In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 987 Receiving a favor but instead harboring resentment

The Wuying Hall was cool and refreshing, with its carved beams and painted rafters exuding understated luxury.

The huge bronze censers at the four corners of the main hall were filled to the brim with ice.
Wisps of white mist rose gently, mingling with the sandalwood fragrance that filled the hall, making the entire hall seem like a dream.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty sat on the dragon throne at the head of the table.

With his hands gripping the armrests and his body leaning slightly forward, he stared at the memorials spread out on the table, a half-smile on his face, tinged with a hint of sarcasm.

This is a memorial from Kaifeng.

The text above states that the imperial court's flood control efforts were wasteful and burdensome for the people.
Hiring laborers but not paying them wages, only providing them with food, goes against natural law and human sentiment.

"Hmph, what utter nonsense!"

Zhu Yuanzhang tossed the memorial aside.

He remembered that when he was a child...

When the imperial court wanted to build bridges and pave roads, the villagers all volunteered their labor.
I don't ask for money or meals, and I never dare to ask for more.

Today, water management is a matter of vital importance concerning people's livelihoods.
The people of Kaifeng and Luoyang wished they could stay on the dike day and night.

They only hoped that the rainy season would come later so that more flood control works could be built. They would never complain that the court did not pay them.

He knew perfectly well that these people were submitting memorials to the throne.

Most likely, they were just envious of the two million taels of silver allocated by the Market and Exchange Bureau for flood control that had arrived in the area.

Just as he was pondering this, he heard hurried, heavy footsteps outside the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and saw Lu Yunyi, who was in the eye of the storm.
He actually came in carrying a blue and white porcelain jar.
Guo Ying followed closely behind, both of them with extremely solemn expressions.

Almost instantly, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression turned cold, he slowed down the motion of throwing down the memorial, and slowly leaned back in his chair.

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

Lu Yunyi bowed and greeted Guo Ying, who followed suit.

"What is it?" Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was somewhat somber.

"I have important matters to report, Your Majesty. Please dismiss your attendants."

As soon as Lu Yunyi finished speaking, the faces of the palace maids and eunuchs in the hall turned pale instantly.
Being kicked out again seems like a huge deal.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, and the chief eunuch beside him immediately waved his whisk, signaling everyone to step back.

Once only three people remained in the hall, Lu Yunyi looked at the chief eunuch, the meaning in his eyes self-evident.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed his gaze, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said to the chief eunuch:
"You may also step down."

The head eunuch stood there, stunned, his face full of disbelief. "Should I leave too?"

But he dared not ask any more questions, and quickly left the Wuying Hall, carefully closing the door behind him.

The sunlight was blocked outside the hall, and the interior instantly became dark.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face was half-hidden in shadow, his cold gaze sweeping down from above:

"Go ahead."

"call"

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath, stepped forward, and presented the blue-and-white porcelain jar in his hand:

"Your Majesty, I have found evidence of the traitor's plot to rebel, and also evidence of his attempt to assassinate His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

Standing next to Lu Yunyi, Guo Ying's pupils suddenly dilated, and her composure crumbled.

His grip on the long sword loosened slightly.
Even though he had suspected it beforehand, this straightforward conclusion still shocked him.

Zhu Yuanzhang, sitting at the head of the table, suddenly felt the veins on his palms bulge.
His fingertips traced the armrests of the dragon throne, his expression chilling to the extreme.

The beard hidden in the shadows trembled slightly, like the whiskers of a dragon poised to pounce, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Guo Ying, bring it up."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Guo Ying took the blue-and-white porcelain jar and quickly walked to the imperial desk.

He pushed aside the memorials on the table and placed the jar steadily on it.
Then untie the red string around the mouth of the jar and lift the lid.

A cool, silvery-white aura surged out instantly, carrying a faint smell of the sea, which was quickly suppressed by the sandalwood incense in the hall.

He reached into the jar and took out three clams; the clam shells were slightly open.

It was covered with wisps of dark red algae, so viscous it was almost disgusting, like congealed blood.

"what is this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the red threads on the clam, his voice calm and undisturbed.

But Lu Yunyi felt a chill in his heart. There are some people who are like that; the angrier they are, the calmer they become.

Lu Yunyi forced himself to calm down and slowly began to speak:
"Your Majesty, these are clams. The red stuff on them is called red tide algae, also known as red tide."

This substance is highly poisonous!

If a person eats it, they will faint at best, and die suddenly at worst!

"Bang!"

The blue-and-white porcelain lid in Guo Ying's hand suddenly fell to the ground and shattered.

His rough palm hung in mid-air.

My eyes were dry and tight as I stared intently at the three clams and the dark red algae clinging to them.
The color was just like congealed blood.

