In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 827 The Correct Historical Process of Yangzhou Ancient City

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. After leaving Yingtian City,

Lu Yunyi immediately felt refreshed, and the dark clouds hanging over his head instantly dissipated.

That terrifying pressure also vanished without a trace.

Logically speaking, he was a commander-in-chief with the rank of second grade official, which would make him a top figure in the entire Ming Dynasty.

But in the capital city, such people are as numerous as carp crossing a river.

Moreover, there are many meritorious officials who contributed to the founding of the nation.

They may not hold official positions, but they themselves represent the orthodoxy of the Ming Dynasty, and standing there is a banner.

A rising star like him cannot be compared to him.

"Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix"—the ancients' words are truly wise!

Lu Yunyi was standing at the bow of the ship bound for Yangzhou, his eyes slightly narrowed, his expression serene.

Countless boats ply the wide river.

The towering warships appeared enormous compared to other vessels.

Looking down from above, you can see boatmen still busy on those ships, and some merchants transferring goods back and forth.

The calm water shimmered, reflecting a dazzling golden light.

Feng Yunfang rushed back, his face showing respect:
"My lord, Lord Chen has returned."

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes.
"So fast? Where is he?"

"He's changing clothes in the cabin."

"Okay, have him come over in a bit."

"Yes!"

A short while later, Chen Jingyi changed into clean clothes and came over.

His face was dark, even though he was dressed in decent clothes.

He also looked like a hardworking old farmer, quite different from how he looked a few days ago.

Lu Yunyi spotted him immediately and then smiled:
"How did it get like this?"

Chen Jingyi chuckled and said respectfully:

"My lord, the sun at the port is too strong. I have only been here for one day and I have become like this."

"Hahaha." Lu Yunyi laughed:
"You seem to have become quite precious. How are things? Is anyone following you?"

Chen Jingyi's smile faded, his deep-set eyes revealing a hint of something profound. He leaned closer and whispered:
"Yes, and quite a few."

Having said that, Chen Jingyi took the document out of his pocket.

"My lord, this document records some suspicious individuals that I have seen, along with the names of the ships they were traveling on."

Based on a comparison with the ships at the stern, it was discovered that only five ships remained stranded behind.

Five?

Lu Yunyi took the document, examined it carefully, and nodded slightly:
"Five ships is too few. Excluding coincidences, it's possible that only one ship was actually tracking them, or perhaps none at all."

"Thank you for doing this, it's so tiring."

"It's not hard work; I wouldn't trust anyone else to be my subordinate."

"Hmm, have the arrangements for Miaoyin Pavilion been made?" Lu Yunyi then asked about something else.

Chen Jingyi nodded:
"It's all arranged. Sun Si'an will take care of the follow-up matters."

Secret communication channels and dead mail boxes were also set up.

He will send word as soon as he has any news, and he should arrive in Daning in less than five days.

"Okay, this time when we go back to Daning..."
Although I don't know when I can return to the capital, I can't help but keep up with the news from there.

Now that the Duke of Han has fallen from power, the biggest obstacle in the court is gone, and His Majesty and the palace will surely make some big moves.

When I got back, I told the brothers on this line to be careful!
And the message must be delivered quickly!

"Yes, sir!" Chen Jingyi nodded emphatically.

Lu Yunyi raised his chin and pointed to the cabin:

"Rest now. We'll have a lot to do once we get to Yangzhou. I'll go check on Lü Mingxin, but you can go check on the others."

Chen Jingyi nodded emphatically:
"Yes, my lord!"

After saying this, Chen Jingyi turned and left the bow of the ship, heading towards the cabin.
As he turned around, and got closer to the cabin,

The more bent his back became, the more exhausted he looked.

Lu Yunyi watched his retreating figure, chuckled softly, and then turned to Feng Yunfang, saying:
"Go and take two jugs of iced tea to him, with extra sugar, so he can recover a bit."

"Yes, Lord Chen must be exhausted."

Feng Yunfang smiled and ran away quickly.

Lu Yunyi continued to stand at the bow of the ship, looking ahead.

The sky was azure, and the white clouds drifted high in the sky.
Where the water meets the sky, there stands a colossal city stretching across the land.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Fuchai of Wu dug the Han Canal to connect the Yangtze River and the Huai River in order to expand northward and contend for hegemony, and also built the city of Han.

