Dream of the Red Chamber: After being exiled, I went on a killing spree in Liaodong.

The Imperial Guard reported in a low voice, "Those salt merchants are afraid that you and Lord Lin will join forces to settle their old scores for smuggling, so they deliberately incited a popular uprising and stirred up trouble in Jiangnan so that the court would be too busy to deal with its own problems."

"Oh."

Jia Yi let out a cold laugh, a chilling glint flashing in his eyes.

In order to protect themselves, they did not hesitate to unleash a massive bloodbath, plunging hundreds of thousands of people into the flames of war.

"You did a good job this time."

He spoke calmly, but with a hint of approval in his tone, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard's henchmen have finally reached where they should."

He then turned around and said coldly:

"Mr. Wu, I'm leaving this to you."

I'm going to Yangzhou.

Aren't you afraid I'll go to Yangzhou?

Why aren't they doing everything they can to prevent me from entering the country?

I'm going anyway!

Not only will I step into Yangzhou, but I will also nail you one by one to the city walls as a sacrifice to the soul of my aunt Jia Min!

"Yes, Your Excellency!" Wu Sheng clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

The next moment, ten thousand iron cavalrymen, fully armed and arrayed, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust, charged straight towards Yangzhou.

"Lord Duke, please wait! On behalf of all the elders of Jinling..."

Ding Hongfei arrived in a hurry with a group of officials, but before he could finish speaking, he saw only an empty battlefield and Wu Sheng standing alone.

Where are they?

"He's gone." Wu Sheng dusted off the dirt from his sleeves, his tone calm. "The Duke has gone to Yangzhou to kill someone."

After saying that, Wu Sheng turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the crowd.

He has these prisoners to deal with right now, so he doesn't have time to linger here.

Ding Hongfei and his group of officials looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.

Jia Yi? What's he doing in Yangzhou?!

Holy crap, something's happened in Yangzhou too? Where have the rebels gotten to??

But this message never came through!

-

In Yangzhou, the wind and sand carried the stench of blood.

"Master, these are about all the soldiers who have fled into Yangzhou," the old servant reported in a low voice, his voice trembling slightly.

Lin Ruhai stood at the edge of the city wall, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

The intelligence pieced together from the remnants of the Jiangnan camp weighed heavily on his heart—

Those rebels are heading straight for Nanjing!

As for Jinling... its garrison was sparse, and no matter how high the city walls were, they were nothing more than decorations!

"Master, we only have about two thousand men," the old servant said urgently. "Even if we rush there at the cost of our lives, we'll just be sending ourselves to their deaths!"

Lin Ruhai gritted his teeth, his fists clenched: "But how can I... how can I face the fact that Nanjing has fallen..."

Before he could finish speaking, the old servant abruptly interrupted:

"Master! If we rush to Nanjing now, it'll be too late!"

"But Yangzhou cannot be lost! As long as we hold onto it, Jiangnan will still have a foothold!"

Lin Ruhai was jolted awake.

Yes... if the rebels capture Nanjing, the court can still mobilize troops to counterattack. But if even Yangzhou falls...

That was the first crisp sound of dominoes falling!

The truth about the Great Qian Dynasty's outward strength but inner weakness will be laid bare before the world!

"Send the order!" Lin Ruhai suddenly looked up, a cold glint in his eyes. "Gather the salt workers, reorganize the remaining troops, and return to defend Yangzhou immediately!"

-

As soon as Lin Ruhai stepped into the gates of Yangzhou, he was surrounded by a crowd.

Merchants, gentry, minor officials... all crowded in front of the government office, shouting at the top of their lungs:

"Lord Lin! What's going on outside?"

When will the imperial army arrive?

"Is Nanjing still in our hands?"

"Won't the rebels come this way?"

Lin Ruhai raised his hand and pressed down, his voice heavy as iron:

"Gentlemen, Nanjing... is in imminent danger."

"The main force of the rebels has approached the city walls, and there is still no news of reinforcements from the imperial court."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:

"But as long as we work together, Yangzhou must not fall!"

