In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 992: Building the plank road openly, secretly destroying Chencang

The group left the village; it was already late at night.

All around were dark rice paddies, with the occasional patrol lantern offering no warmth but only adding to the eeriness.

Mounting his warhorse, Lu Yunyi's expression turned solemn.

Du Pingping looked around anxiously.

Finally, unable to suppress his doubts, he moved closer:
"Lord Lu, will something happen if we go back like this?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers and Imperial Guards all pricked up their ears.

I hope to receive a sufficiently safe response.

But Lu Yunyi didn't speak; he just kept scanning his surroundings.
The route from Jurong to the capital echoed in my mind, and my heart was filled with doubts:
If you're going to take action, why not do it directly in the village?

Are we going to let them go?

He pursed his lips and said calmly:
"Take precautions, be careful, and don't die on the road."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers immediately gripped their sword hilts.
The faces of the group of Imperial Guards changed drastically, and they couldn't help but look at their rather imposing flying fish robes.

They were undercover agents, and they were quite adept at investigating corrupt officials.
But if it were to fight an army, it probably wouldn't last a single encounter.

Du Pingping suddenly felt a pang of regret, realizing she shouldn't have acted impulsively and rushed after him.

"Lord Lu, the Duke of Song is still your maternal grandfather, after all. He wouldn't be so ruthless as to kill you, would he?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was somewhat strange, and he glanced at him indifferently:
"In court infighting, even biological fathers and sons can draw their swords against each other."

What does one maternal uncle amount to?
Moreover, this is my first time meeting the Duke of Song; how can there be any distinction between close and distant relatives?

Du Pingping's heart sank to the bottom. He forced himself to calm down and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Lord Lu, why is the Duke of Song being so blunt?"
Even if you kill us, it won't solve the problem; things will just continue to escalate, and the conflict will only intensify.

To wage war near the capital is a capital offense.

Lu Yunyi chuckled and shook his head slightly:

"Aren't there enough instances of troops being mobilized outside the capital?"
I myself have encountered this twice.

Moreover, this is in Jurong County, which is only twenty miles away from the capital.

Lord Du, you should abandon your illusions. Bloodshed is inevitable in court struggles; it's just a matter of how it happens.

Today's challenge depends on our luck.

After speaking, Lu Yunyi waved his hand.
Looking at the hundred or so soldiers behind him, he gave the order:

"We are fully armored and face-covering, armed and ready to meet the enemy at any time!"

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi then looked at the dozen or so Jinyiwei guards who seemed somewhat at a loss, and said in a deep voice:
"I don't expect you to kill enemies and slay traitors."
But if bandits do attack, you must not cause trouble.

"Then you must protect Lord Du and try your best to save his life."

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guards present all wore expressions that were more like cries of embarrassment.

Du Pingping was on the verge of tears, her heart sinking.

He forced a smile.

"Lord Lu, you flatter us. Perhaps we can return to the capital safely."

"Hopefully."

Lu Yunyi beckoned, and his personal guard Basong handed him a large ox-horn bow and nearly thirty feathered arrows.

Lu Yunyi slung the great bow over his shoulder and placed the quiver beside his warhorse.
He then took the head armor and face shield handed to him by the guards and put them on his head one by one!

In an instant, a young general, eight feet tall, holding a long spear and carrying a longbow, appeared before everyone.

Beneath the black mask were two sharp eyes.

Just riding on a warhorse, a sharp edge honed by the battlefield rushes towards you, making it hard to breathe!
Du Pingping was equally shocked upon seeing this.

He almost forgot that this young man truly distinguished himself on the battlefield!
Such a heroic appearance at this moment,

To be honest, they were more imposing and valiant than 99% of the soldiers he had ever seen.

It even exudes an aura of being the first to charge and invincible.

"Higher armor!"

"Kick!"

At Lu Yunyi's command, more than a hundred soldiers simultaneously pulled down their face armor and put on their head armor.

The jet-black armor stood against the cold moonlight.

It exuded a chilling, murderous aura, as if dragging the entire night into a battlefield.

Even the silver ribbon of the official road ahead could not rival its brilliance.

Lu Yunyi, standing in the center of the group, waved.

Twenty soldiers charged out like arrows released from a bow.

They did not rush towards the main road, but instead formed groups of three.
They rushed into the boundless silver wheat field and quickly disappeared!

