In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 760 Open and Covert Struggles, Enemies Meet
A night passed in the blink of an eye.

As dawn broke and some merchants awoke, preparing to make their way to Yingtian early in the morning...
However, they found that the road out of the county was blocked by a group of more than 100 guards, and no one was allowed to pass.

And on the official road not far behind,
Some soldiers stood in neat rows, ready for battle.

Many merchants looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened.
They had no choice but to remain in Jiangning County, waiting for the official road to be cleared.

At the south gate, the merchants who had spent the night there dared not raise their heads, rushing to enter the city.
I hope to leave this awful place soon.

They saw it with their own eyes last night.

Outside the city gates, large groups of soldiers were engaged in fierce fighting.

Even before dawn, officials from the Governor's Office and the Ministry of Justice came to issue a warning.
Let them forget everything they saw last night, and pretend nothing happened.

Now that we have the opportunity to leave
They couldn't wait to rush in.

The soldiers guarding the city watched the merchants flee in disarray, a hint of envy flashing in their eyes.
If possible, they would also like to escape this place and stay out of this mess.

However, the Governor's Office had already ordered them to complete the military duties of guarding the South Gate.

Before dawn, all the merchants who had piled up at the south gate had been allowed into the city, while the official road to Jiangning County in the south was blocked.
At this moment, the area outside the South Gate was deathly silent!
Sunlight streamed down, illuminating the mess along the official road.

Looking around, the most striking features are the crimson earth and the crushed, rotten flesh.

Half-dead corpses were everywhere.
In this scenario, severed limbs are insignificant.
Many black crows hovered in the sky, emitting mournful "caw caw caw".

Lu Yunyi sat atop the warhorse's carcass, breathing slightly heavily.

His entire body was covered in blood, and the blood on his face had long since dried.
Even the slightest movement can create several more cracks, which is very uncomfortable.

Hearing the ominous cries from above,
Lu Yunyi took a deep breath, looked at Feng Yunfang sitting not far away, and called out:
"Shoot down all these crows overhead, they're cawing like chicken feathers so early in the morning."

"Chicken feathers?"

Feng Yunfang looked puzzled.
Despite feeling completely limp and experiencing excruciating pain with the slightest movement,

But he still struggled to his feet.
While wondering what this meant, he picked up the crossbow from the ground.

More than ten bodyguards accompanied him.
They looked almost exactly like Lu Yunyi at that moment.
Covered in blood, his face was unrecognizable.

Some of the guards even had their eyelashes covered in blood, making it impossible for them to aim.

After quite a bit of work, all the crows were finally shot down.
The group collapsed to the ground again, lying in a spread-eagle position.
Feng Yunfang murmured:
"Sir, it's so tiring to fight with a knife. A musket is much better; it's not tiring at all."

You can't learn something just by being taught; you can learn it after just one demonstration.
He now understands.

Why do adults always say that firearms are the future, and that long swords and similar items will eventually be phased out?

In a battle like last night's, if there were a thousand-man musketeer unit,

The battle may end in less than half an hour.

They slashed with knives, from the first half of the night to the second half, and from the second half of the night until dawn.

This was how the resisting rebels were finally annihilated.
It's so tiring.

Lu Yunyi remained silent, because he too felt extremely tired.
He hadn't seen an army with such unwavering morale, fighting to the last man, in a long time.

For these corpses,

Dying in battle is death, surrendering is also death, so I might as well die on the battlefield.

What was supposed to be a fight that would end in an hour turned into a raging battle that lasted until morning.

Lu Yunyi sighed and looked at the Ninghe King's longsword in his hand.

Even though it's hard, it has many jagged edges and gaps on it, making it look like it was chewed by a dog.

Lu Yunyi tossed the longsword to Feng Yunfang and said wearily:
"After returning to the capital, find the best craftsmen in the city to repair it and restore it to its original state."

Feng Yunfang took the long knife and placed it on his person.
"Yes"

Lu Yunyi stood up and glanced at the battlefield.
Nearly a thousand soldiers were cleaning up the battlefield, and over a hundred tricycles were parked on the official road.
The mangled flesh was shoveled up with a shovel, then hauled away and buried.

Many soldiers were shoveling and vomiting at the same time, looking extremely disheveled.

His gaze swept across the room, and Lu Yunyi spotted Duke Xu Huizu of Wei in the center of the room. He dragged himself over to him.

