I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 670 Aristocratic Clans, Cannot Be Killed? Reigning Supreme in the Eastern Capital!
Hulao Pass has fallen.

As Zhao Mu rode his exotic dragon steed into Hulao Pass, he looked around at this formidable pass, one of the most powerful in the world, and couldn't help but sigh.

"What a magnificent pass!"

At this moment, a group of blood-soaked soldiers, clad in the crimson armor of the Great Yong Dynasty, knelt on one knee, surrounded by their soldiers.

"We, the guilty generals, and our soldiers respectfully welcome the royal army!"

Oh? The royal army?

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mu lowered his gaze and swept it over the people.

He stared at them until they were stiff with fear and sweat beaded on their foreheads, then suddenly broke into a smile.

"Stop talking nonsense. You are people who have made contributions. How can you humiliate and belittle yourselves by calling yourselves criminals?"

Upon hearing this, a distinct sigh of relief immediately filled the air inside Hulao Pass.

"We thank the general for his leniency!"

"Please, Your Majesty's army, accompany us into the pass..."

Zhao Mu waved his hand to interrupt them, his gaze wandering for a moment before he spoke.

"Which one of you is General Wu?"

The 'General Wu' that Zhao Mu mentioned was the inside man who was contacted and orchestrated by the Imperial Guard general.

However, upon hearing Zhao Mu's words, the Hulao Army generals looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Reporting to General Zhao, General Wu... has passed away."

The saying "Fortune favors the bold" is not wrong in itself.

However, most people subconsciously overlooked the most crucial word in this sentence: 'danger'.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mu couldn't help but look regretful.

"General Wu is a man of great integrity and a rare talent, and His Majesty greatly appreciates him."

"I had planned to personally celebrate his success, but I never expected..."

"Ah, what a pity, what a pity—"

Hearing Zhao Mu sigh and lament his loss, many Hulao Army generals felt a warmth in their hearts.

And his statement, "The king is preparing to personally celebrate his victory," made them feel even more that these "surrenders" were the right ones!

After all, although they weren't the General Wu who directly contacted the Zhenliao Army, they were the ones who truly sacrificed this pass.

The surrender of the pass was followed by a bloody battle.

Such meritorious service should surely be rewarded.
At this moment, Zhao Mu spoke again.

"Well then, since General Wu has died a martyr, let his descendants inherit this honor and reward."

This statement definitively confirms the rumor that the Zhenliao Army never mistreats those who have rendered meritorious service.

This excited the Hulao Army generals present, who shouted in unison.

"We, on behalf of General Wu, thank General Zhao! We kowtow in gratitude to Your Majesty for your divine grace!"

After a round of thanks.

Seeing that Zhao Mu's gaze was fixed on the captured noble families, the generals of Hulao Army mustered their courage and asked cautiously.

"General Zhao, what should be done with these people?"

Zhao Mu gave them a strange look.

"These traitors have killed General Wu and other loyal subjects of the country. Don't you want to avenge them?"

Upon hearing this, the Hulao Army generals immediately hesitated.

"General Zhao, this is... tens of thousands of people..."

"And they all come from aristocratic and prestigious families!"

Zhao Mu was amused.

"Tens of thousands of people, is that a lot?"

"Aristocratic families and noble clans cannot be killed?"

At this point, Zhao Mu suddenly stopped smiling, and his expression gradually turned pale.

"My men have just slaughtered a million men."

"If you dare not kill, or cannot bear to kill, then let my men do it themselves, shall we?"

The Hulao Army generals felt a chill run down their spines, none of them daring to meet Zhao Mu's gaze.

Just a few moments later, they hurriedly kowtowed.

"I dare not trouble your esteemed soldiers!"

"We'll do it! We'll be right!"

Before joining a bandit gang, one must present a pledge of loyalty.

If you can't even make this kind of decision, what right do you have to dream of wealth and glory?
Moreover, from the moment they surrendered the pass, they had no way out.

But when faced with the menacing faces and the butcher's knife they were about to wield, the scions of those noble families were filled with fear and rage.

"You promised that as long as we surrender, you would not kill us! How could you... how could you go back on your word!"

The soldiers from Hulao Pass who were in charge of wielding the knives looked ashamed, and their hands hesitated for a moment.

But the next moment, a scion of a noble family shouted and cursed.

"How dare you lowly bastards lay a hand on us nobles?"

"That's right! You lowly pigs and dogs, try touching us and we'll teach you a lesson you won't have a burial place! In the future, we'll extract your souls and cast them into the deepest hell!"

Okay, screw breaking promises.

We're going to kill these damn rich bastards!

puff-

puff-

Within half a day, the corpses covered the entire Hulao Pass barbican.

"next batch!"

……

The river was surging, and the treasure ship was traveling against the current, all the way west.

"Hulao Pass has been captured?"

