In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 637 Changes in Da Ning: Housing Allocation

Time flies, and the end of December is approaching, with the year-end just around the corner.

The entire city of Daning has been plastered with bright red banners.

Slogans and nursery rhymes spread widely throughout the city.

Whether in the north or south of the city, people can easily sing a few lines.

The Luchar incident caused a huge uproar.
They searched almost to the bone, but still found nothing.

Without any choice,

The leader of the Duoyan Three Guards, who had been staying in Daning City, finally left.

King Azashili of Liao looked at the bustling north of the city.
A moment of disorientation suddenly flashed in his aged eyes.

He suddenly felt that the north of the city seemed somewhat different from what he had seen a few days ago.

Just like the commander, he suddenly had energy and spirit.

"Hey?"

The Liao king looked left and right, his gaze lingering on the child's face.

In the end, it turned out that his feeling was correct.

The grassland people before me no longer seemed as anxious as before.
Instead, it brought a sense of peace, like...like...
As he pondered this, the King of Liao's expression became extremely strange.

He thought of the people of Yingtian, those people who also toiled in the fields, their faces to the earth and their backs to the sky.
Although life was impoverished, he exuded peace and tranquility.

It was a sense of ease that came from being under the emperor's nose, without having to worry too much.

And now, these grassland people in front of him gave him the same feeling.
"What are you looking at?"

Seeing him looking around, Prince Huining, who was sitting on his warhorse, asked him a question.

King Azashili of Liao had a solemn expression. He swallowed hard, a look of surprise and uncertainty flashing in his eyes, and whispered:

"The people in the north of the city are different now."

"Is it different?"

Prince Huining was taken aback.
He glanced at the crowd on the roadside and let out a soft exclamation.

As a leader, he could easily see the morale and the hearts of the people.

The grassland people before me always had a faint smile on their lips.

Compared to the bitterness and resentment of the past, there has been a significant change.

"Yes, it's definitely different now."

Prince Huining's gaze shifted, quickly locking onto two men carrying wooden buckets.

The two people were constantly painting and pasting slogans.

Although the two men were wrapped in thick robes,
But he has an air of refinement about him, and you can tell at a glance that he is a scholar.

They tore off the tattered red paper.

He took out new stickers from the basket on his back and pasted them on, occasionally checking to see if they were pasted crookedly.

There were even two teenagers tilting their heads to look at it together.

"They're behind this?" Prince Huining asked.

The King of Liao was already very old.
It experienced both the golden age and the chaotic period of the Yuan Dynasty.

Now, having experienced the height of the Ming Dynasty, they are truly experienced.

He seemed to be deep in thought, and nodded slightly:

"This should be education."

"Education?" Prince Huining repeated in confusion.

Liao King Azashili's expression was somewhat complicated:

"I think we might have misunderstood some things."

These people from Daning City, if they could live peacefully, wouldn't want to return to the grasslands.

"How could that be? They were born on the grasslands and grew up in grassland cities."

At this point, Prince Huining's voice abruptly stopped.

He thought of himself; having stayed in the city for so long, he was starting to not want to leave.

Here stand tall city walls that provide shelter from the wind and rain.

There are a dazzling array of items, a warm and cozy house, and an endless variety of food.

More importantly, I can get a good night's sleep.
There's no need to worry about wild animals attacking you, and even less about someone playing tricks on you.

Honestly, even as a leader, he was somewhat reluctant to leave.

Other grassland people did not live as comfortably as him.

But having a house to shelter from the wind and rain, and being able to eat every day, is already extremely satisfying.

"A brilliant tactic, a brilliant tactic indeed."

King Azashili of Liao muttered to himself.

In his view, these unsightly, ubiquitous red slogans...

It's meant to reassure the people of the grasslands north of the city.
Tell them that the commander will not abandon them.
And this is precisely what the people of the grasslands find very useful.

