In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 633 Planning at Sanming Tower

The cold wind was like a knife, tearing through the night sky of Daning City.

Lu Chaer and Mi Chen wrapped their cloaks tightly around themselves and stepped into the Sanming Building, which was adjacent to the Kangle Building.

The mottled vermilion door frame creaked in the wind, and the carved beams and painted rafters still held traces of its former glory, yet could not conceal its current desolation.

There were few diners inside, with only a few scattered tables.
The clinking of wine bowls echoed in the empty hall, making the atmosphere even more desolate.

Lu Cha'er frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the faded curtains and the netted palace lanterns, and he let out a soft hum:
"It seems that Kang Le Lou is quite a popular business."

His words carried a hint of sarcasm.
The soles of the boots rolled over the blue bricks unintentionally, making a soft sound.

Mi Chen's expression instantly turned strange. He leaned closer to Lu Cha'er and lowered his voice, saying:

"This Sanminglou is the oldest and most established restaurant in the north of the city."
At the beginning of its opening, even the Commander-in-Chief held a grand banquet here.

But who could have predicted that Kang Le Lou would suddenly appear?
From the layout of pavilions and towers to the delicacies,

They copied Sanminglou in every way, completely stealing business from this place.

Lu Cha'er paused, the image of the beautiful female manager of Kang Le Lou flashing through her mind.

He then turned to look at the deserted Sanming Tower before him and sneered:

"How can you remain so calm after being humiliated like this?"

Mi Chen sighed helplessly and reached out to pull Lu Cha'er toward the private room:

"Don't jump to conclusions yet. Let's go inside and I'll explain it to you slowly."

You've caused a huge commotion at Kang Le Lou today; you've really gotten yourself into serious trouble.

Upon entering the private room, incense smoke was rising from the sandalwood table, but it couldn't dispel the chill in the room.

Luchar sat down in the chair.

As Mi Chen recounted the events at Kanglelou, the more he listened, the more shocked he became.

"How could a woman be so ruthless? How could she actively seek out a fight?"

Luchar asked incredulously, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Mi Chen nodded, still shaken.

"That's right! Otherwise, how could Sanming Tower have fallen into such a state of disrepair?"

Last year on the Lantern Festival, the two restaurants completely broke off relations in a battle for business.

Ya Rong, the manager of Kang Le Lou, personally led thirty employees in a fierce battle with the enemy. Many people died on both sides before things calmed down.

That is why everyone in the north of the city knows this.
Ya Rong is not someone to be trifled with.

She had dozens of men under her command, each one a ruthless killer.

After hearing this, Lu Cha'er's impression of Ya Rong changed instantly, and he even felt a little affection for her.
"Is she really from Liaodong?"

Mi Chen glanced at him, her eyes filled with warning:

"Although he was from Liaodong, his style of doing things revealed the ruthlessness of the Yuan dynasty nobles."

I'll lay the ugly truth out in advance.

What we're doing now is a matter of life and death; there's no room for error.

You're making such a splash at Kang Le Lou, don't you even bother to find out what kind of people are drinking there?

News about all sorts of people would circulate throughout the city in that restaurant within half a day.

"How will we proceed then?"

Lu Cha'er's face flushed red, and a look of frustration flashed in his eyes.

But he knew that what Mi Chen said was true, so he could only suppress his irritation.

He picked up his glass, downed the strong liquor in one gulp, and asked through gritted teeth:

"Has the person who killed my brother been found?"

Seeing this, Mi Chen said no more, took out a document from his pocket, and handed it over:

"Look, it cost three hundred taels of silver to get this information."

Luchar eagerly took the letter and hurriedly opened it.

When he saw the contents of the letter, his eyes were filled with astonishment:

"Siamese? Which ethnic group are they?"

He frowned, frantically searching his memory.

However, they were unable to find any information about this tribe.

Mi Chen lowered his head, picked up his wine glass, and a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
A moment later, the sarcasm turned into helplessness:
"Siam was not a nomadic tribe, but a small vassal state at the southernmost tip of the Ming Dynasty."
They traveled thousands of miles away to Yingtian every few years to pay tribute.

"A small southern country?"

