In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 919 I can't tell the difference, I really can't tell the difference!

It started snowing again in Liaoyang.

Snowflakes fell on the bluestone slabs of the Dusi government office, accumulating into a thin layer.

Clutching the letter, Yu Xin staggered towards Pan Jing's office.

The hem of his cotton robe was covered in snow and frozen stiff, but he paid no attention to it.

Pan Jing's office was even more deserted than usual, with only two guards on duty at the entrance.

Seeing Yu Xin approach, the guards slightly stepped aside to let him pass.

Yu Xin lifted the curtain.

A warm, charcoal-scented warmth wafted out, but it did not dispel the chill from his body.

Pan Jingzheng sat at the table, holding a document on iron ore, his brows furrowed, the tea on the corner of the table long since cold.

Yu Xin strode forward, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

"Lord Pan, something terrible has happened!"

Pan Jing looked up and saw that the man was pale and still clutching a piece of paper in his hand, so he put down the document.

"What's the matter, Lord Yu, that you're in such a panic?"

Yu Xin handed over the anonymous letter, his fingers trembling: "Look at this! Someone slipped a letter under my door."

As he spoke, he leaned closer and tried his best to lower his voice:

"The report says that Lord Lu disguised himself as a Jurchen and went to Goryeo!"

Pan Jing's pupils suddenly contracted; he immediately took the letter, unfolded it, and read it.
The handwriting on the letter was messy, but every sentence was clear.

The more he looked at it, the tighter his fingers gripped, until the letter became crumpled.

"how come."

Pan Jing's voice was somewhat hoarse.

It wasn't that I was shocked that Lu Yunyi went to Korea, but that the news had been leaked.

He had long suspected that Lu Yunyi had gone to Goryeo incognito to retrieve 500,000 taels of silver.

That was the life-saving money for road construction.

But this was done in a very secretive way.
He himself wasn't sure, and very few people in the capital knew.

How could someone have written a letter and delivered it to Yu Xin?

"Lord Pan!" Yu Xin said in a deep voice:

"This is no small matter!"
Lord Lu is a general in the Northern Pacification Commandery.

He left the country without permission and even disguised himself as a Jurchen to enter Goryeo.
This is unauthorized departure from the flood control post and unauthorized armed conflict; to put it more seriously, it is deceiving the emperor!

Yu Xin's chest heaved violently, and the hem of his cotton robe swept across the corner of the table, knocking over the cup of tea that had long since gone cold.

The tea spilled on the bluestone slab quickly froze into a thin layer of ice.

He, however, was completely oblivious, his eyes fixed only on Pan Jing:

"Lord Pan, I am here by imperial decree to oversee the road construction."
Now the key figure in road construction has gone to fight in Goryeo, and I haven't received a single word about it!
If the imperial court investigates, it's uncertain whether I can even keep my head! Lord Pan, are you still able to sit still?"

Seeing his excited expression, Pan Jing slowly put down the letter in his hand.

He got up and walked to the charcoal brazier, picked up the tongs and poked at the firewood inside.

A spark crackled and rose, casting flickering light on the wrinkles of his face, yet his tone remained calm:
"Lord Yu, please don't get agitated. The words in the letter shouldn't be taken seriously."

"Don't take it seriously?" Yu Xin was stunned for a moment, then became even angrier:
"It's written down clearly, even specifying which battles were fought! How can it not be taken seriously?"

"The situation in Goryeo is very chaotic. Yi Seong-gye is fighting fiercely with the royal family, and the Jurchens often cause trouble. There are already many rumors."

Pan Jing picked up the tongs, removed a piece of half-red-hot charcoal, and moved it aside, his voice still steady:

"A few days ago, a caravan said that Yi Seong-gye was going to rebel."

Yesterday, rumors circulated again that the royal family was planning to move the capital.
Today, it has become my Ming generals pretending to be Jurchens.

If everyone believed these words, the commander wouldn't need to do anything else.

He turned around, took a document from the desk, and handed it to Yu Xin:

"Lord Yu, please take a look. This is a report sent by the 30,000 guards three days ago."

It is clearly stated above that Lord Lu is inspecting refined iron at the Yingchengzi Iron Mine.
He even offered three suggestions regarding the iron ore smelting method. Could it be that Lord Lu is a spirit, capable of being in two places at once?