From then on, dynasties changed hands, with Guangling, Jiangdu, and Weiyang all ruling.
Yangzhou has a history of over 1,800 years.

Today, Yangzhou belongs to Southern Zhili and is an important town for canal transport and salt industry. It was once extremely wealthy and powerful, perhaps only slightly less so than Yingtian.

As Yangzhou drew ever closer,

A sense of vicissitude, weathered by time and war, suddenly welled up inside me.

Lu Yunyi put his hands on his hips and said with some emotion:
"This city would have been a cultural relic even in ancient times."

As noon approached, the Taihe Fruit and Vegetable Shop on Guan Street in Yangzhou finished its busy morning.

The sun was high in the sky, and the stalls set up at the entrance were already empty. There were not many fruits left, and most of them were "defective products" with pits and dents.

The shopkeeper, Lü Zhengxin, pushed his wheelchair out and looked at the remaining fruits and vegetables on the stall.

He glanced at a middle-aged man who was eagerly waiting not far away, smiled slightly, and waved:

"Come."

The middle-aged man's face immediately lit up with gratitude, and he rushed over.

"Manager Lü."

"Dean Chen, have you been waiting long?" Lü Zhengxin asked with a smile.

The middle-aged man repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting:
"No, no, I just arrived myself."

Lu Zhengxin glanced at the sweat stains on his body but did not expose his lie.
Instead, he called to the waiter and gave the order:

"Come on, pack all these fruits and melons for Dean Chen."

The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief, his face filled with even greater gratitude, and he quickly bowed deeply.
"Mr. Chen is grateful to Manager Lü for his generosity on behalf of the many widows and widowers in the nursing home."

He pulled a tattered money pouch from his pocket.
With great effort, he took out a dozen or so copper coins and handed them over.

"Manager Lü, here is today's payment for the fruits and melons."

Lu Zhengxin smiled slightly, took the copper coins, picked them over in his hand, kept ten, and handed back the extra four:

"Here you go. It's hot today, so the melons will spoil faster. I'll give you a 20% discount, not a 30% discount."

The middle-aged man felt a lump in his throat; he knew the shopkeeper in front of him was at a relief and orphanage.

Four copper coins were a lot for him.

"Thank you very much, Manager Lü."

Lü Zhengxin smiled and turned back to look at his son, Lü Chen, who was in the accounting office, and called out:
"You brat, go and bring over that basket of rotten fruits from the backyard and pack it up for Dean Chen."

"understood"

Lu Chen put down his abacus and hurriedly ran to the backyard.

"No, this won't do! This won't do!"

The middle-aged man blushed and quickly spoke.

He already knew that Manager Lü was aware of his habit of rummaging through garbage dumps for rotten fruit.

Lu Zhengxin's expression turned serious, and he said:

"Dean Chen, please take them all."
My legs aren't very strong, so you can pick and choose. Keep what you want, and throw away what you don't.

By the way, the next fruit and vegetable sale is in three days, remember to come.

The middle-aged man's expression changed repeatedly. He wiped his face with his rough hands, the mud and sweat making it difficult to see clearly.

"Thank you very much, Manager Lü."

Lu Zhengxin pushed the wheelchair away and said to the employee who was tidying up:

"Remember, tomorrow's discount is for the brothels in the south of the city, don't get it wrong."

Those girls are all unfortunate; we should keep more of them.

"Understood, shopkeeper."

The shop assistant smiled and began to gather the fruits and vegetables even faster.

Before long, the two large baskets of melons and fruits were brought over by the shop assistant.
"Please take this, Dean Chen."

"Oh, thank you so much, thank you so much."

The middle-aged man quickly took it, and his face turned red, probably because it was too heavy.

"Do you need me to get you a cart so you can bring it back later?" the waiter kindly offered.

"No need, no need to trouble yourself. My cart is at the street corner, just a few steps away."

The middle-aged man spoke with difficulty as he moved his feet toward the street corner.

At the far end of the line of sight, there was a farm handcart parked.
It was crammed with all sorts of old and worn-out items.

There were also some leftover soup and liquid, which looked like things picked out from a garbage dump.

