In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1005 Border Troops Enter Beijing, I Am the Rebel
As night approached and darkness crept into the study of the Lu residence, candles were already lit.

Lu Yunyi sat at his desk, his fingertips holding the records Shen Zhengxin had brought him.
Compare each other with Lü Chen's records.

But soon, his gaze shifted from the paper, and his face showed urgency.

Why hasn't the message arrived yet?
Lu Yunyi put down the documents, rubbed his temples, and was about to ask someone to bring him a cup of hot tea.

Then they heard hurried footsteps coming from outside the courtyard; it was Gong Xianzhi's footsteps.

"My lord! News from Fengyang has arrived!"

Gong Xianzhi's voice was still outside the courtyard when he rushed in, clutching a scroll of documents tightly wrapped up in his hand.

Lu Yunyi immediately straightened up, his eyes instantly sharpening:
"Where are they? What have you found?"

Gong Xianzhi bowed and waved towards the door:

"Come in quickly! Come in quickly!"

Soon, a middle-aged man in his thirties hurriedly walked in.

Looking at the furnishings in the room, he felt somewhat uneasy.

When he saw the young Lu Yunyi behind the table

He was about to kneel down and kowtow when Gong Xianzhi pulled him up:
"Let's get down to business!"

"Yes."

The middle-aged man's voice was breathless as he said in a deep voice:

"Reporting to you, sir, I am Zhang Yao, the manager of Yingtian Cement Trading Company."

He often went to Fengyang and Suzhou to haul sand, so he was sent to gather information.

After investigation, it was found that Hongye Shipbuilding Workshop had been in close contact with two businesses over the past six months.

One company was called Dafeng Trading Company, and the other was called Heji Trading Company. They said they were in the timber business of a joint shipbuilding venture.

But after investigation, I found that neither of these companies deals in timber at all.
Dafeng Trading Company was a silk trading firm in Jiaxing Prefecture.
Heji was a grain shop in Shaoxing Prefecture; it had absolutely nothing to do with shipbuilding!

Lu Yunyi's expression immediately turned serious. He took the document and quickly opened it.

The record above contains the transaction records of the two trading companies.
Three months ago, Dafeng Trading Company paid 20,000 taels of silver to Hongye Shipbuilding, and Heji Trading Company transferred 30,000 taels last month, both claiming it was payment for goods.

His brows furrowed even more:
"Who owns these two trading companies? Have you found out anything about their background?"

"I found it!"

Zhang Yao quickly replied:
"I found out through the merchants I was working with."
The owner of Dafeng Trading Company was Li Mao, who had a powerful background.
After making inquiries from various sources, it was discovered that Li Mao's cousin was a relative of Li Shouren, a scholar at Mingdao Academy.

Wang Shun, the owner of Hutchison Whampoa, was a cousin of Wang Jingzhi, a scholar at the Imperial Academy!
These two men used to run small businesses in Jiangnan, but last year they suddenly came to Fengyang and opened a trading company.
The source of the capital is unclear, as if someone is secretly funding it.

Lu Yunyi frowned as he read "Mingdao Academy, Imperial Academy".

The Mingdao Academy was troublesome enough, but now the Imperial Academy has also been involved.
This place is nothing like Mingdao Academy.

Students graduating from the Imperial Academy and the National Academy should, in principle, be able to directly become officials.

Although the number was small, over the years, there were quite a few officials in the imperial court with such backgrounds.

"Any other discoveries?"

Zhang Yao swallowed hard, his tone becoming even more serious:

"Also! When I was in Fengyang, I had someone check the coastlines of Ningbo and Hangzhou."

It was previously said that the red tide algae that caused Prince Zi's poisoning might have come from southern waters, and sure enough!

Several fishponds in Dongqian Lake in Ningbo Prefecture, and two fishing households by West Lake in Hangzhou Prefecture.
Red tide algae were discovered last month.

And it's quite large-scale, but the local government suppressed the report!

Lu Yunyi sat up abruptly, a hint of surprise and unexpected joy flashing in his eyes.

"Is it red arid algae?"

"Yes, the locals call it a red tide, but it comes and goes quickly."
Someone reported it to the authorities, and when the officials arrived, the items had disappeared, but the fishermen remembered it.

Lu Yunyi nodded; he didn't believe in coincidences.

Hongye Shipyard is linked to land speculation rebels, and Lianbao Trading Company is linked to the Crown Prince's poisoning.

But now these two things have been connected without anyone noticing.

Perhaps they were originally the same group of people.

