The Suppression Journey (Final)

The battle was over, but Gao Yuan's goal had not yet been achieved. Besides cleaning up the battlefield and treating the wounded...

Another important task was to have the soldiers go everywhere to spread propaganda.

If he wanted these commoners to follow him, he naturally had to make them willing.

Especially for those commoners who had been coerced; their family grain had been pillaged, and the crops in the fields were destroyed.

Returning now would most likely mean starving to death, so Gao Yuan actually managed to smoothly recruit over thirty thousand people.

To prevent complications from a long delay, Gao Yuan immediately ordered Zhao Meng to lead men to escort them to Jiangyou.

After finishing these tasks, Gao Yuan finally called for Xue Linfeng.

"Linfeng, there are several qiang people tribes nearby. How much military strength do they have?"

"There are three in total, with a population of about thirty to forty thousand. Most of the young and strong men have already been wiped out in this battle, leaving mostly the elderly, weak, women, and children."

Gao Yuan's eyes lit up. Since their men had died in battle, he had an obligation to take good care of these elderly, weak, women, and children.

Gao Yuan made an immediate decision.

"To prevent these qiang people from causing trouble again in the future, I have decided to send troops to wipe out the Qiang stockades to eliminate any future troubles."

Xue Linfeng didn't feel anything was wrong; he would have made the same choice if he were in his position.

In the past, they could barely maintain a delicate state of peace with the qiang people.

But now that a blood feud had been established, if they didn't pull up the roots, were they supposed to wait for them to recover their strength and seek revenge?

Thus, with Xue Linfeng leading the way, Gao Yuan left a thousand troops to guard the city and headed north once more.

In the qiang people tribes, the young and strong had either become souls under the blade or captives.

At this moment, a Qiang stockade could only muster two or three hundred people capable of picking up a blade and mounting a horse; they simply couldn't withstand Gao Yuan's attack.

Xue Linfeng witnessed for the first time what it meant to 'kill anyone taller than a wagon wheel'.

He could hardly believe his eyes. Was this still the same people-friendly and kind Gao Yuan from before?

Behind that incredibly handsome face, just how ruthless and cold was his heart?

"Linfeng, do you have something to say?"

"This humble general does not dare."

"Hahaha, saying you don't dare means you have something to say. Speak up; if you don't say it, you'll probably suffocate from holding it in."

Xue Linfeng hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"This humble general has also read the books of sages since childhood. The books teach us to take benevolence and righteousness as our foundation, and to educate and civilize the masses..."

"So you don't agree with my methods, right?"

Xue Linfeng summoned a great deal of resolve and then nodded.

"Yes. This humble general believes the troublemakers are already dead. These elderly, weak, women, and children—especially those few children..."

Gao Yuan did not blame Xue Linfeng; he knew this was due to a difference in values.

So, he simply led Xue Linfeng to some people who had not yet been executed and pointed at them.

"Look at these people's eyes. Look closely, especially at those few you think are children..."

Xue Linfeng looked up at the few half-grown boys waiting for execution; they looked to be about ten years old.

But Xue Linfeng saw hatred in their eyes—the kind of hatred that wished to eat his flesh, drink his blood, and sleep on his skin.

He suddenly felt a shiver down his spine. Gao Yuan then patted his shoulder.

"Since ancient times, we have always approached these foreign tribes with the intent of civilizing and winning them over. And the result?

Think about it, which generation has not fought wars against foreign tribes? How many Han sons have slept forever on the battlefield?

These foreign tribes surrender and then rebel, rebel and then surrender. In their world, there is only interest and no morality.

So in my view, only by wiping out their race and completely Sinicizing them can there be long-term peace and stability.

I don't want future generations to have to keep fighting wars because of a moment of my mercy."

In the original timeline, the struggle between the Han ethnicity and nomadic peoples had never ended.

Even in times of peace, the descendants of those nomadic tribes still tried every means to slander the Han ancestors.

Gao Yuan believed that if it weren't for the fact that machine guns and cannons were too powerful, there would be no such thing as being 'good at singing and dancing'.

Having stated his stance, Gao Yuan didn't stay long; he wanted Xue Linfeng to properly digest this.

