In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 624 Advancing on Three Fronts, Subduing the Enemy Without a Fight

Inside the left wing, the stove was burning brightly, and the heat filled the entire office.

When Duan Zhengze arrived here,

Suddenly, the left wing room, which wasn't very big to begin with, seemed much more spacious.

It was almost identical to the main room where Lord Zhou lived.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi sitting at the table, with its mountain of documents piled up on it,
Only after seeing the officials waiting for instructions did he realize what was going on.

It's not that the house has gotten bigger, but that the power of the people inside has increased.

He knew it in his heart,
After Lord Zhou leaves today, he will not be returning to the Beiping Commandery in the near future.

And Lu Yunyi in front of him,
He has undoubtedly become the most powerful person in the Northern Pacification Command at present.

Duan Zhengze sighed softly, his heart filled with unease, and stood silently behind the group of officials.

Many people saw his distraught appearance.
He became increasingly wary and quickly lowered his head.

They were wary of Lu Yunyi, who was talking eloquently behind the desk.

Too fast, really too fast!
Having only been in Daning for ten days, I am advancing on three fronts simultaneously.

With their only superior gone, the subordinates, who were only superficially loyal, were restrained, and the "unruly people of the grasslands" were finally appeased.

Progress was made almost simultaneously at all levels, from top to bottom.
Many people haven't realized it yet.
They were already completely bewildered by the dazzling situation.
A complex mix of emotions permeated the office.

Lu Yunyi noticed that everyone was distracted.
He put down the document in his hand, looked at everyone present, and spoke loudly.

"Gentlemen, you are all key members of the Commandery."
They were in charge of the specific affairs of each department and each garrison.

Since everyone is a bit tired today, why don't we go back and rest first, and report to me again tomorrow?

"Alright, go back and rest. I need to review today's documents."

Upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze to the documents, secretly regretting their actions.

Why submit the document of this day of all times? It contains quite a few complaints.
Before long, everyone left.
Only Duan Zhengze remained, standing quietly in place.

"Lord Duan, please have a seat. You look so haggard after just a few days."

Lu Yunyi stood up with a smile.
As usual, he walked to the side and personally served Duan Zhengze tea and water.

This time, however, Duan Zhengze's state of mind was completely different.

He was flattered and even a little scared.

"That smiling tiger!"

After the two sat down, Lu Yunyi took a sip of tea and spoke with a smile.

"The reason I invited Lord Duan here today is to discuss the case of the Mi family's embezzlement of land."

Duan Zhengze's lips twitched slightly, a hint of embarrassment flashing in his eyes, and he stammered.

"Lord Lu can make the decision himself; I have no objections."

"Hey, you're the assistant commissioner in charge of land reclamation, how can we not consult you on this matter?"

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, put down his teacup, and continued speaking.

"My idea is to reclaim the many properties that the Mi family has seized, especially those near Daning City."

As for the Mi family, if they are willing to hand over the land, they could be treated leniently.

Duan Zhengze's eyes suddenly widened.
A flicker of disbelief crossed his face; he understood.

If returning the land would result in lenient treatment, what about myself?

Duan Zhengze felt his heart pounding, his throat dry, and he kept swallowing.

He quickly picked up his teacup and took a sip, completely unaware that the tea was scalding hot.

"Sir, won't this make it difficult to win over the public?"

Duan Zhengze asked, stammering.

Lu Yunyi looked surprised:
"How could that be? The Mi family are meritorious officials of the Beiping Military Command."

Now, mistakes can be forgiven.

Everyone makes mistakes. As long as you correct them, that's fine.

But if they remain obstinate, then don't blame Du Si for being impolite.

It just so happens that the capital's treasury is currently short of silver.

Confiscating their property can also fill some of the deficit.

What does Lord Duan think?

"Excellent!!"

Duan Zhengze quickly responded, having fully grasped Lu Yunyi's intention.

"My lord, please leave this matter to me."

"I have some connections with the Mi family; I'm sure I can handle this well!"

Lu Yunyi nodded with a half-smile, then waved his hand.

"Alright, alright, I'm already taking back the Mi family's land."

He has agreed to this and will come to the capital tomorrow to complete the transaction.

If Lord Duan has the time, he may also go to other people's homes to collect the money.

After all, these kinds of things happen all the time.

Duan Zhengze's face froze instantly.
My already dry cheeks felt frozen, and I was at a loss.

Lu Yunyi ignored him and walked straight to the table.
He picked up a thick document and handed it over.

Duan Zhengze took it blankly, feeling its weight.

"These are the relevant documents regarding the misappropriated land."
Some came from the capital, and some were compiled by the Bureau of Records.

To be honest, Lord Duan, I was shocked when I saw these documents.

The fields mentioned above were either government-run military farms of the Ming Dynasty or fertile farmland.

It's truly unacceptable that it fell into the hands of others so easily and confusedly; I simply cannot explain this to the imperial court.

What does Lord Duan think?

Duan Zhengze slowly lowered his head.

For a moment, he felt that his power and influence in the first half of his life might vanish into thin air.

He finally understood.

