In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 736 A sudden surge of power plunges the world into chaos.

The Grand Workshop of Beijing, Zhangde Street, Yan'an Marquis's Mansion

Since the Marquis of Yan'an was placed under house arrest, this place has become eerily quiet.

Imperial guards were always stationed at the entrance, and the spacious gate was always kept tightly closed, adding to the somber atmosphere.

Bian Ruijie, commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard, paced back and forth at the gate of the mansion with a long sword in hand and a gloomy expression, feeling as if a fire was burning in his heart.

Previously, he was the commander of the Crown Prince's guards, a position of great prestige, with unlimited potential for the future.

Since their defeat in the last martial arts competition,
His status in the military plummeted.
Now all I can do is stand guard here.

Whenever he thinks of this, Bian Ruijie grits his teeth and breathes rapidly.

Every day, countless powerful and wealthy people can be seen walking past the gate here.
His gaze was cast upon him, seemingly casually, yet subtly hostile, which only added to his misery.

His future was already bleak, and he further offended the noble families of the capital because of his confinement.

Bian Ruijie was more grief-stricken than heartbroken, and he could foresee a bleak future.

The same is true today.

The sun was about to set, and he looked at the orange-red, crimson sun.
For some reason, I felt a slight sense of relief.

It'll be fine at night; there'll be no one around at night.
The sun quickly set, and the expected tranquility arrived as scheduled.

The entire Zhangde Street fell into a deathly silence.

Only the lanterns, representing honor, remain lit forever.

"This can't go on any longer. I need to leave here quickly; I can't let this waste away."

Bian Ruijie stood in front of the stone lion, picked up the water bottle, and took a big gulp.
His bloodshot eyes stared blankly ahead.

"what is that?"

Something seemed to be moving in the darkness ahead.

Bian Ruijie quickly took the kettle down.

He grabbed the long knife and looked at it warily.

In the darkness, two figures appeared and disappeared, slowly emerging from the shadows.

Upon seeing the two, Bian Ruijie not only failed to relax but became even more tense.

"Bian Ruijie pays his respects to Lord Ji'an."

The man was in his fifties or sixties, dressed in a nobleman's brocade robe, with a square face.
With sharp, shrewd eyes, he strode in, exuding an imposing aura; it was none other than Marquis Lu Zhongheng of Ji'an.

The middle-aged man following him also had a calm demeanor; he was Feng Tiemu, the steward of the mansion.

Lu Zhongheng continued walking, stopping in front of Bian Ruijie, looking down at him, and said in a deep voice:
"Step aside."

The cold voice made Bian Ruijie break out in a cold sweat.

“His Majesty has decreed that the Marquis of Yan’an is not allowed to leave his residence, and no one is permitted to visit him,” Bian Ruijie said, forcing himself to speak.

"Step aside."

It remains a concise expression of two words.

Her gaze remained unchanged, simply looking down at him.

The air seemed to freeze, and the imposing presence of the hundred-plus Imperial Guards was completely suppressed by the person before them.

Despite gripping the knife handle tightly in his hand,
But the longswords offered them no sense of security; instead, they made their palms sweat profusely.

Bian Ruijie was sweating profusely, and a deep struggle flashed in his eyes.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice:

"Lord Ji'an, His Majesty has decreed that no one is allowed to visit."

"Step aside, this is the last time I'll say it."

This time, Lu Zhongheng added a few more words, which greatly increased Bian Ruijie's pressure.

The Ming Dynasty before us was built by this group of people.
These days, such entanglements are considered domestic matters.

For a mere commander like him to be entangled in this mess is undoubtedly an extremely difficult situation.

Feng Tiemu, who had been standing to the side, stepped forward slightly and said in a deep voice:
"My lord and the Marquis of Yan'an have known each other for nearly thirty years and are old friends."

"May I ask, Lord Bian, what heinous crime has the Marquis of Yan'an committed that forbids his close friend from visiting him?"

"Your Majesty," Bian Ruijie hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Alright, Your Majesty has known the two marquises for over thirty years and they are like brothers. It's no trouble for them to meet."

Open the door quickly.

