Chapter 109: Zhuge Passes Away, Gu Ye Rises to Power (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Luoyang.

Accompanied by the bright moonlight, Gu Ye followed the servants of the Prime Minister's residence all the way there.

No sooner had he entered the residence than he saw Zhuge Liang, who was using the faint candlelight to process court memorials.

His full head of white hair looked even more piercing under the reflection of the candlelight.

Although he had long known Zhuge Liang's character and personality, Gu Yi's heart could not help but sink when he saw this scene with his own eyes.

Perhaps this is one of the charms of history.

Faced with the butcher's knife of time, even when heroes and men of renown are constantly confronted with death, they still hold fast to their own convictions.

"Prime Minister."

Gu Ye hurriedly bowed and spoke.

Zhuge Liang did not look up, but merely waved his hand and said, "Zhaode, come here quickly and see what you think of this memorial."

This had already become the norm between the two over the past few years.

Gu Ye hurriedly stepped forward to take the memorial and, upon reading it, immediately saw its contents.

This was a memorial from Zhong Hui.

Regarding the assessment of Han officials, he proposed more specific strategies and wished to carry out reforms.

The content within could certainly be considered an excellent work even in the contemporary era.

But the only drawback was that it was a bit too radical.

For instance, Zhong Hui suggested mandating several subjects to improve the overall quality of the examinees.

Such an action was too radical for the current Han.

Gu Yi naturally would not choose to ignore it; after pondering for a moment, he shook his head and said, "Prime Minister, some of the strategies in this memorial are well-proposed."

"For example..."

He analyzed the pros and cons of the contents one by one.

Although Gu Yi had not been in constant control, perhaps due to long-term observation,

Gu Yi always felt that he had also grown in political sensitivity.

Of course, the most critical factors were the memories of later generations and the advanced perspective of a modern person.

Zhuge Liang listened very attentively, and in the end, he could not help but nod, looking at Gu Ye with a complex expression: "This matter can only be left to you people of later generations."

"Prime Minister..."

Before Gu Yi could take control, Gu Ye hurriedly spoke up himself, his face full of reluctance: "Why must you go to Yanzhou yourself?"

"If the Prime Minister trusts this young one,"

"This young one is willing to go to Yanzhou in your stead to oversee the disaster relief."

These words came entirely from his heart.

Although the two had no formal title of master and disciple, they already had the reality of one.

Gu Ye's feelings for Zhuge Liang were now no less than those for his own kin in the Gu family.

How could he bear to watch Zhuge Liang head to the front lines in such a state?

But Zhuge Liang simply shook his head.

His character of attending to every detail had long since destined his end.

Even if the Han did not have such natural disasters, Zhuge Liang would still fall on the road to reviving the Han.

Liu Bei, Gu Chen, Gu Ze;

From the moment these three handed the heavy burden to him, the end of Zhuge Liang's life was already destined.

He did not say much more.

He merely handed that memorial to Gu Ye, letting Gu Ye take it back to study.

Gu Yi understood Zhuge Liang's intentions.

Just as Gu Chen had once handed the state affairs over to him.

Zhuge Liang had handed this matter over to Gu Ye.

He had already seen the loopholes in the Han official assessment system, but he no longer had the time to consider these things.

Each generation has its own tasks to fulfill.

As Gu Ye departed, Zhuge Liang slowly picked up the brush at his side and, by the dim light, wrote down the names he had already decided upon on the paper before him.

The fifth year of Yankang, May;

Zhuge Liang led those skilled in water conservancy, including nearly a hundred members of the seventh generation of the Gu family, to Yanzhou.

At the moment of departure—

Liu Chan led the officials to see them off.

Looking at Zhuge Liang's gradually hunched figure and his full head of white hair, his own eyes turned red before he knew it.

At this very moment, how similar was it to when Gu Chen had departed?

Liu Chan felt that being an Emperor was truly too exhausting.

Even with overwhelming power, he could only watch as one person after another who was very important to him left, with no way to stop it.

How cruel a thing was this?

Tears fell from Liu Chan's eyes before he knew it.

Gu Ye was naturally among them.

However, compared to the sorrow, his gaze was even more resolute.

It seemed he wanted to do something.

