In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 926 Jiliao Haidong Free Trade Zone

"Did you give it to me?"

Liu Yanchen's thoughts froze for a moment as he stared blankly at Lu Yunyi, only recovering after a long while.
He nodded and laughed, muttering to himself:
"Talented people emerge in every generation; I admire them greatly."

Lu Yunyi sat down beside him, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said:

"Most of those who serve as censors are rebellious."

If you tell them to go east, they'll go west; so first impressions are very important.

Since someone wants to sabotage my plans, I don't mind going along with it.

"What if this Imperial Envoy Zhang insists on investigating?"

Liu Yanchen was still somewhat worried, after all, this was an imperial envoy, a figure that high-ranking officials in various regions feared most.

Even a wealthy family like him was very wary of it.

Although they have deep roots

However, it's impossible to stop people from gossiping in the court; it will cause a lot of trouble later.

Lu Yunyi remained calm and took another sip of tea.

"If he wants to investigate, then let him investigate. The bigger the commotion gets, the harder it will be to handle."

Liu Yanchen was taken aback, but quickly realized the key point:
"Does the imperial court really attach such importance to road construction?"

Lu Yunyi nodded, then sighed with some emotion:
“Grandfather, the imperial court wants to build a road from Guanzhong to Yingtian, and there is a huge dispute about it.”

But the imperial court only has so much money.
If Liaodong is repaired, Guanzhong cannot be repaired, so this is very important.

Liu Yanchen's eyes flickered, and his heart tightened.
Knowing that this is a power struggle over moving the capital,
It is conceivable that many future events will be stirred up by the relocation of the capital.

"Yes, since the road to Liaodong is so important..."

Lord Zhang's primary task was to oversee the road construction.

If he inexplicably drags you into this mess, he won't be able to extricate himself from it.

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded. Zhang Gou had gone straight to inspect the construction site upon arriving in Liaoyang.

It was already clear what his main purpose was in coming here.

As long as the road can be completed smoothly, nothing else matters.

Seeing his confident demeanor, Liu Yanchen felt a little strange:
"Yunyi, the Commandery and the Imperial Court don't have much silver right now."
If the commander really wants to repair the road, we wealthy families can lend some money.

This time, we must work together to get things done; we can't let things fizzle out like before.

"Did Grandfather think the road construction project would succeed?"

"I have complete confidence in Yunyi's abilities; he will surely succeed."

"Then let's lend some silver to the commander; it'll be a good deed."

"We'll have more say in road usage in the future, and at least it'll sound more prestigious."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanchen nodded, his eyes hardening.
"Since Yun Yi has said so, then the Liu family will have to go all in this time."

I believe that after we make that gesture, Old Ghost Zang will also contribute money.

In this way, the commander's funds became plentiful.

As for the other two
The Wen family now firmly stands by Lord Zhou's side.
The Lin family thus avoids offending either side and gains support from all sides.

Other smaller families also followed the Lin family's lead, wavering between different paths.

Lu Yunyi smiled gently:
"Loyalty that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty."

Those who waver and adopt an ambiguous attitude show they don't support Lord Pan; they'll suffer the consequences later.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned cold.
Liu Yanchen knew very well that the officials in the imperial court, strictly speaking, were no longer human beings.
They cannot be defined by ordinary human emotions.

In his view, wavering is a form of support.
But in the eyes of these adults, wavering is tantamount to not supporting them.

The two are completely opposite and vastly different.

After a long silence in the room, Liu Yanchen tentatively asked:

"Yunyi, this old man wants to ask you something: did you really go to Goryeo?"

"Don't misunderstand me. I was thinking that there are so many rumors circulating in the city right now, it's hard to guarantee that they won't affect your reputation."

If you really didn't go,
Then Liu stepped forward to clarify the matter.
At least in Liaodong, the Liu family's words still carried some weight, and some people were willing to believe them.

Lu Yunyi, holding a teacup, looked through the open main hall doors at the increasingly clear weather outside.

Although it is still cold, there is already a hint of spring.

He put down his teacup and nodded with a touch of emotion:

"Grandfather, I've long heard that the snowstorms in Goryeo are severe."

The scenery is delightful in winter, and seeing it now, it truly lives up to its reputation.

