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

Chapter 290 The Luo River Ritual, Releasing Military Power with a Cup of Wine (Part 1)

Gu Yi watched all of this silently, without feeling the slightest ripple in his heart.

Although Gu Lin's move now seems to have alerted the enemy.

But that's not actually the case at all.

In fact, ever since the Gu family gradually came to power, the overall system of the Song Dynasty has always had some problems. Although the succession of military families may be beneficial to the martial virtue of the Song Dynasty, it is actually a cancer on the whole country.

This is for sure.

But as a member of the Gu family, especially a family head like Gu Rui who was good at conspiracy theories, how could he not see through all of this?
The reason this system has remained unchanged is simply to unify the world.

do not forget--

The Gu family has always operated from the bottom up!

Not only across the country, but also in the military today, there are members of the Gu family serving in the military in various parts of the country.

And most importantly, the Gu family's reputation.

Years of raising troops—

The Gu family would not be so foolish as to allow these aristocratic families to raise their own armies; all kinds of rewards and honors were made in the name of the imperial court.

This is also the source of Gu Lin's confidence in doing this.

He wasn't afraid of these people suddenly rebelling.

As long as he is still alive and the Gu family has not fallen from their high position, these people will not have the guts!

Besides, Gu Lin also didn't want to go to such extremes.

Everything in the Song Dynasty is thriving.

The connection between these military families and the Gu family had also lasted for many years. In fact, if possible, Gu Lin would have been willing to give them wealth and honor.

However, these people simply have to make choices among themselves!
Time flies by.

As the imperial censors marched out of Yingtian Prefecture in great fanfare, the news spread throughout the entire country in an instant.

Gu Lin had absolutely no intention of hiding anything about what he was going to do next.

On the surface—

He was to represent the imperial court in performing the now-common "Luoshui Sacrifice"!

But anyone who pays attention can see the problem here.

In no time, rumors were rampant throughout the land.

But this was also one of Gu Lin's goals.

He wanted to force these people to make a choice. Coming in person was the key to getting in the door. If they weren't even willing to offer that key, then they couldn't blame him!
And things unfolded as they always have.

Just as Gu Lin's plan was becoming clear and the world's attention was focused on the upcoming Luoshui Ritual, an undercurrent was quietly surging among the scholars.

Just as Gu Yi had predicted, certain forces unwilling to relinquish their power began their counterattack. However, they dared not openly confront Gu Lin and the imperial court, so they used their methods on the seemingly upright but actually easily swayed students.

In a short time, various opinions began to circulate in restaurants, teahouses, academies, and schools in Yingtian Prefecture, Xijing, and even in other prefectures:
"Have you heard? The imperial court intends to implement the old 'Decree of Grace,' which is actually a way to strip generals of their military power. It's like discarding a bow after the birds are all gone—nothing could be more extreme!"

"Isn't Lord Gu's move chilling the hearts of all the soldiers in the land? If it weren't for the bloody battles fought by Marquis Guo and Marquis Anyuan, how could we have achieved unification today?"

"Although the 'Gu School' advocates inclusiveness, its core is still to strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches, aiming to put all military power in the hands of the Privy Council, leaving no place for us military families to stand!"

"The Gu family has already seized power over the entire country, and now they are unwilling to leave even this little bit of military power and land to the descendants of meritorious officials?"

"."

These remarks, fueled by historical fears of the "dog that is spared death and then cooked" mentality and dissatisfaction with the loss of their own interests, quickly fermented among the hot-blooded young students with the help of some people with ulterior motives.

Several academies even jointly submitted a memorial, their words earnest yet tinged with scholarly indignation, urging the court to "remember the past merits and not let the meritorious officials feel disheartened," and to "pacify the world with benevolence and righteousness, rather than using power and tactics to control the officials."

This is clearly someone deliberately inciting students.

The current Kyushu culture is still too dazzling. While this brilliance has created many talents, it has also increased the arrogance of students.

This makes many of them extremely easy to incite.

Unfortunately, the Gu family wouldn't care about any of that.

In the original history, there is a saying that Gu Yi thinks is very true: "Great Confucian scholars will debate the classics for me."

The Gu family doesn't need to interfere.

Students would then voice their opinions, causing a stir.

After all, these families haven't been doing anything good.

This behavior is simply too foolish.

Gu Lin didn't even bother with their secret actions anymore.

As long as these people haven't foolishly crossed the line in his heart, Gu Lin doesn't need to care about their actions at all. No matter how much they struggle, it's just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; they can't make any waves.

Time keeps flowing by.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the fifth year of Yuanxing, in the spring.

Faced with Gu Lin's complete silence, and under this invisible pressure, these people finally arrived at the last minute.

Yes, they gave in!

Luoshui Ritual —

This is not a newly established rule by the imperial court, but rather an ancient tradition that originated from the common people and has been spontaneously continued for nearly a thousand years.

