In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 836 The Splendor of Da Ning, Advancing with Great March

At three-quarters past dusk, the setting sun, like blood, dyed the horizon a brilliant orange-red.

Sunlight pierced through layers of clouds and mist, illuminating the earth and bathing everything in a golden glow.

Lu Yunyi rode his tall horse back to the Lu residence, covered in dust from the journey.

Butler He Bo stood at the door to greet them warmly.
She smiled brightly when she saw him return.

Lu Yunyi returned the smile and handed over the reins, saying:
"Uncle He, it's been a while since you gave me a raise, hasn't it?"

Uncle He's withered cheeks scrunched up, and he kept rubbing his hands as he held the reins, replying with a chuckle:
"Sir, Madam just gave us a raise before the New Year, that's enough."

"Hey~ how can you complain about earning too much money? How much are you paid per month now?"

Uncle He bowed deeply:

"Reporting to my master, when I was in Yunnan, my wages were eight coins a month."
Last year it was 1.2 taels, now it's 1.5 taels.

At this point, Uncle He let out a long sigh of relief, somewhat wistfully:
"Master, this old servant is already fifty-six years old and doesn't have many days left. My legs are also a bit weak, and even if I earn a lot of money, I won't be able to spend it all."

Moreover, this old servant has always lived in the mansion, and has been provided for in terms of food, clothing, and lodging.
The ladies also frequently gave them tips.

Not a single penny of the money earned can be spent.

Lu Yunyi smiled:

"Don't you remember you have two sons still in Yunnan?"

"Yes, they are still working at the Marquis's residence. One person is responsible for raising horses, and the other is responsible for the defense of the backyard. I don't know if their duties have changed."

Lu Yunyi nodded in realization:

"Father and son are separated by thousands of miles. In that sense, I feel a little guilty."

Here's what we'll do. You'll be busy with all the work inside and out in this huge mansion. We'll increase your monthly salary to two taels of silver.

A steward like you wouldn't work in the capital for less than two taels of silver a month.

"You remember Gu Chunzhu, right? She's the steward assigned by Xinchen Trading Company."

“I remember, I remember, he is a little younger than this old servant.”

"He has been involved in the business world in Beijing for many years and knows people from all walks of life."
He went out to work and earned at least five taels of silver a month.

So, two taels of silver isn't much for you; in fact, it's too little.

After a pause, Lu Yunyi continued:
"Have you considered going back to Yunnan? After all, your son is still there."

Uncle He was slightly taken aback, then laughed:

"My lord, this old servant has served as a steward in the Marquis's mansion for half my life..."
Now that Miss has come to Daning with Master, this old servant has also come along, so that I may have someone to look after me.

As for returning to Yunnan, given my current health, I'm afraid I'll die on the way.

If you don't mind, sir, I'll wait until I'm no longer able to work.

They brought over one of the old servant's sons and had him continue working for the household.

There are many things to do in the mansion, including some confidential matters.
It's a bit risky to let outsiders handle it.

Lu Yunyi nodded in deep agreement, completely agreeing with his words, and patted him on the shoulder:

"In that case, let's settle on this."
When you can no longer work, bring your son over so that father and son can be reunited.

A look of joy flashed in Uncle He's eyes, and he quickly bowed:

"Thank you, sir."

Lu Yunyi smiled and stepped into the mansion.

Feng Yunfang and several guards followed beside him, their expressions growing increasingly strange.

Everyone says that you can guard against a thief day and night, but it's hard to guard against a thief within your
But this was the first time they had ever seen someone actively recruit thieves from within their own ranks.

Upon reaching the courtyard, the servants and maids all bowed.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand and whispered to Feng Yunfang:
"Ask the brothers who stayed behind if they've intercepted any important information?"

"Yes!"

Upon entering the main hall, Lu Yunyi was somewhat taken aback when he didn't see the many ladies he had expected.

He looked at the waiter not far away and asked:

"Where are they?"

"Reporting to your master, the ladies are all in the kitchen."

