In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 630 The Three Guards of Duoyan Need to Walk on Two Legs
Mi Chen left through the back door of No. 11 Anhe Street.

We returned to the Mi residence in an unremarkable carriage with no markings.

Before they even reached Yiren Street, where the Mi residence was located, they heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats behind them.

This made Mi Chen, who was inside the carriage, tense up, and his fists clenched unconsciously.

"what happened?"

"Master, someone is catching up, a man on horseback."

Mi Chen breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.
"It seems that Torhuchar has changed his mind."

But soon, the sounds coming from outside surprised him.

"Manager Mi, Lu Cha'er has come to see you."

"Luchar?"

If Mi Chen remembers correctly
Luchar is Urigen's elder brother and the head of his lineage. He is currently the deputy commander of the Doyan Guard.

Before long, in the study of the Mi family mansion,

Mi Chen gestured for Lu Cha'er to sit down and instructed the servants to bring hot tea.

After the tea, fruit, and snacks were all laid out, Mi Chen looked at Lu Cha'er and slowly asked:

"May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Luchar said bluntly:
"I must get to the bottom of my brother's death; I can't let it go like this."

Mi Chen was taken aback, then his heart leaped with joy, and he tentatively asked:

"May I ask if this is Lord Toruhuchar's intention, or yours?"

His voice trailed off, and you could hear the hesitation in his words.

Lu Cha'er's expression shifted constantly, his eyes filled with gloom.

After a long silence, he said in a deep voice:

"It was my idea. The marshal hesitated for a moment, but was moved by the benefits offered by the Ming people."

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly became somewhat strange.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Mi Chen's mind, and a look of hesitation appeared on his face:
"My lord, Lord Lu has just taken office and is in high spirits."

To make an enemy of him now would undoubtedly mean a fight to the death.
You should think this through carefully, or perhaps ask Lord Torhuchar for his opinion.

"No need to ask, you're also from the grasslands."

I understand how important my brother is to me; all I want is revenge.

Luchaer said through gritted teeth, his huge fists clenched tightly.

Mi Chen asked:

"What does the master want me to do?"

"Find out how Urgen died, and who killed him!"

"Then what can you do for us, sir?" Mi Chen asked.

Lu Chaer looked at Mi Chen with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What do you want to do?"

"Take back the land, and the commander shall not investigate the past accounts again."

“Alright, I have a thousand elite soldiers under my command, all trusted confidants of the clan, who can be mobilized.”

They could destroy fertile fields outside the city, and even disguise themselves as members of the Baisong tribe to burn, kill, and plunder.

"As long as enough fertile land is destroyed, I don't believe the commander won't back down."

Luchaer said firmly.

Mi Chen shook his head.

"My lord, if we do this, in the end we will still have to personally negotiate with the Commander and Lord Lu."

This makes it obvious to even a fool that it's an inside-outside collaboration, which is extremely dangerous.

Even after things have calmed down, we still won't get away with it.

"If the commander could come to us and return the land, that would be wonderful."

Upon hearing this, Lu Cha'er remained expressionless, but felt slightly relieved.
He wasn't afraid of the person in front of him making demands.

The more demanding the requirements, the more it proves their determination to take action.

Taking a deep breath, Luchar said:
"Since destroying fertile fields won't work, let's plunder the grain convoys."

Of course, this is just a pretext.

The real purpose was to burn down the granaries where the troops were stationed outside the city.

Mi Chen's pupils dilated suddenly, and his beard trembled slightly.
Staring blankly at Lu Cha'er, he thought the man before him was incredibly bold:
"Burning down the granaries will surely enrage the imperial court."

The commander will surely retaliate with swift and decisive action. It's too dangerous!

Luchar was furious and shouted:
"This won't work, and that won't work either?"

You want to take back the fertile land, but you are hesitant and timid.
"I see you've been staying in the city for too long, you've lost the spirit of us grassland men!"

Mi Chen's lips moved, but he couldn't speak for a long time.

