Chapter 157: The Beginning of the Zhenguan Era (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Compared to previous generations of family lords, Gu Yu's death did not cause any major impact across the Nine Provinces.

He had always remained hidden behind the scenes.

He had merely chosen a path for the Gu clan and for all under heaven.

Even Gu Yi had never anticipated his end would come this way—he had once held great hopes for Gu Yu as well.

Unfortunately, Gu Yu was born in the wrong era.

With his talent, he could have achieved far more.

Had he abandoned his family and pursued power alone, his accomplishments, even if not on par with Gu Chen and Gu Xi, could still have rivaled those of Gu Kang and Gu Sheng, shining brilliantly in his lifetime.

But as he himself said, the hardest emotion for a man to control is the desire for control.

——Yet he himself had mastered it.

For his family, he had not emerged from seclusion for years;

For all under heaven, he had traveled ten thousand li, observed the rise and fall of nations, and sought out a way forward.

For the Nine Provinces, even though he held the upper hand on the battlefield, had he launched troops, he could have secured great merit—even if not outright crushing the Turkic tribes in one campaign—he still restrained himself.

He was a truly selfless man.

For both the Gu clan and for the entire Nine Provinces.

But men like him were destined to remain hidden behind the scenes, their sacrifices unknown to the world.

As Gu Yu's eyes slowly closed.

The Luoshu Harmonizer fused within his body instantly flashed out and appeared in Gu Yi's backpack.

At the same time, a series of game notifications flashed up.

【Gu Yu died】

【.】

There were no great achievement points; even the game did not recognize Gu Yu's silent sacrifices—his accomplishments paled far too much compared to those earning high achievement points.

But fortunately—

The world did not know, the game did not acknowledge, but the Gu clan's descendants knew.

As long as the Gu clan continued to thrive across generations,

Eventually, the world would come to know the sacrifices of those who had laid the foundation for the Gu clan from behind the scenes.

Chang'an.

Upon hearing the news of Gu Yu's death, even Li Shimin fell unusually silent.

To him,

Gu Yu had been his guide.

In the past, though he had wished to build an unprecedented golden age, his understanding of such an era had been far too shallow.

It was only after his journey to Julu, his resolve clarified, and days of deep conversation

that Li Shimin reached where he was today.

Of course, this was not to say Li Shimin became Emperor because of Gu Yu.

But because of his own character.

Li Shimin had a very clear vision for governing the entire Tang Empire—this was the experience he had drawn from Gu Yu.

All current Tang institutions had formally taken their first step through the reforms Gu Yu had proposed in years past.

Now, Li Shimin had inherited all of it and was beginning to expand and glorify the Tang.

This matter had indeed struck Li Shimin hard.

Though Gu Yu had specifically instructed that no posthumous title be granted, Li Shimin still felt the urge to do so.

Others did not know Gu Yu's merits.

How could he not know?

With his character, how could he let Gu Yu's name vanish into obscurity in history?

Others would naturally not dissuade him—only Gu Quan could.

"Your Majesty, do you wish to make my father die with unclosed eyes?"

Inside the Taiji Hall.

Only the emperor and minister faced each other; Gu Quan's voice echoed through the entire hall: "The Gu clan's descendants pass down generation after generation—like me, once I chose to stand by Your Majesty's side, I would never return to the Gu clan."

"And my father was the same."

His eyes were red, his whole body filled with sorrow, but as Gu Yu's eldest son, he understood his father's heart—and had to say these words.

"Since our ancestor, Wu Hou, the Gu clan has passed down through generations, and several forebears truly served the people of the Nine Provinces, earning them posthumous titles for ancestral worship."

"But my father—"

Tears kept falling; Gu Quan still forced back his grief, gritting his teeth: "He never achieved Great Merit for the state."

"If Your Majesty truly grants my father a posthumous title, he will die with unclosed eyes."

Looking at Gu Quan before him, Li Shimin fell completely silent.

This was the extraordinary nature of the Gu clan.

Many times,

He could hardly imagine how the Gu clan had reached this point.

They had repeatedly turned away from the throne within reach, willingly forsaken posthumous fame.

Which of these was not what others spent their entire lives chasing?

Only the Gu clan—

Could willingly push all of it aside.

The so-called disputes, including past scenes of brotherly conflict, never occur within the Gu clan.

It may be manageable in the short term, but the Gu clan has endured for centuries.

Li Shimin would never know that all of this stems from generations of early upbringing through word and deed, and from the Gu clan's enduring glory; as the Gu clan's prestige gradually waned, Gu Yi even used the Spirit-Link Jade to restrict the Gu clan's youth.

Otherwise, the Gu clan might have completely fractured during the chaos of the late Han dynasty.

But precisely because of this, Li Shimin's emotions were so complex.

"I understand."

