In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1033 Even a True Dragon Protects Its Son

A long silence fell over the hall. Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand and waved it, his voice low and deep:
"You all stand down."

The eunuchs and guards serving inside bowed and withdrew, and the heavy palace doors were gently closed, shutting out all outside noise.

In an instant, only three people remained inside the Wuying Hall.

The candlelight flickered in the wind, casting the three people's shadows long and short.
It was thrown onto the cold ground, adding a touch of solemnity.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked to the bronze tripod in the hall, his fingers tracing the patterns on it, his voice hoarse and weary:
"Tell me about the current situation."
I will unleash a reign of terror, uprooting all those rebellious elements who have jumped out to the surface.
Should we continue to be patient and wait until the relocation of the capital is finalized before making a decision?

A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Huizu's eyes. He clenched his fists tightly and spoke with the decisiveness characteristic of a military general:
"Your Majesty, I believe we should nip this in the bud!"

"The rebels have openly mobilized troops to intercept and kill the imperial convoy escorting wealthy households. This is blatant treason!"
If we tolerate them today, they will only become more rampant in the future.
They might even dare to set up an array right outside Yingtian City!
Although my younger brother Zengshou escaped danger by sheer luck, the army suffered over a hundred casualties. The blood of those brothers cannot have been shed in vain!

Zhu Yuanzhang did not turn around, but merely turned his head slightly to the side:

"Tell me, who are you going to kill?"

"Anyone involved with the rebels, regardless of whether they are nobles or gentry, shall be severely punished!"

Xu Huizu's tone was resolute:
"Zhou Dexing is largely to blame for the rebellion that occurred within the jurisdiction of the Zhongdu Garrison Command."

The Censorate should be ordered to conduct a thorough investigation.
Those powerful figures in the capital who oppose moving the capital and secretly fund the rebellious faction should also be taken down one by one.

There were also powerful local clans that hoarded weapons and colluded with rebel forces.

"Confiscate their property and execute them, as a warning to others!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes:
"Back then, His Majesty pacified the world with swift and decisive measures!"

Now that the rebels are causing trouble, if we don't suppress them severely, they will only think that His Majesty is too old and dare not touch them!

Only through rivers of blood can we deter the villains and ensure the stability of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Xu Huizu's face, his expression complex:
"Do you know how many people will be implicated if this killing continues?"
The Hu Weiyong case resulted in the execution of over 30,000 people, leaving the imperial court largely empty.

"My heart aches when I think of those old brothers at night."

Xu Huizu, with his neck stiff:

"Your Majesty, times have changed! The Hu Weiyong case was a case of a powerful minister plotting rebellion, but today it is the rebels who are destroying the foundation of the court!"
If they are not killed, the relocation of the capital will be difficult to achieve, the promotion of paper money will be hindered, and the foundation of the Ming Dynasty will be shaken!

"I am willing to lead troops to investigate and confiscate the property of the traitors, and show absolutely no leniency!"

Xu Huizu's voice was strong and clear.

Lu Yunyi stood to the side, staring at him in utter shock.
This... how is this different from how he behaved in the Governor's Mansion?
He was such a nice guy just now.
How did it end up like this after we arrived?

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't reply, but instead looked at Lu Yunyi, who had remained silent to the side:
"What do you think?"

Lu Yunyi bowed respectfully, his tone calm and composed, a stark contrast to Xu Huizu's eagerness:

"Your Majesty, I believe that we should not engage in large-scale killings, but rather proceed gradually."

Xu Huizu also looked shocked. How could this person be so fickle?

They've been taking the lead and making moves one after another these days, so why are they backing down now that it's crucial?

Lu Yunyi didn't look at Xu Huizu; his gaze remained fixed on Zhu Yuanzhang.
"I am not condoning the rebels, but given the current situation, we cannot kill them all, nor can we eliminate them completely."

He paused, then slowly said:

"First of all, the rebels are not a monolithic group. The Zou family, who caused trouble at Luomapo this time..."

Behind this is a group of powerful figures in the capital region who are worried about the losses caused by moving the capital.

The unusual movements of the Zhongdu Garrison Commander were intertwined with the hometown sentiments of the founding nobles.

Those in the capital who opposed the paper money were another group of officials and gentry who relied on silver.

If we rashly start a massacre, we will only force these people together and turn them into mortal enemies.

"In that case, it won't be about suppressing a rebellion; it will force half the court to rebel."

Zhu Yuanzhang's brow twitched slightly:
"go on."

