In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 901 Dreaming Back to Korea, Enemy Attack on Xijing
"Goryeo?"

Upon hearing these two familiar yet unfamiliar words, Wang Junping froze on the spot, his eyes, which had been wandering around, suddenly stopping, as if he were processing them.

His expression changed drastically very quickly.

"This is Goryeo? Lord Lu! You're not joking, are you?!"

Lu Yunyi remained calm, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.
"Lord Wang, you heard me right. Deokcheon in Northwest Goryeo Province is not far from Jeongju."

"Tokugawa?"

Wang Junping looked bewildered. If he remembered correctly, Dechuan was quite far from the Liaodong border, almost traversing the entire Northwest Road, while Dingzhou was very close to the Liaodong border.

How did you get here?

Was it a deliberate, roundabout way?

He was referring to the tent curtains, and asked tentatively:

"Lord Lu, may I go and take a look?"

"See? Would I lie to you?" Lu Yunyi replied with a smile.

Wang Junping ran out of the military tent with a thud.
It was already pitch black outside the camp, and a light snow was falling.

But the familiar scent in the air, the endless mountains in the distance, and the all-too-familiar trees...
This allowed him to be certain that this was Goryeo, his hometown.

He stood at the entrance of the military tent, lost in thought.
Tears welled up in my eyes without my noticing, and a feeling of grievance welled up inside me.

"How could such a wonderful place have become like this?"
The imperial court was in chaos, powerful ministers held sway, and local officials each had their own agendas, preventing the entire country from forming a united force.
It's absurd that we need outsiders to help us in the end! It's utterly absurd!

Taking a deep breath, Wang Junping quickly regained his composure and turned to walk into the military tent.

He didn't dwell on why he was there or why his senses were blocked. Instead, he stood at the lower end, pondered for a moment, and then bowed deeply.
"Lord Lu, the money is already in Dingzhou. As long as we get there and I meet with the person who will meet us, Lord Lu can take the money!"

We implore Lord Lu to find a way out for our emperor!

Lu Yunyi looked at Wang Junping with a strange expression. This man's intelligence seemed to fluctuate wildly.
This solemnity made him somewhat uncomfortable.

"Rest assured, I will fulfill my promise to you. The army is currently stationed in Tokugawa."

The purpose was to inform the Goryeo court of our arrival so that Yi Seong-gye could take appropriate action.

Wang Junping was filled with doubt and couldn't quite grasp the implications, but he asked directly:

"Lord Lu, may I ask how the army can deter Yi Seong-gye? This traitor is incredibly audacious, disobeying imperial orders and acting recklessly. If we use ordinary methods, I'm afraid we won't achieve the desired effect."

Lu Yunyi chuckled softly.

"Didn't we already discuss this back in Daning City?"

Wang Junping was stunned, and he held his breath!

"My lord, is it...really?"

He clearly remembered that during the New Year's gathering of the military commanders, he had asked, under the influence of alcohol, how exactly to intimidate Yi Seong-gye.

The answer he received shocked him, and he even thought it was just a joke at the time.

"Of course, we should engage them in a one-on-one battle, crush them head-on, and show them the might of the Ming army!"

The sound, as resounding as a great bell, echoed in my mind!
Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded:

"Since I have already made a promise, I will definitely keep it. You have been in the Commandery for so long, haven't you noticed that I am a man of my word?"

Wang Junping was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly!
"No, no, it's just that I'm a little excited and can't believe it."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, his expression slightly serious, and explained:

"My decision to fight Yi Seong-gye is not entirely based on your 500,000 taels of silver, but rather on my own considerations."

"Now I ask you, since Yi Seong-gye usurped the throne, have your Goryeo's elite troops been stationed in the two capitals and the Northwest Province?"

Seeing his seriousness, Wang Junping quickly suppressed his smile and solemnly replied:

"My lord, you are right. Yi Seong-gye's power base is in the Northwest Province."
He had previously transferred many elite troops to the northwest, then disbanded them and incorporated them into the new army.

