Chapter 19: Northward to Break the Enemy: The Dynamics of Attack and Defense Have Changed

From this day forward, Liu Zhuang truly fulfilled his vow to observe fasting as Emperor.

He truly wished to bear all of it upon himself.

But even so.

The gloom in the court grew ever denser.

Although Liu Zhuang still governed diligently as before, and Gu Kang continued to manage state affairs with calm order.

The entire Han Empire seemed unchanged, yet everything seemed to have changed.

Even among the common people, rumors and panic began to spread.

The golden age had not truly departed.

Only the hearts of men had grown chaotic.

In an age rife with omens and superstition, this could not be resolved.

Unless—the Han army truly won.

If not, perhaps no one in the realm would allow Liu Zhuang to mobilize troops again.

Liu Zhuang seemed to have sensed this.

From then on, he became even more diligent than before.

As if hoping his own actions could restore the people's hearts.

To tell the realm that he, Liu Zhuang, could lead the entire Han Empire to an unprecedented peak.

Even heaven itself could not stop him.

Yet human strength always reaches its limit.

How could omens and superstition be so easily shattered?

Before news from the Han army returned, this could not be resolved.

Under the persistent influence of this atmosphere, Liu Zhuang gradually began to be affected.

That night.

The moonlight was clean, the stars brilliant.

Gu Kang, with Serious Expression, hurried toward the Southern Palace.

This was the first time since he entered official service that the Emperor summoned him in the dead of night.

As an exceptionally mature statesman, Gu Kang had already envisioned the worst possible scenario.

This stirred in his usually steady heart a rare flicker of panic.

If Liu Zhuang truly faltered at this moment, the impact on the entire realm would be unimaginable.

Fortunately, Liu Zhuang's body showed no ailment—only exhaustion, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

Seeing Gu Kang enter.

He made no extra gesture; his entire being had lost its former vigor, and he spoke in a low voice:

"Jishi, I dreamed of the late Emperor."

His voice was heavy, laden with endless thoughts, "This is the first time since my ascension that I have dreamed of the late Emperor."

"It was the very scene when the late Emperor received word of Xiao Gong's death."

Liu Zhuang paused slightly, his eyes filled with reminiscence, and said slowly: "I remember it clearly."

"Before that day, the late Emperor had spoken to me many times of his great ambition."

"Yearning to one day reconquer the Western Regions, subdue the Xiongnu, and resolve our Han Empire's century-old woes."

"Back then, I wondered—what kind of grand, sweeping ambition could that be?"

"But after that day, the late Emperor never mentioned it again—until many years later, during the Fengshan ceremony, he spoke of this ambition once more."

He let out a soft sigh, his eyes growing more complex, "Before, I truly could not fully understand the late Emperor."

"How could a hero like the late Emperor abandon his great ambition over a single celestial omen?"

"But now, I understand a little."

"How can a ruler treat his people as if they were nothing?"

Liu Zhuang looked at Gu Kang. "Jishi, our Han Empire has just mobilized troops—and already such celestial signs have appeared."

"Today, I dreamed of the late Emperor again."

"Do you think this is the late Emperor telling me I have erred?"

In the dim glow of the candles, Liu Zhuang's expression was deeply complex; he fixed his gaze on Gu Kang, as if desperately seeking an answer from him.

Clearly, he had been affected.

Gu Kang's own emotions were equally complex.

To say he was entirely unaffected was impossible.

The limitations of the age were undeniable.

He too was caught within it.

But perhaps influenced by Gu Yi's early teachings, Gu Kang had always held within his heart a supreme ideal;

—the Gu clan must shine for ten thousand generations!

All else would be overcome in service to this ideal!

If he and his brother could help Liu Zhuang achieve this great ambition, the Gu clan's prestige would face no further threat across the realm.

The current situation was favorable.

How could celestial signs halt us?

In an instant, Gu Kang's expression hardened; meeting Liu Zhuang's gaze, he spoke with unwavering clarity:

"Your Majesty!"

"Our great Han army will surely win with banners flying!"

"Absolutely!"

By the end, Gu Kang's tone had grown unexpectedly heavier.

This was the first time he had shown such emotion before Liu Zhuang.

Yet Liu Zhuang did not grow angry.

He simply gazed silently at Gu Kang, whose face was set with determination, as if slightly infected by it, his once-clouded eyes gradually clearing.

