In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 950 Head-on Confrontation!!
While the Market and Exchange Bureau was still being tidied up,
Lu Yunyi did not rest, but strolled over to the Governor's Mansion and the Six Ministries.

I wanted to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in a long time and catch up on some news.

He didn't return to the Market and Exchange Bureau until sunset, his expression slightly grave.

The result of today's outing was not good.
Everyone had an ambiguous attitude towards moving the capital.

And upon hearing that he had become the head of the Market and Trade Bureau, his expression became strange.
Lu Yunyi could also tell that there was wariness in their eyes!

When the Market and Exchange Bureau first appeared,
It really startled everyone.
It was assumed that the palace's next move would involve financial power.
But unexpectedly, things took a dramatic turn.
All the palace's attention was now focused on the matter of moving the capital.

This relieved many people.
The Market and Exchange Bureau did not become a shackle that bound them.

Instead, it became a tool for some people to fight back against the palace!
The large number of waste processing plants under the name of the City Bureau is a case in point.
As soon as these workshops close down one after another, rumors will circulate among the people.
Rumors circulated that the Shiyosha (market trading company) was poorly managed, causing the workshop to close down and leaving the craftsmen with nowhere to go.
I originally thought that the Marketplace was just a flash in the pan and would soon be relegated to a corner.
But Lu Yunyi's sudden attack on the capital made their hearts jump again!
Han Yike's management of the market exchange company has led to its increasing decline.

But the ministers did not believe that Lu Yunyi was the same.
The prosperity of Yingtian Trading Company and Daning is a testament to this.

As dusk approached, the sky was completely dark. Under the moonlight, Yingtian City was filled with an eerie atmosphere, as if even the nightingales had silently fallen silent.
Lu Yunyi sat at the head of the tidied-up government office.
Quietly flipping through the pages of recent major events in the capital, especially those related to commerce,
This would allow him to find out who was secretly suppressing the land and houses behind the scenes.

In fact, even if the capital were to be moved to the north,

Yingtian City remains a prosperous region in the south.

With four distinct seasons, a dense network of waterways, and abundant food supplies, the prices of land and houses are not cheap.

It's so cheap now!
Although there were few transactions, a sense of panic had already formed.

Once a combined force is formed, its impact may be even greater than that of the "Sweet Potato Incident"!
The last sweet potato crisis reduced land prices to only 30%.
Then it quickly reversed course, and even slowly raised the price.
Because everyone can see that what kind of grain is grown in the land near the capital has nothing to do with land prices.
As long as the capital city exists, even wasteland will be valuable.

This time, if there is enough panic,

Land prices may fall by 10%.
After all, if the capital were gone,
Land that is thousands or even tens of thousands of times higher than ordinary sites suddenly becomes worthless.

Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi stroked his chin.

He picked up the teacup beside him, took a small sip, and a look of doubt flashed in his eyes.

The sense of panic has built up enough.
Why isn't there a run on the bank yet?
Although Lu Yunyi was puzzled, he also felt much more relieved.
His opponent's movements were not as fast as he had imagined; in fact, they were quite slow.

This means the enemy isn't strong, just large enough to slow down its movements.
This gives him plenty of time to weave in and out of it.

At that moment, faint footsteps sounded at the doorway, and a figure appeared.
"Dong dong dong."

"Lord Lu, I have something to report."

A young voice rang out, and Lu Yunyi put down his teacup.

"Come in."

The door opened, revealing Hou Xian's figure. He was still as young as ever, but his eyes held a newfound composure.

He hurriedly closed the door, then quickly went to the lower seat and bowed deeply.
"It's been many days since we last met. How have you been, sir?"

"What's wrong with me? Please sit down and pour your own tea. Don't be shy."

Hou Xian straightened up, smiled, and sat down at the lower end of the table, saying softly:
"I have come today to express my gratitude to Lord Lu for those matters."

Lu Yunyi raised his hand to stop him, his eyes showing wariness, and Hou Xian's voice came to an abrupt halt.

"Be careful, the walls have ears."

Lu Yunyi lowered his voice to the minimum.

Although the place was already filled with guards inside and out

But the enemy's strength is still too great, and we cannot afford to be complacent.

Hou Xian looked enlightened and nodded slightly.
Then he cupped his hands in a fist and silently said, "Thank you, Lord Lu."

Lu Yunyi smiled and said calmly:

"Eunuch Hou, how many days will it take for the Market Exchange Office to be fully reorganized?"