As they approached the north gate, King Azashili of Liao sighed heavily.

Having finally sorted out the various actions of the Commander-in-Chief these past few days, he let out a sigh:
“We should persuade Tuoluhuchaer not to have any wicked thoughts.”

"Why? Isn't it something we agreed on beforehand that there should be both cooperation and confrontation?" A look of doubt flashed in Prince Huining's eyes.

"Mingren is right, the older people get, the more afraid they become. I'm starting to get scared."

Azashili suddenly fell silent and said in a deep voice:

"The commander appeased the internal situation, easily calming the previously agitated emotions."
They reassured us and even found us things to do.

"Things settled down within a month, one inside and one outside. Aren't you scared?"

King Azashili of Liao glanced at King Huining:
"Aren't you still thinking about going back to mobilize your people?"

"Catch more ferrets, pluck their pelts, and sell them to the commander?"

Prince Huining's thoughts were exposed, and his face stiffened.
He realized what was happening at that moment!
Taking the money from the commander did come at a price.

The price was that the ambitions of the three guards were gradually eroded.
This prevents those of them who would otherwise have nothing to do in the winter from having time to overthink things.

"Aren't you overthinking this?"

Prince Huining said somewhat hesitantly.

"Ha," Azashiri scoffed.
Things can only get worse than this.

Lord Zhou's ruthless actions have proven his ineffectiveness in the military command.

When Lu Yunyi arrived, we thought it was to bring in someone more ruthless to suppress him.

But unexpectedly, they resorted to appeasement.

Now, the problem facing Lu Yunyi is not the grassland people.
Rather, they were the restless soldiers in the Ming army, eager to make a name for themselves.

After careful consideration, King Huining had to admit that King Liao was absolutely right.

"Can he handle it? Should we still catch this weasel?" Prince Huining asked with some concern.

The King of Liao suddenly sighed helplessly:
"Let's arrest you."

Prince Huining breathed a sigh of relief and nodded slightly.

Then they cheered up, knowing that at least the tribespeople would have something to do next year.

Inside the inner office of the military command, Lu Yunyi sat in front of the hastily made sewing machine, trying it out back and forth.

It was pretty much as he remembered, except it was too slow.
And sometimes you have to pull it by hand.

The failure rate is also quite high; the wires are always difficult to thread correctly.

Old Lu stood not far away, asking excitedly:
"My lord, how is it?"

This is the eleventh testing machine.

The soldiers all thought it was good enough, so they specially brought it here for you to try.

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"That's the effect, but the acupuncture speed is too slow."
And it's always having problems; it needs improvement.

Old Lu showed no dissatisfaction with this, but nodded repeatedly:

"My lord, we have also noticed the problem you mentioned. The craftsmen are working on the twelfth unit."

All the faults will be fixed by then.

That's right, the needle will turn into refined iron.
You have no idea, but in order to turn that iron pillar into the shape of a needle,
It burned for over ten days, and only in the last few days has it started to show some results.

"A needle?" Lu Yunyi nodded after hearing this.
"Minks have thick fur and lots of hair."

If the hardness of the needle cannot be resolved, then there's no point in doing anything else.

Tell the brothers that these days have been tough.
Everyone will receive a reward after the matter is resolved.

Old Lu's face instantly lit up with a smile, and he nodded repeatedly:
"My lord, we've been waiting for you to say that."

The rewards should be generous; many brothers want to bring their families over for the New Year.
Some have even taken out their savings to buy houses.

"Buy a house?" Lu Yunyi was taken aback.
"Didn't you tell them to wait?"

Old Lu quickly came over:
"I told them that in the future, the capital will use cement and concrete to build houses, which will be stronger and more durable."

They insisted they couldn't wait any longer and wanted to buy a small house to live in first.

My subordinate thinks they bought this house so that they can make a good impression when their family and friends come to visit.

After all, while houses built of cement are sturdy, they're not aesthetically pleasing.

