In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 918 seems to have cursed the wrong person again.
Liaoyang City, Liaodong Military Commandery Office.

The sky was overcast, carrying a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.
A gentle breeze swept by, causing many officials to wrap their clothes tighter and tuck their hands into the sleeves opposite them.

After they entered the yamen,

The overwhelming sense of oppression made them feel even more depressed.

The struggle continues, though outwardly calm.
But everyone could feel that, as spring approached, the intensity of the struggle far exceeded that of the past!

Pan Jingshan, the commander of Liaodong, arrived late.

He stepped down from the carriage, his steps unsteady, and he was much thinner than before.
But his eyes remained bright and piercing, revealing a sharp edge.

But a hint of fatigue was hidden in his eyes.

"grown ups."

Upon seeing this, many clerks and officials bowed in respect.

Pan Jing nodded, strode into the yamen, and returned to his office, seemingly unwilling to linger.

The officials watched his desolate figure disappear into the distance, and silently sighed; some even muttered amongst themselves.

"Lord Zhou has indeed gone too far."

"Yes, Lord Pan is, after all, an official appointed by the court. How can he be treated like this? At least we should find him something to do."

The two clerks shook their heads helplessly.

In the current military command, Pan Jing can still get involved in military matters thanks to his former colleagues and subordinates.
But when it comes to matters concerning people's livelihood, they have absolutely no say in the matter; everything has to go through the Tongzhi's office.

Even the road construction project, which many people were looking forward to, is showing signs of being suspended.

Under these circumstances, many people in the military command were somewhat dissatisfied with Lord Zhou.
It's obvious to everyone that road construction is entirely beneficial to the commandery.
But now, it has been shelved due to political struggles, which is truly regrettable!
Many people walked through the courtyard of the military commander's residence, their minds filled with various thoughts.

Suddenly, the entire military headquarters fell silent.

Everyone turned around and saw Zhou E, the Assistant Commander of the Capital Garrison, strolling in.

He was just like Pan Jing, much thinner, with sunken eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

"Mr. Zhou"

The clerks and officials all bowed in greeting.

Zhou E nodded in acknowledgment and said:
"Let's go back to the government office soon. It's not spring yet, and it's cold outside."

"Yes"

Seeing that the two officials had arrived, the clerks and officials did not linger and hurriedly left the courtyard to return to their offices to prepare for a busy day.

Zhou E returned to his office, a small, simply decorated but luxurious room.
In particular, the calligraphy and paintings hanging there are all by masters from the Song Dynasty.

And the stove placed in the middle is a large tripod from the Han Dynasty.
After being burned by fire, it gained some sharpness!
Zhou E showed no appreciation for these things, and instead strode to the yamen office and sat down.

Looking at the stacks of documents on the table, he sighed silently.

Power is indeed something everyone strives for.
But power also brings endless paperwork.

Just as Zhou E was about to look through the documents, hurried footsteps came from outside. His trusted confidant, Bai Wenzhao, rushed in, looking somewhat anxious.
"Sir, something terrible has happened!"

Zhou E looked up, his brows furrowing slightly:
"You're a commander of a guard, what's with the panic!"

Bai Wenzhao ignored the reprimand and quickly closed the door.
Then he rushed forward, looking tense and shocked:
"Sir, something big happened!"

"what's up?"

Seeing his expression, Zhou E realized that the matter was serious and his face became solemn.

Bai Wenzhao looked flustered and spoke hastily and firmly:
"A few days ago, news came from Goryeo that the Jurchens had entered the country."

It has now been determined that it wasn't a Jurchen! It was Lu Yunyi! He led troops to Goryeo!

"what?"

Zhou E's body stiffened abruptly, his expression frozen, and he stared at him in shock:
"Where did the news come from?"

"News from Zhenjiang Fort says that Xu Cheng personally led his men to guard the checkpoint, and they've let quite a few people in."
The garrison commander there suspected that someone was deliberately smuggling goods, so he investigated.

Finally, they caught the person who had informed Xu Cheng.
After a period of torture, they learned that Goryeo's Yi Seong-gye had suffered a crushing defeat, utterly routed by the Jurchens.

"how is this possible?"

Zhou E's eyes immediately narrowed down.
However, he quickly realized something, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Bai Wenzhao continued:

"Those Jurchens were fully armored, and their warhorses ran incredibly fast."
Furthermore, the military system is a very clear three-thirds system, which is Lu Yunyi's forte. The Governor's Office is studying it diligently, and so far no one has been able to master it.

"Fuck me!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou E couldn't help but burst into a tirade, slamming his hand on the table:

"Damn it, I thought he couldn't handle the current situation and secretly ran away, but I didn't expect him to go to Korea?"

He... he mobilized troops without orders! What kind of nonsense is this? And he's even impersonating a Jurchen?

Zhou E's mind was in turmoil.

A series of thoughts popped into his mind, catching him somewhat off guard.

Bai Wenzhao then stepped forward and whispered a reminder:

"My lord, have you forgotten? Last time, when dealing with the enemy Jurchens, others also said that he mobilized troops without orders."

