In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 829 Unity is Strength (Foreigners)

The thunderous sound of horses' hooves quickly attracted the attention of the construction site.
Many people stopped what they were doing and looked into the distance.
When he saw the long black dragon covered in billowing smoke and dust, his pupils dilated slightly.

"Cavalry!"

Someone shouted, and the news quickly spread throughout the construction site.

In the corner, a laborer who looked like a foreman threw down his hoe.
He pulled a megaphone from his waist and shouted rapidly:
"Quickly, quick, implement contingency plan number three! Everyone disperse, do not gather or crowd together!"

As soon as this word comes out,
With a whoosh, a commotion erupted as the laborers scattered in all directions of the construction site, seeking cover.

In an instant, the front edge of the construction site was completely empty.

A moment later, a group of heavily armed men rushed out of the tent, numbering about a hundred.

The leader was a centurion in his thirties named Qiao Yifei, a veteran of the Daning Vanguard.

As soon as he rushed to the open space and looked around, he was stunned.

The cavalrymen before me were clad in black armor, their formation tight as they moved.

The three-three system is subtly present, with each element forming a support.
Although Qiao Yifei was not a soldier in the vanguard scout unit,

But he had seen elite troops training in Daning City, and they probably looked something like this.

He had only seen this ability to maintain formation while moving at high speed a handful of times, and it was always the most elite cavalrymen in the army!
"One of our own?"

A thought suddenly flashed through Qiao Yifei's mind.
But he still didn't dare to hesitate, and quickly waved his hand and shouted:
"Juma Deer Village!"

"Place cover and prepare to engage the enemy!"

"The militia are to gather troops and wait in the tents. If the enemy attacks, they will immediately launch a counterattack!"

Military orders were issued in an orderly manner.
More than a hundred soldiers moved swiftly and soon pulled out the chevaux-de-frise and the deer stockade.
Crouching at the rear and to the left and right sides, holding long spears!

After the initial chaos, the laborers also reacted quickly.
The tent at the front was opened, and groups of men took away one makeshift spear after another.

They glanced at the approaching soldiers and quickly disappeared into the tent!
And at the very front of the construction site,
The Goryeo delegation was also stunned into silence by this overwhelming scene.

what happened?
Lu Yunyi's eyes were sharp, and he immediately noticed the unusual activity at the front of the construction site.

His lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile, and the excitement in his eyes became even more obvious!

The world fell silent at that moment, with only the echoing sounds of over a thousand people charging forward.

Jackals and rats circled in the surrounding fields, waiting to scavenge for food after people left.

Hearing the earth shake, I awoke somewhat dazed from my deep sleep, feeling a sense of crisis enveloping me.

Their instinctive reaction made them dart away.

The birds that were taking a nap were the same.

Hearing the vibration, it flapped its wings gently and took flight in an instant.
In the construction site camp, even breathing became clearly audible.
Everyone was more focused than ever before, their eyes glued to the approaching army!
It's near, it's near!
Five hundred zhang, three hundred zhang, one hundred zhang!

Everyone could now make out the general appearance of the newcomer.

It wasn't the standard armor of the grasslands, but the standard black armor of the Ming Dynasty!

Everyone breathed a silent sigh of relief.

One of our own!
"Stop!" A loud shout rang out, and the sharp whistle instantly echoed in all directions!

The cavalry, which had been charging forward, slowed down slightly.
The horses' hooves gradually became synchronized!
When they reached fifty zhang, everyone could see clearly.
More than a thousand soldiers moved in perfect unison, demonstrating their excellent training. They tightened the reins, causing their warhorses to rear up and neigh loudly.

Then it fell heavily, making a deep and moving "thump!"

The earth trembled at that moment.
The billowing smoke and dust transformed into a neat and magnificent black barrier.
The soldiers stood tall and straight like pine trees, their spears pointing diagonally at the ground.

The banners fluttered in the breeze, yet not a single person made the slightest unnecessary movement.
The entire group was as quiet as the calm before a storm.

Everyone saw it clearly.

The workers on the construction site were stunned by the sudden stop.

