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

Chapter 208 Rebellion and Internal Strife: Suppressing the Rebellion and Safeguarding the Nation (Thanks to "Leisurely Journey" for the generous donation)
The area beneath Tongguan Pass was littered with mountains of corpses.

As the days went by, gazing at the still-standing formidable pass before him and receiving news from the rear, An Lushan finally began to sense the approaching death.

He had exhausted all his efforts—

Feigned surrender, luring the enemy, and verbal abuse.
An Lushan knew that the only way to quickly capture Tongguan was to lure the enemy out of the city and maximize the fighting power of his cavalry.

However, all of this was in vain.

Even worse—

At the end of February, his most crucial stronghold, Fanyang, was also lost.

Even Gu Yi hadn't expected this.

After all, Fanyang was An Lushan's stronghold, a place he had cultivated for many years. Although An Lushan's power was gradually declining, how could chaos occur before he was completely defeated?
But this was indeed because he neglected the Liaodong region.

Although a large portion of the population in Goguryeo and Baekje chose to ally with An Lushan, there were also many who opposed it.

Especially after hearing that the Tang emperor had once again given the Gu family an important position.

Those who were already fearful immediately stirred up trouble in their own country and gradually gained the upper hand in the partisan struggle.

Finally, they sent troops to attack Fanyang.

There was nothing that could be done, whether it was Gu Chen from back then or Gu Jing.

This truly terrified them.

No one wants to experience the crisis of national annihilation again.

For An Lushan, this man was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, causing the already unstable morale of his army to collapse completely.

In the first year of the Zhide era, on the third month.

—The rebels were in turmoil below Tongguan Pass, which even led to mutual attacks and killings.

Some rebel generals seemed to want to capture and kill An Lushan as a pledge of allegiance to the imperial court.

This was an inevitable situation that An Lushan was bound to face.

No one wants to die willingly.

Given that An Lushan's attempt to seize power was now hopeless, this phenomenon was inevitable.

At the same time, Feng Changqing, Gao Xianzhi, and others also volunteered to fight.

Gu Yi did not interfere much with these matters.

However, they were not entirely unprepared and did not allow them to take all their troops out.

and--

While Feng Changqing, Gao Xianzhi, and other generals were leaving the city to fight, Gu Yi directly controlled Gu Xuan to stand atop Tongguan City, leading thousands of soldiers in a unified shout that shook the surrounding area:

"The Grand Tutor has decreed—those who surrender will not be killed!!"

The roars rose and fell, like waves crashing against the enemy lines:
"The Grand Tutor declared, those who surrender will not be killed!!!"

"The Grand Tutor declared, those who surrender will not be killed!!!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed—!!!"

The roar was like thunder, sweeping across the fields and penetrating the hearts of every rebel soldier!

—A fatal blow!
Given the current state of internal strife within the rebel forces, Gu Xuan's promise, made in the name of Grand Tutor, is undoubtedly a ray of hope for the rebels on all sides.

Not to mention the rebels who already had the intention to surrender.

Even An Lushan's most loyal followers couldn't help but pause for a moment as they gripped their swords!
At this moment——

The massive gates of Tongguan suddenly burst open!

Gao Xianzhi and Feng Changqing led their iron cavalry out like a raging tide! They also gave strict orders to their soldiers to respond to the calls from the city walls:

Those who surrender will not be killed!

The battlefield was in complete chaos!
"Gu Xuan, you brat—!!"

An Lushan's eyes were bloodshot, his sword humming as he stared intently at the figure on the city wall, a beast-like roar erupting from his throat: "If there is a future, I will slaughter the entire Gu family! Not a single one will be spared!!!"

Before his angry curses had subsided, he even tried to spur his horse to fight again!

He's not overweight like he is now!

Their combat strength is also quite impressive.

But seeing that the situation was beyond saving, how could his personal guards not stop him?
"General! Preserve your life—retreat immediately!!!"

"Retreat! Commander!!"

The guards fought desperately to stop An Lushan, who was on the verge of madness.

But An Lushan still couldn't suppress his anger. These men were the foundation he had built up over his entire life.

He has now come this far.

If he abandons these people, how will he ever have a chance to start over in this life?

How could An Lushan possibly give up all of this?
Not far away, Shi Siming, seeing that the situation had turned hopeless and there was no hope of reversing it, turned his gaze heavily to An Lushan once again.

A complex expression flickered across his face, but he didn't stop walking. He raised his hand to signal his guards and walked straight toward An Lushan.

"Siming!" Upon seeing the newcomer, An Lushan turned sharply, his eyes bloodshot, and demanded in a stern voice, "How is the battle going?! Have you killed all those traitors who betrayed their master?!"

"General," Shi Siming slowly shook his head, his voice low and clear, "the morale of the army has collapsed, the chaos is beyond repair... there's no way to turn the tide!"

"waste--!!"

An Lushan's face instantly twisted into a demonic contortion as he pointed at Shi Siming's nose and launched into a tirade of curses, showing absolutely no mercy: "You..."

