Chapter 135: Digging the Canal, Building Luoyang: Pride and Wantonness (Begging for Monthly Votes)

No one knew what had happened that night within Renshou Palace.

But Yang Jian's death had become an established fact.

Surrounded by the host of ministers—

Crown Prince Yang Guang formally ascended the throne, succeeding to the Emperor's position.

For any feudal dynasty.

The passing of an Emperor was an event significant enough to affect the entire realm.

All the more so since Yang Jian's reputation had been extremely fine.

After so many years of turmoil, an Emperor like Yang Jian—who had once again unified the realm and thoroughly stabilized the times—was one people would especially cherish.

Now, he was gone.

Fortunately, Yang Guang's reputation was equally fine.

Over these years, his reputation for filial piety, kindness, and love of the people had long spread throughout the entire realm.

This made the common folk of the realm full of expectation for the next Emperor.

After all, whether it was Liu Zhuang of old, or Liu Shan, these two Emperors who had taken up the heavy burden from their fathers could both be called benevolent and righteous rulers.

Capable of leading the entire realm once more into a brand-new age of prosperity.

Only the ministers in court could sense the storm contained within all this.

—Especially Gu Zhe.

Since that day, Gu Zhe had shut himself in and refused to come out.

Although he had seen nothing.

Yang Guang had not dealt with him for the time being either, but the blow he had suffered that day and the suspicions in his heart had still shaken him.

He knew full well that if everything was true, the realm would absolutely fall into great chaos in Yang Guang's hands!

Daxing Hall.

Although it was still the period of national mourning, Yang Guang paid it no heed at all.

His face full of smiles, he lightly traced the outline of the dragon throne, his eyes brimming with pride: "Yah yah yah~"

"I—"

"Have waited for this day far, far too long."

Paying no attention to those present, he murmured softly to himself a couple of lines, then sat down directly upon the dragon throne, the elation on his face reaching its very peak at this moment.

"We pay homage to Your Majesty!"

Without the slightest hesitation, everyone present immediately knelt toward Yang Guang.

They were all Yang Guang's trusted confidants.

Yang Guang looked at them with satisfaction, his smile widening: "My dear ministers, there is no need for such ceremony—you are all my trusted confidants."

"Once I ascend the throne, there will naturally be rewards and bestowments."

His face had always worn a smile.

Hearing this, the crowd hastened to give thanks.

Wasn't this precisely the outcome they had wanted?

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, Yuwen Shu seemed to think of something and suddenly spoke: "I would offer counsel—given the present situation, Minister of Personnel Gu Zhe should be dealt with!"

—Deal with Gu Zhe!

This was a thorn in the heart for every one of them.

Not only because Gu Zhe had gone to Renshou Palace that day, but also because of the long-standing image of the Gu clan in everyone's mind.

No minister was willing to see the Gu clan enter court.

For whenever the Gu clan gained power, no other family could ever reach the top again.

Including when Yang Jian had first summoned the Gu clan into court.

Quite a few in court had protested at the time.

It was only because Yang Jian had needed to quickly pacify the hearts of the people that he had been compelled to do so.

But even so, over these years he had never particularly placed the Gu clan in important positions.

Now the hearts of the realm had long been settled.

They naturally wished to take advantage of the new dynasty to move against the Gu clan, absolutely not allowing the Gu clan any further chance.

"Gu Zhe?"

Hearing these words, a flash of mockery passed through Yang Guang's eyes, and he immediately smiled and said: "Pay him no heed!"

He understood these men's thoughts all too well!

He could not possibly move against the Gu clan now.

Although the Gu clan's influence over the entire realm had long since faded and was no longer what it once was.

But he had not yet formally succeeded to the throne.

If at such a time he moved against the Gu clan, wouldn't that be inviting trouble upon himself?

Hearing this, a look of disappointment immediately flashed across the faces of those present.

Yang Guang noticed this.

A smile once again crossed his face: "Set your minds at ease, my lords."

"I am not Liu Bei!"

"Nor is my Great Sui the former Han!"

"The Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven—what talk of 'Liu and Gu share the realm,' what talk of 'the tripod of the Liu clan should bear the name of the Gu clan inscribed upon it.'"

"None of this can possibly appear in my Great Sui!"

His expression unconsciously turned serious all at once as he swept his gaze across everyone present: "I am going to be an Emperor unmatched by any before or after!"

"Setting aside the matter of the Gu clan."

"No matter who it is — all are destined to submit beneath my feet."

This was both a reassurance and a warning.

Even though everyone present was his trusted confidant, Yang Guang did not care in the slightest.

Everyone present was an old fox.

