I Can Control My Ancestors

Chapter 582 - 70: Turmoil in Court and Country, Struggles Within and Without

The entire world was in turmoil.

Even Gu Jing never anticipated such a tremendous reaction to the policy from maritime sectors across various regions.

But this is human nature.

Whether it’s the local chambers of commerce or the top merchants, their intentions have long surpassed the initial stages of maritime trade.

Be it the adoration of foreign merchants or the constant accumulation of wealth, even the people behind them.

All of this makes them increasingly arrogant.

Not to mention Gu Jing raising taxes—they would find ways to avoid even the current tax rates; how could they remain indifferent?

This aspect is unavoidable in any era.

Such is human nature!

....

Gu Jing did not pay much heed to all this. As the current Grand Tutor and the Patriarch of the Gu Clan, in Gu Jing’s eyes, this was merely trivial.

Even if merchants resist and strike, so what?

Without intervention, under massive interests, other merchants would naturally be willing to accept all this and seize everything anew.

Gu Jing only needed to ensure the fairness of the policy implementation.

Within this——

It would naturally involve the Imperial Censorate.

Countless censures from the Imperial Censorate rushed to the newly risen docks. Among them were the Gu clan members and many personally selected by Gu Jing.

It was these people who went to supervise everything.

And regarding all this, Gu Yi was equally indifferent because this was something a dynasty must go through.

Maritime trade is a double-edged sword.

It can rapidly elevate the national strength of a dynasty, but it can also plant numerous crises for that dynasty.

As long as the current unrest for the Great Tang does not escalate to become a crisis of extinction, from a long-term perspective, it is certainly profitable.

What is there to care about?

Panyu.

This is currently the most glorious port of the Great Tang, and it’s also where the Gu clan has deeply rooted itself.

Since the time Gu Ye swept through Lingnan.

A lineage has long been stationed in this Panyu area. Even though Lingnan and Kyushu experienced chaos over the years, the Gu clan still stood firm here.

There is no other way, whether it’s Gu Ye or Gu Ling.

Their legends in Lingnan are numerous.

One of them made people’s lives better, and the other traveled extensively to treat the people. The prestige of these two is one of the greatest shields for the Gu clan in Panyu.

Because of this, the sea merchants who have now taken root in Panyu are also very obedient.

Although there are also criticisms of the court’s policy.

They have protested.

But seeing the court’s clear stance and their market being encroached by other merchants, they had no choice but to bow.

They had no choice but to bow.

Panyu is not like Mingzhou or Donglai, and if it is abandoned by the court or the Gu clan, the local populace might devour them alive.

Not bowing would force them out of the Panyu market.

This is a consequence they cannot afford. Despite their reluctance, they can only begin to comply with the court-imposed laws and each contribute funds to start preparing for the expansion of Panyu City.

This expansion isn’t just about enlarging the city’s boundaries.

This is merely the foundation.

There are many other matters involved, which is one of the reasons for court disputes.

However, with everyone’s agreement.

The matter proceeded very smoothly.

The real challenge remained in the burgeoning coastal cities like Mingzhou and Donglai.

Although they sensed the court’s attitude.

These people, for reasons unknown, refused to give in.

And most importantly——

They have united together.

While not openly defying the court’s decrees, they influenced maritime trade operations from various angles.

Obstructions within Kyushu were manageable.

Under the watchful eye of the court on this matter, none dared to take grand measures. At most, they employed some trade tactics.

The actual problem persisted overseas——

These individuals had numerous connections with overseas merchants. With adequate incentives, they could impact maritime trade.

Business people inherently pursue profit.

Overseas merchants are no exception.

Not only due to the benefits from the major merchants but also because specific tax policies affect them too.

Now that they have a chance to return to normalcy and gain profit.

How could they decline?

The Great Tang is indeed powerful.

But when these issues extend beyond the Great Tang, they become further challenging to control.

Under such circumstances, maritime trade in regions like Mingzhou and Donglai was affected.

In just a few months——

The trade volume dropped by half.

The impact spans far beyond just tax revenues, as maritime trade now associates with various industries.

The first to be hit was the handicraft industry, dramatically affecting those working in this sector, even causing fluctuations in grain prices.

For a rising dynasty, this can surely be called a significant event!

There was no choice, although everything seemed to be progressing, it was genuinely still in its nascent stage.

Moreover, the market is only so sizeable.

When chambers of commerce and major merchants join forces, shaking the entire industry is not too challenging.

——The entire court and society were shaken!

No one could have predicted this event would cause such a tremendous stir, given it had never happened before.