Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 171 Parricide for Survival: A Century-Long Wait (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The emperor and his minister finally met.

Li Shimin was also extremely happy; this battle even gave him a feeling of being at the peak of his life.

At that time, he cooperated with Gu Quan in the same way.

The two fought countless battles, finally laying the foundation for the Tang Dynasty.

This battle is very similar to the one before.

In the camp.

Li Shimin did not immediately bestow titles and rewards upon Gu Jing, clearly intending to wait until after the great battle. Instead, after showing concern for Gu Jing, he had Gu Jing recount the events of the journey.

What the ministers truly cared about were the detailed aspects of the journey.

Even though Gu Jing is still very young, who can underestimate him now?
He has clearly become the next generation's pillar of the Gu family.

Li Shimin, however, was more interested in his maritime experiences.

This is Li Shimin's vision.

So what if we haven't captured Pyongyang yet?

His focus had shifted to navigation, to plan for the future of the Tang Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, this voyage has indeed been fraught with difficulties."

"Although we have learned everything from the fishermen of Donglai, our army has been plagued by constant troubles during its deployment."

"Now, let's talk about the storms at sea. Although as long as you control the season well, it is rare to encounter storms strong enough to capsize a large ship while sailing near the coast."

"But it will also cause the large ship to rock constantly, making people dizzy and vomit."

Gu Jing recounted the voyage in great detail, sharing his own experiences and observations.

He was also paying attention to this matter.

Everyone listened very attentively, and Li Shimin frowned deeply.

This is already the case even though it's near the coast.

Long voyages will naturally be fraught with even greater dangers.

Clearly, there is still a long way to go before we can truly open up the ocean.

We'll have to wait until the Gu family's large ship is fully built.

But for the Tang Dynasty, this was enough. Even if it was only possible to travel to the near sea, it was still an unimaginable advancement for the world at that time.

The congratulatory voices of the courtiers rang out once more, all of them understanding just how much Li Shimin valued this matter.

No one even discussed the war.

What's there to discuss?

For the Tang army at present, Pyongyang is as easy as taking candy from a baby.

The Goguryeo army was completely terrified; now it was just a matter of seeing what Li Shimin would do.

That night.

Gu Jing was summoned by Li Shimin again.

He had anticipated this. Given his status as a member of the Gu family, and the merits he had made on this trip, Li Shimin would surely have a long talk with him.

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

Upon entering the main hall, Gu Jing bowed deeply, performing the proper salute with utmost care.

"Come closer." Li Shimin waved his hand, his voice devoid of emotion. After Gu Jing took a few steps forward as instructed, Li Shimin picked up the oil lamp from the table, brought it close to Gu Jing's face, and slowly swayed it. The dim, flickering light cast shadows on the young minister's features.

“When this light flickers,” Li Shimin’s voice deepened, carrying a complex scrutiny, “it looks even more like it.”

Gu Jing's eyes trembled slightly, and he subconsciously lowered his eyelids.

Li Shimin's expression became increasingly complex and difficult to discern in the flickering lamplight.

He just stared at Gu Jing quietly, as if trying to see through him to see the shadow of another person.

After a moment, he gently put down the oil lamp, and a long sigh spread through the silent hall, "I am getting old, and sometimes I can't even remember what my old friend looks like."

As he spoke, he chuckled again, gesturing for Gu Jing to sit down, before asking again, "What are your thoughts on the Liaodong matter?"

"Don't worry."

"This time it's not a matter of ruler and subject, but uncle and nephew."

—Test your skills!

Being able to fight is certainly a skill, but the Tang Dynasty cannot fight forever.

With the situation in Liaodong now clear, it is obviously the best time to test our abilities.

Taking the exams privately is also a precaution.

Gu Jing was one of the talents that Li Shimin had reserved for the Tang Dynasty, and his shortcomings should not be exposed in front of the court officials now.

"His Majesty."

Gu Jing cupped his hands, his expression solemn: "In my opinion, Goryeo—must never be destroyed."

"Now, our Great Tang Dynasty is spreading education and bringing peace to all people in the Hetao and Western Regions."

"Although the Hetao region is gradually becoming more peaceful, the turmoil in the Western Regions has not subsided and cannot be resolved overnight. At this juncture, it is truly difficult for our national strength to be divided further in Liaodong, so we cannot implement policies that aim to change customs and achieve long-term stability."

"Although Liaodong has been pacified—"

"However, if Goguryeo is wiped out in one fell swoop, Baekje will be powerless to resist Silla. If Silla becomes too powerful, Liaodong will surely be unified by it within a decade or so."

"This is not in the best interest of our Great Tang Dynasty."

