In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 851 The World is Changing, Plan Ahead

After leaving the yamen, Zhang Bin and Li Xian walked side by side on the yamen corridor.

Zhang Bin's steps were still a little unsteady, as if he were walking on cotton.

His face was filled with disbelief as he turned to look at Li Xian, muttering to himself:
"Lord Li, is this the end of the matter?"

Li Xian frowned slightly, his expression grave, and said in a deep voice:
"Turning enemies into friends and striking at our vital points—this person is too calm."

Zhang Bin nodded slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
"This move was truly unexpected."

Now that Lord Li has also joined the Military Command, we'll be colleagues from now on.

Li Xian's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile:

"Lord Zhang is too kind. In the future, we will need to work together to serve the Commandery."

Zhang Bin tentatively asked:

"Lord Li, surely there won't be any retribution later?"

Li Xian thought for a moment, his steps slowing down, and finally he shook his head:

"Probably not. That old bastard Duan Zhengze has done so many bad things, and he's still doing fine, isn't he?"

Zhang Bin's eyes lit up, and he felt much more at ease. He nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, Duan Zhengze is a two-faced person."

It's strange that he's still able to hold office despite being caught doing something wrong several times.

"This also illustrates that in the eyes of those two adults, moral failings are not that important."

"Then what's important?" Zhang Bin asked hesitantly.

"He can get things done," Li Xian said confidently.
"Duan Zhengze put in a tremendous amount of effort in drawing up the Fish Scale Yellow Register, which caused many people to become enemies. That's what it means to be capable."

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Li. I understand."

Zhang Bin nodded thoughtfully, suddenly thinking of many things.

As the two were talking, a clerk from the yamen rushed over, bowed, and said:
"My lords, the yamen has been arranged. Please follow me."

Zhang Bin and Li Xian exchanged a glance and followed the clerk toward their newly assigned office.

Along the way, many people in the government office saw them and showed expressions of shock.

People whispered among themselves, discussing the matter:

"Isn't this Master Li? And this is Lord Si from Chengdu?"

"Shh, keep your voice down. This is the Minister of Works of the Northern Yuan, a high-ranking official."

"Lord Lu, this is far too audacious!"

Although the murmurs were quiet, they still reached Zhang Bin and Li Xian's ears.

Zhang Bin frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased.

Li Xian remained calm, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Upon arriving at the yamen, the clerk respectfully opened the door and said:
"My lords, this is the office that has been arranged for you."

If there is anything you are not satisfied with, please feel free to give me instructions.

Zhang Bin entered the yamen and looked around. The room was spacious and bright, with tables and chairs neatly arranged and all the writing implements readily available.

He nodded with satisfaction:
"Yes, thank you for your help."

Li Xian also entered the adjacent office, looked around, and then smiled at the clerk, saying:

"Thank you for your hard work, this place is great."

The clerk quickly bowed and said:
"You two are too kind. It's what I should do."

"Then I won't disturb you two any longer. Please feel free to call me if you need anything."

After saying this, the official withdrew.

Zhang Bin sat down in the chair and let out a long sigh:

"I never imagined that one day I would have such a large government office. What I used to long for has now turned out to be a blessing in disguise?"

Li Xian walked to the window, looked at the bustling scene in the government office outside, and slowly said:
"Lord Zhang, this is just the beginning."

Now that you've taken this official position, you should repay the favor and achieve something; otherwise, you'll have wasted this position.

"What Lord Li says is true. Although I have some experience in the matter of military farms."

However, the situation is now complex and requires careful consideration.

As the two were discussing, footsteps came from outside the door.

Immediately afterwards, a young man dressed in an official robe, carrying documents, stepped into the yamen.

This person was of medium build, with a thin face and a shrewd look in his eyes.

Upon seeing Zhang Bin and Li Xian, he immediately bowed respectfully.
"I am Wu Su'an, the clerk of the Bureau of Experience. I have come to greet you both."

