In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 830 A Sleepyhead Meets a Pillow—Just the Right Time

Half an hour later, the makeshift camp was set up.

The soldiers were scattered around the campfire, eating dry rations and drinking cold water.

They were working hard to regain their strength in preparation for the journey ahead.

In the very center of the group of soldiers,

Lu Yunyi sat by the campfire, on which a small stove was set up, cooking some meat patties he had brought from Yingtian.

The dough was a bit moldy and hard.

Lu Yunyi used a sharp dagger to peel off the dough, then broke it into small pieces and put them into the pot.

The boiling water bubbled and steamed, and a fragrant aroma filled the air.

Lu Yunyi looked at the chunks of meat bubbling in the pot with some emotion.

He wouldn't have even glanced at such food back in Yingtian.
However, it is a rare and valuable item during the journey.

When the meat patties in the pot are almost cooked,
He took out a small bowl he always carried with him and ladled out a bowlful.
I sprinkled some more salt and chopped green onions, and it finally tasted better.

Only then did he look at Wang Junping standing to the side.
He gestured with his chin towards the stone opposite him, indicating that he should sit down.

Wang Junping's legs were trembling. After receiving the signal, he quickly cupped his hands and sat down opposite Lu Yunyi.

He looked at the meat broth in the pot, smelled the aroma, pursed his lips, and swallowed some saliva.

"Yunfang, serve him a bowl."

"Yes!"

Beside him, Feng Yunfang was squatting on the ground, lifting the front hooves of his warhorse Beixiao and examining it carefully.

Upon hearing this, he quickly stood up, took out a bowl and chopsticks from the sack, and helped Wang Junping serve a bowl.

"Give!"

"Thank you, General."

After receiving it, Wang Junping glanced gratefully at the two people in front of him.

Although the adult in front of me spoke harshly and looked utterly unforgiving,

But whether they stopped here to rest or gave him food, it proved that they were kind people.

The journey was tiring, and they quickly finished off the bowl of meat soup.

Lu Yunyi took out the remaining half-empty can of cola from his waist and drank it all in one gulp!

After a hearty meal, he felt alive again, his body brimming with energy!
He leaned his body against the rock.
Looking at Wang Junping, who had already put down his chopsticks and was sitting there respectfully, he asked:

What are your plans for going to Yingtian?

Wang Junping pursed his lips. After a day of traveling, he had come to some understanding.

It would be foolish to conceal his thoughts from such an important figure, so he simply and directly stated:
"Reporting to Lord Lu, we are carrying the King's decree and are preparing to go to Yingtian to request assistance."
We hope His Majesty the Emperor will send troops to assist the King in eliminating the rebels and quelling the rebellion!

Lu Yunyi chuckled and shook his head:

"If I remember correctly, in the twenty-first year of Hongwu..."
Yi Seong-gye had already seized control of the Goryeo regime and your capital, and…

Lu Yunyi revealed a hint of sarcasm:
"Yi Seong-gye launched his campaign under the pretext of attacking Liaodong, intending to interfere with our dynasty's expansion in Liaodong."
Unexpectedly, your cleverness backfired, and you were stripped of your power.

Do you think that because our dynasty is engaged in a decisive battle with the Northern Yuan, we have no time to deal with you?
You can't see it clearly, but Yi Seong-gye can.

He dared not come to Liaodong; death was inevitable no matter which way he went. He might as well attack and return to the capital.

You've shot yourselves in the foot.
You could say that forcing Yi Seong-gye to rebel was your own fault.

Now that our lives are hanging by a thread, you still dare to shamelessly come to my Great Ming Dynasty seeking help?

Wang Junping's face turned pale and then purple from all the talking.
She lowered her head quietly, covering her face in shame.
He knew very well that the biggest regret of both the previous and current kings was their decision to send troops back then.

If troops hadn't been sent, Yi Seong-gye wouldn't have gained military power, and his hometown wouldn't have been taken over!

We are truly ashamed to have to come to the Ming Dynasty for help now.
Wang Junping sighed heavily.
He stood up, bowed deeply, and said very sincerely:
"Lord Lu, the matter of sending troops was orchestrated by the King under the influence of treacherous individuals."

Now that Your Majesty has realized your mistake, you have specially sent me to the Imperial City of Yingtian to confess your guilt in person!

