Chapter 41: Into a Political Intrigue Novel, Day 19

Chapter 41: Day 19 of Transmigrating into a Political Intrigue Novel

Comment Section:

"Uhh... well..."

"Hehe! Tasty!"

"*Sniff sniff* So good! So good!"

"The male lead is such a perv. What does he want to do?"

"Dude above, are you acting innocent? Isn't it obvious he wants to do *that* and *this* to him? (Rubbing hands eagerly)"

"Upstairs, please elaborate. I've got data to spare."

"Hehehe, so hot!"

"The male lead has absolutely no scruples. Just because Lord An's eyes are flushed at the corners, his body emits an exotic fragrance that captivates the soul, and his features are cold and handsome beyond compare, does that justify him shamelessly going after another man?!"

"Raises hand weakly: ...Is that... not allowed? (Dog head for safety)"

"No! You're not thinking big enough, above! What he loves is more than just the appearance? He clearly loves even more the cold, wicked, and flawlessly scheming attitude An Yi gives off when stirring up trouble! Both ruthless and captivating!"

"Here's a tag on Lofter, pointer → 'Ripples - The Turbulence of That Night': Hate sex! Fierce hate sex! Under the red candlelight and warm bed curtains, the corners of An Yi's eyes were flushed crimson, broken sobs escaping as he tried to flee the brocade couch, only to be brutally dragged back by iron-like hands! Ge Lian seized that pale ankle, no matter how much An Yi struggled and kicked, it was like an ant trying to shake a tree, and ultimately he could only be devoured completely, bones and blood fused together! [Link]"

"*Giggling* *Giggling*"

"So good! So good! Thank you, madam!"

"Madam is a goddess! Just saw it! It's so hot I'm rolling on the floor!!"

"Damn, that's fast, faster than the author!"

"Spread the word: The original author's update speed has been crushed by the fanfic writer!"

"Spread the word: The original author admits they're quick (?)"

"..."

An Yi: ...

An Yi's face flushed bright red. What the hell!

Go away!

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The drought in Jiangnan did not subside with the court's relief grain and funds. Instead, it grew even worse.

A thousand miles of barren land, riverbeds dried up, the cracked earth like a demon opening its huge mouth, devouring the last shred of life. But more terrifying than the natural disaster was the man-made calamity.

As soon as Dai Deyi's grain ships entered the Jiangnan region, it was like a lamb to the slaughter.

The "supervisor" Cui Wenyuan, sent by Duan Mingde, along with the Duan faction entrenched in the region for years, wove a vast web of embezzlement.

The grain ships "encountered storms" on the river, "suffered heavy losses" in official granaries, and were "looted by refugees" during transit... Various excuses emerged endlessly.

Of the grain that actually reached the disaster victims, less than one-tenth remained.

The official granaries stood empty, while grain prices rose several times a day, reaching astronomical, hopeless prices!

Corpses of the starving began to litter the roads in droves, wild dogs gnawing at the swollen, rotting bodies.

Desperate refugees gathered like a rolling snowball, breaching the government's porridge stalls, smashing the tightly closed gates of wealthy households, and plundering anything edible. A single spark had started a prairie fire.

Even more terrifying was the rise of a bandit force called the Red Eyebrows.

They were not simply starving peasants but were composed of salt smugglers whose families had been destroyed, bankrupt boatmen, and some citizens who had completely lost faith in the court.

They were well-organized and swift, under the banner of "Kill corrupt officials, share the grain," quickly capturing several poorly defended counties, opening granaries to distribute food, and swelling their numbers with more desperate refugees.

In an instant, war flames blazed across several provinces in Jiangnan, urgent pleas for help flying to the capital like falling snow.

The court was thrown into turmoil!

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the atmosphere was heavy and dead silent.

The Old Emperor's sallow face flushed with an unhealthy red due to rage, his murky eyes fixed on the Minister of War prostrating below. His hoarse voice thundered with fury:

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! Mere bandits have devastated Jiangnan like this?! Where is Dai Deyi?! Duan Mingde! Where's your 'capable man'?! Are they all dead?!"

Duan Mingde's face was ashen, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

He had never imagined the situation would spiral out of control so quickly!

