Chapter 56: Stalemate, Gu Xi Mobilizes

This sudden upheaval utterly shattered the concept that the world had long taken for granted.

It made everyone realize one thing.

——The Han imperial troops were not invincible in this world.

This caused a tremendous shock to public sentiment.

Nevertheless, the court's measures were effective; lifting restrictions on the party members did indeed calm the emotions of many.

What comes next will depend on how the battle unfolds.

Huangfu Song was indeed a fierce general.

He was born into a military family.

Most crucially, he had once followed Gu Xi in suppressing rebellions and learned much from him.

Facing the fact that the Yellow Turbans consisted mostly of displaced peasants, he swiftly devised a detailed battle strategy.

——First, stabilize the people's hearts.

In this feudal era, the people's thoughts were simplest: they merely wished to survive.

No one would rebel unless pushed to desperation and deprived of all hope.

Gu Xi understood this perfectly, which is why, during the famine relief, he worked tirelessly to give the people hope for the future.

Huangfu Song now built upon this foundation.

He first strove to stabilize those who had not rebelled, severely punished corrupt officials, aided restless displaced peasants, and loudly publicized these actions.

This indeed affected the Yellow Turbans' morale to some degree.

But the flaw lay in the court's refusal to summon Gu Xi.

Human nature has always been this way.

The people's expectation of Gu Xi had lasted too long, too deeply, spanning generations.

This expectation had not faded with time.

On the contrary, it had grown stronger.

Even now, with this situation, the court still had not summoned Gu Xi—this had left these families utterly disillusioned.

This matter could not be easily resolved by mere minor measures.

These people had become utterly disillusioned with the court.

——Only a true, decisive battle could completely turn the tide.

But the Yellow Turbans' morale had reached an unprecedented height.

Their consecutive conquests of prefectures and commanderies had given them immense confidence.

In contrast, the Han army's morale had begun to wane.

Although the Han army's weapons and equipment held clear advantages, these could not compensate for the gap in morale.

And most crucially, the Yellow Turbans consisted mostly of desperate, displaced peasants who harbored deep resentment toward the Han court.

Under all these factors, the Han court's first battle against the Yellow Turbans, as in original history, ended in defeat at their hands.

Though not a catastrophic, mountain-collapsing rout.

But the blow to morale was still immense.

Yet Liu Hong's policy of abolishing provincial governors and appointing military governors did indeed halt the Yellow Turbans' advance, causing their momentum to slow drastically.

Under these circumstances, a bizarre stalemate emerged, with victories and defeats alternating across various prefectures and commanderies.

But this inability to directly crush the rebels was bound to stir unrest among the people.

And the longer this dragged on, the worse it would become.

This may well be the change brought about by the Gu family.

Zhang Jue's overall strength was indeed far greater than in original history.

In his judgment of public sentiment, and in his command of troops.

His abilities now far surpassed those of original history.

Under these circumstances, as it became clear the court truly could not crush the Yellow Turbans outright,

The gloom within Luoyang grew thicker.

Finally, after nearly five months, Liu Hong lowered his noble head and personally sent messengers to the Marquis of Guan Jun to summon Gu Xi out of seclusion.

Luoyang.

The atmosphere was exceptionally tense.

Gu Xi slowly lifted the curtain of his carriage, his gaze like a deep, cold pool, silently observing the scene within the palace.

The palace before him was no longer the same; the changes were so great that even this old man, once intimately familiar with the place, felt alienated.

This was where he had once poured his heart and soul into aiding the emperor.

Now it witnessed the dynasty's decay and decline.

At this moment, within the Northern Palace,

Liu Hong's mood was utterly foul.

If there had been the slightest alternative, he would never have summoned Gu Xi.

For Gu Xi's status was far too unique.

Not only his eunuch protégés, but even he himself, the Emperor, dared not touch Gu Xi.

Any move against him would likely spark rebellion across the land.

For an emperor who craved absolute autocracy, this was an unbearable reality.

But now he had no choice but to bow his head.

Liu Hong was no fool; he knew clearly that if the current situation continued, the Han dynasty truly faced the danger of collapse.

No matter what, he could not be the emperor who lost the empire—that was Liu Hong's bottom line.

Beside him, the group of Middle Regular Attendants all bowed their heads, faces heavy with worry.

They dared not even face Gu Xi.

But Liu Hong insisted they remain here.

Liu Hong had long planned this: should Gu Xi fly into a rage, he would use these eunuchs as scapegoats to preserve his own imperial dignity.

Opposite the eunuchs sat General He Jin, the current commander-in-chief.

Though he forced his expression to remain calm, his nervousness still showed in his eyes.

This was the Grand Tutor!

He Jin had long sought to bring the He clan into the ranks of the aristocratic families.

After all, imperial in-laws were only temporary.

If they could enter the aristocratic circle, the benefits to the entire He clan would be immense.

