I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 185 - 5: Kyushu in Turmoil, Four Seas Boiling

Chapter 185: Chapter 5: Kyushu in Turmoil, Four Seas Boiling

Only at this moment did he fully realize how laughable the throne he had schemed so hard to ascend truly was.

He originally thought that by emulating the Guangwu Emperor of old and joining forces with the noble families, he could solve all the problems facing the Great Han.

And he believed he could be like the Guangwu Emperor of the past, but he never expected things to develop to the current state.

The regions and commanderies on all sides had already slipped from his imperial control.

No, not just the regions and commanderies.

Even within the city of Luoyang, beyond maintaining the semblance of imperial dignity, he found it difficult to hold anything else together.

Even within this forbidden zone of the Imperial Palace.

Someone was always watching him.

Aside from Yuan Kui’s granddaughter, he dared not favor any other woman.

Any woman he favored would die the next day.

This had made him acutely aware of how laughable his position as Emperor truly was.

If it were still Liu Bian in this position, would he have ended up like this?

He could not help but ponder this question.

He had firmly believed that once he ascended the throne, he could solve everything and perform better than the young Liu Bian.

But now, he began to doubt this belief.

But what could change?

From the moment he chose to bow completely to the noble families, he was already subordinate.

The noble families would surely not care about his opinions.

He was nothing more than an agent, a mere figurehead as the so-called Emperor!

...

This battle was destined to be unavoidable.

Yuan Shao now appeared truly high-spirited and vigorous, although Lu Zhi’s reputation was still significant, Yuan Shao did not regard it highly.

——The second year of Han Xing, in June.

Yuan Shao’s three armies were fully prepared, officially setting out from Ji, crossing the Qinghe Kingdom, heading straight for the Pingyuan Commandery in Qing Province, intending to penetrate deep into the heart of Qing Province.

Of course, Lu Zhi was not without precautions.

He was long aware that a battle with Yuan Shao was inevitable.

A man like Lu Zhi, with his stubborn character, would never bow to Yuan Shao.

For this reason, Lu Zhi had already made comprehensive preparations.

The terrain around Pingyuan Commandery was flat with no natural defenses to rely on.

The only advantage was during Yuan Shao’s crossing of the river.

For this reason, he had already destroyed all the bridges and set up an absolute defensive line at the crossing of the Yellow River.

Lu Zhi’s strength was not weak.

Before leaving, Gu Xi intentionally left him considerable troops.

Plus, with the developments over this period, he now commanded tens of thousands of men.

Especially with Gu Tao’s arrival, which greatly resolved the primary issue of lacking great generals.

This gave him considerable confidence in the coming great battle.

——By the end of June.

Both sides engaged in a great battle in Pingyuan Commandery.

Ultimately, Yuan Shao somewhat underestimated Lu Zhi.

Lu Zhi’s ability to command troops was certainly not lacking.

The showers of arrows severely hindered the Yuan Army’s progress in landing.

However, to say this alone could stop Yuan Shao was clearly not possible.

Yuan Shao had always been this kind of person.

Upon realizing an abrupt change, he immediately became prudent.

He decided to have the troops construct a pontoon bridge for a forced attack.

At this time, Qu Yi, his great general, stepped forward.

Leading over a thousand death-defying warriors, he built a pontoon bridge to aid the main force in crossing the river. Although the casualties were heavy, they finally broke through Lu Zhi’s defense line.

Ultimately aiding the army in landing.

Yuan Shao’s strength was indeed overwhelming now.

His method of honoring the Gu Clan ancestors had practically elevated him to the position of the premier feudal lord.

The people across the land held high hopes for the Gu Clan.

Yuan Shao’s move showed their priority towards the Gu Clan, naturally attracting many to join his cause.

He now commanded a force exceeding a hundred thousand.

Though he couldn’t bring all his troops this time, he still had a numerical advantage in terms of manpower.

The most crucial aspect was—

Yuan Shao had an abundance of generals under his command.

Yan Liang and Wen Chou were each famed as valiant generals capable of fighting thousands, not to mention having a death-defiant character like Qu Yi.

The two sides engaged in a great battle by the Luo River.

As the leading general, Gu Tao naturally had to be on the front line.

Seeing Qu Yi manage to land under the rain of arrows, he charged forward without hesitation.

"Scoundrel! Give up your life!"

Gu Tao led the charge, fearless, slashing with his long sword.

"Where did this youngster come from, so arrogant!"

Qu Yi’s face showed no fear, swinging his great sword as he charged forward.

Clang!!

The clash of weapons resounded, sparks flew.

Gu Tao instantly felt a formidable force transmit through the impact, his expression subtly changed.

This person was so ferocious?

The more someone understands martial arts, the more they sense the pressure between themselves and their opponent.

Gu Tao’s combat power was indeed not low.

In any era, he would be a usable general.

However, compared to a fierce general like Qu Yi, who could leave his name in history, there was still a gap.

Nevertheless, he did not retreat.

If he couldn’t win in strength, he still had speed!

Qu Yi appeared very robust.

The speed of such individuals was destined to be somewhat lacking compared to ordinary people.

In an instant, thoughts flashed, Gu Tao immediately withdrew his sword, sidestepping Qu Yi’s powerful blow.

"Haha!"

Seeing this, Qu Yi laughed loudly, disdainfully saying, "Youngster, that’s all you have!"

"Why not dismount and surrender?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Stop your nonsense!" Gu Tao remained undaunted, slashing upward diagonally with his sword, intending to seize this opportunity to unseat Qu Yi.

But how could a fierce general like Qu Yi be so easily dealt with?

He seemed clumsy.

But in reality, his reactions were extremely swift.

With a fierce tug on the reins, his steed reared with a loud whinny, effectively avoiding the strike.