In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 820: The trapped beast still fights, the great court meeting
The last day of August passed quietly, and September arrived.

With the sweet potato harvest time drawing ever closer, the entire city of Yingtian is enveloped in a busy atmosphere.

Every day, countless officials could be seen leaving the city and heading to the fields outside the city.

They rolled up their sleeves and trousers, carried hoes, and had companions pushing tricycles behind them.

When they arrived, they were glamorous and distinguished from ordinary people.
When they returned at dusk, they blended into the crowd, indistinguishable from one another, simply because they were all covered in mud.

Everyone's face was solemn, anxious, and exhausted.

Even though the Agricultural Policy Institute has guaranteed it countless times,

But no one knew how much grain could be grown from sweet potatoes until they were dug up.

Compared to this solemnity and unease,
The people have more of an expectation in their hearts.

This anticipation gathered throughout Yingtian City, spreading the summer heat in all directions.

In the imperial court, news of King Zhou's return from Yunnan finally began to spread quietly.

While the officials who learned of this news were still looking at each other in bewilderment...
Some high-ranking officials and powerful figures had already guessed what was going to happen in the palace.

In the Ministry of Works, Vice Minister Ji Yuchen sat in his office, his face extremely gloomy.
His gaze kept glancing at a document on the table, his face showing anger.

The document records the date of King Zhou's return and the possible time of his return to Kaifeng, as well as a document on flood control by Li Zhigang.

Ji Yuchen knew something was wrong as soon as he saw the two documents.

Henan is really about to start water management.

And then, thinking back to the recent dividend payout from the commercial bank,

Without saying a word, Qin Kui smashed it into the cement workshop and made it start working.

Ji Yuchen felt as if a rope was tied around his head, swaying gently, and the day it would tighten was drawing ever closer.

If things are tightened, the consequences range from being transferred out of the Ministry of Works to being forced to retire and return home.
Ji Yuchen could not accept either of these outcomes.

Just then, scattered laughter and hurried footsteps came from outside the yamen.

Ji Yuchen frowned and looked up.

It turns out it was a scattered value.

Recently, due to the Ministry of Works' abundant funds,

All the owed rewards from officials and clerks have been paid in full.

This has led to a harmonious atmosphere in the government offices these past few days, with many people going out for a meal after their shifts.

Listening to the sparse discussions among the officials,
Ji Yuchen's face grew increasingly gloomy, and he clenched his fist tightly on the table.

He spent nearly fifteen years on the path to becoming the Vice Minister of Works before reaching his current position.
We must never give up easily, and we must never slink home in disgrace.

"Someone, call Zhou Mingli over here."

"Yes!"

The official on duty at the gate turned and left.

Before long, Zhou Mingli, the secretary of the Construction and Repair Office, rushed in.

He was covered in sweat, and his expression showed some apprehension and panic.

Upon seeing this, Ji Yucheng frowned slightly:

"What are you doing?"

Zhou Mingli hurriedly closed the door, his whole demeanor revealing a sense of urgency.

He went to the table, slapped his thigh hard, and said urgently:
"My lord, I'm going to the Ministry of Revenue today on some business."

According to the officials in charge, the matter of flood control will be decided at tomorrow's grand court assembly.
Moreover, King Zhou could also travel to Kaifeng with the flood control team.

Upon hearing this, I felt a pang of unease and began to inquire further.

They discovered that His Majesty had already assigned guards to Prince Zhou, who were stationed at Puzikou City.

If King Zhou goes to Kaifeng, these guards will likely be unable to escape by then.”

Ji Yucheng sat blankly in the chair, muttering to himself:

"By then, the people from the three departments in Henan will not be able to cause any trouble, and the flood control project will be a sure thing."

Zhou Mingli sighed heavily, his expression somewhat somber, and murmured to himself:
"I wonder if those concrete dams are as magical as that."

If it's just all show and no substance, there's still a chance things can turn around.

Ji Yucheng rolled his eyes at him helplessly and scolded:
"Do I need to tell you what concrete is capable of?"
Those stone jars that were poured at the beginning are now so strong that even cannons can't break them; holding back floods would be a piece of cake for them.

