On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Chapter 977 Remember, those who follow me will prosper, those who oppose me will perish

The second year of Shenghui, March 20th.

Five days had passed since the fall of Pyongyang. The massacre and purge in the city were drawing to a close. Although the smoke and smell of blood had not completely dissipated, a suffocating silence had already enveloped the capital of Goguryeo.

The Daqian army basically controlled the entire city, and the few surviving Goguryeo royal family members and important officials were imprisoned in a side hall of the cold palace, awaiting their fate.

Murong Yan did not move into the Gyeongbokgung Palace, which symbolized the highest power. She still set up the central military tent on a high hillside outside Pyongyang, overlooking the entire city.

Inside the tent, the charcoal fire dispelled the remaining chill of the spring in Liaodong, but the atmosphere was more solemn than outside the tent.

A huge map of the entire Liaodong region was spread out in the tent, with the occupied important places such as Haizhou, Anzhou, and Pyongyang clearly marked on it.

Murong Yan stood in front of the map with an upright posture.

She was still wearing the black and gold Su brocade cotton nightgown with the pattern of "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" - the Divine Phoenix Descent Dress, and covered it with a black and gold Su brocade shawl that was neatly cut and easy to move in. The shoulders of the shawl were embroidered with dark gold dragon patterns, which added to her majesty.

She was not holding a gun in her hand, but a red pen, with the tip of the pen pointing at the location of Pyongyang on the map.

Days of fighting and killing had left a trace of fatigue on her beautiful face that was difficult to conceal, but her phoenix eyes were still as sharp as a knife as she examined the land that had just been conquered.

Under the bright light inside the tent, the Phoenix Dress was still gorgeous, but it also seemed to be stained with an indelible bloody aura.

The extremely black Su Jin base material absorbs the light, its color is as calm as the abyss, and the golden cotton wool and real gold thread woven into it exude a restrained and cold glow.

On the nightgown, the pattern of the giant phoenix holding up the sky, when still, has less of the ostentation of the battlefield and more of the profound majesty of controlling territory and having the power of life and death.

The wide flared sleeves were gathered into the cuffs of her riding and archery uniform, and the black jade ring on her left thumb shone with a deep luster in the light.

The five-meter-long Su Jin train stretched out in a long line inside the thickly carpeted tent, presenting a kind of deliberate and unconscious disorder.

It was not intentional, but it meandered naturally as she walked lightly, and a part of it even rolled up to the copper ruler that fixed the map.

This messiness seemed more real, as if it was the externalization of the intense thoughts in her mind.

The softness of cotton and the comfort of the nightgown may be her only relaxation in this heavy political situation.

Lin Zhen stood beside her, also staring at the map.

He had taken off his military uniform and was wearing a dark casual suit, which made him look more upright, with a thoughtful look between his brows.

He is her husband and also her right-hand man. At this moment, he is thinking about the future of this newly occupied land.

After a long silence, Murong Yan used a red pen to draw a line along the Yalu River. She spoke calmly, "Husband, Haizhou and Anzhou are now in my hands. What do you think should be done with these places from now on?"

Lin Zhen had already thought about this question. He stepped forward, pointed his finger at several important places on the map, and replied calmly:

"Yan'er, Goguryeo suffered a severe blow, and its national strength has declined. Its people fear the might of our Daqian army like a tiger. In my opinion, this is a heaven-sent opportunity. We can completely incorporate it into our Holy Emblem territory, establish counties and prefectures, and send officials to govern it. We can relocate our Daqian people to the border, intermarry with the remaining local people, live together, educate them, and gradually eliminate their hostility. In time, this place will surely become a stable northeastern barrier for our dynasty, rather than a source of border trouble."

His thinking is clear, focusing on long-term governance and assimilation, which is a relatively safe expansion strategy.

However, Murong Yan frowned slightly after hearing this.

She put down her red brush, turned around, and faced Lin Zhen directly, a hint of impatience on her face: "Relocation? Intermarriage? Education? Why is my husband going through so much trouble?"

