Chapter 374: The Seventeenth Day in the Struggle for Supremacy World

Chapter 374: The Seventeenth Day of Entering the Hegemony Novel

After An Yi set down his piece, he finally looked up at Cha Jiang, who stood waiting nearby: "Send word—have all the gentlemen and generals come to the main hall for a council in one hour."

"Yes!" Cha Jiang acknowledged solemnly, turned, and hurried down the mountain, his figure quickly vanishing down the winding stone steps.

Only then did An Yi stand up. The mountain wind stirred his deep-green cloak, making it snap in the wind.

He walked to the edge of the pavilion, gazing down at the ancestral estate and city below, still calm and untouched. His gaze was far away, as if cutting through mountains and rivers to settle on the war-torn Central Plains.

After a moment, he raised a hand and lightly brushed a speck of dust off his sleeve—though there was none there.

Then he turned and walked down the stone steps at a leisurely, composed pace.

Bai Ji followed behind An Yi. His gaze first lingered on An Yi's tall, retreating figure for a moment, then shifted back to the chess game on the stone table.

He looked at the white stone An Yi had placed last, and the board position it had completely transformed—now brimming with hidden killing intent. A deeper smile slowly curled at the corners of his pale lips.

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The main hall.

Seating was already set up inside, and the charcoal braziers were burning bright.

Those invited were the talents An Yi had gradually absorbed, promoted, and won over during the past three years.

There were staff officers and strategists who had followed him from Yuncang, now mostly holding key posts in the Yangyi Prefecture government; capable officials and administrators from Tongzhou itself who had been won over by An Yi and tied to him by shared interests, such as Han Fu, Tongzhou's Prefectural Assistant; members of the An clan who supported An Yi and possessed considerable ability; and military commanders like Mao Hua and An Shu.

Dou Chuang, around forty, with a gaunt face and three long wisps of beard, was a renowned local scholar An Yi had discovered and elevated in Tongzhou. Skilled in governance, law, and documentation, he was prudent by nature and meticulous in his thinking. He now served as An Yi's Chief Clerk, handling all civil affairs.

Everyone had already heard about the situation in Yanzhou and was exchanging glances.

When An Yi entered the main hall, he had changed into a more formal dark robe, his black hair tied up with a coronet.

His steps were steady, his expression calm, and even a hint of his usual, reassuring gentle smile lingered at the corners of his mouth.

"Lord!" Everyone rose to pay their respects.

"Please, sit." An Yi walked to the host's seat and gestured for them to take their places.

His gaze slowly swept across every face in the hall, reading each person's expression.

Bai Ji sat in the first seat to his left, eyes downcast and demeanor respectful.

"You've all surely heard about Yanzhou by now." An Yi came straight to the point, his clear voice echoing through the silent hall: "Xi Xu has raised his banner, and the whole realm is following suit. The flames of war have been lit. The court has lost its virtue, and treacherous ministers fill its ranks, plunging the people into suffering and the land into chaos. My An clan has long received the nation's favor and upheld the legacy of poetry and propriety. In this time of crisis, we cannot stand by and do nothing."

"What does my lord plan to do?" Han Fu was the first to speak, a sharp glint flashing in the eyes of this pragmatic administrator.

An Yi looked at him, then at the assembled crowd, and spoke slowly: "The realm's collapse didn't happen overnight. The court can no longer turn things around, and warlords are rising across the land, each fighting for supremacy. Our Tongzhou, tucked away in the southwest, may have mountain defenses and abundant resources—but if we just try to hold our corner in peace, once powerful neighbors surround us, we'll end up as fish on the chopping block."

He paused, then raised his voice: "For the sake of the million people of Tongzhou, for the faint hope of survival for the people of this world—my mind is made up. I shall answer Heaven's mandate, follow the people's will, raise an army to put down the chaos, and cleanse the realm!"

"Boom—"

Though they'd expected it, hearing An Yi say "raise an army" with such firm resolve still sent a ripple of commotion through the hall.

Expressions varied—some excited, some fervent—but no one showed opposition or fear.