"Secondly, killing him would not silence public opinion."

Lu Yunyi's voice was not loud, but every word was clear.
"Now that the people of the capital have just begun to live a stable life..."

A bumper sweet potato harvest has led to numerous workshops.
If a large-scale prison is suddenly opened, and people are confiscated and executed, it will inevitably cause widespread panic.

The common people, unaware of the true situation, would only say that His Majesty slaughtered nobles and mistreated ministers, thus damaging His Majesty's reputation for benevolence.

Moving the capital already requires popular support; resorting to violence at this time would be a losing proposition.

Xu Huizu couldn't help but interject: "If the traitors are not eliminated, the consequences will be endless!"

"It's not that we don't eliminate it, but that we eliminate it slowly, gradually, and skillfully."

Lu Yunyi looked at Xu Huizu, his tone calm.
"The root of all this lies in self-interest, with the opposing party colluding in this way and turning a deaf ear to the people's livelihood."

They opposed moving the capital because they feared losing the assets in the capital region; they opposed paper money because they hoped their silver would appreciate in value.

If we can exploit their weaknesses and divide and weaken them, it will be more effective than killing them.

He turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and continued:

"Your Majesty, there are two most important things at the moment."
First, it ensured the safe arrival of wealthy households in Guanzhong, laying the foundation for the relocation of the capital.

Secondly, it will solidify the credibility of the banknotes, ensuring that the public and merchants can use them with peace of mind.
If these two things are accomplished, the foundation of the rebel party will naturally be shaken.

"Continue." Zhu Yuanzhang remained expressionless throughout.

Lu Yunyi said:

"First, it was to sow discord among the nobles. Although Marquis Zhou Dexing of Jiangxia opposed moving the capital..."
However, they were unwilling to rebel against the party, and their intervention to provide assistance this time is proof of that.

Offer him some reassurance, such as a promise to retain Yingtian as a secondary capital after the capital is moved, to put his mind at ease.
It also lets other founding nobles know,
Your Majesty does not intend to reduce their power, but only for the long-term benefit of the Ming Dynasty.

In this way, most of the nobles would not collude with the rebels.

Some who had been passively watching those people cause trouble will also step in to stop them, thus calming down much of the unrest.

"Second, we control the powerful and influential people in the capital region. Most of those who support the anti-government faction have businesses in the capital."

The imperial court is actively promoting paper money.

Once the grand plan to replace silver with paper money in the capital region is fully completed...

These people are not to be feared. Once they control the money, the imperial court can act arbitrarily against the merchants!

In addition, we need to give them some options.
For example, if one can proactively sever ties with the rebels, the court may forgive and forget.

These people are driven by self-interest and will never fight a direct confrontation if they have a way out.

"Third, we must purge small groups of rebels. Those who openly mobilize troops, like the Zou family, must be severely punished."

Only the ringleaders are punished; those who were coerced are left unpunished.

It can intimidate others without causing panic.

As for those who are secretly causing trouble, they can be investigated discreetly.
Once evidence is gathered, officials are either demoted or dismissed, and those responsible are eliminated one by one, avoiding large-scale implicatement.

Xu Huizu frowned upon hearing this and decisively said:

"Too slow! The relocation of the capital is urgent; we don't have time to waste with them."

"Duke of Wei, haste makes waste," Lu Yunyi shook his head.
"My recent efforts to promote paper money have been repeatedly thwarted, and only now do I understand..."
There aren't many rebels in the capital yet, but as the court intensifies its actions, their numbers will increase.
Moreover, they are intertwined, each with its own influence, and cannot be eliminated overnight.

If we rush things, we might alert them and make them more united than ever before.

Taking things slowly and methodically may seem slow, but it is actually stable.

Each bumper sweet potato harvest greatly enhanced the prestige of the imperial court.
In a few years, even if the imperial court were to truly unleash a reign of terror, the people would cheer.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened calmly and nodded slightly.
"The matter of sweet potatoes is indeed true, and what you said last time about 'when people are well-fed and warm, they think of lust' is also correct."

Many people, having eaten and drunk their fill, spent money recklessly, and it's said that some restaurants and brothels have seen a significant increase in business.

Lu Yunyi's face stiffened, unsure of what to say.

He felt these things were not worthy of serious consideration.

Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the head of the table, slowly sat down, and gently tapped the armrest with his fingers, lost in thought.

The candlelight illuminated his face, revealing deep wrinkles that spoke of the vicissitudes of time.

The hall was silent except for the crackling of the burning candlelight.

