In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 952: The wind is howling, and the grass and trees are all enemies

As dawn approached, all the brokerage firms in Yingtian opened their doors.
Seeing the huge crowd at the entrance, everyone was stunned.

However, the people didn't give the shopkeeper or manager a chance to react.

He rushed in, shouting loudly:
"Shopkeeper! I'm selling these two acres of land for two taels! Quickly write me the contract!"

"Why should I write for him first? My place is in the south of the city, it's better than his! I'll sell it for two taels too!"

"No way! My son needs the money for medical treatment, I'll sell it for 1.8 taels!"

The noise inside the brokerage shop drowned out the bustling street outside.

Suddenly, a muffled thud came from the crowd. Two men were fighting over who would hand over the land deed first.

One person was pushed to the ground, and the land deeds were scattered all over the yard.

Another person, stepping on the land deed, was about to rush forward.

The people around them either joined in the commotion or

They either squeezed onto the counter, or no one helped the person on the ground.

"Stop fighting! Everyone stop fighting!"

The shouts of the yamen runners came from the alley entrance, and he ran over with two of his men.

But just as he squeezed to the entrance of the dental clinic, he was pushed and stumbled by an excited farmer.

The farmer, his eyes red, roared:
"Sir, don't worry about it! If we delay any longer, this land will be worthless! Will you compensate me?"

The constable was speechless, staring at the chaos in the brokerage firm.

Some people were grabbing the ledger, some were tearing up the land deeds, and some were even clinging to the shopkeeper's legs and crying.

He stepped back and whispered to his subordinates:

"We can't handle this situation, we need to report it to the authorities!"

Not only Yuxing Brokerage, but also Taihe Brokerage in the east of the city and Tongfu Brokerage in the north of the city,

This is the scene at that moment.

The chaos is even more intense than during last year's bumper sweet potato harvest.

Last time, the city's bigwigs were scrambling to sell land, still trying to maintain a semblance of decorum.

This time, the common people are clutching their land deeds, just wanting to sell as soon as possible.
Even if it's sold at a low price, I'm afraid that if I wait too long, I won't even get that little bit of silver.

The news began to spread rapidly in Beijing.

Before 9 AM, the entire city of Yingtian knew that the fields and houses had been destroyed beyond recognition.

If we don't sell it soon, it will really be worthless.

In the imperial city, at the gate of the Market and Exchange Bureau,
Lu Yunyi, dressed in casual clothes, was stunned when he arrived.

The old wooden sign with peeling paint is gone, replaced by a new solid wood plaque.

The three large characters "市易司" (Market Exchange Office) were gilded and dazzling in the morning light.

The gate was painted vermilion and had copper nails nailed into the door panels, making it look exceptionally grand.

The blue bricks in the courtyard were swept clean, and the weeds were gone.
Two pots of orchids were placed under the eaves, their leaves lush and green, exuding a sense of vitality.

A dozen or so young eunuchs dressed in blue eunuch robes,
Someone was squatting on the ground, vigorously scrubbing the grout between the floor tiles, while another person was sweeping dust off the roof.

Upon entering the main hall, several eunuchs were squatting on the ground, sorting through accounts.
The account book in his hand was made of newly replaced Xuan paper, and the writing brush was also made of the finest wolf hair.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi enter, the head eunuch immediately bowed and greeted him.

"Meet the adults!"

Lu Yunyi nodded, glanced around, and saw that the old wooden table had been replaced with a pear wood table, polished to a shine.
A map of the capital region hung on the wall, with the extent of fields and houses marked in red and blue.
Red indicates a drop of over 70%, and blue indicates a drop of 50%.

The west and south sides of the city were all red, a shocking sight.

Hou Xian was already waiting inside. He was dressed in a slightly luxurious blue eunuch's robe, with a jade pendant tied around his waist, which was the waist tag of the manager of the Market Exchange Department.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi enter, Hou Xian hurriedly went to greet him:
"My lord, you've finally arrived! Chaos! The capital is in complete chaos!"

Lu Yunyi walked to the table and sat down, pointing to the chair opposite him:

"Don't rush, speak slowly, have some tea first."

Hou Xian picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, then composed himself and unfolded the document:

"My lord, you see, this morning from 5 AM to 7 AM..."
The price of farmland west of the city dropped from five taels to two taels, and the price of mulberry land south of the city dropped from four taels to one and a half taels.

The situation was even worse for houses in the capital. Courtyard houses plummeted from 100 taels to 30 taels, and single-story houses from 50 taels to 15 taels!