From this day on, after his daily routine of study, Gu Ye began to carefully study the current official selection policy of the Han.

It seemed he intended to finalize this matter while Zhuge Liang was still alive.

Just like Zhuge Liang had done back then.

While Gu Chen was still alive, he had submitted an answer sheet through the imperial examination that left Gu Chen satisfied.

This matter was naturally difficult for him personally.

As for the reform of the core system;

Only a man of talent capable of surpassing his contemporaries could achieve it through long periods of contemplation.

Even the Gu Xi of the past had spent decades of thought before determining the final system.

But do not forget, Gu Yi was still here!

In fact, Gu Yi had not intended to act so quickly.

Because he had to consider the influence on the eighth-generation descendants of the Gu family.

This generation of Gu family descendants was already somewhat impetuous; if they saw someone of the same generation quickly rise to fame, it might exacerbate this mindset.

However, since Gu Ye already had this intention,

Gu Yi did not mind.

There were still many opportunities to discipline the family, and it would be better to take this opportunity to accomplish this; at the very least, it would allow Zhuge Liang to pass away in peace.

Aside from improving themselves, was the appearance of the Gu family not meant to make up for the regrets of history bit by bit?

Gu Yi did not take steps that were too large.

If the current official selection system of the Han only had the rudiments of the imperial examination system, Gu Yi was merely elevating it to a newly formed imperial examination system.

As a system that covered most of Chinese feudal history, the formation of the imperial examination system also underwent many changes later on.

A system needs to progress bit by bit with the times.

Taking steps that are too large can only lead to the opposite effect.

It might even lead to developments that would directly escape Gu Yi's control, and Gu Yi did not want that.

It might even reach a point where developments slip directly out of Gu Yi's control, and Gu Yi does not want that.

—A thousand miles of scorched earth!

Years of natural disasters had dealt a fatal blow to the ecology of the entire Yanzhou.

If not for the vigorous disaster relief from the imperial court, Yanzhou would likely have completely fallen into a dead land with no life left.

Although he had long anticipated the disaster in Yanzhou,

when Zhuge Liang arrived in Yanzhou in person, he still felt a sense of gloom in his heart.

How many people had fallen on this land due to years of natural disasters?

Zhuge Liang did not know either.

The only thing he could do was to make good use of all his time and strive to resolve this tragic situation quickly.

This water control project was different from the situation Gu Kang had faced back then.

Zhuge Liang had many things to consider; he not only had to design the specific excavation routes but also had to ensure the physical well-being of the workers.

Water was the most important thing at the moment.

To ensure the smooth progress of the project, this point had to be well considered.

Although the manpower brought this time was not small,

Zhuge Liang's character destined him to conduct on-site inspections.

In this kind of weather,

this was a truly grueling task.

It took nearly a full month before he finally finalized the matter.

It took nearly a full month before he finally settled the matter completely.

It was decided to start with the main stream of the Yellow River, first casting irrigation canals and water storage ponds to ensure a sufficient water supply.

At the end of the seventh month, this project officially began.

This was destined to be a major event that would leave a name in history.

It was also precisely because of the appearance of the Gu Shizi.

The common people also transformed from being at a loss when facing natural disasters at the beginning, to now daring to defy the heavens and change their fate.

Zhuge Liang always stood firm on the front line of disaster relief.

It was useless for anyone to try to dissuade him.

And most crucially, while he was guarding the disaster relief, he was simultaneously paying attention to the imperial court of the Great Han.

He seemed to have become accustomed to exhaustion and could not possibly remain idle.

This matter was destined to be incomparably difficult.

From a scientific perspective, in conditions of high temperature and dense population, bacteria would breed more easily and spread more conveniently.

In fact, Gu Yi had already brought many improved methods to the Great Han this time.

Drinking boiled water, using lime for sterilization, and various other methods that could be used at present were all among them.

But things like epidemic prevention and sterilization—

Under the current circumstances, it was impossible to achieve perfection.

Especially under the current circumstances in Yanzhou.

The disease still gradually rose.

Zhuge Liang knew the severity of this matter and immediately initiated large-scale quarantine.

But once such a thing arose, it could not end easily, especially in areas with dense populations like the canal excavation sites.

The disease became more and more prevalent.

