In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 666 A Road Paved with Silver

"The Imperial College?"

Lu Yunyi looked at the document in his hand, then looked up at Wu Su'an in surprise.
"Shi Baifeng wants to go to the Imperial Academy? And he wants an extra 50,000 taels of silver?"
"So rich? Are we asking for too little?"

Wu Su'an's expression also looked somewhat strange.
At the same time, I was also a little envious. It's so great to have such a good father.

"That's exactly what Manager Shi meant."

Lu Yunyi looked at the document in his hand with some emotion.

As far as he knew, after the imperial examinations were reopened,

In some wealthy areas of the south, support for scholars had already begun, with their sights set on the imperial examinations.

Grand Secretary Song Na once told him,

Every year, several high-ranking officials in the imperial court recommend students, and even he cannot refuse them.
Ninety-nine percent of them are children of local powerful and wealthy families.

Compared to them, the reaction of many merchants and dignitaries in Beiping was much slower.

Only now have they realized the need for collusion between officials and businessmen.

Lu Yunyi handed the document back and said softly:

"Tell Manager Shi that I am far from the capital and cannot do this."

Of course, if Shi Baifeng wanted to stay at the Commandery to study, the Commandery would be more than happy to oblige.

Upon hearing this, Wu Su'an breathed a slight sigh of relief and nodded with some excitement:
"Yes, my lord!"

He was actually a little scared too.
They were afraid that Lord Lu would force them into the Imperial Academy for 50,000 taels of silver.

In recent days, he had also learned some about the actions of the two officials in the capital.
He believed that if the adults in front of him wanted to, they could definitely throw him into the Imperial College.

Lu Yunyi sat up straight with some surprise, looking Wu Su'an up and down:
Why that expression?

Wu Su'an did not hide her feelings and spoke frankly:
"My lord, the imperial examination is the way our dynasty selects officials."

It is also what we scholars yearn for.

If money is used to corrupt them, the people's hearts will be unsettled, and the nation will be thrown into chaos.

Hearing him say that, Lu Yunyi looked at him with some admiration:
"It's excellent that you have such thoughts, even though you're so far away in Daning!"

"Your Excellency's praise is truly commendable. I was previously mediocre and only knew how to bury myself in work, and thus never received a promotion."
I am deeply grateful to Lord Lu for his great appreciation.

Your humble servant knows that Lord Lu has devoted himself to the affairs of the government's finances, even going so far as to personally get involved.

If Lord Lu were to send the man to the Imperial Academy for fifty thousand taels of silver,
I fear that this excellent situation will be ruined in an instant.

"Hahahahaha."

Lu Yunyi suddenly laughed:
"To be honest, fifty thousand taels of silver could accomplish a lot within the military command."
However, the imperial court had its own rules for selecting officials.

Even though we are located beyond the Great Wall, we cannot easily break through it.

"What the Lord said is absolutely true!"

Wu Su'an smiled from the bottom of her heart, genuinely happy.

He had seen firsthand what it meant for the upper beam to be crooked, and the lower beam to be crooked as well.

Lu Yunyi's smile faded.
He then pulled out a stack of light blue documents from the vast amount of paperwork on the table and handed it over:

"Take a look, this is my draft plan for the repair of the road from Shanhaiguan to Daning City."
Take it back and have it analyzed by the relevant department.
Revise the wording to avoid giving anyone a handle to use against you.

Wu Su'an quickly stepped forward to take it, but upon opening it,
A hint of doubt appeared on his face:

"Sir, we want to repair the road."

It will probably require the consent of Shanhaiguan and Beiping.
Now, this place only bears the seal of our Northern Pacification Commandery.

Lu Yunyi's expression became slightly more serious:
"That's right. Logically speaking, repairs should only be carried out with the permission of the Prince of Yan's residence, the three offices of Beiping, and the General of Jizhou."

But now that the authorities have people and money, and the matter is urgent, we cannot wait.

Tomorrow is the Lunar New Year, and while many young and middle-aged people are at home...
The document must be posted so that they can see it.

