Chapter 919 97: Gu Hui's Passing

Even Gu Yi couldn't describe what kind of prosperous reign this was.

As a modern person.

Especially as a modern person who has read many history books, although Gu Yi could not achieve omniscience of history, he was generally aware of what the prosperous times and turbulent periods in the original history were like.

In the original history—

The so-called "Reign of Wen and Jing," "Kaiyuan's Flourishing Era," "Reign of Ren and Xuan," and even the later "Kang and Qian's Flourishing Era," had similar cores.

—that is, after experiencing chaos or decline, the court implemented relatively lenient policies, reduced corvée and lightened taxes, allowed the people to rest, and agricultural productivity was restored and developed, the population grew, the treasury was full, and society was stable.

The common people could eat their fill, dress warmly, and stay away from large-scale chaos and harsh governance, which could be called a "prosperous time."

Its prosperity was mostly concentrated in the palaces and gardens of the capital, the poetic and elegant lifestyles of literati and officials, and the bustling commercial hubs of a few large cities.

The vast countryside was still a slow, heavy scene, relying on weather and human labor to repeat the millennial cycle.

But what about the current prosperous time?

The trade surplus brought by a strong economy and smooth maritime trade is invisibly constantly raising the upper limit of Kyushu.

Simply put, all of this happening in the original history would have been impossible.

The reason is simple.

That is, under the current restriction of productivity, it is impossible for a single Kyushu land development to support changes in the overall populace's life.

Of course, this is not to say that the Gu Clan played any critical role in this.

The Gu Clan is naturally important.

Without the Gu Clan, there would be no influence of Kyushu overseas today, and none of the current achievements of Kyushu.

But in truth, the real core still lies in Kyushu, still in the myriad people.

This may also be the underlying essence of Huaxia People's civilization.

Pragmatic, hard-working.

This time, Gu Hui provided them with a good opportunity, allowing almost all the people of Kyushu to participate in this economic leap, thereby directly changing their lives.

This participation and change is not the abstract moral governance of "no one picks up things on the road, no one closes their doors at night" from history books, but is permeated in daily living, in the tangible pounds and inches felt daily.

In Huainan, Wang Er-gou, once a refugee, is now a skilled drainage worker in an official overseen mine.

The work is dirty and dangerous, but the "Qi Huan Tong Bao" he receives each month is tangible and sufficient for him to rent a mud house in the camp area next to the mine and support his wife and children whom he brought from his hometown.

He doesn't understand what "Mining Reform" is, he only knows that the wooden supports that must be fortified in the mine and the rules of regular rotation are "regulations from the capital," breaking them will dock his pay, but they can also save lives.

He uses the money he saved to buy a "Thousand Character Classic" for his son, fantasizing that his son might not need to mine in the future.

At the fishing and rice village by the side of Tai Lake, the old farmer Chen Stone timidly tried the improved Zhan City rice promoted by the "Agrarian Office." The first year, half believing half doubting, he only planted half an acre, the extra two dou of rice harvested in the autumn made his eyes widen.

The second year, he gritted his teeth and used his savings to take out a small loan from the "Cao Hai Bank," bought a new type of Jiangdong curved plow and rented two acres of paddy fields from a neighbor.

Although the debt weighed heavily on him, looking at the more robust seedlings compared to previous years, for the first time he felt a vague sense of "calculation" and "hope."

Work hard, pay off the debt, maybe there will be some left over to prepare a decent dowry for his daughter.

The texture of this "prosperous age" is woven by countless diligent, calculating, and cautionary attempts and bold decisions of people like "Wang Er-gou," "Chen Stone," "Zhang the Fifth," "Zhou Qiao'er."

Gu Hui and his new policies did not directly bestow them gold and silver, but attempted to establish a relatively stable, rule-following, and upward mobility leaving large stage.

The light of the stage may still primarily shine on the wealthy and powerful families.

But at least, countless previously voiceless common folk who could only toil silently in the dark can now be illuminated by the twilight of this light, see the tools in their hands and the square inch of ground beneath their feet, and begin to try to dance their own small yet real dance on this ground.

No rules, no circles and squares.

This saying is indeed a truth.

Although the Gu Clan could not uphold absolute fairness, nor could they guarantee absolute political clarity.

As long as they maintain stability, Kyushu will always emit its own light.

Of course, it's not just all good things.

For the Gu Clan.

The pressure brought by correction is fundamentally unavoidable.

Plus, the change made by Gu Hui this time is just too great, an era of darkness for the Gu Clan becomes unavoidable.

But contrary to Gu Yi's expectations.

Gu Hui actually left a backup plan for this.

He completely tied the entire Imperial Censorate and the Gu Clan together, and the Emperor even issued a clear edict granting the people the power to appeal.

With the influence of Gu Clan, even though the power of the Imperial Censorate would be affected by the Player, it would still be enough.

Time passes quickly.

One generation leaves, and generations arrive.

Such is time.

It is the most fair thing in the world, which will not linger because of one's identity, nor become unemotionally due to one's insignificance.

But it is also the most unfair.

It fairly wears away everything.

The valiant general who once lifted the cauldron and commanded armies will feel the ache in his arm one morning; the strategist who once calculated every detail and commanded with youthful vigor will find his vision blurred by candlelight;