Chapter 620: Chapter 85: Rebel Infighting, Pacification and Nation Stabilization

If it weren’t for him stirring up trouble from behind the scenes.

How could the leaders of these rebels act in such coordinated unison?

He was not a benevolent person. If the situation had gone smoothly, he never intended to remain under An Lushan’s banner, especially not now.

Holding An Lushan’s head in his hand.

Shi Siming headed straight toward the camp’s grand banner.

And when the rebels’ banner was severed and collapsed, the battle was essentially decided; what remained was merely the roundup of the rebel army.

This was something Gu Yi had to do.

These men were elite soldiers; letting them go would definitely pose an even greater threat.

Of course, all this didn’t require him to handle personally; setting a detailed plan was enough.

Actually, Gu Yi had been contemplating this matter for several days.

First, to absolve them of their crimes, and second, to break up these forces and reclaim power to the Central Hub.

For experienced generals like Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi, this was not a difficult task.

He still needed to focus on those rebel leaders.

These people were the key!

....

Night falls.

The bright moon hung high against the black sky, dotted with stars.

Sounds of painful wails still occasionally echoed everywhere; a battle involving hundreds of thousands wasn’t something that could be resolved swiftly.

No matter how careful, it was bound to take some time.

Inside the Tong Pass camp at this moment.

Gu Xuan sat at the head position, looking at the rebel leaders kneeling before him, his face devoid of joy or sorrow.

The foremost among them was Shi Siming.

His eyes were bloodshot as he kept sobbing, snot and tears streaming, confessing his remorse, claiming to have been duped by An Lushan and the like.

But would Gu Yi be swayed by such words?

He remembered clearly that in the original history, Shi Siming first joined An Lushan in rebellion, then owing to circumstances pledged allegiance to the Great Tang, yet secretly harbored rebellious intentions, covertly gathering forces.

Eventually, after various factors, he even became Emperor.

Moreover, he was extremely brutal.

Whenever conquering territories, he resorted to plunder to maintain his soldiers’ combat prowess.

In essence—

Shi Siming, like An Lushan, possessed a strong desire for power, lacking any true loyalty.

The current Shi Siming was no exception.

His brutal nature was no secret.

One step behind An Lushan, he ravaged and pillaged, infamous atrocities known throughout the land.

As for what is termed "loyalty"?

His act of personally slaying his former master An Lushan and offering the bloody head as proof says it all!

Yet despite this, in the present situation, rational handling suggests that it’s best to keep him alive.

After all, Shi Siming brought the rebel leaders over to surrender.

He himself even personally killed An Lushan.

Sparing his life would ease the concerns of many rebel leaders.

Moreover, given the current influence of the Gu Clan across Kyushu, as long as Gu Yi remains vigilant, Shi Siming would have no chance whatsoever.

Considering the larger picture, this is the best course of action.

Even Feng Changqing, Gao Xianzhi, and other generals advised Gu Xuan this way, despite their distaste for these men, they urged Gu Xuan to prioritize the bigger picture.

But in Gu Xuan’s heart—what indeed is the "big picture"?

Is it the Great Tang’s realm?

Or the whole of Kyushu?

Can the presence of these few rebel leaders represent the "big picture"?

The Gu Clan’s journey till today was due to the efforts of over twenty generations spanning several hundred years; if they still must consider the big picture like others amidst differing situations, does that not indicate inadequacy?

The current chaos is entirely different from the original history.

Letting these people go—

Might assist in quelling the rebellion, but how do such benefits compare to the Gu Clan’s centuries-old reputation?

Their perpetrated massacre was enormous.

And the Gu Clan is also the chief force in this rebellion. If they are let go, what kind of impact will it have on the Gu Clan’s reputation?

Don’t forget, even many places in Hebei have come under their influence.

This is the very foundation of the Gu Clan!

Of course, Gu Yi couldn’t possibly account for every single sin clearly.

But placing all these sins solely on An Lushan is evidently not enough!

With this thought, Gu Yi hesitated no longer.

Looking at the crowd still begging for mercy before him, he manipulated Gu Xuan to directly wave his hand: "Take them all down, announce their crimes to the world!"

This sudden command plunged the entire tent into dead silence.

Whether it was Shi Siming and others, or Gao Xianzhi and other generals, they were momentarily stunned, never expecting Gu Xuan to make such a decision.

Moments later, the soldiers awoke from their dreamlike state and immediately stepped forward to seize these surrendered generals.

Though they were puzzled by Gu Xuan’s decision, after this period of interaction, everyone had long regarded him as their leader.

"Grand Tutor!"

