In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 719 The Truth About Liaodong, A Narrow Encounter

The setting sun cast its rays like a golden furnace.

It illuminated the Imperial City of Yingtian, and the entire glazed tile roof reflected a dazzling light.
The bluestone path on the ground seemed to be covered with a layer of orange-red halo, full of softness.

As evening approached and the day's work came to an end, the entire Imperial City of Yingtian seemed languid.

The patrolling soldiers strolled leisurely along the imperial city's main road, the clanging of their armor echoing incessantly.

The eunuchs and palace maids leaned against the pillars of their respective halls.
I squinted, thinking about getting a good rest when I got home that night.

The princes and princesses in various places finished their day's lessons.
I sat lazily in the gardens of the palace, listening to the old nanny and my mother chatter on and on.

In the Imperial Garden, several teenagers were riding bicycles.
With a windmill stuck in the handlebars, they charged relentlessly, shouting "Kill!"
Like a great general on the battlefield, a faint air of grim determination emanated from him.

In the Wuying Hall where the Hongwu Emperor was located,
A truly oppressive atmosphere permeated the air; the entire hall was extremely solemn.
The palace maids and eunuchs dared not speak, but simply kept their heads bowed in silence.

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding stood to one side, holding a long sword, his brows furrowed.

Below him, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stood quietly.
He had just presented the confidential information he had received in Beiping.

He believed he had completed the final piece of the military report that had been delivered yesterday.

Emperor Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang, sat at the head of the table.
One hand rested on the imperial desk, the other held a document, and he looked at it quietly, his face ashen.

Not far away, Crown Prince Zhu Biao stood with a solemn expression, his mind racing with thoughts.

Even knowing the truth about Liaodong, bringing it up again today...

The father and son still found it absurd and infuriating.

The dignified General of Liaodong, a noble of the imperial court,
They actually colluded with foreign powers and committed treasonous acts; this is truly outrageous.

"Humph"

In the dead silence, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the document in his hand onto the table.
Like an angry old dragon, looking down at Mao Xiang, it spoke in a deep voice:
"Mao Xiang, what do you want to tell me?"

Mao Xiang spoke respectfully:
"Your Majesty, I suspect that the Northern Pacification Commandery has rashly advanced its troops."

It's not because of the Jurchen raids on the border, as reported in yesterday's military report.

"Oh? Then what do you think it is?"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained calm and looked at him indifferently.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao, with his deep-set eyes, also cast his gaze in that direction.

The pressure on Mao Xiang suddenly increased, and he bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Beiping Military Command is currently undergoing large-scale demolition and construction."

I heard that they are going to build a road from Daning to Shanhaiguan on their own.

As far as I know, this road is eight hundred li long.

The total cost would be over two hundred thousand taels of silver, but the Beiping Regional Military Command did not have that much money.”

Zhu Yuanzhang straightened his back, glanced at the document in his hand, and focused on the text concerning money.
"You mean the Northern Pacification Commandery used the pretext of the Jurchens raiding the border?"

They spared no expense, deploying over ten thousand elite troops on a long-distance raid of a thousand miles to strike at the Jurchens and plunder their wealth.

They even sell some contraband?

Mao Xiang lowered his head, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes:
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

But when he said this,
A deathly silence fell over the hall; no one spoke.
The sound of the breeze became louder.

Mao Xiang's heart skipped a beat; he knew something was wrong.

He slowly and subtly raised his head to look at the person above him.
He discovered that the usually dignified Emperor was looking at him with a half-smile, a hint of mockery on his lips.

Mao Xiang's heart sank. Without any hesitation, he knelt down with a thud.

"Your Majesty, I acknowledge my guilt."

"What crime do you know?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly.

Cold sweat broke out on Mao Xiang's forehead as he spoke in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, I have a grudge against Lu Yunyi, and I should not have any ulterior motives to investigate his actions."

"Avoiding the important and focusing on the trivial"

Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned cold:
"When did you learn the skills of the court officials? Mao Xiang, you really make me proud."