Since Gu Kang promoted new agricultural tools and farming methods in the past.

This practice has been passed down among the people and has become a tradition throughout Kyushu, interspersed with countless legends.

We won't go into the more distant legends.

Even in this dynasty, legends about this sacrifice continue to this day.

"Legend has it that during the chaotic Five Dynasties period, the Central Plains suffered a three-year drought, leaving the land barren and the fields littered with corpses of the starving."

“A desperate old farmer cried out by the Luo River that he dreamt of a man dressed in simple hemp clothing, holding a plow, who pointed him to the spot where Gu Kang’s statue once stood to pray for rain.”

"The next day, the old farmer gathered his neighbors and performed a simple ritual to offer sacrifices. Unexpectedly, dark clouds gathered and rain fell, relieving the drought for thousands of miles. The people all said that this was a manifestation of the divine power of Duke Gu Kang, who had taken pity on the common people."

"."

"It is also said that at the beginning of the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, a plague of insects raged. Just when a bumper harvest was in sight, it was devoured by locusts."

"The government was powerless, and the people were terrified."

"The local official at the time was a disciple of the Gu family. Following ancient rites, he led the crowd in a grand sacrificial ceremony on the banks of the Luo River, praying for the protection of Duke Gu Kang."

"That night, countless birds emerged from the mountains and forests to peck at the locusts. Within a few days, the plague was over. People said that it was because Duke Gu Kang sent divine birds to protect the land to which he had devoted his heart and soul."

These legends all amplified the public's attention to this matter.

In fact, even the Gu family was quite helpless about this, as these things were naturally not spread by the Gu family.

Gu's philosophy has always been "respect ghosts and gods, but keep them at a distance."

Furthermore, as the Gu Family Academy has gradually developed, it has increasingly shifted towards a science-oriented approach in recent years. Naturally, it will no longer engage in activities that use prophecies and divination to enhance its reputation, as such practices would only be harmful to the entire family.

But that's the reality.

No matter how rapidly Kyushu develops today, there will always be people who believe these things and spread rumors.

There's nothing anyone can change about this.

On the day of the sacrifice.

The entire banks of the Luo River were bustling with activity.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including spontaneously gathered commoners, representatives from various regions, court officials, invited nobles, and even merchants from afar, gathered here in perfect order. The air was filled with the fresh scents of incense, earth, and spring grass and trees.

The towering stone statue of Gu Kang stands in the center of the altar, its ancient and solemn appearance enhanced by the passage of time.

Banners fluttered, bells and chimes rang out, and ancient hymns were sung by tens of thousands of people in unison, their voices echoing like a tidal wave across the banks of the Luo River.

Along the way, merchants from overseas were having their paintings made.

They stared at the scene with utter shock.

Listening to those complex songs, I forced myself to keep up with the rhythm.

At the very center of the altar, Gu Lin, dressed in a black sacrificial robe, stood solemnly and presided over the ceremony according to ancient rites.

Although ordinary people do not need too many rules and rituals when they perform sacrifices on their own.

But when it comes to the entire imperial court, things are different.

However, despite the tedious etiquette, no one finds it annoying.

From the beginning to the end——

The songs freely sung by the people never ceased, and under the gentle breeze, the entire Luo Riverbank displayed the full splendor of the Nine Provinces on this day.

It's as if all of this is a tribute to the ancestors who fought for this land generation after generation.

The entire ceremony lasted until evening before it ended.

And from beginning to end.

A group of court officials, including the lords who had rushed over, also followed closely behind Gu Lin, constantly on edge.

That night.

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and the stars shine brightly, illuminating the banks of the Luo River as if it were daytime.

The camp by the river was still bustling with activity, with countless people lighting bonfires to continue the daytime celebrations, unwilling to let this grand festival end.

The sounds of singing, laughter, and babbling water intertwined.

The same applies within the military camp.

However, compared to the atmosphere among the common people, the atmosphere inside the main tent was obviously much more somber.

Gu Lin had changed out of his solemn sacrificial robes and was now dressed in ordinary black casual clothes, sitting in the main seat.

He remained calm, as if the grand sacrificial ceremony that had been the focus of everyone's attention during the day was just an ordinary event.

Guo Xin, Marquis of Anyuan, Earl of Jingbian, and other nobles and military generals sat below them, none of them picking up chopsticks or speaking, all sitting upright with extremely serious expressions.

Even the joyful songs of the people outside the palace.

At this moment, it sounds more like an invisible, immense pressure.

Gu Lin did not let the silence last long.

He personally picked up the jade pot containing warm wine and slowly filled the empty cup in front of him. He did not immediately raise the cup, but instead calmly swept his gaze over each of the nobles present. Finally, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly drowning out the faint commotion outside the hall:
"The daytime sacrifice is to commemorate the pioneering spirit of our ancestors who laid the foundation for our cause."

