I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 94 - 36: Disaster Relieved, Yuanchu Rejuvenated
Julu.
...
Gu Xi stood amidst the fields, looking at the villagers weeping tears of joy before him, his own eyes gradually reddening.
It actually... truly succeeded.
Although he had always appeared extremely confident.
But in matters of great importance like this, who could be completely certain?
He had said that if this method did not work, he would change to another.
But one must know that the human spirit is easily defeated.
The entire nation was focused on Jizhou State, if the locust plague persisted there, it would directly affect the morale of the whole nation.
At that time, never mind the common people.
Even the officials would perhaps lose their resolve to resist.
Fortunately.... it actually succeeded.
Perhaps due to overwhelming emotion, Gu Xi’s body was subtly trembling, only feeling that the burden on him had finally lightened a bit.
This feeling was absolutely incomprehensible to anyone else.
Since the passing of Gu Liang;
He had taken on the heavy responsibilities of the Gu Clan.
Everything left by generations of the Gu Clan was entrusted to him, who was then not even twenty years old.
And following the passing of Liu Zhao;
He was entrusted by the Emperor, taking charge of the court as a minister.
And at that time, he was barely twenty years of age.
The continuous natural disasters, though causing immense suffering to the people, if one were to say who bore the greatest pressure.
Only Gu Xi!
Now, finally, the fog was lifted, revealing the light.
Although it was only a ray, it was seen as hope.
His emotions were imaginable.....
To this, Gu Yi was also quite surprised.
He did not expect it would truly succeed!
Even though only the locust plague in one region was resolved.
But under the Great Han’s strong foundation, it is not impossible to completely solve the national locust plague in two or three years.
This time frame is considerably faster than the original history.
One must know, this period is deemed as a turning point for the entire Eastern Han.
The relentless natural disasters, coupled with internal court struggles, caused the Great Han to gradually decline from its peak.
Now it seems things have completely changed.
Gu Xi’s emergence balanced the court and provided an opportunity to address the natural disasters ahead of schedule.
He had used the Longevity Card.
No one, not even Gu Yi, could determine how old Gu Xi would live to be.
If Gu Xi remains as he is now, what impact will it have on the future?
Could the entire Eastern Han avoid decline?
This was all entirely possible.
Though Gu Xi’s talents did not surpass Gu Kang, he far exceeded the average person, and he knew well how to leverage his advantages.
The Great Han’s current foundation, coupled with the exclusive ideological legacy of the Gu Clan.
And the old canons left by Gu Kang, along with strategies for a stronger nation.
As long as this period of continuous natural disasters is overcome, Gu Xi could very likely directly restore the Great Han to its peak.
If truly so, how grand would the changes be in the future?
Even Gu Yi found it difficult to imagine.
....
After resolving the matters of Jizhou State, Gu Xi finally headed back to Luoyang with great haste.
Deng Sui and Liu Hu led the officials to receive him outside the city.
This was Gu Xi’s current status.
Though a minister,
Throughout the entire nation, no one dared to underestimate Gu Xi.
Nearly two years had passed since they last met, and Liu Hu’s face now appeared increasingly courageous.
The key was that his gaze had become much firmer, finally showing some semblance of an Emperor.
Liu Hu and Deng Sui wished to hold a grand celebration for Gu Xi.
But Gu Xi declined the matter.
And refused all rewards.
At his current status, what reward could he still need?
According to Gu Xi, the coming period is of utmost importance, expenditures should be minimized as much as during the era of the filial Emperor Ming.
Following this, Gu Xi began to meticulously devise strategies for locust extermination.
In his regent capacity, he issued the "Locust Extermination Order" to the nation, instructing counties to appoint "Locust Extermination Officers," overseeing the country’s locust control efforts.
Upon this announcement, the nation’s people were overwhelmed with joy.
As if each traveler lost in the darkness had finally seen a ray of light.
They finally saw hope once more!!!
With Jizhou State’s example set forth.
The nation’s people were greatly aligned with this matter.
Who would refuse it?
In the face of a locust plague, who benefits?
——The whole nation is mobilized!
Yet such matters are destined not to be completed in a short time.
This locust plague swept across Kyushu.
Moreover, various places faced other disasters in these years.
Such a massive undertaking cannot be supported by current productivity, Gu Xi must balance disaster relief while striving to optimize policies to the greatest extent.
Though now, no one cares about these anymore.
To the people of the nation.
What they fear most is not the relentless natural disasters, but the lack of hope for the future.
And it was Gu Xi who brought them hope.
As long as there is anticipation for the future, the spirit of the people will never falter.
.....
——Fifth year of Yongchu.
This year, the Great Han seemed to have come alive again, with people from various regions striving to implement Gu Xi’s locust extermination strategies.
Even when Gu Kang managed the great river years ago, such scenes were unseen.
A unified contradiction indeed can unite everyone.
If there were no examples, it would be another matter.
Everyone would think this was a disaster from heaven, unavoidable.
But now, things had changed.
The moment the locust plague in Jizhou ceased, it was no longer an undefeatable catastrophe.
Even a sliver of chance for victory.
That would suffice!
The ease with which the disaster relief succeeded far surpassed Gu Xi’s expectations.
But Gu Xi did not rest, instead traveling across the lands, overseeing certain techniques as the people dug the ground.