When it came to serious matters, Hou Xian's expression turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice:
"I invited people from the Yingtian Trading Company here today."

If all goes well, preparations can be completed in three days.
"I can assure you, Lord Lu, that the yamen will be completely transformed. Please rest assured."

"Um"

Lu Yunyi nodded and asked with a smile:

"Eunuch Hou, have you been having a peaceful time in the palace lately?"

Hou Xian's expression was stern; as a eunuch of the Imperial Palace Administration,
He could naturally understand the deeper meaning behind it, and gently shook his head:
"The fire at the Yingtian Trading Company warehouse has implicated many people. The Imperial Guards are still arresting people, but with little success."

After hesitating for a moment, Hou Xian continued:

“There are traitors within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Du Pingping, the commander who recently returned from Yunnan, has not made any moves, so he must be investigating this matter.”

"Du Pingping?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
Hou Xian explained:
"He was in charge of investigating the Yunnan divine punishment incident a few years ago. I heard he's a capable person."

"Oh"

Lu Yunyi's face showed a look of realization, his mind churning. It was still his former rival.
"Is there anything special about him?"

"Lord Du has been constantly on the move, so if there's anything special about him..."
Naturally, these are hidden networks that are spread all over the world.
Lord Wen once said that if we were to discuss who knows the most people in the world, it would undoubtedly be Lord Du.

Lu Yunyi nodded. The fact that this person was being recalled at this juncture was enough to prove that the situation was critical.
"Is he trustworthy? I mean, has he been working diligently lately?"

A hint of doubt flashed in Hou Xian's eyes, and he asked softly:

"Lord Du has always been very serious about his work; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to become the Vice Commander-in-Chief."

"No, no, no, what I'm talking about is whether he's serious about investigating the mole within the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
If I remember correctly, this has been going on for almost twenty days, and the mole still hasn't been found?

Hou Xian shook his head:

"No, Lord Du only took over this matter in the last few days. Previously, Lord Mao was in charge of it."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi's smile vanished instantly.

He exuded a dangerous aura.
The Imperial Guards in the capital numbered no more than three thousand.
Even if we check them one by one, twenty days should be enough, yet we still haven't found them?
Has His Majesty's attitude towards Mao Xiang changed?

Lu Yunyi asked the question directly, but quickly realized that it was inappropriate and changed his answer:

"I am not inquiring about Your Majesty's secrets, but rather I wish to ascertain whether Mao Xiang is friend or foe."

What do you mean?
Hou Xian looked completely bewildered. Although he understood what was said, he didn't grasp its deeper meaning.

Lord Mao, as the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, is a sharp blade in His Majesty's hand.

How could they be enemies?

Seeing his expression, Lu Yunyi felt somewhat helpless and explained:
"Eunuch Hou, in this turmoil, it's either left or right, there are no centrists, and those who sit idly by are the enemy."

An insider investigated for twenty days without any results.
I find it hard not to suspect Mao Xiang's intentions.
Is he intentionally condoning or tacitly allowing the existence of a mole?

Upon hearing this, Hou Xian's pupils suddenly contracted.

I understood immediately!

I also understand why His Majesty has been so cold to the Embroidered Uniform Guard lately.
Many matters were entrusted to the Shrine Office.

Even today, upon hearing that the Market and Exchange Bureau wanted to borrow eunuchs, they agreed without hesitation.
So the situation had become this dangerous?
"My lord, my lord, please don't frighten me, Lord Mao, Lord Mao!"

At this point, Hou Xian seemed somewhat discouraged and answered honestly:

"His Majesty has been very cold to Lord Mao lately, and has not summoned him for three days."

"hold head high"

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"As the commander of the secret service, Mao Xiang is quite audacious to try to protect himself."

I understand. From now on, stay away from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

If they come to the Market and Exchange Bureau to investigate or prosecute, refuse them all; there's no room for negotiation.

"Yes, I understand."

Hou Xian still found it hard to accept.

Everyone in the world says that the Embroidered Uniform Guard are His Majesty's loyal dogs.

Even he himself thought so.

But now, someone suddenly told him,
The fact that the Embroidered Uniform Guards could also be enemies left him momentarily speechless.

"Let me ask one more question: what has His Majesty's attitude toward the nobles and meritorious officials been like these days?"

For example, high-ranking and powerful marquises like the Marquis of Quanning and the Marquis of Yongding.

