In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1026 The Courageous Radicals
When Lu Yunyi arrived at the Wuying Hall, there were already many people waiting at the entrance.

At first glance, most of them were scholars from the Hanlin Academy, the Imperial Academy, and the National University, along with some councilors.
They were all highly respected scholars, each with gray hair and beard, exuding an air of refined elegance.

But the moment they saw Lu Yunyi, their expressions darkened.

They pointed at him and whispered among themselves.

Several people didn't even try to hide it from others, their words reaching Lu Yunyi's ears directly.

Lu Yunyi paid no attention, walked straight to the front of the hall, looked at Marquis Wuying Guo Ying, and bowed deeply:
"My lord, please inform him."

Guo Ying did not enter the hall immediately, but stared at Lu Yunyi for a moment, and finally sighed helplessly:
"Let's keep things quiet for now. The memorials impeaching you are piling up so much they can't be stored away."

Lu Yunyi was taken aback and did not respond.

Before long, the chief eunuch of Wuying Hall came out to summon him, and Lu Yunyi quickly walked into the hall.

The hall was rather chilly, and the temperature was much lower than outside.

At the head of the table sat Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, dressed in ordinary clothes, with memorials piled up to half a person's height on his desk.

At the lower end, Duke Xu Huizu of Wei, Minister of Personnel Zhan Hui, Minister of Rites Li Yuanming, and Vice Minister of Revenue Fu Youwen stood solemnly to the side, a gathering of distinguished guests.

Lu Yunyi walked to the lower seat and bowed in greeting:

"Your subject Lu Yunyi greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his young face and sighed almost imperceptibly:

"If you can't explain the matter of Mingdao Academy clearly, those old gentlemen at the gate might bury me with impeachment memorials."

Lu Yunyi hadn't expected His Majesty to be so direct, so he simply stated:

"Your Majesty, I believe that there are only two places in the capital where the rebels are hiding."

Which two places?

"The Imperial Court and the Academy!"

Lu Yunyi's words were concise and to the point.

The expressions on the faces of those present changed slightly, their eyes filled with confusion as they looked at him.
Why is he so ambitious today?
Has something unknown happened?
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent, and Lu Yunyi continued:

"He Zicheng, the headmaster of Mingdao Academy, colluded with the rebels, plotted for their money, and opened up many avenues for wealth."

Since Mingdao Academy was a gathering place for the sons of powerful and wealthy families, there must be something fishy going on there, so they requested a document from the Censorate and went to search it.

Surprisingly, they actually found solid evidence.

Upon hearing this, Zhan Hui's face darkened.

He held the positions of Minister of Personnel and Left Censor-in-Chief, but the daily affairs of the Censorate were handled by Yuan Tai, and he only learned of today's escalating events later.

Now that Buddhist and Taoist scriptures have been found in Confucian academies, it will be difficult for the Censorate to distance itself from the matter.
Those scholars would never hesitate to use their pens to slander him.

"Zhan Hui, besides those Buddhist scriptures, what else did you find? Is there any concrete evidence of treason?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhan Hui, interrupting his thoughts.

Zhan Hui looked troubled, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Military Governor's Office are still searching."

In addition to these Buddhist scriptures, some prohibited books were also seized.

As for any other clues about the rebels, we will only know after the Embroidered Uniform Guard interrogates them.

At this moment, Xu Huizu, the commander of the central army, stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, the officials and soldiers of the Governor's Office are intensifying their search and have found evidence of moral failings among some of the instructors and scholars."

I will compile the information later and present it to Your Majesty.

"What kind of things are these?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked the question casually.

"This"

Xu Huizu was speechless for a moment, then thought for a moment and said softly:

"Your Majesty, Mingdao Academy is known as the premier academy in the capital, and claims to recruit talented individuals and cultivate talent for the country."

Ke Chen discovered within the academy that many of the correspondence between instructors, scholars, and local gentry involved a large amount of power-money transactions.

A student wishing to enter Mingdao Academy must pay at least three hundred taels of silver as miscellaneous fees. This money is used to buy writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and clothing for winter and summer.

In addition, a fee should be paid to the corresponding instructor and the student, but the amount of this fee is not fixed.

The largest sum found so far belongs to a tutor named Lü Jingrui. A local gentryman from Fengyang Prefecture gave him 1,300 taels of silver, simply to ask him to take good care of his son.

"Thirteen hundred taels?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's brow twitched violently, and his hand, which was at his side, clenched tightly.

