In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 809 Giving Back All My Knowledge: Big News
The nights in August are especially deep, and a sultry atmosphere still lingers in the air.
Even the slightest breeze felt incredibly irritating.

In this sweltering heat, the originally cool moonlight seemed to have turned into the daytime sunlight, offering no relief whatsoever.

Inside the Lu residence, Lu Yunyi and Tan Wei, having just finished their meal, had just stepped out of their room.

Then I felt a wave of heat hit my face.

In an instant, dry skin becomes sticky.

Tan Wei's flushed face looked even hotter, and sweat immediately poured down his forehead.
"Damn, it's so hot!"

Haha, you'll get used to it.
That's all for today. General Tan, please go back and rest. We can go out for some fun tomorrow evening.

Tan Wei waved as he walked:

"You're already so old, you're too weak to enjoy yourself. It's you, sir, who should find more women."

You now hold a high position of power, but you are still young, and some senior officials in the court still show you some disrespect.
Ultimately, it boils down to the fact that the adult is alone and has no children.

When you have many children and a large family business,
Let's see if those snobbish, contemptible people still dare to look down on you.

Upon hearing this, the guards beside him all froze, silently lowering their heads as if they hadn't heard anything.

After all, there are quite a few rumors about Lord Lu's health.

But Lu Yunyi remained calm and even indifferent:
"No rush. I'd like to have some peace and quiet. If a bunch of children suddenly joins the family, it will be noisy all the time."

"Indeed, Lord Lu is still young, there's no rush."

The two talked as they walked, and soon arrived at the entrance of the mansion.
Even though it was late at night and long past curfew, a carriage was still waiting at the door.

Seeing this, Tan Wei asked with some surprise:

"Lord Lu, I've heard that the curfew in the capital is very strict."
Is it really alright to travel around the capital in a carriage like this?

Lu Yunyi smiled:
"Don't worry, it has the Crown Prince's Guest token, so it can travel at night."

Tan Wei was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

He had almost forgotten that the person in front of him held the prestigious official position of Crown Prince's Guest.

He spoke with great emotion:
"You hold multiple positions and receive multiple salaries; it's truly enviable."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi's eyes widened suddenly as he remembered something.

It's August now, if I remember correctly.
His penalty of a year's salary deduction has long expired, and he can now receive his salary!
Tan Wei stood in front of the carriage and tentatively asked:

"Sir, the sweet potato harvest will be plentiful soon. Will the land price really drop?"

Lu Yunyi came to his senses and spoke with Zhou Song of the Xinchen Trading Company.
He knew that Tan Wei had sold a lot of farmland in the capital region, so it was only natural that he was worried.

He lowered his voice and spoke with a smile:
"The market in central Beijing has been very hot recently, and land prices are 20% higher than usual."

Once everyone realizes the benefits of a bumper sweet potato harvest, prices will drop.
All you need to do is find the right opportunity to buy the land back.

As I said before, the closer a piece of land is to the capital, the more valuable it becomes. Buy when the time is right; you can't go wrong.

Tan Wei breathed a sigh of relief. The first thing he did upon arriving in Beijing was to check on land prices.

Seeing that prices had risen considerably, he still felt somewhat uncertain about the situation.
These words undoubtedly reassured Tan Wei.

"Very well, I am relieved. Lord Lu, please rest well. I will take my leave."

"Mm," Lu Yunyi nodded with a smile.

After watching the carriage drive away from the three alleys of Xi'an Gate, he looked at Feng Yunfang beside him and asked:

"It's almost September already, why haven't you reminded me to collect my salary yet!"

A deep look of bewilderment appeared in Feng Yunfang's eyes. He glanced at his guards and asked with some confusion:
"Sir, what is the salary?"

"Of course it's the official salary. If you don't receive a salary, you're working for nothing!"

"what?"

Feng Yunfang thought about it carefully, his eyes widening slightly, and then he became excited:

"My lord, it seems that it is indeed time to receive my salary!"

"Damn it, June is long over, I could have received it last month!"

Lu Yunyi pointed to the many guards present:
"What can I say about you? How could you forget something so important? Don't forget to remind me to go to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow!"

"Yes!"

Feng Yunfang scratched his head, agreed, and felt somewhat wronged.

After all, having served the adults for so long, almost everyone had forgotten that the adults even received a salary.

Half an hour later, Lu Yunyi emerged from the hot spring, feeling refreshed. He put on his bathrobe and sat down in the study.

He pulled out a military book about naval warfare and read it silently.

Su Wanheng walked gracefully over with a cup of tea, her face flushed and her hair still damp.

"Sir, please have some tea."

"Just leave it there." Lu Yunyi didn't even move his gaze.

Su Wanheng obediently placed the teacup on the table.
She then squatted down beside the chair and gently massaged the old man's thighs.

For a moment, the study fell silent, with only the soft sound of turning pages.
Time quickly passed to midnight, and because he had drunk the tonic wine, Lu Yunyi was full of energy.
He became increasingly engrossed in the naval warfare manual in his hands.
The initial comfort in his brows gradually turned into a deep frown.

