In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 778 Taking Advantage First, Then Counterattacking
Since the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters was located within the Imperial City, news of Liu Sili's entry spread rapidly throughout the city.

Within a quarter of an hour, the six ministries and the governor's office knew the details.

Inside the Left Army Commander's Mansion, Zhu Shou, the Marquis of Zhulu, was intently scrutinizing the list of ten candidates for the position of Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, his expression extremely solemn.

Judging from the list, Pan Jing may not have any outstanding advantages, but he is steady and has no obvious weaknesses.

Whether leading troops in battle or governing local areas, he was highly experienced, and even performed exceptionally well in his role as the Imperial Guard in charge of defense.

He is a down-to-earth and pragmatic person.

The other candidates, however, had equally prominent strengths and weaknesses…

Zhu Shou felt helpless upon seeing this list.
The unevenness of the survey results on the list reflects the attitudes of some people within the Governor's Office.

More and more people are supporting Pan Jing to serve as commander.

Zhu Shou knew that this bottom-up trend was something he, as the newly appointed Left Army Commander, could hardly resist.

Forcibly promoting Chen Gong to the position might make his position as governor-general even more difficult.

Thinking of this, Zhu Shou threw down the document in his hand, raised his hand and gently rubbed his brow, his face full of worry.

Just as he was racking his brains for a solution, a clerk from the yamen rushed in, his steps hurried and his expression panicked.

"My lord, something terrible has happened!"

"What's with this flustered behavior? What's wrong?"

Zhu Shou frowned, his already agitated mood becoming even more uneasy.

"Lord Liu of the Court of State Ceremonial has been arrested and imprisoned by the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"Which Lord Liu?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Zhu Shou's eyes, and for a moment he couldn't remember who Lord Liu was.

The clerk didn't stand on ceremony and added directly.

"It's Lord Liu Sili, the manager of Yingtian Trading Company!"

"what?"

Zhu Shou's expression changed drastically. He sat up abruptly, slammed his hand on the armrest of the chair, and began to curse loudly.

"That Mao Xiang! He's incredibly audacious!"

"My lord, please think of a solution quickly!"
"The dividends are due soon, but now that Lord Liu has been arrested, will we still get our share?"

The clerks also looked worried.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Shou realized the seriousness of the matter.

Yingtian Trading Company was initially established jointly by the Ministry of Works and the Left Army Commandery.

Both of them hold the largest stake and receive the most dividends.

Now that Geng Zhong has left office and Zhu Shou has taken over as governor, if the Yingtian Merchants' profit distribution is delayed, it would be more serious than forcibly promoting Chen Gong to the position!

Thinking of this, Zhu Shou suddenly stood up, waved his hand, and shouted:

"Go and summon someone to accompany me to the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"Yes!"

The messenger breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly turned and ran away. It concerned money, so he couldn't afford to be careless!
At the same time, most of the other four governorates also received the news.

They all sent people to the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters.

Of the six ministries, Qin Kui, the Minister of Works, personally set off angrily to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, accompanied by Shen Jin, the Minister of War.

This kind-hearted man was equally furious.

He was still waiting for the bank's dividends to arrive so he could pay the bonuses he owed from last year!
One after another, the officials rushed to the Jinyiwei headquarters. It no longer seemed to be a cold and gloomy place, but instead became lively and bustling, just like a bustling vegetable market!
At the Embroidered Uniform Guard headquarters, a gathering of distinguished officials arrived, and the guards watched as more and more high-ranking members came.
He was restless, and his hand, which was placed to one side, was trembling slightly.

If you offend these officials, even if they are members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, you will not be able to escape unscathed.

Zhu Shou, the Marquis of Zhulu, rushed over, followed by more than a dozen guards, all exuding a murderous aura.

Upon arriving at the gate of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they saw several officials already waiting there.
Without any hesitation, he pushed past the crowd and tried to rush in.

Two Imperial Guards at the gate tried to block it.

"My lord, you can't..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Shou slapped him across the face.
"Snapped…"

A loud slap rang out, followed by Zhu Shou cursing loudly.

"Damn it, what kind of bastards dare to stop me! Seize them! Let's go!"

