In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 994 Combining Civil and Military Forces, Head-to-Head Struggle

After encountering resistance, the group did not linger for long.

After quickly cleaning up the scene, they hurried on their way.

They needed to return to the capital before dawn.

He continued on his journey, his armor stained with blood.
But Lu Yunyi's expression remained calm.
These few hundred people are nothing compared to the rebellion of the anti-Party forces last year.

But Du Pingping was different; he wasn't in Beijing last year.
Having never experienced anything like this before, I felt a little uneasy.

His eyes kept darting around.
They were afraid that another group of people would rush out of the rice paddies and capture them all.
Even after traveling all the way to the outskirts of the capital, there were no disturbances, and everything was calm and peaceful.

Until the city wall of Yingtian, standing tall at the end of the horizon,

Du Pingping finally felt completely relieved and let out a long sigh of relief.
Looking at Lu Yunyi, who was riding a warhorse beside him, he spoke with a hint of relief:
"Lord Lu, I never imagined that even near the capital, one would have to live in such fear."

Without your presence, I would have truly been doomed on this trip.

Lu Yunyi heard his voice, glanced at him, and chuckled softly:
"I recall that Lord Du did not intend to come along at first. Why has he suddenly changed his mind?"

Upon hearing this question, Du Pingping's expression turned somewhat strange.

Having seemingly experienced life and death, he had become somewhat indifferent to worldly matters and spoke frankly:
"I went to the imperial prison to ask Lord Mao how to handle this situation."
Lord Mao was very generous with his guidance, which is why I hurriedly followed him.

If I could choose again, I would never again do something so nerve-wracking.

At this moment, Du Pingping deeply misses her days in Yunnan.
Although placing it outside has many inconveniences

It was much more stable than living in the capital, at least life was more comfortable.

In a daze, a slight thought of retreat arose in his heart.
The position of commander, which was once highly valued, has become less important.

When the group arrived outside Jubaomen, it was just dawn, and the city gates were already open.

The defending general immediately noticed the disheveled, blood-soaked group of men and his expression changed drastically.

He waved his hand, and even the soldiers hiding in the inner room rushed out.

Everyone held a long knife, their expressions vigilant, and the barricades and stockades were quickly set up!
Lu Yunyi waved his hand, and Basong dismounted and strode forward.

He took out the documents and token from his pocket and handed them over, saying in a deep voice:
"Are you Lord Tang? I am a personal guard of Lord Lu of the Market Exchange Department."
Please let us into the city. Lord Du, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, will also be accompanying us.

Tang Boyong, the guard of Jubao Gate, was slightly taken aback after reading the document.
Looking again at the young man riding the warhorse, his expression suddenly turned strange:
"How did it get like this?"

Basong leaned closer, lowering his voice to a level that only the two of them could hear:

"We were attacked and killed by the rebels on our way back."

Tang Boyong's expression changed drastically, and his hand involuntarily tightened its grip on the long sword:

"where is it?"

"On the official road from Jurong County to Yingtian City, around Shilipo..."

All the traitors have been slain by my master; there is no need for you to panic.

Even so, Tang Boyong felt his heart leap into his throat.
How could one not panic when rebels appeared outside the capital?

After confirming that the document was correct, he quickly waved his hand:
"Quickly, make way and let Lord Lu into the city!"

Soon, in order to get Lu Yunyi and his group into the city as quickly as possible,

All the civilians and merchant caravans waiting to enter the city were turned away outside.
But no one dared to complain, because the bloodstains on the soldiers' armor were so thick that anyone who saw them would feel terrified.

As they passed the city gate, Lu Yunyi looked at Tang Boyong and instructed him:

"There's no need to publicize this, much less make a big fuss about it."
After I have settled my brothers, I will go to the palace to inform His Majesty.

"Yes, Lord Lu!"

Tang Boyong looked tense, his gaze sweeping over the long caravan outside Jubao Gate, fearing that some rebels might suddenly emerge from among them.
After Lu Yunyi and his group left,
Tang Boyong quickly dispatched people to report to the Governor-General's Office, the Capital Prefecture, and the Ministry of War.

Five hundred soldiers were transferred from Yingtianwei and were on high alert inside Jubaomen!

Xintianjie is not far from Jubaomen, and is also located in the lower city.

