Chapter 592: Chapter 74: Kaiyuan, Gu Jing Passes Away
Mingzhou State’s official residence,
In the study, a series of suppressed coughs resounded intermittently.
"Cough cough cough..." Gu Jing, with a head full of white hair, was struggling to suppress the constant fatigue surging from within, but his gaze remained focused on the memorials in his hands.
Beside him, a group of Gu Clan descendants looked at him with worry, wanting to persuade him, yet unsure of how to start.
Gu Jing’s health was deteriorating.
This deterioration wasn’t due to any particular illness; it was just the various issues exposed by aging, something nobody could do anything about.
As the saying goes, "The wise ponder endlessly."
Gu Jing was just like that.
Although he was not as conspicuous or famous as the likes of Gu Kang and Gu Xi in the past, who toiled for the country, it was due to the shift in the Gu Clan’s developmental direction,
But the effort he put into governance was no less.
In short, he was exhausted.
Everyone could clearly see this; several letters personally written by Li Longji had already been sent, urging Gu Jing to return to the Capital City for recuperation.
But Gu Jing refused it.
With his current health, whether he could safely return to the Capital City was unknown.
To him, what he could still do for the Great Tang and the Gu Clan was just this task at hand.
After it’s done, regardless of life or death, there would be no strength left.
"These merchants must be treated well." He forced himself to speak, his voice weak but every word clear, "Strictly instruct local officials not to extort or make things difficult."
"The sea routes have just opened, and vitality hasn’t been restored. These merchants are the sparks of a prairie fire. If there’s any mishap..."
He paused, eyes filled with deep worry, "The rise of Great Tang’s maritime trade may not recover for a hundred years."
Upon hearing this, everyone present immediately bowed to accept the order.
Gu Jing did not waste words, setting down the memorial that recorded maritime affairs, and picked up the next memorial.
This was a memorial about the navy.
In fact, the Great Tang had long been preparing for this.
The current system implemented in the Great Tang was still the Government Military System, which simply put was the integration of soldiers with agriculture.
In peacetime, soldiers were farmers, cultivating land and receiving military training in their spare time; in wartime, they were conscripted into service, bringing their own weapons, food, and other equipment.
This system saved state military expenses while ensuring the source of soldiers.
But the navy was different.
Essentially, the Great Tang trained naval forces not to expand territories but to protect the current sea routes across the Great Tang.
This meant that the navy must serve at all times.
Including the military equipment they used, as well as warships and everything else, needed to be newly manufactured, and even the training was such.
Gu Jing had already discussed this with Li Shimin after the end of the Goguryeo campaign.
They had been preparing for a regular navy.
Now, it seemed to have naturally come to fruition.
However, this didn’t mean that it was going to be straightforward; regardless of the naval system or the specific training and various matters, it was an extremely complicated affair.
The key to the navy lies in drills and depends on excellent generals.
Besides that—
Gu Jing needed to meticulously arrange naval rations and finances, all sorts of trivial matters required his personal involvement and coordination.
Time stealthily passed, and before he knew it, dusk had fallen.
After reading through memorials from various places, Gu Jing forced himself up, supporting his weak body on the table: "Let’s go, to the barracks... for a walk."
A group of Gu Clan descendants stood still, their gazes fixed on him, no one moved.
Gu Jing, seeing no movement from them, immediately understood.
A faint smile appeared on his aged face, his voice hoarse yet open-minded: "Life’s span is dictated by heaven, why should you be concerned?"
"When has a Gu Clan descendant ever feared death?"
"The current emperor is wise, the court has no longer a place for my skills. I am entrusted by Emperor Taizong and serve as the patriarch of the Gu Clan."
"Whether for the Gu Clan or for the vast Kyushu,"
"This maritime affair... is my last exertion."
His voice was remarkably calm, as if he didn’t care about his health or the approaching death.
The descendants silently watched the scene; some couldn’t help but shed tears.
Passing knowledge and setting an example—it’s the best education.
This is also the biggest reason why the Gu Clan has always been hard to surpass throughout the years.
No matter the family.
But to be like the Gu Clan, passing the torch from generation to generation, embedding this spirit and responsibility into their blood, is incredibly challenging.
This is the unshakable foundation of the Gu Clan.
Gu Yi had been silently watching all this, equally powerless to change Gu Jing’s current state.
Human effort ultimately has its limits.
Now is that ultimate time.
Even though he still had many merits, it was simply impossible for Gu Jing to persist any longer.
But what he did was indeed enough.
In this ever-changing era, the hardships Gu Jing endured for the sake of the country were unimaginable.
Although he never flaunted it.
But now, Gu Yi could also see it clearly.
Gu Jing’s stay in Mingzhou was not just to train the navy, but also to stabilize the nation.
Only with him and the Gu Clan’s patriarch here,
The people and merchants across the country would believe in the court’s integrity.
...
Time flew by swiftly.
In this massive purge, all regions were affected to varying degrees.
It is worth mentioning that even under such impact, Gu Jing initiated the expansion of cities.
And the expenses for it—
came from the confiscation of property from merchants and resources provided by various forces.
They had completely surrendered.
Now they only complied with Gu Jing’s wishes, unwilling to provoke him as he had entered his late years, seemingly having been overshadowed by Gu Jing’s influence.
Now they only regret not agreeing to Gu Jing’s demands sooner.