The Gu clan stood at the pinnacle of the aristocracy, its influence and status filling He Jin with both awe and longing.

How could he not be nervous?

The atmosphere within the hall, under this delicate tension, felt profoundly strange.

Not long after, a steady, powerful set of footsteps echoed in.

All turned to look and saw Gu Xi, his head white with age, walking in with firm, deliberate steps.

"Grand Tutor!"

Liu Hong reacted instantly—before Gu Xi could speak, he leapt to his feet.

His face beamed with a smile as he hurried forward, gently supporting Gu Xi's arm, his tone laced with concern:

"It has been so long since I last saw you, Grand Tutor. I am relieved to see you in good health."

"My heart can finally rest."

"Thank Your Majesty," Gu Xi replied, his expression unchanging, his voice as calm as still water, allowing Liu Hong to guide him to the chair already prepared for him.

The rest had long since bowed their heads, daring not to look at Gu Xi.

Especially the eunuchs—some even began trembling.

There was no help for it; Gu Xi's aura of intimidation was too overwhelming.

They feared Gu Xi would turn his wrath directly upon them.

Yet Gu Xi did not even glance at them, as if they were invisible; as soon as he sat, he turned to Liu Hong and asked: "Your Majesty summoned this old minister specifically today—what is the purpose?"

"I have heard…"

Liu Hong sat back upon the dragon throne, forcing a stern expression, feigning imperial authority: "Did the rebel leader Zhang Jiao once study medicine at the Gu family's private academy?"

He still clung to his imperial airs.

He hoped to exploit this to pin the matter on Gu Xi, forcing him to volunteer for the campaign.

But Gu Xi remained utterly calm, simply nodding: "Indeed, that is true."

"Though that was many years ago."

As he spoke, he slightly narrowed his eyes, a faint look of reminiscence crossing his face: "I recall how, in those days, Emperor Shun also studied under me."

Gu Xi sighed, tilting his head slightly, a touch of melancholy in his gaze: "Emperor Shun was a wise ruler. Yet Zhang Jiao became a rebel."

"It seems, after all, hearts differ."

Liu Hong's petty scheme was, before Gu Xi, no more than a child's trick—worthless.

Gu Xi's words were telling him: Your own grandfather studied under the Gu clan too!

Stop wasting my time with such nonsense.

In truth, Gu Xi did not care much for face.

Had it been Emperor Liu Zhao or even Liu Bao in his prime, he might have granted the emperor that courtesy.

But Liu Hong? No.

Indeed, upon hearing Gu Xi's words, Liu Hong's expression froze.

Anger flashed instantly in his eyes.

This was precisely why he avoided using the Gu clan—its influence was simply too great.

But he would never dare lose his temper with Gu Xi.

He was not that foolish.

He quickly suppressed his rage, sighing softly: "Grand Tutor speaks truly."

"It seems Zhang Jiao was born a rebel."

He swiftly changed the subject, his tone turning serious: "Grand Tutor, our Han armies now stand in stalemate against the rebels across the provinces."

"Though we have won many battles."

"We have yet to crush them utterly."

"The ministers have repeatedly petitioned, urging you to lead the campaign."

"I originally hesitated, knowing your advanced age—but now the rebels grow bolder. I ask you directly: will you lead the expedition?"

Liu Hong's expression grew even more serious, his gaze fixed tightly on Gu Xi.

Hearing this, Gu Xi's face showed no expression, yet his heart stirred with complexity.

Only now, with external force pressing so hard, had the court been forced to bow.

If he were to carry out his own plan in the future, the resistance would surely far exceed what he faces now.

He let out a quiet sigh, slowly rising to his feet, his voice steady and resolute: "I was entrusted by Emperor He."

He let out a soft sigh, slowly rising to his feet, and said in a steady, resolute voice: "This old minister was entrusted by Emperor Xiaohe."

"Now is the time of national crisis; one must take up arms and march."

From start to finish, Gu Xi's expression remained as still as a calm lake, not a ripple.

But his words rang through the hall like a heavy hammer.

This is the difference between him and the others!

At this moment, seeing Gu Xi's snow-white hair and the wrinkles on his face.

A complex emotion suddenly surged in his heart.

He finally began to understand why Gu Xi had reached this point, why he possessed prestige surpassing even the imperial family.

He is a man who dares to act at all times, even if it means his own death without hesitation.

"Good!" Liu Hong nodded heavily, his expression unreadable.

He waved his hand and took the military token from Jian Shuo's side.

Then he rose personally, walked to Gu Xi's side, and solemnly placed the token in Gu Xi's hands, his voice low and powerful:

"Grand Tutor shall have full authority over this campaign to suppress the rebellion."

"The Han dynasty's fate can only be entrusted to the Grand Tutor. May the Grand Tutor—"

He meant to say: "May the Grand Tutor not betray the Han."

But seeing Gu Xi's snow-white hair, he suddenly recalled Gu Xi's experiences over these decades.