I also implore the superior nation to remember our past friendship and send troops to assist us!

Lu Yunyi chuckled and waved his hand:

"If Goryeo wants the Ming Dynasty to send troops, then forget about it. Even if you get to Yingtian, it will be a wasted trip."

"why?"

Wang Junping immediately became anxious and stepped forward.

Since the establishment of the tributary system in Yingtian during the second year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty,

Goryeo thus firmly held the top position, becoming a country that the Ming Dynasty did not conquer and was allowed to use the Ming Dynasty's reign titles and rituals.

Moreover, they have always considered themselves a "Little China," so how could the Ming Dynasty not help them!

In his eyes, Goryeo was the son of the Ming Dynasty.

If your son makes a mistake, you can only scold him at most. Can you really just sit idly by and do nothing?

Seeing that he remained silent, Wang Junping stepped forward again and spoke in a deep voice:
"Lord Lu, our dynasty has always been loyal to the superior nation, and we have engaged in countless trades every year. How can the Ming Dynasty ignore this?"

Wang Junping almost burst into tears, his voice choked with emotion.

Lu Yunyi gestured for him to sit down and explained:

"It's not that the imperial court doesn't want to help you, it's just that the timing is wrong."

The imperial court has just ended its conflict with the Northern Yuan and is now in a period of recuperation.

Moreover, the same incident involving Yi Seong-gye also occurred in Yingtian, but the rebellion was suppressed and the traitors were executed.

Therefore, the imperial court will not send troops at this time.

"what?"

Wang Junping's face showed deep fear, and he felt his body trembling!
Even the mighty Ming Dynasty has plots of rebellion?
“This year is a special time. If you had been able to swallow your pride and speak up a year or two earlier, the imperial court might have really helped you, but not now.”

Lu Yunyi looked at Wang Yunping and asked:

"You've come to the Ming Dynasty at this time? Is there some trouble in the country?"

A hint of resentment flashed across Wang Junping's face as he gritted his teeth.

"Yi Seong-gye, Yi Seong-gye, executed the sons and families of the two Grand Princes, Wang U and Wang Chang."

They hung their heads above the palace walls and made passing courtiers stop to watch.

His actions clearly reveal his ambition to usurp the throne.
We had no other choice but to desperately try to escape our dynasty and come seeking help.”

Lu Yunyi was slightly taken aback by these actions.
Feng Yunfang, who was holding onto Bei Xiao's horse's hoof, also looked over.
His eyes were filled with disdain, as if he were looking at those barbarians who did not understand the ways of the king.

It is common for powerful ministers to usurp the throne.

But there are very few people who handle things this badly.

Even he knew that substituting one thing for another required a gradual, step-by-step approach, gradually weakening and disintegrating the enemy.

It's truly disgraceful that Yi Seong-gye is so rude.

Lu Yunyi's eye sockets have become much deeper.

If this matter becomes widely known, and all the people of Yingtian know about it, perhaps things will really take a turn for the better.

After all, as a superior nation, it is only natural for China to protect foreign lands.

After a moment's hesitation, Lu Yunyi gestured for him to sit down and said softly:

“Yi Seong-gye’s insubordination and cruel methods have filled me with resentment.”

In that case, Lord Wang, please take a seat.

After we reach Da Ning, we can discuss the matter with the generals of the Commandery; perhaps things will take a turn for the better.

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping, who had just sat down, stopped.

He suddenly raised his head again, his face showing shock.

Still somewhat incredulous, he spoke tremulously:
"Lord Lu, what did you say?"

"hehe."

Lu Yunyi smiled and said softly:

"This general, being a commander skilled in warfare, deeply understands the importance of having contingency plans in place."

You're rushing off to the capital in such a hurry; what if you fail? Have you considered what to do next?

This question stumped Wang Junping.
He lowered his head somewhat dejectedly.

In fact, they all knew that
Going to Yingtian is merely to seize a tiny, insignificant opportunity.

After all, by the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign, they had already thoroughly offended the superior nation.

As for what would happen after the failure, Wang Junping really hadn't thought about it.

He felt he should beg and plead to stay in Yingtian.

Since there was no way to get reinforcements and the imperial court was beyond saving, he decided not to leave. Thinking of this, Wang Junping blinked blankly, then a sudden surge of joy welled up in his heart.

