The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Over the next month, the entire Sichuan province, especially the core area centered on Chengdu, was like a huge, rusty machine that had previously operated independently, now injected with a powerful and refined energy, and began to operate at high speed with unprecedented efficiency and precision.

The Lotus Rest Villa remained as serene and tranquil as ever, seemingly isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Yi Huawei was still dressed in his blue robe, spending most of his time sitting quietly in his study or courtyard, playing chess, or reading. Occasionally, he would summon someone to ask a few questions or give brief instructions on some thorny matters that were reported.

He was merely the player wielding the pieces in this grand game; once a move was made, the game would unfold on its own. However, Yi Huawei's very existence was an invisible anchor, a symbol of absolute authority. Everyone knew that this seemingly tranquil villa was the true center of the power vortex in Sichuan, and no disturbance could escape the gaze of those deep, starry eyes.

Wanwan displayed a competence and iron fist that contrasted sharply with her charming appearance. She quickly assembled a temporary internal affairs coordination team centered around "Hexinglong." Inside and outside the yamen (government office) in Chengdu, formerly the headquarters of "Hexinglong" and now bearing the plaque "Tiandao Alliance Sichuan Provincial Administration Office," carriages and horses came and went in a constant stream.

Measuring land and verifying household registration were the primary challenges, as they touched upon the fundamental interests of countless local powerful families and even the former subordinates of Duzun Fort. Initially, some outwardly complied but inwardly resisted, and some even secretly obstructed the process. However, Wanwan's methods were extremely ruthless. On the one hand, she used Jie Hui's influence in the area to appease and persuade them; on the other hand, for the few most vocal powerful families, she personally led Sun Qiniang and experts from the Tianlian Sect to "visit" them with lightning speed. There was little preamble; they either obeyed the new regulations, registered, and paid taxes according to the new rates, or, on the grounds of "obstructing the new policy and plotting rebellion," they were arrested on the spot, their property confiscated, and the ringleaders executed immediately!

In the process of consolidating internal affairs, Huo Qingqiao, the big boss of the gambling den in southern Sichuan, and his domineering son Huo Jitong, became the best targets for Wanwan to establish her authority.

The Huo family not only controlled most of the gambling industry in Sichuan and Chongqing, but also operated several brothels, their influence deeply entrenched. Huo Qingqiao himself was a martial arts master second only to Xie Hui and others in reputation. His son, Huo Jitong, relying on his family's power, bullied men and women in Chengdu, and no one dared to interfere.

When the new policy was implemented on the Huo family's properties, Huo Jitong openly led a group of people to injure a minor official from the Provincial Administration Commission who had come to measure the land and determine the tax base, declaring that "the Huo family's rules are the rules."

When the news reached Wanwan's ears, she went to the Huo family's gambling den that very night. Huo Jitong was inside, shouting and betting with great enthusiasm.

Dressed in red and barefoot, Wanwan appeared before him like a ghost. Before Huo Jitong could react, she struck with lightning speed, instantly sealing his major acupoints with her Heavenly Demon True Qi, and trampling him under her feet like a dead dog.

Upon hearing the news, Huo Qingqiao rushed over in a rage. Seeing his beloved son being humiliated, he immediately unleashed his signature move, the "Golden Abacus Hand," to attack Wanwan.

However, with a mere flick of her sleeve, Wanwan unleashed her pure demonic aura, causing the countless abacus beads to crash against an invisible wall and fall to the ground. In a flash, she was as close as a red cloud to Huo Qingqiao, her jade fingers pointing rapidly. Huo Qingqiao's palm strike, powerful enough to shatter stone tablets, was easily deflected by her. Then, a subtle and unpredictable finger force pierced through his body, instantly shattering his vital acupoints!
Huo Qingqiao screamed in agony, spitting out blood, and collapsed to the ground, his decades of cultivation destroyed in an instant!
Wanwan surveyed the silent crowd, her voice delicate yet icy cold: "The Huo family father and son have disobeyed orders and their crimes are unforgivable. Huo Jitong is to be imprisoned and executed in the autumn. Huo Qingqiao's martial arts are to be crippled, and his family's property is to be confiscated and put into the public treasury. From this day forward, all Huo family properties in southern Sichuan will be taken over by the Provincial Administration Commission!"

