In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 922 Money Can Move Gods
The snow started falling again in the courtyard of the post station.

Shi Baifeng sat in the room, holding a cup of warm rice wine in his hand, his eyes as cold as ice.

He had just asked his guards to go outside the post station to buy some medicine for his injuries, but they were stopped by the yamen runners at the gate.

"Lord Wen has ordered that, for safety reasons, none of you from the business should go out for the time being."

This sounds like a polite remark, but it's actually a form of house arrest.

Shi Baifeng put down his wine cup.
I walked to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked outside.

Two yamen runners stood at the entrance of the courtyard.

He held a knife in his hand and stared warily into the courtyard.

There are two hidden sentries at the corner of the courtyard wall.

It was clearly Wen Xuesong who sent them to keep an eye on them.

"Master, what should we do now?"

A guard approached, his voice hushed.

"If this drags on any longer, and they attract the commander's men, we'll be in trouble."

Shi Baifeng didn't speak, but gently tapped his fingers on the windowsill.

He knew that forcing his way in now was definitely not an option.

Although there weren't many yamen runners outside the post station, the Phoenix City garrison was right outside the city.

If they are alerted, the caravan and the silver will be lost.

We must find a way to get the message out.
The quickest way is to contact Xu Cheng in Zhenjiangbao.

His gaze swept over the yamen runners at the gate and landed on the short, stout man on his left.

The man was about forty years old, with an oily sheen on his face.

When the food was being served, his eyes kept glancing at the silver wine pot on the table, clearly indicating that he was greedy.

Shi Baifeng had an idea.

He turned around and took out a heavy silver ingot from his bag, weighing a full fifty taels.

"Go and call in that short, fat constable at the door. Tell him I have something to give him."

Shi Baifeng gave instructions to the guards.

The guard hesitated for a moment, but still did as he was told and went to the door, where he said a few words to the constable.

A look of doubt flashed in the eyes of the short, stout bailiff, who quickly followed him in with a smile on his face.

"Manager Shi, is there something you need from me?"

Shi Baifeng didn't beat around the bush.
He placed fifty taels of silver directly on the table.

The silver ingots gleamed in the candlelight, dazzling the eyes of the bailiffs.

“Brother, I know you are acting under orders, but this mission is of great importance. If I miss the deadline, not only you, but even Lord Wen cannot bear the consequences.”

Shi Baifeng's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

The constable swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the silver, not looking away for a moment.

"Manager Shi, what are your orders?"
"I'm just a lowly clerk; I can't make that decision."

Shi Baifeng then took out another fifty-tael silver ingot and placed it next to the first ingot.

"I don't need you to make the decision. Just help me send a letter to Zhenjiang Fort and deliver it to Lord Xu Cheng, the Vice Commander of Liaodong."

This one hundred taels of silver is a reward for your hard work.

"After it's done, I'll give you another hundred taels."

"Two hundred taels!"

The bailiff's breathing quickened instantly.

He worked as a yamen runner.

His annual salary was only one and a half taels of silver.

He could never earn two hundred taels of silver in his entire life!

If he had that money, it would be enough for him to buy several acres of land in Liaoyang City and get a wife for his son.

just
A fierce internal struggle unfolded in the mind of the constable.

After much deliberation, his gaze remained fixed on the silver ingot.

He gritted his teeth and lowered his voice.

"Manager Shi, my younger brother is a groom who frequently travels to and from Zhenjiang Fort. I'll have him deliver it; he'll definitely be able to get it there!"

"how long it takes?"

"Three days!"

"Two days."

Shi Baifeng spoke calmly.

"Time is of the essence; we must depart today."

Otherwise, I'm finished, and you'll lose all your money too.

The greed in the constable's eyes turned into ruthlessness, and he gritted his teeth fiercely.

"Sir, give me another ten taels as payment for my brother!"

Shi Baifeng was taken aback, chuckled, and shook his head.

"You're really greedy. Here, I'll give you another ten taels."
If things are done well, there will be a reward afterwards.

As he spoke, Shi Baifeng picked up the hundred-tael silver ingot on the table and stuffed it into the ingot.

"This is the initial payment,"

"I'll give you the rest after the letter arrives, how about that?"

