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

Chapter 289 The birds are gone, the bow is put away; the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked? (Seeking monthly votes)

Gu Yi was also silently watching this scene.

In fact, he was not at all surprised by the current situation.

This day will come eventually.

The founding heroes, conflicts with various forces, and the ever-expanding influence of these individuals can all lead to a variety of problems for an empire.

This point cannot be completely erased.

The Gu family and their generals will also have to make a choice.

After all, in the Song Dynasty today, the Gu family is the de facto rulers, and in many ways, they can even be regarded as the founding imperial family.

In any case, all interests must be distributed reasonably.

Time flies by.

As Gu Yi had expected, Gu Lin finally decided to take action.

Perhaps it can't even be called a choice.

Rather, the Gu family had to do this. Although it seemed like they were diminishing their own power, it was actually to avoid losing more than they gained.

The need to weaken military families is not about discarding them after they've served their purpose, but rather about making different choices in line with the times.

He absolutely cannot allow this to continue.

Don't forget, this is just the beginning.

If he continues to indulge in this, the whole world will definitely descend into chaos in time.

Damingfu, Beijing; Wuwei Marquis's Residence.

Although he was far from the power center of Yingtian Prefecture, Guo Xin had been operating in the northern frontier for many years and had his own information channels.

He had already heard rumors about the movements of the Censorate and the situation in the southern grasslands.

In fact, this alone is enough to demonstrate the extraordinary status of the Guo family in the entire northern frontier.

The Censorate is a separate department.

It belongs entirely to the Gu family.

The fact that Guo was able to vaguely detect some of the movements of the Censorate speaks volumes about the connections involved.

Inside the study, the crackling charcoal fire illuminated Guo Xin's weathered face, which now seemed to shift between anger and uncertainty. His fingers unconsciously traced the hilt of the sword at his waist, a family heirloom.

It was the weapon used by our ancestors when they followed Zhao Kuangyin and Gu Jin.

It is worth mentioning that--

This is one of the changes in Kyushu today.

The Gu family has never stopped their habit of preserving things over the years, which has influenced many other prominent families. Nowadays, these people all like to leave behind things that are worth remembering.

Just like the knife in Guo Xin's hand at this moment.

“Father,” his eldest son Guo Xiao said, his face full of resentment, “it’s just a little pasture. Those savages who have surrendered are already grateful to have a roof over their heads. Why bother with such trivial matters?”

"My Guo family shed blood and sweat for the Song Dynasty, how could we not even receive this much?"

"Shut up!" Guo Xin interrupted him abruptly, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable authority.

A hint of weariness and understanding flashed in his cloudy eyes.

He was not unaware of some of the actions of his clansmen in the northern frontier, but in his view, it was only natural for military families to acquire land and wealth through military merit, and the court would usually turn a blind eye as long as it wasn't too excessive.

But now, the winds have changed.

Even now, Guo Xin doesn't feel he's done anything wrong.

This is a cognitive issue.

After all, all of this is just the most normal thing in this day and age.

But he understood the Gu family!
As one of the military families of the Song Dynasty, the Guo family had many connections with the Gu family. He was very clear about the Gu family's style of doing things, so naturally, he had to make a choice.

Thinking it over, Guo Xin couldn't help but sigh softly, and gave Guo Xiao an order in a resolute tone, "Go!"

"Immediately tie up all those troublemakers from the third and fifth branches of the family who caused trouble in Mobei!"

"Give back every single acre of the grassland they've seized!"

"No, refund double! All herders who were forcibly conscripted as tenants shall be released immediately, and they shall be compensated for a year's loss of cattle and sheep!"

As he spoke, he paused slightly.

He then shook his head again and said, "You must go to Yingtian immediately and go see Lord Gu on my behalf, and confess your sins to him!"

He's using a strategy of retreat to advance!

Upon hearing this, Guo Xiao was first taken aback, then a look of resentment and humiliation appeared on his face: "Father! We have already yielded by cleaning up our own house, yet you still want me to go to Yingtian to confess my sins?"

"How can my Guo family hold our heads high in front of the generals of the Northern Frontier?"

"Foolish!" Guo Xin slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups rattle. His gaze was like a knife, piercing his son. "Raise your head?"

"If we can't get through this hurdle, it's hard to say whether the Guo family will even have a head anymore!"

"What Lord Gu wants is not how much land my Guo family returns or how many of his sons are punished. What he wants is an attitude, an attitude that my Guo family will absolutely obey and have no disloyalty!"

