You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

"The Emperor is a Tyrant in the Heavens, You Don't Understand My Happiness" is full of classic quotes, come and find resonance.

Since appointing Zhang Zhongjian, Lu Zuo has placed unconditional trust in him.

He was given manpower and money as needed, and the five major camps and the Nanxu defense line were given full command.

result……

The Nanxu defense line only lasted ten days.

Is this guy some kind of Zhao Kuo?

This thought sent a chill down his spine!

If Zhang Zhongjian is truly an incompetent man, then all the previous investments will have turned into a huge joke that will ruin the country!

But what can we do now?

Changing commanders at the last minute?

who?

There used to be a Ren Zhong, but now...

That would be Shen Luoyan.

But Nantong cannot do without Shen Luoyan.

Lu Zuo has no one he can rely on!

Should I do it myself?

Let's just forget about it...

He can travel the world and develop industries, but when it comes to large-scale head-on confrontations, defensive line setup, and on-the-spot command, Lu Zuo admits he doesn't yet have that ability.

Removing Zhang Zhongjian at this moment will only make the situation more chaotic!

Nothing more...

Lu Zuo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, all that remained in his eyes was a resolute determination to go all in.

Don't use people who are suspicious, don't use people!

Now, besides continuing to believe in him and betting that he really has the ability to turn the tide, is there any other option?

Having sorted out his thoughts, Lu Zuo got up and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation to go to the Imperial Study to find Zhang Lihua.

……

Inside the Imperial Study, the lights were on, and memorials were piled up like mountains.

Zhang Lihua sat behind the imperial desk, her vermilion brush hovering in her hand, her brows and eyes revealing an undisguised weariness and solemnity.

Squeak.....

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening echoed through the room. Zhang Lihua slowly raised her head and saw Lu Zuo walk in. She quickly stood up and bowed.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"No need for such formalities."

Lu Zuo waved his hand and walked straight to the imperial desk: "What impact will the matter of Nanxu have on the capital?"

Zhang Lihua bowed and replied, "Although the news of the collapse of the Nanxu defense line has not been officially announced, some well-connected officials have already gotten wind of it."

"Today, at least seven middle-class families in Jiankang City are secretly selling off assets that are not easy to carry, and sending their gold, silver, valuables, and direct descendants back to their hometowns under various pretexts."

"Though the movements were discreet, they could not escape my eyes."

She paused, then asked, "Your Majesty, should we stop them?"

"If we use swift and decisive measures to suppress the situation at this time, we may be able to deter people and temporarily stabilize the situation."

Lu Zuo shook his head: "No need."

"Those who want to leave will leave sooner or later; those who don't want to leave can't be driven away, and forcing them to stay is pointless."

"Can you stabilize the situation inside the city?"

Zhang Lihua hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, I will do my best to maintain order in the court and keep the people at peace."

"but......"

"I dare not guarantee exactly how far it can go."

Once news of the collapse of the Nanxu defense line arrives, no one can predict what the situation will be like in Jiankang.

Zhang Lihua dared not make any guarantees regarding this.

Lu Zuo nodded: "Just do your best."

He then had a long talk with Zhang Lihua before leaving the Imperial Study and returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. There, he used the Mother-Child Transmission Pendant to travel to Dongyang.

……

At this moment, in the Prefectural Governor's Office of Nanxu City.

Nanxu City, the Prefectural Governor's Office.

The once majestic government office is now a mess, with Sui army flags flying on the gate tower and soldiers standing at attention with their spears, creating a chilling atmosphere.

The firelight flickered in the night, illuminating the scattered official documents, the overturned desk, and the still-wet bloodstains.

Yang Su, still clad in black armor, stood in the center of the hall, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze slowly sweeping over the chaotic scene inside, his fingers unconsciously twirling the hilt of his sword.

Several generals, including Gao Ying, He Ruobi, and Han Qinhu, surrounded him. Although their armor was stained with blood, they could not hide their excitement after the victory.