Even with the current abundance of the imperial treasury, 1,300 taels is still a huge sum of money for the palace.

The fact that a mere academy instructor could accept such a large sum of money far exceeded his expectations.

Moreover, this was just one student. As far as he knew, it was common for a teacher at Mingdao Academy to teach more than a dozen students.

Xu Huizu no longer held back and simply spoke frankly:

"Your Majesty, some students in certain areas are of mediocre talent, ranking last even in local schools."
However, because his family was wealthy, he was able to come to Yingtian and enter Mingdao Academy.

I have also heard that the reputations of many talented and romantic men on the Qinhuai River were largely built by students of the Mingdao Academy.
Students at the Imperial Academy and the National Academy, however, were mostly low-key and reserved.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in realization, his voice tinged with a hint of wry smile, and said in a way that was neither a smile nor a frown:

"So, the reputation of scholars in our Great Ming Dynasty has been tarnished by these people?"

"Exactly!"

Xu Huizu's voice was firm, and his eyes revealed his anger.

Before he could impeach these scholars, Xu Guan's impeachment document had already been delivered to His Majesty's desk.

Since the other party was being impolite, he saw no need to hold back.

At this moment, Lu Yunyi bowed with his hands clasped and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, I believe that Mingdao Academy is disrupting the peace and order of the nation."

How can a place for reading and nurturing people be linked to personal gain?

Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty shut down the Mingdao Academy, severely punish those who embezzle and abuse their power, and impose the death penalty on those who damage the reputation of the Ming Dynasty's cultural heritage!

Upon hearing this, even Li Yuanming, who was reluctant to speak, stepped forward and said softly:
"Lord Lu, there are good and bad people everywhere. We cannot ruin the cultural heritage of the Ming Dynasty because of a small group of bad apples."

Furthermore, the literary tradition of the Ming Dynasty was not supported by the Mingdao Academy, but by the Imperial Academy and the National University.

Such ruthless methods will surely draw criticism from both the court and the public.

Lu Yunyi raised an eyebrow and continued:
"Lord Li, the Buddhist scriptures that Mingdao Academy found all bear the official seal of the Ministry of Rites on their title pages."

Could you tell me about these scriptures that should have been destroyed long ago?

How did they escape the Ministry of Rites and enter Mingdao Academy?

Li Yuanming's face darkened:
Fifteen years ago, I was still teaching at the Imperial Academy, a humble scholar.
How can we know where these scriptures have gone?

Lu Yunyi was taken aback; he really didn't know about this.

But then he rolled his eyes and pressed on:

"Lord Li, the Ministry of Rites is in charge of education throughout the country. How can the Ministry of Rites stand idly by while Mingdao Academy is so rampant?"
Or perhaps these people were just too discreet.
How could the entire court fail to notice?

Li Yuanming's expression darkened further.

In his memory, Lu Yunyi had always been easy to talk to.

Why are you acting like you've taken a gunpowder today?
"The Ministry of Rites was in charge of education and culture, and it supervised the Imperial Academy and the National University."

Mingdao Academy, a private school,

Even if the Ministry of Rites wanted to take charge, it wouldn't have enough manpower.

Moreover, nowadays, apart from the academies established by the imperial court, the most common type of school in various regions is this kind of private school.

If all these are placed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites and bound by rigid rules, how can teachers in various regions ensure that education is provided to all without discrimination?

"I haven't had much formal education, but I know that studying can enlighten the mind and serve the country."

Scholars cultivated in places like Mingdao Academy
If they were to be granted official positions through hereditary privilege, or if they were to pass the imperial examinations and become officials in local areas to govern the people, that would be a great calamity for the Ming Dynasty!

Upon hearing this, even Zhan Hui looked at Lu Yunyi, his eyes filled with doubt.

What on earth is going on today?
They made such a big fuss.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was at the head of the table, said in a deep voice:

"Alright, stop arguing. The matter of Mingdao Academy will be jointly investigated by the Ministry of Rites and the Censorate."

Anyone who plots rebellion shall be severely punished without exception.

If it's merely a matter of possessing prohibited books, apprehending the individuals involved is sufficient; the academy's classes must not be disrupted.

"Yes!"

Zhan Hui and Li Yuanming bowed and agreed, secretly relieved that things hadn't gotten out of control.

But the next moment, Lu Yunyi said loudly:
"Your Majesty, I have another matter to report!"