How could they fail to catch the meaning in Yang Guang's words?

But they still did not dare say more, and one after another prostrated themselves again before Yang Guang, shouting, "Your Majesty is wise."

"Alright."

Yang Guang's expression suddenly turned casual, that unruly smile appearing once more on his face. "My dear ministers, there is no need to be nervous."

"I — still know your loyalty; I was merely speaking offhand."

"The Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven."

"The foul customs of the past must never appear in our Great Sui."

"As for Gu Zhe."

"For now, have someone keep an eye on him; do not let him leave."

"The pressing matter at hand is still Yang Yong!"

He looked toward Yuwen Shu. "Botong, how goes the matter I entrusted to you?"

"Your Majesty may rest assured. I have already sent my son Yuwen Huaji to deal with the deposed Crown Prince Yang Yong." Yuwen Shu did not dare hesitate in the slightest and hastened to speak.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Yang Guang's face was full of exhilaration. He cried "good" three times in succession, and looking at Yuwen Shu said, "Once this matter is done, your son need no longer serve as a palace guard officer."

"Let him be appointed Vice Minister of the Imperial Stables."

He spoke with great casualness.

A look of delight instantly appeared on Yuwen Shu's face, and he hastened to bow in thanks.

A flash of envy passed through the eyes of the other ministers.

Yang Guang watched this scene, and the smile on his face grew ever thicker.

He liked this feeling of controlling everything.

He only needed to toss out a piece of meat at random, and there would be people scrambling for it.

Any person under heaven.

All lay within his control!

The seventh month;

Yang Guang formally held his enthronement ceremony, and under the witness of all the officials, ascended the throne and proclaimed himself Emperor.

He changed the era name to "Daye."

Through this era name, he displayed to the full the great enterprise in his heart.

Thereafter he immediately carried out a series of personnel adjustments, promoting all his trusted confidants to key positions.

Within the entire court, a storm of blood and carnage inevitably arose.

Unlike every previous emperor.

Although other emperors had also promoted their confidants, they had not gone so far as slaughter.

But Yang Guang would!

Toward the ministers who had not supported him before, Yang Guang's methods were extremely bloody.

Liu Shu and Yuan Yan, these two former trusted confidants of Yang Jian.

Beyond that.

Even Gao Jiong, He Ruobi, and others who had rendered Great Merit to the Sui's unification but had not supported him in the past were also implicated.

This was an enormous purge.

And after all of this was thoroughly settled, Yang Guang immediately began the first step of his own grand ambitions.

Digging the Grand Canal!

He resolved to draw water from the Gu River and Luo River at the Western Park of Luoyang, eastward to Xuyi where it would join the Huai River.

Connecting the two great water systems of the Yellow River and the Huai River!

This matter could truly be called earth-shattering!

Although construction had not yet begun, just hearing Yang Guang's ideas, the ministers could sense the immense difficulty of the undertaking.

But —

Perhaps precisely because of Yang Guang's purge this time, virtually no one in the entire court dared to refuse.

Some only suggested that it should be carried out gradually.

But these people, without exception, all suffered Yang Guang's slaughter.

Although he had only just ascended the throne.

The methods Yang Guang had already displayed made everyone feel fear — this was an Emperor who liked to control everything himself.

He disliked others opposing him!

The matter was thus settled.

The first year of Daye, the third month;

Yang Guang formally resolved to dig the Grand Canal, ordering Yuwen Kai to oversee it, and mobilizing over a million men and women from the various commanderies of Henan, intending to open the Ji Canal.

— The entire court was shaken!

A project of over a million people — unimaginable in the present age.

But it did not end there.

In the same year, Yang Guang once again resolved to dredge and widen the Hangou Canal that King Fuchai of Wu had cut during the Spring and Autumn period.

He again conscripted over a hundred thousand Huainan commoners to open the Hangou Canal.

The realm boiled over!

No one had expected that Yang Guang, the moment he ascended the throne, would make such sweeping moves.

The entire court trembled!

Countless memorials flooded in. No matter how fearsome Yang Guang's imperial authority, at a time like this there were bound to be those who would speak out!

They could not bear it!

The court could not shoulder such enormous expenditure.

The realm could not bear such crushing corvée labor either!

Even Gu Zhe had no choice but to submit a memorial, along with a host of Gu clan disciples who had successively entered the world.

Though some of them were not within the court itself but held office in the four corners of the realm.

But precisely because of this.

They could see all the more clearly the exhaustion of the people — how could they not submit memorials?

But of what use was it?

Faced with these memorials, Yang Guang did not care in the slightest; he even went on to lay out plans for the construction of the Eastern Capital at Luoyang!

