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

Chapter 296 Gu Lin Takes Action to Seal the Lifeline of the Nine Provinces (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Ying Tianfu.

Gu Lin continued with his daily routine without showing any signs of impatience.

And the most important thing is——

Because of his connection to the Censorate, even if he did this, it wouldn't affect his interference in court affairs.

This is actually one of the differences between the Gu family members and others.

The confidence that Gu gave them made them more composed than others.

In the current situation, this composure only makes many people feel despair.

That feeling is—

They've already made their moves, but the enemy seems to ignore you completely. No matter how much preparation they make, the enemy remains standing there, and you can't do anything about it.

How can one not feel despair when faced with such an opponent?

Up to now.

These people had only one hope left.

That is, they hope Gu Lin can die sooner.

The Gu family members, who rose from chaos to unification, are truly not to be trifled with!
Faced with Gu Lin's approach, they could only continue to wait.

Fortunately, Gu Lin is not young anymore.

They might not have to wait much longer. Once Gu Lin, this towering tree, falls, no one in the world will be able to stop them.

Under these inexplicable circumstances, the surging tide in the imperial court miraculously came to a halt.

After these people had no other thoughts.

The people in the court also lost all other thoughts and proceeded with their affairs of state as usual.

No one wanted the newly rising sun of the Song Dynasty to sink into oblivion.

This is actually the main reason why Gu Lin didn't take direct action.

Because they are only doing this for their own benefit, and at least they don't have any intention of causing chaos in the country or the Gu family.

But then news came from Jiangning Prefecture.

—This peaceful atmosphere also came to an abrupt end.

And unlike before.

This time, the one who wants to make a move is Gu Lin!
That night.

The night was as dark as ink, the moon was hidden and the stars were few.

The study in the Marquis of Champion's mansion was brightly lit with candles.

Gu Lin was sitting at his desk, having just finished reviewing a volume of official documents, when a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

"Master, an urgent report from Jiangning Prefecture!"

A weary-looking guard strode in and presented a sealed letter sealed with wax.

Gu Lin remained expressionless, calmly unfolding the letter and scanning the paper with his eyes.

At first, his face remained calm and composed, but as he read deeper, his knuckles turned slightly white, and a layer of frost gradually settled between his brows.

Finally, he slammed the letter down on the table with a loud thud, making even the candlelight flicker violently.

"That's unreasonable!"

A low growl, tinged with suppressed anger, shattered the tranquility of the study, startling the young members of the Gu family who were standing nearby. Their eyes widened almost instantly.

They had never seen Gu Lin so angry before!

Gu Chengqian, being the most outspoken, couldn't help but step forward and cautiously ask, "Father, what is it that has angered you so much?"

Gu Lin took a deep breath and pushed the secret letter in front of him: "Take a look, all of you."

The three people gathered around, and after reading what was written in the letter, they couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"The scale of this smuggling is so large?" Gu Xiuyuan frowned.

He is Gu Lin's eldest son.

His courtesy name was Bozhen.

Gu Lin actually had high hopes for him, which was evident from his name alone.

As the saying goes, "The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will persevere in my pursuit," this name itself clearly expresses his hopes.

Unfortunately, not only Gu Xiuyuan, but also all the other twenty-eight generations of descendants, have failed to produce a single person who can be called a master of the world. Even Gu Lin and Gu Rui are not as good as them.

Gu Lin frowned and ignored the three people's discussion.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Just by looking at this letter, he could actually think of many things, and he would definitely think of many more than Gu Xu!
The Song Dynasty relied on the Grand Canal for its lifeline, with millions of bushels of grain and tens of thousands of goods transported annually through this vital north-south artery.

But now, this lifeline has been silently eroded.

This was significant for the Song Dynasty.

That would absolutely be called fatal!

Gu Lin was certain that if this had not been discovered, the Song Dynasty would very likely have perished because of such actions in the future!
“Father,” Gu Xiuyuan’s voice interrupted his thoughts, “the amount of private goods mentioned in this letter is probably equivalent to the annual tax of a small prefecture.”

Gu Lin nodded slightly, his gaze deep. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Do you know what this means?"

—Still a performance evaluation.

Just as his ancestors had done, Gu Lin was constantly teaching his descendants.

Upon hearing this, the group fell silent.

They could come up with some ideas, but they could never get to the heart of the problem.