After a long silence, he finally gave a slight nod.

"Excellent! Our great Han army will surely prevail!!!"

During this northern expedition, the Han army's four main forces each had their own objectives and marching routes.

Dou Gu's force aimed to capture Yiwulu City.

This city's location was crucial across the entire Western Regions; seizing it would tear open the Xiongnu's defensive line in the Western Regions and lay the foundation for further westward advances.

This was Liu Zhuang's brilliance.

Clearly, he had listened to Gu Kang's words and had already prepared for future plans while formulating this northern expedition.

One must admit, Dou Gu was no doubt worthy of being Dou Rong's nephew—his military talent was truly remarkable.

Especially now, with Geng Zhong, Gu Cheng, Ban Chao, and others at his side, it was like adding wings to a tiger.

After a round of discussions, they swiftly formulated their strategy.

First, they dispatched multiple elite reconnaissance units deep into the surroundings of Yiwulu City to gather intelligence.

The main army was divided into three echelons:

The first echelon consisted of light cavalry, equipped with powerful crossbows;

the second echelon were heavy cavalry, clad in heavy armor, wielding long swords and spears.

The third echelon was composed of archers and infantry.

This arrangement aimed to preserve the army's stealth as much as possible, adopting a strategy of marching by night and resting by day, intending to launch a surprise attack on Yiwulu City.

But the Xiongnu were not unprepared.

The current situation was vastly different from the original history.

The Han's consecutive years of bountiful harvests could not be concealed.

Not to mention the oath Liu Xiu had sworn before all the people after his Fengshan ceremony.

Clearly, the Northern Xiongnu knew the Han army would strike.

They had absorbed much from the Central Plains, establishing numerous watchtowers and patrol units along all key passes of Yiwulu City and the Tian Shan.

Each patrol unit was equipped with horns.

At the slightest anomaly, they would sound the horn, ensuring immediate notification.

It was under these conditions of confrontation

that the two armies met on the Tian Shan!

Initially, it was merely an accidental encounter between light cavalry and Xiongnu patrols.

But the moment the horns sounded, this minor encounter escalated into large-scale combat.

In truth, King Huyan had not anticipated that this battle, meant to be a small-scale probe, would suddenly erupt into full-scale war.

But when Gu Cheng led the heavy cavalry of the second echelon into the battlefield,

the entire battle's momentum changed completely.

Though Gu Cheng's usual demeanor appeared casual, once he stepped onto the battlefield, his presence was entirely different.

If Gu Kang was a born statesman,

then Gu Cheng was a born general.

And most crucially, perhaps due to Gu Kang's influence, or perhaps because Gu Cheng's own talent had also won over Liu Zhuang,

Liu Zhuang had granted Gu Cheng a thousand elite troops of the central army.

What was the central army?

It was, by definition, the Han's most elite force.

Not to mention that this central army had been trained by Gu Cheng for many years.

Leaving aside combat power,

even in discipline and obedience alone, this army far surpassed any other army of its era!

In this age of cold-weapon warfare,

possessing such a formidable force could greatly boost the morale of the entire army.

And a highly motivated heavy cavalry unit on the battlefield could crush all obstacles!

Instantly, the thunder of hooves and the roar of battle cries deafened the air.

The cavalry of both sides clashed in close combat, blades flashing, blood spraying.

Gu Cheng truly lived up to being Gu Xiao's son—on the battlefield, he was just like Gu Xiao of old, leading from the front!

And Ban Chao was the same at this moment!

Only now, as he stood on the battlefield, did he become even more certain of his heart.

His decision to abandon the brush for the sword had indeed been right.

His hands, once holding only the brush, could now wield a blade!

He could achieve glory on the battlefield!

This battle's outcome was already sealed.

After leaving nearly two thousand corpses behind, King Huyan suffered a crushing defeat and retreated.

The Han army pressed the advantage and pursued.

Especially the central force led personally by Gu Cheng, who obeyed every one of Gu Cheng's orders without hesitation.

They vowed to inflict heavy damage on the entire King Huyan army, rendering it utterly incapable of interfering with the Han army's plan to enter the Western Regions.

"A mere rabble in retreat—what is there to fear?"

"In days of old, General Huo Qubing marched over a thousand li in six days, giving the enemy not a single moment to catch their breath."

