In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 655 Father and Son Reunion, Liu Bukui
The next morning, exhausted from a night's sleep, Shi Yu dragged his weary body back to the inn, completely listless.

At this moment, he was surrounded by a strong, almost pungent, fragrance.

So much so that he kept sneezing.

He never stopped cursing Fang Chenfeng in his heart.

But before he could even get into bed and get some proper sleep,

The manager rushed in, his face beaming with excitement:

"Shopkeeper, are you asleep?"

Shi Yu opened his eyes with a hint of helplessness.

The frustration in my heart was beyond words, and my breathing became heavy and labored.

"What is it?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Just received the news,"
Liu Qianshi left the city early and is now waiting outside the city, having heard that his father is returning from Beiping.

The petty person felt this was a very good opportunity.
If only I could show my face to Liu Qianshi's father,

This should be beneficial to future business.

After listening, Shi Yu also perked up.
He propped himself up and sat up, looking at the steward:
"Really?"

"I dare not deceive the shopkeeper, it is just three miles outside the west gate."

"Quickly, quickly, get dressed and prepare the horses. Call Bai Feng along."

Without any hesitation, Shi Yu suppressed his exhaustion and hurriedly began to dress.

In less than a quarter of an hour,

He mounted his horse and, with a few attendants, headed towards the west gate.

The West Gate was as bustling as ever today.
More and more caravans were coming and going, and even the streets near the city gates became somewhat congested.
This was because many merchants set up stalls and sold their wares on the spot.
They were all festive items for the Lunar New Year, all bright red.

Shi Yu discovered that the city of Daning before him was even more extravagant than Beiping.
The west gate and the west city wall were in front of him.

The paper was covered with red "Fu" characters, couplets, and promotional slogans, making it look quite messy.

There weren't many people leaving the city, and after undergoing some checks, the group successfully left the city.

However, Shi Yu's expression was somewhat solemn.
Qu Qingfeng was right yesterday; the checks for leaving the city are even stricter than those for entering.
Even if it's just a little bit of sugar, the soldiers guarding the city will question it carefully.

This shattered the last glimmer of hope in his heart.
It seems we really can't take those sugars back.

Thinking of this, Shi Yu felt a surge of frustration again.

Fortunately, Liu, the Vice Commander of the Military Command, was easy to talk to, so I could take the opportunity to build a relationship with him.
Otherwise, this business trip would have been a complete disaster, resulting in both financial and personal losses.

Horse hooves rolled through the snow, surrounded by a blanket of white snow, the trees all covered in frost.

The official road was swept clean.

The innermost part of the soil was exposed, and it looked very hard.

Shi Yu looked at the winding, dark road amidst the white.

It must be admitted that Daning City was better than Shanhaiguan and Beiping.
There, officials and government officials don't care about the roads outside the city.
There's absolutely no way to clean it if you can walk on it.

Amidst a multitude of complex thoughts,

Shi Yu saw over a hundred people standing at the end of his line of sight, their black armor and red helmets becoming even more distinct as the camera zoomed in.

"Stop, who is it?"

They had just brought their horses to a stop.

Two soldiers rushed forward with serious expressions and shouted sternly.

Shi Yu quickly pulled out the pass that Liu Heiying had given him yesterday and said with a smile:
"I am the third manager of the Beiping Taxue Trading Company, and I have a past relationship with Lord Liu."
Having heard that Liu Qianshi's father is about to arrive in Daning City, I have come to greet him.

The soldiers looked him up and down.

"Wait, I'll go report it."

Not far away, Liu Heiying, who had been eagerly waiting, suddenly turned strange upon hearing the news.

Although they had long known that these merchants would stop at nothing to curry favor with officials
But unexpectedly, they managed to find such a perfect opportunity.

However, thinking of yesterday's plan, Liu Heiying nodded with a smile:

"Let him come over, be polite."

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi, noticing his odd behavior, patted his stomach.
"Don't worry about it, there are always people crying at graves."

"Manager Shi, the general requests your presence."

