In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 640 You do the first day of the month, I'll do the fifteenth.

After having their meal at the military headquarters' canteen, Zhang Fu and Zhu Nengcai left the headquarters.

Both of them seemed a little distracted at the moment.

Even the hot meals I've been longing for have tasted like something else.
All he could think about was the document that Lord Lu had just given him.

This is the document of a veteran general who has fought in many battles!
Such things have always been kept within the family and must never be passed on to outsiders.

Why did you give it to them so easily?

Even after returning to their lodgings, Zhang Fu and Zhu Neng were somewhat absent-minded, their minds filled with absurdity.

It wasn't until the two of them placed the document in the middle of the house that they nodded in realization, acknowledging that it was indeed true.

Zhu Neng looked at Zhang Fu and asked:

"Brother Wenbi, is Lord Lu doing this because of your father's influence, which is why he offered his advice?"

Zhang Fu stared wide-eyed, then shook his head blankly:

"It shouldn't be. According to my father, Lord Lu has always acted this way."
He was never stingy with anyone, and wished all the military generals had his abilities.
However, few were able to grasp even a fraction of the essence; only General Liu was able to keep up with Lord Lu's train of thought.

The other generals simply needed to carry out the orders properly.

As for the documents before us…

A flicker of hesitation crossed Zhang Fu's eyes, before he spoke in a somewhat absurd manner:
"Could it be that Lord Lu believes we both have some talent and will one day rise above others?"

So that's why you helped us out?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Neng's face flushed red instantly, and a strong look of joy flashed in his eyes.
Being valued by such important figures undoubtedly made them more satisfied with themselves, and even complacent.

Thinking of this, Zhu Neng leaned closer and whispered:

“I heard from my father that when I took the imperial examination in the capital, Lord Lu gave me a top-ranking grade.”

Zhang Fu's eyes widened suddenly: "Is that so?"

Zhu Neng nodded repeatedly: "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get first place."

“Then that makes things simple. Lord Lu wants to cultivate us, to let us fight and earn merit on the grasslands,” Zhang Fu said decisively.
"Alright, alright, hurry up and open it to see what's written inside."

Upon opening the document, they were greeted by lines of crooked, small characters. The two men racked their brains, trying to decipher what was written on it.

[Clearly define combat objectives; first engage scattered and isolated enemies, then concentrate and strengthen them.]
[Take control of small and medium-sized tribes first, then large tribes.]
[The primary objectives are to annihilate the enemy and destroy water sources, not to suppress the enemy, seize territory, or take livestock.]
Even with deep respect for Lu Yunyi, Zhang Fu couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"Adults really should practice their handwriting."

"Oh well, as long as it works, it's fine."

Zhu Neng, however, had a different opinion.

Both of them then fell into deep thought about this passage.
Lu Yunyi arrived at the warehouse in the west of the city, wearing a thick coat.
Liu Heiying had arrived long ago.
Tan Wei, who was in charge of city defense, also came along.

"How about it?"

Upon entering, Lu Yunyi immediately noticed the neatly arranged large vats and Liu Heiying, who came to greet him.

Liu Heiying's face lit up with joy:
"Brother Yun'er, this brown sugar is all top-quality refined brown sugar. We've really made a fortune this time."

Lu Yunyi smiled and walked to the large vat, lifting the lid.
Looking down at the pile of brown sugar, now ground into powder, I grabbed a handful at random.
It feels a little sticky to the touch, with a delicate texture, like holding onto the snow outside.

"Great, it really is top-quality brown sugar."

This time, we really need to thank His Highness Prince Yan properly.

Liu Heiying spoke up from the side:
"Brother Yun'er, the workshop is ready, and I plan to start work tomorrow. What do you think?"

"Yes, time is tight, let's get started as soon as possible." Lu Yunyi nodded in agreement, then asked:

"The workers should be carefully screened, and anyone with suspicious behavior should not be hired."

"Don't worry, Brother Yun'er, Zou Jing has been busy with this kind of thing these days and has already excluded many people." Liu Heiying nodded emphatically.

"Have you found a distributor yet? Once the products are ready, we need to sell them."
Now that the commander has expanded too much, he needs to quickly find some money to make up for it.
Otherwise, we'll be spending more than we earn next year, which would be a real joke.