This was entirely different from the Han dynasty's Luoyang.

Yang Guang intended, on the basis of the existing city, to carry out a series of large-scale expansions.

He set out the Western Garden of Luoyang, over two hundred li around; within the garden he built a "sea" more than ten li in circumference; north of the garden he built the Dragon-Scale Canal, which wound into the sea, and along the canal he erected sixteen separate compounds, the buildings and furnishings within them the very pinnacle of extravagance.

Including the dragon boat that symbolized his exalted status!

To this end, Yang Guang drafted over two million commoners from all over the realm!

The realm was shaken!

This series of corvée labor could truly be called unprecedented.

The most critical point was—

Beyond this, Yang Guang also set the campaign against Linyi, appointing Liu Fang as Commander-in-Chief of the Huanzhou Route, with Director of the Right of the Department of State Affairs Li Gang as Military Adjutant, to attack Linyi.

The entire land of the Nine Provinces was awash in blood and storm.

No feudal dynasty could bear such large-scale undertakings.

Let alone that the Nine Provinces had only just emerged from years of chaos.

The entire court resounded with laments.

Endless memorials were carried before Yang Guang, including those from Gao Jiong, Yuwen Bi, He Ruobi, and other Court's Weight ministers.

Everyone wished to dissuade Yang Guang.

Moreover, the clamor grew ever more alarming.

This time Yang Guang acted.

Daye third year.

Yang Guang issued an edict charging Gao Jiong, He Ruobi, Yuwen Bi, and others with the crime of "slandering court policy" and put them to death; their sons were all exiled, and were killed on the road.

In addition, there were the sons of the deposed Crown Prince Yang Yong.

His eldest son Yang Yan was poisoned by Yang Guang.

The remaining ten sons were all exiled and died wretchedly along the road.

Qin Wang Yang Liang raised troops in rebellion.

Under the banner of "Yang Guang's succession lacked virtue," he resolved to carry out a campaign of "pacifying the calamity," but was suppressed by Duke of Chu Yang Su and ordered to die by strangulation.

All his sons were placed under house arrest.

With a series of ruthless measures, Yang Guang crushed everyone who opposed him.

Under such circumstances.

The atmosphere within the court finally began to change.

This was the inevitable change.

Once everyone discovered that opposing Yang Guang meant death, while flattering Yang Guang meant promotion, hearts would shift.

But they could change — what of the Gu clan disciples?

Gu Yi had been watching all of this, his thoughts immensely complex.

This too was the calamity destined to come from the Gu clan's split.

Whether it was the ambition in their hearts;

Or the long-stifled unwillingness to accept the Gu clan's decline.

Once a host of Gu clan disciples chose another path, no longer of one mind as they once had been, all of this had already become inevitable.

Gu Yi had been silently watching all of this, his heart weighed down with immeasurable heaviness.

What kind of Emperor Yang Guang was.

He knew perfectly well.

Setting aside his achievements, judging solely by Yang Guang's talent and temperament, the path he wished to walk was utterly incompatible with the Gu clan.

All of this was inevitable!

Although Yang Guang, for now, in order to prevent the realm from falling into too great a turmoil, would not move against the Gu clan.

But for the Gu clan disciples.

Their ideals and ambitions would never accept this reality.

Brave young men wrote petitions in blood, carried coffins into the capital, and even at the cost of their lives, insisted on offering counsel.

Those without courage abandoned their offices and withdrew from the world.

Yet whenever they heard news about their clansmen, they would show signs of shame, even ceasing to call themselves Gu Shizi.

This too was a trial for the Gu clan.

The growing rift within would, under this turmoil, reforged into unity once more.

For the sake of eternal legacy.

The clan's unity from top to bottom was among its key elements.

Ministry of Personnel.

Since Yang Guang ascended the throne, Gu Zhe had been de facto imprisoned within his mansion.

Though he still held a nominal official title.

But in truth, he had long since lost all power.

Yet this was not the most critical matter.

For Gu Zhe, the most critical matter was overcoming the barrier within his own heart.

Though only a few years had passed.

But now he had long lost his former vigor, appearing as if aged decades.

Once, he aspired to restore his clan's former glory.

It was precisely because of this that he ignored Gu Yu's counsel and chose to enter public service.

He had even hoped to surpass his elder brother, Gu Yu.

Yet he had never imagined he would end up in such a state.

The night stretched on.

He sat in his study, by the dim candlelight, slowly slicing open his finger with a knife.

Gu Zhe was also a man of talent.

Among the clan's young men, his abilities, though not as good as Gu Yu's, were still outstanding.