"Say!"

"I have heard today that the people of the capital, unable to exchange their paper money for official banknotes, have taken the officials from several banknote exchange points under the Ministry of Revenue to the capital government office. I believe that since the founding of the dynasty, the people have become increasingly wealthy and have surplus funds, and are now even more willing to support the imperial banknotes."

The imperial court must not let the people's hearts grow cold; it must ensure that they have money to spend and money to use.
Instead of what it is now,
The daily issuance of paper money by the Ministry of Revenue's Paper Money Office was exhausted within half an hour, leaving 90% of the people disappointed.

Fu Youwen, who had been gloating, immediately pursed his lips and stiffened his face upon hearing this.

He quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, I have discussed a plan with Minister Kong."

The Treasury will add five more banknote exchange points tomorrow, and the exchange quota will double.

"Lord Fu, doubling the amount is not enough! It needs to be increased at least five times!"

Lu Yunyi immediately retorted,
Do not give others a chance to interrupt.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him in surprise, wondering why he had made enemies everywhere today.

Fu Youwen was also baffled, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue's Treasury has a fixed quota for printing banknotes each year, and nearly 70% of that quota has already been used up this year."

If more are printed, the paper money will only become even less valuable.

"Your Majesty, what Lord Fu said is nothing to worry about!"

As long as the imperial court does not use the silver reserves obtained from exchanging paper money...

Even if more and more paper money is printed, it still has corresponding purchasing power.

It might even appreciate in value due to a decrease in the amount of silver in the market and an increase in the amount of goods!

"Lord Lu, this is just your opinion."

With silver dwindling in circulation, no one can predict how the price of paper money will fluctuate.

Fu Youwen refuted this again.

Lu Yunyi's voice was firm and resonant as he said in a deep voice:
"The transaction records of the Market and Exchange Bureau over the past ten days are irrefutable evidence!"
Yingtian Trading Company receives nearly 20,000 strings of cash daily, and its three commodities—grain, cloth, and tea—are not enough even with three daily restockings.

The people aren't afraid that the paper money will lose its value; they're afraid they won't be able to exchange it for anything!

He looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, his whole being radiating a sharp edge:

"Your Majesty, the value of the paper money does not depend on the price of the goods, but on the credit of the court."

Printing more or less is never the key point!
Nowadays, the imperial court distributes officials' salaries and soldiers' pay in silver notes every month.

The Market and Commerce Bureau collects commercial taxes and uses paper money to purchase goods.

People used paper money for shopping and merchants used it for purchasing goods, while silver was collected by the Ministry of Revenue and returned to the national treasury.

The more banknotes circulate in the market, the more accustomed people become to using them.
The more people use it, the more valuable the paper money becomes, and people will no longer think about using silver.

This is similar to the copper coins in Jiangnan back then; in the early days, some people worried that there wouldn't be enough.

"Once it was allowed to circulate, didn't it remain stable for decades?"

"As for the quota."

He abruptly changed the subject, getting straight to the point:

"The reason why the Treasury's quota for paper money wasn't used up last year was because no one wanted to use it."
This year's quota is insufficient because everyone wants to use it!

This isn't because too much paper money was printed.

The quotas are not keeping up with the needs of the people!
The fivefold increase I mentioned is not excessive spending, but rather filling the current gap.

People lined up before dawn, but when they got to the front, there was no money to exchange. It was all just empty talk, as the great opportunity never came their way.

If this continues, the grievances among the people will eventually become difficult to quell.

Moreover, even if the quota were increased tenfold, ten times more silver would flow into the national treasury; how could there be any talk of devaluation?

Finally, he bowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang, his tone earnest:

"Your Majesty, the people now trust the precious paper money; this is a rare opportunity!"

If they are disappointed because the quota is insufficient.
If we try to promote paper money again, it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven!
The rebellious faction in the court wished for the issuance of paper money to stagnate and for silver coins to continue to be used in various regions.
This is something that causes pain to loved ones and joy to enemies.

The imperial court must not stagnate!
Please Your Majesty, please look into this matter carefully!"

A quarter of an hour passed, then another quarter of an hour passed.
The argument inside the Wuying Hall turned into a chaotic mess, and in the end, they could only part on bad terms.

The people inside the hall left, each with their own thoughts. Xu Huizu walked at the front, his steps hurried.

Lu Yunyi followed behind, his steps equally hurried.

