In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 673 Internal Strife, Encirclement and Reinforcements

A cold wind howled, and the world was shrouded in white.
Scattered snowflakes collided and tangled in the air, obscuring people's view.

On the official road of Daning City, the road that had been swept clean was now covered with a layer of white snow.

If this continues, the snow will become extremely thick again in less than a day.

With the Lunar New Year over, some merchants hurriedly prepared their first batch of goods for the new year and headed to Beiping.

They braved the wind and snow to move forward.

Hopefully, we can travel as far as we can before the heavy snow completely falls.

"Da da da--"

Just as the howling wind subsided, the crisp sound of horses' hooves came from afar, accompanied by a rhythmic beat, as if echoing the heavy snowfall.

"Get out of the way"

Shouts came from the southwest.
The lead cavalry unit was holding megaphones and waving command flags.

Constantly move vehicles, horses, and pedestrians to the side of the road to clear the left side.

The merchants were used to this and all gave way.

They knew that these three were the vanguard, and that they were clearing the way for the main force to pass behind them.

Sure enough, less than a quarter of an hour later, an even more violent sound of horses' hooves rang out.

The ground on the official road shook violently in an instant, and the snow that had just fallen became even more compacted due to the tremors.

At the edge of the horizon, a cavalry force of five hundred men rode the wind towards them.

The tall horses moved with exceptional grace, and the black-armored soldiers maintained their imposing presence, their movements rising and falling with the rhythm of their steeds.

The red tassels stood out particularly in the snowy weather, attracting countless glances.

call--

The five hundred riders didn't slow down at all, they just roared past.

A chilling atmosphere swept over them, startling many of the merchant horses, which pawed at each other restlessly.

"What's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?" someone muttered.

Someone gripped the linen cloth on the carriage tightly, their face showing unease:
"They're not here to arrest me, are they?"

Fortunately, the five hundred cavalrymen vanished in a flash, disappearing from sight in no time.

The west gate of Daning City presents a vibrant scene of life, with everything flourishing.

The towering city gates were now fully open.

Handcarts, wheelbarrows, horse-drawn carriages, and donkey carts were constantly coming and going.

It carries building materials used for road construction.

There were newly refined cement, stones, sand, and wooden tents from the weapons workshop.
There are also countless tools and items used for road construction!
Thousands of people had already gathered at the city gate.
These materials were either neatly arranged or transported to the next warehouse, which was five miles away.

The city gate was bustling with activity like never before.
Despite the cold wind and heavy snow,

But whether it was the soldiers guarding the city or the busy laborers, everyone had smiles on their faces.

Work has started, and once work begins, there will be money to be made every month.

Especially the two huge houses that were newly built not far away,

More than ten large pots were set up at the entrance of the house.

Right now, a steaming pot of cabbage and meatball stew is simmering.
The aroma wafting out couldn't be stopped even by a gentle breeze.

Asir was also among the first batch of workers, not because he had the protection of "higher-ups."
Rather, it was because his family was in dire straits, and even though he worked hard, he could only afford to live in a shack.

Most of the first batch of workers were in this situation.

When they saw those dozen or so large cauldrons,

The weather is cold, but my heart is warm.

They are not afraid of working, but they are afraid of not having enough to eat or wear even if they work.

Now things are much better. Even without wages, we can still eat and stay warm, let alone with wages being paid.

Asir pulled a small cart loaded with six bags of cement out of the city gate.

He didn't stop, even though his forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat.

Before we started work, the commander had already said...

The government's money doesn't come for free. If anyone tries to cheat or shirk their duties, they should go home!
As a result, over a thousand people moved at lightning speed and were full of energy!
Asir pulled the cart to the warehouse.
A porter quickly stepped forward, grabbed two bags in each hand, and easily carried them into the room.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves rang out from afar, the dull thud shaking the dust off the handcart.

Asir suddenly turned around and looked, his eyes widening little by little.
Black armor, long swords, and tall horses!
A group of people arrived swiftly.

The horses' hooves pounded the ground, kicking up snow that had turned into a thin mist, making their figures appear both real and illusory.

Asir didn't hold his breath.

He was absolutely certain that the cavalry in front of him was the elite of the Ming Dynasty!
They were far more formidable than the soldiers guarding and patrolling the city.

Especially after getting closer, seeing the "Lu" battle flag fluttering in the wind,
Asir learned who the visitor was.

His eyes widened suddenly, before he could even speak,
Someone nearby let out an excited shout, raising their hands high and waving them vigorously:

"Lord Lu, Lord Lu has arrived!"

With a loud shout, more and more people put down what they were doing.

He started waving his hands and shouting, his excitement overflowing.
"General, general!"

For a moment, noise and excitement filled the entire West Gate.

Lu Yunyi, standing in the cavalry, witnessed this scene without showing any emotion.