He took a breath, lowered his voice, and said with a deep sense of calculation, "You are not going there to apologize, but to show your loyalty."

"I must let Lord Gu and all the officials in the court see that I, Guo Xin, know how to advance and retreat, and understand the bigger picture!"

"What does it matter if we can preserve the Guo family's foundation and military power in the northern frontier?"

He pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the heirloom sword in his hand, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Go to the treasury and bring the pair of jade ruyi scepters bestowed upon me by the founding emperor, as a pretext for apologizing."

“But more importantly,” he paused, his voice almost inaudible, “you must privately request an audience with Lord Gu and inform him that the military families in the Northern Frontier Army are deeply entrenched, and many matters are interconnected and have far-reaching consequences. My Guo family is willing to be the vanguard and assist the court in rectifying military discipline.”

Upon hearing this, Guo Xiao gasped in shock and stared at his father in disbelief.

This is not just admitting a mistake, but putting himself and even the entire Northern Frontier military group on the chopping block, leaving them to be slaughtered by the Gu family.
Guo Xin saw through his son's thoughts and sneered, "Do you think Lord Gu is unaware of the situation in the northern frontier?"

"If he really wants to make a move, who can stop him?"

"It's better to surrender than to be passively attacked."

"By taking the initiative to initiate the purge, we can still maintain some control and at least preserve the core members. After all, the Guo family and the Gu family do have some ties."

"Moreover," a glint flashed in his eyes, "if my Guo family were to assist in the purge, we might be able to manage the appropriate measures and targets."

This is the true meaning of retreating to advance.

While seemingly cleansing themselves up and offering themselves up, they are actually seeking a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation, and even trying to turn this crisis into an opportunity to consolidate their own position.

Upon hearing this, Guo Xiao finally understood his father's deeper meaning. His expression changed from resentment to solemnity, and he bowed deeply.
"I understand! I will certainly not fail my father's trust!"

After saying that, Guo Xiao immediately went out. Guo Xin himself was not idle either.

He certainly wouldn't place all his hopes on one person, so he immediately wrote to contact other people.

—His family isn't the only one with a long history of military generals!
And Guo wasn't the only one to do this!
Gu Lin has not yet made a move.

But Guo Xin also had to unite these people.

One glory and one glory.

This kind of behavior can be extremely useful at times, whether on the battlefield or in the imperial court.

—The situation is quietly changing.

Guo Xiao, carrying the weighty promise of repentance and surrender, traveled day and night to Yingtian Prefecture.

Meanwhile, Guo Xin's letters were rapidly being sent to various places.

These letters were carefully worded and did not explicitly state any confrontation. They were titled "Understanding the Current Situation and Discussing Advances and Retreats Together," but the words were filled with a sense of solemnity and shared sorrow.

—When the birds are all gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked.

This is the most sensitive line for any military family.

After all, there have been far too many examples in history.

Each and every one of those incidents served as a reminder to Guo Xin, a veteran general standing at the pinnacle of power, that the mind of an emperor is the most unpredictable.

The camaraderie of the past often fades after the country is stabilized, replaced by a deep-seated fear of losing power and becoming too powerful to control.

Although the Gu family is not royalty, they act like emperors. Their thoughts and intentions are no different from those of the founding emperors of past dynasties.
Guo Xin's secret letter precisely struck at the most sensitive and vulnerable wound in the hearts of all the meritorious military generals.

Suddenly, the undercurrents became even more turbulent.

Marquis Anyuan, who guarded the western capital of Henan Prefecture, had ancestors who had once joined Guo Xin's father in supporting Emperor Taizu at Chenqiao Post Station. After receiving the letter, he sat alone in his mansion for half a day, and finally sighed, tacitly acknowledging this invisible alliance.

The Earl of Jingbian, who controls Hedong, has a family that has been intermarrying with the Guo family for generations, and their interests are deeply intertwined. Although his reply only contained the four words "I know, be careful," his attitude was already clear.

Even some veteran military officers who had no close ties with the Guo family but were equally worried about their own future began to quietly echo the sentiment.

This includes some nobles from the Western Regions.

Even military families like the Yang family of Linzhou, which were directly promoted by the Gu family, were involved.

As Guo Xin said, this matter involves all of them.

They had no choice either.

Yingtian Prefecture, the residence of the Marquis of Champion.

Gu Lin looked at the secret reports on his desk from the Northern Frontier, Xijing, and even Hedong. They clearly recorded the unusual communications and movements of nobles in various places, and even included the letters that Guo Xin had recently sent out.