The moment he opened his mouth, the atmosphere in the room immediately became gloomy, and both of them seemed rather listless.
Once the flood control project is completed, Minister Qin will surely use the momentum of his great victory to clean up the government office.

At that time,
These two, who were clearly in the opposition, were about to pack their bags and go home.

Taking a deep breath, a ruthless glint flashed in Ji Yucheng's eyes:
"Have you contacted the person I asked you to?"

"My lord, I've made contact. Lord Yang from the Ministry of Justice said..."
He is no longer the Minister of Revenue.
The Ministry of Justice had no connection to flood control, so he couldn't be of any help.

Furthermore, he advised the emperor to prepare early, as this was an unstoppable trend in the court.

"Bam—"

Ji Yuchen slammed his hand on the table, his breathing slightly rapid:

"This Yang Jing, when he was Minister of Revenue, he was so arrogant, he dared to offend everyone."
Now that he's become the Minister of Justice, he's so spineless and incompetent; it's infuriating to watch!

What about Zhao Mian? What was his reaction?

Zhou Mingli's face stiffened, and he gave an awkward smile:
"My lord, I have not seen Lord Zhao at all."
However, it was Lord Fu who received me.

The implication was that we should mind our own business and not interfere in the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue.
Where the Ministry of Revenue spends its money is its own decision; it's not our place to interfere.

"Damn it!" Ji Yuchen cursed loudly after hearing this.

"They're all birds of a feather!!"

"My lord, please think of a solution quickly. If Lord Qin succeeds, we'll be in big trouble."

A flicker of fear crossed Zhou Mingli's eyes.
He clearly remembered how his group had created all sorts of difficulties for him after Lord Qin had promoted him so quickly.

Ji Yuchen's face was extremely gloomy. He slowly stood up and said in a deep voice:
"Wait for me at the yamen, I'll be right back."

Zhou Mingli asked urgently:

"Where are you going, sir?"

"Go see Tantan Weng. This time, Zhao Mian will be able to secure the position of Minister of Revenue."
He put in a lot of effort behind the scenes; if we can persuade him, there might still be a chance.

“Tantan Weng? Lord Liu?” Zhou Mingli’s eyes brightened.

Although this Tantan Weng was only a Hanlin Academician,
However, he had a powerful force supporting him, and his students and former officials were spread throughout the court, making him very influential.

Especially after the Li faction incident, His Majesty trusted him even more.

"My lord, if we could get Tantan's help, perhaps things would really take a turn for the better."

Ji Yuchen nodded:
"Wait."

Ji Yuchen left the Ministry of Works and headed towards the Hanlin Academy, which was close to the palace.

Before long, he stood at the entrance of the Hanlin Academy.

It was the time for the government offices to close, and many newly recruited scholars were emerging from within.
They were all handsome, and dressed in Hanlin Academy robes, they had a unique air about them.

Upon seeing Ji Yuchen's crimson robe, they all bowed in respect.
After a brief announcement and waiting, Ji Yuchen met Tan Tan Weng Liu Sanwu in the inner courtyard of the Hanlin Academy.

He was currently overwhelmed by a vast sea of ​​documents.

Only half of her wrinkled forehead was visible.
He still seemed to be frowning, looking melancholy.

Only when the footsteps drew near did Liu Sanwu raise his head to look at the person approaching, his eyes filled with profound meaning and wisdom.

"Lord Ji, it's been a long time."

Liu Sanwu chuckled and stood up unsteadily.
He had just stepped out from behind the table and was about to bow in greeting...
But Ji Yuchen reacted quickly and stepped forward to stop him.

"Old Tantan, you mustn't be so old as to worship a young man; that would shorten my lifespan!"

Liu Sanwu smiled slightly, stopping the gesture of bowing; he had already made up his mind.

Judging from the reaction of the person in front of you,

There must be something they need from them, otherwise they wouldn't be so concerned.

Liu Sanwu straightened up, invited Ji Yuchen to sit down, and then instructed the clerk to pour two cups of tea.
The two sat at next table, and Liu Sanwu asked with a smile:
"Lord Ji, what brings you here today?"

