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Under Afu's leadership and with the management of a large number of AI robots, Yanjing City is undergoing reconstruction and transformation at a speed that transcends the times.

On this day, Su Ning received a report in the Wuying Hall: Chen Jinnan, the leader of the Heaven and Earth Society, was requesting an audience outside the hall.

Su Ning was slightly surprised; the purpose of this chivalrous figure's visit at this time was self-evident.

"Invite him in."

A moment later, Chen Jinnan, still dressed in his blue robe, walked steadily into the hall.

His gaze swept over the simple yet efficient furnishings in the hall, finally settling on Su Ning, who sat upright in the main seat. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "This humble commoner, Chen Jinnan, greets Commander Su."

"Chief Chen, there's no need for such formalities. Please have a seat."

"Thank you for the seat, Commander Su."

"The Grand Master is not in the Southeast leading the Heaven and Earth Society members, but has traveled thousands of miles to my capital. What brings him here?"

"Commander Su is a man of few words, so I, Chen, will not beat around the bush either. Commander Su raised his army in Shandong, swept across the Central Plains, recovered the capital, and drove out the Tartars. His achievements will be remembered for generations to come. I, Chen, and the entire Heaven and Earth Society deeply admire him!"

"However, although the Tartars have been defeated, the Jiangnan region is not yet pacified. Remnants of the Qing dynasty still stubbornly resist in various places, ravaging the people. Our Heaven and Earth Society has been rooted in Jiangnan for decades, with members spread throughout the region. We are familiar with the local conditions and have countless patriots willing to die for the cause of restoration. Today, we have come here to request a batch of weapons from Commander Su to arm our members, cooperate with the royal army, and jointly wipe out the remaining enemy, so as to restore a bright and peaceful world to the people of Jiangnan as soon as possible!"

"Purchasing weapons?" Su Ning leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Chen Jinnan. "Chief Chen, where do you intend to use these weapons to attack? What are the specific targets?"

Chen Jinnan met Su Ning's gaze and explained with a determined expression, "Naturally, they are the remnants of the Manchu Qing dynasty in various parts of Jiangnan! I intend to personally go to Jiangnan to unite the members of our society, conquer cities and territories, and completely eradicate the Manchu forces in order to fulfill the long-cherished wish of our Heaven and Earth Society to 'overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming'!"

"Overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming..." Su Ning couldn't help but repeat these four words softly, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips. "Chief Chen, your information may be a bit outdated. Now, my Red Flag Army has basically controlled Jiangbei, and most of Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Beizhili, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu have been pacified. The remaining Qing troops are just scattered bandits, and I believe they can be completely wiped out soon."

Su Ning stood up and walked to the huge hanging map, pointing south of the Yangtze River and explaining, "As for the remnants of the Manchu Qing dynasty in Jiangnan, they are already trapped like turtles in a jar, grasshoppers in autumn. My Red Flag Army has a million strong troops, well-trained and well-supplied, and it is only a matter of time before we sweep through Jiangnan. Eliminating the remaining enemies in Jiangnan is the responsibility of my Red Flag Army, and it is also within the capabilities of my Red Flag Army. There is no need for the brothers of the Heaven and Earth Society to worry about it, much less for you to 'conquer cities and seize territories'."

Chen Jinnan frowned slightly. The assertiveness and exclusivity in Su Ning's words made him feel uneasy.

However, Chen Jinnan still looked sincerely at Su Ning and said, "General Su, you are mistaken. With more strength, we can recover our lost territories sooner, and the people will suffer less. My Heaven and Earth Society..."

"Chief Chen!" Su Ning interrupted Chen Jinnan, his voice filled with unquestionable authority. "Let me speak frankly! In the future, there can only be one voice, one order on this land of China. That is the new order established by my Red Flag Army! 'Overthrowing the Qing' is now nearly complete; and 'restoring the Ming'..."

"The fate of the Ming Dynasty has run its course; this is a consensus throughout the land. Our Red Flag Army fought valiantly to conquer this vast empire, not to benefit others. There will never be another emperor with the surname Zhu in this world."

Chen Jinnan's expression changed instantly, and he stood up abruptly, "Commander Su! You..."