The hall fell into a deathly silence; even the sound of breathing became faint.

After an unknown amount of time, a dry laugh came from the head of the table.

Zhu Yuanzhang straightened up, reached for a clam, and spoke with a half-smile:
"Hehe, Guo Si, do you still remember him?"
Biao'er doesn't like river fish, saying it's too fishy, ​​but luckily the girl knows how to cook sea fish.

Chang Yuchun was the most unruly of those years.

Even if the army is short of silver and food, they will send people out to sea to catch fish and deliver them to Biao'er.
He was also criticized for abusing his power for personal gain, and people indirectly advised Biao'er to eat less.

Now, things are really messed up; someone's delivering the poison right to our doorstep.

I wish I could feed Biao'er seafood for every single meal!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice remained calm, but as a personal guard who had followed him for thirty years,
Guo Ying felt ice-cold all over her body and her lips were dry.

An ominous premonition surged up like a tide.

"Your Majesty, please calm down."

"Calm down?"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed, his voice rising abruptly, filled with barely suppressed rage, and roared:
"They've come to my doorstep! They've even dared to lay hands on my crown prince! How can I possibly calm down?!"

I don't like fish, and I especially don't like these clams. They don't have much meat, and they're ridiculously expensive!

If I also like to eat seafood

Are they going to poison my son and me to death in this deep palace?!

"Your Majesty, please calm down!"

Guo Ying felt a chill run down her spine.
Even when the Korean minister plotted a rebellion last year, His Majesty was not this enraged.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up, panting heavily, and paced back and forth at the head of the table.
His gaze occasionally swept over the clams and red tide algae in the jar.

The wrinkles on his face appeared even deeper in the dim light.

His eyes were bloodshot, almost overflowing with murderous intent.

Lu Yunyi took a deep breath and added in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, I have consulted the annals of coastal prefectures and counties from the eleventh year of the Zhizheng era to the twenty-third year of the Hongwu era, and found that there were seven disasters caused by red tide algae. Three of these were mistakenly judged as auspicious omens by local officials and reported to the prefectures and counties."

In the twenty-first year of the Zhizheng era, some people in Ningbo Prefecture were ignorant.

Believing the red tide to be a divine gift, they drank the water, only to be poisoned and die a tragic death.
The manner of death included unconsciousness, suffocation, convulsions, and foaming at the mouth.
In the eighth year of the Hongwu reign (1389), some people in Songjiang Prefecture ate sea fish that had died from a red tide.
He later became mentally impaired, unable to distinguish between grains or recognize relatives and friends.
In the nineteenth year of the Hongwu reign (1380), a red tide broke out in Fuzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province.
The sea turned blood red; after the tide receded, fishermen who caught shellfish all experienced symptoms such as numbness of the lips, nausea, and vomiting.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood at the head of the table, his hands hanging at his sides, listening quietly.

Guo Ying kept bending over, holding the empty can, as if she had forgotten to straighten up.

Lu Yunyi continued:

"I have dispatched men to patrol the coastal areas along the aquatic product transport routes."

Finally, a fish farm for cultivating red tide algae was found in Huangyao Salt Field in Kunshan.

Local salt workers said that last year a villager was greedy...

He stole seafood from the fishing grounds and ate it, then died the next day. His death symptoms matched those recorded in the county annals.

Currently, I have only been able to locate this one fishing ground.
No information has been received regarding other possible locations.

All written records and evidence,

Part of it was stored at the Market and Exchange Office, and the other part was at the Yingtian Construction Firm outside the city.

"If Your Majesty wishes to see it, I will immediately send someone to fetch it."

"Why not just bring him into the palace?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was hoarse as he stared intently at Lu Yunyi, his tone carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible scrutiny.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, there are too many people and too many eyes in the palace."

"Ah"

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a long laugh:
"My palace is half the size of the palace of the previous dynasty, precisely for the sake of security and comprehensiveness."

But to my surprise, I still couldn't stop the traitor from within my own ranks.

Who is plotting these schemes behind the scenes? Who dares to harm my son?

Lu Yunyi bowed deeply and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, I have learned from the Imperial Food Bureau that all aquatic products in the palace are supplied by the Lianbao Trading Company."

According to the records of the Beijing Municipal Government,
The owner of Lianbao Trading Company was a merchant named Ye Qifeng.
However, after investigation, I discovered that Ye Qifeng was a member of the Jingning Marquis's household.
He served Ye Xingyao, the second son of the Marquis of Jingning, for many years.

"Ye Sheng? Ye Sheng."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were vacant, as if he couldn't believe it.

He seemed to be recalling the past, muttering to himself:
"It's actually Ye Sheng. I remember he surrendered when I attacked Luzhou."