"This"

Wu Su'an looked conflicted; he knew why the official in front of him was in such a hurry.
This is because the road construction had already been planned in advance; instead of conscripting laborers, the local people would be hired.

This is significant for the people of Daning City and the entire military command.
These are all great job opportunities.

Tomorrow will also be a good time for everyone to see.

but.
"Sir, without Beiping's permission,

"If we repair the road without authorization, some bad rumors might spread."

Lu Yunyi had also considered this point.
Daning is located outside the Great Wall, and is frequently covered in heavy snow, making the roads muddy.

It was virtually impossible for cavalry to travel quickly.
But if the road is rebuilt with concrete...

With just a little clearing, the cavalry can pass through quickly!

This puts enormous pressure on the defense of Shanhaiguan.
There might even be rumors that he harbors rebellious intentions.

Especially given that the northern expeditionary force is about to set off, and the defenses within the Great Wall are weak.

However, regarding this pressure from within the Great Wall,

Lu Yunyi did not intend to pay any attention to it.
He figured it out yesterday too.

A Ning native was able to be appointed as an official in Daning.

He was simply using the emotions of his own hometown people to force him to do things.

If we stop because of a few rumors, then we can forget about making any progress in Da Ning City!
Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi's gaze sharpened, and his voice became somewhat heavy:
"Execute the orders; I will handle everything else."

It's unclear whether this resolute emotion influenced Wu Su'an.
He stood there stunned for a long time, then suddenly stood up straight and shouted:
"Yes, my lord!"

"Go ahead. You've had a tough time these past few days."

After we finish today's work, I told the brothers to go back and get some rest.

Spend more, live more freely, no need to save, there's even a bonus after next spring.

Wu Su'an's eyes widened suddenly, a surge of joy welling up inside her:
"Yes!"

After Wu Su'an left, Lu Yunyi closed the document in his hand.
He strode out of the government office and went to where the silver was stored.

Right next to the backyard canteen was where frozen cabbages were originally stored.

At this moment, a hundred soldiers from the vanguard scout unit are guarding this spot.
Anyone who passes by here will be watched.

Even so, the officials and the adults would all turn their attention to that tightly closed, dilapidated door!
Sixteen thousand taels of silver!

There are 160,000 taels of silver inside!

They had never seen so much money before.

In my memory, Du Si had never been this rich.

"grown ups!"

When the guards saw Lu Yunyi arrive, they immediately stood up straight!

"Well, open the door."

Lu Yunyi nodded, his expression unchanged, but his hands, hidden under his robe, were clenched tightly.

The door opened, and a warm breeze wafted out.

The two soldiers guarding the box inside immediately stood up upon hearing the sound:
"grown ups!"

Lu Yunyi nodded.
When he saw the neatly arranged wooden crates, his breathing quickened.

Not to mention the officers and soldiers, even he had never seen so much cash before.
"Open."

Lu Yunyi pointed to one of the boxes and gave instructions.

A soldier immediately stepped forward and laboriously lifted the lid of the box.
A bright white light came into view.
The neatly arranged silver coins stood like soldiers atop the inner lining of the box.
Although there are some bumps and scratches on it, and some parts are blackened,

But Lu Yunyi could smell money coming from it.

"Close it."

With a bang, the soldiers slammed the box shut.

Lu Yunyi glanced at the neatly arranged boxes, forcibly turned his gaze away, and walked out.

A sigh escapes the heart; wealth stirs the soul.

Few people could remain unmoved by such wealth, and he was no exception.

"Stand guard properly, no one is allowed to approach!"

"Yes!"

The centurion stood tall, his rough hands gripping the long sword at his waist, his expression somewhat invigorated!
Fighting on the battlefield excites him.

But having so much money also excited him.

This will be excellent bragging material in the future!

Back in his office, Lu Yunyi sat behind his desk.
I picked up a thick document and started reading. It was prepared by the Bureau of Responsibility and detailed all expenses related to road repairs.