"Considering that Chief Chen is also a patriot who resisted the Qing Dynasty, I, the commander, would like to offer you a few words of advice. Either disband the Heaven and Earth Society, and if any talented members are willing to serve, I can employ them according to their abilities. Or... take your core members and go overseas, such as to Southeast Asia or Luzon, where you may be able to find a place to settle down and continue your ideals."

"But this ancestral land of China no longer has room for the Heaven and Earth Society to survive."

There was dead silence in the hall.

Chen Jinnan's chest heaved, his face a mixture of pale and ashen.

To everyone's surprise, Suning's attitude was so firm and resolute.

Not only did it prohibit the sale of arms, it also directly denied the foundation of the Heaven and Earth Society's existence and its future path.

A sense of desolation and anger, as if an ideal might be completely shattered, instantly welled up in my heart.

"Commander Su... is this a case of discarding the bow after the birds are all gone, and cooking the dog after the rabbit is dead?" Chen Jinnan's voice trembled slightly.

Su Ning remained expressionless. "It's not that we're putting away our tools after we've used them all, but rather that our paths are different, and we cannot work together. My path is to create a new world; your path is to restore the old dynasty. How can fire and water coexist?"

Chen Jinnan stared intently at Su Ning for a long time before taking a deep breath.

Forcibly suppressing his anger, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "In that case, I, Chen, will take my leave! Commander Su, take care of yourself!"

Having said that, he turned around abruptly, his blue robe fluttering in the wind.

Filled with resentment and disappointment, he strode away from the Wuying Hall.

Watching Chen Jinnan's departing figure, Su Ning's eyes remained completely unmoved.

Under the new order, underworld forces like the Heaven and Earth Society, with their clear political demands and tight organization, can only be unstable factors that must be eliminated.

Accepting amnesty may bring temporary stability, but in the long run, it will bring endless hidden dangers.

Rather than causing trouble later, it's better to nip their hopes in the bud now.

Therefore, the negotiations with Chen Jinnan were destined to end in discord.

This also suggests that in the process of unifying Jiangnan, the Red Flag Army may not only have to face the remnants of the Qing Dynasty, but also deal with these potential adversaries who also used "anti-Qing" as a slogan but harbored different political motives.

The path to unifying China is destined to be fraught with difficulties.

……

Chen Jinnan quietly returned to the headquarters of the Heaven and Earth Society, located at the border of Zhili and Henan provinces.

Upon learning of the return of the Grand Master, the leaders of each branch and the core members gathered around, eager to know the outcome of their journey north.

When Chen Jinnan recounted his meeting with Su Ning and Su Ning's cold-blooded remarks about "disbanding the Heaven and Earth Society or going overseas" and "there is no space for the Heaven and Earth Society to survive in China," the main hall of the headquarters, which had been filled with anticipation, was instantly ignited!
"What?! How dare Su Ning do this!"

"Outrageous! We have been fighting against the Qing for decades, while Su Ning has only raised an army for a few years! How dare he so disrespect the Heaven and Earth Society!"

"Once the birds are all gone, the bow is put away; once the rabbit is dead, the hound is put away! This Suning is even more tyrannical than the Tartars!"

"Chief! How can we swallow this insult!"

The crowd was filled with indignation, especially after recalling the Red Flag Army's three-day bombardment of Yanjing, which resulted in heavy losses for the Heaven and Earth Society's strongholds in the capital region and the deaths of many brothers. The old and new grudges intertwined, bringing the people's animosity towards Su Ning and the Red Flag Army to its peak.

Master Guan, Li Lishi, slammed his fist on the table, his hair and beard standing on end. "Hmph! Just because Suning won't sell, does that mean we're helpless? We may not have guns and cannons, but we still have swords and spears, and we still have our fighting spirit! Let's fight them!"

Chen Jinnan sat in the main seat, his face somber, and raised his hand to quell the commotion among the crowd.

How could he not be angry?
Su Ning's attitude was tantamount to completely negating the decades of struggle and sacrifice of the Heaven and Earth Society, and cutting off their future on this land.

But as the leader of the sect, he had the lives and fortunes of tens of thousands of members on his shoulders, and he could not act on impulse like his subordinates.

