Chapter 115: Tearing and Merging, a New Prosperous Era (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Boom. Boom. Boom.

One by one, the sound of drumbeats arose quietly amid the passage of time, shattering the silent and tense atmosphere.

Hearing these drumbeats, Gu Han immediately sighed in relief.

The Li people have the custom of "casting bronze into drums," and these bronze drums hold great significance for them; their tribe's ruler is even called the "Drum Master."

To strike the bronze drum at this moment,

at the very least—

their ruler has decided to meet Gu Han.

Gu Han took a deep breath and waited for their next move.

Indeed, the same giant who had appeared earlier stepped forward again and gestured to Gu Han: "The Dou Lao wishes to see you."

Gu Han bowed with neither humility nor arrogance, offering thanks.

He then followed the giant forward.

The culture of the Shan Yue differed fundamentally from that of the Great Han, a fact evident in the architectural style of the Li tribe.

Unlike the Wuhuan and Xianbei, who were actively absorbing Great Han culture,

the Li still used "stilt houses," with the lower level raised and the upper level inhabited, along with some cave dwellings.

Gu Han carefully observed the environment in which the Li lived along the way.

He had gained some understanding of the Li.

The customs of the Li tribe were utterly alien to the entire Central Plains, whether their practice of "killing humans to appease spirits" or their food.

The only slight similarity was that the Li also had some agricultural culture.

But it differed from Great Han agriculture.

They cultivated dry rice and tubers.

They had no fixed land; once they exhausted the fertility of a plot, they immediately relocated.

Overall—

the barbarian tribes of the Shan Yue region today had far less identification with Great Han culture than the Wuhuan and Xianbei.

This was certainly not good news for Gu Han.

But there was a difference.

That was Gu Chen's past actions, which had established certain legends and influence for the Gu clan among these barbarians.

He could only seize this opportunity.

The leader of the Li was called the "Dou Lao."

He was a giant covered entirely in tattoos.

Perhaps because he had truly let go, the moment he saw him, Gu Han suddenly felt less tense.

He performed a standard Han bow before this Li Dou Lao.

"Are you the descendant of Nuohu, the Great Ghost Master?"

The Li Dou Lao stared intently at Gu Han, his voice thunderous and powerful.

"Indeed." Gu Han remained as composed as ever.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

"Good!" The Li Dou Lao smiled; he had not remained stern the whole time, and instead immediately ordered a feast prepared.

This was also one of the Li tribe's cultural practices.

For hosting guests, they had their own understanding: besides their uniquely distinctive food, they always entertained guests with "nose-drinking."

Gu Han had long heard of this tradition from Great Han officials.

Regarding this matter—

he held firm to his own principles.

Along the way, he had changed too much already.

From a typical noble young master, he had gradually transformed into a resolute man.

He had long decided on his conduct for this journey.

Since he was here to expand, he must respect their culture while spreading Great Han culture.

This was an exceedingly rare quality for this era.

But respect was respect.

Gu Han still carried the pride of a Gu clan descendant; he could eat foods unknown to the Great Han, but he would never accept "nose-drinking," a practice utterly contrary to Great Han propriety.

Facing the bamboo tube offered by the Li, he shook his head without hesitation: "I beg your pardon, Dou Lao."

"The Gu family's discipline is strict."

"I cannot commit such an impolite act."

He said this to the Li Dou Lao with firm, resolute tone.

Upon hearing this, the Li Dou Lao immediately frowned, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face: "Surely you have not heard what your Great Han officials told you?"

"To enter the Li tribe, you must nose-drink?"

Around him, each Li man rose to his feet, as if ready to seize Gu Han the moment the Dou Lao gave the order.

"I have heard it."

Gu Han took a deep breath, still composed as ever: "Yet I, Gu Han, am not only a Han official—I am also a Gu clan descendant!"

—Gu clan descendant!

Gu Han's tone was especially resolute.

Though this generation of clan descendants may be doubted in ability and character, their family's honor requires no doubt whatsoever.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the room grew even more tense.

The reputation of Gu Chen's descendants indeed grants Gu Han some advantage.

But everything requires strength.

With only so few men at his disposal, how much deterrence can he truly wield?

Gu Han clearly felt the anger radiating from those beside him.

He drew another breath, then slowly rose to his feet, looking earnestly at the Li tribe's elder: "Today, I came here already prepared to lay down my life."

"To be frank, I have heard of the customs of the Baiyue tribes."

"Only then did I decide to come and meet you, Elder."