“Okay, okay, okay!!”

The bailiff nodded hurriedly.

Shi Baifeng took out paper and pen, wrote a letter requesting help, and handed it over.

"Deliver it as soon as possible, and you'll get a good reward."

The constable took the note and the silver, clutching them tightly to his chest as if they were precious treasures.

"Don't worry, Manager Shi! We'll leave tonight."
"Make sure the letter reaches Lord Xu!"

After saying that, he bowed and walked away briskly.

As he left, he gave his guards a meaningful look, assuring them that they could relax.

Shi Baifeng watched his retreating figure, breathed a slight sigh of relief, and turned to the guard.

"Call all the brothers over here and guard the carriage. No matter what happens outside, we can't let anyone get near the silver."

"Yes!"

The guards responded in unison, gripping the swords at their waists.

Meanwhile, Wen Xuesong was in the study of the county magistrate's mansion, holding a writing brush in his hand, but he hesitated to put pen to paper.

A sheet of letter paper lay open on the table, next to a manuscript written by Wen Mingyuan.

"The caravan was smuggling stolen silver from Goryeo through the Prince of Yan's residence. It has been seized and awaits your instructions, sir."

He looked at the contents of the letter, but still felt uneasy.

The seal of the Prince of Yan weighed heavily on his heart.

If we really anger the King of Yan,

Whether the Wen family can protect him is still a question.

Even if this matter did not involve the Prince of Yan,
It would be easy for the officials of the Northern Pacification Command to cause him trouble.

But when I think of Wen Mingyuan's suggestion of being transferred to Liaoyang,
He couldn't help but be tempted.

Although he was a member of the Wen family, the support he could obtain was very limited.

Before one truly gains entry into the inner circle, the family won't provide much substantial support.

"If I miss this opportunity, will I be stuck in Phoenix for the rest of my life?"

As Wen Xuesong pondered this, his gaze grew increasingly profound.
At this moment, a trusted confidant whispered a reminder.

"Sir, it's time to deliver the message, or we'll miss tonight's fast horse."

Wen Xuesong took a deep breath, no longer hesitated, picked up his brush, and copied the letter.

His hands were trembling slightly, and his handwriting was much messier than usual.

After he finished writing, he sealed the opening with sealing wax and handed it to the servant.

"Deliver this letter personally to Lord Zhou. Do not stop along the way, and do not let anyone see it!"
If something goes wrong, you know the consequences.

"I understand, little one!"

The servant took the letter, tucked it into his pocket, and ran out quickly, disappearing into the wind and snow.

The snow fell softly and gently at the post station. Fine snowflakes landed on the green tiles, accumulating into a thin layer. The wind carried the snowflakes and pattered against the window paper, making a soft rustling sound, as if someone was pacing gently outside the window.

Shi Baifeng was sitting at the table wiping the short knife at his waist, the blade gleaming coldly.

It was a self-defense item he brought from Beiping, and holding it in his hand now gave him a sense of security.

"Manager Shi, are you busy?"

Wen Xuesong's voice came from the courtyard gate, with a deliberately softened smile.

Shi Baifeng looked up.
Wen Xuesong was seen wearing a black fox fur coat.
He was carrying a food box and followed by two constables as he slowly walked in.

The snow fell on his fox fur collar and melted quickly, leaving behind water stains that made him look rather disheveled.

Shi Baifeng put down the dagger, did not get up, but simply raised his chin slightly.

"What brings Lord Wen here?"

Wen Xuesong naturally picked up on the barb in her words.

His smile froze for a moment, then relaxed again. He walked to the table, placed the food box on it, and opened it.

Inside were two hot dishes: one of braised meat and one of stir-fried mushrooms, along with a pot of warmed rice wine, steaming hot and emitting white vapor.

Wen Xuesong personally poured Shi Baifeng a glass of wine.

"It's snowing again today, so I specially asked the kitchen to prepare some hot dishes and bring them over to warm you up."

Shi Baifeng didn't touch the glass of wine; his gaze fell on the yamen runners behind Wen Xuesong.

The two men stood at the door, their hands on their swords, but their eyes kept glancing toward the carriage in the courtyard, clearly eyeing the silver.

He sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. "Lord Wen is very kind, but we are merchants, and timeliness is paramount. Delaying the delivery date would result in substantial losses. When may we be able to leave?"

Wen Xuesong paused, his hand holding the wine glass still.

Avoiding Shi Baifeng's gaze, she looked out at the snow.

"Manager Shi, don't be in such a hurry."

It's not that I don't want you to leave, it's just that things haven't been peaceful lately.

"It's not peaceful?"

Shi Baifeng raised an eyebrow, his voice turning colder.

“We have the travel documents from the Commander-in-Chief, as well as documents from the Prince of Yan’s residence. There are guards at the post stations along the way. Where is it not safe?”

Wen Xuesong put down his wine glass, sighed, and spoke in a gentle tone, but with an added air of unquestionable authority.

"Manager Shi, a few days ago there was a mishap at Zhenjiang Fort, and several spies who were secretly communicating with Goryeo were arrested."

It is said that they have some connection with mountain bandits.
I was worried you might encounter some trouble on your journey, which is why I wanted you to stay a few more days.
"I'll send you on your way once I've confirmed it's safe along the way."

"Stay a few more days?"

Wen Xuesong lowered his voice.

"Five days. I will definitely give Manager Shi an explanation in five days, how about that?"

Shi Baifeng said in a deep voice.

"Five days? Lord Wen, although I am still young, I have learned some skills in reading people from my father."

I can tell that Lord Wen is in trouble.
But I don't care what your reason is for doing this.
All I know is that the silver must be delivered to Beiping as soon as possible!

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the constables at the door before settling back on Wen Xuesong, his eyes filled with arrogance.

"Lord Wen, you know what happened in Liaoyang City, right? The 100,000 taels of silver sent by the imperial court have disappeared."
If the road cannot be repaired, the imperial court will inevitably send someone to investigate.

Whether Liaoyang City will still be so peaceful by then remains to be seen.

This matter involves some important figures; others would rather avoid it than let Lord Wen get involved.

I don't know whether to say you're courageous or ignorant and fearless.

After saying this, Shi Baifeng's voice was long and ruthless.

"A petty thief in the marketplace might rob and plunder for a couple of coins, but 150,000 taels of silver would make even the six ministers envious."

"If this money were lost in Phoenix, could you handle it?"

Wen Xuesong swayed, his face growing increasingly pale.

He knew that Shi Baifeng was telling the truth.

Normally, the commander would do anything for a few thousand taels of silver.

The adults were arguing fiercely, let alone the 150,000 taels.

But Wen Mingyuan's words were still ringing in my ears.

They dared not disobey Zhou E's instructions.

He was caught in the middle, unable to move forward or backward.

Wen Xuesong took a deep breath and regained his gentle demeanor, though his voice sounded a bit tired.

"Manager Shi, please wait three more days. I will give you an answer in three days."

Shi Baifeng nodded.

"In that case, Lord Wen, please go back and think it over carefully."

Wen Xuesong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled again, but the smile was more painful than a cry.

"sure."

He dared not linger any longer, picked up the food box, and quickly left with the constables.

I watched his figure disappear through the courtyard gate.

Shi Baifeng put down the dagger, his eyes turning cold.

He gave the guard at the door a wink, and the guard immediately understood and quietly slipped out.

Three days later in the morning,

The snowstorm in Zhenjiangbao was fiercer than usual.

Xu Cheng had just finished inspecting the border defenses and returned to his office. Before he could even have a sip of hot tea, a soldier rushed in carrying a letter covered in snow.

"My lord! An urgent message has arrived from Phoenix City, delivered by the Snowwalking Merchant Guild!"

Xu Cheng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly took the letter.

The envelope was made of ordinary kraft paper, with no signature on it, only a small snowflake drawn on it.

That was the secret code he and Shi Baifeng had agreed upon.

It will only be used in emergency situations.

He opened the letter; the handwriting was messy, and there was only one sentence inside.

"The silver carriage has been seized at the Phoenix City post station, and Wen Xuesong has placed us under house arrest. We need your assistance immediately!"

"Snapped!"

Xu Cheng slammed the letter on the table, his face instantly darkening.

"What the hell is the Wen family up to?!"

"Li Da!"

Xu Cheng shouted sternly.