Ji Yucheng pursed his lips, glanced at the two waiters standing at the door, and said softly:
"Please dismiss all those around you, Tantanweng."

"Oh? What's all the mystery about?"

Liu Sanwu smiled lightly and waved his hand, and the officials closed the door. In an instant, the noise and heat outside were completely shut out.

"Lord Ji, you can speak now."

Ji Yucheng took a deep breath, unexpectedly stood up, and then bowed deeply:
"Tantanweng, this time you have come."
"I have come seeking your assistance; I humbly request that you, Tantan Weng, lend me a hand."

"If Lord Ji keeps me in suspense any longer, I'm going to go and look at the documents."

The defection from the Party implicated tens of thousands of people.
Every document must be carefully reviewed; I haven't been home for several days now.

Liu Sanwu smiled and took a sip of tea.

Ji Yuchen sat back down and said softly:
"I have come here today to ask Tan Tan Weng to act as a middleman and facilitate discussions on the matter of flood control in Henan."

Liu Sanwu paused slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes, as he looked at Ji Yuchen meaningfully:
"Floods of the Yellow River have always been a top priority in every dynasty."
Even the absurd Yuan dynasty had to do its best to control the floods, let alone our great Ming dynasty.

"For Lord Ji to attempt to obstruct the flood control effort is simply wishful thinking."

Ji Yucheng was taken aback, not expecting that the person in front of him already knew exactly why he had come.

But he quickly realized what was happening and immediately said:
"Tantan Weng, flood control in Henan is a national policy; it cannot be ignored."
But there's no need to rush into treatment right now.

The unrest in the capital has not yet been completely quelled.

If the area becomes chaotic again, then it will be a case of losing more than you gain.

Furthermore, I also have my own selfish motives.

I am still able to manage some affairs within the Ministry of Works.
But whether it's the affairs of Yingtian Trading Company, the emerging workshops, or the cement workshops, I have no say in them.

Therefore, I was thinking that perhaps we could delay the matter for a while and see if there would be any change in the situation later.
If Tantan Weng can provide assistance, I will be eternally grateful and will surely repay him handsomely!

Now it was Liu Sanwu's turn to be stunned. He looked around blankly, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that no one was around.

The official in front of me, desperate to keep his position, has started to resort to any means necessary.

They can even bring up things like delaying flood control efforts.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Ji Yuchen became a little anxious and quickly said:
"Tantanweng, if you can help me get through this difficult time..."

"I will make things easier for Lord Zhao regarding some matters within the Ministry of Works."

"OK OK."

Liu Sanwu raised his hand, stopping him from continuing.

What I'm saying now is already outrageous; if I keep going, who knows what will happen next.

"Lord Ji, I understand your intentions."

But flood control is a national policy; how can it be easily changed? Lord Ji, you should consider another method.”

Ji Yuchen's eyes dimmed instantly.

If there were other ways, why would he have come here?

Liu Sanwu smiled slightly upon seeing this:
"Lord Ji, please don't be anxious. The flood control efforts must not be stopped. This is what His Majesty and the Crown Prince both think."
The entire merchant guild was pushing with all their might; you were alone, you couldn't stop them.

The more Ji Yuchen spoke, the more sorrowful he felt.

He was well aware that at this point, it was impossible to stop it.
Especially after the merchants distributed dividends, all the government departments had money and became much bolder in spending it!

"But Lord Ji, there's no need to rush. Things can change before they're settled."

Ji Yuchen's eyes widened, and he stammered as he spoke:
"May I ask... what variable is it?"

Liu Sanwu thought for a moment, then smiled and said:
"What variable it is, I don't know either."
But I can tell Lord Ji some news that might be of some help.”

"Please enlighten me, Tantan Weng!"

Ji Yuchen stood up, bowed deeply, and looked sincere!

"His Highness Prince Zhou broke away from the escort and arrived in Shangyuan County ahead of time, just to meet the Duke of Song who came to the capital from Fengyang."

"what?"

Ji Yucheng was stunned upon hearing this.
Then it dawned on me why His Highness Prince Zhou's arrival in the capital was so quiet and without any grand celebration.

"Then... His Highness Prince Zhou met with the Duke of Song?"