Li Xian looked at him with some surprise. If he remembered correctly,
This person is currently in charge of the North City Workshop.

"Lord Wu, what brings you here?" Li Xian asked with a smile, his face full of warmth.

Wu Su'an glanced at Zhang Bin beside her.

Zhang Bin immediately understood and quickly nodded with a smile:

"You two chat, I'll go check out the government office first."

After he left, Wu Su'an took out a document and an account book from his pocket, handed them to Li Xian, and said:
"Lord Li, Lord Lu has given his instructions."

The acquisition of the trading company continued in the afternoon; these are the relevant documents and accounts.

A total of 50,000 taels of silver was allocated this time, of which 23,000 taels have already been spent, and the money will continue to be spent until it is all gone.

Li Xian took the documents and accounts and began to carefully review them.

His brows furrowed, his expression turned serious, and he glanced at Wu Su'an with some surprise.

Because the accounts and details on it were presented in a way he had never seen before.
Neither the Ming Dynasty nor the Northern Yuan Dynasty had ever seen it.

However, he didn't fail to understand it because of this; on the contrary, he understood it at a glance.

Just this accounting method alone,

This made Li Xian realize that such changes had taken place in Daning City.
It didn't rely on favorable timing or location, but on the right people!

Li Xian quickly finished reviewing the accounts and asked:
"Mr. Wu, have you encountered any obstacles in the acquisition of the trading company?"

Wu Su'an sighed softly and said:

"Lord Li, to be honest..."
While some businesses were willing to be acquired, many others firmly opposed it.

Especially some merchant houses with powerful backgrounds in the north of the city took a very hard line, declaring that even if they were imprisoned, they would never sell their businesses to the commander.

Li Xian closed the ledger, his face showing deep thought:

"I understand about this matter. This afternoon I will gather some old friends from the north of the city for a get-together."

Does the commander want them to resume work? Or are there other requirements?

Wu Su'an maintained a calm expression throughout, and said indifferently:
"Lord Lu just gave the order: one act of disloyalty will not be tolerated a hundred times over."
For businesses involved in the city's unrest, all outstanding debts should be collected.

If they don't want to be acquired,

The Da Ning Commandery doesn't welcome them; they can go wherever they want.

Li Xian's expression was somewhat serious. According to his understanding...

The merchant's original request was simply to allow these workshops to continue operating, and to forgive any past mistakes.

In just three days, the demands have changed so drastically that they are almost threatening to wipe people out.

Li Xian pursed his lips and smiled bitterly to himself.

Perhaps, today's outcome...
After the commander had won over all the people he could, he left only the merchants as enemies and then wiped them out completely.

This was also the first thing he did after taking office.

Whether he can gain a foothold in the Ming Dynasty's officialdom depends on this opportunity.

Thinking of this, a cold glint flashed in Li Xian's eyes, and a rare fierceness appeared.

"These merchants are greedy for immediate profits and unwilling to consider the long-term development of Daning City."

Since Lord Lu has made up his mind to do this, we cannot back down.

Wu Su'an looked at Li Xian, a hint of seriousness in her eyes:
"Lord Li's determination is truly a blessing for Da Ning City. May I ask what Lord Li's plans are?"

Li Xian pondered for a moment and said:

"Wu Jingli, you should go back and make preparations. We will head to the north of the city together this afternoon."

For those merchants willing to cooperate, Dusi offers reasonable prices and favorable conditions, and afterwards they can even become friends with Dusi.

For those businesses that objected,
We must reason with them and appeal to their emotions.

If they refuse, don't blame us for being ruthless.

I will handle this matter; please don't publicize it too much within the government offices.

"We are all from the same root, yet we have come to this point because of money. We should not air our dirty laundry in public."

Wu Su'an nodded in agreement:
"Don't worry, Lord Li, I won't say any more. I'll go back and make preparations now."

"Go."

Liu Heiying dragged his weary body back to the yamen, his official boots soaked in mud.