Finally, the Crown Prince intervened, saying there was a secret order, and that's how it would proceed.

Zhou E's expression tightened, and he quickly realized what was happening.
Yes, it is a serious crime for anyone to mobilize troops without orders.

But Lu Yunyi might actually have a secret order. Even if he doesn't have one now, he can make up for it later.

Who can question the Crown Prince now?

People are just different.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou E cleared his mind of all distractions and asked:
"Can we confirm that these Jurchens are Lu Yunyi's army?"

"I have already done a preliminary deduction, and based on the information I have received..."

They traversed a hundred miles in a single day, successively defeating two large armies led by Yi Seong-gye.

Such skill is something the Jurchens couldn't replicate even in a hundred years; it must be Lu Yunyi! I just wonder where he got his troops from.”

Zhou E nodded in realization. Let alone the Jurchens, even he himself couldn't do it.

"Does the Goryeo court know about this? Does Yi Seong-gye know about it?"

Bai Wenzhao shook his head:
"It's still uncertain; the people we sent to gather information haven't returned yet."

Zhou E suddenly thought of something and frowned: "Tell me, should we get involved in this?"

Bai Wenzhao was taken aback: "What does Your Excellency mean?"

"Lu Yunyi is deeply favored by the Emperor and is also very capable. We are both from the outer border command, so we should help each other."

If we rashly intervene in this matter, will it cause animosity between the two commanderies?

If that's the case, then it's not worth it at all.

Bai Wenzhao immediately understood the adult's meaning: he wanted to intervene but was hesitant.

He could guess the reason as well.

Lu Yunyi was a staunch supporter of Lord Pan, and was ultimately a political enemy.

Such a huge flaw has been exposed.

It would be a shame not to take the opportunity to stab them in the back.

The office fell silent abruptly, both men bowing their heads in deep thought.
Ever since Lu Yunyi mysteriously disappeared from the official road,
The two men frequently sent people to inquire about their whereabouts, and even the Northern Pacification Command sent people.

I never expected that someone would inexplicably appear in Korea. It's absurd!
After a long while, a ruthless glint flashed in Bai Wenzhao's eyes, and he said softly:
"Sir, we mustn't get involved in this matter."

Although road construction is currently suspended, it will still need to be completed once you, sir, assume full power. We cannot afford to antagonize Lu Yunyi.”

"Um"

Zhou E nodded:

"That's what I think too. The two commanderies will eventually have to rely on each other. If they start fighting amongst themselves, wouldn't that make them a laughing stock in front of the commanderies inside the pass?"

Bai Wenzhao smiled slightly and continued:

"My lord, the fact that the Commandery is not involved in this matter does not mean that others are not involved."

"Don't keep me in suspense."

"The imperial envoys are still around, aren't they? Those two are constantly complaining and fuming."

It's a good opportunity for them to come and see.

Moreover, the Goryeo court may not even know about this, so we don't mind doing them a favor.

This caused a three-way conflict between Goryeo, Lu Yunyi, and the imperial envoy.
Let's sit back and watch the tigers fight, then reap the benefits!

Bai Wenzhao's voice carried a hint of coldness, and a ruthless energy quietly emerged.

On the contrary, Zhou E was not surprised at all after hearing these words, as if he had expected it.

After a long while, a slight smile appeared on his lips, and he nodded gently.

"You take care of this matter. Make sure they know the most detailed battle situation. Don't delay. Xu Cheng has already arrived at Zhenjiang Fort, and Lu Yunyi can return at any time."

"Yes!"

Bai Wenzhao's expression was solemn. He straightened up and slowly retreated, closing the door behind him as he left.

Zhou E stared at the tightly closed door, his eyes deep-set and his brows furrowed.
"Why not stay in the border region instead of going abroad? They really know how to cause trouble."

A hint of doubt flashed in Zhou E's eyes:
"But what is he going to do?"

Yu Xin, a physician in Beiping, was appointed as an "imperial envoy" by the imperial court.
They had already stayed at the Liaodong Military Command for nearly two months.
But his mood gradually sank as time went by.

At this moment, he was sitting in his room, holding a cup of hot tea and sighing.

When the money first arrived, he thought he could start work immediately and leave Liaodong in the spring if everything went smoothly.

But now, with spring just around the corner,

Construction is still a long way off, and more importantly, the money is gone.
This frustrated him, making it impossible for him to explain himself to the imperial court.

In fact, the recent harsh political environment within the military command has given him an urge to avoid returning to the imperial court.

The struggle between such figures would inevitably involve important figures in the imperial court.
He was a minor official of the fifth rank. Although his future was bright, it was still just a future, not his actual ability.

Now, if he goes back to the capital and says something inappropriate,
Anyone could easily kill him, let alone the fact that he hadn't even finished his job.

Not far away, Sengoku Shigetoshi was also looking depressed. His tea had gone cold, but he didn't seem to want to drink it.

After careful and cautious journey, the silver was finally delivered safely to the commander.