Liu Yanchen's pupils suddenly contracted, and shock flashed in his cloudy eyes.

To be honest, he didn't believe the rumors about entering Korea.
After all, Goryeo was a country that the Ming Dynasty did not conquer, and the two countries had always maintained friendly relations.

"Yunyi, this matter must not be publicized."

If this gets back to the capital, it will cause a huge uproar.

"Grandfather, don't worry. Yi Seong-gye is now in control of the Goryeo government. He personally led the army to intercept the Jurchens and suffered a great defeat."

Even if someone asks him, he won't admit it, so there won't be a problem.

Liu Yanchen was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and laughed:
"Look at my head, I'm getting old and I can't think straight anymore."

To maintain his prestige, Yi Seong-gye would certainly not admit to this.

If he admits it, the Goryeo royal family could use this opportunity to cause trouble and seize back some power.

"That makes sense. He has to accept this unfair loss, though it may not be a truly unfair loss."

Lu Yunyi thought it over carefully, made a decision in his heart, and said in a deep voice:

"During my trip to Goryeo, I reached a cooperation agreement with Yi Seong-gye."

"What cooperation?"

Liu Yanchen raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Goryeo funded the construction of the road from Zhenjiang Fort to Liaoyang City, using cement and concrete."

"Ok?"

Liu Yanchen raised an eyebrow, keenly sensing the business opportunity.

If this road could be unobstructed,
Add to that the parallel road between Liaodong and the north, and the entire area outside the Great Wall becomes one continuous expanse.

By then, even if we don't say we'll stand together through thick and thin, we'll still be a community of shared interests!
"hiss"

Liu Yanchen suppressed his shock; only now did he begin to understand.

Why did Lu Yunyi personally travel from Beiping to Liaodong to oversee road construction? It seems there was a bigger purpose behind it.

"Yun Yi told me this because he wants to?"

"Da Ning's cement workshop will soon open a branch in Liaoyang City."
On the one hand, they provided technical support such as cement and concrete to Liaodong, and on the other hand, they also made some money.

When I told my grandfather about this, I was hoping that the Liu family could invest in the business and make money together.

Of course, the trading company also has its own considerations.

Without the support of the locals, such quarrying and sand mining would never be able to proceed smoothly.

Once the branch office was completed, the Liu family, regardless of whether they were undertaking the road construction project from Zhenjiangbao to Liaoyang,

It's better to just focus on developing the cement workshop and selling it to the government.

"These are all sure-fire deals, Grandfather, what do you think?"

"This this."

Liu Yanchen's cloudy eyes suddenly became clear, a surge of fervor rose within him, and his breathing became rapid.

He knew better than anyone how important this matter was.

Whether it's road repair or providing cement and concrete,

Any government office with a modicum of sense would handle everything themselves, thus reducing costs.

Unexpectedly, it's possible that outsiders can actually get a share of the profits?

Liu Yanchen remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with a hint of loss:
"Yunyi, your return this time has given this old man a very big surprise."

To be honest, when we all got together, we didn't even dare to imagine it.

Lu Yunyi laughed:
"Business can only thrive if everyone can make money."

If a large bowl of meat is only consumed by the government officials themselves, problems will inevitably arise sooner or later.

Liu Yanchen nodded repeatedly, feeling that his grandson-in-law was exceptionally magnanimous.

And they're so generous with the money, which is very rare.

It's no wonder that Yingtian Trading Company has developed into what it is today.

"Yunyi, how much money are you willing to invest?"
After deciding to support the road construction,

The Liu family planned to sell two mines to the local government, which would probably net them around 70,000 to 80,000 taels of silver.

If the cement factory needs more money, then sell more ore.

Now I understand, money that's just sitting in your hands and not being spent is no money at all.

Lu Yunyi's brow twitched wildly. Really! His family is rich!

“Grandfather, the Northern Pacification Commandery and the Liaodong Commandery must occupy at least 60% of the shares in order to gain control of the cement workshop.”

Of the remaining 40%, 10% will be reserved for the Koreans, leaving only 30%.

How about this: 20,000 taels of silver for a 10% share?

Liu Yanchen blinked. "Too expensive."

