When the Grand Ancestor raised his army, he married a woman from the Wang clan. It was only with the continuous support of weapons and armor from the Li clan, warhorses from the Zheng clan, grain and fodder from the Cui clan, and silver from the Lu clan that he succeeded.
Of course, these aristocratic clans also secretly supported others while backing the Grand Ancestor. The reason these clans could endure for centuries was that they never put all their eggs in one basket.
The Grand Ancestor naturally understood that the clans and the imperial court could not always share the same interests. He intended to deal with the clans once the empire was pacified.
However, the clans were like centipedes, their influence not something that could be shaken in a day. The Grand Ancestor chose the hardest bone to gnaw on, resulting in a situation where the court had no capable officials.
Emperor Yong'an, who had half the blood of the aristocratic clans flowing through him, ascended the throne and had to marry another woman from the Wang clan as his Empress.
But he was the Emperor. From the moment he ascended the throne, he was sworn enemies with any clan that threatened the imperial family's interests.
Great Wei had been plagued by internal and external troubles over the years, and Emperor Yong'an was exhausted. Yet, he never stopped wishing to eradicate the clans.
The fact that Great Wei, under two emperors, could not shake the clans' position shows how difficult it was. Talent was the foundation of the court, and it could not all be controlled by the clans. Therefore, establishing official academies was imperative.
In addition, Xie Jiayan also advised the court to publish books, rectify the bureaucracy in Jiangnan, encourage commoners to engage in commerce, and establish trade with foreign peoples.
These measures would diminish the clans' lofty status, preventing them from interfering in state affairs any longer.
However, from another perspective, these actions also preserved the aristocratic families. Although their glory would fade, they would not face extinction.
Xie Jiayan poured his heart and soul into ending the centuries-long chaos caused by the aristocratic clans, but he died young due to his overexertion.
History recorded his significant contributions, but a man like him should not have departed so soon.
For some reason, the thought of his fate in the storybooks made her chest feel heavy.
If her relationship with the Cui family could help him, she was willing.
Helping him was also helping the Cui family.
Because she knew that the era of aristocratic clans would eventually pass.
History, when it eliminates you, sometimes doesn't even give you a chance to say goodbye.
"Why are you suddenly going to Jiangzhou?"
Was it because her tutor had been too strict recently, and she wanted to escape and be lazy? If that were the case, she would be greatly mistaken.
The studies of the Cui clan's women were no less demanding than those of the young men, and the tutors at the Cui clan's academy were even more stringent.
"Mother, I heard that the Cui clan's library has tens of thousands of books. Is that true?"
"Of course!" Cui Shi's face lit up with pride as she spoke of her maternal clan's library.
The Cui clan's library was superior even to that of the Wang clan, considered the foremost aristocratic family. Only direct descendants of the Cui clan were qualified to enter it.
The Cui clan spent a great deal of time and effort each year preserving and restoring these books.
Otherwise, over time, the books would become damaged and lost, and future generations would not be able to read these valuable works.
"Mother, what would happen if the Cui clan lost these books?"
"Impossible. All Cui clan descendants must cherish books as much as their lives. Those books are the lifeblood of the family, more important than life itself. This is the first thing every Cui clan descendant must understand from birth." Cui Shi's expression was solemn; such matters were not to be trifled with.
Yu Mingyue shook her head. "Mother, Yue'er believes that people are the most important. If the people are gone, who will protect those books? To those who do not know their value, they are merely waste paper. If you fear losing the legacy, then let more people read and learn. This way, not only the books but also the family can be passed down through generations and achieve eternal fame!"
Cui Shi was taken aback for a moment, then looked at her daughter sternly. "Who told you to say such things to your mother?"