In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 835 War is great! It brings promotions, wealth, and marriage.
Time passed, the sun moved westward, and the sun was about to set.
The clear blue sky quickly turned dark.

Near the sun, ripples appeared, and the fiery red color began to spread rapidly with the rising sun.
The sunlight cast a lazy glow over the entire city of Daning.

At the west gate, laborers finished their day's work.

Dragging his weary body and empty lunchbox, he staggered back to Daning City.

Although a day's hard work is tiring, the time to finish work is always so wonderful, making people unconsciously happy, and the whole city gate area is filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The town's vendors had also set up their stalls here early, mostly selling food.
The aromas of roast chicken, sweet wine, and meat patties mingled in the air.
The generals guarding the city gate frequently glanced at him, their lips slightly pursed.
"Third brother, buy me two pancakes and half a chicken!"

He Zhixue, a soldier guarding the city, was about to finish his shift and change places.

He spoke rapidly, looking at a familiar laborer.

But his gaze remained fixed on the roast chicken stall, because the roast chickens on it were disappearing rapidly.
There were still large numbers of troops coming from behind.

If you act too late, there won't be any left.

The laborer named Lao San, who was carrying half a roast chicken, chuckled.
She didn't refuse him, but instead turned and headed towards the roast chicken stall.

Upon seeing this, He Zhixue breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing joy, and a sense of anticipation arose in his eyes.

There's still half an hour left before the duty ends.
When I get home, I'll have a drink and half a roast chicken.
After another good night's sleep, life is just too wonderful.

The only regret is that he's already twenty years old and still hasn't found a wife.
Thinking about this, He Zhixue felt his pimples getting itchy.

The senior officers in the army all said,

This acne would be fine if he just found a wife, but he just can't find one.

Moreover, he had met many women, but was rejected by them all because of his acne.

In this way, He Zhixue felt that he was trapped in a vicious cycle.
My good mood from just now has faded a bit.

But when the third brother shoved the piping hot roast chicken into his arms,

He Zhixue thought of the delicious roast chicken and couldn't help but chuckle.

The worries of not having a wife vanished in an instant.

"Thanks, third brother, go back now."

The third brother stood not far from him with a smile and said:
"Little He, do you want a wife or not?"

"Ok?"

He Zhixue, whose thoughts had been wandering, immediately perked up his ears.
Several young soldiers beside him also stood up.
In today's military, there are many men who can't find wives.

On the one hand, he didn't want to marry a woman from the grasslands; on the other hand, there were issues with his family's financial situation.
After all, a Ming woman who could establish herself in Daning City...

Their family must be well-off, otherwise they wouldn't have come to this freezing cold.

So when the third brother said that, many people perked up their ears to listen.
But He Zhixue, having had several experiences with this, said somewhat warily:

"The grassland women in those workshops are too ugly."
His skin is rougher than mine, and the calluses on his hands are thicker than mine.

He Zhixue stretched out his hand; due to prolonged training,
The web of his right hand was almost entirely covered by thick calluses, and the skin was very rough.

He doesn't look like a twenty-year-old at all.

The third brother waved his hand:

"Sigh~ I know you look down on those people."

He Zhixue's eyes lit up, and he simply turned his head away:

"Yes, a woman from our Ming region?"

"That's not true."

"Cut~"

Upon hearing this, the young soldiers who had been watching all turned their heads away.
He pursed his lips helplessly, showing absolutely no interest.

"Listen to me, war is about to break out."
If we win, we'll have plenty of beautiful women taken prisoner and brought here.
Aren't you part of the city defense force? You'll definitely get to choose first.

If you can get a chance to go to the battlefield,
They might even be able to find it themselves in those grassland camps.

Our foreman at the construction site was originally the one who went to fight on the grasslands with Lord Lu.

He then selected a beautiful woman from among the princes and nobles of the Northern Yuan court.

You don't know how tender and beautiful she is; she's just as stunning as any girl from Jiangnan.

The third brother spoke with great enthusiasm and detail.

Several young soldiers were intrigued and felt their lips getting dry.