For some reason, Hou Xian felt a little cold, even though it was the height of summer.
After a long silence in the room, Hou Xiancai spoke softly:
"My lord, nothing has changed, and His Majesty has not reprimanded them."
He did have some disagreements with Minister Zhao of the Ministry of Revenue, regarding the calculation of taxes.

"Tell me carefully."

Lu Yunyi narrowed his eyes slightly.
He immediately thought of Liu Sanwu behind Zhao Mian.

This grandmaster's power cannot be reflected in his official position!

Hou Xian explained in detail the matter of calculating taxes.
The key point was that the Ministry of Revenue did not plan to calculate taxes in the north in the near future.

Lu Yunyi was utterly shocked!

It's somewhat understandable to resort to underhanded tactics behind the scenes.
It was somewhat unexpected that it would be so blatant in public.

Even during the last raid on the rebel party, the two sides fought to the death.
But on the surface, he remained polite and composed, as if nothing had happened, a stark contrast to his current demeanor. "Which officials does Your Majesty still harbor resentment towards?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, almost everyone is dissatisfied."

Today His Majesty reprimanded many of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers.

Even Minister Liu of the Court of State Ceremonial was reprimanded for the slow progress of road construction within the city.

After speaking, Hou Xian glanced at him cautiously, and seeing that his expression was normal, he was relieved.

Are there any obstacles to road construction in the city?

"Have."

"Rumors are circulating in the city that the imperial court is going to move the capital."

Many people say that since the imperial court is going to move the capital, there is no need to build roads.

Therefore, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War all wanted to stop the road construction and use the money for other things.

"But Lord Liu stubbornly refused, neither agreeing nor objecting."

Lu Yunyi suddenly laughed, a hint of helplessness in his voice, and then he let out a long sigh:

"It's drafty everywhere. Alright, that's enough for today. I'm heading back to my residence."

"Buy whatever the yamen needs; don't be stingy with money. Five thousand taels of silver will be delivered tomorrow."

Hou Xian stood up and bowed deeply:
"Sir, walk slowly."

Leaving the Market and Exchange Bureau, Lu Yunyi surveyed the imperial city before him.
As far as the eye could see, there were eleven heavily armed imperial guards, scattered in various corners.

They're everywhere—at corners, under walls, beside palace lanterns.

Lu Yunyi raised an eyebrow, showing great admiration for the Imperial Guards' ability to adjust their tactics.

There was a rumor in the morning, and the deployment was changed in the afternoon.

Upon arriving at the gates of the imperial city, as expected...
The garrison has been significantly reduced, and the area has returned to its original state.

However, the morale of the defending troops was noticeably better, a typical case of being relaxed on the outside but tense on the inside.

Not far away, a carriage was parked on the side of the Imperial City Road.

He was surrounded by nearly twenty guards, all dressed in black and with long swords at their waists!

Gong Xianzhi was the first to come forward.
"My lord, brothers have been deployed to hide along the route from the capital to the mansion."
If anything goes wrong, it will be detected immediately.

Lu Yunyi nodded, his face showing admiration.

In such dangerous times, caution is the only way forward.
The prerequisite for any grand plan is to survive.

"Go back home."

Gong Xianzhi walked beside him, saying as they went:

"My lord, more than thirty visiting cards were sent from the mansion today."
They were all officials from the Governor-General's Office and the Six Ministries.
Several marquises also sent letters, saying they wished to invite you to a banquet on the Qinhuai River.

"Hmm, just leave it there, don't worry about it. Is Mu Jinghe in the manor?"

"Reporting to you, sir, Manager Mu came to the manor to wait in the evening, and he brought a package, which should contain documents."

Gong Xianzhi lowered his voice to a minimum, his expression showing a hint of shock.

Lu Yunyi was also somewhat surprised, and greatly admired the woman's boldness.

"Have the spies around the mansion been cleared out?"

"Reporting to your Excellency, the search is underway, and twenty-one people have been found today."
Seven of them weren't specifically targeting the Lu residence, but rather the three alleys around Xi'an Gate.

"why?"

"They said that some adults, in order to avoid being seen, would not take the main road, but would take the three alleys around Xi'an Gate as a detour."

"hehe."

Lu Yunyi chuckled and stepped onto the carriage.

"That's really thorough."

Gong Xianzhi pointed to the carriage and said softly:

"My lord, the carriage was sent from the palace. They say it has fine iron in the lining, so even a heavy crossbow can't penetrate it. It's safe to ride in."

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Let's go."

The carriage had just stopped in front of the Lu residence.
Gong Xianzhi was the first to jump out of the carriage and lift the curtain.

