In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1015 Overwhelmed with Responses and Unleashing a Variety of Tactics

Time passed slowly, the sun began to set, and in the blink of an eye it disappeared below the horizon.

The lights of the entire imperial city gradually came on.
The offices of the Six Ministries and the Governor-General's Office were brightly lit.

Unlike the somewhat gloomy scene of the past.

The discussions at today's court assembly were truly shocking and unconventional.
Officials from various departments are urgently discussing countermeasures.

Inside the Market and Commerce Bureau, Lu Yunyi had already obtained the autopsy reports from the capital government and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

His expression turned extremely grave as he looked at the lines of writing above.

The news of Ho Tze-shing's death had not yet spread.

But he knew very well that once this matter was exposed, it would cause a huge uproar in Beijing.

Especially among scholars and intellectuals, even those who disliked He Zicheng would stand up for him at this moment.

After all, compared to a retired Grand Secretary,
They were even more wary of the court's reputation for indiscriminate killing.

Even if the palace were to issue a special clarification, it's unlikely anyone would believe it.

His Majesty's actions over the years have always been ruthless and unscrupulous.
If he could deal with tens of thousands of rebels, then a retired Grand Secretary would naturally seem insignificant to outsiders.

The candlelight inside the yamen flickered and swayed.

As autumn draws to a close, the days may be somewhat hot, but the nights are already chilly.

The wind blowing through the windowpane sent a chill down my spine for no apparent reason.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps outside the door interrupted Lu Yunyi's thoughts.

He looked up and saw Gong Xianzhi's figure appear at the doorway.

Gong Xianzhi rushed in, went to the desk, and his face was solemn:
"Sir, the surveillance arrangements for all departments have been completed."

All nineteen Jinyiwei strongholds under our control have been secured.

Personnel were also dispatched to monitor some suspected strongholds of the rebel party.

In addition, trusted confidants were also assigned to monitor the residences where the rebels might be hiding.
However, the brothers discovered that many more hidden sentries had been added around these mansions.
My guess is that they are people from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Imperial Palace Administration, and other forces.

Lu Yunyi listened quietly, and only nodded slightly after he finished speaking:
"Just do your best. Is there any activity coming in or out of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's secret prison?"

"Reporting to you, sir, the past few days have been peaceful and uneventful, with nothing unusual."
My subordinate suspects that the secret prison may have other entrances and exits.

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Bring me the map of the capital tomorrow, and use it to find the hidden entrance to the secret prison."

We need to thoroughly search the three surrounding streets, take our time, and not rush.

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi's expression remained solemn. He lowered his voice and hesitated before speaking:
"My lord, things are getting increasingly chaotic in the capital. Should we leave this place of trouble first?"

"leave?"

Lu Yunyi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. It was indeed a prudent suggestion.

He originally returned to Beijing only to stabilize the situation.
He later inexplicably took over the position of Director of the Market and Commerce Bureau, which is why he has been entangled with the matter ever since.

The decision to establish Beiping as the commercial hub of northern China has now been finalized.
If the crown prince hadn't been poisoned, he probably would have left long ago.

Lu Yunyi's eyes gradually became vacant as he struggled with a decision.
If the Crown Prince does not survive the year and suddenly passes away, it would be unwise for him to remain in the capital.

But right now.
One wave of trouble after another, the two sides are locked in a fierce battle.
How could someone who was charging ahead retreat?

He sighed deeply and pointed to the can of cola on the square table next to him.

Gong Xianzhi understood and quickly went over to get it, adding some ice as well.

Lu Yunyi took it, drank it all in one gulp, and said in a deep voice:

"Let's not bring this up again. The situation is still unclear. Although the north is stable..."
But this is a crucial time in the capital; you must not leave the capital under any circumstances.

"Yes."

Gong Xianzhi was not surprised by this; as a personal guard,

He knew best the weight the Crown Prince held in the hearts of the adults.

"Does Your Excellency have any other plans?"

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment, then pulled out a brand new sheet of Xuan paper, picked up a brush, quickly wrote a few lines, and handed it over:

"Once this is done properly, this message should be spread throughout the country when the news gets out tomorrow."

Gong Xianzhi stared blankly at the words on the paper, his face full of astonishment:

"Sir, who would throw mud at themselves?"

"That's exactly what we want to do, fish in troubled waters."

A glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes, and he continued:
"If the matter concerning He Zicheng causes a stir tomorrow, we must follow up quickly."

Arrange for people to spread rumors near the four city gates, the more exaggerated the better.

Since some people want to use rumors to smear us, let's take it and make it even muddier.

Gong Xianzhi was still somewhat puzzled and pressed for an answer:

"Sir, how exactly should we exaggerate?"

Lu Yunyi thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice:

"It's about making the facts sound absurd, exaggerating them to the point that people can't believe them at all."

For example, if drinking too much cola causes cavities, you would say, "I got cavities immediately after drinking cola," while also opening your mouth wide.

The more outrageous the rumor, the less people will believe it.

Gong Xianzhi instantly understood, his eyes lighting up:
"Sir, are you saying that the story of He Zicheng's poisoning is being fabricated into an even more absurd rumor?"

"Hmm, what are your thoughts?"

"Since He Zicheng died with his daughter-in-law,"
My subordinate thinks we can avoid mentioning the poisoning and change it to something like he had an affair with his daughter-in-law and was being haunted by the vengeful spirit of his deceased son. The people of the capital love this kind of gossip; it'll spread fast.

Lu Yunyi glanced at him with some surprise.
I never expected this seemingly simple-minded guy to be so quick-witted.

"That's about right, let's follow this approach."
"Fabricate several similar rumors, making sure they outweigh the claim that he was killed in retaliation from the palace."

"Yes, I understand. I'll make the arrangements right away!"

"Go."

After Gong Xianzhi left, Lu Yunyi looked at the documents on the table again.

In the face of the general trend of replacing silver with paper money, He Zicheng's death was a minor matter.

He knew very well that if the rebels succeeded in getting their hands on the paper money,

The current favorable situation of the Ming Dynasty will collapse in an instant.

Time passed by little by little, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost midnight.

The lights in the Market and Exchange Bureau office were still bright.

The clattering of abacuses came from the backyard; the accountant was still calculating the business's revenue.
The lights in the Six Ministries and the Five Military Commands' Offices had dimmed somewhat.

Only the Embroidered Uniform Guard's office was as brightly lit as day.

Inside the main hall of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Du Pingping had a solemn expression. He was dressed in the uniform of a vice commander, with an embroidered spring knife at his waist.

Standing opposite him was Darma, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He was dressed in a black casual suit, with a calm expression.

He stepped forward and handed over a confidential letter, his voice heavy:

"Take a look at His Majesty's order."

Du Pingping reached out and took it, a ripple appearing in her calm eyes, along with a hint of weariness.

He unfolded the secret letter, read the instructions, and then...
He clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles crumpling the letter.

Even though I was mentally exhausted, I couldn't help but have a strong reaction at this moment.

He suddenly looked up at Da'erma and said in a deep voice:

"Sir, the previous case hasn't been investigated yet, how can you release them?"

Daerma's face remained expressionless as she gently shook her head.

"At this time, the palace is in dire need of manpower."

Mao Xiang made a mistake before, but His Majesty remembers he is still useful and is willing to give him a chance.
I believe that after this experience, he will definitely do his best in his work.

If he still does not repent
He still faced certain death.

Du Pingping frowned. He had only been in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for less than two months. Was he going to have to hand over power again?
Da'erma saw through his thoughts and chuckled softly:
"Am I not also the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Have I ever delayed your work?"

Du Pingping was slightly taken aback, then realized what was happening and tentatively asked:

"Does His Majesty mean that he should act secretly and not interfere in government affairs?"

"What else can we do? Are we going to put him back in the commander's position?"

The answer to the polio case was delivered in a flat tone:
“He made a mistake and should be punished. This time it was an exception. He was given a way out only because of the special circumstances.”

Du Pingping secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Mao Xiang didn't return to the yamen and get in the way, there was nothing to worry about.

But then he suddenly remembered something and asked with a half-smile:
"If Lord Lu finds out about this, it will probably cause another uproar."

Last time, in an attempt to bring down Mao Xiang, he even brought out a flintlock pistol, which shows how much he dislikes Lord Mao.

Da'erma's expression turned somewhat strange.
The flintlock pistol from last time was thoroughly examined by the entire Imperial Guard.

He discovered that the craftsmanship was state-of-the-art, and it was not one of the two previously lost guns. He had reason to suspect that Lord Lu had deliberately found a new gun to deceive him in order to bring down Mao Xiang as quickly as possible.

