I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 280 - 7: The Yanxing Reign and the Advent of a Golden Age
No one could have predicted that an emperor like Liu Shan would be so bloodthirsty.
Yet, was Liu Shan not filial?
In the name of filial piety, why did this result in such a purge?
But soon these people understood the reason.
The officials they impeached were all on the "list" left by Gu Chen for Liu Shan.
Upon hearing of this matter.
All those in the world who were dissatisfied with it fell silent.
Even though Gu Chen has been deceased for many years;
— Yet even now, he still wielded the power to suppress the world, leaving no room for dissent.
In this context, the Great Han’s "New Law" also quickly spread throughout the world.
This event was also a gradual process.
The tenth year of Yanxing;
The fourth official examination of the Great Han was launched once again.
Even though the Great Han had been flourishing over the years, the matter of official examinations remained the most concerning issue for the people.
The successive opening of the "Introductory School" and "Library Pavilion".
Also meant that the workload for this matter was becoming increasingly large.
Yet Zhuge Liang and others, including the seventh generation of the Gu Clan, still chose to personally review, with great focus on this matter.
Not only to console Gu Chen;
But also to examine how the overall level of the people had developed under these various systems.
Time is an invisible blade, and they were no longer as young as they once were.
Compared to before.
The outcome of this examination was much better.
Choosing talent from all over the world was far more than choosing from the aristocratic families.
In fact, during the third official examination, there were already many more commoners.
With the increase in scale.
This time, more than a hundred commoners’ offspring were shortlisted.
Though they still had some gap compared to those from aristocratic families, this gap was destined to be narrowed by time.
When the examination results were released.
Liu Shan, as before, took the results along with the answers of the candidates to perform a ritual for Liu Bei and Gu Chen, and then announced it to the world.
— The news spread, and the world was stirred!
Under these successive official examinations, this practice had deeply ingrained itself into the hearts of the people.
And as this mindset took root and flourished.
History was destined to move forward.
If anyone wanted to completely revert to the era when aristocratic families monopolized all official positions, the wrath of these commoners would be enough to destroy everything.
The thirteenth year of Yanxing;
The population of the Great Han officially broke through the fifty million mark, reaching the peak of the Later Han.
And the developments were not beyond Gu Yi’s expectations;
As the strength of the Great Han fully recovered, some turned their attention back to the Western Regions.
Indeed, some countries in the Western Regions still maintained open trade routes with the Great Han.
But they had completely escaped the control of the Great Han.
The Gu Clan had neither the intention nor the capability, in those times, the lineage of Marquis Huan could not have garrisoned the entire Western Regions.
Now that the strength of the Great Han had recovered.
This group of capable people in the court naturally turned their gaze to the Western Regions.
First to match the Later Han; ultimately to surpass the Later Han.
This had already become one of their noble ideals.
Zhuge Liang was extremely cautious about this.
Though he knew that the current Great Han had the ability to reclaim the Western Regions, he had to remain cautious.
This was Zhuge Liang’s character.
After several days of discussion, Zhuge Liang first sent envoys to the Western Regions, intending to win over the kingdoms there.
But the outcome was as expected.
Some small countries in the Western Regions were naturally willing to submit.
But the current dominant forces in the Western Regions like Shule and Yanqi were unwilling to accept the Great Han’s offer of surrender.
Who, having established themselves as kings, would be willing to become subjects?
Of course, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to make themselves enemies of the Great Han.
The reputation that Gu Chen had built for the Great Han was enough to make them wary.
They also sent emissaries to the Great Han.
Claiming "willing to engage in commerce with the Great Han, and will not make it difficult for Great Han merchants, but unwilling to become a vassal of the Great Han."
Liu Shan was indifferent to this.
However, whether it was Zhuge Liang or the Gu Clan juniors.
Their stance was extremely firm.
Though Zhuge Liang was cautious by nature, when faced with a target, he was not one for hesitation.
In this situation.
— After many years, the Great Han raised the sword once more.
Zhuge Liang was particularly concerned about this military campaign.
This battle was of great significance to the Great Han.
It not only involved the matter of reclaiming the Western Regions;
But also was an opportunity to show the restless Barbarians that the power of the Great Han was terrifying!
Zhuge Liang did not mobilize the generals guarding the four corners.
Instead, he appointed Gu Wei as the commander, with Wei Yan, the contemporary Marquis Huan Gu Yuu, and other generals, leading an army of fifty thousand to directly strike the Western Regions.
The outcome of this battle was naturally already determined.
Although the countries of the Western Regions had developed over the years, they still lagged far behind the current Great Han.
Moreover, the most critical point was —
Before Gu Chen passed away, his actions to weaken the Barbarians around had completely transformed the Western Regions compared to the original history.
In the original history.
Strong nations in the Western Regions like Yanqi and Shule were allied by marriage with the Xiongnu and Xianbei.
This naturally increased the difficulty of reclaiming them.
But now it was different.
Internal conflicts among the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan, and other Barbarians had gradually unfolded over time, making it impossible for them to send troops to aid the Western Regions.
Also, the current Great Han was not the Western Jin of history.