At this moment, Xu Huizu's expression was grave as he directed his soldiers to complete the cleanup.
Seeing Lu Yunyi arrive, he forced a smile, somewhat helplessly:

"Yunyi, with so many dead and wounded in this battle, how are we going to explain this to the imperial court?"

"Duke of Wei, these are all rebels, fighting desperately. We had no choice but to do this."

Xu Huizu shook his head, sighed softly, and said:
"I heard from Jiang Xiahou that you discovered the clues yesterday, which led to the rebels being exposed prematurely?"

Lu Yunyi took two shovel nails from his waist and handed them over:

"Duke of Wei, according to Deng Ming, someone took it upon themselves to try to get the caravan into the city faster, which is why they used such a clumsy method."

Xu Huizu's eyes were gloomy, and he gave a soft snort:
Do you believe such an absurd reason?

Lu Yunyi frowned and lowered his voice:
"Duke of Wei, this humble general believes that someone is deliberately trying to warn us."

Xu Huizu glanced at Lu Yunyi, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Who do you think it is?"

Lu Yunyi looked thoughtful and said softly:

"He must be a high-ranking military figure."
At least someone like the Duke of Wei, holding a position at the very top of the court.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to do things so flawlessly.

It's also impossible to allow three thousand rebel soldiers to appear so openly at the south gate.

As they spoke, Lu Yunyi subtly observed Xu Huizu's expression and found it remained unchanged, which disappointed him somewhat.

Compared to the idea that there's a "black hand" behind the scenes,
He believes more strongly that this is a consensus reached by many people who are simply going with the flow.

They tacitly allowed the rebels to appear at the south gate, and tacitly allowed Deng Ming to hide for several days without being found.

Then, by using this method of discovering the rebels in advance...
This was meant to send a warning to the court and the palace, expressing dissatisfaction.

Xu Huizu noticed Lu Yunyi's gaze and chuckled softly:
"Why are you looking at me? I know nothing about this matter."

Lu Yunyi feigned confusion, pretending nothing had happened:
"What does the Duke of Wei mean by this?"

"Ah"

Xu Huizu chuckled and said in a deep voice:
"The capital city is full of hidden talents. Some of the big shots, though not in positions of power, still have influence and can do many things that you and I cannot."

"What happened today is best left between you and me; don't spread it around, and don't tell Yungong either."

Lu Yunyi reminded him:

"Duke of Wei, if Yun Gong had known about the power struggles in the court earlier, he would have avoided many detours in the future."

He's still young; knowing too much will make him overthink.

And now that he is powerless, he will lose his ambition.

When my father was alive, he never spoke to us about the sordid affairs of the court.

Xu Huizu glanced at Lu Yunyi, his eyes clearly conveying a warning.

Lu Yunyi's expression remained unchanged, and he nodded slightly.

"The general knows."

Xu Huizu nodded and said:

"Alright, leave this matter to the Governor's Office."
You take your men and set up camp at Puzikou City.

The Marquis of Yongding has already arranged camps and all necessary supplies for you.

"now go?"

Lu Yunyi looked down at his blood-stained appearance. To get to Puzikou City, he had to cross the Yingtianfu River.

There is the largest wharf in Yingtian, where countless merchant ships come and go.

"Go ahead, the Yingtianfu River has been blocked by the navy, there are no merchant ships or civilians here."

At this point, Xu Huizu hesitated for a moment, then decided not to hide anything:

"Yu Tongyuan is on the river. He did a great job. If you see him, you must consider the overall situation."

Lu Yunyi's entire demeanor shifted from languid to menacing, his eyes narrowing sharply as he decisively stated:
"Duke of Wei, this man is two-faced and cannot be trusted!"

Seeing his reaction, Xu Huizu was not surprised at all, and sighed wearily:

"Yu Tongyuan ultimately established himself in the navy and wielded immense influence within the military."

In addition, he sent people to bring back Li Cunyi and his son from Chongming Island, which was a great achievement.

After this incident, the imperial court will offer a generous reward.

Whether he is trustworthy or not is not important.

"The Duke of Wei and Marquis of Nan'an, Yu Tongyuan, have close ties with the rebel army."

He was a close friend of Marquis Ji'an, Marquis Pingliang, and others.

