In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 948 Market and Commerce Division Chief

News of Lu Yunyi's arrival in Beijing spread rapidly.
Before he could even change into clean clothes,

All the ministers and governors of the capital city knew that he had returned.

For some reason, a sense of vigilance suddenly arose in the hearts of the adults.

This young man's greatest talent is his ability to stir things up.
The palace has now summoned him back, which is unlikely to be a good thing.

Meanwhile, Lu Yunyi washed himself in his residence and changed into brand-new court robes.

Aside from his dark, chapped cheeks and sunken eye sockets,
He didn't seem like a general leading troops into battle; rather, he seemed like a student who had just finished taking the imperial examination.

Su Wanheng, the manager of Lotus Pavilion, was helping him tie his belt. She was extremely excited, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were full of joy.

"My lord, why have you suddenly returned?"
"I wasn't prepared at all, and I didn't even have time to dress up properly."

Lu Yunyi smiled and reached out to rub her little head.

"There's an urgent matter in the capital, and I haven't had time to inform them. How are things at Lotus Tower? Is it easy for you?"

Su Wanheng nodded repeatedly.

"My lord, I have plenty of free time."

"That's good. Don't tire yourself out. Go and tell them to prepare the horses; I'm going to the palace."

"Yes, my lord."

Before long, a dozen or so warhorses left the three alleys of Xi'an Gate.

This place is just one street away from the imperial city.

Lu Yunyi arrived at the palace gate as quickly as possible.
At a glance, one could see Guo Zhen, dressed in silver armor, waiting at the door, along with his soldiers.

Lu Yunyi glanced at them briefly, his expression turning serious.
Compared to the past, the number of guards at the gates of the imperial city has at least doubled.

Moreover, soldiers on a nearby watchtower were observing with binoculars.

This matter concerns the dignity of the imperial court, and in the past, it would have been absolutely forbidden.

After all, the people in the palace are all high-ranking officials who need to respect privacy.

Clearly, given the current situation, there's no need to worry about these things anymore.

"Lord Lu, please come with me."

Guo Zhen led the way, about to take him into the palace.

But when they reached the entrance, Lu Yunyi glanced at the guards on either side, his tone tinged with doubt:

"Don't we need to check a couple of things?"

Guo Zhen was stunned, standing there blankly, a sense of absurdity he had never felt before welling up inside him.

This problem caught him completely off guard.

"Lord Lu, you are a second-rank official, there is no need to search you."

Lu Yunyi's brows furrowed even more.
Although he followed Guo Zhen into the imperial city, he remained deep in thought.

As they walked along the imperial road, gazing at the vermilion palace walls on both sides and the majestic halls in the distance, Lu Yunyi finally spoke.

"The imperial city is a place of great importance and should be thoroughly searched, even by high-ranking officials."
It is forbidden to bring anything that could be detrimental to the court, especially at such a critical time.

After the court session ends, go to the Crown Prince's residence. I once presented the Crown Prince with a book about the defense of the residence; please retrieve it and take a look.

At least at the palace gate just now, there were many oversights.

A look of doubt flashed in Guo Zhen's eyes.

Unexpectedly, this person had even planned defenses for the Crown Prince's residence.

"Thank you, Lord Lu. May I ask what oversights there are at the gate?"

If possible, I will send someone to rectify the situation shortly.

"The watchtowers and observation posts are too conspicuous, but there's no need to change them."

All that's needed is to add a few more covert observation points in other locations.

An easily detectable observation point should be set up due south to serve as a decoy.

That place is the most conspicuous; anyone with even a little knowledge of military town defenses can find it.

The actual observation point was located on the west clock tower.
It's far away, sparsely populated, and offers a view of the entire main street in front of the entrance.

Furthermore, what's the point of such strict city gate guards?
Could it be that someone really dares to attack the imperial city?
With such troops, it would be better to disperse them to various corners of the imperial city.
So that wherever everyone goes, they can see the Imperial Guards.