The waiter looked somewhat embarrassed and strange, as did his voice.

"what?"

Lu Yunyi's expression was subtle as he quickly walked towards the back hall.
Soon, a group of people found themselves in the kitchen, frantically trying to get things done.

More than ten people were crammed into the spacious kitchen.
Several ladies stood in front of a large pot, holding iron spatulas and looking at the food inside, their faces showing worry.

Beside them stood the cook and maids, standing respectfully, their faces also showing worry.

They wanted to help but dared not interfere easily, for fear of displeasing the ladies.

Lu Yunyi squeezed through the crowd.
He tiptoed to look into the pot, paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.

Although you could barely see the dark chicken feet in the pot, and also some chunks of chicken meat,

But it does look even blacker than charcoal.

At this moment, black smoke was billowing from the pot, and it was making a sizzling sound.

Lu Yunyi turned his head and saw Mu Chuting, who was staring blankly with some black and gray on her face. He laughed even louder.

"What are you doing?"

Mu Chuting had already noticed her husband's arrival.
But out of embarrassment, I didn't say anything.

Seeing him smiling so brightly, she became somewhat annoyed, stomped her foot hard, and glared at him.

"why are you laughing!"

"Hahahahahaha!"

Lu Yunyi not only did not restrain himself, but became even more unruly:
"Is Madam making fried charcoal?"

After saying that, Lu Yunyi ran off in a flash and came to Liu Wanyi's side.

Liu Wanyi reacted quickly, slamming the pot lid onto the boiler to stop him from seeing.
But Lu Yunyi had already seen it and said with a smile:
"Madam, are you making lamb trotters? It looks more like you're burning firewood."

Before Liu Wanyi could get angry, Lu Yunyi ran to Deng Lingyun's side again.

Deng Lingyun didn't avoid it; instead, she stood somewhat embarrassed in front of the pot.

Looking at the soup in the pot, he scratched his head, looking bewildered.

She swore she hadn't misremembered, but why did stir-fried bean sprouts turn into bean sprout soup?

Qiuhe didn't cook herself.

Instead, they bought some pastries from outside and plated them there.

However, seeing that the other dishes had also turned out this way,
There was nothing to worry about, so we ate as we set out the food, and half of the perfectly shaped food was already gone.

When Lu Yunyi looked over,
She pouted a little shyly.

He chuckled, revealing his brightly colored teeth.

"Alright, alright, cooking is the cook's job."
"Why are you all getting involved? Let's go, let's go out to eat today."

Before long, the ladies had changed into brand new clothes.

She redid her makeup and slowly walked out of the Lu residence.

Liu Wanyi touched her hair with some emotion, then gently sniffed it, still able to faintly smell the charcoal fire.

She said with a hint of complaint:

"My husband has returned from a long journey, and we simply wish to cook some dishes for him ourselves."
I never imagined cooking would be so complicated.

Mu Chuting, who was standing to the side, was very perceptive and nodded.

I used to think cooking was very simple, but now it seems much more difficult than reading military books.

Deng Lingyun, on the other hand, was quite frank, admitting that she had done far too many terrible things over the years.

Stir-fried bean sprouts can be made into bean sprout soup, which is a piece of cake.

Lu Yunyi looked at the slowly approaching carriage and said:

"It's alright, we'll try more in the future."

Let's go to Kanglelou Restaurant for dinner today, and take a look at the bustling scene in the north of the city.

"After we finish eating, I still need to go to the government office, so let's hurry."

Upon hearing this, the group quickened their pace, hurriedly boarding the carriage and heading to Kang Le Lou in the north of the city.

The carriage slowly drove towards the north of the city. Even before it got close, one could hear a clamor surging in like a tide.

Lu Yunyi lifted the carriage curtain and saw that the streets in the north of the city were bustling with people.

The stalls stretched as far as the eye could see.

At this moment, most of those standing in front of the stalls are women and laborers dressed in work clothes.

It's at least ten times more lively than before.
Everyone had a smile on their face.