His appointment as Minister of Personnel proved it.

In truth, he still harbored boundless dreams.

But now all of it was destined.

As the highest-ranking official of the Gu clan in this generation, he would never allow himself to bring shame upon the Gu name.

He had no path left to retreat.

But he could not accept it.

He now had a clear judgment of the future—he was certain that under Yang Guang's rule, the realm would descend into chaos.

What he now wished to do was to accelerate it all!

"No destruction, no renewal!"

These were the words spoken by Gu Xi in days past!

Gu Zhe firmly believed that as long as Gu Yu lived, the realm would surely turn a corner.

Drops of fresh blood kept falling.

With his own blood, he wrote large characters upon the paper before him.

He then immediately summoned the servants within the mansion.

These were the people from Julu who had followed him—each Gu Shizi had one, raised from childhood to accompany them.

They tended to daily needs and protected the Gu Shizi.

This had become a tradition.

The loyalty of the Julu people to the Gu clan was beyond others' imagination.

"Young Master!"

Seeing the blood still dripping, the servant froze: "Why are you doing this?!"

He hurried to call for help.

But Gu Zhe stopped him directly: "Find an opportunity to deliver this letter back to Julu."

His expression was utterly serious.

At this, the servant suddenly froze.

Then, as if understanding, his expression turned complex—he said nothing more, simply took the blood-written letter from Gu Zhe's hand.

All these men had been trained by the Gu clan.

Their abilities were not those of ordinary commoners.

Not to mention they had been together for many years.

It was no surprise that he could guess Gu Zhe's intentions at such a moment.

Tears slipped down unbidden.

Gu Zhe looked at the boy before him and smiled faintly, then waved his hand: "Live well!"

The servant said nothing, staring intently at Gu Zhe.

Then he bowed deeply to him.

Then turned and left.

The next day.

Gu Zhe, rarely attending court, presented his counsel to Yang Guang in the imperial hall.

He was scolded and mocked by Yang Guang before the court ministers.

Amidst the flattery of sycophantic ministers, Gu Zhe slammed his head against the grand railing pillar inside Daxing Hall.

Better to die than disgrace the Gu name.

Gu Yi had been silently watching all of this, and could not help but sigh.

In fact, over these years,

he had seen too many deaths of Gu clan disciples.

The Gu clan's illustrious reputation was not won solely by Gu Kang, Gu Xi, Gu Chen, and others—too many people had sacrificed for it.

Though lacking talent, they still added bricks and mortar to the Gu clan from other places.

Bones by the unceasing river, still dreams in deep chambers.

For the Gu clan,

this saying holds true.

What is tragic is that even Gu Yi could not remember all their names.

But history will remember.

Whether in the Gu clan's genealogy, or in the stone statues erected by obscure localities for each upright official,

their names will not fade so easily.

And all they did will ultimately be remembered by someone.

Yang Guang was very clever.

He completely suppressed Gu Zhe's death remonstrance, preventing it from being spread.

But where in this world is there a wall without cracks?

Especially when Gu clan disciples across the four regions stirred in succession?

If in past years Gu Xi had defied the tide through extraordinary talent,

then this time—

it was ordinary Gu clan disciples defying the tide.

Though compared to Gu Xi of old, their impact was vastly lesser.

But many things have a limit.

When that limit nears its breaking point, everything will explode.

Yang Guang cared nothing for any of this.

Under his iron-fisted rule, the entire court became nothing but flatterers of him.

Everything seemed beyond reversal.

The burdens of labor and hardship across the four directions weighed like heavy chains, returning the people of the Nine Provinces to conditions even harsher than those of wartime.

Digging the canal; building Longzhou; constructing Luoyang.

Each project demanded astonishing manpower.

Millions;

merely short-term figures.

Just for the construction and repair of Luoyang and the Western Garden, monthly labor needs approached two million.

But what did Yang Guang truly want?

Since his ascension, he had continuously ordered people across the land to collect rare treasures and artifacts, searched for beauties throughout the realm, and demanded annual selections of beautiful women to be sent to the palace.

In addition,

he led princes, ministers, empresses, concubines, and palace maids on tours, each expedition numbering between one and two hundred thousand.

Everywhere he passed, food had to be supplied within a five-hundred-li radius.

The entire realm echoed with complaints and laments.

Under these conditions, Gu Yu finally returned to Julu.

This journey,

for him, had truly been a journey of ten thousand miles, witnessing the coldness of human relations and the rise and fall of the world.

Compared to before,

his entire demeanor had changed greatly, especially his eyes, which now seemed to see through all things.

For him, the return journey was not easy.