The guards behind him did not hesitate at all.

He strode forward, grabbed two Imperial Guards, and pinned them against the wall.

The two men, pinned against the wall, showed no anger; instead, they breathed a sigh of relief.

As insignificant individuals, they absolutely could not afford to offend these adults.

As Zhu Shou led his men into the Jinyiwei compound, the officials from the Six Ministries showed no mercy and followed suit.

Inside the yamen, Mao Xiang was not in the main hall, but was observing from a room next to it, looking out through a small hole in the window.

Upon seeing Zhu Shou and the group of officials hurrying past,

His brow twitched violently, his hand clenched tightly at his side, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes!
I fell into the trap!
He was now absolutely certain that
These people in front of him wanted to use his Embroidered Uniform Guard as a sharp weapon to purge the Yingtian Trading Company.

Perhaps some people have long disapproved of Liu Sili placing his cronies in the business.

Perhaps some people want to install their own cronies...

Some unnecessary details were pruned, which they were happy to see.
Once the true core interests are touched,
These officials would vent their anger without reservation.

Mao Xiang took a deep breath, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.
Fortunately, I was cautious and did not let hatred cloud my judgment or act rashly.

Otherwise, if the matter were to involve Liu Sili,

As the commander, he would face attacks from both the civil and military factions.

A hint of resentment flashed in Mao Xiang's eyes.
He kept rubbing his hands together by his side, and a sudden feeling of irritation arose in his heart.

Based on the current situation,

It is absolutely impossible to involve Lu Yunyi in the smuggling scandal.

It was even severed by the time it reached Liu Sili.

He turned to look at his subordinates waiting behind him and gave them instructions.

"Go tell Qian Xinghuai to release some people who are not deeply involved in the case and for whom there is insufficient evidence."

They apologized to Liu Sili and respectfully escorted him back to the Court of State Ceremonial.

"Yes!"

The clerk hurried away.

Mao Xiang was left standing in the side room, his face grim.

He knew perfectly well that he had not achieved his goal this time.
I hope to find such a good opportunity again next time.
Unpredictable.

Moreover... although Lu Yunyi did not show up.
But he was certain that the man was a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, and would absolutely not let the matter rest.

Who knows when they might suddenly jump out and bite him?

Mao Xiang sighed, turned and left the house. While the group was making a ruckus in the main hall, he left the imperial city and arrived at No. 32 Zhuque Street.

As evening approached, Miaoyinfang had already been cleared out, with only a few waiters cleaning up.

Mao Xiang walked in without any hesitation and saw Mu Jinghe arranging several exquisite ornaments.

When Mu Jinghe saw him, her beautiful eyes widened almost instantly, and she let out a gasp.
"Are you crazy? Come in through the front door!"

Mao Xiang ignored him and walked through the corridor with a gloomy face into the inner room, where he plopped down in Mu Jinghe's boudoir.

Only after arriving here did his mind finally settle down a little.

But the heavy breathing still alerted Mu Jinghe, who had followed them.

"What happened? Has the truth been revealed?"

"No."

Mao Xiang shook his head, looked at Mu Jinghe with a ferocious and unwilling expression, and said through gritted teeth.

"His Majesty ordered me to hand over the subsequent investigation authority to the Three Departments, with the Embroidered Uniform Guard acting as his accomplices."

"what?"

Mu Jinghe's face paled instantly, and she sat down opposite Mao Xiang.

"How could His Majesty be so biased? If so... wouldn't that be letting the Three Departments reap the benefits for nothing?"

Mao Xiang nodded.

"His Majesty has his own considerations, which are not for us to worry about. There is another matter that is bothering me."

Mao Xiang then recounted his experiences over the past day and night to her, and also shared his own judgment…

Mu Jinghe was stunned, her eyes darting around.

"Are you overthinking it?"

"Can you gentlemen really react so quickly?"

Mao Xiang sighed and shook his head helplessly:

"Don't underestimate the high-ranking officials in the court; those who can climb to that position are all shrewd and calculating."

They can find ways to profit from every storm.

At least for now, although Yingtian Trading Company has investigated smuggling and arrested a large number of people,
But once a spot becomes available, someone will fill it.