The soldier gestured for them to proceed, and his voice became calmer.
This made Shi Yu feel flattered, and his smile became even brighter.

Upon approaching, Shi Yu bowed respectfully.
"This humble citizen, Shi Yu, pays his respects to Vice Commissioner Liu."

"This humble citizen, Shi Baifeng, pays his respects to Vice Commissioner Liu."

Shi Baifeng spotted the group of young people at the head of the group.

Their expressions were extremely strange; how could they all look so young?
"Get up, get up, why are you being so polite?"

The two men turned their gazes toward him, and it wasn't Liu Qianshi who was speaking, but a young man they didn't recognize.

He was tall and well-proportioned, with a handsome face and a warm smile.

Although wearing armor,

But he doesn't seem like a soldier; he seems more like a scholar from a Beijing academy.

"May I ask who you are, sir?"

Shi Yu didn't stand on ceremony and asked the question with his hands clasped in front of him.

Liu Heiying explained with a smile:

"This is Lord Lu. His seal was affixed to your travel documents yesterday."

Shi Yu and his son were struck dumb, frozen in place.

Lord Lu? Lu Yunyi!
Both of them felt their lips were dry and their throats were bitter.

Shi Yu initially thought this was some distant cousin of Liu Qianshi, who had come along to pick up the person.

But to my surprise, it was him.

"This humble subject, Shi Yu, pays his respects to Lord Lu. I was unaware of your identity before, please forgive me."

Seeing Shi Baifeng standing there dumbfounded, with deep frustration in his eyes,
Shi Yu quickly tugged at his sleeve, which woke him up, and he bowed deeply.

"Get up, there's no need for such formalities."

I have heard that...

The Snowwalking Merchant Guild has contributed greatly to the construction of Daning City.
In the future, Da Ning City will still need the continued support of the Ta Xue Trading Company.
We can be considered friends.

Hearing these words,

Shi Yu felt that the frustration of the past two days had vanished without a trace, leaving only a feeling of exhilaration!
The Lord Lu before them was even more amiable.

The words he speaks are like a gentle breeze!
"Lord Lu, mutual benefit has always been the guiding principle of the Taxue Trading Company."

As long as Lord Lu and Lord Liu give the order.
The Snowwalking Merchant Guild dared not disobey!

Lu Yunyi nodded with a smile, and Liu Heiying took the opportunity to say:

"Speaking of which, I just remembered something. I wonder if the Taxue Trading Company could help with that."

Shi Yu was so excited that he trembled all over.

His fists were clenched tightly, and his eyes were red.

As a merchant, he wasn't afraid of these high-ranking officials making demands; what he feared was their lack of desire and ambition.
"Please inform Liu Qian Shi that Taxue Trading Company will do its utmost to manage the situation!"

Liu Heiying laughed:
"That's right, the Beiping Commandery has been newly established."
People in various places were living in poverty, some even lacking proper clothing.
Therefore, the commander thought of purchasing some cheap cloth.
We sewed some clothes for them, at least to keep them from the wind and rain.

I wonder if Taxue Trading Company has such channels?
"Please rest assured, Manager Shi, the price will not be reduced by a single penny."

"cloth?"

Shi Yu muttered to himself, quickly thinking of several channels from Jiangsu and Zhejiang:

"Lord Liu, the Channel Snow-Treading Trading Company has..."

The cloth was transported from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and the price was expensive.

I wonder if we can use cloth from Henan or Beiping Dusi?
Although the quality of the fabrics is somewhat inferior to those from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the price is much cheaper.

"Excellent, excellent!" Liu Heiying nodded repeatedly.

"Manager Shi, what we have done is a beneficial act for the people."

First, let the people all put on clothes.

Whether it's good or not is secondary.

"Then when we return to the city, I will write a letter and send it back to Beiping."

Inform the other two managers to handle this matter as soon as possible!

"Very good!"