I thought the job was done, but little did I know, the money had "disappeared" from the safest place.
This was the first time Cheng Jun had ever seen something so absurd.

If they were to return to the capital like this, they would surely be punished.
Thinking about this, he sighed.

"Sigh, what a mess this is."

Hearing his complaints, Yu Xin's blank stare gradually sharpened, and he turned to look at him, revealing a bitter smile.

The court was rife with infighting between civil and military officials, with arguments raging all day long.
But these two officials, one civil and one military, were in unprecedented harmony, leaving one speechless.

"What to eat for lunch?"

Yu Xin stood up, stretched his limbs, and asked a question.

"Lord Yu, do you still have the appetite to eat?"

Cheng Jun couldn't hold back any longer and retorted, "Are you going to starve to death if you don't eat?"

"That's true. There's an excellent noodle shop in the east of the city. Let's go try it."

"Walk"

Yu Xin turned around to get the clothes hanging by the door. Discussing food and drink was one of the few interesting things the two of them did during the day.

As Yu Xin put on her clothes and opened the door, there was a soft click.
An old-fashioned letter fell down and landed right on the threshold.

Yu Xin looked down, and Cheng Jun, who was standing next to her, also leaned closer:
"What's wrong? Let's go."

Soon, he also saw the letter.

The difference was that Cheng Jun quickly squatted down, grabbed the letter in his hand, and slammed the door shut!

Fifteen minutes later, the two sat blankly by the round table in the room, with letters laid out in front of them.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment; you could hear a pin drop in the room.

Gradually, both of them showed undisguised shock in their eyes, and their hearts were filled with turmoil.

They suddenly had a misconception,
Am I still half asleep?
What did they just see?
But when my gaze shifted downwards and I saw the neatly arranged letters,

The horror of reality pulled them out of their daze.

Yu Xin murmured, "Do you think what's written in this letter is true?"

"I am a martial artist, not a god. How would I know?" Cheng Jun murmured in reply.

"So do you think it's true?" Yu Xin asked again.

Cheng Jun's eyes widened slightly, and after hesitating for a long time, he nodded gently:
"it is true."

"why?"

Yu Xin felt that he was having some difficulty breathing.
It's one thing for a high-ranking official to leave his territory without authorization.

Now they're even leading troops into enemy territory without authorization—this is utterly lawless!
Cheng Jun seemed lost in memories, murmuring:
"The Governor's Office once told us mid-level officers about some war cases at the Martial Academy. The most recent one was Lord Lu's surprise attack on the Jurchens."

The veteran of the Governor's Office said that Lord Lu's greatest skill was creating noise before achieving his true purpose, making it unclear to everyone what his goal was.

When Lord Lu left the Beiping Military Command, no one knew...

At the time, rumors were flying that he would stop at nothing for money and use the army to smuggle goods.

But as you saw in the end,
The army silently marched to the Jurchens, and before anyone could react, the battle was over.

This time, Lord Lu's sudden arrival in Liaodong, creating such a large-scale road construction operation,
To me now, it looks like a feint attack.
Of course, I only realized it belatedly after reading this letter; I hadn't thought of it before.

"call"

Yu Xin breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked:

"You mean the road construction is just a cover? The real purpose is to enter Korea?"

"I didn't say that, I just thought it was possible." Cheng Jun quickly denied it, but then he added:

"However, thinking about it now..."
If road construction is really that important, why suddenly leave Liaoyang City to go see some iron mine?
At the time, everyone said that Lord Lu had escaped.

How is this any different from the rumors and gossip of the time?
Back then, people were criticizing Lord Lu for being shameless in his pursuit of money; now, they're saying he's desperately trying to escape the conflict.

Yu Xin suddenly felt her lips were dry and her throat was tight.

He suddenly realized that if the letter were real,
So it doesn't seem like a big problem that they didn't finish building the road.

Compared to the unauthorized deployment of troops into Goryeo, 100,000 taels of silver was a small matter.

"Who delivered this letter? And how did he know that Lord Lu was in Goryeo?" Yu Xin asked.

Cheng Jun shook his head:

"How would I know? But I think we should pretend we don't see it and ignore it."

"why?"

"This is a huge problem. Even the slightest disturbance could destroy us."

Yu Xin, however, was not as optimistic as him and gently shook her head:
If we pretend we don't know about this, things will get even worse.
If the imperial court investigates and we claim ignorance, wouldn't we be doomed?

Cheng Jun didn't understand the key point for a moment and looked puzzled.

Yu Xin explained:
"Although we are silver transport officials, we also have to perform some duties as imperial envoys."
The road construction should be closely monitored, and all situations in Liaodong should be reported to the imperial court.

Now the person in charge of the road construction has mysteriously disappeared and gone to Korea.
If we say we don't know, will the imperial court believe us?
Even if it's a letter from the imperial court, the charge of oversight will still be upheld.

Cheng Jun understood at this moment, and his expression became extremely serious:
"Then what do we do?"

"Inform the court about this! No! Inform the military command, let them inform the court!" Yu Xin's voice was firm!
(End of this chapter)