His younger brother, Yu Tongyuan, was involved in smuggling and has now inexplicably turned against him; there must be something fishy going on!

The imperial court's bestowal of honors upon such individuals poses a significant hidden danger!

Lu Yunyi's voice grew increasingly urgent, as if he wouldn't stop until he had killed Yu Tongyuan.

Xu Huizu spoke softly:
"This matter is unimportant. The court needs to reward meritorious officials; we cannot allow the chaos to continue." Lu Yunyi wanted to say something more, but Xu Huizu raised his hand to stop him:

"We'll deal with this later; now is not the time to deal with it."

Lu Yunyi's expression shifted repeatedly, a chilling glint in his eyes, along with a hint of resentment.
But in the end, everything returned to calm, though the voices carried a hint of resentment:

"I will retire at the end!"

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back.

Duke Xu Huizu of Wei looked at his retreating figure with a worried expression.

Every court conflict is like this.
Those who defect often harbor deep-seated grudges, laying the groundwork for the next upheaval.

However, the current situation is unpredictable, and this is not the time to consider this matter.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Huizu looked at the personal guards standing not far away and said in a deep voice:
"Give the order to strictly control the border; no one is allowed to spy on us!"

The entire field along the official road must be restored to its original state by evening!

"Yes!"

Half an hour later, a troop of less than two thousand soldiers galloped away from the area.

Heading towards the Yingtianfu River,

All of them were covered in blood and looked disheveled.

Lu Yunyi's body rose and fell on the warhorse.
The anger from before vanished, replaced by utter calm.

He had anticipated Yu Tongyuan's betrayal; otherwise, he couldn't explain why he would be granted a marquisate.
He just didn't expect that,
Yu Tongyuan still wields such considerable influence within the navy.

They were able to get Li Cunyi and his son out of Zhao Yong's layers of protection.

This made Lu Yunyi see once again the power of such noble families.
He may seem insignificant and even incompetent enough to be granted a marquisate, but he can do things that many newly appointed marquises cannot.

The group's journey to Yingtianfu River went smoothly.

Apart from patrolling soldiers, there wasn't a single civilian outside the city.

All he needed to do with his many soldiers was to charge at full speed.

Yingtianfu River Port

came here
Lu Yunyi immediately spotted a huge military tent.
The half-open curtain revealed the tables and chairs inside, and two people sitting among them.
Governor Yu Tongyuan and Imperial Guard Yu Qilun.

The two were leisurely drinking tea, pointing at the Yingtianfu River in front of them, seemingly expressing their high spirits.

Yu Qilun looked over upon hearing the sound of horses' hooves.

He immediately spotted the disheveled young man at the very front, and his eyes instantly reddened.

Last year's events came to mind.
My arms, which had long since healed, even started to ache slightly.
He suddenly stood up, pointing at Lu Yunyi and glaring angrily:

"Little thief!"

At this moment, Yu Tongyuan also turned his gaze over.

Upon seeing that it was Lu Yunyi, his expression changed slightly, and he also stood up abruptly.

His composure was far more profound; he only remained somber for a moment before breaking into a bright smile, as if he were seeing an old friend he hadn't seen for many years.

He stepped forward, pressed down on Yu Qilun's arm, and walked out of the military tent with a smile:

"Who is it? It's Lord Lu! Long time no see. How have you been?"

These words instantly froze the already strained atmosphere.

Lu Yunyi, however, did not react.
But Feng Yunfang, standing beside him, did not hesitate at all, and drew a musket from the side of his warhorse to load it!
This move prompted over a hundred guards to act simultaneously.
Some drew long swords, others took out muskets.
Two men even took out heavy crossbows and simply held them upright above the heads of their warhorses.
The atmosphere grew even more tense.

Upon seeing this scene, Huang Yingzhi was completely bewildered, having no idea what had happened.
However, he did not act rashly, but instead quietly observed the situation.

Instead, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu, riding on their warhorses, drew their long swords and glared at each other angrily.

Zhu Gaochi glanced at his younger brother and said softly:
"Ask him who he is."

Zhu Gaoxu didn't hesitate and launched into a tirade:

"Who goes there? Tell Grandpa your name!"

Upon seeing this, Yu Qilun shrank back.
But seeing the group of soldiers beside him, he suddenly gained courage.

His eyes widened, and he abruptly stepped forward, pointing ahead and shouting:

"Where did this thief come from, so arrogant!"