After a moment, Gu Xiuyuan cautiously replied, "Such a massive amount of smuggling will surely reduce the court's annual revenue significantly. Moreover, these smuggled goods evade taxes and are priced low, making it difficult for legitimate merchants to compete. The market order may be disrupted."

His expression grew increasingly solemn. "The forces behind such a large-scale smuggling operation must be deeply entrenched, and have likely already infiltrated every aspect of the canal transport system."

Gu Lin slowly rose and paced around the study, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his disciples' answers.

“Well said, but it hasn’t touched on the deepest problem yet.” His voice was cold and deep, still carrying a hint of anger even now. “This is not only intercepting the court’s taxes, but also shaking the very foundation of the nation.”

He stopped, his eyes growing sharper: "Firstly, the infiltration of the Grand Canal means that the imperial court is gradually losing control over the lifeline between the north and south."

"Today they can smuggle spices and silks, tomorrow they can smuggle weapons and ironware."

"If war breaks out, and this lineage falls into enemy hands, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Secondly, such enormous profits will inevitably foster a vast network of vested interests.

"They bribe officials with money, raise private armies, and befriend powerful figures. Over time, they will become too powerful to control, essentially turning themselves into a state within a state."

"Thirdly," Gu Lin's tone grew increasingly heavy, "these smuggled goods evade all taxes, so their prices are naturally low."

“If this continues, legitimate businesses will inevitably struggle to survive and will go bankrupt one after another.”

"At that time, the city will be occupied by unscrupulous merchants who will completely monopolize market prices and manipulate supply and demand, and the people's livelihood will fall into their hands."

Although he was only speculating about what would happen afterward, every word he said hit the nail on the head.

The Song Dynasty of today is completely different from the original history.

It can be said--

The Song Dynasty has now become a country dominated by commerce.

Even the poorest people now do some small business after the busy farming season, and small businesses have gradually formed in various villages to facilitate trade.

This is a unique trade system.

The wealth of the Song Dynasty was built through water transport and maritime trade.

That's why Gu Lin made this analysis: if left unchecked, these things will definitely happen next!
Transporting weapons might not happen within Kyushu, but it could happen outside of it!

And the present era
We're not at the point where we can profit from selling weapons and equipment! If that were to happen, it wouldn't be as simple as just taking money from the central government.

This is aiding the enemy and weakening the land!
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the disciples present became even more serious.

"Father!"

"Immediately mobilize trusted confidants from the Censorate to investigate!" Gu Xiuyuan said almost immediately.

He is now taking over power little by little, just like Gu Lin did back then. Unfortunately, compared to Gu Lin, it is not so easy to gain prestige in a world where everything is at peace.

But this time, it seems like a good opportunity.

Gu Lin's mind raced. He glanced at Gu Xiuyuan, paused for a moment, and then nodded: "Alright!"

"But this time—"

"Do not be hasty. You should first lead your trusted men to the various ferry crossings."

"This time, we must catch them red-handed!"

He's never been one to be soft-hearted!
Although Gu Lin has not engaged in any large-scale killings since his birth, compared to Gu Rui of the past, that does not mean he is incapable of wielding a knife!

This time, he's not just going to take a knife!

He also wanted to give the knife to Gu Xiuyuan.

It is indeed not suitable for the Gu family to stand on the front line anymore. This is the best choice for the Gu family, as it can both preserve the Gu family's reputation and prevent the Gu family from getting involved in any turmoil again in the future.

However, this does not mean that the Gu family will retreat directly to Julu and stop interfering in court affairs!

Some things are worth considering and reconsidering.

But some things just won't work!
—The situation has changed again.

Gu Lin was clearly serious this time, and he mobilized almost all the core forces within the Gu family and the Censorate.

Most importantly, because of the cover of the prior investigation, it didn't seem so abrupt.

That way, it won't cause everyone to panic immediately.

To avoid arousing their suspicion.

In fact, no one would even think of this.

After all, in the eyes of these people, what they did was not a big deal.

To put it bluntly, there is no precedent for this.

Who among those who can get involved in this matter in this way doesn't have some kind of status?
Isn't the essence of officialdom all about saving face and maintaining substance?
They did not directly evade taxes; at least on the surface, they did not make any mistakes in tax collection, which they considered to be a great favor to the imperial court.

Jiangning Prefecture.