As he was deep in thought, Gong Xianzhi suddenly stepped forward, his voice low and hesitant:

"My lord, there is one more thing. The Embroidered Uniform Guard just sent a message."

During the investigation of the Jingning Marquis's household members, they discovered an unrecorded concubine.
She is the niece of Grand Secretary He Zicheng, and her name is He Yuru.

She married Ye Sheng as a concubine three years ago.
Everyone in the mansion called her Aunt He.
She lives a secluded life, and few people know her identity.

"what?"

Lu Yunyi clenched his fist tightly, wrinkling the document in his hand.

"Is it He Zicheng, the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall?"

"Exactly."

Gong Xianzhi nodded emphatically:
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has found the purchasing records of the Marquis of Jingning's residence."

It was discovered that this aunt's birthday was celebrated every year.
Marquis Jingning would always send people to deliver congratulatory gifts to Grand Scholar He.

Last year, I gave him a Hetian jade Buddha statue, which was quite valuable. It was purchased from Yingtian Trading Company.

Moreover, after Consort He entered the mansion,
The Marquis of Jingning and the Mingdao Academy began to have more frequent interactions.

Two of Ye Sheng's previous advisors were recommended by He Zicheng.

"Did Du Pingping tell you?"

"It was Lord Du who showed me the document."

Lu Yunyi chuckled lightly, a hint of sarcasm playing at the corners of his lips:
"Damn it, that Du Pingping is such a coward."
Instead of investigating what they found, they just told us?

Lu Yunyi stood up and paced quickly in the study, his shadow flickering violently in the candlelight.

It's no wonder that it's so difficult to investigate when there's collusion between civil and military officials.

He finally understood why the Marquis of Jingning, knowing that someone was using the Lianbao Trading Company to poison people, chose to remain silent—they were all in cahoots.

He Zicheng used his niece to win over Ye Sheng.

On one hand, they used Ye Sheng's noble status to cover their whereabouts.

While using students from Mingdao Academy to resist the relocation of the capital, they also created red tide algae in the local areas to poison the crown prince.

In this way, all three parties—the literary, the military, and the business—contributed their efforts.

"I see."

Lu Yunyi looked at Zhang Yao, then at Gong Xianzhi, and said:

"Take these men down there, and you'll be handsomely rewarded!"

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi responded.

Zhang Yao stood ramrod straight, his face showing surprise.

After the two left quickly, Lu Yunyi swiftly took the documents and sat back down at his desk.

He laid out all the intelligence and information he had collected during this period, categorizing and organizing them one by one.

The people and events involved are linked together to form a complete chain of evidence.

As midnight approached, the capital city was already shrouded in darkness.

Even the lights on the Qinhuai River dimmed slightly.

In the three alleys of Xi'an Gate, only a few streetlights were still on, their light casting dappled patterns of light on the bluestone slabs.

Inside the Lu residence, Lu Yunyi clutched the documents he had just compiled.

He ordered the servants to collect and burn the papers scattered on the floor.
Then he quickly left the mansion, mounted his horse, and strode away!
The horses' hooves clattered in the empty streets, making a clear, resonant sound.

Before long, the group arrived at the Duke of Liang's residence.

The vermilion gate was tightly shut, with only a night watch lamp hanging on the side door.

The gatekeeper, who was dozing against the door, was startled awake by the sound of horses' hooves. He rubbed his eyes and went forward.

Upon seeing that it was Lu Yunyi, he quickly bowed:

"Lord Lu? What brings you here so late?"

Is the General in the manor?

Lu Yunyi dismounted, his voice tinged with the urgency of a journey.

The gatekeeper looked somewhat troubled and rubbed his hands together, saying:

"Your Excellency, the General went out this evening, saying he went to the Crown Prince's residence, and has not returned yet."

"Prince's Mansion?"

Lu Yunyi was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

The Crown Prince is recuperating in the palace, while the Second Prince, Zhu Yunwen, is also at his residence.

The general must have rushed over to guard the Second Prince because he was afraid something might happen to him.

"understood."

Having said that, he remounted his horse, with his personal guards following closely behind.
The sound of horses' hooves echoed again in the night, heading towards the Crown Prince's residence. The guards at the Crown Prince's residence were several times tighter than usual.

As soon as they reached the street corner, they were stopped by more than a dozen imperial guards clad in gleaming armor.

The imperial guards, their hands on their sword hilts and their eyes sharp, saw Lu Yunyi and his group approaching and shouted in a deep voice:
"Halt! Who goes there? This is forbidden area of ​​the Crown Prince's residence. No one is allowed to approach!"

