In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 757 Staying Away from Turmoil is the Key to Success
Commander Yuan Hong was not old, appearing to be around forty-five years old, with a rough face.
Especially his long beard, which almost reached his chest, looked very strong.

He dismounted and merely glanced at the horse.
Then she saw Lu Yunyi sitting on the bench and slowly walked over.

Lu Yunyi quickly put down his chopsticks and stood up to greet him.

Even from a great distance, he had already begun to speak:
"This humble general, Lu Yunyi, pays his respects to Governor Yuan."

Upon hearing the sound, Yuan Hong quickened his pace.
His stiff face relaxed slightly, and he managed a smile.
"General Lu, you mustn't do that. I've heard Jinglong talk about you before, and you truly are a young hero."

"The Duke of Cao also mentioned Governor Yuan to me. During the Yunnan campaign, he used many of Governor Yuan's family's teachings."

Lu Yunyi straightened up, a harmless smile on his face.

Yuan Hong was momentarily dazed, but he quickly became alert.

Some people are like that; if you don't know what they've done,

You can't tell from their appearance and demeanor what kind of extraordinary person they are.

Lu Yunyi in front of him gave Yuan Hong that feeling.

He didn't look like a general who had charged into battle, covered in blood.
Instead, they resembled the refined scholars of the Shandong Military Command, speaking eloquently and with a natural air of shyness.

However, based solely on what he had done along the way, Yuan Hong could not underestimate the person before him.

He felt that Lu Yunyi was young, ruthless, and cunning.

Almost instantly, Yuan Hong's expression became much more serious, no longer showing the disdain he had for the young man.
"I have come here today to convey important matters."

Lu Yunyi's expression was solemn, and he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture:

"This humble general is all ears."

"After the curfew this evening, a troop of men will arrive from Dingyuan."

The leader of the team was Zhou Dexing, the garrison commander of Zhongdu, and the force numbered over five thousand.
You need to stay here and provide backup, ensuring that the last ten miles to the capital go smoothly.

Yuan Hong's voice carried a hint of apprehension as he subtly observed Lu Yunyi's expression, only to find that he remained unmoved, his eyes showing no fluctuation whatsoever.

After a brief pause, Lu Yunyi nodded slightly:
"Please rest assured, Governor Yuan, I will handle this matter properly."

"Um"

A hint of admiration flashed in Yuan Hong's eyes; his composure alone was enough to amaze people.

He took two documents out of his pocket and handed them over:

"These are the command order from the Governor-General's Office and the dispatch order from the Ministry of War."

Xu Zengshou of the Yingtian Guard will arrive with his troops at dusk, and they will be under your command.

Only then did a flicker of emotion appear in Lu Yunyi's eyes, and he asked with a hint of seriousness:

"May I ask, Governor Yuan, what has happened?"
With only ten miles left to the capital, could anything possibly change?

Yuan Hong then took out another document and handed it over.

"Look, this is a top-secret message intercepted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
There is a plan to intercept and kill those coming from Dingyuan, but the location is uncertain.
The officials of the Governor's Office took turns speculating.
Everyone believes it should be outside the capital, which is why your location is so crucial.

Lu Yunyi frowned, a hint of absurdity flashing in his eyes.
These past few days, all that's happening in Beijing is arresting people.

One by one, these renowned figures fell.

Who else in the capital has the power to intercept and kill the army?

"Commander Yuan, please forgive my words."

"If that's the case, why not send a large army to welcome them? Five thousand soldiers to escort them, and five thousand imperial guards to greet them—what trouble could they possibly cause?"

Yuan Hong's expression was solemn, and he nodded slightly:
"You're absolutely right, that's what the palace thinks too."
However, the Governor's Office and the officials disagreed.
In their words,

Whether people live or die is irrelevant, but the peace and tranquility of the capital must be ensured.
Therefore, the Imperial Guards and the Twelve Imperial Guards were to protect the capital to prevent them from falling into a trap of luring the enemy away from their stronghold.