Mao Xiang felt as if every pore on his body had exploded, and a tingling sensation began to spread.
"Your Majesty, I should not have harbored the intention of settling personal scores. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

"How pathetic! At a time like this, you're still fighting amongst yourselves."
Others may not understand the gravity of the situation, but don't you?

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was calm, but icy.

He looked at the head eunuch beside him, took a document from the table, and handed it to him.

The chief eunuch understood immediately, took the document, walked to the lower seat, and handed it to Mao Xiang.

"Look at you, you're so stupid I'm ashamed of you."

Mao Xiang took the document and quickly opened it to examine it.

Upon first glance, Mao Xiang's body stiffened abruptly.
The line of text above was particularly glaring.

[Your subject Lu Yunyi, acting on His Highness the Crown Prince's orders, has advanced troops into Liaodong. We have now achieved some success and ascertained the truth about Liaodong.]
Just that one sentence made Mao Xiang's face flush and his scalp itch.
Looking at the gaps between the white marble floor tiles, I wished I could crawl into them right then and there.

So it was on the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince!
Looking further, the military report was almost identical to what he had read the day before.
However, the numbers here are very detailed, unlike the ambiguous figures from yesterday.

Just when he thought the two military reports differed only slightly,

He saw the last sentence again.
A single sentence sent a chill down his spine, making him shiver involuntarily.

[Upon investigation, it has been determined that the incursions into Liaodong were the work of Marquis Mei Yi of Runan, who colluded with both internal and external forces.]
Everything the Jurchen tribe needed was taken over by Liaodong, and Tang Shengzong, the Marquis of Yan'an, also participated in it.

Now, Marquis Mei Yi of Runan has been captured by your subject.
Together with some Jurchen leaders and Xu Cheng, who commanded 30,000 guards, they were sent to the capital.

We urge Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince to investigate thoroughly, severely punish the traitors, and restore order to the nation.
Marquis of Runan? Marquis of Yan'an?
Mao Xiang's hand holding the document was trembling slightly, and his breathing was heavy.

That's incredibly bold!
He suddenly felt a little scared.
This Lu Yunyi is incredibly audacious. He actually dared to arrest a nobleman when the situation was unclear, and even claimed that another nobleman was involved in the rebellion!
Such a thing has never happened since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

A sudden wave of regret washed over him.
Why would he provoke such a madman!
Before he could think any further, Mao Xiang looked up at the person above him, his eyes filled with shock:

"Your Majesty, as the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, how could I not know of this matter?"

"Hmph," Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned cold.

"Let you know?"
What can those idiots in Beiping and Daning accomplish?

Do I really need to teach you the principle of achieving success through secrecy?

Mao Xiang was speechless for a moment; he suddenly realized that...
Not only was Wei Hua in Beiping a fool, but he himself was a fool.

He wanted to slap himself right then and there; why didn't he think more carefully?
Why was the military report kept secret after it arrived yesterday?
Why did His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince not get angry?

Now everything is clear; it turns out that the Tian family father and son in front of us played a trick of avoiding the real issue.

On the surface, Huang Yingzhi of the Beiping Regional Military Command was in charge of handling the affairs of Liaodong.
However, the one who secretly handled this matter was Lu Yunyi of the Beiping Military Command.
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

Six months have passed since the incident, and he has not noticed anything amiss.

His Majesty has not revealed this to him either. Could it be that His Majesty does not trust him?

Mao Xiang suddenly felt a sense of crisis.

The reason why the Embroidered Uniform Guard was so feared was...
It wasn't that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was so powerful, but that the Emperor stood behind him in the palace!

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the emperor's sword.

This is why His Majesty gets angry every time court officials hurl insults at the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This isn't just insulting him; it's clearly a veiled attack.
Taking a deep breath, Mao Xiang calmed himself down:

"Your Majesty, these traitors to the dynasty deserve to be executed!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him:
"How's the interrogation of Ding Bin going?"