The next moment, the remaining soldiers formed small flag squads.

They advanced towards the official road in stages, with each group spaced about three zhang apart.

In the heavy darkness of the night, a unique array of beauty was revealed.

Seeing this, Du Pingping turned to look at her subordinates, who were still standing loosely and anxiously, and a helpless expression appeared on her face:
"Follow behind them, and if things get dangerous, scatter and run."

If an attack occurs, be sure to send the message back to the capital.

With a simple instruction, Du Pingping flicked the reins and followed.

Seeing their lord depart, the other Imperial Guards quickly spurred their horses to catch up.
The group quickly disappeared at the village entrance.

At this very moment, the branches and leaves of the tallest tree in the village swayed quietly.

A figure jumped down silently and quickly.
As he ran, he closed the telescope in his hand and stuffed it into his waist bag.

Before long, a figure arrived at the courtyard, where Tang Yanbo was already waiting at the door.
"Sir, the person has already left. The army is in front, and the Imperial Guards are behind."

Tang Yanbo nodded slightly and asked:

"How do they look?"

"The Imperial Guards' formation was chaotic, but the soldiers were very orderly, advancing in layers using small flags as their units."

Twenty soldiers had entered the rice paddies ahead of them, presumably to act as scouts.

Tang Yanbo looked surprised and nodded slightly:

"Okay, you can go now."

"Yes!"

After the figure left, Tang Yanbo strolled into the house.

Just moments ago, Duke Feng Sheng of Song was filled with rage, but now he was lying in a rocking chair.
The mature woman sat down next to him again and gently played the guzheng.

Although the interior is simple, it exudes a unique elegance that makes people feel relaxed and happy.

"My lord, the person has already left."

Duke Feng Sheng of Song slightly opened his eyes, his cloudy eyes filled with solemnity, and he thoughtfully twirled the walnut in his hand.

After a long silence, he spoke softly:
"Send someone to follow and tell the people in the capital that I have done everything I could."
Whether they can save Ye Sheng depends on them.

Tang Yanbo bowed slightly, then turned and left.

"Yes!"

After Tang Yanbo left, the mature woman smiled.
"Sir, what's the big deal? Why make such a fuss?"

Feng Sheng stared blankly at the main beam of the roof. Although the beam had weathered many storms and showed signs of dampness and rot, it still supported the entire house.

"When the dynasty was founded, Your Majesty had a private conversation with Liu Ji."
The idea was to use meritorious officials to balance the court, so that the situation would not fall into the same category as the Yuan dynasty, where military men suppressed civil officials, nor would it fall into the same category as the Song dynasty, where civil officials suppressed military men.

Looking back now, twenty years have passed.

The struggles between civil and military officials were once confined to the imperial court, but things have changed in recent years.

Conflicts gradually arose between the local military commanders and the provincial administration commissioners.
In some places, the Provincial Administration Commission has even seized power. Do you know why?

The mature woman looked puzzled and said calmly:

"My lord, how would I know such things?"

"Originally, those who guarded a region were all nobles and meritorious officials."

Even if local military and civil officials wanted to cause trouble, they could be suppressed in time.

Moreover, nobles can control the army based on their own prestige, and no one can stir up trouble.

But as people died and were killed,

A new power struggle has emerged in the imperial court, with civil and military officials vying for influence, while in the provinces, chaos reigns and mutual obstruction prevails.

Last year I thought that His Majesty's dispute with the Duke of Han was just an act of impulse.

Unexpectedly, it ended up causing a bloodbath and resulting in the loss of another group of people.

The power of the nobility is waning.
Those who are capable of handling things independently are all lying in sickbeds, and the newly promoted nobles are of little use.

If this continues, the power of the nobility, which is capable of influencing the court, may truly be doomed.

Last year it was the Korean company that went, next year it might be me, and the year after that it will be Tang He's turn.
No, Tang and that old man have already fallen ill.
Even without anyone's help, he wouldn't last long on his own, and besides, he's an old man without descendants."

At this point, Feng Sheng looked emotional and gently shook his head:
"It is not that I intend to oppose the imperial court."
But if they don't protect themselves, all the honors they've received in their lives will vanish.

Tell me, what have I been working so hard for my whole life, all for?