Even worse, he transferred the royal guards away from Gaegyeong.
Some of these soldiers were sent back to their hometowns.

Lu Yunyi listened quietly, waved his hand to signal the guard beside him to take notes, and then asked again:
"What is the attitude of Yi Seong-gye and his entourage towards the Ming Dynasty?"

"Attitude?" A hint of doubt flashed in Wang Junping's eyes: "May I ask, sir, what is the matter you wish to inquire about?"

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice:
"On my journey, I've heard that Goryeo is carrying out land reforms."
It was precisely through such methods that Yi Seong-gye was able to seize absolute power and ruthlessly crush the royalist party.

With so many positions vacant in the imperial court, new people are bound to rise to power.

What I want to ask is whether these newly appointed officials have the ability to manipulate public opinion and the court, forcing Yi Seong-gye and others to oppose the Ming Dynasty.

"After all, those who suddenly rise to a high position are always fearless like newborn calves."

If one acts as if Heaven is the greatest and oneself is second only to Heaven, then one probably wouldn't be so convinced of the might of the Ming Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping understood. Lord Lu was worried that Yi Seong-gye and his entourage were dissatisfied with the Ming Dynasty and would thus oppose it.

So he thought he should show his prowess early on and let these people see the consequences of being an enemy of the Ming Dynasty.

Then Wang Junping stated definitively:

“What you say is absolutely right, sir. I heard rumors in the court when I was in Kaijing.”
It is said that after Yi Seong-gye seizes power,

The country's name should be changed, and it should no longer be a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, but treated as an equal.

However, such rumors are impossible to verify and have no basis in fact.
Goryeo would never dare to oppose the Ming Dynasty.

Lu Yunyi remained calm and said indifferently:
"I have said countless times, don't look at what he says, look at what he does."
Yi Seong-gye concentrated his elite troops on the border of the Northwest Province.
For our Great Ming Dynasty, this can already be considered a threat.

Moreover, Lord Wang must already know this.
Liaodong and Daning are about to cooperate on road construction, and at this crucial moment, Liaodong must not afford any mishaps.
If they're building a road over there in a flurry of activity,
If Korea suddenly stabs you in the back, things won't be good.

Actually, I originally thought in my heart that...

Even if Yi Seong-gye were in power, he would never dare to be an enemy of the Ming Dynasty.

But after traveling around and observing, I have discovered that your Goryeo Kingdom has significant internal conflicts.
It has become too large to be repaired through reform.
At this point, going to war with foreign powers seems to be the only option.

Wang Junping's expression changed slightly, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.
In fact, he learned from inside the palace that

The newly appointed officials of the Privy Council do indeed want to consolidate military power through foreign wars.
However, no consensus was reached later due to various reasons.

Lu Yunyi took in his expression, chuckled softly, and instead of exposing his concealment, continued:

"Tomorrow, the army will continue its advance towards Dingzhou."

In this process, I would need a list of Yi Seong-gye's elite troops, the names of their commanders, their garrison locations, and their military tactics.

Do you have any ideas?

A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Junping's eyes. At this point...

He truly believed Lu Yunyi's words and was really preparing to take action!

Taking a deep breath, a ruthless glint flashed in Wang Junping's eyes. After thinking carefully, he replied:
"My lord, if we can go to Pyongyang, I can obtain the troop deployment for the Northwest Province."

"Xijing."

Lu Yunyi lowered his head in thought, glancing at the map not far away.

Tokchon is very close to Pyongyang, only 300 li away.

Moreover, this area is mostly plains with smooth official roads!

However, although the army moved at a very fast speed,

However, if the Goryeo court were to mobilize troops, it could do so just as quickly.

Seeing that he looked deep in thought, Wang Junping did not disturb him.

Instead, they waited quietly to the side, their faces showing respect.

