In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 761 Open and Covert Struggles, the Six Founding Dukes

Nearly two thousand people stopped at the entrance to Puzikou City.

Many of the soldiers were from the north and had never seen Puzikou City before.
Seeing it now, I was quite dumbfounded.

The deep moat, the towering arrow towers, and the neatly arranged Hongwu iron cannons on the city walls...

The city before us resembled a hedgehog covered in sharp steel spikes.

Standing there, it's a real headache.

Huang Yingzhi, as the Vice Commander of Beiping, had seen Puzikou City before, but he was still extremely shocked at this moment.

After three years, Puzikou Town has changed a lot.

Especially the watchtowers across the moat,

Rows of muskets popped out from the dense array of small holes on top, a truly terrifying sight.

Lu Yunyi also noticed the changes in the defenses of Puzikou City, and scratched his head in surprise.
The original Puzikou city was still possible to be breached, and he already had some ideas.

But now, with the addition of musket towers, the difficulty of capturing them has more than doubled.

Any siege begins with making contact with the city walls.

The musket towers undoubtedly increased the difficulty of accessing the city walls many times over.
If there aren't enough troops to fill the gap, they might never be able to cross the river.

Lu Yunyi had a strange expression, feeling that he had shot himself in the foot.

The fierce performance of firearms on the battlefield eventually caught the attention of the Governor-General's Office, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works, who then used them for defense.

Lu Yunyi was not discouraged.

A strong opponent or enemy is what drives progress.

He needs to start studying now how to break through this steel hedgehog in front of him.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the heavy suspension bridge made a soft "click" sound as it slowly descended.

On the opposite bank of the bridge, Marquis Zhang Quan of Yongding stood there, clad in armor, hands on his hips.
Behind him stood a musketeer squad of five hundred men, vigilantly watching their surroundings.

The area in front, behind, on the bridge, and under the bridge is all within firing range.

Having witnessed this scene, Lu Yunyi knew that the defense of Puzikou City was being taken seriously.

He gathered his thoughts, strode forward, and began to speak while bowing:
"This humble general, Lu Yunyi, pays his respects to Marquis Yongding!"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Zhang Quan also came forward, letting out a hearty laugh from a distance.

He approached and patted the armor he was wearing, which was reserved for nobles.
"Kid, what do you think? Isn't this armor impressive?"

Lu Yunyi looked over.
The armor was lamellar armor, made of fine iron plates woven together.

It covers the chest, back, shoulders, arms, waist, and abdomen, and comes with a chest protector and neck protector.

The edges are bound with gold thread, and the armor plates have distinct python patterns.

The breastplate and shoulder armor are also inlaid with several bright and lustrous jade gemstones, which are very eye-catching!

Lu Yunyi's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he praised:
“Lord Yongding, your armor is much more exquisite than that of the other marquises, and the decorations are also extremely beautiful.”

Hearing the praise, Zhang Quan burst into laughter again, patting Lu Yunyi's shoulder repeatedly:

"Thanks to you, this armor wasn't made with the help of the palace craftsmen."

Instead, it was crafted by artisans from Yingtian Trading Company at great expense, and it looks bright and spacious at first glance.

"If the situation weren't so tense, everyone else would be waiting to change their armor."

Lu Yunyi shifted his body slightly, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder.

"Lord Yongding, please stop filming! If you keep filming, I'll die!"

Zhang Quan smiled and moved his hand away, looking Lu Yunyi up and down:
"Why are you in such a mess? Hurry up and get into the city, everything has been arranged for you."

The Crown Prince sent a messenger this morning, instructing me to take good care of you and not mistreat you!

"Thank you, Marquis Yongding."

Lu Yunyi smiled and waved.

"Brothers, into the city!"

The group entered the city in a grand procession and settled in the camp closest to the central army camp.

Upon entering, Lu Yunyi saw something all too familiar.

A large and beautiful shower facility.
It was placed so openly and brazenly in the middle of the camp, above
The lotus seed head drooped down neatly.

"How is it? The things we moved from the central army for you?"

The back village is too small to fit everything, so we have to put it here.

Later I will have this area cordoned off, and the brothers can wash themselves here.”

Marquis Yongding, Zhang Quan, stood with his hands on his hips, smiling broadly as he spoke, showing no sign of formality.

