Chapter 42: Into a Political Intrigue Novel, Day 20

He suddenly reached out and grabbed An Yi's wrist! The force was so great that An Yi's brows immediately knit together.

Ge Lian noticed, loosened his grip slightly, and pulled the cool wrist against his blazing chest. Through the thin fabric, An Yi could clearly feel the powerful thud of his heart.

"I will conquer Jiangnan! I will uproot Duan Mingde's foundation!"

Ge Lian's gaze was fervent and possessive: "But An Junheng, you mark my words! While I'm away from the capital, you stay out of trouble! Stay away from the Grand Secretariat's mansion! Stay away from that so-called granddaughter! And don't you dare get any ideas!"

He leaned down, his scorching breath washing over An Yi's face, his eyes as fierce as a beast guarding its prey:

"You are mine! Your life is mine! Your heart... will be mine too, in time! Before I return, you take care of yourself! Don't lose a single hair!"

His gaze swept over An Yi's fair neck, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice a hoarse threat: "If I find out you're up to any tricks behind my back, or let some blind fool touch you... when I come back, I won't be so lenient!"

"I'll show you... what it really means to 'take you by force'!"

An Yi's wrist ached from the grip. Provoked by this explicit threat, his face turned pale: "Ge Lian! How dare you! Let go of me!"

Ge Lian not only didn't let go, but abruptly lowered his head and fiercely pressed a kiss on An Yi's lips, which were tightly pressed together in anger! A fleeting brush, yet unmistakable.

"Remember my words!" Ge Lian released his grip, stepped back, and his face resumed that unruly smile, as if his earlier madness had been an illusion.

He gave An Yi a deep, inscrutable look: "Wait for me, An Junheng."

Leaving behind these meaningful words, Ge Lian turned and vaulted out the window, his dark cloak sweeping a sharp arc through the doorway as he vanished from sight.

An Yi stood still, the burning pain of the grip still lingering on his wrist, and the sensation of that invasion on his lips even more difficult to shake off.

He raised his hand and wiped his lips fiercely, his chest heaving violently.

Ge Lian! This madman! This utter madman!

He raised his hand to cover his burning ear, murmuring: "Madman..."

Unlike in the original story, the flames of rebellion in Jiangnan were still under control.

Ge Lian's arrival was like a huge block of ice tossed into a blazing prairie fire.

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Without any hesitation, he drew his sword, and the first strike fell upon the local officials who had embezzled disaster relief funds and instigated civil unrest! Heads fell, blood staining the army camp's gate! His thunderous methods chilled the entire Jiangnan officialdom to the bone!

Then, he divided his troops into two groups.

One group of elite soldiers used iron-fisted tactics to ruthlessly suppress the roving rebels who were looting and killing, showing no mercy.

The other group opened granaries to distribute grain, set up porridge stations, and provided work relief, gathering and pacifying the truly affected refugees.

An Yi had said that the root of rebellion was hunger, and Ge Lian agreed wholeheartedly.

For the Red Eyebrows, this organized group of bandits, Ge Lian adopted a completely different strategy.

He sent envoys deep into the area controlled by the Red Eyebrows, carrying his message: Those who surrender will be pardoned for past offenses and can be incorporated into the official army or receive grain and return to farming; those who continue to resist will be executed without mercy!

At the same time, he personally led the most elite Cavalry Camp, plunging like a sharp knife straight into the Red Eyebrows' core stronghold at Yunze Lake.

One bloody and brutal battle after another unfolded amidst the lake's scenery and mountains.

Ge Lian led from the front, fighting fiercely, his spear like a life-taking venomous dragon; wherever it passed, rebels fell in chaos.

His dark armor was soaked through with blood, indistinguishable from enemy or his own.

Battle reports, as if on wings, kept flying back to the capital.

“Governor Ge has beheaded the rebel leader ‘River-Turning Dragon’ at the shores of Yunze Lake!”

“Governor Ge led the Elite Cavalry to shatter the main force of the ‘Red Eyebrows’ at Xixiang Valley, beheading three thousand!”

“Most corrupt officials in the prefectures of Jiangnan have been arrested and are being escorted to the capital!”

“Refugees in many places have been pacified, grain prices have fallen, and the people’s hearts are gradually calming...”

As for An Yi, he could always keep up with Ge Lian’s situation through the comment section. Knowing that everything was going smoothly, he finally heaved a huge sigh of relief.

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Ge Lian returned triumphant from suppressing the rebellion, escorting the captured rebels into the capital.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The golden pillars entwined with dragons supported the heavy dome; the celestial light filtered through the glazed tiles was swallowed up by the hall’s oppressive gloom, leaving only a dim haze.

The Old Emperor, seated high on the dragon throne, was wrapped in bright yellow dragon robes. His sallow face was deeply furrowed, his clouded eyes sunken in deep sockets, half-open and half-closed like dead, dried-up fish.

Ge Lian stood still, the fierce aura of a killer still clinging to him from the battlefield.

Duan Mingde’s old face twitched, knowing that this time things would be hard to settle.

Before Ge Lian went to suppress the rebellion, he had tried every means to contact the Jiangnan side, but none of the men he sent ever returned.

This time... it was bound to be trouble.

The clang of armor broke the silence of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

It was Ge Lian.

Ge Lian walked to the foot of the imperial steps, his armor plates scraping, emitting a low metallic hum. He knelt on one knee, his motion sharp and crisp, his voice loud and clear:

“Your servant! Ge Lian! By imperial decree, oversaw the disaster relief and rebellion suppression in Jiangnan. I now return to court in triumph! The rebellion of roving bandits in Jiangnan has been completely quelled! The ringleaders have been executed, and those who were coerced have scattered!”

He paused slightly, his gaze like lightning sweeping across the crimson figure standing motionless at the head of the hundred officials, and enunciated every word: “However, during the suppression, I uncovered a shocking case! The disaster in Jiangnan was raging like fire, people displaced, corpses lining the roads—this is not a natural calamity, but a man-made disaster!”

A wave of shock erupted!

The civil and military officials erupted in an uproar—was Ge Lian going to strike at the Chief Grand Secretary?!

Duan Mingde still stood with his hands folded in his sleeves, his white beard unmoving, the crimson crane-embroidered official robe making his expression even more placid as a still pond.

Only the withered fingers under his wide sleeves curled almost imperceptibly, knuckles turning white from the tension.

Ge Lian’s voice suddenly rose:

“The treasuries of Jiangnan’s provinces are empty, mere shells! Of the life-saving grain and disaster relief silver allocated by the court, seven or eight out of every ten never reached the mouths of the victims—they all went into the rats’ granaries! From the lairs of the rebels and the mansions of corrupt officials, I have confiscated mountains of gold, silver, and grain! Moreover, I have obtained irrefutable account books and secret letters—every single one—”

He suddenly raised his hand, pointing at Duan Mingde, his voice like a blade tempered with ice: “All directly point to the current Chief Grand Secretary, Duan Mingde!”

This time, no one could suppress the storm in their hearts!

All the officials’ eyes were fixed on Duan Mingde, as if to bore through him.

Immediately, someone stepped forward, accusing Ge Lian of slander.

The Old Emperor’s cloudy eyes finally opened fully. A faint, sickly glint of excitement mixed with wariness flashed deep in his eyes.

A rattling sound came from his throat as he hoarsely said, “Minister Ge, where is the evidence?! Grand Secretary Duan is the current Chief Grand Secretary—do not make groundless accusations!”