Compared to the Central Plains, Liaodong was indeed a barren and harsh land.

The terrain of Liaodong is indeed much less barren compared to that of Kyushu.

Although in modern times, the entire Northeast region is known as the granary of China, and even the two islands have a considerable amount of arable land.

But that's just how things are in this day and age.

The climate in Liaodong is an unavoidable pain point.

The task of education is not just about military suppression; it also requires maintaining trade routes and various other measures, such as relocating people.

The Tang Dynasty was indeed very powerful.

It was far from comparable to the Zhenguan era in the original history, but it still suffered from the ills of an agrarian society.

This is completely unavoidable.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin immediately nodded in satisfaction.

The fact that Gu Jing could say these things already shows that he has a certain sense of the big picture.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he nodded slightly, clearly extremely satisfied with Gu Jing's thorough analysis.

“However,” he leaned forward slightly and asked in a deep voice, “what do you think should be done?”

Without hesitation, Gu Jing replied loudly, "The best approach is to establish authority and subdue them, and weaken their resolve!"

"On the surface, it can maintain the tripartite balance of power among the three kingdoms, but in reality, it can make them distrust each other and deepen the rift between them."

"In this eastern expedition, I defeated Baekje and Goguryeo, burned their reserves, and destroyed their granaries. These two countries have been severely weakened and will find it difficult to recover for decades."

"Our dynasty only needs to maintain the advantage of its naval forces and stabilize its shipping routes."

"Once the waterways are clear and unobstructed, and given time, our Great Tang will have accumulated even greater national strength. At that time, it will be the perfect opportunity to completely control Liaodong."

"However, Liaodong is a vital region," Gu Jing said, his tone becoming more serious and resolute, "even if we are not in a hurry to educate it, its lifeline must be firmly held in the hands of our Great Tang!"

He was referring to Goguryeo's Liaodong defense line.

This is a defensive line built up by generations of Goguryeo people, and it is impossible to let this land be separated from Kyushu again.

Hearing these words, Li Shimin became even more satisfied with Gu Jing.

Apparently—

Whether from a strategic perspective or in terms of military strategy, Gu Jing is qualified.

Li Shimin didn't care about the details.

By now, the Gu family's influence over the entire Tang Dynasty and the entire Nine Provinces has long since transcended mere details. Gu Jing will undoubtedly be a sharp weapon in controlling the direction of the Tang Dynasty's progress in the future.

A smile appeared on his face, and he chatted with Gu Jing for a long time.

In the end, Li Shimin directly entrusted the task of attacking Pyongyang to Gu Jing.

He's trying to gain credit for Gu Jing!
Gu Yi had been observing all of this, but had no intention of manipulating Gu Jing.

He has no shortage of achievements now.

But achievement points must be used at crucial moments.

With the resurgence of the Gu family, history will undoubtedly undergo many changes once again, and the talents of the Gu family's descendants may continue to decline as before.

This is when he can truly make a difference.

None of the generals had any objections to Li Shimin's arrangements.

Although Gu Jing's official position remained unchanged.

But he is no longer the greenhorn he was when he first went to war.

Gu Jing's actions were so terrifying that not only the people of Goguryeo and Baekje feared him like a tiger, but even some generals of the Tang Dynasty found them unsettling.

Not to mention that this was Li Shimin's order.

Gu Jing didn't make any extra arrangements, but simply had the banners of the Tang Dynasty and the Gu family planted in front of the city once again.

The previous forced siege, disregarding casualties, was to seize the greatest possible opportunity.

But there's no need for that now.

The entire Liaodong region has now completely submitted.

Even without the Tang army launching a direct attack on the city, the oppressive feeling brought by these two banners was enough to throw them into chaos.

Sure enough, when these two flags appeared outside the city...

The atmosphere in Pyongyang grew increasingly heavy.

Yeon Gaesomun still refused to surrender.

It's not that I'm unwilling, it's that I'm afraid!

How could he not know the fate of King Buyeo Uija of Baekje?

The entire clan was slaughtered!

Its head is still hanging outside Anshi City, and it will surely be taken back to the Central Plains by the Tang army in the future.

How could he dare to even think about it?

But now, Pyongyang is no longer a matter of whether he wants it or not. Not to mention the ordinary people and officials in the city, even his confidants have completely lost their will to fight and are all waiting for Yeon Gaesomun to surrender.

That is why Yeon Gaesomun could only send his most loyal confidants to watch over everyone.

He feared a mutiny.

This kind of thing was not uncommon in Goguryeo.

Leaving aside his so-called Daemolizhi, it's normal for Goguryeo to abandon their king; such things happened back when Gu Xi was still alive and waging war.

He was afraid of ending up like that.