"Surely even you, Elder, wish to know why?"

A clever negotiation tactic—this was Gu Han's progress.

True enough, the Li tribe's elder immediately became attentive and asked: "Why?"

"I have come to save the Li people!"

Gu Han spoke at once, his expression growing even more confident.

"Save the Li people?"

The Li tribe's elder paused, then sneered slightly: "Why would the Li need you to save us?"

"Hmph!"

"If you were the Great Demon Lord Nuo Hu, I might listen. But you—a mere youth—how dare you speak with such confidence?"

Gu Han met the Li tribe's elder's piercing gaze without flinching, returning it steadily: "I may be insufficient—but what of Han?"

"Han?" The Li tribe's elder frowned.

"Elder, you likely do not yet know," Gu Han said without preamble, laying out the war situation in the Northern Frontier.

He had only learned this news before entering Baiyue territory.

"The current head of our Gu clan wiped out three barbarian tribes in a single battle; the Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Goguryeo all surrendered in succession."

"The Qiang, the Xiongnu, and the southwestern barbarians all submitted at the mere rumor of our advance."

He detailed Han's current situation and the wars unfolding on all sides.

The Li tribe's elder's brow deepened with each passing moment.

The present now differed greatly from history; though the Baiyue's attitude toward Han remained largely unchanged.

But the difference lay in the emergence of the Gu clan.

The Gu clan's rise intensified Han's influence over the Baiyue.

At the very least—

These tribes still feared Han deeply, though they knew Han would not launch a full-scale campaign against them.

"The tide of the world has shifted. The court has already taken notice of the Shan Yue."

"And the current Your Majesty is a formidable ruler—"

"I wish to ask you, Elder."

"If one day, my Gu clan leads Han's armies back to Shan Yue, what will you do? What will the Li tribe do?"

Gu Han had pondered this speech for a very long time.

Why had he chosen the Li tribe?

This was precisely the result of his careful deliberation.

Because the Li tribe's strength was not weak, yet neither was it exceptional among the Baiyue.

Tribes at this level were easily swayed by pressure and incentive.

No matter what, he needed a transit point.

Only by firmly rooting himself across all of Baiyue could the Gu clan establish a solid foundation in Shan Yue.

"Are you threatening me?"

The Li tribe's elder's gaze grew sharper as he glared at Gu Han: "I could kill you now—use your flesh and blood to sacrifice to the spirits!"

"Elder may certainly kill me."

Gu Han remained calm, speaking softly: "But Elder must consider the consequences when my clan's head arrives."

"Of course."

"This act of yours would also mean abandoning an opportunity—a chance for the Li tribe to rise utterly within Baiyue."

Threats are always paired with incentives.

Gu Han did not believe anyone would remain unmoved by the Gu clan's offer of cooperation.

He then outlined the actions taken by Gu Ye in the Northern Frontier, though in far more abbreviated form.

He highlighted only the key points.

Including special privileges in the border markets and the reallocation of land and status.

There was also strife within Baiyue.

This strife was even more frequent than conflict with Han.

Gu Han aimed to seize this core: proposing the reallocation of land and status when Han expanded here.

The Li tribe's elder immediately grasped the implication; the sharpness in his eyes softened somewhat.

Gu Han had guessed correctly.

Had he merely spoken of Han's armies arriving, he would not have cared so much.

For since ancient times, such things had happened many times before.

Even if Han's armies truly broke through, they would eventually withdraw—leaving little lasting impact on them.

This is also the fundamental reason why Baiyue has been so brazen and fearless toward the Great Han.

But the Gu clan is ultimately different.

Gu Chen's methods back then were simply too ruthless; his campaign against the Shanyue at Danyang in those years had already conquered everyone.

Although Gu Ye's current reputation is far from comparable to Gu Chen's.

Just the identity of "Head of the Gu Clan" alone is enough to make many of the barbarians wary.

And the benefits this could bring.

If everything truly is as Gu Han said, and if one day the Han army truly does arrive here, the benefits to the entire Liren tribe would be unimaginable.

Thinking this way, the old chief of the Liren also made his decision in his heart.

He waved his hand lightly.

Those Liren warriors immediately sat down.

At once a smile also appeared on his face; looking at Gu Han with admiration, he said: "Worthy indeed of a descendant of the great ghost-chief Nuohu — you truly have courage."

"Please, sit."

The expression on Gu Han's face did not change, but his eyes suddenly lit up at this moment.

He seemed truly about to succeed.