Liu Heiying's expression was somewhat strange. He leaned closer and said in a deep voice:
"Brother Yun'er, the Mi family has some connections with the Bai Song tribe. I'd like to use him for external communications."

How is Ya Rong doing internally?

Lu Yunyi fell into deep thought, and instead of making a decision immediately, he said:

"We'll study this matter carefully when we get back, and then I'll explain my reasoning."

"Yes."

The two of them talked back and forth.
Tan Wei, who was standing to the side, was completely confused.
Workshop? Distributor? Brown sugar? What are all these?
Could it be that Chengdu Company wants to do business?
Lu Yunyi turned around, then looked at Tan Wei and said with a smile:

"Lord Tan, the city garrison must keep a close eye on this warehouse. We must not allow any mishaps, as this concerns the stability of the Commandery next year."

Although Tan Wei didn't understand why this pile of brown sugar could be associated with stability,
But since the superior has given the order, it must be carried out resolutely!

He nodded vigorously, his body straightening:

"Please rest assured, sir, this area is heavily guarded by the city's defense forces."

"Hmm..." Lu Yunyi smiled and stepped forward, lowering his voice:
"We should also pay close attention to the sugar mills within the city."

"The commander's livelihood depends on the sugar mill next year; it concerns everyone's money and salary, so we must be careful."

Tan Wei was even more surprised after hearing this, but nodded emphatically:

"Yes, sir, I understand."

"Alright, once it's done..."

Everyone benefits, and you'll benefit too, so pay more attention.

After speaking, Lu Yunyi looked at the large vats, then waved his hand:

"Let's go check out the sugar shop."

Before long, the group arrived at No. 10 Ancient Wood Street in the west of the city.
This area is right next to the city wall, covering a huge area that encompasses almost half of the street.

Originally a warehouse used to store transit military supplies, it has now been converted into a sugar mill.

The main gate was wide open, and people were coming and going in a constant stream, carrying and moving items.

A plaque with large, gilded characters hangs above the door.
"Wanshou Sugar Workshop"
Below is a smaller print that reads "Daning Branch".

Lu Yunyi spotted a familiar face in the courtyard at a glance and waved with a smile:

"Autumn wind".

"Hurry up, hurry up, put it down quickly according to the predetermined location."

Dai Qiufeng was busy arranging a huge wooden barrel when he suddenly heard the shout and immediately turned his gaze over.

Upon seeing who it was, he froze on the spot, his eyes widening in disbelief, and then hurriedly ran out.
Before they even got close, they exclaimed in surprise, "My lord!"

Lu Yunyi sized up the person in front of him.

He was Dai Qiufeng, a centurion of Qingzhou, and also the gatekeeper of Qingzhou.

He looked to be in his late twenties, with a very upright and righteous appearance.

Upon seeing him, Lu Yunyi felt a little dazed, recalling many scenes from when he left and entered Qingzhou City two years ago.

Unbeknownst to him, so much time had passed, leaving him with a myriad of emotions.

What's more, the person in front of him was his classmate and Black Hawk's classmate, and had also studied at his father's school in the past.

When Liu Heiying saw him, a look of emotion appeared on his face as he thought of the good days in Qingzhou.

Although he is now rich and powerful, he still wants to live a peaceful life in Qingzhou.

Lu Yunyi stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said with some emotion:

"It's a bit of a disservice to you to transfer you from Qingzhou to be the manager."

Dai Qiufeng was flattered and surprised, and quickly said:

"My lord, please do not say such things. I have been content since I came to Daning City from Qingzhou."

Moreover, being able to serve as the manager of such a large sugar mill,
Such a day… I never imagined it.”

Lu Yunyi laughed and gently shook him, grabbing his shoulders:

"I'm relieved that you think that way."

The sugar mill is simply too important; we can't find anyone we can trust.

That's why we went to all this trouble to transfer you here.
To reiterate, once the sugar mill is on track, if you no longer wish to stay there...
You can return to the army, or we can arrange an official position for you in the military command.
"We can live a peaceful life then."

Dai Qiufeng's breathing suddenly became rapid.