"If I could live in the Ming Dynasty, that would be wonderful."

Lu Yunyi, sitting opposite him, took in the changes in his expression.

From initial confusion and anger to final stunned joy, Lu Yunyi's expression grew increasingly strange.
What's wrong with this person?
After a long silence, Wang Junping finally snapped out of his daze and looked at Lu Yunyi somewhat embarrassed:
"I am so sorry, sir, I was distracted."

"It doesn't matter."

"I'm thinking that if we can't bring reinforcements, we might as well stay in the Ming Dynasty."
"If I were to return, Yi Seong-gye would surely hang my head on the palace wall for all to see. What kind of decorum is that!"

Lu Yunyi froze on the spot, doubting his own judgment for the first time in his life.

Judging from his previous behavior, this person in front of me is clearly a loyal and patriotic individual.
How did he become someone who clings to life so easily in the blink of an eye?
this.
Feng Yunfang was also somewhat bewildered, holding Bei Xiao's hoof without moving for a long time.
Until Bei Xiao impatiently lifted his hoof and snorted,

He then realized what was happening and continued working, muttering to himself:

"This person is really strange."

Seeing that Wang Junping was already immersed in the joy of clinging to life, Lu Yunyi said directly:
"Daning and Goryeo are not far apart, and several of the main generals in Liaodong are my friends."
While they might not be able to launch a full-scale military operation, it's still possible to make some moves that would deter Yi Seong-gye from taking any action.

Wang Junping looked at him with a somewhat blank expression.
The young face carried a hint of ignorance and innocence, as if they hadn't grasped the deeper meaning at all.

Lu Yunyi was somewhat helpless:
"If your king wishes to live a few more days, he can provide a sum of silver."

I will come to your aid then and buy you some time.

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping understood.
The little bit of joy I felt just moments ago was instantly shattered by surprise!
"Sir, is it true?"

"It is true, of course. The Goryeo Dynasty was connected to Liaodong, and Liaodong was connected to Daming."
All three prosper together, and all suffer losses together.

If trade between Goryeo and Liaodong is cut off, then my Great Ning will naturally suffer as well.

Even for the sake of these businesses, I will do everything in my power to help you.

However, some of the costs and rewards cannot be omitted.
Otherwise, I would have no way to explain myself to the imperial court.

Wang Junping thought about it for a long time before he roughly understood the meaning of his words, and asked with some curiosity:
"Lord Lu, if it's for business, why ask for payment?"

Lu Yunyi's face darkened instantly, and several black lines appeared on his forehead.

He finally understands.
The Wang Junping in front of me has an innocent and naive air about him, and even a little foolish!

This is the wisdom of a small country with few people. Not to mention comparing him to Yingtian, even a commoner from Daning would understand him better.

Gathering his thoughts, Lu Yunyi's voice turned colder:
"If there is no reward, then Lord Wang should leave immediately."
"After your Wang clan is exterminated, I will then discuss business with Yi Seong-gye."

No, no, no.

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping panicked and waved his hands repeatedly:
"There's a reward! There's a reward!"

"I just don't know what you want, sir, or how much silver you need?"

Lu Yunyi didn't want to talk to him anymore, so he casually waved his hand.

"Let's talk about it when we get back. You can stay in Daning for now. Once all the expenses are calculated, I will give them to you."

"My lord, no, I must go to Yingtian."

"Why go to Yingtian? Even getting into bed there is a struggle!"

Seeing how foolish he was, Lu Yunyi decided not to put up with him and waved his hand:
"Keep going! We'll be back in the city before midnight!"

"Yes!"

Outside Daning City, the sound of horses' hooves approached like a sudden rainstorm, and the night was brightly lit by torches.

Liu Heiying was dressed in black armor, and the sword at his waist gleamed coldly in the firelight.

He stood on tiptoe and peered around for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter:

"coming!"

Before the words were even finished, the group had already galloped up on horseback.

As Lu Yunyi dismounted, Liu Heiying darted forward and grabbed him tightly, so forcefully that the torch swayed three times.

"Brother Yun'er, you're finally back!"

"Something came up in the capital and kept me there. Why do I feel like you've gained a lot of weight?"

Lu Yunyi sized Liu Heiying up and down, squinting his eyes to try and see his face clearly.
But all that can be seen is a row of neat little white teeth; the facial features remain blurry.

