NOVEL NEXT c113 - It's Good to Have You Here
Late December, the entire Northern District of the Free Federation was cold and dry.
At 10 AM, the Peace Palace was at its busiest.
The news of the Northern Commander’s capture had not yet spread.
The staff in the Peace Palace were processing affairs as usual, each performing their duties.
When Gu Qianqiu led a disciplined team into the administrative office building, all the staff were stunned.
Whether new employees from the past two years or older staff who had worked in the Peace Palace for many years, everyone knew who that calm and reserved woman was.
Time seemed to have a special fondness for the former empress, refining her to be more elegant and mature while not wearing away her edge or youthful foundation.
For Gu Qianqiu, aging seemed to be merely a change in numbers.
When she strode forward in military uniform leading her guard team members, in everyone’s eyes, the formidable empress of years past had returned!
Gu Qianqiu had ruled for many years, and even though she had truly relinquished power to her daughter, her network of connections was a foundation that no one could shake in a short period.
The coup a year and a half ago came swiftly and forcefully; she hadn’t had time to discover or stop it.
When Gu Junwan chose to divide and rule North and South, she also didn’t use her hidden power to order her younger daughter to hand over authority.
Because at that time, she belatedly realized that in places she couldn’t see, there was a hand stirring up the winds and clouds of the Federation.
She had already been used as a pawn in someone else’s game, so only by jumping out of the opponent’s chessboard could she truly turn the tables.
If she had rushed to help her elder daughter pull down her younger daughter, not only would it not solve the problem, but it might also fall into the opponent’s deeper trap.
Now, when she received that call from her elder daughter, Gu Qianqiu knew that the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
She would strike a belated but crucial blow for Gu Junwan!
Those who responded to the summons were not only former empress guard team members but also military and political veterans who had remained silent throughout this special campaign.
While Gu Junwan was speeding towards the Second District on an assault ship, Gu Qianqiu had already cleared the obstacles within the Peace Palace for her.
Inside the assault ship, in the empress’s rest cabin.
Gu Junwan sat quietly on the sofa, not saying a word.
All that needed to be done at this stage, all the orders that needed to be issued, she had already completed. For the time being, she could only wait patiently.
Shen Han stood by the sofa with her hands at her sides, not speaking to disturb her.
She was also very nervous now, wishing she could immediately know the intelligence feedback from all sides.
However, there was never any quick fix between issuing orders and executing tasks.
For now, they could only let the bullets fly a bit longer.
Gu Yuwei’s wrists were handcuffed behind her back.
She sat woodenly on a low stool in the corner, neither shouting nor making a fuss, lowering her eyes to stare blankly at her toes.
At this moment, the personal phone Gu Junwan had placed on the table in front of her suddenly rang.
Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, seeing it was a call from her mother. Her slender hand had already reached halfway but hesitated to pick up the phone.
Shen Han knew she had fallen into the emotion of “closer to home, more timid, not daring to ask about the arrival.”
She simply walked to the table, answered the phone for Gu Junwan, then held it to her ear.
On the other end, Gu Qianqiu’s voice was as calm as ever: “Little Wan, bring your forces directly back to the Peace Palace. The Empress’s orders should be issued from here.”
Gu Junwan took a deep, slow breath, and when she spoke, her voice carried a slight, barely perceptible tremor.
“Thank you, Mother. I understand.”
After saying this, neither mother nor daughter spoke again.
Neither side actively cut off the call, as if waiting for something.
Seeing this situation, Shen Han didn’t care that Gu Yuwei was still in the rest room.
She moved the phone to her own ear and said softly: “Junwan is well, Yuwei is also unharmed. We’re heading towards the capital, and should arrive at the Peace Palace in about an hour.”
After ending the call, Shen Han placed the phone back on the table.
She knelt on one knee, half-squatting in front of her Omega, looking up at her, and comforted: “Don’t worry, everything is developing in a good direction.”
Gu Junwan’s beautiful eyes blinked slightly, her golden phoenix eyes holding a thin mist of moisture.
For nearly two years, she had been treading on thin ice. The efforts and hard work she had put in were finally at the moment of reaping results.
In such a situation, no one could maintain absolute calm and peace.
Gu Junwan leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her Alpha’s neck.
She sent herself into the other’s embrace, burying her face in the Alpha’s soft neck, murmuring: “It’s good to have you here.”
Shen Han lifted her up, sat on the sofa herself, and let the person in her arms sit sideways on her lap.
She gently stroked her Omega’s smooth long hair, not speaking further, just silently accompanying her.
At this time, Gu Yuwei, who had been lost in thought, suddenly raised her eyes to look towards the sofa area.
Her expression remained wooden, but surprise overflowed from her pupils.
Before Gu Yuwei could reactivate her brain that was in a frozen state, her eyes had already seen the truth first.
Gu Junwan, who had been burying her face in Shen Han’s neck, suddenly released her arms that were tightly hugging the other’s neck.
She pressed her palm against the Alpha’s shoulder blade, then actively kissed the other’s lips.