Otherwise, how could Lord Bian have come all the way from the Crown Prince's residence?
"Next time, I might have to guard the city gates." Feng Tiemu's words hit the nail on the head.

Bian Ruijie's expression suddenly changed drastically, and his breathing became much heavier.

He had made this assumption when he arrived here.

What should we do if a marquis comes to visit?
Now, it's really happening.
Neither of them spoke again. Marquis Lu Zhongheng of Ji'an stood there quietly, while Feng Tiemu stood with his hands behind his back.

The two men's contemptuous gazes pierced straight down.
It made Bian Ruijie's cheeks sting.

"Clap."

“Tick-tock.”

The sound of cold sweat dripping onto the bluestone pavement was clearly audible.

Time ticked by, and the struggle within Bian Ruijie grew stronger.

After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly sat up straight and waved his hand forcefully behind him:

"Step aside."

The tense atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and the peaceful night seemed to be filled with countless sighs of relief.

A look of relief flashed in the eyes of the guards.
No matter what, there will eventually be a result.

The imperial guards made way, and Marquis Ji'an and Feng Tiemu strolled up the steps.

Before they could even get close, the heavy vermilion gate slowly opened, revealing the road leading into the mansion.

The two walked in casually.
With a "bang," the door slammed shut, as if nothing had happened.

Lu Zhongheng approached the main hall of the Tang residence with brisk steps.

His expression was no longer as calm as before; instead, it showed more seriousness and anxiety.

Marquis Tang Shengzong of Yan'an sat imposingly at the head of the table, sipping a cup of hot tea.

Seeing him rush in, she raised an eyebrow slightly:
Why are you in such a hurry?

"Something happened!"

Lu Zhongheng made no formalities, plopped down next to him, and took a letter from his pocket, handing it to him:

"Take a look, your nephew's letter!"

Emperor Shengzong calmly accepted the letter and glanced at him:
"How come you've lost so much weight? You look even more haggard than me, who's under house arrest."

Lu Zhongheng's face darkened:
"The situation is too tense. Popular uprisings have broken out in Hubei, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong because of the fish-scale yellow register."

Some are under our control, while others are people taking advantage of the chaos.

They intend to use our name to stir up trouble.

Emperor Shengzong of Tang calmly removed the seal and said indifferently:

"These were all foreseeable; there are so many powerful and influential people in the world."
There will always be people who disagree with the court; ignore them.

"These are all minor issues; let them get out of control."

At most, a few people will die, but it won't affect the overall situation.

But the matter in the north is the real issue!

Lu Zhongheng's expression was extremely solemn.

"Oh? The Jurchens are going back on their word?"

Since they want more, just give it to them; why the rush?

Emperor Shengzong of Tang remained indifferent, his movements slow and deliberate.

Lu Zhongheng pursed his lips, leaned back in the mahogany chair, and stared blankly into his eyes.
"If that were really the case, that would be wonderful."

Even the most optimistic Emperor Shengzong knew something was wrong, and his actions gradually quickened.

He pulled out the letter, opened it, and read it.
The very first line of text caused Emperor Shengzong of Tang to suddenly contract his pupils.

[The army marched out of Beiping Commandery, inflicting a crushing defeat on the three Jurchen tribes, killing over 100,000 in battle. The Marquis of Runan has disappeared without a trace.]
"how is this possible?"

Tang Shengzong, no longer maintaining his previous composure, suddenly sat up straight, looking at Lu Zhongheng with some shock.
"The troops have marched out of Daning? Who is leading the troops?"

Lu Zhongheng took a deep breath:

Multiple sources confirm that Lu Yunyi may have received a secret order to secretly deploy troops.

On the surface, it's Tianjin Wei; in reality, it's him.

"asshole!!"

Tang Shengzong cursed angrily and stood up abruptly.

His hands trembled slightly as he finished reading the letter, his whole being like a furious lion.

"How could they possibly have judged him like that?! How could a secret edict have been sent out?!"

"idiot!"

"That Mei Yi is an idiot too, how could he fail like this! He's utterly useless!"

"Alright, calm down."