Lu Yunyi blinked and looked Old Lü up and down:

"And you? You earn so much money but I never see you spend it, and you always wear tattered clothes."
Others might think our company can't afford to support craftsmen anymore. "Huahua, we have to spend money!"
My son plans to get married during the Chinese New Year, which will be a huge expense.

Old Lu said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Oh, I remember your son is in Beiping? Planning to live in Beiping?"

Lu Yunyi understood his implied meaning and asked a question.

Old Lu sighed, his expression changing rapidly:

"My lord, it's not that I'm nagging, but this child has really grown up and is becoming disobedient."

They had previously agreed to build a house at home, but now they want to live in Beiping (Beijing).

Houses in Beiping are so expensive!
The same amount of money could buy twice the size of a place in Daning.

"Daning is ultimately outside the pass."

We've lived here for so many years, we're used to it.
But it's understandable that children who have been out in the world since they were young might find it difficult to adjust.

People naturally strive for better things.

"Beiping is also a very good place, at least better than Daning," Lu Yunyi said.

"Sir, you can't say that."

People are less valuable when they are away from home; I was a complete stranger in Beiping.
"Being bullied like this, with no help from family or neighbors, I can only suffer this humiliation."

At this point, Old Lu scratched his fluffy, greasy hair:

"All the money I've earned in my life has been poured into this at once, and I really feel the pinch."

Listening to his nagging, Lu Yunyi pulled the fabric out of the sewing machine and said while looking at it:

"Have you bought the house yet?"

"Not yet, I've already asked General Liu."

"You should buy it at the end of the year when there's fighting, when things are chaotic and things will be cheap," Old Lu replied.

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"That's true. The imperial court's military pay and provisions have already been transported to Beiping."

I estimate that the imperial edict for the northern expedition will be issued after the New Year. Tell your son to be careful then.

After the imperial edict arrived in Beiping,

The next ten days or so will be the best time to buy a house.

Some people might leave Beiping to avoid trouble, while others would need to act quickly.
Seize this period of panic,

After all, nobody knows how the war will turn out; having money in hand is the only way to feel secure.

Old Lu smiled broadly:
"Thank you, sir. I will remember this and write a letter to my son as soon as I get there."

After saying that, Old Lu asked again:

"My lord, I have asked a question I shouldn't have."

"explain."

Lu Yunyi took another piece of new cloth and placed it on the sewing machine, starting to operate it with a "clack-clack-clack" sound.

"Can we win the battle?" Old Lu asked cautiously.

Don't worry, we'll definitely win.

"And the house your son bought will be even more valuable in the future." Lu Yunyi smiled mysteriously.

"Ok?"

Old Lu raised an eyebrow, finally feeling completely at ease.

"Thank you, sir. I will write to my son shortly."

"Do you have enough money? If not, buy it from Black Hawk's father. He owns some houses," Lu Yunyi said.

Old Lu shook his head repeatedly:
"My lord, General Liu has already spoken to me about this."

Those houses cost tens of thousands of taels of silver each.
They're all in the best locations, but my subordinates can't afford them.

Besides, everything is expensive in those places.
It's better to buy something bigger and cheaper in the corners or off-the-beaten-path shops for the same price.

Lu Yunyi glanced at him with some surprise:
"Okay, you've thought it through quite well."

Old Lu chuckled, scratching his head somewhat sheepishly.

He looked very awkward, and hesitated several times before speaking.

"Speak your mind!" Lu Yunyi said.

"That's how it is, sir. I've been living on my own all these years."
Also, sloppy and messy. This and that.

Old Lu stammered, his face flushed, more conflicted than ever before.

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, then sat up straight:

"You have a new love interest?"

Old Lu's face turned even redder. After much hesitation, he finally nodded emphatically.
"I do have someone I like."

"Not bad, not bad. You're only just over fifty; it's time to find a companion."
"Wait, whose daughter is she?"

