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

Lu Zuo stood by the window of the Imperial Study, watching the last withered leaf twirl and fall, his eyes as deep as a cold pool.

The sound of Li Wenyuan and Shen Gai's footsteps had long since disappeared into the corridor outside the palace, but the complex expressions on their faces—shock, fear, and hesitation—seemed to still be vivid in my mind's eye.

"Your Majesty, are you worried about the garlic fields?"

A soft voice came from behind. Li Qingzhao approached, carrying a freshly brewed cup of tea; the hem of her palace dress brushed against the gleaming gold-brick floor almost silently.

Lu Zuo didn't turn around, but gazed at the darkening sky outside the window: "Qingzhao, tell me, how much of the land held by the powerful families in this world is truly clean?"

Li Qingzhao gently placed the teacup on the table and remained silent for a moment: "When I was young, I accompanied my father to serve as an official in the local area, and I saw too much."

"Loans were issued during years of famine, with interest compounding, eventually forcing farmers to sign land deeds."

"They colluded with clerks and officials to tamper with the land registers, transferring unclaimed wasteland and even farmland under their own names."

"Even worse, some use the guise of 'donation' to actually seize property..."

"Among ten households, it would be rare if even one household had land acquired honestly."

Lu Zuo turned around, his gaze falling on her face: "Yes."

"But these fields have sustained their wealth for generations, fostered their arrogance, and emboldened them to negotiate with the imperial court."

He walked behind the imperial desk and sat down, his fingers unconsciously tapping the smooth rosewood tabletop: "The Jin army has just suffered a defeat, and Wanyan Zongbi is dead. The north should have at least three years of peace."

"Qin Hui's cronies have been almost completely purged, and the court has been initially stabilized."

"With the new army in hand, the hearts of the martial world are won over; the Jianghuai camp is as solid as a rock; and the Imperial City Guard has eyes and ears everywhere..."

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: "If we don't seize this opportunity to sever those deeply entrenched cancerous tumors, we won't have another chance like this in the next ten years."

Li Qingzhao felt a slight tremor in her heart; she understood the lingering murderous intent in the emperor's words.

"Your Majesty wishes to..."

"It's not just about buying land." Lu Zuo's voice turned cold. "I want to use this matter to uproot those parasites that are sucking the blood of the people."

He picked up his pen, spread out a specially made patterned paper, and began to write. His handwriting was strong and bold, carrying an undeniable determination:

"Lu Mang, listen to the decree: The net of heaven and earth shall be set in motion immediately to closely monitor the reactions of wealthy households in various regions to the imperial edict on purchasing land."

"Anyone who conspires, disobeys orders, incites popular uprisings, or bribes officials will be assassinated once the evidence is conclusive, without needing to report it."

After writing it down, he stamped it with that secret mark and private seal known only to a very few people.

"And Lin'an." Lu Zuo took another piece of paper and wrote: Yang Tiexin, Guo Xiaotian, the new army camp will fully cooperate with the court in purchasing land.

Those who resist, regardless of their status, should be suppressed by force.

If anyone dares to gather a crowd and resist with weapons...

He paused slightly, the ink seeping deeply into the paper: No mercy.

The two sealed letters were sealed with sealing wax. Lu Zuo handed them to Li Qingzhao: "Have the most reliable means of communication within the Inner Palace Bureau send them out by express courier, 800 li away."

"One copy for the reckless, and one copy for the new army camp in Lin'an."

Li Qingzhao accepted the gift with both hands, saying, "Your Majesty..."

"What if... what if even members of the royal family or descendants of nobles resist?"

Lu Zuo looked up at her: "Qingzhao, you've read history books."

"It should be known that in the middle of every dynasty, land annexation is the most fatal festering sore."

"If you don't cut it off, it will eventually rot all over its body."

"Now I have a knife in my hand, and the opportunity; why not cut it out?"

Li Qingzhao's eyes were clear: "Your Majesty, I understand. I will make the arrangements immediately."