Three days later, Gao Yuan set out on the journey again, his target being another Qiang stockade.

The one leading the way was still Xue Linfeng.

He had gone back and thought for two days, finally understanding Gao Yuan's choice and accepting it.

After spending half a month, Gao Yuan concluded this northern expedition. When he returned to Qushui County, he brought back a massive amount of spoils:

Over ten thousand young Qiang women, over five hundred infants who were too young to remember anything, over two thousand pack horses, and over five hundred warhorses.

Counting what was captured before, Gao Yuan had captured nearly two thousand warhorses this time.

If calculated at two horses per person, Gao Yuan could expand his Cavalry to fifteen hundred men in one go.

This number was nothing in the north, but in the south, it was an unstoppable combat force.

Having finished the northern suppression of the rebellion, Gao Yuan sent someone to inform Song Ren while starting to head south at a leisurely pace.

He wasn't just sightseeing along the way; he was promoting the benefits of Southern Yunnan as he went.

Distributing land, farming tools, and seeds, and even providing family rations for the first year.

Furthermore, upon reaching Southern Yunnan, regardless of whether one was previously of a low-born status or slave status, all would unconditionally be converted to commoner status.

This attracted many tenant farmers without land, as well as some low-born commoners.

As for the masters of these commoners who opposed it, Gao Yuan was not an unreasonable person; he had always been one to win people over with virtue.

In any case, he had captured a lot of gold, silver, and jewelry from this suppression of rebels, and Gao Yuan didn't plan on bringing it back.

Of course, there were also those who didn't know what was good for them, relying on their deep backgrounds to come and bark at Gao Yuan.

Outside Mianzhu City, a richly dressed fat man was leading a group of wicked servants to block Gao Yuan's horse.

"Pretty boy, I'm telling you, if you're smart, release those few young ladies back to me;"

"Otherwise, I'll tell my brother-in-law, and then you'll have more than you can handle."

Gao Yuan narrowed his eyes, a flash of killing intent bursting forth, but he still asked with a smile,

"Who is your brother-in-law?"

Before the fat man could speak, the wicked servant behind him expertly began to show off.

"Let me tell you, my master's sister is the beloved concubine of Commander Song..."

"Tsk tsk tsk..."

Gao Yuan shook his head and said in a regretful tone,

"This Song Ren doesn't manage his household strictly; a rebel has actually emerged. Men, suppress the rebellion and eliminate the thief."

The fat man was still immersed in the joy of showing off his power, completely failing to notice the lances raised by the Cavalry behind Gao Yuan.

After a charge, only a ground full of corpses remained. Gao Yuan hadn't moved an inch from beginning to end.

"Reporting to Lord, the rebel has been executed."

"Executed? Haven't I taught you? Pull up the weeds by the roots; evil must be completely eradicated."

Zhao Meng and Xian Chong immediately understood Gao Yuan's meaning.

The Magistrate of Mianzhu couldn't figure out for the life of him why, after it was agreed that the rebel-suppressing army was just passing through and he only needed to arrange some food,

The other party suddenly flared up, charged straight into the county seat, threw He Xin's head in front of him, and said,

"This fellow colluded with rebels and intended to revolt. By military order, we are seizing the rebel's residence."

Looking at He Xin's head and the empty, ransacked house, the Magistrate of Mianzhu wanted to cry but had no tears.

He really wanted to stop Gao Yuan and ask,

"Commandery Duke, you killed someone and left just like that. How am I supposed to explain this to Commander Song?!

This is his favorite concubine's brother! My small frame can't handle this!"

But since it had already happened, he could only write a letter informing Song Ren of how He Xin had provoked Gao Yuan, how he was killed, and how his house was raided.

At the same time, he collected He Xin's body, bought a high-quality coffin at his own expense, and ordered people to send it to Chengdu.

Outside the city, Xian Chong and Zhao Meng, having finished the job, were still lamenting,

"This rebel was indeed detestable, having squeezed so much wealth from the people."

"Exactly, truly detestable. We shall hand over this money and grain to the Lord to be used for resisting foreign tribes."