Chapter 1447: Praised by Later Generations

In the days that followed, the cooperation between Liu Bei and Gu Yi became increasingly close. They not only achieved significant achievements in military affairs but also implemented a series of policies that won the hearts of the people in civil administration. Liu Bei knew well that to achieve long-term stability, relying on force alone was far from enough; he had to let the people live and work in peace and contentment to truly consolidate the foundation.

Thus, he ordered a reduction in taxes, encouraged farming, and at the same time established schools and advocated education, hoping to fundamentally improve the living standards and cultural literacy of the people. Gu Yi used his commercial network to introduce advanced farming techniques and tools to help farmers increase production, and also advocated the development of handicrafts and commerce, injecting new vitality into the economy of Shu Han.

As time passed, the national strength of Shu Han gradually increased, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and society presented a prosperous scene. Liu Bei's reputation also spread far and wide, attracting more talents to come and join, including many wise men and brave generals.

However, Liu Bei was not satisfied with this. He knew that in this era of competing heroes, only by constantly making progress could he remain invincible. Thus, he began to plan new strategies, intending to further expand the territory of Shu Han, and at the same time strengthen alliances with other forces to jointly resist Cao Cao's threat.

In this process, Gu Yi's role became increasingly prominent. He not only provided Liu Bei with sufficient financial support but also used his wisdom and experience to offer advice to Liu Bei, helping him resolve one crisis after another. The tacit understanding and trust between the two became the cornerstone of the stability of the Shu Han regime.

Just as Liu Bei was preparing to implement a new strategic plan, an unexpected piece of news came: Sun Quan of Eastern Wu intended to form an alliance with Shu Han to jointly resist Cao Cao. Hearing this, Liu Bei was overjoyed, thinking this was an excellent opportunity to expand the influence of Shu Han. He immediately dispatched Gu Yi as an envoy to Eastern Wu to discuss the alliance.

Gu Yi lived up to expectations, and with his outstanding diplomatic skills and sincere attitude, he successfully persuaded Sun Quan. The two sides signed an alliance agreement, agreeing to advance and retreat together and resist Cao Cao together. This alliance not only won a valuable ally for Shu Han but also laid a solid foundation for the later Battle of Red Cliffs.

The Battle of Red Cliffs was one of the most brilliant battles in Liu Bei's life. In this battle, Liu Bei joined forces with Sun Quan, defeated Cao Cao with fewer troops, and completely reversed the situation of the tripartite confrontation. And the victory of this battle was inseparable from the joint efforts and wisdom of Liu Bei, Gu Yi, and many soldiers.

After the battle, Liu Bei and Gu Yi met again to celebrate the victory. They reviewed every bit of the past, from the Peach Garden Oath to today's brilliant achievements, every step was full of hardship and challenges. But they firmly believed that as long as there were ideals and beliefs in their hearts, nothing could stop their progress.

Liu Bei raised his glass to Gu Yi and said: "Brother Yi, you and I have known each other for many years and have experienced countless storms together. Today's victory is not something I could achieve alone, but the result of the joint efforts of you, me, and all the soldiers. That I, Liu Bei, can have today's achievements is all thanks to Brother Yi's assistance and support. May we continue to work together in the future to create a more brilliant tomorrow."

Hearing this, a warm current surged in Gu Yi's heart. He knew well Liu Bei's kindness of appreciation and felt proud to be Liu Bei's close friend and strategist. He raised his glass and responded: "Brother Xuande is too modest. You and I share the same ideals and pursue the great righteousness of the world together. Today's victory is our common glory. May we continue to fight side by side in the future to seek well-being for the people of the world."

Time flies like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, Liu Bei and Gu Yi have worked together for decades. During these decades, they have experienced countless storms together and witnessed Shu Han grow from a small separatist force into a powerful country standing alongside Cao Wei and Eastern Wu. And all these achievements are inseparable from their deep friendship and tacit cooperation.

With the increase in age, Liu Bei also increasingly realized the importance of talent. He knew that whether a country was prosperous or not largely depended on whether it had enough talent to support it. Thus, he began to pay more attention to the cultivation and selection of talent, hoping to lay a solid foundation for the future of Shu Han.

