I Can Control My Ancestors

——Northern Expedition!

No matter the era, these two words carry extraordinary weight for the people of Huaxia.

Even though history has long deviated from its original trajectory, Gu Yi immediately noticed this trend, stirring waves in his heart.

It must be known that in the original history, Zhao Kuangyin fell during the numerous Northern Expeditions.

This also makes him one of the most controversial Emperors in later generations.

——As one of the Emperors most frequently mentioned in modern times, unlike other monarchs who unified the country, his inability to accomplish complete unification became an unavoidable regret in his imperial life.

But Gu Yi knew well that Zhao Kuangyin’s true achievements were not just in the martial exploits of territorial expansion.

For a ruler, civil governance is also a critical measure of greatness.

If one talks about the "Emperor for All Ages," could it be defined solely by martial and territorial prowess?

If heroism is judged by territory alone, then undisputed in the grand history is the Great Yuan.

The true greatness of Zhao Kuangyin lies in his restoration of ritual and order to the land of Kyushu.

In that era where darkness and turmoil intertwined, he turned the tide, preventing Huaxia from veering off course, instead infusing it with a revival of cultural legacy and institutions.

This is his most profound legacy.

And now, he has gone further down this road.

Although all this is based on the foundation established by the Gu Clan, Zhao Kuangyin’s contributions are undeniable.

He does not know whether this Northern Expedition will succeed.

But from any perspective, this matter is critical for the entire Kyushu.

.....

With the Great Song preparing its forces, news of its intention to attack Northern Han spread like wildfire.

In these chaotic times, such military intelligence is hard to conceal.

Both the north and the south, whether spies or scouts, are shadowing each other, impossible to completely purge.

The Northern Han court almost immediately caught wind of it.

It is worth mentioning—

Both Gu Jin and Zhao Kuangyin concurrently considered the Northern Expedition, not merely out of vigilance against the threat from Liao.

The more direct reason is the internal turmoil happening within the Northern Han court.

The chaotic reform process has led to numerous impacts.

The Northern Han royal family and noble clans clashed internally over the throne, causing unrest in the court, coupled with academic disputes, leaving the entire Northern Han in chaos.

How could the two of them miss this opportunity?

Just that—

In the current situation, no matter how turbulent Northern Han’s internal affairs are, it is by no means an easy target.

Shangjing Linhuang Mansion.

This place is the capital of Liao.

The changes in the Northern Border compared to original history are significant, the flourishing Kyushu culture including the Gu Clan’s annexation attempts over the years have brought considerable changes to this place.

In a fundamental sense, what the Gu Clan has done truly succeeded.

Among the tribes of the Northern Border.

Countless people have long proclaimed themselves as people of Kyushu, whether in ideology or other aspects, this land has been integrated into Kyushu.

However, this cannot affect the overall situation.

After all, internal turmoil from Kyushu itself is also not rare.

Liao’s strength today is indeed formidable, although its ruler Yelv Xian’s abilities do not match Zhao Kuangyin, compared to the recently assassinated ruler Yelv Jing from Liao, Yelv Xian can already be called a benevolent ruler.

The key is—

He seems to have learned from Zhao Kuangyin’s experience, paying more attention to talent compared to original history.

Take, for example, the current Chancellor of Liao, Wang Yingchen!

He comes from the land of the Jurchen, which is present-day Heilongjiang Province.

Indeed, the appearance of the Gu Clan has impacted too much, even such remote places can no longer be compared to the original history.

In the flourishing Tang era, there were several expeditions to Liaodong.

Including subsequent commercial developments in Kyushu and the advancement of shipbuilding brought by maritime trade, all of which have invisibly propelled all of this.

Nevertheless, people like Wang Yingchen are still very few.

His family was originally Hu merchants, traveling various regions by relying on their familiarity with the Northern Border climate and terrain.

This provided Wang Yingchen many opportunities, allowing him to enter the Gu Academy in Liaodong, where he subsequently displayed absolute talent and then pursued further studies at the Julu Gu Academy.

This gave him substantial growth.

Moreover, as a person of a foreign race, he truly understands what Liao currently needs.

And this is also why Wang Yingchen wants to go to Liao.

Not only because he is of a foreign race but also because he wants to fulfill his ambitions.

Following the Gu Clan might be a good choice for most scholars.

But not for Wang Yingchen.

It is worth noting—

The reforms undertaken by Wang Yingchen in Liao are not the same as the old singular Legalist policies.

The system he implements now is essentially centered on the Legalist School, incorporating the essence of Confucianism, forming a completely new system.

The effects it brings are likewise extraordinary.

In just over a year, the entire Liao has already improved significantly from the state Yelv Jing left it in.

Whether in terms of overall national strength, domestic military training, or various other aspects, there has been considerable enhancement.

At this moment, within the Imperial Palace of Liao.

"Your Majesty," Wang Yingchen stood before the ministers, with a solemn expression, bowing to Yelv Xian with advice, "The Northern Han court is currently in turmoil, if the Song Army takes the opportunity to break through Northern Han, our Great Liao will directly face the military might of the Song Army."