He carried the melons and fruits, carefully placed them on top, and began to tie them up while holding them with one hand.

Once the fruits were completely secured, Dean Chen breathed a sigh of relief and revealed a bright smile.

"This much fruit will last us for several days."

At this moment, a group of three people with an imposing air caught his attention.

The leader was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit and held a folding fan.

Although he was debonair, he exuded a fierce aura, clearly not a kind person. The two men behind him, dressed in gray linen and with dark skin, looked like thugs.

Upon seeing them, Dean Chen quickly looked away and pushed the cart away.

As the head of the almshouse, his greatest strength was...

It means surviving in a corner that everyone ignores, so as not to attract the attention of others.

Lu Yunyi stopped in his tracks, turned to look at the hunched back of the person pushing the wheelbarrow, his brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes seemed to be deep in thought.

"Was there the Taihe Trading Company's logo on that bamboo basket just now?"

Feng Yunfang's eyes darted around, and he nodded vigorously:

"Sir, yes."

Lu Yunyi seemed to be deep in thought, then continued walking forward.
He also opened his folding fan and awkwardly fanned himself.

Noticing strange gazes being cast their way...
He then sheepishly put away his folding fan and sighed:
"Don't take the fan next time."

"Sir, I've noticed that the students from the Imperial Academy all carry fans when they go out for leisure."

"Am I a student? This is ridiculous!"

Lu Yunyi rolled his eyes at him, then stopped at the entrance of Taihe Trading Company. The shop assistant, who was tidying up the stall, didn't even look up.

"Sir, the fruits we had this morning are sold out. Please come back this afternoon."
It's too hot today; if we take the fruits out too early, they'll wilt.

Lu Yunyi smiled slightly and said softly:

"I'm looking for your manager, is he in?"

The waiter then bent over, raised his head, and nodded.

"Yes, please go inside."

"it is good."

Lu Yunyi strolled inside. Once inside,

There was a refreshing aroma of melons and fruits, along with a cool breeze.

A quick glance reveals several bamboo baskets in the corner, each containing ice to keep fruits and vegetables fresh.

Lu Yunyi nodded. Although the fruit business was profitable,
However, there is a lot to learn about how to care for fruits and vegetables.

Taihe Trading Company is much better than when I last visited.

At this moment, Lu Yunyi saw a young man walking out of the backyard with a towel draped around his neck.

When he saw Lu Yunyi and the other two, he froze on the spot.

"You, you."

Lu Yunyi smiled:
"Lu Chen, you've grown quite a bit stronger in the year I haven't seen you."

The deep, resonant voice reminded Lü Chen of his experiences last summer, and his eyes widened suddenly.

"Please come in, please!"

"Where's your father?"

"We're preparing lunch in the backyard; it's almost noon now."

Lu Chen answered cautiously, making a subtle gesture as the two turned around.

Clench your right fist and place it diagonally in front of your chest, with your fist touching your left shoulder.

Lu Yunyi smiled and made the same gesture.

Thus, the proper and reasonable rendezvous was concluded, and Lü Chen cleared the way to the backyard.

"My lord, please."

Upon entering the backyard, Lu Yunyi immediately spotted Lü Zhengxin standing by the millstone in the center of the yard.

There was a food box next to him, and he was taking out plates of side dishes from it.

"Who's coming?"

Lu Zhengxin turned her head and was stunned when she saw Lu Yunyi.

"My lord?!"

He hurriedly put down the vegetables and frantically spun his hands around, trying to turn the wheelchair around.

Lu Yunyi raised his hand to stop him.
"Hey~ don't rush, it's been a year since we last met, why are you so excited?"

"My lord, what brings you here?"

Lu Zhengxin was somewhat incredulous, his eyes filled with shock.

Lu Yunyi sat down beside him and replied with a smile:

"The business in the capital is over, and we're preparing to return to Daning. What do you think of this wheelchair? Isn't it nice?"

"well."

Lü Zhengxin nodded repeatedly:
"This wheelchair is very convenient; it allows me to get around everywhere."

"Yes, get some sunshine. When life gets better, don't be stingy and hire a servant to massage your legs."

The flesh here, if it's not used often, will atrophy and may even develop sores.