Luchar ignored him and continued:
"I will have my men disguise themselves as members of the Bai Song tribe to plunder grain routes and caravans."
Once the commander's attention has been drawn to this, then burn down the military granaries.

The city ran out of food; they had to buy it from Beiping (Beijing).

We can either buy from you big players.

But now the wind and snow are heavy, and it will take at least a month to transport the grain.

This month is your chance.
Then we'll let your people in the military headquarters have a chat.

Under these circumstances, we're not afraid that Lu Yunyi won't give in!

Lu Chaer looked at Mi Chen and chuckled softly:
"Don't tell me you didn't have anyone planted in the Commandery."

"We do have manpower, and some adults are willing to speak up for us."

But this matter is far too important; failure would mean certain death.

"If I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?"

Lu Cha'er's face hardened, his dark cheeks trembled slightly, and a violent glint flashed in his eyes:

"I only want the murderer who killed Urgen dead, and you can handle this matter, how about that?"

"Well... to be honest, even if the Mi family wanted to handle this matter, we would still have to consult with the other families."

After all, it's far from enough for us to change the Commander's mind.

Once the deed is done, people will naturally be interested.

"If you don't do anything, and just talk the talk, who will believe you?"

Luchar said without any politeness:
"What does Your Excellency mean?" Mi Chen asked, his face showing a questioning expression.

"In a few days it will be snowy. Once the heavy snow falls..."
First, plunder the caravans, kill some people, then burn down the military granaries and warehouses.
In this freezing weather, no one would expect us to make a move, so what do you say?

Mi Chen looked at Lu Cha'er and felt that this man had gone mad for revenge:
"Are you sure?"

"Yes, the granaries outside the city must not get damp; they must be placed in a well-ventilated area near the outer perimeter of the camp."

If they take advantage of the heavy snow to launch a surprise attack, the chances of success are very high.

"Gudu!"

Mi Chen swallowed hard, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

"Since you're so confident, why don't you give it a try?"
After it was done, I personally went to each household, traveling far and wide, to find the murderer who killed Urgen.
How about we send his head to the master?

Lu Cha'er sneered a few times:
"You think you can get me and the soldiers to take action just based on a few empty words?"
Manager Mi, you're being far too naive.

Thus, the grain and ironware that Urgen had previously purchased must be re-provided by Mi.

Moreover, I need to know who killed Urgen.

If they don't even have this much sincerity, then there's no point in us cooperating further.

Mi Chen wanted to say something, but Lu Cha'er raised her hand to stop him:

"Don't forget, it was you who went to the marshal to seek cooperation."

You are the ones in the city, and you are the ones facing difficult circumstances.
"Once Lu Yunyi stabilizes the situation, you'll be the first ones he deals with."

After finishing speaking, Mi Chen swallowed back what he was about to say and fell silent.

After a long while, Mi Chen nodded slightly, a look of emotion on his face:

"I am also an elder brother, and my younger brother is still imprisoned in the military headquarters."

An adult may doubt the sincerity of others, but not mine.

Mi Chen took a deep breath:

"Since we are both unfortunate people, then it's settled."

The Mi family will gather the grain and ironware as soon as possible.
The handover took place two days later at the foot of Pushan Mountain, ten miles outside the city.

As for who killed Urgen...
I'm not confident I can find out, so I can't guarantee it.

"Is it really that hard to find a murderer?"

Luchaer looked surprised.

The incident took place at the Daning Prefecture government office.
But it's unclear who did it and when.

Therefore, we need to investigate carefully.

"Government office?"

Lu Cha'er was startled, then punched his thigh in frustration.
"What idiots! Your brother's an idiot, and my brother's an idiot too. They're utterly ignorant and arrogant." Mi Chen sighed.
"Who says otherwise? They're much bolder than you and me."

The two exchanged a glance, a hint of helplessness and mutual appreciation flashing in their eyes.

Half an hour later, Lu Cha'er, having perfected many details, left the Mi residence.

Mi Chen sat on a chair on one side of the study.
His eyes were sunken, and his expression was complicated.

After a long while, the wind outside gradually picked up.
He got up, walked to the window, and closed it tightly.