Yu Xin took the document and unfolded it to take a look.

The handwriting was neat and tidy, and it was stamped with the vermilion seal of the Sanwanwei, with the date of the signature being three days ago.

It does indeed describe Lu Yunyi's whereabouts at the iron mine in detail.

Yu Xin's hand trembled slightly, and a look of doubt flashed in his eyes:

"The letter says that Lord Xu is in Zhenjiang Fort, and is said to be waiting for someone."

"Xu Cheng went to Zhenjiang Fort to inspect the border and, incidentally, to supervise the entry of Goryeo merchants. It has nothing to do with General Lu."

Pan Jing interrupted him, his tone now carrying an undeniable authority:
"Lord Yu, you are an official in the capital and do not understand matters concerning the frontier."

The whereabouts of generals need to be kept secret.
Especially when it comes to important matters such as arms and iron ore.

If we publicize this everywhere, wouldn't we be giving those with ulterior motives an opportunity to exploit us?

He walked over to Yu Xin and patted him on the shoulder:

"Don't worry, General Lu is a border general trusted by His Majesty and would never do anything without orders or authority."

This letter is most likely fabricated by the Korean rebels to sow discord between us.

Yu Xin naturally didn't believe this. He was already certain that the Jurchens causing trouble in Goryeo were Ming troops.

But he still showed a hint of unease, frowning as he said:

"Then what should we do with this letter? If it gets out, it might cause trouble."

Pan Jing took the letter, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the charcoal brazier.

The flames instantly engulfed the letter, and the black ash rose with the heat, quickly vanishing into nothingness.

"Lord Yu only needs to wait patiently for the road construction to begin."
As for other matters, with me and my colleagues in the military command keeping an eye on things, nothing will go wrong.

The snow was still falling outside the window, but the wind seemed to have subsided a bit.

Yu Xin watched as the letter in the charcoal brazier gradually burned out.

Although the unease in my heart had not completely dissipated, the excitement I had felt earlier was gone as well.

He has done what he was supposed to do; what happens next is no longer up to him.

Yu Xin bowed deeply.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Lord Pan. If you have any news about General Lu, please let me know as soon as possible."

"nature."

Pan Jing smiled, turned around, and sat back down at the table.

He picked up the iron ore report and seemed to get busy again.

Yu Xin cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and left the yamen.

As soon as he lifted the curtain, a gust of cold wind rushed in, making him shiver.

He glanced back at the tightly closed yamen door, and a strange feeling suddenly flashed through his mind:
"Lord Pan acted far too calmly, as if he already knew Lord Lu was in Goryeo."

Inside the yamen, Pan Jing watched Yu Xin's figure disappear into the snow.
The smile on his face gradually faded, and his eyes became deep.

He picked up the report of 30,000 guards; the report was genuine.

However, Lu Yunyi's whereabouts at the iron mine were fabricated.

Before today, he didn't know where Lu Yunyi had gone.

Pan Jing stood up and walked to the charcoal brazier.
Looking at the flickering flames inside, he sighed softly.

Lu Yunyi, oh Lu Yunyi, I hope you have a smooth journey in Korea.

If the silver cannot be recovered, the situation in Liaodong will truly become unsustainable.

Over the next three days, the Liaodong Military Command appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath.

Pan Jing's men traveled day and night to Zhenjiang Fort.
Upon receiving the order, Xu Cheng immediately deployed three hundred personal guards to guard the pass.

Even the men Sun Dechang sent to keep watch were stopped on the outskirts.

Zhou E indeed sent people to Zhenjiang Fort to investigate, but Xu Cheng turned them away on the grounds of border patrol, and they didn't even get close to the pass.

Meanwhile, Li Chenggui, who was far away in Dingzhou City, also received an anonymous letter.

Inside the main military tent in Dingzhou City, the charcoal fire burned brightly, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive atmosphere within.

Lee Seong-gye sat at the table, his face gloomy.

Although Dingzhou City had been recovered, he was not happy.

At that moment, he held the unsigned letter in his hand, his face expressionless.

Li Zhilan stood aside, watching his expression, and felt uneasy.

The scouts found the letter in the snow outside the city this morning.