They knew that the women from wealthy families,

Even if it's not the best, it can't be too bad; at least the skin and temperament are excellent.

They asked themselves honestly, if such a woman wanted to marry them, they certainly wouldn't refuse!
However, He Zhixue was not blinded by beauty; he pursed his lips:
"Third brother, stop talking nonsense. We just finished a battle, how could we be fighting again?"

The third brother curled his lip and glanced at him with a hint of disdain:
"If you ask me, it's a waste of your time to stand guard at the city gate. You're not as well-informed as I am."

"What's up?"

He Zhixue was taken aback, realizing that the third brother's information network was indeed very efficient, and he became serious, his eyes shining.

He wasn't thinking about kidnapping a grassland woman.

Instead, they thought that if they could go to war and gain some merit, matchmakers would naturally come to them when they returned.

With women from the Ming Dynasty available, who would still marry a woman from the grasslands?
The third brother took another step closer and saw the centurion on duty staring at him.

He gave a sheepish smile, stood still, and muttered:
"Little He, didn't you do the operation to wipe out bandits and outlaws a few days ago?"

Some people were sheltered by most of the grasslands.
At the time, the government officials just wanted to settle things peacefully and let it go.

But things are different now. When Lord Lu returned and heard about this, he was furious.
They ordered most of the grasslands to hand over their people.
"If we attack them if they don't hand it over, isn't this going to lead to war?"

"what?"

He Zhixue held his breath, his eyes gleaming with intense light.

His fists, which were placed at his sides, began to clench tightly, and he was so excited that he could not control himself.

Even the centurion on duty nearby slowly moved closer, straining his ears to listen.
It wasn't just these young men in the city's defense forces who wanted to fight.

Even those who held official positions were more eager to go to war.

Only by fighting can one get promoted and make money, secure a more stable official position, and secure a good job.

Otherwise, standing guard here all day long...
Exposed to wind and sun day after day, what's the difference between that and being in prison?
The third brother gave them a look:
"It was Manager Li, who delivered the goods today, who told me. The news has already spread throughout the city."
When you all finish your shifts and go back, ask around. If you find a way, hurry up and try to get in.

Those damned grassland people aren't the type to give up easily.
In my opinion, these grassland people have become incredibly arrogant.
But we need to fight a battle to dampen their spirits! What do you think?

"Yes, yes, you're right!!"

I've disliked these grassland people for a long time.

"We need to teach him a lesson. He uses our things, eats our food, and makes money off us, and he's still so arrogant!"

He Zhixue nodded repeatedly, his voice sounding somewhat impatient.

At this moment, the piping hot roast chicken in my arms and the fragrant sake became unimportant.

As the end of the yamen approached, the office was quiet, unlike the bustling atmosphere at the city gate.

Even the most avid drinkers among the officials did not invite their friends out for a drink.
Instead, he stayed obediently in the yamen (government office) organizing documents.
Their movements became extremely cautious, as if some tiger were standing beside them.

This is especially true for officials.
He looked like he was working extremely hard.

The reason for all this is that the real commander of the Northern Expeditionary Command has returned.

Although that person was young,

However, its achievements in foreign wars are outstanding, and its domestic governance is beyond reproach.

Even the most cunning clerks and officials would feel involuntarily nervous in his presence.

This official, in particular, is an unprecedented hardliner.

He is efficient and decisive in his work.

At such a critical juncture, to make a mistake would be foolish and irredeemable.

In the central office room of the back hall, Lu Yunyi sat behind a desk.

Holding the accounts of recent trade transactions in his hand, his brows were furrowed deeply.

Judging from his calculation skills, this account has major problems at first glance.

The output and revenue differed too much, even though the difference was categorized as a loss.
But he knew in his heart that these losses were probably all sold to the grassland people at the original price and pocketed by them.

For the people of the grasslands, it doesn't matter if things are a little broken, worn out, or old, as long as they are useful.

Even people in some remote areas can't distinguish between good and bad.

"If you don't manage it for a day, they'll climb onto the roof and tear off the tiles."

