I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 267 - 3: Sweeping Away the Barbarians, the Blue Wolf Devours the Sun
He advised Liu Shan not to influence Gu Chen because constantly refusing the Emperor might lead to criticism of Gu Chen by future generations.
Upon hearing this, Liu Shan fell completely silent.
He no longer believed in counsel and return.
Instead, among his daily studies and amusements, he added one more thing: praying for Gu Chen’s well-being.
Zhangwu, the twelfth year, February.
Gu Chen stepped into Yizhou State, with his army aimed towards the Southern Barbarians.
The current ruler of the Southern Barbarians was named Meng Huo.
In fact, since Gu Xi came to quell the rebellion years ago and established specific policies, the Southern Barbarians had been quiet for many years.
It was only due to the ensuing era of chaos that the Southern Barbarians were affected.
This led to the situation today.
Gu Chen did not rush to attack, but instead sent a letter to Meng Huo, hoping to pressure him into surrendering.
But Meng Huo did not choose to surrender.
The Gu Clan’s reputation held sway among the Southwestern Barbarians.
However, times have changed.
The unclear governance before the chaotic times, along with the subsequent chaos, has led this generation of Southern Barbarians to have strong resistance against the Great Han.
—— Only weapons can break it.
This campaign was even more difficult than the one at the Northern Border.
The Shu Road is harder to travel than ascending to heaven.
Fortunately, the geographical maps left by former Gu Xi provided great assistance to Gu Chen.
The terrain was perilous;
But as long as Gu Chen was present, the soldiers still had great confidence.
Especially Deng Ai——
This man, although he spoke with a stutter, was extraordinarily hardworking and even dared to traverse high mountains to flank Gu Chen.
April;
Gu Chen defeated Meng Huo at Coiling Snake Valley and captured Meng Huo alive;
Seeing Meng Huo’s reputation among the Southern Barbarians and his straightforward personality, eventually chose to spare his life, and reinstated the previous policies set by Gu Xi.
This act completely erased the Southern Barbarians’ resistance against the Great Han.
Meng Huo pledged never to rebel against the Han again in his life.
Gu Chen left Deng Ai in Yizhou, and handed him the irrigation design drawings conceived along the way using the terrain.
To guard Yizhou while repairing the irrigation in the Shu Region;
He then led his troops to the junction of Yiyong, again directing forces against the Di people.
Unlike other Barbarians.
The Di people, not only due to their harsh living conditions, had extraordinary physiques.
They were also remarkably skilled in agriculture, animal husbandry, and handicrafts.
Their rattan armor was extraordinarily sturdy.
Towards the Di people, Gu Chen evidently had different thoughts; he relocated thousands of Di people to the barren lands of Wudu, having people help them cultivate the land while also making them accept the Great Han’s system.
He seemed to begin experimenting with educating foreign races.
The culture of the Di people was close to that of the Great Han, which was a very clear attempt.
Gu Yi had been observing all this, his feelings extremely complex.
Unfortunately, he no longer had the Longevity Card.
If it weren’t for that——
Even he could hardly imagine what the Great Han would become under Gu Chen’s governance.....
——————
"Zhangwu, the eleventh year, the Han’s Ten Directions Expedition Envoy Gu Chen led an army in five directions to attack the Xianbei.
Chen first feigned an attack on Yan Mountain with a detachment, luring the Xianbei main force to move eastward, while secretly sending Jiang Wei to lead troops across Bailang River at night, stealthily moving three hundred miles to raid Liu City, cutting off their supply line.
He then dispatched Guan Qiujian and Deng Ai to divide and swiftly advance, capturing the Rapture River, capturing Nanlu Grassland, and burning all of the Xianbei’s winter stores.
The Chanyu Kebineng fled north in panic, but was assassinated by Tuotuo, a commander of ten thousand riders under his command, who presented his head at the military base.
In July, Wuhuan Chanyu Tädun, along with one hundred and twenty chieftains of the Xianbei, brought Kebineng’s golden eagle-headed skull to Chen’s camp to plead for surrender.
The chiefs placed their knives on the ground, all calling Chen the "Gray Wolf Who Devours the Sun".
This was a term of respect, likening his military prowess to a gray wolf hunting wild, unstoppable even by celestial gods.
Chen therefore divided the Xianbei into Eastern, Western, and Southern divisions, and the Wuhuan into Yin Mountain, Liao Marsh, and Yu Yang camps, leaving Tädun as a hostage, imprisoned in Luoyang.
In September, he moved to Bingzhou State, along Yin Mountain as the boundary, cutting off the Xiongnu’s path of emergence;
In October, he inspected Liangzhou State, examining the household registers of the Qiang lands, recording the sons of their noble leaders into the Imperial College;
The next spring, he entered Yizhou, pacifying the six caves of the Southern Barbarians, and relocated seven thousand Di people to establish settlements in Bashu.
From then on, the tribes beyond the borders controlled themselves by dividing territories, none dared to look up to the banners of the Central Plains."
——"Yan Han Book. Biography of Gu Chen"
