Chapter 489: Chapter 35: The Grand Curtain Rises, Palace Upheaval

The news rushed straight to the Western Regions.

For the Western Regions, the Tang Dynasty’s new system was both unexpected and expected.

Because Gu Quan had already begun to take action ahead of time.

He now occupied strategic locations such as Yiwu and Qie Mo, and was still dispatching troops at the same time.

In addition to the fate of the eastern and western Turkic states.

Guessing the intentions of the Great Tang was actually not difficult.

Yet when the news truly arrived, there were still those who chose to rebel, and it wasn’t just the idea of those small-state rulers; too many factors compelled them to make this choice.

No one could completely avoid all of this.

As for those choosing to rebel at this time, Gu Quan would show no mercy.

——He was well-versed in the art of using one as an example for others.

The only thing left for them was death.

.... 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

The entire reform in the Western Regions was in full swing, and Gu Quan had to seize the strategic points of the entire Western Regions while the Gu Clan and the Great Tang’s prestige were at their peak.

Besides that——

He also had to spread the dual-track system that the Great Tang was preparing to implement, allowing the small surrounding countries to embrace this policy.

With the vast terrain of the Western Regions, this was destined to be a matter that required time.

However, Gu Quan need not be anxious.

He only needed to make adjustments little by little. With the Luoshu Harmonizing Device’s assistance, all these details were not difficult for him, not to mention that Li Shimin was also dispatching officials to the Western Regions.

In the tenth year of Zhenguan, April.

The Silk Road was reopened.

This reopening did not mean the trade routes were restored; actually, commerce between the Western Regions and the Central Plains had never ceased; there were always those who would risk their lives for profit to trade.

This reopening signified the establishment of a specific system.

Including taxation and post stations along the trade route.

The Great Tang was constructing them, and in the Western Regions, it was handed over to the countries there for construction.

This was necessary.

Post stations could not only let merchants rest and promote commerce but also rapidly spread the Great Tang’s policies to the Western Regions, playing a significant role in governance.

It is worth mentioning that Li Shimin made moves regarding currency.

This was an event far beyond the original history.

Since the chaotic end of the Sui period, the monetary system in Kyushu was in disarray. When Li Yuan ascended the throne, he issued the Kaiyuan Tongbao, and as the Great Tang gradually gained momentum, this began to stabilize the currency.

Now, Li Shimin decided to issue the Zhenguan Tongbao.

And established it as the legal currency for the four-direction market and the commercial road in the Western Regions, forming a special department for overall currency supervision and exchange services.

This was Gu Zi’s suggestion.

This move was earth-shaking, something even Gu Yi had not anticipated, that a member of the Gu Clan could come up with this.

But this was also normal.

The culture of the Gu Clan was far ahead of its time, and Gu Zi originally excelled in internal governance; now it seemed he had an even deeper understanding of finance.

Gu Yi remembered clearly.

In the original history, although financial institutions with exchange services emerged one after another on the Central Plains, they were highly limited.

For example, the Flying Money of the Tang Dynasty and the Convenient Money Roll of the Song Dynasty, even in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, were like this.

Their fundamental limitations were never resolved.

Most were joint ventures of officials and merchants, and not common.

But now with court-operated ones, it’s different.

As commerce continued to develop, the currency from all directions was destined to appear one after another in Kyushu.

This department could not only conduct comprehensive currency supervision, but also adjust different exchange rates in real-time.

With the current strength of the Great Tang.

If this department could establish standards, it would bring immeasurable wealth to the court.

This is a matter too advanced for its time.

With the appearance of the Gu Clan now, in the original history, the productivity and various exquisite crafts of Kyushu had already far surpassed the surrounding areas, let alone now.

This is a critical advance for the entirety of Kyushu!

Of course, Gu Yi also understood.

The difficulty of this matter in the current era, which still belonged to a feudal dynasty, was unimaginable, not to mention achieving it completely as he envisioned; even changing currency required a great deal of time.

But then, what of it?

Any system, once it appears, will gradually take root in people’s hearts and improve over time.

As long as it appeared now, that was enough!

The rest could be left to time.

——Peace throughout the land.

With the continuous eradication of external enemies, the entire Kyushu had fully entered a state of positive development.

Grain yields repeatedly reached new highs.

With Li Shimin always keeping a close eye on the state of governance, the entire world was marching in the right direction.

This move continuously stimulated commerce.

The Hetao region was completely pacified, commerce continued to develop, and even the unobstructed Silk Road had, imperceptibly, completely invigorated the entire Great Tang world.

Everything was moving in a positive direction.

But not without bad events.

Li Yuan passed away.

The Grand Emperor, almost forgotten by the world, finally left this life, passing away in Chang’an.

Before passing, he saw Li Shimin once more.

By now, he had completely recognized Li Shimin; despite his reluctance to admit, he knew that neither Li Jiancheng nor Li Yuanji—and not even himself—could compare to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin held a grand funeral for him.

Bestowing him the posthumous title "Taiwu" and the temple name "Grand Ancestor."

For Tang Gaozu Taiwu Emperor Li Yuan.