Xu Huizu stood to the side, his chest still heaving.

Clearly, he was still dissatisfied with Lu Yunyi's statement.

Lu Yunyi stood with his hands at his sides, his expression calm, awaiting Zhu Yuanzhang's decision.

After a long while, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply, his voice hoarse:
“I am old, and some people are no longer afraid of me. Now that the Crown Prince is also ill, they are even less afraid.”

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze. Xu Huizu and Lu Yunyi both lowered their heads and did not look up.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the tall and upright Xu Huizu, sighed softly, and slowly said:
"Yun Gong, I know of your loyalty, but killing is not the only way. You must learn from your father and remain calm."

The Ming Dynasty needs generals who can fight battles, but it also needs nobles who can stabilize the situation.

Xu Huizu's lips moved, but he finally bowed and said:

"The minister obeys the order."

Zhu Yuanzhang then looked at Lu Yunyi:
"Your proposed strategy of division is feasible; I will consider it."

However, let's leave the matter of the paper money here and not push too hard; let's proceed slowly.

Once the last batch of sweet potatoes has been harvested,
"You can return to Daning after you meet with the people from the Agricultural Administration Academy."

Lu Yunyi suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of suspicion.
Although he had already noticed it during this period
His Majesty has become more conservative because of the Crown Prince's poisoning.
But unexpectedly, it really came to an abrupt end!

This seems somewhat different from the His Majesty he knows.

"His Majesty!"

Lu Yunyi wanted to say something, but Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand:
"I am tired, you may all leave."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and suspicion in each other's eyes, and bowed deeply.
"The minister obeys the order!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and leaned back wearily in his chair:

"You may leave. I wish to be alone."

The two bowed and slowly withdrew from the hall.

As soon as he stepped out of the Wuying Hall, a cold wind swept over him, and Xu Huizu couldn't help but look at Lu Yunyi:
“If you and I were to work together with determination, His Majesty might not be so despondent.”

A strange glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes as he glanced at the faint desolation in the palace and sighed softly.
"Duke of Wei, why did your attitude change so quickly? It caught me completely off guard."

“Aren’t you the same? Now everyone in the capital says you are brave and diligent, and that you want to make sweeping reforms, but in the end, you are still slow to act.”

"Duke of Wei, people in the capital say that you do not seek merit but only to avoid mistakes, and I almost believed it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Huizu's lips twitched slightly, and he gave a helpless smile.
"Now it's all over. Neither radical nor conservative approaches work. I don't know why His Majesty is like this."

Lu Yunyi's voice was soft and gentle:
“The Crown Prince is His Majesty’s eldest son. If the Crown Prince is in poor health, His Majesty will not have the energy to do anything.”

"You mean His Highness the Crown Prince's illness is not optimistic?"

Lu Yunyi shook his head:
"I didn't say that, but I've seen quite a few elderly people who have lost their sons these days."

They felt as if their spines had been removed, and suddenly there was no hope left in their lives.

"How dare you!" Xu Huizu hissed.

Lu Yunyi continued:

"His Highness the Crown Prince's condition has not improved, and His Majesty is in the same situation now."

Even the Grand General is despondent and now spends all his time at the Crown Prince's residence with His Highness Yunwen.

Xu Huizu seemed to have thought of something and gave Lu Yunyi a look.
Then he slowly walked forward, and Lu Yunyi followed.
After leaving the Wuying Hall Square, the two arrived at a deserted ceremonial path.

Xu Huizu said as he walked:

"If the Crown Prince is truly ill, what do you think of Prince Yunwen and Prince Yunwen?"

Lu Yunyi glanced at him again in surprise.
It seems that the rumors circulating in the capital about the Duke of Wei being overly cautious and timid cannot be believed.

This person is not only radical, but also daring.

Lu Yunyi did not hide anything and said frankly:
"I am a soldier."

Xu Huizu nodded, a look of understanding on his face.

"Understood, but Prince Yuntong is not the eldest son. This matter is not up to you or me to decide; it is up to the Ministry of Rites."

Lu Yunyi said calmly:

"Li Yuanming wanted to retire and go home, but His Majesty has not yet agreed."
Perhaps we can use him to secure Prince Yunhu's position as the legitimate son.

Xu Huizu shook his head:
"It can't be done. The reason Li Yuanming is the foremost civil official in the land is because he always stands on the side of the civil officials."
If he were to deviate from the norm and not acknowledge Prince Yunwen as his legitimate son,
It wasn't just a matter of whether he could retire and return to his hometown; his entire reputation would be ruined in an instant.

