The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

"This humble general, Chen Youde, greets Your Majesty the Imperial Envoy! Your Highness, may you live a thousand years!" Chen Youde and the others dared not be negligent and quickly bowed in greeting.

Soldiers, officials, and gentry around them also knelt down.

"Please rise, everyone." Yun Jin's voice was somewhat hoarse, yet clear and strong. "Where is General Yang?"

"Your Highness, Commander Yang... is bedridden and unable to get up, so he specially ordered us to come and welcome Your Highness," Chen Youde hurriedly replied.

"Take me to see Commander Yang." Yun Jin said firmly, her gaze sweeping over the slightly chaotic scene at the dock and the undisguised weariness and suspicion on the faces of the generals.

"Deputy Commander Chen, have the rebels made any unusual moves today?"

"There's no large-scale attack yet, but scouts are coming in frequently, suggesting a larger offensive is brewing," Chen Youde replied, leading the way while glancing at the mere thousand men behind Yun Jin. "Your Highness, is this all you've brought..."

"The quality of soldiers is more important than the quantity," Yun Jin interrupted him, continuing on her way.

"The defense of a city relies on its walls, the hearts of its people, and discipline. I have come here on imperial orders to inspect the city, to help you stabilize the morale of the troops, to ascertain the strength of the rebels, and to cut off their masterminds, not to compete with the rebels in numbers."

She paused, then looked at Chen Youde.

"General Chen, you have endured ten days of hardship defending the city. The soldiers fought bravely, and Anqing was not lost, which is a great achievement. When I entered the city, I saw corpses piled up outside the city walls, and the rebels also suffered heavy casualties. It is clear that the rebels are not invincible. The key lies in whether the people in the city are united, whether orders are communicated effectively, and whether rewards and punishments are clearly defined."

Her words acknowledged the hard work of the defending troops, subtly warned them, and pointed out the biggest problem at present.

People's hearts, discipline, and orders.

Chen Youde was slightly shaken and quickly said, "Your Highness is wise. However... the rebels are powerful and well-equipped, especially with a type of crossbow that has an extremely long range and strong armor-piercing ability, posing a great threat to our army. In addition, there are..." He hesitated before continuing.

"How is the city?" Yun Jin pressed.

"...The food supplies can last for more than a month, but there is a shortage of medicine and many wounded soldiers. Moreover..." Chen Youde gritted his teeth and said in a low voice.

"Among the generals, there are many complaints due to the defeat at Jiujiang and the lack of hope for reinforcements. It is even possible that some of them are secretly passing messages to people outside the city."

"Oh?" A cold glint flashed in Yun Jin's eyes. "General Chen, do you have any evidence?"

"This... there is no concrete evidence yet, it's just hearsay. But the defeat at Jiujiang was suspicious. Zhang Kui's troops collapsed at the first touch, leaving the gates wide open..." Chen Youde glanced at a general beside him with a grim face, who was none other than Zhang Kui, the deputy general who had retreated from Jiujiang.

Zhang Kui's face flushed red: "Chen Youde! What do you mean?! Jiujiang fell because the rebels were too powerful, and there were even inside agents who opened the city gates! I fought valiantly, sustaining numerous wounds, just to escape! How dare you make such baseless accusations?!"

"Whether you're slandering someone or not, you know best!" another general said sarcastically. "I heard that Vice General Zhang and that Feng Kun are old acquaintances in Jiujiang..."

They were about to start arguing.

"Enough!" Yun Jin suddenly shouted sharply. Her voice was not loud, but it carried a cold and imposing aura that instantly silenced the arguing generals.

Her gaze was sharp as she slowly swept over Zhang Kui and the others: "With a formidable enemy at hand, instead of working together to defend against them, you're distrusting each other and shirking responsibility. What kind of behavior is this?!"

I will investigate how Jiujiang fell and who the traitor's inside agent was!

But right now, holding Anqing is the top priority!

Anyone who dares to disrupt morale or incite the soldiers again, regardless of who they are, will be dealt with according to military law, without any leniency!

Holding the imperial sword, she had the power to act first and report later, and once she said this, no one dared to make a sound.

"Deputy Commander Chen, lead the way to see Commander Yang. Commander Zhou and Commander Zhao, you two take your men and accompany me. Military Advisor Han, send the 'medicinal herbs' and 'new crossbow bolts' we brought to the wounded soldiers' camp and the armory for immediate deployment." Yun Jin's series of orders quickly put her in control of the situation.

"yes!"

Everyone obeyed respectfully. Zhang Kui and the others' expressions shifted, and they lowered their heads in silence.

On the way to the backyard of the government office, Yun Jin whispered to Zhou Bo and Zhao Jianing, "When we entered the city, I noticed that the morale of the garrison was low and their defenses were lax. Zhang Kui's eyes were shifty; he's definitely suspicious. Have Mr. Yin's men been placed in the city?"