Having said that, he didn't look at the ashen-faced Huo father and son again, and turned and drifted away.

News of this event spread throughout Chengdu overnight, chilling all the local powerful families who had been observing and hoping for a lucky break! Even a force as powerful as the Huo family had been so easily uprooted; who would dare to provoke this red-clad witch again? In an instant, all the forces that had previously hindered the new policies fell silent, and the work of measuring land and registering households proceeded rapidly. Wanwan, with the blood of the Huo family, had thoroughly intimidated the petty villains of Sichuan.

After several bloody demonstrations of her authority, all resistance and dissent quickly subsided. People were horrified to discover that this seemingly alluring young woman was so decisive and ruthless, and that she had the unfathomable support of the alliance leader behind her. No one dared to provoke her anymore.

Xie Hui's feelings were incredibly complex throughout this process. He watched as the network of connections, land, and estates that Duzunbao had cultivated for generations were gradually incorporated into the Heavenly Dao Alliance's statistics and management system, leaving him with mixed emotions. But he knew even more clearly that he had no way out and could only fully cooperate with Wanwan. Thanks to his familiarity with the local situation, Xie Hui did play a significant role in appeasing his old subordinates and coordinating relationships, but he could also constantly sense the omnipresent scrutiny and supervision behind Wanwan's seemingly smiling gaze.

Shan Meixian stayed on the grounds of thanking Wanwan for her help in avenging Wanwan. She did not directly intervene in specific political affairs, but instead used her status as the leader of the Dongming Sect and her shrewd business acumen to help Wanwan sort out and integrate the vast commercial network that originally belonged to the Tianlian Sect, the Bashu Alliance, and Duzun Fort.

Overseas trade, salt and iron monopolies, Shu brocade production and sales, money lending... these complex and intertwined industries, with their intertwined interests, began to be systematically cleaned up and integrated with the assistance of Shan Meixian, and were gradually brought under the unified management of the "Tiandao Alliance Merchants".

A huge drill ground in the former Duzun Fortress in the west of the city has now been designated as the temporary headquarters of the "Heavenly Dao Alliance Sichuan Governor's Office". The atmosphere here is even more somber and tense than that at the Provincial Administration Office.

Dressed in a sharp, tailored uniform, Song Shidao had shed his usual gentle demeanor, revealing a more resolute and stern military bearing. Before him lay a roster of nearly 20,000 armed personnel, of varying quality, submitted by various factions including Duzun Fortress, the Bashu Alliance, and the Tianlian Sect. The reorganization was a complex and challenging undertaking.

Officers and key personnel drawn by Yi Huawei from various parts of the Heavenly Dao Alliance arrived one after another. Most of these men came from early integrated forces such as the Jianghuai Army and the Haisha Gang. Having undergone rigorous training and combat trials within the Heavenly Dao Alliance, they were thoroughly familiar with the alliance's military system, regulations, and discipline. Their arrival greatly strengthened Song Shidao's power.

The first step in the reorganization was a large-scale screening and elimination process. The elderly and infirm, the rogue soldiers, and those lacking in skills were all dismissed in the first batch, given a small travel allowance, and sent back to their hometowns. This move naturally caused quite a stir, and some even instigated a riot. However, with Song Shidao personally subduing several troublemakers and Fan Zhuo, Feng Zhen, and others (who had been appointed as deputy generals and were working extra hard to impress Yi Huawei), the unrest was quickly quelled.

Those who remained were all young and strong elites, or those with potential. Everyone was dismantled from their original organization and reorganized into battalions, teams, and groups according to the standards of the Heavenly Dao Alliance.

Officers from the main headquarters were assigned to various ranks as commanders or instructors, responsible for daily drills and discipline. Brand-new standard weapons and armor began arriving in bulk, replacing the old, disorganized equipment. Every day, the drill grounds resounded with the sounds of battle; formations, hand-to-hand combat, archery, horsemanship, military commands… the rigorous training caused these previously undisciplined private soldiers and gang members to complain bitterly. However, under strict military law and with a noticeable improvement in treatment (military pay was uniformly distributed by the Heavenly Alliance, in full and on time), a disciplined and unified new army was taking shape at a visible pace.

