In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 831 It is difficult for an upright official to deal with household affairs

After bidding farewell to the group that came to greet him, Lu Yunyi dragged his tired body back to the Lu residence.

At the door, the whole family was waiting.

Fortunately, the heat in the north had already subsided by October, and it was quite cool.
A gentle breeze blew by, carrying even a hint of coolness.

Lu Yunyi dismounted, the clanging of his armor echoing through the air.
He spotted Liu Wanyi standing at the very front at a glance.
Beside her were Mu Jinghe and Deng Lingyun.
Qiuhe tactfully stood a little further back.

Their faces were filled with excitement and joy at not seeing each other for so long!
Upon seeing them, Lu Yunyi's tense expression relaxed slightly, and he sighed silently in his heart.

Compared to women in the capital, women at home are much less troublesome.

No need to scheme against each other, no need to be on guard at all times.
Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi's smile widened even further.

He walked forward with his arms outstretched, bursting into laughter:
"Come, come, let me see if the ladies have lost weight."

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he hugged Liu Wanyi tightly.
Liu Wanyi's cheeks flushed red, a mixture of resistance and shyness in her expression.
Finally, she nestled comfortably in his arms, wrapped her arms around Lu Yunyi's waist, and whispered:
"My husband has lost weight."

"I've been speeding all the way back so I can see you all sooner."

Lu Yunyi turned around and hugged Mu Chuting again.
Her makeup was light and her clothes were very simple, which gave her a unique and aloof temperament.

But the moment she was embraced,
A happy smile spread across Mu Chuting's lips as she softly said:

"My husband has had a long and tiring journey, arriving a few days earlier than planned. Let's return home and rest soon."

"How can I sleep with you all here?"

Lu Yunyi patted her head, then hugged Deng Lingyun tightly and whispered:
"I've already made arrangements for things in the capital. There will be regular cleaning services at home."
Your things are all organized, don't worry.

Deng Lingyun's nose immediately turned red, tears streamed down her face, and her voice was pitiful to hear.
"Father... How could Father do such a thing?"

"Once you're caught up in the situation, you're no longer in control of your own destiny. From now on, this will be your home."

"Um"

Deng Lingyun nodded almost imperceptibly, her heart filled with even greater sorrow.

She has now completely figured it out.
Why did his father allow him to leave the capital and come to Daning?

Perhaps he already knew that his family would suffer a disaster one day.

Lu Yunyi's mood was also somewhat heavy.
But when he saw Qiuhe, he was slightly taken aback:
"Qiuhe, what have you eaten? You've gotten even plumper!"

Lu Yunyi stepped forward and examined it carefully.

He reached out and pinched her arm and shoulder, and found that she had indeed become much fuller.

Qiuhe lowered her head somewhat shyly and said timidly:

"Young master, the wild game in the mountains is so nutritious, I ate a lot too much."

"You didn't just eat a little more, you clearly eat every day, every single day, to the point that you get nosebleeds in the middle of the night."

Liu Wanyi rolled her eyes at her, feeling somewhat helpless about Qiuhe's gluttony.

Qiuhe felt even more embarrassed, and her head drooped even lower.

"Ha ha ha ha."

Lu Yunyi reached out and patted her head:

"It's okay, eat when you're hungry."
I brought a lot of good things from the capital this time. Go and see what you'd like to eat tomorrow.

"Really?"

Qiuhe's eyes lit up immediately, and she raised her head sharply, showing a hint of eagerness.

Lu Yunyi's face darkened:
"I'll eat tomorrow. If I eat something at night and go to sleep right away, I'll easily gain weight."

"Okay, young master."

"It's good to come in, you can't just stand at the door all the time."

Lu Yunyi greeted everyone with a smile, and the group walked into the mansion.

Butler He Bo bowed with a smile, and after they all entered the mansion,
He glanced at the carts piled up outside the door, beckoned, and gave the order:

"Quickly, quickly, send the items to the back gate, then go inside the mansion to check them and organize them overnight, as the ladies will need them tomorrow."

"Yes."

The guards rushed forward and pulled up the heavy, cargo-laden wagon.
Half an hour later, Lu Yunyi emerged from the hot spring, feeling refreshed, and returned to his bedroom.

He felt lightheaded, with a kind of post-live-up euphoria.

Although I'm very sleepy, I don't need to sleep.

Liu Wanyi had been waiting there for a while; she had already changed into a nightgown.
The soft silk fabric clung tightly to her body, revealing her curvaceous figure and adding to her allure.

But there was no allure on her face; instead, she exuded an air of dignity.

After Lu Yunyi sat down, she stood behind him and gently massaged his shoulders.

A hint of heartache flashed in her eyes, and she said softly:
"My husband, you don't need to rush so hard next time."
"We've been walking and stopping frequently, taking breaks along the way. Look at you, you've even lost weight!"