The annotations on some of the tactics are ambiguous, and there is no mention of preparations before the start of the battle.

Lu Yunyi discovered that he had fallen into the same predicament as Li Jinglong.

These military treatises leave absolutely no room for basic operations.
As Lu Yunyi was lost in thought, a soft thud interrupted his train of thought.

He tilted his head to look and saw Su Wanheng raise her head sleepily, clutching her head in pain.

It turned out she was so sleepy she bumped into the table leg.

"My lord, I am sleepy."

Lu Yunyi smiled:
"Go to sleep if you're tired, I'll be there in a bit."

"Yes~"

Su Wanheng stood up sleepily, feeling a bit numb in her legs, and walked towards the door with strange steps.
Just then, a soft knock came from outside the door, followed by Feng Yunfang's voice:

"Sir, Manager Mu has arrived."

The sound of turning pages abruptly stopped, and Lu Yunyi looked up in surprise:
"Didn't you just arrive yesterday? Why are you here again?"

Su Wanheng also suddenly opened her eyes wide, no longer sleepy at all.
She quickly moved to Lu Yunyi's side and gently shook his arm:

"Master, let me serve you."

"Go away, you're so young, what are you thinking about?"

Lu Yunyi pushed her head away as she leaned closer and gave the order:

"Go back to sleep by yourself. Don't sneak in or eavesdrop."

"Oh~"

Su Wanheng responded with a very aggrieved tone, then slowly walked away, feeling sleepy again.

A short while later, Mu Jinghe, dressed in a light blue dress, strolled into the study.

Her hair was carefully styled and pulled up high.

A few wisps of hair fell beside her fair, jade-like neck, adding to her charm.

Her face was lightly made up, and her gently raised eyebrows carried a touch of coquettishness.
She was looking at Lu Yunyi with a smile, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

Nourished by love, she was completely different from a few days ago, radiating a unique charm.

Inside the study, the candlelight flickered, casting a warm and soft glow throughout the room.
The landscape paintings hanging on the wall seemed to gain a touch of liveliness and vitality under the candlelight.

Mu Jinghe walked gently to the opposite side of Lu Yunyi, sat down gracefully, her movements elegant and practiced.
She lowered her head slightly, placed her hands folded on her lap, and said in a soft, melodious voice:
"My lord, I apologize for my intrusion in coming here."

Lu Yunyi put down the military treatise in his hand and looked up:

"Shopkeeper Mu, you're too kind. Is there something you need to discuss in the middle of the night?"

Mu Jinghe rolled her eyes at him, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness and coquettishness, and said:
"My lord, after parting ways with you yesterday, I returned home and my mind was filled with your image."

I tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.
Therefore, this young lady could not resist and hurriedly came to see you, sir. Lu Yunyi was slightly taken aback, then a faint smile appeared on his lips as he said:

"I am truly flattered that Manager Mu is so concerned about me."

Mu Jinghe's cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes sparkled with excitement as she continued:

"My lord, the business is progressing very smoothly."

I have had the craftsmen work day and night to carefully renovate and decorate the shop in front of the main workshop.

The shop is starting to take shape now; would you like to take a look when you have time?

A hint of admiration flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
Pointing to the neatly arranged letters on the bookshelf not far away, he smiled and said:

"I'd better not go. If others find out about our relationship, there's no guarantee that someone won't have ulterior motives."

Mu Jinghe blushed, and after thinking about it carefully, she realized that this made sense.

After all, she had experienced firsthand how cheesy and direct those letters were.

What others yearn for but cannot obtain, she can acquire effortlessly; this, in turn, will bring trouble.

She knew how impulsive a woman could be when she was jealous.

Mu Jinghe gently pursed her lips and said:
"My lord, please rest assured, I will take care of things as soon as possible and strive to start selling before winter."

Lu Yunyi nodded and said:

"I admire Manager Mu's thorough consideration."

Once the business opens, it will definitely cause a sensation in the capital, astonishing many people. You'll then become incredibly famous.

Mu Jinghe smiled and said:

"You flatter me, sir. I was just doing my best."

Moreover, I believe this trading company can not only generate wealth but also cultivate relationships with powerful figures. You, sir, can then use this opportunity to build closer ties with them.

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded:

"Manager Mu has gone to great lengths; I will certainly not treat you unfairly in the future."

Mu Jinghe felt a warmth in her heart and said:

“You have been kind to me and have trusted me so much. I am only doing this to repay your kindness.”

The two chatted happily, the candlelight flickering gently in the breeze, reflecting the smiles on their faces.

Unbeknownst to her, Mu Jinghe's gaze was drawn to the muscles that were faintly visible beneath Lu Yunyi's robe.
The lines were strong and powerful, as hard as refined steel.

Her heart suddenly raced, and her cheeks flushed.

She could no longer suppress her inner impulse.

She slowly stood up and gently walked to Lu Yunyi's side.
Then she plopped down on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her head on his shoulder, and said in a coquettish voice:
"My lord, I have missed you so much since we last met."

Lu Yunyi's lips curled into a wicked smile as he said:

"What does this mean? Have you been drinking?"