"Thank you, Marquis Yongding. Please go and rest first. I will change into some clean clothes and then come to find you," Lu Yunyi said.

"Very well, I will be waiting for you in the central army."

Zhang Quan gave a few more instructions, then left with his men, all smiles.

It was clear that he was in a very good mood.

After he left, Huang Yingzhi walked up to Lu Yunyi with a strange expression and looked him up and down.
Upon arriving in the capital, he realized just how well-connected this young man was.

It seems that all the important figures in the capital have some connection with him, whether they are enemy or ally.
"Is this newly appointed Marquis of Yongding someone you knew before, Lord Lu?" Huang Yingzhi asked tentatively.

Lu Yunyi smiled:

"General Huang, do you still remember Zhang Huai'an, who was in charge of clearing the outer perimeter of the Liaodong battlefield?"

The face of a young man in his early twenties suddenly flashed into Huang Yingzhi's mind, and his expression became somewhat strange:
"I remember him, who is he?"

"He was the eldest son of the Marquis of Yongding and was sent to the army for training."

"Zhang Huai'an has achieved merit in leading troops this time, and the Marquis of Yongding must be very pleased," Lu Yunyi explained.

Huang Yingzhi immediately understood why they were so enthusiastic; it turned out her son was in someone else's hands.

Huang Yingzhi tentatively said:

"Lord Lu, I have a young son who has just turned eighteen."

He spent his days committing crimes and doing nothing in Beiping.

Why not send him to your army for some training as well?
With Zhang Huai'an around, he should be able to keep him in check.

Lu Yunyi blinked.

"No problem, we'll send the person over after we've dealt with the matter."

Even if he doesn't become a general capable of leading independently, he is at least a useful person.

"Alright, it's a deal. If anything comes up in the future, feel free to write to me. I still have some influence in the grain transport sector."

Huang Yingzhi said.

Half an hour later, the entire camp was bustling with activity.
The soldiers washed themselves, cleaned their armor, and maintained their weapons.

Many soldiers stood in the sun, naked, holding long swords to inspect the area.

Any knife with even the slightest chip or crack must be reported to the army and replaced with a new one.

The same applies to armor; marks from knife cuts and axe carvings are acceptable, but cracks are absolutely unacceptable.

Once a crack appears, the part needs to be replaced.
If there are too many cracks, you can get a brand new set of armor.

However, soldiers often choose to replace only a portion of their troops.

The marks on their armor represented their achievements, and wearing it earned them respect.

Lu Yunyi, however, had fewer concerns and changed into a brand new set of armor.
Feeling refreshed, he left the camp and headed towards the central army.

As he walked, countless eyes turned to him, and all who saw him were filled with astonishment.

How come he's in the capital?

Lu Yunyi ignored these stares.
He went straight to the Puzikou City Government Office and met Marquis Yongding, Zhang Quan, in the main hall.

He was sitting amidst several stacks of documents, his face showing worry.

Seeing his expression, Lu Yunyi couldn't laugh.
Since becoming the commander, he had been living this way, with endless military affairs to handle every day.

Just like the scene when he was disturbed.
Upon seeing Lu Yunyi, Marquis Yongding Zhang Quan...
He casually tossed aside the documents in his hand, revealing a bright smile, as if he couldn't wait:

"Sit down, sit down. It's been a year since we last met. You're still as unconventional as ever."

Lu Yunyi sat down without any hesitation, and the instant he sat down...

My exhausted body slumped down, and I ached all over.

"My lord, if possible..."

This humble general still hopes to stay obediently in the yamen (government office).

Handling official business during the day, and in the evening enjoying food and drinks—but of course, not too much official business.

Zhang Quan walked over with a smile, carrying two cups of tea:

"You're daydreaming."

In our Great Ming Dynasty, the capable are given more work; if you are capable, you have to work yourself to the bone.

Try it, Yunnan Pu'er tea.
"Ever since you mentioned how delicious Pu'er tea is, some Yunnan merchants have been bringing some over, and it's become quite popular in Beijing."

Lu Yunyi didn't stand on ceremony, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked:

"My lord, do you have any food here? Please have some."

Zhang Quan was taken aback, and quickly waved his hand at his personal guards:

"Go, go, go, bring over the pastries that were sent from home yesterday for Lord Lu."

