Chapter 114: The Gu Clan Bestows Surnames, Virtue Matches Heaven and Earth (Requesting Monthly Votes)

The warfare in the Northern Frontier indeed played a significant role.

The Qiang, including the Xiongnu.

Those who had never intended to directly confront Han immediately pulled back.

Gu Yi's vision certainly did not stop at the Northern Frontier.

The troops he had dispatched earlier—whether Yang Hu or Du Yu—were all results of his careful deliberation.

These men were fully capable of executing his plans perfectly.

—An unprecedented grand reform arose across the Nine Provinces.

Of course, this inevitably brought bloodshed and chaos, but what of it?

Integration was the choice of the age.

It was also a milestone in history's further advancement.

No wind or rain could alter this fact.

In fact, compared to the original history, Gu Yi's current plan had already proceeded far more smoothly.

Because Han was far too powerful.

This power far exceeded that of the original history; the emergence of the Gu clan brought this dominance to its peak.

Whether the legends of Gu Xi and Gu Chen;

Or Gu Chen's original intention to relocate tribes—

The efforts of generations had already created the perfect opportunity for all that had unfolded today.

Gu Yi's task was simply to carry it out.

Of course, this was not merely about threats.

Among every barbarian tribe, there were clans loyal to Han.

They understood Han's current culture far better than others.

Gu Yi did not hesitate to bestow rewards.

He granted them Han surnames, allotted them land, and elevated their status within their tribes.

Although these lands were not fertile.

But to them, this was already sufficient.

—All under heaven bustle for gain!

This applied to everyone; under these circumstances, the greatest flaw of this alliance system would be fully exposed.

More and more people would choose to accept Han culture for the sake of gain.

Although now they did so only for profit.

But what of it?

Under this trend, their descendants would inevitably undergo profound change.

The entire integration plan was in full swing.

Gu Yi, without losing control, had Gu Ye oversee everything, bestowing surnames according to their cultural beliefs.

For this, Gu Ye even supplemented Yi's Thought.

What surprised Gu Yi was—

Gu Ye had devised a surname system similar to the "Nine-Rank System," dividing barbarian surnames into upper, middle, and lower tiers.

Each tier contained three surnames.

Assigned according to their degree of sinicization.

Each tier's surnames carried different privileges and status.

Those in the upper tier could even take Han's imperial examinations!

And besides that—

There were also those with unranked compound surnames.

This move was utterly unexpected by Gu Yi, but after careful thought, he realized it was absolutely viable.

People are like this.

As long as their lives are not threatened, they will seek to climb upward.

Use surnames to divide them.

Let their internal status struggles gradually become surname struggles, and they will unconsciously accept Han culture!

Although Gu Yi did not know whether this would affect future generations.

But undeniably, for the current situation, this strategy could be implemented.

In the fourth month of the fifth year of Ganji.

Gu Yi held a grand sacrifice outside the capital.

This sacrifice was extraordinary, utterly unlike any previous one.

Gu Yi placed the deities of various barbarian tribes upon the altar, though their positions were vastly inferior.

The most critical core—

Remained Han's most orthodox Hao Tian and the Five Emperors.

During this sacrifice, Gu Yi, through Gu Ye, officially assigned surnames to these barbarians!

Upper-tier surnames: "Yan, Zhao, Xuan";

Middle-tier surnames: "An, Gui, Zhong";

Lower-tier surnames: "Tuo, Wu, Hui";

As for the unranked compound surnames, there were many more, almost all granted to tribes completely alien to Han.

The impact of this matter is unimaginable.

Across the entire Northern Frontier, another wave of rebellion surged once more.

Gu Yi's act of conducting the sacrifice and bestowing surnames had utterly shattered the unrealistic hopes of certain tribes.

Han will not easily forgive them this time.

When their faith is threatened, even if they know resistance is futile, they will still raise their hunting knives.

But what can be done about it?

To this day—

There is no longer even a need for Han troops to lift a hand; the tribes granted single surnames and eager to climb higher will help Han eliminate them.

Gu Yi offered them real, tangible benefits.

Not to mention the top-tier surnames;

Even middle- and lower-tier surnames grant land, and even come with certain privileges in the border markets.

Such direct benefits are enough to drive too many people mad.

For most, it is better to seize the opportunity before them than to cling to a faith that never cared for their lives.

Human nature—has always been this way!

What Gu Yi did not expect was that even the fleeing Goguryeo king had been bound and returned by his own people.

Compared to the fear of unknown migration, the various systems proposed by Han now held far greater appeal for ordinary Goguryeo commoners.

The tide has turned!

Although this tide rests upon the foundation of Han military threat.

But for now, it is sufficient.

