In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 626 To make a horse run, you have to make it eat more grass.

That night, an uninvited guest arrived at the Mi family mansion on Yiren Street in Daning City.
He was Duan Zhengze, the Vice Commander of the Northern Pacification Command.

Outside, the wind howled, and Duan Zhengze, clad in armor, was enveloped in the wind and snow.

Mi Chen, the head of the Mi family, who came to greet him, was quite surprised by this.

Mi Chen is an elderly man in his fifties.
His beard was white, his body was hunched, he wore a cashmere vest, and he was leaning on a cane.

Upon seeing Duan Zhengze, he was visibly shocked and quickly gestured for Duan Zhengze to come inside.

"Lord Duan, you've come at the perfect time!"
This old man has some doubts and would like to ask Lord Duan for his guidance.

Duan Zhengze, with a stern expression, nodded slightly and stepped into the main hall of the Mi residence.

"I have come here today to discuss important matters with Manager Mi."

The main hall of the Mi family was extremely luxurious, with tables, chairs and benches all made of mahogany.

The walls are adorned with precious paintings by famous Yuan Dynasty artists, while exquisite porcelain and ironware are displayed on a shelf to the side.

Although Duan Zhengze had seen it many times, he was still shocked every time he saw it.

Daning was once the old territory of the Yuan Dynasty, and many powerful and noble people lived in the city.

Although they now have firm control over Daming
However, some people still retain the character and habits of the grassland people.

Just like now, this kind of open and covert boasting is exactly the same as that of the Yuan people.

However, Duan Zhengze did not pay any attention to it.

At Mi Chen's invitation, they took a seat on one side of the main hall.

When Mi Chen saw that he had not taken the seat of honor, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he quickly sat down as well.

With a casual wave of his hand, a waiter immediately brought out the finest tea.

But when he saw the bamboo cup in front of him, Duan Zhengze frowned, looked at it with slight surprise, and asked.

"Manager Mi, where did this cup come from?"

Upon hearing this, Mi Chen laughed easily.

"This is a fine item transported from Yingtian."

Made of bamboo, it imparts a unique fragrance when brewing tea and is very popular in Yingtian.

"Well, my friend in Yingtian sent some over, just to maintain our friendship."

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhengze felt relieved, as he had previously thought that the Mi family had colluded with Lu Yunyi.

"Manager Mi, you must already know that the second manager has been arrested."

Duan Zhengze quickly got to the point.

Mi Chen nodded slightly, his expression becoming serious.

"I already know about this matter, and I've also inquired about it with some friends in the government."

Unfortunately, this arrest was carried out by the city's garrison.

The information is in Lord Tan's hands, and I have no way of finding out.

Does Lord Duan know the details?

Duan Zhengze glanced at him, a cold smile playing on his lips.

He didn't believe that this old man wouldn't know what Mi Bin was doing.

He didn't believe that Mi Bin hadn't informed him.

That old man is clearly pretending to be confused.

However, he did not expose him, but instead brought up other things.

"Manager Mi, let's put the matter of the second manager aside for now."

Who arrested him and what his fate was are not for me and the Commander to decide.

I've come today to discuss with Manager Mi how to return the land.

Upon hearing this, Mi Chen's face instantly turned cold, and his previous warmth vanished without a trace.

After a long while, a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"Lord Duan, I have already returned all the fields to the Commandery today."

"Now that Lord Duan has come, is it to buy other fertile land belonging to the Mi family?"

Duan Zhengze shook his head:
"I have reviewed the documents; the fertile land mentioned is only a small part of it."
Before the establishment of the military command, there were still many fertile fields that were not registered.

Mi Chen narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them!

"My lord, you cannot speak recklessly without evidence."

Duan Zhengze sighed:
"Forgive my bluntness, but over the years the Mi family has made a lot of money by buying and selling land and grain."

Now, a new broom sweeps clean.
Lord Lu must hand over any land that originally belonged to the Commandery, regardless of whether it was registered or not.

