Chapter 433: Chapter 17: Rivalry Between Two Palaces, Gu Yu’s Reform (Double-Length for Monthly Tickets)

However, the most crucial element remains the locality!

The Gu Clan currently needs a flourishing era!

And the locality is the key among them!

Even so, this matter has stirred up a storm within the entire court.

The Great Tang indeed needs reform.

Now that the world is unified, the matter of reform is even more urgent.

After all, Li Yuan did not inherit the Celestial Mandate of the Sui Dynasty, but established his own. He cannot maintain the system left behind by the Sui Dynasty forever.

The entire court has begun a series of discussions around this matter.

This is certainly not something that can be settled in a day.

But Gu Yu is in no hurry; after bringing these issues to light, he made no further moves.

Nevertheless, this also helped Li Yuan alleviate the internal conflicts within the court.

But how long can this last?

Li Yuan naturally understood this well. Although he knew the Gu Clan would not get involved in these matters, he still privately met with Gu Yu to ask about his views on the current situation between the Eastern Palace and the King Qin’s Mansion.

The Sleeping Palace in Chang’an.

This is absolutely the core of the entire Imperial Palace, and for this, Li Yuan even dismissed all servants, leaving only Gu Yu.

"Grand Tutor, now in this Sleeping Palace, it’s just you and me, sovereign and subject."

"I can also assure——"

"What we discuss today, just between us, will surely not be known to anyone else. Can the Grand Tutor enlighten me? How should I handle the Eastern Palace and the King Qin’s Mansion?"

Li Yuan looked at Gu Yu earnestly, his expression extremely serious.

This signifies an extraordinary level of trust.

It is only the reputation accumulated by the Gu Clan over hundreds of years that allows Li Yuan to make such a decision.

Gu Yu’s expression showed no fluctuation. He first cupped his hands toward Li Yuan, then softly replied, "That depends on what kind of world Your Majesty desires?"

"What kind of world?"

Li Yuan immediately frowned, somewhat puzzled, "What do you mean by that?"

"Does Your Majesty truly believe that the world under the Great Tang is already peaceful?" Gu Yu still did not answer directly, instead posing another question.

Li Yuan’s frown deepened, but he did not speak.

Gu Yu waited for a moment before explaining, "In my opinion, within a few years, there will definitely be a war between the Great Tang and the Turkic, a conflict that the Great Tang cannot avoid."

"Your Majesty should envision——"

"Should a war with the Turkic arise, without the capability of King Qin... who in the Great Tang could be the commander?"

Gu Yu spoke very directly.

For all this, he had nothing to hide.

As the current Patriarch of the Gu Clan, he only needed to ensure not to directly participate in the struggle for the dynasty’s foundation.

Li Yuan had reached this point, and if he continued to remain an outsider, it would be rather foolish.

Upon hearing these words, Li Yuan’s expression suddenly changed slightly.

"Both the Crown Prince and King Qin are capable individuals; this is Your Majesty’s fortune. You just need to manage the situation well, whether the Crown Prince or King Qin, both can lead the Great Tang to a flourishing era."

"....."

Gu Yu spoke again, conveying his assessments of both to Li Yuan, but still did not provide a choice.

Li Yuan listened very intently.

Concerning his two sons, he was now also very helpless.

Actually, after hearing what Gu Yu said, he already felt some regret. If he had known earlier, he might as well have directly granted the title of "Ten Directions Expedition Envoy" to Li Shimin.

Maintaining the attitude of Li Jiancheng managing domestic affairs and Li Shimin handling foreign matters.

As long as he imposed restrictions and set constraints on Li Shimin, perhaps everything could be resolved.

But now it was still a bit late after all.

Under his silent attitude, the conflicts between the two and their subordinate’s conflicts had gradually risen to an irreconcilable level.

He also could not reconcile it.

But Gu Yu did not say more.

Subsequently, the two of them also discussed the matter of reform in detail; Gu Yu explained the benefits it could bring, and then directly left the Imperial Palace.

The atmosphere in the entire Chang’an became increasingly complex.

In the following days, numerous individuals came to visit Gu Yu.

Among them was Li Jiancheng.

He did not exhibit any intention of trying to win over Gu Yu, merely consulting him on the matter of reform and discussing various ideas for governing the world.

Li Jiancheng truly was a capable person.

Actually, in Gu Yi’s eyes, if Li Jiancheng became the Emperor, even if the Great Tang did not achieve the "Zhen Guan Golden Age" of later generations, it would definitely usher in another flourishing era.

Gu Yu, of course, spoke without reserve.

It was only after personally talking with Gu Yu that Li Jiancheng fully understood why Wei Zheng remarked that Gu Yu was "unfathomable."

Gu Yu’s insights into the rise and fall of the world far exceeded the imagination of others.

He already had a solid foundation, plus the "Whimsical Ideas Card" and the "Luoshu Harmonizing Device" as tools.

Having truly witnessed the world transitioning from decline to prosperity and then from prosperity to decline, Gu Yu’s insights had already surpassed this era completely.

Although it was just a simple discussion.

But Li Jiancheng was utterly convinced by Gu Yu’s demeanor.

And concerning Li Shimin, their conversations were similar; however, Gu Yu also mentioned to him the various costs necessary to create a flourishing era.

This also greatly benefited Li Shimin.

During this time, Li Shimin even met Gu Quan again.

The two had not seen each other for a long time.

Since the start of the struggle between the two palaces, Li Shimin had not visited Gu Quan.

Not even during this meeting did they exchange many words.

The two seemed to have grown somewhat distant; how could others truly comprehend the emotions within?

Gu Mansion.

As he watched Li Shimin’s departing figure, Gu Quan’s expression grew increasingly complex, struggling amidst countless emotions.

"Want to assist King Qin?"

Gu Yu looked at him calmly and spoke serenely.

"Father!" Gu Quan almost reflexively shook his head immediately, "I am the eldest son of the Gu Clan and will never place the family in danger."

Before Gu Yu could speak, he emphasized again: "I will never!"

Seeing the Gu Quan before him, Gu Yu couldn’t help but shake his head.

How could he not understand his son?

Li Shimin was right; Gu Quan is someone cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

Within the family.

He would shelter his brothers from storms.

Outside, he would also be willing to give everything to someone he deemed worthy.

Gu Yu did not say much more.

He believed his son would make the right decision and would not fail the entire family.

.....

The discussions within the court did not last long.

This was the brilliance of Gu Yu; even if he never attended court throughout the process, he grasped everyone’s interests and demands.

This reform, fundamentally, would not directly affect everyone’s interests.

This destined the success of the reform.

Most crucially——

The true beneficiaries of this matter were also the royal family; as long as Li Yuan made his stance clear, the others would naturally be greatly influenced.

In the seventh year of Wude, March;

The grand reform formally began throughout the Great Tang.

Before this, Li Yuan even held a sacrificial ceremony, after which various administrative adjustments spread rapidly from Chang’an to the entire nation.

Changes abounded in all directions.

The sudden reform destined to incite a series of turbulence, which is the same in any epoch.

But beneath the current momentum of the Great Tang, all this turbulence ultimately could not halt the reform.

The rebel forces appearing in various regions were swiftly quashed.

The common people throughout the world harbored great expectations for the forthcoming era; this is the rolling tide of the times!

But——

As soon as the reform was officially settled, the struggle between the two palaces once again surged, and to seize benefits in the midst of this reform, this conflict was more intense than ever before!

....

(Ps: Bowing to ask for monthly tickets, brothers, please support as much as you can, the fish implores, deeply grateful!!!)