Chapter 1185

First Volume, Chapter 1185: Lin Wenwan Acts

While Qin Feng was openly constructing grain storage strongholds in the rear, a brutal internal struggle had already erupted within Gusu City.

Led by Lin Wenwan and aided by Wang Keng, the powerful clans launched a furious assault on the remaining loyalists of the Jiangnan Governor.

The battle was fierce but brief; after only half a day and hundreds of casualties, the outcome was decided.

Thanks to Lin Wenwan's absolute control over Gusu City's materials and supplies, coupled with Wang Keng's staunch support.

As expected, this battle ended with Lin Wenwan achieving a crushing, unstoppable victory.

More than ten Deputy Generals were dragged before Lin Wenwan.

These men were all diehard loyalists of the Jiangnan Governor.

Even in defeat, their hatred toward Lin Wenwan did not diminish—it grew fiercer.

They glared at Lin Wenwan, perched above them, teeth clenched, eyes blazing with fury.

"Actors have no feeling, whores have no loyalty!"

"What a fine example of 'kill the hound once the rabbit is dead, hide the bow once the birds are gone'—Lin, you'll die a cursed death!"

"We gave our all to support Gusu City, even defied the Imperial Court and became Rebel Army—this is how you repay us?"

Facing the furious shouts of the Deputy Generals, Lin Wenwan remained unmoved.

Having fully seized control of Gusu City, Lin Wenwan moved with effortless ease.

"Did you truly support us—or merely seize the chance to profit?"

"You talk grandly, but if you hadn't repeatedly obstructed my orders, would I have lost to Qin Feng?"

"Gusu City can have only one master."

"For every officer, the sole mission is to obey orders."

"This is a battlefield, not the Imperial Court—save your collective wisdom for another time."

"All of you chatter and fight separately; Gusu City may seem united in hatred, but it's nothing but scattered sand."

Faced with Lin Wenwan's rebuttal, the officers clenched their teeth even tighter.

They had never respected Lin Wenwan to begin with; now, after her stealth attack, they hated her with every fiber of their being.

"Defeat is part of war—so what if we lost one battle?"

"If not for our soldiers fighting bloody battles, how could we have crippled Sun Bo's vanguard?!"

Hearing this, Lin Wenwan's eyes flickered with contempt.

"So what if we lost one battle?!"

"Let me show you exactly what it means!"

Lin Wenwan stood up and hurled all the Beixi County War Reports brought by scouts outside the city onto the ground.

"Qin Feng has begun land reclamation and constructing strongholds in Lingzhou."

"Once his grain storage facilities are complete, his logistics will be impregnable."

"At that point, Qin Feng will be invincible—no matter how this war unfolds, we will lose."

The Deputy Generals still refused to accept it.

The bearded leader glared and roared back: "What does Qin Feng building grain storage have to do with us?!"

Lin Wenwan laughed bitterly: "If Qin Feng hadn't revived morale on the Front Line, how could he dare slack off?"

"Qin Feng's first battle in Nan Jing seemed small in scale, but it shattered Gusu City's foundation."

"After countless battles, we broke the morale of the Imperial Army—now, one battle has undone it all."

"One thread pulled moves the whole fabric—now, the Imperial Army no longer fears our Southern Border Generals."

"They believe we dare not fight in the Open Field Battle—so they simply encircle our Cities and expand their logistics unchecked."

"That confidence? It's all thanks to you—for giving it to Qin Feng!"

At this, Lin Wenwan pointed at one of the war reports and barked sharply.

"Qin Feng is openly proclaiming in the outskirts of Gusu City that the Imperial Army is righteous and benevolent, and that he himself is the Emperor's savior."

"Half a month ago, over a thousand civilians provided us with Military Intelligence; yesterday, only a hundred still maintained contact with Gusu City."

"In just half a month, Gusu City's intelligence network has been cut by ninety percent!"

"The Southern Border civilians who should have supported us now all back Qin Feng—this is the consequence of defeat!"

The dozen or so officers fell silent.

Originally, when Qin Feng provoked them, Lin Wenwan refused to fight—precisely because of their pressure, she had been forced to compromise.

With this defeat, all the advantages Gusu City had built up vanished completely.

Wang Keng looked coldly at the former Governor's loyalists: "What do you have left to say?!"

"You're Front Line officers—who among you is truly foolish? You're not stupid—you're blinded by greed for power!"

"If you're not purged, Gusu City will never be united in heart and mind."

"If Qin Feng knew about our internal decay, he'd laugh himself awake in his dreams."

Wang Keng waved his hand: "Take these remnants outside and execute them all!"

Lin Wenwan and Wang Keng intended to publicly list the crimes of these remnants and execute them, to solidify their authority.

As each head fell, Gusu City was finally fully under Lin Wenwan's control.

That same day, she issued a military order.

"Deploy two hundred Dead Soldiers, divided into five Wu Zu—forty per team—to leave the city and slaughter!"

"If you encounter a village, massacre it; if you encounter a stronghold, destroy it!"

"Remember two things: first, dress as Imperial Army troops; second, do not massacre everyone—leave some survivors in each village."

Lin Wenwan's eyes flashed with cruel intent: "Qin Feng wants to win over the Southern Border civilians, does he?"

"I'll first ruin his reputation completely, and see which commoner will still support him."

Wang Keng, a native of Jiangnan, found Lin Wenwan's order difficult to accept.

"Madam, to kill our own people… I fear…"

Before Wang Keng could finish, Lin Wenwan waved her hand to cut him off: "To achieve great things, one must not be bound by trivialities."

"Gusu City has been draining itself too long, too passive. If not pushed to this extreme, would I, Madam, resort to such a desperate measure?"

"To accomplish great things, some sacrifice is inevitable."

Since the matter had been put this way, Wang Keng, though reluctant, could only obey the order.

That night, two hundred Dead Soldiers slipped out of Gusu City through secret tunnels, splitting into five groups, heading toward nearby villages.

Two days later, Qin Feng, who was overseeing the construction of a Stronghold in Lingzhou, received a string of grim reports.

"Prince Qin, the villages around Gusu City have been brutally slaughtered!"

"All of it was done by our own men!"

"Over five hundred victims, and the surrounding villagers are fleeing in droves."

Qin Feng, who had been in high spirits, instantly furrowed his brow and rushed back to the Qian Xian Zhu Di at once.

He ordered all his subordinate officers to assemble; every officer of Captain rank and above must attend.

"Liu Ming, investigate and interrogate with the strictest scrutiny."

"If this massacre in the surrounding villages was truly carried out by our soldiers, execute them on the spot!"

Since Qin Feng had arrived at the Front Line, this was the first time he had been so furious.

The slaughter of so many civilians would render Qin Feng's entire plan useless!