The journey from Shanhaiguan through Xifengkou to Daning City is approximately 750 li.
Even though cement and concrete are inexpensive,
However, repairing such a road, at a cost of three hundred taels of silver per mile,

It would cost at least 220,000 taels of silver.

After seeing the huge and dense numbers above

Lu Yunyi's face showed worry, and he let out a sigh.
We only have 160,000 taels of silver left, which is 60,000 taels short.

Lu Yunyi rummaged through the table and found another book.
The above is another proposed solution for road repair.
Recruit 30,000 laborers as originally planned, providing them with food but not wages.

In this way, the project's progress will change from two years to three years.

But it can save nearly 80,000 taels of silver.

Looking at the numbers above, Lu Yunyi was itching to make a move.
He now understands.

Why do local governments still hire laborers even when construction is delayed? It's so cost-effective.

Moreover, recruiting laborers could also serve as a form of work relief.

At least it can prevent these people from starving to death when disaster strikes.

But nowadays, Daning City is enjoying favorable weather and abundant harvests.
Sweet potatoes will still be planted next year, so it doesn't look like a disaster at all.

After much deliberation, a ruthless glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
Holding the book in his hand, he threw it straight into the stove!
The flames from the burning charcoal quickly engulfed the pale blue cover of the document.
The paper began to curl and wrinkle, and the black ink dots on the flag became blurred.

A wisp of white smoke began to rise.
At that moment, the door was abruptly pushed open, and Liu Heiying's somewhat excited voice came through:

"Brother Yun'er, Brother Yun'er!"

The sound stopped abruptly the next moment.

Liu Heiying, somewhat surprised, leaned closer to the thick stack of documents in the stove:
"What is this??"

In a daze, he saw the words "Road Repair Budget" in large letters.
He immediately let out a cry of surprise.
He picked up the fire tongs and pulled it out.

"Brother Yun'er, I worked so hard to make this!"

Lu Yunyi's face darkened, and he secretly touched his nose.
There's an awkwardness to being caught doing something wrong.

"There's another one here."

He quickly raised the document in his hand and began to explain.

Liu Heiying turned his gaze over, then looked at the burning document in his hand, and asked:
Which one?

"Two hundred and twenty thousand."

Upon hearing this, Liu Heiying immediately threw the document back.
He happily trotted over to the desk and sat down.

"Many farmers outside Daning City are unable to enter the city to work."

There aren't that many places in the city that need manpower.
Sending them all to repair the roads and paying them wages would be excellent.

"That's easy to say, but we simply don't have that much money."

Liu Heiying was taken aback, blinking blankly:
"Aren't there still so many merchants?"
The purpose of building roads is to facilitate trade; they can't just reap the benefits without contributing anything in return.

"makes sense."

Lu Yunyi nodded thoughtfully.

"Forty thousand taels per household, ten households would amount to four hundred thousand taels, which is more than the taxes collected by the Upper Capital for several years."

Lu Yunyi was startled:
There are only a handful of powerful merchants in the city.

Even fewer could come up with 40,000 taels of silver.
"You can't ask for that; be careful not to incite public outrage."

Liu Heiying curled his lip indifferently:

"Throughout history, I have never seen a merchant who could defy the heavens."

"That's true, but the real problem will be when the road is finished and all the merchants have left."
We must acquire resources ethically, and study them more carefully after construction begins.
See if we can raise funds.
Whether it's one tael of silver or a hundred taels, every penny counts.

Liu Heiying added:

"The merchants in the capital will have to pay for it too. It can't be that the road is repaired and they don't use it."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"We'll discuss this matter later. I plan to go to Beiping after the New Year to talk to His Highness Prince Yan and the other officials about it."
Although they can't control us,

But if the road is built right up to someone's doorstep, they'll always let you know.

Liu Heiying's expression was solemn, and he nodded thoughtfully.

"If that's the reason, then how should we write documents in the imperial court?"

If we were to write about these merchants raising funds...
I'm afraid they'll say again that a state shouldn't compete with its people for profit.

