In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 965 Lord Lu Has Been Assassinated
"what?"

Xu Huizu's voice suddenly rang out, his face extremely ugly, and his gaze swept fiercely towards Shen Jin:

"Lord Shen! The telescope is a crucial piece of military equipment. What do you intend to do with it?"

Shen Jin was known as a kind-hearted person.
At this moment, however, his expression was calm, and his tone was completely unwavering:

"Duke of Wei, this matter has not yet been fully investigated, why be so agitated?"

Xu Huizu suppressed his anger, turned to Mao Xiang who was kneeling on the ground, glared at him, and waited for him to continue speaking.

At this moment, Duke Chang Sheng, looking bewildered, asked:
What is a flintlock musket?

He glanced around and found that most of the officials shared his bewildered expression.
Only Xu Huizu and Zhu Shou looked solemn and tense.

Seeing this, Zhu Shou stepped forward to explain:
"It is the latest weaponry developed by the military. It has not yet been mass-produced, but it has already shown initial results."

"what?"

Chang Sheng looked completely bewildered, his expression gradually becoming strange.
Even he, a duke, was unaware that military equipment had been leaked out!

Seeing his reaction,

The ministers present instantly realized the seriousness of the situation.

The telescope was a powerful tool for farsightedness known to all the ministers and officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Departments.

But no one knew about this flintlock gun.

Shen Jin's expression finally changed slightly.
He remained standing there with his hands clasped together, without saying a word.

Minister of Works Qin Kui pursed his lips, his gaze icy cold, and remained silent as well.

Mao Xiang glanced up at Zhu Yuanzhang on the dragon throne.

Seeing that His Majesty remained silent, he opened the document and took out several sheets of Xuan paper:
"Your Majesty! This is the testimony of the armory clerk."

The document states that when Lord Shen took the telescope, he did not issue any official document, but only gave verbal instructions.

As for flintlock muskets...
Your Majesty, through investigation of the Ministry of Works' secret workshops,

Lord Qin took two, and I have only recovered one; the whereabouts of the other are unknown!

Qin Kui's expression changed slightly. He turned to look at Mao Xiang, his tone tinged with doubt:

"The location of the workshop is known only to the three chief officials of the Ministry of Works in the imperial court."

How did Chairman Mao find out?
If I remember correctly, the imperial laws stipulate...

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is forbidden from placing spies in the Six Ministries or the homes of officials of the fourth rank or above. Lord Mao is knowingly breaking the law!

Zhao Mian suddenly raised his head, seizing the opportunity to refute, and echoed in agreement:

"Yes, yes, yes! Mao Xiang, what are your true intentions in planting spies in this government office!"
"Your Majesty, please arrest this thief, imprison him, and execute him in the autumn to uphold the law!"

Faced with such accusations, Mao Xiang did not defend himself; instead, he slammed his forehead hard against the blue bricks.
"Your Majesty, the rebel faction in the capital is deeply entrenched."

I had no choice but to do this, fearing it would endanger the safety of the court!
Unexpectedly, such a secret was actually uncovered. How could a high-ranking official of the Six Ministries engage in such a despicable act!
"I am willing to die to prove my loyalty, to bring order to the court, and to thoroughly purge the traitors from the ranks!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, looking at the ministers in disarray below, and let out a cold snort.

He picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it on the ground.
The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly jarring inside the hall.
"Good! Excellent! Of the six ministers, three have been ruined in one fell swoop!"
OK OK.
One was corrupt and lawless, one misappropriated military equipment, and the other helped cover it up!

Do you treat the imperial laws as worthless scraps of paper? Do you treat me as a mere decoration?

Everyone in the hall knelt down and shouted in unison:

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

Zhan Hui composed himself, stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, the evidence presented by Mao Xiang has not yet been thoroughly verified."
Your Majesty, I humbly request that you issue an edict to allow the Censorate to review all documents and evidence.