It can both deter thieves and create a tense atmosphere.
Even if someone has ulterior motives, they should restrain themselves.

Most importantly, why not search the officials in the court?
Given the current situation, is there any need to worry about saving face?

A series of questions left Guo Zhen speechless.

Even though he personally participated in and painstakingly managed the defense of the imperial city,

But one has to admit that what Lord Lu said was absolutely right!
Especially the many imperial guards at the palace gates,
Upon closer reflection, it seems to have no practical use.

"Lord Lu, I will report this matter immediately!"

Lu Yunyi nodded, then looked around.

The palace walls felt particularly oppressive, and even seemed dangerous at every turn.

"The enemy is inside, not outside, so things are bound to be difficult, but no matter how difficult it is, we have to get it done."

"understood."

Inside the Wuying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang was leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, resting.
There were more than a dozen documents spread out on the table, all of them unread and troublesome official documents.

The head eunuch beside him didn't dare to breathe, standing silently not far away, his eyes warning the palace maids and eunuchs inside the hall.
Tell them to behave themselves and not to offend the emperor.

Just then, faint footsteps came from outside the door, and a young eunuch quickly walked in.

The chief eunuch hurriedly went to greet him.

"Your Excellency, Lord Lu has arrived outside the palace."

"Okay, got it."

The chief eunuch returned to the head of the table and saw that His Majesty's eyes were still closed.

I was hesitating whether or not to wake him up.
Zhu Yuanzhang's calm, hoarse voice suddenly rang out.

"Who's coming?"

The head eunuch shuddered and quickly bowed in reply.

"Your Majesty, it is Lord Lu from the Beiping Military Command who has arrived and is currently outside the palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them.

"Let him in."

"Yes!"

Before long, Lu Yunyi, dressed in court attire, strode into the Wuying Hall.

His steps were measured and even, neither too big nor too small.
He exuded a rigid and inflexible air, which seemed quite out of character for his young age.

"Your subject, Lu Yunyi, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sat at the head of the table, quietly observing him.
You could sense the fatigue from his long journey and a hint of heaviness emanating from him.

"How is the situation in Liaodong progressing?"

"Your Majesty, the road repairs between Liaodong and Daming have begun."
Daning City is also under active preparation and construction has now begun.

Both sides are working towards each other; if the project proceeds smoothly, it should be completed by the end of next year!

A fleeting look of approval crossed Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Is it true that Zhang Gou impeached you for arbitrarily deploying troops on the border and for extorting money from Goryeo with Pan Jing?"

"Your Majesty, this is not true."
The money used for road construction came from government allocations, local wealthy households' fundraising, and loans from other regions.

I have calculated that this road will cost 270,000 taels of silver.
Apart from the 100,000 taels allocated by the imperial court,

The two regional military commands only need to raise 170,000 taels of silver to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

Furthermore, the Beiping and Liaodong military commands have always been places where people live in peace and prosperity, with ample tax revenue, and are fully capable of handling this expenditure with ease.

As soon as he finished speaking, the chief eunuch beside Zhu Yuanzhang immediately lowered his head.
He secretly admired Lord Lu's ability to lie through his teeth.

If Da Ning and Liaodong are considered stable, wouldn't the world have long been a peaceful and prosperous place?

"hehe."

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled, his tone indifferent.

"At such a young age, you've already learned to spout nonsense. Wait until Zhang Gou returns in a few days, then you can confront him face to face."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Lu Yunyi bowed deeply, which was not much different from what he had expected.
As a staunch supporter of relocating the capital,
As long as he doesn't commit treason, there's room for maneuver in everything else.

Especially in the current situation,

This stance is all the more valuable.

"Get him a seat, and when Han Yike arrives, you can listen in," Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly.

As Lu Yunyi was wondering,
The head eunuch had already set off, carrying a soft seat over.

Lu Yunyi didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly.