His enormous body moved through the government office like a small mountain. Especially his cold, weary face was so intimidating that people dared not look him in the eye and quickly moved aside.

He had just returned to his office and gulped down a large bowl of water when a clerk came to report:
"My lord, the two newly appointed vice commissioners of the capital..."

They are Zhang Bin, the former commander of the city's defense forces.

The other was Li Xian, the Minister of War of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

"puff"

"Cough cough cough cough."

Liu Heiying turned around somewhat blankly, blinked, and felt like he was dreaming.

"When did this happen?"

"Just this morning, after Lord Li came to visit Lord Lu."

"I see, you go down."

Liu Heiying thoughtfully put down the kettle, lost in thought, pondering its deeper meaning.

However, he quickly realized that the person was right next door, so why was he thinking about it?

Next door, Lu Yunyi was reviewing the documents for the bumper sweet potato harvest.
The documents from the Doyan Three Guards were the most numerous.

Whether it was Tuoluhuchar or Azashili, they received almost three letters a day.
He kept insisting that the commander send someone over to keep an eye on things, fearing that something might go wrong.

Lu Yunyi was somewhat helpless about this.

All the officers in the commandery who were capable of handling agricultural affairs were sent out.

Because Mr. Sun personally guided them, the Three Guards of Duoyan were not sent.

If we were to send someone else over now, the other garrisons would be in an uproar.

"bang"

Before Lu Yunyi could finish his thoughts, the door was suddenly kicked open.

A dark-skinned, muscular man squeezed in, his face filled with urgency.

"Brother Yun'er, what happened?"

Lu Yunyi stared at Liu Heiying's footprints on the expensive carpet, his forehead veins throbbing.
"Black Hawk, you don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household!"

"These carpets in the military headquarters cost those spendthrift sons nearly two thousand taels of silver to get, and you just walk on them like that?!"

Liu Heiying looked down at himself, somewhat bewildered, and chuckled.
"I've already told them that this thing is useless and will only cause delays."

"Don't worry, I'll have someone remove this carpet in a bit, so you won't keep thinking about it."

"Where to retreat to?" Two more black lines appeared on Lu Yunyi's forehead.

"It has its place to go."

"Is it the left-hand yamen (government office)?"

Liu Heiying's smile froze on his face, and he gave an embarrassed laugh:
"There aren't many people there, so it won't get dirty."

Lu Yunyi shook his head helplessly:

"What are you so busy with?"

"How did Zhang Bin get promoted? And what about Li Xian?"

Lu Yunyi fell into a long silence. After pondering for a long time, he spoke softly:
"It's easier to get things done if we can unite enough talented people."
This is a principle I learned in Beijing, and I'm thinking of giving it a try.
Otherwise, it would be too unfair for the two of us brothers to always bear the blame.

Liu Heiying blinked, somewhat bewildered.
He already knew this, and in fact, that's exactly what the commander did.

They were extremely generous to those grassland nobles who cooperated.

They were very satisfied with both the official positions and the share of money.

Now that the old story has been brought up again, Liu Heiying feels that things are not so simple.

He tentatively asked:

"Brother Yun'er, are you feeling pressured?"

Lu Yunyi frowned slightly, glanced at Liu Heiying, and shook his head with a sneer:

"The commander-in-chief is not under much pressure. Even if he were to force things through based on public opinion, he could still push things through. Moreover, he also commands troops."

I'm worried about the instability in Beijing.
If any more trouble arises, it will involve our Da Ning.

Therefore, during this period, I should only report good news and not bad news, trying to avoid giving others any ammunition against me.

Liu Heiying was even more confused, his mind completely blank:
"Brother Yun'er, what exactly happened?"

"Hasn't the rebellious faction in the capital been quelled? Who in the court can now rival His Majesty and the Crown Prince?"

Liu Heiying patted his chest, his face full of arrogance:

"As a member of the Crown Prince's faction, who in the court dares to provoke us?"