"Why then can we not do the same today?"

"General, Zhongsheng has confirmed that Yiwulu City now holds only three thousand men. If we can fully cut off King Huyan's reinforcements, Yiwulu City is ours for the taking."

"Opportunities in battle vanish in an instant—how can we let it slip away?"

After uttering these words and gaining Dou Gu's approval, Gu Cheng acted without hesitation and decided to abandon armor and pursue!

Although Gu Yi had originally given him only theoretical knowledge.

But even theoretical knowledge yields different insights depending on one's innate talent.

Gu Cheng was clearly one such case.

He had begun employing a flanking encirclement tactic.

Using Dou Gu's central force as a base.

Gu Cheng personally led a group of soldiers who had discarded all baggage and supplies, riding hard and taking a detour to pursue.

They marched north along the grasslands at the northern foot of the Bogda Mountains.

Using the Tian Shan's tributary ranges as natural barriers to restrict King Huyan's forces from fleeing southeast.

Faced with such an opponent, King Huyan was truly stunned.

Gu Cheng's tactics even reminded him of the young general from years past who had nearly wiped out the Xiongnu entirely.

He had heard from his ancestors that this young general excelled precisely in such tactics.

And now, at this moment, it was just as it had been then.

Under the relentless advance of Gu Cheng and the Han troops behind him, he could only flee toward Puli Sea.

But under these circumstances, how could Gu Cheng fail to see it?

He had studied the maps for years, and swiftly maneuvered through the Balikun Grasslands, aiming to coordinate with the Han forces to encircle King Huyan and trap him there.

But when a man reaches desperation, he often unleashes astonishing potential.

And Gu Cheng had only so few troops this time.

After a fierce battle, though suffering heavy casualties, King Huyan still managed to escape.

By Puli Sea.

Gu Cheng gazed at the battlefield before him, wiped the blood from his face with his hand, and sighed with regret:

"If I had twenty thousand troops in this campaign, King Huyan would have no chance to fly away."

Hearing this, Ban Chao stepped forward with a smile and replied:

"One day, Elder Brother will surely crush the Northern Xiongnu and Achieve Great Merit!"

Gu Cheng glanced at him, shook his head, and said solemnly: "Until the Western Regions are secured, our Han army can never fully focus on confronting the Northern Xiongnu."

The Western Regions are now chaos upon chaos.

Aside from countless small states, there are also many foreign tribes.

And their attitudes toward the Han differ greatly.

Whether he would ever have the chance in his lifetime, even Gu Cheng himself could not be certain.

Seeing this, Ban Chao also grew solemn. He fell silent for a moment, as if pondering, then suddenly said: "Elder Brother, rest assured."

"If such an opportunity ever comes, I will surely pacify the Western Regions for you, removing all your rearward worries!"

He knew Gu Cheng's lifelong ambition was to quell the Northern Xiongnu threat.

"Good!"

Gu Cheng nodded. "If that truly comes to pass, you and I, brothers, shall be remembered through history, worshipped by future generations."

The two brothers exchanged glances, then burst into loud laughter.

Gu Yi had been watching all of this in silence.

Although when he first saw Gu Cheng's attributes, he had thought Gu Cheng might one day Achieve Great Merit.

He had never imagined it would come to this.

Quell the Northern Xiongnu?

Gu Yi looked deeply at Ban Chao, his anticipation for Gu Cheng's future achievements growing ever stronger.

Could he truly have such an opportunity?

As Gu Yi pondered, the entire Han army swiftly cleared the battlefield.

And what followed did not deviate from Gu Cheng's expectations.

No—it was even smoother than he had imagined.

King Huyan's crushing defeat had already sealed everything.

Before long, Yiwulu City was fully captured.

And Ban Chao volunteered himself, determined to serve as envoy to Shanshan State.

To inform the entire Western Regions;

—The Han has returned!

Luoyang.

As time passed, seeing that the realm had not suffered the catastrophic disasters once feared, the people naturally grew calmer.

Human nature has always been thus.

The common people believed it was the Emperor's fasting that had appeased Heaven, preventing disaster from descending.

Yet, compared to the situation among the people, the oppression within the court had never lifted, and had grown even more severe.

As for the reason, it was very simple.

News had arrived from all four armies.