After a long silence, he gave a slight nod, thus agreeing to the matter.

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty." Gu Quan did not hesitate—he immediately knelt and bowed deeply to Li Shimin, his voice trembling with tears: "My father said Your Majesty is a holy Son of Heaven."

"Your servant and my clan brothers also believe in Your Majesty."

Li Shimin understood Gu Quan's intentions.

Gu Yan and the others had not returned to court; according to their words, they were guarding the empire's borders, allowing all of Jiuzhou to rest and recover.

They all believed in Li Shimin.

They believed Li Shimin would one day lead them beyond Jiuzhou.

Li Shimin took a deep breath and nodded solemnly: "I understand!"

Although no posthumous title was granted to Gu Yu, Li Shimin still gave him an extremely solemn funeral and buried him in Julu.

And with the funeral concluded,

the entire Tang dynasty finally returned to peace, and disaster relief proceeded smoothly.

Even more smoothly than before.

Because Li Shimin had drawn his blade.

After fully stabilizing the situation, Li Shimin finally ceased tolerating the high ministers once favored by Li Yuan.

He wanted everyone to understand that he, Li Shimin, was indeed an emperor willing to accept advice.

But he was not a man who only knew to retreat.

For these court ministers, those who obeyed quietly could keep their lives, but anyone harboring resentment or ulterior motives was exiled!

The entire court was filled with paranoia, every rustle a threat.

Yet even so, the inner workings of the Tang court remained utterly stable.

Li Shimin's own faction formed the foundation of the Tang court, and do not forget the many Gu clan youths skilled in governing the realm.

Although individually, these men's talents did not seem outstanding,

their abilities were sufficient to keep pace with an emperor like Li Shimin and open a golden age across all of Jiuzhou!

The second year of Zhenguan.

Drawing from the previous year's great famine in Guanzhong, Li Shimin proposed establishing local grain reserves to respond to famines.

And—

Moreover, Li Shimin had decided to repair the water conservancy systems.

This was naturally a major undertaking.

The entire court engaged in extremely detailed deliberations on these matters—not arguing as before, but debating whether such actions were appropriate now.

"Your Majesty, the people in Tianjing are exhausted, and the precedent of Emperor Yang of Sui's corvée labor looms large; if the court suddenly initiates construction, the people may voice discontent."

Changsun Wujie spoke with solemn seriousness.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling also nodded: "The Guanzhong famine has just ended; if we suddenly begin earthworks and something goes wrong, the court may not bear the burden."

Both men had cautious temperaments and naturally advised Li Shimin to wait a few years before starting construction.

—Water conservancy could indeed help the people.

But timing mattered.

"Your two arguments are incorrect." Before Li Shimin could speak, Du Ruhui interrupted directly: "Today, Jiuzhou is stable, the four seas are at peace; the Grand Tutor and others guard the borders and repel enemies from all directions."

"Your Majesty may not know, but I recently heard that Turkic troops retreat immediately upon seeing the banners of Tang and the Gu clan."

"Now is the perfect moment to begin construction—a heavenly gift."

Upon hearing this, many others nodded.

There was no real dispute.

Only differing governing philosophies led to different judgments.

Listening to each minister's opinion, Li Shimin furrowed his brow, fell silent for a long while, then raised his hand to halt the debate.

"Emperor Yang of Sui was a tyrant; his actions served only his own desires—when did he ever consider the toil and well-being of the people?"

His gaze slowly swept over Changsun Wujie and the other senior ministers, his expression resolute: "My heart seeks the light; I pursue this policy for one purpose alone—to benefit the people of the realm. Even if it invites criticism, what is there to fear?"

His words fell like gold and stone, clearly revealing his resolve.

"I know the people have endured war and suffering—" his voice grew somber, his fingers lightly tapping the desk, "but this water project's benefits far outweigh its costs."

"Look here—"

He lifted his eyes to the topographical map, his tone suddenly rising in passion: "All water systems across the land have lain neglected for too long—rivers silted, embankments collapsed; if we delay further, we are watching the people's livelihoods wither!"

"This year, mobilizing the entire nation's strength to repair them—even if we must tighten our belts and endure hardship in the first year—future irrigated fields will yield several times the harvest."

"This is merit for the present, benefit for a thousand generations!"

"My decision is final—"

His voice struck like a heavy hammer on a drum, making the candlelight in the hall tremble faintly: "From today forward, all civil and military officials must practice strict frugality and share the people's hardships."

"It begins with me." He traced the edge of the dragon desk, then raised his gaze, sweeping it over those present: "Earlier, I discussed with the Empress—the palace has too many maidservants. Tomorrow, we will count the rolls; those who wish to return home will be given silver and permitted to return, marry, and bear children—producing more Tang subjects is far better than trapping them within these palace walls."