The envelope was unmarked, but its contents were shocking.

"The Jurchen who entered the territory was actually Lu Yunyi, a Ming general in disguise."

"Prime Minister Li, who delivered this letter?" Li Zhilan couldn't help but ask.

“Who else could it be?” Yi Seong-gye turned around, his eyes deep: “Either someone from the Liaodong Military Command or someone from the Ming Dynasty.”

They didn't want Lu Yunyi to have an easy time, but they also didn't want to completely sever ties, so they leaked the information to disrupt the situation.

Li Zhilan frowned:
"Should we expose this and let them fight like dogs?"

"Speak it out?" Yi Seong-gye retorted.

"The imperial court doesn't even have the strength to deal with us now, so how can it turn against the Ming people?"

Lu Yunyi is still in Yizhou. If we push him too far and another battle breaks out, can our remaining troops hold him off?

"Are we just going to let it go like this?" Li Zhilan was somewhat unwilling:
"Brothers of the Northeast and North Roads, your deaths must not have been in vain!"

Yi Seong-gye sneered: "In chaotic times, how can a soldier not die?"
Lu Yunyi didn't go all out; he left Dingzhou and Shun'an without burning or looting, which was already showing us some mercy.

He walked to the table and picked up the pen and ink.

He wrote a few words on a piece of paper, folded it, and handed it to Li Zhilan:
"Deliver this letter to Lu Yunyi."

"Give it to him?" Li Zhilan was stunned:

"Are you going to tell him that someone wants to harm him?"

"Yes." Yi Seong-gye nodded.

“We found out, but we didn’t expose it or send troops to stop him. This is to do him a favor.”

Lu Yunyi was a smart man and knew how to repay this favor.
Moreover, I also want to see how he faces the knife in his back.

Li Zhilan took the letter, but still felt somewhat hesitant:
"What if he thinks we're threatening him and attacks us instead?"

"He won't." Yi Seong-gye was very certain:
"We're sending this letter simply to let him know that we're not fools and don't want to be his enemy."

"Yes, my subordinate will do it now."

That afternoon, a man dressed as a Goryeo scout rode a fast horse toward Uiju.

At this moment, Lu Yunyi was leading his army to slowly withdraw from Yizhou City.

The silver has been sent to Zhenjiang Fort in three batches.
After he finished packing up the last batch of supplies,
They planned to return to Jurchen territory along the border and then go back to Liaodong from there.

On the official road outside Yizhou City, Ming soldiers stood in neat rows.
The horses' hooves clattered on the snow, creating a light and cheerful atmosphere.

Lu Yunyi rode on his horse, his black armor covered in snow, yet he remained upright and imposing.

His gaze swept across the ranks, and after these battles, the soldiers of the Duoyan Guard had even brighter eyes.

Although the armor was somewhat worn, it exuded a strong sense of spirit.

As he was thinking, he heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats in the distance.

"General, a Goryeo man wants to see you. He says he's a messenger sent by Yi Seong-gye!" A guard rode up to report.

Lu Yunyi was taken aback: "Another letter?"

Soon, the Goryeo scout was brought before Lu Yunyi.

He dismounted, holding a series of neatly sealed letters in his hands, and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, General Lu. This is a letter my master asked me to deliver to you."

Lu Yunyi took the letter but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he examined the scout.
"Does your Prime Minister Li have any other messages to convey?"

"Li Xiang said that he had remembered what happened in Dingzhou City."

The scout lowered his head, his voice sounding somewhat nervous.

Lu Yunyi raised an eyebrow, didn't ask any more questions, and ordered his guards to take the scout away to rest.

He opened the letter; inside were two pieces of paper.

One was written by Yi Seong-gye, and the other was the anonymous letter.

Upon seeing the anonymous letter, Lu Yunyi's expression immediately turned serious, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Has their whereabouts been leaked?
What went wrong?
Tuoluhuchar then approached and, seeing his solemn expression, tentatively asked:

"Sir, is there an accident?"

"Um"

Lu Yunyi handed over the letter, his gaze sweeping across the ranks, and quickly spotted Wang Xingbang, calling out:

"Xingbang, come here for a moment."

