Chapter 136: Expanding the Territory

Li Guang's posture remained vigorous, his eyes revealing the steadiness and resolve of a veteran of many battles.

Huo Qubing, meanwhile, exuded vigorous energy and fighting spirit from his whole body.

After following Emperor Wu of Han and resolving their grudges, then campaigning in the Western Regions, both men regained the heroic fervor of galloping the battlefield to expand the Great Han's territory.

"Your Majesty!"

The two bowed in unison.

Liuche looked at them, a faint relieved smile appearing on his face as he said: "Two generals, for this campaign into Mojietuo State, I wish to restore peace to this land. Do you have confidence?"

Li Guang stepped forward, clasped his fists, and spoke loudly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this subordinate is willing to charge ahead for you, to level every obstacle in Mojietuo State. I have fought all my life and never feared any opponent; this time I will surely let this foreign barbarian land witness the might of the Great Han army!"

Huo Qubing immediately added: "Your Majesty, this subordinate has long hoped to display his talents in this foreign land. I will, as on the Xiongnu battlefield, plant the Great Han's flag across every inch of Mojietuo State, to expand territory for you and achieve an unparalleled merit!"

His eyes flashed with a fervent light, a yearning for glory and victory, and boundless aspirations for achieving great deeds.

Liuche nodded in satisfaction:

"Good! With the two generals, I can rest easy. Issue the orders: have the troops sharpen weapons and feed horses, prepare to march into Mojietuo State, and restore order to this chaotic land!"

At his command, the atmosphere inside the tent instantly became tense and exhilarated.

Over the following months, under the fierce offensive of Emperor Wu of Han's iron cavalry, important cities of Mojietuo State fell one after another, and each non-Han ethnicity was conquered.

Under Shi Liu's guidance, the Han Army advanced as if through an uninhabited land.

The local tribal clans, faced with the majesty of the Great Han, showed starkly different states.

Some trembled with fear, hiding in corners, unwilling to submit, restless, fully displaying their innate savagery.

These tribes' religious beliefs were convoluted; each tribe had its own strange totem and peculiar rites, acting entirely on primal instinct.

They often fought bloody battles over water, land, and other livelihood resources, or even over trivial matters, completely untouched by civilization's influence.

The city-state's streets were in disorder, trash littered indiscriminately, and due to prolonged heat, the waste emitted waves of foul stench.

Among the people there was no trust whatsoever; fraud and robbery occurred frequently, and the entire society lacked any rules or order.

Emperor Wu of Han, Liuche, stood on a high point of the city-state, gazing at this utterly chaotic scene, his brows furrowed.

The sultry air made him feel suffocated; sweat continually seeped from his forehead and slid down his cheeks.

He inwardly mused: such a barbaric, disordered land, if not properly governed, would surely become a grave threat to the Great Han in the future.

That evening, he convened his attending ministers in the tent to discuss countermeasures.

"Esteemed ministers, Mojietuo State is chaotic and disorderly, lacking any pattern; I wish to establish a firm order here to ensure the Great Han's rule enjoys lasting peace and stability. Do you have any good strategies?"

In the tent, Liuche's gaze was like a torch, slowly sweeping over the crowd; his voice low yet penetrating, echoing long within the tent.

At this moment, Shi Liu stepped forward slightly and respectfully said: "Your Majesty, permit me to offer a bold suggestion. Mojietuo State has long been filled with tribes standing independently, each self-governing; to establish order, we must first divide and weaken the larger tribal alliances."

"We can adopt different policies for different tribes: give benefits and status to those willing to submit, and decisively crush those who stubbornly resist."

Li Guang stepped forward, bowed with clasped hands, and said: "Your Majesty, I have heard that the local ancient custom includes a caste system, which is already reflected in the Mojietuo State's epic Rigveda and Vedas; perhaps we could draw on it to establish an order suited to the Great Han's rule."

Liuche nodded slightly, unconsciously stroking his beard, sinking into deep contemplation.

To establish long-term rule on this land, we must break the existing chaotic situation and reshape a clear, explicit hierarchical order.

This concerns not only present stability but also the Great Han's future influence and control over this land.

He thought of the Great Han's prosperity, its culture and rites, and the ignorance and savagery of these uncivilized tribes before him; gradually he reached a decision.

Seeing this, Shi Liu added: "Your Majesty, establishing a caste system is good, but we must not rush it. The local tribes are extremely sensitive to power and status; in implementation we could start with some small tribes, set examples, then gradually expand. Moreover, for tribal leaders who originally held prestige, even if placed in a low caste, we could give them a certain participatory role in local affairs, so they would not be overly opposed."

Liuche listened, a flicker of approval crossing his eyes; Shi Liu's suggestion matched his own thoughts, giving him a clearer vision for the forthcoming governance plan.

When Liuche decided to establish the caste system, various resistances surged in like a tide.

The local tribal leaders who originally held some power were the first to jump out and oppose.

They well knew that once the caste system was established, their privileges would be greatly weakened, so they secretly connected, attempting to organize resistance forces.

Among them, a tribal chief named A Gu Lu from the north, relying on his local prestige, gathered a band of die-hard followers, preparing to fight the Han Army to the death to defend their original power and status.

Ordinary folk also harbored resentment toward this system.

They had long been accustomed to their original way of life; being suddenly assigned to different castes and deprived of the freedom to choose their livelihood and occupation left them deeply dissatisfied.

In streets and alleys, everywhere were the people's complaints and protests; social order became even more turbulent and unsettled.

At this time, on the eve of the rainy season, the sultry weather made the people's mood increasingly irritable, and the protest voices continually fermented in the hot air.

Furthermore, the great cultural differences also became a major obstacle to implementing the caste system.

The Great Han's culture and Mojietuo State's native culture were utterly different; the locals were quite unfamiliar with the Great Han's rites and values, even harboring hostility.

They regarded Emperor Wu of Han's enforcement of the caste system as a trampling of their original beliefs and culture, further intensifying the conflict between the two sides.

Faced with these formidable obstacles, Emperor Wu of Han cared little, thinking they were merely a bunch of barbarians; a swift blade cuts through tangled hemp, no need to waste words on them.

He first strengthened military deployment, increasing troops at key strongholds to form a powerful military deterrent against tribes intending to rebel.

At the same time, he sent envoys to negotiate with A Gu Lu and other tribal chiefs, on one hand reasoning with them, explaining the importance of the caste system for Mojietuo State's future development;

on the other hand appealing to emotion, promising that under the new system they could still retain certain status and benefits.

Shi Liu, relying on his understanding of A Gu Lu and other tribal chiefs, provided the envoys with many valuable negotiation strategies, enabling the talks to proceed smoothly.

After several rounds of arduous negotiation, A Gu Lu and the other tribal chiefs were finally persuaded to abandon armed resistance.

And Liuche turned his gaze toward the south of Mojietuo State, where the land and water were more abundant.