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

What does he think?
This doesn't seem like defending the city from the outside; it's more like luring the snake out of its hole.
Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:

“Governor Yuan, I will hide most of the troops and leave only a thousand troops in the open.”

Yuan Hong glanced at him in shock, his heart filled with astonishment.

He hadn't expected that the person in front of him would already know the arrangements of the Governor's Mansion based on just a few words.

Yuan Hong suddenly laughed:

"If Jinglong were as clever as you, I wouldn't have had to travel all the way from Shandong to the capital and go through all this trouble."

Lu Yunyi laughed, knowing he had guessed correctly.

"General Yuan, how is the northern expedition progressing?"

At this point, Yuan Hong smiled easily, put his hands on his hips, and nodded emphatically:
"We won. The good news was sent back to the capital more than ten days ago, but it has been kept secret."

"I have seen the documents from the Governor's Office; you advocate persuading Nairbuqa to surrender."

As you said, although Nairbuhua was a Grand Commandant, he was not well received by the Northern Yuan court.

Our Ming army continues to attack, pleasing neither side.

After winning a few minor battles, the army surrendered.

Lu Yunyi felt relieved; he wasn't too concerned about whether the northern expedition was successful or not.
But whether the Prince of Yan was in Beiping or not was very important.
Daning's next plan is to increase cooperation with Beiping.
Some things would never have been accomplished without the Prince of Yan's efforts.

Hearing the good news, Lu Yunyi's mood improved considerably, and he gestured for Lu Yunyi to proceed.
"Governor Yuan, come and try some sour plum soup."

Yuan Hong glanced at the young woman standing beside the house, raising an eyebrow:
"Whose daughter is she, bringing you food under this scorching sun?"

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, smiled, and answered honestly:

"Reporting to the Commander, she is the granddaughter of Grand Scholar Song, and I have some connection with her."

"Song Na?"

Yuan Hong's eyes widened slightly as he looked him up and down, nodding repeatedly.

"Good, good, good. That old man has always looked down on us soldiers, but I never expected that his granddaughter would be snatched away by you, kid. You've made me proud!"

Yuan Hong gave him a thumbs up, his expression revealing barely suppressed satisfaction.

"Alright, the matter has been delivered. I'm off to work; I have other things to do elsewhere."

"Respectfully seeing off Governor Yuan."

Yuan Hong left the post station, mounted his horse, and led his entourage away at high speed.
Lu Yunyi stared at their retreating figures, his eyes deep-set.

The messenger was personally delivered by the Commander-in-Chief of the Rear Army, and it was Yuan Hong who delivered the message.
Judging from this alone, the situation in the capital is somewhat precarious; there are few people in the palace who can be trusted.
This is the drawback of the strategy of "capture the king first"—although it may result in the capture of all the ringleaders...
However, his cronies and confidants are still around, though it is unknown who they are.

I believe that for a long time to come,

The court will maintain high pressure and search for any remaining supporters.

With his mind in turmoil, Lu Yunyi squinted and sat down beside the house.
Seeing that Song Wan'er was still standing, he smiled and said:

"What are you standing for? Sit down."

Song Wan'er then sat down, seemingly lost in thought:
"Lord Lu, isn't Governor Yuan here to take over the defense duties?"

“Governor Yuan is someone His Majesty trusts. Why would he stay outside the capital for long? He was just giving instructions on some military matters.”

Song Wan'er nodded somewhat absentmindedly, her mood seemingly troubled:
"When will Lord Lu be able to return to the city?"

"Back to the city?"

Lu Yunyi thought for a moment:

"It might take a few more days; there's been too much going on in the capital lately."

"If I could stay outside the city and enjoy some peace and quiet, that would be wonderful."