He had intended to discuss border defenses with His Majesty.

It was clear that Zhu Yuanzhang had resumed reviewing documents and said no more.

A somber atmosphere filled the Wuying Hall, and half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Just as Lu Yunyi was starting to feel sleepy,

Han Yike walked in hurriedly, carrying several books. Lu Yunyi looked in the direction of the sound, and his eyes widened immediately.

Who is this person?

The old man before me had white hair and beard.
His body was as thin as a skeleton, and he walked unsteadily.

If it weren't for the scarlet official robe she was wearing...
Lu Yunyi almost mistook him for an old farmer working in the fields.

When he left Beijing last year, Han Yike was full of vigor and high spirits. How could she have become like this now!

Han Yike also saw Lu Yunyi sitting on the soft chair. A look of shock flashed in her eyes, and she involuntarily slowed her pace.

He immediately became excited, as if he had seen a savior, and quickened his pace again!
"Your subject Han Yike greets Your Majesty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his vermilion brush, picked up a thick account book from the side, placed it in front of him, and said without looking up:

"Get up and tell me what has happened in the capital recently."

"Yes!"

Han Yike opened the document in her hand with a solemn expression.

Lu Yunyi also stood up.

He knew that Han Yike's next words were meant for him.

Taking a deep breath, Han Yike said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, since the Crown Prince left the capital, the price of land in Yingtian has plummeted."

Farmland near the capital has seen a price drop of over 40%.

In the eight prefectures surrounding the capital, the situation is so severe that the land loss has exceeded 70%!

The common people are filled with resentment!

"Moreover, according to the overall planning of the Municipal Bureau of Market Regulation, the housing prices in the entire Yingtian City have also fallen in tandem."

In the alleys closest to the imperial city, property prices have fallen by more than 30%.

The situation is even worse in other regions, where the decline has exceeded 50%.

Merchants throughout the capital are now filled with anxiety.

Some residents who had recently purchased homes went to the capital to demand justice and explicitly stated their desire for refunds.

Lu Yunyi frowned, but this was within his expectations.

When news of the relocation of the capital spread, the first things to be affected were farmland and houses.

Han Yike continued, this time his eyes flashing, and his whole body exuding a dangerous aura.

"Your Majesty, some strange things have been happening in the capital recently."

For three whole days, not a single house sale was registered in the entire capital government.

Farmland transactions have been suspended for five days!

Your Majesty believes that even if the people in the city are filled with fear,

Even a city like Yingtian, with a population of one million, shouldn't have not a single registered case!

"Therefore, I am certain that someone is secretly plotting against us."

I have instructed the capital authorities and the Three Departments to thoroughly investigate this matter, but so far no clues have been found.

"However, Du Pingping, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, gave me some information..."
There were more unfamiliar faces near the various brokerage shops in the city.

Anyone who goes to the brokerage to inquire will be stopped!
In some villages, residents are not even allowed to leave the village.

Someone went to the capital to report this to the authorities, but no one paid any attention!

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty strictly order the Three Departments to conduct a thorough investigation

There must be someone colluding and manipulating things behind the scenes, with the aim of creating panic.

As far as I know, many people are preparing to sell their land at bargain prices to wealthy local families.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was at the head of the table, did not react.

With just a slight twitch of his eyebrows, his eyes were already filled with hostility!
Lu Yunyi listened to the whole thing, his expression growing increasingly serious.

Even a fool would know something's fishy about this!
Even so, the fact that his opponent possessed such power and skill still greatly shocked him.

I also understand better now why His Majesty and the Crown Prince want to move the capital.
I can't even sleep peacefully on someone else's turf!
Compared to those deeply entrenched local tycoons,

The Ming Dynasty was ultimately too young.

If it were a weak emperor, his decrees probably wouldn't even leave the capital.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, this is an organized and premeditated rebellion,"
The imperial court cannot tolerate such audacity and must punish him severely!