The laborers who had just been frantically trying to escape,
They all peeked out from behind their bunkers, their eyes filled with disbelief.

The laborer, who looked like a foreman, was still tightly gripping a megaphone, his mouth wide open, but he forgot to speak for a moment.

Qiao Yifei stared intently at the cavalry unit before him, his mind churning with turmoil.

He knew that such superb horsemanship and strict military discipline were not something that ordinary armies could possess.

When they saw Lu Yunyi's familiar figure...

He shuddered, his eyes instantly blazing with wild joy, his voice trembling with excitement:
"Yes, the master is back!"

This shout ignited a flame in everyone's hearts.

The atmosphere on the construction site was momentarily stunned, then instantly erupted into excitement.

The laborers poured out from all directions, staring wide-eyed at what lay ahead!

Young, heroic, handsome, and with an extraordinary presence!
Although most people have never seen Lord Lu.

After noticing these elements,
They immediately realized that this was indeed Lord Lu!

"The master is back! The master is back!" Someone ran back to report, waving a towel.

The Goryeo delegation was so stunned by this scene that they stood frozen in place.
They were already wary because of the road construction in Daning.
Upon seeing this valiant cavalry force, he turned ashen-faced with fear.

The leading Goryeo envoy trembled slightly, his lips quivering, and he muttered to himself:

"Is this the strength of the Ming Dynasty?"
"If such an elite force were to send troops to aid the traitors, we would likely face dire consequences."

Lu Yunyi reined in the horses and brought the truck to a steady stop in front of the construction site.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and after seeing their gaunt, yet spirited, faces, he nodded slightly.
He dismounted and strode towards the crowd.

Qiao Yifei stepped forward first, clasped his hands in a salute, and said in a loud voice:

"Qiao Yifei, the centurion of the vanguard of Da Ning and the garrison commander of the forward camp, pays his respects to Lord Lu!"

Lu Yunyi quickly stepped forward to help him up, and said with a smile:

"Commander Qiao, you've worked hard. Get up quickly."
Your response was good, quick and efficient; you must have reviewed the contingency plan thoroughly.

"You flatter me, sir!"

Lu Yunyi smiled and strolled towards the construction site.
Wherever they went, the laborers stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully.

An elderly man with white hair knelt down shakily:
"Lord Lu, you're finally back!"
The road construction went smoothly; everyone is eagerly awaiting your return to visit.

Lu Yunyi quickly stepped forward to help the old man up, glanced at the crowd of people eagerly waiting around, and shouted:

"Get up, get up. You are the ones doing the work, not me. Doing your jobs well is more important than anything else."

He smiled, looked around, and said loudly:
"Gentlemen, do you know?"
Our road construction project has even reached Yingtian, thousands of miles away.

Some of the higher-ups in the capital don't believe that our Great Ning has such courage and vision, let alone that we are so united.

But what I want to tell you is...
Some officials in Yingtian were arrogant.

They underestimated our unity and our determination to live a better life in Daning!
When the road is repaired, let them open their eyes and see how united we in Daning are!

"Unity—"

Hands covered in calluses and grime of yellowish-brown mud were lifted up.
The same unwavering determination and resolve were evident on each of the different faces!
Lu Yunyi swiftly stepped onto a brick, drew his long sword from his waist, and shouted:
"Make the mountains bow down, and the rivers give way!"

The next moment, a deafening shout suddenly rang out.

"Make the mountains bow their heads, and the rivers give way—"

Most of the people present were illiterate.
Even so, they could still feel the power contained in these words!

That's a power that can change the very landscape!
"Alright, alright, get back to work!"

As more and more people gathered,

Lu Yunyi kept waving his hand, signaling the foreman to disperse the crowd.

Although the laborers were reluctant to leave.

But he still picked up his hoe and shovel and went back to his workstation to get to work!
Lu Yunyi stood on the bricks and looked into the distance.

A group of strangely dressed Goryeo envoys were seen reining in their horses and stopping.

Upon noticing his gaze, their faces turned even paler.

Then he gave a fawning and unnatural ingratiating smile.