Ji Yuchen's eyes gleamed with a sharp light, as if he had grasped at a lifeline.

"No."

The light in Ji Yuchen's eyes dimmed instantly.

Liu Sanwu smiled lightly and said calmly:
"But many people know that His Highness Prince Zhou stayed in Shangyuan County."

The same applies to being captured by the Prince of Yan and brought back to the capital.

Feudal princes and border generals were never meant to be paired together.
His Highness Prince Zhou has repeatedly made mistakes, and some ministers in the court are already dissatisfied with him.
I thought that if someone could take the lead, perhaps things would change for the better.

Ji Yucheng stood there stunned, his expression shifting rapidly. He understood what Liu Sanwu meant.
If you want to retain your official position,

Then charge forward without hesitation; perhaps there's still a chance for things to turn around.

It's impossible to get things done without paying any price.

But Ji Yuchen was somewhat afraid.
Even if one loses in the power struggles within the government, one can still return to one's hometown and become a wealthy landowner.

Or they might be sent to serve as officials in other places, far from the capital.

But if this were done...
It's either great success or utter failure!
His Majesty and the Crown Prince in the palace will certainly not let him go.

After all, ordering the Prince of Yan to bring the person back from the palace already demonstrated an intention to protect him.

Just as he was struggling with this, Liu Sanwu smiled:

"It's getting late, Lord Ji, you should head back now."

"I still need to review the documents; His Majesty has been keeping a close eye on things lately."

Ji Yucheng stood up nervously, bowed, and walked away.

As he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped, slowly turned around, and asked softly:
"May I ask, Elder Tantan, if this matter is carried out, who will follow you?"

Liu Sanwu kept his head buried in the table, not even lifting it, and only chuckled softly:
"Only God knows."

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

Before dawn the next day, the area outside the imperial city was already bustling with activity.

The hazy moonlight spilled onto the bluestone path outside Hongwu Gate.

The vermilion gates were tightly shut, and squads of imperial guards clad in silver armor stood watch over the imperial city!
Guo Zhen stood guard at the door, vigilantly looking around!

At this moment, many officials had slowly gathered in the square in front of the imperial city.

Most of the high-ranking officials, dressed in scarlet robes, arrived on foot or by carriage.

Officials wearing blue robes either traveled in groups of several in a carriage or rode bicycles.

In short, the square gradually became lively.

After they began to gather at Hongwu Gate, they either talked in hushed tones or stood quietly with solemn expressions.

Everyone wore a solemn expression on their faces, reflecting the gravity of today's grand assembly.

Lu Yunyi, dressed in the court robes of a second-rank military officer, also made an unprecedented appearance here today.

Because the three alleys were too close to the imperial city, he came on foot.

When everyone saw a young man leisurely walk from the back of the line straight to the front,
More than one person stood frozen in place, fists clenched.
This is what a man should do!
Lu Yunyi walked among the crowd, his posture upright, his face stern, and his eyes revealing a hint of fatigue.

The grand court assembly is scheduled for too early.
So much so that he had to get up in a hurry before he even had a chance to sleep.
But as he walked around and overheard the hushed conversations of the officials beside him, he slowly came to his senses.

"I heard that a major decision on flood control in Henan will be made today."
"His Highness Prince Zhou will also be returning to Kaifeng. I wonder if the flood control efforts will go smoothly," an official said in a low voice.

"Flood control is a matter of great importance to the nation, and Your Majesty and the Crown Prince attach great importance to it."

With so many capable ministers involved, there shouldn't be any major problems. Another official responded with concern.

Lu Yunyi nodded inwardly, agreeing with this statement.

Upon arriving at his post, the assembled commanders saw him attending the court assembly.

Quite unexpectedly, they all struck up a conversation.

Lu Yunyi wasn't intimidated and responded with a smile.
As time passed, the sky gradually turned a pale white.

The gates of the imperial city slowly opened.

A long, drawn-out bell rang out, and the officials straightened their clothes and entered the imperial city in an orderly fashion according to their rank.

Lu Yunyi followed in the group, his steps steady, his gaze resolute as he headed towards the Fengtian Hall!

(End of this chapter)