In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 931 The Way and the Technique

"Your Excellency is wise! How dare we lie?"

If Ming troops had indeed entered the country, why wouldn't His Majesty report this to the Ming court?

The messenger trembled with fear, immediately knelt down, his voice trembling, and dared not even lift his head.

Zhang Gou stood up and walked to the messenger.

Looking down at him, her tone carried a hint of ruthlessness:

Do you know the consequences of concealing the truth?
I am an imperial envoy sent by His Majesty to Liaodong to oversee road construction.
Today, Liaodong borders Goryeo (Korea).
If you conceal these things and delay important matters of the court,
"Don't even mention a mere messenger like you; even the King of Goryeo couldn't afford to do this!"

The messenger's face turned deathly pale instantly, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his hands gripped the hem of his robe tightly.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back, his Adam's apple bobbing in panic.

Seeing this, Zhang Gou's eyes lit up with joy, and he suddenly raised his voice, shouting:
"Who exactly is responsible for the border raids? Who are these so-called Jurchens?!"

"If you confess honestly, I can let bygones be bygones and release you back to Goryeo."

If you dare to remain defiant, I will immediately escort you back to the capital and hand you over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation!

The messenger shuddered and fell to the ground with a thud, his voice trembling with tears:

"My lord, spare my life! I will tell the truth! I dare not conceal anything!"

Seeing that he had finally relented, Zhang Gou turned around and sat back down in his chair, saying coldly:
"Speak! If there is even half a lie, don't blame me for being ruthless."

The messenger swallowed hard, wiped the cold sweat from his face with his sleeve, and said in a trembling voice:
"Actually, I also feel that something is wrong with this matter."

The Secretariat said it was investigating Jurchen raids.
But before I set off, I secretly asked an old garrison soldier in Xijing,
He said that the Jurchens' arrival was suspicious, and their weapons were not something the Jurchens could use.
Moreover, they didn't loot extensively. After arriving in Xijing, they circled around a few villages and then suddenly disappeared without leaving a trace.

"besides."

The messenger paused, lowering his voice even further, almost touching the ground:

"Li Xiang took this matter very seriously, and not only did he forbid his subordinates from asking any questions, but he also..."
He also demoted several officials who dared to mention the Jurchen invasion in court to the southernmost part of the capital.

Zhang Gou sat in the chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his gaze becoming increasingly intriguing.

He had no more doubts.
Those so-called Jurchens were actually soldiers led by Lu Yunyi!

The 200,000 taels of silver that Xu Cheng brought was most likely obtained from Goryeo!

But then he thought again, Lu Yunyi was the commander of the Northern Pacification Command, wielding considerable military power, and was also protected by His Highness the Crown Prince.
Without solid evidence, launching an attack rashly is unwise.

Not only will you not be able to bring him down, but you'll also get burned.

Moreover, the road construction project had just begun to show promise.

If this matter escalates and delays the construction period, and the imperial court blames him, he, as the imperial envoy, will also be implicated.

The room remained quiet for a long time, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight.

Yu Xin stood to the side, barely daring to breathe, but her heart was churning with turmoil.

He hadn't expected these people from Goryeo to be so unreliable, revealing the truth so easily.
Zhang Gou finally spoke, his tone regaining its calmness, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"You are not allowed to mention what you have said to anyone."

When you return, do not tell your king anything; pretend nothing happened.
"If you dare to leak this information, I will have my own ways of dealing with you."

The messenger, as if granted a pardon, immediately kowtowed:
"Thank you for sparing my life, Your Excellency! I would never dare to divulge a single word of this!"
I will return to Goryeo to report back.
"Just tell His Majesty that the Imperial Envoy has come to believe it was the Jurchens who raided the capital, and that His Majesty can rest assured."

"Ah."

Zhang Gou nodded and said to his attendants:
"Take him away, give him some travel expenses, and get him out of Liaoyang as soon as possible."

The attendant responded and led the messenger out.

Only Zhang Gou and Yu Xin remained in the room, and the atmosphere remained oppressive.

Yu Xin hesitated for a moment, then whispered:
"Lord Zhang, we can't just believe this person's one-sided story!"

"Yes, I know the gravity of the situation. Moreover, without solid evidence, reporting this rashly would only alert the enemy."

He paused, a complex look flashing in his eyes:
"Lu Yunyi is deeply trusted by His Majesty. We must not provoke him unless we are absolutely certain of success!"

Yu Xin quickly bowed:

"I understand, and I will never mention this matter to outsiders."

"You just understand."