"exist!"

Li Da strode in and bowed to receive the order.

"Immediately gather a thousand soldiers, with sufficient rations and weapons, and have them assemble outside the fortress in half an hour. They will then follow me to Phoenix City!"

Xu Cheng's voice carried an undeniable ruthlessness.

"Tell the brothers that we are going to pick up important supplies. Anyone who dares to obstruct us will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!"

Li Da didn't dare to delay and turned to run outside.

Half an hour later, a thousand soldiers had already lined up in the open space outside Zhenjiang Fort.

The soldiers wore heavy cotton armor, held long spears, and had long swords and muskets hanging beside their saddles.

The horses' hooves clattered on the snow.

Xu Cheng rode on his horse, wearing a black cloak that fluttered in the wind.

"set off!"

At Xu Cheng's command, he cracked his whip and charged out first.

A thousand soldiers followed closely behind, like a black torrent, rushing towards Phoenix City!

In less than two days, Xu Cheng arrived at the outskirts of Phoenix City.

Looking into the distance, the city walls appeared solemn in the twilight, and the number of guards at the city gate was more than double the usual number.

Upon arriving at the city gate, Xu Cheng reined in his horse and saw a general in iron armor stride out. It was Zhao Chengye, the commander of the Dingliao Right Guard.

"Your humble servant Zhao Chengye greets Lord Xu. What brings you here?"

Zhao Chengye's tone was wary.

The guards behind him also silently tightened their grip on the long swords at their waists.

Xu Cheng dismounted and walked up to Zhao Chengye, his tone calm but carrying pressure.

“Zhao Chengye, I’ve come to pick up a caravan. They came from Korea and were carrying supplies from Beiping, but they were detained by your Phoenix City.”

"Caravan?"

Zhao Chengye was stunned for a moment, then realized that Wen Xuesong must have been targeting this team.

"Lord Xu, Magistrate Wen is acting on orders from above, to investigate smuggling."
"Isn't it inappropriate for you to bring troops here like this?"

He didn't dare mention Zhou E, fearing it would escalate the situation.

"inappropriate?"

Xu Cheng sneered, his sharp eyes fixed on Zhao Chengye.

"Lord Zhao, do you know what that caravan is carrying? And whose goods are they?"

Zhao Chengye frowned.

"What else could it be but some skins and medicinal herbs?"

"It belongs to the Prince of Yan's residence!"

Xu Cheng lowered his voice and spoke slowly, word by word.

"The caravan has documents and seals from the Prince of Yan's mansion. Wen Xuesong is not detaining smugglers, but people from the Prince of Yan's mansion!"
Moreover, this matter was handled personally by Lord Lu of Beiping.
"Do you think you, as the commander, can sit still if something happens to someone in your Dingliao Right Guard?"

Zhao Chengye was shocked, and his expression changed instantly.

He was not afraid of Wen Xuesong, nor was he afraid of Zhou E.
However, he dared not offend the Prince of Yan or Lord Lu.

Zhao Chengye suddenly realized what was going on, recalling the letter the military commander had sent a few days ago, which implied that he should keep a close watch on Phoenix City and provide more assistance to Magistrate Wen.

So this is where it is?
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Chengye asked softly.

"Lord Xu, is this true?"

"When have I, Xu Cheng, ever told a lie?"

Zhao Chengye's expression changed slightly. As the commander, he dreamed of advancing further and naturally knew how Xu Cheng had been promoted!
The person in front of me has a very close relationship with Lord Lu of Beiping.
Zhao Chengye fell into deep thought, and after a long while, he said in a deep voice.

"Lord Xu, I have no intention of getting involved in the power struggle within the military command, and I am not aware of what happened."

I will send someone to the post station to inform Wen Xuesong immediately.
"Make him release them."

Xu Cheng shook his head, his tone firm.

"No need to notify them, I'll go to the post station myself. I'm afraid Magistrate Wen might not understand human language and cause a major blunder."

As for you, don't worry.
"You gentlemen wouldn't go so far as to make things difficult for you."

Zhao Chengye breathed a sigh of relief and stepped aside.

Xu Cheng mounted his horse and shouted to the soldiers behind him.

"follow me!"

(End of this chapter)