Why did Urgen's high-profile actions fail to cause any ripples?

Kuang Xiaofei has been detained for a long time; he's probably confessed to everything, including the affairs of his ancestors for eighteen generations.

The commander hadn't made a move to arrest anyone; it turned out he was waiting for him there.

Tell him to go and demand land, property, and silver from those powerful and influential people.

For him, this was undoubtedly cutting off his own foundation.

However, Duan Zhengze knew that he seemed to have no other choice.

It's simply a matter of whether you choose to be dignified on your own initiative or have others make you "dignified".

"Lord Duan?" Lu Yunyi reminded him softly.

Duan Zhengze suddenly came to his senses, his body trembled, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth inwardly.

"Better to sacrifice a fellow Daoist than myself, don't blame me."

Taking a deep breath, Duan Zhengze said in a deep voice.

"Lord Lu, you are absolutely right."

Although these powerful figures had rendered meritorious service to the military command...

However, one must not abuse one's power for personal gain or encroach upon farmland.

I will immediately organize manpower, summon all parties, and return what should be returned, and purchase what should be purchased.

"Is there anything else you require, Lord Lu?"

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded in satisfaction.

"Lord Duan, you have been in Daning for many years..."
The court trusts my competence in handling affairs, and so do I.

Go do it, and get it done.

"After reclaiming these fields, it will be easier for Lord Duan to manage them in the future."

Duan Zhengze's pupils dilated slightly, and a surge of joy welled up in his heart. He understood!

Duan Zhengze suddenly stood up and bowed to Lu Yunyi.

"Lord Lu, I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

"Well, let's go."

Duan Zhengze turned and left with excitement in his heart.

But as she reached the door, she suddenly heard Lu Yunyi's voice.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I forgot to tell Lord Duan."

More than a hundred headless corpses were discovered in the eastern part of the city in the afternoon.

This murder is shocking. I have ordered martial law to be declared in Daning City and the guards at the four city gates to be rotated.

My subordinates have also been deployed throughout the city.

If anyone is unwilling to hand over the land or pay money, Lord Duan can seek their assistance.

At this point, Lu Yunyi took a small sip of tea and said with a smile.

"After all, more people means more trouble."
When everyone gets together, it's hard to guarantee that no bad ideas will come up.

I hope Lord Duan will be careful and bring more men with him.

Duan Zhengze's forehead was covered in cold sweat.
He understood that the last hope of resistance for the families in the city had also been shattered.

At least for now, using force within the city is simply a pipe dream.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Lu. I will talk to each family individually and will not allow them to gather together!"

"Well, let's go."

Stepping out of the yamen, the gust of cold wind instantly dried Duan Zhengze's still-wet sweat.

He stood blankly in front of the government office, oblivious to the stares coming his way. This was after experiencing such a dramatic rise and fall.

He even felt a sense of joy, as if he had survived a catastrophe.

I even felt a strange sense of gratitude.

"What a despicable wretch!!!"

Duan Zhengze cursed himself in his heart.

But soon, he truly felt this "gratitude".

Suddenly, a commotion and shouts came from ahead, attracting everyone's attention.

Wei Qiwen, the Assistant Commander in charge of official affairs,

He was being escorted by a group of soldiers and led out of the government office in a dignified manner.

"Let me go! Let me go!!"

"What are you trying to do? I am an official appointed by the imperial court!"

"What are you trying to do?!"

Despite Wei Qiwen's desperate cries and the fear filling his eyes...
But the hands of the two soldiers behind him were like steel.
They held him tightly in place, preventing him from moving.

More and more people came out, staring blankly at the scene, their faces full of disbelief.

The Vice Commander of the Capital Garrison, a third-rank official of the imperial court, was arrested just like that?

What happened in the end?

Many people turned their attention to Duan Zhengze, seeing him standing there unharmed.
His face was full of confusion, as if asking, "How come you're alright?"

The cold sweat that Duan Zhengze had just felt dried by the cold wind instantly reappeared.

My heart was pounding, and my lips were terribly dry.

He suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over him.
If I hadn't compromised, I might be the one arrested right now.
"What courage! What courage!"

A feeling of admiration welled up in Duan Zhengze's heart.
The people inside were truly ruthless!

With Wei Qiwen taken away, the courtyard of the Commandery's rear hall fell into a deathly silence.
At this moment, Liu Heiying, carrying a stack of documents, hurriedly walked in.

Seeing everyone standing there in a daze, he looked around with some confusion.

"My lords, there's no need to greet me like this."

In an instant, the atmosphere in the arena became lively.

Countless people greeted Liu Heiying with smiles.

Duan Zhengze forced a smile and gestured to him.

From this day forward, there will be no more idle Assistant Commissioner Liu Heiying, but rather Assistant Commissioner Liu in charge of affairs!

Liu Heiying brazenly summoned many officials to clean the house, and everyone greeted him with smiles.

Not long after, he arrived at Lu Yunyi's office with a stack of documents.

After closing the door, the seriousness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a playful grin.

He rushed to the desk and said excitedly.

