Song Yunming stood beside Chen Zhennan, his eyes filled with doubt and shock.

"Brother-in-law, how did you do that?"

Song Yunming's voice trembled slightly. He could hardly believe that Da Gan had been invaded so deeply by Chen Zhennan.

Chen Zhennan smiled slightly and slowly explained, "Yunming, you must understand that wielding power in the court is not simply about controlling the military. The finances and provisions of Dagan are already under my control, and half of the ministers in the court are my men. Now, I also hold military power in Dagan. Wang Gan's real power has long since vanished."

Upon hearing this, Song Yunming's expression changed drastically. He stared at Chen Zhennan in disbelief, a chill creeping into his heart. He began to realize that Chen Zhennan's power was far greater than he had imagined.

"This...how is this possible? Even though Dagan is small, it still has tens of thousands of people. It's unbelievable that you can control it to this extent!"

Chen Zhennan smiled slightly, "Yunming, you should know that dripping water wears away a stone, and it takes more than one day to achieve this. My plans for this big undertaking began many years ago."

Chen Zhennan's words revealed a deeper meaning, causing Song Yunming to fall into deep thought.

Suddenly, Song Yunming thought of a question and hurriedly asked, "Brother-in-law, what about... what about the Great Yan? How much of it do you control?"

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Zhennan hesitated and decided to tell the truth.

"Although the Great Yan has a population of over five million and an army of three hundred thousand, in my eyes it is nothing more than a disorganized mess."

"What? You're all alone? How is that possible?" Song Yunming's face was full of disbelief.

Chen Zhennan's gaze was piercing, as if he could see into people's hearts: "The officials in charge of finance and grain, salt and tea, and the canal transport in Da Yan are all my people. Among the six ministries, except for the Ministry of War, I have my subordinates planted in almost every one of them. The extent to which Da Yan has been corrupted by me is far more serious than that of Da Gan."

Song Yunming felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. He felt dizzy, as if the whole world was spinning.

He knew Chen Zhennan was cunning, but he never expected it to reach this level.

At this moment, my heart was filled with fear, as if I could see the future of the Great Yan Dynasty: darkness and utter hopelessness.

"Yunming, you don't need to be afraid. As long as you follow me, the future of the Great Yan will be glorious."

Although Chen Zhennan spoke very well, Song Yunming was still shaken after listening to him.

However, after careful consideration, Song Yunming realized that whatever Chen Zhennan did was justifiable. If he could truly unify the world, as long as his sister was happy, nothing else mattered.

Over the next two days, Chen Zhennan, like a cheetah lurking in the dark, quietly launched a silent purge within the Da Gan Dynasty.

He mobilized his influence within the Da Gan court, sweeping away at least ten traitors around Wang Gan like autumn leaves in the wind, including Bai Dongrui, the commander of the Imperial Guards.

In fact, Chen Zhennan did not have conclusive evidence to prove that Bai Dongrui was Song Xuan's man, but at such a sensitive moment, he could not allow someone who was hostile to him to stay by Wang Gan's side.

On the third day, Song Xuan withdrew the army stationed in the west of Dawu, which meant that Song Xuan's trap had officially begun.

This news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

At the same time, Chen Zhennan received a secret letter. He didn't show the contents of the letter to anyone else, but immediately went to find Wang Gan.

"Wang Gan, the time has come; it's time to send troops."

Wang Gan looked at Chen Zhennan, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes: "Are you sure this is the best time? Song Xuan's ambition is obvious. If we act rashly..."

Chen Zhennan interrupted him, his voice carrying an undeniable authority: "Wang Gan, speed is of the essence in war, and opportunity knocks but once. Song Xuan's withdrawal is the perfect time for us to strike."

Wang Gan fell silent, knowing that Chen Zhennan's words made sense.

Throughout the court, the ministers were whispering among themselves, almost all siding with Chen Zhennan. Given the prevailing trend, Wang Gan decided to take a gamble.

"Alright, I will hand over the command of 30,000 troops to you."

Chen Zhennan took the military tally, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

As agreed, Wang Gan arranged for a military supervisor named Ashina to serve by Chen Zhennan's side.

“Chen Zhennan, this is Ashina. He will serve as the military supervisor and accompany you on the expedition,” Wang Gan introduced.

Ashina stepped forward, a hint of wariness in his eyes: "Chen Zhennan, I will keep a close eye on your every move. Any behavior that goes against the interests of Da Gan will be reported immediately."

Chen Zhennan smiled slightly, a hint of disdain in his eyes: "Ashina, just watch. I, Chen Zhennan, have always been upright and honest in my actions."

...

Deep within the palace of the capital city of Dawu, Song Xuan sat on the dragon throne, toying with an exquisite jade pendant in his hand, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He was secretly pleased with himself, knowing that Wang Gan was about to fall into his carefully laid trap, and everything seemed to be going smoothly according to his plan.

However, just as he was feeling triumphant, a messenger rushed in, bringing news that infuriated him: the 50,000 troops previously sent to support Tianyang Pass had miraculously vanished as if they had sunk into the sea.

"How is this possible?"

Song Xuan's voice was filled with disbelief, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes were full of doubt.

"Fifty thousand people, just vanished without a trace? Could they possibly fly or disappear underground?"

A surge of anger welled up in Song Xuan's heart. He slammed his fist on the table: "Investigate! Investigate to the bottom of this! Even if it means turning the Great Wu Dynasty upside down, find them!"

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