The shop owners stood at their doors, warmly greeting passersby.

Since the city began its large-scale construction,
Their business improved many times over.

Lu Yunyi gazed into the distance, at the general store in the distance...

A dazzling array of novelties were on display, and children tugged at their parents' clothes.

She stared longingly at the candies and toys, muttering repeatedly that she wanted to buy them.

The adults looked reluctant, but in the end they still reluctantly took out their money to buy things, while the children's laughter could be heard from time to time.

As they approached, the vendors skillfully turned over the food.

While loudly greeting the guests, she kept busy with her hands and feet, her face beaming with a satisfied smile.

Steaming hot buns, fragrant roasted meat, and golden, crispy pies.

The fragrance gathered in the air and kept flowing into the carriage.

Lu Yunyi's nose twitched incessantly.

Compared to those big, meaty dishes, Lu Yunyi preferred these snacks.

Not far away, a group of itinerant performers were putting on acrobatics.

A young man appeared, as light as a swallow.

He jumped back and forth on several thin bamboo poles, drawing cheers from the surrounding crowd.

A little girl next to her was performing contortion; her body was as flexible as a noodle.
They can perform all sorts of difficult moves, which amazes people.

Judging from their appearance, they were clearly not locals of Daning.

The fact that outsiders appeared in Daning, which is 800 miles away from the pass, already says something.

The prosperity of Daning is attracting a steady stream of people.

This pleased Lu Yunyi greatly, as it showed that his efforts over the past few days had not been in vain.

Lu Yunyi was engrossed in watching.

Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a scene not far away.

In front of Sanming Tower, more than a dozen magnificent carriages gathered together, and people stepped off the carriages one after another.

Lu Yunyi looked closely,
They turned out to be prominent merchants from the city, such as Mi Chen, Mi Bin, and Hu Chongyi.

They looked hurried and worried.
They talked to each other and then walked into Sanming Tower together.

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, pondering to himself, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Are these merchants gathering here to discuss how to deal with the new policies of the military governor?

Thinking of this, Lu Yunyi's gaze deepened.

He quietly drew the curtains.
Listening to the lady's chattering voice in the carriage, my thoughts drifted off to who-knows-where.

Before long, the carriage arrived in front of the Kang Le Building.
Kang Le Lou was the most bustling restaurant in the north of Daning City. It was a three-story building with flying eaves and brackets, and it was magnificent.

The reason I chose to be here is to take care of my own business.

The servants at the gate saw Lu Yunyi's carriage arrive and hurriedly came forward to greet it.
When Feng Yunfang turned to him and told him the identity of the person inside the carriage.

The waiter paused for a moment, then his smile deepened.
"Lord Lu, a private room has been prepared for you upstairs. Please come in quickly."

Lu Yunyi led several ladies into the Kang Le Building.

The first floor was decorated very simply, with only a few basic decorations on the walls.
The tables, chairs, and benches were neatly arranged, clean and tidy, extending into the room in rows.

By this time, quite a few guests had already taken their seats.

The place was bustling with noise, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

Upon seeing this, Lu Yunyi nodded almost imperceptibly.
Ya Rong has a knack for doing business.
In a place like Daning, if the decoration is too luxurious, it will intimidate onlookers.
On the contrary, this simple decoration is quite attractive.

Because at first glance, the price seems reasonable.
In fact, dining on the first floor of Kang Le Building is not expensive.

Lu Yunyi still remembered the last time he came here,
Those seated there were mostly merchants and shopkeepers, or government officials and clerks.

Now, he saw several tables of laborers dressed in work clothes.

They gathered together, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts.

This further illustrates one point: wealth is flowing within the city.
At least you can relax here during your free time after a day's work.

But once you get to the second floor, the decor is completely different.

The private rooms were separated, and the walls were decorated with calligraphy and paintings by famous people.
There was also a blue and white porcelain vase in the corner, and the entire floor was covered with wooden planks.

At this moment, the private rooms seem to be more popular than the lobby on the first floor, and all of the dozen or so private rooms are already occupied.

