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Yi Huawei's gaze shifted to Yun Yuzhen, whose face had turned pale:

"Yun Yuzhen, leader of the Giant Kun Gang, a bewitching woman of the Charming Maidens Sect! She uses her beauty to amuse people and seduces her master! She secretly assassinates and frames loyal officials! She is a lackey of Xiangyu Mountain, aiding and abetting evil! These are her three crimes: seducing the master and harming the loyal!"

Several secret letters in his hand moved on their own without any wind: "These are irrefutable evidence of your conspiracy with Xiang Yushan to frame loyal officials and eliminate dissidents!"

Yun Yuzhen's delicate body trembled violently, her pretty face turned deathly pale, all traces of her former charm vanished, replaced only by panic and bewilderment.

"You three are guilty of heinous crimes, too numerous to recount! Heaven's justice is clear, how can you continue to poison the lives of the people and wreak havoc in Jingchu?!" Yi Huawei's voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap from the heavens, carrying a judgmental majesty and chilling killing intent: "Today, I, on behalf of Heaven, will punish these traitors and execute them as a warning to others!"

"No! Protect the Emperor! Protect him quickly..." Xiao Xian screamed in terror, desperately trying to struggle.

"presumptuous!"

With a fierce glint in his eyes, Xiang Yushan knew there was no way out. He suddenly pushed Yun Yuzhen forward while retreating rapidly. Several poisoned black steel needles slid out from his sleeve and shot towards Yi Huawei on the ship's deck like lightning! He actually wanted to use Yun Yuzhen as a shield while launching a deadly sneak attack!
Caught off guard, Yun Yuzhen was pushed forward and stumbled, her eyes filled with resentment at being betrayed.

Faced with this sudden and unexpected change and sneak attack, Yi Huawei's eyes remained completely unmoved.

He didn't even move.

But in those deep eyes, it seemed as if a galaxy was being destroyed and a sword aura was running rampant!
"punish!"

A cold word, like a divine oracle, came from his mouth.

laugh!laugh!laugh!
Three invisible and intangible sword energies, yet condensed to the extreme, appeared out of thin air!

The first sword strike, though launched later, arrived first, precisely shattering all the poison needles shot out by Xiang Yushan in mid-air, turning them into dust and scattering away.

The second sword energy, as if teleported, pierced into Yun Yuzhen's brow in her horrified, wide-open pupils!
The third sword energy seemed to transcend space, entering Xiao Xian's wide-open mouth in shock the instant he shouted "Protect the Emperor!"

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Yun Yuzhen's beautiful face was still frozen with resentment and horror, but her body suddenly stiffened, and then, as if all the bones had been drained, she collapsed softly to the ground. The crimson dot between her brows rapidly expanded, but no blood flowed out, as if all her life force had been completely annihilated by the sword energy in an instant.

Xiao Xian's scream abruptly ceased. He clutched his throat tightly with both hands, his eyes bulging, his face filled with unbelievable fear and pain. A destructive sword aura erupted within him, instantly extinguishing all his life force. A strange gurgling sound came from his throat, his body convulsed violently a few times, and then, like a puppet with its strings cut, he fell forward from the dragon throne, crashing heavily onto the cold floor of the viewing platform with a thud. His magnificent dragon robe was stained with dust, and his winged crown rolled to the side. His eyes were wide open, his death unfulfilled.

Xiang Yushan, who was retreating rapidly, suddenly stopped! He looked down, staring in disbelief at his chest—there was no wound there, but all the strength in his body had been drained in an instant. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but only a mouthful of black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs gushed out. The shrewdness, calculation, fear, and resentment in his eyes... all the complex emotions finally turned into a deathly silence. His body swayed, like a felled log, and fell straight forward, crashing onto the floor of the viewing platform, lifeless.

In the blink of an eye, it's as swift as a rabbit leaping and as fast as a falcon swooping!
The three core figures of the highest level of the Liang Kingdom—the false emperor Xiao Xian, the treacherous minister Xiang Yushan, and the enchantress Yun Yuzhen—were easily killed by three invisible sword energies, as if they were three ants being crushed, right under the watchful eyes of the crowd on the viewing platform symbolizing the military might of the Liang Kingdom!

Dead!