"The people from three other villages all flocked to the brokerage firm,"

“The land in Lijiacun, Wangjiaying, and Zhangjiabao villages is all good land. They used to grow rice and mulberry trees there, but now the villagers are carrying hoes to sell their land!”

"Where is the Dongning Trading Company?"

Lu Yunyi remained calm as he pointed to three villages on the map.

Hou Xian's face darkened further:
"People from the Dongning Trading Company were staking out outside the brokerage firm in plain clothes."

"As long as someone is willing to buy, I'll pay in cash on the spot, even lower than the brokerage rate!"

"Just now, the Embroidered Uniform Guard reported that the Dongning Trading Company transferred 200,000 taels of silver, all from the salt merchants of Jiangnan, in order to suppress land prices!"
A fight has broken out at Wangjiaying; three people have been injured.
The yamen runners of the Jingzhao Prefecture dared not intervene, fearing they would be surrounded by the people!

Lu Yunyi picked up the map and examined it carefully.
The three villages are right around the main road leading to the capital; it is indeed a good place.

He was silent for a moment, then picked up a pen and paper, wrote a letter, and handed it to Hou Xian:

"Find the person you trust most and secretly deliver it to Xinchen Trading Company. Hand it over to Zhou Song personally, without letting anyone see it."

Hou Xian took the document:

"Don't worry, sir, I'll take care of it right away. I guarantee no one will find out. But what if the situation gets out of control?"

Lu Yunyi smiled, picked up a pen, and drew a circle on the map:

"It's good that things are out of control; only in chaos can you see who's behind it all."

After delivering the documents, have the eunuchs sort out the accounts.

Don't rush things, especially in business. Waiting can sometimes solve a lot of problems.

"Yes, my lord!"

Hou Xian quickly agreed and turned to leave.

Lu Yunyi watched Hou Xian's retreating figure, then looked at the map, his eyes sharpening.

The Dongning Trading Company was backed by the Zhou King.
Behind the Zhou king were the ministers who opposed moving the capital.

They wanted chaos in the capital region.

By influencing the court with popular support, they could postpone the relocation of the capital and, incidentally, make some more money.
Since they have something to gain, things will be easier.

Around noon, Lu Yunyi changed into a blue long robe and took a carriage to Wanqing Tower in the Grand Workshop.

This is a famous elegant place in the capital, where you can find everything from music and chess to calligraphy and painting.

Lu Yunyi walked to the reserved private room and looked at the waiter:

"Let's serve."

"Yes, son."

A short while later, the waiter pushed the food cart in.

Crystal shrimp dumplings, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, crab roe tofu, steamed sea bass,
The dishes were all exquisite Jiangnan cuisine, and the tea was freshly brewed Biluochun.

Lu Yunyi picked up the teacup, smelled the aroma, and nodded slightly. It was indeed new tea.

Shortly after, footsteps were heard outside the door.
The waiter led Zhou Song in.

Zhou Song wore a dark blue silk long gown.

He was neater than usual, and was carrying a cloth bag.

Seeing that Lu Yunyi had arrived early, Zhou Song quickly bowed deeply.
"Lord Lu, you're here so early."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, signaling the waiter to go and close the door.
"Sit down, eat first, we can talk while we eat."

I heard from people in the palace that the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish in the restaurant is quite good; you should try it.

Zhou Song didn't dare touch his chopsticks. He placed the cloth bag beside his feet, then pushed it further in before sitting down.
"My lord, I had someone check the information you requested this morning."
The people who sold their land were indeed concentrated in Lijiacun, Wangjiaying, and Zhangjiabao.

The Dongning Trading Company set up branches outside these three villages, exchanging grain for land—a much more shady business than traditional brokerage firms!

In addition, the scoundrel also found out that,
Several major grain merchants in the city are stockpiling grain, saying they're preparing to raise prices.

Lu Yunyi picked up a piece of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and ate it slowly.

It has a sweet and savory flavor and tender meat.

He glanced at Zhou Song and saw that he was fidgeting and clutching his cuffs. He knew what Zhou Song was afraid of.

Lu Yunyi put down his chopsticks, picked up his teacup, and took a sip:
"Manager Zhou, how about Xinchen Trading Company also deals in grains?"
"The Dongning Trading Company has acquired the grain source areas and stockpiled the grain. What will they do next? Do you know?"

Zhou Song's body stiffened, and his expression changed:

"My lord, these people have ulterior motives. I would never dare to get involved."