Luchar was filled with absurdity.
Why would he travel so far to come here?

But in an instant, he realized the key point, and a fierce glint appeared in his eyes:

"Did he come with Lu Yunyi?"

"You're quite smart."

Mi Chen put down his wine glass, his expression solemn.
"His name is Basong, and he is now a personal guard of Zhang Huai'an, the commander of the vanguard scout unit."

That day, it was he who killed your brother with a musket.
I heard that the musket was extremely powerful; one shot could blow a skull off.

Upon hearing this, the air in the private room seemed to freeze instantly.

Lu Chaer clenched his teeth, his eyes red-rimmed, his resentment burning like a raging fire, almost bursting forth:

"Was Zhang Huai'an also involved in the attack that day?"

Mi Chen shook his head helplessly, his eyes filled with worry:

"Take my advice: this matter must not involve Zhang Huai'an."

I only found out after making inquiries from various sources.

His father, Zhang Quan, was a Vice Commander of the Right Army and a confidant of the Duke of Ying.
His thousand-man team was full of sons and nephews of powerful and influential people in the capital.

If you drag him into this, the entire Beiping Military Command will be thrown into turmoil.
"When that happens, neither of us will be able to handle it."

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Luchaer couldn't help but shiver, his anger subsiding slightly.

He had long since accepted the reality of his brother's death.
At this moment, only sorrow remains in my heart.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, looked up at Mi Chen, and said in a deep voice:

"Now that we know who the murderer is, when should we make our move?"

My men are already prepared, and the temporary storage locations along the western grain route have been identified.

A glint of light flashed in Mi Chen's eyes:
"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Basong was a Siamese and also Zhang Huai'an's personal guard."

If the city weren't in chaos, how could I have found an opportunity to kill him and avenge myself?

Lu Chaer looked intently at Mi Chen.

"Don't you want to reclaim the confiscated land? Don't you want to rescue your brother?"

Upon hearing this, Mi Chen fell silent.

After a long time, he slowly spoke:
"Think about it, if we lose the land, the entire family will suffer a severe blow next year."

But I want to rescue my brother even more. He's suffering in prison; how can I, as his elder brother, be at peace with him?"

"Only by creating enough chaos will Lu Yunyi need the help of powerful local clans like you."

Otherwise, we will be discarded by him sooner or later.

Even if the plan fails and the situation becomes chaotic, we can still ask Lord Zhou to return and take charge.

He wasn't easy to deal with either, but he was still easier to handle than Lu Yunyi's ruthless and vicious methods.

A flicker of fear crossed Luchar's eyes. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze gradually becoming vacant.

"The Marshal has decided to accept Lu Yunyi's offer of a hand."

No further trouble will occur in the three departments until the sweet potatoes ripen next year.

To avenge my cousin, I can only rely on myself.

"And you, if you want to rescue your brother, do you have any other choice but to cooperate with me?"

A hint of apprehension flashed in Mi Chen's eyes, and he nodded slightly:
The fact that the three hospitals spent a lot of money to compete for trial planting slots
It had already spread throughout the city this afternoon.

I never expected you to have such courage.

"Hmph, guts?"

Luchar's eyes were full of mockery, and he snorted coldly.
"They're clearly being made a fool of!"
Is it really worth exchanging so many cattle and sheep for just a few spots?

I refuse to believe that just because the Three Guards of Doyan have submitted to us, they would stop us from planting if we don't pay them.
It's utterly absurd to spend your own money to buy things that rightfully belong to you!
Unfortunately, the marshal had long lost his former fighting spirit.
He was scared.

Mi Chen's eyes flickered, and he waved his hand:
"The money has already been spent, there's no point in saying more."

Let's talk about the grain supply route outside the city and the destruction of the granaries. How confident are you?

"I brought nearly three hundred brothers."
The grain transport troops number at most one hundred; seizing the grain route should be an easy victory.

However, that granary is always heavily guarded, so taking it will not be easy.

Luchar said it truthfully.

Mi Chen pondered for a moment, then tentatively suggested:

"How about we try to seize the supply route first?"

If the city runs out of food, the commander will definitely come to us powerful clans to buy grain.