"Brothers, calm down!" Chen Jinnan's voice was steady, but he could not hide his fatigue and heaviness. "Su Ning is a man of great talent and ambition, ruthless and vicious, and he also has a strong army and sharp firearms. Now he is riding the wave of his great victory and controls the north. His power is at its peak. To fight him head-on is no different from throwing an egg against a rock."

"Although we brothers of the Heaven and Earth Society are not afraid of death, we must not make unnecessary sacrifices. Su Ning is unwilling to sell weapons, and we are indeed helpless for the time being."

Just then, a ruthless and adventurous glint flashed in Xu Tianchuan's eyes.

He stepped forward and suggested in a low voice, "Chief, brothers! If Su Ning won't sell, can't we just go and 'get' it ourselves?" All eyes immediately focused on him.

Xu Tianchuan continued, "According to reports from our spies in Beijing, the Red Flag Army has several large armories in the suburbs of Beijing, storing massive amounts of guns and ammunition! Although the defenses are tight, they are not without loopholes. We can select a group of skilled men to launch a night raid on the armories when they are not paying attention! As long as we can seize a batch of weapons, our Heaven and Earth Society will be able to upgrade from rags to cannons immediately!"

Xu Tianchuan became more and more excited as he spoke, his face flushed. "When we have the weapons, we might just be able to fight the Red Flag Army in the capital! Even if we don't succeed, we can still turn the world upside down and show everyone that our Heaven and Earth Society is not to be trifled with! We'll also let Su Ning know that he doesn't call the shots in this world!"

This audacious, even insane, plan made the hearts of many hot-blooded men present race and feel incredibly relieved.

"Brother Xu is right!"

"Let's do it! Steal it from the motherfucker!"

However, Chen Jinnan's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. "Xu Tianchuan! Shut up! This proposal is absolutely unacceptable!"

The sound was like thunder, instantly silencing the restless crowd.

Chen Jinnan's gaze was sharp as lightning. He glared fiercely at Xu Tianchuan, then scanned the entire room.

"Attack the Red Flag Army's armory? Do you know what that means? It means we've officially declared war on the Red Flag Army! It means we'll be facing a full-scale encirclement and annihilation by hundreds of thousands of well-equipped, battle-hardened Red Flag Army troops!"

"Our Heaven and Earth Society's mission is 'to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming,' not to fight amongst ourselves with Han Chinese armies! Even if Su Ning is domineering, he is still a Han Chinese, and he ultimately overthrew the Manchu Qing! If we attack his armory now, what will we become in the eyes of the world? We will be sinners who sabotage the restoration! We will be bandits who instigate internal strife for our own selfish interests!"

“Moreover,” Chen Jinnan’s tone softened slightly, but remained heavy, “Su Ning is a cunning and ruthless man. The capital is now his heartland, and the armory is such a vital location. How could it not be heavily guarded and meticulously prepared? Do you think we can succeed with just a few people? This is not an adventure, it's suicide! It's sending thousands of brothers in our society to their deaths!”

"You haven't seen it. Yanjing is now a huge construction site, with high-rise buildings and official roads being built everywhere. Our Heaven and Earth Society is no match for the Red Flag Army."

Xu Tianchuan was so embarrassed by the reprimand that he stammered and dared not say another word.

The other indignant leaders also calmed down, and upon reflection, they couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

The Grand Master is right. That would be tantamount to suicide and would completely destroy the reputation and foundation of the Heaven and Earth Society.

A heavy silence fell over the lobby once again.

The anger still burned in their hearts, but the cold reality left them helpless.

Looking at the demoralized crowd, Chen Jinnan sighed, "Let's put this matter aside for now! Let me think about it some more... Perhaps we really should consider other options."

"Yes, Master."

At this moment, Chen Jinnan's gaze turned southward, filled with deep confusion and heaviness.

Suning has blocked their path in mainland China. Is overseas really the only option?
But where should the ideal of "overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming" be placed?
……

Order in Yanjing is gradually returning to normal, and good news from the western front is frequently coming back.

Just as Suning was focused on internal affairs and the next strategic plan, a document from Yunnan was delivered to his desk through an extremely formal channel.