Lu Yunyi's eyes turned cold. He threw the document in his hand onto the table, refusing to read it any further.

He stood up and walked outside.

At this moment, the sun was burning its last rays to illuminate the world, but darkness was gradually falling.

The entire government office exuded a desolate and languid atmosphere.

Lu Yunyi stretched lazily at the door.

Looking at the officials coming and going in the courtyard, he asked with some doubt:
"Why are there still so many people? Aren't they going to leave?"

Lu Yunyi frowned, his mood worsening considerably.
Embezzling money and grain is one thing, but they even try to earn overtime pay!

This is outrageous! This is utterly outrageous!
"My lord, they dared not leave the office when they saw you were back."

At this moment, Feng Yunfang's answer made Lu Yunyi unable to help but show an embarrassed expression.
Lu Yunyi touched his nose and waved his hands repeatedly:
"Go, go, go! Tell them to go home if they have nothing to do. What are they doing lingering in the yamen?"
The government offices are dirt poor right now; where would they get the extra money to pay them bonuses!

Feng Yunfang's expression was strange, and he quickly ran away.
Before long, the previously quiet government office came alive.
Everyone packed their things and left the yamen, chatting and laughing.

The officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief and headed home with their belongings.

Fortunately, the adults were still the same as always.

It's a good thing they don't like lingering in the government offices!
In less than fifteen minutes, the yamen became quiet.
More than 90% of the clerks and officials had left, leaving only those who hadn't finished their work.

Lu Yunyi walked through the somewhat empty government office, speaking as he went:

"That's right."

Feng Yunfang smiled:

"My lord, in fact, I also feel..."
If a day's work can be finished during the day, don't leave it until the evening.

On one occasion, a subordinate led his men to organize documents.
Because I was a bit lazy during the day, I worked on it until the evening.

When I woke up the next day, I felt unusually tired and had no energy.

That makes sense. A person only lives for about 20,000 days.

I want to have some time to myself, but unfortunately, I don't have that luxury.

Previously, in the Ministry of Works in the capital, I overheard the clerks chatting idly.

They said that the work couldn't be done too quickly each day, and after finishing, not only could they not leave, but they had to stay in the yamen (government office) for a while longer.
Otherwise, my superior will assign me even more work tomorrow.
This is absolutely outrageous!

Feng Yunfang scratched his head somewhat strangely:

"Sir, if someone works overtime at the Jingdong government office, does the office still give them a reward?"

"The government office itself doesn't have any money, so what can it give?"

Lu Yunyi pursed his lips, then thought about it for a moment, and his smile became somewhat strange:
"However, with the profits from the business in the future, there might be a bonus."

"Ang~"

"Let's go, we're almost done with today's work. Let's go see that Korean. Oh, and send someone home to tell Madam that she's coming home for dinner today."

"Yes!"

Feng Yunfang waved his hand, signaling the guards following behind him to go back and report, and at the same time he said:

"My lord, the budget for deterring Yi Seong-gye of Goryeo is not yet complete. Are we going to go now?"

Lu Yunyi smiled and walked forward with his hands behind his back:
"If he asks for an exorbitant price, he'll bargain on the spot. To save his throne and his life, the King of Goryeo probably won't be stingy."

Wang Junping's room was arranged in a relatively quiet corner of the government office.
Several tall locust trees were planted around the area, and they were in full bloom at the moment.

A gentle breeze carries the faint fragrance of locust blossoms through the air.

The doors and windows of the houses are all made of fine wood, and the window frames are carved with exquisite patterns.

Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, it exudes a simple and elegant atmosphere.

Inside the house, the candlelight flickered, illuminating the entire room.

A large wooden table was laden with a variety of sumptuous dishes.
Roasted lamb leg, braised pork, steamed fish, along with several plates of delicate side dishes and a few jugs of fine wine.

Wang Junping was sitting at the table, eating meat and drinking wine heartily, his face beaming with satisfaction.

They seemed to have completely forgotten that they were in a foreign country.
They also forgot about the precarious situation they were facing domestically.

