Chapter 1706

Before the smoke of the battle of Bingzhou had completely dissipated, Gu Yi had already received congratulatory letters and letters of goodwill from all over. He sat in the newly established palace in Bingzhou, with all kinds of documents piled up on his desk, each carrying the intentions and fears of different warlords. A cold sneer appeared at the corner of Gu Yi's mouth; he knew that behind these so-called expressions of goodwill, there were only their respective calculations and wait-and-see attitudes. But he also understood 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, and reported: "My lord, there is a change in the South! Sun Quan has led the Jiangdong army to suddenly attack Jiaozhou, intending to expand his territory!"

Gu Yi frowned deeply, calculating Sun Quan's intentions and the possible impact of this move. Although Jiaozhou was far from the Central Plains, its geographical location was important; if it were obtained by Sun Quan, it would undoubtedly strengthen his influence in the South and pose a threat to Gu Yi's future grand cause of unification.

"Pass the order down: immediately assemble troops and march South to support Jiaozhou," Gu Yi ordered decisively. He knew deeply that he must not give Sun Quan any opportunity to take advantage of the situation 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 forces under his control.

The army assembled quickly, and Gu Yi personally led his elite troops, marching South along the Yangtze River. Along the way, boats were like weaving shuttles, soldiers' armor reflected the light, and the momentum was magnificent. Gu Yi stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the rolling river water, his heart filled with both expectations for the future and vigilance against unknown challenges.

The battle of Jiaozhou was different from the tragic battles in the North, manifesting more as a contest of naval warfare and wisdom. The naval forces under Sun Quan were well-trained and skilled in water combat, while Gu Yi's army, although strong, was slightly unfamiliar with fighting on water. For this reason, Gu Yi specially invited generals familiar with naval warfare to formulate a series of targeted tactics.

The battle broke out near the coast of Jiaozhou, and the fleets of both sides engaged in fierce combat on the vast sea surface. Arrows were like rain, cannons roared, fire filled the sky on the sea, and wreckage of warships floated. Gu Yi personally arrived at the front lines, commanding with composure; he used fire attacks and surprise raids to break Sun Quan's encirclement many times, gradually turning the tide of the battle.

In one decisive naval battle, Gu Yi personally led a small elite team, drove a speedboat deep into the enemy formation, and went straight for the main ship where Sun Quan was located. The two sides engaged in close-quarters combat on the sea surface, blades clashed, and blood dyed the sea surface red. Gu Yi was agile, his spear moved like a dragon, defeating several Jiangdong fierce generals in a row, and finally engaged Sun Quan head-on.

The two confronted each other, sparks flying in their eyes. Sun Quan held a long sword, his swordsmanship sharp, while Gu Yi responded with a long spear, every move lethal. The two fought for hundreds of rounds, unable to determine a winner. Just then, Gu Yi suddenly used his trump card, thrusting his spear toward Sun Quan's heart. Sun Quan reacted quickly, dodging to the side, but his shoulder was still scratched, and blood dyed his clothes red.

Although this strike was not fatal, it greatly shocked the morale of the Jiangdong army. Upon seeing the situation was not good, Sun Quan ordered a retreat. Gu Yi pursued the victory, shattered the Jiangdong naval forces, and finally forced Sun Quan to abandon the attack on Jiaozhou and turn to seek peace.

The victory in the battle of Jiaozhou not only consolidated Gu Yi's influence in the South but also made him famous throughout the world, becoming a true hero of the chaotic times. However, Gu Yi did not immerse himself in the joy of victory; he knew deeply that the real challenges were still ahead. Cao Cao's influence in the North was growing daily, Sun Quan, although defeated, remained powerful in Jiangdong, and Liu Bei was watching 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 their foundation on one hand, and adopt the strategy of befriending distant states while attacking those nearby to gradually weaken the forces of all sides, clearing obstacles for the final path to the throne on the other.

In the years that followed, Gu Yi campaigned South and North, East and West, successively pacifying Liu Bei in Yizhou and Sun Quan in Jiangdong, and engaging in multiple fierce contests with Cao Cao. Every battle was a test of Gu Yi's wisdom and courage, and also a solid cornerstone for him to step toward the imperial throne step by step.

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

At the first morning court after his ascension, Gu Yi sat on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the ministers below, his heart filled with expectations for the future. "My beloved ministers, although I have ascended the throne as Emperor, I know deeply that the way of governing a country cannot be achieved by one person's strength alone. I am willing to discuss state affairs with you all and build a prosperous age together." Gu Yi's voice echoed in the great hall, carrying an unquestionable firmness.

Jia Xu stood out, his eyes still profound, as if he could see through people's hearts. "Your Majesty, the way of governing a country lies first in pacifying the people. Currently, although the war has ceased, the people are exhausted, the fields are barren, and agricultural production needs to be restored as soon as possible, and taxes need to be reduced to pacify the hearts of the people."

Gu Yi nodded in agreement and looked at the Minister of Revenue, asking: "Minister Zhang, what are your insights on this?"

Minister Zhang bowed and said slowly: "This minister believes that we should implement the tuntian system, encourage soldiers and the people to reclaim wasteland, and at the same time, reduce taxes and provide farm tools and seeds to promote production. In addition, we also need to establish markets to promote commodity circulation and restore the economy."

"Good!" Gu Yi slapped the table in approval. "We shall follow Minister Zhang's words; start preparations immediately, and be sure to let the people feel the benefits of the new policies."

Just as the morning court was in full swing, a guard hurried into the hall, knelt, and reported: "Your Majesty, there is urgent news from the Northern border: the Xiongnu are harassing, and the border people are suffering unspeakably."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yi frowned deeply. He looked at the military generals below and asked: "My generals, who is willing to lead troops North to resist the Xiongnu?"

After a moment of silence, a great general stood out; it was Xia Hou Dun, who had performed great meritorious service in the battle of Bingzhou. "Your Majesty, this subordinate is willing to go!" Xia Hou Dun's voice was thick and powerful, and his eyes flashed with the will to fight.

Gu Yi looked at Xia Hou Dun, and a warm current surged in his heart. "Good! General Xiahou, I entrust the safety of the Northern border to you; be sure to defend the frontier and let the people be at peace."

After Xia Hou Dun received the order, he quickly assembled troops and marched North to resist the Xiongnu. Gu Yi continued to handle state affairs in the court; he knew deeply that the strength of a country lay not only in military power but also in internal stability and prosperity.

Months later, Xia Hou Dun sent a report of victory, having successfully repelled the Xiongnu's harassment, and peace was restored to the border. Gu Yi commended Xia Hou Dun's achievements at the morning court and at the same time proposed a new topic: "My beloved ministers, I wish to establish a Taixue (Imperial Academy) to cultivate talent and lay the foundation for the country's future. What are your views?"