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

Chapter 271 The People are the Foundation of the State, and the Merit of Emperor Wencheng is Recreated (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The entire Song Dynasty came alive in an instant on this day.

With the help of a group of capable people, the entire matter of the Grand Canal transport was quickly settled.

This is the Song Dynasty as it is today.

The help provided by Gu's Academy was of great importance to these people who already had a illustrious reputation in the original history. It was not only due to the ideological changes brought about by the Hundred Schools of Thought, but also to the improved way of doing things brought about by Gu's Academy.

All of this is a tremendous boost for them!
And this is fundamental.

This alone could bring extraordinary help to the Gu family!
With swift horses and burning stars, and united will, we opened the river.

Imperial edicts flew out of Bianjing like snowflakes.

On the official road leading to Huainan, the messenger, with three feathers tucked into his back, spurred his steed and galloped at breakneck speed.

They were not carrying ordinary official documents, but rather a forced conscription order bearing the urgent seals of the Privy Council and the Censorate, and countersigned by Gu Jun.

Local officials in the prefectures and counties along the route, upon receiving the order, dared not neglect it in the slightest.

The local troops were immediately assembled, and laborers were conscripted according to the baojia register. Grain from the local granaries was quickly transferred out as rations for the laborers and for construction expenses. Thanks to the grassroots governance reforms promoted by the Gu family over the years, this large-scale mobilization demonstrated astonishing efficiency.

Within a few days, the first group of water conservancy craftsmen and engineering teams, personally led by the Vice Minister of Works, arrived at the collapsed section of the river in Sizhou under the protection of the Imperial Guards.

The scene before them was shocking. The turbid river water, carrying ice shards and broken logs, formed a huge whirlpool at the collapse site. Hundreds of cargo boats were stranded upstream and downstream, stretching endlessly. The boatmen and soldiers looked worried and uneasy.

But don't forget—

The Gu family's research into water management had never ceased.

Moreover, such matters are never limited to members of the Gu family. The people of Julu, as well as talented individuals from the entire Hebei province and even the whole of Kyushu, are constantly being drawn into the fold by the Gu family as times change.

In fact, this was also the talent introduction strategy that Gu Yi had set in the past. The talents of a family could not possibly compare to those of the whole world.

This was a problem that Gu Yi had already thought about.

This is also one of the fundamental reasons why he established the Gu Family Academy and transformed Julu into a sacred place.

The goal is to gather the talents of the world, strengthen the Nine Provinces, and thus strengthen the Gu family!
The fact that the Song Dynasty now has such a developed canal transport network is actually closely related to this matter.

And now, under these circumstances, the advantages are even more fully revealed.

This time, the Gu family did not need to personally visit each section to conduct assessments, as Gu Kang had done in the past when he was controlling the floods.

All it takes is for the talented members of each family to come out in droves.

They each went somewhere.

Then, diagrams and drawings were created, and the ideas of relevant talents were compiled and put into practice.

All of this was achieved with the cooperation of the Censorate.

They all appeared to be extremely fast.

At the same time, the border troops on all four sides also moved in succession.

In fact, there is no need to be so anxious about this matter. After all, the Song Dynasty has some resources over the years. Even if the canal transport is cut off, the granaries in various places can hold out for one or two years.

But this concerns the very foundation of the nation, and one or two years is certainly not enough!
The four directions followed suit.

Even Gu Jun himself, relying on his titles as the Grand Tutor of the court and the head of the Gu family, began to take action throughout the capital to appease the people!
Meanwhile, the Western Xia...

Xingqing Prefecture.

Inside the palace hall, the atmosphere, compared to the era of Li Yuanhao, lacked some of the aggressive expansionism, but instead possessed a more cautious and restless spirit.

Li Liangzuo ascended the throne at a young age. Although he had begun to rule personally, the affairs of the state still largely depended on the assistance of his maternal clan, the Mozang clan, and his powerful maternal uncle, the Mozang Epang.

At this moment, Mozang Epang, who held the position of Prime Minister, was standing below the imperial steps, reporting to Li Liangzuo, a young and ambitious man eager to prove himself.

“Your Majesty,” Mozang Epang said in a steady voice, with the calculation of a seasoned politician, “it is now confirmed that the Song people’s Bianhe River transport has been interrupted. Although the transport of grain and fodder across the border has not completely stopped, the efficiency of the land route is low, and there are signs that the border military fortresses are tightening their grain supplies.”