"Of course...that's a different kind of struggle." Mu Jinghe pursed her lips, her face showing stubbornness, and a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes.

"Are we just going to let it go like this?"
Your men are dead, and so are mine!

"Of course we can't just let it go like this. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has been powerful for so many years. How can we let a rising star overshadow it? I'll think of another way."

"You don't have anyone else in Daning?"

Mu Jinghe looked at Mao Xiang with a meaningful expression.

From the campaign against Li's faction,
She suddenly realized that the Imperial Guards were far more capable than she had imagined.

It turns out that many of the marquises' trusted confidants had agents planted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This not only shocked her, but also many court officials.

Mao Xiang glanced at her.

"What do you want to do?"

Mu Jinghe narrowed her eyes, a fierce glint flashing within them.

"Of course it's revenge, what else could it be?"
If you have someone planted in Da Ning, I can pay a price to gain control of those people.

"That's not possible."

Mao Xiang shook his head, a hint of mockery in his eyes as he looked at Mu Jinghe:
"Our cooperation is limited to just the two of us and has nothing to do with the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

These people are of utmost importance to the government and should absolutely not be used for matters of revenge.

Besides, it's just a few people dying.

It's not to the point of a life-or-death struggle.

"Are you afraid?"

Mu Jinghe tilted her head, sensing the weakness in Mao Xiang's words, and retorted without hesitation.

"I'm afraid?"

A self-deprecating smile appeared on Mao Xiang's face, and he gently shook his head:

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is currently at the height of its power, and almost all officials in the capital regard the government as a thorn in their side. If they start fighting now, it will only hurt their own people and please their enemies."

Mu Jinghe frowned slightly.

"And this time?"

Since the plan had failed, Mao Xiang made no attempt to hide it, and scoffed:
"I thought this would cause a huge uproar, leading to impeachments from court officials."

We can then seek to protect ourselves and deflate our arrogance from the past few days.

But now... all the adults are sitting on the sidelines watching the fight, showing no intention of getting involved.
Since the plan has already failed, we can't continue down this path of delusion.

So that's what you were planning.
"I was wondering why you've suddenly become so assertive, daring to mess with a behemoth like the Yingtian Trading Company."

Mu Jinghe let out a cold laugh, even moving closer. Beneath her stunningly beautiful face, she adopted a mocking expression, exuding a unique charm.

Mao Xiang didn't care at all and said indifferently.

“A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. At least I did what I was told, which is an explanation to my brothers.”

Although this time Lu Yunyi wasn't brought down, it at least affected Liu Sili.

With so many members of the Liu family arrested, it indirectly helped many people; there's a trade-off.

"Really? I don't think so."

Mu Jinghe spoke softly.

"A dog that bites doesn't bark. If we don't seize the opportunity to press our advantage today, we'll be retaliated against sooner or later."

A man as skilled in military strategy as Lu Yunyi would not sit idly by and wait for his death!

"Hmph...I'm afraid of him?"

Mao Xiang snorted coldly.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard represents the Emperor's face. If Lu Yunyi tries to undermine me, he is going against the palace again!"

Mu Jinghe gently shook her head, her face full of sighs:

"Lord Mao, never take yourself so seriously."

This is the same principle you taught me back then.

How come you're now blinded by your own involvement?
If I remember correctly, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is currently short of manpower.

His Majesty has asked you several times to find capable people to supplement the Embroidered Uniform Guard, why don't you do so?

Could it be that our Great Ming Dynasty lacks talented people?
I think it's because you, Mr. Mao, are afraid that if there's a backup candidate, you'll be abandoned. Am I right?

Mao Xiang's eyes immediately turned cold, and his face became extremely ugly.

He suddenly stood up, stretched out his large hand, grabbed Mu Jinghe's fair neck, and lifted her up.

"Cough... Release..."

A look of astonishment flashed across Mu Jinghe's eyes, and she quickly slapped his hand away.

But Mao Xiang suddenly exerted force, gripping even tighter, and Mu Jinghe's voice came to an abrupt halt!

Mao Xiang said through gritted teeth.

"Let me tell you, you are not irreplaceable to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Be careful what you say in the future. A person should know his own limitations!"

