Chapter 1042: Eyes revealing fighting intent

The smoke of the battle of Bingzhou had not yet completely dissipated, and Gu Yi had already received congratulatory letters and letters of favor from all over the place. He sat in the newly established palace in Bingzhou, and the desk was piled with various documents, each carrying the intentions and fears of different warlords. A cold smile appeared on the corner of Gu Yi’s mouth. He knew that behind these so-called favors, what was hidden was nothing more than their respective calculations and wait-and-see. But he also knew clearly that this was exactly what he needed—a situation that was peaceful on the surface but surging with undercurrents, paving the way for his final path to the throne.

Just as Gu Yi was immersed in the joy of victory and future planning, a scout covered in dust rushed into the main hall, knelt down, and reported: "My lord, there is a change in the south! Sun Quan led the Jiangdong army to suddenly attack Jiaozhou, intending to expand his territory!"

Gu Yi’s brows locked together, and he calculated the intentions of Sun Quan’s move and the possible impact. Although Jiaozhou was far from the Central Plains, its geographical location was important. If it was obtained by Sun Quan, it would undoubtedly strengthen his power in the south and pose a threat to Gu Yi’s future cause of unification.

"Pass the order down, immediately mobilize troops and horses to go south to support Jiaozhou." Gu Yi ordered decisively. He knew well that he must not give Sun Quan any chance to take advantage of at this moment. At the same time, he also realized that this might be an opportunity, an opportunity to bring Sun Quan and his Jiangdong power under control.

The army gathered quickly, and Gu Yi personally led the elite to go south along the Yangtze River. Along the way, boats were like weaving, soldiers and armor reflected each other, and the momentum was magnificent. Gu Yi stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the rolling river water, his heart filled with expectations for the future and vigilance against unknown challenges.

The battle of Jiaozhou was different from the tragedy in the north, and it was more of a contest of water warfare and wisdom. The navy under Sun Quan was well-trained and good at fighting on the water, while Gu Yi’s army was strong but slightly unfamiliar with water warfare. For this reason, Gu Yi specially invited generals familiar with water warfare to formulate a series of targeted tactics.

The battle broke out near the sea of Jiaozhou, and the fleets of the two sides engaged in fierce fighting on the vast sea surface. Arrows were like rain, cannons roared, fire soared into the sky on the sea surface, and the wreckage of warships floated. Gu Yi arrived at the front line and commanded calmly. He used fire attacks and surprise attacks to break Sun Quan’s siege many times and gradually turned the situation around.

In a decisive naval battle, Gu Yi personally led an elite squad, drove a speedboat deep into the enemy formation, and took the main ship where Sun Quan was located. The two sides engaged in close-quarters combat on the sea surface, swords crossed, and blood dyed the sea surface red. Gu Yi was agile, his spear was like a dragon, he repelled several Jiangdong fierce generals one after another, and finally confronted Sun Quan head-on.

The two confronted each other, and sparks flew in their eyes. Sun Quan held a long sword, and his swordsmanship was fierce, while Gu Yi responded with a long spear, and every move was fatal. The two fought for hundreds of rounds, and it was difficult to distinguish the winner. Just then, Gu Yi suddenly used his trump card and stabbed Sun Quan in the heart with a spear. Sun Quan reacted quickly and dodged sideways, but his shoulder was still scratched, and blood dyed his clothes red.

Although this blow was not fatal, it greatly shocked the morale of the Jiangdong army. Seeing that the situation was not good, Sun Quan beat the drums to retreat and led the team to withdraw. Gu Yi pursued the victory, broke the Jiangdong navy, and finally forced Sun Quan to give up the attack on Jiaozhou and turn to seek peace.

The victory of the battle of Jiaozhou not only consolidated Gu Yi’s power in the south but also made him famous all over the world, becoming a true hero of the chaotic world. However, Gu Yi was not immersed in the joy of victory. He knew well that the real challenge was still behind. Cao Cao’s power in the north was growing day by day, Sun Quan was defeated but Jiangdong was still strong, and Liu Bei was eyeing him covetously in Yizhou.

Gu Yi returned to Chang'an and summoned his strategists again to discuss the next strategy. They decided to strengthen internal governance and consolidate the foundation on one hand; on the other hand, they adopted the strategy of making friends with distant states and attacking those nearby, gradually weakening the forces of all parties and clearing obstacles for the final path to the throne.

In the following years, Gu Yi fought south and north, east and west, and successively pacified Liu Bei of Yizhou, Sun Quan of Jiangdong, and had many fierce confrontations with Cao Cao. Every battle was a test of Gu Yi’s wisdom and courage, and it was also a solid cornerstone for him to move toward the throne step by step.

After the enthronement ceremony, Gu Yi did not indulge in the glory of victory. He knew well that building a powerful empire was not as simple as conquering territory. What was more important was how to govern the country, let the people live and work in peace, and achieve long-term peace and prosperity.

At the first morning meeting after ascending the throne, Gu Yi sat on the dragon chair, his gaze sweeping over the ministers below, his heart filled with expectations for the future. "My dear ministers, although I have ascended the throne as emperor, I know well that the way of governing the country cannot be achieved by one person’s strength. I am willing to discuss state affairs with you and build a prosperous age together." Gu Yi’s voice echoed in the main hall, carrying an unquestionable determination.

Jia Xu stood up, his gaze still deep, as if he could see through people’s hearts. "Your Majesty, the way of governing the country lies first in appeasing the people. Currently, the war has ceased, but the people are tired, the fields are desolate, and it is necessary to restore agricultural production as soon as possible, reduce taxes, and appease the hearts of the people."

Gu Yi nodded in agreement. He looked at the Minister of Revenue and asked: "Minister Zhang, what is your opinion on this?"

Minister Zhang bowed and said slowly: "The subordinate thinks that we should implement the Tuntian system, encourage soldiers and people to reclaim wasteland, and at the same time, reduce taxes, provide farm tools and seeds, to promote production. In addition, it is also necessary to set up markets, promote commodity circulation, and restore the economy."

"Good!" Gu Yi slapped the table and cheered, "Just follow Minister Zhang’s words, start preparing immediately, and must let the people feel the benefits of the new policy."

Just as the morning meeting was in full swing, a guard hurried into the hall, knelt down, and reported: "Your Majesty, urgent report from the northern border, the Xiongnu are harassing, and the border people are suffering."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yi’s brows locked together. He looked at the generals below and asked: "My dear generals, who is willing to lead the army north to resist the Xiongnu?"

After a moment of silence, a great general stood up, it was Xiahou Dun, who had made great achievements in the battle of Bingzhou. "Your Majesty, the subordinate is willing to go!" Xiahou Dun’s voice was thick and powerful, and his eyes flashed with fighting intent.

Gu Yi looked at Xiahou Dun, and a warm current rose in his heart. "Good! General Xiahou, I entrust the safety of the northern border to you, must defend the frontier and let the people be at peace."

After receiving the order, Xiahou Dun quickly gathered troops and horses to go north to resist the Xiongnu. Gu Yi continued to handle government affairs in the court. He knew well that the strength of a country lay not only in military power but also in internal stability and prosperity.

A few months later, Xiahou Dun sent back a report of victory, successfully repelling the harassment of the Xiongnu, and peace was restored on the border. Gu Yi commended Xiahou Dun’s achievements at the morning meeting, and at the same time, also put forward a new topic: "My dear ministers, I want to establish an Imperial Academy to cultivate talents and lay a foundation for the future of the country. What are your views?"