I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 318 - 18: Seven Assaults and Seven Withdrawals, A Century of Fear

Chapter 318: Chapter 18: Seven Assaults and Seven Withdrawals, A Century of Fear

"Retreat!"

Murong Mei forced himself to stand, and weakly uttered these two words.

There’s no way to keep fighting.

This battle has become impossible to continue.

If they keep fighting, whether the Xianbei or the Wuhuan, they face the fate of annihilation.

Now, Murong Mei just wants to preserve his tribes.

But—

How could Gu Yi give them such a chance?

Regarding the achievements won by Wen Yang, Gu Yi was not surprised at all.

This was one of the most powerful generals in the post-Three Kingdoms era.

To contend with him....

Especially in a direct confrontation.

Without a similarly transcendent figure appearing, how could it be possible?

In truth, Murong Mei hadn’t made a mistake.

He had indeed learned from the culture of the Great Han and absorbed the lessons from earlier defeats.

The strategy he developed....

Was highly aligned with the military strategies passed down by the Great Han.

But therein lay both his success and his defeat.

These advanced experiences allowed him to unify the Xianbei, ending the chaos, but ultimately could not withstand the might of the Great Han.

He wanted to retreat... but where could he retreat to?

Why did Gu Yi send four armies northward?

He intended to leave them no chance.

Even if they didn’t fight, they would just be gradually devoured by the Han Army.

Wen Yang was indeed a fearsome weapon.

He even wanted to continue attacking.

But this time, Gu Yi stopped him and called him back to the central army.

....

Bailang Mountain.

Gu Yi looked at the ground littered with corpses, pondered for a moment, then decided to have a swath cleared and the bodies burned.

Wen Yang stood behind him, face full of pride.

Although he was not much older than Gu Ye,

in front of Gu Ye, he resembled a child, waiting for praise.

Gu Yi, noticing the "praise me" look on Wen Yang’s face, helplessly chuckled and said, "Ah Yang, you are brave, truly a general gifted by the heavens to our Great Han."

"Heh heh."

Wen Yang’s face instantly broke into a smile, "It’s all thanks to the special training by the Grand General; without the brothers, no matter how brave I am, there’s no way to break through an army of ten thousand."

He then showed a trace of confusion, looking at Gu Ye and asking, "Grand General, why not let me take advantage of the victory and kill them all?"

"Ah Yang...."

Gu Yi’s expression turned solemn, earnestly saying, "This battle cannot be resolved by killing alone."

He indeed held great expectations for Wen Yang.

He wanted to teach him.

The relationship between Kyushu and the Barbarians cannot be resolved through killing alone.

The real sword of Kyushu lies not in extermination, but in having Wuhuan children recite Han poetry, and Xianbei priests pray to the Yellow Emperor.

Mere slaughter—

Would only sow seeds of intense hatred for the future.

Wen Yang frowned, unable to grasp what Gu Yi had said.

Gu Yi smiled, pointing a finger towards the misty peak of Bailang Mountain: "Ah Yang, have you seen the snow on the peak of Bailang Mountain?"

"The nomads are like snow, kill some today, and next year, when the northern wind blows, they accumulate again."

"In the past, Emperor Xiaowu drove the Xiongnu to the Northern Desert, yet a century later, the Xianbei reclaimed that land."

"It wasn’t that the warfare was ineffective, but that their roots remained uncut."

Upon hearing this, Wen Yang seemed to grasp something in his heart, yet his face still showed ferocity, he shouted angrily, "If that’s the case, then I will slaughter them all!"

"Slaughter them all?" Gu Yi gently shook his head, smirking, "What you say is but the dream of a fool."

In this era of cold weapons, to defeat a migratory tribe to the point of their destruction is akin to a fairy tale.

Wen Yang became speechless upon hearing this, falling silent.

Gu Yi, directing Gu Ye, smiled as he raised his hand to gently pat Wen Yang on the shoulder, asking in a soft voice, "Ah Yang, have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"

"The future?"

Wen Yang again furrowed his brows, remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Oncoming General is dull, knows only the three inches of a spear’s cold gleam."

"The Grand General asks what I plan to do in the future."

"This humble servant can only say, wherever the Grand General points, this spear..."

Wen Yang suddenly waved his hand, thrusting the spear into the ground, startling several crows, his voice resonant: "Even if it’s the snow line of Yin Mountain, I’ll plow it into a flat path!"

When he said such words, it truly wasn’t flattery.

He genuinely had such thoughts!

Upon hearing this, Gu Yi laughed helplessly.

He truly believed that with Wen Yang’s abilities, combined with the Great Han’s current national strength, if they continue fighting, they could indeed conquer much territory for the Great Han.

But the culture of Kyushu had already determined that such a thing was not feasible.

Conquering the world is easy, governing the world is difficult.

The Gu Clan could now influence the entire realm, and any slight misstep could lead to ruin.

The culture of Kyushu, although capable of encompassing all,

could not be completed in one generation.

To force it would ultimately cause harm to the land of Kyushu.

Why would he do such a thing?

Looking at the earnest expression on Wen Yang’s face, Gu Yi smiled once more, then seriously directed Gu Ye to say, "Ah Yang, the Xianbei Wuhuan now fear you like a tiger."

"Have you considered...."

"Guarding this land for our Great Han one day?"

Gu Yi planned to attempt integration!

Only through complete cultural fusion could a piece of land truly become part of Kyushu.

Currently, all the Barbarians are imitating the culture of the Great Han.

This is already a very good starting point.

"Guard this land?" Wen Yang’s expression suddenly fell.

He still preferred combat.

But looking at the serious expression of Gu Ye, he hesitated for a moment before finally nodding: "If the Grand General wishes, I am willing."

"Then you must change your temperament!"

Gu Yi said no more, only patted Wen Yang’s shoulder once again.