But how could he possibly control everyone's hearts?
With the appearance of those two flags, even his closest confidants began to consider surrendering.

"Da Molizhi, surrender. If this continues, we will surely be slaughtered by the Gu family."

"I've heard that wherever that butcher goes, all those who refuse to surrender die. Great Molizhi, surrender!"

"."

These people's actions made Yeon Gaesomun even more paranoid, to the point that he had to wear armor and hold a blade even when he slept.

But how could he possibly surrender?
Others may have a way to survive, but where will he find a way to survive?
King Uija of Baekje, who had never even provoked Li Shimin, ended up in such a state.

Wouldn't someone like him, who defied Li Shimin's orders and even sent people to provoke and mock him, be in an even worse situation?

Yeon Gaesomun could not possibly surrender.

In order to stabilize morale and prevent mutiny.

He began to personally oversee the situation and entrusted all his trusted confidants to his sons, hoping to maintain control.

However, he ultimately underestimated human nature.

Faced with death, some people may be able to withstand the fear it brings, but clearly his descendants were not such people.

This may also be related to the backward culture of Goguryeo.

Two days later, at night.

His sons, surrounded by guards, rushed like wild beasts in the night, straight into the depths of Yeon Gaesomun's mansion.

They didn't even encounter any decent resistance—the guards whom Yeon Gaesomun relied on to protect the inner palace silently defected and joined the ranks of the invaders.

"boom!!!"

The heavy door was kicked open with a loud bang!

Yeon Gaesomun sprang up almost the instant the door opened. Years of vigilance made him instinctively grab the hunting knife beside the bed and roared, "Who dares to be so insolent!"

The inky darkness swallowed the intruder's face, leaving only shadowy figures.

His muscles tensed, as if he were about to fight!

However, the sound that rang out the next instant was like an ice pick piercing his eardrums and heart:
"Father! Your sons... just want to live!"

"Dang Cang——"

Yeon Gaesomun trembled violently, his pupils suddenly shrinking to pinpoints!
The hunting knife, which he had held for half his life and drunk countless lives, slipped from his instantly paralyzed fingers and fell heavily to the ground.

It was unclear whether he was gripped by the heart-wrenching pain of betrayal from his closest relatives or by the overwhelming fear of impending doom and total defeat.

But at this moment, it was all too late.

"kill!!!"

Several wild, beast-like roars suddenly exploded out!

In the darkness, sharp blades pierced Yeon Gaesomun's body in an instant, taking his life.

The very next morning.

The city gates of Pyongyang were wide open.

Yeon Gaesomun's eldest son, accompanied by Goguryeo officials and holding Yeon Gaesomun's head, slowly walked out of the city and knelt before the Tang army camp.

"We are willing to surrender in order to capture and kill the bandits!"

"We beg Your Majesty, the invincible Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty, the supreme Heavenly Khan, to forgive our lives!"
Inside the commander's tent of the Tang army camp.

Upon hearing the news that Yeon Gaesomun had been murdered by his own son, Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) sat upright in the main seat, his brows furrowed.

"Kill your father to survive?" His deep voice carried a chilling disbelief.

Gu Jing bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I did not expect things to turn out this way. I originally thought that there would be several mutinies and bloodshed in Pyongyang before things would finally settle down."

He paused slightly, a hint of cold judgment in his voice, "I never imagined that Yeon Gaesomun would be so... mediocre."

Indeed mediocre.

In Gu Jing's view, there were clearly better ways to handle things now that things had come to this point.

Li Shimin's eyes narrowed, instantly catching the unspoken meaning in Gu Jing's words: "Anzhi's words...are there some hidden meaning?"

"Your Majesty is wise." Gu Jing bowed again, his voice steady yet carrying an undeniable weight, "Although Goguryeo has lost its ruler, it still has nearly 100,000 troops remaining, its foundation is intact, and it can still be called the largest country in Liaodong."

"Simply exterminating the Yeon Gaesomun clan is not enough to shake its foundation!"

"Kill prisoners?" Li Shimin frowned even more, a complex glint flashing in his eyes, as if he were weighing the cost and necessity behind that bloody method.

"Yes!" Gu Jing answered decisively and without hesitation.

He bowed deeply, his posture respectful, but his words were as clear and heavy as metal striking the ground: "Your Majesty need not hesitate. I will bear the infamy for all eternity!"

His meaning was quite clear: he wanted to bear all of this himself.

After all, this move would certainly generate a lot of controversy.

However, this swift and decisive approach is the most advantageous path for the Tang Dynasty and for all the people of the land!
This would both completely break the backbone of Goguryeo, making it difficult for it to regain its strength for a century, and maintain the balance of power among the three kingdoms in Liaodong, ensuring long-term peace and tranquility in Liaodong.