But before he could finish speaking—

In that split second, Shi Siming suddenly drew his knife.

Pfft——!
The sharp blade pierced through the armor and went straight into his body. An Lushan was caught off guard and his body trembled violently!

"Uh...you?!" His eyes widened as he stared at Shi Siming in disbelief, a gurgling sound coming from his throat. Blood gushed out and instantly stained his front, his eyes filled with disbelief and rage.

"General," Shi Siming's voice was icy, but his hand did not hesitate at all. He suddenly drew his knife, spraying a spray of blood. The blade flashed coldly again, slashing straight at An Lushan's neck!
"The brothers followed you in raising an army, showing their loyalty and courage without ever uttering a word of complaint."

"But right now, we've reached a dead end."

"You—you should earn a way for the brothers to survive!"

Just as in the original history, Shi Siming was a person of this kind.

He had already had this idea in mind a long time ago.

The changes in the situation were completely beyond his expectations. From the moment Li Heng ascended the throne and heavily relied on the Gu family, and Hebei was in turmoil, Shi Siming had actually foreseen this day.

If it weren't for him secretly stirring up trouble.

How could these rebel generals possibly act in such a coordinated manner?
He was not a benevolent person. If things had gone smoothly, he would never have considered staying under An Lushan's command indefinitely, let alone now.

He held An Lushan's head in one hand.

Shi Siming then headed straight for the main camp's banner.

From the moment the rebel banner was cut down and fell, the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt; all that remained was to recruit the rebels.

This is something Gu Yi has to do.

These people are all elites; if we let them out, they will definitely pose an even greater threat.

Of course, he didn't need to handle all of this personally; all he needed to do was set out a detailed set of rules.

In fact, Gu Yi had been considering this matter for several days.

First, their crimes must be pardoned; second, their forces must be reorganized and power returned to the central government.

These were not difficult tasks for experienced generals like Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi.

His focus should still be on the rebel generals.

These people are the key!
That night, the bright moonlight hung in the dark sky, illuminating countless stars.

Painful cries still echoed from time to time in various places; a war between hundreds of thousands of people cannot be resolved quickly with mere words.

Even without special care, it is destined to take some time.

Inside the Tongguan camp at this time.

Gu Xuan sat in the main seat, looking at the group of rebel generals kneeling before him, his face expressionless.

The leader was none other than Shi Siming.

His eyes were red and swollen, and he was crying and pleading his remorse, saying that he had been deceived by An Lushan and so on.

But how could Gu Yi possibly listen to these words?
He remembered very clearly that in the original history, Shi Siming first followed An Lushan in rebellion, and then surrendered to the Tang Dynasty due to the situation, but secretly he still harbored rebellious intentions and secretly gathered power.

Ultimately, due to various factors, he even became emperor.

Moreover, this person is extremely cruel.

Every time they conquered a territory, they would plunder it extensively to ensure the fighting strength of their soldiers.

to be honest--

Like An Lushan, Shi Siming also had a relative desire for power, but he was not particularly loyal.

The same applies to him now.

Its brutal nature is no secret.

He and An Lushan committed numerous atrocities, including burning, killing, and looting, which were known throughout the land.

As for that so-called "loyalty"?
The fact that he personally beheaded his former master An Lushan and offered his bloody head as a pledge of loyalty is irrefutable proof!
Even so, under the current circumstances, if we are to act rationally, it would be best to keep this person.

After all, Shi Siming led the rebel generals to surrender.

He even personally killed An Lushan.

If we spare his life, it will put many rebel generals at ease.

Moreover, and most importantly, given the Gu family's current influence throughout Kyushu, as long as Gu Yi is careful, Shi Siming will have no chance whatsoever.

If the overall situation is taken into consideration, this is the best arrangement.

Generals including Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi also advised Gu Xuan in the same way. Even though they didn't have a good impression of these people, they had to persuade Gu Xuan to prioritize the overall situation.

But in Gu Xuan's mind—what is the "big picture"?
Is this the world of the Great Tang Dynasty?
Or the entire Kyushu?

Can these few judges really represent the whole situation?
The Gu family has come this far through the efforts of more than twenty generations over hundreds of years. If the Gu family were to be like others and have to consider the big picture when facing different situations, wouldn't that be a bit too bad?
The current chaos is completely different from the original history.

Let these people go—

It might bring some benefits to suppressing the rebellion, but how could these benefits compare to the centuries-old reputation of the Gu family?
The number of deaths committed by these people is enormous.

The Gu family was also the leader in this rebellion. If they were let go, how would their reputation be affected?
Don't forget that even many places in Hebei Province were affected by them.

This is the very foundation of the Gu family!

Of course, Gu Yi couldn't possibly investigate and settle every single crime.

But it is clearly not enough for An Lushan to bear so many sins alone!
Having reached this point in his thoughts, Gu Yi no longer hesitated.

Looking at the crowd still begging for mercy, he controlled Gu Xuan and waved his hand: "Take them all down and announce their crimes to the world!"

This sudden order plunged the entire tent into a deathly silence.