Zhang Gou looked at the letter on the table, his fingers gently stroking the edge of the paper:

"You may go back now. If there is any news about Goryeo or Lu Yunyi in the future, report it to me immediately."

"Yes, I am resigning."

Yu Xin bowed respectfully and carefully left the room.

Only Zhang Gou remained in the room.
He walked to the window, opened it, and the evening breeze blew in, carrying a lingering chill of winter.
What exactly did Lu Yunyi do in Goryeo?
Why is he so bold?

After doing such a thing, isn't he afraid of being investigated by the imperial court?
Why did Goryeo keep quiet about the theft of over 200,000 taels of silver?
Should I bring this up now? Should I wade into this mess?
The next morning, sunlight pierced through the thin mist.

The sunlight spilled onto the bluestone slabs of the military headquarters, giving them a warm glow.

Zhang Gou walked towards the yamen (government office) along the stone-paved path.
Before even entering the gate, bursts of laughter could be heard coming from inside.
The usually solemn military headquarters was unusually lively today, as if a wedding was being held!
The officials at the gate were huddled together talking.
Holding a document covered in writing in his hand, he wore an undisguised smile:

"Have you heard? The Liu and Zang families are going to pay for road repairs, and they've even covered the stones and the villagers. Now they have both the money and the manpower!"

Another clerk chimed in:
"That's right! Lord Pan just finished talking with Old Master Zang this morning."
They said they'd give them the quarry in the west of the city, and all the stones for future road construction would come from there. The Zang family would make a fortune!

Zhang Gou frowned upon hearing this and stopped in his tracks.

He took a few steps closer and asked coldly:
"How can we allow local powerful families to get involved in the imperial court's road construction projects?"

Upon seeing that it was the imperial envoy, the officials quickly suppressed their smiles and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Zhang."

The clerk who had spoken earlier explained cautiously:

"Your Excellency, the military treasury is empty. The silver allocated by the imperial court alone is not enough. Involving wealthy households is also to ensure that construction can begin as soon as possible."

"Nonsense!"

Zhang Gou interrupted him, his tone tinged with anger:

"Road construction is a national policy of the imperial court; how can we allow merchants to interfere? This is outrageous!"

The officials dared not respond, lowered their heads and stepped back, watching Zhang Gou storm into the yamen.

Zhang Gou went straight to Pan Jing's office.

As soon as I reached the door, I heard voices coming from inside.

He pushed open the door and saw Pan Jingzheng sitting at the table.
Sitting opposite him was an elderly man in a brocade robe, none other than Zang Shengjie!
An account book was spread out on the table between the two people.
Pan Jing was holding a pen and pointing at the ledger, saying something. Both of them had smiles on their faces.

"Lord Pan!"

Zhang Gou's voice interrupted the conversation inside the room.

Pan Jing looked up and saw it was him. The smile on his face faded slightly. He didn't get up, but simply pointed to the chair next to him:

"Lord Zhang has arrived? Please have a seat."

"This humble official has something to discuss with Lord Pan!"

Upon hearing this, Zang Shengjie's eyes flashed with a strange light. He stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zhang Gou, and said tactfully:
"Since you two gentlemen have matters to discuss, I will take my leave now."

With that, he took the ledger and tiptoed out.

After Zang Shengjie left, Zhang Gou sat down and got straight to the point:

“Lord Pan, road construction is a matter for the imperial court. Why should we let powerful families like the Liu and Zang families get involved?”
Aren't you afraid that if this gets out, people will accuse you of profiting at the expense of the people?

Pan Jing picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly:
"Lord Zhang, you can't say that."
The Liaodong Regional Military Commission doesn't have much money; the 100,000 taels allocated by the imperial court were already spent on suppressing the rebellion. If we don't get the wealthy families to contribute, when will this road ever be repaired?

He put down his teacup and pointed to the ledger on the table:

"The Zang family is willing to contribute 50,000 taels of silver, along with 200 artisans and 1,000 farmers."

The Liu family went even further, directly allocating a portion of the iron mine outside the city, claiming it was for road construction and tool casting.

With their help, the road can be repaired sooner.

This is a good thing for the imperial court and for the people of Liaodong; Lord Zhang, you don't need to be so rigid about it."

"A good thing?" Zhang Gou sneered.
"Big spenders aren't that kind-hearted; they're just in it for the money!"
They wanted to get involved in everything from the road construction stones and transportation to the future trade routes.
At that point, the main roads of the imperial court will become tools for their personal gain!

Pan Jing's tone became more serious:
"Lord Zhang, the most important thing right now is to repair the road."