Mu Jinghe gently shook her head and said:

"My lord, I did not drink any alcohol. I am telling the truth."

Since I met you, my lord, my heart has belonged to you.

"Your Excellency is so brave and extraordinary, and you care for me so tenderly; I am utterly captivated."

Lu Yunyi gently stroked her hair and said:
"But we can't come every day. If someone finds out, it will be bad. If word gets out, it will affect our business."

Mu Jinghe hugged his neck tightly and said:

"My lord, I don't care about those empty titles. As long as I can stay by your side, I will be content."

"My lord, please allow me to serve you well."

As she spoke, Mu Jinghe gently raised her head and lightly kissed him with her luscious lips.

The two embraced tightly, and the atmosphere in the study became even more intimate.

At 1:15 AM, around 3:00 AM

After a period of generosity, the large main house finally quieted down.

Mu Jinghe lay lazily on the bed, her whole body flushed like a ripe shrimp.

Her eyes kept opening and closing, but she could only open them halfway before quickly closing them again.

She was so tired that she couldn't even move her eyelids.
But she forced herself not to fall asleep, and instead murmured:
"Lord Lu, I overheard something at the trading company today that I find quite important."

Lu Yunyi, shirtless and calmly sipping tea at the round table, raised an eyebrow and asked without batting an eye:
"what's up?"

Mu Jinghe collapsed onto the bed, pulled the blanket over her head, and murmured:

"Today, while the ladies were chatting, I overheard them saying that the Prince of Zhou has entered the capital region and is staying in Shangyuan County."

"Oh? They've already arrived? Weren't they saying it would be some time before they arrived?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yunyi was somewhat surprised and silently calculated the journey from Yunnan to the capital.
Mu Jinghe felt a little more awake, but she still felt weak all over, and her voice was even softer and sweeter:

"I heard they came secretly by fast horse, with only a hundred or so guards."
Moreover, he rushed to the capital so hastily to see his father-in-law.

"The Duke of Song? We're meeting again?"

Lu Yunyi's expression immediately turned serious.

The Duke of Song has a long criminal record. Not only did he protect each other with the Duke of Zheng, Chang Mao, but he also remained incorrigible even after being demoted to Fengyang.
King Zhou secretly left his fiefdom last year to meet in Fengyang.

This also led to the Zhou king being transferred to a fiefdom and demoted to Yunnan.

Lu Yunyi couldn't quite understand it.
Why does this Duke of Song always do things that should never be done again?
Especially in such a tense time,
King Zhou arrived ahead of time, but instead of going to the capital, he waited for his father-in-law.
If this matter were to reach the imperial court, it would cause another huge uproar.
If the officials of the three departments in Henan find out, they will surely impeach him like a flood, and the King of Zhou will have no hope of returning to Kaifeng.

A variety of thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant.
Seeing that he looked deep in thought, Mu Jinghe did not interrupt him.
Instead, she looked at him with a smile, her eyes filled with love.
After a short while, Lu Yunyi came to his senses, looked at Mu Jinghe,

Smiling, she stood up, walked to the bedside, sat down, gently tidied the hair that clung to her forehead, and whispered:
"Thank you very much, Manager Mu. This information is very useful to me."

Mu Jinghe's already upturned lips widened instantly, and she playfully raised her head, feigning a coquettish reproach:

"Will Lord Lu allow me to come or not?"

"Hahaha, come on in. This Lu residence is your home. You can come and go as you please."

Lu Yunyi laughed loudly, picked her up, held her in his arms, and gently breathed into her ear.

Mu Jinghe's body trembled, and her neck tilted slightly:
"Sir, it's itchy~"

Lu Yunyi chuckled softly and whispered in her ear:

"From now on, you don't need to actively seek out such information; it's dangerous."

Mu Jinghe looked puzzled.
"This city is teeming with Imperial Guards; they are hidden in plain sight."
Their greatest skill was finding people in the marketplace who cared about politics and then monitoring them.
They used this method to find many spies and informants for the rebel party.

By following the clues and even substituting one thing for another, they were able to achieve great success in recent days.

You're dealing with women, and they're all powerful and wealthy. It's impossible for the Imperial Guards not to notice you.
Sometimes, such messages are bait deliberately released by the Embroidered Uniform Guard; anyone who investigates them will be in trouble.

So, no matter what, if you see this kind of news again, you should stay far away from it.

I also have a grudge against the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If they target you, I fear it could be detrimental to you.

Mu Jinghe froze on the spot, her flushed cheeks momentarily blank.
Her nose turned red instantly, and her large, bright eyes immediately filled with tears. This news was something she had obtained from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
"grown ups."

"Oh, oh, oh, let me see, why are you crying? Don't cry, don't cry."

Mu Jinghe was on the verge of tears, her voice soft and delicate:

"My lord, why are you so kind to me?"

Lu Yunyi gently patted her back:

"Don't cry, don't cry. You risked your life for me."
How could I let you take such a risk? You mustn't do that again.”

"Um"

Mu Jinghe's voice was pitiful, but she had already made up her mind to collect more information in the future to repay him.

(End of this chapter)