Song Wan'er's eyes flickered with surprise:

"Lord Lu, don't you want to hurry back to the capital and see the situation there? Aren't you curious about what's been happening in the capital lately?" "I'm long past the age of curiosity,"

"The less you know about court intrigues, the better; otherwise, you'll just invite trouble for nothing."

Lu Yunyi pointed to the towering Yingtian City at the end of his line of sight:

"Look, His Highness the Crown Prince and the General have settled me outside the city."
It was all to avoid those sordid affairs in the capital and to minimize the number of people I offended.
There's no reason to go back so early.
I wish I could stay here for months.

Song Wan'er was extremely intelligent.
Upon hearing this, she understood, and her eyes immediately lit up:

"I see. I thought General Lu was too young and not trusted by the palace, but it turns out he was avoiding trouble."

In fact, Lu Yunyi had this idea at first as well.
But over the past few days, with only the Duke of Shen as his adversary, he gradually came to understand.

"The powerful and influential people of the capital gathered here, and they were all related by blood or marriage."

The fact that this person was arrested today means that he has countless cronies behind him, and he will be resented by many.

The general and others held high positions, and were supported by countless people; they were not afraid of such attacks.

But I am a frail and thin official, a rising star, how could I possibly withstand such a sneak attack?

Therefore, it is quite simple to determine who the court will favor in the future.
When unpleasant things happen, the farther you stay away, the more you are valued.

There must be some young generals in the capital who have made great contributions and are currently enjoying unparalleled prominence.
But none of them were the kind of people the Governor's Office and the palace wanted to cultivate.

Song Wan'er's beautiful eyes widened.
This was the first time she had heard this claim.
But upon closer reflection, it does seem to be true.

Those people who handled affairs in the capital are now enjoying great success.
This will attract a barrage of open and covert attacks, and whether one can avoid them is another matter.

But true noble sons like Xu Zengshou, Tang Li, Guo Zhen, Xu Zengshou, and Li Zengzhi,
Everyone was detached from the capital, including the person right in front of them.

Song Wan'er's eyes began to sparkle with admiration:

“Lord Lu, if no one points this out, Wan’er might never understand these things, no matter how hard she tries.”

"Miss Wan'er is well-read."
But important matters of the imperial court aren't decided arbitrarily; it's best to observe more closely.

By the way, how is Miss Wan'er's card and mahjong parlor doing?

Song Wan'er's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Excellent! Some women in the city are extremely fond of mahjong, and they come almost every day."
The card and chess room is doing several times better business than the original ice cream parlor.
"I can earn about a few dozen taels every day!"

"so much?"

Lu Yunyi frowned and asked, "Did you pump out the water?"

Song Wan'er quickly shook her head:
"No, no. Some ladies give out tips when they win silver, more than what you'd get selling fruit platters for."
In addition, some adults would often send some silver, saying that their wives shouldn't be mistreated.

Song Wan'er's eyes darted around, a sly glint in them:

"But in my opinion, these adults are thanking the card room for giving their wives a nice place to go without disturbing them."

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, blinking his eyes in confusion.

He knew.
Some high-ranking officials in the court dreaded seeing their wives most of all.

It's good that they now have a place to go.

"This was an unintentional outcome, and Uncle didn't say anything?" Lu Yunyi was also somewhat speechless at Song Lin's stubbornness as a scholar.

Song Wan'er's voice sounded a little strange as she gently smoothed her hair:
"At first, her father did not agree with Wan'er engaging in commerce, believing it would bring shame to the family."

But later, more and more adults realized it was a good thing.
The father then said nothing more.

They even moved two pots of the finest 'wealth-attracting' flowers from their home and placed them at the entrance, saying it would bring in wealth.

Lu Yunyi laughed. It seems that scholars are not so stubborn after all.

At this moment, sunlight streamed down, and a gentle breeze blew.

A few strands of Song Wan'er's dark hair fluttered in the wind, resting on her fair cheeks, and a gentle fragrance wafted through the air.
For some reason, the heavy atmosphere around us eased considerably.