As for whether the big players make money or not, as long as they don't delay the construction period or embezzle the imperial court's money, what does it matter?
"If you have nothing else, please leave. I still need to check the road construction plans."

Seeing that Pan Jing was completely ignoring him, Zhang Gou felt a tightness in his chest from anger, but he couldn't vent his frustration.

Pan Jing was the Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, wielding military power. As a mere fourth-rank censor, he truly had no control over him.

He stood up, flicked his sleeves, and snorted coldly:
"This humble official will take his leave first. Lord Pan, please take care of yourself!"

After leaving the government office, Zhang Gou headed towards Lu Yunyi's location.

As soon as he reached the entrance of the government office, he was stopped by the guards:

"Lord Zhang, Lord Lu is busy inside and cannot receive guests."

"Busy? What is he busy with?" Zhang Gou asked, frowning.

"I cannot disclose that information."

Zhang Gou became even angrier upon hearing this. He stood at the door, staring at the tightly closed government office.
In the end, he didn't dare to force his way in and could only return to the inn, seething with anger.

For the next three days, Zhang Gou hardly left the post station.

He sat in the room, watching the sun rise and set outside the window, but his anger did not subside at all.

Occasionally, a servant would come in to report.
It is said that the people from the military command office gather with wealthy families every day.
One minute they were talking about transporting the stones, the next they were talking about the farmers' wages.
There were even merchants from Beiping (Beijing).

They said they would transport silk to Liaodong and sell it to Goryeo after the road was repaired.

With each sentence he heard, Zhang Gou's brows furrowed even more deeply.
He always felt that things in Liaodong were heading in a direction he couldn't understand.

But he, the imperial envoy, was like an outsider, unable to manage anything.

On the morning of the fifth day, a servant from the post station suddenly reported:
"My lord, someone has arrived from Goryeo. They say they are from a collateral branch of the royal family, named Wang Junping."

Lord Pan and Lord Lu are meeting him in the back hall of the military headquarters, and they have sent someone to invite you to come and listen in on the proceedings.

Wang Junping? A member of the royal family? Why would he come to Liaodong?

Zhang Gou suppressed his doubts, straightened his official robes, and followed his entourage to the military headquarters.

In the back hall of the military headquarters, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, and a faint aroma of tea filled the air.

Lu Yunyi and Pan Jing sat at the head of the table, opposite a middle-aged man in his thirties.
The man wore a round-necked robe in the style of the Goryeo Dynasty, with a jade belt around his waist. He had a dark face, a long beard, and looked somewhat fierce.
However, his fawning expression at that moment seemed completely out of place.

Several officials were also seated in the hall, along with Liu Yanchen, Zang Shengjie, and other prominent figures.
Everyone had a smile on their face, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Seeing Zhang Gou enter, Lu Yunyi raised his hand and said with a smile:
"Lord Zhang has arrived? Please have a seat."

Pan Jing nodded, gesturing for him to sit down in the empty seat next to him.

After Zhang Gou sat down, his gaze fell on Wang Junping. He didn't speak, but listened quietly.

At this moment, Wang Junping spoke first, his tone carrying a hint of respect:

"Lord Lu, Lord Pan"

My purpose in coming to Liaoyang is on behalf of the royal family to discuss trade between the three regions.

Goryeo had excellent ginseng, furs, and linen.

If it could be transported to the Ming Dynasty, it would surely fetch a good price.
Meanwhile, Ming Dynasty silk, porcelain, and salt and iron were also highly sought after in Goryeo. As long as trade routes remained open, both sides could benefit.

Pan Jing nodded and looked at Liu Yanchen:

"Old Liu, the Liu family has many merchant caravans in Liaoyang. In the future, when goods from the Ming Dynasty need to be transported to Goryeo, we will still need your help."

Liu Yanchen replied with a smile:

"Rest assured, Lord Pan, as long as the two countries exchange goods, the caravan can set off at any time."

However, getting goods from Goryeo in will require Lord Wang's extra effort; after all, he's a member of the royal family, so things will be easier for him."

Wang Junping quickly said:

"You're too kind, Elder Liu. I own a trading company in Goryeo."

In the future, goods from the Ming Dynasty to Goryeo, and goods from Goryeo to the Ming Dynasty, can all be traded through my trading company.

I have already spoken with His Majesty, and he agreed to grant the merchants a three-year tax exemption, precisely to allow trade between the two sides to resume as soon as possible.

Zhang Gou sat to the side, increasingly alarmed as he listened.

He calculated that silk from the Ming Dynasty could fetch at least three times its original price when transported to Goryeo.
When ginseng from Goryeo was transported to the Ming Dynasty, it was in short supply.