"Grand Tutor, Nanxu has fallen, and our army is at its peak. Why not press our advantage and march straight for Jiankang?"

He Ruobi's voice boomed like thunder, his face radiating undisguised smugness: "This humble general is willing to be the vanguard, and within a month, we will surely breach the walls of Jiankang!"

Yang Su slowly shook his head: "Don't you all think this victory was won too quickly?"

"Nanxu is the key to Jiankang, and has been developed for many years. It is dangerous by both land and water."

"Although Zhang Zhongjian has not been in charge of defense for long, reports indicate that he has reorganized the military and deployed troops, proving he is no mediocre person."

"To collapse in just ten days? Isn't that too easy?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Ying stroked his beard and smiled, "Grand Tutor, you are overthinking it!"

"The Southern Chen dynasty was already outwardly strong but inwardly weak; its army lacked the will to fight, and its generals lacked the fighting spirit."

"not to mention……"

"Among the Southern Xu navy, members of the six great families had already secretly colluded to open the gates and surrender the city; it was merely going with the flow."

"This commander-in-chief, Zhang Zhongjian, is nothing but an unknown figure who has suddenly risen to a high position. What real talent or ability could he possibly possess?"

"If it were still the veteran Ren Zhong here, with his prestige and skills, he might be able to hold out in the stronghold and wear me down for several months."

"But Chen Shubao destroyed his own defenses by employing such a character of dubious origin; how could he not fail?"

Han Qinhu echoed gruffly, "Lord Gao is absolutely right!"

"I think it's because Chen Shubao has lost his mind, and the Southern Chen dynasty itself is rotten to the core!"

"All those Zhang Zhongjian and Li Zhongjian are nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs before the Sui Dynasty!"

"Grand Tutor, you are being far too cautious!"

Yang Su remained silent for a moment, then nodded, agreeing with the generals' assessment.

The corruption and incompetence of the Southern Chen dynasty, with its incompetent ruler and treacherous ministers, was not a sudden occurrence.

It is even more obvious that the army has no will to fight and the generals have no will to die.

The fact that the six powerful families secretly colluded with me and turned against me on the battlefield was also part of their calculations.

A defeat in ten days may seem extremely fast, but when applied to a country deeply entrenched in corruption, it actually makes sense...

Such is the way things are; there is nothing human power can change it.

The Southern Chen dynasty's fate is sealed; its defeat is inevitable. Why should I add to my troubles here?

With this in mind, Yang Su glanced at the generals and said in a steady and powerful voice, "Order the three armies to rest on the spot, eliminate the remaining enemy, and pacify the people."

"At the same time, the Rear Army Commander is ordered to immediately begin collecting provisions and fodder from the vicinity of Nanxu to prepare for military needs."

"Three days later, the army set off, its advance aimed directly at Jiankang!"

"Your humble servant obeys!"

Generals Gao Ying, He Ruobi, and Han Qinhu were invigorated and responded in unison.

"Ha ha ha ha......"

"good!"

"What a brilliant move, the army's advance is aimed directly at Jiankang!"

"Grand Tutor's military strategy is divine, and the generals are brave and skilled in battle. I am very pleased!"

Just then, a clear, loud laugh came from outside the door, breaking the somber atmosphere inside the hall.

The generals turned around and saw a young man in military uniform striding into the hall, surrounded by more than ten elite soldiers.

Upon seeing this, Yang Su and the other generals quickly bowed and greeted, "Your subjects pay their respects to Your Highness, the Prince of Jin!"

"Generals, please rise!"

Yang Guang rushed forward, personally helped Yang Su up, and swept his gaze intently over the generals with a broad smile.

"Upon hearing of the great victory at Nanxu from the rear, I was overjoyed. Therefore, I have brought His Majesty's decree to reward the three armies and led 150,000 reinforcements to join forces with the Grand Tutor and the generals!"

"Grand Tutor led his troops to Nanxu in ten days, employing military force with thunderous might; he is truly a pillar of the nation!"

