Chapter 601: Chapter 78: Fanning the Flames, the Time for Change
"The Grand Tutor is too much!"
Within the Imperial Palace, Li Longji was furious as soon as he received the news, sweeping all the fruits on the imperial table to the ground with a wave of his sleeve.
"Is he the only loyal subject among all the civil and military officials? Is he the only loyal one?"
"If he were truly a loyal subject..."
"How could he cause me to fall to this state!"
He was truly enraged.
The influence of the Gu Clan throughout the world was self-evident, and if this matter were to spread, there would inevitably be those who would call him a man like Emperor Li of Han.
This was something Li Longji could not possibly accept.
In his heart, the everlasting prosperity of the Great Tang was his creation, and he could never willingly endure such a shameful reputation.
Everyone in the Imperial Palace knelt down.
Even Consort Yang, who was nearby, was frowning slightly, saying nothing.
After a long silence, Li Longji’s voice resounded once more.
After the hall remained silent for a long time, Li Longji’s voice rang again, carrying a trace of fatigue and determination.
"Send the decree."
"Dispatch the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Hospital to the Champion Marquis Mansion immediately to diagnose and treat the Grand Tutor."
"Tell the Grand Tutor..."
He paused, choosing his words carefully:
"I am concerned about his illness and unwilling for him to toil over state affairs any longer."
"As for the Imperial Censorate... let someone else temporarily take over, and let the Crown Prince convey the message, and also have him pay a proper visit to the Grand Tutor on my behalf."
— He would not be foolish enough to harm the Gu Clan.
That would not only be unwise but utterly unrealistic.
If he truly did that, he would become the biggest joke on the term "enlightened ruler."
Moreover... a sliver of reluctance remained in his heart.
Even though he now disliked the descendants of the Gu Clan, he held a deep respect for Gu Jing and the accomplishments of the ancestors of the Gu Clan through the generations.
This is what it means to be human.
In the past, although he was the Emperor, he was not yet capable of controlling everything entirely, he was receptive to counsel and left no bad impressions.
But after he had stabilized his rule for so many years.
His mentality had changed immensely, and his feelings for the present-day descendants of the Gu Clan had long been eroded by time.
Even now, Li Longji felt that his actions were merciful.
If it were any other family.
Even if they weren’t completely eliminated, he would at least strip them to the bone.
As for what Gu Hao wanted to advise, he was well aware.
But in Li Longji’s mind.
The matter was merely a discord between minister and general, which could never be called a bad thing for an emperor, he did not care about any of it.
An Lushan rebelling?
How could that be possible?
Thinking of how submissive An Lushan had always appeared before him over the years, the thought never even appeared in Li Longji’s mind.
Instead, he naturally contrasted An Lushan’s submission with Gu Hao in his mind.
For a moment, he only felt more annoyed.
— But wasn’t this act also an insult to the Gu Clan?
On one hand, refusing to meet.
On the other hand, performing such actions for the sake of reputation, even stripping the Gu Clan of the power of the Imperial Censorate, everyone understood it as the Emperor’s warning, but what could they do?
Gu Yi understood this all too well.
The gates of the Imperial Censorate had now been opened.
The court battles had reached this point, the power of the Gu Clan was continuously weakening, and the Imperial Censorate’s authority was being constantly reduced, yet no one had ever dared to touch the Gu Clan’s leading position.
The reason was simply precedent.
Since the establishment of the Imperial Censorate, it had always been controlled by the Gu Clan, appointed by successive emperors.
But now, this opening had been torn open!
Gu Yi no longer cared to say much, just as Gu Yu had once said to Li Shimin, the most difficult thing for an emperor is to preserve one’s original intentions.
This was Li Longji now.
Gu Hao was sick.
His body was already riddled with holes, and after such a storm, it could endure no more.
Especially the imperial decree sent by Li Longji at the end.
Those words of "concern" felt to Gu Hao like swords slashing his body.
The burdens borne by the Patriarch of the Gu Clan are unimaginable to others.
Family affairs, state affairs, world affairs.
Once reaching this point, he must exhaust everything he has.
Now, the decree from Li Longji was as if foretelling that the Gu Clan would once again decline in his generation. How could it not be a heavy blow?
Gu Hao fainted once more.
Whether it was the Gu Clan’s physicians or the Imperial Physicians, they all said that Gu Hao had little time left.
In an instant, an invisible shadow quickly descended upon the Gu Clan.
....
Gu Yi had no choice but to accelerate his pace.
Li Longji’s attitude towards the Gu Clan far exceeded his expectations, which would undoubtedly intensify changes in the situation.
The following day.
He manipulated Gu Xuan to find Yang Guozhong.
As Consort Yang’s older brother, Yang Guozhong was currently highly favored in the court, and to ensure Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing were not restrained as in the original history and could prepare by leaving the capital early,
There was no way around Yang Guozhong.
In reality, the Gu Clan had never been on good terms with someone like Yang Guozhong, the reason being simple, Yang Guozhong was a treacherous official.
Arrogant, domineering, greedy, arbitrary, and vindictive in character.
He had targeted the Gu Clan on numerous occasions.
But aside from these, Yang Guozhong and the Gu Clan now shared a common enemy — An Lushan.
That was an opportunity.
Of course, Gu Yi wouldn’t engage in any excessive dealings with someone like Yang Guozhong.