"This is indeed a golden opportunity bestowed upon our Great Xia by Heaven."

Upon hearing this, Renta Yasutada and the others immediately nodded and said in a loud voice, "What the Prime Minister says is absolutely right!"

"The Song people are now beset by internal and external troubles, and old man Gu Jun is far away in Bianjing, beyond their reach!"

"Your Majesty, I request permission to lead the Iron Falcons and the Steppes out of Hengshan, first plunder their border fortresses, and seize their grain convoys. We will surely achieve a great victory and restore the prestige of our nation!"

Some of the younger generals in the hall echoed this sentiment, eager to achieve great deeds like the late Emperor Li Yuanhao.

Now, everyone in Western Xia has completely changed their attitude towards the Gu family.

Li Yuanhao certainly deserves credit for this.

Unlike Li Deming, although his experiences had also cast a shadow on the Gu family, he understood even more clearly that this matter absolutely had to be resolved, otherwise Western Xia would never have a chance to recover.

It is precisely because of this.

Since Li Yuanhao ascended the throne, he has deliberately tried to erase the influence of the Gu family in the hearts of the people of Western Xia.

Furthermore, he subsequently achieved numerous successes in expansion.

This, in turn, contributed to the success of the plan.

This has led to the fact that the generals of Western Xia today no longer have the same sense of awe and respect for the Gu family that they had during Li Deming's time.

—This is exactly what it means for barbarians to fear power but not to appreciate virtue!

Indeed, the Gu family has not drawn their swords for a long time.

The calls for battle from the young generals inside the palace stirred the blood of the young Li Liangzuo. He seemed to see himself, like his father, conquering new territories and dominating the Song and Xia dynasties.

He almost nodded subconsciously.

But at that moment, the Prime Minister, Mozang Epang, interrupted him directly: "Your Majesty, I deeply sympathize with the generals' desire for war."

Mo Cang E Pang spoke slowly, his voice drowning out the fervor in the hall, "However, the Song army's western army, including the Zhong and Zhe families, are all battle-hardened forces with formidable defenses."

"Although the Gu family has not directly led troops for a long time, their influence in managing border affairs, improving military equipment, and instilling tactics is ubiquitous."

"If our army launches a strong attack on its own, even if we manage to break through their border fortresses and plunder some grain and fodder, we will inevitably suffer a backlash from their elite troops, and the casualties will be unpredictable."

He then shifted his focus, turning his gaze northward: "Furthermore, has Your Majesty considered what the Liao Kingdom in the north would think if our Great Xia and the Song army were to fight to the death?"

"Will Yelü Zongzhen sit idly by and watch our Great Xia grow stronger, or will he be content to remain a mere bystander?"

Upon hearing this, the hall immediately fell silent.

The relationship between Liao and Xia has always been delicate, with both the need for a united front against Song and the possibility of mutual distrust and even backstabbing.

The Western Xia dynasty was able to navigate between these two powers thanks to its strong military and flexible diplomatic skills. At present, the Western Xia does not yet possess the absolute strength to cope with the pressure from both countries on its own.

Li Liangzuo frowned slightly. Although he was young, he understood the implications: "Then, in the opinion of the Prime Minister, what should be done?"

Mozang Epang's eyes gleamed with cunning: "Your Majesty, you should send an eloquent envoy with generous gifts and a letter from the state to the capital of Liao in secret."

"Explain the advantages and disadvantages to Emperor Yelü Zongzhen of Liao: the Song people's grain transport has been interrupted, leaving them vulnerable. This is a golden opportunity for our two families to share the spoils!"

"I propose that the two countries form an alliance, agree on a date, and simultaneously send troops to attack the Song Dynasty."

"Our Great Xia army marched out of Hengshan and headed straight for Fuyan and Huanqing; the Liao cavalry marched south and fiercely attacked Yanyun."

"This will leave the Song people unable to attend to both ends, and their defenses will surely collapse! After the success, the Yan and Yun regions will belong to Liao, and Shaanxi and Longyou will belong to our Great Xia."

He paused, then emphasized, "Only by dragging the Liao Kingdom into this conflict, sharing the risks and benefits, can we ensure that our Great Xia can not only seize real gains in this war, but also avoid being plotted against by the Liao Kingdom from behind."

"This is the perfect solution!"

—This is the story of the Three Kingdoms period.

No matter how much hatred existed before, once the person who experienced that hatred firsthand passed away, all the hatred became insignificant in the face of this overwhelming force.