At the same time, many more seemingly insignificant but crucial personnel have quietly entered various key locations in Sichuan.

Scholars from all over the country, proficient in criminal law, finance, and documents, were added to administrative agencies at all levels. They not only brought more efficient processing capabilities, but also gradually replaced the original clerks who might have harbored disloyal intentions.

The craftsmen then moved into several important government-run workshops in and around Chengdu, where they began to improve smelting, weaving, and weapon-making techniques, thereby increasing production capacity and quality.

What truly made the Heavenly Alliance seem unfathomable were the doctors and veterinarians who accompanied the troops. They not only provided medical support to the military and key departments, but also established clinics in Chengdu, offering excellent medical care to civilians at relatively low prices, quickly earning them an excellent reputation. The veterinarians were responsible for caring for the warhorses and pack animals, ensuring transportation and mobility. These measures subtly enhanced the Heavenly Alliance's credibility and control over the lives of ordinary people.

A month may seem short, but under Yi Huawei's leadership and everyone's full execution, Sichuan's military and political power has undergone earth-shattering yet "quiet" changes.

Politically, the Provincial Administration Commission, led by Wanwan and Xie Hui, firmly grasped the lifeline of local administration and economy by surveying land, verifying household registration, rectifying officialdom, and unifying taxes.

Militarily, the Governor's Office, led by Song Shidao, integrated the armed forces that were originally scattered among various factions into a highly effective army that obeyed only the core of the Heavenly Alliance by eliminating the weak and retaining the strong, unifying the organization, conducting rigorous training, and replacing equipment.

At the cultural and social level, through the penetration of professionals such as scholars, craftsmen, doctors, and veterinarians, the governance philosophy and influence of the Heavenly Alliance are gradually sinking from the superstructure to the grassroots level.

Throughout the process, although there were sporadic resistance and bloody suppression, large-scale internal strife and unrest did not erupt. This was thanks to Yi Huawei's precise top-level design, the effective execution by Wanwan, Song Shidao, and others, and even more so to the Heavenly Dao Alliance's proven, efficient, and rigorous system, as well as the powerful deterrent effect brought about by its absolute strength.

The people of Chengdu may not have fully realized what was happening, but they could sense that there were fewer hooligans and thugs on the streets, and the public security seemed to be better; some exorbitant taxes levied under various pretexts had disappeared; the doctors in the newly opened clinics were highly skilled; and on the drill ground outside the city, the sounds of the new army's drills grew more and more orderly and powerful each day...

As for the various factions that originally ruled Sichuan, they clearly felt that an invisible yet resilient net had been woven, covering every corner of the region. The former Duzun Fortress, the Bashu Alliance, and the Tianlian Sect had all become historical figures. Now, only one voice could dominate this land—the voice of the leader in green robes from Lianqi Villa.

Sichuan, this pearl of the Land of Abundance, has been silently and completely incorporated into the territory of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. It awaits only a single command to officially announce its allegiance to the world.

November 20th, dawn was breaking.

A proclamation signed by the leader of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and stamped with the unique lotus and flame pattern of the leader's seal spread rapidly from Chengdu to all the pre-established prefectures and counties, and even reached the core desks of various forces.

The manifesto was concise yet carried immense weight:

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Alliance Leader proclaims: From this day forth, all the lands of Bashu, its mountains and rivers, its cities and its people, shall submit to the rule of the Heavenly Alliance. All old malpractices shall be abolished; the laws of the Alliance shall be implemented immediately. We shall rescue the people from their dire straits and restore order from chaos. We shall follow the will of Heaven and the will of the people, and cease hostilities through force. Those who are obstinate and stubbornly resist shall be reduced to dust by the might of Heaven. Do not say you were not warned!"

There were no lengthy explanations, no hypocritical slogans of "the world belongs to all," only a straightforward declaration and unquestionable authority. This marked the formal incorporation of Sichuan, known as the "Land of Abundance" and of paramount strategic importance, into the rapidly expanding territory of the Heavenly Alliance, following Jiangnan, Lingnan, and Xiangyang.

The impact of this news is far more intense and far-reaching than the death of Xi Ying a month ago.

Changan.