"Who are they?" Lu Yunyi pointed at them, holding a long sword.

Qiao Yifei, standing to the side, replied:
"My lord, these people are envoys from Goryeo. They say they are on their way to Yingtian and just happen to be passing by the construction site." "Goryeo people?" Lu Yunyi frowned and whispered an order to his personal guard.
"Find out their purpose."

Having said that, he strode toward the delegation.

Upon seeing this, the Goryeo people dismounted and bowed, but their movements appeared somewhat stiff.

Lu Yunyi's gaze sharpened as he scanned the expressions on everyone's faces, and he already had a plan in mind.

"Have you all come from afar to witness the road construction of our Great Ming Dynasty?"

He asked in a loud voice, which, though soft, carried far and wide.

The leading Goryeo envoy suppressed his shock and forced a smile:
"Lord Lu is too kind. We are here on His Majesty's orders to serve as envoys to the Ming Dynasty."
Passing through this place, I was truly awestruck by this magnificent sight.

"Oh?" Lu Yunyi's lips curled up slightly.
"What does Your Excellency think?"

The envoy swallowed hard, looked around, and his voice trembled slightly:
"The Ming Dynasty, the people of the Ming Dynasty are of goodwill, and the people are united as one. It is truly admirable."

Lu Yunyi smiled, not taking such flattery to heart, and instead asked:

"What's your name?"

The leading envoy appeared to be in his thirties, not very tall, with dark skin and a large beard, giving him a somewhat fierce look. However, the troubled expression on his face was quite incongruous with his expression.

Upon hearing the question, a hint of unease flickered across his face, followed by a flash of ruthlessness.
As if having made up his mind, he said in a deep voice:
"Reporting to this sir, my name is Wang Junping."

"King?" Lu Yunyi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A member of royalty?"

Sensing that Lu Yunyi showed no obvious hostility,

Wang Junping visibly relaxed, bent down even lower, and said in a deep voice:
"Your Excellency, I am a member of the royal family by marriage."

"Hmm~" Lu Yunyi nodded thoughtfully, chuckled, and said:

"Here to call for reinforcements?"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere froze.

Many people looked puzzled, some even wondering if they had misheard.

But to Wang Junping, it sounded like a resounding bell, leaving him speechless with shock.
Many of the envoys who knew the inside story also widened their eyes in astonishment.
They looked at the young man in front of them with some disbelief.

Wang Junping broke out in a cold sweat, his thoughts racing.

He was certain that after receiving the king's order, he left in haste without even informing his wife and children, and he did not mention the matter to any outsiders.
But just as he entered the Ming Dynasty, he was exposed by a Ming person!
How could he not be shocked?

"I...I don't understand what you're saying, sir."

Wang Junping stammered.
Looking at Lu Yunyi, she was filled with shock. Who was he?
Lu Yunyi smiled and waved casually:
"Fine, then you can leave."

Seeing his composure and lack of further questioning, Wang Junping was stunned again.
His expression shifted repeatedly as he tentatively asked:

"May I ask your name, sir?"

Lu Yunyi, who was about to leave, paused, turned around, put his hands on his hips, and chuckled:
"I am Lu Yunyi, Commander of the Great Ning Commandery."
"When you return from Yingtian, you can stay in Daning for a while, and then we can discuss some business."

"what?"

Wang Junping stood there, stunned, staring at the young man before him.
Is he Lu Yunyi?
Wang Junping had assumed that the person before him was at most a commander or a deputy commander.

I never expected it to be the famous Lu Yunyi!
Now, this reputation has spread far and wide due to the Jurchens' scattered flight.

Everyone in the entire Liaodong Goryeo region knew about him.

"Are you Lord Lu?"

Wang Junping thought for a moment and then tentatively asked:

"May I ask, sir, if we may stay in Daning for a few more days to properly discuss some business matters?"

After learning his identity, Wang Junping made a decision.
Anyway, going to Yingtian is just to get reinforcements.

Now that we've met the chief official of Da Ning, we naturally want to try and win him over.