The mature woman pursed her lips and smiled as she said:
"For the sake of the Ming Dynasty." Feng Sheng chuckled and shook his head.

"Back then, when my elder brother and I formed a fortified village to protect ourselves, it was simply because we wanted to survive."

I serve Your Majesty only in the hope that I can live a better life.

Unexpectedly, his official rank rose higher and higher, and his battles became increasingly successful.

He unwittingly gained the merit of following the emperor's lead and from then on enjoyed wealth and honor.

I've lived a worthwhile life, but now that I'm old, I have to think about my family.

Feng Kerang had some talent, but he was unable to stand on his own.
Feng Liang is utterly unfit for important positions; I'd be content if he just stayed out of trouble.

"If I back down this time, the next time a knife is held to my throat, they won't be far from death either."

The mature woman's eyes sparkled, and the zither in her hands stopped abruptly, the music abruptly ceasing:

"But the Marquis of Jingning committed the heinous crime of treason."

Unexpectedly, Feng Sheng smiled and waved his hand:
"Ye Sheng brought this upon himself by listening to the slander of others. He will not have a good end. Let him go."

"Oh?"

The mature woman looked surprised:

"Since the fate of the Marquis of Jingning is already decided, why are you going to all this trouble?"

"If His Majesty were to execute Ye Sheng so easily, would Zhou Dexing still have a chance of survival?"

Feng Sheng had a deep gaze and was always ready to make a startling statement.

The mature woman was taken aback, then her eyes widened, and she suddenly understood:
"You're not trying to save Ye Sheng, you're trying to save Jiang Xiahou?"

Feng Sheng nodded almost imperceptibly:
"Ye Sheng is unemployed at home, without soldiers or power. If His Majesty wants to kill him, it will be as easy as turning his hand."

But Zhou Dexing was different; he was the one left behind to guard the capital, commanding 50,000 elite troops.

Among the nobles today, he is one of the few who can command troops.

If Ye Sheng dies so easily, and His Majesty uses this momentum to take action against Zhou Dexing, he won't be able to hold out for long.

Only by repeatedly maneuvering with the palace regarding Ye Sheng's case...

Only by making both sides understand the cost of a fight to the death can Zhou Dexing's military power be preserved.

The mature woman's eyes lit up, and she suddenly laughed, instantly dispelling the gloom in the room.

"So that's what the adults were planning. It looks complicated, but it makes perfect sense."

Feng Sheng's smile vanished, his gaze remaining grave as he gently shook his head.
"I don't want to get involved in this kind of thing either."

But alas, all the nobles were watching me.
If I don't act, I'll lose the support of the people; I'll have no choice but to bite the bullet and take action.

But then, I was caught up in a major incident—the plot to murder the crown prince. All the circumstances—timing, location, and popular support—were against me.
Ultimately, the outcome is up to fate.

A mature woman sat to the side, looking thoughtful.

He quickly understood the Duke of Song's concerns and nodded:
"If the crime were lighter, things would be much easier to handle."

"Some things can't be avoided just by trying to escape them; once you run into them, you can only deal with them."

"Alright, bring me a pot of tea. I'm getting old and a bit tired."

"Yes, my lord."

The long, concrete road gleamed with a cold, hard sheen under the moonlight.
Like a silver-gray snake, it coiled in the middle of the rice paddies of Shilipo.

The October night wind, carrying the coolness of the rice stalks, seeped into the gaps in people's armor.

Du Pingping hunched her shoulders, gripped the reins tightly with both hands, and stared intently ahead.

From the moment the scout returned, his heart sank to the bottom. When the scout spoke to report, he lost even the last shred of hope.

"Sir! There's movement in the rice paddy ahead!"

The scout was a soldier in his early twenties, his armor covered in mud.

"My subordinates explored half a mile ahead and saw dark figures moving in the rice paddies. There were at least several hundred of them, all armed!"

Lu Yunyi reined in his horse and looked up at Shili Slope ahead.

The rice paddies, which should have been filled with the chirping of insects, were eerily quiet at this moment, even the sound of the wind seemed to have diminished.

Only when the clouds slowly pressed down did they obscure the moon, leaving only a faint halo around it.

"so little?"

Lu Yunyi's voice sounded somewhat surprised, and his gaze swept over Du Pingping from beneath his mask.