This important matter was settled smoothly, and both parties were very satisfied.
The atmosphere in the arena wasn't as tense as on the front lines; everyone was cheerful, chatting casually. Time flew by, and half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Even Liu Heiying was getting impatient, scratching his head and muttering to himself:
"What happened? Did they fall into a ditch?"

No one dared to respond to this, and could only laugh awkwardly.
Lu Yunyi, on the other hand, did not have so many concerns:

"It's not easy for your uncle to come all the way to Daning, so he must have brought you something nice."

Upon hearing this, Liu Heiying's expression suddenly turned strange, and he muttered to himself:
"I heard he took a few more concubines."
They're all beautiful young women; I wonder how many I'll bring back this time.

Hearing this, Shi Yu's expression remained unchanged.

But he was secretly laughing to himself.
This father and son are quite peculiar; one prefers mature women, and the other prefers young girls.

Finally, after an anxious wait,
At the end of the official road appeared a long and luxurious convoy, a grand and imposing procession.
The colorful flags fluttered in the wind, quite eye-catching.

"this?"

Looking at all those colorful decorations, Lu Yunyi couldn't hold back any longer.

Liu Heiying's lips twitched slightly, and he nodded somewhat helplessly:
"That should be correct."

"Alright, stop looking so dejected. Stand tall and let's go greet you!"

The two groups rushed towards each other and soon met.

Lu Yunyi and the others also saw the convoy's configuration.
Besides those few luxurious carriages, there were nearly a hundred carts.

It was loaded with all sorts of objects.
You can even see two stool legs sticking out from under the burlap.

Liu Heiying's lips twitched again:
"Did they move?"

No one dared to speak. Shi Yu and Shi Baifeng exchanged a glance, somewhat relieved that the father and son were perfectly normal.

"Master!"

A loud shout came from the convoy ahead.
An elderly man, over fifty years old, was seen skipping and waving his arms at the front of the line.

After Liu Heiying also waved his hand, the old man hurriedly turned around and ran back.

A moment later, the carriage curtain was opened.

An elderly man of similar age also came into view.

He was dressed in gaudy brocade clothes, wearing a rich man's hat, and kept waving his hands:
"My son."

The old voice was unusually loud.

Even if one's own father is unreliable,

Liu Heiying was deeply moved after not seeing him for two years.

Her eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she rushed forward:
"Father."

Lu Yunyi shook his head, smiled, and followed.
Shi Yu and his son stood there, stunned.

He stared incredulously at the old man being picked up and tossed around by Liu Qianshi at the end of his line of sight.
My thoughts completely stopped at that moment, and my brain went blank.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shi Yu's voice suddenly rose in pitch.
He let out a sound filled with astonishment, shock, disbelief, and absurdity.
"Why is it him?"

Shi Baifeng was the same, staring blankly at Liu Huaipu, who was dressed in a brightly colored brocade robe.
Even though we're far apart now and can't see the person's face clearly,

But he also knew that he couldn't be wrong!

This is the "Liu Bukui" who has been famous throughout the capital.
Only he could pull off such garish, unfashionable clothes that completely disregard his own image.

The father and son immediately understood.

Why is it that old fellow Liu Huaipu always seems to know in advance that a war is about to begin?
So he has a son who's a big shot in Beijing.

Immediately, Shi Yu felt a surge of relief:
"Thank goodness... thank goodness I didn't say anything bad, or I'd be dead."

Just as Shi Yu was lost in thought, Liu Huaipu, who had been tossed around twice by his son, finally had a chance to land.

Dizzy, I stared at an old man in the crowd not far away, then suddenly my eyes widened:
"Son, is that old bastard Shi Yu?"

Liu Heiying, who had just been deeply moved, suddenly stopped crying:
"Father, do you know him?"

"More than that, he's my old nemesis! That old bastard talks bad about me every day!"

Liu Huaipu grinned maliciously and spoke in a menacing tone.

Compared to two years ago, Liu Huaipu is in much better spirits.
However, the wrinkles on his face have deepened considerably, making him look even older.

He didn't look at Shi Yu again, but instead stroked Liu Heiying's big head:
"Son, why is your head so big? It looks like a pig's head."