Everyone seated here was already bound to the same fate.

"My lord is wise!" Mao Hua was the first to rise, cupping his fists and declaring loudly: "We officers have been training troops and sharpening our weapons, waiting a long time for this day! We're ready to lead the vanguard and sweep away all who refuse to submit!"

The other commanders echoed their agreement, their fighting spirit running high.

An Yi nodded slightly and gestured for them to sit down.

He turned to Dou Chuang: "Mr. Dou, has the proclamation been drafted?"

Dou Chuang had long been prepared. At the question, he produced a scroll of silk from his sleeve and presented it with both hands, saying solemnly: "To answer my lord, several drafts were prepared, weighed, and refined, and the final version is here. It's framed under the banner of 'The An clan, long recipients of the nation's grace, cannot bear to see the sacred land sink—willing to obey Heaven's mandate, punish the wicked, save the people, and purify the realm.' It lists the court's misrule and the crimes of treacherous ministers, declaring that our uprising aims to rescue the people from misery and restore clarity to the state—righteous, just, and fully justified."

An Yi took it and read it carefully. After a moment, he nodded: "Mr. Dou's prose is masterful, balancing reason and emotion. It's worthy of being proclaimed across the realm."

"From this day forward, in the name of the Yangyi Prefecture Governor and the An clan, this declaration shall be spread in all directions. At the same time, we shall reorganize the military, stockpile provisions, and closely monitor the movements of neighboring prefectures. Our primary objective is to secure the entirety of Tongzhou, purge any internal threats, and then... observe the changes in the realm and await the opportune moment."

The crowd was roused to fervor, discussing everything from the declaration's release and public opinion campaigns to military mobilization, logistical support, intelligence gathering, internal stability, and external negotiations.

The meeting went on for nearly two hours before it wrapped up. Everyone accepted their orders solemnly and departed with their assigned tasks.

Dou Chuang and Bai Ji walked out of the hall together.

Under the eaves, the autumn wind was bleak, and low clouds hung over the distant horizon, as if a storm was brewing.

Dou Chuang stroked his beard, gazing at the plants in the courtyard, and suddenly sighed: "Ah, Ruzhi, when I think back to when our lord first arrived in Sique—a mere lad of sixteen, gentle and refined, one would have taken him for a scholar. Who could have imagined that in just over three years, he would manage Tongzhou as tightly as an iron bucket, with the people's hearts won and his soldiers and armor strong?"

"And now... alas, I wasted half my life in obscurity. Only today do I know what true brilliance and bold strategy mean. Our lord's ambition, his methods, his foresight—far beyond what ordinary men can match. To ride in the wake of such a man and pursue great deeds together is truly the fortune of my lifetime."

His admiration was genuine.

In the two years since he had joined, he had witnessed with his own eyes how An Yi turned plans into reality step by step. That composure, insight, and executive power—far exceeding his years—had long since won him over.

Bai Ji walked beside Dou Chuang. Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on his pale face.

He turned to look at the sky, his dark brown eyes appearing especially deep in the shadow of the corridor.

"Lord Dou speaks truly." Bai Ji's voice was unhurried, carrying a note of shared pride: "Our lord's talent is indeed like a pearl in the vast sea. His ambition soars high, his actions are steadfast, and his heart... lies with the realm. To follow such an enlightened master is not only our fortune, but also the fortune of the people of this chaotic age."

He paused, then looked toward the main hall, where An Yi still seemed to be giving final instructions to several commanders.

His gaze grew distant, and he said softly: "This world is destined to be different from now on."

Dou Chuang nodded in deep agreement, exchanged a few more words with Bai Ji, then took his leave.

Bai Ji stood alone under the eaves. The autumn wind lifted the hem of his cloak. He gazed at the faint lamplight visible within the main hall, unmoving for a long time.

Then he gathered his sleeves, turned, and melted into the deepening autumn hues.

Inside the main hall, An Yi finally finished giving all his instructions.

He dismissed those around him, walked alone to the window, and pushed open the casement.

The autumn wind rushed in, stirring the strands of hair across his forehead.