Only after the howling wind subsided did he slowly walk back to his desk and sit down.

He took out paper and pen, hesitated for a long time before starting to write.
Soon, a neatly written letter was folded and stuffed into an envelope.

Mi Chen stood up, bent down and gently blew out the candle, then left the study with the letter in his hand.

The next morning, the sun rose as usual, but no bright sunshine fell.

The sky remained overcast and filled with dark clouds.

The wind howled, and pedestrians on the road wrapped themselves tightly in their clothes.

After last night's gathering and tasting sweet potatoes,

Whether it was the Prince of Liao, the Prince of Huining, or Marshal Doyan, who was most resistant to coming to Daming,
They all arrived at the headquarters early today.

They hoped to negotiate with the commander and secure the opportunity to cultivate this crop.
Their idea was simple.
Having seen it, touched it, and even eaten it, why not try growing one yourself?
They remember it clearly.

Yesterday, someone from the capital said that this crop can survive without careful tending.

Today, the three of them, accompanied by a group of people,
Instead of going to the Commander's meeting hall, they went to Lu Yunyi's office.

Only the commander of the three guards entered the house; the others waited outside.

Inside the room, Lu Yunyi sat behind his desk, quietly watching them with a smile on his face.
"My lords, there are no outsiders here today."

Let's get down to business, shall we?

King Azashili of Liao was the first to speak with a smile:
"If Lord Lu has any instructions, please speak freely, and we will certainly comply."

Lu Yunyi glanced at the two people beside Azashili, nodded slightly, and said in a deep voice:

"The commander wants to buy some cattle and sheep from the three guards."

“Of course there’s no problem with that.” Azashiri nodded repeatedly.

Lu Yunyi raised his hand and said with a smile.

"We need to negotiate the price; we want it to be cheaper."

"Uh"

The three hesitated for a moment.

Azashili asked:

"May I ask, Lord Lu, at what price does the Commander intend to purchase the cattle and sheep?"

Lu Yunyi picked up his teacup and took a small sip:
"The commander has limited funds and plans to purchase 300 cattle and 2,000 sheep at 50% of the original price."

The three of them widened their eyes in surprise.
The tea that Prince Huining was holding swayed slightly, and a little spilled out.

Tuoluhuchaer clenched his fists, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes!
The King of Liao was older and had experienced some things.

He took a deep breath and said in a low voice:
"Lord Lu, our Three Guards are willing to share the burden for the Commandery, but there are simply too many of them."

"Could we have fewer? How about 100 cows and 500 sheep?"

He understood that since Lu Yunyi had brought this up, the Three Guards had no choice but to sell.
Instead of getting bogged down in price,

It would be better to simply reduce the number; that way, you'd at least gain a good reputation.

Lu Yunyi looked at the King of Liao and chuckled softly.
He picked up the document from the side, opened it, and said calmly:
"According to the headman's count, the three guards have a total of 21,500 head of cattle and sheep."

There are also more than 60,000 livestock such as chickens, ducks, and rats.
The quantity I need to purchase is really not much.

"My lord, the Three Guards have tens of thousands of civilians."
These are their possessions, the things they depend on for survival.

"Even we cannot rob it at will," said Huining King Haisanan Daxi somewhat urgently.

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, please have compassion for the Three Guards and give their people a way to survive," King Azashili of Liao hurriedly added.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand.

"Although the three guards are managed separately..."
But they are also subjects of the Ming Dynasty and garrisons of the Ming Dynasty.

As the Deputy Commander of the Military Command, how could I do something that would sever my own foundation?

"Then, sir?" Azashili asked.

Lu Yunyi's face showed some difficulty, and he sighed:

“The three of you are all old friends, so I won’t hide it from you.”

I intend to include all three garrisons in the first batch of sweet potato trial plantings next year.
Your area has beautiful mountains and rivers, and fertile soil; it's the perfect place to grow sweet potatoes.

The three of them widened their eyes in surprise.

He straightened up immediately, and his breathing became rapid.