Whether it was Shi Siming and others, or generals like Gao Xianzhi, they were all stunned on the spot, never expecting Gu Xuan to make such a decision.

A moment later, the soldiers seemed to wake from a dream and immediately stepped forward to capture the surrendered generals.

Although they had doubts about Gu Xuan's decision, after spending time together, they had all come to follow his lead without question.

"Grand Tutor!"

Only then did Shi Siming and the others suddenly realize what was happening.

Shi Siming roared even louder, "This humble general refuses to accept this!"

"The Grand Tutor once personally promised that those who surrender would not be killed! Now that I have surrendered, I have also rendered meritorious service!"

"How dare the Grand Tutor kill us?!"

Without Gu Yi even needing to intervene, Gu Xuan immediately stood up, staring intently at Shi Siming and shouting, "Those who surrender will not be killed?"

"You traitors and rebels, you have wreaked havoc on the world, slaughtered the common people, and your crimes are heinous and beyond description!"

"How can a mere surrender document atone for the blood and tears of countless wronged souls?"

"I capture you today not to break my promise, but to carry out the execution on behalf of Heaven, to avenge the blood debt of the soldiers and civilians who died unjustly!"

"Your crimes cannot be redeemed by surrender. Only by proclaiming your heads to the world can we uphold justice and comfort your loyal souls!"

Before he could finish speaking, he waved his hand decisively.

"Take them away!" The voice was firm and decisive, without giving Shi Siming and the others another glance.

Without the slightest hesitation, Gao Xianzhi and the others forcibly dragged the people out of the tent amidst cries and curses.

A moment later, the soldiers returned to report.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy. After hesitating for a long time, Feng Changqing finally asked the question that had been lingering in everyone's minds: "Grand Tutor, this humble general dares to ask, is this... appropriate?"

He truly couldn't understand why Gu Xuan insisted on doing this.

Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent focused their attention on Gu Xuan, holding their breath in anticipation.

Gu Xuan sat upright in his command seat, his expression calm. His gaze slowly swept over everyone, and he gave a brief but weighty answer: "Nothing more than rectifying people's hearts."

Gu Yi would never tell them that the Gu family doesn't need this kind of influence.

After giving a brief explanation, he immediately ordered horses to be prepared and the message to be sent back to Luoyang by express courier. Then he got down to business and discussed the next steps in suppressing the rebellion.

The first thing to do was to spread all this information, and Gu Yi even asked them to exaggerate it.

—The balance of power should be reversed.

Whether it was various rebellious forces or foreign enemies like Tibet.

It's time for Gu Yi to awaken the fear they harbor towards the Gu family!
------

"In the first year of the Zhide era, Tongguan was in grave danger. Grand Tutor Xuan was in charge of the defense of the pass and went out of Luoyang to Tongguan."

Lu Shan led his iron cavalry to the pass, employing numerous schemes to lure them into battle.

Xuan Yan ordered his generals to defend the strategic locations and prevent the enemy from advancing.

When things changed in Liaodong, Goguryeo and Baekje, fearing the old power of the Gu family, attacked and captured Fanyang.

Lu Shan's foundation crumbled, and the morale of his army collapsed.

In March of the first year of the Zhide era, infighting broke out within the rebel camp, with members attacking and killing each other.

The generals requested permission to fight, and Xuan granted their request. However, fearing that the enemy would be exhausted in battle, he personally stood on the city tower and commanded the ten thousand men to shout in unison: "The Grand Tutor commands that those who surrender will not be killed!"

The sound shook the surrounding area and pierced straight into the enemy ranks.

When the gate was opened, the government troops rushed out, shouting in the ranks, "Those who surrender will not be killed."

The bandits, exhausted from their long-standing victories, saw the amnesty as a lifeline and lost all will to fight.

Seeing the situation was hopelessly dire, Lu Shan was furious and pointed his halberd at Xuan, cursing him as if he were about to fight to the death.

His general Shi Siming, a vicious and ruthless man, suddenly harbored rebellious intentions, drew his sword and murdered An Lushan in the chaos, cutting off his great banner, and the rebels were utterly routed.

Xuan, fearing that the surrendered soldiers were all elite troops from Youyan, petitioned for a pardon for those who had been coerced into joining him, dispersed their troops, collected their elite armor and put it back into storage, and stripped the generals of their power and returned it to the central government. As a result, the turbulent people in Hebei gradually calmed down.

The historian wrote: "The Gu family has produced renowned generals for generations, their legacy enduring for a thousand years, and their brilliance remains undiminished today. In the Battle of Tong Pass, the enemy's power was at its peak. Xuan defended the fortified city, blunting their advance, and waited for them to provoke a conflict before issuing a general's pardon atop the city walls. This psychologically powerful maneuver captivated the enemy, leading to the execution of their leader and the defection of countless soldiers. His ability to anticipate the enemy's moves and secure peace in unrest truly lives up to the expectations of his heroic ancestors, making him a pillar of the nation."

—From the Biography of Gu Xuan in the Book of Tang

(End of this chapter)