As for the money earned from these fields, it can be kept.

The last trace of a smile on Mi Chen's face vanished.

The entire lobby fell into a deathly silence. The warm tea, steaming in layers of heat, seemed to be distorted in the oppressive atmosphere.

"Did Lord Duan come today just for this matter?"

Duan Zhengze nodded:
Manager Mi may not yet be aware of the turmoil within the Commandery.

However, out of consideration for our long-standing friendship, I must remind you.

If we don't act quickly now, it will be too late. Sacrificing a pawn to save the king now means there will still be a chance for prosperity in the future.

If Manager Mi remains stubbornly obstinate...
That newly arrived Lord Lu is not as polite as Lord Zhou.

"Did the Commander agree to what he did? Did Lord Zhou agree?"

Mi Chen understood the deeper meaning in the words, his brows furrowed, and his expression became extremely solemn.

Whether Du Si agrees or not is not important; his own strength is sufficient.

In addition, Lord Zhou has left Daning City today to recuperate in Yingtian.

All affairs of the Commandery were overseen by Lord Lu.

"Take my advice, Manager Mi, don't harbor any illusions. Hand over the remaining land as soon as possible, and you can still preserve your family's fortune."

Mi Chen's expression was so solemn it was almost absurd.

"Lord Zhou has been transferred?"

"No, he is recuperating, but there is no definite time for him to return."

If Da Ning can truly be transformed, perhaps Lord Zhou should return.

"How much will you refund?" Mi Chen asked, taking a sip of tea.

"The rice managers registered after the establishment of the Commandery have already retired, and those who retired before that time must also retire."

Furthermore, Mr. Mi even had to pay some money as a form of apology.

"impossible!"

Mi Chen answered decisively, then continued...

“The farmland is not owned by my family alone.”
With so many others still around, could Lu Yunyi really stand against them all?

"Ugh"

Duan Zhengze sighed heavily and took out a document from his pocket and handed it over.

"Manager Mi, take a look. This is the list I have recorded."

Those on the list have decided to return all their land.
I will go to the military headquarters early tomorrow morning to sign the documents and return the land deed.

If Manager Mi doesn't want to sign, that's fine; I'll move on to the next one.

Mi Chen took the document with an incredulous look on his face.
Looking at Duan Zhengze's expressionless face, she could hardly believe it.

But upon opening the document, the familiar handwriting that greeted him forced him to believe it.

"Chen, Liu, Wang, Kelie, Bao, Qi."

One name after another appeared,
These were mostly nobles from the previous dynasty.
They have now changed their surname from grassland and become Ming people.

Faced with a formidable enemy, why did they fail to unite and instead surrender first?
Mi Chen felt a surge of unease in his chest that had reached its peak in recent years, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Gradually, his face flushed red, and he seemed to choke, his eyes widening.
"Ahhh."

A hoarse roar escaped his throat, as if he were struggling on the verge of pain.

Duan Zhengze's eyes widened suddenly, a look of shock flashing across them.

But he reacted very quickly, suddenly stood up, and slapped her across the face!

A crisp "snap" echoed through the main hall.

Mi Chen's head suddenly turned to one side.
Two bloody teeth fell onto the expensive white tiger carpet, and her cheeks swelled up rapidly.

"cough cough cough cough"

The hoarse growl disappeared, replaced by violent coughing.

Upon hearing this voice, Duan Zhengze's shock and solemnity slowly faded, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
Mi Chen raised his head, leaned weakly against the back of the chair, his brows furrowed and his face full of pain.

"Thank you very much, Lord Duan."
"If it weren't for that slap, I would be dead here today."

"You've scared me to death."

Duan Zhengze shook his hand, his eyes still showing signs of shock.

If Mi Chen were to die here, he would truly have no way to defend himself.

"Manager Mi, you're getting on in years."

Having already enjoyed wealth, honor, and power, why cling to these things?

Hearing Duan Zhengze say this, Mi Chen slumped into his chair.