If 20,000 taels of silver is one-tenth of the shares, then wouldn't that mean the entire workshop is worth 200,000 taels of silver?
In this world, only the Yingtian Trading Company and a few other large trading companies and money shops in Jiangnan and Jiangxi are worth this amount of money.

There are no such valuable trading houses in the North.

"Yunyi, isn't the price a bit too high?"

Liu Yanchen didn't hide anything and spoke his mind.

Lu Yunyi nodded and smiled:

"It is indeed a bit expensive. Building a cement workshop may only cost less than 10,000 taels of silver, while a simpler one would only cost a few thousand taels of silver."

But, grandfather, the business might not be worth that much.

But this is a chance to get on board, and this chance is worth so much money.

Once on the train, Liu would unite with the military commanders of both regions against a common enemy.

Even when roads were later built to Korea, the money went with the road construction.

Others can't make money from Goryeo, but the Liu family can.

Liu Yanchen looked stunned, somewhat shocked:

"Goryeo?"

Lu Yunyi said with a smile:

"Goryeo wants to start trade relations with the Ming Dynasty."
I simply don't believe they can watch goods race along the roads built by the Ming Dynasty while crawling around within their own territory; that would be such a waste of their profits.

Therefore, I speculate that...

Regardless of whether Yi Seong-gye comes to power or the royal family regains power,
All of this requires a lot of work on cement and concrete.

At least one road needs to be built from the two capitals to the border.

This is the only way to conduct business more quickly and make money.

By then, the cement workshops in Liaodong will be making money.

In the Ming Dynasty, a thousand catties of cement cost only a few taels of silver.
But if sold to Korea, a tenfold increase wouldn't be unreasonable.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yanchen's eyes immediately turned red!
He had visited the cement workshops in the city.
It was all rocks and sand, and he thought this stuff was more profitable than mining!

But this stuff is just rocks and sand in the open.

But in Goryeo, it was gold.

Thinking about it this way, 20,000 taels is indeed not expensive, in fact, it's too cheap!

He knew that a merchant firm that could earn 10,000 taels of silver was worth at least 50,000 taels!

If the cement workshop is worth 200,000 taels of silver...
Earning 40,000 taels from Goryeo is a piece of cake!

"Alright! Yunyi!"
Since you've put it that way, then the Liu family will take a share.

When do you need the money? If it's urgent, you can take the silver from the savings in the cellar at home.

"No rush, no rush." ​​Lu Yunyi waved his hands repeatedly:
"The people from Goryeo haven't arrived yet. We'll discuss it further once they arrive."

In addition, I will introduce you to someone later, named Wang Junping, who is from a collateral branch of the Goryeo royal family.

In the future, the Beiping Regional Military Commission will purchase goods from Goryeo.

This will be accomplished through him, and the Liu family can also cooperate with him.

"Is he yours?"

Liu Yanchen understood immediately and asked in a low voice.

"I suppose so, but his greatest role was to keep Yi Seong-gye in check."
We can't let him continue to have such a smooth journey; it's no benefit to the Ming Dynasty.

By this time, Liu Yanchen was only just realizing what was happening.
They now fully understood what this kid in front of them was up to.

On the one hand, he completed the paving of roads outside the pass, and he personally contacted each node involved.

The next step is to achieve the suppression of Goryeo.

This prevented the royal family of Goryeo from falling into ruin so quickly.

After all, it would be more beneficial for the Ming Dynasty if two tigers fought each other.

"call"

Having figured this out, Liu Yanchen breathed a sigh of relief, and his eyes regained their clarity.
"Yunyi, it is Wanyi's good fortune to marry you."

"It's a blessing for this land beyond the Great Wall to have you in charge."

"Grandfather, you flatter me. I was just doing what I was supposed to do in my position.

"It is already commendable that you can stay in your position without causing trouble, Yunyi, please do not be modest."

Look at Liaodong.
The two officials were locked in a fierce battle; Liaoyang City, though not a battlefield, was no less devastating than one.

A few days ago, several villages outside the city rebelled again.

In my opinion, it's a clash between two powerful figures.

"Great chaos leads to great order, and this conflict will soon be over." Lu Yunyi smiled, his eyes deep-set.