Once everyone clearly senses the hierarchy of status, they will defend this policy for their own interests.

This is the weakness of human nature!

Some tribes have even begun to worship Gu Ye and Gu Xi, Gu Chen.

Those who have gained benefits strive to hold onto all these advantages.

All so-called faiths vanish at this moment.

Gu Yi did not interfere with any of their actions.

After settling everything, he immediately began organizing the border markets.

He designated four locations along the Youzhou frontier as border markets and established detailed regulations for them, including opening hours.

The existence of the border markets is the Top Priority.

Without the border markets, all this foundation is destined to be unsustainable.

Gu Yi must ensure the exchange of resources.

This task is bound to be extremely difficult.

For years, the people of Youzhou have held the same attitude toward the barbarians, but fortunately, Han's commerce is currently thriving.

Under the weight of enormous profit—

Some merchants will always choose to walk this path.

And when this gradually becomes routine, that is when the entire system will be deeply rooted in people's minds.

Guonei City.

Seeing Wen Yang's gloomy face, Gu Yi frowned: "A Yang, why so downcast?"

"General!"

Wen Yang's face was filled with indignation: "I heard tribes have rebelled and wished to quell them, but before I could even arrive, the rebels were wiped out by neighboring tribes!"

"This has happened many times already!"

"What use am I then?"

Wen Yang felt life was meaningless, as if he had strength but nowhere to use it.

Hearing this, Gu Yi couldn't help but smile: "A Yang, this is a good thing."

This was the result Gu Yi deliberately engineered.

Although Gu Yi did not establish clear rewards and punishments for tribes participating in suppressing rebellions,

he still granted rewards.

How could such behavior not drive people mad?

"But General, must I always be like this?" Wen Yang immediately turned to Gu Ye, still reluctant.

Gu Yi controlled Gu Ye to pat his shoulder and said calmly: "Sometimes, an unsheathed blade is the most terrifying."

Correct. Han is now exactly like this.

The invincibility of Han troops has become everyone's unspoken assumption.

Under current circumstances,

when even Han troops need not lift a finger to resolve everything, it only deepens fear of Han's power.

Though this may not be ideal for a fierce general like Wen Yang,

it is a crucial step from commander to supreme leader.

Sometimes, not fighting yields greater gains than fighting.

Wen Yang was brave but not foolish; after thinking it over, he understood Gu Yi's meaning. Though still somewhat resigned, he immediately nodded.

Gu Yi will not remain in the Northern Frontier forever.

Having embarked on this path, he must see it through to completion.

Yang Hu, Du Yu, and others truly bring peace of mind.

But no matter how extraordinary their talents, without the Gu family's lofty reputation, accomplishing these things was destined to be extremely difficult.

Gu Yi had to go and take a look.

Time slipped swiftly away.

Before he knew it, the first market day had arrived.

It did not come as a surprise to Gu Yi.

The people of Youzhou were extremely resistant to this kind of market day, and only the Gu family's reputation could calm them down.

But getting them to actually come and take part in the market day was still no easy matter.

Still, some merchants did come.

Including personnel from the imperial court.

The Xianbei warhorses were no ordinary things; their speed and endurance both surpassed the horses of the Central Plains.

This too was a result of the environment.

And the ginseng and medicinal herbs from Goguryeo, as well as the furs from the Wuhuan, were all rare goods — a bit of millet could be traded for these things.

This was a profit no merchant could ignore.

The market day concluded smoothly under these circumstances, without a single disturbance.

But Gu Yi did not let his guard down.

He remained in the Northern Frontier, and only after several more months passed did the thought of returning arise.

During this period, something happened that greatly astonished Gu Yi.

— Gu Han was actually still alive.

After fully merging into the role, Gu Yi lost the ability to glance with a thought and survey the four directions.

Originally, he could only wait for Gu Han's letters.

But as Gu Han's journey stretched longer and longer, letters became increasingly hard to come by.

Even Gu Yi did not know his current specific situation.

He could only check through the "family information" to see whether he was still alive.

By Gu Yi's estimate—

If Gu Han truly never stopped, with an iron will, he should have already reached the Shanyue lands.

He held great expectations for Gu Han's journey.

As everyone knows—

Although the Shanyue lands in the feudal era were the sort of place that no grandmother doted on and no uncle loved, in modern times it was a different story entirely.

The Gu family would certainly, as time went on, make moves on certain places ahead of others.

The Shanyue lands were undoubtedly one of them.

If Gu Han could truly open up this path and lay a good start for the Gu family, the significance for the entire Gu family would be quite different.

But unfortunately, Gu Yi currently could not interfere in any way; he could only wait for Gu Han's letters.

The seventh year of Qianji, the sixth month.