"I want to come back and see you all sooner." Lu Yunyi closed his eyes and enjoyed her massage.

But Liu Wanyi rolled her eyes at him and pouted:

"How could I not know what kind of person my husband is?"

I think my husband is worried about the sweet potatoes growing in the field.”

Lu Yunyi's face stiffened, and he could only manage an awkward smile:
"My wife understands me best. The sweet potatoes are of great importance, and I have been extremely worried about them on this journey."

"Don't worry, Mr. Sun from the Agricultural Policy Institute has been staying in Daning."
I heard from the officials that they've been working tirelessly outside all day, taking excellent care of the sweet potatoes.

Liu Wanyi pressed harder, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

When her husband was in school,

She had already recognized her extraordinary talent, and now she has soared to great heights, always keeping her career in mind, which proves that her judgment was correct.

Liu Wanyi pursed her lips and sat down next to Lu Yunyi again.
Gently massage his legs to relieve the fatigue from riding for a long time.

"How is Father doing in the capital? Is his career progressing smoothly?"

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly:

"There are certainly difficulties, but my father-in-law has already secured his position as the head manager."
He handled the profit-sharing matter very well this time, and some officials in the court were very satisfied with him.

By the way, the imperial court has recently established the Market Exchange Bureau.

This is considered a superior government agency to the Yingtian Trading Company; there might be some trouble ahead.

Liu Wanyi was aware of this.
This has already been mentioned in previous letters.

She sighed and said:

"My father is already quite old, yet he insisted on making this trip to the capital, only to fall into danger for nothing."

Fortunately, this incident did not affect my father.

If anything were to happen to my father, I would be worried to death.

"Don't worry, the current turmoil in the court is only targeting those influential former officials."

A newly rising official like my father-in-law,
Even if mistakes were made, the court could tolerate them, after all, the goal was to replace the old with the new.

Her husband confirmed it twice.
Liu Wanyi finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart and nodded almost imperceptibly.

“My father wrote to us saying that we should come home to visit when we have time, because there are some mineral deposits that can be mined, and he would like to ask you for advice.”

"Should I offer suggestions?"

Lu Yunyi looked at Liu Wanyi with some surprise.

Although my father-in-law comes from a prominent family in Liaodong with considerable wealth...
But he never even considered taking a piece of the family fortune, nor was he particularly interested in it.

Liu Wanyi helped Lu Yunyi tidy his messy hair, explaining with a smile:

"My father said in his letter that you were going to build an official road leading to Liaodong, which would cost a lot of money."

So I was thinking of taking advantage of this trip back to gather more people together.

We need to get them to contribute money and effort as well; otherwise, they'll just be taking advantage of us for nothing, which is unacceptable.

And my father also said...
Those hidden mines are all rich mines; even if the powerful and wealthy people in Liaodong don't contribute money,
These few mines are enough to build the road, it just might be a bit slower.

Lu Yunyi was shocked, realizing Liu Sili's intentions.
Is he planning to sponsor the road repairs?

No wonder they wanted him and Wanyi to go back to Liaodong together; so that's what they were planning.

Liu Wanyi smiled sweetly, gently took Lu Yunyi's hand, and murmured:
"My husband is now stationed in the north as a commander of a region, so naturally he must do his best to support the family."

Since the road construction is related to my husband's future, we don't need to be too stingy with money.

You may not know this, but many members of our clan have been eyeing those mines for a long time, but my father has been forcibly preventing them from mining them.

If you don't go back

In a few years, these mines will fall into the hands of others; we won't get a single penny.

"Hmm~" Lu Yunyi nodded in realization, his face showing deep thought.

To be honest, if it were a few rich mines that he found for free, he wouldn't mind taking them.
However, if it would lead to further conflicts with his clansmen, he would hesitate to proceed.

After all, although building roads is difficult, and even if you want to build roads, you don't have the money.
But it's not that difficult yet.
Moreover, there might be hidden dangers after taking this money.
He knew that you should never owe someone a favor.

Seeing her husband deep in thought, Liu Wanyi did not disturb him.

Instead, she got up and poured him a cup of tea, gently placed it beside her, and began massaging his shoulders and thighs.
After a long silence, Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
"We'll talk about the iron ore later. As for the official road leading to Liaodong, even if we were to build it, it wouldn't be now."

"Why?"

"The construction and use of concrete roads still need to stand the test of time."
The road to Beiping was not yet fully completed, and the initial phase of the project was not yet in use.

My idea is to wait until after the sweet potato harvest, when things will be less hectic in the government offices.
They then put the newly built road into use, perhaps only a few dozen kilometers long, as a trial run.

If there are no problems after people and vehicles have passed through, then the road leading to Liaodong will be repaired.

Liu Wanyi was somewhat bewildered:
"But I heard from the officials in the government office that the newly built road is very solid, and there are no marks left on it when the trucks carrying those building materials drove over it."