An even more thorough and suffocating silence enveloped the entire water fortress than when the giant ship had just stormed in!
Everyone was so shocked and terrified by this godlike and demonic method and the thunderous slaughter that they were completely stunned!

Whether it was the civil and military officials and generals on the reviewing stand, the sailors on the warships on the river, or the soldiers lined up on the shore, they all seemed like clay sculptures, their minds completely blank.

Only Dong Jingzhen, looking at the three corpses below, had a complex expression in his eyes, which quickly turned into determination. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yi Huawei, facing the silent viewing platform and the river below.

Yi Huawei's gaze swept over the silent crowd below, finally settling on the pale-faced, trembling Xiangyushan remnant generals. His voice regained its calmness, yet carried an undeniable power:
"The false Liang emperor Xiao Xian, a muddle-headed and immoral man, has been executed. The treacherous Xiang Yushan and the vixen Yun Yuzhen, who brought disaster to the country and its people, have also been executed."

His voice once again resounded clearly in all directions:
"General Dong Jingzhen is loyal and brave for the country, cares deeply for the people, and is profoundly righteous. Now, I, on behalf of Heaven, hereby bestow upon Dong Jingzhen the title of General of Annan, overseeing all matters concerning the army of Jiangling and the former Liang Kingdom, to rectify official corruption, pacify the local areas, and protect the borders and the people!"

"Lei Shimeng!"

Yi Huawei's gaze shifted to the fat man who was slumped on the ground, almost incontinent.

"Your humble servant is here!"

Lei Shimeng scrambled to his knees, his voice trembling with sobs, and kowtowed repeatedly.

"You will remain in command of the navy. You must guard the river defenses and obey the orders of the Annam General! You will be pardoned for your past crimes if you perform meritorious service! If you harbor any disloyal intentions again..." Yi Huawei's voice suddenly turned cold.

"I dare not! This humble general would never dare! This humble general swears to serve General Annam to the death! To serve you, my lord!"

Lei Shimeng was so frightened that he kowtowed desperately, his forehead instantly turning bruised and purple.

Yi Huawei stopped looking at him, his gaze sweeping over all the Liang soldiers and officials below, who were stunned by this earth-shattering change. His voice, like a resounding bell, announced the end of the old era:

"The false Liang dynasty has been destroyed! From this day forward, the land of Jiangling will be under a new banner! All who lay down their weapons and obey the orders of the General of Annam will be good citizens! All who are stubborn and rebellious and aid the wicked will be killed without mercy!"

"General Annam! General Annam!"

After a brief silence, the generals from Dong Jingzhen's faction on the reviewing stand were the first to react, their faces flushed with excitement as they raised their arms and shouted!
Immediately afterwards, on the shore and on the boats, the lower-ranking soldiers who had long been dissatisfied with Xiao Xian and Xiang Yushan's rule, driven by the great shock and the hope they saw, also began to shout. The sound wave was like a long-accumulated volcano, which suddenly erupted and swept across the entire water fortress, overwhelming the waves of the Yangtze River!

"General Annam!"

"General Annam!"

The roar of the waves shook the turbid river and the ancient city. Dong Jingzhen stood on the high deck of the ship, looking down at the boiling morale of the soldiers, at the three cold corpses, and then at the figure in the blue robe standing beside him with his hands behind his back, as if he had only done a trivial thing. A mix of emotions welled up in his heart, which eventually turned into deep awe and a heavy sense of responsibility.

The river wind grew stronger, scattering the low-hanging clouds. A ray of sunlight pierced the leaden sky, shining on Yi Huawei's calm face and also on the "General of Annam" banner below, symbolizing new life and the unknown.

The sky over Jiangling had completely changed color.

Dong Jingzhen stepped forward and stood at the very front of the ship's deck. Without the slightest hesitation, her booming voice instantly drowned out the chaotic clamor below, a mixture of shock, fear, bewilderment, and excitement:
"All officers and men obey orders!"

This resounding shout carried the iron-blooded authority honed through a lifetime of military service, and an unwavering resolve that brooked no argument. The chaotic water fortress fell silent. "From this moment forth, seal off all four gates of Jiangling and all exits of the water fortress! No one is permitted to leave without my order! Anyone who disobeys will be punished for treason!"