At that time, I can take the opportunity to negotiate with the commander.
"Perhaps this can rescue my brother. What do you think?" Lu Cha'er suddenly looked up, her gaze like a sharp sword shooting towards Mi Chen:

"Foolish! Are you scared too?"

If you are timid, this cooperation is off.
I will seek revenge on Basong and Lu Yunyi on my own!

Mi Chen shook his head helplessly:
“Luchar, what’s the use of saying these angry words?”

You want revenge, and I want to save my brother. We can't accomplish anything on our own.

Even if we cooperate, it's just a glimmer of hope.

He paused, then tentatively asked:
"Or you could tell Lord Tuoluhucha'er about this."
Maybe we can get some support; there's strength in numbers.

“The Marshal will absolutely not agree,” Luchar said firmly.

"What about the King of Liao and the King of Huining?" Mi Chen pressed on, unwilling to give up.

"Them? Those two old cowards are as cowardly as mice."
She had long been itching to grovel before Lu Yunyi, begging for his mercy.

"It's better to rely on ourselves than to depend on them!" Lucha'er said with a look of disdain.

Mi Chen nodded in realization: "In that case, we're the only ones who can do it."

“Hmm.” Lucair’s expression was solemn.

"Okay, then let's proceed according to the previous plan."

First, they plundered the supply lines, creating chaos and drawing the city's garrison to the west of the city.

Then, you lead your men to the north of the city to burn the granary.
I will tell you the location of the granary and arrange for someone to meet you there.

After the deed was done, I used the grain as a bargaining chip to get my brother back.

And you can take advantage of the chaos to get revenge!
"I will also inform you of Basong's whereabouts at that time. What do you think?" Mi Chen said in detail.

Lu Cha'er stared at Mi Chen, his eyes cold:
"You're not up to any tricks behind my back, are you?"

"Me? Playing tricks?"

Mi Chen's eyes widened, his emotions running high.
"Luchar, if you don't trust me, then this cooperation ends here."
At this crucial juncture, if we remain so suspicious, when will we ever succeed?

Luchar pondered for a long time, and finally nodded:
"Then let's make our move tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Why do we have to wait?" Mi Chen asked, puzzled.

"I have already written a letter and sent it to the clan, requesting that elite clansmen be dispatched to assist me."

Furthermore, there will be heavy snow tomorrow night.

After the operation, the heavy snow could conceal their movements.

"I cannot let my brothers in the clan die in vain," Luchar explained.

Mi Chen then realized what was happening and nodded repeatedly:
"Alright! Tomorrow evening, I will tell you the location of the granary and deliver the kerosene and weapons at the same time."

Lu Chaer raised his wine glass, solemnly clinked it against Mi Chen's, and then drank the wine in one gulp.

"May we both succeed."

Mi Chen also raised his glass, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before he drank it all in one gulp:

"May you succeed."

He slammed the wine glass down, stood up abruptly, and strode away.

The private room fell into a deathly silence.

Mi Chen sat alone on the spot, his expression complex.
Like a wooden sculpture, it remained motionless for a long time.

After an unknown amount of time, Mi Chen suddenly chuckled, swirling the wine glass in his hand, his eyes filled with helplessness.

He slowly rose, supporting himself on his legs, his movements slightly labored. He sighed.

"I'm getting old."

He walked to the window and opened it a crack.
I watched as Lu Cha'er's figure gradually disappeared into the wind and snow until it vanished from sight.

Then, he walked to the table, picked up paper and pen, and began to write rapidly.
Sometimes he frowned in thought, sometimes he nodded in confirmation.

Soon, a neatly folded letter was placed on the table.
He carefully put away the letter, donned his fox fur coat, and went out the door.

In the hallway, Mi Chen met the manager of Sanming Restaurant.

He greeted us with a smile:
"Shopkeeper, I'm leaving."

"Take care, Manager Mi. It's windy outside, please be careful," the manager replied politely.

"Thank you." Mi Chen bowed in thanks, then turned and stepped into the snowstorm.

Night fell, the cold wind grew stronger, and heavy snowflakes fell in abundance.

The city of Daning was shrouded in a white mist.