I felt a little incredulous.

In the blink of an eye, we arrived in Korea, and there was even an unexpected surprise!

Just as he was lost in thought, Lu Yunyi asked in a deep voice:
Was Yi Seong-gye a person who sought stability or one who dared to take risks?

Wang Junping was taken aback. How did this bring up Li Chenggui again?
But he didn't delay and quickly replied:
"My lord, Yi Seong-gye is very cautious in his actions."
He would almost never do it without absolute certainty.

"Yes, he has a steady character, I understand."

You go and rest first, and we'll set off with the army tomorrow.
"Once we arrive in Xi'an, it's up to you." Wang Junping was overjoyed and immediately stood up straight and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, sir! I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

Two guards stepped forward and took him away. After Wang Junping left,

Lu Yunyi stood up and returned to the simple desk.

Open the map of Goryeo and carefully observe the mountainous terrain between the various cities.

Since Yi Seong-gye is a person who seeks stability,

He would certainly not rush to meet the enemy; he would only mobilize his troops when he had gathered enough soldiers to win the battle in one fell swoop.

Moreover, although Yi Seong-gye held great power, he was ultimately not the emperor.

There are still opposing forces in the court, so Kaijing is of paramount importance and must not be lost!
Thus, a battlefield situation with heavy forces at both ends and light forces in the middle emerges.

On one side was the heavily guarded Northwest Province, and on the other side was Gaegyeong, located within the residence.
Meanwhile, Xijing in the middle is very likely to have weak defenses.

Having summarized this line of thought, Lu Yunyi quickly grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the strategy on the document.
Fifteen minutes later he handed over the strategy:

"Submit it to the General Staff for verification to prove the feasibility of the operational plan!"

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi took the document and hurriedly ran away.

After doing all this, Lu Yunyi stood up.

He strolled over to the huge map standing to the side, fell into deep thought, and remained silent for a long time.

Pyongyang, the capital of the Goguryeo Kingdom, is located in the heart of the Northwest Province.
The Goryeo Dynasty considered itself its successor.
During the reign of King Seongjong of Goryeo, in order to defend against invasions from the Khitan and Jurchen tribes in the northwest,

Therefore, designating Pyongyang as Xijing (Western Capital) was a way to assert its legitimacy and to express the importance attached to the northern territories!

Xi'an was also the military command center of the entire Northwest Front and a hub for logistical supplies.

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, it maintained a friendly relationship with Goryeo, and the two sides paid tribute to each other, which was mutually beneficial and brought them great gains.

And because of the expansion of the Ming Dynasty's territory,

The existence of Liaodong meant that Goryeo no longer had to worry about the steppe people and Jurchens in the northwest, which led to the slight decline of Xijing.

Even so, it is still one of the few large cities in the entire Goryeo Kingdom!

Even now, as we approach mid-February, the weather remains freezing cold.

Light snow was falling from the sky, and the massive city was faintly visible through the snow.
The high city walls bear the marks of war.
The suspension bridge and the moat exude a sense of solemnity.

At this moment, the four gates of Xijing were wide open, and merchants and local residents flocked into the city.

Although Xijing's status had declined somewhat, it had become a commercial hub in the Northwest region.
It also plays a very important role in trade relations with the Ming Dynasty.

At the east gate, the soldiers guarding the city were wrapped in thick cotton-padded clothes and wearing dog-skin felt hats.

The hands holding the spear were covered in frostbite.

To combat the cold, the soldiers could only stomp their feet and pace back and forth.

When it gets extremely cold, it will wave its hand vigorously.

They urged the merchants to hurry into the city in exchange for some warmth.

At this moment, a young soldier guarding the city, after inspecting a merchant, burst into a tirade of curses:
"Damn it, why is it so cold today?"
The imperial court won't issue new winter clothing; people are freezing to death!

