed in reading the memorials, was startled by the sound. He then stood up abruptly and strode quickly out of the study.

Before he could even step out the door, the owner of the voice had already barged in.

Gu Jin stared at the man in front of him, whose skin was even darker than his own, and was slightly taken aback at first. Then, as if he recognized something, his voice trembled slightly: "Brother Qi?"

His tone carried a hint of disbelief, as if he was unwilling to acknowledge the travel-worn appearance of the person before him.

"Brother, it's me!"

Gu Qi nodded emphatically, and before he finished speaking, he strode forward and hugged Gu Jin tightly: "Brother is back!"

"you"

Gu Jin's body began to tremble, and even her eyes reddened.

He hadn't seen Gu Qi for many years.

As one of the Gu family members of this generation who ventured overseas.

From the moment he stepped out of Kyushu, whether Gu Qi could ever return was no longer a definite answer.

Indeed, the Gu family still maintains the tradition of going overseas for generations.

Although they didn't know what was happening overseas.

But they continue to explore.

However, this was destined to be a very risky move, and over the years, countless members of the Gu family had already perished at sea.

However, the benefits this brought to the Gu family were equally unimaginable.

It's not the interests that are obvious to everyone.

The most crucial elements are various materials and observations.

These things may seem useless, but they are extremely important to a family like the Gu family, which aims for development over thousands of years.

On this day, Gu Jin, unusually, put aside all her crops and had a long chat with Gu Qi.

Many members of the Gu family were also summoned by him.

Leaving aside Gu Qi's identity.

The fact that he was able to return from the sea after many years is the most important thing for the Gu family!

The entire Grand Tutor's residence was filled with laughter and joy.

Even Gu Yi noticed this, and he never expected that Gu Qi would actually come back alive.

Surrounded by his brothers, and after a few rounds of drinks, Gu Qi finally began to recount his experiences overseas: "Brother, fellow brothers."

"This voyage lasted for more than five years."

"Having braved countless dangers and narrowly escaped death, I have finally fulfilled my family's trust, witnessed the wonders of overseas, and brought back something that may be of great benefit to the country and its people!"

He paused slightly, a mixture of reminiscence and lingering fear flashing in his eyes.

“We set sail from Minnesota, following the nautical charts and star charts of our predecessors, and with the help of the monsoon, we have made our way forward.”

"The vast ocean is boundless and unpredictable."

"We once encountered a hurricane, our masts broke and our boats were damaged, and our freshwater boats were all capsized. It was only thanks to the concerted efforts of my brothers that we were able to escape death."

"I have been adrift for dozens of days without seeing land, with almost no water or food, and I was filled with fear and despair. The suffering at sea is something that cannot be described without personal experience."

His description slightly calmed the originally cheerful atmosphere in the hall, and everyone held their breath, imagining the dangers on the endless blue waves.

"But heaven rewards those who persevere!" Gu Qi's voice suddenly rose. "After overcoming numerous hardships, we have finally arrived at a vast land unlike any we have ever seen before!"

“The people of that land have reddish-brown skin, straight black hair, and black pupils.”

"They are somewhat similar to us, but their language and customs are very different. They mostly live in tribes or build cities with huge stones. Their level of civilization seems to be far behind that of the Central Plains, but they also have their own unique features."

He described in detail what he saw and heard.

—Dense, unknown primeval forests, strange animals, and local customs such as using obsidian as blades and worshipping the feathered serpent of the sun.

As they spoke, they took out one portrait after another.

Including blades made of obsidian.

Gu Yi was also watching all of this with great interest.

If he wasn't mistaken, Gu Qi's destination on this trip should be the Americas.

This conjecture greatly shocked Gu Yi.

Although he had long understood that under the influence of the Gu family, the development of the shipping industry in Kyushu would be far ahead, he had never realized that the impact would be so great!

There are still more than four hundred years since Columbus's voyage in the original history!
What does this mean?
Even if Gu Qi's journey was the result of generations of hard work, including an element of luck, the Gu family's development in navigation was nearly five hundred years ahead of the world!

This is an incredibly exaggerated fact!

When the route is ready.

It could even affect the entire world!
As he thought about it, even Gu Yi's heart began to flutter.

Gu Qi became increasingly excited as he spoke: "Although the local people are not good at smelting iron and casting tools, and their farming methods are rather rough, their local products are quite unique."

When he got to the crucial point, he gestured for his attendants to bring over a box tightly wrapped in a waterproof tarpaulin.

The box was opened, revealing seeds and tubers that no one had ever seen before, as well as several golden, strange crops carefully wrapped and preserved in soft animal hides.

“This thing,” Gu Qi carefully picked up a strangely shaped, plump, and neatly arranged object, like a piece of jade, his voice trembling with excitement, “is called Mas by the local people.”

"It is one of their staple foods."

"I carefully observed its growth process. The plant is taller than a person, drought-resistant and barren-resistant, and it is not picky about soil fertility. It can be planted in sandy loam and hilly areas!"

"Its grains are plump, and the yield seems extremely abundant!"

"We have witnessed the harvest with our own eyes; the grain of a single ear far surpasses that of millet and sorghum in our Central Plains!"

He described the shape of the corn in detail and how to eat it.

And it wasn't until this moment that things came to this.

The entire hall instantly fell silent.

Not to mention the other brothers, even Gu Jin found it hard to believe what Gu Qi had said.

Does such a crop really exist in the world?
If it exists, how could it not exist within the Nine Provinces?

In fact, the people of Kyushu have always had a deep-seated pride in this land, and this is even more pronounced among the Gu family members, as they can clearly feel the superiority of Kyushu culture.

Now, listening to everything Gu Qi said, they found it hard to believe.

But seeing how vividly Gu Qi described it...

The brothers couldn't help but begin to have doubts.

Gu Jin took the ear of seeds from Gu Qi's hand, examined them carefully in her palm, and her expression became increasingly complicated and indescribable.

“My ancestors have always said that there are countless rare treasures overseas.”

"Now it seems that the truth has not been deceiving us."

If what Brother Qi said is true...

"The production of this 'mas' is truly abundant."

His voice trailed off, and he didn't continue, but his increasingly deep gaze and slightly trembling fingertips revealed the turbulent emotions in his heart.

All the brothers present are intelligent men, so how could they not understand what he had left unsaid?

This is a really big deal!
If everything Gu Qi said is true, then the significance of this seemingly insignificant grain will far exceed their initial imagination—not to mention its benefit to the current chaotic world, that would even be considered a minor matter.

What they truly care about is the lifeline and future of the entire Kyushu.

If this thing is real, its achievements would probably surpass even Gu Kang's surveying of the world and management of all fields in the past!
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes (5.1k views). I'm begging for your support, brothers. I'd be extremely grateful.)
(End of this chapter)