In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 924 Returning to Liaoyang City

Time passed, and by late March,

The chill in the air dissipated almost entirely, and the drifting snow had nearly vanished.
Sunlight peeked out from behind the thick clouds, casting warmth upon the earth.

On the official road north of Liaoyang City,
As the snow melts, the meltwater mixes with the mud, making the roads extremely muddy.

A carriage traveling on it would leave a deep rut.

Even if a person steps on it, it will leave a deep footprint.

"This lousy road is really hard to walk on!"

Some merchants muttered under their breath, glancing disapprovingly at the soldiers and officials slacking off at the city gate.
They were carrying brooms and shovels.
But they stood there chatting and laughing, without moving an inch.

Clearly, these people were sent by the government to clear the snow, but they did not fulfill their duties at all.

The merchant sighed and looked back at the towering and majestic city of Liaoyang.
He silently thought to himself, "At least I can walk now."

During this period, the atmosphere in Liaoyang City was almost frozen.

Everyone felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on their chest, making it difficult to even breathe.

The root of all this lies in the fact that the two commanders, who initially maintained a tacit understanding and peaceful coexistence, gradually evolved into mutually deploying troops to intimidate each other.

There were even rumors circulating that the two officials' residences and the road to the yamen...
They were all guarded by soldiers, for fear that someone might secretly plot against them!

This kind of fighting had a huge impact, and many merchants, seeing that the weather was improving, decided to leave.

Choose to leave immediately and get away from this place of trouble.

So at this moment, whether in the north or south of the city, long lines of people were slowly making their way out of the city.

"Boom boom boom——"

In the north of the city, the merchants who had been queuing up suddenly looked up and gazed at the official road to the north.

A dull thud was heard, and panic flashed in their eyes.

The sound was all too familiar; it was the sound of warhorses galloping through the city at night.

It was just more somber now, and the number of people had increased several times over!
Many people were ready to run back, secretly vowing...

If things go wrong, the cargo wagons can be abandoned; we must rush back to the city immediately!

The soldiers, who had been listless, heard the sound.
Feeling the earth tremble, he tensed up instantly, gripped his long knife tightly, and frantically pulled the barricades and stockades into the middle of the road before looking into the distance.

At the end of the official road, after making a sharp bend...

A dozen or so tall horses emerged from the shadows.

The knights wore black armor and red helmets.
He gripped the horse's reins tightly in one hand and held a long knife in the other.

Although there were only a dozen or so riders, a chilling aura of battlefield discipline suddenly burst forth!
Immediately afterward, a dozen or so warhorses passed by, and then the main force appeared!
It started as a black dot, but in an instant it transformed into a giant black dragon.
It occupies the end of the official road and continues to extend forward.

The soldiers in the ranks were all dressed in black armor and red helmets.

The brutal atmosphere of war reached its peak at this moment.
The horses' hooves pounded the ground incessantly, the dull thuds echoing throughout the air.

The soldiers, officials, merchants, and common people throughout the northern part of the city stood frozen in place, staring blankly as they sped past.

As the procession drew nearer, many people came to their senses, their pupils suddenly contracting, their faces filled with shock.

Different!
The soldiers before me were completely different from those I had recently seen in the city.
Not only were they tall, but their warhorses were also much stronger.

More importantly, they exuded an aura that made them seem like battle-hardened elites who had just come off the battlefield!

"Stop! Stop!!"

"You... what department are you from?"

At this moment, the city gate guard finally realized what was happening.
His hands trembled slightly as he charged between the barricades and the deer stronghold, brandishing a yellow flag.

The first dozen or so riders charged without slowing down at all, maintaining their momentum.

The commander could see their sharp eyes and resolute gaze, and his expression changed drastically.
Oh no, they're about to storm the city!

He turned to run, but his legs felt like they were nailed to the ground, and he couldn't move them at all.

Just as he was secretly cursing himself for his weakness, the speed of the dozen or so riders finally slowed down slightly.

The mud splattered by the horses' hooves seemed about to land on the general's face.

Finally, at a distance of one zhang from Luzhai,
A dozen or so warhorses reared up, their front hooves raised high before landing heavily on the ground.

A deep, rhythmic "thump!" was heard.

“I am Zeng Wenjie, the bodyguard of the Northern Expeditionary Commander. This is our travel document.”

The soldier's voice was loud and clear.

"Please inform the Commander that Lord Lu has returned!"

The city gate guard stared blankly at the document handed to him, then instantly realized what was happening.
Lord Lu!
Lord Lu, who left the city a few days ago, has returned!

He quickly stepped forward and took the document:
"Please wait a moment, we will go and inform them immediately!"

Half an hour later,
Lu Yunyi led a group of soldiers to the northern camp of the city.

The northern camp is now quite crowded, with most of it occupied by the garrison troops.

As soon as he entered the military camp, Lu Yunyi noticed the oppressive atmosphere and his brows furrowed slightly.

He looked at Gong Xianzhi beside him and instructed him:
"Send someone to find out why so many garrison troops are crowding into the city."

"Yes!"

Gong Xianzhi nodded and immediately arranged for two of his personal guards to investigate.