Lu Yunyi took a piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the table. It was a permit from the Market and Commerce Bureau.

The inscription reads, "The Market and Commerce Bureau will prioritize cooperation with Xinchen Trading Company for the circulation of grain and rice in the capital region, allowing them to purchase government grain at fair prices and exempting them from taxes for six months."

Zhou Song's eyes lit up, and he reached out to take it, but then pulled his hand back.

"Sir, what is this for?" Lu Yunyi nodded and pushed the approval document in front of him:

"I never make empty promises. Take this list as payment for asking you to do this."

"Sir, what do you wish to do?"

"Keep an eye on the activities of those merchant firms, led by Dongning Trading Company."
I need detailed accounts of how much land they acquired, which warehouse the grain was stored in, and how much silver went in and out each day.

In return, the Market Transaction Bureau will not only cooperate with you, but also ensure that your Xinchen Trading Company can establish itself in the capital.
Even if the capital is moved, your trading company can go north and continue doing business.

Zhou Song looked up at Lu Yunyi.
The other person had sharp eyes, as if they could see right through him.

Zhou Song suddenly remembered the chaos at the brokerage this morning.
He couldn't afford to offend those powerful and influential people, but he couldn't afford to offend the person in front of him even more.

He suddenly stood up and bowed deeply:
"My lord, I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

Lu Yunyi smiled, picked up his chopsticks, took out a shrimp dumpling, and handed it to Zhou Song:

"Alright, let's eat first. The food is getting cold. I may be doing some business with some officials at your brokerage later, so be prepared."

Zhou Song looked puzzled:

"Is the imperial court trying to drive up land and housing prices?"

Lu Yunyi smiled mysteriously and said calmly:
"Don't worry, you won't be shortchanged by a single penny."

I heard you made a lot of money last time; this time, I'll make sure you make even more.

Zhou Song's eyes lit up, and his breathing became rapid.

He picked up a shrimp dumpling, stuffed it into his mouth, swallowed it whole, and then raised his teacup to toast Lu Yunyi:
"Don't worry, sir!"

Just after noon, Lu Yunyi's carriage stopped in front of the Kaiping Prince's Mansion.

As the carriage curtain was lifted, the first thing that caught the eye was the white banner hanging above the gate tower, the plain-colored fabric fluttering in the wind.

The stone lions on either side of the gate were wrapped in white silk, and a thin layer of paper money dust covered the steps.

When the wind blows, it swirls and floats up.

A servant dressed in plain clothes came forward.
Upon seeing that it was Lu Yunyi, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he still bowed and led the way:

"Lord Lu, the Duke is keeping vigil in the main house. I'll take you there right away."

The courtyard was eerily quiet; not even a bird could be heard.

Only a few maids were squatting in the corner folding paper money.
Seeing Lu Yunyi walk by, he quickly lowered his head, his hands moving a beat slower.

A linen curtain hung at the entrance to the main house; when it was lifted, a faint scent of incense and candles wafted out.

The room was dark, with no lights on.

In the center was Chang Mao's memorial tablet, with fruits and vegetables offered in front of it, and three sticks of incense burning in the incense burner.

The wisps of smoke drifted upwards, blurring the portrait of Chang Mao hanging on the wall.

Chang Sheng sat on the prayer mat in front of the altar.

He was dressed in coarse linen mourning clothes, his hair was messy, his eyes were sunken, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

He held a horsewhip in his hand, the tip of which was worn shiny.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head, his eyes vacant.

Only after recognizing Lu Yunyi did he slowly stand up, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded:

Lord Lu

Lu Yunyi walked to the altar, bowed respectfully before it, and then turned to look at Chang Sheng:

"Upon hearing of the passing of the Duke of Zheng, I have come to pay my respects."

Chang Sheng gave a bitter laugh, slumped into the chair next to him, and pointed to the seat opposite him:
"Please sit down, sir. The manor is in disarray; there's nothing much to offer."

A servant brought over a cup of cold tea, the rim of which was still a little dusty.

Chang Sheng stared at the cup, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up, a hint of urgency flashing in his eyes:

"Brother Lu, do you think my brother really died of illness?"

Lu Yunyi looked at his reddened eyes and sighed softly:
"Duke, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is already investigating in Longzhou, but I'm afraid they won't find anything."

Chang Sheng suddenly gripped the riding whip tightly:

"Why? Are we just going to let it go like this?"

"The murderer is not in Longzhou."