At present, both the Xia and Liao states are weaker.

The weak will involuntarily unite to resist the strong.

After careful consideration for a moment, Li Liangzuo finally nodded slightly: "Very well! We will follow the Prime Minister's advice!"

"Immediately select a capable envoy to secretly travel to the Liao Kingdom! We must secure an alliance between Xia and Liao!"

Liao Kingdom, Zhongjing.

Yelü Zongzhen had already learned of the difficulties faced by the Song Dynasty's grain transport through his own intelligence channels.

He summoned his trusted ministers, including Xiao Hui, the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court, to discuss the matter.

"The Western Xia envoy is about to arrive, intending to form an alliance to attack the Song Dynasty. What do you think, my esteemed ministers?" Yelü Zongzhen asked, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the throne.

Xiao Hui pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, the new ruler of Western Xia is young, and the affairs of state are in the hands of Mozang Epang."

"This person is not Li Yuanhao. He has plenty of ambition but lacks the courage to act, and he is more focused on practical interests."

"Their request for an alliance is nothing more than an attempt to use the strength of our Great Liao to contain the main force of the Song army, so that they can take advantage of the situation and gain benefits on the western front."

"His intentions are despicable, but his sincerity is questionable."

Another minister said, "What Privy Councilor Xiao said is indeed reasonable."

"However, the internal strife among the Song people was indeed a godsend."

"If we can seize Hedong during this opportunity, the strength of our Great Liao will surely increase greatly."

"If we reject the Western Xia, and they succeed on the western front on their own, their power will expand, and they will be even more difficult to control in the future."

"It would be better to agree for now, agree to advance and retreat together, and then deal with the Western Xia based on our strength after we have divided up the Song territory."

Yelü Zongzhen weighed the pros and cons. He had long coveted the wealth of the Song Dynasty, and the temptation of expanding its territory was simply too great.

Ultimately, greed and the ability to seize strategic opportunities prevailed.

"Reply to the Western Xia envoy," Yelü Zongzhen said, having made up his mind, "I agree in principle to the alliance."

"Order them to send a capable and senior minister to discuss in detail the scale of the troop deployment, the specific date, the route of advance, and the demarcation of the borders after the war!"

"At the same time, a secret order was issued to all armies in Nanjing Circuit to intensify their preparations for war, ensuring that provisions and equipment are sufficient!"

"Once the details of the alliance are agreed upon, we will launch a joint attack on the Southern Dynasty, together with the Western Xia!"

All the ministers nodded silently.

Everyone knows the truth about this.

In the present world, the Song Dynasty is strong while the Liao and Xia Dynasties are weak. They will not let go of any opportunity to weaken the Song Dynasty.

Now that we've all come this far, who can't see that we're not strong enough to wipe out the entire Song Dynasty at this point?
But there's absolutely no way to turn things around!
They had no choice but to take action!

Not to mention that for the Liao Kingdom, reclaiming the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun had always been their dream!
—The situation in the world suddenly changed. With the Western Xia and Liao dynasties launching successive military campaigns, this long-dormant chaotic world finally came alive again, and almost everyone immediately felt the fierce killing intent rising once more.

But it's different from other places.

Whether they were people of the Song Dynasty, or people of the Liao Dynasty, or even people of the Western Xia Dynasty.

None of the people found this strange.

The idea of ​​unification had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds. They would not think about why the three kingdoms could not live in peace, but would only curse the other two kingdoms for their stubborn resistance.

This is the magic of the land of Kyushu.

Even Gu Yi was gratified by this, as he had seen many people in various places thinking about living in peace and tranquility over the years.

But this would never happen in Kyushu.

Even during the Hundred Schools of Thought period, no school of thought would mention this matter.

It's like an unwritten agreement.

The entire Nine Provinces revere him.

Even among the three kingdoms, they were all striving for the sole position of the supreme ruler of the world.

Time flies by.

In response to this major event of the disruption to the Song Dynasty's grain transport, the Western Xia and Liao dynasties took action in succession.

Their tactics are also very straightforward.

Although the commotion was enormous, whenever he personally launched an attack, he would slow down his actions, clearly intending to create chaos within the Song Dynasty.

One move affects the whole situation.

This is actually the current situation of the Song Dynasty.

Even though there are many grain reserves in various places, the price of grain naturally fluctuates due to the current disruption of the Grand Canal and the outbreak of war.

