Chapter 843 - 65: History Is Both a Lesson and a Cycle Repeated

Gu Lin has passed away.

An era full of endless legends seems to have scattered due to his sudden demise.

Five generations as regent, ultimately unifying the realm, standing above the ministers, beside the Emperor, yet always keeping the conduct of a subject.

No matter from which angle you view it, the century led by the Gu Clan can indeed be called an indelible epic.

However, an epic always has its final Chapter.

Even as Emperor Zhao Hanyin still remembers past affections, treating the Gu Clan with courtesy;

Even as the disciples and old acquaintances of the Gu Clan are scattered throughout the court, their foundation still intact;

But the era of the Gu Clan’s decisive words and actions influencing Kyushu is surely gone forever.

And as Gu Lin planned before his death, the Gu Clan began to gradually lay down their burdens and slowly retreat.

...

...

Time flows like the waters of Jiangdong, rushing on endlessly.

As Gu Lin anticipated and arranged before his death, although his eldest son Gu Xiuyuan inherited the position of Grand Tutor, he no longer possessed his father’s mighty influence, which commanded awe among the ministers.

His temperament has always leaned toward being gentle, sufficient in maintaining but lacking in advancement, often seeming powerless amidst the unpredictable court struggles.

Though Emperor Zhao Hanyin continued to trust the Gu Clan and consult them often,

many important decisions gradually bypassed Gu Xiuyuan, directly consulting with the emerging Secretariat and the officials of the Three Departments.

—This is not an act of heartlessness.

It is simply because Gu Xiuyuan’s capability is no longer sufficient to handle the duties required of the Grand Tutor.

Ending up in this situation naturally feels normal.

But the real turning point occurred after the accession of the new Emperor.

The new Emperor, young and strong, full of ambition.

His trusted circle mostly consisted of young nobles and fresh talents, who grew with him, and toward the deeply-rooted Gu Clan power from the previous dynasty, while maintaining surface respect, the new Emperor inevitably felt some fear and distance in his heart.

"The Grand Tutor is venerable in age and virtue; it is not suitable for him to overwork himself. Let such trifling government affairs be handled by the Secretariat."

"The new regulations for canal transport have been in effect for years. The Gu Clan’s bank contributed greatly to the state’s foundation, yet commerce values balance, and the court should also support other trustworthy businesses to prevent a single monopoly."

One seemingly reasonable decree and arrangement after another, like gentle yet persistent drops of water, subtly eroded the past authority and influence of the Gu Clan.

In the court, those whose views differed from the Gu Clan or were suppressed by Gu Lin began to adapt to the winds, tentatively voicing different opinions.

Initially only debating minor issues, gradually extending to the appointment of officials and policy direction.

Gu Xiuyuan tried to maintain the situation but often found himself isolated, no longer able to recreate the scene of Gu Lin’s time where a call would have universal support.

More crucially, the Gu Clan itself is also adjusting.

They always remembered Gu Lin’s legacy, "know when to advance and retreat, maintain the basics," choosing patience and concession in the face of overt and covert exclusion and division.

The Gu Clan offspring in their careers indeed fulfilled Gu Lin’s expectations, mostly appointed to practical roles, rarely reaching the core of power.

This is a necessary concession.

And the resulting situation inevitably leads to one outcome.

When the towering presence of the Gu Clan gradually receded, the long-suppressed political ambitions and factional disputes in the court surged abruptly.

The new Emperor sought to balance, but his trusted noble group and the bureaucratic system of officials entering through exams fiercely contested the vacant power and resources.

The implementation of policies often no longer came purely from national policy considerations, but increasingly mixed with factional interests and party rivalry.

Yet, more profound and harder to perceive changes occurred in the thriving commercial realm of Kyushu.

Why did Gu Lin in those years reform canal transport with irresistible force, and guard commerce with strict laws and independent oversight systems?

Because he and the behind-the-scenes Gu Yi understood well one principle.

—The essence of commerce seeking profit, if not restrained by rigid regulations and strong deterrence, would be like a runaway horse, unreserved in pursuit of interests.

Such "unreserved pursuit," during peaceful years when governance had not completely collapsed, often wasn’t blatant robbery, but a more systematic and entrenched exploitation.

With the loss of the Gu Clan’s and the Imperial Censorate’s ongoing intense supervision, new Delicious Groups began to quietly take shape.

They might be wealthy merchants closely related to high-ranking officials, or local noble families controlling key trade routes.

And these people, under the current circumstances, no longer had to engage in risky large-scale smuggling as before but found new ways of making money.

—That is downward exploitation!

The trade associations controlling the source of goods can band together, suppressing the prices at which they purchase raw materials from lower-tier producers;

The shipping firms controlling transportation can invent various fees, adding miscellaneous charges;

While those small traders, craftsmen, boatmen, and laborers dependent on large commercial firms found their wages effectively reduced, and their toil invisibly increased.

Layer upon layer of exploitation, the ultimate pressure all fell upon the lowest producers and laborers.

And among the Foreign Race gradually integrating into the Central Plains!

Northern Border, Liaodong.....

These territories were the last to be integrated into Kyushu, and the culture of Kyushu is only now beginning to spread; it is fundamentally impossible to emerge as high-ranking officials and nobles in a short time.

Moreover, due to the geographical situation.

These people have far greater reliance on trade than other regions.

When commercial oversight started to loosen, these people naturally became the first victims!