"And tonight, with the bright moon hanging in the sky, we are here," he paused slightly, his tone still steady, yet carrying an undeniable penetrating power, "what we should be thinking about is how to pass on this legacy, how to continue this prosperous era."

He raised his wine cup but did not drink it. “The ancestors of all of you here were key ministers who followed the founding emperor and the late emperor, and also followed my Gu family, overcoming all obstacles along the way.”

"Including you all, you have also contributed to the country."

"Without your sacrifices on the battlefield, there would be no unification of the land and no peace and happiness for the people today."

"This cup is a toast to all of you for your past contributions, and to the heroic souls who died on the battlefield."

After saying this, he slowly poured the wine in his cup onto the ground as a tribute to the fallen heroes.

This action shocked everyone present, and their expressions became even more complicated, but they still followed suit immediately, pouring the wine in their hands onto the ground.

Seeing this, Gu Lin smiled, refilled his glass, and said slowly, "Everyone, there's no need to be so reserved."

"Tonight's banquet is not for official business, but rather for reminiscing about old times."

He looked at everyone with gentle eyes, his tone filled with reminiscence and affirmation: "The fathers and grandfathers of all of you here were the founding fathers who followed Emperor Taizu and my ancestor Jin Gong, starting from humble beginnings and fighting countless battles to lay the foundation for our Great Song Dynasty."

"Their achievements have long been engraved in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and will be worshipped for ten thousand generations."

"And you gentlemen, having inherited your family's learning, have not rested on the laurels of your ancestors. In this campaign to unify the nine provinces and cleanse the world, you have also taken the lead and made outstanding contributions."

"The court remembers this, His Majesty remembers this, and I, Gu Lin, have witnessed it with my own eyes and have never dared to forget it."

His expression was extremely casual.

These words are clearly an affirmation of the achievements of all of them.

But no one dared to relax.

On the contrary, they only felt the atmosphere inside the tent becoming increasingly tense.

But what can they do?
Even though they had already sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere, they could only force a smile and raise their glasses to echo Gu Lin's words. Many of the generals even wore stiff smiles.

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the tent even became much more relaxed.

But as expected——

As he swallowed a glass of wine, Gu Lin abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming noticeably heavy: "However, conquering a country is difficult, but maintaining it is even more difficult."

He put down his wine glass, as if talking to himself, or as if asking everyone, "Now that the world is at peace and the four seas are at peace, it seems like the seas are calm and the rivers are clear, but the heavy burden of governing the world is more sleepless than the wars of the past."

He raised his eyes, his gaze becoming profound, and looked at Guo Xin and the others: "You are all generals who command troops in your respective regions, and you are well aware of the essentials of military affairs."

"Do you know how much of the imperial court's annual revenue is used for military supplies?"

"How can geometry be used for people's livelihood?"

“Water conservancy, official roads, schools, and disaster relief in various places—every single one of these requires the full support of the nation.”

“If this continues, even with a full national treasury, we will still feel the strain.”

"This time we meet—"

"I would also like to ask you generals if you have any good strategies for governing the country?"

In an instant, everyone's expressions froze, and they all instinctively avoided Gu Lin's gaze, even forgetting to respond.

Gu Lin didn't seem to care at all, and sighed again: "To be honest, I've been feeling quite powerless lately."

"Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night, I think of those stories in history books about the decline of prosperous times, and the disasters caused by the imbalance of power and the inability to control the powerful. I break out in a cold sweat."

His gaze swept over the crowd. "If the foundation we have worked so hard to build is shaken by the mismanagement of future rulers or by certain powerful and uncontrollable situations, wouldn't that bring shame to our ancestors and disappoint the people of the world?"

--coming!
In an instant, almost everyone present instinctively thought of those two words.

But before they could say anything...

Gu Lin raised his glass again, facing everyone, his tone filled with worry and responsibility: "This glass is to the heavy responsibility on our shoulders. May we all be able to fulfill our duties and live up to our ancestors and the world."

The entire tent fell silent at that moment!
Everyone looked at Gu Lin, who had already raised his glass, with incredibly complicated expressions.

The prepared lines were completely suppressed at this moment. His hand instinctively tightened around the wine glass, but no matter what he did, he couldn't lift it up.

How do I give an example?
How could they not understand the hidden meaning in Gu Lin's words?
If they were to raise their glasses and drink directly, they even felt that Gu Lin would immediately make them give up all their power for the sake of important matters.

But how could they accept that?

In an instant, the atmosphere inside the tent turned icy cold again.

Everyone was stunned.

Gu Lin's smile gradually faded at this moment, and he frowned slightly: "Hmm?"

"Generals, what is the meaning of this???"
(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)