Shen Han had originally been wearing a military cap, but when Gu Junwan pressed her against the sofa backrest, the cap fell off, revealing a head of glossy, smooth black hair.
The Alpha, suddenly receiving this blessing, was stunned for quite a while. Only when the sweet cold plum blossomed fully on her tongue did she grip the other’s soft waist and passionately return the kiss.
She didn’t take the lead, but let her Omega run wild in her territory.
Gu Yuwei, handcuffed and sitting in the corner, was completely dumbfounded.
At first, she thought she was hallucinating, but after shaking her head left and right and blinking vigorously to stimulate herself, she realized that everything she saw was real.
Her sister was kissing an Alpha in a dominating posture!
So, Shen Han was her brother-in-law?!!!
TN: 姐夫; (coll.) older sister’s husband; For the husband of one’s sister.
……
In Gu Junwan’s plan, there was an item to tie down Yu Xiao’s army abroad.
This task was actually commanded by Ping Jiashi, but he himself didn’t personally go abroad to execute the interception operation.
He had an even more important task.
After Gu Qianqiu regained control of the Peace Palace, she immediately activated multiple authorizations.
Ping Jiashi was able to lead a large armed force of the Third Army Group directly into the Northern District.
It’s worth mentioning that Ping Jiashi’s military rank had been promoted from colonel to general.
Now, he was already a major general of the Third Army Group.
When Yu Xiao encountered the Federation army group’s sudden attack on the Fuyang Grasslands abroad, he knew something had gone wrong on Gu Yuwei’s side.
Before this, he had considered that Gu Junwan might have some schemes in this arrest operation.
But at that time, he wasn’t too wary.
Because the Empress’s core troops were all in the South.
With just the team of less than a thousand people in her hands, it was impossible to make big waves.
Until he received intelligence from various sources, Yu Xiao finally pressed his temples and let out a low growl from his throat.
Gu Junwan’s success was the result of multiple factors working together.
If any link had been missing, it would have been impossible to create the current situation.
Among the various links, Gu Yuwei’s performance was the weakest.
At that time, Gu Junwan had only about six hundred combat personnel around her, while Gu Yuwei’s soldiers were three times that number.
If proper precautions had been taken, how could she have been easily captured?
Thinking of this, Yu Xiao couldn’t help but sigh.
But he didn’t say much more.
Firstly, complaining was useless.
Secondly, losing to the Empress wasn’t shameful.
Now, he had to think of ways to counterattack.
The current situation was relatively chaotic, which was the right time to make a move.
If he waited until the Empress had stabilized the chaos, finding a suitable opportunity to strike would be a thousand times more difficult.
Yu Xiao called his deputy and had him immediately relay orders to the Northeast and Southwest military bases in the Second District.
While activating deterrent weapons, the newly formed air fleet was to launch a blitz attack immediately.
However, before the deputy could accurately convey the instructions, news had already come from the two major military bases.
“In all important military bases in the North, the drive programs for smart fighter jets, tanks, and armored vehicles have been tampered with and cannot be restored in a short time-”
Receiving this information feedback, Yu Xiao slowly collapsed into his chair.
Modern warfare was no longer the era of human wave tactics of the past.
Gu Junwan’s move was tantamount to cutting off the fuel under the cauldron.
“Pass down the order, take the fifth checkpoint connecting the Third District and the Fuyang Grasslands. Hold it if we can, retreat abroad if we can’t, and occupy the Davis Mercenary Group’s stronghold.”
Hearing this order from the commander, the deputy was immediately alarmed.
He hesitated for two seconds, then said: “Commander Yu, what are you planning to deploy?”
Yu Xiao’s face showed dejection, but his tone was very resolute: “I’m going to bring the commander back!”
“Losing the Northern District doesn’t mean there’s no chance of a comeback. Perhaps starting a new force abroad is more suitable for her path.”
The deputy wanted to say something more but ultimately couldn’t speak.
He knew that once the commander had decided on something, he wouldn’t change his mind no matter what.
……
As Yu Xiao said, now that the Empress had re-entered the Peace Palace, the entire Northern Federation was somewhat uneasy.
Especially the Second District.
The sonic booms stirred up by the large number of fighter jets and warships passing overhead stimulated the eardrums and hearts of the public like alarm bells.
Indeed, more public opinion was indeed leaning towards the Empress.
But the common people were also truly afraid of war.
In addition, Gu Yuwei’s downfall had cut off the financial channels for many people, so for several consecutive days, small-scale conflicts in the Second District where the capital was located had basically not stopped.
These conflicts started with Gu Yuwei’s supporters, then were covertly fueled by some financial groups, inciting some easily influenced hot-blooded people, resulting in wave after wave of violent demonstrations around the Peace Palace.
For hostile combat forces, Gu Junwan naturally wouldn’t show mercy in suppressing them.
But for the many civilians caught up in the demonstrations, she couldn’t handle them too harshly.
In all things, mastering the right degree is crucial; she understood long ago the principle of moderation.
In this tense situation, a strike team led by Yu Xiao successfully infiltrated the secret detention location where Gu Yuwei was being held.