I have always trusted him, and appointed him as the Right Wing Marshal to attack the Wu Kingdom.
After the nation was founded, rewards were distributed based on merit. Some people said he was too young and unfit for the responsibility.
It was I who overruled the objections of others and appointed him as the Vice Commander of the Grand General's Office.

At that time, Mu Ying, Lan Yu, Chen Huan, and Wang Bi were only assistant commissioners.

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless for a moment, his disappointment and anger almost overflowing.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, his eyes lit up, filled with a strange excitement:
"I know! I know!"

He must be blaming me for not giving him more important positions all these years, he must be! Guo Ying and Lu Yunyi exchanged glances, feeling that the atmosphere in the hall was extremely strange.

His Majesty's words carried a self-deceiving obsession.

Before they could react, Zhu Yuanzhang straightened up, his expression returning to calm, though the coldness in his eyes grew even stronger.

He chuckled and shook his head self-deprecatingly:
"Human greed is like a snake swallowing an elephant."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat back on the dragon throne and calmly gave his orders:
"Leave the items behind, and let the Embroidered Uniform Guard take possession of all the evidence."

Lu Yunyi was taken aback, looked up at the throne, and asked softly:
"Your Majesty, should the investigation continue?"

"The investigation will be handled by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You can focus on recovering from your injuries."

Lu Yunyi's expression was slightly strange, but he still bowed and replied:
"The minister obeys the order."

Fifteen minutes later, Lu Yunyi returned to the Market and Exchange Bureau.

The government office was still small and cramped, but the piles of account books and commercial drafts exuded a strong sense of money, making its power immediately apparent.

He sat at the head of the table in the yamen, looking at the numerous county gazetteers spread out on the table, his expression still solemn.

He had no idea how things would develop from there.

How will His Majesty deal with Ye Sheng?
Should they completely overthrow the conflict, or remain patient and wait for the right opportunity?

He knew nothing.

All we can do now seems to be wait.

But before he could even sit down for half an hour,
Hurried footsteps could be heard outside the Market and Exchange Bureau.

Du Pingping strode in, her face deathly pale.
His already thin figure looked even more withered, and his face was full of fear.

He rushed into the yamen and immediately saw Lu Yunyi sitting quietly at the head of the table.
He quickly turned and closed the door, rushed to the table, took a deep breath to suppress his panic, and asked in a low voice:

"Lord Lu, His Majesty has sent me to the Market and Exchange Bureau to see you."
What exactly happened? What did you find out?

"We've found some evidence of rebellion and have just presented it to His Majesty. You're here to collect the evidence?"

Du Pingping's face instantly darkened, and she felt dizzy.
I almost fainted on the spot, but they actually found something?

"Lord Lu, are you telling the truth?"

Lu Yunyi glanced at the documents on the table, his tone indifferent:

"How could something as serious as losing your head be fake?"

Take a look. This is the initial investigation document, along with some evidence.

As the head of the Market and Commerce Bureau, I am not involved in criminal matters and cannot participate in your case handling.

But I must remind you, His Majesty was extremely angry just now, so you must handle this matter properly.

As he spoke, he handed over a document with a blue cover.

Du Pingping took it in a daze, only to feel a chill run down the back of her neck.
A series of incidents have offended so many powerful and influential people.

Is there any chance I can save my head?

But he dared not delay, and immediately opened the documents, standing in front of the table to quickly scan them.

The mere mention of the word "extremely poisonous" caused his pupils to contract sharply and his entire body to tense up.

After reviewing the network of the Lianbao Trading Company and its fishing grounds, his breathing became increasingly rapid, his eyes filled with disbelief and absurdity:

"How could this be? How could anyone be so audacious? This is treason!"

Lu Yunyi said calmly:

"Therefore, during the chaotic Yuan dynasty, rites and music collapsed."

Which of the many nobles in the imperial court today didn't rise to power through rebellion?

Treason is something we fear, but in their eyes, it may not be so terrible.

"This this."

Du Pingping forced herself to calm down for a long time before she slowly regained her composure, her voice heavy:
"But His Majesty didn't say how to investigate."

"I am the head of the Market and Commerce Bureau. Do I need to teach you how to investigate cases?"

Du Pingping opened her mouth, but didn't refute, though she felt somewhat resentful.
Market Transaction Center was able to quickly locate Lianbao Trading Company through its trade network.
If it were the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it would probably take twice as long.

He held the document and bowed deeply.
"Lord Lu, may I ask if His Majesty has given any indication of what stage this case is to be pursued?"

"I do not know."

"Has His Majesty said how to deal with the Marquis of Jingning?"

"I do not know."

"What is His Highness the Crown Prince's attitude?"

"I do not know."