Feng Yunfang, who was standing to the side, asked:
"Sir, shall we stop and take a look?"

"No need to stop, go back to the government office."

Lu Yunyi glanced indifferently at the houses that had sprung up from the ground.
Then I looked at the laborers, who were spreading their arms wide and jumping around.

His expression gradually turned strange, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Five hundred cavalrymen roared past and crashed straight into the city of Daning!
After the cavalry left, the laborers seemed to have more energy and their movements became faster.

Asir stared blankly at the gate, which was once again blocked by all sorts of vehicles, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

"So this is what cavalry is like? How impressive!"

"I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to be so powerful."

The Beiping Regional Military Commission's office was as deserted as it had been during the Lunar New Year, with only a few clerks on duty.

Although the imperial court stipulated that there would be a three-day holiday for the Spring Festival.

However, Lu Yunyi took it upon himself to grant five days off, including three extra days off during the Lantern Festival.

The purpose was to ensure that the clerks in the government offices would do their jobs properly.
Daning City is located outside the pass, in a godforsaken place.

If we don't appease these officials and clerks,
If someone is even slightly reluctant to put in the effort, the progress of the project will be significantly slowed down.

At the gate, the warhorses had not yet come to a complete stop.
Lu Yunyi then jumped off his horse and hurriedly headed towards the back hall.

Upon hearing the news, Duan Zhengze, who was on duty, hurriedly came to greet them.
"My lord, why are you back so soon?" Duan Zhengze said as he walked.

Lu Yunyi continued walking without stopping, and said:

"Lord Duan, there has been some change in the situation at Dragon Tail Mountain."

After I leave Daning City, you must, together with Lord Liu and General Tan, guard the city well and prevent any trouble from arising.

Duan Zhengze's heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed slightly. Had something happened at Dragon Tail Mountain?
A gang of over a thousand thieves, now without a leader, what could possibly happen?

But Duan Zhengze knew he shouldn't ask questions he shouldn't, so he quickly nodded:
"Yes, please rest assured, Lord Lu."

"Go ahead and get busy. If I need anything, I'll call Lord Duan."

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi went to the back hall, walked to the office where Liu Heiying was, and pushed the door open to enter.

Liu Heiying, who was looking at the documents, suddenly looked up, his gloomy face instantly turning into a smile:
"Brother Yun'er, why are you back so early?"

"Come to the yamen."

Lu Yunyi offered no explanation, uttered a single sentence, and headed towards his office.
Liu Heiying's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression.

He jumped to his feet, grabbed several important documents, and without even putting on his robe, chased after them. Lu Yunyi said as he walked:

"Yunfang, have Wang Shen bring the newly drawn map."

Then have Wu Su'an bring me the distribution of troops in all the garrisons and guard posts of the entire command.

"Yes!"

"By the way, have Zou Jing check that letter for any problems, and hurry up."

"Yes!"

Feng Yunfang ran away quickly, and a tense atmosphere began to fill the air.
Even the passing officials dared not breathe, unaware of what had happened.

Upon entering the yamen, Lu Yunyi simply tossed his robe aside.
He walked quickly to his desk and started looking through the weather documents for the past few days.

Such predictions may not be accurate.

But this is the only document that the commander can use and that is relatively accurate.

At this moment, Liu Heiying, holding documents, hurried over with a solemn expression.

He slammed the door shut first, then asked:

"Brother Yun'er, what happened?"

Upon seeing him arrive, Lu Yunyi's solemn expression eased slightly:

"The Jurchen barbarians have invaded the border of Liaodong, causing heavy losses to Liaodong."

"Koubian?"

Liu Heiying froze on the spot, his face full of astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief:

"How come we didn't know?"

The Northern Pacification Commandery and Liaodong were practically separated by a single wall.
The two check and balance each other, and no move can be kept from the other.

Now that such a big thing has happened, how come the commander doesn't know?
Lu Yunyi took out a document from his pocket and handed it over:

"Take a look. This is a document from Liaodong that the messenger copied from the capital. The person who submitted the memorial is Mei Yi."

After Liu Heiying took it, he quickly opened it to check.

With just a light sweep, his expression shifted rapidly, and his voice suddenly rose considerably:
"Do savages really have such great abilities?"

He had stayed in the capital, and the Five Military Commissions' conclusion regarding the defense of the northern border was...

Since the two main forces of the Northern Yuan Dynasty were destroyed, the north has never been a match for the Ming Dynasty.

As for the Beishan Jurchen and Jianzhou Jurchen
The governor's office didn't even take them seriously, let alone the wild Jurchens who couldn't even get enough to eat.

Now that this has happened, even Liu Heiying is somewhat incredulous.

Five days ago, Bayar, the Taiji of the Baisong tribe, came to my residence and spoke about the Wild Jurchens.