Feeling his strength gradually returning, he nodded slightly.

"Lord Duan is right. I will go to the government office tomorrow to sign the documents and return the land deed."

However, I hope that Lord Duan will put in a good word for Mi Bin with Lord Lu and release him.

"I'm getting old, and my son is useless; I can only rely on my younger brother to inherit the family business."

Duan Zhengze sized up Mi Chen.

Seeing his half-dead appearance, he nodded slightly, realizing that he wasn't lying. "I will do my best in this matter. As long as Madam Mi does what she should do, Lord Lu is not unreasonable."

"I understand."

Amidst the wind and snow, Duan Zhengze wrapped his robe tightly around himself as he left the Mi residence, mounted his warhorse, and headed towards the next household on the list.

He walked along, shaking his head and sighing.

"If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. It's ridiculous to have to freeze in the middle of the night!"

The next morning, Lu Yunyi arrived at the military headquarters with heavy dark circles under his eyes.

He no longer seemed as energetic as he had been a few days ago.

Instead, it carried a strong sense of desolation and weariness.

Many officials at the gate were taken aback by his appearance.
But I still greeted them respectfully and dared not ask any further questions.

Lu Yunyi simply nodded slightly, looking rather listless.

Upon entering the government office, he immediately noticed the crowd queuing in front of the meeting hall.

At a glance, there were probably twenty or thirty people, which seemed insignificant in the spacious courtyard.

"Who are those people?"

Lu Yunyi raised his hand to ask, and Feng Yunfang quickly ran over to inquire.

He returned moments later, looking strange.

"Sir, these are the managers of various households in the city, here to return the land and silver."

Lu Yunyi's eyes glazed over for a moment.

Finally remembering what happened yesterday, he slapped his forehead in frustration.

"How could I forget about that?"

"I examine myself three times a day. Women are harmful to health. I must not do such things again!"

Lu Yunyi silently warned himself.

Instead, he slowly walked over, past the crowd in line, and tiptoed to peek inside.

There were also many people queuing in the conference hall, and there was a long table at the far end of the line of sight.

Wu Su'an and several officials sat there, busily engaged in their tasks.

Duan Zhengze stood aside.
He would occasionally flash a satisfied smile and nod frequently.

Lu Yunyi chuckled, quite impressed by his efficiency.

Before long, Lu Yunyi returned to the yamen and began rummaging through the bookshelves.

Soon, he found a box of deer antlers that Li Jinglong had given him in the corner.

I've heard that this stuff is extremely aphrodisiac and can nourish the body.
At this moment, Liu Heiying hurriedly walked in carrying a thick stack of documents.

He was stunned when he saw the exquisite box in Lu Yunyi's hand.

"Brother Yun'er, what are you holding?"

Lu Yunyi suddenly looked up, saw it was Liu Heiying, and said with a dark face:
Why didn't you knock?!

"what?"

Liu Heiying looked shocked; he never knocked on doors.
His gaze swept across the area, quickly landing on the small box in Lu Yunyi's hand. He frowned.
It peeked its head forward, its little eyes darting around.
Suddenly realizing what was happening, he exaggeratedly let out an "Oh~" sound.

"Brother Yun'er, nourishing foods should always be taken slowly and gradually."

Suddenly consuming deer antler will not only fail to provide nourishment, but may even harm your health!

Lu Yunyi's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. "How did you know?"

Liu Heiying shrugged:

"I've finished both boxes that Jinglong gave me."

As he spoke, he raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin.

"Brother Yun'er, this stuff is great! It gives you lots of energy after you eat it."

"Finished?"

Lu Yunyi was stunned, and then he understood why Hua Jieyu had become pregnant so quickly.
He walked over and shoved the box into Liu Heiying's arms.

"Keep it for yourself. Focus more on Ya Rong. I won't eat it."

Liu Heiying unceremoniously placed the box aside.

"Thank you, Brother Yun'er. I have some other tonics."
"Brother Yun'er, would you like to try some? They're all mildly nourishing!"