Lu Zuo walked back to the window. Night had completely fallen, and lights were being lit up in various parts of the palace.

"Whoever blocks my path, I will step over their corpses."

......

Ten days later, in Qinghefang, west of Lin'an City.

A sprawling mansion sits in the best location within the neighborhood, with vermilion gates, high walls, and majestic stone lions.

Although the plaque hanging above the door is quite old, the six large characters "Imperial Decree to Build Yongning Earl's Mansion" painted in gold lacquer are still eye-catching.

This title was bestowed by Emperor Taizong during his reign and is hereditary. The current Earl of Yongning, Zhao Youxiang, is the fifth generation to hold it.

As noon approached, the side gate of the Earl's residence creaked open, and two people were almost roughly "invited" out.

The man in the lead was about thirty years old and wore a blue official robe; he was Zhou Qin, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Revenue.

His face was flushed, and the dust on his official robe was still clinging to it from the shoving. He clutched a land deed that had never been opened, his fingers turning white from the force.

Following closely behind was Sun Jing, the military advisor of the Lin'an Prefecture Household Department. He wasn't pushed, but his face was equally grim. He kept bowing and making obeisances towards the door, only to be met with a loud slamming of the door shut.

"Bang!"

The side door was tightly closed, keeping the two of them out.

Zhou Qin stared at the tightly closed vermilion door, his chest heaving violently.

He recalled the confident scene when he arrived this morning, carrying official documents from the imperial court. According to His Majesty's calculation of "50% of the market price," the Yongning Marquis's estate had a total of 2,300 mu of fertile land under the jurisdiction of Lin'an Prefecture, nearly half of which were top-grade paddy fields.

He had thought that even if the other party was unwilling, they would at least give him some face and sit down to talk, out of respect for the imperial court and His Majesty's recent great victory in the Jianghuai region.

But he didn't even get to see the Earl.

He was received by the head steward of the Earl's mansion, a plump, round-faced old man in his fifties. He spoke politely, but his words were like knives:

"Master Zhou, it's not that I'm being disrespectful to the imperial court."

"Indeed... Lord Marquis instructed that these fields were bestowed upon our ancestor by Emperor Taizong to commend him for his meritorious service in accompanying the emperor on the conquest of Taiyuan."

"Every acre of land is a testament to the Emperor's boundless grace and the foundation upon which the Zhao family's descendants live and thrive."

"How can you just sell it like that?"

"Besides, this price..."

The head steward twirled his fingers, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "Fifty percent of the market price?"

"Master Zhou, you are also a scholar, you should know that the term 'market price' is different at different times."

"Now that the Northern Expedition has been a great success, the imperial court is awe-inspiring throughout the land, and the price of land in Jiangnan is sure to rise."

"You're offering a 50% discount based on the price from three years ago... Haha, that's really unreasonable."

"The Lord said that if the imperial court is truly in trouble and needs money, the manor can donate."

"One thousand taels, or two thousand taels? It's negotiable."

"But this field..."

"I cannot comply with the legacy of our ancestors."

Zhou Qin argued forcefully, even bringing up the charge of "obstructing the Northern Expedition," personally established by His Majesty. The head steward's smile finally faded; he picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam.

"Master Zhou, you flatter me."

"Lord Earl has received the Emperor's favor for generations and is loyal to the court and His Majesty. These accusations of 'obstructing the Northern Expedition' and 'treason' cannot be arbitrarily leveled."

"Please return now. I have matters to attend to at the manor, so I won't linger any longer."

Then, they were politely but firmly "invited" out.

"Zhou, Manager Zhou..."

Sun Jing cautiously spoke up, sweat beading on his forehead: "I told you before, the Yongning Marquis's mansion is no ordinary place."

"Although his family has no real power, their noble title is still there, and they are a distant branch of Emperor Taizong's lineage. They have been operating in Lin'an for a hundred years, and their connections are very deep. Even the prefect has to be polite to the Earl."