This is something that is completely beyond our control.

Gu Jun could stop powerful families from hoarding grain and merchants from driving up grain prices, but he couldn't stop the common people.

Human beings' instinct for survival will cause people to hoard food and fodder uncontrollably.

When this phenomenon gradually emerged and turned into panic buying, the price of grain naturally became out of control. The disruption of the canal transport and the border war weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like two invisible mountains.

The key is--

This natural disaster is not over yet.

Although it was not a fatal disaster, the continuous heavy rains exacerbated the problems of the Grand Canal transport, which was a major calamity for the Song Dynasty at that time!
Inside Kaifeng Prefecture, although Bao Zheng's swift and decisive measures curbed the overt hoarding and speculation, the ever-growing queues for grain purchases in front of the official granaries and the unconsciously extra half-dou of rice in the hands of the people silently spoke of the hidden anxieties permeating the air.

Although grain prices are stable, people's hearts are like the Bian River, calm on the surface but turbulent beneath.

This does not mean that they have lost faith in the imperial court.

Rather, it was the most instinctive will to survive of ordinary people amidst the protracted war and the disruption of the Grand Canal.

Even though Fan Zhongyan and the officials of the Three Departments had done their utmost to allocate and transport supplies, they still could not stop this trend.

In the bustling streets and alleys, a sense of solemnity has crept in, and conversations in taverns have shifted from casual chatter to battle reports from the border and the expected return of the Grand Canal.

There are concerns, and there are constant accusations of Xia and Liao betraying their alliance.

But more than anything, it was a steadfast hope that Lord Gu could turn the tide and that the royal army could achieve victory soon.

This pressure also spread from various regions to the entire imperial court.

Tufu's Mansion.

"Everyone——"

Gu Jun's voice rang out in the Grand Tutor's study. It wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight, completely silencing the last remaining whispers in the study.

He surveyed his trusted confidants and relevant government officials present, his gaze sharp and piercing.

“From today onwards, the Ever-Normal Granary must hold nothing back and do everything in its power to stabilize grain prices!” He repeated clearly, word by word, “I understand what you all want to say—the Ever-Normal Granary is the nation’s reserve, and we cannot use all our strength lightly. We must leave enough room for possible changes in the future.”

He paused slightly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table, tap, tap, tap... The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to strike everyone's heart.

"But you all need to understand one thing: if the people's hearts are in turmoil and the country is in chaos, even if there are granaries full of grain, who will eat it?"

"At that time, will the full granaries be left to the wolves who take advantage of the chaos, or to the starving people displaced by the flames of war?"

His voice suddenly rose, “Food is the foundation of people’s livelihood and the basis of national stability!”

"It is not a lifeless object locked away in the granary, gathering dust in vain, but the lifeblood that sustains the lives of hundreds of millions of people in my Great Song Dynasty!"

"Now that we are surrounded by foreign enemies, if internal changes occur due to grain prices, causing panic among the people and the disruption of trade routes, what will be the point of our soldiers fighting so hard on the front lines? What are we doing here, pouring our hearts and souls into this cause?"

Gu Jun's expression was solemn, and a sharp, resolute look was between his brows.

He had to use all his strength, with no room for reservation.

In recent days, the chaos within the Song Dynasty has not only failed to subside, but has intensified. In some remote and difficult-to-control areas, vicious incidents of armed robbery of grain have also occurred.

This single incident demonstrates the severity of the situation.

He naturally understood the concerns of his ministers.

The Ever-Normal Granary is the greatest foundation of the Song Dynasty. If it is emptied out at this time and the chaos cannot be quelled in the short term, the Song Dynasty may truly be in danger of collapse.

But he had no other choice.

Tracing back to the source, the problem of food supply has remained unresolved since the founding of the Song Dynasty, which is closely related to the inherent geographical and structural features of the country.

Later, although the introduction of corn, coupled with Gu Jin's efforts to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and manage Liaodong, temporarily alleviated the pressure on grain reserves, the surplus was gradually depleted as the population grew.

The most crucial reason for this was that the Song Dynasty had maintained a massive military force for many years.

Even with the military settlement policy to alleviate some of the pressure, it was still an extremely heavy burden on the national treasury.

But this is also irreversible.

Military preparedness is the foundation for survival and even the pursuit of strength.

As a member of the Gu family, Gu Jun knew that his talents were far inferior to those of his predecessors, but deep down he still harbored the ambition to unify the world.