The best course of action now is to find Mei Yi.
They safely escorted him back to Liaodong, as if nothing had happened. As for the Jurchens, they were simply dead.

A shadow of gloom flashed across Lu Zhongheng's eyes as he continued,

"I have already sent orders to many of my trusted subordinates in Beiping, Henan, Shandong, and Shanxi."
Let them investigate carefully and search for Mei Yi's whereabouts.

I've come to see if you have any good ideas; you have more trusted confidants in the north than I do.

"Even if he dies outside, we cannot let Mei Yi enter the capital!"

Emperor Shengzong of Tang made his judgment in an instant, his voice chilling.

Lu Zhongheng nodded slightly:
"That's only right. If he enters the capital..."
The charges against them were arbitrary and could be made at will; the situation deteriorated in an instant.

"I wrote to my former subordinates, asking them to deploy troops to block major transportation routes in various places."
Carefully search all passing caravans; we must find the person!

After speaking, Tang Shengzong walked to a desk and began to write quickly.
Lu Zhongheng sat there the whole time, his face grim.

After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Shengzong of Tang came over with six letters:

"These men are all my former subordinates. Deliver this letter to them and instruct them to follow orders. Also..."

A ruthless glint flashed in Tang Shengzong's eyes.
"We need to prepare for both possibilities. I will write a letter to Liaodong."
Tell them to prepare a document containing the remains and a military report, saying that Mei Yi died in battle.

That way, even if Mei Yi enters the capital region, we'll still have a chance to make our move.

Lu Zhongheng nodded calmly, his expression serene.
"I understand. I will ask Fei Ju to make arrangements for the people in the capital region."

Have you thought this through, those who are going to wage war abroad?
The men escorting Mei Yi must be elite soldiers; intercepting and killing them will not be easy.

Emperor Shengzong's face was grave, and his eyes were slightly dim.

“Jingye has two thousand elite soldiers guarding the Zhou Prince’s Mansion in Kaifeng. Once we find the person, let him take action.”

Lu Zhongheng's eyes widened slightly, his expression one of surprise:

"Let Jingye do it? If we investigate later, it won't be easy for him to escape responsibility."

"Since the problem originated in Liaodong, I will handle the follow-up."

Jingye is the eldest son, and he should also shoulder some of the responsibilities of a man, so let him do it.

Since King Zhou was exiled to Yunnan, the two thousand elite soldiers guarding him have been idle.

The Governor's Office tried several times to include it in the Military Command, but I declined each time with various excuses.

"Now, they have a chance to prove themselves," Tang Shengzong said in a deep voice.

Lu Zhongheng's pupils suddenly contracted, and in that instant he understood something:

"You were prepared all along?"

Emperor Shengzong of Tang smiled slightly, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his lips:

"Both of us are competitive and unwilling to admit defeat, especially when we rise to power."
Before a person dies, all acts of admitting defeat are acts of biding one's time and enduring hardship.

"How can we win if we don't resort to some desperate measures?"

At this point, Emperor Shengzong of Tang sighed softly:
"If possible, I hope this move will never be used."

We've reached a life-or-death crisis; we have no choice but to use it.

Lu Zhongheng's eyes were lowered, and his fists were clenched:

"I understand. I will write back to Jingye and ask him to complete this task."

What have the Embroidered Uniform Guards been doing lately?

Emperor Shengzong of Tang reminded him with a solemn expression.

"Mao Xiang is a young man, but by relying on the palace, he can gather a lot of men. You must be careful."

Lu Zhongheng's mind went blank, and he said in a deep voice:
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard had made some moves before, but recently they have fallen silent."

This makes me think that they may have already achieved something.

"What? They've gone quiet? They haven't made a move?"

Emperor Shengzong asked in surprise, his mind heavy with worry.

He knew perfectly well that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was a powerful and influential organization.

The most dangerous time is when things are calm, because it means that everything is ready.

"During this period, Mao Xiang kept a low profile, staying at the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters."
The Imperial Guards were also constantly on guard, making it difficult to gather information.
Deng Ming has already tried, but some of the hidden pieces he planted have been removed, or they are unable to access the core.

"In short, we know nothing about the Embroidered Uniform Guard's headquarters right now," Lu Zhongheng said helplessly.