The hall fell utterly silent; only the wind chimes at the eaves chimed softly in the twilight.

When his words ended, Changsun Wujie was the first to pull his robe and kneel; the ministers fell prostrate like a crashing wave, their voices shaking the rafters and stirring the dust: "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Enough." Li Shimin waved his hand, his sleeves sweeping across the pile of memorials on the desk. "The realm is not yet pacified—how dare I call myself Sage?"

He leaned forward, his gaze burning as it swept over Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and others. "The golden ages of past dynasties offer lessons—but what I seek…"

"It is not a golden age of rigid conformity, but a golden age so magnificent that future generations, upon opening their histories, will exclaim: 'Never before has there been such a thing!'"

"My ministers, remember this—"

"The hardship of frugality and flood control today is all for the sake of tomorrow's blessing: 'lost items unclaimed, doors left unlocked at night.'"

"Should anyone slack off…"

He suddenly smiled, but the smile held not a trace of warmth: "My Code of Zhen Guan is far 'more lenient' than Emperor Yang of Sui's harsh rule."

The Code of Zhen Guan—this was the legal code Li Shimin was currently revising.

It did not align with the original history.

Aside from benevolence, Li Shimin had made punishments for corrupt officials much harsher.

This was Li Shimin's resolve today!

Once he had a clear goal, no obstacle ahead could deter him.

The ministers all bowed in agreement, then promptly took their leave.

A grand, sweeping campaign to control the floods rose once more across the entire Tang realm.

The technology for repairing waterworks across the Nine Provinces now far surpassed the original history.

All technology advances over time.

In years past, Gu Kang's appearance had greatly accelerated progress in water management, naturally spurring further development.

But this flood control effort remained exceedingly difficult.

The Tang was poor!

The realm had just emerged from chaos; since Li Yuan's ascension, taxes on his people had always been light, compounded by years of warfare and Li Yuan's habit of buying loyalty with heavy rewards.

Naturally, this had left the court impoverished.

In truth, Li Shimin was dancing on a razor's edge—repairing waterworks was never easy.

But it proved true once again:

In the hearts of the people, there stands a scale.

They may not know how to read, may not know the classics or grand principles—but they can sense good and evil through the court's actions.

Unlike Emperor Yang Guang's forced labor in the past, this flood control effort won support from all four corners of the realm.

Not only from the common people;

But also from local magnates.

This was a benevolent act—especially after the golden age cultivated by Gu Kang, Gu Xi, and others through waterworks—so the people would support Li Shimin's move even more!

The people of the realm had longed for a golden age far too long!

They wanted a stable environment, where their families could all survive.

Suffering a little now meant nothing to them.

This may also be one of the unique traits embedded in the soul of the Huaxia people.

—Suffer first, then enjoy!

The benefits of rectifying the bureaucracy became fully evident now; though little time had passed, the execution of one official after another had shocked many.

At the very least, this ensured a minimum standard among officials during flood control.

But even so,

Li Shimin still dispatched many envoys through Gu Quan—unlike the former Censorate.

This time, the envoys walked among the people.

They observed the people's suffering and learned of local officials through the people themselves.

This move surprised everyone—Li Shimin cared for the people far more than any previous emperor.

Even within the court, a hint of opposition arose.

But Li Shimin's reply was simple: before the ministers in the Taiji Hall, he declared publicly: "A ruler who ignores the people's suffering cannot be a wise sovereign; one who shirks the weight of the state cannot build a golden age."

"If an emperor cares only for his own comfort, avoids hardship, and fears to act, how can he break through the crisis and protect ten thousand hearths?"

"I sit upon this dragon throne—I take the realm as my duty. Even if thorns line the path ahead, I will forge a broad, smooth road!"

Hearing this, those who opposed him felt ashamed.

This move indeed worked—it exposed another batch of hidden corrupt officials.

But Li Shimin did not stop there.

Regarding Guanzhong:

When he heard that many suffering families there had sold their children to survive, he personally selected gold, silver, and jewels from the palace to ransom them back.

Inspired by his example, the court ministers could not help but make their own contributions.

They inspected damaged farmland across the provinces, provided relief, and comforted the poor.

Though Li Shimin never left Chang'an, his envoys became his very embodiment, conveying to the people the emperor's benevolence.

Had it been another ruler, perhaps it would not have been so.

Even if they acted in Li Shimin's name, they would not forget to promote themselves.

But these envoys were different.

They were led by Gu Quan.

These so-called envoys were originally commoners—ordinary people trained by the Gu clan, like Xue San and others.

Gu Quan did not seek fame; neither did they.

As for promoting the Gu clan's name—they had no need to do so at all.

As long as the Gu clan remains in the court.

All under heaven will naturally attribute this merit to the Gu clan.

A wise ruler paired with the Gu clan will usher in an era of prosperity.