A thorough investigation of this matter will not only restore justice to the court but also clear the names of the three officials.

Yuan Tai, who had been quietly playing the role of a nobody, changed his expression drastically upon hearing these words.
The Censorate was merely an oversight agency.

How could such a major case involving the ministers of six ministries be tolerated!
Three at once!

He quickly looked up and glanced at the dragon throne.

Seeing that His Majesty did not show any displeasure, he instantly understood Zhan Hui's intention.
This was an attempt to de-escalate the tense situation and prevent the imperial court from losing face over this matter.

Taking a deep breath, Yuan Tai stepped forward, his voice firm and resolute:

"I second that! Your Majesty, please hand this case over to the Censorate for trial."

We must not allow the Embroidered Uniform Guard to make baseless accusations, nor can we allow corruption and abuse of power to run rampant!

Seeing this, Chang Sheng glared fiercely at Zhan Hui and Yuan Tai, cursing inwardly.

Which side are you on? As fellow officials of the Crown Prince, why would you side with outsiders!

He suppressed his anger, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty, this matter concerns state secrets and involves top-secret military equipment!"

If the information is leaked and used by the enemy, it will surely harm our Ming soldiers!
Your Majesty, I humbly request that these three be handed over to the Five Military Commands for safekeeping.

All those involved have been arrested to prevent the leakage of classified information!

Left Army Commander Zhu Shou's face darkened.
Such troublesome matters are usually avoided if possible; why would anyone willingly take them on?
He quickly stepped forward to add:
"Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has indeed overstepped its authority, and even the three officials cannot prove their innocence."

Your Majesty, I believe that all those involved should be imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's jail.
A conclusion will be reached after the Censorate has conducted a thorough investigation!

Minister of Justice Yang Jing was originally calm and collected.

Upon hearing this, his pupils contracted sharply, and he reacted swiftly, taking a step forward:
"Your Majesty, I once served as Minister of Revenue and am familiar with many of the officials in the Ministry of Revenue."
Handing this case over to the Ministry of Justice might be biased; I should recuse myself!

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze slowly swept over the ministers below the steps.

Finally, the tone turned cold as it fell on Mao Xiang:

"Mao Xiang, if there is not a single falsehood in what you have said today, I will surely exterminate your entire clan."

Mao Xiang kowtowed again, his forehead hitting the floor tiles and drawing blood, but his voice was unusually firm:
"I am willing to stake the lives of my entire family on the truth of everything I have said!"

If I have uttered any falsehoods, I am willing to accept the punishment of being sliced ​​to death!

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the bloodstains on Mao Xiang's forehead, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke:
"By imperial decree, Zhao Mian, Shen Jin, and Qin Kui are to be immediately confined to their quarters and forbidden from contacting any outsiders."
The Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Court of Judicial Review jointly investigated the case.

Zhan Hui is responsible for supervising the interrogation; there must be no favoritism or malpractice. This matter must be thoroughly investigated and the truth revealed!

Zhan Hui bowed deeply and said in a solemn voice:
"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will do my duty to investigate this case thoroughly."

Zhu Yuanzhang changed the subject, looking at Mao Xiang with increasingly cold eyes:
"Commander Mao Xiang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has overstepped his authority and disregarded the law. He shall be imprisoned immediately and thrown into the Imperial Prison!"

Mao Xiang, kneeling on the ground, had his face covered in blood.

Upon hearing this, his tense body relaxed slightly, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

Become!

He then shouted loudly:
"I have disregarded Your Majesty's grace and deserve to die! I am guilty!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped looking at him and turned to Xu Huizu:
"You shall immediately lead your men to retrieve the telescope and flintlock pistol, and capture all those involved. If anyone resists, kill them without mercy!"

"The minister obeys the order!"

Xu Huizu's face was stern as he bowed and accepted the order.

When Zhao Mian, Shen Jin, and Qin Kui were carried away by the Imperial Guards, their expressions remained calm as they slowly walked out of the Wuying Hall.