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was at the head of the table, remained silent.

But Han Yike, who was standing to the side, had already understood His Majesty's meaning and spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Lu, in my opinion, the most urgent task is to restore the land and housing markets in the capital to normal."

In this state of affairs, the people and merchants of the entire capital are filled with anxiety, just like... just like...

Han Yi glanced at the emperor at the head of the table and changed her approach to a more tactful one:
"It's as if the capital is about to collapse."

Lu Yunyi understood; this was an attempt to restore the confidence of the people of the capital.
At the very least, we must not allow the relocation of the capital to lead to infighting in the court and disturb the peace of mind.

If the common people and merchants all feel that moving the capital is a bad thing...
Then the capital city probably really can't be moved.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:

"What Lord Han said is absolutely right. We should indeed restore the confidence of the people in the capital first."

If this decline continues, even officials who initially supported the court will become hesitant and dare not take the lead.

Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang, who was at the head of the table, slowly speak.

"Zhang Gou has submitted a memorial impeaching you, so let's put aside your duties at the Censorate for now."

The Market and Exchange Bureau has been established for nearly a year, but it still has no head official. You will be appointed as the head of the bureau and take on this responsibility.

moment!

Han Yike stood there stunned, her eyes filled with excitement and anticipation!
Finally! Finally, we have an official!
During this period, he served as the Deputy Director of the Market and Trade Bureau.

They did all the hard work of charging into battle.

In the capital, his reputation was already utterly ruined.

He felt extremely frustrated because people avoided him wherever he went.

Especially since the duties of the Market and Commerce Bureau were already difficult to handle.
He couldn't possibly bring all the profitable businesses under the company's control on his own.

He longed day and night for a real leader to come to the government office!
Now, not only has the commander arrived,
Han Yike was overjoyed to learn that he was also quite skilled in business.

Lu Yunyi, standing to the side, noticed his wide grin and looked at him with a strange expression.

"The minister obeys the order!"

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask, what kind of future do you desire for the fields, houses, and markets in the capital?"

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinized Lu Yunyi for a moment, and seeing his confident demeanor, said in a deep voice:
"The decline of commerce in the capital is not something that can be cured overnight; the first step is to restore it to its original state."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Lu Yunyi bowed again and continued:

"Your Majesty, I humbly request a decree: if the funds of the Market Exchange Bureau are insufficient, I beg Your Majesty to provide assistance."

"I can guarantee that every penny will be returned in the end!"

"The imperial treasury funds can be used at will."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice remained completely calm, as if he weren't talking about his own money.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! I will do my utmost to restore the normal trading of land and houses in the capital region."

At this moment, Han Yike, who was standing to the side, realized what was happening and asked the question that had been on His Majesty's mind.

"Lord Lu, may I ask how long it will take to see results? And what method do you plan to use?"

Lu Yunyi said in a deep voice:

"If you only want to restore it to its original state, it can be done in half a month."

However, there must be some traitors taking advantage of the situation behind the scenes.
If you want to inflict heavy losses on them,

We still need to plan this out slowly; it will probably take one to two months.

As for the specific methods, I will make a decision after I have reviewed all the documents from the Market Transaction Office and the Capital Prefecture.

Han Yike froze on the spot, forgetting all about appearances, her tone filled with shock.

"They can still launch a counterattack?"

"Lord Han, we are both officials of the court, how can you say such discouraging things?"

The imperial court never fails to accomplish anything; it's simply a matter of having the determination.

"Good! Well said, it's all about determination!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's solemn expression finally softened slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Lu Yunyi, get this done well, and I will reward you handsomely!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. If there are no other important matters, I shall take my leave."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

Han Yike also quickly bowed in greeting.

"I resign"

The two quickly walked out of the Wuying Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at their retreating figures, his eyes deep-set, his lips slightly pursed, and his entire body radiating a strong murderous aura!
(End of this chapter)