On the river, thousands of sails competed, and the canal transport was as busy as ever.

A fleet of ships under the name of the Chen family is slowly sailing into the Jiangning Wharf.

The ship was drafted very deep, clearly indicating that it was fully loaded with cargo.

The person in charge was Chen Gui's nephew, Chen Lin.

He was standing at the bow of the ship, smugly directing the crew to prepare to dock and unload the cargo, a faint smile always on his face.

Among this batch of goods.

It contains many Southeast Asian spices and sappanwood that are not listed in the official register.

If all of these items were sold, the profits would far exceed the value of the cargo that was openly displayed on the fleet!

How could he not be pleased?
At that moment, the port officials walked in as usual.

Chen Lin was not surprised at all. He simply greeted the person as usual and then personally led them inside.

He never bribed these officials.

This was naturally at Chen Mingyuan's behest; he knew the Gu family all too well.

Bribing these officials would only attract the attention of the Censorate, which would be a losing proposition.

As long as all the accounts on the surface are done properly, no one can find fault with them.

After all, the Gu family is overseeing the administration of the Song Dynasty, and he is also in the court. How could these port officials make things difficult for the Chen family?
Seeing the clerks rushing towards the ship behind the official, Chen Lin's face immediately revealed a disdainful smile.

He felt the same way every time he saw this scene.

That's a perverse sense of humor.

It gives him a feeling of being in control of everything, which is quite pleasant.

However, this feeling did not last long.

The minor officials merely glanced at the cabin before turning to a spot that was enough to make him change color.

"here."

The official's shout suddenly rang out.

As they spoke, they all gathered in one place.

The sound of the boat planks being struck was somewhat hollow compared to the surrounding area.

Upon seeing this, Chen Lin's heart sank. He forced a smile, stepped forward, and bowed to the port authority official who was checking documents, adopting an extremely humble posture: "Please allow me to report, clerk."

"This is an old bulkhead below the waterline in the ship's cabin. It has been damp for many years, so the sound is inevitably a bit hollow. It is by no means anything unusual."

"All goods and tax certificates on board are ready. Please review this, scribe."

He spoke earnestly, attempting to gloss over the issue with common sense.

However, the port authority official did not let the matter off easily as usual.

He slowly raised his eyelids, glanced calmly at Chen Lin, and did not respond directly. Instead, he turned to the officials surrounding the suspicious plank and ordered in a steady voice, "Since there is any doubt, investigate it thoroughly according to the regulations."

"Yes," the officials replied in unison.

One of them took the crowbar from the laborer and inserted it into the gap in the wooden planks without hesitation.

With a sickeningly loud creak, a corner of the seemingly identical ship plank was pried open.

Instantly, an intensely fragrant aroma wafted over.

It was the aroma of top-quality Southeast Asian spices mixed together, a blend of spiciness and richness that instantly overwhelmed the moisture from the river and the original smell of the cargo in the cabin.

Beneath the wooden planks was a meticulously designed hidden compartment, crammed full of unregistered pepper, agarwood, and other items in such large quantities that it was alarming.

The scene was completely silent, with only the sound of the river water lapping against the boat.

Li Gui, who had been quietly leading the officials around, naturally retreated behind the group. His expression was stiff, and it was unclear whether he was acting or simply nervous.

Chen Lin's expression changed drastically, but he didn't completely lose his temper.

Looking at the hidden warehouse that was surrounded by all the officials, he took a deep breath, and instantly came up with an idea. He smiled faintly and asked, "Why is this, Registrar Wang?"

"Why did you damage my Chen family's cargo ships?"

—Turning the tables!
That's right, in his opinion, even if he were discovered, it wouldn't be a big deal.

It's simply a matter of adding people to the list.

At worst, we'll just have to give up this profit.

Even for a fleeting moment, he considered whether he could drag the port clerk in front of him into this mess, given how incredibly lucrative the profits were.

He didn't believe anyone could refuse.

However, this is something that cannot be said directly.

He had already made his decision; after this matter was over, he would definitely send out some generous gifts.

But to his surprise, the registrar didn't even glance at him, only glancing at the completely breached secret compartment before waving his hand dismissively:
"Take them all away!"

Meanwhile, similar incidents continue to occur in various places.
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes at the beginning of the month. Please support me, brothers! I would be extremely grateful!)

(End of this chapter)