Mao Xiang, somewhat disheveled, still shouted loudly as he left:
"I disregard the Emperor's grace and beg for death!"

The ministers in the palace watched this scene with very complicated expressions.
An ordinary meeting has turned into this.

Three ministers and one commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard fell at once.
Such a scene was only seen last year when they arrested rebels.

The cicadas outside the hall were still chirping noisily.
The atmosphere inside the Wuying Hall was inexplicably more relaxed.

Zhan Hui stared at Mao Xiang's retreating figure, his gaze darkening. He had once again escaped a calamity.

If it weren't for today's turmoil...

Based on Mao Xiang's actions over the past two months, he has already been abandoned by His Majesty.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, watching the ministers gradually disperse from the hall, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the chair.

His expression was inscrutable, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

When Mao Xiang walked out of the Wuying Hall, the midday sun was so bright that he couldn't open his eyes.

He touched the wound on his forehead, but a smile crept onto his lips.
Although today was dangerous, we managed to escape a disaster.
As for the power in one's hands, one can only make calculations if one is alive.

News of what happened at the Wuying Hall of the Market and Exchange Bureau quickly reached the bureau.
Lu Yunyi sat behind the table, listening quietly to Hou Xian's report, his expression utterly calm.
Finally, he nodded slightly and said, "I understand."

Hou Xian stood to the side, a hint of regret on his face:

"This Mao Xiang has escaped another disaster."

Lu Yunyi looked somewhat puzzled as he began tidying up the documents on the table, saying calmly:
"not necessarily."

The next day at dawn, just as the sun had climbed over the eaves of the houses on the east side of the prefecture,

The gate of Yingtian Trading Company was scorching hot from the sun.

The bluestone slabs on the street still bore the damp marks of the morning dew.
The mud tracks have been left by the hooves and wheels of passing horses.

Today is the shareholders' meeting of Yingtian Trading Company, which is also the most anticipated dividend day of the year!
Almost all the officials and merchants of any standing in the capital were present.

A large crowd had gathered around the two stone lions at the entrance of the shop.

Xiang Shaohua, a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, was wearing a dark blue official robe.

He was speaking in a low voice with Wang Guoyong, a senior official in the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Agriculture, his tone tinged with envy:

"The business made nearly 700,000 taels last year, it should be even more this year, right?"

Wang Guoyong nodded with a smile, but his gaze kept drifting towards the street corner, his tone tinged with worry:

"I wonder how much money the business is planning to distribute this year."

Given the current situation, it might be best to avoid direct confrontation.

Not far away, several simply dressed merchants huddled together, their voices lowered even further:

"I wonder if Lord Lu will come today?"

When he came last year, he was so imposing; it was truly enviable. "If only Lord Lu could come!"
The market has made a fortune this year. If we could get in touch with them, our lives would be much better!

A plump merchant spoke with a face full of anticipation.

The other person, however, shook their head with a smile, pouring cold water on the idea:

"Come on, take a look at yourself in the mirror first!"
The shares of Yingtian Trading Company, Lord Lu said he didn't want them, so he didn't.

"Does he even care about what we have?"

"Indeed, I previously thought that Lord Lu couldn't withstand the pressure from the imperial court and that's why he withdrew from the business."
Now it seems they don't even care about that little bit of money!
You can make money anytime you want.

Unlike us, we toil away all day, living in constant fear, yet earn very little money.

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions.
The usually imposing shopkeepers were unusually low-key today, not even daring to speak loudly.

One carriage after another slowly drove in, their status becoming increasingly distinguished.

Minister of Rites Li Yuanming, Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review Ru Chang, Vice Minister of Personnel Gao Chang, Vice Minister of Revenue Fu Youwen, Vice Minister of War Shao Yongshan, Vice Minister of Works Yan Zhenzhi, and Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture Gao Shou arrived one after another.