For the past two years, he waited and waited, but no letter came. He even suspected that the adults had forgotten about him.
After suddenly receiving the news that he was coming to Daning to become the manager...

He hesitated for a moment, but he came anyway.

Upon arriving here, I saw such a large sugar mill.

The last shred of hesitation in my heart vanished without a trace.
And now.
The adults have given him so many choices, clearly arranging his escape routes.
This instantly turned all the thoughts he had accumulated over the past two years into ashes.

His lips moved, his eyes suddenly turned red, and he hurriedly bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you, sir. I will do my utmost to get the sugar mill back on track as soon as possible!" Lu Yunyi smiled and helped him up.

"We're classmates, and the entire Commandery will depend on you, their breadwinner, for survival in the future."

"Why be so polite? Come on, let's go inside and have a look."

"Yes!"

These words left Tan Wei, who was standing to the side, looking puzzled.

How can a mere sugar mill become a god of wealth?

Although he couldn't figure it out at all
But he still did not choose to question it.

Just because of the person in front of me
The new official had only been in office for a month, yet he had already sorted out the internal and external affairs of the Commandery, and everything was back on track.
There's no such thing as a new broom sweeping clean, but this kind of situation is even more frightening.

The sugar mill has been rebuilt with concrete and now has several large "production workshops".
It was built like a prison cell, with iron bars securing the windows, and the windows were located very high up.

The entire "production workshop" only has two doors, one at the front and one at the back, and just one glance at it feels extremely oppressive.

"Sir, the workshop now has three such production workshops, capable of accommodating thousands of people working simultaneously."
But now there are fewer than two hundred people in a workshop, so it is very spacious.

Both the north and south gates can accommodate two or three horse-drawn carriages side by side at the same time.
If we used handcarts instead, there would be even more, which would make both receiving and shipping very smooth.

At this point, Dai Qiufeng looked at the gray walls and sighed deeply:
"My lord, this is truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship; it's a massive wall."

It can be piled up in a day, and it will be hard enough in three days.
If we used this to build houses, we could build one every day.

"Hahahaha." Lu Yunyi laughed heartily after hearing this and said:

"If nothing unexpected happens, Yingtian should have villages built of concrete by now."
I'll go to Yingtian to see for myself when I have time.

After speaking, Lu Yunyi turned to look at Tan Wei:
"Lord Tan, when you return to Yingtian next year, would you please help me take a look around outside Yingtian city?"

How is the village being built? How are the roads being paved?
Let's find out what the people think of these houses.

Tan Wei, who was touching the cement wall at the moment, was startled by these words and quickly nodded in agreement:

"Yes, sir, please rest assured. I will investigate as soon as I return. I'd like to see it myself..."

"How much change can this thing bring to the Ming Dynasty?"

As he said this, Tan Wei's thoughts were in turmoil, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.
"Now we don't have to worry about Daning City all the time."

"All we do at the office is drink tea; staying here all the time seems quite pleasant."

His thoughts were unknown to others, and he continued to wander in circles.

After quickly completing a lap, Lu Yunyi nodded in satisfaction:

"Autumn wind, most of the skills in the workshop will be controlled by the craftsmen I brought from the capital."

You're family, so you should learn more and observe more.
As a shopkeeper, you need to have technical skills to avoid being cheated by your subordinates.

Although the people are all carefully selected and trustworthy,

But...you can't judge a book by its cover, and with such a huge sum of money, it's hard to guarantee that no one will be tempted.

Dai Qiufeng already knew what kind of business he was going to be involved in. His expression was somewhat serious as he nodded slightly.
"Please rest assured, my lord, I will strive to learn such amazing techniques so that I may become familiar with the workshop."

"Okay, I'm relieved that you're thinking of this. The personnel list will be sent to you tonight."

As for the final details of the collaboration, let's leave that for tomorrow.

"I will send someone to summon you tomorrow; you will be seen then."

Seeing that he was a little nervous, Lu Yunyi patted his stomach with the back of his hand:
"Don't worry, we're all on the same side, there won't be any obstacles."

"Yes, my lord."

After speaking, Lu Yunyi stood with his hands on his hips, somewhat moved:
"I intend to implement this policy in the capital to benefit the people."