"I, Lu Yunyi, have urgent business to discuss with the General. Go and inform him immediately."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, and Gong Xianzhi immediately stepped forward and handed over the token.

The imperial guards took the token and examined it carefully under the streetlights.
Only after confirming that everything was correct did he step aside to make way, but he remained vigilant:

"Lord Lu, please follow me."
The Duke was in the Second Prince's courtyard, and no one was allowed to approach him without permission.

Lu Yunyi followed the Imperial Guards inside; the courtyard of the Crown Prince's residence was eerily quiet.

Only the palace lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the wind, casting shadows on the ground that were sometimes long and sometimes short.

As I passed the main hall, the lights were off.
Only the courtyard of the Second Prince Zhu Yunwen was still lit by a warm yellow light.

The guards standing at the door were all on edge when they saw Lu Yunyi coming over.

As soon as I reached the courtyard gate, I saw Lan Yu pacing around inside with her hands on her hips.
His expression was extremely serious, as if he was deep in thought.

Until the footsteps fell on the blue bricks

He slowly turned his head and saw that it was Lu Yunyi; a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Why are you here? Did you find something?"

Lu Yunyi nodded and handed over the document in his hand:
"General, here's everything we've found. Things are more complicated than we thought."

After saying that, Lu Yunyi whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"General, this matter involves not only the military, but also civil officials and scholars."

According to his subordinates' speculation, Grand Secretary He Zicheng had long been colluding with the Marquis of Jingning, and Mingdao Academy was no exception.

Lan Yu's eye sockets deepened.
His long beard trembled as he breathed heavily.

He took the document, opened it by the light of the corridor lamp, and traced the crooked lines of text with his fingers.

Perhaps the contents recorded above were too shocking, and a sense of absurdity suddenly arose in his mind:

"Next time, let someone else write this kind of document, because I can't read it."

Lu Yunyi's face darkened:
"General, how can such a document be handled by someone else?"

"Then you should practice your calligraphy properly."

After saying that, Lan Yu felt a little relieved.
Seemingly prepared, he continued to look down at the documents.

Time passed slowly, and Lan Yu's expression grew increasingly grim.

His fist slammed into the pillar, making a dull thud.
"These bastards were never honest back then, and they're still doing this now!"
Ye Sheng, that bastard, holds a title...

He actually helped scholars harm the crown prince; he's just like Hua Yunlong back then!

Hua Yunlong?
A flicker of doubt crossed Lu Yunyi's eyes.

They quickly realized that back then they had harmed Li Wenzhong, and now they were harming the Crown Prince; it was all a scheme of collusion between civil and military officials.

He didn't press further about the past, but continued:

"The money for the Red Leaf Shipyard was initially thought to have come from Marquis Jiangxia."
However, after careful investigation, it was discovered that the source was in Shaoxing and Jiaxing.

My subordinates suspect that those who are creating panic by speculating on land in the capital are part of the same group that plotted to harm the Crown Prince.
The goal was to prevent the relocation of the capital and even destabilize the court.

Lan Yu's breathing instantly became heavy, and anger almost overflowed from his eyes:

"Outrageous! Outrageous! Utterly outrageous!"
These scholars are all bad people.

They speak eloquently and extravagantly, yet they form cliques and engage in corrupt practices everywhere!

Relying on his status as a respected elder statesman in the literary world, he tries to win over people everywhere, and now he even dares to drag nobles into his antics!
"I will go to the palace tomorrow and report all this to His Majesty!"

At this point, Lan Yu suddenly calmed down, looked at Lu Yunyi, and her eyes were deep-set:

"Do you think Liu Sanwu was involved?"

He Zicheng had lived in Beijing for many years, and was by nature a timid man; he couldn't possibly handle such a large undertaking on his own.

Lu Yunyi fell silent and sighed softly:

"General, the mastermind behind the land speculation is Zhao Mian, who is also Master's son-in-law."

And since Grand Secretary He was a colleague of my teacher, it's hard to believe he wasn't involved.

"Ha, I knew it. The old man is fearless because of his age. He's so old and still not honest!"

Lan Yu snorted softly, put her hands on her hips, and suddenly felt a little irritated.

For such scholars, there is no conclusive evidence.
He really didn't have any ideas.
If people are killed indiscriminately, the entire world of scholars will turn upside down tomorrow.

Seeing his agitation, Lu Yunyi quickly calmed him down and changed the subject:

"General, there is one more thing I must remind you of."