They didn't linger long and hurried upstairs; the scene was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Soon, a troop of warhorses galloped in.

The leader was Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding, accompanied by Duke Chang Sheng of Kaiguo, Marquis Zhu Shou of Zhulu, and a group of officials from the Governor's Office.

They quickly went upstairs, and everyone present didn't dare to even breathe.

A moment later, a simple horse-drawn carriage slowly drove up.

The carriage curtain was plain-colored, with a small green bamboo embroidered on the corner of the curtain, and the character "市" (city) embroidered next to it.

The carriage stopped in front of the shop.

Basong jumped out of the car first and held onto the door.

Lu Yunyi stepped out, bowing low. He was dressed in a black casual suit with a jade belt around his waist and dark gold cloud patterns embroidered on the collar.

The sunlight fell on him, making him look even younger and more upright.

"Lord Lu has arrived!"

Someone shouted first, and the crowd instantly became noisy.

Many merchants stopped talking and stared straight at Lu Yunyi.
This man is widely recognized as the God of Wealth in the capital.

With a variety of methods employed, no one dared to challenge them.

Perhaps it's because Lu Yunyi is young and approachable,

Many people mustered up their courage and went up to say hello.
Even the small merchants who had been hiding in the corner came over, their faces beaming with smiles.

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded in response, then walked down the steps.

Looking up at Liu Sili, who was waiting there, he cupped his hands and said:

"Father-in-law, I apologize for being late. The Market and Commerce Bureau just finished dealing with the grain merchants' follow-up matters, which delayed us for a while."

Liu Sili breathed a sigh of relief, quickly walked down the steps, and patted his arm:
"It's good that you're here. Come on in, everyone inside is waiting."

"Not urgent."

Lu Yunyi smiled, his gaze sweeping over the people around him, his voice clear and bright:

"Gentlemen, thank you for waiting. Today's profit-sharing meeting..."

Let's check the accounts first, then we can talk about the Northern Branch.

The Left Military Governor's Office has already submitted documents regarding the plans for Beiping.

The imperial court will be holding discussions in a few days, and the merchants need to prepare in advance.

Everyone nodded in agreement; they had been eagerly anticipating this business opportunity!
A merchant mustered his courage and asked:

"Sir, after opening the branch, will travel between the north and south become more frequent?"

"That's for sure. Yingtian Construction Firm has already begun preparations for the road repair from Beiping to Yingtian. Once that's done, caravans can travel on it freely without any hindrance!"

Lu Yunyi nodded, and was about to speak again when suddenly...
"Oh!"

A loud bang suddenly exploded, so piercing that it hurt one's eardrums.

Everyone froze, instinctively looking up and glancing around.

The next moment, everyone's pupils shrank and their faces turned deathly pale!
At the head of the table, in front of the Yingtian Trading Company, Lord Lu looked as if he had been struck hard by a heavy hammer!

A dark red stain gradually seeped into the black uniform, and blood dripped down the fabric, falling onto the bluestone slab and spreading into a small dark patch.

"Enemy attack!"

Basong was the first to react, and he lunged forward.
He shielded Lu Yunyi behind him, his hand resting on the sword at his waist, his eyes as cold as ice:

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!!"

"Seal off the area! No one is allowed to leave!"

The guards also realized what was happening and immediately began to take action!
Liu Sili rushed over in a panic, his eyes wide open.

He grabbed Lu Yunyi's arm with both hands, but felt his hands were covered in blood. His pupils contracted sharply, and his voice trembled:

"Blood! How can there be blood! Yunyi, are you alright?"

Lu Yunyi's eyes were still somewhat bewildered. He tried to raise his hand to touch his chest, but his whole body was too weak.

His arm swayed, and his body fell to the side.

Liu Sili quickly hugged him and helped him sit on the steps, feeling the person in his arms getting heavier and heavier.

"There! Go after them!"

Basong suddenly shouted, pointing to the street corner,

It was deserted, except for one carriage speeding by.
The wind blew the curtain open a corner, and a black gun barrel could be vaguely seen hidden inside.