"Yes!" The guard turned and ran off. Zhang Quan smiled and asked:

"You must have had a tough journey. I heard you got into a knife fight in Henan?"

"Um"

When it came to serious matters, Lu Yunyi's expression became solemn.
Hearing about the matter of the Henan Military Commandery, Zhang Quan was terrified:

"So, Li Zhigang has made a great contribution?"
"Wouldn't all those who recently impeached him be falling into a trap?"

"Impeachment? What happened?" Lu Yunyi asked, puzzled.

"Recently, many people in the court have impeached Li Zhigang."

They said he was ineffective in controlling the floods and disregarded the emperor's grace, so they wanted to dismiss him from his post and send him home.

Previously, I was puzzled, since His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince have always been ruthless towards those who hold positions without performing their duties.

Why has there been no action for so long? Is this where the credit is?

Zhang Quan let out a cold laugh, his face showing amusement, as if he was about to watch a good show.

Upon hearing this news, Lu Yunyi was slightly taken aback, then couldn't help but laugh.
"My lord, after this incident, many officials will rise to great heights, and Li Zhigang should be among them."

Zhang Quan nodded in agreement:
With so many vacancies, someone has to fill them.

There are people in the court who want to take advantage of your misfortune, escalate the situation, and drag more people down with them. You need to be careful.

"expand?"

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, but quickly thought of the enemy troops who had inexplicably appeared at the south gate, and asked:
"May I ask, Your Majesty, what is His Majesty's intention?"

Zhang Quan's expression was complicated, and he let out a long sigh:

"The palace accepted all the impeachments without question."

His Majesty and the Crown Prince acted even more drastically, expanding the list further after it had already been expanded.
It's like they're trying to repeat Hu Weiyong's mistakes.

That's right, Lu Yunyi said with a look of sudden realization.
If Your Majesty greatly expands the number of people implicated,

It's no wonder that some people openly or secretly help the rebels.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Yunyi, considering the identity of Marquis Yongding Zhang Quan, decided to reveal the news from the South Gate yesterday.

Zhang Quan was stunned, his brows furrowed.
"You mean Deng Ming is at the south gate? And he has three thousand soldiers under his command?"

Lu Yunyi nodded heavily:

"This humble general believes that some people don't want things to go too smoothly in the palace, but they also don't want to kick someone when they're down."
That's why they deliberately let the clues show, so that we could notice.

The ultimate goal is to maintain the status quo and prevent further expansion.

Zhang Quan slowly stood up, pacing around the room with his hands behind his back. His heavy footsteps were quite noticeable.

After a long while, he turned around solemnly.

Have you told anyone else about this?

"Reporting to the Marquis, no one else was informed except those present."

Lu Yunyi replied.

Zhang Quan's expression softened considerably:
"That's good. This matter is of great importance and must not be disclosed to outsiders."

I had always suspected that someone in the capital was taking advantage of the situation, and now it's confirmed.
No wonder Deng Ming and many others disappeared without a trace; we couldn't find them anywhere.

Having received an affirmative answer, Lu Yunyi asked directly:
"May I ask, Lord Marquis, who are you?"

Zhang Quan glanced at the guards standing at the door and gestured for them to leave.
After all the guards had left,
After a long pause, Zhang Quan slowly said:

"After twenty years of the Ming Dynasty's founding, not many of the six founding dukes remain."

Lu Yunyi's pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill began to spread from the soles of his feet outwards, instantly covering his entire body!
He pounded his head in frustration.

I haven't slept for days, and I couldn't even see something this simple. It's ridiculous!
Of the six founding dukes, three have passed away due to illness, and three remain.
Now that Li Shanchang, the leader, has been purged, only two remain.

It's impossible to say that if one part is gone, the other part will be in danger.

Unfortunately, the remaining two were father-in-law and son-in-law, and they wielded considerable influence in the military.

Duke Feng Sheng of Song and Duke Chang Mao of Zheng.

Chang Mao is currently trapped in Longzhou.

But his younger brother, Chang Sheng, the Duke of Kaiguo, was also in the capital.

If nothing unexpected happens, this was done by the Duke of Song and the Duke of Kaiguo.
It appears to be a warning, but it's actually a form of self-preservation.

"Do you understand?"