Emperor Shengzong of Tang stood up and paced back and forth:

"We can't let this continue any longer."
We are at a disadvantage outside, and we cannot afford to be at a disadvantage again inside the capital, otherwise things will become unmanageable.

The matter concerning the Embroidered Uniform Guard must be investigated immediately.
They have a music studio, right? We can start there.

"It's already under investigation. A centurion was previously imprisoned."

"I plan to start with him and see if I can find out any information about Miaoyin Pavilion," Lu Zhongheng said.

"Um"

Tang Shengzong nodded slightly, standing there panting heavily.

"Now that I'm under house arrest and can't go out, the capital is counting on you."

Lu Zhongheng's eyes were unreadable, and his voice was somewhat hollow:

"Times have passed, and decades have flown by in the blink of an eye."

The promised wealth and glory have all vanished like smoke.

"We have no hope of receiving titles yet; it seems His Majesty has no intention of bestowing them upon us."

"You still have illusions?"

Tang Shengzong glanced at him and scoffed.
"Zhang Quan had just been enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yongding and had also gone to Puzikou City to take command of the military."

This clearly shows they don't trust old brothers like you and me.

I advise you to prepare yourself mentally as soon as possible.
Even if we surrender now, our family will fall into ruin, and we won't be able to inherit the title.

"I know, I just feel a little sorry."

"Why not enjoy the good old days instead of turning it into this fighting and killing?" Lu Zhongheng sighed.

"I did not want to fight, but the situation forced me to rise up and fight."

As those who ascend to the throne grow older, whether for the sake of the realm or for the sake of the crown prince, they will eventually take action against us old folks.

"If you and I are the kind of people who would swallow our anger, why would we need to start a rebellion?" Emperor Shengzong of Tang said in a deep voice.

After hearing Tang Shengzong's words, Lu Zhongheng slowly stood up:

"I was just venting. I'm leaving now. I'll let you know if I have any news."

Bian Ruijie, who's standing at the entrance, is currently down on his luck; he could be won over.
When it comes to crucial moments, every bit of extra strength counts.

The image of the young commander flashed through Tang Shengzong's mind, and he nodded slightly.
"I understand. Leave as soon as possible."

"Um"

Lu Zhongheng stepped out of the main hall and walked away.

Emperor Shengzong of Tang sat quietly at the head of the table, watching.

His figure grew smaller and smaller in sight.

After Lu Zhongheng left completely,
A heavy sigh echoed in the main hall, but one problem after another arose.

"Someone come here," Tang Shengzong called softly.

"master"

A figure suddenly appeared from the shadows and bowed deeply.

"Go and invite Bian Ruijie in from outside. Tell him I'm bored and want him to come in for a drink," Tang Shengzong ordered.

"Yes." The figure accepted the order and left.

Lu Zhongheng left the Tang residence and strolled back to his own Lu residence.

He stopped at the doorway, looking at the dark and hazy sky around him, his eyes growing colder.

He spoke softly to Feng Tiemu beside him:
"How many records have the spies on Zhangde Street kept?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, there are nearly twenty people."
Scattered on the rooftops and trees of houses near Zhangde Street. "Feng Tiemu replied.

"Are they all using telescopes?" Lu Zhongheng asked.

Feng Tiemu nodded slightly:
“My lord, without a telescope, it would be impossible to explore such a great distance.”

Lu Zhongheng's expression suddenly became complicated.

The image of that young man who had stirred up trouble in the capital flashed through his mind, and he sighed.

"A slippery loach, how come you're everywhere?"

Feng Tiemu's expression was strange, but a quick glance told him who he was talking about.
However, he didn't reply and just waited quietly to the side.

After a long silence, Lu Zhongheng finally spoke:
"Eliminate all those monitoring us; begin tonight."
"The residence of nobles and officials is not to be coveted by outsiders."

"Yes, my lord, should we arrest him or..."

Feng Tiemu made a subtle throat-slitting gesture.

Lu Zhongheng flicked his sleeve and walked into the mansion, a faint sound drifting over:

"Kill him."

(End of this chapter)