Lee's brokerage firm has been particularly busy lately, as cement and construction companies have started hiring.
Busy repairing bridges and roads, and renovating houses, the brokerage firm contracted to transport some of the cement and construction materials.

The brokerage firm only has a few vehicles, and they are busy every day without stopping.

Today, Li Wu was wearing a t-shirt.

With a headscarf tied around his head and a towel draped over his shoulder, he was preparing to go outside the city to bring in a batch of bricks.

Before he could even set off, his nephew Bi Yun rushed back, his face extremely serious.

"Slow down, what's all the rush about?" Li Wu asked.

Compared to last year, he was still tired, but his expression was more relaxed.

The brokerage firm had established itself in the capital, and things were getting better day by day.
He brought more and more villagers to Beijing to take up jobs.
As business grew, the anxiety he felt when he first arrived in the capital disappeared.

Bi Yun stopped in front of Li Wu, panting as he spoke:
"Second Uncle, something has happened outside the city!"
Many more soldiers have appeared near Jubao Gate.
I heard from an acquaintance that there's been a rebellion in Jurong County.

"what?"

Li Wu was stunned. Another rebellion?
He vaguely remembered that last year when he helped Yingtian Trading Company haul goods from the village...

There was a rebellion, and at that time, corpses were everywhere, and limbs were scattered all over the place.

He also helped the Beijing army transport a cartload of corpses and received three taels of silver in return.

Upon hearing this news, Li Wu was not alarmed at all; on the contrary, he was very excited, and his eyes lit up.

Where are you? Do you need a car?

Bi Yun was stunned for a moment, then showed a hint of helplessness:

"Second Uncle, money can never be earned enough. There's a rebellion outside, so don't leave the city today. What will happen to the brokerage firm if we get caught up in it?"

Li Wu waved his hand dismissively:
"What kind of talk is this? There are 200,000 troops in the capital. Who can really stir up trouble?"

Come on, come on, you take a cart too, let's go out of town and have a look around.
"If the general really needs a vehicle, you go to the construction company to haul bricks, and I'll haul away the corpse."

"Second Uncle, aren't you scared?"

"If you're not afraid of being poor, what's there to be afraid of? Last time I heard the manager of Xinchen Trading Company say..."
He started out by hauling corpses for the military.
He not only made money but also built connections, which allowed him to gain a foothold in Beijing.

If our brokerage business wants to grow, relying solely on the help of our fellow villagers won't be enough.

We need to do more work for the government; that way, they'll think of us when good things happen in the future.

Li Wu kept talking on and on.

Seeing that Bi Yun didn't move, he pulled over a cart and shoved it into Bi Yun's hands:
"go!"

Bi Yun looked helpless and shook his head:
"Second Uncle, Lord Lu is now the head of the Market Exchange Bureau."
He was a high-ranking official of the second rank, and all the businesses in Yingtian were under his jurisdiction.

If you were to go and talk to Lord Lu, even the smallest amount of money he makes from between his fingers would be enough to make our brokerage firm thrive. Why would we need to do this kind of hard work?

Upon hearing this, Li Wu's face darkened. He stood still, his expression stern, and said to him:

"When you're away from home, you have to rely on yourself."

Before we came to the capital, we were both farmers. Don't forget your roots just because you've had enough to eat for a couple of days.

"For important people like them, if they offer something, we accept it; if they don't, we shouldn't go out of our way to ask for it, it'll only annoy them."

He waved his hand, somewhat displeased:

"Alright, alright, hurry up and pull the cart, let's go, out of the city."

Bi Yun looked at the brand-new tricycle and sighed:
"Second Uncle, we're doing pretty well now, why are you still doing this?"

"Shut up, just do what I tell you to do!"
You expect others to do the work for you when you're not putting in the effort yourself? Are you dreaming?

The two men pedaled their tricycle away into the distance. The shopkeepers at the gate, hearing these words, all looked on with admiration. No wonder Manager Li was able to establish himself in the capital.
An hour later, after settling his personal guards, Lu Yunyi arrived at the imperial city.
After a thorough search, they successfully entered the palace.

He originally intended to go to the Market and Exchange Office to organize documents before meeting His Majesty, but a Jinyiwei official suddenly appeared with a slightly solemn expression.