Li Shimin fell silent.

In fact, he still cared a lot about his posthumous reputation, as can be seen from his interference in the historians' records of the Wude era.

Although they did not deliberately conceal it from Xuanwu Gate.

However, this also exacerbated the situation where the Li brothers, Jiancheng and Yuanji, framed and slandered him.

This behavior, though seemingly insignificant, actually reveals Li Shimin's character.

This matter is indeed likely to attract criticism now.

Seeing that Li Shimin remained silent, Gu Jing assumed that the emperor had already tacitly agreed, so he said no more, bowed, and turned to lift the curtain and leave the tent.

However, his fingertips barely touched the curtain—

"Anzhi!"

Li Shimin's voice suddenly rang out again.

Gu Jing abruptly stopped, immediately turned around, and bowed deeply: "Does Your Majesty have any further decrees?"

Li Shimin abruptly stood up, his gaze piercing like lightning, staring directly at Gu Jing, and said each word with unwavering resolve: "Issue my imperial decree—"

"Yeon Gaesomun murdered the emperor and usurped the throne, violated human ethics, and disobeyed imperial orders. His crimes are unforgivable!"

"His offspring murdered their father to survive; they are worse than beasts, and heaven and earth cannot tolerate them!"

"His henchmen who colluded with the rebels and committed evil deeds should all be implicated and punished!"

"Order the three armies to prepare immediately, wipe out the remaining enemy forces, and leave no one alive!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Jing was deeply shaken.

He never expected that Li Shimin would be so resolute... personally issuing this decree to exterminate all his descendants!

Li Shimin's gaze did not waver in the slightest. Instead, it became even deeper and more determined as he locked onto Gu Jing's eyes, his gaze filled with complex and heavy emotions: "Ziyuan has already sacrificed far too much for me."

His voice lowered, carrying an undeniable protectiveness: "This blood-stained infamy, this eternal condemnation—"

"How can I let you bear this alone any longer?"

He paused slightly, his chest heaving, and once again uttered a resounding oath: "This decree is a decision I have made for the sake of the nation and the eternal peace of the Tang Dynasty!"

"The rights and wrongs, the merits and demerits, the overwhelming criticism—I will bear them all on my own shoulders!!!"

He simply waved his hand, indicating that Gu Jing didn't need to say anything more.

See this.

Gu Jing took a deep breath, then cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Li Shimin: "This humble general obeys the order!"

The imperial edict was issued immediately—the Tang army followed Gu Jing and mobilized in full force.

The Goguryeo army, which had been waiting for the surrender, never expected this to happen.

According to their understanding, no matter when they surrender, the people of Kyushu will spare their lives; this is Kyushu's understanding.

But this time it was completely different.

Rampage, slaughter.

This was a battle that was completely predictable.

How could the Goguryeo army possibly stop the Tang army?

Not to mention that they are completely unprepared now, even if the two armies were to fight head-on, they would not be a match for the Tang army, and now they have no ability to resist at all.

Utter chaos ensued.

Some wanted to escape, and some wanted to resist, but all of this was in vain.

Yeon Gaesomun's sons died almost instantly.

Then came Yeon Gaesomun's confidants and the nobles of Goguryeo.

In the chaos, no one could escape the Tang army's encirclement; all they could do was accept the impending death!
------

In the autumn of the 20th year of Zhenguan, in the ninth month, the royal army besieged Pyongyang.

Beneath the city walls, the banners of the Gu family stood side by side with those of the emperor, terrifying the rebels who trampled each other in fear.

The son of Goryeo's Moliji Yeon Gaesomun, defying human nature, led his followers into the mansion at night, murdered his father Gaesomun, and then forced the crowd to open the gates and surrender.

Upon hearing this, the emperor was furious and issued an edict: "Su Wen has usurped the title, oppressed the common people, and resisted our royal army. His crimes are unforgivable."

"His son is wicked and cruel, murdering his father and betraying his ruler—a crime detested by both gods and men! Such a vicious and unruly son cannot be tolerated by the king! He should be handed over to the authorities and his accomplices executed as a warning to disloyal subjects!"

Tang troops then followed their deputy commander-in-chief, Jing, in the attack.

Before the surrendered soldiers could even line up in their panic, the arrows and spears had already arrived.

In this battle, countless lives were taken, and the corpses piled up to fill the fields, stopping the flow of the cold water.

As a result, Goryeo's elite troops were completely wiped out, its vitality was greatly depleted, and a century-old ailment arose from this.

—From the Annals of Emperor Taizong of Tang (Book of Tang)

(End of this chapter)