"Alright, the imperial court is too busy fighting itself to care about us."
Didn't you see the city defense troops are all being transferred away?
"In such a large city, it would be a miracle if only the yamen runners and those of us guarding the city received any clothing."

An elderly soldier shook his head and sighed, his eyes filled with disappointment, as if he had lost all hope.

The young soldier also sighed and muttered to himself:
"I don't know what the court is thinking. Are they just going to throw away Xijing like this?"

When the Ming army attacks, let's see what they do. With our meager skills, we should surrender now.

"Don't talk nonsense. The Ming army is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from Xijing. How could they possibly attack us?"

"Who can predict the future? I originally thought I could live a peaceful life in Xi'an..."

Who would have thought that after only a few years, they would be suffering from hunger and cold?
In my opinion, he can forget about getting a salary this year.

The older soldier did not object, but instead greeted a group of merchants who were walking up.

"Official documents, travel permits!"

The caravan leader was in his thirties and had a simple, honest appearance.
He quickly handed over the document, and the soldier glanced at it and asked:

"when are we leaving?"

"Reporting to the general, we will leave this afternoon."

"Afternoon? So soon? You could stay a few more days," the older soldier reminded him.

"No, sir, we're just delivering goods. We'll leave as soon as we're done," the merchant replied with a smile.

The older soldier glanced at him, nodded, wrote the travel time on the document, and reminded him:

"Hurry up and come out this afternoon, or you'll be fined."

"Don't worry, sir, we know the rules."

After the caravan left, the older soldier sighed and complained:

"Look, merchants are no longer willing to stay in Xijing."

In the past, whenever merchants came, they would spend several days eating, drinking, and having fun.

"There are fewer and fewer adults in the city, and even brothels and restaurants are open but have no business. Why would someone linger here?"

The young soldier was somewhat indignant and kept shaking his head:

"Now all the pretty girls in the city have gone to Gaegyeong."
What remained were all misshapen and deformed fruits; they were nauseating to look at.

"Once we have a break in the spring, let's go to Kaijing together and have some fun."
The officials in the imperial court were fiercely fighting amongst themselves, but the common people were completely ignored.

There are beautiful girls everywhere; I've even heard there are some wives of convicted officials among them.

The young soldier's eyes lit up, and he immediately became alert.

"Okay, it's a deal!"

Time flies, and half a day passes in the blink of an eye.

By the afternoon, the weather had improved slightly, the wind and snow had stopped, and the sun was peeking through the clouds, casting its rays.

It was still the east gate. The older soldier immediately spotted the merchant he had met that morning and smiled:
"They really are leaving this afternoon? So fast."

"Sir, take advantage of the good weather now and walk around more, because the roads will be difficult to travel when it snows heavily later."

The merchants handed over the official documents and travel permits.

The soldier took the document, glanced at it, wrote down the time of departure from the city, and then handed it back.

"let's go."

"Thank you, Master Jun!"

The caravan left as if fleeing a disaster.
This added to the resentment of the older soldiers.

Just as he was feeling indignant, a cry of surprise came from the official road ahead.
Accompanied by bursts of noise, an older soldier looked up impatiently and shouted without thinking:
"Stop howling! It's so noisy!"

But the soldiers' voices abruptly stopped the next moment.

He stared blankly at the horizon, his pupils trembling violently.

At the edge of the horizon, a swarm of black "ants" rushed forward, one after another.

It's like it's awakening from beneath a snowfield, approaching at an incredible speed!

Everyone was so shocked by this scene that they were speechless.
The virus only began to spread when people on the official road realized what was happening and turned to run towards the city.

The older soldiers also reacted and let out the loudest shout of their lives:
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!!"

"Close the city gates! Close the city gates!!!"

The young soldier stood frozen at the door, his pupils contracted to their maximum size.

He never imagined that he would encounter enemy troops and Jurchens deep within the Goryeo territory.

Where did this come from?
(End of this chapter)