The first order was to maintain a firm grip on the situation and prevent any remnants of Xiangyushan from escaping or colluding with foreign enemies.

"Naval Admiral Lei Shimeng!"

Dong Jingzhen's gaze locked onto the fat man who was slumped on the ground like that of a hawk.

"Your humble servant is here!"

Lei Shimeng practically scrambled to his feet, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"Immediately gather all naval forces under strict control of all warships! Anyone who makes any unusual movements shall be executed on the spot! At the same time, dispatch reliable vessels to blockade the upstream and downstream sections of the river, and strictly prohibit any vessels from entering or leaving the Jiangling waters!"

Dong Jingzhen's order was decisive, temporarily keeping the navy firmly sheathed.

"Yes, sir! This subordinate will do it immediately!"

Lei Shimeng felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled down from the viewing platform, his obese figure bursting with astonishing speed as he roared to summon his trusted generals.

Dong Jingzhen's gaze swept over the silent civil and military officials and generals on the reviewing stand, his voice steady and powerful:
"All officials and generals of the former Liang Kingdom shall return to their posts! Anyone who leaves his post or mobilizes a single soldier without my explicit order shall be executed without mercy! Those who are loyal to their duties and maintain social stability shall be pardoned and rewarded according to their merits!"

These words calmed the previously terrified lower-ranking officials and some generals. At least, Dong Jingzhen didn't immediately launch a massacre, giving them a way out. The situation began to stabilize slightly from absolute chaos.

Immediately afterwards, Dong Jingzhen unveiled a major measure that truly reassured the people, and his voice resounded throughout the water village:
"Issue this general's order to pacify the people!"

"Firstly: Starting immediately, open all the stored grain in the official granaries and charitable granaries of Jiangling! Set up twenty soup kitchens at the four gates of the city and in the villages outside the city, and distribute soup day and night! All people under my jurisdiction, regardless of their household registration, can receive soup based on their headcount, ensuring that no one goes hungry!"

"Secondly: Effective immediately, all soldiers of the former Liang Kingdom, whether on land or by sea, will receive double the pay! Those who die in battle will receive triple the compensation! Any outstanding pay will be paid in full within three days!"

"Thirdly: Effective immediately, all the exorbitant taxes and levies imposed by Xiao Xian's usurper regime shall be abolished! Land taxes and commercial taxes shall be levied in accordance with the old system established during the Kaihuang era of Emperor Wen of Sui!"

"Fourth: Anyone who accuses the Baling Gang, the Xiang Family, and their cronies of extortion, plunder, and oppression of the innocent may go to the General's Mansion and beat the drum! This General will personally investigate, and if the accusations are found to be true, the perpetrators will be punished and the stolen goods will be recovered!"

These four orders were like four timely rains, instantly irrigating the already parched land of Jiangling!

Opening granaries and distributing grain is the foundation for survival!

Increase military pay and boost morale!
Abolishing exorbitant taxes will benefit all people!
Settle old evils and uphold justice!
"Long live General Dong!"

"General Annam is benevolent!"

After a brief silence, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted, no longer born of fear of power, but of heartfelt excitement and support. It came from the shore, from the ships, from the mouths of the soldiers who had just laid down their weapons, and from the voices of some bold civilians who had rushed to the scene. The sound waves soared into the sky, even seeming to thin the thick leaden clouds!

Standing at the bow of the ship, Dong Jingzhen felt the surging morale of the people and the army. The burden in his chest eased slightly, but the responsibility on his shoulders grew even heavier. He turned to the side, bowed deeply to Yi Huawei, who stood behind him with his hands behind his back, and everything was understood without words.

Yi Huawei nodded slightly and said to Shan Meixian beside him:

"Thank you, Madam, for your assistance to General Dong in clearing away the evil spirits."

Shan Meixian understood, and her clear, cold voice rang out: "Those under the command of Dongming shall obey General Dong's orders, quell the rebellion, and maintain order!"

On the giant Dongming warship, countless agile figures silently leaped down, either landing on the dock or boarding nearby Liang army ships, quickly assisting Lei Shimeng (actually supervising) and Dong Jingzhen's generals in controlling the situation.

At the same time, Yi Huawei said to Bai Qing'er, "Inform Yin Kui that it's time to 'act on behalf of Heaven'."