Looking at her fair and radiant cheeks,
Lu Yunyi was momentarily stunned, then smiled softly:
"Miss Song, you should return to the city as soon as possible. Things are not peaceful outside the city lately, so it's best to stay away from it."

Song Wan'er turned her head to the side, her almond-shaped eyes showing a hint of reluctance.
He carefully examined the man's dry, rough face.
Although the person in front of me looked travel-worn, it couldn't hide his inner handsomeness.

Before she knew it, a blush crept up her neck, making her earlobes look incredibly luscious.

She bent down, tidying up the lunchbox, placing some unfinished snacks aside, and slowly stood up:
"Lord Lu, I'll take my leave now."

"When Lord Lu returns to the city, don't forget to come to his residence for a chat."

Lu Yunyi smiled and stood up to see him off:
"must."

Soon, Song Wan'er boarded the carriage, which slowly drove away from the post station.
The two brothers who had been hiding in the back rushed out in a panic.

Her gaze was fixed intently on Lu Yunyi, her eyes burning with gossip.

Zhu Gaochi stood on tiptoe, watching the slowly departing carriage, and raised an eyebrow:

"Whose daughter is this? She's a perfect match for Lord Lu!"

Zhu Gaoxu, standing to the side, also unusually agreed with his elder brother's opinion, nodding repeatedly:

"Yeah, yeah, yeah"

Lu Yunyi glanced at them.
These two little kids have become increasingly unruly since leaving Beiping.

It's like a child who was always restrained suddenly being freed from parental control.
Lively, active, and uninhibited, they are curious about everything.

"Go away, go away. You're so young, why are you asking so many questions? Have you finished yesterday's battlefield summary?"

The two men froze, their smiles fading. Zhu Gaochi gave an awkward laugh.
"Lord Lu, military studies are too difficult."

My brother and I are somewhat lacking in strength, and we hope Lord Lu can offer some guidance.

"Yes, yes, it's too difficult." Zhu Gaoxu nodded repeatedly.

"You grow by doing things yourself."

Even if you memorize the answers on the spot after someone else writes them down, you won't understand their true meaning.
We can only gradually figure it out through experience in the future, and realize it only afterward.

Why not start exploring now?
Let's start from scratch and learn whatever we can.

As he spoke, Lu Yunyi put his hands on his hips and chuckled:
"Of course. If you don't plan to join the military in the future, it's fine if you don't."

The two exchanged a glance and involuntarily shuddered.

With a warlike father, how could he not be involved in military affairs?

Moreover, their father had been away for half a year, so the two of them could finally get a good rest.
But once their father comes back, they're in big trouble.

Zhu Gaochi sighed like an adult:
"Lord Lu, we understand. We will go back and finish our studies."

Seeing that they were preparing to go back to study,
Lu Yunyi breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly lamenting how difficult it was to raise children.
Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was afternoon.

The weather in the Gyeonggi region is even hotter, and the whole world seems to be bathed in sunlight, filled with intense heat.

As evening approached, Xu Zengshou arrived late with two thousand men.
He rode a tall horse, his face stern and mature.
He looked very different from the children of the past, and even had some of the dignity of a general.

Seeing his composed demeanor, Lu Yunyi nodded slightly.

Being able to stand on your own is the best place to hone your skills.

After a year apart, Xu Zengshou has already developed the demeanor of a great general; at least he looks like this.

"Yun Gong."

Lu Yunyi, sitting in the shade, waved loudly.

Xu Zengshou's serious expression vanished instantly, replaced by intense excitement; his eyes lit up.
He dismounted and galloped over, waving as he ran:
"My lord, my lord"

This sight caused the soldiers of the Yingtian Guard behind him to exchange bewildered glances, a hint of disbelief flashing in their eyes.

What's wrong with my family?

Who is the person in front of you?

(End of this chapter)