When had Gu Xi ever betrayed the Han?

For a moment, he was speechless, his throat choked as if blocked by something—he could not utter the words.

Gu Xi's expression remained as calm as water, not the slightest fluctuation.

As if he had not heard at all,

he merely accepted the token, bowed to Liu Hong, then turned and walked out of the hall.

Watching Gu Xi's retreating back, the entire hall fell into deathly silence.

The air was thick with an indescribable atmosphere—reverence, worry, and a trace of helplessness.

Gu Xi's attitude toward Liu Hong was certainly not warm.

Beyond the basic courtesies of a subject, he had shown not a single other emotion from start to finish.

In the past, Liu Hong would have erupted in anger.

Scolding these scholar-officials for treating him with such insolence, and so on.

But now, he simply could not speak a word.

He had served as regent for decades without a single major fault.

And yet, through these two reigns, he had endured all this—resentment would be natural.

If he felt no resentment at all, Liu Hong might suspect even more.

But to say that this would change Liu Hong's view and lead him to re-employ Gu Xi—

Clearly, it was impossible.

For him, the ideal outcome was for Gu Xi to succeed in suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion, yet die on the battlefield.

Thus, the current crisis would be resolved.

And his political balance would remain untouched—a win-win.

The news of Gu Xi assuming command again spread like a tide, swiftly reaching every corner of Luoyang.

Suddenly, cheers erupted from all four quarters of Luoyang.

This news, like a blinding beam of light, had, after decades, once more scattered the gloom that had settled over the people's hearts.

The Marquis of Feiting's mansion.

Cao Cao hurried out of his residence, heading straight for Yuan's mansion.

As soon as he entered the compound, he saw Yuan Shao just stepping out.

"Meng De!"

Yuan Shao, as if he had intended to seek out Cao Cao and the others, immediately beamed with pride upon seeing him: "Well?"

"I knew the court would send the Grand Tutor to crush the rebels!"

"My uncle has approved the Yuan clan's young men to follow the Grand Tutor into battle—this time, we shall achieve Merit!"

His face glowed with excitement, his eyes brimming with eager anticipation.

Who could not see the court would use the Grand Tutor?

Cao Cao silently scoffed inwardly, yet his face still showed admiration as he smiled: "Brother Benchu, your vision is truly sharp!"

"My father has also prepared to send me to join the Grand Tutor's campaign."

"Why not march together, brother?"

Hearing Cao Cao's words, Yuan Shao's eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily: "Good! Good! Good!"

"The Grand Tutor leads the army personally."

"You and I, and our brothers, shall achieve unparalleled Merit!"

Both were now in their teens, at the age of fiery passion and soaring ambition.

Full of expectation for the future.

At that moment, an icy scoff rang out, ill-timed.

"Meng De."

"The Grand Tutor leads the army personally—how could you think he'd send you, the son of a eunuch, to campaign?"

Cao Cao's face instantly stiffened; he turned quickly to see Yuan Shu walking slowly over.

His face brimmed with arrogance.

"Brother Gonglu."

Cao Cao swiftly suppressed the anger in his eyes, forcing a smile onto his face, and bowed his hands with neither humility nor arrogance: "My grandfather was a eunuch, but he was not one who brought chaos to the world."

"Even the Grand Tutor once praised my grandfather."

"Brother Gonglu, are you questioning the Grand Tutor's judgment?"

At these words, Yuan Shu's eyes flashed with anger for an instant, but he said nothing, only letting out a cold snort.

Meanwhile, this scene unfolded simultaneously across Luoyang.

Regarding Gu Xi's plan to retake command of the troops.

All major clans showed the same attitude: they intended to send their own sons to Achieve Merit.

No one worried about the war anymore.

Since the era of Emperor Jingping, Gu Xi had already become the universally acknowledged supreme commander of Han.

He had never suffered a defeat in any campaign.

How could such a golden opportunity be missed by letting family heirs join?

This is suppressing rebellion!

With such a massive rebellion, anyone who Achieves Merit in it will see their prestige grow beyond imagination.

Perhaps because Gu Xi had lived so long, few people today even considered the possibility that he might die on the battlefield.

Even Gu Xi himself planned to bring Gu clan heirs along on this campaign.

The sixth generation of Gu clan heirs had now come of age.

The most formidable in martial prowess was undoubtedly Gu Tao — a level far beyond the rest.

Yet apart from Gu Tao, the Gu clan still had several others with decent martial strength, their attributes hovering around 60 points.

For these martially gifted heirs, the battlefield was the best path to advancement.

Clearly, Gu Xi intended to use this opportunity to let the Gu clan heirs accumulate prestige!

The news spread continuously.

In an instant, all of Han territory erupted in excitement.

Although Gu Xi had not yet left the capital.

Yet the morale of the Han army and the Yellow Turbans had suddenly shifted.

Ps: Kneeling for monthly tickets~

(End of Chapter)