Bai Qing'er smiled sweetly, but there was no warmth in her eyes: "Qing'er understands."

Her figure flickered and disappeared from the deck like a ghost.

Over the next seven days, Jiangling City and its surroundings underwent an efficient and ruthless purge.

Under Dong Jingzhen's explicit command and the Dongming Sect disciples maintaining basic order, the Yin Kui Sect, a long-dormant hidden blade, under Yi Huawei's will, displayed chilling efficiency in the name of the "Heavenly Dao Alliance".

Xiang Yushan's painstakingly built core strongholds—the Baling Gang's brothels, casinos, and secret warehouses scattered throughout Jiangling—were uprooted overnight! Those managers and thugs who aided and abetted the gang, as well as Xiang family cronies who attempted to resist or abscond with the funds, offered virtually no resistance under the combined assault of the Yin Kui Sect's elite disciples and elders, melting away like snowflakes doused in boiling water. The stench of blood lingered in several specific streets and alleys, only to be swiftly cleared away.

Those civil and military officials who had clung to Xiangyu Mountain and had a long history of misdeeds were either publicly arrested and executed by Dong Jingzhen with swift and decisive measures, or quietly taken away by the black-clad messengers of the "Heavenly Alliance" in the dead of night and vanished without a trace. Yun Yuzhen's remnants of the Giant Kun Gang were also a key target, precisely identified and eliminated one by one.

Even more alarming was that the deeper-seated schemes, those colluding with external forces (the Turks and Tiele), those plotting to incite small groups of soldiers to mutiny and create chaos, and even those local thugs taking advantage of the chaos, all failed to make the slightest ripple. Under the new banner of the "Heavenly Alliance," the Yin Kui Faction's intelligence network and operational capabilities, combined with Dong Jingzhen's military and political power, demonstrated an overwhelming advantage.

A two-pronged approach was adopted: ruthless suppression and appeasement.

Dong Jingzhen remained at the general's mansion, working tirelessly day and night. Grain from the granaries flowed continuously to soup kitchens, and the starving people, holding hot porridge, felt a renewed hope for survival. Quartermasters, carrying heavy rations of pay, distributed the money to each battalion. The soldiers, touching their long-awaited full paychecks, were overwhelmed with emotion, and their loyalty to Dong Jingzhen quickly solidified. Newly appointed officials, armed with simplified tax regulations, traveled through the cities and countryside, announcing the abolition of oppressive policies. Shops reopened, and the fields were once again bustling with activity.

Seven days!

Just seven days!

Jiangling, a massive city that had been steadily declining under the rule of Xiao Xian and Xiang Yushan, plagued by sharp internal conflicts and teetering on the brink of collapse, miraculously regained basic order and stability! Although a trace of bloodshed and tension still lingered in the air, the streets were gradually filling with pedestrians, shops were reopening one after another, and the talk of the town was no longer about hunger and fear, but about General Dong's benevolent rule and the hope for a new life. The army was firmly under Dong Jingzhen's control, and the navy, under Lei Shimeng's "loyalty," remained as stable as a mountain.

When the dawn of the seventh day pierced through the clouds and shone on the calmly flowing Yangtze River and on the newly erected "Dong" banner atop Jiangling City, the entire world was utterly shaken by this earth-shattering speed and result!
In Luoyang, Chang'an, Wagang, Jianghuai, Bashu… the desks of various factions were piled high with urgent secret reports about the upheaval in Jiangling. Fast messengers galloped back and forth, delivering unbelievable news:
Emperor Xiao Xian of Liang, Xiang Yushan, and Yun Yuzhen were killed on the spot by a mysterious powerful figure during a naval review!

Army Commander Dong Jingzhen was appointed to a critical mission and, with the support of a mysterious force, pacified Jiangling in seven days!
The former Liang Kingdom's navy surrendered, and all military and political power fell into the hands of Dong Jingzhen!
Jiangling opened its granaries to distribute grain, doubled military pay, abolished harsh taxes, and was praised by all the people!
However, what made the entire martial arts world and even all the major forces in the world feel even more terrified and horrified than the change of ownership of Jiangling was another announcement that followed, sweeping across the world like a hurricane!
(End of this chapter)