Lu Yunyi asked with a smile.

"It's Siqin, the one sweeping the floor at the weapons workshop," Old Lu said in a low voice.

Siqin means wisdom or intelligence in Mongolian.

Lu Yunyi thought about it carefully, and an image of a woman in her thirties from the grasslands came to mind.

She has an average appearance but a great figure. She sweeps the floor and does odd jobs in the workshop.

"It's her? You're an old cow eating young grass," Lu Yunyi teased.

Old Lu's face flushed red instantly.
He hesitated and stammered.
"She was a good girl, alone and helpless in the city, and often helped her subordinates with their clothes."
Sometimes my subordinates are the last to leave at night.

She'll wait for us and prepare some food.

Lu Yunyi listened and thought the girl was quite nice, then looked Old Lu up and down again:
"That's not bad, we can develop it further."
"Whenever the company builds houses in the future, you'll be the first one allocated."

Old Lu suddenly raised his head, his face beaming with joy.

"Thank you, sir!"

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Since the girl is nice, treat her well."

However, before that, the commander would investigate her background.

After all, you are considered the chief craftsman of our Great Ning, and you possess many secrets.

Old Lu nodded repeatedly:
"Don't worry, sir, I know the procedure."
I have already spoken to Lord Zou about this matter.
He said he would give his subordinates a reply soon.

As he spoke, Old Lu looked at his clothes, which were covered in grease stains:
"I'm just a slovenly old man, what good girl would ever want me?"
"To be honest, sir, I've been keeping my guard up."

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"That's good. Your name is registered with both the Crown Prince and His Majesty."
"You must ensure your descendants receive blessings in the future; don't ruin your future with a moment of impulsiveness."

Old Lu was somewhat excited, but more so wary:

"Don't worry, sir, I know what's important."

"Okay, go back now."

Now that you have someone you like, dress up more often.
I put on my new clothes, combed my hair, and shaved.
The commander doesn't pressure you about work, so go out and explore more.
"Taking a proper rest might just bring more inspiration," Lu Yunyi said.

Old Lu chuckled.
"Thank you, sir. I'll take my leave now."

"Go ahead, leave this sewing machine here, I'll study it some more," Lu Yunyi said.

"Yes!"

Old Lu said this, then turned and left the room.

The door opened, and a gust of cold wind blew in, but it was quickly dissipated by the warm fireplace inside.

Lu Yunyi sat in front of the sewing machine,
He seemed lost in thought, his eyes deep-set.
After a while, a knock came at the door, and Feng Yunfang's voice came through:

"My lord, Lord Zhang requests an audience."

Lu Yunyi snapped out of his daze, folded the cloth in his hand, and said:

"Let him in."

"squeak--"

The door opened, and Zhang Huai'an, dressed in armor and with a face red from the cold, walked in.
"grown ups!"

"Hmm, it's cold outside, isn't it? Sit down and have a cup of tea. Pour it yourself," Lu Yunyi said.

Zhang Huai'an, in his early twenties, had a face full of cracks from the long journey.
Some of them have ruddy complexions from the high altitude, making them look like they're in their thirties.

He poured the tea angrily.

Then he sat there panting heavily, and said somewhat resentfully:

"Sir, the brothers in the army have many complaints."

Lu Yunyi sat behind the sewing machine, tilting his head to examine the needle, thinking as he spoke:

"What complaints?"

"To say that you've been too kind to the Three Guards of Duoyan is an understatement; Lucha'er has committed a heinous act!"

We should send troops to annihilate the Doyan Guard as a warning to others!

Zhang Huai'an spoke with a powerful and resounding voice, his spittle flying as he spoke.

He didn't care at all about the cuts on his face being torn open.

Lu Yunyi glanced at him and said calmly:
"That's what you think, isn't it?"

Zhang Huai'an choked, took the teacup away from his lips, and nodded honestly:

"That's right, that's what I think too."