As the various systems were gradually put into place, Gu Ye finally departed the Northern Frontier.

On the day of parting—

Wen Yang cried like a child, utterly reluctant to let go.

Those who came to see him off were beyond count.

Nowadays, among the various tribes, more and more people had begun to enshrine Gu Ye; at first, this was naturally to curry favor.

But as time passed, this currying of favor gradually began to transform.

Being able to live a stable life—

Even if life was not particularly good, for the people of this era it was still a difficult thing to achieve.

This change had come about entirely quietly.

Even they themselves had not been able to sense it — facing Gu Ye's departure, a trace of panic had actually arisen in their hearts.

— This already had the embryonic form of faith.

Especially seeing Wen Yang, a being like a god of death to them, crying so miserably.

Many were affected as well, shedding tears at this moment of parting.

But parting could not be changed.

The Gu family's footsteps could not remain forever in one place.

From the very beginning in the Nine Provinces to now among the barbarians, the Gu family always had to keep moving forward.

Gu Ye said much to Wen Yang, entrusting him with certain important matters.

Gu Yi did not interfere; only after Gu Ye finished speaking did he once again take control and pat Wen Yang on the shoulder: "A Yang, do not fail my expectations."

A single light sentence, yet it contained countless expectations.

"Rest assured, Great General!"

Wen Yang, face full of tears, did not hesitate in the slightest and dropped straight to his knees: "This general will surely protect the Northern Frontier."

"No matter who dares to disrupt the governance of the Northern Frontier, this general will surely flay them alive!"

This was his promise to Gu Ye.

It was also a threat to those harboring ill intentions in all directions.

He had not held a spear for a long time, yet the whole of his person still carried a deadly air!

Gu Yi nodded with satisfaction.

Looking at Wen Yang before him, then at Du Yu, he cupped his hands in farewell to the two: "Parting today, we shall meet again another day."

In the old days, when Lord Huan and Lord Ding Yuan parted ways.

Lord Huan once said—

"On the day we meet again as marquises, we shall drink deeply and sing long of our glorious years."

Lord Huan and Lord Ding Yuan never met again.

Today, then, I shall say—

"Though we are now scattered, each bound for the wilds of Cangwu, the mountains and rivers hold faith, the sun and moon remain unchanged. On the day the dark bird returns to the beams, we shall reunite on the ancestral paths, drink sweet spring wine, and renew our noble words."

Gu Ye bowed solemnly to the two of them.

Having spoken, he turned and walked away.

Though his eyes were slightly red, he showed not the slightest hesitation.

Liu Chen wanted Gu Ye to return to Luoyang, but Gu Ye did not agree.

Such matters demand direct decision and immediate implementation.

Why waste time?

Yet Gu Yi still summoned the ninth-generation descendants of the Gu clan, just as in olden days, and trained them personally with word and deed.

Yes, the ninth-generation disciples of the Gu clan had all now been born.

But their attributes were somewhat disappointing.

Perhaps it was truly because the Gu clan had shone too many generations in succession, and now faced decline.

Among the ninth-generation disciples, none could even be compared to Gu Xi or Gu Chen.

Not a single one could be mentioned in the same breath as Gu Liang or Gu Ye.

Gu Yi was helpless in the face of this.

Though he now had some achievement points, which might be used to draw a prize that could improve their attributes.

But after hesitating, Gu Yi still suppressed the thought.

A family of ten thousand generations.

Is destined to rise and fall.

Even if he still had achievement points now, to guarantee talent in every generation was still a fool's dream.

And he was still alive—why rush so desperately?

Passing down the entire clan's belief was the Top Priority.

Yun Kai Dashan.

As a mountain in northern Jiao Province, it was also the range where Han territory met the barbarians of the four quarters.

Regarding the barbarians of Shan Yue—

Aside from the Dan Yang barbarians established by Gu Chen, the remaining barbarians were governed by the Han's inherited "tributary policy" of old.

All barbarian groups maintained high autonomy.

This was also tied to the current environment; the climate and terrain of Shan Yue were truly unimaginable torment for Han people.

Compared to when he first left Luoyang, Gu Han now had none of the aristocratic bearing of a young noble.

His skin was dark, and he looked far more hardened.

Of the nearly thousand who left Luoyang, only three hundred remained.

The hardships of this journey could not be expressed in words—it was a double torment of will and body.

Fortunately, these men had been specially chosen by Gu Yi.

They held absolute loyalty to the Gu clan, which had ensured Gu Han's safe arrival at this day.

Sitting on the ground.

Gu Han paid no heed to dignity, gasping heavily as he tore open his clothes from the heat.

"Young Master."