"Yes," Zhou Bo replied in a low voice.

"The 'Diting' organization has a mole in Anqing. It has been preliminarily determined that when Zhang Kui was in Jiujiang, one of his trusted captains had a past relationship with Feng Kun."

On the night Jiujiang fell, it was that captain who was on duty at the west gate.

However, the captain had already died in the chaos of battle, leaving no way to corroborate the story. Furthermore, several grain merchants and pharmacies within the city have recently been involved in unexplained financial transactions, suggesting possible connections with those outside the city.

"Keep an eye on Jin Kui and those shops. Obtain evidence," Yun Jin said coldly. "In chaotic times, harsh measures are necessary; to defend a city, an iron fist is required. How can we defend against external enemies without first eliminating internal threats?"

"clear."

The group arrived at the backyard of the government office.

The bedroom was filled with the strong smell of medicine. Yang Sichang, the Governor-General of Liangjiang and the General Who Conquers the South, lay on the couch, his face as pale as paper and his breath weak. When he saw Yun Jin enter, he struggled to sit up, but Yun Jin held him down.

"General Yang, there's no need for such formalities. Take good care of yourself." Yun Jin sat down by the couch, her tone softening.

"This old minister...is incompetent, having lost troops and territory, failing Your Majesty's grace...and causing Your Highness to personally venture into dangerous places..." Yang Sichang said, tears streaming down his face, his voice choked with emotion.

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war, Commander Yang, there's no need to blame yourself too much," Yun Jin comforted him.

"The most urgent task is to stabilize Anqing and dampen the enemy's momentum."

I have brought some new weapons with me, which may be able to counter the rebels' powerful crossbows.

Furthermore, it brought His Majesty's decree that all soldiers who had rendered meritorious service in defending the city would be generously rewarded.

Anyone who colludes with the enemy, betrays the country, or retreats in the face of battle shall be executed without pardon!

Please rest assured and recover from your illness, General Yang. The defense of the city will temporarily be overseen by me and Vice Commander Chen. We will ensure that Anqing is not lost.

Upon hearing "His Majesty's decree," a glimmer of light appeared in Yang Sichang's eyes, and he nodded emphatically: "With Your Highness here... this old minister... is at ease... everything... is left to Your Highness's decision..."

After appeasing Yang Sichang, Yun Jin went to the main hall of the front office and summoned all the city's generals and important civil officials, officially taking over the defense as an imperial envoy.

The first thing she did was not to give orders, but to have people bring over several wooden crates and open them.

Inside were gleaming silver, gleaming gold ingots, and mountains of copper coins.

At the same time, there were also several sets of brand-new armor and crossbows that were clearly much better than the standard equipment of the garrison.

"These are the silver coins I brought from the capital, specially approved by His Majesty, to reward the soldiers who have rendered meritorious service in defending the city, totaling fifty thousand taels!" Yun Jin's clear voice echoed throughout the hall.

"All those who bravely fight the enemy, remain wounded but do not retreat, or offer meritorious strategies will be rewarded! I hereby swear that on the day the city is defended, all soldiers who participate in the battle will receive double pay! Those who achieve merit by beheading enemies will be rewarded three times the amount according to the old court regulations! Those who die in battle will receive generous compensation, and their sons will be given priority in recruitment!"

Under the reward, there must be a brave man.

The generals, who had been listless, suddenly brightened up.

The morale of junior officers and soldiers would surely be boosted upon hearing this news.

"These," Yun Jin pointed to the armor and crossbows.

"These are the latest trial-produced 'Bright Light Armor' and 'Divine Arm Bow' from the Ministry of Works and the Directorate of Imperial Works. I have brought one hundred sets of each, which will be distributed to the bravest and most valiant soldiers first! Military Advisor Han!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Han Lie stepped forward.

"You are in charge of recruiting craftsmen in the city and working day and night to produce these according to this design! The necessary materials will be coordinated and supplied by Pang Xiaopan's office! You must equip a elite force as quickly as possible!"

"yes!"

"Deputy Commander Chen!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Starting immediately, reorganize the city's defenses. Redraw the defense zones and clarify the responsibilities of each general."

The Emperor and Vice Envoy Zhou will personally inspect the four gates.

Anyone who neglects their duties or fails to fulfill their defense responsibilities, regardless of their official rank, will be dismissed on the spot as a warning to others!

Anyone suspected of treason, spreading rumors, or undermining morale will be executed without mercy and their head displayed at the city gates upon verification!

"yes!"

The orders were issued swiftly and decisively, employing both kindness and severity.

Stimulated by real money and new equipment, and under the unquestionable authority of Yun Jin and the deterrent effect of strict military law, Anqing City, a war machine that had been almost at a standstill, finally began to accelerate again.