At first, he still tried as before to help ordinary people.

But he could save one person, not all of humanity.

Gu Can was now very old, nearing the end of his life.

His life, like those of previous generations of Gu clan lords,

had sacrificed everything for the family.

Yet seeing his eldest son, Gu Yu—the one he had hoped for most—return was a great blessing for Gu Can.

Julu, Gu Manor.

"My son!"

As Gu Yu stepped into the manor, Gu Can rushed forward, his eyes instantly reddening at the sight of Gu Yu's sun-darkened skin: "You—"

"I am unharmed."

"Darkened skin is not bad—it is like our ancestor, Marquis Wencheng, who brought prosperity to the realm."

Gu Yu smiled first, then took a deep breath and without hesitation knelt before Gu Can: "I am unfilial—I have not returned home for years, nor served you at your bedside."

He took a deep breath, then without the slightest hesitation dropped straight to his knees before Gu Can: "This son has been unfilial. For many years I never came home, nor could I attend to Father at your bedside."

"Son."

Before Gu Yu could finish speaking, Gu Can cut him off directly: "Why say all this!"

"That you can come back is already enough for your father."

His eyes grew redder and redder as he stared fixedly at Gu Yu and said: "My son... my sons of the Gu clan..."

Gu Can's voice suddenly grew a little choked.

For the Gu clan.

This was indeed the first time since their rise that they faced such a situation; Yang Guang's attitude toward the Gu clan made everyone feel the crisis of clan extermination.

That man was a madman!

The prestige the Gu clan had always Depended On could not help the Gu clan now.

Even if the common folk of Julu would fight to the death to protect them.

But this was the Gu clan's secret weapon, and relying solely on these people to oppose the entire court was, without question, still a fool's dream.

Gu Can had been worrying about this matter all this time.

"Father, I know." Gu Yu said earnestly.

How could he not know?

"My son... our Gu clan..." Gu Can's emotions grew increasingly agitated, even his body trembling ceaselessly.

He did not want the Gu clan's foundation to be destroyed in his hands.

Gu Yu rose and kept comforting Gu Can.

Gu Can had indeed held it in for far too long.

His brothers had long since passed away with the passage of years, and as for the younger generation of sons, they too could not discuss the clan's great affairs with him.

But Gu Yu was different.

On Gu Yu's shoulders rested the expectations of all of them.

Only after a long while, under Gu Yu's continuous comfort, did Gu Can gradually calm down.

He recalled the blood letter Gu Zhe had sent back at the time.

He immediately took Gu Yu to go examine it.

That blood letter was still in the hands of Gu Zhe's guard; this man's name was Xue San, and his family had lived under the Gu clan since his ancestors, generation after generation receiving their grace.

Since returning to Julu, his temperament had also undergone great changes.

Even when facing Gu Can he no longer spoke much, and even upon hearing the news of Gu Zhe's death he had not said anything more.

From beginning to end he had never gone home, having been kept under protection within the Gu residence the whole time, the man seeming like one possessed as he ceaselessly trained his martial arts.

Until he saw Gu Yu.

Only then did his expression finally change, and he directly took out Gu Zhe's blood letter.

The contents above were very simple.

It was merely the anomalies within the palace on the day Yang Jian died.

This news had been completely suppressed by Yang Guang; very few people knew of it.

Gu Yu looked at the contents, a flicker of sorrow also passing through his eyes; he understood Gu Zhe's intention.

To push the world into chaos — no breaking, no standing!

Once this news was released, it would give many people a reasonable pretext.

This was the Gu clan's flexible moral bottom line!

To achieve what they sought, they would stop at nothing.

Gu Yu's expression was cold and still as frost; his fingertips brushed over the blood-soaked letter, he cast only a casual glance, then tossed it back to Xue San.

The dark red stains of blood wound across the plain white paper like serpents, and a faint rust-and-iron scent seemed still to drift in the air.

"Young Master!" Xue San strode forward quickly, the hem of his robe stirring up a gust of wind; gazing at Gu Yu's back as he was about to walk away, his throat seemed seized by something, and he struggled to force out those three words.

Gu Yu's footsteps paused briefly, but he did not turn back.

"I—" Xue San suddenly clenched his fists tight, his knuckles white, unwillingness and resolve surging in his eyes.

"I know." Gu Yu finally turned around slowly, his gaze calm as still water, yet rippling when it met the flame in the depths of Xue San's eyes,

"Bear with it a while longer. Only by living is there hope."

PS: It's the end of the month, still the double monthly-ticket period, on my knees begging for monthly tickets!!! Brothers can casually click a like on the character card, the likes are really few.

(End of this chapter)