"Quickly! Go to the palace and summon the imperial physician!"

Liu Sili roared, his voice filled with panic and fear.

In the council hall on the fifth floor of Yingtian Trading Company,
The glow of the gilded bronze lamp still enveloped the account books on the table, and a faint aroma of tea wafted in the air.

Marquis Guo Yinggang of Wuding had just picked up his teacup, his fingertips not even touching the rim...
A deafening gunshot suddenly rang out from downstairs.

Immediately following was an uproar.

Guo Ying abruptly put down her teacup, rushed to the window, pushed open the carved wooden window, and looked down.

The sun was at its zenith, its rays so bright they made one's eyes dizzy.

But he immediately noticed the chaos below the steps.
Lu Yunyi, dressed in black casual clothes, was falling to the side, a patch of blood spreading across his dark fabric.
Liu Sili held him, his face ashen, muttering something unintelligible.

"Holy crap!!"

Guo Ying's pupils suddenly contracted, and she burst into a tirade of curses.

He quickly turned around and yelled at Guo Zhen, who was standing at the door:
"Guo Zhen! Immediately order the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard to seal off the nine gates of the capital. No one is allowed to leave the city!"

"Then have Xu Zengshou bring his troops over to surround the central city and capture the murderer!"

murderer?

Although Guo Zhen was unaware of what had happened,
But realizing the seriousness of the situation, he turned and ran downstairs.

The other officials in the hall were still whispering among themselves around the account books,

Guo Ying's shout and the commotion outside left them bewildered.

Minister of Rites Li Yuanming stood up, supporting himself on the edge of the table, his white beard trembling slightly:
"What's wrong? What happened downstairs?"

Gao Chang, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, quickly moved to another window.
Looking down, they saw Liu Sili carrying Lu Yunyi to the carriage, the blood on the ground particularly glaring in the sunlight.

He gasped, grabbing the window frame to steady himself, his voice trembling:

"It's Lord Lu! Lord Lu has been assassinated!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hall.

Chang Sheng stood up abruptly, the long sword at his waist creating a gust of wind.

He rushed to the window, and after seeing the scene below, he burst into a tirade of curses:
"Damn it, this is outrageous! Someone come here!"

The Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, Ru Chang, gripped his sleeves tightly, his face as white as paper, and murmured:
"Oh no. This is completely ruined."

Fu Youwen reacted extremely quickly, turning his head to look directly at Yan Zhenzhi, the Vice Minister of Works, his tone urgent:

"Yesterday Mao Xiang said that there was another flintlock musket that was missing!"

What is that? Is it a firearm? Can it kill an enemy from a hundred paces away?

All eyes were on Yan Zhenzhi.

Yan Zhenzhi's face was deathly pale, and his voice trembled:

"This is a military secret and cannot be disclosed."

Everyone present was intelligent; his words were no different from an open statement.

Li Yuanming stood still.
Looking at the chaotic scene downstairs, his cloudy eyes were filled with helplessness.

A high-ranking official of the second rank was assassinated in full view of the public.
They were using classified military equipment!

In the twenty-four years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, even during the most intense period of court infighting, there had never been an assassination attempt on a high-ranking official in the street.

He even felt that even if the rebels gathered a large army to attack the capital, it wouldn't be as serious as this matter.

Li Yuanming took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and gave the order in a deep voice:

"Immediately send someone to report this matter to His Majesty!"
An order was issued that no one was allowed to leave any government office in the imperial city; anyone who left without permission would be treated as a traitor!

The crowd finally realized what was happening and rushed downstairs.

The stairwell was cramped, and the officials had long since abandoned any pretense of decorum.

Footsteps and shouts mingled together with gasps from downstairs, creating a chaotic and unsettling atmosphere.

Everyone knows,
Chaos has broken out; the capital is about to descend into chaos.

(End of this chapter)