After receiving the secret report, Emperor Li Yuan of Tang remained silent in the Taiji Hall for the duration of an incense stick burning. He waved away his attendants and stood alone before the enormous map of the world, his gaze fixed on the area marked "Shu," which had now been carefully affixed with a small, fiery lotus symbol representing the Heavenly Alliance by his trusted ministers.

"Sichuan... its granaries, its strategic passes... have fallen into this man's hands..."

Li Yuan muttered to himself, his brows furrowed. Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin were urgently summoned to the palace, and the three of them held a secret meeting until late at night.

Li Yuan finally sighed, "This man is powerful; we cannot defeat him by force, but we must also be wary of him. Strengthen the defenses of Tongguan and Sanguan, and keep a close watch on the direction of Hanzhong. At the same time, send an envoy with generous gifts to Chengdu... to show goodwill and to find out the truth."

Li Shimin frowned deeply and said in a deep voice, "Father, no matter what the process was, the outcome is already decided. The Heavenly Alliance has gained Sichuan, making them even stronger. They have already occupied the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and if they sail downstream, they can threaten Jingzhou and even Jiangdu! I..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood that the Heavenly Alliance, which had integrated southern resources and possessed a powerful navy and the wealth of the Land of Abundance, posed a far greater threat to the Guanzhong regime than any other separatist force.

Li Jiancheng said, "Could we try sending envoys to make contact? Perhaps that could stabilize them, at least temporarily..."

Pei Ji shook his head: "Judging from his actions, he is domineering and decisive, and cannot be easily subdued. The only plan now is to accelerate the pacification of the Northwest, stabilize Guanzhong, and then plan for the future."

Luoyang.

Emperor Zheng, Wang Shichong, flew into a rage and smashed his beloved jade paperweight.

"Useless! Jie Hui is useless too! And those opportunists like Fan Zhuo and Feng Zhen! Such a large province like Sichuan, just quietly given away people like that?!"

Wang Shichong was panting heavily, his face ashen. The submission of Sichuan meant that the Heavenly Alliance's forces had become united, forming a semi-encirclement around his territory in the Central Plains, greatly increasing the pressure on him.

"Investigate! Find out who this 'nameless' person is! Also, expedite the conscription and fortify the city's defenses! We must not allow him to reach the gates of Luoyang!"

In Hebei, at Dou Jiande's military camp.

Dou Jiande looked at the intelligence report, a thoughtful expression on his rugged face.

"This Heavenly Dao Alliance... is quite interesting. They took Sichuan without making a sound; they seem to be really capable. Pass down the order: for the time being, our people should not provoke anyone or anything related to the Heavenly Dao Alliance."

He was outgoing and generous, but also shrewd and perceptive. His intuition told him that this newly emerging power was not to be trifled with.

Du Fuwei and other warlords who were also struggling to survive in the chaotic world felt a sense of powerlessness and chill, in addition to their shock.

The rise of the Heavenly Dao Alliance completely overturned their understanding of power expansion. It was not a simple conquest of cities and territories, but rather a process of internal disintegration and consolidation that was almost "melting" away. Once declared, it was already a monolithic entity. They all ordered the contraction of their spheres of influence to avoid direct conflict with the Heavenly Dao Alliance, while simultaneously sending out more spies to try to understand the Heavenly Dao Alliance's operating model and the true nature of its leader.

On the summit of Emperor's Peak, at Cihang Jingzhai.

Fan Qinghui stood silently in her study, a copy of the proclamation in hand. The rising sandalwood incense smoke before her deepened the lingering worry in her eyes. After a long silence, she finally let out a barely audible sigh: "With the fall of Sichuan, half of the southern region is practically in their hands. Their momentum is unstoppable… Feixuan, what did you see over there? Was your choice truly correct?"

Pure Mindfulness Zen School.

Master Liaokong silently chanted the Buddha's name, his prayer beads moving exceptionally slowly.

"Amitabha... The people of Sichuan may have a few years of peace, but the actions of this alliance are domineering and cruel, not the way of a benevolent ruler. The conflicts in the world will likely be exacerbated as a result."

Liao Kong was alarmed by the efficiency of the Heavenly Dao Alliance's integration methods and even more uneasy about its powerful control. Although Zen Buddhism was detached, it could not remain completely aloof. (End of Chapter)