This was not because he was overconfident or greedy for fame, but because he knew better than anyone else that a country cannot be without a sword!

A strong military was the foundation upon which the Song Dynasty was able to survive amidst fierce competition.

This is something we cannot back down from!

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present became even more serious. Bao Zheng and the others nodded slightly almost immediately, indicating their agreement with the matter.

However, some bystanders hesitated, and after looking at Gu Jun for a long time, they asked, "Master Gu, how long will it take to complete the preparations for the canal transport?"

This is the most critical issue.

If the problem of water transport and the consumption along the way can be solved, all the problems will be solved instantly.

But the same problem exists.

If it weren't for the interference of the Xia and Liao states, no matter how serious the problem of the Great Song's grain transport was, it would have been resolved within two years with sufficient manpower and resources. Even though the Great Song has been plagued by natural disasters for the past two years, it could have withstood the pressure with the Ever-Normal Granary alone.

But now, both countries are taking action!
Whether it's material resources or human resources, the front line must be prioritized.

This already significantly slowed down the progress of the entire project.

Even with Gu Jun present, everyone still needed a clear explanation.

"Rest assured, everyone." Gu Jun did not answer directly, but still made a promise: "Although Gu Jun's talent is not as good as that of my ancestor Marquis Wencheng, I will never disgrace the Gu family's reputation."

Marquis Wencheng of the Han Dynasty – Gu Kang.

He was the first member of the Gu family to be revered as an "immortal" by the people of the world.

The moment that name was mentioned, even though Gu Jun did not make any substantial promises, the hearts of everyone present were inexplicably calmed down a bit.

This was naturally Gu Yi's doing.

Although Gu Jun also cares about the people, his abilities are limited and his courage is somewhat lacking. The fact that he was able to say these words at this moment is actually due to Gu Yi's behind-the-scenes influence through the "Spirit Jade".

He would not tolerate any turmoil within the Song Dynasty.

If the Song Dynasty were to repeat the mistakes of the original history, it would be an unprecedented blow to the prestige that the Gu family had accumulated over generations!
Of course, this is not the most crucial reason.

What truly prompted Gu Yi to take this step was Julu.

The advantage of continuously advancing productivity is fully demonstrated at this time.

Since the Gu family began to develop their business with water management and canal construction as the core, the craftsmen trained under their command, after repeated experiments, finally made a further step forward based on the three-in-one soil and glutinous rice mortar.

—Now, a brand-new cementing material, known internally as "concrete" by the Gu family, has been born in the workshop in Julu.

This is not ordinary lime.

The Gu family craftsmen carefully selected limestone with higher calcium content and placed it in an improved kiln for high-temperature firing to obtain high-quality quicklime with extremely high activity.

At the same time, instead of simply mixing loess into the clay, they turned their attention to the porcelain powder and fine powder made from broken bricks and tiles discarded during the firing of porcelain. These waste materials, tempered by intense fire, were found by the Gu family to contain a special soil property that could greatly enhance the hardness and water resistance of the mortar.

After mixing with the commonly used glutinous rice mortar,
Its performance was even more astonishing.

Not only does it not disperse when wet, but it also hardens faster and becomes even harder. When applied to water-soaked stones, the bonded areas become as hard as iron and stone overnight, even before the water has dried. It is difficult to damage with knives or axes.

This is an invaluable tool for repairing dikes in raging river waters.

Water management and canal transport complement each other.

This is also one of the advantages of Gu Yi not personally getting involved. Although the news had not yet been relayed back, after a period of observation, he was convinced of the feasibility of this item and thus made further arrangements through the Spirit Jade.

Of course, this is only Gu Yi's own judgment.

But from his modern perspective, this is absolutely feasible!
Moreover, even if they fail, given the current situation in the Song Dynasty, it is absolutely impossible for him to make a mistake by letting Gu Jun make this decision!

Public sentiment must be stabilized.

This is for sure.

Only in this way can we create an opportunity to unify the world.

Why hasn't Gu Yi made a move yet?
This is not only because the talents of the Gu family members are declining, but also because neither country has entered a period of decline.

The prodigies of the Gu family in the past are becoming increasingly rare, and Gu Yi must maintain the current foundation of the Great Song Dynasty!
(P.S.: 6k today, will keep trying tomorrow. Also, the double reward period is coming to an end, so please support me, brothers! I'm begging for monthly votes! Please support me, brothers!)
(End of this chapter)