His expression was extremely complex, and he would occasionally let out a soft sigh.

"Uncle." Gu Zhao had returned to the study at some point. Looking at his uncle's furrowed brows and slightly pale face, he couldn't bear it and couldn't help but urge him again, "Should we... give them another chance?"

"Perhaps...perhaps we could summon Uncle Guo to the capital and plead our case in person?"

"After all, it involves too many people. If it really triggers a major prison, it could shake the foundation of the country!"

Gu Zhao's expression was equally helpless.

As a member of the Gu family.

In fact, he understood Gu Lin's feelings perfectly.

Almost every one of these military families had a significant connection with the Gu family, and there were even many marriage alliances between them.

Most importantly, if this matter is not handled properly, it will also deal a significant blow to the Gu family's reputation.

But what can they do?

On one side is the vast land of China—on the other side are these wings.

Gu Lin did not answer Gu Zhao's question directly. He just looked at his nephew deeply, and then silently pulled out an inconspicuous file from the bottom of the desk and gently pushed it in front of Gu Zhao.

"See for yourself." Gu Lin's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible fatigue.

Gu Zhao's heart tightened, and he did as instructed, untying the silk thread on the scroll and unfolding it.

What came into view were the investigation results recorded by the Censorate with extremely calm and objective writing, each and every one of them shocking.

"In the spring of the third year of Yuanxing, the second son of the third branch of the Guo family, Marquis of Wuwei, forcibly exchanged 370 hectares of high-quality grassland for inferior salt and tea and old cloth on the banks of the Qingshui River in southern Mongolia. When the local chieftain showed the slightest dissatisfaction, his men destroyed three of his tents and injured five of his clansmen."

"The generals of the Marquis of Jingbian, under the guise of military settlements, seized over a thousand acres of farmland along the Fen River in Hedong, causing more than a hundred farming families to be displaced. Among them, three families, unable to bear the exploitation, jumped into the river, and only one person was saved."

"An Yuanhou's subordinate officer abused his power by allocating all the fertile, flat land near water sources to his family and cronies when designating resettlement areas for military families, while the truly meritorious and wounded soldiers received mostly barren mountain land."

"Although the Yang family of Linzhou was supported by the Gu family, their descendants in Longyou were no exception. They created various pretexts to increase the collection of 'herding tax' and 'water diversion tax' to exploit the Qiang tribes that had submitted to them. Last winter, a small tribe, unable to bear the burden, attempted to flee north, but was slaughtered by them under the pretext of 'defection' and falsely claimed as military merit."

"."

The ink on the file was cold and clear, and it did not record any heinous or earth-shattering cases, but rather these seemingly ordinary little things that many military families would take for granted.

But is this really just a small matter?
Gu Zhao only glanced at it a few times, but he could imagine how important this matter was to Kyushu.

This is just the beginning!

Now that things have developed to this point, what will become of the world if no action is taken?
And the most important thing is——

Don't forget, these people all have troops under their command.

If we don't deal with all of this now, when the Gu family's prestige is at its peak, won't their descendants become a malignant tumor that will once again divide the world?
Almost instantly, Gu Zhao had already realized what was going on.

Immediately, his expression became even more complicated.

But that’s not all.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Lin handed the letter that Guo Xiao had brought back to him again, without saying a word from beginning to end.

This time, Gu Xiao frowned immediately after just one glance.

"What do they take my Gu family for?" he asked, his voice trembling with barely suppressed anger. "Coming to my Gu family to pledge their loyalty in this way?"

"Could it be that they think the Gu family is the same kind of people as them?"

The inherent arrogance of the Gu family members was fully revealed at this moment.

How could Gu Xiao not be furious? In their eyes, if the Gu family truly harbored ambitions to conquer the entire land, how could they have only developed to this point? The throne should have been theirs long ago!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

However, at that moment, Gu Lin gently waved his hand: "No need to get angry."

His expression remained complex as he looked at Gu Xiao before him and calmly said, "Send someone to convey my message: before the spring plowing, the imperial court will hold a sacrificial ceremony at Luoshui. Instruct them all to attend."

One sentence brought Gu Xiao's turbulent emotions to a sudden halt.

He took a deep breath, suppressing all distracting thoughts. He didn't question Gu Lin's deeper meaning, but simply nodded solemnly in acceptance, then turned and strode out of the hall.
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes at the end of the month. Please support me, brothers. I would be extremely grateful.)
(End of this chapter)