"Zhen Guan Law"—this is precisely the legislation that Li Shimin is currently amending.

It does not entirely align with the original history.

Except for kindness, Li Shimin has considerably intensified the punishments for corrupt officials.

This is the decisiveness of Li Shimin today!

Once he has a clear goal, no obstacles ahead can hinder him.

The ministers all agreed, then promptly withdrew.

The grand efforts to control water rise again throughout the Great Tang.

Nowadays, the technology for hydraulic repairs in Kyushu is far superior to that of the original history.

Any technology progresses gradually over time.

Many years ago, Gu Kang’s appearance greatly accelerated the process in hydraulic matters, naturally facilitating this development.

However, this endeavor to control water remains quite challenging.

The Great Tang is too impoverished!

The world has just seen chaos, and since Li Yuan ascended the throne, the taxes on the people under his rule have never been high. Coupled with years of warfare and Li Yuan’s tendency to trade heavy profits for support,

this naturally led to the court’s poverty.

Li Shimin is indeed dancing on the edge this time; repairing waterworks is no easy task.

But indeed, it fulfills that saying.

Every person in the world holds a balance in their hearts.

They may not be literate, may not know the classics, nor understand great principles, but they can discern good and evil through the actions of the court.

Different from the forced labor Yang Guang employed back then, this time the waterworks repair gained support from all corners of the world.

Not only from the people at the four corners;

but also from local powerful families.

This is an act of benefiting the people, especially after the prosperous era created by Gu Kang and Gu Xi’s hydraulic repairs; the world’s people will only support Li Shimin’s move even more!

The people of the world have yearned for prosperity for far too long!

They want a stable environment, hoping their families can all survive. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Nowadays, enduring hardship...for them, it’s not a big deal.

This may also be a characteristic ingrained in the bones of the Huaxia people.

—To suffer first and savor sweetness later!

The benefits of rectifying official governance are fully manifesting at this time; although not much time has passed, with one official after another being arrested and executed, their fates have provoked many.

At least, this move ensures a baseline for officials during the waterworks repair.

But even so.

Li Shimin also had Gu Quan send out many emissaries, differing from the previous Imperial Censorate.

This time, the emissaries went among the populace.

They investigated the people’s hardships and learned about local officials through the people.

This move indeed caught everyone off guard; Li Shimin cared about the people far more than any previous Emperor.

This even caused some opposition within the court.

But Li Shimin’s response was very simple, declaring publicly to all ministers in Taiji Hall: "If one does not investigate the people’s hardships, one cannot be a wise ruler; if one does not bear the weight of the state, one cannot achieve prosperity."

"As an Emperor, if one only seeks personal comfort, avoids challenges, and hesitates, how can one break the dilemma and protect the thousands of homes?"

"Since I have sat on this dragon chair, I must take the world as my responsibility, and though the road ahead is full of thorns, I am determined to carve out a broad path!"

Such a declaration left all those who heard it ashamed.

This move indeed worked, once again exposing a band of hidden corrupt officials for Li Shimin.

And what Li Shimin did was not just limited to this.

Regarding the land of Guanzhong.

When he heard of the serious plight many disaster-stricken people faced there, choosing to sell their children to survive, he even picked gold, silver, and treasures from the palace to redeem their children.

Inspired by him, the court ministers too had to make their gestures.

Inspecting the damaged farmlands of various provinces, aiding and comforting the poor;

Although Li Shimin also never left Chang’an, the emissaries he sent seemed to become his embodiment, conveying to the people worldwide the benevolence of the Emperor.

If it were someone else, perhaps they wouldn’t act this way.

Even if they may use Li Shimin’s name, they would not forget to make a name for themselves.

But these emissaries weren’t like that.

They were led by Gu Quan.

The so-called emissaries were ordinary citizens, trained by the Gu Clan, like Xue San and others.

Gu Quan did not need to make a name, and neither did they.

As for making a name for the Gu Clan—they simply had no need to do so.

As long as the Gu Clan remains in the court.

The people of the world will naturally attribute these accomplishments to the Gu Clan.

A wise ruler paired with the Gu Clan will usher in prosperity.

This has become an indelible mark across Kyushu......

But the matter of waterworks is not destined to be smooth sailing.

Although Li Shimin has taken complete precautions, and under his influence and various means, the entire Great Tang court is united.

Still, unforeseen events are bound to happen.

In the third year of Zhen Guan, a drought struck again.

The good thing is that this drought wasn’t the kind of widespread disaster that Gu Xi faced in the past, but it did affect the entire disaster relief effort.

Although Li Shimin firmly believed that human effort could conquer nature.

To comfort the people.

He was still compelled to compromise, holding a grand ceremony to pray for rain by the Luoshui River, and tasked Fang Xuanling and others with rain-seeking rites.

In addition to this—

Li Shimin confessed his faults and enacted a general amnesty.

He sent more emissaries to comfort the people across the land, even instructed the building of temples everywhere to memorialize those who died in the waterworks repair.