He revealed to me that since the Marquis of Yan'an left Liaodong...
Smuggling routes to the north were cut off.

The Jurchen barbarians have no way out and have already turned to the Baisong tribe.

If this news is true, then Kou Bian's actions are understandable.

After all, when people can't even survive, they won't care about anything else.

Liu Heiying keenly sensed something was amiss, and his expression changed repeatedly:
"The imperial court suspects that someone is colluding with them from within?"

"Don't you have any doubts?"

Lu Yunyi glanced at him.
"How can there be trouble on the border just because the Marquis of the town has been transferred away?"

Liu Heiying felt his lips were dry, so he quickly moved closer:
"Brother Yun'er, is the Marquis of Yan'an's return to the capital related to this year's struggles?"

"Before the outcome is decided, all the mobilization of military commanders and military operations are related to the power struggle in the imperial court."

Lu Yunyi spoke decisively, and as if afraid Liu Heiying wouldn't understand, he emphasized it again:
"It's all of them."

Liu Heiying understood, and he also knew why Brother Yun'er rushed back in such a hurry.

Their military operations were also related to the impending conflict.
"I now suspect that the supplies used by Liaodong to maintain the Wild Jurchens were deliberately cut off."

This was to drive these savages to desperation.
Then, deliberately reduce defenses to allow the Jurchen barbarians to cause even greater damage, putting pressure on the imperial court.

"Brother Yun'er, isn't this going too far? You can't do that."

Liu Heiying stammered; in his memory,
Making some money from foreign enemies is one thing.

If this were a collaboration with the enemy, working together from within and without, that would be an exaggeration.

"Once a conflict starts, there is only life and death, not right and wrong. When you're about to die, you don't care about anything else."

As Lu Yunyi sat back down at the table, a hint of worry appeared in his eyes:
What I'm worried about now is...

These accusations of border incursions are all baseless, even fabricated out of thin air.

"Brother Yun'er, what are the consequences of this?" Liu Heiying asked tremblingly as he sat down across the table.

"Don't we often do the 'encirclement and suppression' tactic?"

Lu Yunyi's voice was calm, but it possessed a power that chilled Liu Heiying to the bone.

Liu Heiying suddenly held his breath, and immediately understood what he was worried about.

His face froze, and he could only manage a weak smile:
"Brother Yun'er, no way!"

Lu Yunyi shook his head:
"When it comes to a critical moment, I'll do anything to save my life."

The most effective way to put pressure on the imperial court is not through enemy invasion, but through a major defeat for our army.

To receive such a definite answer from him,

Liu Heiying had lost all hope and stammered:
"Shall we go?"

Lu Yunyi didn't speak, but simply shrugged slightly, everything was understood without words.

Almost instantly, Liu Heiying's hair stood on end, and his eyes shrank to the size of pinpoints.

When it came to his own situation, his mind raced at that moment.
One worse possibility after another emerges.

"Brother Yun'er, could it be that the savages and the border troops have joined forces to attack us?"

"No, no, things shouldn't be that bad."

However, Liu Heiying quickly shook his head vigorously, muttering to himself:

"A general must always make the worst-case scenario plan in any war."

His face had turned into a grimace, his features contorted in pain.
Finally, somewhat dejectedly, he spoke:
"How did I end up with such a job?"

"The reason we were placed in Daning was to keep an eye on Liaodong."
I just didn't expect that we'd have to start military operations less than a year after we arrived.

Lu Yunyi was also somewhat helpless; it was only the beginning of the year, and time had flown by too quickly.

"However, there is good news: the order was given by His Highness the Crown Prince himself."

By not going through the Governor-General's Office and the Ministry of War, we have a lot of room to maneuver.

This also eliminates the need to deal with people in Liaodong, thus reducing the possibility of leaks.

"Ok?"

Liu Heiying was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, almost as if he had found a new path after a long and difficult journey.

"That's good! We won't go through Liaodong; we'll go straight to the grasslands, march covertly, and investigate the truth, even..."

A cunning glint flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes.
"If arranged well, we might even be able to achieve a great victory."

Anyway, those savages are no match for us. Regardless of whether they've captured or invaded our border, just kill them first.

"That's what I thought too, to leave the grasslands and avoid contact with the people of Liaodong."

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and Feng Yunfang walked in quickly, carrying documents:

"My lord, there is no problem with the document; it is exactly the same as His Highness the Crown Prince's handwriting."

"Hmm," Lu Yunyi took the document and handed it to Liu Heiying:
"Take a look and think carefully about what to do."

Liu Heiying took the document, quickly glanced at the text, and immediately fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he suddenly raised his head:
"Brother Yun'er, with so many important matters underway at the same time, who knows how many informants there are?"

Your hasty return might attract the attention of some people with ulterior motives.

(End of this chapter)