But the more Liu Heiying said this, the more serious Lu Yunyi's expression became.

"The closer we get to victory, the closer we are to defeat."

Other adults may be complacent, but you and I must never have such thoughts.

Furthermore, the Crown Prince plans to travel to Guanzhong in the next two months to survey the terrain and consider the growing conditions for sweet potatoes, in order to plan for relocating the capital.

"What?" Liu Heiying's voice suddenly rose: "So urgent?"

"That's how urgent it is, Your Highness the Crown Prince wants to catch us off guard."
While the momentum of the great victory has not yet dissipated, we should push forward the relocation of the capital as much as possible!
However, just thinking about the difficulties involved makes it clear how challenging they are.
This is no longer about being an enemy of a particular force or group; it's about being an enemy of the entire imperial court!
No one can guarantee that someone won't sabotage it.

"This this."

Liu Heiying was somewhat at a loss for what to do, and said in a trembling voice:

"Brother Yun'er, things aren't that serious yet, are they?"

“Things are only going to be worse than I’m making them out to be!” Lu Yunyi said firmly.

"At least 80% of the officials in the imperial court are from the south."

Put yourself in their shoes, who would want to leave home and go to the north, where there is no power base and the land is covered in ice and snow, to serve as an official?

If you were one of those high-ranking officials in the imperial court, would you be willing?

Liu Heiying shook his head vigorously, his cheek muscles jiggling.

"Of course not, northerners are all flocking to the south."
There's no reason for southerners to migrate to the north.

A few days ago, the Governor's Office transferred several military officers from Huguang.

They were acting like they were going to die, listless all day, constantly complaining that they wanted to go home.

"That's it. Moving the capital has always been the most difficult thing since ancient times."

"Your Highness is in such a hurry; I have a feeling something is wrong."

"What's the problem?"

Liu Heiying's eyes widened, and he felt a chill run down his spine for no apparent reason.

They're now part of the princeling faction; if something goes wrong...
"do not know."

Lu Yunyi shook his head, his brows furrowed, and a shadow of gloom flashed across his eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi calmed himself down.

"Let's put that aside for now and get on with our work. Has the letter from Goryeo been sent out yet?"

"It's been sent out, through the Commander's secret channels."
Once it reaches Goryeo, someone will take over, but it's uncertain whether it can be safely delivered to the Goryeo Grand Prince.

When this matter was mentioned, a glint of light flashed in Liu Heiying's eyes.

You could say he's gone mad for money!
"Man proposes, God disposes; as long as you've made an effort, whether you succeed or not is up to fate."

Lu Yunyi leaned back in his chair, looking extremely tired.

He looked at Liu Heiying and said:
"Zhang Bin gathered some of his confidants this morning."
Gao Haoxuan also equipped them with swords and armor, which are now in a secret hideout in the alleys of the north of the city.

I bet Zhang Bin came today to mediate.

If negotiations fail, they'll resort to desperate measures, so they've prepared manpower.

Liu Heiying's expression immediately turned serious, and he straightened his back.

"He harbors wolfish ambitions and treacherous intentions; he truly deserves to die!"

"Hey~ Since they've already pledged allegiance to us, let's not say such things. We'll still be colleagues from now on."

"So, we're just going to leave it at that?" Liu Heiying's eyes widened suddenly.

"Of course not. The government is now in a complex situation, and the defense of the city is of utmost importance. We cannot entrust it to others."

I think you'll have to work harder and take on more responsibilities.

That way we can sleep soundly, and we can leave the specific tasks to Zhang Huai'an and the others.

Their roots are in the capital; they can't afford to collude with these people.

"I see."

This time, Liu Heiying didn't shirk his responsibilities or complain about being tired, because it concerned his life and fortune!

"What should be done with those people who have gathered here?"

Lu Yunyi thought for a moment, then said calmly:

"Kill him."

(End of this chapter)