“Cooperate with Great Zhou, and we will open the trade market. It will benefit you Turkic people as well.
“Of course, stubborn people like you should just die.”
The words had barely fallen when a soldier swung his blade. Ashina Chiji’s head rolled to the ground.
Days later, the news of Ashina Chiji’s execution and the massacre of the great Turkic tribes at the hands of the Zhou army spread across the vast grasslands. Those who had been watching and waiting were stunned.
Ashina Chiji, a chieftain ruling over a tribe of more than a hundred thousand, was dead?
A wave of fear swept through the steppes. Panic spread like wildfire.
Smaller tribes, realizing resistance was futile, surrendered to Great Zhou one after another. They changed their hair and clothing, eager to show compliance. After all, survival was their priority.
Near the border of Great Zhou, in a small Turkic settlement, Garda knelt humbly before a Zhou officer.
“Honorable General, our entire tribe has changed our hair and attire.”
The officer’s gaze swept over the people behind Garda.
Men, women, young, and old—every single one of them had abandoned their braids and adopted the hairstyles common in Great Zhou. Even their garments had changed.
The officer nodded in satisfaction. “Garda, is it? Your Mandarin is quite good.”
He tossed a wooden token at him.
Garda caught it swiftly, eyes filled with confusion.
The officer’s voice remained calm. “Any Turkic tribe that voluntarily complies with His Majesty’s decree to change their hair and attire will receive this trade token. With it, you may enter Great Zhou’s trade markets and continue doing business with us.”
Garda’s face lit up with joy, clutching the token as though it were a priceless treasure. He had never expected the opportunity to trade with Great Zhou again.
With this, they could finally sell off the stockpiled sheepskins and secure their livelihood.
Behind him, the rest of the Turkic people shared his elation.
Their khanate had fallen, and the Zhou army had invaded. But if all it took was changing their appearance to ensure a better future, why would they resist?
They were not alone in their thinking. Across the steppes, many tribes followed suit.
Meanwhile, Guo Jingzhi led his forces in mercilessly exterminating those who refused to comply. Some tribes attempted to flee under the cover of night, vanishing into the wilderness, but their departure did little to disrupt the larger plan.
The “Hair and Clothing Reform” was proceeding more smoothly than anyone had anticipated.
The burning of Turkic texts was even easier. The people, gripped by fear, dared not oppose it.
Even those who understood the catastrophic consequences could do nothing to stop the Zhou soldiers.
Zhu Biao murmured, “The Turkic braids have all been cut, their attire standardized, and their duties remain unaffected…”
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
“Father, Yang Yi’s methods are terrifying. This… this is no different from hunting. Kill the beast, then brand it as your own.
“The Turkic people have maintained their traditions—hairstyles, clothing—for centuries, only to be forcibly changed overnight by Yang Yi’s brute force. He isn’t just conquering them; he’s stamping Great Zhou’s mark upon their very minds!”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression grew solemn. The weathered lines on his face deepened as he exhaled slowly.
“I thought I was ruthless, but compared to him, I pale in comparison. Ordinary Turkic folk may not understand the true weight of the ‘Hair and Clothing Reform,’ but how could I not?
“Change their hair, strip them of their attire, and they will forget their ancestors. In twenty years, the next generation of Turks may no longer even consider themselves Turkic. Instead, they’ll take pride in being people of Great Zhou.
“To defeat a nation, one wields the sword. To erase a nation, one erases its history. What a vicious mind Yang Yi has. This is the true art of annihilation. A century from now, who will even remember that there was once a powerful people called the Turks?”
“Yang Yi slaughtered tens of thousands of Turkic people just to implement this strategy. Such cruelty…”
Changsun Wuji inhaled sharply, a chill creeping through him.
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui exchanged uneasy glances, nodding grimly.
“And to burn their texts… This is a strategy of the mind. He isn’t just breaking their bodies—he’s erasing their very identity. By forcing them to learn the Zhou language, he doesn’t merely seek their submission. He aims to consume them entirely.
“A ruthless hand, a venomous strategy… The Turkic people who yield don’t even realize they are severing the roots of their own heritage.”
Li Shimin, too, felt a twinge of unease.
With a bitter smile, he muttered, “As cruel as his methods are, Yang Yi never fails to achieve his goals. It’s just a shame… I can never take my revenge now.
“The Turkic people will soon be nothing more than a footnote in history. In a hundred years, there may be no Turks left at all.”
“Excellent! Marvelous!”
Liu Che clutched the intelligence report as if it were a sacred relic, his eyes brimming with fervor.
He turned to Zhufu Yan and Sang Hongyang, excitement spilling from his voice.
“Do you see this? This—this is how you destroy an enemy! What a brilliant Yang Yi! I shall use this very same method against the Xiongnu!”
His gaze turned sharp, his voice chilling. “I will wipe the Xiongnu from existence.”
Zhufu Yan and the others stiffened, exchanging uneasy looks. A cold sweat trickled down their backs.
Yang Yi’s strategy was far beyond mere brutality. It was utter annihilation.
“Decisive and ruthless. A true overlord,” Ying Zheng murmured, eyes narrowing in admiration.
“Burning their classics to sever their roots, destroying their nation, erasing their history… Yang Yi strikes precisely where it hurts most.”
“A poisonous strategist indeed. This plan ensures the Turks will never rise again.”
Meng Tian, Meng Yi, and Li Si fell into silence. How could one man possess so many sinister methods?
They shuddered at the thought.
One day, those Turkic people who had surrendered would meet their fleeing kin, and without hesitation, they would raise their blades to slaughter their own flesh and blood.
Because deep down, they no longer saw themselves as Turks. They had already become people of Great Zhou.