"what's up?"

"He's a tutor at the Crown Prince's residence," Lu Yunyi said cautiously.
"Today, I visited Master Shi, and he said that the Crown Prince's Palace has hired a new teacher named Fang Xiaoru, who is a student of Song Lian."

My subordinates also discovered that his entry into the Crown Prince's residence was due to the Hanlin Academy's strong recommendation to the Crown Princess.

Upon hearing this, Lan Yu paused in his movements.
His brows furrowed even more, and after a moment of silence, he sighed heavily.
"I know what you're worried about, but the Crown Princess has the final say in matters of the manor."

Although I am the Crown Prince's uncle, it is not appropriate for me to interfere in matters of the inner quarters.

Lu Yunyi's heart sank.
The people chosen by the Crown Princess are indeed not easy to deal with.

However, Fang Xiaoru's misdeeds are numerous, and there are historical precedents to follow.

He was by no means a kind person, but he didn't know how to explain himself.

"I know you're worried about Yun-hu."

Lan Yu seemed to see through his thoughts, patted his shoulder, and said in a more serious tone:

"Don't worry, the Crown Princess's heart is with Yunwen, and the tutors in the manor will only teach His Highness Yunwen."

As for Yuntong, he is personally instructed by Zhan Hui; no one else can interfere. You can rest assured.

The palace lanterns under the eaves swayed in the night breeze, casting a warm yellow light onto the blue bricks.

Lu Yunyi tightened his grip on the document, his Adam's apple bobbed three times, but he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Lan Yu frowned again when she saw that he hadn't spoken for a long time:
"What are you spacing out for, kid?"

Lu Yunyi composed himself and said softly:

"General, I'm thinking about the official road from Beiping to Yingtian. The initial surveying has already begun, and construction should start by the end of the year."

"The official road?"

Lan Yu was stunned for a moment, her face full of doubt:

"What time is it, and you're still thinking about road repairs?"

Lu Yunyi took two steps forward and lowered his voice even further:
"The Ministry of Works and the cement workshops submitted a memorial stating that it would be difficult to repair roads with cement."

Southern craftsmen had no experience with the mountain roads to the north.

Especially the section crossing the Yanshan Mountains, the slopes are steep and there are many rocks; a slight misstep could lead to a landslide, so only people skilled in mountain road construction can handle it.

Lan Yu's brows furrowed even more, sensing a hidden meaning in his words:
"What do you want to say?"

Lu Yunyi lowered his voice even further, tinged with unease:

"General, Da Ning has already built two roads; they are experts at starting construction in freezing weather."
The way they chiseled the stones and compacted the roadbed was ten times more solid than that of the craftsmen in the south.

Now that roads need to be built in Beiping, if some manpower were transferred from Daning to the pass, it would help the Ministry of Works speed up the process.
This would also allow them to be closer to the capital.

"Closer?"

Lan Yu's eyes suddenly sharpened.
Like a hawk eyeing its prey, it instantly understood Lu Yunyi's meaning: to mobilize troops into the pass?

"What do you want to do?"

Lu Yunyi's breathing was a little rapid, but his expression remained calm. He continued to stare into Lan Yu's eyes and said, word by word:

"General, the imperial physician says that His Highness the Crown Prince's poison can only be treated with slow and gradual recovery."

"Whether it can be successfully raised with slow and careful nurturing is anyone's guess."

"presumptuous!"

Lan Yu let out a loud shout, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

But Lu Yunyi seemed not to hear him and continued:
"How old is the Second Prince?"
Although Lord Zhan is teaching him to read, what about those people in the court who are between the two princes?

He was momentarily at a loss for words, and could only add:

"His Highness is favored by scholars, and the court officials may be biased. If they all put pressure on him, His Majesty will have to back down for the time being."

Seeing Lan Yu's face grow increasingly gloomy, he continued:
"If He Zicheng can collude with Ye Sheng to poison someone, he can also collude with more people to plot for the throne."

The Second Prince's protection from civil officials like Lord Zhan alone is not enough.
We also need the support of the military.

However, the troops in the capital region were all trapped in Puzikou City, making it difficult to move them or mobilize them.

The other garrisons in the capital region are intertwined and interconnected, making them too chaotic and unreliable.

The only people we can trust are the border troops.

Yunnan, Beiping, Shanxi, Daning,
Currently, only Daning can legitimately enter the mainland.
If the situation changes, a fast horse can be prepared, and the prince can reach the capital in a single day. This is the true source of the prince's confidence!

(End of this chapter)