The most critical thing was—although Zhuge Liang had been extremely careful.

His body seemed to be truly too poor.

A lack of resistance would certainly lead to many problems.

Although he had carried out quarantine to the extreme, he was ultimately infected with the disease.

The various problems arising from years of extreme consumption in controlling the imperial court completely erupted under these circumstances.

Before the project was even halfway through, Zhuge Liang collapsed directly.

This was an accident that no one had expected.

Fortunately, Zhuge Liang had brought quite a few people on this trip, among whom were seventh-generation descendants of the Gu Shizi.

Although these people did not yet have the prestige in the world to compare with Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister, they could still shoulder the heavy burden and stabilize the disaster relief efforts.

But an inexplicable haze still emerged in everyone's hearts.

Many people wanted Zhuge Liang to return to Luoyangcheng.

But with Zhuge Liang's character, how could he possibly leave?

Not to mention whether he could still hold on.

If he were to bring this disease back to Luoyangcheng, he would become a sinner of the Great Han.

How could he do such a thing?

This matter was quickly reported back to Luoyangcheng.

Upon hearing this news, Liu Chan was completely panicked.

He sent almost all the imperial physicians in the court over, sparing no cost to try to cure Zhuge Liang.

But Gu Yi was very clear that this was destined to be in vain.

That he could still be infected with that level of quarantine.

Was enough to show just how poor Zhuge Liang's body was.

Years of toil had long since hollowed out his body; this disease was merely the trigger that would cause the hidden ailments within Zhuge Liang's body to erupt completely.

This situation, let alone in the current Great Han, would be a difficult problem even in modern times.

How could it be reversed?

Champion Prince's Mansion.

Gu Yi looked at the "Reform Memorial" that had just been completed before him, and could not help but whisper softly:

"Oh vast heavens, why are you so unkind to me?"

He controlled Gu Ye and shook his head.

Immediately, he picked up this memorial and walked straight out.

The time was about right.

It was time to give the Great Han some shock!

An invisible giant wave rose almost instantly within Luoyangcheng.

In just one day, this matter spread throughout all of Luoyangcheng.

With the current configuration of the Great Han's imperial court, how could these people not detect the loopholes in the official assessment system?

And do not forget, Zhong Hui had already intervened in it!

When they saw the reform measures proposed by Gu Ye, the shock brought to the entire imperial court was truly unimaginable!

The ministers immediately began to discuss it.

And this time—

Gu Yi even controlled Gu Ye to participate in it, using his mouth to answer various questions.

Listening to those answers one by one.

The ministers in the court also immediately grasped the core of it and were even more amazed by it.

Although Gu Ye had already reformed the disaster relief before this.

But everyone instinctively thought that there must have been Zhuge Liang's help and guidance in it.

But this time it was different!

Zhuge Liang and the seventh-generation descendants of the Gu Shizi were all away!

Although they had not seen it with their own eyes, this also explained many things!

Gu Ye's name immediately resounded throughout Luoyangcheng.

Of course, such a matter would naturally not be decided directly so easily.

Although Liu Chan had grown somewhat over these years, he would not make the decision directly himself and immediately sent the matter to Yanzhou.

Yanzhou.

Zhuge Liang was becoming more and more seriously ill.

A strong sense of weakness tortured Zhuge Liang at every moment, leaving him without even the strength to get up.

The most critical thing was—

In order to avoid contagion, Zhuge Liang forbade others from coming to see him.

Only one servant, willing to die with him, took care of him at all times.

Even if it had reached this point, he was still paying attention to the current situation, using the mouths of others to convey the progress of the disaster relief.

"Prime Minister..."

After finishing the report on the disaster relief once again, looking at the dying Zhuge Liang on the bed, the servant's face was full of grief, and he knelt down directly: "Let us return to Luoyangcheng."

His face was full of sorrow, and tears kept sliding down.

Hearing this, Zhuge Liang slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his entire state was extremely poor, as if he would run out of oil and die at any moment.

"Return to Luoyangcheng?"

Zhuge Liang whispered softly, then shook his head slightly: "I cannot go back."

At this moment, he suddenly remembered the scene when he went to see Gu Chen.

Yet he did not expect that after many years.

He would actually say the exact same words as Gu Chen.