Inside the military headquarters, most of the courtyards were already dark.

Only the left wing of the back hall where Lu Yunyi was located remained brightly lit.

The dim candlelight shone through the paper window, vaguely revealing the silhouettes of people inside the room.

The patrolling soldiers passing by exclaimed, "Lord Lu is truly dedicated to his duty."

They all knew that Lord Lu had three wives who were as beautiful as celestial beings.
On such a snowy night, one should be enjoying the comforts of home.
It is truly puzzling that he insists on staying in the government office to work hard.

Inside the room, Lu Yunyi was staring at the blueprints in his hand, scratching his head in frustration.

"How exactly was it done?"

He muttered to himself, picked up the iced tea beside him, drank it all in one gulp, but his gaze never left the blueprints.

His prolonged concentration caused him to feel a sudden dizziness.
He quickly closed his eyes, feeling the dizziness and the spinning of the world.
For some reason, I found this feeling quite comfortable.

After a long while, Lu Yunyi suddenly opened his eyes and stood up abruptly.
He grabbed the robe beside him and hurriedly walked towards the door.

Escorted by his personal guards, they soon arrived at the weapons workshop not far from the military headquarters.

Even though it was late at night, the workshop was still bustling with activity, with the sounds of hammering echoing everywhere.

This place is completely different from other government offices in Daning City.
As soon as you step through the gate, a wave of heat hits you.

The ground in the courtyard was wet; the freshly fallen snowflakes melted quickly upon touching the ground.

The workshop manager heard that Lu Yunyi had arrived.
Without even bothering to wipe the grease off his clothes, he rushed out of the yamen with a look of anxiety on his face:

"This humble official greets Lord Lu. Your presence so late at night, what are your instructions?"

He was filled with doubt; normally, unless there was a war, the officers of the military command rarely came here.
And this Lord Lu

Yet he comes almost every day, which is truly baffling.

Lu Yunyi asked in a deep voice:
"Where is Lao Lü? Take me to see him."

"Old Lu?" The person in charge was slightly taken aback, then quickly bowed:

"My lord, please follow me."

Along the way, the person in charge talked incessantly, constantly praising Old Lu's superb skills.
Many problems that were previously difficult to overcome in the workshop.

As long as Old Lu takes action, the problem can be easily solved.

Before long, the group arrived at a house in the corner of the workshop.

The two guards at the gate saw Lu Yunyi and quickly stepped forward to salute.

"grown ups."

Lu Yunyi looked at the two teenagers in front of him.
Wang Bi's grandson Wang Ding and Jingchuan Marquis Cao Zhen's second son Cao Kai.
Looking at the two of them, all bundled up tightly, he smiled and asked:

"Are you doing well in Da Ning?"

"My lord, it's too cold."

Wang Ding, his nose running from the cold, said with a wronged expression,

Cao Kai nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Lu Yunyi smiled and comforted him:

"Practice regularly to strengthen your body and resist the cold."

Moreover, joining the army and fighting wars inherently requires overcoming various difficult environments.

Whether it's the scorching heat of the south or the bitter cold of the north,

The Ming Dynasty's territory spans thousands of miles; if it wants to win battles everywhere...
There must be a group of generals and soldiers who can maintain their elite status no matter where they are.

If you want to achieve something in the future,

The bitter cold will be your first test.

"Yes! Your lord!"

The two straightened their backs and responded in loud voices.

"Alright, open the door," Lu Yunyi instructed.

Cao Kai stepped forward and opened the door.

As soon as Lu Yunyi stepped into the room, he saw parts scattered all over the floor.
A huge furnace was burning fiercely in front of them.
Old Lu was leading several military craftsmen, intently watching the parts in the furnace, their heads almost touching the metal.

Even when the door was open, they didn't notice at all.

It wasn't until a cold wind blew in from outside and the flames in the stove flickered gently that everyone turned around in unison.

Old Lu was even more furious:
"Which brat opened the door and started this mess?!"

But when he recognized the person as Lu Yunyi, his eyes lit up instantly.

He lunged forward and grabbed Lu Yunyi's arm:

"Sir, you've finally arrived!! Please take a look, is this the thing?"

(End of this chapter)