"Just ahead lies the Li tribe. If we march straight in, we risk arousing their suspicion."

A soldier beside him showed Gu Han a map and explained the Li people's customs.

Gu Han listened intently, but finally shook his head: "We are Han officials—what is there to fear on Han soil?"

He would not yield an inch.

The purpose of this journey was to proclaim Han authority and lay the foundation for future expansion.

If we yielded before even meeting them—

Would we not invite contempt for Han, and for the Gu clan?

Hearing this, the men's expressions turned Serious at once, and they all nodded.

They rested for one day.

On the next day—

They continued onward along the mountain path.

Ancient trees towered, their branches interwoven, blocking most of the sunlight and making the path seem especially deep and dark.

Coarse trunks were covered in moss; the ground lay thick with fallen leaves, soft and damp underfoot, emitting a faint "rustle."

Everyone was extremely alert.

Whether it was wild beasts or potential threats—

Could easily kill them all at once.

In this deep, dark path, even time seemed to have lost meaning.

How long had passed?

Suddenly.

A burst of dense footsteps came from every direction, closing in at tremendous speed.

"Protect the Young Master!"

In an instant, the crowd surrounded Gu Han, brandishing the weapons in their hands, staring intently in every direction.

With a sudden "whoosh," the sound rang out sharply.

Arrows pierced through the air one after another.

The crowd hurriedly parried.

Fortunately, these arrows carried somewhat less force than those of the Han, and did not cause too many casualties.

Gu Han's expression was resolute, without the slightest trace of fear.

He immediately shouted in the various languages he had learned: "I am a minister of the Great Han!!!"

This was a trait even Gu Yi had not noticed.

Gu Han actually possessed a certain talent for languages; along the way he had already picked up quite a few.

His voice instantly spread out.

The next moment, the arrows from every direction abruptly ceased.

One figure after another emerged from the dense forest on all sides, tightly encircling the Han troops.

"A man of the Great Han?"

And a man who looked clearly of noble bearing stepped out from among them, staring intently at Gu Han in the crowd and asked: "What have you come here for?"

"Now is not the time for you to set foot upon our Li people's sacred mountain."

His face still carried killing intent.

As if, should Gu Han's next words displease him, he would immediately order the men to loose their arrows.

Completely unlike the other barbarians.

The rift between the barbarians of the Shanyue lands and the Nine Provinces would only run deeper.

"I come on behalf of the Great Han, to see your king." Gu Han drew a deep breath, and as he spoke, he stepped out from the crowd.

This was the etiquette belonging to the Han people.

"See the king?" That man frowned, then gave a cold laugh: "Our king has long decreed that, apart from the appointed times, you Han people must never set foot upon our sacred mountain!"

"And now you actually say you want to see our king?"

Having said this, he did not hesitate in the slightest, and immediately waved his hand, ordering the men to loose arrows once more.

Killing intent filled the air!

Beneath the stifling air, beads of cold sweat kept dripping from Gu Han's forehead.

He looked at the surrounding crowd and the bows with arrows nocked once again.

A sudden idea struck him, and he abruptly shouted: "I am a son of the Gu clan; this journey represents the Gu clan as well!"

—A turn for the better.

The instant he heard "Gu clan," that man's expression suddenly changed; just as those arrows were about to be loosed, he abruptly waved his hand.

"Gu clan?"

He murmured a few words softly, then stared straight at Gu Han and asked: "Are you a descendant of the Great Ghost Lord Nuo Hu?"

Nuo Hu Great Ghost Lord — was one of Gu Chen's titles.

In the culture of the Li people.

Nuo represented the war god who drives away evil; Hu represented the mountain god; and Great Ghost Lord was the highest shaman-king in their faith.

"Precisely." Gu Han nodded. "I am a descendant of the Great Ghost Lord Nuo Hu."

The atmosphere changed abruptly.

For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed that man's face; after a moment of silence, he finally waved his hand, ordering the men behind him to lower their bows.

"Let's go."

He did not say more, merely leading the group of men behind him as they continued onward into the mountains.

The faces of the Han soldiers all showed lingering dread.

Gu Han was no different.

No matter how iron his will, when facing death he could not be so nonchalant.

He had not yet reached such a realm.

But he would not hesitate either; he drew a deep breath and followed the men ahead, walking slowly into the deep mountains.

This stretch of road was exceedingly long.

The already oppressive weather further intensified the tension in everyone's hearts.

It was unclear how long they had walked, when, as some strange buildings came into view one after another, the man walking ahead once more blocked Gu Han.

While he himself went inside, seemingly to make an announcement.

Gu Han stood there on the spot, waiting.

He did not know what he would be facing next; his heart could not help but pound faster and faster.

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(End of this chapter)