"Prime Minister..." The sorrow on the servant's face deepened, as if he wanted to persuade him again.

But Zhuge Liang interrupted him directly, instructing in a weak voice: "Warn them, they must make every preparation; they must not let the disaster victims go hungry."

"Pay attention to the repair of the water storage ponds... and also pay attention to the quarantine of the sick."

These were details that Zhuge Liang almost had to instruct every day.

But before he could finish speaking.

Just at this moment, the sound of urgent footsteps suddenly came and stopped outside the tent.

"Prime Minister, urgent report from Luoyangcheng!"

Hearing this, Zhuge Liang's expression changed instantly, and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes: "Has something happened in Luoyangcheng?"

The servant did not dare to hesitate, hurriedly stood up, walked to the camp gate, and asked: "What is the matter?"

The armored soldier outside did not say much, only handed the memorial inside.

The servant consciously took the memorial, walked to Zhuge Liang, opened it, and read it out in its entirety.

"The current system of selecting officials has complex subjects..."

"This humble one believes that we can establish the Xiucai Branch, the Mingjing Branch, the Jinshi Branch, and a temporary Special Branch."

"The Xiucai Branch should focus on current affairs essays and classical theories;"

"The Classics Examination should focus primarily on Confucian classics, with an emphasis on rote memorization and commentaries;"

"The Presented Scholar Examination should focus primarily on statecraft strategies."

The servant read the contents of the memorial carefully.

Zhuge Liang’s expression had originally been very tense, but as he listened, his expression changed completely!

His entire demeanor suddenly turned solemn.

While listening to the specific details, he began to ponder the feasibility of it all!

To put it plainly, this reform by Gu Yi was to categorize the noisy subjects of the Great Han, making the entire system more concise.

Zhuge Liang’s expression grew increasingly solemn.

Just as the servant finished reading and looked at Zhuge Liang, he was suddenly stunned!

Zhuge Liang’s complexion had actually become somewhat ruddy.

His expression changed instantly; he instinctively thought this might be a final burst of energy before death, and tears welled up again.

But in the very next moment, Zhuge Liang’s voice suddenly rang out.

"Heaven has not forsaken our Great Han!"

This voice was exceptionally powerful, not at all like something the current Zhuge Liang should be able to produce.

"Prime Minister—"

The servant was completely dumbfounded, his voice even trembling.

But Zhuge Liang did not give him a chance to ask questions; he looked at him with burning eyes and said quickly: "Quick! Take up the brush for me, quick!"

Looking at the anxious Zhuge Liang before him.

The servant dared not hesitate and hurriedly walked to the side to pick up a brush.

Zhuge Liang looked at the memorial while speaking, letting the servant record his words.

He highly praised this reform strategy and gave it his absolute support!

Zhuge Liang understood Liu Chan too well.

Faced with such a major event, if he did not give his absolute support, Liu Chan would certainly hesitate and hold back.

This memorial was sent to Luoyang that very day.

And whether it was a psychological effect or not, Zhuge Liang’s health suddenly improved a great deal from that day on.

Coupled with the successive efforts of the imperial physicians.

Zhuge Liang’s entire state of health was visibly recovering.

And when he was able to stand up once again, Zhuge Liang suppressed everyone’s suggestions for him to rest properly and returned to the front lines of disaster relief.

At the same time, after receiving Zhuge Liang’s memorial.

Liu Chan finally decided on the matter.

Most crucially—

He even followed Zhuge Liang’s wishes, handing full authority over the matter to Gu Ye, formally allowing Gu Ye to step into the Great Han officialdom.

Once the news broke, the entire court and country were shaken!

Although this reform was proposed by Gu Ye.

Gu Ye was still too young.

To entrust such an important reform to Gu Ye, how could it not be alarming?

Immediately, many ministers submitted memorials one after another to dissuade him.

These people were, of course, not targeting the Gu family.

As long as Liu Chan did not die.

No one could shake the Gu family’s status in the court.

They were genuinely worried that Gu Ye would mess this up; after all, official assessment was one of the core systems of the Great Han.

But Liu Chan’s attitude was extremely firm.

He already had an innate fondness for the descendants of the Gu family, not to mention that this matter had been proposed by Zhuge Liang himself.