As for everything happening in the lands of the Shanyue, Gu Yi naturally knew nothing at all.

He could only see that Gu Han was still alive.

To know how everything was progressing, he could only wait until word was sent back.

But Gu Yi currently had no mind to pay too much attention to it; he was still traveling about, keeping watch over the barbarians on all sides.

Liu Chen held court within, with Gu Yi outside;

This dual oversight, inside and out, had, without anyone noticing, once again set right the official administration of the Great Han.

As time slowly passed.

Finally—

After the calamities, the Great Han once more welcomed a golden age.

How should this golden age be described?

It was unlike any golden age that came before.

All manner of brand-new policies, including the establishment of border markets, greatly stimulated the commercial development of the Great Han; and as merchants traveled to and fro, the fruits of cultural blending emerged one after another.

In the space of just a few short years, the Northern Frontier now even had different children's rhymes.

"The moonlight over Chang'an — half shines on the Zuo Zhuan, half reflects the wolf-god totem."

"The Han family's bright moon lights the wolf court; before the royal tent they read the Analects."

Although Gu Yi's hand was at work in these, there were also children's rhymes that they themselves had composed and spread.

Compared with the lives they had lived before.

Clearly, this kind of stable life, where they would not starve to death, far, far exceeded what they had known.

And when such children's rhymes began to appear—

It had already thoroughly proven just how splendid the current Great Han truly was.

Han-style architecture appeared one after another across the Northern Frontier;

The children of the Xiongnu began to carve out the Analects;

Scholars of the Qiang people drew maps of the Tribute of Yu on sheepskin;

The opening Gu Yi had left back then for them to take the imperial examinations had indeed been the right move.

Although the level of these barbarians was far below that of ordinary Great Han commoners, for them this was still a rare and precious opportunity.

The current Great Han, although it was not yet a scene of all nations coming to pay court.

Compared with the traditional so-called scene of all nations paying court, this kind of cultural tearing and blending was far more difficult.

So long as this situation continued.

One day, these lands would be thoroughly absorbed into the Nine Provinces.

Becoming a part of the Nine Provinces.

And with the stabilization of the borders, the economic effects brought by commercial development, and the fact that the Great Han had suffered no major calamities in recent years—

All these factors caused the national strength of the entire Great Han to grow at a startling pace.

The Great Han had truly stepped away from one peak.

And for the Gu clan—

The situation Gu Yi had long envisioned was gradually taking shape, and far better than he had imagined.

The Gu clan had, at its root, finally become in people's hearts a symbol of a "golden age."

The importance of this to the Gu clan is unimaginable.

The twelfth year of Qiánjí, seventh month.

With the situation on all sides stabilized one after another, Gu Yi finally maneuvered Gu Ye back to Luoyang.

Liu Chen attached great importance to this matter.

When Gu Ye once again arrived at Luoyang and saw the scene before the city gates.

Let alone Gu Ye—

Even Gu Yi felt an indescribable emotion well up in his heart.

How many years had it been?

How many years had it been since the Gu clan had last seen such a scene?

Although the Gu clan's influence was still continuing.

But this feeling of ruler and minister sharing one heart had been absent for far, far too long.

Gu Ye's eyes even reddened a little.

"Your subject pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Before Gu Yi could take control, Gu Ye hurriedly stepped down from the carriage to offer his salutation.

"What does Zhaode mean?"

Liu Chen immediately stepped forward and stopped Gu Ye: "You and I are brothers — please do not stand on such ceremony!"

"Zhaode has come back at just the right moment!"

"I was just about to send someone to bring you word."

Saying this, Liu Chen even took Gu Ye's hand directly: "I wish to go with you to Mount Taishan to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices."

The Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Taishan?

In an instant, Gu Ye was completely stunned.

Even Gu Yi had not anticipated that Liu Chen would actually say such a thing.

——————

"Gu Ye, a renowned military strategist and statesman of early Yanhan, rose to the rank of Grand General; he was the eighth-generation scion of the Gu clan.

As a key driver of the Great Han's restoration, Gu Ye, with his outstanding military talent and far-sighted policies toward the peoples, consolidated the Great Han's territories.

He also accelerated the sinicization of the frontier peoples, laying an important foundation for the multi-ethnic integration of Huaxia civilization and national unification.

His achievements were praised by later generations as 'the opening prelude to the unity of Huayi.'

———— *People's Education Press History Textbook, Grade 7, Volume 1 (Unit on the Great Ethnic Integration)*

(End of this chapter)