The moment the words were spoken, a chilling atmosphere filled the hall.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists.
Guo Ying, sitting to the left, also gripped her long knife tightly!

Mao Xiang was even more apprehensive, regarding this Korean nephew...

He dared not interrogate the emperor, simply because the emperor before him had not yet expressed his opinion.

Now, with a clear stance, Mao Xiang is even more decisive.
"Your Majesty, Ding Bin is still being tortured."
"I see he's dejected and probably won't last more than a few days." Although there was no interrogation, Mao Xiang was still somewhat confident in the Jinyiwei's ability to use torture.

Once they're in their hands, it's only a matter of time before they confess.

Zhu Yuanzhang gave him a meaningful look and said calmly:
"Interrogate him carefully, and don't wrong him."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Go down."

Mao Xiang stood up and bowed deeply:

"Wei Chen retire."

After Mao Xiang left, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his crown prince Zhu Biao beside him, his expression inscrutable:
"Mao Xiang is good at doing things, but he is too clever by half. He can be trusted, but he needs to be constantly reminded."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao smiled knowingly:
“Father, I believe that Ding Bin did not conduct the interrogation at all, but was waiting for the situation to change.”

"He dares not interrogate me before I speak, so let him be."

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is currently short-handed; its capable men are either dead or have left, and even if I wanted to replace them, there's no one left to replace them.

“Father, the court officials are clamoring to shut down the Embroidered Uniform Guard every day. If there are outstanding people, it would be better not to reveal them.”

"That's right, let Mao Xiang handle the mess of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for now."
Although he had some ulterior motives, he still acted with discretion.

"Father, the Holy Ming."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Guo Ying, who sat to the left, and seeing his solemn expression, suddenly laughed:

"Guo Si, keep a close watch on the Imperial Guard prison and don't let any bad guys get close."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I have strengthened the patrols of the Imperial Guards within the capital and have placed special attention on the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters."

"Hmm, what has Emperor Shengzong of Tang been doing lately? Has he invited you for drinks?" Zhu Yuanzhang continued to ask.

Guo Ying's expression turned slightly grave, and she nodded gently.
"Your Majesty, the day before yesterday, he and Lu Zhongheng, along with others, asked Guo Zhen to invite me to Qibaolou for a meal."
During the banquet, Emperor Shengzong of Tang appeared somewhat sullen, seemingly troubled by the matter of returning to the capital.
Even when drunk, he would beat his chest and sigh.

Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed.
"They drank wine, ate food, and the girls idly cuddled with their partners."

Why are you sighing and complaining on such a good day?

Since I became emperor, I haven't had a single day of rest.

Send someone to tell Tang Shengzong that the girl he forcibly took a few days ago has filed a complaint against him with the authorities and has been confined to his home for a month.

Upon hearing this, Guo Ying's eyes flashed with surprise, and she looked up in astonishment:
"Your Majesty, the weather in the north this year is unpredictable, and the war may not be over within a month."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were cold, and his voice was flat:

"Even without a great victory, I can still accomplish things."
Doesn't Lu Yunyi still have a major victory in his hands?

One hundred thousand Jurchens were annihilated in one battle. Isn't that enough?

Standing to the side, Crown Prince Zhu Biao quickly spoke up:
"Your Majesty, Lu Yunyi's approach to warfare is against the rules."
Neither the Five Military Commissions nor the Ministry of War retained any documents.

If this gets out, it might set a bad precedent.

"Your Highness, I know your worries."

But you're overthinking it. It's just a house arrest; it won't cause any real trouble.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Guo Ying:
"Then you'll be confined for two months, and no one is allowed to visit you."

"Have the capital government give that woman's family a sum of money, from the imperial treasury. Consider it me cleaning up their mess."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will tell you the truth."

"Go."

"My minister retire."

Guo Ying cupped his hands in greeting, turned and left, the sound of clashing armor fading into the distance.

After he left, only the father and son remained in the main hall.

The head eunuch brought a chair for the crown prince.
Zhu Biao didn't stand on ceremony and sat down beside the imperial desk, a hint of worry appearing on his face:
"Father, this matter is of great importance."