After settling the soldiers in, Lu Yunyi returned to the central command tent.

Before they even got close, they saw Pan Jing, Liu Hongzhong, and others waiting at the tent entrance.

"Haha, Lord Lu, how come you're back so quickly? The Yingchengzi Iron Mine still needs your guidance."

Pan Jing greeted him with a loud laugh, though his eyes were sunken and bloodshot, and his hair was a mess.
Seeing that Lu Yunyi had returned safely, he finally looked somewhat relieved.

Lu Yunyi stepped forward with a smile and cupped his hands in greeting:

"Lord Pan, the Yingchengzi Iron Mine truly lives up to its reputation as a top-tier mining area in Liaodong."
Those iron ores were all of high purity; with a little refining, they could be turned into iron.

The local craftsmen are also quite skilled, proficient in forging knives and guns; this trip has truly broadened my horizons!

"Haha, please come in!"

Pan Jing gestured for him to proceed.
"In the future, Liaodong should cooperate more with Daming. If Daming wants to purchase military equipment, they should not hesitate to ask."
The price is fair; I doubt the imperial court will object.

Lu Yunyi didn't stand on ceremony and walked into the military tent with a smile.

After he entered, Pan Jing looked at the group of generals waiting outside the tent:
"Alright, you all go ahead with your official duties. I'd like to have a short chat with Lord Lu."

After the generals left, Pan Jing hurriedly entered the military tent.

There were no outsiders inside the tent at this moment.

Gong Xianzhi was making tea, while several guards were laying out bedding and organizing documents.

Pan Jing stepped forward quickly and asked urgently:

"Lord Lu, you've really worried me! Is everything going smoothly?"

Lu Yunyi sat at the head of the table and pointed to the chair beside him:

"Please sit down. Now that I've been able to return, things must have gone very smoothly."

"Yi Seong-gye didn't surround and attack you?"

Lu Yunyi shook his head and smiled:

"Someone tipped off Yi Seong-gye, revealing my identity."

But that letter, Yi Seong-gye immediately sent to my military tent.

Under such circumstances, why would he surround and attack me?

"what?"

Pan Jing was both shocked and furious.
"It must be that old bastard Zhou E! He's actually betraying his own people and colluding with foreign powers!"

Lu Yunyi raised his hand and pressed it down:

"Lord Pan, there's no need to worry about such a trivial matter. As long as things go smoothly, that's all that matters. Has anything unusual happened in the city recently?"

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly turned cold.

Pan Jing sighed and shook his head:

"It's still the same old story: open and covert struggles between the two sides, and chaotic governance."
If it weren't for the extensive and time-consuming preparations for road construction,
"I'm afraid even road construction will have to stop now; we won't even be able to salvage the last shred of our dignity."

He paused, then added, "Oh, right, there's something else I need to tell you."

"what's up?"

"The imperial court has sent a Vice Censor-in-Chief, who should be arriving soon."

"Who is this?" "Zhang Gou, this is a document."

Pan Jing took out several documents from his pocket, picked out one and handed it over.

Lu Yunyi took the document, his brows furrowing slightly.

Zhang Gou was the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and was known for his extensive learning and talent.
He was once ordered to serve as an advisor and participate in remonstrating with the court, and he had a good reputation in the court, despite his young age.

He had met Zhang Gou once or twice and remembered him as a rigid person.

Seeing Lu Yunyi's thoughtful expression, Pan Jing felt somewhat uneasy:
"Lord Lu, is it because the matter of the road construction funds has angered the imperial court that they have sent people to investigate?"

"Does the imperial court know that the money has been misappropriated?" Lu Yunyi asked rhetorically.

Pan Jing gave a wry smile and scratched his head:
"Although no one from the Commandery reported it, there are so many government offices in Liaodong, there must be some that are close to the court, so they must know about it."

"Don't worry."

Lu Yunyi's tone was certain.
"A mere Vice Censor-in-Chief can't cause much trouble."
If a real investigation is to be conducted, it should at least be done by Lord Zhan or Lord Yuan.

In my opinion, the Censorate sending someone is merely a gesture of goodwill.

As long as the road construction can proceed smoothly, there will be no problem.

Pan Jing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He actually thought so too; a fourth-rank official like the Vice Censor-in-Chief coming to Liaodong...

The deterrent effect far outweighs the practical effect; even if trouble were to break out, it wouldn't be up to the other side to take the lead.

He rubbed his hands together, then changed the subject:
"Lord Lu, have you received the money?"

The two exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"It's in hand. A total of 600,000 taels. According to the rules, Liaodong should receive 200,000 taels. It should be delivered in a few days."

"hiss--"

Pan Jing gasped, his eyes blazing with anticipation, and his voice trembled with excitement.
"Six hundred thousand? How could it be so much?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was strange as he recounted Madam Jin's scheme to profit from both sides.

Pan Jing chuckled to himself upon hearing this:

"Good! Good, good! Having people like this around is actually a good thing for us. In the end, we're the ones who benefit!"

As he spoke, he leaned back comfortably in his chair, patted his stomach, and murmured:

"The Military Commandery doesn't have much external debt right now."
"The road can be built as soon as the money arrives. Let's see who dares to obstruct us then!"