Seeing Han Shao nod, Gongsun Xinyi's beautiful eyes rippled.

Before the battle began, she thought Hulao Pass was the key, and that taking this formidable pass would be extremely difficult.

It wasn't until the war on this side was completely over that she finally understood.

The real hub wasn't Hulao Pass, but the mountains behind it.

At best, Hulao Pass can only be considered a bait set up by Han Shao.

Once Gongye Jin's million-strong army is reduced to ashes, it is only natural that this bait can be easily captured.

Even though she had already almost figured out all of Han Shao's moves before this, she still couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

Like a hidden thread in the grass, or a foreshadowing event stretching for miles, this is exactly the kind of thing.

"Your Majesty, why are you looking at me like that?"

Seeing that Gongsun Xinyi was staring at him intently, Han Shao wanted to tease her.

"Were you captivated by my stunning good looks?"

Stunning beauty?

What a strange word!

Gongsun Xinyi, whose intentions had been exposed by Han Shao, blushed slightly on her now fuller, cool face, and then glared at him in annoyance.

"Habitual behavior is improper!"

When I first met him, he had shifty eyes and looked like a petty thief.

But now this heart-stealing thief has become a traitor to the country, yet his nature remains unchanged.

Looking at Han Shao's magnificent imperial robes and hearing him address her as the supreme and noble Queen, Gongsun Xinyi felt a surge of emotions.

Back then, she married a lowly warrior in the eyes of the world, despite being a noblewoman from a prominent family, and even shared her wealth and served him.

Countless people in the world have laughed at Gongsun Xinyi for being blind and mentally challenged.

But who could have imagined that just over a decade later, the situation would be so drastically different?
From Lady Chehou to Lady Yan, and now Queen of Yan.

Even though she hadn't done anything wrong, her status kept rising, so high that 99% of the women in the world would look up to her. Now, Gongsun Xinyi just wanted to ask those people back then, who was truly blind and deceitful?
As the thought crossed her mind, Gongsun Xinyi couldn't help but feel a bit conceited and proud.

After all, given that the script cannot be predicted in advance, even if there are romantic entanglements, how many women in this world have the courage and determination to gamble their entire lives and never regret it?

So, she deserves all of this.

Instead of attributing it to so-called fate and luck, as some people say.

Having given herself a pep talk, Gongsun Xinyi finally regained some confidence amidst Han Shao's dazzling success, and no longer felt ashamed of herself because of Han Shao's meteoric rise to power.

"Has Zhao Mu followed your royal orders to slaughter all the noble families and high-ranking officials within Hulao Pass?"

Upon hearing Gongsun Xinyi's sudden question, Han Shao was slightly taken aback, then chuckled.

"It was not ordered by me."

After saying that, he added another sentence.

"However... this move is exactly what I wanted."

Although Han Shao now has quite a few women around him, and more than one of them has borne him children or even given birth to his offspring.

But for Han Shao, women are ultimately different.

This is similar to Xu Pingjun's relationship with Emperor Xuan of Han (Liu Xun) and Ma Xiuying's relationship with Zhu Yuanzhang.

In front of other women, Han Shao might subconsciously be somewhat wary and weigh the pros and cons with his mind, but he never felt there was any need to hide anything from Gongsun Xinyi.

Seemingly surprised by Han Shao's candor, Gongsun Xinyi remained silent for a moment.

"My husband... seems to harbor great hostility towards aristocratic families?"

Although Han Shao has not fully revealed this hostility over the years, and has even treated some aristocratic families with preferential treatment.

But some things cannot be perfectly concealed by disguise.

Looking back at the many prestigious families that have perished at his hands over the years, it seems that each time they deliberately provoked others, thus inviting disaster upon themselves.

However, this may not be entirely unrelated to his manipulation of circumstances, or even his deliberate coercion.

Let's not even talk about the aristocratic families of Youbei, led by the Zheng family of Yuyang in the early years.

Later, when they fought against Yuan Feng, the governor of Youzhou, most of the once-prosperous families in Younan ended up with their entire clans wiped out and their families scattered.

After this, the aristocratic families of Bingzhou were accused of treason.

Zhuozhou, Qingzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou were all destroyed by Huangtiandao.

It seems that Han did nothing, but in the end, he did everything.

With such seemingly subtle yet ruthless methods, how could Gongsun Xinyi not see through what her bedmate was really thinking?
Meeting Gongsun Xinyi's eyes, which were as clear as autumn water, Han Shao smiled and simply admitted it.

"Yes."

Gongsun Xinyi frowned slightly.

Why?

Han Shao glanced at her and said indifferently.

"Running water never stagnates, and a frequently used door hinge never rusts."

"The lineages of various races have been passed down through generations, remaining unchanged for countless ages. They have become a cancer in the world. If they are not eradicated, even if I were to sit in that position, I would be nothing more than another Ji Tianyuan."