Mu Jinghe felt her head throbbing, her vision blurring, and she couldn't hear what he was saying at all; her ears were ringing...

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door, and a charming voice came from outside, carrying a hint of urgency.

"Shopkeeper, Lord Mao, something terrible has happened! News has come from the yamen!"
Lord Zhan of the Censorate invited Lord Mao to the foot of Zijin Mountain in the north of the city, saying he had something to ask him!

Upon hearing this, Mao Xiang frowned deeply, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
what happened?
He casually tossed Mu Jinghe aside, her delicate body hitting the tables and chairs with a clatter.
Mu Jinghe's face turned ashen, and she coughed violently, a bruised handprint appearing on her neck...

Mao Xiang paid no attention and opened the door directly, where he saw a person standing outside. The person had a gentle appearance and an endearing, simple expression.

"Where are the people from the Censorate?"

"Wait at the Imperial City Gate, Lord Mao. Please hurry, the messenger says the situation is urgent, please do not delay."

Mao Xiang frowned, deep in thought.

But after thinking it over and over, he still couldn't figure it out, so he took a deep breath, stepped out of the house, and hurried away...

After he left the inner room, the woman at the door hurriedly entered the room to help Mu Jinghe, who had fallen to the ground.

"Shopkeeper, are you...are you alright?"

Mu Jinghe was helped to sit up, her face showing some discomfort.

Her fair hands kept stroking her throat, which was throbbing with pain and dryness.

"Go, get a few boiled eggs..."

Her voice was very weak, and the waiter looked worried and said softly.

"Shopkeeper, Master Mao has become increasingly irritable lately. You should stay away from him."

Mu Jinghe's eyes dimmed slightly, she waved her hand weakly, and said in a hoarse voice.

"Alright, go get it..."

"Yes…"

Zijin Mountain, located north of Yingtian City, was named after Jinling Mountain, where the Qin state established the town of Jinling during the Warring States period.

During the Han Dynasty, it was called Zhongshan. Because its shape resembles a coiled dragon, it was also known as "Zhongfu Longpan".

In the early Eastern Jin Dynasty, it was called "Zijin Mountain" because of the purple-gold clouds that lingered on its summit. The name has been used ever since, up to the present day during the Ming Dynasty.

The southern slope of Zijin Mountain is also the location of the imperial mausoleum chosen by the current emperor, namely the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.

Mao Xiang, accompanied by officials from the Censorate and more than a hundred Imperial Guards, passed by the Xiaoling Mausoleum, which was under construction, and headed towards the west side of Zijin Mountain.

As they ventured deeper, the place grew increasingly eerie, with towering banyan trees lining both sides of the road casting a shadow over the night sky, blocking out most of the silvery moonlight…

Soon, under his leadership,
Mao Xiang arrived at a mass grave hidden in the mountains and forests, far from the official roads and mountain paths.

Everywhere you look, there are raised mounds of graves, covered with red, white, and yellow paper scraps.

Some of them have weathered away, while others still float in the air, making the place appear particularly eerie and terrifying.

At the edge of the horizon, a cluster of lights appeared hazy and indistinct, like a ghost in the night, beckoning people to go there.

Mao Xiang remained calm as he followed the people from the Censorate over. From a distance, he could hear their hurried voices.

"Be careful not to hurt the body."

"Don't use a hoe, use a shovel and a brush, lift it slowly..."

As he approached, Mao Xiang's expression suddenly tightened. In the dim light, he saw several familiar faces…

Left Censor-in-Chief Zhan Hui, Right Censor-in-Chief Ling Han, and Minister of Justice Yang Jing,
There was also a young figure wearing armor, Lu Yunyi, the Deputy Commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army!
Upon seeing them, Mao Xiang's expression turned quite grim.

But when they saw the corpses lying on the ground in front of them,

His face was so dark it looked like it could drip water…

Those people were all completely naked, and even though their bodies were covered in mud, their fair and smooth skin and beautiful faces were still visible...

You can still see the deep marks on their necks from ligatures…

Left Censor-in-Chief Zhan Hui looked at Mao Xiang with a solemn expression.

"Lord Mao, please explain this to me."

What are these Koreans doing here?

(End of this chapter)