Upon seeing Lu Yunyi, Liu Heiying immediately relaxed.
His straight back suddenly bent, and he let out a heavy sigh:
"Brother Yun'er, I'm exhausted. I haven't had a full night's sleep in months."

Lu Yunyi patted him on the shoulder with a smile. The intense pressure and irregular schedule make it easier to gain weight than to overeat.

"Okay, I'm back. Now you can rest and spend some time with the kids."

Lu Yunyi's gaze skipped over him, sweeping over the dense crowd in front of the city gate.

All the important officials from the Northern Pacification Command were present.
Seeing Lu Yunyi looking over, they all bowed in greeting:
"Congratulations on Lord Lu's promotion to Commander-in-Chief!"

"May you all rejoice together."

Lu Yunyi smiled and nodded, then took out the bright yellow imperial edict from his bosom and held it above his head with both hands.

"This promotion is not solely due to my efforts."
The Emperor has decreed that all those who rendered meritorious service in the Liaodong campaign will be rewarded.

He handed the imperial edict to the official of the Provincial Administration Commission.

His gaze fell on several familiar faces in the crowd, and he said in a deep voice:
"I have already reported your merits to the court, so you gentlemen can rest assured."

A low cheer erupted from the crowd, and many adults wore expressions of joy.
Now that they have received this good news, their nightly wait has not been in vain.

Liu Heiying leaned closer and lowered his voice:

"Brother Yun'er, let's hurry into the city."
The government office has already prepared a welcome banquet for you.
Eat and drink something, then go back home and get some rest.

Lu Yunyi's lips curled slightly as his gaze swept over the mottled and towering city wall.

"Let's skip the welcome banquet and get the brothers back to their tents."
Then stew some mutton and beef, and serve with some wine, so they can eat and drink as they please.

Liu Heiying nodded:
"Yes, then let's hurry into the city."

"it is good!"

Lu Yunyi strode forward.

Liu Heiying looked at the many soldiers behind him.

The long journey had made them lose a lot of weight, and even their warhorses seemed listless.

Soon, Liu Heiying paused, noticed Wang Junping in the group, and asked:

What are you doing here? Didn't you leave a long time ago?

Lu Yunyi turned around and waved at him:
"Come on, don't worry about him. Send someone to keep an eye on it. We'll talk to him again in a couple of days when things are done."

"Speak," he said, ignoring the shocked Wang Junping.

Lu Yunyi strode into the spacious main gate of Daning City!
"How are things going in the city?" Lu Yunyi asked as they walked.

Liu Heiying walked beside him, the two of them standing out from the crowd.

"It went smoothly, but at a great cost."
I tried to win over those I could, and I took drastic measures against those I couldn't win over. Those I couldn't eliminate even with drastic measures were simply put on hold for now.

Moreover, we must be careful and vigilant, as the slightest carelessness could trigger a counterattack.

"Who are they?"

"Who else could they be? They're all former officials and relatives of the Yuan Dynasty."

Many people served as officials in our Ming Dynasty, and their positions were not low.

Although the people are now dead, the imperial court should still offer some protection to these foreign tribes who have submitted to the court.

Moreover, many people have made great efforts in prohibiting intermarriage between ethnic groups.

Their names are all listed in the Ministry of Rites, so we can't just abandon them after we've served our purpose.

At this point, Liu Heiying sighed helplessly, feeling greatly frustrated.
Lu Yunyi pursed his lips.
Before the Ming Dynasty, the north and south had been divided for nearly a thousand years.

Now that Han rule has been restored in the north, the prohibition of intermarriage with other ethnic groups has played a significant role in this.

The implementation of this decree back then was quite similar to the current process of creating the Fish Scale Yellow Register.
These are all things that could offend people and could be fatal; a slight misstep could lead to rebellion.

Many of those who implemented the decrees are still alive and hold considerable prestige.

If they are subjected to retribution
Then there's no need to draw the fish-scale yellow book; people's hearts will naturally fall apart.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about something else. I've moved your Lotus Pavilion in the capital to a better place. Someone died there before, so it's no longer usable."

"what?"

Liu Heiying was somewhat bewildered and unable to react for a moment.

"What happened?"

"We'll talk about it tomorrow. Let's go back to the manor and rest for today."

"it is good."

(End of this chapter)