Chapter 94: Gu Chen Marches North, Five Routes Attack the Xianbei (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

In the tenth year of Zhangwu, sixth month.

Gu Chen departed Luoyang once again.

Liu Shan personally led the civil and military officials to see him off at Luoyang; as he departed, he tightly gripped Gu Chen's hand, tears streaming down his face.

"Father."

"You must return as soon as possible."

"I cannot do without you."

Though surrounded by officials and the masses, Liu Shan cared not at all for the dignity befitting an emperor.

Before Gu Chen, he truly behaved like a child.

Under his influence,

countless people beyond Luoyang's city gate shed tears.

How could the people of Luoyang bear to let Gu Chen go?

Sobs rose continuously, mingling with the drumbeats that heralded the army's march, lending the atmosphere an inexplicable solemnity.

Zhao Yun's eyes were filled with envy.

He too wished to join Gu Chen in the great campaign.

Yet as one of Liu Bei's trusted retainers,

Gu Chen still kept Zhao Yun behind, to prevent chaos within the Han.

Gu Chen looked at Liu Shan before him, a faint smile crossing his face; he paid no heed to protocol, gently stroking Liu Shan's head as a father would, and said softly: "Your Majesty need not worry over this old minister."

"This war, I fight for the Han, for the people of all under heaven."

"I will not lose."

"All matters of the court have been arranged."

"Zhuge Liang acts with restraint; I have appointed him Chancellor. Your Majesty must heed his words."

"Your Majesty must remember the late Emperor's words."

"Do not commit a small evil because it is small. Do not neglect a small good because it is small."

"With this, our Han shall flourish forever."

Liu Shan nodded, weeping.

Behind him, Zhuge Liang led the ministers in bowing deeply to Gu Chen.

Gu Chen did not linger; then, as he had years ago, he cast one last glance at Luoyang—unchanged in every detail, yet utterly renewed.

Departing once more today;

would he ever return?

He smiled lightly, first bowed to Liu Shan, then returned the bows of the court officials behind him:

"Gentlemen, I entrust the Han to you!"

Saying this, he turned and mounted his horse.

His expression hardened once more, the aura forged by years on the battlefield surging forth.

Drums thundered.

The army marched forth in armor, following Gu Chen toward Youzhou.

Watching this, Gu Yi could not help but sigh.

In truth, for the Gu clan,

Gu Chen's best course now was to remain in Luoyang.

With his current status and prestige, every additional day he lived would greatly aid the Han, the Gu clan, and all he intended to accomplish.

But as always:

—he could not interfere with every choice made by his family members.

Gu Chen's nature doomed him to walk this path.

To him, death was not frightening.

He would march forward without hesitation along the path he deemed correct, until his life ended utterly.

The deaths of Gu Ze, Gu Wei, and other sixth-generation Gu clan members granted Gu Yi nearly one hundred thousand achievement points.

Gu Yi had considered drawing another prize;

even a base-level Common Item.

It might still help Gu Chen.

Yet after a moment's thought, he abandoned the idea.

Life and death are ordained by fate.

Gu Chen had already reached the average lifespan of ancient times, especially given his decades on the front lines of battle.

Without the blessing of a Longevity Card,

even if he drew another item, it would offer him little real aid.

Gu Chen had done more than enough.

Rather than prolonging his life with a weakly effective item, it was better to let him end in glory.

Life and death lie in Heaven's will.

The soldiers who once followed Gu Chen have long since perished.

Time is merciless; it spares no one.

Though after the Han's restoration, Gu Chen had granted each of them generous treatment,

the wounds and illnesses from years of warfare ultimately claimed too many lives.

This made Gu Chen feel even more lonely;

He did not rush his march; instead, whenever they passed through a city along the way, he inquired about corrupt officials in the region.

Gu Chen's concern for governance was no less than Gu Xi's had been in his time.

This indeed allowed Gu Chen to uncover several minor corrupt officials.

Human nature is inherently greedy;

Even now, with the Han Dynasty at this stage, it was impossible to achieve complete purity in governance.

Gu Chen would by no means let these men go unpunished.

Using these petty corrupt officials as examples, he would continue to intimidate officials across the Four States.

And along the way;

Gu Chen frequently conversed with his officers and soldiers, thereby strengthening the army's cohesion while also learning each man's abilities.

At first, these officers and soldiers remained very reserved.

But as days passed, they grew bolder.

They began asking Gu Chen about the great battles he had fought in his youth.

And Gu Chen, having no airs, recounted every detail of those days, making the soldiers grow ever more reverent toward him.

Listening to elders tell stories;

Was one of the few forms of entertainment in this era, let alone having Gu Chen himself recount his past.

This was something these soldiers had never dared to imagine before.

Distance drew closer, imperceptibly;

Though not everyone could hear Gu Chen's stories firsthand, through word of mouth among the soldiers, the tale spread rapidly throughout the camp.