"The new dynasty that was established was nothing more than another Great Yong."

"If that's the case, then what's the point of what I've done today?"

At this point, Han Shao personally poured her a cup of warm tea before adding another sentence.

"No one is born to be complacent and superior."

"No one is born to do nothing and enjoy wealth and luxury, or even to abuse others with impunity."

The swallows that once graced the mansions of the wealthy and powerful should now grace the homes of ordinary people.

Otherwise, this world would forever remain a stagnant pool.

We could only watch helplessly as it rotted, turned green, and eventually became unbearably smelly.

If Han Shao hadn't come into this world, so be it.

Now that he has come and been endowed with such great fortune and destiny, he must bring a breath of fresh air to this world and to all living beings, and seize an opportunity.

Everyone is like a dragon, though it is an illusion.

It is possible to make those who are capable of becoming dragons, and those who are willing to become dragons, compete to become dragons.

It was something he had to do.

On this point, Han Shao was undoubtedly the one to concede.

Let alone aristocratic families, anyone who stands in the way will be slain!
Sensing the resolute will Han Shao exuded at this moment, and hearing his words, Gongsun Xinyi never doubted his ability to do it.

But the more this happened, the more flustered and bewildered she became.

"Then... what about Gongsun from Liaodong?"

"The Gongsun family of Liaodong has also been a prominent family for generations..."

To be honest, even during the most desperate times on the grasslands, Han Shao had never seen such an expression on Gongsun Xinyi's face, nor had he ever heard her speak in such a panicked tone.

Meeting those beautiful, sorrowful eyes, Han Shao paused for a moment, then chuckled helplessly.

"Judging from your expression, it seems you've been worried for quite some time?"

Gongsun Xinyi nodded obediently, her usually aloof and noble face now showing a somewhat dazed and cute expression.

Han Shao felt extremely distressed seeing this.

In truth, this matter is also his fault.

In recent years, he has focused most of his energy on strategic planning and has indeed paid less attention to his wife.

Otherwise, given his intelligence, he would have explained things the moment Gongsun Xinyi had these thoughts, so why did it take until now?
With a sigh, Han Shao reached out and grasped Gongsun Xinyi's slightly cool, soft hand, offering her a touch of warmth.

"First of all, Liaodong Gongsun is Liaodong Gongsun, and his father-in-law is his father-in-law."

“My father died early, and my father-in-law inherited the family business and treated me as kindly as his own son. If I were to be so heartless as to harbor evil thoughts towards my father-in-law, would I be a human being?”

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Xinyi's tense expression suddenly relaxed.

Seeing this, Han Shao continued.

"As for the Gongsun family of Liaodong, you don't need to worry about them either."

"My ancestor and I have long had a tacit understanding that even if a few fools try to be clever, it will not affect the overall situation, and there will be no need for us to fight each other or cause unnecessary trouble."

Gongsun Ying is now stationed in Fengdu and has long since figured out Han Shao's background.

Unless one has lost their mind and become possessed by a demon, how could they possibly go against Han Shao's grand plan for the future?

Even if the remaining members of the Gongsun clan were foolish enough to have some inappropriate thoughts, they wouldn't be able to cause any major trouble.

Therefore, the problems that Gongsun Xinyi was worried about were nothing more than needless anxiety.

But you can't blame her for that.

Throughout history, the families of imperial relatives, while enjoying immense glory, have also been the most vulnerable.

Especially in front of a powerful ruler like Han Shao, who cannot tolerate any flaws, the slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin.

If that day ever comes, it will be a painful choice for the woman caught in the middle.

Only after hearing Han Shao's words did Gongsun Xinyi finally feel relieved, and with slightly red eyes, she called out emotionally.

"Husband..."

Seeing this, Han Shao did not tease her, but simply reached out and put his arm around her increasingly heavy body.

After another round of gentle words of comfort and explanation of the future arrangements for Gongsun of Liaodong, her emotions gradually calmed down.

There's no way around it; pregnant women are the most sensitive and their minds are the most changeable.

Even a woman like Gongsun Xinyi could not avoid this.

This made Han Shao sigh with regret.

After all, when the two first met, someone was hiding among the defeated soldiers, and in a moment, he gathered his strength, drew his bow, and shot an arrow that set the sun down—how dazzling and amazing that was!
Faced with a desperate situation, the fierce spirit he displayed when he stepped forward and uttered the words, "Great Yong Zhen Liao Colonel, please fight me!" was truly awe-inspiring!
Looking at him now, with his big belly and bloated figure, where is the sharpness and ferocity he once had between his brows?
"What a terrible thing..."

Han Shao touched his nose, feeling somewhat ashamed.

Just as he was secretly repenting, a report came from outside the treasure ship.

"Kings!"

"The army has already marched on Luoyang! We respectfully request Your Majesty to move your carriage here!"

……

(End of this chapter)