As Lu Yunyi approached, the official bowed deeply and said in a deep voice:
"Lord Lu, Lord Du asked me to deliver a message to you."

"What?"

"Ye Qifeng has been sent to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and is currently being severely tortured."

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, somewhat surprised by the speed of the Duke of Song. He nodded gently.

"I understand."

The official bowed deeply and slowly withdrew.
Lu Yunyi stopped on the imperial road and pondered for a long time.

In the end, he went straight to the depths of the palace, without going to the Market and Exchange Office.

Before long, in front of the Wuying Hall,

Lu Yunyi met Guo Ying, the Marquis of Wuding, who was dressed in silver armor.

Guo Ying's expression was much more serious than usual.

His hand remained firmly on the hilt of the knife, unlike usual when he used a fan to fan himself. Seeing this, Lu Yunyi paused, thought for a moment, and decided to ask directly.
He stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"This humble official pays his respects to Marquis Wuding."

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding did not speak immediately.
Instead, she looked him up and down, a strange glint in her eyes, before uttering two words:
"How brave!"

Lu Yunyi knew he was referring to his refusal of Duke Song's offer yesterday, so he pursed his lips and smiled wryly:
"Your Excellency, Marquis Wuding, please excuse my unease. I am actually quite anxious myself."

Marquis Wuding's expression softened somewhat. He chuckled lightly, no longer dwelling on the topic, and instead said:
"This morning at court, officials of all ranks from the Five Military Commands submitted eleven memorials."
The implication was that His Majesty should spare the Marquis of Jingning.
The Six Ministries also submitted numerous memorials, directly accusing the Embroidered Uniform Guard of using torture to extract confessions.

They somehow obtained the interrogation documents from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

His Majesty is in a bad mood right now, so you'd better be careful.

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi's expression turned solemn, his brows furrowed, and he felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart.

What was supposed to come finally came.

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, Marquis Wuding."

Guo Ying nodded slightly and asked:
"Could those rebels from yesterday have seen the way out?"

The capital city government has already sent people to investigate, but they haven't found anything yet. What are your thoughts?

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:
“My lord, I suspect that what happened yesterday was not the work of the Duke of Song.”

"reason?"

"The one who attacked us yesterday was Bian Ruijie, the commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Guard."

He used to be a guard in the Crown Prince's residence.

He lost his limelight after being defeated in the martial arts competition two years ago and has been holding a grudge ever since.

The soldiers he led didn't seem to be elite troops; rather, they looked like soldiers stationed for farming.

If the Duke of Song wanted to do this,
"There is absolutely no way I could be standing here at this moment."

Marquis Wuding thought for a moment, remembered who Bian Ruijie was, and nodded slightly:

"I understand. I will order the capital's army to patrol all military camps and find the traitors."

"My lord, yesterday the Duke of Song also revealed something: he said he had sent people to intercept the Marquis of Yongding."

Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding fell into a brief silence.

After a moment, he nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Zhang Quan has returned from Luzhou, but he couldn't find Ye Sheng."

Lu Yunyi was stunned, his pupils contracted slightly, and then his eyes widened suddenly.
This statement has many implications.

If the Marquis of Jingning had truly disappeared, that would be fine.
But if the Marquis of Jingning was originally in Luzhou,

However, the Marquis of Yongding did not bring the person back, which is quite intriguing.

In particular, Marquis Yongding Zhang Quan was stationed in Puzikou City, where there were 100,000 troops from the capital!
Seeing his subtle expression, Marquis Wuding smiled slightly and glanced at him:
"What are you thinking about? The eunuchs who accompanied us also said they didn't see anyone."

"Oh"

Lu Yunyi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If even the Marquis of Yongding feels this matter has been handled improperly, then the capital would be in grave danger.
"Okay, let's go in."

Guo Ying waved her hand, not intending to say anything more to him.

Lu Yunyi cupped his hands in greeting and stepped into the Wuying Hall.

As soon as he entered the hall, a chill enveloped him.

Even the smell of blood on the armor had dissipated somewhat!
As Lu Yunyi walked to the lower seat, he caught a glimpse of Zhu Yuanzhang sitting at the upper seat.

He still looked the same, but he seemed more desolate, and his hair had turned quite white.