Amid this journey;

Gu Chen used his own methods to forge a bond and cohesion among them.

Added to their reverence for Gu Chen;

Should war come, the strength this army could unleash would surpass everyone's expectations.

Youzhou.

In truth, Gu Chen's decision to mobilize again was not solely due to his judgment of the future.

It was also influenced by the current political situation.

—The Xianbei had unified!

This indeed surprised Gu Chen; a Xianbei subtribe leader named Ke Binen had cleansed the Xianbei tribes.

Though resistance still lingered in many quarters;

On the grand scale, the Xianbei had been thoroughly unified.

The Xianbei, even when divided, had never been weak.

Had there been no rift between Eastern and Western Xianbei, they might have intervened in the Central Plains' chaos during the Nine Provinces' turmoil;

Gu Chen would absolutely not permit such a nearly unified power to constantly threaten the Han's borders.

On this journey, Gu Chen made no effort to conceal his whereabouts.

Ke Binen naturally received word.

Unlike previous Xianbei leaders;

Perhaps due to having grown up along the Han border, Ke Binen understood the Gu family's greatness all the more, and his nature was exceptionally patient.

He suppressed the tribal chieftains' desire to fight a decisive battle and take Gu Chen's head to establish his authority.

Gu Chen had just arrived in Youzhou.

Ke Binen immediately dispatched an envoy to meet Gu Chen, declaring his willingness to submit to the Han and pay tribute.

For this, all the officers and soldiers felt no surprise whatsoever.

After all, Gu Chen was here.

Who in the world would dare ignore Gu Chen's heavenly might?

Everyone assumed Gu Chen would accept the offer, for barbarians paying tribute to the Han had long been Han tradition.

But unexpectedly, Gu Chen outright rejected it.

No, it was not exactly a rejection.

Rather, Gu Chen proposed a condition the Xianbei could never accept.

Youzhou.

The Xianbei envoy stared intently at Gu Chen, his face filled with disbelief.

"Gu Gong, do not jest."

"Our Xianbei Chanyu has wholehearted loyalty to the Han—why would Gu Gong demand our Chanyu commit suicide?"

The envoy spoke fluent Han Chinese.

Aside from his attire and appearance, he was indistinguishable from a Han man.

The atmosphere froze abruptly.

The expressions of those present grew solemn.

Though they did not yet understand why Gu Chen had made such a demand, they sensed his battle intent and were all affected by it.

"I never joke."

Gu Chen spoke without hesitation, calmly: "If the Xianbei wish to submit, their Chanyu must commit suicide."

"If not,"

"Then face the iron hooves of our Great Han."

His voice remained as calm as ever, but the aura emanating from his entire being still made people feel pressure.

The Xianbei envoy could not help but avoid Gu Chen's fathomless gaze, yet still braced himself to question: "Does Gu Gong truly believe my Xianbei can be bullied? That we fear your Great Han?"

"Hmph."

Gu Chen scoffed, shook his head, and said: "Whether the Xianbei fear my Great Han, I do not care."

"But I believe—"

"The Xianbei certainly fear my Gu clan."

His tone paused slightly, his gaze growing ever more piercing: "Go back and look at your Xianbei histories. Do you still remember the matter of sending the sons of a hundred and twenty tribes as hostages in years past?"

"Do you still remember my Gu clan ancestor, who single-handedly defeated generations of your Xianbei Chanyus?"

Gu Chen's tone remained as calm as ever.

But the words he spoke pierced straight into the Xianbei envoy's heart like a needle.

How could he forget these things?

Although these events had long since passed.

The legends of Gu Xi were still passed down among every Xianbei tribe.

He was practically the nightmare of every Xianbei child—whenever they cried and fussed, the elders at home would say things like "Gu Xi is coming."

Anger immediately flashed across the Xianbei envoy's face.

But he did not dare to show his fury at all, not even possessing the courage to meet Gu Chen's eyes. After deliberating for a long while, he could only say resentfully: "Does this Han minister truly insist on this?"

—His form of address had shifted from "Gu Gong" to "Han minister."

Gu Chen did not answer, merely waved his hand.

Seeing this, the anger on the Xianbei envoy's face intensified. Seeming to throw caution to the wind, he swept his gaze across those present: "Hmph! The world all says the Great Han is a land of rites and propriety."

"Now my Xianbei are willing to declare ourselves vassals."

"Yet a mere Han minister dares to threaten the leader of my Xianbei."

"Is this what is meant by a land of rites and propriety?"

Having said this, he immediately turned to leave.

"How dare you!"

The generals present instantly rose to their feet, fury flashing across every face.

These men's reverence for Gu Chen was beyond imagination.

How could they tolerate him being insulted?

But Gu Chen simply waved his hand, signaling the assembled generals not to stop him.

How could he be riled by a few words?

A mere envoy.

Was not worth his notice.

If he were to execute the envoy, it would instead make him appear petty.

Seeing this, the generals could only calm themselves down.