The messenger's identity was even more special...

Wu Yingxiong was the son of Wu Sangui, the Prince of Pingxi.

Inside the Wuying Hall, Su Ning sat upright, looking down at the young man below who was dressed in brocade robes, trying hard to maintain his composure, but whose eyes could not hide a trace of unease and arrogance.

Following the old custom, Wu Yingxiong bowed to Su Ning, saying, "Wu Yingxiong, the heir of the Prince of Pingxi, has come to pay my respects to Commander Su on the orders of my father, to discuss important matters concerning the world."

Su Ning remained calm. "Your Highness has come from afar; you must be tired. May I ask what instructions the Prince of Pingxi may offer?"

Wu Yingxiong cleared his throat and took out a sealed letter with sealing wax from his pocket.

Then, an attendant presented the document to Su Ning, saying loudly, "General Su raised an army in the north, swept away the Tartars, and recovered the capital. His military achievements are illustrious. My father, hearing of this in Yunnan, was also deeply impressed. Now, the general trend of the world is clear: the fate of the Qing Dynasty is sealed. However, the Jiangnan region is crisscrossed by waterways, with strong cities and wealthy people. The remaining Tartars and local forces are deeply entrenched, and clearing them out will likely be no easy task, only wasting military strength and time."

Wu Yingxiong paused, observing Su Ning's expression.

Seeing that he made no response, he continued to state his father's core intention: "My father's idea is that our two families join hands and divide this land of China. The Yangtze River will be the boundary. The land north of the river will belong entirely to Commander Su; while the land south of the river will be the responsibility of our three vassal kings to send troops to wipe out the remaining enemies and pacify the people. From then on, we will govern separately along the river. Commander Su will be emperor in the north, and my father, along with the two princes Shang and Geng, will jointly govern the south. The two countries will be on good terms and the war will be over forever. In this way, we can avoid bloodshed and bring peace to the world sooner. It is truly a perfect plan!"

After saying this, Wu Yingxiong straightened his back slightly.

They seemed to think the suggestion was reasonable, even carrying a hint of "charity"...

After all, the three feudatories were willing to solve the problems in Jiangnan for the Red Flag Army.

However, after listening to this "profound" statement, Su Ning, who was sitting above, had a slight twitch in his facial muscles.

I was stunned for a moment, and then an extremely absurd and funny feeling welled up in my heart, and I almost couldn't help but laugh out loud on the spot.

Divide the country along the Yangtze River and rule it? Does Wu Sangui even deserve that title?

Suppressing his absurd laughter, his gaze suddenly sharpened like a knife. "Young Master Wu, are you and your father, the Prince of Pingxi, still dreaming of being granted land and ruling a corner of the country? Haven't you woken up yet?"

Wu Yingxiong turned pale at the blunt question. "General Su, what makes you say that? This is a wise strategy to avoid endless war and benefit the people! Jiangnan..."

"Enough! Listen to me carefully, and go back and tell Wu Sangui exactly what happened!"

"First of all, this world belongs to China, not to any one family or clan, much less to any commodity that can be bargained over! To divide the territory is to be a traitor to the nation, and I, Su Ning, would never stoop to such a thing!"

"..."

Su Ning suddenly stood up, looking down at Wu Yingxiong, whose face was pale and who was trembling slightly. "Go back and tell Wu Sangui to give up those unrealistic fantasies! Either he binds himself, pleads guilty, disbands his troops, and awaits the court's judgment, and may save his life; or he washes his throat clean and waits for the Red Flag Army's battle flag to be planted on the walls of Kunming! Divide the country along the river? A fool's dream!"

"see a visitor out!"

Su Ning flicked his sleeves, turned his back, and refused to look at Wu Yingxiong again.

Two burly guards immediately stepped forward and made a "please" gesture to the distraught Wu Yingxiong, their posture firm.

Wu Yingxiong opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something,
But under Su Ning's cold and resolute back and the guards' sharp gaze, he ultimately couldn't say anything.

They had no choice but to slink out of the Wuying Hall, almost staggering.

The hall returned to calm.

Su Ning gazed at the clear sky outside the palace, her eyes cold.

...(End of chapter)