Li Yuanming was the last to arrive. As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, he was surrounded by a group of scholars guarding the steps.

Leading the group was Wu Qian, a Hanlin Academy reader, whose hair and beard were white. He stepped forward and asked:
"Lord Li, what did His Majesty say?"
Is Mingdao Academy really going to be shut down? Was the whole thing about the Buddhist scriptures a deliberate frame-up?

The surrounding scholars echoed their sentiments, their chatter making Li Yuanming's temples throb.

He was already embarrassed by Lu Yunyi's questioning in the palace.

Surrounded like this, his temper flared up instantly. He flicked his sleeves and said in a deep voice:

"His Majesty only said to investigate the case, not to close the hospital!"
As for the Buddhist scriptures, they were discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard themselves, with the Ministry of Rites' seal as proof; they weren't framed!

Wu Qian was stunned for a moment, and wanted to ask again, but Li Yuanming had already pushed through the crowd and walked out:

"If you want to ask, go ask the Censorate!"

The other scholars exchanged bewildered glances, and many turned their gazes toward Lu Yunyi, their eyes filled with anger.

Ignoring the prying gazes, Lu Yunyi had just stepped down the stairs when Xu Huizu slowed his pace, moved closer to him, and asked in a low voice:

"What's wrong with him today? Why is he acting so aggressively?"

Lu Yunyi's eyes showed a hint of fatigue, the sharpness from before gone.

He looked at Xu Huizu and said:
"Duke of Wei, I have received word that someone is trying to cause trouble by taking advantage of the relocation of wealthy households."

I don't know who's behind this yet. All I can do is cause them some trouble in the capital and draw their attention back to the city.

This would make the relocation of wealthy households smoother.

Xu Huizu was stunned, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his whole body radiated murderous intent:
"Someone is planning a rebellion? Where did you get this information? Is it accurate?"

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"It's pretty much a done deal; the current situation is deadlocked, and neither side can make any progress."
After much deliberation, I realized that the only thing I could do was to focus on the relocation of wealthy households.

In addition, on the night the wealthy households moved into the northern camp, someone went out of the city to deliver the news.

In my humble opinion, it's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't!

Xu Huizu's brows furrowed.
I finally understand why Lu Yunyi is so aggressive today.

He thought of Xu Zengshou, the younger brother who was responsible for escorting the wealthy households.
If I had known about this earlier, I probably would have been even more radical than Lu Yunyi!
Xu Huizu stopped, put his hands on his hips, and paced back and forth on the imperial road.

A moment later, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes:
"The Central Military Command shall issue a decree to dispatch a unit of elite troops to escort them!"

"Duke of Wei, do not alert the enemy!"

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and said in a deep voice:

"There's no reason to guard against thieves beforehand. I'd like to lure them out and see just how bold they really are."

Xu Huizu's eyes widened suddenly, and he said urgently:
"Are you crazy? There are already two thousand soldiers escorting us."
If they really want to cause trouble, the other side will only have more people! If this gets out, where will the imperial court put its face?

Moreover, this time it's Zigong leading the team!
How could you let him take such a risk? Does Zigong know?

"know."

Xu Huizu was stunned, a complex emotion churning within him.

That little brother who always followed me around like a shadow has now developed his own opinions!

He let out a long sigh and said in a deep voice:

Why didn't you tell me beforehand?
This will allow for more thorough planning.

"Duke of Wei, the more people who know about this, the greater the chance of failure."

Xu Huizu clearly understood this principle and did not pursue the matter further, instead asking:
What arrangements have you made?

"This humble official gave Zigong two hundred flintlock pistols."

Thunder on the ground!

Xu Huizu's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared at Lu Yunyi in shock, his face filled with disbelief.

"Where did you get so many flintlock muskets?"

"Isn't the workshop only producing a few dozen weapons? How come I didn't know about this?"

Lu Yunyi suddenly smiled and said calmly:
"What I want is for nobody to know."

Today, all the muskets, flintlock guns, and cannons in the capital are registered, and not a single one is missing.

If at this time the rebels mobilize troops, bandits, and outlaws to cause trouble...

"I believe that with Zigong's abilities, he will certainly be able to handle this with ease."

Xu Huizu's pupils trembled violently, and his breath hitched.

Looking at the young general before him, who held a huge amount of money, he suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
Even this brightly lit capital city felt somewhat unfamiliar to him.
What else is there that he doesn't know?

(End of this chapter)