"No need, I'm just a little tired. The Commander has too much to do."

"Oh~"

Liu Heiying then made an extremely exaggerated expression.
He then placed the documents on the table, his face beaming with excitement.

"Brother Yun'er, we've made a fortune this time! We've just recovered nearly ten thousand acres of fertile land!"

"so much?"

Lu Yunyi sat up abruptly, somewhat surprised.

"Didn't the documents say it was only a few thousand acres?"

Liu Heiying leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"I don't know if these people were scared, or if Duan Zhengze said something to them."

They also returned many good fields that existed before the establishment of the military command.
At that time, there was no complete registration or cataloging, and some items were missed, so they were not recorded.

"This is a pleasant surprise."

A smile immediately appeared on Lu Yunyi's face.
Neither the imperial court nor individuals ever think they have too much land.

Especially in places like Daning outside the Great Wall, there are only so many fertile fields cultivated outside the city, and each piece is extremely precious.

"What about the military settlements? How many were returned?"

Lu Yunyi then asked a question, searching through the documents in front of him.

"The military settlements are not much different; there's not much difference."

"Excellent! Excellent! We've suddenly gained tens of thousands of acres of fertile land!"

It's almost more than what the Commander originally controlled.

Lu Yunyi was overjoyed and confirmed it again.

The Ming Dynasty court was indeed enriching its people.

The entire military command only owned a few thousand acres of farmland in Daning City.
These powerful and influential people have returned tens of thousands of acres of land, which is truly outrageous.

No wonder the commander was so poor that he had to buy grain from Beiping every year.

Liu Heiying then approached.

"Brother Yun'er, it's not just about fields."
Some people even sent a lot of silver.
They said it was taken from the former dynasty's treasury during the chaos of those years, and is now being returned.

"how many?"

"It must be over ten thousand taels of silver."

Lu Yunyi looked shocked: "So many?"

Liu Heiying nodded, then scratched his head.

"Brother Yun'er, Da Ning is so poor, yet these people are so rich. It's really strange."

It took Lu Yunyi a long time to calm himself down, and he murmured:

Even in the poorest places, there are wealthy people.

Moreover, harsh environments and living conditions can actually accelerate the accumulation of wealth among the rich.

Lu Yunyi's voice was somewhat heavy, but he quickly rallied.

"In any case, the commander now has some money, and things are progressing relatively smoothly."

The financial department should calculate the amount of money as soon as possible.

"Distribute all the salaries and bonuses owed by the Commander over the years."

"what?"

Liu Heiying suddenly raised his head.

"Give out salaries? Brother Yun'er, this money is enough to build hundreds of pig farms. Giving out salaries won't make a sound."

Lu Yunyi sighed, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

"Only when the money that is due is paid will people be willing to work."

Otherwise, if they only show up but don't put in the effort, there's nothing we can do even if we want to get things done.

That's settled then. Those who are due will receive their dues; we can earn the money later for other work.
As for the pigsties, they can be built outside the city with cement, which will save money.

At this point, Lu Yunyi suddenly remembered something and asked:

"By the way, am I eligible to receive my salary now?"

Liu Heiying's expression froze for a moment, and he pursed his lips.

"Brother Yun'er, why is your memory failing you?"
His Majesty has deducted a year's salary, and he will not receive his salary again until June of next year.

Lu Yunyi remembered this and scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

"So I've been working for nothing?"

Liu Heiying nodded in deep agreement.

"If everyone in the Commandery had the same awareness as Brother Yun'er..."
There's no need to issue this money; a few hundred thousand taels is enough to last for several years.

"If you want a horse to run, you have to make it eat more grass."

The money's been given out, so there's no need to worry about it; it's all free money anyway.

"Using other people's money to do favors? There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Lu Yunyi patted Liu Heiying's belly and then asked.

"By the way, when are the Prince of Liao and the Prince of Huining arriving?"

I've been in office for ten days already, and there's still no movement. I'll ask them for some money later.

(End of this chapter)