Lu Yunyi smiled, took the teacup from Gong Xianzhi, took a small sip, and asked:

"Have any documents regarding silver been sent recently?"

"No."

Pan Jing suddenly remembered something.
"However, there was a slight mishap at the beginning. Xu Cheng felt that he was too conspicuous and did not send anyone to protect the caravan, except for the one from the Taxue Trading Company."

Upon arriving in Phoenix City, they were detained by the Wen family, and Xu Cheng then personally escorted them with his troops.

Judging by the time, they should have already left Liaodong.

"The Wen family?"

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes.

Why are they deducting money?

"What else could it be but following orders?"

Pan Jing snorted, his eyes turning cold:

“Recently, the Wen family has been getting very close to Zhou E, and it seems they are going to collude with each other. It is only reasonable for them to take action to stop them.”

Lu Yunyi shook his head:
"Liaodong is too complicated; these powerful families wield too much influence."

Any slight movement could ruin our plans; we'll have to deal with them sooner or later!

"Ok!"

Pan Jing nodded repeatedly, a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.
"If they behaved themselves, I might be able to turn a blind eye."

Now that we've aided and abetted the wicked, we don't need to be polite to them anymore!
"They have so much money hidden away at home, yet they refuse to give it to the Commander. It's outrageous!"

"By the way, Lord Lu, how is the Goryeo army? I heard you fought against Yi Seong-gye?"

Lu Yunyi relaxed and chuckled softly:
"I didn't fight directly with Yi Seong-gye, I only fought with a few of his trusted generals."

Overall, the Goryeo army was highly capable and could be considered an elite force.

It's more than enough to deal with the Jurchens and their domestic forces.

"so smart?"

Pan Jing was startled. Liaodong had suffered losses at the hands of the Jurchens before. Although there were factors of collusion between internal and external forces, it was ultimately a defeat on the battlefield.

"Yi Seong-gye was indeed a fierce general of Goryeo, and at least his military system had merits."

Lu Yunyi said slowly,

"Moreover, he recently implemented land reforms in Korea."

They confiscated the land from some large households and distributed it to the soldiers first.

This greatly increased his prestige, and many soldiers fought with extraordinary ferocity. Our unit only won because of the overwhelming superiority of our weaponry.

Hearing Lu Yunyi say this, Pan Jing nodded repeatedly:
"Such loyalty from the army isn't a good thing."
If Yi Seong-gye can't control them, these people might start plotting against us.

As a border town general who rose through the ranks from the ranks of common soldiers, he understood the thoughts and feelings of his troops best.
I'm just a worthless person anyway. As long as I can make a contribution, I don't care who the enemy is or whether I can survive.

Living is a bonus, dying is acceptable.

A long silence fell inside the tent. After pondering for a long time, Pan Jing asked curiously:

"Lord Lu, I heard that there are 10,000 soldiers entering the country this time. Where did these people come from?"

"It's the Three Guards of Duoyan."

Lu Yunyi laughed and said, "They took the grassland route and bypassed the Jurchens, then met up with me outside Zhennan Pass."

"Grassland people?"

An absurdity flashed in Pan Jing's eyes.

"When did the grassland people become so powerful? They can travel thousands of miles to raid other places and even dare to cross borders to fight?"

In his memory, ever since the Northern Yuan royal court collapsed,
The grassland tribes were weak and their military discipline was lax.

In cross-border operations, military discipline and battle formation are of utmost importance; the slightest mistake can lead to defeat.

"At the beginning of the year, the commander gave them new armor and swords."

Moreover, the three guards of Duoyan also need to repair roads and are short of money.

"If we fight at this time, they will definitely fight desperately, which is why I transferred them here."

"Oh, Lord Lu, I am truly impressed."

Pan Jing nodded repeatedly, his face showing admiration. To be able to maneuver so silently was truly the mark of a formidable general of our time.

"Where are they? Did they go back to the Three Guards of Doyan?"

"not yet."

Lu Yunyi said, "There are still several large tribes of the Jurchens that haven't been wiped out, plus some spoils we've already seized, so they'll be moving a bit slower."

I brought my men back ahead of time; otherwise, being away for too long would arouse suspicion.

Pan Jing nodded: "Some people are already having doubts."

"It's alright, any excuse will do."
"Let whoever wants trouble do it; I don't have time to argue with them."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand dismissively, seemingly unconcerned about the potential attacks.

This made Pan Jing secretly envious; a deep foundation gave one confidence, allowing them to remain calm and composed even in such a significant situation.

When will I be able to have this kind of composure?

Just then, the guard on duty at the tent entrance poked his head in:
"My lords, a letter has arrived from the government office. The officials from the capital have arrived."

"arrive?"

Pan Jing suddenly sat up straight, his voice rising, his eyes filled with shock:
"Why so fast?"

Lu Yunyi smiled and stood up:

"Let's go, since they're here, we should go and greet them."
Moreover, I was, in a sense, his superior.

Pan Jing was taken aback, then his expression became extremely strange.
He then remembered that the man in front of him held the official title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.
"Let's go, let's go!"

(End of this chapter)