Led by the waiter, Lu Yunyi arrived at the third floor and entered the deepest part.

That vast building, reserved for distinguished guests.

The room is decorated in a warm and comfortable style, with open windows offering a view of the bustling scene in the north of the city.

Lu Yunyi asked the ladies to order the dishes.

He sat by the window, lost in thought.

He was still thinking about the gathering of merchants, including Mi Chen, that he had just witnessed.

I had a feeling that this matter was not simple.

As the saying goes, "For every policy from above, there's a countermeasure from below."

These merchants were the most direct beneficiaries of trade and exchange.
Now that they're about to lose a large sum of money, they certainly won't let it go easily.

As he was pondering this, the dishes were served one after another.

Fragrant braised pork, tender and delicious steamed fish, and refreshing cold dishes.
There was also a pot of steaming soup.
In addition, there are some beef and mutton specialties from the grasslands, and they are even thoughtfully paired with spices from Southeast Asia.

The ladies, seeing the table laden with delicious food, suddenly felt their appetites increase and all turned to look at Lu Yunyi.

Lu Yunyi smiled and waved his hand:

"Eat, eat, eat. We don't have that many rules in our family."

Upon hearing this, everyone laughed and started eating.

Liu Wanyi picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in her mouth, chewed it carefully, and nodded in satisfaction, saying:
"The food at Kang Le Lou is indeed as good as its reputation; it tastes really good."

Mu Chuting echoed:
"Yes, it's much better than what we made in the kitchen just now."

Everyone couldn't help laughing after hearing this.

Lu Yunyi ate very quickly.
This is a habit formed in the military, and everyone is used to it.

The group hadn't even finished their bowl of rice yet.

Lu Yunyi had already eaten three bowls and drunk a large bowl of soup before putting down his chopsticks.

He was preoccupied with the affairs of those merchants and had little appetite.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked again in the direction of Sanming Tower.

Although the situation inside the building cannot be seen.
But he could sense that some people there had ulterior motives.

At this moment, Feng Yunfang entered the private room and said softly:
"Sir, the three floors of Sanming Tower have been booked by that group of people, and the brothers can't get up there."

Lu Yunyi nodded slightly and said:

"Understood. Keep an eye on the merchants' movements and report back immediately if anything happens."

Feng Yunfang responded and then left.

Lu Yunyi turned to the ladies and said:

"You can eat slowly. I have some official business to attend to. I need to go to the government office first."

Liu Wanyi said with some concern:

"Husband, you just got back and haven't had a proper rest yet. Would you like to eat something more?"

Lu Yunyi smiled and said:
"It's alright, the matter is urgent. I'll come back to you after I've dealt with it."

After saying that, Lu Yunyi left Kang Le Lou with Feng Yunfang and several guards.

As he stepped out of the restaurant, he took a deep breath.

Despite the bustling atmosphere in the north of the city, I was filled with vigilance.

Daning's development is at a critical juncture.

Any slight disturbance could affect the entire plan.

These merchants are the thorns hidden in the shadows.

It can help Dusi's development, or it can hinder it.

Lu Yunyi glanced at the Sanming Tower not far away, raised his chin, and gave the order:
"Send someone to keep an eye on them, and have Mi Chen come to the yamen after they're done."

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi mounted his horse and galloped towards the yamen (government office).

Before long, Lu Yunyi arrived at the yamen.

He went straight into the yamen, sat down at the desk, and began to carefully analyze the current situation.

He picked up a pen and wrote down the names of merchants such as Mi Chen and Hu Chongyi on the paper.

Then he wrote down the names of a group of adults behind them, considering their respective interests and demands.

Time passed slowly, and soon it was Hai Shi, which is around nine o'clock in the evening.

Feng Yunfang hurriedly entered the study and said:

"My lord, the gathering of Mi Chen and other merchants at Sanming Tower has ended, and Mi Chen will be here shortly."

"Yes, keep a close eye on him, don't let him try anything funny."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)