Gu Yi also knew Liu Bei's intentions well, and he began to run around to recruit talents for Liu Bei. He not only paid attention to those who were already famous but also paid more attention to discovering those wise men hidden among the people. Under his efforts, the talent pool of Shu Han gradually enriched, providing a continuous source of power for later development.

However, even under such a prosperous age, Liu Bei and Gu Yi never relaxed their vigilance. They knew well that in this troubled world, a slight carelessness could lead to disaster. Therefore, they always maintained a clear head and paid attention to the changes in the situation of the world at all times.

Against this background, a sudden piece of news broke the tranquility of Shu Han. Sun Quan of Eastern Wu suddenly passed away, and his son Sun Liang succeeded to the throne. However, Sun Liang was young and ignorant, and the power actually fell into the hands of his mother and a group of cronies. These people held hostility toward Shu Han and began to plan an attack on Shu Han.

After hearing the news, Liu Bei and Gu Yi immediately realized that this was a serious threat. They knew that if Eastern Wu really launched an attack, Shu Han would face an unprecedented crisis. Thus, they began to urgently discuss response strategies.

After careful consideration, they decided to adopt a two-pronged strategy. On the one hand, they dispatched envoys to Eastern Wu, trying to resolve the crisis through diplomatic means; on the other hand, they began to actively prepare for war to prevent the unexpected.

However, diplomatic efforts did not achieve the expected results. The people in power in Eastern Wu ignored Shu Han's request for peace and instead accelerated the pace of the attack. Seeing this, Liu Bei and Gu Yi knew that the problem could no longer be solved through peaceful means. Thus, they began to prepare for war with all their might.

They mobilized all their troops and strengthened the defense of the border. At the same time, they also dispatched spies to sneak into Eastern Wu to inquire about the enemy situation. After a period of intense preparation, Shu Han finally made preparations for the battle.

However, just as the war was about to break out, an unexpected turning point appeared. A coup occurred within Eastern Wu, and those in power who held hostility toward Shu Han were cleared away one by one. The new person in power realized the importance of forming an alliance with Shu Han and took the initiative to send envoys to seek peace.

Seeing this, Liu Bei and Gu Yi knew that this was a rare opportunity. They immediately dispatched envoys to Eastern Wu to discuss the alliance with the other side. After some bargaining, the two sides finally reached an agreement. Shu Han and Eastern Wu formed an alliance again to jointly resist the threat of Cao Wei.

This alliance not only resolved the crisis of Shu Han but also laid a solid foundation for the later Northern Expedition. Liu Bei and Gu Yi knew the importance of this alliance, so they began to prepare for the Northern Expedition more diligently.

They knew that the Northern Expedition was an arduous war that required full preparation and planning. Thus, they began to mobilize all resources to make full preparations for the Northern Expedition. They recruited soldiers, raised grain and grass, forged weapons... everything was going on in full swing.

After years of preparation and planning, Liu Bei finally decided to launch the Northern Expedition. He personally led the army to go on an expedition, swearing to eliminate Cao Wei, this heart-and-flesh trouble, in one fell swoop. Gu Yi remained in the rear, responsible for raising grain and grass and supporting the front line.

The war of the Northern Expedition was extremely arduous, and Liu Bei's army encountered stubborn resistance from Cao Wei. However, with Liu Bei's firm determination and Gu Yi's full support, the army of Shu Han still advanced step by step.

After several years of arduous fighting, Liu Bei finally successfully captured a large area of Cao Wei's territory. However, just as victory was about to come, Liu Bei passed away due to illness. This news plunged the soldiers and civilians of Shu Han into deep grief.

Gu Yi was even more heartbroken; he had lost his lifelong close friend and comrade-in-arms. However, he knew that Liu Bei's last wish had not been completed, and he had to continue moving forward. Thus, he endured the grief and continued to work for the future of Shu Han.

Under Gu Yi's efforts, the Northern Expedition cause of Shu Han was able to continue. Although countless difficulties and challenges were encountered in the process, under the joint efforts of Gu Yi and the soldiers and civilians of Shu Han, they still advanced step by step.

Finally, under Gu Yi's careful planning and heroic fighting, Shu Han finally successfully eliminated Cao Wei, this heart-and-flesh trouble. And Gu Yi also became a meritorious official and hero of Shu Han, praised by later generations. ===== CHAPTER 1448 =====