Chapter 410 The dust in the southern border is temporarily settled; the army marches west towards Chang'an.

The defending general of Jiangling City offered no resistance.

He personally opened the city gates and led all the officials and gentry of the city to kneel in welcome thirty miles outside the city.

With this, the aristocratic rebellion that had swept through Jiangnan was completely quelled.

The main army took a brief rest in Jiangling City.

While the soldiers were enjoying the joy of victory, Emperor Liu Sheng had already cast his gaze further afield.

Inside the commander's mansion, Emperor Liu Sheng looked at the sand table before him, his finger pointing towards the northwest. That was where Chang'an lay.

"Your Majesty," Superintendent Yu Huatian reported the latest intelligence from the side.

"The rebellious aristocratic clans in the northwest, supported by Xiliang, have already captured the entirety of Yongzhou and are now assembling a large force to besiege Chang'an."

"The defending general of Chang'an is General Li Mu. Although he is resisting desperately, the troops in the city are insufficient, and provisions are about to run out."

"At most, he can hold out for another month."

Emperor Liu Sheng nodded.

Chang'an is the western gate of the Imperial Capital, and its strategic importance goes without saying.

Once Chang'an falls, the iron cavalry of Xiliang can drive straight in and threaten the Imperial Capital directly.

By then, the situation that has just stabilized will once again fall into turmoil.

"General Su Meng, Shi Potian," Emperor Liu Sheng called out.

"We are here!" The two fierce generals immediately stepped forward.

"The two of you, lead ten thousand cavalry and set out immediately."

"Travel day and night to reach Chang'an first. You must hold Chang'an for me!"

"As you command!" The two accepted the order without the slightest hesitation and turned to assemble their troops.

Emperor Liu Sheng then looked at General Zhou Tong. "General Zhou Tong, you lead thirty thousand infantry and the artillery battalion to follow behind."

"The road to the northwest is rugged, unlike Jiangnan." "The transport of the Red-Coated Cannon is of the utmost importance and must not fail."

"This general understands!" General Zhou Tong also accepted the order and left.

Soon, only Emperor Liu Sheng and Superintendent Yu Huatian remained in the commander's mansion.

"Your Majesty, we have just pacified Jiangnan. The soldiers have been fighting for days and are exhausted." "Should we rest for a period before marching west?" Superintendent Yu Huatian asked with some concern.

Emperor Liu Sheng shook his head. "Speed is the essence of war." "The people of Xiliang will not give us time to rest."

"Moreover, Clan Head Wang Jing in the north is still waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves." "We must resolve the trouble in the northwest as quickly as possible."

"Then, we will return north to engage in a final decisive battle with Clan Head Wang Jing's main force."

He walked to the door of the commander's mansion and watched the setting sun sinking in the west. He knew that pacifying Jiangnan was only the beginning of this war to unify the world.

The road ahead remained long and bloody. The aristocratic clans of the northwest had colluded with the even more ferocious iron cavalry of Xiliang. The main force of the northern rebels was still entrenched near the capital region.

And as for the grasslands further north, now that they had lost his suppression as the God of Slaughter, would new ambitious individuals emerge? There was also the Chu State watching from the sidelines and the Japanese pirates eyeing them covetously.

The whole world was like a chess game that had not yet been finished. And he was the only one holding the chess pieces.

He could not stop, nor did he dare to stop. He had to sweep away all the disobedient pieces on the chessboard as quickly as possible. Then, he would establish a brand-new dynasty that truly belonged to him on this land.

"Pass down the order." "Three days from now, the main army will set out. Target: Chang'an!"

The fleet sailed upstream along the wide river. Emperor Liu Sheng stood at the bow of the flagship, the river breeze blowing his black cloak, making it snap in the wind.

Behind him were fifty thousand elite troops who had just experienced a great victory and were in high spirits.

The pacification of Jiangnan had gone even more smoothly than he had expected. The power of the Red-Coated Cannon and the Flintlock Musket had exceeded everyone's imagination.

This kind of dimensionality-reduction strike made so-called impregnable cities and human-wave tactics a joke.

In just over a month, he had swept away the aristocratic clans that had entrenched themselves in Jiangnan for hundreds of years, completing the preliminary integration of this wealthy land.

Now, he was leading this battle-hardened army, taking the waterway to Jingzhou, and from there transferring to the land route to march west and reinforce Chang'an.