"Brother Yun'er! Didn't you see? I was really impressive just now."

Lu Yunyi shifted his gaze from the document in his hand.

He looked helplessly at Liu Heiying and sighed.

"You need to be more composed. Acting so quickly poses a huge risk. You must always be on guard against others resorting to desperate measures."

Liu Heiying's expression turned serious.

Don't worry, Brother Yun'er.

The people on the list have all been placed under surveillance.

Wu Fulu also led his troops into the city; they can't cause any trouble.

"That's good. Be careful in everything."
Often, the moment of near success is also the moment when failure is most likely.

Lu Yunyi nodded and pushed a thick stack of documents on the table over.

"Alright, from now on you will be the assistant clerk in charge of affairs. You will read all these documents."

"The same as always: I'll be out there working, you stay behind and oversee things, carefully reviewing the documents."

Liu Heiying's face fell instantly, and he looked like a wilted eggplant.

"Brother Yun'er, can we switch?"
I don't want to read documents anymore; my eyes aren't very big to begin with.

"Then what do you want to do?"

"How about settling down farmland? I'm quite good at farming too."

"Duan Zhengze can handle the things that offend people by himself; you don't need to."

Let's leave this dangerous task to someone else.
"Just stay here at the command post and look at the documents; it's the safest place here."

As Lu Yunyi spoke, he picked up his teacup and gave a reminder.

"Oh, and we also need to be careful of Ya Rong and Hua Jieyu."

Throughout history, countless heroes and valiant figures have emerged.

All their efforts were in vain because they only guarded against external threats, neglecting to protect those close to them.

Liu Heiying sat down with a helpless expression and let out a heavy sigh.

"Brother Yun'er, beware of this and that."
"I'm exhausted, but I still want to sell melons."

"You'll get used to it. As for selling melons..."
Why sell melons in the dead of winter? They'll spoil before they even get to their destination.

Hurry up and review the documents. If you're too busy, ask Zou Jing for help.

He's currently revising the new military law; could you give him some advice?

"Military law needs to be revised?"

Liu Heiying raised his head, looking completely bewildered:
"Didn't the old one work perfectly?"

Everything must keep pace with the times.
Once you reach the northernmost part of the Ming Dynasty, the military laws of Yunnan can no longer be used.

Remember, the reason we are able to act in this way is because

It wasn't his official position that mattered, but rather the elite troops behind him.

If we can't fight, any government orders we issue will be meaningless.

In short, military drills must be taken seriously.

They've probably forgotten most of the battle tactics used in the border regions.

We need to find time to go out and practice, to see if we can combine the new type of musket with the three-three system.

That would be impressive if we could achieve a victory against overwhelming odds in battles against the steppe people.

At that time, many soldiers in Da Ning will be able to farm and raise pigs.

Lu Yunyi spoke eloquently, while Liu Heiying felt a wave of dizziness.
There are too many things to do; I'm too busy to finish them all.

Oh right, there's also
We need to begin taking economic control over the Uriyangkhai Three Guards; at least we need to come up with a plan first.

Liu Heiying's expression immediately turned serious, and he sat up straight.

"Brother Yun'er, I didn't quite understand what you said to me last time."

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"To some extent, this is a strategy of interfering with the development of the other party's industries through trade."

Simply put, we buy the things that the Uriyangkhai Three Guards are least good at.
Let them abandon their original development path.

Liu Heiying still looked bewildered.

Lu Yunyi explained.

"The Uriyangkhai Three Guards are now skilled in fighting, raising cattle and sheep, and also adept at making mountain traps and tools."

We can't buy these.
Go buy things they're not good at, and pay high prices for them!
Aren't they bad at farming?

We will buy their grain at a high price.

Let them see that farming is profitable, and everyone will go to farm.

We accept all comers, as many as they come.

This is achieved through economic means.

This caused them to neglect their combat capabilities, as well as their original livestock and iron manufacturing abilities.

Within five years, these industries were no longer available, and the farmers became skilled at farming.

Then we'll buy pigs at a higher price.
Let them all go raise pigs and waste their farming skills.

With a pull and a tug, the Three Guards of Duoyan were completely reduced to vassals of Da Ning.

Their own industries will also be under our control, which is much more worthwhile than fighting a war.

Liu Heiying's mouth opened slightly, as if he understood but didn't.

"Brother Yun'er, is this really going to work?"

"It will definitely work, so go ahead and do it with confidence."

The three guards of Duoyan are still valiant warriors now, but that may not be the case in three years.

By the way, Yang Shiqi and Xie Jin should be involved in this matter.

Let them see how a major power can prevail over a smaller one without resorting to violence.

Liu Heiying nodded in sudden realization.

"I understand, Brother Yun'er."

At this moment, Feng Yunfang rushed in and shouted excitedly.

"Sir, my elder sister's caravan has arrived outside the city."

"No, no, it's the lady's caravan that's outside the city."

Feng Yunfang was so happy that he accidentally revealed the name he used to call him in Qingzhou.

Lu Yunyi suddenly stood up, a smile spreading across his face.

"Black Hawk, let's go."

(End of this chapter)