Commandant Geng Bing's route;

——advanced six hundred li into the desolate desert, reached Mount Sanmulou, but failed to inflict any losses as the Northern Xiongnu fled in panic;

General Lai Miao's route;

——arrived at the Xiongnu River, yet achieved nothing;

Ji Rong's route;

——due to false intelligence, he never even reached his target, Zhuoyexie Mountain.

This news plunged the court's atmosphere straight to its lowest point.

Liu Zhuang erupted in rage and stripped Ji Rong of his rank, reducing him to commoner status!

The others were also punished.

As an Emperor, his pressure was beyond others' imagination.

Even Gu Kang could not fully ease his mind.

If this truly failed, he would forever be unable to fulfill his inner ambitions.

Some might even begin to wonder whether the Son of Heaven had lost Heaven's favor.

The consequences of such a thing were unimaginable!

He needed a great victory!

Amid Liu Zhuang's increasingly serious mood, the court officials felt as if walking on thin ice.

A powerful Emperor, perpetually tense and growing more irritable, made everyone understand what it meant to "serve a sovereign as one serves a tiger."

As a result, the entire Han court grew even more oppressive.

But Gu Kang was different from the others; as time passed, he grew increasingly calm.

All four armies had sent word—three of them—yet one remained silent. Why?

It must be that this final army had encountered the enemy!

As long as they encountered the enemy, there was still a chance to win—or even achieve a great victory.

Unlike the other three armies, they would not return empty-handed.

Finally, under this tense atmosphere, Dou Gu's message arrived at last.

Deyang Hall.

Sensing the Emperor's urgent gaze, the courier dared not hesitate.

"Your Majesty!"

"General of Chariots and Cavalry Dou Gu marched north, encountered King Huyan's army at Tian Shan, and slew nearly two thousand enemies."

"King Huyan was decisively defeated and fled."

In that instant, a chorus of sharp intakes of breath echoed.

All ministers wore expressions of shock.

Liu Zhuang was no different—he leapt to his feet, staring fixedly at the courier.

His cold gaze, which had lingered for days, finally showed a change.

"Military Administrator Gu Cheng personally led light cavalry in pursuit, surrounding King Huyan's forces at Puli Sea."

"They slew over a thousand more."

"King Huyan fled with his remnants; our forces captured Yiwulu City."

"Subsequently, Company Commander Ban Chao volunteered as envoy and, with only thirty-six men, slaughtered a hundred-man Northern Xiongnu delegation."

"The entire kingdom of Shanshan was thrown into terror; their king vowed to re-submit to Great Han and send his prince to Luoyang as hostage!"

"He is now on the way!"

Deyang Hall fell utterly silent.

Everyone's expression changed—even Gu Kang was no exception.

Though he had long anticipated that his younger brother's talent would bring him glory if he met the enemy,

he had never imagined such a monumental achievement.

Of course, the most emotionally overwhelmed was Liu Zhuang.

He made no effort to conceal his feelings; first, he exhaled deeply, as if expelling all the bitterness that had weighed on him for days.

Then he burst into loud laughter!

"Good! Excellent!"

"No wonder he is the son of a great general! No wonder he is a general of Great Han!"

The once proud, world-conquering Emperor had returned.

Liu Zhuang's piercing gaze swept across the ministers; all his gloom vanished at once.

Gu Kang, watching the stunned court, thought swiftly and without hesitation, bowed deeply to Liu Zhuang and spoke with resolute clarity:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!!!"

"Today's great victory proves Heaven is not displeased with our military campaign."

"Rather, it is telling us—"

"That Great Han holds the upper hand over all barbarians!"

————————

In the tenth year of Yongping, Gu Cheng led troops northward under Commandant Dou Gu to campaign against the Xiongnu.

When the army halted at the Tian Mountains, they suddenly encountered the enemy; Gu Cheng bravely led his men, leading from the front, and his soldiers fought with determination, utterly defeating the enemy and slaying nearly two thousand.

The enemy forces broke and fled, and King Huyan withdrew with his remaining troops.

Gu Cheng pursued the retreating enemy, advancing swiftly in silence until he reached the shores of Puli Lake, where he again engaged King Huyan's army.

The enemy collapsed in total rout; King Huyan barely escaped with his life.

——Records of the Later Han Dynasty, Biography of Gu Cheng

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(End of Chapter)