Chapter 789 - 44: Calmly Seated at Fishing Terrace, Seizing the Opportunity to Unify the Realm

But this matter is indeed considered a good thing for the common people of Kyushu.

As Gu Rui had predicted.

As the Song Army withdrew from Liao territory, conflicts once again arose between Liao and Western Xia.

Western Xia felt they had sacrificed too much to support Liao this time, and they insisted on compensation from Liao.

On the other hand, Liao felt that the two countries were essentially interdependent, and neither could be said to have helped the other.

There are no eternal allies.

Especially between nations.

Liao and Western Xia are now in such a situation.

Of course, facing such a chaotic situation, Liao ultimately had to offer something, providing Western Xia with several grasslands and some provisions to thoroughly resolve the dispute between the two nations.

Everything seemed to return to the peaceful times of old.

Yet, it was completely different.

Liao suffered complete defeat.

Not only losing considerable territory, but also having to pay tribute to the Great Song and compensate Western Xia, everything for Liao was catastrophic.

Especially since they had to pay an annual tribute to the Great Song.

This worsened the situation for Liao, making recovery impossible for decades.

One battle dragged Liao into the abyss.

But this is the reality, and no matter how resentful Liao’s royal family is towards the Great Song or curses the Gu Clan, they cannot change this reality.

It’s worth mentioning——

Since returning to the Great Song, Gu Rui seemed to have transformed, losing his previous arrogance, and instead resembling the Gu Jun of old.

He ceased to speak of ambitions for the world.

Instead, he focused on the ground below.

Integrating newly conquered territories, addressing various domestic issues within the Great Song, including the increasing number of foreign merchants in Kyushu, establishing diplomatic relations and regulating trade routes with them.

All of this seemed reasonable.

Yet, it was distinctly different from the past Gu Rui.

He even stood daily before the territorial map in the Grand Tutor’s residence, like Gu Jun in the past, closely monitoring the world.

Gu Rui had changed.

Reality and burdens forced him to slow down, devising rational plans for the entire clan and the Great Song, plotting everything, piece by piece.

Of course, he had not entirely become like Gu Jun.

Perhaps it could be said that Gu Rui found the task belonging to his generation.

Weaken Western Xia and Liao;

Sow discord between the two nations.

This is the goal Gu Rui set for himself.

Through this great war, he already saw the current situation in Kyushu, and even with the Great Song’s mighty national strength, as long as Western Xia and Liao maintained such a stance, the Great Song would struggle to unify the entire realm.

One way or another, he had to address this issue.

Fortunately, he was adept at this sort of thing.

Toward Liao, he tightly grasped the lifeline of commerce necessary for survival.

The Song’s trade regulations were quietly amended, with the once readily accessible grains, ironware, and medicinal materials for Liao merchants now heavily taxed or limited in quantity.

In their place, more flashy luxury items and indulgences were promoted for import into Liao territory.

This move aimed to expedite the outflow of Liao’s wealth, leaving it only a feeble annual tribute burden with no hope of recovery.

The common folk might not discern this, but the increasing emptiness of Liao’s treasury felt like being carved by a dull blade, leading the rulers to a deeper despair than battlefield defeat.

Simultaneously, Gu Rui condoned and even facilitated border "smuggling," allowing crucial materials to enter the hands of tribes in Liao with centrifugal tendencies through covert channels at higher prices.

Using both kindness and strength, dividing and disintegrating.

Coupled with the unrelenting annual tribute.

All of this worsened the internal situation in Liao.

Toward Western Xia, however, was a more intricate web.

Gu Rui adeptly utilized Western Xia’s desire to mend ties with the Great Song, jointly signing treaties and significantly boosting official trade volumes with Western Xia.

Particularly, the acquisition of treasures and warhorses from the Western Regions allowed Western Xia aristocrats to amass significant profits rapidly.

Yet, this was merely the surface.

Every gift carried an intangible price tag.

Gu Rui intentionally offered concessions, aiming to increase Western Xia’s dependency on trade with the Great Song, using the Song’s current formidable commerce to indirectly control Western Xia and Liao.

Simply put, he intended to attack their weaknesses with his strengths.

This indeed proved to be a useful tactic.

The circumstances of the two countries were entirely different.

Now, Liaodong was entirely under the control of the Great Song, meaning that Liao’s commerce was fully tied to the Great Song, and no matter how harshly Gu Rui treated them, they could do nothing.

But Western Xia was different.....

Back then, Li Yuanhao’s opening of the Western Regions was the most significant event since the founding of Western Xia.

This led to Western Xia’s trade being not wholly dependent on the Great Song.

This was also why Gu Rui was willing to yield benefits.

He needed to subtly exert control, even avoiding interference with trade between Western Xia and Liao.

This aimed at human psychology!

As Liao’s situation worsened, people from Western Xia would increasingly exert pressure on them, surely sparking conflicts between the two nations, deepening their rifts.

This is both human psychology and human nature.

At the same time, Gu Rui also did not neglect sending people to influence the public sentiment within the two countries.

Including intervention in the courts of the two nations.