Du Pingping was disheartened by his complete ignorance.

He wasn't that afraid to deal with a marquis.

But this matter involves the Crown Prince's poisoning; if it's used as a pretext...

This will inevitably lead to the incident of the Crown Prince being smuggled in the north a few days ago.

At that time, a group of powerful figures from Shanxi and Shaanxi will also be drawn in.

For some reason, he felt a chill all over his body.
The thought that powerful figures from both the north and south might conspire to do this is terrifying.

"Lord Lu, when can I go to the construction company to collect the remaining evidence?"

Lu Yunyi picked up a piece of Xuan paper, quickly wrote a line of text, stamped it with the official seal of the Market and Exchange Bureau, and handed it over:

"Take this document and show it to Lord Wang. He can retrieve it anytime."

This official reminds you that once the evidence is taken away, you must keep it safe.

If the physical evidence is flawed, the first person to lose their head will likely not be a member of the traitorous party.

Du Pingping's temples were beaded with cold sweat as she nodded repeatedly.

"Yes! Thank you for the reminder, Lord Lu. I'll take my leave now!"

Daytime always flies by.

At the beginning of Hai hour, the sky was completely dark.
The deep blue night sky enveloped the earth, making the lights of the Imperial City of Yingtian shine even brighter.

The Imperial Kitchen, deep within the palace, was still brightly lit.

The eunuchs, palace maids, and stewards worked through the night by lamplight.
Busy preparing ingredients for tomorrow, the chefs also began arranging the tedious procedures.

Steam rose from each of the kitchens.
The people busy in the courtyard had beads of sweat on their cheeks.

Manager Wang Ran sat beside a basket of radishes.

As I was carefully selecting, the white radish in front of me was pure white, with bright green leaves on top.
It feels cool and refreshing in your hand, and has a faint fragrance.

Even after seeing it countless times, he still couldn't help but sigh:

"Yingtian Trading Company is reliable in its work."
Look at these radishes, they're all so fresh and juicy, we're afraid to even touch them!

A young eunuch was sorting the bean sprouts nearby.

This is His Majesty's favorite dish, and he works exceptionally cleverly and diligently.

"Sir, these bean sprouts are very fresh."

If this were in an ordinary household, people could eat it without having to pick and choose.

"Of course, the food given to His Majesty and the noble ladies in the palace can't be bad."

Be careful, pick out any broken or blackened roots, and trim the hairs at the bottom as well.

"Don't worry, sir!"

Wang Ran nodded in satisfaction, and was just about to put the selected radishes into the basket.
The doors of the Imperial Kitchen were suddenly flung open!

A tall, elderly man with arms that reached past his knees, clad in armor, stood quietly at the doorway.

Behind him stood the Imperial Guards, exuding a murderous aura.

The only exception was a senior eunuch dressed in a scarlet robe, Wen Cheng, the Junior Minister of the Imperial Palace.

Upon seeing the two, Wang Ran froze for a moment, then quickly stepped forward, his face full of obsequiousness:
"Lord Wuding, Lord Wen, what brings you here?"

Guo Ying and Wen Cheng looked at him indifferently, without answering.

Guo Ying simply waved his hand, and the imperial guards behind him immediately swarmed in.

The sound of orderly yet chaotic footsteps echoed in the courtyard of the Shangshiju Restaurant.

Everyone who witnessed this scene looked at each other in bewilderment, wondering what had happened.

Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, Guo Ying waved her hand again.

The next moment, whoosh!
The sound of longswords being drawn rose and fell, their sharp blades slicing through the air with a piercing whistle.

"Pfft!"

A young eunuch who had just stood up,
He stared blankly at the long knife that had sliced ​​across his neck.

Blood gushed out of his neck as if it were leaking air.

At the same time, the sound of long swords piercing flesh was incessant.
Screams and screams instantly filled the courtyard.

The strong smell of blood quickly spread, replacing the original fresh aroma of the ingredients.

The Imperial Guards, though capable of wielding swords, were like emotionless puppets, mechanically repeating the action of swinging their blades.

Upon witnessing this bloody scene, Wang Ran trembled violently.

He collapsed to the ground with a "thud".

He looked at Wen Cheng and asked, trembling:
"Father-in-law, what exactly happened?"

Wen Cheng clasped his hands together in front of him and merely glanced at him indifferently.

The next second, a sharp crossbow bolt shot out from Wen Cheng's side and accurately pierced Wang Ran's forehead.

"Oh!"

The sound of the arrow shattering the skull was crisp and piercing.
But it seemed insignificant amidst the chaotic sounds of battle.

Wang Ran lay in a pool of blood, his head tilted to one side, his eyes filled with confusion.

He died without understanding what he had done wrong.

(End of this chapter)