"but"

Lu Yunyi changed the subject, sighed, and continued:
"I am new to this position and my position in the military command is still shallow."

Your three guards have just been established, and although they are guards of the Great Ming Dynasty,

But you yourselves are also aware that the people and officials within the military command are somewhat hostile towards you.
It will be very difficult to implement this, so…

Upon hearing this, the King of Liao understood and tentatively asked.

"Does the master intend to silence the gossips by purchasing cattle and sheep at such a low price?"

Lu Yunyi nodded repeatedly with an approving look on his face.

"That's the reason.
Nowadays, everyone in Dusi knows that sweet potatoes are a good thing, and everyone wants to plant them first.

After all, many garrisons in Daning were not included in the first batch of trial planting lists.

Of course, if Sanwei is truly not good at farming, and has no intention of farming,

"Then consider this just a casual remark by me, and don't take it to heart. There's no need to buy the cattle and sheep."

At this point, Lu Yunyi's face showed some difficulty, and his voice slowed down:

"To be honest, even with three hundred cows and two thousand sheep,
Even I'm not sure if I can shut them up.

A glint flashed in the eyes of Toruhuchar, who had remained silent until now, and he quickly made a decision:
"My lord, since you have shown us such kindness, the Three Guards of Duoyan must never forget your kindness."

The cattle and sheep will be sold to the Commander at half price. I hope you will reassure the officials in the Commander's office.
Let me, from Duoyan Sanwei, participate in the first batch of sweet potato trial planting.

As soon as he opened his mouth, the words that the King of Liao and the King of Huining were about to say were swallowed back, and they sat there in silence.

Among the three guards of Doyan, the Doyan guards were the strongest and most powerful, holding a dominant position.

Once he spoke, the two had no choice but to obey.

Lu Yunyi looked at Tuoluhuchaer with some surprise, then a smile appeared on his face:

"Since the three guards are so understanding, I also promise that if sweet potato cultivation is successful in the future..."

The commander will buy up any surplus sweet potatoes at a high price; you will be satisfied.

"Ok?"

Hearing this, the three of them felt very strange.

When did the Ming people start buying grain from these grassland people?

"Don't be surprised. Now that you have come under the control of the Ming Dynasty, the court will have to find a way for you to survive."

Relying solely on herding cattle and sheep is too dependent on the weather.
A snowstorm or severe cold could kill countless people, causing them to starve or freeze to death.
Therefore, I will find a way out for you.

Use the good water and land you have to grow food.
Then they sold them to the military commanders and Beiping, making money.

Walking on two legs like this.
With cattle and sheep, and grain, surely we won't starve or freeze to death.

Upon hearing this, King Azashili of Liao felt his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.

"Walk on two legs, walk on two legs."

Azashili murmured to himself, his eyes sparkling.

He was now starting to believe it; the sweet potato yield was astonishing.

Otherwise, there would be no need to go to so much trouble and say so much.

The two people beside him felt the same way, their blood rushing to their heads.

Selling surplus grain to the Ming Dynasty was a path they had never considered.
People can eat their fill and earn money.
It was Toruhuchar who reacted the fastest; he stood up abruptly and bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Lu. We, the sons of the grasslands, will always remember your kindness."

Prince Huining and Prince Liao also stood up and bowed in greeting.
For some reason, Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a chill and got goosebumps.

He quickly waved his hand, "Alright, alright, sit down."

In the afternoon, I will spread the word that I want to buy some cattle and sheep.

Don't run around, come to the capital immediately to show your sincerity, and the price will be 50% of what we agreed before.

"I will bring this up at the military farm meeting tomorrow. Whether it succeeds or not depends on your luck."

"Thank you, sir! The people of the Three Guards of Duoyan are deeply grateful!"

Tuoluhuchar bowed again and added:

"Lord Lu, we brought some livestock with us to sell this time."

"Why don't we take all of these to the capital this afternoon?"

Lu Yunyi felt very strange.
But a smile appeared on his face, and he nodded repeatedly:
"Good, that's great. It would be best if we could see the actual product. We can let everyone in the Commandery take a look then."

(End of this chapter)