The vermilion gates were spotless, and the stone lions on either side of the gates remained majestic.

This mansion was a gift from General Lan Yu; the courtyard is well-organized and it is located right next to the imperial city.
It is an excellent residence in the capital.

If such a house were put up for sale, no one would dare to buy it.

Lu Yunyi had just bent down and stepped out of the carriage,

Then she heard hurried footsteps coming from inside the courtyard, accompanied by the soft rustling of her skirt.

Looking up, a pale purple figure rushed towards them from the direction of the main house; it was Mu Jinghe.

She ran so fast that the silver hairpin tucked at her temple swayed slightly.

A few stray hairs clung to her temples, yet she didn't appear disheveled.

Only when she got closer could one see that she was wearing a dark-patterned ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

The collar and cuffs were embroidered with extremely fine lotus patterns, which were faintly visible in the dim light.

Mu Jinghe was exceptionally beautiful, yet not in a flamboyant way.

She was in her early twenties, the prime of her life, with a slender figure.
As you get closer, you can smell a faint fragrance emanating from her.
"Sir, you are back!"

Mu Jinghe ran up to Lu Yunyi, and before she could even steady herself, she reached out to help him.

Her fingers had just touched his cuff when she remembered there were guards nearby.
He quietly put it away, but the excitement in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Lu Yunyi stepped down from the carriage, raised his hand to tidy up the stray hairs at her temples, and his fingertips inadvertently brushed against her earlobe, feeling a warm sensation.

"Manager Mu, it's been a long time. The meeting at the palace was a bit delayed, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Mu Jinghe's cheeks flushed slightly. She took half a step back and stepped aside to make way for him.

"My lord, please come into the mansion first."

The lights in the main room were already on, with ram's horn lamps hanging from the beams, illuminating the room brightly.

As soon as they entered the house, Mu Jinghe threw herself into Lu Yunyi's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and looking up at him.
"My lord, I have missed you day and night, and I am so glad to see you again."

Lu Yunyi chuckled softly, raised his hand and patted the rounded shape behind her.
"Alright, let me sit down and rest for a bit. I haven't slept well these past few days while traveling."

Mu Jinghe blushed, and as if remembering something, she quietly let go of his hand.
After Lu Yunyi sat down, she poured another cup of tea and carefully brought it over:
"My lord, please have some tea to tide you over. We have prepared some food at home."

Lu Yunyi took the teacup and gestured for her to sit down on the chair next to him.

Mu Jinghe smiled gently, her hand lightly supporting the ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) behind her. The silk fabric clung tightly to her body, making her appear round and full.

"Sir, what are you looking at?"

Mu Jinghe rolled her eyes at him.
"Hahahaha, Manager Mu's figure is getting better and better, it makes people's appetites soar."

Lu Yunyi burst into laughter, completely disregarding her blushing face.
"grown ups."

"Is the business doing well lately? The situation is tense right now, so please be careful."

Mu Jinghe felt a warmth in her heart, and gently bit her red lips with her pearly teeth:

"Don't worry, sir. With you protecting us, who would dare to cause trouble for the business?"

As she spoke, Mu Jinghe pulled a document from a bundle beside her and handed it over:
"Sir, look, this is the merchant's recent accounts."

The mink coats from that winter sold extremely well.
One hundred pieces of clothing sold out before they even arrived in the capital.

I've heard that some noble ladies in the capital are still competing with each other, vying to buy higher rankings.

Other valuable items also sold extremely well, with demand exceeding supply.
The shops are now completely empty all day long, and the managers from each shop frequently come to ask if any new goods have arrived.

As she spoke, she leaned closer playfully, smiling sweetly:

"As you instructed, some goods, even if they arrive, will not be sold for the time being; let those noble ladies fight over them."

Lu Yunyi flipped through the accounts in his hand, his expression growing increasingly strange.
They were utterly astonished by the wealth of the noblewomen in the capital!

In less than half a year, he had already earned nearly ten thousand taels of silver. This is a sure-fire way to make money.

"Manager Mu, too much of a good thing can be bad. You need to be careful about the boundaries you strike when interacting with these noble ladies."

We must neither make them resentful nor make them forget.

But I believe you can do it.

When Mu Jinghe heard the praise, she felt completely smitten and beamed with joy.

She picked up the package next to her and whispered:
"My lord, these are all secrets about the capital that I obtained from them. Please take a look and see if they are of any use to you."

(End of this chapter)