"I hope that Father will act only when he is completely certain."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained calm, as if he didn't take the matter to heart at all.
"If you have a 50% chance of success, you can take a gamble. Even if you fail, it doesn't matter; you can try again."

Those who become generals or emperors do not fear failure, but rather the lack of courage to try again.

Zhu Biao's expression was equally grave:

“Father, I have remembered.”

"Yes, you were born late and didn't experience war."

They did not understand the principle that the brave win when they meet on a narrow path, a principle that, when applied to emperors, almost guarantees victory.

Throughout history, countless emperors, whether virtuous or wicked, have had followers.

For some things, I only need to make a start; the rest will be taken care of.
The vacancies created by the downfall of countless powerful figures will drive everyone mad.

Biao'er, from now on, you must do things with confidence and boldness, don't be afraid.

"Kid, remember this."

Zhu Biao's face showed emotion, and his eyes were filled with sorrow.

He looked at his father beside him. His aged face was full of wrinkles and age spots. His temples and beard were gray, and he had lost all his youthful vigor.

Father, he has grown old after all.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed his gaze and smiled softly.

Looking at the windmill hanging on one side of the main hall, a warm smile spread across his face.
"Yun-tong is a good child. When you are at home, you should teach him more."

Your mother told me that children with both a father and a mother are physically strong and speak loudly.

Back then, my father was always fighting in wars, and he would often be away from home for a whole year.
Your mother is very worried about you, afraid that you were born a useless person.

Now that you've grown up and are full of vigor, your father is starting to worry about his grandson.

Yun-hu lost his mother at a young age, and you, as his father,

Spend more time with him and support him; that way, he won't be timid or afraid of trouble.

"I understand, Your Majesty. I have been busy with official duties lately and have not been home often, so I have neglected you somewhat."

"Man proposes, God disposes; some things need not be worried about too much."

The road construction project in the Gyeonggi region is now on track.
Everyone can make money; you don't need to worry too much.

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang straightened up, picked up a document from the table, and gently patted it:
"Construction on an 800-mile road started without consulting anyone."
Even the customs officials in Beiping and Shanhaiguan were unaware of this matter; they only learned about it from merchants traveling between the two places.

This is true determination; just by demonstrating this resolve, half the battle is already won.

Officials in Beiping cherished their official hats.
As long as the fourth brother remains silent, no one else will risk standing up to Da Ning.

Zhu Biao's expression was somewhat strange:
“Father, Lu Yunyi is indeed extremely bold. I find this news quite unbelievable.”

"Ah"

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a soft laugh:
"It's because the people around us are too timid."
While guarding Yuan's capital, the situation deteriorated day by day, and the population dwindled daily.

They were timid and hesitant, afraid to do this or that, lest I take away their official hats.
But don't they consider that just because they're mediocre and inactive, I won't punish them?

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression turned cold:
"Take advantage of this turmoil to replace some of the timid and hesitant officials in the three departments of Beiping."
Even if he doesn't have to be ambitious and enterprising, he should at least be able to be on par with Lu Yunyi.
"We shouldn't be afraid to speak up when someone comes to our doorstep!"

Zhu Biao was somewhat surprised; he knew...
My father was dissatisfied that some people in Beiping had not impeached them regarding the road construction.
He asked himself honestly, and he realized he was also somewhat dissatisfied.

So timid and hesitant even towards their own people
If an enemy attacks, wouldn't we have to wag our tails and beg for mercy?
Zhu Biao sighed softly:
“Father, I will order the Ministry of Personnel to inspect and select suitable candidates for when they go to Beiping.”

"Yes, be careful these days. Don't wander around. When you go out, have Guo Zhen accompany you and bring enough Imperial Guards."

"Father, is this a bit too serious?" Zhu Biao asked gravely.

"It's never a bad thing to be careful; you should always put yourself in an invincible position."

Zhu Biao thought for a moment and said in a deep voice:
"I know, kid."

(End of this chapter)