After reading the letter, Tuoluhucha'er's expression suddenly turned serious, and a murderous aura emanated from his body:
"What does Yi Seong-gye mean? Is he threatening us?"

Lu Yunyi glanced at him and gently shook his head:

"There's no need for such a fuss. Yi Seong-gye is a smart man. If I'm not mistaken, this letter must have come from the rear."

Wang Xingbang rushed over: "General!"

"Send a trusted confidant to Zhenjiang Fort and inform Lord Xu that the news may have leaked, and instruct him to thoroughly investigate the garrison at Zhenjiang Fort."

In addition, he was told to make proper arrangements for the caravan.

If things don't go well, the caravan can be allowed to re-enter Goryeo.

Wang Xingbang's eyes widened, revealing a fierce glint, but he did not hesitate:

"Yes, General! I'll get on it right away, and the message will be delivered tonight."

"Go."

Wang Xingbang left in a hurry, and Tuoluhuchaer also realized what was happening.
It wasn't Yi Seong-gye who threatened us, but rather someone stabbed us in the back from behind.

This made him even angrier:

"General, why don't we split our forces into two groups and enter the country directly from Zhenjiang Fort?"

We have too much money; we can't afford to lose it!

Tuoluhuchaer's eyes turned red. Inside were not only the Goryeo royal family's money, but also the spoils of the Doyan Guard, enough for his people to live comfortably for several years.

If someone takes it, he'll probably go crazy!

Lu Yunyi fell into deep thought, and after a long while, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes:
"Proceed according to the original plan; the money and the people will go separately."
Now that the item has been handed over to Xu Cheng, we should trust our teammates.

"General!"

At this moment, Azashiri, who had been listening quietly from a short distance away, could no longer sit still.

He was old and didn't have much desire for money.
But this money was too much, enough for the clansmen to live a good life, so he couldn't remain silent:
"General, how about we have Tuoluhuchaer lead some men to sneak in from the border?"

The silver will still be escorted by Xu Cheng, but after leaving Zhenjiang Fort, they will be responsible for receiving it.
This way, even if something goes wrong, it can still provide some protection.

Tuoluhuchaer's eyes lit up. The border between Goryeo and Liaodong was long, and it was extremely difficult for ordinary people to cross it.

But they are elites, so it's not a difficult task for them.

Lu Yunyi remained silent, deep in thought.

Many eyes turned towards them, full of anticipation.

But clearly, this little commotion wasn't enough to change his mind.

Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:

"All military and political affairs must be prioritized. Compared to money, concealing one's identity is more important."

"Now that the silver has entered Liaodong, it can't be lost. Proceed according to plan."

"If there is any discrepancy in the money, I can guarantee that whatever amount others took will be returned, not a single penny less."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding generals sighed softly.

They should have known better; the general before them was not one to easily change his mind.

"Alright, according to plan, head north quickly, leave Goryeo, and take the money from the Jurchen territory."

"Yes!"

At Zhenjiang Fort, Xu Cheng was standing at the pass.
Watching the first caravan from the Snowwalking Merchant Guild slowly enter the pass.

The tarpaulin covering the carriage was completely sealed off, and the wheels left deep tracks in the snow.

His bodyguards behind him looked serious, their hands on their sword hilts, watching their surroundings warily.

The commander's order has been delivered: no one is to be allowed to approach the caravan.

"Sir, the caravan has safely entered the pass!" a guard reported.

Xu Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded:
"Take them to the granary and guard them with heavy troops. When the other two caravans arrive, send them back together."

"Yes!"

The snow was still falling, settling on the walls of Zhenjiang Fort.

It landed on the armor of the Ming army, and also on the snowy plains of Goryeo.

As Xu Cheng watched the caravan disappear into the distance, he finally felt a little more at ease.

When he returned to his office and prepared to rest for a moment, his personal guards rushed in, their faces serious.

"My lord, a letter has arrived from Commander Pan, delivered by urgent courier!"

"Ok?"

Xu Cheng frowned, immediately sat up straight, took the letter, opened it, and his expression changed drastically.

“Zhenjiang Fort has eyes watching, and Goryeo’s plot has been exposed.”

Beware of your surroundings; the silver carriage must not be lost. Protect it with all your might, even at the cost of your life!

(End of this chapter)