Lu Yunyi entered the house and saw this scene before him.
He paused for a moment, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.

He hadn't expected Wang Junping to be so carefree.

Under such circumstances, he can still eat and drink so much without any worry.

"Lord Wang, what a fine mood you are in!"

Lu Yunyi's lips curled up slightly, a playful smile on his face.

Upon hearing the sound, Wang Junping quickly put down his wine glass and chopsticks, and stood up.
He bowed respectfully to Lu Yunyi, his face beaming with smiles.
"Lord Lu, you've arrived. Would you like to have something to eat with me?"

His voice was tinged with drunkenness.

Her cheeks flushed slightly from drinking.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand, walked to the table, and sat down.

He frowned as he looked at the table full of leftover food.
"Lord Wang, it seems you're having a pretty good time here. I was just worrying too much."

Wang Junping chuckled and scratched his head:

"Lord Lu, to be honest..."
I've had so many worries on my mind these past few days.

If you don't eat and drink well, how can you have the energy to think about those troublesome things?

Moreover, Lord Lu, you have been so hospitable.
If I don't enjoy it to the fullest, wouldn't I be letting you down?

Looking at his carefree attitude, Lu Yunyi felt both annoyed and amused:
"Lord Wang, you're quite open-minded."

However, since you have come to the Ming Dynasty seeking assistance,

"We can't just think about eating, drinking, and having fun; we need to talk about serious matters."

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping's smile immediately faded, and he said seriously:
"Lord Lu is right. I wonder what Lord Lu's opinion is on the affairs of Goryeo?"
And are they willing to send troops to help and deter the rebellious minister Yi Seong-gye?

Lu Yunyi leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he said:

"Lord Wang, sending troops is no small matter and requires careful consideration."

Upon hearing this, Wang Junping's heart tightened immediately, and he quickly said:

"Lord Lu, our royal family is now in imminent danger."
If the Ming Dynasty does not send troops to help in time...
It seems the royal family will be completely eliminated by Yi Seong-gye, and Goryeo will fall into his hands.

By then, Yi Seong-gye's power had grown significantly.
It's inevitable that they might harbor covetous thoughts towards the Ming Dynasty; I urge Lord Lu to reconsider.

Lu Yunyi smiled slightly, a hint of wisdom flashing in his eyes:
"Lord Wang, what you said makes some sense."
However, I cannot rashly send troops based solely on your word.

Moreover, the imperial court had just ended its conflict with the Northern Yuan.
Sending troops at this time would likely provoke discontent throughout the court.

Seeing Lu Yunyi hesitate, Wang Junping became extremely anxious.
He knelt down directly on the ground, and said with tears streaming down his face:

"Lord Lu, I beg you to send troops to help us, considering the long-standing loyalty of the Goryeo royal family to the Ming Dynasty."

As long as the Ming Dynasty sends troops, the Goryeo royal family is willing to remain a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty forever.

They paid tribute every year and submitted to the emperor year after year.

Lu Yunyi got up and helped Wang Junping up:
"Lord Wang, what are you doing? Please get up quickly."

It's not that I'm unwilling to help, but sending troops would require a huge amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

These all require sufficient justification and reward.

Otherwise, I would have no way to explain myself.

Wang Junping stood up, realizing the deeper meaning Lu Yunyi was hiding:

"Lord Lu, what kind of reward do you desire?"
"Anything that Goryeo can do, we will do our utmost to fulfill."

Lu Yunyi looked at Wang Junping, smiled gently, gestured for him to sit down, and then slowly said:

"Lord Wang, since you are being so direct, I will not beat around the bush either."

If you want my Great Ming to send troops to deter Yi Seong-gye...

"Your Goryeo must provide 500,000 taels of silver as military expenses."

"what?"

Upon hearing this number, Wang Junping's eyes widened, and his face showed a look of shock and disbelief.

He opened his mouth wide, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Lu Yunyi was also a little embarrassed, and said lightly:
"I know that 500,000 taels of silver is not a small sum for Goryeo."

But compared to the safety of the royal family, it must be worth it.

(End of this chapter)