Zhang Quan sat back down in his chair, picked up his teacup, and drank the hot tea in one gulp. He said calmly,

"It wasn't just them; the six ministers and some powerful figures were probably also involved."

Lu Yunyi frowned and tentatively asked:

"My lord, all six ministers were promoted by His Majesty."

Zhang Quan waved his hand:

"That's not important. Many people in the court rely on His Majesty and the Crown Prince."
But they also didn't want the palace to issue a single decree to rule the entire country.

"Their power to take the life and death of court officials and nobles at will is terrifying."

At this point, a hint of apprehension flashed in Zhang Quan's eyes.

Lu Yunyi nodded belatedly.

Although he knew that having absolute power was a good thing, as a high-ranking official, he also did not want the imperial power to become too strong.

Zhang Quan continued speaking:
"The northern expedition was victorious, but it has been kept secret until everything has calmed down before it is used to reassure the people."

If the northern expedition alone cannot stabilize the court, the situation in Liaodong will also be brought up again.

Zhang Quan glanced at him and spoke in a deep voice:
You understand the saying, "The tallest tree in the forest will be felled by the wind." Be prepared.

"This"

Lu Yunyi's expression was even worse than if he were crying.

If the events in Liaodong were to be publicized, he would be considered a staunch supporter of the Emperor, a status even more prestigious than a golden signboard!
By then, who knows how many open and covert attacks will be launched.

"My lord, the matter in Liaodong involves the mobilization of troops without orders, so it is not appropriate to publicize it."

"Ah"

Zhang Quan laughed, leaned back, and patted his stomach as he said:

"The common people don't care about any of that. As long as we win the battle, who cares whether you cheat or cheat and do it honestly or not?"

After saying that, he leaned to the side and laughed:

"Why are you looking so gloomy? At least you won the battle, which is a good thing."

"We'll deal with whatever comes our way, we'll deal with whatever comes our way. They can't possibly bury you alive, can they?"

Lu Yunyi gave an awkward smile and remained silent.

He was now somewhat regretful that he hadn't given Yu Tongyuan a good beating at the dock earlier.
Seeing that he was still pondering, Zhang Quan was filled with doubt:
"Why are you thinking so much at such a young age?"
When Huai'an was your age...

He spends his days indulging in debauchery and doing absolutely nothing, considering himself the absolute ruler of the entire capital.

As he spoke, Zhang Quan laughed.

Clearly, he was thinking of his son's brilliant and heroic deeds on the Liaodong battlefield.

"Hey~, now that the war in the north is over, can Huai'an ask for leave to go home for a few months?"

Many people want to arrange marriages for him, urging him to come back and choose a wife.

Lu Yunyi's expression was strange, and he shook his head:

"My lord, you should discuss this matter with Huai'an."

Having gone through this battle, he still has to lead a campaign against most of the steppe, and he probably doesn't want to come back now.

"Another war?"

Zhang Quan sat up straight, his face grave.
Is the border situation really that serious?

"No, no, no, both the Northern Yuan and the Jurchen are in complete chaos right now."
While they are preoccupied with their own affairs, I thought I'd take advantage of the fact that they're busy with their own things and sweep the snow off the door.

Only when there are no external enemies can we focus on developing people's livelihoods and commerce.

Lu Yunyi explained.

"hold head high"

Zhang Quan nodded in realization.
"Alright, you've done a great job this time."

It seems Zhou Xing isn't going back. From now on, you're in charge of Da Ning.

Lu Yunyi wasn't particularly happy and asked:
"My lord, did you read the letter I sent you last time? It was about Tan Wei."

"I've seen it. The Governor's Office has already made a decision to have him return with the Northern Expeditionary Army and set up camp in Puzikou City."

"Thank you very much, Lord Marquis!" Lu Yunyi said gratefully.

"Don't thank me, I didn't do it."

Lu Yunyi asked in confusion, "What is that?"

“It was Guo Ying who gave his full support; if you want to thank someone, thank him,” Zhang Quan said.

"Marquis Wuding?"

Lu Yunyi looked puzzled.

Zhang Quan nodded and glanced at him:
"This old bastard definitely wants something, just you wait and see."

Having said that, Zhang Quan stood up and stretched:
"Rest for the next few days, and go to the capital after things are settled. The capital is too chaotic right now."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)