This has become an indelible mark across all Nine Provinces.

But water control would never proceed without obstacles.

Although Li Shimin had made thorough preparations, and under his influence and various measures, the entire Tang court was united as one.

But accidents would still come.

In the third year of Zhenguan, drought struck again.

Fortunately, this drought was not as vast as the disaster Gu Xi had faced in his time, spanning multiple states, yet it still affected the entire relief effort.

Although Li Shimin firmly believed that human effort could overcome heaven.

Yet to soothe the people of the realm,

he was still compelled to make concessions, holding a grand sacrifice to heaven on the Luo River, and ordering Fang Xuanling and others to perform rites for rain.

In addition—

Li Shimin publicly admitted his own faults and enacted a general amnesty.

He also dispatched more envoys to comfort the people across the land, and even ordered the construction of temples to enshrine the names of those who had died repairing waterworks.

Fortunately, this drought was not too severe.

Under Li Shimin's various measures, it did not greatly disrupt the waterworks repairs.

On the contrary, Li Shimin's actions stirred deep gratitude among the people.

The Four Directions stirred in motion.

Voices praising Your Majesty's sacred virtue arose one after another across the land.

This generation, after years of hardship, was finally beginning to realize how great an impact a wise ruler could have upon all under heaven.

Sacrifices at the Luo River increased.

Yet they were utterly different from before: previously, the people prayed for immortals like Gu Kang, Gu Xi, Gu Chen, and others who had forged the golden age to descend and redeem them.

Now, they gave thanks.

The illiterate commoners understood none of these subtleties; in their hearts, they truly believed these might indeed be immortals descending.

Even if they brought nothing of value, what of it?

After many years had passed,

the Gu clan, which had been in steady decline since the reign of the tyrannical emperor of Yan Han, returned to the Nine Provinces.

And this time, its impact far surpassed all previous eras.

One by one, Gu clan members emerged from the grassroots, truly entering the lives of the people, and under the leadership of Emperor Li Shimin, they reestablished in the hearts of all under heaven the benevolence of the Tang and the benevolence of the Gu clan.

Coupled with Gu Yan and others who had long guarded the nation's borders;

the Gu clan finally stepped onto the path chosen by Gu Yu.

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

He understood well—

this path was also destined to be exceedingly difficult.

But the Gu clan could not avoid this transformation.

Tying itself solely to one dynasty could indeed bring the Gu clan unparalleled glory, even rival imperial power.

But as long as the Gu clan did not take that step, it would forever be constrained by imperial authority.

To bear alone the rise and fall of an entire dynasty—

Gu Xi had done so in the past.

If the Gu clan never transformed, it would ultimately perish with a dynasty destined to fade.

Only by binding itself to the entire Nine Provinces could it escape such karmic entanglement.

Even if this path was destined to be hard.

But if the Gu clan wished to endure in eternal glory, it must endure all of this.

Thinking this, Gu Yi ultimately chose to fuse the Luoshu Xie Lv Device into Gu Quan's body, preparing for the future.

At the same time—

he began observing the next generation of the Gu clan.

Not only their attributes, but also their personalities—the burden on the Gu clan grew heavier; beyond talent represented by attributes, personality was equally crucial.

But all of this need not be rushed for now.

This generation's mission is not yet over.

Whether it be Gu Yan and others, or the Gu clan members in court, even Gu Quan himself—all were waiting.

Waiting for the Nine Provinces to recover;

waiting for the people of the realm to gradually grow prosperous, to recover from their weariness.

For now, it is still their era.

——————

"In the spring of the second year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong, taking agriculture as the foundation, issued an edict to repair waterworks across the realm and ordered all officials to practice frugality.

The Emperor himself set an example, first releasing more than three thousand palace maidens, cutting palace expenses to fund state needs.

At that time, the people rejoiced upon hearing the edict; prefectures and counties all launched construction projects, dredging rivers and canals, repairing dams and sluices, so that countless fields gained irrigation.

In autumn, he again dispatched envoys to tour the Four Directions, inspecting the people's hardships.

Seeing regions ravaged by famine, where families sold their children to survive, the Emperor was deeply moved, ordering officials to use the imperial treasury to redeem the children and grant them grain and silk to restore their livelihoods."

The common people were moved to tears, all saying: "Your Majesty has given of his private wealth to save young children, his virtue reaching even the plants and trees — how could even Yao or Shun add anything to this!"

Fang Xuanling and others memorialized requesting that the matter be recorded in the histories, saying: "Since the chaos of the late Sui, fathers and sons have long been scattered; now the sage sovereign pities the young, and the sound of his benevolence has reached the four corners of the earth — this is the transformation of the Zhenguan reign."

Throughout the realm there was celebration, all praising the sage's virtue."

— *Old Book of Tang*, Basic Annals of Taizong

(End of chapter)