It wasn’t until this moment that Shi Siming and others suddenly reacted.

Shi Siming even shouted hoarsely: "I dissent!"

"The Grand Tutor once personally promised that those who surrender shall not be killed! I have now surrendered and have made contributions!"

"How can the Grand Tutor kill us?!"

Without even needing Gu Yi’s control, Gu Xuan immediately stood up, glaring at Shi Siming and scolding: "Surrendered ones shall not be killed?"

"You traitorous rebels, causing chaos in the world, slaughtering the innocent, your crimes are monstrous, beyond description!"

"How can a mere surrender document repay the blood and tears of thousands of wronged souls?"

"Capturing you today is not about breaking promises, but executing justice on behalf of heaven, avenging the wrongly killed soldiers and civilians!"

"Your crimes cannot be redeemed by surrender; only by using your heads to inform the world can justice be served and the loyal souls be comforted!"

Before he finished speaking, he resolutely waved his hand.

"Take them away!" The voice was firm and decisive, no longer sparing Shi Siming and others a glance.

Gao Xianzhi and others also showed no hesitation, forcibly dragging the few out of the tent amid cries and curses.

Moments later, the soldiers returned to report.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy; Feng Changqing, hesitating for a long time, eventually spoke out the doubt lingering in everyone’s mind: "Grand Tutor... I boldly ask, this move... is it..."

He indeed couldn’t understand why Gu Xuan was so persistent in this.

Once he said this, the eyes of all the generals in the tent focused on Gu Xuan, holding their breath in anticipation.

Gu Xuan sat in the command seat, his expression calm, his gaze slowly sweeping across everyone, giving a brief yet weighty response: "Nothing else, just setting the mind of people."

Gu Yi naturally wouldn’t tell them that the Gu Clan didn’t need this level of influence.

He just briefly mentioned it, then immediately sent someone to prepare a horse to quickly send the news back to Luoyang, and afterward, he went straight to the main topic, discussing the upcoming rebellion containment.

The first thing to do is to spread all these messages, and Gu Yi even asked them to exaggerate a bit.

——The offensive and defensive positions must be reversed.

Whether it’s various insurgent forces or external enemies like Tubo.

It’s time for Gu Yi to awaken their fear of the Gu Clan in their hearts!...

——————

"In the first year of the Zhide, when Tong Pass was in peril, Grand Tutor Xuan was overseeing the defense, departing from Luoyang to head to Tong Pass.

Lushan brought iron cavalry to the pass, trying all measures to tempt a fight.

Xuan strictly ordered the generals, defending firmly with terrain advantages, preventing the enemy’s advance.

At that time, changes occurred in Liaodong, and Goguryeo and Baekje, fearing the former mighty influence of the Gu Clan, attacked and captured Fan Yang.

Lushan’s foundation was shaken, and the morale broke.

In March of the first year of Zhide, internal conflicts erupted in the enemy camp, resulting in attacking and killing among themselves.

The generals requested to battle, and Xuan permitted it. However, he worried about the enemy’s desperate fight, so he personally stood on the city tower, commanding all to shout: "The Grand Tutor orders, those who surrender shall not be killed!"

The sound resounded in all directions, penetrating the enemy formations.

At that moment, the gates of the pass were wide open, the government troops launched a sharp assault, calling out again "those who surrender shall not be killed" within the formations.

The enemy troops, long exhausted, heard the pardon as a path to life, their fighting spirit completely diminished.

Lushan, seeing the great momentum collapsing, pointed his halberd in rage to curse Xuan, intending to fight to the death.

His general Shi Siming, a ruthless follower, abruptly arose with a different intention, unsheathed his blade, and assassinated Lushan amidst the chaos, severing the great banner, causing the enemy to collapse entirely.

Xuan considered the surrendered soldiers as skilled warriors from Youzhou and Yan, thus suggested pardoning those coerced, breaking up their units, reclaiming fine armor to the treasury, and returning authority to the Central Hub, gradually pacifying the turbulent masses in Hebei.

The historians say: The Gu Clan produces famous generals every generation, their legacy enduring through ages, now becoming more intense. At the battle of Tong Pass, when the rebel forces were at their peak, Xuan held the strong city to temper their edge, awaiting their vulnerability, issuing a pardon from the city tower, attacking the mind and seizing the soul, thus bringing the vicious chieftain to submission, turning the mass of troops. Accurately judging the enemy to achieve victory, stabilizing the nation amid upheaval, indeed living up to the illustrious ancestors, the pillar of the country."

——"Tang Book. Biography of Gu Xuan"