The Xianbei envoy glanced back at Gu Chen, then walked out with a solemn expression.

The instant he stepped out of the camp.

The generals immediately rose one after another, saluting Gu Chen and requesting to do battle.

Out of their absolute trust in Gu Chen, they did not need to consider the justification for this battle at all—as long as Gu Chen wished to fight, then they must fight.

Jiang Wei, Guanqiu Jian, Deng Ai, and others were all brimming with fighting spirit.

But since Gu Chen had come in person.

This battle was destined to be one he would personally lead the great army in.

Gu Chen immediately rose and walked to the map, explaining to the generals the battle plan he had already mulled over countless times.

He did not intend to wait for Kebineng to react.

For him, this battle was already destined to be unavoidable!

Scouts from both sides clashed ceaselessly.

Kebineng naturally could not resign himself to fate.

Although he was unwilling to engage Gu Chen head-on, wanting to play weak first and wear Gu Chen down.

But to ask him to kill himself—how could that be possible?

Matters had already reached this point.

Why should he yield any further? The fighting spirit of the various Xianbei tribes was not mere empty talk!

Moreover, who said they had no chance of certain victory?

Although now the whole world was spreading the word that Gu Chen was the reincarnation of Gu Xi.

But he, Kebineng, did not believe it!

Yet Kebineng was not acting on hot blood alone—he had also contacted the Wuhuan.

Exaggerating wildly Gu Chen's attitude toward the four foreign tribes.

And secured the Wuhuan's support.

The great battle descended quietly amid the various clashes between the two sides.

Gu Chen's strategic objective this time was extremely simple.

Originally he had planned to at least weaken the foreign tribes, but now he was adding one more objective: to eliminate Kebineng.

He set his target on the grasslands south of the Xianbei Chanyu's Wang Ting on the Raole River, as well as the grasslands on the southern slopes of Danhan Mountain.

In truth, the greatest difficulty in destroying these barbarians was that they were too nimble.

But they too had a fatal flaw — their dependence on the grasslands.

Zhangwu eleventh year, fourth month;

Gu Chen divided his forces into five routes and formally marched out of Youzhou.

—The first route;

Led by Jiang Wei and two Gu clan sons, taking several thousand elite Liaodong cavalry, crossing the Yanshan Lengkou Pass, and making a swift strike against the Wuhuan Wang Ting at Liucheng.

Not seeking to breach the city;

Only to burn the grasslands and provisions the Wuhuan depended on for survival.

The second route;

Led by Guanqiu Jian, commanding twenty thousand troops, heading north from Juyong Pass and advancing west along the Yang River valley;

Driving straight into the heart of the Xianbei lands at Raole River.

The third route;

Led by Gu Wei, currently the most outstanding in martial skill among the Gu clan sons;

Advancing north daily along the Chao River from Yuyang Commandery, adding cooking stoves each day to feign movement.

To throw the Xianbei's hearts into disarray.

The fourth route;

Led by Deng Ai, going around the Yanshan to take the southern foothills of Danhan Mountain.

This was a choice Gu Chen made after careful deliberation.

Deng Ai's skill at surprise attacks was truly extraordinary.

And the fifth route;

Was personally led by Gu Chen himself.

Meeting the main Xianbei army head-on on the frontal battlefield, drawing their attention from the front.

All five armies moved at once!

Gu Chen had made thorough preparations for this.

Down to every last detail.

And only when one truly faced Gu Chen head-on would one fully appreciate just how terrifying he was.

For this battle, Gu Chen had long ago begun his preparations, years in advance.

And besides this.

Gu Chen also did not neglect the offensive on the hearts of men.

The Gu clan's fearsome reputation among the outer tribes was not built on empty boasts.

Just before the troops marched out of Youzhou.

Gu Chen issued his first decree under the identity of "Grand Han Ten Directions Conquest Commissioner," sending the order throughout the realm.

The decree read: "Where the royal army points, all becomes Han territory; those who side with the foe, no matter how many, whether leaders or followers, shall be deemed enemies, and even at great peril must be slain!"

With scouts on all sides constantly relaying, this decree spread at once.

—The realm was shaken!

This was Gu Chen's first decree, and the impact it brought far surpassed even Liu Shan's imperial edict!

Beyond this, Gu Chen also extended goodwill toward the Eastern Xianbei tribes.

Kebineng had not yet fully unified the Xianbei!

Gu Chen mobilized his troops far too quickly!

Even now, among the various Eastern Xianbei tribes there still existed forces resisting Kebineng!

Gu Chen intended to strike on both the battlefield and in the hearts of men at once.

And only when facing Gu Chen directly.

Would one clearly feel just how terrifying Gu Chen truly was.

He was adept at infinitely magnifying his own advantages;

Using them to inflict tremendous impact upon his foe!

PS: Brothers, please toss me some monthly votes — we're short by a lot this month, boohoo!

(End of this chapter)