His gaze looked far towards the Imperial Capital in the north. He knew that the capital must be celebrating nationwide because of his victory in the southern expedition. Emperor Zhao Heng should also be able to sleep soundly now.

But he did not dare to relax in the slightest. He knew very well that the victory in Jiangnan only solved a part of the internal troubles. The real threat came from the outside.

The iron cavalry of Xiliang was much harder to deal with than the private troops of those aristocratic clans in Jiangnan who only knew how to enjoy themselves. They were true battle-hardened soldiers, wolves raised on horseback.

And although the main force of the northern rebels had been blocked at the Baoding front, their numbers were still several times his own. Once the news of his western expedition spread, they might very well spare no cost to launch a frantic attack on the Imperial Capital.

Although the defense of the Imperial Capital had the contingency plans he had left behind, there were still huge risks. This was a race against time.

He had to defeat the coalition of Xiliang and the northwest before the Imperial Capital fell and stabilize the western front. Then, he would immediately return his troops to launch the final decisive battle against Clan Head Wang Jing's rebel army.

"Your Majesty." The figure of Superintendent Yu Huatian appeared behind him. "We have just received a secret report from the Western Depot sent back from the Chu State."

"After learning that we had captured Guling City, the King of Chu has ordered a suspension of all military operations moving north, choosing to wait and see."

"Very good." Emperor Liu Sheng nodded. This was within his expectations. The King of Chu was a smart man and also a cautious one. Before figuring out the details of the Red-Coated Cannon, he would never dare to easily go to war with him.

"This has bought us precious time," Emperor Liu Sheng said. "Pass an order to Minister of War Jiang Hai, telling him to send an envoy to the Chu State in the name of the imperial court."

"There is no need to discuss anything substantive; just wear them down and stall for time." "At the same time, have the newly appointed officials in Jiangnan immediately begin building new defensive fortifications on the southern border to create the illusion that we are preparing for a long-term standoff."

"As you command," Superintendent Yu Huatian responded. He then presented another secret report.

"Your Majesty, this is news from the north." "After learning of our great victory in the southern expedition, Clan Head Wang Jing and the others were greatly shocked, and different voices have already appeared within their ranks."

"The pro-war faction led by the Wang Clan of Langya advocates immediately abandoning Baoding, concentrating all forces, and sparing no cost to fiercely attack the Imperial Capital, taking the national capital while we are on the western expedition."

"And another part of the relatively weaker aristocratic clans have become fearful and have already begun to secretly send people to contact the capital, wanting to surrender."

"Oh?" A hint of a smile flashed in Emperor Liu Sheng's eyes. "They want to surrender so soon?" "There is no such cheap thing in the world." He sneered.

"Tell Minister of War Jiang Hai that he can negotiate with them." "But there is only one condition." "Offer the heads of the rebel leaders such as Clan Head Wang Jing." "Otherwise, no discussion." "I want their alliance to disintegrate from within."

Order after order was issued clearly and calmly from the mouth of Emperor Liu Sheng. He was like the most brilliant chess player, remotely controlling the entire world's chess game.

The Chu State in the south, the rebels in the north, the powerful enemies in the west, the Japanese pirates in the east... all forces had become pieces on his chessboard, and under his manipulation, they restrained and consumed each other.

And he himself, holding the "decisive move" of artillery that was enough to break the balance, walked on the chessboard, calm and unhurried.

Superintendent Yu Huatian looked at his master's back, his eyes filled with infinite reverence. He had never seen anyone who could play with such complex and critical world trends in the palm of their hand.

This was no longer just political maneuvering or military strategy. This was the power that only gods possessed.

The fleet continued to move forward. The river water surged and flowed ceaselessly. Emperor Liu Sheng's gaze pierced through the layers of mountains, as if seeing the ancient capital of Chang'an shrouded in the flames of war. He also saw the battlefield in the northern frontier waiting for him in the wind and snow.

This war to unify the world had only just begun. But there was not the slightest fear in his heart. There was only endless passion and fighting spirit.

"There will be times to ride the wind and cleave the waves, and set our cloud-white sails to cross the vast sea." He softly recited this line of poetry from another world.

Then, he turned around and issued a new order to the messenger behind him. "Pass the order to the whole army." "Speed up!"