Lü Zhengxin smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly:

"Don't worry, sir. My wife gives me a massage every day after I get home."

Besides, only my legs are weak; my hands can still move, and I massage them myself every day.

"That's fine."

Lu Yunyi pulled out a blue-covered book from behind him and handed it over:

"Take this. This is a secret acupuncture technique I got from the Imperial Hospital. It might be useful to you."

If you don't know how to use acupuncture, find a doctor to do it. Try any method; you never know, you might be able to stand up again.

Lu Zhengxin took the document with some surprise, opened it, and read...
The meridians and acupoints that came into view dazzled him.

Although he couldn't understand it, he could see the powerful and vigorous characters written on it, which made it seem extremely precious.

"Your Excellency, are you from the Imperial Hospital?"

"Yes, the Imperial Medical Academy now gathers the most renowned doctors in the land."
He treated the concubines and princes in the palace, which was a good thing because of their connections.

"Thank you, sir!"

Lu Zhengxin clasped his hands in a fist salute, his face showing emotion.

Lu Chen, standing to the side, was the same, her eyes red-rimmed.

Compared to a year ago, Lü Chen has grown a lot.

Knowing that the world is treacherous and that money is hard to earn.

Especially for a disabled veteran like my father, it was already extremely difficult to have a livelihood, let alone a fruit and vegetable business, which was very profitable.

He also understood why his father had always held his superiors in such high esteem.

Lu Zhengxin waved his hand and said to Lu Chen:
"Go to the restaurant next door and order a few more dishes, then have them delivered."

"No need. I'm just here to see you. Don't leave any clues."

Lu Yunyi waved his hand and looked at the guards behind him and Lü Chen:

"You guys go down first."

"Yes!" Feng Yunfang left with his men, and helped Lü Chen along the way.

After everyone left, Lu Yunyi stood up, nudged Lü Zhengxin, and asked:

"where?"

The house directly in front.

"Um"

Lu Yunyi pushed him, saying as they walked:

How old is Lü Chen?

"Reporting to my lord, she is already sixteen."

"You're already so old. Should you study, join the army, or run a business?"

"My lord, I wish to have him return with you and continue to serve you."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Da Ning is thousands of miles away from here. If he leaves you here, who will take care of you?"
Let's first see if she has a talent for studying.
If there's no further arrangement from me, you can go directly to the city garrison, which is close to home.

If you don't want to join the army, you can start as a clerk in the government office and get promoted when the opportunity arises.

"Thank you, sir."

Lu Zhengxin's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally relaxed, and a look of emotion appeared on his face:
"I never expected that my family has been illiterate for three generations, but this kid Lü Chen can actually read."

"Studying is good. Although it is hard at first, it will be rewarded after hardship. If you can pass the imperial examination, you will bring honor to your ancestors."

Lu Yunyi chuckled as he ushered Lü Zhengxin into the house and continued:

"By the way, the other brothers are doing well in their respective places, so you don't need to worry about them."

Lü Zhengxin pursed her lips, her eyes red-rimmed:

"Sir, the orphanage has many wounded soldiers."
They were destitute and could only survive by relying on the imperial court and wealthy families.
Compared to them, we are far better off.

"Hehe. Work hard. Fruit and melon business is a good business. Although it's tiring, you can make a fortune. Where are the goods?"

Lu Zhengxin pointed to the heavy desk and said:
"In the hidden compartment of the first drawer, there are records of the past year, and quite a few suspicious people have been discovered."

Furthermore, his subordinates also discovered that...
Many businesses in Yangzhou have already begun to engage in collusion between officials and merchants.

Especially those profitable businesses, all have powerful officials from Yangzhou Prefecture behind them.

"Ah."

Lu Yunyi sat down behind his desk and began examining the documents.

"This is the correct historical process, there's no need to worry."
People often say that when people are well-fed and clothed, they think of lustful desires; when the world is not yet at peace, they only think about having enough to eat.
Now that the world is at peace, it's natural to focus more on financial matters.

Observe and record quietly, without getting involved.

"Yes"

Lü Zhengxin nodded and waited silently in his wheelchair.

For a moment, only the sound of turning pages could be heard inside the makeshift house.

(End of this chapter)