Regarding this, Gu Yi naturally would not refuse.

From the moment he chose to let Gu Ye rise to power, there was only the path of moving forward.

For him, this was merely a starting point.

Gu Yi did not intend to hold back this time.

Whether in academics or martial arts, he was going to complete everything he had long since planned.

Liu Chan was also a very good Emperor to him.

At the very least—

Gu Yi did not need to worry about the cup overflowing, as he had to manipulate things before!

Of course, this matter was destined to require a process.

The key for the Great Han now remained the disaster situation in Yanzhou.

Liu Chan was truly very worried about Zhuge Liang.

He knew how much Zhuge Liang valued Gu Ye, and even sought out Gu Ye, wanting him to go to Yanzhou to persuade Zhuge Liang to return.

But Gu Yi refused.

He understood Zhuge Liang.

From the moment he stepped out of Luoyang, unless he achieved complete success, Zhuge Liang would never return to Luoyang!

Going to see Zhuge Liang would be meaningless, other than to distract him.

In fact, that his body could recover at all had already exceeded Gu Yi’s expectations; at a time like this, it was better to support Zhuge Liang wholeheartedly.

He only suggested that Liu Chan issue an edict to provide greater support to Yanzhou.

To this, Liu Chan naturally would not refuse!

The fifth year of Yankang, the ninth month;

The construction work in Chenliu Commandery was completed.

With the court’s entire focus on Yanzhou, the speed of the work had also increased significantly.

More and more people participated in it.

Liu Chan even mobilized some troops to help Zhuge Liang!

Finally, in the eleventh month.

The construction was finished.

Accompanied by cheers ringing out one after another, Zhuge Liang, as if having completed some kind of mission, collapsed once again.

This bout of illness was far more ferocious than the last.

In just one day.

Zhuge Liang was on the verge of death, without even the strength to speak.

But the only difference was—

There was finally no longer the look of worry that had been on his face in the past.

Instead, he was very calm.

For Zhuge Liang, he had already done everything he could do.

The rest could only be left to those who came after.

At the very least, the officials left in the court now were those he understood, and in the future, there were those he valued.

Having taken over the heavy burden from Gu Chen for so many years.

He had always walked on thin ice.

Now, it was time to have a good rest.

This day had come faster than he had imagined.

On the morning of the next day, Zhuge Liang passed away with a smile in Rencheng.

The fifth year of Yankang, the eleventh month;

The Great Han Prime Minister Zhuge Liang passed away in Rencheng.

On his deathbed, he followed the example of Gu Chen, urging Liu Chan not to show favoritism to family members.

The funeral was to be simple.

It must not exceed the rites of Gu Ze;

If possible, he wished to be buried in the land of Julu, to accompany Gu Ze in his eternal rest.

When he heard this news, even Gu Yi was silent for a moment, feeling both surprised and unsurprised in his heart.

What was surprising was that Zhuge Liang was actually willing to be buried in Julu.

What was not surprising was his final memorial.

But after thinking about it carefully, Gu Yi felt relieved.

For Zhuge Liang

Perhaps the most carefree and unburdened time of his life was those years studying in Julu.

——————

"In the winter of the eleventh month of the fifth year of Yankang, the great famine in the world began to subside.

At that time, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang was ordered to pacify the famine in Yanzhou, working diligently day and night, and passed away from illness in Ren.

Liang was orphaned young, inherited the poetic and ritual teachings of the Gu family, and received special favor from Emperor Zhaowu at the age of twenty."

Having accepted the heavy burden of the entrustment from Gu Chen, he worked day and night without slackening to safeguard the Han tripod.

He served as Minister for several decades, clarifying laws and regulations, rectifying the court order, encouraging agriculture and sericulture, and filling the granaries.

Consequently, the world was peaceful, distant peoples admired his righteousness, and tribute envoys traveled the roads in an endless stream.

On his deathbed, he wrote a memorial: "My family has eight hundred mulberry trees and fifteen qing of meager fields, enough to provide porridge for my descendants. On the day I pass away, there will be no surplus silk inside and no excess wealth outside, so I hope I have not failed Your Majesty."

—— "Book of the Blazing Han: Biography of Zhuge Liang"

(End of this chapter)