At this point, Tan Yuan, the Right Protector of Yanshan, felt his brow twitch wildly. How could the capital be more dangerous than the border towns? Why did they have to resort to violence here?

He suddenly drew his long sword and shouted:
"Protect His Highness!"

In an instant, over a thousand soldiers behind him drew their long swords and stepped forward.
The blood-stained armor was particularly glaring in the sunlight.
A fierce aura, fresh from the battlefield, suddenly erupted!
"Your Highness?"

Yu Tongyuan keenly noticed the word, and his expression changed slightly.

He looked at the two little children, one chubby and one thin.

His skin was dark, and he was covered in mud, looking like a country bumpkin.

But his imposing presence and the fearless look in his eyes as he faced the surrounding soldiers were unmistakable; he must be either rich or noble!
Yu Tongyuan's mocking smile vanished as he looked at Lu Yunyi and asked in a deep voice:

"If I remember correctly, Lord Lu should be in the border town right now."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi not only wasn't annoyed, but instead raised an eyebrow.
He didn't even know he had come to Yingtian, which shows that Yu Tongyuan knew very little about the secrets of the court.

However, it's understandable that one should be wary of those who are on the fence.

"Governor Yu, this matter concerns state secrets, and I cannot disclose it."

"Hurry and arrange a boat; we need to go to Puzikou City to rest."

Yu Tongyuan's face was gloomy.

From the moment he met Lu Yunyi, he knew that the situation in the capital was complicated and that some things were being deliberately concealed.

He gave a soft snort and spoke in a sinister tone:
"Lord Lu, do you have any official documents or warrants?"
The situation is tense right now, who knows what orders you're on?

"If you're a rebel, letting you pass would mean I'd be left to suffer the consequences!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi's eyes gleamed even brighter.
He looked at Feng Yunfang and waved his hand repeatedly:
"Show Governor Yu the secret orders we received, show him everything, and also take the tokens."

Feng Yunfang nimbly put away the musket.
He quickly took a package out of the sack, dismounted, and was about to run over.

Seeing Lu Yunyi's quick and decisive action, Yu Tongyuan frowned immediately.

Sensing something was wrong, he quickly waved his hand:
"Stop! There's no need to look anymore. Lord Lu, you can keep it yourself."

"That won't do, I want to see it, I want to see it!"

We have witnessed several battles along the way.
As our superior, Governor Yu has no choice but to comply if he wants to know.

"Yunfang, go give it to him."

Yu Tongyuan's expression changed, realizing Lu Yunyi's intention, and he quickly waved his hand:
"Stop him. This is a secret imperial order. How can it be revealed to outsiders at will? Lord Lu, keep it for yourself."

Lu Yunyi looked at Yu Tongyuan with some surprise, sizing him up as if to ask, "How did you become so smart?"

Yu Tongyuan's face darkened, and he clenched his fists tightly.

But he forcibly suppressed his anger and waved his hand:
"Prepare the boats, let them pass!"

"Father!"

Yu Qilun immediately panicked, his face full of absurdity. How could he let him pass so easily?
Yu Tongyuan suddenly turned around and scolded:
"Shut up!"

Yu Qilun quickly shut his mouth.

The scene quieted down, and the soldiers silently prepared the boats.

Once everything was ready, Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Walk."

The group did not put away their weapons, but instead cautiously stepped forward.

As he approached, Lu Yunyi sat astride his warhorse, looking down at the scene:

"Governor Yu, those who are fickle will not have a good end. You must be careful."

"you!"

Yu Tongyuan glared at him angrily.

Lu Yunyi laughed and pointed to the two little children behind him:

"The two princes of the Prince of Yan's residence, along with I, have traveled all the way from Beiping."

Yu Tongyuan's expression changed drastically, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
In the end what happened?
The two princes of the Prince of Yan's mansion have actually come to Yingtian?

Did they also participate in the war?

At the same time, a sense of relief flashed through his mind.
Luckily I didn't look. It's safest to know nothing about these things.
After the large warship carrying two thousand men sailed to Puzikou City on the opposite bank,

Yu Qilun asked, somewhat puzzled:

"Father, are we just going to let it go like this?"

Yu Tongyuan's face was gloomy, and his breathing was heavy:
"It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived yet. Right now, you and I, father and son, are weak, so we must endure!"

(End of this chapter)