The crowd was initially deathly silent, then—

Wow!

Many people even showed expressions of relief.

"As long as they're not coming for us!"

"That scared the hell out of me! I thought there was going to be a war!"

Some people smiled and bowed as they took their leave, as if the earlier commotion had never happened.

Lin Ruhai watched their departing figures and slammed his fist hard against the wall.

"Why!"

The fire is already at their eyebrows, and these people are still dreaming!

When a knife is held to your throat, it will be too late to cry!

-

Meanwhile, Jia Yi led his cavalry on a swift journey of a thousand miles, finally arriving outside Yangzhou City.

Horse hooves shattered the setting sun, and billowing dust rose like a dragon soaring into the sky.

He stood on his horse, his eyes cold as frost, his expression like that of a thousand years of frozen ice.

He had seen far too much along the way—

The village was burned to ashes, and corpses littered the fields; a child huddled beside his mother's dead body, long since breathless; an old man hanged himself from a withered tree, his body swaying in the wind...

Every scene felt like a knife stabbing into my heart.

He was ordered by Emperor Yuankang to go north to defend against the enemy, but he intercepted a secret report on the way: rebellions broke out in Jiangnan and the people were being massacred!

They immediately turned their horses around and charged day and night, making their way into Yangzhou!

"Whose cavalry are those ahead?!" the city guards exclaimed in surprise.

"Black-armored heavy cavalry, such a large force... could they be rebels?"

"Bullshit! Where would these rebels get cavalry? Do you think they're heavenly soldiers descended from heaven?"

Just as everyone was arguing, a sharp-eyed guard suddenly widened his eyes:

"Open the city gates quickly!! That's the Duke of Qin! It's Lord Jia Yi!!"

One sentence, and the whole place was blown away!

Everyone rushed towards the city gate mechanism like madmen.

"Quickly! Open the city gates!!"

"Stop fucking dawdling! Do you want your head chopped off?!"

The heavy city gates burst open with a roar—who didn't know the story of Jia Yi storming into Nanjing?

Those guards who refused to open the gate were later all exiled to the northern border to mine coal and guard the frontier, where half of them froze to death!

Which of the garrison troops in Yangzhou would dare to risk their livelihood?

"Let's go into town!"

Jia Yi reined in his horse and stood still, coldly glancing at the soldiers bustling about at the city gate, a slight smile playing on his lips.

satisfaction.

-

The thunderous roar of thousands of horses reverberated throughout the streets and alleys.

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Ruhai rushed out of the mansion. Just as he reached the street, he saw a tall figure dismount.

His black armor was stained with dust, his sword-like eyebrows reached his temples, and his eyes were sharp as knives.

"Yi-ge'er?!" Lin Ruhai blurted out, his voice trembling, "What are you doing here?!"

Shouldn't you be in Shenjing, leading troops to launch a northern expedition against the Mongols?!

How did you end up in Yangzhou, the epicenter of this controversy?!

"Uncle, His Majesty has ordered me to come to Jiangnan to quell the rebellion."

"The 500,000 rebel troops outside Jinling City have all been annihilated."

"Now, only Yangzhou remains a thorn in our side."

Jia Yi smiled, his tone casual yet sharp as a drawn blade.

"What?!"

Lin Ruhai suddenly looked up, his pupils contracted sharply, and his voice changed tone again.

"Yangzhou...has rebels too?!"

"How come I know absolutely nothing about this?!"

His heart sank suddenly, and a thought flashed through his mind—could it be that a rebel group had infiltrated Yangzhou, lying in wait, ready to launch a coordinated attack from within and without to overthrow the foundations of Jiangnan?!

Thinking of this, a chill ran down my spine, and cold sweat quietly trickled down my back.

"It's not the rebels in Yangzhou." Jia Yi slowly shook his head, his eyes as cold as ice. "It's the people who are supporting the rebels who live in Yangzhou."

"Who?"

Lin Ruhai gritted his teeth and spat out a single word, his eyes bloodshot and brimming with killing intent.