Now that Mao Xiang has been released, it's hard to guarantee that he won't take any extreme actions.

Da'erma sighed softly, inwardly groaning.

To outsiders, the Embroidered Uniform Guards appear prestigious.

But in front of a powerful figure like Lu Yunyi who controls finances and military power, they are utterly insignificant.

Especially today, Lu Yunyi has gained two more official titles of the second rank, making him even more favored.

"Therefore, Mao Xiang will act in secret, just like me, without showing his face, and certainly without trying to seize your power."

Du Pingping scoffed lightly, a mocking smile playing on her lips:

"If we release them quietly, wouldn't Lord Lu know?"
Now that the imperial estates are all tied to the Market and Trade Bureau, no matter what happens in the palace, it can't be hidden from him.

"At this point, there's no time to worry about anything else; we can only try our best to cover it up."

"Alright, you've seen the warrant. Go to the prison and release the man."

Du Pingping looked helpless and bowed in response:

"Yes."

Since several high-ranking and powerful rebels were imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, its guards have become exceptionally tight.

It's still damp here, but much cleaner than usual.

After all, no one knows if these disgraced officials will ever be able to turn their lives around.

At this moment, Du Pingping, led by the jailer, walked towards the deepest part of the prison.

In the prisons along the way, there were disheveled criminals, their spirits low.

Du Pingping walked along, thinking to herself, secretly relieved.
Fortunately, when he came last time, he specifically instructed the jailer to take good care of him and not mistreat him.

Otherwise, I really wouldn't know how to face this today.

Reaching the innermost cell, the jailer smiled obsequiously:
"Lord Du, Lord Mao is inside."

We have been taking care of you as instructed. Although the environment is rather simple, you have never been without food and drink; you have always been provided with the rations due to a high-ranking official.

Du Pingping glanced at the figure inside the cell and chuckled softly:
"Thank you for your hard work. Now open the cell door."

"Okay, I'll start now!"

The jailer stepped forward and opened the cell door; the sound of the chains dragging seemed to awaken the prisoners inside.

Mao Xiang raised his head listlessly.

His gaunt face was nothing but skin and bones in the shadows, and his eyes were lifeless and devoid of vitality.

He stared blankly at the open cell door.
The firelight streaming in through the window caught my eye and gradually ignited a glimmer of light.

Gradually, a glint appeared in his eyes, and he seemed to come alive.

He tried to stand up, but three months in prison had left him extremely weak.
He could only stand up shakily, leaning against the wall.

When he saw Du Pingping standing at the door,
His lips were pressed tightly together, and he tried to speak several times.
But he remained silent, too many words stuck in his throat, unsure of where to begin.

Finally, Du Pingping sighed softly:
"My lord, please come with me. Something terrible has happened in the capital."

Mao Xiang's expression changed instantly, his eyes filled with surprise and a hint of shock.
For the Imperial Guards to personally come and release him, something extremely serious must have happened.

Du Pingping waved her hand, and the Imperial Guard officers behind her quickly stepped forward.

They took out the clean official robes that had been prepared beforehand and helped Mao Xiang wash and change into them.

In less than a quarter of an hour, the prisoner, covered in mud and emaciated, was gone.
Instead, a person dressed in the official uniform of the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was present.

However, the sadness in his eyes and the thinness in his body ultimately overshadowed his former high spirits.

"Let's go."

Du Pingping sighed and turned to walk out.

Mao Xiang squinted, his empty mind beginning to race.
His unique sensitivity and memory, characteristic of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, gradually returned, and he began to ponder.
What exactly happened that made His Majesty change his mind and release him?

Half an hour later, Mao Xiang returned to the Imperial Guard headquarters in the capital and entered his former office.

He sat down in the chair, stroking the familiar wooden armrests, and looked at the familiar furnishings in the room.
Overwhelmed with emotion, I didn't know how to express it.

Du Pingping across from them put down her plate.

On the table were a few light side dishes, a bowl of white rice, and two jugs of sake.

"My lord, please try the food. This wine is a fine wine from outside the palace. You have just come out and it is not advisable for you to drink strong liquor."

Mao Xiang nodded, picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of bean sprouts, and put it in his mouth.

A subtle sweetness lingered on my tongue. Although there were similar dishes in prison, none could compare to the taste of freedom I felt now.

