Chapter 1016

On the battlefield, dust flew, and the sound of horse hooves was like thunder, shaking people's hearts. Gu Yi wore silver armor and held a long spear, like a god descending to earth; wherever he went, the enemy army retreated, all fearing his ferocity. His eyes were sharp like an eagle, constantly capturing every change on the battlefield, commanding the Xiliang Army to surge like a tide, both orderly and fierce.

Among the enemy army, there was no lack of brave men; they rode tall warhorses, wielded heavy weapons, and engaged in close-quarters combat with the Xiliang Army. In the flash of swords and shadows, blood splashed, and the sounds of wailing and war drums intertwined, forming a tragic picture of war. However, under Gu Yi's leadership, the Xiliang Army's morale was high, as if everyone had been injected with endless strength, and even facing an enemy several times their size, they did not retreat.

The battle was exceptionally fierce, and both sides had heavy casualties. Gu Yi knew deeply that if things continued like this, even if they could eventually win, they would pay a heavy price. Thus, he decided to change tactics, using the advantage of terrain and military strength to divide and encircle the enemy army and defeat them one by one.

He quickly summoned several generals and arranged tactics briefly and powerfully. Subsequently, the Xiliang Army began to retreat in an orderly manner, appearing to be defeated, but in fact, they were luring the enemy army deep. Seeing this, the enemy army thought the Xiliang Army was no match and pursued them one after another, not knowing that they had already fallen into Gu Yi's trap.

When the enemy army pursued to a narrow valley, suddenly, the Xiliang Army surged from all directions and surrounded the enemy army tightly. Gu Yi gave an order, and the Xiliang Army was like a tiger descending from the mountain, launching a fierce attack on the enemy army. The enemy army immediately fell into chaos, the original orderly formation was completely disrupted, and the soldiers fled everywhere, trying to find a way out.

However, all of this was in vain. Gu Yi personally led the team and charged into the enemy army; wherever the long spear passed, no one could stop it. His figure shuttled across the battlefield like a silver lightning bolt, and wherever he went, the enemy army fell one after another. The Xiliang Army soldiers were also encouraged and fought bravely; for a time, the sounds of killing on the battlefield shook the sky, and blood flowed like a river.

Seeing this, the leader of the enemy army knew that the general trend was gone, but he was not willing to fail like this. He wielded a big sword and led a group of personal guards, trying to break through the Xiliang Army's siege and escape. However, Gu Yi had already anticipated his move and personally led the team to intercept.

The two armies met, like dragons and tigers fighting, and the battle was inseparable. Gu Yi and the enemy leader fought even more evenly; the long spear and the big sword collided in the air, making a deafening sound. Every clash sparked a burst of fire, as if to ignite the air.

However, Gu Yi was experienced in many battles after all. He spotted an opportunity, and suddenly, the long spear was like a dragon going out to sea, piercing directly toward the enemy leader's chest. The enemy leader could not dodge in time and was pierced through by the spear, falling heavily to the ground. With the death of the enemy leader, the enemy army's morale greatly decreased, and they surrendered one after another.

The battle finally ended. On the battlefield, there were corpses of soldiers and warhorses everywhere, and blood stained the earth red. Gu Yi stood on high ground, looking at this tragic battlefield, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that although this battle was won, the cruelty of war made him feel deeply pained.

He ordered the soldiers to clean up the battlefield, bury the fallen soldiers, and sent envoys to the enemy camp to persuade them to submit to the new dynasty. At the same time, he also knew deeply that to prevent similar crises from happening again, he must strengthen the border defense and improve the army's combat effectiveness.

After returning to the royal palace, Gu Yi and Li Ru met again. They reviewed the course of this battle together and summarized the lessons learned. Li Ru expressed appreciation for Gu Yi's heroism and wisdom and also proposed specific measures to strengthen border defense.

"Brother Gu, you being able to personally lead the army to defeat the enemy this time is truly a blessing for the country," Li Ru said. "But we must also realize that the border defense cannot rely solely on the victory of one battle. We need to establish a long-term defense mechanism to ensure the safety of the border."

Gu Yi nodded in agreement. "You are right. I am already considering this problem. We not only need to strengthen the troop deployment at the border but also improve the soldiers' training level and enhance their combat effectiveness. At the same time, we also need to establish good relations with surrounding countries and maintain the stability of the border through diplomatic means."

The two continued to discuss in depth, contributing wisdom and strength to the stability and prosperity of the dynasty. They knew that although the road ahead was still full of challenges and unknowns, as long as they worked together, they would definitely be able to overcome all difficulties and guard this hard-won peace.

In the process of the new dynasty gradually stabilizing, Gu Yi and Li Ru's governance concepts were also constantly deepening and improving. They knew deeply that the prosperity of a country does not only depend on the strength of military power but also lies in the cohesion of the people's hearts and social harmony. Thus, in a long talk late at night, the two began to explore how to further promote the country's internal political construction and how to resolve potential contradictions through dialogue and communication.

"Brother Gu, I have been thinking recently that although we have selected a large number of talents through the imperial examination and pushed for a series of policies to appease the people's hearts, it seems that there are still some local people who have doubts about our rule." Li Ru gently stroked the book on the desk, a trace of worry revealed in his eyes.

Hearing this, Gu Yi put down the teacup in his hand, his gaze solemn as he looked out the window. "What Brother Ru said is very true. Our dynasty has just been established, and it is reasonable for the people to still have doubts in their hearts. The key lies in how we can win their trust and support through actual actions."

"Dialogue, perhaps, is the best way," Li Ru said slowly. "We can send officials deep into the local areas to communicate face-to-face with the people, understand their needs and difficulties, and then formulate targeted policies to solve their actual problems."

Gu Yi nodded in agreement, a light flashing in his eyes. "Dialogue can not only solve immediate problems but also narrow the distance between us and the people, letting them feel the care of the imperial court. We can set up 'People's Sentiment Discussion Meetings,' regularly inviting representatives of the people from all over the country to the capital to reflect problems and put forward suggestions directly to us."

"Good idea!" Li Ru clapped his hands in praise. "This can not only discover problems in time but also let the people feel that their voices are valued, thereby enhancing their identification with the imperial court."

The two chatted more and more congenially, and before they knew it, the night was deep. But their hearts were filled with longing and anticipation for the future. They knew that through dialogue and communication, the new dynasty would definitely be more stable, and the people's lives would definitely be more beautiful.

The next morning, Gu Yi summoned the important ministers of the imperial court and put forward the "People's Sentiment Discussion Meeting" plan that he had discussed with Li Ru last night. After hearing this, the ministers expressed their agreement one after another and actively offered suggestions to perfect the details of the plan.

Soon, the "People's Sentiment Discussion Meetings" were in full swing in various places. Officials went deep into the fields, sat down and talked with the people, and listened to their hearts. The people also opened their hearts one after another, telling their joys and sorrows and their expectations for the future.