Beiping Regional Military Command, Yingzhou Right Garrison Guard!
Li Xian, the former Minister of Works of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and now the Vice Commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army, has been waiting for quite some time at the Right Garrison of Yingzhou.

Today, as usual, he stood on the high platform, holding a telescope.

Looking eastward towards Liaodong, I hope to see a caravan coming!
From morning till noon, the east remained covered in snow.
There were only a few scattered small caravans on the official road.
The fact that he couldn't see any caravans transporting the silver made his heart sink.

Three days have passed since the agreed-upon date, and the money still hasn't arrived.
This made him start to have all sorts of thoughts.

Could something have gone wrong?
According to recent intelligence, the army's march is proceeding smoothly.
Lord Lu has safely retreated to Liaoyang City.

Things should have been progressing smoothly, right?
But why hasn't the money arrived?

"Ugh"

Li Xian sighed; the initial excitement he felt upon arriving at the Right Garrison of Yingzhou had largely faded.

From the moment he learned of this news, he was shocked by the commander's audacity.
They actually dared to mobilize troops without orders and even go to war in Goryeo!

When he learned it was for some silver,

They were even more shocked, and felt a thrill of discovering a secret.

But now, as time goes by, that excitement has gradually turned into worry.
Li Xian tilted his head and looked at Wu Su'an, who was sitting quietly not far away, and asked in surprise:

"It's been three days without any news, aren't you worried?"

Wu Su'an was examining the teacup in her hand when she heard this. She looked up and said with a smile:

"Lord Li, please rest assured, you never make mistakes in your work."
The money will definitely come, don't worry too much.

"From Goryeo to Beiping, the journey is long and winding, covering thousands of miles. If we were to encounter bandits, that would be disastrous."

Li Xian sighed, took the telescope, and returned to his tent to sit down.
When I picked up the tea, I realized that it had gone cold.

"Lord Li, once the money enters Liaodong, it won't be lost. It can be returned no matter what."

We've only been here a few days, there's no rush. Look, even I'm not in a hurry.

Seeing his composed demeanor, Li Xian shook his head.

Even though he had been working there for six months, he still felt out of place.

The officers of the military command were all like the elders of the clan.
He appeared calm, unhurried, and confident.

Li Xian had no idea why they were so calm.

Li Xian finished his herbal tea in one gulp, picked up his telescope, and wanted to take another look.

But at that moment, an armored soldier rushed up the platform, his voice urgent:

"Sir, the people have arrived! They're at the north gate of the military camp!"

"North Gate?"

Li Xianteng stood up abruptly.
Even Wu Su'an, who had been calm all along, showed a hint of surprise in her eyes and stood up.

"Hurry, hurry, take us there!" Li Xian urged hurriedly.

Before long, the group arrived at the north gate of Yingzhou Right Garrison. Upon looking around, Li Xian's pupils suddenly contracted.

The convoy ahead was in a truly sorry state.
The people were disheveled, the vehicles were covered in blood, and even the horses had wounds.

"What...what happened?"

Moreover, why are there military guards protecting them?

"Are you Lord Xu?"

Wu Su'an recognized the armored general standing at the front and tentatively asked a question.

Xu Cheng saw an acquaintance, breathed a long sigh of relief, and dismounted.
"This general is Xu Cheng, the Vice Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong. Which one of you is Lord Li?"

"Me! It is me!" Li Xian hurriedly stepped forward.

Xu Cheng took out a document from his pocket and handed it over, then pointed to the many carriages behind him:

"The goods transported by the Snowwalking Trading Company are all here."

The remaining two teams are behind; they'll arrive in half an hour.

Looking at his disheveled appearance, Li Xian tentatively asked:

"Lord Xu, is the goods alright?"

Xu Cheng gave a wry smile and shook his head:

"The goods are fine, but my men are in big trouble."

Please summon the army doctors to treat them.
The journey was fraught with obstacles; only after entering Beiping did things become somewhat peaceful.

Li Xian stood on tiptoe to look and saw that among the silver carriages were some horse-drawn carriages. When the wind blew, the curtains were lifted, revealing soldiers lying haphazardly inside.
Wu Su'an saw it too and quickly waved behind her:

"Quickly, quick, medic!!"

(End of this chapter)