"Human beings cannot destroy this road; what we fear is God."

What if it's windy and rainy, and there's standing water on the ground? What if the water freezes and then melts, damaging the road?
Especially on the way to Liaodong, the further north you go, the colder it gets.
What if you spend all your money to repair the road, only to have it break down after two winters? Wouldn't you lose everything?

Liu Wanyi's expression gradually became serious, and she nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, my husband is right. Spending some money is a small matter."

If the road isn't repaired properly and causes widespread complaints, then my husband's career will be hindered.

That's the point, so take it slow.
As for those iron mines, since they belong to the Liu family,
Then let them have it. Why should I, an outsider, get involved?
Is it because we're broke? Or is my husband just greedy?

"No, that's not true. We still have plenty of money at home, enough for us to spend, but who ever thinks they have too much money?"

"Hehe." Lu Yunyi chuckled softly:
"You don't know this, but the most common thing I've seen in the capital is that wealthy people have their homes confiscated overnight."

All their money was confiscated, and their wealth and glory vanished in an instant.

When they are shackled and imprisoned, they are worse off than ordinary people.
Because they have never experienced hardship.
Money is a good thing, but you have to be alive to spend it, not just to earn it.

Therefore, there's no need to risk your life for money; staying alive is the most important thing.

Although Lu Yunyi was saying it with a smile,
But Liu Wanyi could hear the seriousness and earnestness in his words.
This made her expression serious, and she also felt somewhat uneasy.

"Husband, has something happened?"

"It's nothing, I just had a feeling. You should remind your family."
Don't do those thankless and risky things; Liu Zixian's fate is right before our eyes.

Was it worth risking your life for such a small amount of money?

At this point, seeing that Liu Wanyi didn't seem to care,

Lu Yunyi sighed and said softly:

"Were your two older brothers involved in Liu Zixian's affairs?"

Liu Wanyi's face stiffened, and her expression became somewhat unnatural.
He wanted to argue, but didn't know how to begin, so he could only nod dejectedly.

"A letter arrived from home. They were responsible for transporting the goods from Goryeo to Liaodong, and they also took a considerable amount of money."

Lu Yunyi shook his head helplessly, feeling a growing headache.
"Is it worth risking your life for a few thousand or tens of thousands of taels of silver?"
Smuggling is commonplace at the border; minerals, grains, salt, tea—which one can't make money?
They had to get involved in Southeast Asian affairs.
Even if maritime trade is very profitable, what does it have to do with Liaodong?
Could it be that Liaodong would share some of the iron ore they mine with the Southeast Sea Merchants?
There's clearly a trap inside!
Unsolicited kindness is often suspicious; they're either up to no good or a thief. Let them be more careful; there's no such thing as a free lunch.

My father-in-law is now an official in Beijing.
Holding a large sum of money in his hands, countless people are eyeing him.

If their father-in-law is implicated in a crime they committed back home, they'll have their regrets later.

Liu Wanyi was somewhat startled by his words and tentatively asked:

"My lord, isn't Liu Zixian's matter already over? Could there be any more trouble?"

“Who knows?
The Hu Weiyong case ended ten years ago, but this year they've started another killing spree.
Whether or not to investigate is simply a matter of a word from the imperial court.

Especially in the matter of maritime smuggling.

The imperial court now relies heavily on maritime trade for most of its expenses.

Taking money from this is tantamount to uprooting the imperial court; killing someone would be the least of it.

Liu Wanyi trembled, her originally rosy face turning deathly pale with fright.

In her panic, she grabbed Lu Yunyi's hand and nodded repeatedly:
"My lord, I will write to them tomorrow and tell them to behave themselves at home."

"Well, since there's a mine to mine, let's mine."

"Don't overreach. Tell them again that if Da Ning builds a road to Liaodong, none of the Liu family members can participate."

"Why?" Liu Wanyi leaned closer and whispered:
“Husband, a foreman in the road repair business can earn ten thousand taels of silver. Is it not enough for the family members to do some inappropriate work?”

"No way." Lu Yunyi scratched his head vigorously, somewhat angrily saying:

"The Liu family is extremely wealthy, owning mines, land, and money."

Why bother focusing on the road construction?
Must we really compete with these ordinary people and small merchants for a living? That's utterly absurd!

Liu Wanyi wanted to explain, but Lu Yunyi suddenly raised his hand:
"Alright, that's settled then, there's no room for discussion."

"Get some rest, I have to go to work tomorrow."

Liu Wanyi looked a little aggrieved, her lips trembled, but in the end she smiled, stood up, and said softly:

"Then I will serve you so you can rest."

"Um"

Having finished discussing business, Lu Yunyi relaxed and threw himself onto the bed.

As the dim candlelight went out, the sound of even breathing followed.
(End of this chapter)