Rebirth and Reversal of Fortune

Chapter 228 Suppressing Internal Strife, Foreign Enemy Invasion

With her wisdom and decisiveness, Su Jinxiu quickly quelled the internal strife within the family.

However, the wounds inflicted on the Marquis's mansion by this internal strife will take time to heal. Su Jinxiu knew that in order to restore the Marquis's mansion to its former prosperity and stability, a series of measures had to be taken.

She first reassured those clansmen who had remained neutral or been misled during the struggle, assuring them that the Marquis's mansion would not pursue their past actions and that as long as they remained loyal in the future, the mansion would continue to treat them with the respect and care they deserved. At the same time, Su Jinxiu also showed leniency and offered opportunities to those who had participated in the internal strife but were willing to repent, allowing them to serve the Marquis's mansion again.

In the process of restoring internal order, Su Jinxiu discovered that the Marquis's household finances had become chaotic due to internal strife. Some accounts had been falsified, funds had been misappropriated, and the properties had suffered varying degrees of damage. She personally led her trusted confidants to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Marquis's household finances, re-established strict financial management systems, and eradicated corruption.

To strengthen the Marquis's family, Su Jinxiu devoted herself to cultivating talent. She opened a school within the family compound, hiring renowned teachers to instruct the younger generation, while also selecting promising members of the clan to gain experience in various regions, thus building up strength for the future of the Marquis's family.

While Su Jinxiu was working hard to rebuild the Marquis's mansion, Su Yue was not idle. She was furious to learn that the internal strife within the mansion had subsided and decided to intensify her sabotage efforts. She bribed some assassins to attempt to kill Su Jinxiu.

One night, Su Jinxiu was attacked by assassins on her way back to her room. Fortunately, Su Jinxiu was prepared, and her guards fought back desperately, ultimately repelling the assassins. However, this assassination attempt made Su Jinxiu realize that Su Yue had become ruthless and that she must find a way to completely eliminate this threat as soon as possible.

Su Jinxiu decided to take the initiative. She sent people to investigate Su Yue's whereabouts and plots, while also forming an alliance with some righteous forces in the martial arts world to fight against Su Yue.

During her investigation, Su Jinxiu discovered that Su Yue had close ties with a powerful official in the court. This official harbored resentment towards the Marquis's family and wanted to use Su Yue's influence to suppress them. Su Jinxiu decided to start with this official and expose their conspiracy.

She gathered substantial evidence and then secretly entered the palace to meet the emperor. Before him, Su Jinxiu detailed the crimes of Su Yue and the powerful nobleman, and the harm they had caused to the Marquis's mansion and the court. The emperor was furious upon hearing this and ordered a thorough investigation.

Under the court's investigation, the powerful official's crimes were exposed one by one, and Su Yue lost her patron. Taking advantage of this, the Marquis's mansion launched a siege against Su Yue and eventually captured her.

However, the Marquis's crisis was not completely resolved. Due to internal strife and external threats, the Marquis's position in the court had declined significantly, and some former allies had begun to distance themselves from the Marquis.

Taking advantage of the internal turmoil within the imperial court, enemy forces on the border launched a large-scale invasion.

Amidst the flames of war, the people on the border were plunged into misery. The enemy army swept in with overwhelming force, like a raging flood, committing atrocities wherever they went, including burning, killing, and looting.

Upon receiving the urgent military report, the imperial court was thrown into chaos. The emperor urgently summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures, but the court was severely weakened by the previous internal strife, its military strength was depleted, and its resources were scarce. For the time being, it could not come up with an effective strategy to defend against the enemy.

Upon learning of this news, Su Jinxiu of the Marquis's Mansion knew that the country was in peril and the mansion could not stand idly by. Although the mansion had just experienced internal strife and a series of upheavals and had not yet fully recovered, she still decided to step forward and share the burden for the nation.

Su Jinxiu immediately summoned the generals and strategists of the Marquis's mansion to discuss countermeasures. They decided to first send a vanguard to the border to gather intelligence on the enemy's situation, while simultaneously organizing the Marquis's mansion's forces to prepare for the expedition.

Xiao Ling was still in prison. In order to secure his freedom, Su Jinxiu led her troops into battle and once again went to the palace to see the emperor. She recounted Xiao Ling's military talents and loyalty to the country, imploring the emperor to pardon him and allow him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service. After much hesitation, the emperor finally granted Su Jinxiu's request.

After his release from prison, Xiao Ling immediately threw himself into preparations for war. He quickly reorganized the army, trained the soldiers, and prepared to fight the enemy to the death. However, the Marquis's forces were limited, and they faced immense pressure in the face of the enemy's powerful offensive.

On their journey to the front, the Marquis's army encountered numerous difficulties. Harsh weather, rugged roads, and harassment from the enemy slowed their march considerably. However, Xiao Ling and Su Jinxiu continuously boosted morale, bolstering the soldiers' resolve and propelling them forward.

Finally, the Marquis's army reached the border. They discovered that the enemy had already occupied a large area of ​​territory, and the border garrison was retreating steadily. Xiao Ling observed the enemy's formation and tactics and decided to adopt a flanking maneuver to launch a surprise attack on the enemy.

One night, the Marquis's army quietly set out. They bypassed the enemy's defenses and struck straight at the enemy's rear. By the time the enemy discovered them, it was too late. The Marquis's army charged into the enemy camp like tigers descending a mountain, catching the enemy completely off guard.

However, the enemy quickly reacted and put up a fierce resistance. A fierce battle ensued, with blood and flesh flying everywhere and corpses strewn across the battlefield. Xiao Ling led from the front, fighting bravely against the enemy, and his bravery inspired every soldier.

After a fierce battle, the Marquis's army finally achieved a partial victory, repelling a portion of the enemy forces. However, they also paid a heavy price, with many soldiers sacrificing their lives.

Just as the Marquis's army was preparing to rest and regroup for the next enemy attack, some discordant voices arose within the court. Some ministers, jealous of Xiao Ling's military achievements and fearing that he was becoming too powerful for the emperor, slandered him to the emperor, saying that Xiao Ling was hoarding troops and harboring rebellious intentions.

The emperor once again became suspicious of Xiao Ling and ordered him to be recalled.

Upon receiving the order, Xiao Ling found himself in a dilemma. If he withdrew his troops now, the border would inevitably fall again; if he disobeyed the order, he would be branded as a traitor.