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

Zhu Yuanzhang, seated at the head of the table, slightly raised his eyebrows.

He glanced at Lu Yunyi below, then at the pile of impeachment memorials on the table, and chuckled softly:
"Weren't you supposed to be reflecting on your actions at home? What brings you here?"

"Uh"

Lu Yunyi's expression froze, somewhat bewildered.

Wasn't His Majesty supposed to be in a bad mood? How come he still has the mind to joke around?
He composed himself and replied:

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is seriously ill."
As a guest of the Crown Prince, it is my duty to enter the palace to visit him; I humbly request Your Majesty's permission.

Upon hearing the mention of the Crown Prince, Zhu Yuanzhang's solemn expression slowly dissipated. He leaned back slightly and said calmly:
"Granted. The Crown Prince is in much better spirits. Don't make a fuss when you go."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Lu Yunyi also breathed a sigh of relief, a wave of lingering fear washing over him.
Those poisonous clams, if you continue to eat them for another six months...
The crown prince's life would have been in grave danger, but fortunately, it was discovered and stopped in time!
Thinking of this, he bowed again, his voice firm and resonant:

"Your Majesty, I believe that the traitors should be severely punished as soon as possible to serve as a warning to others!"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is still investigating the evidence; there's no need to rush."

"Your Majesty, this case is of utmost importance, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard alone is no match for it."

Your Majesty, I humbly request that the three judicial departments jointly investigate this case.
Find the murderer as soon as possible and give the people of the land an explanation!

Zhu Yuanzhang understood the meaning behind his words, and his expression became subtle:

“To plot against the Crown Prince is a heinous crime of treason, and if it gets out, it will damage the prestige of the court.”

"Your Majesty, I believe that even if the court doesn't mention this matter..."

The rumors would spread like wildfire among the people, sometimes even embellished.

At that time, people's hearts will be unsettled.
If the imperial court wants to explain further, it will have to expend ten or even a hundred times the effort!

Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair.

After a while, he nodded almost imperceptibly:

"People often say that rumors are like tigers, and the court should indeed not try to cover them up like this."
"Go see the Crown Prince first. If he has no objections, the Three Judicial Offices can then jointly investigate the case."

Lu Yunyi was stunned, not expecting His Majesty to agree so readily.

But he quickly realized that the court officials did not want to escalate the situation, so they had been avoiding the topic.
His suggestion at this moment happened to coincide with His Majesty's thoughts.

Lu Yunyi pursed his lips and bowed deeply:
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

Leaving the Wuying Hall, Lu Yunyi walked towards the East Palace, filled with doubt.

He keenly sensed that something was amiss with His Majesty's attitude.
It's so peaceful.

So calm, as if she had expected all of this.
It was as if the fighting outside the city last night had never happened.

Upon arriving at the East Palace, Xu Zengshou, the commander of the Yingtian Guard, was waiting there.

Beneath the towering red walls stood countless imperial guards.

Eunuchs and palace maids who wanted to enter had to be searched three times, inside and out.

The air was filled with a somber atmosphere that seemed completely out of place in the palace.

"My lord, you've arrived!"

Xu Zengshou was very happy to see Lu Yunyi.

The prolonged exposure to the sun made his skin even darker.

But his bright eyes still radiated the energy and brilliance of youth.

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded:

"How is His Highness the Crown Prince now?"

"The imperial physicians take His Highness's pulse twenty times a day. They say His Highness is much better now."

Xu Zengshou pursed his lips, took a step closer, and whispered:

"They're all quacks. If the adults hadn't found out the problem, they'd still be in the dark."

Lu Yunyi smiled:

"Keep your voice down, don't let others hear. These imperial physicians hold grudges very well."

Xu Zengshou continued to purse his lips, completely unconcerned, and then asked:
"Did something happen to you last night, sir?"

"It was just a minor incident, don't worry about it, it's been resolved now."

"How about I transfer some more people to you?"
They were to wear soft armor, and ordinary clothes on weekdays, so that no one could tell they were wearing armor.

Lu Yunyi rolled his eyes at him:
"You're getting bolder and bolder. How can you do something like this in private? Alright, I'm going in first."

Xu Zengshou chuckled:
"Please!"

(End of this chapter)