Seeing the fat man's pale face, trembling lips, and barely able to hold onto the reins, he couldn't help but frown:

"Lord Du, gather your men to the back and don't let them wander off."

Du Pingping snapped back to reality, her Adam's apple bobbing, her voice trembling:

"Lord Lu, someone is plotting a rebellion!"
We only have a little over a hundred soldiers. Should we turn back and go back to Jurong County, then return to the capital at dawn tomorrow?

"Turn around?"

Lu Yunyi chuckled and turned to look back at the way he came.

Under the moonlight, one could vaguely see the distant rice paddies swaying slightly.
"Now that we've started, we won't be left with a way out. We can only charge forward."

Du Pingping followed his gaze and indeed saw several dark figures moving at the end of the road. Her legs immediately went weak.
He almost slipped off his horse, but luckily a member of the Imperial Guard beside him caught him.
"Then what do we do? Should we fight them?"

Lu Yunyi ignored him and summoned his personal guards:

“The scouts withdrew and split into three teams, each scouting five hundred paces from the left, center, and right.”

The remaining men formed ranks, longswords in front, bows and crossbows behind, following me.

"Yes!"

The guard, with a loud voice, turned to relay the order.

The soldiers moved swiftly, and in no time the ranks were reorganized.

They drew all their longswords, placed their bows and arrows at their sides, and everyone looked around warily.

Seeing this scene, Du Pingping felt a little more at ease.

But the thought of hundreds of people on the other side made her panic, and she tugged at Lu Yunyi's horse reins:
"Lord Lu, are we...are we really going to fight them? Or should we escape to a nearby post station?"

Lu Yunyi glanced at him, his eyes filled with a hint of helplessness:

"Lord Du, plotting to murder the Crown Prince is a capital offense."

Since they dare to take action, they are not afraid of making things worse.

Running away now will only allow them to catch up faster.

At that time, your group will be completely demoralized and unable to fight the enemy.

Rather than letting them block our way out, we should take the initiative.

There's a depression ahead, perfect for gathering troops. If we occupy that place, we'll at least have a safe haven."

"This, this, this"

Lu Yunyi glanced at the soldiers around him, a rare smile appearing on his usually somber face, and said calmly:

"Brothers, this time our enemies are the rebels."

No holding back, no mercy! Maintain formation, keep charging!

"Yes!"

A loud response suddenly rang out in the darkness, startling countless night birds into flight.

Before Du Pingping could react, Lu Yunyi squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs.
The warhorse neighed and galloped towards the depression ahead, accompanied by its bold and unrestrained shout:

"Brothers, follow me to kill the enemy!"

The soldiers behind them quickly followed, their warhorses' hooves pounding on the cement road.
It emitted a series of rhythmic thumping sounds, making even the earth seem to tremble slightly.

Du Pingping had no choice but to grit her teeth and follow, muttering to herself:
"May Buddha protect me, may Bodhisattva protect me, please don't die here!"

His imperial guards also panicked.

One by one, their hands gripped the hilts of their knives, their eyes darting around.

Following behind the soldiers, they looked like a swarm of headless flies.

Just as we reached the edge of the depression, we heard a "whoosh" sound.
An arrow whizzed past Du Pingping's ear.

The arrow, still buzzing and vibrating, was nailed to the cement road beside it.

Du Pingping's face turned deathly pale. She abruptly slumped onto the horse's back, her voice trembling:

"An arrow! An arrow!"

Lu Yunyi reined in his horse and looked up at the rice paddies.

A soft rustling sound came from the rice paddy ahead.
One by one, soldiers clad in black armor emerged from inside.

The line stretched outwards, and there were countless people in it!
They each held long knives, their armor covered in rice stalks and mud, looking like demons crawling out of the ground!
The leader was a young man riding a black horse.

A horizontal scar ran across his face, from his left eyebrow bone down to his jawline, making him look particularly ferocious.

"Lord Lu is quite straightforward, knowing to come this way."
I was planning to wait a little longer, but I didn't expect you to be in such a hurry.

Lu Yunyi straightened his spear, the tip pointing at the young man, his eyes beneath the mask looking slightly strange:

“Bian Ruijie? I remember you, Commander of the Left Guard of the Golden Guard.”

"In the last competition, you lost to Wan Zijing, the commander of the Eastern Coast Guard in Fujian. How have you become a traitor today?"

(End of this chapter)