But the situation changed unexpectedly, and he hurriedly left Beijing.

They didn't accomplish what they were supposed to do; instead, they went with the flow and made a lot of dirty money.

A sudden surge of admiration welled up in Dai Qiufeng's heart. As the manager of the sugar shop,

He knew all too well how profitable this thing could be.

He leaned closer and whispered:
"My lord, this can be considered a blessing in disguise. If no one had interfered, it would have been quite difficult for the business to make this much money."

Every drink and every bite has its good and bad aspects.
Alright...we'll go back first, you go ahead with your work.

I will then strictly order all officials in the military command not to come to the sugar mill and disturb production unless absolutely necessary, which will save you some trouble.”

Dai Qiufeng stood there stunned, his eyes flashing with dazzling light:

"My lord, you are so considerate. These past few days, officials from the government office have been coming to my door, which has been quite a nuisance to me."

Lu Yunyi snorted coldly, a sneer creeping onto his lips:

"Your nose is quite sensitive, but I won't do it again. I'm leaving."

"Congratulations, sir!"

Back in the military headquarters, Lu Yunyi hung his hat on the side, and Liu Heiying followed suit.

"Pour the tea."

"profound."

Liu Heiying poured two cups of hot tea and placed them on the table, one for each person.

Lu Yunyi sat down behind the desk and got straight to the point:

"What are your thoughts on Mi Chen and Ya Rong becoming distributors for the sugar shop?"

Liu Heiying took a sip of hot tea and said in a deep voice:
"Brother Yun'er, Ya Rong is one of our own, I can trust her."

Furthermore, this trust should be deepened.

Having several identities and owning a restaurant is nothing compared to the promise of hefty profits.

Moreover, given her current identity as a resident of Liaodong, selling goods there seems perfectly reasonable.

"As for Mi Chen, he is a nobleman from the grasslands, although he is currently a hybrid of two different kinds of people."

But there are still many channels on the grasslands.

It also has very close ties with the Baisong tribe.

It's perfectly reasonable for him to sell the sugar to the people of the grasslands.
After all, smuggling is something some people have always been doing.

"only."

At this point, Liu Heiying pursed his lips, a hint of concern appearing on his face:

"Sugar is such an important thing."
Whether sold to the Jurchens of Liaodong or the grassland people of the north,
Neither of these approaches is safe; if someone investigates, it will be difficult to explain.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Let's leave that aside for now. The point of doing something like this is to make it difficult to explain."

The method of rinsing sugar with yellow mud water died in the womb and was strictly forbidden from being spread.

Then don't blame us for using this method to make money.

Moreover, many northern border towns also contributed to this effort.
We both know what they're up to.
Even if we don't sell, they will.

They do the first day of the lunar month, we do the fifteenth.

There's no reason why we, as good people, should be forced to have guns pointed at us.

At this point, Lu Yunyi slammed his hand on the table in anger:
"Damn it, I'd love for them to report this to the imperial court!"

"We'll investigate them all then, see who sold the most, and have their heads chopped off in the palace!"

Liu Heiying sighed heavily, feeling somewhat helpless about the situation.

"Brother Yun'er, I still think we shouldn't act impulsively."

It wouldn't sound good if this got out; it would damage my reputation.

Lu Yunyi's face showed anger, and he suddenly looked up:
"Alright, let's settle this matter here."
After the sugar mill opened, it sold sugar throughout the city at rock-bottom prices, encouraging everyone to buy it.
Let Ya Rong do this part; it's safer and more reliable.

Then Mi Chen and others established a trading company.

They buy from ordinary people at high prices, and then everyone tacitly agrees.

Other border troops sell for pure profit.
"If we sell, at least we'll share some with the people. Then we'll see who's truly noble!"

"Brother Yun'er, this is handing out money!"

Liu Heiying's face fell with worry.
He could already imagine the uproar this would cause.

"Yes, it's about giving out money," Lu Yunyi said firmly.
"If you don't make money from the grassland people and the Jurchens, you're wasting your time."

That's settled then. We need to produce a charter by tomorrow.

Call them all over and let's examine this carefully.

(End of this chapter)