"Should we...should we go back first and discuss this further?"

"A longer-term plan?" Zhou Qin suddenly turned to look at him: "Military Advisor Sun, before leaving the capital, Minister Li personally instructed us that this matter concerns the Northern Expedition and the lives of the displaced people; His Majesty is watching closely!"

"Within one month, Lin'an Prefecture must hand over at least 50,000 mu of official garlic fields!"

"Now that we can't even secure the 2,300 mu of land from the Yongning Marquis's estate, which of the other large, hesitant buyers will give in?"

He recalled that on the night before he left the capital, Minister Li Wenyuan summoned him to his study.

That night, the usually mild-mannered boss had an unprecedentedly grave expression, repeatedly instructing, "Ziqin, this matter is of utmost importance."

"His Majesty's mind is made up, and his methods... will be extremely ruthless."

"Your journey to Lin'an is both a pioneering effort and a testing ground for your skills."

"When you encounter difficulties, don't try to tough it out. Remember, you have someone to rely on."

backing……

Zhou Qin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and humiliation surging in his chest.

He straightened his clothes and said to Sun Jing, "Don't go back to the government office. Let's leave the city and go to the New Army camp."

Sun Jing was taken aback: "The new army camp?"

"Master Zhou, this...this is local government affairs. How can the army interfere? It's against the rules!"

"Incompatible with regulations?" Zhou Qin sneered. "His Majesty's edict states, 'Those who dare not sell will be punished for deceiving the emperor, obstructing the Northern Expedition, and treason.' Do you think it's just a joke?"

"Walk!"

......

Half an hour later, in the west of Lin'an City.

It was afternoon, and the sounds of battle filled the training ground.

Sun Jing followed behind Zhou Qin, and his legs felt a little weak when he entered the gate.

He had been to military camps before, but the atmosphere of this new army was completely different.

There was none of the laxity and noise commonly found in ordinary military camps.

On the drill ground, squads of soldiers were practicing, their movements perfectly synchronized. The wind howled as their spears thrust forward, and dust billowed as their footsteps pounded the ground, yet strangely, they maintained a certain rhythm.

Every soldier had an almost ruthless focus on their face.

What alarmed him even more was that these soldiers were significantly more robust than the ordinary imperial guards, with sharp eyes and many of them having bulging muscles and veins on their arms.

In one corner of the training ground, about a hundred people were practicing a strange martial art.

The movements are fierce and domineering, the punches are like cannons and the kicks are like axes. The muffled sounds of fists and feet colliding during sparring can be heard from a great distance.

Sun Jing witnessed a soldier punch a wooden stake wrapped in thick cowhide, and the stake cracked instantly!

"This...this is..." Sun Jing's voice trembled.

The officer leading the way glanced at him and said calmly, "The Foundation Establishment Chapter of the 'Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill' bestowed by His Majesty."

"If you practice well, your strength will increase quickly."

Sun Jing's Adam's apple bobbed, and he dared not ask any more questions.

The central command tent was located at the highest point of the camp. In the open space in front of the tent stood a large flag with a black background and red characters, in which the sharp character "Yang" fluttered in the wind. In front of the slightly smaller tent next to it was a flag with the character "Guo".

After the announcement, Zhou Qin and Sun Jing were led into Yang Tiexin's tent.

The tent was simply furnished with a table, a map, several chairs, and long spears and hard bows on a weapons rack.

Yang Tiexin and Guo Xiaotian were not wearing armor, only ordinary clothes, but their seasoned battlefield experience and military power still exuded a chilling aura.

Zhou Qin explained his purpose and gave a detailed report on the matter of the Yongning Marquis's residence. He concluded by saying, "This humble official is of low status and his words carry little weight. The Marquis's residence refuses to see me."

"However, the land purchase decree was a national policy personally decided by His Majesty, which is related to the grand plan of the Northern Expedition and the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of displaced people."