In particular, this person displayed inhuman cruelty in dealing with the enemy Jurchens.

Perhaps this is an opportunity that can be seized.

"Business?"

Lu Yunyi smiled slightly, glanced at the Goryeo delegation, and nodded gently:

"It's still two hundred li to Daning City. Do you want to come back with me? Be careful not to delay the journey."

Wang Junping spoke with a smile:
"My lord, I will take a few attendants and accompany you back to Daning."
Other colleagues can go ahead first, and the business will be settled later.
"I can catch up on horseback as fast as I can. I would be grateful if Lord Lu would be so generous as to lend us a few more warhorses."

"No problem." Lu Yunyi waved his hand.
"Then let's go. There are still two hundred li left. Let's reach Daning City before midnight tonight!"

Wang Junping's face turned pale; he had traveled two hundred li a day.
For their mission, it wasn't just a little embarrassing, it was a matter of life and death!

Wang Junping looked around at the guards and found that they all had a resolute look on their faces and nodded emphatically at him.

"We'll do as you say, sir! We'll get back to Daning City before this time tonight!"

"it is good!"

Lu Yunyi's voice suddenly rose, and he waved his hand.
Looking at the thousand or so soldiers standing in the distance, he shouted:

"Mount up and let's go."

Having said that, Lu Yunyi mounted his horse and pointed his whip into the distance:

"Brothers, let these foreign friends see how the sons of Ming travel!"

More than a thousand cavalrymen roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

With thunderous hooves, they surged forward once more, kicking up billowing dust.

Wang Junping exchanged glances with the other envoys, then quickly gave a few instructions to the envoys beside him, signaling them to leave first.

Then, with a few guards, he reluctantly followed!

The thunderous sound of hooves echoed as Lu Yunyi galloped along the old official road.

Not far away is the newly rebuilt concrete road.

The world is filled with a vast array of craftsmen, artisans, and tents.

The scene looked chaotic and complicated.

But Lu Yunyi was filled with mixed emotions.

Compared to the intrigue and backstabbing in Yingtian City, he preferred the purer, more passionate fighting spirit here!
If Da Ning wants to become strong, it needs this kind of pragmatic and hardworking spirit!

Time flew by, and the warhorses galloped along the relatively flat official road.
More than a thousand people passed through one caravan after another, bringing more than just awe!
When the caravan saw who the newcomers were, they also brought peace and stability!
As the sun sets, no matter how bright it is, it will eventually go down.

Lu Yunyi spurred his horse and looked back; the orange-red sunset lingered on the horizon.
The entire sky was ablaze with fiery red light.
The layers upon layers look like pieces of cotton, it's incredibly beautiful.

His gaze slowly moved.

Finally, the group stopped at the very end, including Wang Junping and his entourage.

It's clear they are all spoiled and pampered.
His facial features were contorted in pain, and he exuded an air of discomfort.

But for some reason, they are still stubbornly persisting.

Lu Yunyi pursed his lips.
Judging from their performance, the situation in Goryeo is not optimistic.

Unrest is truly imminent.

Otherwise, these pampered nobles wouldn't have had the perseverance to persist.

Another half hour passed, and the sun completely disappeared below the horizon. Instead of the sun illuminating the surroundings, it was the moon in the sky.
Instead, it was the endless, fiery red dragon at the construction site!

Looking into the distance, you can see the long dragon stretching out and disappearing into the horizon, which is even more breathtaking than during the day!
Lu Yunyi looked back and saw that Wang Junping and the others were already far away from the group.

The warhorses continued to gallop, but the men had reached their limit.

Lu Yunyi didn't make things difficult for them. He simply waved his hand and shouted:
"Rest and recuperate where you are!"

Seeing that the group had slowed down, Wang Junping, who was lagging behind, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

He lay sprawled on the horse's back, panting heavily.

He now feels no sensation in his legs and buttocks, as if he has completely lost his lower body.
But considering the tense situation at home,
Despite his own exhaustion, Wang Junping rode his horse to the front of the group.

I'm going to try and have a word with this Commander of Da Ning to see if I can get any help.

(End of this chapter)