"What can we do then? The Ministry of Rites controls the mouthpiece, and those Grand Secretaries control the classics, etiquette, and orthodoxy."

If they acknowledge the Crown Princess, then Prince Yunwen will be the eldest son of the legitimate wife.

Lu Yunyi asked the question, his eyes turning cold and his voice becoming low.

"I don't know, this matter must be decided by the Crown Prince."

"Prince."

Lu Yunyi's eyes were vacant as he let out a long sigh:

"Duke of Wei, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."

"Don't talk."

Lu Yunyi pretended not to hear and continued:
"If anything unexpected happens, the Governor's Office must work together to promote Prince Yuntong."

Otherwise, our future days will be difficult.

Xu Huizu's pupils contracted slightly, knowing what he meant by "surprise," and his heart churned.
A nameless, overwhelming fear lingered in my heart.
He knew what kind of turmoil that event would cause.

"Aren't we thinking too far ahead?"

Lu Yunyi stood still, his expression solemn:

"His Majesty is now a father, not an emperor, and the fact that he is already considering stepping down is enough to show how serious the matter is."

What is the true state of His Highness the Crown Prince? You, Duke of Wei, do not know, nor do I, this humble official.

Even a great general would likely only have a vague understanding of this.
Only His Majesty knows the whole story intact.

"This"

Xu Huizu didn't know how to refute it; he only felt a heavy stone pressing on his heart.
Lu Yunyi continued:

"The Crown Prince is bedridden, and the rebels have suffered heavy losses. Now it's a lose-lose situation."

Sometimes, when I look at the numerous accounts in the capital…
I can't help but think about it.
Is stopping now the best way to minimize losses?

"What do you mean? Is there a problem with the accounts in the capital?"

Lu Yunyi turned around, looking Xu Huizu straight in the eye, his eyes filled with apprehension:

"Duke of Wei, you have no idea how wealthy the common people are; the accounts are shocking."

Compared to the imperial court, it was like fireflies vying for brilliance with the bright moon.

"How is that possible? The imperial court collects tens of millions in taxes every year, and commercial taxes from maritime trade and other sources can also amount to tens of millions."

"But the imperial court is constantly spending money. What if the imperial court stopped spending money?"
The wealth of ordinary people is naturally incomparable.

But the imperial court needed to build roads, bridges, control floods, and wage war.

After all this turmoil, the imperial court didn't have much money, but the people had an unimaginable amount.

Duke of Wei, the sales volume of Yingtian Trading Company has recently doubled again.
It could sell nearly 40,000 banknotes a day, 70% of which were bought by wealthy, powerful, and influential people.
The amount was so large that the merchants had to start transporting a lot of their goods from the village to other estates.

I sent men to investigate several families, including the Chen family's burial mound in Jurong County.

The pile of silver amounted to at least two hundred thousand taels, the oldest pieces still bearing marks from the Northern Song Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Chen family produced only one scholar who passed the imperial examination, and he was virtually unknown.
But even such a noble family
Yet it is like a tiger submerged in water, a dragon lurking in the abyss.

"I cannot fathom the profound heritage of those aristocratic families that have produced renowned ministers."

Lu Yunyi sighed and continued:
"If the capital really has to be moved, the court will have to fight these people head-on, which is exhausting just thinking about it."

Xu Huizu looked shocked; the Prince of Zhongshan's mansion was a newly powerful family.
He truly couldn't comprehend how much wealth these deeply rooted aristocratic families possessed.
It was likely to be a considerable sum, but after Lu Yunyi's words, he became somewhat wary.
"Wow, that's really rich?"

"Duke of Wei, the Ming Dynasty is truly a place where hidden talents abound."

Lu Yunyi was deeply moved and somewhat tired. He said in a low voice, "Duke of Wei, I have a request."

"what's up?"

"Roads need to be built between Beiping and Yingtian"
However, the cement workshops had too few craftsmen to support the five-thousand-mile-long official road.

Therefore, the Left Army Commandery borrowed some craftsmen from the Northern Pacification Commandery to enter the pass and build a cement workshop.
"I hope the Duke of Wei can lend a hand and make this happen."

Xu Huizu nodded without much thought:

"When are you leaving? I'll make the arrangements."

Lu Yunyi's eyes were vacant as he said indifferently:
"The last crop of sweet potatoes will be harvested in three days. It's an improved new variety, resistant to cold and drought. I wonder how the harvest will be."

(End of this chapter)