"Lin'an Prefecture is the most virtuous place. If the Yongning Marquis's Mansion takes the lead in resisting, the other wealthy families will surely watch and follow suit."

"At that time, not only will the garlic fields be difficult to harvest, but the prestige of the imperial court will also be damaged."

"This humble official humbly requests that the two commanders dispatch troops to quell the unrest and uphold the law!"

Yang Tiexin listened quietly, his face expressionless, while Guo Xiaotian's brows were furrowed and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked.

After Zhou Qin finished speaking, Guo Xiaotian slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and stood up abruptly: "Outrageous!"

"What utter nonsense about the Earl of Yongning!"

"Does he really think nobody knows how he acquired his land?!"

He looked at Yang Tiexin and said angrily, "Six years ago, a great flood occurred in Qiantang County, Lin'an Prefecture, which breached the dikes and submerged countless farmlands."

"At that time, some people reported that the Yongning Marquis's Mansion colluded with county officials to falsify the land registers for all the land that was left unclaimed after the disaster, and even the land belonging to some farmers who had only temporarily left home to avoid the disaster, and put it under their own names!"

"The prefect wanted to investigate at the time, but it was suppressed by his superiors and ultimately nothing came of it!"

"Two thousand three hundred acres? I bet at least half of that came from such illicit farming!"

Yang Tiexin then slowly spoke: "That's not all."

"When investigating Qin Hui's cronies, the files sent by the Imperial City Guard mentioned that the Yongning Earl's Mansion had offered Qin Hui three thousand taels of gold in exchange for his relatives in the Ministry of Revenue to sell several properties of land belonging to officials who should have been confiscated to the government at a low price."

He stood up and walked to the map of Lin'an Prefecture hanging on the tent wall: "Your Majesty's implementation of new policies, such as using public works as relief to resettle displaced people, is a benevolent policy that rebuilds the nation and wins the hearts of the people."

"Acquiring land is not only to ensure the supply of military medical materials, but also a good opportunity to re-clarify land ownership and curb land annexation."

"These wealthy families enjoy all the privileges afforded by the imperial court, yet they refuse to contribute a single penny when the country is in crisis, and they become even more greedy when the people are suffering."

"Now that His Majesty has shown them some decency and allowed them to take the money and leave, they still dare to be so arrogant..."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping sharply over Zhou Qin and Sun Jing: "Manager Zhou, are you sure they refuse to sell, and that their attitude is arrogant and leaves no room for negotiation?"

Zhou Qin stated unequivocally: "Absolutely no room for negotiation!"

"The steward of the Earl's mansion made it clear that the land was a gift from our ancestors and would never be sold."

"When I mentioned the laws and regulations of the imperial court, the other party threatened me with my rank and connections."

"Alright." Yang Tiexin nodded and shouted towards the outside of the tent, "Pass on the order!"

A bodyguard entered in response.

"The first commander of the left battalion ordered 1,000 infantrymen, armored and carrying crossbows, to assemble at the camp gate in 25 minutes."

"Yes, sir!"

The guards quickly left.

Yang Tiexin looked at Guo Xiaotian: "Brother, you stay and guard the camp."

"I will lead my troops to the Yongning Marquis's residence."

Guo Xiaotian said urgently, "I'll go too!"

"No need," Yang Tiexin waved his hand. "Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

"Zhou, the Chief Clerk, and Sun, the Military Advisor, please accompany the army and serve as witnesses."

Zhou Qin's spirits lifted, and he bowed deeply: "Your humble servant obeys!"

Sun Jing's face had turned pale, and his back was covered in cold sweat.

He hadn't expected that these two commanders would be so decisive, mobilizing troops without saying a word!

That's the Yongning Marquis's residence!

But looking at Yang Tiexin's expressionless yet chilling face, he dared not utter a single word.

Two quarters of an hour later, a thousand infantrymen stood in solemn formation.

Yang Tiexin changed into a set of light black armor, covered by a scarlet cloak, and mounted his horse.

"Set off."