Thinking about this, Lu Yunyi also felt a headache coming on.
He had read all the letters that had come from Yingtian a few days ago.
The existence of Yingtian Trading Company
This has led to many previously thriving businesses failing and facing closure.
Everywhere, people in government and among scholars are criticizing businesses for competing with the people for profits.

So much so that his father-in-law wrote to him.

It is said that there is considerable pressure both in and out of government.
He even had to avoid those wealthy and powerful people when he went out.

If they meet, they'll either make sarcastic remarks or, in severe cases, throw rotten eggs at each other.

"Documents. Documents"

Lu Yunyi muttered to himself, then turned his head and asked:
"How are things going with the Dragon Tail Mountain matter?"

Liu Heiying quickly handed over the documents in his hand:

"This is the battle plan: deploy one thousand elite troops, and two thousand garrison soldiers as auxiliary forces."
After the New Year, once the government offices reopen, troops will be deployed, with Wu Fulu in charge.

Lu Yunyi flipped through the documents, nodding thoughtfully:

"Just say that the money we plundered from the grasslands will be sent along with the report of our victory."

"Robbery of 200,000?"

Liu Heiying's eyes widened in shock, realizing that the court officials were being treated like fools.

"Of course it can't be two hundred thousand, fifty thousand taels will be about right."

Wandering around the area for a while then,
Let's see which one is easy to attack, and then take care of it to get enough for 100,000.
"We can then fabricate some false accounts, and 100,000 taels of silver should be enough," Lu Yunyi said confidently.

Liu Heiying kept scratching his head.
"One hundred thousand taels of silver to repair seven hundred li of road? That's far too little. Can they really believe it?"

"It's alright, it's just to give the court officials an explanation."
"When the time comes, we'll submit the actual expenses to the Crown Prince's residence; surely he'll help us cover it up."

"That's true"

"Oh, right." Lu Yunyi pointed to the document:

"The city must be sealed off before advancing the troops."

In previous years, the raids had all failed because the information had leaked, allowing the thieves to escape.
There must be people in the city colluding with them.

Upon hearing this, a sly glint flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes, and he whispered more urgently:

"Brother Yun'er, I didn't include the martial law or the date of troop deployment in the official documents."
They'll launch a surprise attack then.
"Maybe we can even catch a few traitors working in the inside and out, and extort another sum of money from them."

"You really know how to make money."

Lu Yunyi shook his head, which was taken as approval of his approach.

"Don't forget to have Zhang Huai'an and the others come along."

See what real battle is like.
I've noticed he's been acting a bit crazy lately.

Liu Heiying's expression was strange:
"He's a bit crazy. I heard he won't even celebrate the New Year and is planning to go to the Quanningwei military camp."

Let him be. Tell him he'll be back after the New Year.

It's good to have more young generals like this in the army; it saves us from having to handle everything.

Liu Heiying chuckled and nodded repeatedly.

Lu Yunyi changed the subject and asked:

"When do you plan to prepare the operational documents for the White Pine Division?"

Liu Heiying's already dark face became even darker.
It looked like two black lines had appeared on his forehead.

Lu Yunyi waved his hands repeatedly:
"No rush, no rush. They're still useful."

"By the way, Brother Yun'er, the Bai Song tribe has already entered the city and will be making contact with the Mi family soon."

Should we send someone to keep an eye on things?
In case the Mi family resorts to underhanded tactics, we should be prepared.

"We need to keep an eye on it. Let Qin Yuanfang handle it."
However, it's a bit hard to put one's conscience at work making people do chores during the Lunar New Year.
Each of the brothers who had no days off would receive thirty taels of silver. They were already drowning in debt, so this little bit wouldn't make a difference.

"Yes"

Liu Heiying responded, then asked:
"Brother Yun'er, how much will I get paid for working at the government office during the New Year?"

Lu Yunyi sized him up.
"You? I don't even have a salary, where would I get the money to give you?"

Liu Heiying's face darkened: "Didn't you tell me a few days ago that I should take a break?"

Lu Yunyi also remembered this matter.
But he shook his head somewhat blankly, his voice full of innocence:
"Really? You might be mistaken."

(End of this chapter)