If all these goods were to circulate through Wang Junping's trading company,

How much did Wang Junping earn?

What benefits could Lu Yunyi and Pan Jing possibly gain from this?
He suddenly remembered what the Goryeo messenger had said earlier.

Yi Seong-gye did his utmost to suppress news of the Jurchen raids and even demoted officials who dared to mention the matter.

That's it!

It wasn't that Goryeo was afraid of bringing the matter to light and offending the Ming Dynasty.

Rather, the three regions had already reached a consensus!
This isn't road construction; it's clearly using future wealth to buy present wealth!
Next, the group discussed some more details.

Soon it was noon, and Pan Jing had a banquet prepared.
The dishes on the table were plentiful, including stewed venison from Liaodong, Korean kimchi, and dried fish transported from Jiangnan.

Everyone raised their glasses and drank, making the atmosphere even more lively!
Liu Yanchen and Zang Shengjie repeatedly toasted Wang Junping.
As he talked about future cooperation, his face was radiant, as if he had become more than ten years younger!

Zhang Gou sat in the corner, barely drinking any alcohol, only occasionally picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks.
As he watched this scene unfold, his anger grew stronger and stronger!
Officials of the Ming Dynasty, wealthy local families, and members of the Goryeo royal family.
They were sitting around a table, and all they talked about was profit.

They treated the imperial policies and diplomatic relations between the two countries as tools for personal gain!

After several rounds of drinks, everyone was a little tipsy.

Zhang Gou suddenly sat up straight, holding his wine cup, his voice tinged with alcohol, yet unusually loud:

"Lord Lu, Lord Pan! I have something to say, but I don't know if I should!"

Lu Yunyi looked up at him, his eyes clear, seemingly not very drunk:
"Please speak freely, Lord Zhang."

Pan Jing also put down his wine glass, frowned, and looked at him with a warning in his eyes.

Zhang Gou took a deep breath, downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, slammed it on the table, and said in a deep voice:
"My lords, you are in cahoots with the Koreans!"

Using the Ming Dynasty's trade routes to exchange for silver and allowing wealthy merchants to interfere in the imperial court's projects—this is clearly treason and collusion with the enemy!

Aren't you afraid that the imperial court will find out and punish you?

The laughter in the hall stopped instantly upon hearing this!
Liu Yanchen and Zang Shengjie exchanged a glance, their smiles instantly vanishing.

Other prominent figures also frowned slightly, their eyes filled with displeasure as they looked at Zhang Gou.

Wang Junping's face paled, and his hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly.

Xu Cheng, who was standing to the side, quickly gave him a reassuring look.
The officials present dared not speak.
She secretly observed Lu Yunyi and Pan Jing's reactions.

Pan Jing's face darkened, and he looked at him calmly, his tone completely unwavering:

"Lord Zhang, you can't just say things like that. What do you mean by treason and betrayal?"

He pointed at Wang Junping and continued:
"Lord Wang is a member of the Goryeo royal family. He has come to Liaoyang for trade between the two countries."

Goods from the Ming Dynasty can be sold to Goryeo, and goods from Goryeo can be sold to the Ming Dynasty; people on both sides benefit, which is called mutual benefit and win-win.

He then pointed to Liu Yanchen and Zang Shengjie:

"The Liu and Zang families contributed money and manpower to help the imperial court repair roads."

Now that the road is repaired, they can earn some money, which is their deserved reward.

Lord Zhang, you are an imperial censor; you value evidence.
We can't label people based on our own limited opinions.

Zhang Gou was taken aback by what he was told.
He wanted to argue, but found himself unable to find a reason.
Pan Jing was telling the truth; the mutually beneficial trade was real, and the rewards for large clients were also real.

But he always felt that something was wrong, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it!

"Your agreement with Goryeo was not reported to the imperial court!"

After struggling for a long time, Zhang Gou finally came up with a sentence.

Pan Jing smiled:
"The road hasn't been repaired yet, and trade hasn't started. Once everything is on track, we will naturally report to the imperial court."

Lord Zhang, you are an imperial envoy, and your duty is to supervise road construction.

Now that we have the funds and manpower, construction can begin soon, and even Korea is willing to cooperate. Isn't this the result you wanted?

Zhang Gou opened his mouth, but could not utter a word.

Lu Yunyi remained calm, Liu Yanchen and Zang Shengjie looked composed, and Wang Junping also regained his composure.
Only he himself was like a clown.

He seemed out of place in this lively gathering.

(End of this chapter)