"puff"

Lu Yunyi couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Even knowing that this is simply the way father and son handle things—a love-hate relationship—
But after two years apart, I still couldn't hold back.

Liu Heiying slapped the hand off his head with a flick of his wrist:

Dad, ever since I stopped selling melons...

You're getting thinner and thinner; don't find me any more stepmothers.

You are in poor health, so please take it easy.

"Hey, where are they? I can't find a single one of them."

Liu Huaipu's face darkened instantly, and he cursed:

"You little brat, what good are they? Are they going to fight over the family fortune?"

He glanced past Liu Heiying and asked:
"Where is your wife? When is the baby due?"
Look what Dad brought you! Dad bought everything the child needs.
From diapers to tables and chairs.

By the way, this time Dad is going to buy the kid a big house so he can live there peacefully.

Liu Heiying listened to his eloquent explanation and shook his head repeatedly.
"Dad, the baby won't be born until spring, so you didn't buy me anything?"

"Bought it!"

Liu Huaipu raised his palm and ran back.
A moment later, he pulled out a large package and shoved it over.

"Father, what is this?"

Liu Heiying felt the weight on it, which was not what his size should be, and was somewhat puzzled.

Liu Huaipu was extremely excited and eagerly began to speak:
"Steamed buns, the old-fashioned steamed buns from Rihua Street in Beiping."

Liu Heiying froze on the spot, reaching out to grab the expensive piece of silk.

I immediately felt something soft, and it seemed to be warm.
"Father, is this the wonderful item you kept mentioning in your letter?"

"Hmm!" Liu Huaipu's eyes lit up, and he quickly spoke up:
"Yes, Dad eats it every meal, he can never get enough."

You have no idea how delicious it is! You should try some.

Lu Yunyi quickly lowered his head, lightly covering his lips to hide his embarrassment, and then tried to make amends:

"Black Hawk, we often ate steamed buns when we were in Gyeongju."

Your uncle brought you steamed buns to remind you not to forget your original aspirations.

Liu Heiying looked at Lu Yunyi incredulously, as if to say,

"Brother Yun'er, you can even fix this?"

Liu Huaipu froze on the spot. Is that what I meant?

But soon, he nodded vigorously:
"Yes, yes, my son is a high-ranking official now."

They certainly didn't lack gold, silver, jewels, or power.
"Eat two steamed buns, but don't forget your original aspiration!"

Liu Heiying's lips twitched, and he chuckled twice.
"Father, let's hurry into the city. We've been waiting here for almost an hour."

"so long?"

Liu Huaipu was startled and quickly exclaimed:

"My son, you don't understand."
Once we passed Shanhaiguan, the road became incredibly difficult to travel.
The road was covered in snow and mud; the convoy was large and moving slowly.

Liu Heiying suddenly laughed:
“When you return to Daning next year, Father, things will be different.”

"What? You're going to send people to Shanhaiguan to clean up?" Liu Huaipu asked as he walked.

"You'll find out then. Oh, by the way, Father..."

Your items will be checked at the city gate; prohibited items such as sugar are not allowed into the city.

"There's such a rule?"

Okay. You two rascals have grown up without us even realizing it.
Now that you've become high-ranking officials, even I, an old man, have to listen to you.
Check it out, check it thoroughly!
"Those who become officials must set an example by abiding by the rules; they cannot lose their authority."

Liu Huaipu smiled as he got into the carriage.

A moment later, his head popped out again, looking at Lu Yunyi:
"Yunyi, when are your parents coming?"

I'll personally cook some of my signature dishes for you then.

Lu Yunyi forced a smile and said:
"Soon, in just two days."

Liu Huaipu's face wrinkled up instantly.
The memory felt like returning to Gyeongju many years ago:
"Okay, okay, come over for dinner tonight."
Don't worry, they were all bought from outside Beiping.
"You two boys have never liked the food at home since you were little."

"Uncle, please go back to your residence and rest. I will definitely arrive tonight."

"become"

(End of this chapter)