Cui Wenyuan was his man; he was fully aware of the embezzlement. But such blatant acts provoking a popular uprising had completely exceeded his control!

Even more frightening was that among the Red Eyebrows, there were faint shadows of victims from the River Works case from years past, the blame pointing directly at him, Duan Mingde!

He hastily stepped forward: "Your Majesty, calm your anger! Your servant... your servant has sinned! I failed to detect the treacherous officials in time, leading to chaos in Jiangnan! I beseech Your Majesty to dispatch more elite troops swiftly south to suppress the rebellion! We must wipe out the bandits and stabilize Jiangnan!"

"More troops?!"

The Old Emperor trembled with rage, grabbing the memorials from the desk and hurling them fiercely at Duan Mingde: "My grain! My money! All fed to the dogs! And now you want my troops?! Duan Mingde! Tell me! Where is my Jiangnan! Where are my grain and money?!"

The memorials sent Duan Mingde's official hat flying askew, leaving him disheveled and embarrassed. Resentment burned in his heart, but he dared not look up, only kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, calm your anger! Calm your anger! Your servant... your servant has sinned! I will conduct a thorough investigation! Punish the guilty with no leniency!"

In the midst of this chaos, a tall, upright figure stepped out from the ranks. His voice was clear, like the clash of metal, instantly suppressing the clamor in the hall: "Your Majesty!"

Ge Lian knelt on one knee, his qilin-patterned official robe highlighting his heroic spirit, his brows sharp with battle-hardened grit and determination:

"The chaos in Jiangnan originated from natural disasters and erupted from man-made calamities! The bandits, gathering the starving refugees, have become a fire that is spreading. If we hesitate any longer, it may threaten the capital region!"

"Your servant, Ge Lian, though unworthy, is willing to lead the elite cavalry of my own Xiaorui Camp and, with Your Majesty's approval, transfer ten thousand elite troops from the Capital Garrison to swiftly march south to suppress the rebellion! I stake my head on this: within three months, I will surely wipe out the bandits and restore a clear and bright world to Jiangnan! If I fail, I'll offer you my head!"

Every word was resounding and forceful!

The Old Emperor's murky eyes locked onto Ge Lian, his breath heavy and labored. He scanned the court and found no one else stepping forward to offer a plan.

"...Good!"

The Old Emperor suddenly pounded the armrest of his dragon throne. His withered finger pointed at Ge Lian, his voice fierce and harsh:

"Ge Lian! I appoint you as the Supreme Commander to Pacify the South in Jiangnan, with command over all troops in the Jiangnan provinces! I give you three months! Three months from now, I want peace in Jiangnan... Otherwise, come back with your head!"

"Your servant accepts the decree! I thank Your Majesty for your grace!" Ge Lian kowtowed heavily, and as he rose, his eyes swept past An Yi's figure.

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Ge Lian was about to leave the capital, his travel gear already packed.

He did not report to the Ministry of War, nor did he linger in his mansion. Instead, like a ghost, he once again crept into An Yi's study.

An Yi was bent over his desk, writing rapidly, when he heard a sound and looked up. Seeing it was Ge Lian, his brows twitched almost imperceptibly before his expression turned calm again. "Junior Marquis is about to set out on campaign. Why aren't you preparing for the campaign? What brings you here?"

Ge Lian strode swiftly to the desk, his tall figure exuding a sharp, travel-worn aura.

He planted his hands on the desk, leaning forward, his gaze blazing as he stared straight into An Yi's eyes. "An Junheng, the fire in Jiangnan is burning. This intensity... are you satisfied?"

An Yi set down his brush, his expression calm, meeting his gaze. "What does Junior Marquis mean by this? The unrest in Jiangnan is a product of natural disasters and human errors—how could it be controlled by human effort? On this campaign, you should prioritize the state's interests, combining suppression with pacification to swiftly quell the chaos."

"Spare me your officialese!" Ge Lian growled, a flash of malevolence in his eyes that vanished as quickly as it appeared, forcibly suppressed it, transforming into a deeper, more dangerous emotion.

He walked around the desk, closing in on An Yi, his voice dropping low with undisguised possessiveness. "An Yi, you listen to me carefully."