Her tone was filled with an almost innocent cruelty. "The Goguryeo people have repeatedly invaded the Celestial Empire and massacred our border inhabitants. Their nature is as stubborn as weeds that spring back to life in the spring breeze. I think it's best to kill them all and put an end to it all. Burn these cities to the ground, then relocate the innocent people from our Great Qian and rebuild them. Only then will this truly be our territory, and there will be no future troubles."

She spoke as if she were talking about something very simple. She even reached out and gently tugged at Lin Zhen's sleeve, looking up at him with a look of dependence in her eyes, seeking approval. "Husband, don't you agree? That way, we won't have to worry about them rebelling again in the future."

Lin Zhen was shocked.

He knew very well that Murong Yan's hatred for Goguryeo was deep-rooted, but he did not expect that she would prefer such a cruel and thorough "solution".

This is no longer governing a country, it is almost like exterminating a race!

He held her hand that was tugging at his sleeve, and felt the coolness of her fingertips on his palm. He looked at her seriously, and his voice slowed down, with a touch of comfort:

"Yan'er, your husband understands your feelings. Goguryeo's crimes were grave, and their death was not a pity. However, governing a country and pacifying the world ultimately requires rules and regulations. To slaughter all its people would harm the harmony of heaven and damage your majesty's holy name in the annals of history. Moreover, Liaodong is vast and sparsely populated. If it were completely deserted, relocating the people to the border would be a huge expense and would take decades to complete. If we keep the people and tame them, we can quickly recruit laborers to strengthen the border, and it will also demonstrate the benevolence of our Celestial Empire, win over distant people, and make them fear our power and virtue. Isn't that better?"

After hearing this, Murong Yan pouted, like a little girl who was unhappy after being refuted.

She pulled her hand back, turned away, and spoke with a hint of anger, "I don't care about Tianhe or the holy name. Aren't history books written by the victors? They didn't talk about benevolence when they killed our people. Who among the people under Haizhou City showed any mercy to them?"

As she spoke, her voice was choked with grievance, "Husband, do you think I'm too cruel?"

Seeing her like this, Lin Zhen felt both distressed and helpless. He quickly hugged her from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head, and said softly:

"Silly Yan'er, how could your husband think you were cruel? I empathize with your suffering. But as a ruler, one must have a long-term vision. Killing is certainly satisfying, but what happens afterward? A scorched earth, deserted for thousands of miles, what's the point of defending it? Moreover, excessive slaughter will inevitably provoke even more fierce resistance. Even if we suppress it now, the seeds of hatred have already been sown, bringing disaster to future generations. Your husband hopes that Yan'er can become an emperor who strikes fear in his enemies and wins the hearts of the people."

His words are full of sincere love and profound expectations.

Murong Yan leaned in his warm arms and was quiet for a moment.

She could feel the deep affection and rationality in his words. It wasn't that she didn't understand these principles, but the flames of hatred burned in her heart.

After a long while, she said sullenly, "But when I think of Tieshan City, I can't control myself."

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

Lin Zhen hugged her tighter. "I understand, I understand everything. We've already washed those debts with blood. Let me accompany you on the road ahead, and walk it in a smarter way, okay? Let this land truly become fertile soil that nourishes our Daqian, rather than a ruin filled with resentful souls. This is the most complete conquest of the enemy."

Murong Yan nodded gently in his arms.

She turned around and faced the map again. Although there was still a trace of struggle in her eyes, it was more of a clear-headed look after being persuaded.

She picked up the red pen and drew a heavy circle on the location of Pyongyang, then moved the tip of the pen to a wider area in the north.

"Then let's follow my husband's words first." Her voice returned to calm.

"Establish the Andong Protectorate, station troops in Anzhou, and relocate refugees to live alongside the remaining local residents. However..." She paused, a cold glint in her eyes. "The Goguryeo royal family, all officials above the fifth rank, and their families will be exterminated! No one will be spared! The rest of the people who dare to make any move will be killed without mercy! I will teach them that those who obey me will live, and those who disobey me will die!"

This was her biggest concession, adding an iron-blooded deterrent to Lin Zhen's rational plan.

Lin Zhen knew that this was the limit of what she could accept, so he nodded and said, "Okay! All up to you. I will immediately arrange for people to take care of these things."

Murong Yan seemed to have accomplished something big and breathed a sigh of relief.