Chang Sheng was stunned, his eye sockets deepened, and then he sneered:
"Yes. The murderer is in the capital."

Lu Yunyi nodded:
"Your Excellency, it's good that you know this. In the current situation, no one can remain unaffected. Now that the enemy has made their move, what do you plan to do?"

"I?"

Chang Sheng slumped down, his hands tightly gripping the hem of his mourning clothes.
As a duke who has never led troops, even if he is capable of doing things, his abilities are limited.

Moreover, the capital is now surrounded by enemies, and he can't even trust the people around him.

"What else can I do? I can't find them, I can't go to Longzhou, and I certainly can't take a knife and kill them!"

"I have a plan that, if successful, will cause those people heavy losses."

"any solution?"

"Some dissidents in Beijing are currently suppressing land and farmland prices."
They resorted to any means necessary, colluding with officials and businessmen to intimidate unsuspecting civilians. If the founding duke was in a bad mood, he could use them as an example.

"How do I do it?!"

Chang Sheng didn't hesitate at all, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

"Prepare silver, the more the better."

I can guarantee that not a single penny will be missing.
Finally, you can make a fortune, even more than you did with the sweet potatoes last time.

Chang Sheng stared into Lu Yunyi's eyes.

Seeing his firm gaze and confident demeanor, he suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Lu Yunyi:
"Lord Lu, with your words, I am relieved. I will make those people pay a heavy price!"

Lu Yunyi also stood up:
"Your Excellency, please don't do this. I am only serving the court."

"If these rebellious elements are not eliminated, the capital region will never be at peace."

As they left the Prince of Kaiping's residence, the sun was already setting, and the carriage headed towards the Duke of Cao's residence.

Cao Guogong Li Jinglong was training troops in Shaanxi, and his residence was managed by his younger brother Li Zengzhi and his wife.

The mansion gates were open, yet they exuded a sense of desolation.

The servant at the door, seeing that it was Lu Yunyi, quickly went in to announce his arrival.

When Li Zengzhi came out to greet him, he was wearing a royal blue long gown. He was shorter than Li Jinglong, and his eyes showed a hint of caution.

"Lord Lu, your presence is an honor; I have failed to greet you properly."

Lu Yunyi smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:

"I apologize for disturbing you, Lord Li. I have come today to discuss important matters with the Duke of Cao's family."

Upon entering the main room, Li Jinglong's wife, Madam Yuan, was also present.

She wore a light purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and her hair was adorned only with a silver hairpin.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi enter, he instructed a maid to serve tea.

Li Zengzhi then got straight to the point:
"My lord, my elder brother is in Shaanxi, and my sister-in-law is temporarily managing the affairs of the manor. Please feel free to speak if you need anything."

Lu Yunyi took a sip of tea and put down the teacup:

"I'm sure Lord Li is aware of the recent turmoil in the capital."

"know."

"I've come today to ask the Duke of Cao's mansion to contribute some silver to help the Market Exchange Bureau seize land."
Firstly, it would stabilize trade in Beijing; secondly, it was a chance to make money.

Li Zengzhi frowned:
"Lord Lu, it's not that I'm making excuses, but most of the money in the manor has been invested in trade between the north and south, so there isn't much left in savings."

Madam Yuan smiled at Lu Yunyi from the side:
"Lord Lu, although our household is not wealthy, we know that this is for the sake of the court's overall interests."

Before leaving, Jiujiang said that if the master had any orders,
The Duke of Cao's mansion will certainly cooperate. May I ask how much silver Lord Lu requires?

"The more the merrier!"

Madam Yuan paused for a moment, a resolute glint flashing in her eyes, and said in a deep voice:
There are still nearly 200,000 taels of silver in various parts of the mansion.

Tomorrow I will send men to collect the 400,000 taels from the estates and shops in various places. Is that enough for you?

Li Zengzhi was taken aback for a moment. Seeing his sister-in-law's resolute attitude, he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Lu Yunyi:
"There are still 100,000 taels of silver in the Prince's mansion, which can make up 500,000 taels."

Lu Yunyi nodded with a smile:

"Thank you, Madam and Lord Li. I'll treat you to drinks when Jiujiang returns from Shaanxi."

This time, we guarantee the Cao State Duke's mansion will make a fortune.

Madam Yuan smiled and agreed; she knew this.

If it weren't for the money earned last time, the manor would never have been able to come up with so much cash.

"Then I will take my leave now. I will send someone to inform you when there are any further developments."

"it is good!"

(End of this chapter)