"Generals, you were the first to breach the city walls, your bravery surpassing that of the entire army; you are all pillars of our Great Sui Dynasty!"

He patted Yang Su's arm, his tone warm: "With the Grand Tutor strategizing and the generals charging into battle, how can we not fear the fall of Southern Chen and the unification of the world?"

"After three days of rest, I will join forces with the Grand Tutor to capture Jiankang and achieve this unparalleled feat!"

......

At this moment, in Jiankang City, at Lu Wenyuan's residence.

The core figures of the six great families gathered here, and the air was filled with a sense of oppression and restlessness.

Lu Wenyuan tapped his fingertips lightly on the rosewood tabletop and sneered, "Heh, our Emperor really does have the guts of a 'tyrant'."

"He cut off his own arm, purging all of us scions of noble families from the army, and instead relying on those ignorant and uncultured commoners and outlaws."

"How are things now?"

"Nanxu collapsed in ten days!"

"This empire is on the verge of being destroyed by his 'brilliant' decision!"

Su Bojian chuckled and said, "Does Chen Shubao really think that he can govern the country and bring peace to the world by relying on his meritocratic system without people like us?"

"How ridiculously naive!"

"The prosperity of Jiankang City and the wealth of Jiangnan—aren't they all the result of generations of hard work and maintenance by our aristocratic families?"

"Now that he has destroyed his own foundation, he has only himself to blame!"

Gu Chengye nodded and said, "Why would we, scions of noble families, blindly trust that brat Zhang Zhongjian? What face does such a foolish ruler have left to reign in the highest palace?"

Wei Huizhi said, "The news of the defeat in Nanxu should be spread as soon as possible."

"Let this city of Jiankang, let the whole of Jiangnan know, that Chen Shubao's empire is rotten to the core!"

"At that time, people will be filled with fear and panic; let's see who will be willing to die for him then!"

Yu Hongsheng chimed in, "What Duke Wei said is absolutely right."

"Not only must we spread the news, but we must also instruct our disciples to exaggerate the strength of the Sui army and the incompetence of the imperial court!"

"In this way, we respond to the Sui Dynasty."

Lu Wenyuan nodded and added, "After the chaos in Jiankang, we should leave the capital."

The true foundation of the six great families lies not in the capital, but in their own roots, like the Shen family of Wuxing.

The Southern Chen dynasty was doomed, and Chen Shubao was destined to perish. Only by safeguarding his own family's foundation could he secure a place in the new dynasty!

.......

At this moment, in the Dongyang Prefectural Governor's Mansion.

Wei Huizhi stood respectfully below the hall, his voice steady, and reported to Lu Zuobing, who was seated in the main seat: "My lord, the Dongyang New Army's training has yielded results."

"To date, nine thousand soldiers have cultivated to the Great Acquired Realm."

"Those with slightly less talent, at the current pace, should all be able to enter this realm in another year."

He paused briefly, then continued, "Furthermore, news has come from Nantong that Xie Guyan's new army has reached 30,000 men."

Finally, some good news...

Lu Zuo thought to himself, then asked, "How was this year's grain harvest?"

"Return to my lord."

"The grain output of the three prefectures of Dongyang has increased threefold compared to previous years, reaching more than 30 million shi (a unit of dry measure)!"

Lu Zuo pondered for a moment. Since he had decided to trust Zhang Zhongjian, he would proceed according to the original plan.

"Five days later, three million shi of grain will be transported to Jiankang."

"Yes, sir."

Wei Huizhi nodded and said, "My lord, although the three prefectures of Dongyang are currently at peace, there are bandits and horsemen causing trouble in the surrounding areas."

"I want to send nine thousand new soldiers to suppress bandits. This will allow them to train in battle, hone their skills, become familiar with combat, eliminate potential threats in the surrounding area, stabilize the local area, and seize money and grain to replenish their military supplies."

Lu Zuo: "Approved."