He picked up his glass again and drank it all in one gulp.

The spiciness of the sake spread in my mouth.

His eyes glazed over, and a feeling of comfort spread throughout his body.

Only now did he truly believe that he was really out and not dreaming.

"I never thought that I, a traitor, would one day regain my freedom." He chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"What happened?"

Du Pingping also picked up her glass and took a sip.
While eating, he recounted in detail the series of events that followed the prince's poisoning.

From the poisoning by red tide algae, to He Zicheng's impeachment, Kong Tianzong's introduction of the Single Whip Law, and then to He Zicheng's mysterious death.

Mao Xiang's expression gradually changed from initial shock to blankness.
Only the sense of danger in his eyes grew stronger and stronger.

Du Pingping spoke for a full fifteen minutes before finally stopping.
Mao Xiang put down his chopsticks and wine glass, and took a deep breath:

"He Zicheng is dead? He died on the way out of Beijing?"

"He died, poisoned by red tide algae. In my opinion, this seems to be a deterrent tactic of the rebels."

Mao Xiang nodded, but retorted:
"Why can't it be that someone is trying to muddy the waters and make things even more complicated?"

Du Pingping was taken aback, then looked up abruptly, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes, before she smiled and said:

"Lord Mao, who would risk offending both the court and the rebels by doing such a thankless task?"

"Nothing in this world is absolute; all possibilities must be considered."

Mao Xiang spoke with certainty:

"Wasn't this the same person who did the assassination attempt on Lu Yunyi?"

What appears to be an action by the opposition party is actually a third party seeking to reap the benefits.

Du Pingping's face stiffened, and she fell into deep thought.
Based on the current clues, the assassination attempt on Lu Yunyi may not have actually been carried out by the rebels.

After all, the more chaotic the situation, the harder it is for the rebel party to succeed.

If they did it, wouldn't they be shooting themselves in the foot?
He took a deep breath and said in a low voice:

“Lord Mao, if we investigate along these lines, there will be far too many suspects.”

There are many onlookers hiding in the capital, watching from the shadows, and it's impossible to guess what they're thinking.

Even if a third party were to take advantage of the situation, it would be very difficult for us to find out.

"you're right."

Mao Xiang didn't dwell on it, and changed the subject:
"However, He Zicheng's death is easy to cover up."
"Fabricate more absurd rumors to make things more confusing, and the people will naturally not believe the claim that he was killed in the palace."

Du Pingping nodded:
"I have already made the arrangements. We will start spreading rumors first thing tomorrow morning."

Mao Xiang continued:
"The real problem is the abolition of the paper money."

Although the Market and Exchange Bureau had decided to replace silver with paper money, most people only cared about immediate gains and losses and focused on practical benefits.

A mere rumor that the paper money was going to be abolished was enough to arouse their suspicion.

If someone else adds fuel to the fire, it could easily trigger a run on the bank.

"Does Your Excellency mean we should start with the common people?"

"Yes." Mao Xiang's eyes were sharp.
"I am not knowledgeable about business, but I know the locations of underground banks and black markets."

If rumors of currency abolition spread, people will surely rush to exchange their paper money for silver.
The only places where they could exchange silver were the black market and money shops.

Therefore, the first step must be to crack down on these outposts and cut off their silver exchange channels.

"I have already made arrangements for this. We will take action to make the arrests tomorrow."

Mao Xiang nodded, and then added:
“But suppression alone is not enough. Didn’t you say that the Market Exchange Bureau wants to make merchants settle accounts only with paper money?”
They could send people to impersonate black market currency exchangers and offer to exchange silver for ordinary people.

However, the exchange rate must be deliberately kept very low, for example, a single coin of paper money can only be exchanged for six qian of silver.

Then he was arranged to take the precious paper money to the Yingtian Trading Company to shop.
Finally, the story of making a 40% profit spread like wildfire and became common knowledge.

The common people aren't stupid; since exchanging silver would be a loss,

It's better to just use the paper money to buy things; that way you can save money.

This would greatly mitigate the impact of the rumors and might even promote the use of the precious paper money.

Upon hearing this, Du Pingping looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with surprise and delight:

"Your Excellency is wise! This method can both dispel the rumors and help the Market Exchange Bureau promote the precious paper money, killing two birds with one stone!"

(End of this chapter)